Edrick is going to accept Viveka's offer to work with her
A choice I expected, though nonetheless one I was curious to see if you would truly pick it. Edrick is, of course, a hedge knight, meaning one with generally less honour than your average sworn knight. He has worked as a sellsword for people worse than Viveka, but in this particular case, what she offers is still not exactly a moral thing, naturally. We'll see how this works out, though it is likely that at least none of Edrick's companions will judge him for it, because the alternative is really not a desirable thing.
The next part should be out today. It will lead us back to Garthon's storyline, who has last been seen in a pretty bad situation. After burying Tedyn Bullister, he, Hjalgar and Christian walked right into an ambush by the Sons of the Trident. Only that these were not the reasonable type he met before, but a group led by Deywn the Fiddler, one of the more radical members of the group. Taking Garthon and his companions hostage, he led them to their main camp, despite Garthon's insistance that he is Garthon Breaker, formerly even allied with the Sons. Deywn wanted to hear nothing about this, so he ordered their execution even before presenting them to their leader, Edric Rivers. For this, he ordered another member of the Sons, a man fittingly known as Gavin the Tall, to hang them, starting with Hjalgar. Only as Hjalgar already hang, slowly choking to death, did Garthon spot a familiar face, a woman known as Dacey, who had belonged to the trio of rebels he met in the first half of Book 1. She was there now, though from afar she showed no signs of recognizing him. So, even with a knife to his throat and Deywn outright demanding of him to remain silent, did he decide to call out for her and this is where we'll start with his next part.
And now, sigh, the helpful links. Oh main post, my main post, return to us at once. Never before have I missed a feature in the forums as terribly much as I do this. Christmas is coming, so maybe Telltale will give us the greatest gift of all, which is, of course, the main post.
If you are a new reader, allow me to welcome you! Check out the first post on Page 1 to learn more about this!
And for readers new and old, here is a collection of important links you might be interested in:
Garthon took a deep breath. “Dacey!”, he screamed. “Dacey, tell them! You know me!” To his surprise, the knife got removed from his throat, though he instantly felt the pommel hitting against his forehead, pushing him back and to the ground, pain flaring up in his head, as he instinctively pressed a hand onto the spot where Deywn had hit him.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Gavin the Tall sighing, before he let go of the rope, allowing Hjalgar to sink to the ground. Bound still, the young man started to gasp for air, coughing as it filled his lungs, tears streaming down his reddened face, gagging, clutching his throat, yet alive for now.
“What are you doing?”, Deywn hissed and Gavin looked past him, at the young woman. By now, everyone was looking at Dacey, who bit down onto her lower lip. “Is he telling the truth?”, the tall man growled and the woman clenched her fists, avoiding his gaze, instead staring at her feet.
Garthon's heart dropped. She wouldn't say anything. She hated Ironborn after all, that much she had told him when they last met. Foolish, putting his hopes in her. Grinning, Deywn glanced at Garthon, before moving his glare to Gavin. “Proceed with the execution”, he ordered him and the tall man raised an eyebrow. “She didn't answer yet”, he stated.
To this, Deywn sighed, before giving Dacey a sharp glare. “She doesn't know them”, he said, while at his feet, Hjalgar's breath slowly became more normal again. Garthon and the other Ironborn exchanged a look and he gave him a reassuring smile, even if he himself felt hollow right now.
“We've travelled together, Dacey”, he tried to remind her. “You know me, you know what I tried to do” Deywn slowly moved his head into his direction, but before he could say anything, Dacey's voice cut through the silence. “I know him”, she confirmed at last and Garthon felt a wave of relief overcoming him. “He's saying the truth”
Gavin the Tall smirked slightly at Deywn's frown. “That is settled then”, he stated. “Rivers decides” Deywn rolled his eyes. “We both know how this will end”, he said. “But fine. If you insist, they can keep their wretched lives for a little longer” He glared at Garthon. “Before dawn, you'll hang on that tree”, he promised him, though Garthon did not reply to this provocation.
It was there that a voice cut through the chatter of the gathered rebels. “What is going on here?”, a man boomed, mighty and powerful, as the crowd made way for two people. One of them was the boy whom Gavin had sent away earlier, to gather their leader. This in turn left no doubt about the identity of the man Garthon saw right there.
Edric Rivers was an imposing presence and Garthon had this impression not only because he lay at the man's feet. Tall and broad-shouldered, he was the archetype of a warrior, with sky blue eyes and a steely gaze, as well as short auburn hair. With a prominent jawline and a broad nose, he seemed less the leader Garthon expected and more like a soldier in said leaders army. And what little he knew about the Sons, that had been Edric's original purpose, before circumstances forced him to pick up the mantle of his fallen lord.
“Who are these men?”, he growled, sending Deywn a thundering glare and the other man actually shivered back. “These?”, he asked. “Ironborn scum. I just wanted to deal with them” Edric raised an eyebrow. “Without presenting them to me?”, he asked and Deywn gulped. “I... didn't want to bother you with that, mylord”, he stuttered.
“That is our duty”, Edric growled, looking from him to the captives. “Who might you be?” Garthon gulped, though Dacey spoke up. As Edric looked at her, a thin smile formed on her face, though it faded once he looked away. “This is Garthon Breaker”, she introduced him. “The brother of...”
“I am familiar with the man, yes”, Edric interrupted her, before looking at Garthon solely. “Deywn, you were going to hang Garthon Breaker?” Deywn clenched his fists, his bite all but gone in the presence of this man. “I... he claimed to be Breaker, but what evidence did I have? I only saw an Ironborn”
“Even then, have you given him a trial?”, Edric asked and silently, Deywn shook his head. He briefly looked at Gavin. “And you? Have you helped him with that?” Gavin gave him a nod, more sheepish than it would befit for a man of his size. “Am I to ignore Deywn's orders?”, he asked and Edric shook his head. “You are to think twice about them”, he ordered. “Use your head”
With this, he reached down, offering his hand to Garthon. “Cut them loose!”, he ordered and instantly, two men came to remove the rope around Hjalgar's neck, while Christian was freed of his bindings. “Breaker, my apologies for the introduction” Garthon grabbed his hand and was pulled back to his feet. Wordlessly, he nodded at Edric and the tall man sighed. “I know how this must seem to you, but take my word for it, I do not approve of the behaviour Deywn displayed here. My sincerest apologies for this”
The fact that he said this publicly sent a powerful message to his followers and many took a step away from the Fiddler, who suddenly stood alone. “And for the future, Deywn”, Edric snarled into his direction, causing the man to stand firmly in front of his leader. “I demand you to follow the protocol. Capture them, present them to me and I alone will decide, not you and not without a trial”
“Understood, Ser”, Deywn mumbled and Edric sighed. “We discuss the rest in my tent”, he ordered. “Dacey, Hobb and Gavin will come with me. Breaker, you and your company will follow” It was an order Garthon was only glad to follow. Away from the cold night, the watchful eyes, the looming threat of the gallows tree.
He followed Edric, Dacey and the young boy, Hobb, with Hjalgar and Christian behind him. His Ironborn friend was still coughing, his throat sore, but he was alive and he would recover. At least if their fate wasn't as sealed as it seemed to be at first. He was careful to trust first impressions, but Edric Rivers seemed to be of a different kind than Deywn the Fiddler. Was reasonable a fitting word to describe the source of countless grisly tales he had heard at Harrenhal? How much of it had been true?
Edric's tent was spacious, holding more than just his plank bed, but even a small desk, a private chest and another, smaller table with a single chair. Doused in warm light through three torches, it nonetheless lacked the comfort a true nobleman would insist on and reminded Garthon more of the minimalistic equipment officers in Harren's army had at their disposal.
“Hobb, bring water for our guests”, Edric ordered and the boy quickly walked over to the table, while Dacey remained behind Garthon, Hjalgar and Christian, guarding the entrance to the tent. He himself walked behind his desk, lacking a chair, putting both hands onto it and staring at his captives. Below him, on the desk itself, there was a map and Garthon recognized the Riverlands. “So...”, he began. “I already apologized for Deywn's behaviour, but I want you to know that this is not how we usually deal with this”
“You don't hang Ironborn?”, Hjalgar asked, his voice sore and bitter. Edric narrowed his eyes at the unexpected speaker. “We give them a trial first”, he claimed and Hjalgar raised his eyebrows. “Because that changes so much about the result, huh?”, he spat.
Edric sighed. “There is a chance”, he said. “But it is true that we haven't found anyone to be innocent yet. This is because that's just the kind we capture. We go after raiders, not even bothering with simple folk, even if they are Ironborn. At least that's what I assumed Deywn would do on his patrol. He always had a worrisome temper”
“That's one way of putting it”, Garthon interjected dryly and Edric gave him a nod. “He is a capable fighter and highly useful to the cause”, he claimed. “And he has been through more than the most of us. Perhaps I should keep an eye on him though” He pressed his lips together. “Nonetheless, I want you to understand that this is not how we usually deal with captives. Our cause is justice, not vengeance. We give them a trial and if they have committed crimes against the Riverlands and her people, they will suffer the consequences”
“And what counts as a crime?”, Garthon asked, not free of the same bitterness Hjalgar so readily displayed. “Living in these lands? Being Ironborn?” Edric seemed surprised by his accusations. “Murder and rape count”, he clarified. “Crimes your raiders commit all too eagerly. There is a reason none has been found innocent and it is not because they are Ironborn”
Edric hesitated for a moment, though replied without hiding his bitterness. “Make no mistake, Garthon Breaker, to assume our usual captives don't had it coming. Your kind took these lands by force. It is the Ironborn way to take what you can get. They are raiders and I do not seek to change them, nor do I seek to kill them all”, he explained. “For ten thousand years it was something we lived with, fearing our western shore. But Hardhand took more than his ancestors ever dared. We only want back what he took from us, our kingdom, our freedom”
“And so you answer with violence”, Garthon mumbled, even if a part of him could understand Edric's struggle. Torvin had tried to do the same, after all. And he himself had followed. Rivers raised an eyebrow. “What would you have us do instead?”, he asked. “When we capture Ironborn, we give them a trial and I can assure you by my honour as a knight, I give them a chance. But most don't even try to take it. They don't deny what they did and there is only one punishment I can bestow upon them” His gaze became more steely. “Or would you have us imprison them? It might sound surprising to you, but we don't have the manpower for that”, he explained. “And please don't even start with proper authorities. Their inactivity is the reason we exist at all. We seek justice from them, most of all”
“Justice?”, Hjalgar mumbled and Garthon shot him a slight glare. They were dependent on Edric's goodwill and the last thing he wanted was to piss the man off. And he knew the justice they could expect from Harren Hoare. He had seen it himself, every time the king held a court session at Harrenhal.
“Justice”, Edric confirmed. “For the thousands murdered by Hardhand, for Samwell Rivers, for Agnes Blackwood and her sons, for the tens of thousands who have died under Halleck and Harren. For House Faron and House Bullister” He paused for a moment and looked more sombre than Garthon would have expected. “For Addam Wode, my lord, my knight, my friend... my brother”, he mumbled. “For all those butchered by Black Harren. We seek justice for them”
Garthon gulped, feeling compelled to give Edric a nod. “I understand”, he said and the knight's gaze softened again. “I know how this must feel, almost having been on the receiving end of this treatment, but if I would have been there, none of this would have happened”, he promised. “It has been my order that every captured Ironborn receives a trial and I owe you more than an apology for Deywn's actions”
“You spoke about a trial”, Garthon stated. “When will be ours?” For a second, Edric looked genuinely surprised. “A trial?”, he asked. “You think I consider you my captives? After what happened with Deywn, you couldn't be more wrong, Breaker. The Harper told me about you. He trusts you and that is good enough for me. The way I see it, you are my guest, not my prisoner” He shrugged. “Even if we might have started on the wrong foot, I hope we can leave that behind. Don't hold the actions of one man against my entire group. There's good people here and our cause is a just one”
Garthon raised an eyebrow. “I don't hold it against you”, he clarified and it was the truth. He knew better than to judge Edric for Deywn's actions. It was the same struggle he himself had faced his entire life, with him being judged for Harren Hoare's actions, on account of being Ironborn.
“Good”, Edric replied, looking genuinely relieved for a moment. “I'd hate to have this stand between us, because in fact, I have hoped to meet with you or your brother one day” The mention of Torvin caused Garthon to tense up and Edric instantly noticed it. “Torvin is dead”, he confirmed. “He died in Raylansfair, together with most of his men”
Rivers closed his eyes for a moment. “My condolences”, he said and behind Garthon, Dacey gulped. “What... what about George?”, she asked and the look Garthon gave her as he glanced over his shoulder told her all she had to know. “He was killed by the same man that murdered Torvin. His name is Edward Anturion, a Stepstone pirate, doing Harren's wet work”
While Dacey frowned, avoiding his gaze, Edric tensed up. “I haven't heard of that name before”, he spoke firmly. “If the Black forms ties with the Stepstone pirates, that can't mean anything good in the long run. Even now his fleet is almost unstoppable, but with Blacksails' men to back him, he'd have more ships under his command than any other man from here to Volantis”
“Anturion has plans of his own”, Garthon revealed. “I doubt he saw more in Harren than a tool to use, but he nonetheless murdered George and then Torvin, the latter on the king's orders, as I believe” Edric gave him a nod. “Then Harren Hoare has wronged you as much as any of us”, he said. “But you escaped from Raylansfair with these two?”
“Ah...”, Christian began and the knight shifted his attention towards him. “Maybe I can explain. See, I am not Ironborn. My name is Christian, I work for Lord Petyr Vyrwel of Raylansfair” A weak smile formed on his face, as he didn't seem to be sure how else he should react. “I... well, I was ordered to lead the surviving Ironborn back to Harrenhal”
“The Lord of Raylansfair allowed you to leave?”, Edric asked in disbelief and Garthon nodded. “I don't know about him, but his right hand man is working for Harren, his eyes in the Reach as far as I know”, he revealed. “His name is Maron Mullendore and this entire raid was nothing but a way for his lord to take over the city, with himself in a position of power to influence the events down south”
“Sounds very much like something Harren would do”, Edric agreed. “Sending hundreds to their death to get what he wants. This Mullendore let you go then?” Garthon exchanged a look with his companions. “He did”, he confirmed. “Me, and the remaining three survivors. Hjalgar here, as well as Rell Vessels and Tedyn Bullister”
At the mention of the executioner, Edric narrowed his eyes. “Bullister has survived?”, he asked and Garthon shook his head. “He's dead now, trying to kill me in Harren's name. Vessels saved my life because I saved him during the raid, but then he left us, allowing us to start over somewhere else”
The knight raised an eyebrow, though satisfaction appeared on his face. “Then Addam's killer has gotten what was coming to him”, he mumbled. “Though there will be no justice until Black Harren has been dealt with” With curiosity, he tilted his head. “That explains what you have been doing when Deywn found you. But where were you going?”
Garthon smirked at this, bitterly and without even the hint of joy. “If only I'd know that”, he admitted. “Certainly not back to Harrenhal. Pyke would be a dream of mine, but first I wanted to make a detour to Riverrun. Wanted to tell Tully about Torvin's fate”
“And then Pyke?”, Edric asked and after hesitating for a moment, Garthon gave him a nod. Truth be told, he wasn't sure where to go. Pyke was his home, but the people over there knew him. If word of his survival would spread, then he was a dead man. The Riverlands weren't much safer for him, so where could he go? “It would be nice, at least”, he mumbled.
“Then you know how dangerous Pyke is at the moment”, Edric stated. “If Harren Hoare or his men find out that you are not dead, then there's no place in this world where you could hide from his wrath. He doesn't like loose ends and after the blow your brother had dealt to him, I doubt you can ever be safe”
Slowly, Garthon nodded at this, as much as he hated to admit it. “And you know a better way?”, he asked, to which Edric shrugged. “I would like to propose a different one at least”, he said. “A chance perhaps, to save your life and preserve your brother's legacy”
This actually caught Garthon's interest, though before he was able to say anything, Hobb reappeared, handing him a cup of water, before doing the same for his companions. Hjalgar in particular was quick to chug down the water, drinking with thirst, until he had to cough. There was relief on his face, a slight smile, despite the visible distrust he still showed to Edric Rivers and the Sons of the Trident.
“What do you have in mind?”, Garthon asked and now, Edric smiled slightly. “I would like to offer a task”, he said and Garthon held his breath as he listened to the offer. “Your brother was a good man, the epitome of what an Ironborn should be. If only more would be like him, perhaps this place would be a different one” He looked down at the map. “You have worked with us once. It is my hope that you can do so again. I believe your brother would have wanted that”
“Torvin... maybe”, Garthon admitted and Edric nodded. “How well do you know Petyr Blackwood?”, the knight asked, to which Garthon sighed. “I met him once, shortly after separating from your men a few months ago”, he replied. “He was part of Tully's group, together with the lords Frey, Bracken and... Mallister”
“And all but Mallister are true Riverlanders”, Edric admitted. “No matter what I personally might think of some of them. I always considered Blackwood to be weak, but he surprised me. After Tully, Frey and Bracken retreated, he remained the only Riverlord to oppose Harren. He has stopped paying his taxes, which comes as close to open rebellion as this land has been ever since Hardhand murdered Lothar Bracken almost a hundred years ago”
“Blackwood...”, Garthon mumbled in surprise. He had met the man, yes, but had to agree with Edric on this, he seemed weak. The weakest of the Riverlords he had met, missing Brandon Frey's fury, Tytos Bracken's sheer spite for the Ironborn or Edmyn Tully's determination, yes, even Arrec Mallister's ruthlessness. And yet he remained out of them all.
“He is still upholding your brother's name and what Torvin stood for. The Riverlands for the Riverlanders, the Iron Islands for the Ironborn and a peace between two kingdoms instead of a civil war in one”, Edric explained. “Perhaps none of us had given him enough credit so far, but true to his words, he remains faithful to the last”
“I imagine Harren is not too happy about this”, Garthon stated and Edric shook his head. “He hasn't done much so far, for reasons yet unknown, but it is only a matter of time until he will send that butcher son of his to sack Raventree Hall and murder every last Blackwood he can get his hands on. House Faron and House Bullister did the same and now they serve as examples of his cruelty” Narrowing his eyes, the steely gaze returned. “But times have changed. Not much more is needed for the Riverlords to stand together and I believe it can start in Raventree Hall. No matter what Harren has planned, I will not allow him to murder Blackwood and snuff out the fire your brother has started”
“What do you want to do then?”, Garthon asked, to which Edric gave him a smile. “I want to make contact with Blackwood. I want to work with him, to protect him until the other Riverlords follow his example. Perhaps then we can end this tyranny once and for all” He gave Garthon a deep look. “And I want you to be the link between the Sons and House Blackwood”
While Garthon was not surprised by this offer after what Edric had said before, Dacey took a sharp breath. “Ser, he is Ironborn”, she snapped and Edric gave him a nod. “And you worked with him before”, he reminded her. “How can we claim to be any better than Harren if we refuse to work with an Ironborn that has proven himself more than most of my own men have?”
