A Sword Without a Hilt: A Song of Ice and Fire/D&D 3.5 Crossover

Twenty Eighth Day of the Eleventh Month 293 AC

The Inquisition has some experience with keeping track of visitors from Westeros, be they second sons looking to try their luck in the Circle of Battle, hedge knights looking for a place in the Legion or the envoys of one lord or another trying to untangle fact from fancy. Each of them could be a malicious spy, though no small number of even that breed decide to defect rather than return to their lords with unpalatable tales and no answers or solutions.

Thankfully, Ser Cuthen Thornhedge was not counted among those whose observations are hostile to the realm, asking with more or less subtly how mages may be killed or dragons shot down from the sky, instead he seems concerned about how people actually live in your realm, particularly those who choose to worship the Seven, having been witness to quite a few sermons. He has spoken to legionaries and clerks, craftsmen and traders, a few days ago he had even spoken to one of the triton ship-guards over a tankard or three. Encouraged by what you read you decide to approach the man.

Yet for all you had learned from the inquisitor's reports it is still the person sitting opposite to Ser Cuthren who surprises you the most, Bonifer Hasty, looking to your eyes not entirely at ease in the shadowy tavern among the scent of wine and spice, the rough jests of soldiers and sailors echoing to the rafters.

As he spots you the Stormlander knight begins to rise to his feet that he might bow, though most of the rest of the patrons do not recognize you with crown and gilded cloak hidden beneath a glamour. "It looks like you will not have to seek an audience, Ser Knight," he says ruefully to Ser Cuthren, much to the younger man's surprise, which only grows to shock when he realizes what he meant.

With a small spell to ensure your words do not draw undue attention you motion for Ser Bonifer to sit, giving Lord Mallery's envoy time to compose himself. "I do not expect court protocol in a tavern, just as I would be rather upset at tavern protocol in my court," you note, with a offhanded jab at the Usurper to test the waters.

Ser Cuthen snorts in laughter seemingly in spite of himself. Not any sort of diplomat then, chosen for his discretion and perhaps his discernment then. "Your Grace, I had not expected to see you in such a place..." his voice grows darker as he glances at Ser Bonifer.

"I have people looking out for unusual travelers," you interject before the suspicion can take root. "Spies and worse are unfortunately quite common here. The worst of it involved wildfire," you finish. The last word alone would have drawn the attention of half the room if it had not been for the ward.

"Yes, Ser Bonifer told me of that among other things, I had not expected to find him here. He was..." the knight trails off, realizing he had been about to say something indelicate. Definitely not a diplomat.

"We crossed lances some five and thirty years ago at a tourney in the Eyrie and parted as friends," Ser Bonifer offers to help him out of the rut.

The Crownlander knight explains his position and to your surprise even Denys' magic, though not in any detail, before concluding: "To tell the truth, Your Grace, I have fewer questions now than when I first landed here, even one or two fewer than when you walked into the tavern."

"Certainly," you nod.

"Do you mean to land any favorites from Essos in the Crownlands? Will you be ruling from King's Landing or from here?" With a deep breath he adds. "Do you mean to rule in peace and in war through the lords or through these New Men of yours?"

What do you reply?

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OOC: This guy us actually pretty favorable to you thanks to high background rolls and Bonifer's intervention, but he rolled up the diplomatic skills of a baked potato on character generation so his questions come off as rather more hostile than they really are.