Bound By Oath And Honor - An ASOIAF Hedge Knight Quest

Bound By Oath And Honor - An ASOIAF Hedge Knight Quest
Created
Status
Ongoing
Watchers
153
Recent readers
172
Threadmarks
16
Stories of chivalry and stalwart knights are told by many bards, but the life as a hedge knight is often difficult. Can you make the dream a reality? And can you live up the ideals of knighthood while the world is changing around you?
Threadmarks Informational Voting
Reader mode
The Night Of Salt And Flames New
  • Threadmarks
    • Azel

    Azel

    Location
    Germany
    The Night Of Salt And Flames​

    The wind carried the smell of smoke and salt and a pungent tang that you had not the words to describe the vileness off. Your head was hurting and the jostling of the wagon you were laying on made it worse. For a moment, all you could do was stare up at the moonless sky, the only light the faint stars and the glow of the fires in the distance. The memories were hard to grasp, slipping through your fingers like smoke, and the more you tried to keep them, the worse the headache was becoming.

    Seagard was the name of the city now lighting up the horizon like the morning sun rising in the wrong direction. There was a tourney. Knights from all over the realm had come, from the lowest hedge knights to lords and heirs. You remember watching the joust, dreaming and wondering if you too could one day be one of them. Why not after all? Plenty of songs and stories told of noble men of low birth becoming beloved knights. Surely, you could find someone willing to take you as a squire, even though you were just a lowly...


    [] [Background] ... armsman.
    Even though you were very young for it, you had managed to join the city guard of Seagard. Bearing the Mallisters purple and silver, an eagle on your chest, filled you with pride. For the most part, you only ran errands for the commanders, but they also trained you in fighting and how the armsmen were organized in times of peace and in times of war. Though your hope had always been that one of the lords household knights would pick you as their new squire.
    Gain: Prowess++, Leadership+

    [] [Background] ... merchant's son.
    Your father was running a small shop near the docks and had every intention to leave the business to you one day. Early on, you learnt how to haggle, keep the shop organised and even were taught your letters and numbers by a Maester. Though the stories of chivalrous knights had always entranced you more than matters of money. You wanted to be like Duncan the Tall or Garth the Green, not weigh spices and flour day in and out. All you needed was a chance to prove you had what it took.
    Gain: Administration+, Trade+, Learning+

    [] [Background] ... street rat.
    Growing up in the gutter, you had to find ways to stay fed when you could barely walk, as the alms the Septons and Septas gave out were never enough for everyone who would have needed them. You knew how to beg. You knew how to steal. And you knew how to hold your own against someone wishing to take what was yours. But there had to be a better life than this. No boy dreamed of becoming a cut-purse and you too had found colorful banners and gleaming armor more appealing than the muck you grew up in.
    Gain: Prowess+, Diplomacy+, Intrigue+

    [] [Background] ... bastard.
    While you had never met him, your mother told your father was a noble and knight, though she never so much as hinted at his name. However, despite living alone, you were never hurting for coin, even though your mother worked as a scullery maid. Whenever you prompted the topic, she instead told stories of stalwart knights and just kings, saying that even if you knew not your father, he was one such man. Before long, you decided to become like him and maybe, one day, you'd find him in some noble court.
    Gain: Prowess+, Diplomacy+, Learning+
    Gain Trait: Bastard - You were born outside wedlock to a noble father and a base born woman. People will look down on you for that and if you ever learn the truth about your father, even more trouble might follow, but there's also the unspoken assumption that your blood is worth more than that of any peasant.


    As they saw you were awoke, two other people on the same cart were helping you to sit up. Nausea shot through your whole body, but when you were upright, your breaths came much easier than before. Around you sat men, women, and children. They all looked shocked and tired, smeared with dirt and ash. Some were wounded. One of the men looked up from where he was tending to a woman laying next to you, pressing dirty cloth stained with blood to a wound on her arm.

    "Easy boy," the man spoke while grabbing your shoulder, gently guiding you to lean against the side of the cart. "It is good that you are awake, but don't strain yourself."

    You tried to say something, but the first attempt just made you croak and choke on the vile taste in your mouth. Bile and soot. A horrible combination. After coughing briefly, you tried again. "What happened?" you finally brought out with some trouble.

    "Ironborn," another man spat. He was clutching a toddler to his chest and seemed close to tears. "The Ironborn happened."

    A few memories became more focused at his words. You remembered being near the docks at the time when ships approached silently. Black banners with a golden squid. There was a terrible roar like a dragon and a bright flash. Screams. Fire. Yellow flames mingling with green as men swarmed from the ships. The sound of stone crumbling coming from the castle at the same time as the Bronze Bell sounded for the first time you had ever heard it.

    Dimly you recalled that you had...


