[125/10]Taking a Bow

[I'm experimenting with non-linear storytelling here. Hopefully it's still clear.]

After the treaty negotiations ended, Daveth began a tour of the houses neighbouring houses Blackwood and Bracken, starting with House Darry.

Lord Joffrey Darry sat with his wife, a slightly puzzled frown on his face. "
I'm afraid I'm still unclear as to what you get out of this. Just as the Crone brings necessary light to the darkness of ignorance, so too must I have this matter illuminated before we can proceed."


Daveth gives a reassuring smile. "
It's simply outreach. I ask for nothing in return, save that, in this case, it be taken as another step taken towards healing the wound that exists between our houses."


---

Ser Mikael Strong, the landed knight in charge of the Strong lands neighbouring the Blackwoods and Brackens stares firmly at Daveth, arms crossed. "
I've already heard you somehow managed to convince Ser Myles to give you his sister's hand. Not sure if that makes him softer in the head or the heart. If he was hoping you'd intimidate me away from taking my due, I must say his faith was ... misplaced."


Daveth smiles, courteous mask firmly in place. "
This matter is purely my own affair. You are right that if we wanted to intimidate you, I wouldn't be the messenger."
the emphasis in his sentence so slight as to be easily ignorable, but present, nonetheless.

---

Lord Robin Goodbrook squints at Daveth over drinks. Daveth had taken one sip of the offered drink, and realised it was rather more alcoholic than had been implied. The short lord no doubt attempting to loosen his tongue. Lord Robin gives a friendly smile. "
Of course I'm interested in hearing your proposal, Daveth. Please, don't stand on formality. Tell me *everything*."


---

Lord Andrew Smallwood sighs. "
Why bother? It's all meaningless."
He looks down at Daveth from both his towering height, and the weight of years and stress greying his hair. "
They'll be at it again within a year, regardless of what pretty words you wrote on that paper."


"
Nonetheless, Lord Smallwood, there is a benefit to knowledge freely offered. There is no scenario in which you lose out."


----

"
Thank you for agreeing to meet with me,"
he says to each of them in turn. "
No doubt your eyes have recently been cast towards the Royal Investigation on Blackwood and Bracken lands after the recent unpleasantness. As such, I doubt I need to tell you that I was the head of the Coldbrook investigative team, and played a key role not just in all the negotiations that happened, but also I helped draft the very first draft of the treaty. In addition to my start-to-finish involvement, I also, while no maester myself, have a good degree of education. Therefore, I can, without boasting, say that I believe no-one understands this treaty better than I do.

"
I believe that this knowledge is pertinent to your interests, so, as a friendly gesture, I have a copy of the treaty here for you, and I'm looking to spend some time with your maester to ensure they are thoroughly briefed on all its intricacies.

"
While I'm doing that, I have some of the Company of the Morningstar with me as my escort. I thought it would help both parties gain experience if they were to spend some time practising with some of your men. Just some nice, friendly sparring to pass the time.

"
What do you say?"


***

At the end of the day, Daveth walks along the battlements to where Lord Andrew is. "
Your maester is satisfied that he fully understands the treaty now, Lord Smallwood. We'll leave in the morning. I hope you find today a useful exercise in education, and that you can see what good friends House Coldbrook can be."


Lord Smallwood looks out over the training yard, where, like all the other lords before him, he sees the results of a dominant showing by the hand-picked members of the Company of the Morningstar over his own troops, displaying the very best of Coldbrook military might.

"
Your message of ... friendship is well understood. We will remember House Coldbrook in the future."
the lord replies, with a subtle dry undercurrent to his voice.

---

Daveth stood with Ser Mikael, both with a glass in hand, initially discussing the day's success, but swiftly moving on to the knight's search for weaknesses.

"
That's the thing,"
the knight continues. "
When people hear the name 'Strong', that carries meaning. People feel fear, respect, reassurance, whatever defines their relationship to us. But Coldbrook? Who are they? Wasn't it just your father who founded it, and now we have you as heir? And you're as different as can be. Now if people hear 'Coldbrook', they don't know if they need to muster the troops or lock up their library!"
he guffaws.

Daveth keeps smiling amiably, as he has been, trying his best not to reveal anything unintended at the knight's prying. "
Oh, I understand. The lack of a grand history we can be proud of, like yours, is a lack I feel keenly."
he pauses, as if he just realises something. "
Actually, there *is* something that we can do to tie our family to a larger legacy of martial excellence. With your help."


His smile widens slightly. "
Tell me. How do you feel about a wager?"


Objective: Agree to the wager at a fair price
Initiative: Eloquent
Intrigue Defence: 10
Composure: 12/12
[url=Strong Intrigue - R1 - Convince][/url]: 5d6k4+2 20 5 Influence per DoS. Nice start!

