You're the Head of a Noble House: Crownlands Edition III

[James Steller]

Imagine you're the Lord/Lady of a Noble House in the Crownlands. It is a minor house, having only existed for four generations thus far. The other houses often dismiss you rather than offer friendship, and now you face a crisis.

Your 17 year old daughter, who had recently been appointed a maid to the Targaryen princess, was attacked and raped by three young noblemen in King’s Landing. While being tended to by the Silent Sisters, she has confided in you that they are each a son of another Crownlord, the ringleader being the heir to House Velaryon. She has not spoken to anyone but you of this, though the princess herself has asked her to name her attackers to receive the King’s Justice. However, you have received word that your daughter’s name is being slandered by those noble houses to whom the rapists belong, and in a battle of words before the King, he may decide to avoid prosecuting three noble houses in defence of a minor one.

Your 20 year old son, meanwhile, has told you that he intends to persuade her to demand a trial by combat so that he will stand as her champion. You have no doubt that he is a skilled enough swordsman to fight in such a combat, but his survival is not guaranteed depending on who is chosen to fight him. And even if he wins, the noble houses may resort to vengeance in less direct ways.

At the same time, your 18 year old son, in the final stages of being knighted, has been in the same social circle as one of the rapists, having always been at odds with him. He approaches you now, in great secrecy, confessing that they may have targeted his sister (aka your daughter) because he had seduced a maid that the Velaryon boy already had his eye on. He offers to make things right by slaying the Velaryon heir and fleeing King’s Landing immediately afterwards to take the black.

Finally, your 14 year old daughter is growing up an especially beautiful young lady. A noted knight in the service of the Crown Prince has offered to court her and win her heart. However, he is also a cousin of the Velaryon heir. He has not been made aware of your elder daughter’s rape, and you don’t know whose side he would take when told. So there is a very slight chance that he might even be chosen to fight on behalf of the Velaryons’ honour against your son, or he may step in as champion for your house against his own family.

How do you run this household?

[Ser Frasier of House Crane]

Is my eldest daughter pregnant? If so, then it would be hard to keep it all in confidence. Either way, I would bring my daughter to the princess and the king at once and have her tell the story. I would advise my daughter stress her situation and try to appeal to the princess, because perhaps she can sway her father to her line of thinking if he is unsure. If all else fails, I will tell the king that my family will not press charges against the other two boys but instead say that if the Velaryon boy is brought to trial for instigating it and if he publicly admits his rape of my daughter, we will consider the matter resolved with no harm done.

If nothing comes of the king’s justice, then I will bring both of my sons in and discuss our options. I want each to know the other’s intent and offer. I will tell them that my preference would be to have my older son fight the trial by combat, as it will be a legal matter and murder is never the solution.

I will speak to the knight wooing my younger daughter in confidence and inform him of what has happened, but before he leaves my keep he must tell me which way he swings. If he goes the way of my daughter, then he may have her hand but must not correspond with or even see his cousin. If not, he does not have my daughter.

[James Steller]

Is my eldest daughter pregnant?

Too soon to tell. Assume that the direct timeline of this scenario takes place within a couple of days after the attack on your daughter.

[GallowsKnight]

Which Targ king is it? Normally doesn't matter but I'm definitely going to act differently if its Viserys I, Aegon IV or Jahaerys I for example.

[James Steller]

Which Targ king is it? Normally doesn't matter but I'm definitely going to act differently if its Viserys I, Aegon IV or Jahaerys I for example.

The Targ king is random, invented for this scenario. What's known is that this is a time of peace, he is a competent administrator, but capable of being biased or mistaken. An ordinary human, basically.

[OmnomnomPomelo]

Well, let's fuck shit up this time.

Tell everybody that my younger son is already on his way to Essos to spend some years as a sellsword. But first in secret he murders the Velaryon guy and only then go to Essos and wait.

Then go to the king for an audition. Tell him that my daughter was raped by 3 guys and name them. Don't give a shit about that he is king or not, tell him directly before in front of everybody that if he is a just king he will punish the rapers and won't care about the fact that my House is a young and little one, not like theirs.

If he decides to make a trial by combat then my older son will fight. And we name the rapers cowards and bastards if none of them want to fight my son.

