Marris

[BelGareth]

Marris finds the establishment almost as soon as another group does,

A small attractive woman with 5 knightley men follow her, it is obvious that they are looking for someone, especially when her eyes light up when her gaze passes Marris and his young entourage.

[drack]

Seeing the approach of the woman Marris walks towards the bar where he downturns his eyes attempting to attract the barkeep's attention.

[Glarx]

Nadia entered the bar, running her hand through the thick mane of hair that hung from her head. The smell of her exotic perfume was enough to encircle her and her entourage of captains, cutting through whatever myriad aromas might have been native to the establishment. She looked over at one of the plate-armored men, and once he nodded, Nadia waved towards the old man.

"Lord Ray? Lord Marris Ray? Keeper of Dragonstone, potential expert on gemstones?"

[drack]

"The orange, the green the gray the violet, the BLACK! The black has come for me! Gretnatch please, offer me sanctuary from the black, I know you'd help me!"
As Marris requests sanctuary, desperation creeping into his tone, five young girls no older then thirteen detach themselves from the corners of the pub to surround you. Not slender girls from their mother's skirts, nor those with calloused hands from churning butter, but with almost grandmotherly eyes, producing shields as large as the heavy door of the tavern from their backs, heavy maces in hand. As you see this a similarly sized shield fills in the door from the outside cutting off escape.

[Glarx]

Totes important to subscribe to a thread after posting in it!

Diplomacy Check: [roll0]Nadia laughed and looked around the room. "You may wish to reconsider this course of action, Lord Marris. Threatening the Princess of Dorne might sound like a wise idea... wait, actually, I'm not sure in what context that sounds like a wise idea outside of wartime." She tapped her lips a few times before shrugging. "Now, I'm willing to say this is a massive misunderstanding, because your son was extremely polite to me and I'm guessing you aren't trying to spark a conflict between Dorne and the Stormlands, but if that's not the case, just let me know." The captains removed their longswords at this point, standing around Nadia in a protective pentagon.

[drack]

"Seeing the drawn swords Marris' tone takes on a note of haste. "The Black! THE BLACK! Why! Why do you come for me now!? Why with the violet...!" Marris trails off faintly shifting anxiously as he mutters to himself. Suddenly a few stumbling chuckles of madened laughter escape him. "Why though. Why would you bring the black? Why would you do it?" for the first time he seems to be looking directly at you, as if all the guards didn't exist.

[Glarx]

"I haven't brought the black. Not intentionally, anyways." Nadia ran her hand back through her hair, stretching a little. Her jewelry jingled in the process. "Now, call your mace-wielding shieldmaidens away from me, if you wouldn't mind. All I wanted to do was talk to you about buying gemstones -- your son indicated you'd be the person to talk to on the matter."

[drack]

Marris' wild eyes narrow, focusing on you,almost as if they could see through you, searching for something. Still it was hard to imagine there was anything such eyes couldn't see. After a moment's tense silence his eyes again unfocus, trailing about the inn as if to find whatever it was worming across the foorboards. "That's what they all say! All the darkness bringers never notice until it's too late. Even then! Tell me, why have you decided to make war on me, why do you seek my death?"

[Glarx]

Nadia smiled politely and shook her head. "I have neither a reason to want you dead nor a declaration of war. You, on the other hand, have made the first aggressive move with the aforementioned mace-wielding shieldmaidens." Princess Martell looked around at them, still smiling politely. "Do you five intend to continue to threaten me, or can we all stow our weapons and be nice and polite and civilized?"

[drack]

The women make a motion vaguely resembling a curtsy, holding their stance, though for all the concern Marris showed they might have not been there at all. "No, no, don't lie! I know the black is coming! I've heard it! It's here! It's not safe! Who else is here but you? Who do you propose might have brought the black if not you!?" A faint chuckle escapes Marris Ray. "You have brought it haven't you! You're trying to trick me! I'm wise to you, I know what kind of devilish plots your kind use. You're thinking you can have me drop my guard, let you near, so you can slip that dagger in my back." Marris begins circling around the bar towards the exit, attempting to walk around the circle of swords. "But I know. I know." His eyes watch you with the caution of a trapped predator waiting for his opponent to strike.

