Of Septons and Men

Riverrun (Ella)

Tempers are running high after the attempted murder of Lord Mooton. Several of the nobles demand Kiara held responsible for the assault. Of course the real motivation is not justice, but politics. Barrett sends Rha and myself to locate Lord Mallister. As we leave the great hall, Lord Bracken is trying to incite Lord Blackwood, guards intervening and all.

Lord Mallister comes down and starts to settle the crowd, judging by the murmuring they are not too impressed by Edmure’s response to the situation.

All of a sudden, a bolt surges through the air and strikes the Blackwood heir. His father screams out a heart wrenching “Nooooo!” as all others fall silent. A second later, the rattle and clank of metal resounds as the whole hall draw their weapons.

Lord Mallister and Lord Tully climb on top of the table and try to command the room. Lord Mallister urges everyone to remain calm; there can be no more bloodshed. Then Lord Tully commands us all to evacuate the great hall. On my way out, I hear Brynden giving Edmure a verbal beating for his lack of leadership.

Jason gives us the task of finding out what Kiara’s true involvement in the incident with Lord Mooton was.

Walys Mooton sadly passes, what a shame, he was quite the looker. His passing will certainly not improve the tension at Riverrun either.

We decide to go talk to the Lannister guards. They are after all the perpetrators, if not the brains behind Lord Mooton’s death.

Generally, there is a greater sense of apprehension, guards are more heavily armed, and more alert. There is more or less a human wall between Lords Bracken and Blackwood at all times, to prevent further escalation of the situation.

Claiming our cause, we get access to the two Lannister guards detained in the dungeons. In a matter of seconds it is clear that one of them has some sense, whereas the other is a complete moron.  We manage to convince the non-idiot we can have him take the black, with a fraudulent statement penned by Barrett. The non-idiot confesses that he has had a relationship with Kiara. He says further that Henry Bracken hates the Blackwood-heir and requested a scene be made, to provide an assassin the opportunity to take out the heir with a crossbow. Meanwhile, Kiara had been giving the halfwith grief over Lord Mooton wooing her. The two guards had made the ingenious plan that they could get Lord Mooton out of Kiaras hair, and at the same time benefit from doing Henry Bracken a favour.

We try to get this information to Lord Mallister, but he is with the dying lord in his last hours. We pass on a note to Jason. I stay outside the chambers waiting for him, while Barrett goes to Jason’s room. Rha, Marrok and Thugzilla keep guard in the basement.

After some time Lord Mallister exits the room and I fill him in on the latest development. We head down to the cellar. As we approach, we see Barrett is on his way down with guards. Seems there has been a skirmish on the lower levels. Barrett says casually that he expects that Lord Bracken will be coming up shortly, as we stand there puzzled.  Indeed lord Bracken comes up, showing signs of battle and several injuries. After some sorting out, Lord Bracken is ordered to be arrested. Our boys have certainly held themselves in battle against the knight and other henchlings of the Bracken lord. Marrok is clearly hurt, but Rha appears unscathed. He is not very impressed with the knight. Barrett gets the message across to the Tully guards that the prisoner has to be kept alive.

There is heavy chiming of bells. Old Lord Tully must finally have found his way over.

Barrett informs Lord Mallister that he has uncovered the true motives behind the guard’s actions. Lord Mallister tells Barett to elaborate and get to the point. Jason is not pleased with the fact that Lord Blackwood now knows about Lord Bracken’s plan. Lord Mallister says that we must contain the situation. He will honour the promise made to the guard that he will be able to take the black. It will be on Barrett to make sure he keeps quiet. I suspect Barrett will find a solution to that…

Lord Mallister orders us to wait in his chambers. After two hours, he enters again. He has had a talk with Lord Bracken, and released the prisoner. There will be an investigation into who killed the Blackwood heir. In all likelihood, a random guard will take the fall for it. Rather that, than civil war. Barrett is to secure transportation for the Lannister-guard to the Wall.

Barrett finds it easier to end the Lannister guard’s life, than to bring him to the Wall. We continue towards King’s Landing.

We enter through the Gate of Gods. This city is always a fine sight. Barrett chooses a nice inn for us and we start hunting for information. We are advised that the Black Goat is a convenient place to learn more.

Seagard (Joyeuse)

I hear a knock on the door to my chambers and go to open it. Outside I find our dear Septon to be. I invite him in, which I soon regret. He is aware that the materials for our sept have arrived, and that the building can begin. He is not, however, very pleased with the sept being outside the city walls. This is not news to me, of course, but in my naïveté I had not anticipated that the Septon, a holy man, would stoop to the level of actually threatening me. He has heard rumours about my promiscuity, and warns about what the consequences might be, if I do not follow his wishes. After all I am Castellan with my father in Riverrun. I am taken aback at first, his arguments and attack on me take its toll. I manage to resume my pose, and keep a calm exterior. Inside I am seething with the insolence of this maggot. Time to play. I ensure him that I am but a young woman led astray by my fellows. I confess that I have indeed have forbidden thoughts, and that I was tempted to fulfill the ideas put in my mind by wanton friends. However, in my prayers I found that this was not a path to that the Seven would accept. I prayed to the Maiden in particular to guide me and keep me pure. Surely, the Septon must believe me and not the evil tongues of those wanting ill fortune on my house and I? My pulse racing to see whether he would see the “truth”, he finally succumbs. The sept will be built on the outside of the walls as my father wanted.

I am invited to open the grounds for building of the Sept. It is important for the people to see the joint effort of House Mallister and the Church, so I attend, all smiles.

I receive a letter from my father. Lord Tully has passed. He instructs me to proclaim this and mourn the late Lord for three days and nights.