She was silent after this, though Garthon felt her glare, as Edric extended his hand towards him. “I want to be your ally, Garthon”, he claimed. “Travel to Raventree Hall for me. You are Torvin Breaker's brother and Lord Petyr will listen to you more than he will listen to any of my rebels. Perhaps you can convince him to work with me. Perhaps you can guide and protect him. Do that for me, help me to end the threat Harren Hoare poses to you and this entire kingdom and there will always be a place for you by our side”
[Join forces with Edric Rivers][Refuse the alliance]
[Join forces with Edric Rivers] Well, meeting Edric Rivers has certainly improved my opinion on the Sons of Trident, and I feel like joining them would be a natural progression for Garthon's storyline. He was loyal towards his brother's cause to dethrone Harren, even if begrudgingly, and I think he should honor Torvin's memory by continuing to fight for that cause. Sure, the Sons have some questionable aspects to them, but it seems like Garthon wouldn't exactly be working closely with people like Deywn even if he took this task. I'm not sure where exactly would his story head if he refuses (to meet Lord Tully, I guess?), but I just know that working with Edric Rivers and going to Raventree Hall will give us something interesting
Garthon
Garthon took a deep breath. “Dacey!”, he screamed. “Dacey, tell them! You know me!” To his surprise, the knife got removed from h… moreis throat, though he instantly felt the pommel hitting against his forehead, pushing him back and to the ground, pain flaring up in his head, as he instinctively pressed a hand onto the spot where Deywn had hit him.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Gavin the Tall sighing, before he let go of the rope, allowing Hjalgar to sink to the ground. Bound still, the young man started to gasp for air, coughing as it filled his lungs, tears streaming down his reddened face, gagging, clutching his throat, yet alive for now.
“What are you doing?”, Deywn hissed and Gavin looked past him, at the young woman. By now, everyone was looking at Dacey, who bit down onto her lower lip. “Is he telling the truth?”, the tall man growled and the woman clenched her fists, avoiding his gaze, instead staring at her feet.
… [view original content]
[Refuse the alliance] Not a good idea to join up with him. Remember when we tried to kill the king, what happened? Everyone got wrecked, and this will not change. These Sons of the Trident are destined to fail, fighting a losing battle and Garathon has lost enough of himself thanks to his storyline since Book 1. Lets change it up a bit, let him do his own thing. Maybe travel to Essos, Dorne anywhere really out of this political and moral involvement.
Garthon
Garthon took a deep breath. “Dacey!”, he screamed. “Dacey, tell them! You know me!” To his surprise, the knife got removed from h… moreis throat, though he instantly felt the pommel hitting against his forehead, pushing him back and to the ground, pain flaring up in his head, as he instinctively pressed a hand onto the spot where Deywn had hit him.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Gavin the Tall sighing, before he let go of the rope, allowing Hjalgar to sink to the ground. Bound still, the young man started to gasp for air, coughing as it filled his lungs, tears streaming down his reddened face, gagging, clutching his throat, yet alive for now.
“What are you doing?”, Deywn hissed and Gavin looked past him, at the young woman. By now, everyone was looking at Dacey, who bit down onto her lower lip. “Is he telling the truth?”, the tall man growled and the woman clenched her fists, avoiding his gaze, instead staring at her feet.
… [view original content]
[Refuse the alliance] Peace, justice, bah humbug. Don't need any of that. Let's take a vacation instead.
For Addam Wode, my lord, my knight, my friend... my brother
Hehehe gotta love conflicting views on a character from different POV's.
The Riverlands for the Riverlanders, the Iron Islands for the Ironborn and a peace between two kingdoms instead of a civil war in one
And the Reach for the Reachmen, which will be great again very, very, very soon. Donnel is Coming. Next chapter? Hopefully. Along with all sorts of wacky fellows.
Garthon
Garthon took a deep breath. “Dacey!”, he screamed. “Dacey, tell them! You know me!” To his surprise, the knife got removed from h… moreis throat, though he instantly felt the pommel hitting against his forehead, pushing him back and to the ground, pain flaring up in his head, as he instinctively pressed a hand onto the spot where Deywn had hit him.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Gavin the Tall sighing, before he let go of the rope, allowing Hjalgar to sink to the ground. Bound still, the young man started to gasp for air, coughing as it filled his lungs, tears streaming down his reddened face, gagging, clutching his throat, yet alive for now.
“What are you doing?”, Deywn hissed and Gavin looked past him, at the young woman. By now, everyone was looking at Dacey, who bit down onto her lower lip. “Is he telling the truth?”, the tall man growled and the woman clenched her fists, avoiding his gaze, instead staring at her feet.
… [view original content]
Garthon
Garthon took a deep breath. “Dacey!”, he screamed. “Dacey, tell them! You know me!” To his surprise, the knife got removed from h… moreis throat, though he instantly felt the pommel hitting against his forehead, pushing him back and to the ground, pain flaring up in his head, as he instinctively pressed a hand onto the spot where Deywn had hit him.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Gavin the Tall sighing, before he let go of the rope, allowing Hjalgar to sink to the ground. Bound still, the young man started to gasp for air, coughing as it filled his lungs, tears streaming down his reddened face, gagging, clutching his throat, yet alive for now.
“What are you doing?”, Deywn hissed and Gavin looked past him, at the young woman. By now, everyone was looking at Dacey, who bit down onto her lower lip. “Is he telling the truth?”, the tall man growled and the woman clenched her fists, avoiding his gaze, instead staring at her feet.
… [view original content]
Well, meeting Edric Rivers has certainly improved my opinion on the Sons of Trident, and I feel like joining them would be a natural progression for Garthon's storyline. He was loyal towards his brother's cause to dethrone Harren, even if begrudgingly, and I think he should honor Torvin's memory by continuing to fight for that cause. Sure, the Sons have some questionable aspects to them, but it seems like Garthon wouldn't exactly be working closely with people like Deywn even if he took this task.
Ah, I am glad to hear this. The Sons of the Trident as a whole have some actually decent members among them and Edric himself, though jaded and bitter, is still a knight and considers himself always true to his vows. There is something noble about him and he has people such as Jon the Harper or Dacey who are also good people at heart. Of course, then there are people such as Deywn, but they are not the majority of the Sons and even they are not doing bad things just for the sake of it, they got reasons and even somewhat redeeming qualities with them. Though I can confirm, if he would accept the offer Edric gave him here, he definitely wouldn't be partnered with Deywn. It is likely some Sons will accompany them, but Edric is smart enough to send those he can trust to work well with Garthon, meaning Dacey would be a likely choice, given their history. Deywn himself has definitely lost a lot of trust with his attempt to ignore very clear orders.
I'm not sure where exactly would his story head if he refuses (to meet Lord Tully, I guess?), but I just know that working with Edric Rivers and going to Raventree Hall will give us something interesting
Well, meeting with Edmyn Tully has been his goal so far, though Edric brought up something that actually made Garthon think twice about his next steps. He finds it hard to go somewhere where he will not only be safe, but actually feel at home. Tully is definitely going to be a long term goal for him, but at the same time, there is one thing where he actually agrees on with Edric, he can only be save of Harren if the Riverlands are no longer under Ironborn rule. That opinion is something the choice won't change, but it will influence his next steps in both outcomes.
[Join forces with Edric Rivers] Well, meeting Edric Rivers has certainly improved my opinion on the Sons of Trident, and I feel like joining… more them would be a natural progression for Garthon's storyline. He was loyal towards his brother's cause to dethrone Harren, even if begrudgingly, and I think he should honor Torvin's memory by continuing to fight for that cause. Sure, the Sons have some questionable aspects to them, but it seems like Garthon wouldn't exactly be working closely with people like Deywn even if he took this task. I'm not sure where exactly would his story head if he refuses (to meet Lord Tully, I guess?), but I just know that working with Edric Rivers and going to Raventree Hall will give us something interesting
Not a good idea to join up with him. Remember when we tried to kill the king, what happened? Everyone got wrecked, and this will not change.
Well, when it comes to that, keep in mind the Sons have not really been involved in this. Though rebels, they know they are not strong enough to do something as drastic as killing Harren just yet. The last plan failed due to Edmyn Tully and his allies severely overestimating their abilities and the loyalties of their companions. The Sons meanwhile have different plans. In a way, they are smaller, but there is a reason why they are still around while Edmyn Tully's conspiracy has been broken.
These Sons of the Trident are destined to fail, fighting a losing battle and Garathon has lost enough of himself thanks to his storyline since Book 1.
Hm, are you sure they are fighting a losing battle? As Edric said, the Riverlands are closer to open rebellion than they had ever been for almost 100 years and that is to no small part thanks to the effort of the Sons, but also thanks to Torvin's actions in Book 1. As of now, there is only a single Riverlord who is actually loyal to Harren, the rest follows out of fear and very slowly, Harren himself (as well as Harmund) reach a point where the fear people have for them grows smaller than the hate. The most powerful of his lords are almost open enemies, with Tully, Frey and Bracken only reluctantly following any order, while Petyr Blackwood, another major bannerman, has taken things a step farther than that. The lords of the Iron Islands hate Harren for what they perceive as weakness and with their previous speaker, Cleaver Clint, dead, they might rally around someone with more ambition to actually change something about the current rule, such as Damon Greyjoy. And well, there is, of course, also the fact that two of Harren's most important bannermen to the east have been burned to death by a wholly unexpected threat So, all in all I wouldn't exactly say they are destined to fail, given that they have actually succeeded at a partial goal of theirs already, which is inspiring the Riverlords to resist the Ironborn rule.
Lets change it up a bit, let him do his own thing. Maybe travel to Essos, Dorne anywhere really out of this political and moral involvement.
To avoid disappointment through wrong expectations, I actually feel compelled to reveal that you shouldn't expect a drastic change of location through that choice. The Riverlands and its respective characters have been the heart of Garthon's storyline in Book 1 and this choice, while being among the most major choices of this chapter, won't exactly cause him to leave the entire situation he formed in the previous chapters behind. At least at this point, this would feel like throwing away the growth he had in Book 1, so if I ever offer such a big choice, it would be marked more clearly, not with one option being Raventree Hall and the other being him travelling to the other end of the world. I got other, more involved PoV's for Essos and Dorne, I don't exactly need someone without any ties to these places over there.
[Refuse the alliance] Not a good idea to join up with him. Remember when we tried to kill the king, what happened? Everyone got wrecked, and… more this will not change. These Sons of the Trident are destined to fail, fighting a losing battle and Garathon has lost enough of himself thanks to his storyline since Book 1. Lets change it up a bit, let him do his own thing. Maybe travel to Essos, Dorne anywhere really out of this political and moral involvement.
Hehehe gotta love conflicting views on a character from different POV's.
Yeah, there are some characters who inspire drastically different views on them depending who is speaking. Addam Wode is definitely a major case of that. Edric, though not actually his brother, has been as close to him as no one else, while the Ironborn themselves naturally see him as nothing but a good for nothing rebel who got what he deserved. The truth might be somewhere in between, but Edric knew him better, so he probably has more reason for his opinion on Addam.
And the Reach for the Reachmen, which will be great again very, very, very soon. Donnel is Coming.
I actually had to think about that and the Donnel while writing Edric's speech here. It's funny, because they couldn't be more different in terms of personality. But yeah, the Reach for the Reachmen, if some people get what they want. No matter what, Donnel is Coming.
[Refuse the alliance] Peace, justice, bah humbug. Don't need any of that. Let's take a vacation instead.
For Addam Wode, my lord, my k… morenight, my friend... my brother
Hehehe gotta love conflicting views on a character from different POV's.
The Riverlands for the Riverlanders, the Iron Islands for the Ironborn and a peace between two kingdoms instead of a civil war in one
And the Reach for the Reachmen, which will be great again very, very, very soon. Donnel is Coming. Next chapter? Hopefully. Along with all sorts of wacky fellows.
Ah, keep in mind that this is primarily a choice of alliance, not one of destination. I really don't want to mislead anyone here by accidentally teasing new and exotic locations for Garthon, when that is not exactly what I had in mind when offering this choice. He already knows where he will head to if he refuses the alliance with Edric, but this is mainly a decision of wether he is willing to work with him, potentially gaining a well-connected ally and a chance of doing what Torvin would have likely done, or if he prefers to remain unconnected to the Sons of the Trident, be it out of distrust or him preferring his indepence (or keeping other options open). But as said, while absolutely major, it is more a choice of whom he decides to work with in the events to come. The Sons are one possible ally and the first who offered such an opportunity, but working with them could have effects on relations to other potential allies, which in itself could be a good or bad thing depending on where your sympathies in this conflict lie. Only one thing should be kept in mind, if Harren Hoare ever learns that Garthon is still alive, some sort of an ally to protect him will be necessary, because at least at this point, Garthon is unwilling to outright leave Westeros to avoid Harren's wrath.
[Join forces with Edric Rivers] The riverlanders need to stay strong, after all, the black shadow from the east will give them the perfect chance to turn against the Ironborn.
Those references to Hardhand's conquest were very cool, and reminds us Harwyn was the most successful Ironborn conqueror since Qhored the Cruel (the one who most likely defined Hoare's banner and extinguished House Justman), but his cruelty towards Houses Tully and Blackwood (Bracken deserved it) made sure their descendants have nothing but contempt for Harwyn's line (not that it was hard).
Garthon
Garthon took a deep breath. “Dacey!”, he screamed. “Dacey, tell them! You know me!” To his surprise, the knife got removed from h… moreis throat, though he instantly felt the pommel hitting against his forehead, pushing him back and to the ground, pain flaring up in his head, as he instinctively pressed a hand onto the spot where Deywn had hit him.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Gavin the Tall sighing, before he let go of the rope, allowing Hjalgar to sink to the ground. Bound still, the young man started to gasp for air, coughing as it filled his lungs, tears streaming down his reddened face, gagging, clutching his throat, yet alive for now.
“What are you doing?”, Deywn hissed and Gavin looked past him, at the young woman. By now, everyone was looking at Dacey, who bit down onto her lower lip. “Is he telling the truth?”, the tall man growled and the woman clenched her fists, avoiding his gaze, instead staring at her feet.
… [view original content]
Those references to Hardhand's conquest were very cool, and reminds us Harwyn was the most successful Ironborn conqueror since Qhored the Cruel (the one who most likely defined Hoare's banner and extinguished House Justman), but his cruelty towards Houses Tully and Blackwood (Bracken deserved it) made sure their descendants have nothing but contempt for Harwyn's line (not that it was hard).
I always love to include such small references to past events, particularly those that have been as massive as Harwyn Hardhand's conquest, so I'm glad you enjoyed them Indeed, Harwyn was the most successful Hoare king in thousands of years, though like many great conquerors (take Genghis Khan as an example), he failed to establish a kingdom that outlasts him, at least by a significant amount of time. The actions that made him so successful, the absolute lack of mercy he showed to his opponents, ironically have caused the issue most of the Riverlords have with his descendants today, so Harren is likely cursing that man's name in secret. House Blackwood suffered the most under Harwyn's rule, but I imagine that during the Sack of Stone Hedge, more Bracken's were killed than just Lothar. That guy clearly deserved what was coming to him, but in the end, Hardhand certainly killed as many innocent Brackens as he killed Blackwoods, leaving both houses almost extinct for their defiance and their descendants with a justified grudge. It's telling that Petyr Blackwood and Tytos Bracken hate House Hoare more than each other, hinting at major losses for both houses during Hardhand's conquest.
[Join forces with Edric Rivers] The riverlanders need to stay strong, after all, the black shadow from the east will give them the perfect c… morehance to turn against the Ironborn.
Those references to Hardhand's conquest were very cool, and reminds us Harwyn was the most successful Ironborn conqueror since Qhored the Cruel (the one who most likely defined Hoare's banner and extinguished House Justman), but his cruelty towards Houses Tully and Blackwood (Bracken deserved it) made sure their descendants have nothing but contempt for Harwyn's line (not that it was hard).
You're right on that one, after all, many innocent Brackens lost their lives thanks to their Head's foolishness. An indicator that shit is going down is if Houses Bracken and Blackwood actually work together.
Those references to Hardhand's conquest were very cool, and reminds us Harwyn was the most successful Ironborn conqueror since Qhored the Cr… moreuel (the one who most likely defined Hoare's banner and extinguished House Justman), but his cruelty towards Houses Tully and Blackwood (Bracken deserved it) made sure their descendants have nothing but contempt for Harwyn's line (not that it was hard).
I always love to include such small references to past events, particularly those that have been as massive as Harwyn Hardhand's conquest, so I'm glad you enjoyed them Indeed, Harwyn was the most successful Hoare king in thousands of years, though like many great conquerors (take Genghis Khan as an example), he failed to establish a kingdom that outlasts him, at least by a significant amount of time. The actions that made him so successful, the absolute lack of mercy he showed to his opponents, ironically have caused the issue most of the Riverlor… [view original content]
[Join forces with Edric Rivers]
I think what some people forgot about this situation compared to last time we tried something against Harren is that there is now Aegon coming. Garthon doesn't know that, but we do and that should make things easier for Riverlanders and other anti-Harren folk. Yes, last time we failed (But we could have been successful as well), but I think this time, in this way (Rebellion rather then assassination), we have better chances.
Garthon
Garthon took a deep breath. “Dacey!”, he screamed. “Dacey, tell them! You know me!” To his surprise, the knife got removed from h… moreis throat, though he instantly felt the pommel hitting against his forehead, pushing him back and to the ground, pain flaring up in his head, as he instinctively pressed a hand onto the spot where Deywn had hit him.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Gavin the Tall sighing, before he let go of the rope, allowing Hjalgar to sink to the ground. Bound still, the young man started to gasp for air, coughing as it filled his lungs, tears streaming down his reddened face, gagging, clutching his throat, yet alive for now.
“What are you doing?”, Deywn hissed and Gavin looked past him, at the young woman. By now, everyone was looking at Dacey, who bit down onto her lower lip. “Is he telling the truth?”, the tall man growled and the woman clenched her fists, avoiding his gaze, instead staring at her feet.
… [view original content]
Garthon
Garthon took a deep breath. “Dacey!”, he screamed. “Dacey, tell them! You know me!” To his surprise, the knife got removed from h… moreis throat, though he instantly felt the pommel hitting against his forehead, pushing him back and to the ground, pain flaring up in his head, as he instinctively pressed a hand onto the spot where Deywn had hit him.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Gavin the Tall sighing, before he let go of the rope, allowing Hjalgar to sink to the ground. Bound still, the young man started to gasp for air, coughing as it filled his lungs, tears streaming down his reddened face, gagging, clutching his throat, yet alive for now.
“What are you doing?”, Deywn hissed and Gavin looked past him, at the young woman. By now, everyone was looking at Dacey, who bit down onto her lower lip. “Is he telling the truth?”, the tall man growled and the woman clenched her fists, avoiding his gaze, instead staring at her feet.
… [view original content]
Ah, keep in mind that this is primarily a choice of alliance, not one of destination. I really don't want to mislead anyone here by accident… moreally teasing new and exotic locations for Garthon, when that is not exactly what I had in mind when offering this choice. He already knows where he will head to if he refuses the alliance with Edric, but this is mainly a decision of wether he is willing to work with him, potentially gaining a well-connected ally and a chance of doing what Torvin would have likely done, or if he prefers to remain unconnected to the Sons of the Trident, be it out of distrust or him preferring his indepence (or keeping other options open). But as said, while absolutely major, it is more a choice of whom he decides to work with in the events to come. The Sons are one possible ally and the first who offered such an opportunity, but working with them could have effects on relations to other potential allies, which in itself cou… [view original content]
[Join forces with Edric Rivers] Row row fight the power! (And this can lead to a good storyline that can work as a natural continue of the Ironbro story)
RT:
1)Today we finally meet Edrick Rivers,the leader of the Sons of Trident!He seems to be a "good" guy (or maybe he act like that to obtain Garthon help)
2)Am I wrong or the fact that Blackwood still act defiant to his rightful ruler is something that you mentioned in the previous book?
