Game of Thrones: Against the Band of Nine PART I

[max_vale]

A stretch of the Grandview-Stonhelm road in the Stormlands, Westeros; third week of the second month of the year 259 AL

The skirmish on the road in the Stormlands continued with the House Valmont party decidedly getting an edge on the bandits they were fighting....

Ser Gannis Valmont joins the fray by timing his attack against one of the Spearmen facing him perfectly; and nearly bisecting the man with a vicious slice of his castle-forged longsword; dropping the man to the dusty road, never to rise again. He then called out to Darryn Drinkwater; calling his attention to the bandit archer drawing a bead on the heir to Castle Valmont. The Bandit archer looses his shot and it slammed into Gannis' scale-mail; but failed to penetrate enough to do any damage to the young knight...

Two of the other bandit archers loosed arrows against Ser Eduard Storm; one of whom missed while the other landed a shot that managed to draw a slight scratch on the veteran Knight's shoulder. (1 pt of damage)

Meanwhile, the two bandit archers who had been wounded by the guardsmen Tough Tom and young Rory; backed away from their attackers and loosed desperate shots at the Valmont men-at-arms; but neither manages to land a telling blow...

The remaining Spearman facing Ser Gannis stabs out with his spear; but his blow is deflected off the scales of the young Knight's armor....

Meanwhile the last spearman facing Ser Eduard gets some encouraging words from his leader, Chauncy, and he stabs out against the Valmont Knight; managing to land a very slight blow. (another 1 pt of damage)

Tough Tom finishes off the bandit archer facing him with a powerful stab from his spear; which causes the bandit to crumple and fall to the road; clutching his mortal wounds. Young Rory manages to land a slight blow on the Enemy archer facing him; and his target begins looking at the woods on the side of the road with big, fearful eyes....

Ser Eduard responds by swinging his massive greatsword around at great speed and decapitates the bandit spearman with a single stroke. Chauncy; the veteran spearman rushing towards Eduard sees this and rapidly decides to turn the other way and quickly rushes off the road and into the woods...

Darryn Drinkwater takes careful aim at the archer pointed out to him by Ser Gannis and with perfect placement, he plants an arrow into the base of the bandit's skull; dropping the man to the ground like a puppet cut loose from his strings....


Stretch of coastal road, south and east of Stonehelm in the Stormlands, Westeros; third week of the second month of the year 259 AL

The 'southern' skirmish between House Valmont members and bandits continued in its intensity as well....

Voqarro the Dothraki warrior let out a bone-chilling scream and he lashes out against one of the two bandits facing him with his Arakh. His blade slices the man's middle open and leaves him collapsed on the ground; trying to keep his insides from falling out...

Asher Valmont grins at his two bandit opponents and picking one; he makes a cris-crossing attack with his castle-forged Bastard sword in one hand and a hand axe in the other and he drops a bandit to the ground with two deep gouges in his chest; leaving him twitching and bleeding out on the ground in the blink of an eye....

The mysterious young Maester with the unexpected quickness and tactical mind; talks to Keyth Storm; pointing out the remaining bandit facing Voqarro and telling him to aim for his unprotected neck with his crossbow when he finishes reloading the weapon...

The two surviving bandits strike back against Asher and his Dothraki cohort; both managing to land blows (Asher takes 3 pts damage; Voqarro takes 2 pts) and both grinning fiercely for obtaining a small measure of vengeance for their lost companions....

Keyth Storm reloads his Medium Crossbow and takes aim; listening to the words of the young Maester and after taking a deep breath he launches a bolt at the bandit facing the Dothraki warrior. The bolt cuts a bloody stream where the bandit's neck and shoulder come together. The man howls in pain, but remains standing and looking ready to swing his axe in anger...

[smoke warrior]

Asher looks the last man before him in the eyes and tells him"give the Stranger my best wishes". as he swings his sword at him looking for the killing blow.

[Marullus]

Eduard moves to stop Chauncy. "I offered you to surrender, not to escape."

(Intimidation, perhaps? Surrender was my goal last post. If he flees, I pursue with the great sword in-hand due to its long reach, or if not feasible, scoop up his boar spear and throw it to impale him?)

[Synthalus]

Ser Gannis

Ser Gannis Attacks the closet spearman with his long sword, well trying to defend himself with his shield at the same time like a gallant knight of the old order. Like all that bare his family crest, the Valmont Clan rally to their family standard as a symbol of pride on the battle field.

[max_vale]

A stretch of the Grandview-Stonhelm road in the Stormlands, Westeros; third week of the second month of the year 259 AL


The skirmish on the road comes to a swift conclusion as the Bandit Spearman facing Ser Gannis sees his fellows lying on the ground in puddles of blood and his commander Chauncy fleeing the scene and he decides that discretion is the better part of valor as he turns and races into the woods on the side of the road….