[Glarx]

The man's feigned madness was growing stale, and Nadia watched as he approached the door, blocked as it was by the shield from the outside. "Such wounding words! I won't extend the invitation to you, then. I'll just buy my gems from Essos. Go, then, Lord Marris. I'm glad you haven't hurt yourself. Such would break your son's heart."

[drack]

"Hurt myself?" Marris pauses it, the mind of a genius strategist at work there for an instant more before he shakes his head, scanning the walls once more. "No, no, a clever trick, but a trick in the end." As he reaches the door the shield moves out before him, and the girls file out, slipping the shields back under their cloaks, still holding the maces under their robes, and if you didn't know any better you would swear there was a mix of girlish giddiness, and grandmotherly affection on their faces throughout the whole of the exchange.

Outside the streets are, as ever filled with young lasses and lads, many bearing the same affectionate grandmotherly smiles you noticed on the faces of the guards. Marris and his escort seem to be heading for the harbor with some haste. You also see a woman of twenty one who's eye you catch, leaning on a bannister of the Scurvy Tankerd inn, munching on an apple.

[Glarx]

Nadia closed her eyes for a moment, exhaled, and then resumed the grin she often wore. She'd met Old Marris, so that was fun. Interesting man. But she needed to make an appointment with the king now. Princess Martell headed towards the exit, her captains' swords still drawn. The Red Keep was her next destination.

[drack]

The girl with the apple smiles as she approaches you, garbed in the simple dress of a septa, though awfully young for it. "Hopefully he didn't make a fool of himself, I hope you will excuse him, it's his mind you see. Or at least that's what everyone fears. Of late he's been going to the foulest places and meeting with strange folks in the night. Recently he's even tried declaring war on the dothraki, all the way across the world!" The woman blushes as if sharing in the old man's shame before suddenly realizing she hadn't introduced herself. "Ah, how rude of me, I'm Bella. Septa Bella they call me around here, and you are..."

[Glarx]

"Princess Nadia Martell, of House Martell. And I'm afraid I can't excuse a threat against my life, even by a mad man. One doesn't need wits to injure another. It's lovely to meet you, Septa." Nadia smiled at the woman, wondering how much Marris knew about the Dothraki -- or Essos in general.

[drack]

"Oh, but I hope you would. Our father doesn't mean ill, just that as with all who play the game of kings, even now that he's off the playing board, he still sees assassins and thieves everywhere." Her voice taking on a note of concern almost as if talking to herself without realizing it she adds "Though usually he's not so violent..." Looking up again she asks "Has he armed you or your men? I may be able to help treat their injuries."


By the way, feel free to sense motive on anything said in the thread. Sadly my characters tend to be uncharacteristically honest, but I'll clarify on something OOC if you'd like. Truth of course appears honest without even bothering with a roll.
Thing 1-5 Marris bluff
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Thing 1-5 Bella bluff
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One wonders how I end up in a politics game without ranks in bluff... :smallsigh:

[Glarx]

On my phone, so I apologize for the short post!

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"No, no harm that I'm familiar with. Unless he used poison)" Nadia smirked bemusedly before focusing her attention on the septa again. "As for meaning harm, he did have his soldiers pull their weapons on me. The intent was clear enough."

[drack]

Having been outside for the occurrence she seems somewhat shocked. "Why... did you threaten him or something? I couldn't imagine him just arbitrarily threatening nobles."


No worries, you can always wait until you reach a computer or what not. :smalltongue: My rolls were against things you choose. I think I mentioned any obvious thing as it came up (such as Bella not noticing when she says "Though usually he's not so violent...", just figured if you wanted a deeper read on anything... :smallconfused: things like tone or expression, honesty, ect.