This was not the right battlefield for the mighty Ser Mikael Strong, and he was caught off guard by his opponent's opening gambit.

Worse - he was off-guard and curious. Daveth now had his full attention, his usual belligerence and pursuit of advantage already long forgotten.

Well, not quite forgotten - it was the resources from Blackwood streams his family needed, not the damned waterways themselves. Perhaps a deal could be made here...

Mikael Strong
Objective: ???
Initiative: Irrelevant, opponent eloquent
Disposition: indifferent, DR 4
Intrigue Defence: 9
Composure: 1/9
Frustration: 1
- Daveth achieves 3 DoS = 15 damage - 4DR = 11 - 3 frustration = 8
Yield offer: use your influence on the royal treaty and knowledge of it to let the Strongs draw water from nearby Blackwood streams in exchange for allowing access, or give up 1 wealth for the same access.

[Before I jump on that yield offer like it was a hot bacon toasted sandwich, you're aware that that's the price you offered for 3DoS allocated from my offseason rolls? I know I one-shotted him, I just want to be sure that you meant to offer a deal *that* good. I was thinking that I'd have to change my objective to 'Agree to the wager at the best price possible' (giving him +3 Composure) and switch my technique over to Bargain to get a result that good.

Of course, with him having already taken Frustration, I'd likely get the same outcome in the end. I just don't want to be exploiting a moment's inattention when you have so much to attend to.

If you did mean to offer that yield, consider it well and truly taken. However, before I decide on which option to take, a question: would permissions to draw water from Blackwood streams reduce tension on the border, and be seen as a good thing? Or would it be seen as the first step to a claim on the land, increasing tensions? I'd presume the latter, but want to be sure.]

[ooc: this uses up your one and only offseason intrigue and you crushed it, offer stands but thanks for checking. To some extent the decision here is: face a weaker opponent and likely win but lower upside or risk an intrigue against a big hitter for more risk/reward.]

[Okay. And since you didn't correct my understanding, I'm going to be using House Coldbrook's Wealth to pay. 1 Wealth won't make a difference to currently scheduled activities, so I can pay that immediately, before he changes his mind and tries to renegotiate.

...Cue us finding absolutely nothing, making me *so* glad I only spent 1 Wealth on this.]

[ooc: cackle. Happy to take the delicious wealth point. Will follow-up on this very soon, hopefully tonight/during the week at latest.]

Some time later, Daveth sat under a tree, sipping at some wine, wearing his travelling clothes, watching his small group of labourers excavating the area carefully. It wasn't easy, since they didn't have an exact location, and they needed to avoid damaging anything they may find, but he'd made sure they were adequately provisioned. A light scattering of trusted guards watched the workers closely. What he hoped to dig up here wasn't money, it was a motive with universal application. Enough to tempt any man. He'd made sure that all the guards he took with him had family back at Castle Grenward, kept under discreet but tight watch. And he'd subtly made sure they knew their families were 'safe' there. Reassuring to an honest man, motivation to remain loyal for a potentially dishonest one. He disliked distrusting his own men, but he had to admit that they were human.

Now all he had to do was wait, and watch.

Dirt. Dirt and more dirt.

Then clay, but not the soft raw clay common in the Riverlands but hard brick, preserved from the elements beneath the ground.

Slowly, achingly slowly, the Coldbrook labourers worked their way to the gap where a door once stood. Whatever was once inside had long since rotted, save bones and thick green moss.

Bones would rarely be much of a reward for months of politicking, searching and labour, but it was not merely a skeleton of some long-dead chieftain or hunter that lay before them in repose.

At the skeleton's feet lay an ancient bow, with the telltale black colouring of "
dragonbone"
, as men called it. Here was an old bone worth searching for. True, it was marred by a hairline crack, and with its string had long since rotted away, but it was still an awe-inspiring and enviable prize.

[OOC: thread will be moving public soon.

House Coldbrook gains possession of a Superior Dragonbone Bow, if one wealth point is spent repairing it and restringing it, or it can be presented to another in its current state or kept as a trophy.

Healing (Diagnosis) TN?? to inspect the skeleton, if desired.

Knowledge (Education) too please]

[RP later, rolls now.]
[url=Taking a Bow - Healing (Diagnosis)][/url]: 5d6k4+1 12
[url=Taking a Bow - Knowledge (Edu)][/url]: 5d6k4 15
Not great, but could have been worse.