Garthon
Garthon took a deep breath. “Dacey!”, he screamed. “Dacey, tell them! You know me!” To his surprise, the knife got removed from h… moreis throat, though he instantly felt the pommel hitting against his forehead, pushing him back and to the ground, pain flaring up in his head, as he instinctively pressed a hand onto the spot where Deywn had hit him.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Gavin the Tall sighing, before he let go of the rope, allowing Hjalgar to sink to the ground. Bound still, the young man started to gasp for air, coughing as it filled his lungs, tears streaming down his reddened face, gagging, clutching his throat, yet alive for now.
“What are you doing?”, Deywn hissed and Gavin looked past him, at the young woman. By now, everyone was looking at Dacey, who bit down onto her lower lip. “Is he telling the truth?”, the tall man growled and the woman clenched her fists, avoiding his gaze, instead staring at her feet.
… [view original content]
Then refusing the alliance is indeed the choice to pick! In this case, Garthon would definitely more focus on his own way instead of Torvin's legacy, whereas working with the Sons would be him fully commiting to the cause Torvin supported before him. I mean, not that he wouldn't try to uphold Torvin's standards either way, but outright allying with the Sons will keep him more closely involved with the Riverlanders. Just wanted to make sure that you don't expect something else from this choice (such as a drastic change of location) and end up feeling mislead, because I noticed that this probably wasn't entirely clear from the part itself
1)Today we finally meet Edrick Rivers,the leader of the Sons of Trident!He seems to be a "good" guy (or maybe he act like that to obtain Garthon help)
Well, he is a good guy compared to Deywn, this much is beyond question. No matter their respective goals, methods do matter somewhat and there, Edric is indeed notably more just than Deywn, given his anger about the captives nearly being executed without a trial. Make no mistake, he is several shades of grey, but most in this conflict are and he is at least better than some of the others. How much the parts of his personality he has shown to Garthon here are genuine (or rather, how much of himself he kept hidden) remains to be seen though.
2)Am I wrong or the fact that Blackwood still act defiant to his rightful ruler is something that you mentioned in the previous book?
Ah, you remember it! Very good, you are absolutely right It was mentioned in Chapter 6, where the Ironbros have been in the dungeon, as Harren informed Torvin of the consequences his actions had. Back then, Garthon already learned that Petyr Blackwood stopped paying his taxes and that Harren plans to eventually do something about this, but given that he had a lot of other things on his plate back then, this information hasn't stuck with him until now, where he fully realizes the magnitude of such an event.
[Join forces with Edric Rivers] Row row fight the power! (And this can lead to a good storyline that can work as a natural continue of the I… moreronbro story)
RT:
1)Today we finally meet Edrick Rivers,the leader of the Sons of Trident!He seems to be a "good" guy (or maybe he act like that to obtain Garthon help)
2)Am I wrong or the fact that Blackwood still act defiant to his rightful ruler is something that you mentioned in the previous book?
[Join forces with Edric Rivers] Garthon doesn't have much else to do. He has no one else in the world who he can go after, except for Kyra. So the best chance of getting another face to face meeting with the two is to have them meet on the Battlefield! Glorious Combat!
Garthon
Garthon took a deep breath. “Dacey!”, he screamed. “Dacey, tell them! You know me!” To his surprise, the knife got removed from h… moreis throat, though he instantly felt the pommel hitting against his forehead, pushing him back and to the ground, pain flaring up in his head, as he instinctively pressed a hand onto the spot where Deywn had hit him.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Gavin the Tall sighing, before he let go of the rope, allowing Hjalgar to sink to the ground. Bound still, the young man started to gasp for air, coughing as it filled his lungs, tears streaming down his reddened face, gagging, clutching his throat, yet alive for now.
“What are you doing?”, Deywn hissed and Gavin looked past him, at the young woman. By now, everyone was looking at Dacey, who bit down onto her lower lip. “Is he telling the truth?”, the tall man growled and the woman clenched her fists, avoiding his gaze, instead staring at her feet.
… [view original content]
As I said, this is an absolutely major choice in this chapter and a turning point for Garthon's storyline. I can't yet say if it will be good or bad, but it will lead to interesting events. As said before, this was a choice to pick Garthon's ally in the things to come. Other potential allies will be presented, while some might never be revealed due to Garthon's new affiliation with the Sons of the Trident. However, the general direction of his storyline won't be decided by this choice alone. Others will happen and Garthon's storyline is going to have quite some twists coming up. Of course, there is also going to be one more part for him in this chapter, but this one will be the largest choice he has made in a long time.
The next part is hopefully going to be out today. I am making good progress and hope for a release in the next few hours. It will feature PoV's for Kyra and Arthur. Last time we saw Kyra, she greeted a couple new arrivals at Harrenhal. Among them was Durren Stallhart, back from his long raid on the northern shores of the Rock. More importantly though, she met Arrec Mallister, who arrived at the castle with his young daughter, Elaena. As it turned out, due to the probably unwise decision to support Harren instead of the rebel Riverlords, Mallister stands without allies, with even a formerly safe betrothal between Elaena and the son of Lord Piper falling through, due to the Riverlords naturally being pissed at him. So, he turned to the last ally he can hopefully count on, Harren Hoare himself, offering a alliance between their houses, by arranging a marriage between Elaena and Harmund. The severe age difference between them notably creeped even Harmund out, who, for once, actually argued alongside Harrick against this union. Kyra and her second-in-command, Gravven, were sent to wait outside, together with the Mallisters, while Harren had a fierce argument with his sons. Feeling pity for the girl, Kyra contemplated about convincing Arrec to blow the whole thing off, though she ultimately decided against this, knowing it is not her business and probably being unwilling to show weakness in front of her subordinate. Meanwhile, Arthur had a talk with Berrick Rivers, the new blacksmith of Raylansfair. Not much about his last part will be crucial for the next one, but Arthur slowly fears to change into Hackor with him starting to put work before family. Despite this, he actively decided against meeting with Aditha, instead opting to pursue the Wolfius case, which had grown cold over the last two months. For this, he decided to meet with Ryler, who had been brought to Mathea's clinic earlier this day with a leg injury, knowing that he is the only other person in Raylansfair willing to further pursue this case.
And well, I can only roll my eyes at Telltale's inactivity when it comes to the main post stuff. If it is coming back, what's taking them so long? And if it isn't, could they at least outright say so instead of just cryptically teasing to work on something? Hopefully I don't have to keep this charade up until the end of the year, because main posts must return.
If you are a new reader, allow me to welcome you! Check out the first post on Page 1 to learn more about this!
And for readers new and old, here is a collection of important links you might be interested in:
Hey everyone, I'm here once again to drop another set of drawings! This one is centered around the court of Harrenhal (good timing since we seem to be getting a Kyra part today), plus portraits of both King Harren himself, as well as his firstborn son and heir, Prince Harmund. So, here they are:
Pretty good, and up close you can see how many fights has Harren been involved.
And in Gravven's image you can clearly see Red Rain once belonged to House Reyne.
Hey everyone, I'm here once again to drop another set of drawings! This one is centered around the court of Harrenhal (good timing since we … moreseem to be getting a Kyra part today), plus portraits of both King Harren himself, as well as his firstborn son and heir, Prince Harmund. So, here they are:
I hope you like 'em!
Oh yes, haha I was kinda hoping for this set to arrive right now, because there's really no part more fitting than the next, but the icing on the cake have been the portraits. Surprise portraits are my favourites and they fit this next part so perfectly. So, starting with them, I love all portraits, but villain portraits have a special place in my heart, as do, in fact, Hoare bastards. So, having two of them here at once is wonderful There is Harren, very menacing, a fitting expression for what might be the main villain of the story at this point (being the one ultimately behind most of the major plot points in Book 1). And Harmund, whose drawing remains one of my all-time favourites. Unsurprisingly, I have an equally high opinion on his portrait. He's one of the characters who will become much more important in this book than they have been in Book 1 (where he was ultimately just a secondary villain) and this portrait, I believe, perfectly builds him up for that role
Now, onwards to the drawings. There's Gravven, coincidentally the one I was hyped for the most, because of the sword. And the sword certainly is an eye catcher. Probably one of the most interesting swords in Westeros due to its history and I surely love it and Gravven's design in general. As it seems, he's probably going to be the most prominent of these in the events to come, due to his role by Kyra's side. Haragard meanwhile is an unusual drawing, because while there have been old characters before, I am not sure if you have ever drawn a character that looks deathly ill, yet you nailed it. I mean, it's not exactly a shame for him, but seeing him in such a decrepit state might at least induce some pity. I also like how you, despite their heavy visual differences, manages to give Harden a somewhat similar look, making it clear that they are father and son and how Haragard has been in his prime. He also gives me minor Torvin vibes, but I guess that is inevitable with dark-haired, long-bearded raiders And the Mallisters last but not least. Arrec is literally perfect here, that sleazy, scheming cunt. I think he is my favourite of this bunch design-wise (even if by far my least favourite in terms of personality), I love the purple, silver and gold combination paired with the hair. And Elaena, the poor girl, she is positively overshadowed by Arrec here, very much in-character for her. The posture, the expression, she is, out of this set, the most similar to how I envisioned her while writing, albeit they are all close. A very well done set, thank you for this and for the portraits
Hey everyone, I'm here once again to drop another set of drawings! This one is centered around the court of Harrenhal (good timing since we … moreseem to be getting a Kyra part today), plus portraits of both King Harren himself, as well as his firstborn son and heir, Prince Harmund. So, here they are:
I hope you like 'em!
With a frown, Kyra shook her head. “That's none of our business”, she stated, though feeling a hint of pity for the Mallister girl. She sighed, cursing the time she had spent in these lands. Such was the Greenlander fate and Elaena wouldn't be the first, nor the last to suffer this. Dreading the thought she could grow soft, Kyra tensed up, forcing herself to look away from the sobbing girl and her beast of a father.
Gravven gave her a nod. “My thought exactly”, he mumbled. “Glad we're on the same page here, captain” Yet even he looked away as the lord grabbed his daughter harshly by the wrist. With him, it was disgust for Arrec though, not pity for Elaena. “That's for the king to decide and I'd be a fool to mess with his affairs”
“We know how that ends”, Kyra said darkly and Gravven sighed, as they both ignored the argument breaking out between Arrec Mallister and his daughter. Though, that wasn't quite right. It wasn't an argument between the two, but more the lord just berating his daughter. His words were honeyed, but Kyra saw right through them and she had to wonder if his daughter meant anything to him beyond establishing a possible connection to the royal family.
At the same time, the door to Harren's audience chamber was opened and out walked the Hoare princes. Instantly, Arrec stopped his lecture about the benefits Elaena would come to enjoy as Harmund's bride, no doubt lying through his teeth, as he looked at them with a smile. Elaena just stared at Harmund, who in turn stared at her. The crown prince's dark eyes gleamed with fury. At least the girl was not stupid enough to hold her gaze. At least she was afraid.
Arrec threw a quick look at his daughter and at the tears that streamed down her face. He rolled his eyes. “Elaena, come on”, he hissed and though he tried to be quiet, the hallway carried his words far through it. “You're embarrassing me in front of the noble princes” Elaena reacted by closing her eyes, her shivering lips mumbling something Kyra did not understand.
Just then and without saying a word, Harmund turned around, marching off into the other direction, while Harrick approached them with a stern face. Kyra glanced at him, though for once, he barely seemed to notice her. Instead, he glared at Arrec Mallister. “Mylord”, he growled and Mallister gave him an elegant bow. “Prince Harrick, please tell me, what has your father decided upon?”
Harrick gulped. “My father, in his wisdom, accepts your proposal”, he replied and his voice oozed disdain. Arrec smiled, the hollow smile of a man who had no choice but to and Kyra hated him all the more for it. “Ah, these are wonderful news!”, he exclaimed. “Aren't they wonderful, Elaena?” Out of reflex, the girl shook her head and Harrick sighed. “King Harren did grant me a small favour thought”, he spoke, his voice calm and toneless.
Arrec raised an eyebrow. “And what would that...”, he began and just in this moment, he was cut off, when Harrick's fist hit the side of his face without any restraint, crashing against the cheekbone and slamming him to the ground. Towering above him, the prince glared at him, the look on his face distinctively Hoare, looking more like his father than he had ever before.
As the Lord of Seagard pressed a hand against his cheek, the fear in his eyes as he looked up at Prince Harrick was the same fear his daughter showed towards Harmund Hoare, mixed with a satisfying dose of surprise. His mouth opened and closed, as he stared at Harrick. “Why...”, he finally uttered weakly and his eyes widened. “Don't...”
Harrick said not a word, he just glared at him in a way Kyra had never seen him glaring at anyone. Then, he turned away from the lord. She smiled at him as he walked past her and though his gaze met hers, perhaps fondly even, he did not reciprocate the expression, as he walked into the same direction Harmund had left for.
Throughout all this, Gravven was barely containing a wide grin and he even allowed himself a brief chuckle as Arrec staggered back to his feet. Frowning with pain the Lord of Seagard stumbled against a wall, closing his eyes, then opening them widely. When he removed the hand from his cheek, Kyra spotted a red mark that would turn into a well-deserved bruise in time.
“Savages...”, he mumbled with quickly returing strength and confidence. This time, he did watch his tongue, with only Kyra hearing him. “Fucking Savages...” Still on shaky feet, he stumbled through the hallway, barely bothering with his daughter, though as he had moved away a few feet from her, Elaena flinched and hurried after him, her fists clenched painfully, her teeth digging into her lower lip almost to the point of drawing blood.
Arrec only came to the door until he was stopped by Harren himself. Throwing a glance at his cheek, the king sported a lazy grin. “Mylord, your proposal has convinced me”, he spoke and Arrec's frown lit up ever so slightly. “Our two houses are to join. Let it be known that loyalty shall be rewarded. Many of your fellow fishlords could learn a thing or two from you”
“Yes”, Arrec replied, nodding firmly. “Yes, your grace, you honour me!” Still a bit on shaky legs, he put an arm around his daughter, as if relying on her support to remain standing. The girl allowed it, trying to look as little as possible at the king.
“Of course...”, Harren began and his smile formed a sly smirk. “Your daughter is the heiress of Seagard. This means your city will be part of the dowry and Harmund, or maybe his son with your daughter, will eventually be granted the title you hold, mylord”
Arrec gulped. “I... understand”, he said. “I accept, as long as my house can survive. You protect me from these rebel lords in exchange for my daughter and the... significant dowry I offer” Harren gave him a nod. “Aye, that's what I thought. Sure, Harmund does not agree, but why should I care? He'll come around and he'll do as I say”
He put a hand onto Elaena's shoulder and the girl gasped with fear. “The marriage will happen in a fortnight. Would you like to notify your family?”, he asked and Arrec shook his head. “My brother protested against this union, vehemently so”, he revealed and the king raised an eyebrow. “I presume he prefers to remain in Seagard. Besides, I did order him to rally the Mallister forces. Your call to arms did not go unheard”
At this, Harren narrowed his eyes and Kyra knew, Arrec had unknowingly touched a very sensitive topic with this. News from the east had reached the castle just a few days ago, bringing word of the deaths of Bryen Darklyn and Grenn Mooton, as well as the surrender of their houses. In a single battle, the dragonlord had gained control of Harren's two most important ports at the Narrow Sea, cutting off Crackclaw Point and setting a dangerous situation for the Ironborn. And all of a sudden, even small nuisances, such as Petyr Blackwood and his insurgency had a potential to grow into something dangerous.
“I am glad to hear this, Lord Mallister”, Harren said tonelessly, before he clapped his hands. Trained to be around him, unseen until receiving the signal, a servant rushed around the corner, deeply bowing in front of the king. The man was a thrall, of course, one whose tongue had been removed during one of Harren's particularly foul moods. But what he lacked in speech, he made more than up for in obedience.
“Bring the Lord and his daughter to their rooms”, the king growled, before he smiled a forced smile at Arrec. “But maybe we can further discuss this later this evening? I will host a feast to celebrate this union! Afterwards, we can discuss the details, with my Maester present to write it down”
Mallister put a hand onto his chest and bowed down, dragging his petrified daughter with him. “Of course, your grace!”, he proclaimed. “You honour me and my house!” He turned around and the girl did not react at first, prompting him to give her a stern look. “Elaena, you are embarrassing me in front of the king”, he warned her and this time, Elaena flinched, before she quickly left with him. Harren looked after the two, shaking his head.
“Pathetic”, he mumbled once the two were out of earshot. “But the dowry is nice, I'd be a fool to decline. Who knows, maybe she'll even tame my son where I failed to, it's worth a try” He glanced at Kyra. “A word, Captain Greyjoy” Kyra saluted. “What is it, your grace?”, she asked and Harren sighed. “I have heard what happened at the gates this morning”, he replied. “I want this taken care of”
“I will find who did this”, she promised in return and Harren gave her a nod. “You better do”, he stated. “First though, I want you to deal with the wedding to come. Mallister is a key ally, the only Riverlord I firmly have in my pocket. That makes him a priority target for those Trident cunts and I want nothing to go wrong during the ceremony. This fucking dragonlord ravages my eastern lands, in the west I have unruly Riverlords and trade with the northern regions has slowed down considerably. The last thing I need right now is to lose face during a fucking wedding”
“Consider it done”, Kyra replied. “Nothing will happen to Lord Arrec or Lady Elaena during they stay here in Harrenhal” Seemingly satisfied, Harren turned around. “Good. Make the preparations then, I'll call you once I have further orders” He walked back to his audience chamber, closing the door without another word.
Kyra sighed, as she glanced at Gravven. The Ironborn was still chuckling, the only one actually enjoying himself after the scene he had just witnessed. “It isn't all that funny”, she mumbled and Gravven shook his head. “The look on Mallister's face”, he giggled. “Fucking hell, never thought Harrick would go that far” He winked at her. “Though I'm more surprised he still had that much energy”
She rolled her eyes at his comment and began to walk down the hallway. Gravven followed, cheekily pushing an elbow into her side. Briefly, Kyra flashed him a grin, before she shook her head. “So, about that situation at the gates”, Gravven brought up and she glanced at him. “Have you decided what you're going to do? My offer still stands. Give me a couple men with axes and torches and we'll snuff those bastards out. Show them we're not to be fucked with”
For a moment, she indeed contemplated to share what she knew with him. Damon gave her a name and a location. Involving Gravven in this would mean things would end in bloodshed, wholly against her brother's advice and the thought made her hesitate. Subtlety would be out the window with Gravven Drumm by her side, as would any chance to end this peacefully.
Damon had to know this when he gave her this piece of information, so perhaps he expected her to just waltz in and kill this Herman guy and those with him. Wouldn't be the first time he'd expect her to do the opposite of what he told her to. Or perhaps she'd legitimately hinder his plans and she was still torn about wether or not this would be a good thing. After all, he was her brother. Perhaps Gravven deserved to be involved in this, but she had to ask herself if she could afford letting him know.