    [] [Deed] ... fought the raiders.
    There were many people who tried to defend the city with whatever they had at hand at the time. Often with little success. Somehow, through luck more than skill, you had managed to hold them off for a while, letting others flee while they were distracted. In the end though, a blow to the head with a shield knocked you out.
    Gain: Prowess+
    Gain Trait: Brave - While you know fear, you also know how to overcome it. You will act where others are to afraid to do so and while many consider it an admirable quality, it also gets you into trouble a lot.

    [] [Deed] ... helped others flee.
    You recall helping up people who had fallen during their mad dash away from the harbor. You helped wounded onto carts, just like someone had done for you in turn. Unfortunately, you got corned by a few Ironborn raiders and while you fought back, they knocked you out pretty quickly.
    Gain: Diplomacy+
    Gain Trait: Compassionate - You always felt the desire to help and look out for those around you. Sometimes others took advantage of that tendency, though it never discouraged you for long.

    [] [Deed] ... rallied some people.
    While there were people much older than you taking up arms alongside you, it was you who managed to shout and cajole for them to work together. Even though you had no hope of standing against the Ironborn, you fought back valiantly and held out far longer than most others.
    Gain: Leadership+
    Gain Trait: Charismatic - Something about the way you talk makes people more inclined to listen to you even in situations where anyone else would have been ignored. Though sometimes people will feel threatened by how easily you can sway others.


    "I remember getting knocked out," you said to the man in the grey robe, trying and failing to recall anything else since that.

    "I don't know about that," he answered while tending to another mans wounds already. "He brought you to us," he said while absently pointing into the dark.

    As you strained your eyes, you could faintly see man on horseback trotting along with the mule cart. You could not make out the colors of his shield, but the armor was unmistakably that of a knight.

    "He came to us with you draped over his horse." The healer kept speaking. "Told me to make sure you'd live through the night and then rode off again. He only caught up with us shortly before you woke up."

    You did not really know what to say. So much had happened. There were so many things you wished to ask. One moment you were enjoying the evening of the tourney and the next you were fighting for your life. Seagard still burned in the distance and you knew not what had become of your friends and family. Your heart grew cold at the thought. You had seen the Ironborn slaughter so many and you knew the tales of them being slavers. Part of you wished nothing more than to jump from the cart and run back into the city, looking for any sign of them, even though you could barely sit upright under your own power.

    "Rest, boy," the knight called to you, drawing your gaze away from the inferno again. "There is nothing to be done right now and there is nothing to be said that can't wait for the morrow."

    Quietly, you nodded, seeing that he was right, even though it felt painful to do nothing. There was one thing that had to be said now though. "Thank you, ser," you called back as you closed your eyes again.


    AN: New year, new quest! A rough draft of this idea has been floating around in my notes and thoughts for a while and due to getting recently dragged back to ASOIAF, I finally managed to sand off the rough edges to make it work.

    There will be another chargen vote coming up where you get to pick a few more traits and skills. This is just to nail down the cornerstones so that I can write a proper character piece.
     
  • New
  • Threadmarks
    • Character Sheet New
  • Informational
    • Character Sheet​

    Name Arlan Alias / Title Sewer Rat, Guttersnipe
    Age 16    

    Skills​

    Prowess Proficient (3d8) Warcraft Inept (3d2)
    Trade Inept (3d2) Administration Inept (3d2)
    Leadership Novice (3d4) Diplomacy Novice (3d4)
    Intrigue Skilled (3d6) Learning Novice (3d4)

    Traits​

    Charismatic Something about the way you talk makes people more inclined to listen to you even in situations where anyone else would have been ignored. Though sometimes people will feel threatened by how easily you can sway others.
    Nimble You have always been quick on your feet, which was quite useful when skulking through the alleys of Seagard, running away from people or when in a scrap.
    Quick Learner You have an easy time picking up information and new skills, especially when someone teaches you, though mastering them still takes time.

    Possessions​

    13 Silver Stags
    sturdy travel clothes flanged steel mace iron-banded wooden shield
    poor quality gambeson poor quality kettle helmet  
     
    Last edited:
  • New
  • Informational
    • System Information New
  • Informational
    • Skills​
    Skills are rolled for many actions, especially when working against or competing with another character. Usually, that means rolling three dice of the same size, with the size being determined by the rank in the skill, which are summed up. Depending on circumstances, you may have a number of degrees of Advantage or Disadvantage for a roll. In that case, one extra dice is rolled per degree. When you have advantage, the lowest dice are dropped until only three are left, and with Disadvantage, the highest are dropped instead. Advantage and Disadvantage cancel each other out, so having two degrees of Advantage and one degree of Disadvantage for the same roll means in effect having one degree of Advantage.

