[Day 8, LM] Witness to the crime (Open)

Dunstan strolled in the Great Hall, his excitement to visit his liege Lord much lesser since he learned of his green outlook on life, ideas and politics. Still, what he learned about Furious Frey had to be conveyed to him.

"
My Lord of Tully. I come before you with news of witnesses to Ser Benjen Frey's actions against the serving girl in the Drunken Huntsman Inn"
he says officially.

"
Masha Heedle, the proprietor of that establishment will testify, and so will Brenna, the traumatised serving girl."
Dunstan says, "
I hope we can end this unfortunate matter soon and bring justice where it is much needed"
he remmembers that night he talked to them

"
Oh and one more thing. Masha told me Ser Theomore, my uncle, was among the crowd in the Inn when the incident happened, and talked with Ser Benjen that very same night. You won't find a man half as honorable as my uncle that was there then, and he could have some valuable information as well"


Dunstan bowed and awaited Lord Tully's response.

"
I can not attest to much more than that Ser Benjen did seem to take an interest in the girl, my lord"
Theomore bows. "
Slightly more than seemly perhaps, I do recall him using the phrase "
Time for a different sort of hunt"
, though I thought little of it at the time, I left not too long after that to retire for the night, nothing suggested that such things as Ser Benjen stands accused of were about to transpire."
Theomore chose his words carefully, it was always best to start off with a slightly supportive note of the accused, before piling on the more incriminating witnesses. Build up the case to a climax. "
However, I believe Ser Kyle Crakehall was at the premises when the incident supposedly took place."

[Placeholder for tonight - needs me to paste bits and pieces which is tough from a tablet]

[OOC: Contains characters recounting a sexual assault]

Brenna, the serving girl who suffered Ser Benjen's assault, recounts her version of events. Her brown hair is neatly tied up in a bun. She speak quickly and nervously, desperate for proceedings to resolve soon and not daring to hope for justice.

"
Ser Benjen came upon my as I was at my chores outside. He was too strong to fight off. I struggled to fight him off at first, but that only seemed to encourage him, he seemed to think that was 'what peasant girls wanted'."


She hangs her head in shame, seemingly blaming herself for not fighting him off, despite Ser Benjen's prodigious strength.

"
Eventually, I just kept quiet to avoid more pain."


She then breaks down in tears before the court, and is led away.

Masha Heedle is next to the stand, and characteristically runs her hands through her grey hair with worry.

"
Well, Lord Benjen was in his cups all night, drinking with Ser Theomore, begging your pardon."


"
He'd drank a lot, even for a big lad like 'im. Kept tellin' his men he was going to celebrate the hunt by 'getting his other spear wet tonight' after the day's huntin'."


This causes inappropriate laughter from some of the coarser members of the court.

"
Brenna came in weepin' later, claiming he'd forced himself on her. Might be the truth of things, might be another silly girl who regretted what she done."


Given Masha's unsympathetic recounting of events, it's hard to tell whether she is a help or a hindrance to the Tullison prosecution's case. However, this is swiftly forgotten, as the court gasps at Ser Theomore's next witness - an anointed knight! The Westerosi nobles listen attentively, weighing Ser Kyle Crakehall's words more carefully than the previous witnesses.

He still nurses some bumps and bruises from his defeat by Baelon Waters in the joust and keeps glancing at a small glass prism in his hands throughout his testimony. It appears to be a miniature version of the kind a septon would use to lead prayers.

He recalls that he heard screams, and had just seen Ser Benjen disappear to the stables. He didn't intrude, at first blustering that he believed the incident to be consensual.

"
Some peasant like it rough, it helps them explain things to their parents or husband."


The he pauses and looks down at his glass prism and sighs.

"
But in my heart I feared he had taken her by force, and knowing it was Ser Benjen himself, feared to confront him."


Shocked gasps echoe throughout Lord Tully's suddenly still hall...

Nathan sat at the back of the Hall, suppressing a slight yawn as the rest of the room gasped.

Knowing what many of them did in private at night, their moral shock and surprise was the height of hypocrisy.

There was no trial here, simply a bit of theatre. Masha's testimony was all but useless. The Knight was not much better. Perhaps if he had gone to the stables when he first heard the screams his testimony might be of some value. Anointed Knight or no, the man was a coward, and Nathan had little use for cowards.

It was likely the girl was raped, but in the end it was the word of a serving girl against that of a respected (or at least feared) Knight. The only other two witnesses (who actually witnessed nothing) admit that the encounter may have been consensual.