[Share your knowledge with Gravven][Keep it a secret]
Arthur
Even as the clinic had been in sight already, Arthur did not manage to shake off the feeling of guilt. He wondered if his father had ever felt the same when he left his children alone. He would like to imagine his father felt nothing at all and that it was what set them apart, but at the same time, he knew this was likely not true. And he did not dare to imagine how Aditha felt in this moment, for he himself felt horrible enough already.
The beautiful, newly built house that held Mathea, her assistants and patients stood always open and so, Arthur walked over the small front yard, up a couple stairs and pulling the door open. It was warm inside and brightly lit, as the healer preferred. Though he did not see Mathea herself, he spotted one of her assistants walking past a set of beds in the large hall that made up the majority of the buildings' ground floor.
It was the one he had not met before and he only recognized her from her work, as she quickly checked on a sleeping man with a bandage around his forehead. She was a bit younger than him, plain, but with a wide, pretty smile on her face. Brown-haired and grey-eyed, she had a scar on her jaw, not too old.
As he closed the door, she noticed him and raised her eyebrows, as she hurried towards him. “Hey, how can I help you?”, she asked, glancing at his tabard. One of her eyebrows remained raised. “City guard business?” Arthur gave her a friendly nod. “Probably, yes”, he assured her. “My name is Arthur Nathamer, captain of the guard”
“A pleasure to meet you”, she replied and her tone made it clear that she meant it. “I'm Malien, I work here. How can I help you?” Arthur quickly glanced around, before he reciprocated her smile, if not quite as bright. “Uh, is Mathea not here?”, he asked and Malien shook her head. “She went to see a patient on Harking's farm, you just missed her, while Rosalie has taken the evening off. I'm pretty sure I can help you just as well, captain”
“Fine then”, Arthur spoke. “I'm looking for a man, word has it he's been brought here this morning. His name is Ryler” Malien gave him a nod. “Ah, I know the one you're talking about. Quiet guy, a bit on the odd side, huh? Creepy eyes, but I think he's harmless”
“That's him”, Arthur confirmed and Malien pointed behind her, down the large room. “I offered him milk of the poppy, but he declined, so now he tries to sleep without it”, she explained. “I'll bring you to him” As they walked, she stopped a moment, allowing him to catch up and as they stood next to each other, she gave him a quick glance. “Honestly, I think he's concerned for the others here today” Her voice was calm and low.
“The others?”, Arthur asked, similarly lowering his voice. Malien gulped. “The masked man and the boy. Rodrik and Connor”, she explained. “They are not in the room right now, but they had a talk with Ryler until a couple minutes ago” Her tone made it clear that she did not feel comfortable with discussing these unexpected guests, so Arthur refrained from doing so. However, he could guess whom she meant. Only Mullendore's men wore masks in this city and if they were involved, nothing good could come out of it.
Ryler had his eyes closed, his breath steady, seemingly having fallen asleep. There was a thick, fresh bandage around his lower leg, the wound still showing blood. “What happened to him?”, Arthur asked and Malien shrugged. “He won't talk about it”, she said. “Just told us it's been a wolf”
To this, Arthur narrowed his eyes. “A wolf, I see...”, he mumbled, as he moved down to touch Ryder's shoulder. Instantly, the young man's mismatched eyes were widely opened, his hand clenched around the collar of Arthur's tabard, as he glared at him, before recognizing him. The swiftness with which he moved caused Arthur to reach for his club, while Malien jumped back with a gasp.
Finally relaxing, Ryler let go of him, sinking back onto his plank bed with a sigh. “It's you”, he just stated and Arthur gave him a nod. “Hello, Ryler”, he greeted him, smiling at Malien. “Thank you”, he told her and the young girl stepped back. “My pleasure. If there's anything else, just tell me” With these words, she turned around and left him, to pursue her work again, checking up on one of the sleeping patients as she did so.
“What are you doing here?”, Arthur asked and Ryler gulped. “I could ask you the same”, he spoke and both glanced at the bandage. “I was attacked” Arthur raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, I see that. What happened exactly?” Ryler shook his head. “I thought...”, he began, before cutting himself off. “Doesn't matter what I thought. It was foolish and I was bitten by a wolf”
“A normal wolf?”, Arthur asked and Ryler gave him a nod. “I thought I had a lead on Wolfius”, he revealed. “Turns out, I'm still in the dark. I don't know if he left the city or if he's still around, recovering to strike back twice as hard. Just leaving into one direction is foolish and so... it's been two months without a lead”
“That's why I'm here”, Arthur revealed. “I want to find that monster. He has done too much to just be let go and yet, this is precisely what Captain Stratford seems to have in mind” Ryler clenched his fists. “Then you're more determined than any other man I've met in this city. They all moved on, as if Wolfius is someone to move on from. As if he'd ever leave them alone”, he growled.
“So, you believe he's still around?”, Arthur asked and Ryler gave him a nod. “There are too many whom he hasn't killed yet. In my room up at the tavern, I have a list of those he has a grudge on. Harking, Richard and Jenna. Ilish Granver and a boy named Lawsen”, he explained. “And Rosalie Mettel, she's working here now”
“Guess you can add me and Aditha to that list”, Arthur revealed. “He promised me, told me he'd come for me, for her, for our father, if I wouldn't let him go. Sure I didn't and sure it was a mistake” Ryler raised an eyebrow, over his normal eye. “How was that a mistake?”, he asked slowly and Arthur sighed. “Because now he's lose either way”
“Capturing him wasn't the mistake”, Ryler said sternly. “But letting him live afterwards was. When you see a rabid animal, you put it down, for its own sake and the people it might encounter. Wolfius cannot be locked up, he cannot be redeemed” He pressed his lips together. “And he's worse than even I remember him. Being around Lupin for so long has left its mark”
“If this Lupin is involved in the killings, then I intend to bring him to justice as well”, Arthur promised and Ryler chuckled dryly. “Good luck with that”, he said in a deadpan tone, before his face grew stern. “Arthur, I need your help”
Arthur tilted his head, giving Ryler a curious look and the young man continued. “Speaking of Lupin, his younger brother is here. Connor is the name. Never met him before, but he's with the Alley Cats, working for the new Sphynx, Lupin's successor in the group”
“The name is Rodrik, Malien just told me about him”, Arthur confirmed and Ryler gulped audibly. “They are here, upstairs, checking on some of the other patients, those poor bastards”, he whispered, glancing past Arthur and at Malien, who was working on the other end of the hall now. “The new Sphynx spoke to me. Asked me questions. He asked for my name, where I came from” His gaze now fixed on Arthur again, he gave him an urging glare. “He remembers me, from back when I was their prisoner”
“That... is not good”, Arthur stuttered and Ryler rolled his eyes. “Of course it's not!”, he hissed. “Listen, I need your help to get out of here before they are back. Can't give them too much time to decide what they are going to do to me. I know Mathea said I should stay the night, but I have to leave and hide somewhere else until they stop looking for me”
“The Nathamer residence”, Arthur offered instantly. “We've got spare rooms, especially now that it's just Aditha and me. You can stay there for the time being” Ryler smiled briefly and thinly. “Thank you”, he stated. “Leaves only the question on how you're going to get me out of here”
“Are you forbidden from leaving?”, Arthur asked and Ryler shook his head. “But if I do, they'll notice. They'll chase us down, maybe before we got a chance to cover our tracks”, he replied and Arthur tensed up at his choice of words. “We still gotta try it”, he decided. “Not like we have much of a choice”
“Maybe there is one thing we can do”, Ryler said calmly, once more looking at Malien. Arthur realized what he was getting at. “You want to get her involved?”, he asked and Ryler nodded, just as Arthur shot him a cautious look. “Isn't that a bit dangerous for her?”
At this, Ryler shrugged. “Might be”, he admitted. “But I don't think so. The Sphynx is trying to appear like an ally to Mathea and her assistants. How could he achieve that if he harms one of them? Just don't tell her more than she needs to know and I'm sure she is going to help us”
His words had a certain logic to it and yet, Arthur felt uncomfortable considering this. The less people involved, the less were at risk. He didn't know Malien very well, actually he just met her and yet, putting her into such a situation felt wrong and irresponsible, at least if he wasn't overestimating the danger, as Ryler seemed to believe. Perhaps she could help them, but then again, was it worth the risk?
[Share your knowledge with Gravven] From what we've seen so far, there's two things that we know about Gravven: he's very reliable and very violent. If Kyra is going straight into enemy territory, I'd say the best thing would be to bring a good fighter along with her and since she seems to trust Gravven, its an added bonus that this bloodthristy fighter is also someone whom she can rely on. Sure bringing him along would result in a little bloodshed, but he would follow Kyra's orders without fail and he would make sure she'd be safe. I'd rather take someone like that with me when dealing with an enemy, rather than go alone and be at their mercy. Besides, I really want to see Red Rain in action, especially after seeing that amazing drawing
"She rolled her eyes at his comment and began to walk down the hallway. Gravven followed, cheekily pushing an elbow into her side. Briefly, Kyra flashed him a grin, before she shook her head."
By the way, this interaction between Gravven and Kyra was really fun to read xD Shows you that they're actually friends (or at least friendly) instead of just captain and subordinate.
[Leave her out of it] Better not involve more innocent people into this, else she becomes the next one on Wolfius list.
Kyra
With a frown, Kyra shook her head. “That's none of our business”, she stated, though feeling a hint of pity for the Mallister girl. … moreShe sighed, cursing the time she had spent in these lands. Such was the Greenlander fate and Elaena wouldn't be the first, nor the last to suffer this. Dreading the thought she could grow soft, Kyra tensed up, forcing herself to look away from the sobbing girl and her beast of a father.
Gravven gave her a nod. “My thought exactly”, he mumbled. “Glad we're on the same page here, captain” Yet even he looked away as the lord grabbed his daughter harshly by the wrist. With him, it was disgust for Arrec though, not pity for Elaena. “That's for the king to decide and I'd be a fool to mess with his affairs”
“We know how that ends”, Kyra said darkly and Gravven sighed, as they both ignored the argument breaking out between Arrec Mallister and his daughter. Though, that wasn't quite right. It wasn't an argum… [view original content]
Wow, these drawings are really amazing, you nailed it again Wildling!
That Gravven drawing though, it's definitely my favorite (bias alert), you got his phisical features right to the point of perfection, he looks exactly as I pictured him. His vestments are also great, I especially liked that red mantle he's wearing, it's such a small detail and yet it makes the drawing all the better, at least for me. And don't even get me started with Red Rain, she looks so damn good! I really like that you gave her that lion's head pommel, as it makes sure for anyone who's seeing it that the sword once belonged to the Reynes. Now I might just be way over my head with this, but to me the crossguard of Red Rain seems to resemble bones, which give off the vibe that nowadays the sword has as much of Drumm as it has Reyne to it (with the Drumm sigil being a bone hand and all). So, again, these were really great drawings and portraits, thank you very much for making them.
Hey everyone, I'm here once again to drop another set of drawings! This one is centered around the court of Harrenhal (good timing since we … moreseem to be getting a Kyra part today), plus portraits of both King Harren himself, as well as his firstborn son and heir, Prince Harmund. So, here they are:
I hope you like 'em!
From what we've seen so far, there's two things that we know about Gravven: he's very reliable and very violent. If Kyra is going straight into enemy territory, I'd say the best thing would be to bring a good fighter along with her and since she seems to trust Gravven, its an added bonus that this bloodthristy fighter is also someone whom she can rely on. Sure bringing him along would result in a little bloodshed, but he would follow Kyra's orders without fail and he would make sure she'd be safe. I'd rather take someone like that with me when fighting an enemy, rather than go alone and be at their mercy. Besides, I really want to see Red Rain in action, especially after seeing that amazing drawing
Well, that I can confirm, Kyra is trusting Gravven and she considers him to be among her most loyal men. Very reliable and very violent is pretty much the most fitting short description for him. The main thing is, she trusts him, but does not know if she can completely control him in the situation to come. If things escalate and a fight will become necessary, she's usually one to take care of things with surgical precision. The ones who killed the guards should be punished, she believes in this, but only them. Gravven's approach would be to take care of anyone he perceives as a threat Kyra is conflicted if she wants to risk unnecessary bloodshed, especially as it hasn't been often that she gets such a task and therefore, it hasn't been often that she saw Gravven in battle. That being said, he's got a pretty awesome sword and what he might lack in subtlety or mercy, he'd more than make up for in style
Better not involve more innocent people into this, else she becomes the next one on Wolfius list.
I'd say the Sphynx might be the more immediate threat (unless Wolfius has warged into some sort of animal in that clinic and is listening to every conversation ), but the consequences for Malien would, at worst, be the same. At the least the Sphynx likely wouldn't be too happy about her involvement.
By the way, about your comment on the drawings:
Now I might just be way over my head with this, but to me the crossguard of Red Rain seems to resemble bones, which give off the vibe that nowadays the sword has as much of Drumm as it has Reyne to it (with the Drumm sigil being a bone hand and all)
I can confirm, you are absolutely right, the crossguard is meant to resemble bony fingers, in reference to the Drumm sigil My headcanon for that is that after, ahem, acquiring the sword, Hilmar the Cunning presented it to his family, who argued about reforging the hilt to be more Drumm-like and to remove the obvious Reyne connection. However, Hilmar rather kept the lion, so that he and his descendants could forever boast about it, especially to the family they took it from. He instead opted to merely reforge the crossguard, which used to be fairly standard looking, into two skeletal fingers, to leave no doubt about who would wield the sword from now on.
[Share your knowledge with Gravven] From what we've seen so far, there's two things that we know about Gravven: he's very reliable and very … moreviolent. If Kyra is going straight into enemy territory, I'd say the best thing would be to bring a good fighter along with her and since she seems to trust Gravven, its an added bonus that this bloodthristy fighter is also someone whom she can rely on. Sure bringing him along would result in a little bloodshed, but he would follow Kyra's orders without fail and he would make sure she'd be safe. I'd rather take someone like that with me when dealing with an enemy, rather than go alone and be at their mercy. Besides, I really want to see Red Rain in action, especially after seeing that amazing drawing
"She rolled her eyes at his comment and began to walk down the hallway. Gravven followed, cheekily pushing an elbow into her side. Briefly, Kyra flashed him a grin, before she shook her head."
By the way… [view original content]
[Share your knowledge with Gravven] While I'm not sure if its a good idea, better have a dangerous, but reliable person that going alone, especially against someone who hates Ironborn.
Found surprising but quite satisfying that Harrick punched Arrec in the face, reminding him he's basically pimping his daughter to a man twice her age that is known as a murderer and a rapist.
[Leave her out of it] The girl has hold on good enough, lets not make her lose her life involving her with this people. I still think The Sphynx also came from the North, after all, Frostborn, Woodbark and The Tom are all Northerners by birth.
Kyra
With a frown, Kyra shook her head. “That's none of our business”, she stated, though feeling a hint of pity for the Mallister girl. … moreShe sighed, cursing the time she had spent in these lands. Such was the Greenlander fate and Elaena wouldn't be the first, nor the last to suffer this. Dreading the thought she could grow soft, Kyra tensed up, forcing herself to look away from the sobbing girl and her beast of a father.
Gravven gave her a nod. “My thought exactly”, he mumbled. “Glad we're on the same page here, captain” Yet even he looked away as the lord grabbed his daughter harshly by the wrist. With him, it was disgust for Arrec though, not pity for Elaena. “That's for the king to decide and I'd be a fool to mess with his affairs”
“We know how that ends”, Kyra said darkly and Gravven sighed, as they both ignored the argument breaking out between Arrec Mallister and his daughter. Though, that wasn't quite right. It wasn't an argum… [view original content]
[Share your knowledge with Gravven] This whole situation is weird because I'm making choices by ramaining in character rather then having my prefferable side. With Garthon I will be making choices for Sons of Trident to succeed, With Kyra to Fail (Although this is revenge agianst part of the group rather then wanting Sons of Trident to fail), and involving Gravven should make this easier.
[Ask Malien for help] Mathea is going to get even more mad at Arthur, but oh well.
Kyra
With a frown, Kyra shook her head. “That's none of our business”, she stated, though feeling a hint of pity for the Mallister girl. … moreShe sighed, cursing the time she had spent in these lands. Such was the Greenlander fate and Elaena wouldn't be the first, nor the last to suffer this. Dreading the thought she could grow soft, Kyra tensed up, forcing herself to look away from the sobbing girl and her beast of a father.
Gravven gave her a nod. “My thought exactly”, he mumbled. “Glad we're on the same page here, captain” Yet even he looked away as the lord grabbed his daughter harshly by the wrist. With him, it was disgust for Arrec though, not pity for Elaena. “That's for the king to decide and I'd be a fool to mess with his affairs”
“We know how that ends”, Kyra said darkly and Gravven sighed, as they both ignored the argument breaking out between Arrec Mallister and his daughter. Though, that wasn't quite right. It wasn't an argum… [view original content]
[Keep it a secret] I know this option probably won't win, and that's fine, but personally I feel like Kyra should start to take steps away from being loyal to House Hoare, and with Gravven there I don't think it'll be possible. That said, of course some bloodshed with Gravven and the Red Rain would be entertaining as hell Anyway, I loved Harrick punching the shit out of Arrec. Funny how he then calls Harrick a savage, when he is giving his own daughter to a 100x worse savage. Gotta give it to Arrec though, you have to be quite a douchebag to manage to be the most unlikable person in the same room with both Harren and Harmund.
[Leave her out of it] Honestly, I almost went for the other option, having the same reasoning that Ryler here gives about Sphynx and co wanting to stay friendly with Mathea and her assistants. However, I realized that would probably be underestimating the ruthlessness of the Alley Cats. Sure, they want to stay "friendly" with folk like Mathea to keep up the facade of Mullendore being the savior of the city. However, if they start to suspect that Mathea or Malien are working against them, I doubt they'll show any mercy to them. In the end, aside from Mathea herself (who has been trained by Terroma IIRC) they would be pretty defenseless against these professional killers. So yeah, let's just keep them out of this, I'm sure Arthur and Ryler can figure out what to do by themselves.
Kyra
With a frown, Kyra shook her head. “That's none of our business”, she stated, though feeling a hint of pity for the Mallister girl. … moreShe sighed, cursing the time she had spent in these lands. Such was the Greenlander fate and Elaena wouldn't be the first, nor the last to suffer this. Dreading the thought she could grow soft, Kyra tensed up, forcing herself to look away from the sobbing girl and her beast of a father.
Gravven gave her a nod. “My thought exactly”, he mumbled. “Glad we're on the same page here, captain” Yet even he looked away as the lord grabbed his daughter harshly by the wrist. With him, it was disgust for Arrec though, not pity for Elaena. “That's for the king to decide and I'd be a fool to mess with his affairs”
“We know how that ends”, Kyra said darkly and Gravven sighed, as they both ignored the argument breaking out between Arrec Mallister and his daughter. Though, that wasn't quite right. It wasn't an argum… [view original content]
Kyra
With a frown, Kyra shook her head. “That's none of our business”, she stated, though feeling a hint of pity for the Mallister girl. … moreShe sighed, cursing the time she had spent in these lands. Such was the Greenlander fate and Elaena wouldn't be the first, nor the last to suffer this. Dreading the thought she could grow soft, Kyra tensed up, forcing herself to look away from the sobbing girl and her beast of a father.
