Plots Beneath the Seer's Gaze
Twentieth Day of the Eleventh Month 293 AC
Wishing the Lads farewell and good fortune in their raids and battles, you leave the camp and, to Rina's obvious surprise, the Riverlands, to appear instead before the polished limestone walls of the House of Mirrors. "Rumors and tales are a good place to start when dealing with intrigues, but little else can untangle those knots as well as the diviner's eye."
Thus it goes. You find that Lord Lychester did not in fact discover some heretofore unknown seam of silver in hills over which countless realms have stretched and battles been fought. He had simply cut a deal with a Shaitan Lord in exchange for growing some arcane plant or plants in his lands. It is impossible to guess which among the myriad of options, but it must be one of considerable worth, one that would struggle in the realm of stone yet thrive under the sun of this mortal world. House Lolliston's troubles prove just as arcane as the Lychester blessing, a truth unlooked for behind Tom's lies. Although you cannot see what may have caused the problems, save to know for certain that it was neither Lannisters nor fey, nor even devils of Mammon or otherwise.
When looking into Lord Keath's strange doings in Braavos, however, you hit an unexpected snare. Neither assassin nor fey nor trading magnate is the target of his servants quarry, leaving you not only confused but wary. It is said one can find anything in the marketplaces of Braavos, and with the new trade routes beyond the boundaries of the world that is truer than ever, but you cannot imagine what Harold Keath might seek if not vengeance, sorcery, or wealth.
"What about... er... solicitors?" Rina asks unexpectedly, sounding the last word carefully in Low Valyrian as there is no true equivalent in the Common Tongue.
"Why would they be looking for a master at law?" Ser Richard asks. "Sue His Grace in a court over taking back the throne rightfully his?"
"No, not His Grace... It wasn't him that killed his son was it?" Rina asks, leaning forward across the report-filled table as she speaks.
The confidence proves well founded. The Keath men had been sent out to find and hire a solicitor versed in Braavosi law in order to bring Ser Benjicot before the bench for the unlawful killing of Harry Keath, as soon as you conquer the Seven Kingdoms and join them to your realm. Even with the Inquisition and the Silver Eye looking into the matter, it will take a day or two to find out if anyone has taken the case or what evidence they may have gathered, but forewarned of the possibility you can now move to protect the Lads from legal action.
"Certainly an odd way for Lord Keath to show faith in our cause, but I will gladly take it over an attempted assassination," you proclaim with a smile, though the words are no less true for it. You would much rather have lords taking their disputes to court than the field of battle, like for instance the Brackens and Blackwoods have done so many times over the long centuries, and may be getting ready to do so again, due either to youthful folly or malicious design.
Moving on, you determine that House Roote would welcome a visit, though with some trepidation, while Lord Theomar Smallwood would not refuse you the chance to say your piece at least. All answers you had expected as much as hoped for, but you cannot claim as much of the next.
"
Hosteen Frey convinced Lucias Vypren to ease off on the shows of faith?" Ser Richard shakes his head. "I wasn't aware Freys could be much good at convincing, kin by marriage or no."
"Consider how many wives the Lord of the Twins had. He must have gotten them somehow," you jest.
The tone grows sober once more, however, when after digging a little deeper, you discover that Ser Hosteen's task as new-made master at arms at Vypren keep had been to kill Lord Lucias so that his son might inherit. The Frey knight had instead decided to try persuading the lord one more time before he started plotting murder, and he met with unexpected success. A deed to be thankful to be sure, but your thoughts on lords killing each other have not grown any more charitable. Perhaps you aught to deliver a reward and a warning for House Frey at the same time. Then again, no one died and it was not yet under your law. There is something to be said for letting sleeping dogs lie when you have so many other calls upon your time and attention.
Setting the thought aside for now, you consider the last two lords, Lord Halmon Paege and Howard Wayn. Both are willing to meet, though the former far more so than the latter. Lord Halmon certainly has dreams about enriching his House, if not the disposition to seize them.
Who do you visit first?
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OOC: You may notice from the above that Lady Wayn became Lord Wayn, that has been changed since I had forgotten last night that I already introduced Lord Wayn by name in a Walder interlude here. Not yet edited.