Anywho to be more precise they pulled their shields out on you, the weapons were always out since they're maces, and this isn't the nicest part of town. :smalltongue:

[Glarx]

Ah! I thought you had 5 things in mind for them. Sense Motive is reactionary, so if there were untruths, she would get a secret roll against them. So... Did anything strike her as untrue? :smalltongue:

And the word choice in your post indicates they drew both shield and mace simultaneously.Nadia laughed, running her hand through her hair again. "I asked his name and he started shouting about my being black. Then his women drew their accoutrements and moved to surround me, and my men replied in kind. The only threat made was from him -- I was only curious about the gems your family sells from Dragonstone. Lord Ray -- your brother -- told me Lord Marris was the man to ask about them."

[drack]

"I... see..." Bella looks quite puzzled, absorbed in her own thoughts. "Well our sister Alyssia could probably also speak on them, though we tend to avoid her when we can... I know he often sells the little ones for around two dragons each, and the large for eighteen hundred, though I couldn't speak myself on negotiating the price..." Strailing off she suddenly asks "I don't suppose you might know what my father meant by 'black', would you?"


Nothing that I can think of, though of course, anything can be nit-picked for scraps of falicy, or more details on the truth of it. Hence the offer

mace: they pulled them out, didn't draw them. :smallwink: Concealed weapons are perhaps more dangerous then those in the open, and little girls rarely look scary even with maces. :smalltongue:

[Glarx]

Any girl who can wield a tower shield that fits under their cloak loses the descriptor 'little.' And I have no idea how a girl can have grandmotherly eyes. As for the specifics of draw v. pull? That's not a worthwhile distinction here. Weapons went from not threatening to threatening. And Nadia doesn't care what gender her assailant is -- she knows how dangerous girls can be. She is one, after all! :smalltongue:

I'll ask about specific sentences when I'm at my computer. Spoiler: I'll be asking about every sentence."No, I'll buy from Essos. Lord Marris has made your house's views of Dorne quite clear." The princess nodded her head towards the septa. "It has been a pleasure, but I'm afraid my patience for this part of King's Landing has run out. I'm returning to the Red Keep -- would you care to accompany me there?"

[drack]

Bella shrugs, dismissing the talk of trade. Falling into step with Nadia, Bella asks again "So no idea what he meant by black? I'm thinking it's probably something spiritual since I heard he just stormed out of a fortune teller's shack, but I can't fathom what. It couldn't be the seven, perhaps a grumpkin? It's hard to tell with madness..."
Bella seems to be more thinking out loud then talking at this point. Shaking her head as if to dismiss the issue Bella's warm smile returns. "So, tell me of our neighbors to the south."

[Glarx]

"The orange, the green the gray the violet, the BLACK! The black has come for me! Gretnatch please, offer me sanctuary from the black, I know you'd help me!"


[COLOR="DarkRed"]"Why though. Why would you bring the black? Why would you do it?"


"That's what they all say! All the darkness bringers never notice until it's too late. Even then! Tell me, why have you decided to make war on me, why do you seek my death?"


"No, no, don't lie! I know the black is coming! I've heard it! It's here! It's not safe! Who else is here but you? Who do you propose might have brought the black if not you!?""You have brought it haven't you! You're trying to trick me! I'm wise to you, I know what kind of devilish plots your kind use. You're thinking you can have me drop my guard, let you near, so you can slip that dagger in my back." "But I know. I know."


"Hurt myself?" "No, no, a clever trick, but a trick in the end."


"Hopefully he didn't make a fool of himself, I hope you will excuse him, it's his mind you see. Or at least that's what everyone fears. Of late he's been going to the foulest places and meeting with strange folks in the night. Recently he's even tried declaring war on the dothraki, all the way across the world!" "Ah, how rude of me, I'm Bella. Septa Bella they call me around here, and you are..."


"Oh, but I hope you would. Our father doesn't mean ill, just that as with all who play the game of kings, even now that he's off the playing board, he still sees assassins and thieves everywhere." "Though usually he's not so violent..." "Has he armed you or your men? I may be able to help treat their injuries."


"Why... did you threaten him or something? I couldn't imagine him just arbitrarily threatening nobles."