After her brother had visited other houses making deals - House Smallwood, House Strong, etc - and approached her with the offer to join him on an archaeological dig, Loreia thought little of it besides a boring diversion. Still she agreed, happy to join Daveth for a trip on the road for company, to ensure his safety and to share what she'd learned. When they arrived and the laborers set to work, she almost wished she were in the dirt with them to help dig out of pity, but she wouldn't be of much use keeping her brother safe - or keeping an eye on them.

Now she gazes with wonder at the remains of someone who may have killed a dragon for all she knows, and a bow made from dragon bone. It's a weapon of great size compared to other bows she's seen. Who made it? How did the dragon die? "
I can think of at least three people who'd give anything to be where we are right now."

Daveth turns to Loreia to answer, eyes sparkling with delight, when his face freezes, staring at the mould. After a mere moment, he starts barking out orders, in a tone of command that does not permit disobedience or questioning. "
Everyone, stop right where you are!"
after a moment to ensure he'd been obeyed, he continues. "
Now back away, carefully. Make sure you touch none of the mould."


He backs away with the men until they're out of the danger zone. "
Maremold"
he explains quietly to Loreia. "
A powerful hallucinogen, typically associated with Old Valyria. If we'd disturbed it ... it would be bad."


He turns to the men, and yells out more orders. "
All of you, go upwind, and cover your mouths and noses tight with whatever cloth you have to hand."
he turns his head to Loreia. "
Ser Loreia, with me. Tread carefully."


He carefully walks to the entrance, and scans the tomb. Lady Gwyneth said a woman had been buried here, but had been moved. Yet that is a man, and he is still here. And quite clearly he belongs there. Still, at least she got the most important part right. he thinks as he examines the bow.

Vocalising his thoughts for Loreia's benefit, he speaks. "
Maremold can be safely disposed of with fire. This is old and dry. It will go up like tinder. The bow will be fine, or at least no more damaged than it is now. But the skeleton will be damaged by the flame. This place was supposed to be empty. Bad enough we take his possessions without damaging his remains, too."
he ponders the issue for a few moments.

[url=Taking a Bow - Cunning (TN12)][/url]: 4d6 19

"
Lor, fetch a long wooden pole. A spear will do fine."
he holds up his canteen. "
If we point the spear out so it's pointing slightly downwards, ending over the body, we can slowly pour water on the spear and it will deliver water drops to the mould around the body we don't wish to ignite. After that, we can just throw in a flame, and we can enter safely once it's burned out."

[OOC: House Coldbrook recovers a Dragonbone Longbow without further physical mishap or diplomatic incident]

Despite the grumbling of the workmen, Daveth insists they stay to re-bury the crypt properly. Once that is done, he says a quick prayer for the departed to rest in peace, which he repeats in the godswood on his return.

Despite that, a niggling feeling of guilt remains...

[Just wanted to add this, to make clear Daveth is a *respectful* grave-robber.]

Loreia notices the look on Daveth's face, and can't help feeling a twinge of doubt as well. "It wasn't wrong for us to do that, was it?"

Daveth sighs.  "Wrong?" he stares off into the distance.  "I'm not sure I even know what that means at this point.  This weapon could make a real difference to our house.  It could save lives.  I have a duty to my people to do everything I can to preserve their lives, so it would be wrong for us *not* to take it.

"But we don't know who that man was.  What he did, what he believed.  He could be pleased that the bow is being used for a good cause.  Or he could be horrified at being deprived of the only gift he received from his cherished first wife.  We just don't know, and likely never will.  If there were any documentation of his burial, aside from what we found, the bow wouldn't still be there now.  But, realistically speaking, we have no real legitimate claim on this bow, so it really is theft, which is wrong."

Daveth's eyes focused, and his hands grip into fists.  "But I'm going to be sending my will-be wife off to war.  Where this bow could make the difference between her making it back or not.  I can't be there to protect her, so if I have to damn myself to keep her safe from a distance, then that's what I'll do." he finally turns to Loreia.  "When the way ahead is murky and unclear, do what's best for family, and damn the consequences."

When the way is murky, can one really trust one's gut feeling over the lantern of the Crone? The Old Gods advocate clarity seen by the light in one's heart, battling the Seven's "proper" ways. Are both faiths really so incompatible? She struggles for compromise.

She puts a hand on his shoulder. "We don't know if war is certain. But if our ancestors' remnants can serve a purpose for the betterment of our masters, or for aid in settling the feuds to come, then surely all will be right with gods and men."

"A war is certain. If not this one, then the next. As a culture, we too strongly associate martial might with moral right for it to be otherwise." he nods. "But you're right. We have a duty to House Stark as well. Our culture may have changed from his time," nodding towards the crypt, "but duty is eternal, across gods and men. Let's simply pray that's enough."

Loreia gives a little side grin. "I pray something along those lines every day."