Darryn smoothly draws another arrow from his quiver, nocks it on his Hunting Bow; draws the string back and takes careful aim at one of the few remaining bandit archers and then lets loose. His arrow zips through the air and buries itself deep into the neck of the man, causing him to drop to the road, fruitlessly trying to yank the missile out of his throat as blood pours out and he soon falls unmoving to the ground…

Ser Eduard yells out towards Chuancy and his fleeing companion; but he quickly realizes that attempting to run after them in his Breastplate would serve little purpose; so he surveys the situation and moves towards his nephew and the last couple of bandit archers still on their feet….

The two remaining archers; one facing a deadly bowmen and two well armed and armored Knights and the other bleeding and at close range to two men-at-arms; both decide to join their spearmen fellows and both run for the woods and boulders on the side of the road….

Ser Gannis; seeing his foes flee; decides to check on the status of his fellow party members. He sees his Uncle striding towards him; obviously okay. Master of the Hunt Darryn seems to be in fine shape as well; along with Corporal 'Tough' Tom and Young Rory. However, 'Sour' Sam and the other 2 guards seem to be in various states of injury…

Tom and Rory check on the foes at their feet and after ensuring they are no threat to anyone; they make their way over to Ser Gannis and Ser Eduard for further orders….


Stretch of coastal road, south and east of Stonehelm in the Stormlands, Westeros; third week of the second month of the year 259 AL

The 'Young Maester' helps Keyth Storm with his reloading and aiming at the Bandit still facing Voqarro….

The Dothraki warrior then lashes out with his Arakh at the bandit; but he only manages to land a grazing blow as the bandit leaps back and avoids most of the force of the slice…

Asher Valmont makes quick work of the last bandit facing him by swinging low and fast with his Hand Axe and landing a blow behind the man's leg, he drops him to the ground with a scream and then ends the Bandit with a vicious downward stab from his castle-forged Bastard Sword. He wipes sweat from his forehead as he takes a look around to see what remaining foes still threaten his band…

Keyth Storm takes a deep breathing and with the calming influence of the young maester talking to him; he carefully reloads his Medium Crossbow; raises it to his shoulder and takes aim at the bandit fighting Voqarro. Taking in a deep breath, he lets it go and pulls the lever-trigger and sends a bolt slamming into the bandit's upper chest. The bandit's face has a brief incredulous look and then he staggers back and falls on his face and doesn't move again. Keyth sags with relief and his eyes briefly meet the Dothraki warriors gaze and he blinks in surprise when the man nods his head at him with what could perhaps be a TINY amount of respect in his eyes….

[Marullus]

Ser Eduard directs Rory to retrieve the horses, spears, and fallen weapons. He asks Tough Tom to triage the wounded while the knights talk. Once that is done, he turns to Ser Gannis, quirking an eyebrow, his tone respectful. "So, what will it be, my lord nephew? The spoils of your first true battle. We've bodies and blood, an attack on your person and men, and the tournament to arrive at. What is your command?"

Are we still within our own lands? If not, who's lands are we in?

[Rusty Tincanne]

Aye, m'lord. What shall we do? T'wouldn't be much work to track them's that runnoft. If that's your wish. While waiting for an answer, Darryn knelt by the wounded driver, Sam, offering him water.

[smoke warrior]

Asher looks at what is left of the bandits with a grin on his face. Voqarro make sure these dead men are actually dead.Keyth find out what the the seven hells is going on from your fellow maester."

[Enoch]

Keyth tilts his head to the side and looks at Asher with a frown. He blinks a few times. "You have a tongue in your mouth. Why don't you ask him yourself?"

[smoke warrior]

Asher looks at his cousin in a bit of shock at the gall of him to have an attitude at a time like this."Yes I have a mouth also but I'm also the one with a sword and axe cousin so unless you wish to make sure our friends are dead and to make sure there are not more of them. So Cousin leave the the killing and battle plans to me and I'll leave 2 brothers of the chain to talk to each other.Asher checks the dead to see if they have anything on them and are still dead.

[Enoch]

Yeah, no. We have little enough narrative authority in this game as it is--I'm not going to start taking orders from another player.

Keyth snorts and shakes his head, glancing sidelong at their new companion. He doesn't reply right away; instead, he removes his pack and re-ties the leather thongs he uses to secure his crossbow. To his credit, his hands tremble only a little, and it only takes him a few tries to get the knots right. Picking up his pack and shouldering it, he addresses his cousin. "Don't give me orders, Asher. You left and became--what? A mercenary? A savage, like that Dothraki that trots after you? I'd rather see if the maester our friend here mentioned is still alive."