"I... see..." "Well our sister Alyssia could probably also speak on them, though we tend to avoid her when we can... I know he often sells the little ones for around two dragons each, and the large for eighteen hundred, though I couldn't speak myself on negotiating the price..." "I don't suppose you might know what my father meant by 'black', would you?"


"So no idea what he meant by black? I'm thinking it's probably something spiritual since I heard he just stormed out of a fortune teller's shack, but I can't fathom what. It couldn't be the seven, perhaps a grumpkin? It's hard to tell with madness..." "So, tell me of our neighbors to the south."

How perfect, 5 both! :smallbiggrin:

"I assumed he was simply being racist," Nadia replied simply, the captains of her honorguard forming a circle around the women to prevent the rabble from getting near the pair. "I don't believe he's actually mad. His words were calculated. He's simultaneously smarter than most give him credit for and far, far more cunning. To think he's out of the game of kings would be an error, Septa. As for your Southern neighbors? We're thriving, continuing on my mother's work. Some of the older citizens of Dorne are getting used to the notion of being part of a larger kingdom now. The usual. How did such a young woman become a septa?"

[drack]

At the mention of racism, the septa gives you a curious look. Truly? Racially those of drone are more golden, not the deep ebony of the southern islands or some parts of Essos.

Addressing the madness she speaks patiently as if wearied from having spoken of it before, and saddened by her loss. "Well Marris was quite gifted at the game of lords once, then our mother died. the family split. House Mountry was always closer to her, and took her death worse splitting the house. House Ray remain with him even now since we believe, as he does, that it was the incompetence of masters that led to her death. Thinking they can control the world with all those books they gather... In time even we accepted his madness sad as it is. His mind still thinks in circles and paths as if he still played that game, though now he speaks in riddles and tall tales refusing to see the world as it is. He endlessly writes the blue lipped warlocks of Essos, and the crazed alchemists of king's landing, priestesses and on occasion even mystics and screws. He drinks their brews and inhales their foul vapors spouting back any foolishness they give him to say. I can assure you, albeit his cunning, he is indeed quite mad."

Editing in OOC

[Glarx]

The Princess of Dorne looked at her hand, examining the painted nails and the fingers attached to each. "Black, with respect to racism, is pejorative, not accurate. The aim is not to adequately describe one's skin tone, but to besmirch the 'purity' of it. Such has been my experience, at any rate. Although very few have ever treated me with such disrespect. Fear generally prevents them from it." She turned her attention over to the Septa. "I've never been called golden before -- at least, not due to my skin. I rather like that, though!"

Nadia walked with one hand on the handle of her scimitar, the scabbard hanging from her back. It was lazily placed -- not like the captains around the women, whose hands could be seen on the pommels of their longswords, ready to strike down any who might wish the pair harm. It was more for the sake of having something to do with that hand. She tapped the leatherbound hilt with her fingers, drumming out a little tune while they walked. Her jewelry clinked together every now and again, although mostly is rested silently against her flesh.

"The warlocks of Qarth. I wasn't aware many in Westeros were familiar with them. A strange people. Deluded, unfortunately. As if they could actually wield magic! Parlor tricks. Charlatans, preying on the weak-willed. I will continue to harbor my suspicions concerning your father, however -- it seems very theatrical." She shrugged, sending bangles jingling into one another, and then looked at the houses to either side of the road. "And alchemists aren't all crazed. Some have remarkably sharp minds. The theories they put out may seem... peculiar, I grant you, but not so laughably foolish as to be the object of derision."

[drack]

Still trying to grasp the concept of racism Bella asks. "So you mean like how a lord's bastard is a bastard because his blood is fouled by a more common stock? I suppose I'd believe it if you say so, though I have never heard any such thing in Westerose. Then again I hadn't heard of warlocks before my father either. They never really come up in the books that I read the children. The alchemists however, as a whole, I am convinced are quite mad. They are as crazed as one who might admire dragon flame were a dragon clawing about before them, and the look of that green flame... I can tell you now, that's no gift from the seven it isn't..."