Gravven gave her a nod. “My thought exactly”, he mumbled. “Glad we're on the same page here, captain” Yet even he looked away as the lord grabbed his daughter harshly by the wrist. With him, it was disgust for Arrec though, not pity for Elaena. “That's for the king to decide and I'd be a fool to mess with his affairs”
“We know how that ends”, Kyra said darkly and Gravven sighed, as they both ignored the argument breaking out between Arrec Mallister and his daughter. Though, that wasn't quite right. It wasn't an argum… [view original content]
Found surprising but quite satisfying that Harrick punched Arrec in the face, reminding him he's basically pimping his daughter to a man twice her age that is known as a murderer and a rapist.
Yeah, that was something Harren offered half-jokingly in response to Harrick's protest of such a union and after it became clear that the king had made up his mind, Harrick did what little he still could, which was taking him up on that offer. It's been mostly out of being disgusted from a moral standpoint at marrying a girl as fragile as Elaena to a man more than twice her age and with such a dark reputation, though with that punch and the following glare, he also proved to Arrec that no matter how high the lord wishes to climb, he will always remain tiny and worthless when compared to the true masters of the Riverlands and that they can do whatever they want with him without fearing any consequence whatsoever. Arrec definitely got that message.
I still think The Sphynx also came from the North, after all, Frostborn, Woodbark and The Tom are all Northerners by birth.
A very interesting theory. Indeed, every other confirmed former or current member of the Alley Cats has been a Northerner once, be it the Tom, Wolfius or Lupin and Connor Frostborn. That being said, I can confirm that the group itself was formed in Essos and has operated there for a while, so they recruited some members from over there as well. Still, a theory that has some arguments to support it. I can say, the Sphynx has a fully fleshed out identity behind the mask, a name and origin story, which I don't plan to keep a secret for too much longer.
[Share your knowledge with Gravven] While I'm not sure if its a good idea, better have a dangerous, but reliable person that going alone, es… morepecially against someone who hates Ironborn.
Found surprising but quite satisfying that Harrick punched Arrec in the face, reminding him he's basically pimping his daughter to a man twice her age that is known as a murderer and a rapist.
[Leave her out of it] The girl has hold on good enough, lets not make her lose her life involving her with this people. I still think The Sphynx also came from the North, after all, Frostborn, Woodbark and The Tom are all Northerners by birth.
This whole situation is weird because I'm making choices by ramaining in character rather then having my prefferable side. With Garthon I will be making choices for Sons of Trident to succeed, With Kyra to Fail (Although this is revenge agianst part of the group rather then wanting Sons of Trident to fail), and involving Gravven should make this easier.
That is actually a very interesting approach! The way I see it, both options would remain in character for Kyra though, as she is very much torn if she wants to see the Sons of the Trident succeed or fail. She knows, their success would help her brother, whereas their failure would obviously support the king and feeling loyalty to both (though notably more personal fondness for Damon), she is on the fence here, in a situation where her character can be shaped into either direction. Gravven meanwhile doesn't have this moral problem. He might not be personally fond of House Hoare, but he can largely be considered loyal, or as much as they are on the Iron Islands, seeing Harren's enemies as his own, so you are definitely right, the more you involve him, the more likely it is that the Sons of the Trident have to face opposition to their plans in the Harrenhal area.
Mathea is going to get even more mad at Arthur, but oh well.
Well, as long as Malien won't be harmed, Mathea can probably understand it at the very least. However, she is indeed still mad at Arthur and such an action can't possibly improve her opinion on him.
[Share your knowledge with Gravven] This whole situation is weird because I'm making choices by ramaining in character rather then having my… more prefferable side. With Garthon I will be making choices for Sons of Trident to succeed, With Kyra to Fail (Although this is revenge agianst part of the group rather then wanting Sons of Trident to fail), and involving Gravven should make this easier.
[Ask Malien for help] Mathea is going to get even more mad at Arthur, but oh well.
Anyway, I loved Harrick punching the shit out of Arrec. Funny how he then calls Harrick a savage, when he is giving his own daughter to a 100x worse savage. Gotta give it to Arrec though, you have to be quite a douchebag to manage to be the most unlikable person in the same room with both Harren and Harmund.
Hehe, that was a scene I just had to include Shows there is some Hoare in him after all, but in a better way than with the rest of his family. Arrec meanwhile, yeah, I very much intended for him to be less likable than Harren and probably even than Harmund in this particular scene. After all, Harmund actually tried something decent for once, by arguing against the betrothal and at least partially out of some really screwed up but still present morality. Killing children is fair game, but raping them would imply an attraction to minors and there are some depths of depravity even Harmund is simply not willing to go to. Of course, if Elaena would be three years older, he wouldn't protest even nearly as vehemently, so I would never go as far as to call it a truly redeeming trait. Of course, that applies only to this scene, where the Hoare's didn't actually do anything bad. Arrec's worst trait aside from being a bad father is more or less that he is a ruthless social climber, which can't compete with rape, torture and murder, but at the same time, there isn't much good that can be said about him and nobody likes the douchebag that sells his own daughter to a serial rapist.
However, I realized that would probably be underestimating the ruthlessness of the Alley Cats. Sure, they want to stay "friendly" with folk like Mathea to keep up the facade of Mullendore being the savior of the city. However, if they start to suspect that Mathea or Malien are working against them, I doubt they'll show any mercy to them. In the end, aside from Mathea herself (who has been trained by Terroma IIRC) they would be pretty defenseless against these professional killers.
Hm, an interesting theory. Indeed, one should never make the mistake of underestimating the Alley Cats and the Sphynx is probably the worst of the known bunch, with the Moggy being too dim-witted to truly count as evil, while the Tom has hints of honour and principles. The Sphynx has none and while I plan to show different aspects to his character, mercy and understanding to a complete stranger that hindered his plans is unlikely to be among it. And while Mathea received training from Terroma, she only learned some tricks, not Raenna levels of badassery, and it is unlikely that she could ever hope to hold her own against a trained killer. Sure, the Sphynx is not the most active combatant, but never ever underestimate how far he is willing to go to get what he wants.
[Keep it a secret] I know this option probably won't win, and that's fine, but personally I feel like Kyra should start to take steps away f… morerom being loyal to House Hoare, and with Gravven there I don't think it'll be possible. That said, of course some bloodshed with Gravven and the Red Rain would be entertaining as hell Anyway, I loved Harrick punching the shit out of Arrec. Funny how he then calls Harrick a savage, when he is giving his own daughter to a 100x worse savage. Gotta give it to Arrec though, you have to be quite a douchebag to manage to be the most unlikable person in the same room with both Harren and Harmund.
[Leave her out of it] Honestly, I almost went for the other option, having the same reasoning that Ryler here gives about Sphynx and co wanting to stay friendly with Mathea and her assistants. However, I realized that would probably be underestimating the ruthlessness of the Alley Cats. Sure, they want to stay "frien… [view original content]
[Keep it a secret] It will be impossible make a good negozation of Kyra share the secret with the bloodthirsty guy [Ask Malien for help] It seems to me Arthur need some help to make Ryler escape
RT:
1)Wow,it was entertaining see Harrick punch Mallister!
2)Harmund is going to have a not Salt wife!I'm really curious to see how you will develop the marriage storyline
3)Since I suppose that the other choice will win I hope that Kyra won't be so crazy to say that her brother want to betray the king
4)Speaking of that I'm curious to read what has happen during the timeskip from that front since we still have to see in this book characters like Gavin
5)Meanwhile at Raylainsfair we discover that the only thing that Ryler manage to do in two months is..let himself bite by a random wolf
6)Lawsen is a really lucky character!Be a human target will for sure give him a day in the limelight!
7)Insert here the usual complain that I do everytime Lupin (III) has been mentioned in the story
Kyra
With a frown, Kyra shook her head. “That's none of our business”, she stated, though feeling a hint of pity for the Mallister girl. … moreShe sighed, cursing the time she had spent in these lands. Such was the Greenlander fate and Elaena wouldn't be the first, nor the last to suffer this. Dreading the thought she could grow soft, Kyra tensed up, forcing herself to look away from the sobbing girl and her beast of a father.
Gravven gave her a nod. “My thought exactly”, he mumbled. “Glad we're on the same page here, captain” Yet even he looked away as the lord grabbed his daughter harshly by the wrist. With him, it was disgust for Arrec though, not pity for Elaena. “That's for the king to decide and I'd be a fool to mess with his affairs”
“We know how that ends”, Kyra said darkly and Gravven sighed, as they both ignored the argument breaking out between Arrec Mallister and his daughter. Though, that wasn't quite right. It wasn't an argum… [view original content]
1)Wow,it was entertaining see Harrick punch Mallister!
Hehe, and so satisfying to write At least at this point of the story, a bad guy actually getting some kind of comeuppance for their actions won't exactly be the standard (though expert more where that came from), so I cherished the moment to do this at least right here.
2)Harmund is going to have a not Salt wife!I'm really curious to see how you will develop the marriage storyline
Ah, that is a storyline I am very interested to further develop. Harmund won't be happy, so don't expect a light-hearted romantic comedy about a child bride redeeming her serial killer/rapist of a husband through the power of love (aka, Dany and Drogo, as I shockingly just realized). This is not one of these storylines, albeit it might show some aspects of Harmund's character I otherwise wouldn't be able to show.
3)Since I suppose that the other choice will win I hope that Kyra won't be so crazy to say that her brother want to betray the king
Don't be afraid, I can confirm she is definitely not going to do that! If the option truly wins, she will tell Gravven that she heard some first leads about whom might be behind this, giving him the information she has on the Sons of the Trident without ever mentioning or even just alluding to her brother.
4)Speaking of that I'm curious to read what has happen during the timeskip from that front since we still have to see in this book characters like Gavin
Here I had to read again, because I assume you mean Gabin, right? The only Gavin I know of would be Gavin the Tall from the Sons of the Trident. Gabin, he's like Gavin, only that he has a weird pronounciation, is not tall and has a completely different personality or place in the story, so I suppose he's not like Gavin at all. But I can confirm we will see him again, as well as any other character still alive in Harrenhal. At latest, he will appear in Chapter 4, but I might be able to show him earlier still. Can't promise anything there though.
5)Meanwhile at Raylainsfair we discover that the only thing that Ryler manage to do in two months is..let himself bite by a random wolf
I was going to write down a witty reply on how Ryler learned the powers of a true ninja during the timeskip, while he trained under Dimitri the Wise, only to realize that no, there is no way I could ever put it positively. Ryler really did not achieve much during the timeskip. Of course, most of that is because Wolfius is hiding his tracks now. Previously, he never cared, but Lyria wounded him badly, so he is indeed for once actively trying not to be found. Ryler is a good tracker, but not that good.
6)Lawsen is a really lucky character!Be a human target will for sure give him a day in the limelight!
Potential human target, it must be said, Ryler only assumes that Wolfius might be out to kill him, because they had a previous encounter. However, I can promise, Lawsen will have way more of a role in Book 2, starting with next chapter and onwards
7)Insert here the usual complain that I do everytime Lupin (III) has been mentioned in the story
Ah, just trust me, you haven't met the man himself yet Your wariness is understandable, but trust me there when I say that Lupin at the very least has one twist concerning him that should make him into a much more tolerable, possibly even interesting character for you. I won't say he is not, in some capacity at least, as Ryler, Alphyn, Connor and the Sphynx mention him to be, but there is a lot more to him that you don't know yet.
[Keep it a secret] It will be impossible make a good negozation of Kyra share the secret with the bloodthirsty guy
[Ask Malien for help] It… more seems to me Arthur need some help to make Ryler escape
RT:
1)Wow,it was entertaining see Harrick punch Mallister!
2)Harmund is going to have a not Salt wife!I'm really curious to see how you will develop the marriage storyline
3)Since I suppose that the other choice will win I hope that Kyra won't be so crazy to say that her brother want to betray the king
4)Speaking of that I'm curious to read what has happen during the timeskip from that front since we still have to see in this book characters like Gavin
5)Meanwhile at Raylainsfair we discover that the only thing that Ryler manage to do in two months is..let himself bite by a random wolf
6)Lawsen is a really lucky character!Be a human target will for sure give him a day in the limelight!
7)Insert here the usual complain that I do everytime Lupin (III) has been mentioned in the story
Comments
The Voting is closed!
Edrick is going to accept Viveka's offer to work with her
A choice I expected, though nonetheless one I was curious to see if you would truly pick it. Edrick is, of course, a hedge knight, meaning one with generally less honour than your average sworn knight. He has worked as a sellsword for people worse than Viveka, but in this particular case, what she offers is still not exactly a moral thing, naturally. We'll see how this works out, though it is likely that at least none of Edrick's companions will judge him for it, because the alternative is really not a desirable thing.
The next part should be out today. It will lead us back to Garthon's storyline, who has last been seen in a pretty bad situation. After burying Tedyn Bullister, he, Hjalgar and Christian walked right into an ambush by the Sons of the Trident. Only that these were not the reasonable type he met before, but a group led by Deywn the Fiddler, one of the more radical members of the group. Taking Garthon and his companions hostage, he led them to their main camp, despite Garthon's insistance that he is Garthon Breaker, formerly even allied with the Sons. Deywn wanted to hear nothing about this, so he ordered their execution even before presenting them to their leader, Edric Rivers. For this, he ordered another member of the Sons, a man fittingly known as Gavin the Tall, to hang them, starting with Hjalgar. Only as Hjalgar already hang, slowly choking to death, did Garthon spot a familiar face, a woman known as Dacey, who had belonged to the trio of rebels he met in the first half of Book 1. She was there now, though from afar she showed no signs of recognizing him. So, even with a knife to his throat and Deywn outright demanding of him to remain silent, did he decide to call out for her and this is where we'll start with his next part.
And now, sigh, the helpful links. Oh main post, my main post, return to us at once. Never before have I missed a feature in the forums as terribly much as I do this. Christmas is coming, so maybe Telltale will give us the greatest gift of all, which is, of course, the main post.
If you are a new reader, allow me to welcome you! Check out the first post on Page 1 to learn more about this!
And for readers new and old, here is a collection of important links you might be interested in:
Garthon
Garthon took a deep breath. “Dacey!”, he screamed. “Dacey, tell them! You know me!” To his surprise, the knife got removed from his throat, though he instantly felt the pommel hitting against his forehead, pushing him back and to the ground, pain flaring up in his head, as he instinctively pressed a hand onto the spot where Deywn had hit him.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Gavin the Tall sighing, before he let go of the rope, allowing Hjalgar to sink to the ground. Bound still, the young man started to gasp for air, coughing as it filled his lungs, tears streaming down his reddened face, gagging, clutching his throat, yet alive for now.
“What are you doing?”, Deywn hissed and Gavin looked past him, at the young woman. By now, everyone was looking at Dacey, who bit down onto her lower lip. “Is he telling the truth?”, the tall man growled and the woman clenched her fists, avoiding his gaze, instead staring at her feet.
Garthon's heart dropped. She wouldn't say anything. She hated Ironborn after all, that much she had told him when they last met. Foolish, putting his hopes in her. Grinning, Deywn glanced at Garthon, before moving his glare to Gavin. “Proceed with the execution”, he ordered him and the tall man raised an eyebrow. “She didn't answer yet”, he stated.
To this, Deywn sighed, before giving Dacey a sharp glare. “She doesn't know them”, he said, while at his feet, Hjalgar's breath slowly became more normal again. Garthon and the other Ironborn exchanged a look and he gave him a reassuring smile, even if he himself felt hollow right now.
“We've travelled together, Dacey”, he tried to remind her. “You know me, you know what I tried to do” Deywn slowly moved his head into his direction, but before he could say anything, Dacey's voice cut through the silence. “I know him”, she confirmed at last and Garthon felt a wave of relief overcoming him. “He's saying the truth”
Gavin the Tall smirked slightly at Deywn's frown. “That is settled then”, he stated. “Rivers decides” Deywn rolled his eyes. “We both know how this will end”, he said. “But fine. If you insist, they can keep their wretched lives for a little longer” He glared at Garthon. “Before dawn, you'll hang on that tree”, he promised him, though Garthon did not reply to this provocation.
It was there that a voice cut through the chatter of the gathered rebels. “What is going on here?”, a man boomed, mighty and powerful, as the crowd made way for two people. One of them was the boy whom Gavin had sent away earlier, to gather their leader. This in turn left no doubt about the identity of the man Garthon saw right there.
Edric Rivers was an imposing presence and Garthon had this impression not only because he lay at the man's feet. Tall and broad-shouldered, he was the archetype of a warrior, with sky blue eyes and a steely gaze, as well as short auburn hair. With a prominent jawline and a broad nose, he seemed less the leader Garthon expected and more like a soldier in said leaders army. And what little he knew about the Sons, that had been Edric's original purpose, before circumstances forced him to pick up the mantle of his fallen lord.
“Who are these men?”, he growled, sending Deywn a thundering glare and the other man actually shivered back. “These?”, he asked. “Ironborn scum. I just wanted to deal with them” Edric raised an eyebrow. “Without presenting them to me?”, he asked and Deywn gulped. “I... didn't want to bother you with that, mylord”, he stuttered.
“That is our duty”, Edric growled, looking from him to the captives. “Who might you be?” Garthon gulped, though Dacey spoke up. As Edric looked at her, a thin smile formed on her face, though it faded once he looked away. “This is Garthon Breaker”, she introduced him. “The brother of...”
“I am familiar with the man, yes”, Edric interrupted her, before looking at Garthon solely. “Deywn, you were going to hang Garthon Breaker?” Deywn clenched his fists, his bite all but gone in the presence of this man. “I... he claimed to be Breaker, but what evidence did I have? I only saw an Ironborn”
“Even then, have you given him a trial?”, Edric asked and silently, Deywn shook his head. He briefly looked at Gavin. “And you? Have you helped him with that?” Gavin gave him a nod, more sheepish than it would befit for a man of his size. “Am I to ignore Deywn's orders?”, he asked and Edric shook his head. “You are to think twice about them”, he ordered. “Use your head”
With this, he reached down, offering his hand to Garthon. “Cut them loose!”, he ordered and instantly, two men came to remove the rope around Hjalgar's neck, while Christian was freed of his bindings. “Breaker, my apologies for the introduction” Garthon grabbed his hand and was pulled back to his feet. Wordlessly, he nodded at Edric and the tall man sighed. “I know how this must seem to you, but take my word for it, I do not approve of the behaviour Deywn displayed here. My sincerest apologies for this”
The fact that he said this publicly sent a powerful message to his followers and many took a step away from the Fiddler, who suddenly stood alone. “And for the future, Deywn”, Edric snarled into his direction, causing the man to stand firmly in front of his leader. “I demand you to follow the protocol. Capture them, present them to me and I alone will decide, not you and not without a trial”
“Understood, Ser”, Deywn mumbled and Edric sighed. “We discuss the rest in my tent”, he ordered. “Dacey, Hobb and Gavin will come with me. Breaker, you and your company will follow” It was an order Garthon was only glad to follow. Away from the cold night, the watchful eyes, the looming threat of the gallows tree.
