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Winter is Coming: House Stark Quest

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Do we have anything to possibly tempt Ser Barristan to join us? Robb could use another adviser and he could help us become a better swordsman.

We always have small scuffles up north and plenty of lands.

But he needs something honorable to fight and live for.

Or maybe we can send him to Danaerys. Ned wanted to stop the assassination attempt. Have him check and see if she lives and whatnot. He'd probably help provide some goodwill down the line towards House Stark if she comes back with dragons.
 
Rabbit said:
Do we have anything to possibly tempt Ser Barristan to join us? Robb could use another adviser and he could help us become a better swordsman.

We always have small scuffles up north and plenty of lands.

But he needs something honorable to fight and live for.

Or maybe we can send him to Danaerys. Ned wanted to stop the assassination attempt. Have him check and see if she lives and whatnot. He'd probably help provide some goodwill down the line towards House Stark if she comes back with dragons.
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Barristan is gone we have no idea where he is.
 
Barristan was out of there as soon as he could be, he only stuck around in the first place to honor Ned's death, and then defend Ned's life when it became an option. He's probably already aboard whatever ship he intends to take to Essos.
 
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10. Homecoming
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    • It was difficult to describe how it felt when Winterfell appeared on the horizon. Even when Ser Barristan rose to your defense, even when you heard of Robb's great host marching to your rescue, a part of you had not allowed you to hope that you would see home again.

    Yet here it was. Not every Stark returned from King's Landing, but this time it seemed the gods were kind. Cat squeezed your hand as you passed through the gates, and a great cheer came from the men who had marched south to bring their lord home. They had shown the south the might of the First Men, and could expect heroes' welcomes.

    And they deserved them. Such victories as theirs would overnight be immortalized in song and needlessly exaggerated tales that would be passed on from father to son to grandson.

    Thanks to them perhaps you would live to know your grandsons.

    "We are safe, Ned. Our children are safe."

    Sansa and Arya had joined you in your return, and neither seemed at all upset to be doing so (though they had shown some clear discomfort as you feasted with Lord Walder and were presented with his countless unmarried sons). Perhaps it was the wolf. You had had little hope of finding it, but the searching party had indeed located Nymeria. The beast had grown as large as Robb's Grey Wind, yet it had greeted your daughter with the adoration of a newborn pup. Perhaps it was feeling the loss of its littermate, for you had seen it with Sansa as well.

    "They are." You squeezed her hand back and offered her a smile. To walk was still agonizing, but you felt lighter than you had in over a year "And perhaps there is still time for another."

    ---

    Things were not all good of course. You'd had little luck in finding recruits for the Wall among your veterans. Many had wives they were fond of or sons too young to pass on. Others were unmarried, and doubtless hoped to leverage the tales of their heroism into favorable matches. Roughly twenty three men was not much, but the Wall could use all the strength available.

    More success had been found, strangely enough, with the Lannister hostages Robb had taken. With their future (and pay) uncertain there had been a shocking number of volunteers. The offer of some financial benefits for their families had certainly not helped. Altogether fifty Westermen would be taking the black.

    You had seen Robert's children (the ones you had found) settled at Winterfell as well. The boy Gendry would be trained in arms. One day he would be granted a holdfast and something of your old friend would live on north of the Twins. The girl Barra would grow up never knowing life outside of the North, and her mother had graciously been offered a position in the castle staff. There had been two other boys you had learned of, young lads by the names of Derryk and Morros set up with apprenticeships by the Spider's machinations.

    They too would be allowed to continue in their fields or, when old enough, learn to fight as their father had.

    There had not been the eternity you wished for you rest, recover, and ravage. The wildling threat needed to be contained, and you were still Lord of Winterfell. For now. Part of you had begun to feel that your time had passed. Robb was still only a boy, but perhaps in a few years he would be ready for you to step down.

    The Clansmen of the Wolf's Maw had feasted you with more enthusiasm than ever, joining their elders and veterans to your ranks as they had sixteen years prior. It was in this company of Northmen, a few dozen blonde-haired shivering soldiers still in red and gold, and a caravan of King's Landing's prisoners that you made your way to the Wall.

    ---

    To find it in chaos. "He's gone?" The steward Marsh nodded. "Your brother led a ranging toward Hardhome. There'd been intermittent rumors you see, of a great host there. Every lead we've chased thus far has ended in nothing or our men disappearing though. Benjen believed he'd discovered something. His men have not returned."

    In truth you had never known your younger brother as well as you wished. He had been only a child when you left for the Eyrie, and a man Robb's age when he left Winterfell to join this brotherhood. It had only been in later years that you had been given a chance to connect with him as you had hoped.

    And now he was gone, without a sign, along with a good number of men. Was there no end to your family's misfortune? "I have a number of recruits, willing and not, to replenish your numbers. The Wall must be brought back to its old strength. I will need to be directed to Jon Snow. There is a conversation long overdue."

    ---

    "So that's the truth of it." Your sister's boy - for that was who he was - had scarcely said a word since you'd begun speaking. "I am a bastard, just not yours. A prince's bastard born of rape."

    Your jaw tightened at the memory. "I cannot speak for Rhaegar Targaryen, but Lyanna loved you. In her last moments she loved you and she wanted you to be safe and happy. That's the truth of it. Robert is gone, but there are still those who would harm or seek to use you should they learn who you are."

    He shook his head. "I am a Brother of the Night's Watch now. You've told me my mother. You're still my father." He made a face. "Ugh. I am a Targaryen aren't I?"

    You choked on a laugh at that. "Or a Lannister," he continued. "It's true what they're saying? About the Queen of Joffrey." You nodded, and a dark look passed over him. Then he shook his head, and a brooding smile (a contradiction unique to your nephew) formed on his lips. "Perhaps it's something in the air."

    He paused. "Thank you for telling me the truth. I... I think a few others might deserve the truth. Don't you?"

    [] Tell no one else. Jon must keep this secret.
    [] Perhaps it is time to trust. Catelyn, your children. Perhaps the old Targaryen Maester?

    ---

    The scouts had found nothing. No sign of wildlings or rangers alike.
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    Still don't have much time but figured I'd give something small. We'll return to Robb for updates on the Riverlands, Westerlands, and Vale situation shortly.
     
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  • Threadmarks
    • [X] Perhaps it is time to trust. Catelyn, your children. Perhaps the old Targaryen Maester?

    Robert is dead. Jon is at the wall, lying to Cat and the others is pointless now.
     
    [X] Perhaps it is time to trust. Catelyn, your children. Perhaps the old Targaryen Maester?

    Jon and Aemon should find comfort in family.
     
    [X] Perhaps it is time to trust. Catelyn, your children. Perhaps the old Targaryen Maester?

    I doubt it would do much harm. Catelyn would probably be strangely conflicted, since she'd be angry that her husband had lied to her for so long but also happy to learn it wasn't Ned's bastard living under her roof.
     
    [X] Perhaps it is time to trust. Catelyn, your children. Perhaps the old Targaryen Maester?
     
    [X] Perhaps it is time to trust. Catelyn, your children. Perhaps the old Targaryen Maester?

    I can't help but wonder if Aemon might not try to convince Jon not to join the Watch if it means his family living on even if only in blood. Has Jon taken his vows?
     
    [X] Perhaps it is time to trust. Catelyn, your children. Perhaps the old Targaryen Maester?

    After all, we're at war already, so what the hell...
     
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