ASoIaF RPG - A Tourney of Gulls IC

[jackslate45]

Robin had smiled and was about to reply to Haken when that noise was heard. A fear of the unknown crept over him, and he watched as Ser Jarl and Ser Laton prepared for what was comming. He looks over at Haken and asks "What could it be to make such a sound?"

 

[Cor Azer]

"That sound, Robin," replies Haken. "That sound is one every knight knows. A maimed horse." The veteran guard slows the baggage cart and draws his sword. "The real question, is who else may have heard?" To the rest of the guard, Haken orders, "Watch for clansmen. I can't see the clouts wasting a horse for an ambush, but they may be about anyways. Eyes open."

Well ahead of the baggage cart, Talmond crests the ridge before Ser Laton. "Over here, Ser!" Louder than he wished, but the screams of the horse drowned out his first call.

As Ser Jarl brings his steed up beside his nephew, the two knights see Talmond's find. A richly garbed palfrey lies strewn across the ground at the bottom of a muddy downslope, one front leg still caught in a root, and the other bent, bloody and broken, in three different places.

"What chase, my Sers!?" calls Ser Gough as he approaches; a quiver in his voice seems less enthusiastic than his words.

"Two riders, Sers." says Talmond as he careful pulls up beside the downed horse. "Young lad, he's breathing but out... and... By the Mother... Sers. I think the lady's pregnant."

 

[ShaggySpellsword]

At Haken's orders, Pate directs the rest of the guards into a perimeter around the wagon and riders. Holding his hand above his eyes to shield the glare from the non-existant sun, Pate opens his eyes wide, sits up in his saddle, and starts to survey the surrounding area.

"Y'know Haken, we might be lucky. The beast might jus' bring down the shadowcats on us. I could do with a new cloak."

 

[DrZombie]

Laton dismounts to check on the two unconscious nobles.

"Quickly, bring the cart. We need to get them to the inn."

He draws his dagger from his belt and approaches the horse. The panicked screaming cuts of sharply. He cleans the dagger before putting it away and remounts, strapping on his shield and readying his mace while scanning the area.

"The 'cats will wait untill we're gone to eat the horse. The clansmen will strike if they see weakness."

 

[Captain Impossible]

Ser Jarl rode to the side of Laton, but does not dismount. "Talmond, keep an eye to your side of the road. This reeks of trickery," Jarl said as he positioned himself between Laton and the left side of the road. Chivalry called for helping the injured. But his skill at the healing arts was unremarkable, and while his nephew was dismounted, he needed to stay on horseback in case someone endangered Laton.

Without taking his eyes off the flank, Jarl said "Ser Gough. Kindly help my nephew tend to the injured." Ser Jarl figured that the decadent knight would be as unskilled fighting mounted as dismounted, and should at least be of use in some way.

Come on, you thugs, Jarl thought. You won't be the first men I've skewered.

 

[jackslate45]

Robin stayed close to Harken, knowing his skills in battle was useless. He had a hand on his dagger, but hoping that he never had to draw it.

 

[Cor Azer]

Ser Gough sends a brief withering look at Ser Jarl, but after a side glance at the dead horse, he turns his mount around and gallops back to his maester's cart.

In short order, Ser Gough returns with Maester Karlon, who immediately kneels to tend to the two unconscious riders. "They breath fine, Sers," says Karlon, who then proceeds to quickly check on the pregnant lady.

"A bump on the head," he concludes. "Serious, to be sure, but no lasting damage, we can hope. I won't be able to say for sure until she wakens." His hand feels her belly, testing at the babe's reaction. "Again, I can say without talking to her, but I suspect she's only a few months along, and the babe seems in no distress." The maester rises and waves Talmond over. "Help me lift them into the cart."

"I don't recognize either," says Ser Gough, hungrily eyeing the unconscious lady. "Such a beautiful woman to be riding all but alone out here."

"Her brooch is twined snake, Ser. She may be one of Lord Lynderly's daughters," answers Maester Karlon. "But I don't know a name."

"Ho! Ho! And the lad some squire, valiantly protecting her, I'm sure," jests the rotund knight. He tosses a wicked smile at Ser Laton. "For sure she has nothing to fear with us brave knights, would you say Ser Laton?"

Pointedly ignoring the crude knight, Talmond nods to Ser Jarl. "You look like you're watching that shadowcat pretty intently, Ser. You want to try and catch it, or just let it have the horse after we move on?"

Further back along the trail, Haken's muscles relax a bit. "It's ok, Robin. I think you can put your dagger away. If the clansmen were to strike, they'd have done so while the Maester was tending the riders, not now that we're near ready to go again." Then louder so Ser Laton can hear, "On your word, Ser."

"Oh, and Pate. Make sure you keep an eye on that shadowcat Ser Jarl saw. We don't want it making a cloak of us."

"You want a shadowcat cloak?" asks Ser Gough, "That's nothing. I have a hrakken pelt in my room, all the way from the Dothraki Sea. Would have killed the beast myself if my guide hadn't stolen my kill..." The knight's story trails off as he rides ahead, unaware that nobody yet follows him.

"Ser Laton," whispers Maester Karlon as he passes the Vantri heir while getting in his cart. "I don't think Ser Gough realizes this, but the squire is no squire, nor a boy at all. She is well... A young woman, but for some reason dressed as a squire."

 

[DrZombie]

"Stranger and stranger. She will have her reasons. We'll see if she wants to share them if she's awake. It might be better not to draw attention to it." He quitly responds to the Maester.

"Let's go gentlemen. It would be most unwise to keep Ser Gough from his supper any longer."

 

[ShaggySpellsword]

Pate directs his garron to the rear of the column, keeping his eyes on the shadowcat as the rest of the group rides on. As he rides to the back, out of Ser Gough's earshot, he mutters,

"I don't know what a Hrakken is, but it sounds quite a great, mighty beast. Or at least a mighty great beast to serve his lordship's cloak. Shadowcat'd be good enough for Pate."

 

[Captain Impossible]

"Leave it, Talmond," replies Ser Jarl. "We don't want to hazard time and men when we need to get those two medical attention. Besides, shadowcats help to keep the clansmen population in check."

As the party travels, Ser Jarl briefly slows down until he is next to the wagon. In a whisper, he says to Haken and Robin, "Keep an eye on the wounded. Ser Gough reputation is known, and I can only speculate at the company he keeps."

With that said, Ser Jarl guides his rounsey back to its original position in the train.