He begins marching further down the road. He calls back over his shoulder. There's a trace of bitterness in his voice.

"Besides, I'm not a maester."

[max_vale]

A stretch of the Grandview-Stonhelm road in the Stormlands, Westeros; third week of the second month of the year 259 AL


After giving some water to a cursing Sam; Darryn collects the arms and arrows from the dead as Rory does much the same; along with bringing Eduard and Gannis' horses back over to the cart. He also drags the dead bandits off to the side of the road and informs everyone that the first bandit spearman who Eduard had struck down with his boar-spear was unconscious and would probably soon be dead from blood-loss while the other opponents had definitely left the realm of the living.

'Tough' Tom was angry and saddened to report that one of the two Valmont guardsmen who had been dropped in the initial volley of arrows was dead; but the other had a good chance of making a full recovery if treated; as did 'Sour Sam'. Tom was already breaking out a flask of stiff whiskey, some needles and thread and cutting pieces of cloth for the patching up work to come....

OOC: This stretch of road is in-between any of the bannermen of the Baratheon's fiefs; meaning it falls under the authority of Ormund Baratheon.....making this a VERY good place for an ambush as the only authority is far away.


Stretch of coastal road, south and east of Stonehelm in the Stormlands, Westeros; third week of the second month of the year 259 AL


Asher finds that he never had to mention anything about ensuring the bandits were done for as Voqarro was already slitting throats and taking locks of hair to later add to his 'victory braid' he carried in a pouch. Rifling through the dead mens' gear revealed that each had a pair of shiny new Gold Dragons (14 total); a substantial amount of money for raggedy-bandits like these were....

Keyth and the 'young Maester'; who introduced himself as Alan 'Quicksilver'; turned the corner of the road and quickly saw the scene that Alan had described in a breathless manner a few moments before the battle. Namely; the sight of a large, middle-aged man in maester's chains who had been hacked and stabbed to death; along with a couple of dead men-at-arms in chainmail and surcoats with the Stag banner of House Baratheon sewn onto them. A pile of 5 dead bandits; similarly equipped as those that Keyth, Asher and Voqarro had just fought were also lying in a heap around the soldiers. A wagon with a pair of draft-horses hitched to it; also lay just to the side of the road; the horses absentmindedly grazing and occasionally looking over at Keyth and Alan with animal curiosity....

[Synthalus]

Ser Gannis Valmont

Ser Gannis laughs under his breath as the enemies flee the battle field.

" And don't try it again you cowards !"

Ser Gannis then talks to his family of knights.

" This hunt is a success it seems, now we can make boasts at tournament to intimidate our comptetion.

[smoke warrior]

OOC:did not mean to seem bossy or controlling was just playing Asher how I imagined him and figured your character was more equipped to get any information we needed.
Asher gathers up the coins and quickens his pace to catch his cousin and the young man. "Vaqorro round up those horses and check that cart. Cousin keep on guard these men where not bandits they were hired by someone and cousin sorry if my tone was harsh I just want all of us to survive this so let's work together to find out what is going on. " Asher turns towards the young maester."So friend do you mind explaining what is going on here."

[Rusty Tincanne]

Hearing Tom and Rory's news, Darryn responded, A shame to hear. Hope it leads them fools t'think twice't before they try their hands at banditry again. T'was foul luck fer them to fall upon the m'lordship's brother and son. They should consider going back to their plows and hunting - or whatever 'tis those wretches did afore they took up a brigands.

Despite knowing that coin would be sparse on the raiders, Darryn decided to search them knowing he could buy the Valmont survivors a drink to toast their dead. And if there is enough to spare, he could spend it to buy company for the night.

As an act of thoroughness, Darryn also walked up the hillside to the woods, keeping an eye open for any more raiders or perhaps any treasure they had stashed prior to their attack.

[Marullus]

Eduard regards Gannis a long moment. "Hunt? These were not stags, they were men. This was not a hunt, it was an ambush. You would rush on to boast?"

He turns to answer Darryn. "These were not farmers, not normal brigands. Those were trained me, used to fighting. Likely part of a Lords forces, though their current allegiance is unknown. We were six men, better armed and armored than them. They would not have failed to recognize that." He nods to the man impaled and pin with his boar-spear. "Tie that one up and bind his wounds, yes?"

He turns back to Gannis. "Brigands, as a rule, are cowards. There are plenty of wains on this road with little to no force. An armored unit flying noble banners... do you think attacking us to have been an accident? Perhaps, my Lord Nephew, you'd like to inspect them for insignia, orders, hint of origin? It might be wise to know why "Chauncy" and his fellows took the chance they did. He did, after all, admit they were paid for the act."