More of interest to Nathan was to see how Lord Tully would rule.

As someone who had been raped many times in his life, Nathan did have a degree of morbid curiosity about the whole affair. No-one had certainly gone to this much effort for him. He wondered how much of it was for Brenna's welfare, and how much was for reasons that had nothing to do with Brenna.

Ser Kyle Crakehall's sudden adherence to his knightly vows seems to break a spell. Olyver Lucas, a modest noble from a Riverlander house with lands near Ser Benjen's steps forward. He has a noble bearing and humbly addressing the audience in a quiet but even voice.

Olyver eloquently recounts hearing Ser Benjen's own men brag of their master plundering Lord Tully's women, and at this Lord Tully stands in his chair, shaking with fury at being made to look unable to defend his smallfolk.

Ser Benjen begins to yell, threatening he'll "
Disembowel any man who names me rapist!"


What Ser Kyle began, Olyver Lucas has brought to fruition, as the hall rings out with knights denouncing Ser Benjen. either having found their courage or keen to be on what now seems to be the winning side. Lord Aaron Dannet, decades Olyver's senior, slaps him on the back and offers warm words for his bravery.

Lord Forrest Frey briefly stands to give a perfunctory defence of Ser Benjen's character, but he remains true to his word to Lord Tullison, offering only the thinnest of character witnesses for his cousin and bannerman. Lord Frey either senses the direction of the room or glad to be rid of a mad dog.

Ser Florian Greysteel hammers his greatshield in to the ground and the hall is silent for Lord Tully to speak.

"
Ser Benjen Frey, this court finds you guilty of rape. I sentence you to -"


"
Sword! I demand my sword and my right to trial by combat!"
bellows Ser Benjen, causing some who spoke against me to reconsider their earlier valour.

Lord Tully nods.

"
You have that right as a knight, even if you cannot keep a knight's vows. Let the Seven judge then, with truth to be determined by sword and Lance. Do the Seven have a champion?"


[Champions - step forward and state your case. Winner to be determined by Persuade (any, bar seduce) if multiple PCs stepforward, otherwise I have an NPC candidate or two lined up.

The trial by combat will be an epilogue (effectively D10 or so), to allow injuries and fatigue to heal.

OOC: [url=Persuade (Convince)][/url]: 6d6k4 17 - Olyver Lucas
[url=Persuade (Intimidate)][/url]: 5d6k3 15 - Benjen Frey

[Knowledge (Streetwise/Status)/Cunning (Memory) TN 12 to know why a Lucas man might take against Ser Benjen Frey, as if anyone needed a reason.]

Ser Kevan sits in the Great Hall between the various present knights, observing the various testaments by smallfolks and knights alike.
...and but a small pebble causes a debris avalanche...
Taking a sip from a stone mug filled filled with water, he listens to Ser Olyver's tale. The men clearly had some personal reasons for his role in this trial, but Kevan couldn't see it. My knowledge of the Riverlands' houses used to be better...

Leaning back, he waits on potential candidates to state their case for despite Ser Benjen's known skills at arms, he was sure there would be a few willing to risk their life for a chance to become 'the killer of the furious Frey' and in the name of justice as well!

Rolls
[url=Cunning (Wttc)][/url]: 3d6-2 6

Septon Arlyn rises from where he was sitting. "
My lords and ladies, a few of you may know me as the Septon of house dulver, a few may even know that my name is Arlyn, but what I can tell you is that if these accusations are true then this man is in need to be condemned for his crimes, and any man whom stands against him will have the strength of the warrior behind him, for any man whom takes that which is not given is no true representative of the warrior and does will have forsaken his vows, thus is not a true concentrated knight! So any man whom stands against him will have my support and blessing."


OOC maybe I could assist whomever fights him with my pious bonus or use my pious bonus to counteract his concicrate bonus?

[url=knowlege status for why lucas why?][/url]: 4d6 18

Nathan chuckled and shook his head. What a wonderful piece of theatre... and everyone played their part so well. I wonder who wrote the script.

Nathan glanced at Ser Theromore. Your lucky Lord Tully is such an idiot. Third hand gossip would never stand as proof of anything to someone with any degree of intelligence. Guilty or Innocent, Ser Benjen might lose his head for nothing more than Lord Tully's injured pride.

Now this Olyver Lucas was an interesting development. A perfect man to sway the room, if not find the truth. Nathan tried to remember what he had heard about the man that might induce him to testify.