Marris:
1) He seems to be ranting of meaningless colors, though he seems particularly fearful of the color black, asking the innkeeper of all people to protect him from it. You did note the place was filled with musclebound sailors, though you'd doubt half of tehm knew how to so much as hold a sword.
2) He seems to believe you are bringing with you the color black, and asking you why you would. He seems quite distressed and agitated, clearly afraid of this black, and completely at a loss as to why you would wish such a thing upon him.
3) Continued ranting about the color, and he seems to be under the impression that you're after his life, and the destruction of his nation.
4) He begins with accusations, obviously worked up about something. As he makes those accusations it begins to dawn on him that you may not be the one bringing the black, so he surveys the tavern, looking for whomever else might be. Seeing only fishermen and peasants he ascertains that nobody else could do what eh accused you of. Whatever this black is, and killing him, perhaps destroying his nation, so he seems to come to the conclusion that your claims of not bringing this unknown thing upon him were a ruse to gain his trust. That were he to accept them he might then be murdered.
5) Marris sees himself as no threat to his well being, thinking this an extension to the trick explained in #4
Bella
1) Not sure what you want to hear here...
2) Again she seems pretty blunt. Feel free to pose your view on what she's saying if you think you're misunderstanding.
3) She seems so shocked at the thought of the old man putting on a display of violence that she almost doesn't believe it. You feel it's something more then just the violence itself though, as if there's something more about it happening then and there.
4) She seems vary much unsettled by the thought of speaking with her sister.
5) She is speculating as to the meaning of "black"

[Glarx]

Nadia raised an eyebrow. "Something like that, yes," she replied as the septa worked her way around the notion of racism. "It's of no importance if you believe it or not. I'm unsure how else to take his ravings concerning Black, otherwise. As for the alchemists -- you speak of wildfire, no? The unquenchable green flame? That's merely a subset of alchemists -- pyromancers -- and there are many other divisions that are quite spectacular. I agree with you that it isn't a gift from the Seven, however."

The woman looked at the septa again, a quizzical look across her face. "What books do you read for the children? I'm unfamiliar with what the smallfolk receive insofar as literature is concerned."

[drack]

The Septa looks quite confounded by the Dornish concept of "racism", it hardly seemed natural to hold milky, golden, ebony, rosy, or any other manner of color inferior to another. Perhaps dwarfism, but that was because it made one physically less a man or woman. She speaks at length on her travels to the slums to read books like the three jolly knights, or the tails of the brothers Fim and Isac, the legondary adventures of kings and maidens oh so fare. She confesses that her hope is to one day educate the smallfolk so that they could read and write like the mighty lords, and that occasionally the elderly read for a time while she tends the wounded. She confesses however that most loose interest before they learn their letters, going off to work before they've ever finished their studies.

Silently she stares in rapture of the woman's knowledge as she speaks of pyromancy. "So all these pyromanicurs are called alchemists?" She asks.

[Glarx]

"It is my understanding that all pyromancers are alchemists, but not all alchemists are pyromancers. If that makes sense? There are divisions within the Alchemists' Guild, fields of specialization. Surely your court has a representative from the Alchemists' Guild of the Stormlands." Nadia listened to the septa speak about her charity, nodding when appropriate and looking somewhat bemused and quizzical when Bella indicated she wished for universal literacy. The Princess held her tongue, however, letting the septa speak her piece.

By the way, if you'd care to Sense Motive on anything I've said, let me know. I wasn't sure if it was explicit that I was willing to reciprocate the exercise or not. :smallredface:

Thanks for your explication, btw!

[drack]

"Stormlands?" the septa asks, confused. "We certainly don't have them where I'm from... Regardless, the Seven give us more then enough aid on their own."


I've already said this, my nation isn't Stormlands, geographically it's the Shattered Coast. Stormlands stretched a bit further inland too. :smallwink:

Yup, actually a bit curious about the alchemist bit and where the whole racism thing came from. :smalltongue:

[Glarx]

Ah. Well, I didn't remember that -- I thought it was geographically called the Stormlands, just as the Reach was called the Reach. Oh well! We can either retcon in the Shattered Coast instead of the Stormlands, or we can leave it in. If we leave it in, it just turns out that Dorne calls 'em the Stormlands. :smalltongue:

So, you want two bluff / sense motive checks?