He followed Edric, Dacey and the young boy, Hobb, with Hjalgar and Christian behind him. His Ironborn friend was still coughing, his throat sore, but he was alive and he would recover. At least if their fate wasn't as sealed as it seemed to be at first. He was careful to trust first impressions, but Edric Rivers seemed to be of a different kind than Deywn the Fiddler. Was reasonable a fitting word to describe the source of countless grisly tales he had heard at Harrenhal? How much of it had been true?
Edric's tent was spacious, holding more than just his plank bed, but even a small desk, a private chest and another, smaller table with a single chair. Doused in warm light through three torches, it nonetheless lacked the comfort a true nobleman would insist on and reminded Garthon more of the minimalistic equipment officers in Harren's army had at their disposal.
“Hobb, bring water for our guests”, Edric ordered and the boy quickly walked over to the table, while Dacey remained behind Garthon, Hjalgar and Christian, guarding the entrance to the tent. He himself walked behind his desk, lacking a chair, putting both hands onto it and staring at his captives. Below him, on the desk itself, there was a map and Garthon recognized the Riverlands. “So...”, he began. “I already apologized for Deywn's behaviour, but I want you to know that this is not how we usually deal with this”
“You don't hang Ironborn?”, Hjalgar asked, his voice sore and bitter. Edric narrowed his eyes at the unexpected speaker. “We give them a trial first”, he claimed and Hjalgar raised his eyebrows. “Because that changes so much about the result, huh?”, he spat.
Edric sighed. “There is a chance”, he said. “But it is true that we haven't found anyone to be innocent yet. This is because that's just the kind we capture. We go after raiders, not even bothering with simple folk, even if they are Ironborn. At least that's what I assumed Deywn would do on his patrol. He always had a worrisome temper”
“That's one way of putting it”, Garthon interjected dryly and Edric gave him a nod. “He is a capable fighter and highly useful to the cause”, he claimed. “And he has been through more than the most of us. Perhaps I should keep an eye on him though” He pressed his lips together. “Nonetheless, I want you to understand that this is not how we usually deal with captives. Our cause is justice, not vengeance. We give them a trial and if they have committed crimes against the Riverlands and her people, they will suffer the consequences”
“And what counts as a crime?”, Garthon asked, not free of the same bitterness Hjalgar so readily displayed. “Living in these lands? Being Ironborn?” Edric seemed surprised by his accusations. “Murder and rape count”, he clarified. “Crimes your raiders commit all too eagerly. There is a reason none has been found innocent and it is not because they are Ironborn”
Edric hesitated for a moment, though replied without hiding his bitterness. “Make no mistake, Garthon Breaker, to assume our usual captives don't had it coming. Your kind took these lands by force. It is the Ironborn way to take what you can get. They are raiders and I do not seek to change them, nor do I seek to kill them all”, he explained. “For ten thousand years it was something we lived with, fearing our western shore. But Hardhand took more than his ancestors ever dared. We only want back what he took from us, our kingdom, our freedom”
“And so you answer with violence”, Garthon mumbled, even if a part of him could understand Edric's struggle. Torvin had tried to do the same, after all. And he himself had followed. Rivers raised an eyebrow. “What would you have us do instead?”, he asked. “When we capture Ironborn, we give them a trial and I can assure you by my honour as a knight, I give them a chance. But most don't even try to take it. They don't deny what they did and there is only one punishment I can bestow upon them” His gaze became more steely. “Or would you have us imprison them? It might sound surprising to you, but we don't have the manpower for that”, he explained. “And please don't even start with proper authorities. Their inactivity is the reason we exist at all. We seek justice from them, most of all”
“Justice?”, Hjalgar mumbled and Garthon shot him a slight glare. They were dependent on Edric's goodwill and the last thing he wanted was to piss the man off. And he knew the justice they could expect from Harren Hoare. He had seen it himself, every time the king held a court session at Harrenhal.
“Justice”, Edric confirmed. “For the thousands murdered by Hardhand, for Samwell Rivers, for Agnes Blackwood and her sons, for the tens of thousands who have died under Halleck and Harren. For House Faron and House Bullister” He paused for a moment and looked more sombre than Garthon would have expected. “For Addam Wode, my lord, my knight, my friend... my brother”, he mumbled. “For all those butchered by Black Harren. We seek justice for them”
Garthon gulped, feeling compelled to give Edric a nod. “I understand”, he said and the knight's gaze softened again. “I know how this must feel, almost having been on the receiving end of this treatment, but if I would have been there, none of this would have happened”, he promised. “It has been my order that every captured Ironborn receives a trial and I owe you more than an apology for Deywn's actions”
“You spoke about a trial”, Garthon stated. “When will be ours?” For a second, Edric looked genuinely surprised. “A trial?”, he asked. “You think I consider you my captives? After what happened with Deywn, you couldn't be more wrong, Breaker. The Harper told me about you. He trusts you and that is good enough for me. The way I see it, you are my guest, not my prisoner” He shrugged. “Even if we might have started on the wrong foot, I hope we can leave that behind. Don't hold the actions of one man against my entire group. There's good people here and our cause is a just one”
Garthon raised an eyebrow. “I don't hold it against you”, he clarified and it was the truth. He knew better than to judge Edric for Deywn's actions. It was the same struggle he himself had faced his entire life, with him being judged for Harren Hoare's actions, on account of being Ironborn.
“Good”, Edric replied, looking genuinely relieved for a moment. “I'd hate to have this stand between us, because in fact, I have hoped to meet with you or your brother one day” The mention of Torvin caused Garthon to tense up and Edric instantly noticed it. “Torvin is dead”, he confirmed. “He died in Raylansfair, together with most of his men”
Rivers closed his eyes for a moment. “My condolences”, he said and behind Garthon, Dacey gulped. “What... what about George?”, she asked and the look Garthon gave her as he glanced over his shoulder told her all she had to know. “He was killed by the same man that murdered Torvin. His name is Edward Anturion, a Stepstone pirate, doing Harren's wet work”
While Dacey frowned, avoiding his gaze, Edric tensed up. “I haven't heard of that name before”, he spoke firmly. “If the Black forms ties with the Stepstone pirates, that can't mean anything good in the long run. Even now his fleet is almost unstoppable, but with Blacksails' men to back him, he'd have more ships under his command than any other man from here to Volantis”
“Anturion has plans of his own”, Garthon revealed. “I doubt he saw more in Harren than a tool to use, but he nonetheless murdered George and then Torvin, the latter on the king's orders, as I believe” Edric gave him a nod. “Then Harren Hoare has wronged you as much as any of us”, he said. “But you escaped from Raylansfair with these two?”
“Ah...”, Christian began and the knight shifted his attention towards him. “Maybe I can explain. See, I am not Ironborn. My name is Christian, I work for Lord Petyr Vyrwel of Raylansfair” A weak smile formed on his face, as he didn't seem to be sure how else he should react. “I... well, I was ordered to lead the surviving Ironborn back to Harrenhal”
“The Lord of Raylansfair allowed you to leave?”, Edric asked in disbelief and Garthon nodded. “I don't know about him, but his right hand man is working for Harren, his eyes in the Reach as far as I know”, he revealed. “His name is Maron Mullendore and this entire raid was nothing but a way for his lord to take over the city, with himself in a position of power to influence the events down south”
“Sounds very much like something Harren would do”, Edric agreed. “Sending hundreds to their death to get what he wants. This Mullendore let you go then?” Garthon exchanged a look with his companions. “He did”, he confirmed. “Me, and the remaining three survivors. Hjalgar here, as well as Rell Vessels and Tedyn Bullister”
At the mention of the executioner, Edric narrowed his eyes. “Bullister has survived?”, he asked and Garthon shook his head. “He's dead now, trying to kill me in Harren's name. Vessels saved my life because I saved him during the raid, but then he left us, allowing us to start over somewhere else”
The knight raised an eyebrow, though satisfaction appeared on his face. “Then Addam's killer has gotten what was coming to him”, he mumbled. “Though there will be no justice until Black Harren has been dealt with” With curiosity, he tilted his head. “That explains what you have been doing when Deywn found you. But where were you going?”
Garthon smirked at this, bitterly and without even the hint of joy. “If only I'd know that”, he admitted. “Certainly not back to Harrenhal. Pyke would be a dream of mine, but first I wanted to make a detour to Riverrun. Wanted to tell Tully about Torvin's fate”
“And then Pyke?”, Edric asked and after hesitating for a moment, Garthon gave him a nod. Truth be told, he wasn't sure where to go. Pyke was his home, but the people over there knew him. If word of his survival would spread, then he was a dead man. The Riverlands weren't much safer for him, so where could he go? “It would be nice, at least”, he mumbled.
“Then you know how dangerous Pyke is at the moment”, Edric stated. “If Harren Hoare or his men find out that you are not dead, then there's no place in this world where you could hide from his wrath. He doesn't like loose ends and after the blow your brother had dealt to him, I doubt you can ever be safe”
Slowly, Garthon nodded at this, as much as he hated to admit it. “And you know a better way?”, he asked, to which Edric shrugged. “I would like to propose a different one at least”, he said. “A chance perhaps, to save your life and preserve your brother's legacy”
This actually caught Garthon's interest, though before he was able to say anything, Hobb reappeared, handing him a cup of water, before doing the same for his companions. Hjalgar in particular was quick to chug down the water, drinking with thirst, until he had to cough. There was relief on his face, a slight smile, despite the visible distrust he still showed to Edric Rivers and the Sons of the Trident.
“What do you have in mind?”, Garthon asked and now, Edric smiled slightly. “I would like to offer a task”, he said and Garthon held his breath as he listened to the offer. “Your brother was a good man, the epitome of what an Ironborn should be. If only more would be like him, perhaps this place would be a different one” He looked down at the map. “You have worked with us once. It is my hope that you can do so again. I believe your brother would have wanted that”
“Torvin... maybe”, Garthon admitted and Edric nodded. “How well do you know Petyr Blackwood?”, the knight asked, to which Garthon sighed. “I met him once, shortly after separating from your men a few months ago”, he replied. “He was part of Tully's group, together with the lords Frey, Bracken and... Mallister”
“And all but Mallister are true Riverlanders”, Edric admitted. “No matter what I personally might think of some of them. I always considered Blackwood to be weak, but he surprised me. After Tully, Frey and Bracken retreated, he remained the only Riverlord to oppose Harren. He has stopped paying his taxes, which comes as close to open rebellion as this land has been ever since Hardhand murdered Lothar Bracken almost a hundred years ago”
“Blackwood...”, Garthon mumbled in surprise. He had met the man, yes, but had to agree with Edric on this, he seemed weak. The weakest of the Riverlords he had met, missing Brandon Frey's fury, Tytos Bracken's sheer spite for the Ironborn or Edmyn Tully's determination, yes, even Arrec Mallister's ruthlessness. And yet he remained out of them all.
“He is still upholding your brother's name and what Torvin stood for. The Riverlands for the Riverlanders, the Iron Islands for the Ironborn and a peace between two kingdoms instead of a civil war in one”, Edric explained. “Perhaps none of us had given him enough credit so far, but true to his words, he remains faithful to the last”
“I imagine Harren is not too happy about this”, Garthon stated and Edric shook his head. “He hasn't done much so far, for reasons yet unknown, but it is only a matter of time until he will send that butcher son of his to sack Raventree Hall and murder every last Blackwood he can get his hands on. House Faron and House Bullister did the same and now they serve as examples of his cruelty” Narrowing his eyes, the steely gaze returned. “But times have changed. Not much more is needed for the Riverlords to stand together and I believe it can start in Raventree Hall. No matter what Harren has planned, I will not allow him to murder Blackwood and snuff out the fire your brother has started”
“What do you want to do then?”, Garthon asked, to which Edric gave him a smile. “I want to make contact with Blackwood. I want to work with him, to protect him until the other Riverlords follow his example. Perhaps then we can end this tyranny once and for all” He gave Garthon a deep look. “And I want you to be the link between the Sons and House Blackwood”
While Garthon was not surprised by this offer after what Edric had said before, Dacey took a sharp breath. “Ser, he is Ironborn”, she snapped and Edric gave him a nod. “And you worked with him before”, he reminded her. “How can we claim to be any better than Harren if we refuse to work with an Ironborn that has proven himself more than most of my own men have?”
She was silent after this, though Garthon felt her glare, as Edric extended his hand towards him. “I want to be your ally, Garthon”, he claimed. “Travel to Raventree Hall for me. You are Torvin Breaker's brother and Lord Petyr will listen to you more than he will listen to any of my rebels. Perhaps you can convince him to work with me. Perhaps you can guide and protect him. Do that for me, help me to end the threat Harren Hoare poses to you and this entire kingdom and there will always be a place for you by our side”
[Join forces with Edric Rivers] [Refuse the alliance]
[Join forces with Edric Rivers] Well, meeting Edric Rivers has certainly improved my opinion on the Sons of Trident, and I feel like joining them would be a natural progression for Garthon's storyline. He was loyal towards his brother's cause to dethrone Harren, even if begrudgingly, and I think he should honor Torvin's memory by continuing to fight for that cause. Sure, the Sons have some questionable aspects to them, but it seems like Garthon wouldn't exactly be working closely with people like Deywn even if he took this task. I'm not sure where exactly would his story head if he refuses (to meet Lord Tully, I guess?), but I just know that working with Edric Rivers and going to Raventree Hall will give us something interesting
[Refuse the alliance] Not a good idea to join up with him. Remember when we tried to kill the king, what happened? Everyone got wrecked, and this will not change. These Sons of the Trident are destined to fail, fighting a losing battle and Garathon has lost enough of himself thanks to his storyline since Book 1. Lets change it up a bit, let him do his own thing. Maybe travel to Essos, Dorne anywhere really out of this political and moral involvement.
[Refuse the alliance] Peace, justice, bah humbug. Don't need any of that. Let's take a vacation instead.
Hehehe gotta love conflicting views on a character from different POV's.
And the Reach for the Reachmen, which will be great again very, very, very soon. Donnel is Coming. Next chapter? Hopefully. Along with all sorts of wacky fellows.
I'm interested where they will go if they refuse so [Refuse the alliance]
Ah, I am glad to hear this. The Sons of the Trident as a whole have some actually decent members among them and Edric himself, though jaded and bitter, is still a knight and considers himself always true to his vows. There is something noble about him and he has people such as Jon the Harper or Dacey who are also good people at heart. Of course, then there are people such as Deywn, but they are not the majority of the Sons and even they are not doing bad things just for the sake of it, they got reasons and even somewhat redeeming qualities with them. Though I can confirm, if he would accept the offer Edric gave him here, he definitely wouldn't be partnered with Deywn. It is likely some Sons will accompany them, but Edric is smart enough to send those he can trust to work well with Garthon, meaning Dacey would be a likely choice, given their history. Deywn himself has definitely lost a lot of trust with his attempt to ignore very clear orders.
Well, meeting with Edmyn Tully has been his goal so far, though Edric brought up something that actually made Garthon think twice about his next steps. He finds it hard to go somewhere where he will not only be safe, but actually feel at home. Tully is definitely going to be a long term goal for him, but at the same time, there is one thing where he actually agrees on with Edric, he can only be save of Harren if the Riverlands are no longer under Ironborn rule. That opinion is something the choice won't change, but it will influence his next steps in both outcomes.
Well, when it comes to that, keep in mind the Sons have not really been involved in this. Though rebels, they know they are not strong enough to do something as drastic as killing Harren just yet. The last plan failed due to Edmyn Tully and his allies severely overestimating their abilities and the loyalties of their companions. The Sons meanwhile have different plans. In a way, they are smaller, but there is a reason why they are still around while Edmyn Tully's conspiracy has been broken.
Hm, are you sure they are fighting a losing battle? As Edric said, the Riverlands are closer to open rebellion than they had ever been for almost 100 years and that is to no small part thanks to the effort of the Sons, but also thanks to Torvin's actions in Book 1. As of now, there is only a single Riverlord who is actually loyal to Harren, the rest follows out of fear and very slowly, Harren himself (as well as Harmund) reach a point where the fear people have for them grows smaller than the hate. The most powerful of his lords are almost open enemies, with Tully, Frey and Bracken only reluctantly following any order, while Petyr Blackwood, another major bannerman, has taken things a step farther than that. The lords of the Iron Islands hate Harren for what they perceive as weakness and with their previous speaker, Cleaver Clint, dead, they might rally around someone with more ambition to actually change something about the current rule, such as Damon Greyjoy. And well, there is, of course, also the fact that two of Harren's most important bannermen to the east have been burned to death by a wholly unexpected threat
So, all in all I wouldn't exactly say they are destined to fail, given that they have actually succeeded at a partial goal of theirs already, which is inspiring the Riverlords to resist the Ironborn rule.
To avoid disappointment through wrong expectations, I actually feel compelled to reveal that you shouldn't expect a drastic change of location through that choice. The Riverlands and its respective characters have been the heart of Garthon's storyline in Book 1 and this choice, while being among the most major choices of this chapter, won't exactly cause him to leave the entire situation he formed in the previous chapters behind. At least at this point, this would feel like throwing away the growth he had in Book 1, so if I ever offer such a big choice, it would be marked more clearly, not with one option being Raventree Hall and the other being him travelling to the other end of the world. I got other, more involved PoV's for Essos and Dorne, I don't exactly need someone without any ties to these places over there.
Yeah, there are some characters who inspire drastically different views on them depending who is speaking. Addam Wode is definitely a major case of that. Edric, though not actually his brother, has been as close to him as no one else, while the Ironborn themselves naturally see him as nothing but a good for nothing rebel who got what he deserved. The truth might be somewhere in between, but Edric knew him better, so he probably has more reason for his opinion on Addam.
I actually had to think about that and the Donnel while writing Edric's speech here. It's funny, because they couldn't be more different in terms of personality. But yeah, the Reach for the Reachmen, if some people get what they want. No matter what, Donnel is Coming.
Ah, keep in mind that this is primarily a choice of alliance, not one of destination. I really don't want to mislead anyone here by accidentally teasing new and exotic locations for Garthon, when that is not exactly what I had in mind when offering this choice. He already knows where he will head to if he refuses the alliance with Edric, but this is mainly a decision of wether he is willing to work with him, potentially gaining a well-connected ally and a chance of doing what Torvin would have likely done, or if he prefers to remain unconnected to the Sons of the Trident, be it out of distrust or him preferring his indepence (or keeping other options open). But as said, while absolutely major, it is more a choice of whom he decides to work with in the events to come. The Sons are one possible ally and the first who offered such an opportunity, but working with them could have effects on relations to other potential allies, which in itself could be a good or bad thing depending on where your sympathies in this conflict lie. Only one thing should be kept in mind, if Harren Hoare ever learns that Garthon is still alive, some sort of an ally to protect him will be necessary, because at least at this point, Garthon is unwilling to outright leave Westeros to avoid Harren's wrath.
[Join forces with Edric Rivers] The riverlanders need to stay strong, after all, the black shadow from the east will give them the perfect chance to turn against the Ironborn.
Those references to Hardhand's conquest were very cool, and reminds us Harwyn was the most successful Ironborn conqueror since Qhored the Cruel (the one who most likely defined Hoare's banner and extinguished House Justman), but his cruelty towards Houses Tully and Blackwood (Bracken deserved it) made sure their descendants have nothing but contempt for Harwyn's line (not that it was hard).