[url=Knowledge (Streetwise)][/url]: 4d6k3 17
[url=Cunning (Memory)][/url]: 4d6 10

[url=why would Olyvar step forward?][/url]: 3d6 10 oh well.

What surprised Theomore, even if he did not show it, was that Lord Gorman would name him guilty, despite the advice to have the matter settled by swords, word against word, leaving it to the gods would have been the safe option here. What did not surprise him was that Benjen demanded it.

Would Olyvar be capable of defeating the furious frey? On that, he was less than certain.

As Ser Jon Roxton started to rise to put himself forth as a contender, Nathan placed a hand on his arm.

"
Before you volunteer, understand that there is much more going on here than there appears. No real evidence has been presented to warrant a guilty verdict. Lord Tully ruled thus out of injured pride at the idea he could not protect his people."


"
Also know that House Lucas's lands are close to Ser Benjen Frey's. The Ferocious Frey is not just a knight, but a landed knight. House Lucas has suffered incursions from Ser Benjen's men in the past, and they may be aiming to settle a score or even have designs on the disgraced knight's lands."


"
I will not try and stop you if this is something you feel you need to do. Ser Benjen is certainly guilty of many things whether or not he is guilty of this, but if you are going to put your life on the line, do so because you feel justice will be served, not because of the manipulation or incompetence of others."

As the murmur rises and fades, heads darting back in forth in search of who would step forward, they begin to converge on a familiar head that rises forth from the crowd, a head of white hair that stares darkly at Ser Benjen.

"
Lord Tully, Septon, the Seven have a champion. Let the Seven be witness, as are all here, that I, as their anointed knight, will fight to uphold their virtues and prove their verdict on the day of Trial. Though the Gods only can show the truth of my words, Benjen Frey is a man I refuse to call Ser. It is a dishonor for me to stand in the same ground as he does, and breathe the same air as he does, and it is so to all of us that hold the Seven's guidance on our hearts. My honor can only be restored by allowing me to carry their will.

You sin against the Maiden, Frey. May the Warrior guide my hand, the Father make justice, and the Mother show you mercy if you repent. And may the Stranger take you if you don't."
Ser Derrock rests his a hand on the pommel of his sword, and grips it until the knuckles begin to turn white, but his stern face becomes calmer as he looks up at Lord Tully, waiting.

[url=Witness to the Crime - Persuasion (Convince)][/url]: 3d6 10

[OOC: Roll for Ser Jorah Holt following PM, but RP left for him]
[url=Persuasion][/url]: 3d6 13

Kevan has to conceal a chuckle with a cough when Ser Derrock starts his bold tirade.
The old man is not done yet at this tourney!
Amused he looks around to check whether anybody is willing to step forward as well.
Though I would like to see whether the Aurochs is as good with a sword as he is with a lance

"
Here, Here! Well said Ser Derrock!"


[+2 Assist to Persuasion. Anyone want to Co-ordinate? ]

If the noble Ser Derrock wishes to uphold the knightly vows honor, I will stand behind him in support. "


Ooc +2 persuasion assist. And I will coordinate that with you

Hearing the young boy's comment, he joins as well: "
Yeah let the joust's champion serve the faith!"


[Also assist to Derrock +2]
Edit: Arlyn was faster, so there is no mechanical benefit from my assist for Derrock, only two can assist

[OOC: Any number of people can assist as far as I remember. Co-Ordinate is a Will roll and adds DoS x Will to the test. Only one can co-ordinate, I believe, so it should be the one with the highest Will.]

OOC I have 4 will but no bonus die to coordinate

[OOC: Bonus die is helpful but not necessary. You can make a Will roll vs. a TN9 and your bonus to Derrock's roll would be 4xDoS.]

[url=Coordinate with Derrock][/url]: 4d6 10

[OOC: 1DoS, So you would add +4 to Derrock's roll.]

[OOC: Sorry, hanging fire on Coordinate stuff as noted in an old previous post (before your time probbaly Septon!) as it's very strong indeed]

OOC Would it be possible to Incite the nobles against Ser Benjen Frey? Maybe that being the qualifier for expending my Pious die/ removing the anointed quality?

Will allow an incite roll and a fiery speech, with potential consequences of losing the duel increased for Ser Benjen.

TN 12, DoS matter (more = more severe consequences)

[ooc - replaces coordinate, which needs to be used on somebody else's assist anyway]