(Nobody in this group has more than 2D for healing, so he is letting the NPC guards see to the patching up. If there is any issue with that, let us know.)

[Enoch]

Rushing to the fallen maester, Keyth begins checking him for signs of life. Finding none, he begins checking the others as well.

"I was...a bit curt. It's a wonder I didn't soil myself back there. My first instinct was to flee with Maester Quicksilver. You're right, of course; I certainly don't want to die here today. I'm afraid I just don't take direction well. Got me in trouble at the Citadel, too.

"Is anyone hurt?"

Returning to the deceased maester, Keyth carefully removes his chain of office. "We'll need to return this to Oldtown, I suppose. What did you say his name was, Maester Quicksilver?"

I'm assuming I don't recognize either the fallen maester or Quicksilver from my time at the Citadel, but that Quicksilver has the appearance of a full maester.

[Synthalus]

Ser Gannis

Gannis feigns a look of wounded pride as his uncle attempts to scold him. Then he Retorts;

" Uncle I merely meant that these men were hunting us. They lay in wait for us and us they found, so their hunt was successful / sort of?. To bad it only bore the fruit of their demise.

Uncle if I may make one thing clear, I have dedicated my life to the code of chivalry. Those that flee the battlefield like cowards deserve to be boasted about. they are like nothing to me. I live for the Virtues of Courage and Commitment above all. (Gannis points to the family standard flapping in the breeze) These colors don't run uncle! Not as long as I'm alive.

[max_vale]

A stretch of the Grandview-Stonhelm road in the Stormlands, Westeros; third week of the second month of the year 259 AL


Tom the veteran guardsman knew enough of the healing arts to patch up Willem (the guardsman struck by an arrow who lived) and Sour Sam; and Rory and Darryn search the dead and gather them up while discovering a pair of gold coins on each man; along with decent weapons and arrows and other minor effects like rations and waterskins and the like.

Using a couple of shovels; the Master of the Hunt and the two guardsmen dig a shallow pit that serves as a burial place for the fallen bandits; along with a somewhat more substantial one for Jerim; the Valmont guardsman who didn't make it. An awkward Ser Gannis gives a touching, though not entirely-smoothly delivered eulogy for the guardsman; the party are soon on their way; with much conversation about who had paid the men to attack them and why. No one could really come up with any satisfying answers to the mystery....

A couple of days passed by uneventfully; and in the early hours of the afternoon, two days after the ambush; the sight of the Stonhelm Keep could be seen a short distance away; along with the dazzling sight of numerous tents with banners showing the family crests of perhaps two dozen Houses of Westeros who had arrived for the tournament...


Stretch of coastal road, south and east of Stonehelm in the Stormlands, Westeros; third week of the second month of the year 259 AL

After burying the dead bandits; guardsmen and the older Maester; the Valmont cousins, Dothraki warrior and the younger Maester Alan 'Quicksilver'; appropriated the cart and horses of the deceased party and set out for the Keep of Stonehelm. Along the way; Maester Quicksilver explained that he was servings as an assistant to the now deceased Maester Willit; the Maester who served Lord Ormund Baratehon himself and that he did not really know why the Maester had summoned the Valmont party to meet him at the strange locale, but he suspected it had something to do with a meeting that the visiting Master of Whisperers Lord Layton 'Longshot' had with Lord Ormund Baratheon and Maester Willit at Storm's End about a month ago. He supposed it was just bad luck that a pack of bandits attacked them when they did.

Quicksilver says that Lord Baratheon is supposed to be at the Tournament at Stonehelm and they should try and get an audience with him to discover why they had been summoned from across the sea and why to the remote location in the Stormlands for the rendezvous. Keyth gets the distinct feeling that there's more to the story than Quicksilver is telling them, but it's just a feeling....

A day and a half later; the Valmont party is approaching the Keep of Stonehelm and they can all see hundreds of people gathered at the enlarged village at the base of the castle's walls; numerous tents with various Houses' banners snapping in the breeze gathered in the fields near the Keep and smelling the various foods and drinks that were being sold by various vendors with hastily set up carts and stands here and there along the road....

[Enoch]

Master of Whisperers, Keyth muses. I suppose if I cannot be a maester, that is something to aspire to. I am as well qualified for the one as for the other.

OOC: That's actually something I would like to angle for, if/when play shifts toward the House as a whole. Out of Strife, Prosperity has some neat Holdings you can buy, like a Spy Network, which requires someone with high Cunning to run...