Also: I have no idea what the tenets of the Faith of the Seven is, but that's not terribly out of character since Nadia doesn't really worship the Seven."In that respect, Septa, we disagree. The Seven gave us the power to help ourselves. We should embrace that power."

[drack]

retconing is fine, and it is normally, I changed it. :smallwink:

two bluffs: we could, though I'm more curious OOC. :smalltongue:

7: yup, Rays are as devout to the seven as the king. :smalltongue:

"No, the seven guide us to our own way. People must try, and the seven help it happen."

[Glarx]

Oh good. So I wasn't totally wrong -- I just was looking for the information in the wrong area. :smallbiggrin:

She knows about alchemists, and she thought he was being racist. I'm not sure if there's racism in Westeros or not, so instead of wondering, I decided there is. Or at least there is somewhere, and Nadia is familiar with the concept enough that if someone called her black she'd consider it an insult. As for the alchemists -- she's familiar with alchemists.

Is the king particularly devout?Arguing with a septa about the divine intervention of the gods was as interesting as having thirteen year old girls threaten her. Nadia shook her head and shrugged, jingling a little. "I'm unsure what your first principles are, Septa. I can't engage in a discussion of theology without understanding the groundwork for that theology. Regardless, a Dornish interpretation of the scripture is undoubtedly going to differ from anyone else's, given our isolationism and seclusion. Live your way, and I'll live mine."

[drack]

wrong: it's cool. :smalltongue:

black: ah

Alchemists: I mean more the details on pyromancy and them being all over westerose. :smalltongue: I haven't really scoured for them, but haven't head most of it, so curious. (Thought they were kings landing and maybe some obscure spot in Essos, and were one trick alchemist fire ponies. :smalltongue:)

Not terribly so, but the Rays are devout to the king too. :smalltongue:

The Septa nods in acceptance. "Then what is it you believe?"

[Glarx]

Re: Alchemists -- well, we all have the power to put alchemists in our nations (it's a workforce option) so that indicated to me that alchemists are theoretically wide-spread. As for the difference between pyromancers and alchemists, I was misremembering part of the wiki I'd read, but I'm going with it anyways. It may not be true for all of the kingdom, but it is true for Dorne! :smallbiggrin:

Ohhhh! You meant "they are as devout to the Seven as they are to the King" as opposed to "just as the king is devout to the Seven, so too are the Rays." Now I understand."I told you already, Septa. The Seven gave us motion. And from that, we have made our way. To rely on miracles would be presumptuous -- the Seven deserve worship for what they have already done, not so that they might continue to do."

[drack]

alchemists: ah... when did that get there? :smallconfused:

Anywho there are certainly countless piromancy bits that can be done with alchemist fire like flaming swords and exploding balls of flame. I think I'd go to bel before expanding on magic in the world though. Looks touchy. :smalltongue:

"So you do follow the seven."

[Glarx]

Pfft, just because there's a sect of alchemists who think gargling mercury (harder than you'd think, it's super, super heavy) gives you the ability to breathe underwater doesn't actually mean they can. It just means part of my useless workforce is even more useless than I thought! :smalltongue:

Problem with wildfire on swords is that whole 'and then the swords melt' part."I never said I didn't, Septa. I disagreed with the notion that the Seven give us aid."

[drack]

That or you just got allot more sexy fire dancers. :smalltongue:

Well there's that, but they can be reforged, so you only loose half the cost.

"The seven work in wonderful ways. where are you off to now?"

[Glarx]

"The Red Keep. I need to arrange an audience with His Grace the King if he'll deign to see me. Getting the business out of the way early in my trip so I can focus on enjoying the royal tournament. And I really don't want the various foodstuffs I brought with me to get consumed by some errant guttersnipe before I can present it to His Grace. And yourself, Septa?"

[drack]

I'm thinking to get lunch, pray for my brother's safety, then help out with patching up the wounded who come to pray for their injuries, and then I indeed to eat and get some good rest. Nothing so fancy as business with the king.