I always love to include such small references to past events, particularly those that have been as massive as Harwyn Hardhand's conquest, so I'm glad you enjoyed them
Indeed, Harwyn was the most successful Hoare king in thousands of years, though like many great conquerors (take Genghis Khan as an example), he failed to establish a kingdom that outlasts him, at least by a significant amount of time. The actions that made him so successful, the absolute lack of mercy he showed to his opponents, ironically have caused the issue most of the Riverlords have with his descendants today, so Harren is likely cursing that man's name in secret. House Blackwood suffered the most under Harwyn's rule, but I imagine that during the Sack of Stone Hedge, more Bracken's were killed than just Lothar. That guy clearly deserved what was coming to him, but in the end, Hardhand certainly killed as many innocent Brackens as he killed Blackwoods, leaving both houses almost extinct for their defiance and their descendants with a justified grudge. It's telling that Petyr Blackwood and Tytos Bracken hate House Hoare more than each other, hinting at major losses for both houses during Hardhand's conquest.
You're right on that one, after all, many innocent Brackens lost their lives thanks to their Head's foolishness. An indicator that shit is going down is if Houses Bracken and Blackwood actually work together.
[Join forces with Edric Rivers]
I think what some people forgot about this situation compared to last time we tried something against Harren is that there is now Aegon coming. Garthon doesn't know that, but we do and that should make things easier for Riverlanders and other anti-Harren folk. Yes, last time we failed (But we could have been successful as well), but I think this time, in this way (Rebellion rather then assassination), we have better chances.
[Join forces with Edric Rivers]
Thanks for the clarification but I like the thought of garthon declinig and finding his own way and him not following the adventures torvin started.
[Join forces with Edric Rivers] Row row fight the power! (And this can lead to a good storyline that can work as a natural continue of the Ironbro story)
RT:
1)Today we finally meet Edrick Rivers,the leader of the Sons of Trident!He seems to be a "good" guy (or maybe he act like that to obtain Garthon help)
2)Am I wrong or the fact that Blackwood still act defiant to his rightful ruler is something that you mentioned in the previous book?
Then refusing the alliance is indeed the choice to pick! In this case, Garthon would definitely more focus on his own way instead of Torvin's legacy, whereas working with the Sons would be him fully commiting to the cause Torvin supported before him. I mean, not that he wouldn't try to uphold Torvin's standards either way, but outright allying with the Sons will keep him more closely involved with the Riverlanders. Just wanted to make sure that you don't expect something else from this choice (such as a drastic change of location) and end up feeling mislead, because I noticed that this probably wasn't entirely clear from the part itself
Well, he is a good guy compared to Deywn, this much is beyond question. No matter their respective goals, methods do matter somewhat and there, Edric is indeed notably more just than Deywn, given his anger about the captives nearly being executed without a trial. Make no mistake, he is several shades of grey, but most in this conflict are and he is at least better than some of the others. How much the parts of his personality he has shown to Garthon here are genuine (or rather, how much of himself he kept hidden) remains to be seen though.
Ah, you remember it! Very good, you are absolutely right
It was mentioned in Chapter 6, where the Ironbros have been in the dungeon, as Harren informed Torvin of the consequences his actions had. Back then, Garthon already learned that Petyr Blackwood stopped paying his taxes and that Harren plans to eventually do something about this, but given that he had a lot of other things on his plate back then, this information hasn't stuck with him until now, where he fully realizes the magnitude of such an event.
[Refuse the alliance]
Let's go to Pyke, or Essos or somewhere. I could care less about the Son of the Tridents and their "noble" cause.
[Join forces with Edric Rivers] Garthon doesn't have much else to do. He has no one else in the world who he can go after, except for Kyra. So the best chance of getting another face to face meeting with the two is to have them meet on the Battlefield! Glorious Combat!
The Voting is closed!
Garthon is going to join forces with Edric Rivers
As I said, this is an absolutely major choice in this chapter and a turning point for Garthon's storyline. I can't yet say if it will be good or bad, but it will lead to interesting events. As said before, this was a choice to pick Garthon's ally in the things to come. Other potential allies will be presented, while some might never be revealed due to Garthon's new affiliation with the Sons of the Trident. However, the general direction of his storyline won't be decided by this choice alone. Others will happen and Garthon's storyline is going to have quite some twists coming up. Of course, there is also going to be one more part for him in this chapter, but this one will be the largest choice he has made in a long time.
The next part is hopefully going to be out today. I am making good progress and hope for a release in the next few hours. It will feature PoV's for Kyra and Arthur. Last time we saw Kyra, she greeted a couple new arrivals at Harrenhal. Among them was Durren Stallhart, back from his long raid on the northern shores of the Rock. More importantly though, she met Arrec Mallister, who arrived at the castle with his young daughter, Elaena. As it turned out, due to the probably unwise decision to support Harren instead of the rebel Riverlords, Mallister stands without allies, with even a formerly safe betrothal between Elaena and the son of Lord Piper falling through, due to the Riverlords naturally being pissed at him. So, he turned to the last ally he can hopefully count on, Harren Hoare himself, offering a alliance between their houses, by arranging a marriage between Elaena and Harmund. The severe age difference between them notably creeped even Harmund out, who, for once, actually argued alongside Harrick against this union. Kyra and her second-in-command, Gravven, were sent to wait outside, together with the Mallisters, while Harren had a fierce argument with his sons. Feeling pity for the girl, Kyra contemplated about convincing Arrec to blow the whole thing off, though she ultimately decided against this, knowing it is not her business and probably being unwilling to show weakness in front of her subordinate. Meanwhile, Arthur had a talk with Berrick Rivers, the new blacksmith of Raylansfair. Not much about his last part will be crucial for the next one, but Arthur slowly fears to change into Hackor with him starting to put work before family. Despite this, he actively decided against meeting with Aditha, instead opting to pursue the Wolfius case, which had grown cold over the last two months. For this, he decided to meet with Ryler, who had been brought to Mathea's clinic earlier this day with a leg injury, knowing that he is the only other person in Raylansfair willing to further pursue this case.
And well, I can only roll my eyes at Telltale's inactivity when it comes to the main post stuff. If it is coming back, what's taking them so long? And if it isn't, could they at least outright say so instead of just cryptically teasing to work on something? Hopefully I don't have to keep this charade up until the end of the year, because main posts must return.
If you are a new reader, allow me to welcome you! Check out the first post on Page 1 to learn more about this!
And for readers new and old, here is a collection of important links you might be interested in:
[Join forces with Edric Rivers]
Hey everyone, I'm here once again to drop another set of drawings! This one is centered around the court of Harrenhal (good timing since we seem to be getting a Kyra part today), plus portraits of both King Harren himself, as well as his firstborn son and heir, Prince Harmund. So, here they are:
I hope you like 'em!
Pretty good, and up close you can see how many fights has Harren been involved.
And in Gravven's image you can clearly see Red Rain once belonged to House Reyne.
Oh yes, haha
I was kinda hoping for this set to arrive right now, because there's really no part more fitting than the next, but the icing on the cake have been the portraits. Surprise portraits are my favourites and they fit this next part so perfectly. So, starting with them, I love all portraits, but villain portraits have a special place in my heart, as do, in fact, Hoare bastards. So, having two of them here at once is wonderful 
There is Harren, very menacing, a fitting expression for what might be the main villain of the story at this point (being the one ultimately behind most of the major plot points in Book 1). And Harmund, whose drawing remains one of my all-time favourites. Unsurprisingly, I have an equally high opinion on his portrait. He's one of the characters who will become much more important in this book than they have been in Book 1 (where he was ultimately just a secondary villain) and this portrait, I believe, perfectly builds him up for that role
Now, onwards to the drawings. There's Gravven, coincidentally the one I was hyped for the most, because of the sword. And the sword certainly is an eye catcher. Probably one of the most interesting swords in Westeros due to its history and I surely love it and Gravven's design in general. As it seems, he's probably going to be the most prominent of these in the events to come, due to his role by Kyra's side. Haragard meanwhile is an unusual drawing, because while there have been old characters before, I am not sure if you have ever drawn a character that looks deathly ill, yet you nailed it. I mean, it's not exactly a shame for him, but seeing him in such a decrepit state might at least induce some pity. I also like how you, despite their heavy visual differences, manages to give Harden a somewhat similar look, making it clear that they are father and son and how Haragard has been in his prime. He also gives me minor Torvin vibes, but I guess that is inevitable with dark-haired, long-bearded raiders
And the Mallisters last but not least. Arrec is literally perfect here, that sleazy, scheming cunt. I think he is my favourite of this bunch design-wise (even if by far my least favourite in terms of personality), I love the purple, silver and gold combination paired with the hair. And Elaena, the poor girl, she is positively overshadowed by Arrec here, very much in-character for her. The posture, the expression, she is, out of this set, the most similar to how I envisioned her while writing, albeit they are all close. A very well done set, thank you for this and for the portraits 
Kyra
With a frown, Kyra shook her head. “That's none of our business”, she stated, though feeling a hint of pity for the Mallister girl. She sighed, cursing the time she had spent in these lands. Such was the Greenlander fate and Elaena wouldn't be the first, nor the last to suffer this. Dreading the thought she could grow soft, Kyra tensed up, forcing herself to look away from the sobbing girl and her beast of a father.
Gravven gave her a nod. “My thought exactly”, he mumbled. “Glad we're on the same page here, captain” Yet even he looked away as the lord grabbed his daughter harshly by the wrist. With him, it was disgust for Arrec though, not pity for Elaena. “That's for the king to decide and I'd be a fool to mess with his affairs”
“We know how that ends”, Kyra said darkly and Gravven sighed, as they both ignored the argument breaking out between Arrec Mallister and his daughter. Though, that wasn't quite right. It wasn't an argument between the two, but more the lord just berating his daughter. His words were honeyed, but Kyra saw right through them and she had to wonder if his daughter meant anything to him beyond establishing a possible connection to the royal family.
At the same time, the door to Harren's audience chamber was opened and out walked the Hoare princes. Instantly, Arrec stopped his lecture about the benefits Elaena would come to enjoy as Harmund's bride, no doubt lying through his teeth, as he looked at them with a smile. Elaena just stared at Harmund, who in turn stared at her. The crown prince's dark eyes gleamed with fury. At least the girl was not stupid enough to hold her gaze. At least she was afraid.
Arrec threw a quick look at his daughter and at the tears that streamed down her face. He rolled his eyes. “Elaena, come on”, he hissed and though he tried to be quiet, the hallway carried his words far through it. “You're embarrassing me in front of the noble princes” Elaena reacted by closing her eyes, her shivering lips mumbling something Kyra did not understand.
Just then and without saying a word, Harmund turned around, marching off into the other direction, while Harrick approached them with a stern face. Kyra glanced at him, though for once, he barely seemed to notice her. Instead, he glared at Arrec Mallister. “Mylord”, he growled and Mallister gave him an elegant bow. “Prince Harrick, please tell me, what has your father decided upon?”
Harrick gulped. “My father, in his wisdom, accepts your proposal”, he replied and his voice oozed disdain. Arrec smiled, the hollow smile of a man who had no choice but to and Kyra hated him all the more for it. “Ah, these are wonderful news!”, he exclaimed. “Aren't they wonderful, Elaena?” Out of reflex, the girl shook her head and Harrick sighed. “King Harren did grant me a small favour thought”, he spoke, his voice calm and toneless.
Arrec raised an eyebrow. “And what would that...”, he began and just in this moment, he was cut off, when Harrick's fist hit the side of his face without any restraint, crashing against the cheekbone and slamming him to the ground. Towering above him, the prince glared at him, the look on his face distinctively Hoare, looking more like his father than he had ever before.
As the Lord of Seagard pressed a hand against his cheek, the fear in his eyes as he looked up at Prince Harrick was the same fear his daughter showed towards Harmund Hoare, mixed with a satisfying dose of surprise. His mouth opened and closed, as he stared at Harrick. “Why...”, he finally uttered weakly and his eyes widened. “Don't...”
Harrick said not a word, he just glared at him in a way Kyra had never seen him glaring at anyone. Then, he turned away from the lord. She smiled at him as he walked past her and though his gaze met hers, perhaps fondly even, he did not reciprocate the expression, as he walked into the same direction Harmund had left for.
Throughout all this, Gravven was barely containing a wide grin and he even allowed himself a brief chuckle as Arrec staggered back to his feet. Frowning with pain the Lord of Seagard stumbled against a wall, closing his eyes, then opening them widely. When he removed the hand from his cheek, Kyra spotted a red mark that would turn into a well-deserved bruise in time.
“Savages...”, he mumbled with quickly returing strength and confidence. This time, he did watch his tongue, with only Kyra hearing him. “Fucking Savages...” Still on shaky feet, he stumbled through the hallway, barely bothering with his daughter, though as he had moved away a few feet from her, Elaena flinched and hurried after him, her fists clenched painfully, her teeth digging into her lower lip almost to the point of drawing blood.
Arrec only came to the door until he was stopped by Harren himself. Throwing a glance at his cheek, the king sported a lazy grin. “Mylord, your proposal has convinced me”, he spoke and Arrec's frown lit up ever so slightly. “Our two houses are to join. Let it be known that loyalty shall be rewarded. Many of your fellow fishlords could learn a thing or two from you”
“Yes”, Arrec replied, nodding firmly. “Yes, your grace, you honour me!” Still a bit on shaky legs, he put an arm around his daughter, as if relying on her support to remain standing. The girl allowed it, trying to look as little as possible at the king.
“Of course...”, Harren began and his smile formed a sly smirk. “Your daughter is the heiress of Seagard. This means your city will be part of the dowry and Harmund, or maybe his son with your daughter, will eventually be granted the title you hold, mylord”
Arrec gulped. “I... understand”, he said. “I accept, as long as my house can survive. You protect me from these rebel lords in exchange for my daughter and the... significant dowry I offer” Harren gave him a nod. “Aye, that's what I thought. Sure, Harmund does not agree, but why should I care? He'll come around and he'll do as I say”
He put a hand onto Elaena's shoulder and the girl gasped with fear. “The marriage will happen in a fortnight. Would you like to notify your family?”, he asked and Arrec shook his head. “My brother protested against this union, vehemently so”, he revealed and the king raised an eyebrow. “I presume he prefers to remain in Seagard. Besides, I did order him to rally the Mallister forces. Your call to arms did not go unheard”
At this, Harren narrowed his eyes and Kyra knew, Arrec had unknowingly touched a very sensitive topic with this. News from the east had reached the castle just a few days ago, bringing word of the deaths of Bryen Darklyn and Grenn Mooton, as well as the surrender of their houses. In a single battle, the dragonlord had gained control of Harren's two most important ports at the Narrow Sea, cutting off Crackclaw Point and setting a dangerous situation for the Ironborn. And all of a sudden, even small nuisances, such as Petyr Blackwood and his insurgency had a potential to grow into something dangerous.
“I am glad to hear this, Lord Mallister”, Harren said tonelessly, before he clapped his hands. Trained to be around him, unseen until receiving the signal, a servant rushed around the corner, deeply bowing in front of the king. The man was a thrall, of course, one whose tongue had been removed during one of Harren's particularly foul moods. But what he lacked in speech, he made more than up for in obedience.
“Bring the Lord and his daughter to their rooms”, the king growled, before he smiled a forced smile at Arrec. “But maybe we can further discuss this later this evening? I will host a feast to celebrate this union! Afterwards, we can discuss the details, with my Maester present to write it down”
Mallister put a hand onto his chest and bowed down, dragging his petrified daughter with him. “Of course, your grace!”, he proclaimed. “You honour me and my house!” He turned around and the girl did not react at first, prompting him to give her a stern look. “Elaena, you are embarrassing me in front of the king”, he warned her and this time, Elaena flinched, before she quickly left with him. Harren looked after the two, shaking his head.
“Pathetic”, he mumbled once the two were out of earshot. “But the dowry is nice, I'd be a fool to decline. Who knows, maybe she'll even tame my son where I failed to, it's worth a try” He glanced at Kyra. “A word, Captain Greyjoy” Kyra saluted. “What is it, your grace?”, she asked and Harren sighed. “I have heard what happened at the gates this morning”, he replied. “I want this taken care of”
“I will find who did this”, she promised in return and Harren gave her a nod. “You better do”, he stated. “First though, I want you to deal with the wedding to come. Mallister is a key ally, the only Riverlord I firmly have in my pocket. That makes him a priority target for those Trident cunts and I want nothing to go wrong during the ceremony. This fucking dragonlord ravages my eastern lands, in the west I have unruly Riverlords and trade with the northern regions has slowed down considerably. The last thing I need right now is to lose face during a fucking wedding”
“Consider it done”, Kyra replied. “Nothing will happen to Lord Arrec or Lady Elaena during they stay here in Harrenhal” Seemingly satisfied, Harren turned around. “Good. Make the preparations then, I'll call you once I have further orders” He walked back to his audience chamber, closing the door without another word.
Kyra sighed, as she glanced at Gravven. The Ironborn was still chuckling, the only one actually enjoying himself after the scene he had just witnessed. “It isn't all that funny”, she mumbled and Gravven shook his head. “The look on Mallister's face”, he giggled. “Fucking hell, never thought Harrick would go that far” He winked at her. “Though I'm more surprised he still had that much energy”
She rolled her eyes at his comment and began to walk down the hallway. Gravven followed, cheekily pushing an elbow into her side. Briefly, Kyra flashed him a grin, before she shook her head. “So, about that situation at the gates”, Gravven brought up and she glanced at him. “Have you decided what you're going to do? My offer still stands. Give me a couple men with axes and torches and we'll snuff those bastards out. Show them we're not to be fucked with”
For a moment, she indeed contemplated to share what she knew with him. Damon gave her a name and a location. Involving Gravven in this would mean things would end in bloodshed, wholly against her brother's advice and the thought made her hesitate. Subtlety would be out the window with Gravven Drumm by her side, as would any chance to end this peacefully.
Damon had to know this when he gave her this piece of information, so perhaps he expected her to just waltz in and kill this Herman guy and those with him. Wouldn't be the first time he'd expect her to do the opposite of what he told her to. Or perhaps she'd legitimately hinder his plans and she was still torn about wether or not this would be a good thing. After all, he was her brother. Perhaps Gravven deserved to be involved in this, but she had to ask herself if she could afford letting him know.
[Share your knowledge with Gravven] [Keep it a secret]
Arthur
Even as the clinic had been in sight already, Arthur did not manage to shake off the feeling of guilt. He wondered if his father had ever felt the same when he left his children alone. He would like to imagine his father felt nothing at all and that it was what set them apart, but at the same time, he knew this was likely not true. And he did not dare to imagine how Aditha felt in this moment, for he himself felt horrible enough already.
The beautiful, newly built house that held Mathea, her assistants and patients stood always open and so, Arthur walked over the small front yard, up a couple stairs and pulling the door open. It was warm inside and brightly lit, as the healer preferred. Though he did not see Mathea herself, he spotted one of her assistants walking past a set of beds in the large hall that made up the majority of the buildings' ground floor.
It was the one he had not met before and he only recognized her from her work, as she quickly checked on a sleeping man with a bandage around his forehead. She was a bit younger than him, plain, but with a wide, pretty smile on her face. Brown-haired and grey-eyed, she had a scar on her jaw, not too old.