    RankSkill LevelDice
    0Incapable-
    1Inept3d2
    2Novice3d4
    3Skilled3d6
    4Proficient3d8
    5Expert3d10
    6Master3d12
    7Grandmaster3d14
    8Genius3d16
    9Legend3d18
    10Perfect3d20


    Prowess
    The skill with blade, axe, bow or whatever other weapon you prefer. Rolled in tourneys and when dueling others, but also when personally fighting in the thick of a larger battle.
    • Street Thug - 2
    • Knight - 4 to 5
    • Kingsguard - 6 to 7
    • Barristan Selmy / Jaime Lannister - 9
    • Azor Ahai / The Last Hero - 10

    Warcraft
    Leading a battle as commander, ranging from small outrider skirmishes to major battles with tens of thousands of soldiers on each side.
    • Knight - 3
    • Sellsword Captain - 3 to 5
    • Accomplished General - 5 to 6
    • Aegon the Conqueror - 8

    Trade
    The art of turning one coin into two coins with as little effort as possible. This is rolled for everything from haggling on the market to working out trade agreements between nations.
    • Fishwife - 2
    • Shopkeeper - 2 to 4
    • Merchant Captain - 5 to 6
    • Trade Magnate - 8
    • Littlefinger - 9

    Administration
    Ensuring the smooth running of an institution or larger project falls under this skill, such as making sure that materials are available and the wages of your employees are paid on time.
    • Maester - 3 to 4
    • Bureaucrat - 5 to 6
    • Trade Magnate - 7
    • Brandon the Builder - 10

    Leadership
    Keeping people under your command motivated and working towards a common goal. This is just as important when leading bureaucrats as it is for soldiers and levies.
    • Ship Captain - 3
    • Sellsword Captain - 4 to 5
    • King / Archon - 6 to 8
    • Azor Ahai - 10

    Diplomacy
    Leaving a good impression with other people or convincing them of your own viewpoints. This is just as important for personal relationships as it is for matters of state.
    • Courtier - 4 to 5
    • Royal Envoy - 7 to 8
    • Jon Arryn - 9

    Intrigue
    This is the skill both for personally skulking around in the shadows and knowing how to recruit and organize others to do it on your behalf. Also occasionally useful to notice a secret or two.
    • Nosy Neighbor - 3
    • Courtesan - 5
    • Spymaster - 6 to 8
    • Varys - 9
    • Lann the Clever - 10

    Learning
    This covers both knowledge at hand as it does the skill to learn something new, given access to a library or the right tools to learn from experimentation.
    • Well-Read Person - 3
    • Maester - 4 to 6
    • Grandmaester - 7 to 8
    • Archmaester - 9

    Sorcery
    ???
    • ???
    • ???
    • ???
     
  • New
  • Informational
    • Bastard tempts me a lot but I think Street rat would be more interesting and unconventional for ASOIAF

    [X] [Background] ... street rat.
    [X] [Deed] ... fought the raiders.
     
    [X] [Background] ... street rat.
    [X] [Deed] ... fought the raiders.

    The idea of being a nobody that comes from nothing, but repeatedly showing our quality, appeals to me.
     
    [X] [Background] … street rat.
    [X] [Deed] … rallied some people.

    While Bastard makes the charisma route a lot easier, I think for any character outside of a noble, being charismatic is a necessity to avoid becoming a mercenary or retainer - for prowess focused chars someone like the Hound. A trusted tool, but nothing more.

    Street rat flavor text give MC some grit and ambition. Rally gives a basis for our ability to convince people - to surrender, join us, accept us into their retinue* whatever. Also gives a little basis for dealing with the conniving types.

    Just my opinion.
     
    [X] [Background] ... bastard.
    [X] [Deed] … rallied some people.

    A charismatic bastard is a dangerous being in noble circles, this could be extremely fun
     
    [X] [Background] ... armsman.
    [X] [Deed] ... helped others flee.

    Kinda wanna play as a strong but compassionate character.
     
    [X] [Background] ... street rat.
    [X] [Deed] ... helped others flee.
    [X] [Deed] … rallied some people.

    I like the narrative of despite the forlorn start we still strive to be hopeful about ourselves and others.
     
    [X] [Background] ... merchant's son.
    [X] [Deed] ... rallied some people.

    Though i do think a charismatic street rat would be fun, Viva la revolution.
     
    Last edited:
    Azel said:
    [] [Background] ... merchant's son.
    Your father was running a small shop near the docks and had every intention to leave the business to you one day. Early on, you learnt how to haggle, keep the shop organised and even were taught your letters and numbers by a Maester. Though the stories of chivalrous knights had always entranced you more than matters of money. You wanted to be like Duncan the Tall or Garth the Green, not weigh spices and flour day in and out. All you needed was a chance to prove you had what it took.
    Gain: Administration+, Trade+, Learning+
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    This is a funny one, because he definitely doesn't. Anyway. . .

    [x] [Background] ... street rat.
    [x] [Deed] ... helped others flee.
     
    Reader mode
    You must login or register to reply here.
    Back
    Top