As he closed the door, she noticed him and raised her eyebrows, as she hurried towards him. “Hey, how can I help you?”, she asked, glancing at his tabard. One of her eyebrows remained raised. “City guard business?” Arthur gave her a friendly nod. “Probably, yes”, he assured her. “My name is Arthur Nathamer, captain of the guard”
“A pleasure to meet you”, she replied and her tone made it clear that she meant it. “I'm Malien, I work here. How can I help you?” Arthur quickly glanced around, before he reciprocated her smile, if not quite as bright. “Uh, is Mathea not here?”, he asked and Malien shook her head. “She went to see a patient on Harking's farm, you just missed her, while Rosalie has taken the evening off. I'm pretty sure I can help you just as well, captain”
“Fine then”, Arthur spoke. “I'm looking for a man, word has it he's been brought here this morning. His name is Ryler” Malien gave him a nod. “Ah, I know the one you're talking about. Quiet guy, a bit on the odd side, huh? Creepy eyes, but I think he's harmless”
“That's him”, Arthur confirmed and Malien pointed behind her, down the large room. “I offered him milk of the poppy, but he declined, so now he tries to sleep without it”, she explained. “I'll bring you to him” As they walked, she stopped a moment, allowing him to catch up and as they stood next to each other, she gave him a quick glance. “Honestly, I think he's concerned for the others here today” Her voice was calm and low.
“The others?”, Arthur asked, similarly lowering his voice. Malien gulped. “The masked man and the boy. Rodrik and Connor”, she explained. “They are not in the room right now, but they had a talk with Ryler until a couple minutes ago” Her tone made it clear that she did not feel comfortable with discussing these unexpected guests, so Arthur refrained from doing so. However, he could guess whom she meant. Only Mullendore's men wore masks in this city and if they were involved, nothing good could come out of it.
Ryler had his eyes closed, his breath steady, seemingly having fallen asleep. There was a thick, fresh bandage around his lower leg, the wound still showing blood. “What happened to him?”, Arthur asked and Malien shrugged. “He won't talk about it”, she said. “Just told us it's been a wolf”
To this, Arthur narrowed his eyes. “A wolf, I see...”, he mumbled, as he moved down to touch Ryder's shoulder. Instantly, the young man's mismatched eyes were widely opened, his hand clenched around the collar of Arthur's tabard, as he glared at him, before recognizing him. The swiftness with which he moved caused Arthur to reach for his club, while Malien jumped back with a gasp.
Finally relaxing, Ryler let go of him, sinking back onto his plank bed with a sigh. “It's you”, he just stated and Arthur gave him a nod. “Hello, Ryler”, he greeted him, smiling at Malien. “Thank you”, he told her and the young girl stepped back. “My pleasure. If there's anything else, just tell me” With these words, she turned around and left him, to pursue her work again, checking up on one of the sleeping patients as she did so.
“What are you doing here?”, Arthur asked and Ryler gulped. “I could ask you the same”, he spoke and both glanced at the bandage. “I was attacked” Arthur raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, I see that. What happened exactly?” Ryler shook his head. “I thought...”, he began, before cutting himself off. “Doesn't matter what I thought. It was foolish and I was bitten by a wolf”
“A normal wolf?”, Arthur asked and Ryler gave him a nod. “I thought I had a lead on Wolfius”, he revealed. “Turns out, I'm still in the dark. I don't know if he left the city or if he's still around, recovering to strike back twice as hard. Just leaving into one direction is foolish and so... it's been two months without a lead”
“That's why I'm here”, Arthur revealed. “I want to find that monster. He has done too much to just be let go and yet, this is precisely what Captain Stratford seems to have in mind” Ryler clenched his fists. “Then you're more determined than any other man I've met in this city. They all moved on, as if Wolfius is someone to move on from. As if he'd ever leave them alone”, he growled.
“So, you believe he's still around?”, Arthur asked and Ryler gave him a nod. “There are too many whom he hasn't killed yet. In my room up at the tavern, I have a list of those he has a grudge on. Harking, Richard and Jenna. Ilish Granver and a boy named Lawsen”, he explained. “And Rosalie Mettel, she's working here now”
“Guess you can add me and Aditha to that list”, Arthur revealed. “He promised me, told me he'd come for me, for her, for our father, if I wouldn't let him go. Sure I didn't and sure it was a mistake” Ryler raised an eyebrow, over his normal eye. “How was that a mistake?”, he asked slowly and Arthur sighed. “Because now he's lose either way”
“Capturing him wasn't the mistake”, Ryler said sternly. “But letting him live afterwards was. When you see a rabid animal, you put it down, for its own sake and the people it might encounter. Wolfius cannot be locked up, he cannot be redeemed” He pressed his lips together. “And he's worse than even I remember him. Being around Lupin for so long has left its mark”
“If this Lupin is involved in the killings, then I intend to bring him to justice as well”, Arthur promised and Ryler chuckled dryly. “Good luck with that”, he said in a deadpan tone, before his face grew stern. “Arthur, I need your help”
Arthur tilted his head, giving Ryler a curious look and the young man continued. “Speaking of Lupin, his younger brother is here. Connor is the name. Never met him before, but he's with the Alley Cats, working for the new Sphynx, Lupin's successor in the group”
“The name is Rodrik, Malien just told me about him”, Arthur confirmed and Ryler gulped audibly. “They are here, upstairs, checking on some of the other patients, those poor bastards”, he whispered, glancing past Arthur and at Malien, who was working on the other end of the hall now. “The new Sphynx spoke to me. Asked me questions. He asked for my name, where I came from” His gaze now fixed on Arthur again, he gave him an urging glare. “He remembers me, from back when I was their prisoner”
“That... is not good”, Arthur stuttered and Ryler rolled his eyes. “Of course it's not!”, he hissed. “Listen, I need your help to get out of here before they are back. Can't give them too much time to decide what they are going to do to me. I know Mathea said I should stay the night, but I have to leave and hide somewhere else until they stop looking for me”
“The Nathamer residence”, Arthur offered instantly. “We've got spare rooms, especially now that it's just Aditha and me. You can stay there for the time being” Ryler smiled briefly and thinly. “Thank you”, he stated. “Leaves only the question on how you're going to get me out of here”
“Are you forbidden from leaving?”, Arthur asked and Ryler shook his head. “But if I do, they'll notice. They'll chase us down, maybe before we got a chance to cover our tracks”, he replied and Arthur tensed up at his choice of words. “We still gotta try it”, he decided. “Not like we have much of a choice”
“Maybe there is one thing we can do”, Ryler said calmly, once more looking at Malien. Arthur realized what he was getting at. “You want to get her involved?”, he asked and Ryler nodded, just as Arthur shot him a cautious look. “Isn't that a bit dangerous for her?”
At this, Ryler shrugged. “Might be”, he admitted. “But I don't think so. The Sphynx is trying to appear like an ally to Mathea and her assistants. How could he achieve that if he harms one of them? Just don't tell her more than she needs to know and I'm sure she is going to help us”
His words had a certain logic to it and yet, Arthur felt uncomfortable considering this. The less people involved, the less were at risk. He didn't know Malien very well, actually he just met her and yet, putting her into such a situation felt wrong and irresponsible, at least if he wasn't overestimating the danger, as Ryler seemed to believe. Perhaps she could help them, but then again, was it worth the risk?
[Ask Malien for help] [Leave her out of it]
[Share your knowledge with Gravven] From what we've seen so far, there's two things that we know about Gravven: he's very reliable and very violent. If Kyra is going straight into enemy territory, I'd say the best thing would be to bring a good fighter along with her and since she seems to trust Gravven, its an added bonus that this bloodthristy fighter is also someone whom she can rely on. Sure bringing him along would result in a little bloodshed, but he would follow Kyra's orders without fail and he would make sure she'd be safe. I'd rather take someone like that with me when dealing with an enemy, rather than go alone and be at their mercy. Besides, I really want to see Red Rain in action, especially after seeing that amazing drawing
"She rolled her eyes at his comment and began to walk down the hallway. Gravven followed, cheekily pushing an elbow into her side. Briefly, Kyra flashed him a grin, before she shook her head."
By the way, this interaction between Gravven and Kyra was really fun to read xD Shows you that they're actually friends (or at least friendly) instead of just captain and subordinate.
[Leave her out of it] Better not involve more innocent people into this, else she becomes the next one on Wolfius list.
Wow, these drawings are really amazing, you nailed it again Wildling!
That Gravven drawing though, it's definitely my favorite (bias alert), you got his phisical features right to the point of perfection, he looks exactly as I pictured him. His vestments are also great, I especially liked that red mantle he's wearing, it's such a small detail and yet it makes the drawing all the better, at least for me. And don't even get me started with Red Rain, she looks so damn good! I really like that you gave her that lion's head pommel, as it makes sure for anyone who's seeing it that the sword once belonged to the Reynes. Now I might just be way over my head with this, but to me the crossguard of Red Rain seems to resemble bones, which give off the vibe that nowadays the sword has as much of Drumm as it has Reyne to it (with the Drumm sigil being a bone hand and all). So, again, these were really great drawings and portraits, thank you very much for making them.
Well, that I can confirm, Kyra is trusting Gravven and she considers him to be among her most loyal men. Very reliable and very violent is pretty much the most fitting short description for him. The main thing is, she trusts him, but does not know if she can completely control him in the situation to come. If things escalate and a fight will become necessary, she's usually one to take care of things with surgical precision. The ones who killed the guards should be punished, she believes in this, but only them. Gravven's approach would be to take care of anyone he perceives as a threat Kyra is conflicted if she wants to risk unnecessary bloodshed, especially as it hasn't been often that she gets such a task and therefore, it hasn't been often that she saw Gravven in battle. That being said, he's got a pretty awesome sword and what he might lack in subtlety or mercy, he'd more than make up for in style
I'd say the Sphynx might be the more immediate threat (unless Wolfius has warged into some sort of animal in that clinic and is listening to every conversation
), but the consequences for Malien would, at worst, be the same. At the least the Sphynx likely wouldn't be too happy about her involvement.
By the way, about your comment on the drawings:
I can confirm, you are absolutely right, the crossguard is meant to resemble bony fingers, in reference to the Drumm sigil
My headcanon for that is that after, ahem, acquiring the sword, Hilmar the Cunning presented it to his family, who argued about reforging the hilt to be more Drumm-like and to remove the obvious Reyne connection. However, Hilmar rather kept the lion, so that he and his descendants could forever boast about it, especially to the family they took it from. He instead opted to merely reforge the crossguard, which used to be fairly standard looking, into two skeletal fingers, to leave no doubt about who would wield the sword from now on.
[Share your knowledge with Gravven] While I'm not sure if its a good idea, better have a dangerous, but reliable person that going alone, especially against someone who hates Ironborn.
Found surprising but quite satisfying that Harrick punched Arrec in the face, reminding him he's basically pimping his daughter to a man twice her age that is known as a murderer and a rapist.
[Leave her out of it] The girl has hold on good enough, lets not make her lose her life involving her with this people. I still think The Sphynx also came from the North, after all, Frostborn, Woodbark and The Tom are all Northerners by birth.
[Share your knowledge with Gravven] This whole situation is weird because I'm making choices by ramaining in character rather then having my prefferable side. With Garthon I will be making choices for Sons of Trident to succeed, With Kyra to Fail (Although this is revenge agianst part of the group rather then wanting Sons of Trident to fail), and involving Gravven should make this easier.
[Ask Malien for help] Mathea is going to get even more mad at Arthur, but oh well.
[Keep it a secret] I know this option probably won't win, and that's fine, but personally I feel like Kyra should start to take steps away from being loyal to House Hoare, and with Gravven there I don't think it'll be possible. That said, of course some bloodshed with Gravven and the Red Rain would be entertaining as hell
Anyway, I loved Harrick punching the shit out of Arrec. Funny how he then calls Harrick a savage, when he is giving his own daughter to a 100x worse savage. Gotta give it to Arrec though, you have to be quite a douchebag to manage to be the most unlikable person in the same room with both Harren and Harmund.
[Leave her out of it] Honestly, I almost went for the other option, having the same reasoning that Ryler here gives about Sphynx and co wanting to stay friendly with Mathea and her assistants. However, I realized that would probably be underestimating the ruthlessness of the Alley Cats. Sure, they want to stay "friendly" with folk like Mathea to keep up the facade of Mullendore being the savior of the city. However, if they start to suspect that Mathea or Malien are working against them, I doubt they'll show any mercy to them. In the end, aside from Mathea herself (who has been trained by Terroma IIRC) they would be pretty defenseless against these professional killers. So yeah, let's just keep them out of this, I'm sure Arthur and Ryler can figure out what to do by themselves.
[Share your knowledge with Gravven]
[Ask Malien for help]
[Share your knowledge with Gravven]
Gravven seems like a reliable guy, besides we just got a cool drawing of him.
[Leave her out of it]
Let's not get more smallfolk mixed up in this business.
Yeah, that was something Harren offered half-jokingly in response to Harrick's protest of such a union and after it became clear that the king had made up his mind, Harrick did what little he still could, which was taking him up on that offer. It's been mostly out of being disgusted from a moral standpoint at marrying a girl as fragile as Elaena to a man more than twice her age and with such a dark reputation, though with that punch and the following glare, he also proved to Arrec that no matter how high the lord wishes to climb, he will always remain tiny and worthless when compared to the true masters of the Riverlands and that they can do whatever they want with him without fearing any consequence whatsoever. Arrec definitely got that message.
A very interesting theory. Indeed, every other confirmed former or current member of the Alley Cats has been a Northerner once, be it the Tom, Wolfius or Lupin and Connor Frostborn. That being said, I can confirm that the group itself was formed in Essos and has operated there for a while, so they recruited some members from over there as well. Still, a theory that has some arguments to support it. I can say, the Sphynx has a fully fleshed out identity behind the mask, a name and origin story, which I don't plan to keep a secret for too much longer.
That is actually a very interesting approach! The way I see it, both options would remain in character for Kyra though, as she is very much torn if she wants to see the Sons of the Trident succeed or fail. She knows, their success would help her brother, whereas their failure would obviously support the king and feeling loyalty to both (though notably more personal fondness for Damon), she is on the fence here, in a situation where her character can be shaped into either direction. Gravven meanwhile doesn't have this moral problem. He might not be personally fond of House Hoare, but he can largely be considered loyal, or as much as they are on the Iron Islands, seeing Harren's enemies as his own, so you are definitely right, the more you involve him, the more likely it is that the Sons of the Trident have to face opposition to their plans in the Harrenhal area.
Well, as long as Malien won't be harmed, Mathea can probably understand it at the very least. However, she is indeed still mad at Arthur and such an action can't possibly improve her opinion on him.
Hehe, that was a scene I just had to include
Shows there is some Hoare in him after all, but in a better way than with the rest of his family. Arrec meanwhile, yeah, I very much intended for him to be less likable than Harren and probably even than Harmund in this particular scene. After all, Harmund actually tried something decent for once, by arguing against the betrothal and at least partially out of some really screwed up but still present morality. Killing children is fair game, but raping them would imply an attraction to minors and there are some depths of depravity even Harmund is simply not willing to go to. Of course, if Elaena would be three years older, he wouldn't protest even nearly as vehemently, so I would never go as far as to call it a truly redeeming trait. Of course, that applies only to this scene, where the Hoare's didn't actually do anything bad. Arrec's worst trait aside from being a bad father is more or less that he is a ruthless social climber, which can't compete with rape, torture and murder, but at the same time, there isn't much good that can be said about him and nobody likes the douchebag that sells his own daughter to a serial rapist.
Hm, an interesting theory. Indeed, one should never make the mistake of underestimating the Alley Cats and the Sphynx is probably the worst of the known bunch, with the Moggy being too dim-witted to truly count as evil, while the Tom has hints of honour and principles. The Sphynx has none and while I plan to show different aspects to his character, mercy and understanding to a complete stranger that hindered his plans is unlikely to be among it. And while Mathea received training from Terroma, she only learned some tricks, not Raenna levels of badassery, and it is unlikely that she could ever hope to hold her own against a trained killer. Sure, the Sphynx is not the most active combatant, but never ever underestimate how far he is willing to go to get what he wants.
[Keep it a secret] It will be impossible make a good negozation of Kyra share the secret with the bloodthirsty guy
[Ask Malien for help] It seems to me Arthur need some help to make Ryler escape
RT:
1)Wow,it was entertaining see Harrick punch Mallister!
2)Harmund is going to have a not Salt wife!I'm really curious to see how you will develop the marriage storyline
3)Since I suppose that the other choice will win I hope that Kyra won't be so crazy to say that her brother want to betray the king
4)Speaking of that I'm curious to read what has happen during the timeskip from that front since we still have to see in this book characters like Gavin
5)Meanwhile at Raylainsfair we discover that the only thing that Ryler manage to do in two months is..let himself bite by a random wolf
6)Lawsen is a really lucky character!Be a human target will for sure give him a day in the limelight!
7)Insert here the usual complain that I do everytime Lupin (III) has been mentioned in the story
Hehe, and so satisfying to write
At least at this point of the story, a bad guy actually getting some kind of comeuppance for their actions won't exactly be the standard (though expert more where that came from), so I cherished the moment to do this at least right here.
Ah, that is a storyline I am very interested to further develop. Harmund won't be happy, so don't expect a light-hearted romantic comedy about a child bride redeeming her serial killer/rapist of a husband through the power of love (aka, Dany and Drogo, as I shockingly just realized). This is not one of these storylines, albeit it might show some aspects of Harmund's character I otherwise wouldn't be able to show.
Don't be afraid, I can confirm she is definitely not going to do that! If the option truly wins, she will tell Gravven that she heard some first leads about whom might be behind this, giving him the information she has on the Sons of the Trident without ever mentioning or even just alluding to her brother.
Here I had to read again, because I assume you mean Gabin, right? The only Gavin I know of would be Gavin the Tall from the Sons of the Trident. Gabin, he's like Gavin, only that he has a weird pronounciation, is not tall and has a completely different personality or place in the story, so I suppose he's not like Gavin at all. But I can confirm we will see him again, as well as any other character still alive in Harrenhal. At latest, he will appear in Chapter 4, but I might be able to show him earlier still. Can't promise anything there though.
I was going to write down a witty reply on how Ryler learned the powers of a true ninja during the timeskip, while he trained under Dimitri the Wise, only to realize that no, there is no way I could ever put it positively. Ryler really did not achieve much during the timeskip. Of course, most of that is because Wolfius is hiding his tracks now. Previously, he never cared, but Lyria wounded him badly, so he is indeed for once actively trying not to be found. Ryler is a good tracker, but not that good.
Potential human target, it must be said, Ryler only assumes that Wolfius might be out to kill him, because they had a previous encounter. However, I can promise, Lawsen will have way more of a role in Book 2, starting with next chapter and onwards
Ah, just trust me, you haven't met the man himself yet
Your wariness is understandable, but trust me there when I say that Lupin at the very least has one twist concerning him that should make him into a much more tolerable, possibly even interesting character for you. I won't say he is not, in some capacity at least, as Ryler, Alphyn, Connor and the Sphynx mention him to be, but there is a lot more to him that you don't know yet.