If we are lucky the Velaryon guy is already dead. So there's only 2 left and my son kills one of them. Then my younger son returns, kills the 3rd one and takes the black.

If the Velaryon knight still wants to marry my daughter then I agree, he was not the raper so no problem, but he won't take my daughter to Driftmark, they will live in my house.

And also find a husband for my older daughter.

[GallowsKnight]

I comfort my daughter. Offer her moon tea if she wishes or not. A Velaryon bastard may have it's uses.

I bring her to court to name her abusers. We have perhaps an ally in the Targaryan Princess who can at least make sure we're heard out. It may be that many others know and despise this villain. I may find unexpected allies.

If and likely no justice is dispensed I demand a trial by combat. I will fight their champion unless I physically cannot. Not my sons. Instead my sons will spread rumors that Velaryon's heir is afraid of fighting an old man like me. After this revelation if he still wishes the Knight may marry my younger daughter. I will not expect him to fight for me, just ask that he doesn't represent his cousin.

If everything goes to plan I fight the heir. I might win. Youth over experience. The gods might favour me. But just to be sure I dip my sword in the latrines over night.

If I win, we are vindicated. If I die perhaps I bring the heir with me. Vengeance is mine. At the least both my sons are alive. If we lose my eldest marries a sworn knight, if we win perhaps a favourable marriage is wrung out in compensation.

[UnboundUnbentUnbroken]

My youngest son shall murder the heir to the house:P I shall send him on an Oberyn like quest and he'll go to Essos:P

Since the heir is dead I tell my daughter she doesn't have to worry about him any more and I offer her moon tea and even try to broker a marriage with a nice guy for her:P

My next step will be to go with my Eldest and my daughter to the princess and explain what's happened but alas the main culprit is already dead in a hunting accident ;)

I ask for a meeting with the king (the princess will help) I tell the king that it is a slight on my honour and my house:P he may see it my way (thanks princess) and so he decides to send the 2 other culprits to the wall for me:P

I then tell my daughters knight friend about everything and I ask if he would like to be lord some day:P I offer him the leadership of his house and my daughter if he helps me kill the other members of his family:P

In about 2 years, all is said and done:P my eldest son is my heir, my eldest daughter is married to a nice man, my youngest daughter is lady and my son in law a lord:P that would garner me a bit more respect in KL

My younger son? He comes back from Essos and goes to the wall where he spends his days:P it might be unfortunate that enemies and rapists from his past are there but I'm sure they will slip and fall off the top of the wall ;)

Message: fuck with my family and we shall fuck you back 10 fold.

[Balerion the kitten]

To quote TV show littlefinger "I learnt that I'll never win. Not that way. That's their game, their rules. I'm not going to fight them: I'm going to fuck them". Not rape hahaha. But I'll destroy them discretely.

I'll have my daughter and my son's stay quite, by trying to reason with them that we can't fight major houses. Especially house velayron, as they were basically (or still are) the second royal house, we'll only be crushed. If they do stay silent then no one will know about the rape, more importantly no one will know we know about the rape.

Next broker a betrothal between my youngest daughter and the cousin. That will tie us in with house Velayron, especially since my son has some ties with them, and on that note I'll get him to amend his reletionship with this heir. Explaining to him it's not worth taking the black, and that we his family will be in danger since he killed their heir. Hopefully when he's fixed things I'll send him of somewhere, where he won't pose a threat to this plan.

I'll get my daughter to stay in kings landing, she seems to be on good terms with the princess. Hopefully their bond will strengthen, that way we have ties to house Velayron and Targaryen (however little) since my daughter's betrothed is in service to the crowned prince.

Then when my youngest daughter has given birth to a child, and it's clear it will live past infancy, secretly poison the rapists. But at different times with different resources. I'll make it so my grandchild will become heir to driftmark. No suspicion should be placed on us because it seems like we've been on really good terms, and we are connected to the crown.

That way the lands, titles and money will be pouring on us. We'll no longer no longer be a crappy minor house.

But as I'm thinking this through, I'm 100% certain this couldn't happen.

[Poodle Pup From Astapor]

Hmmm. Well, realistically I think we have no shot to get all these heirs killed and not suffer ourselves. Even if we somehow get them sentenced legally, by the king or via trial of combat, I doubt they would get death penalty. Some sort of financial compensation sounds more realistic. At most, even if they do get sentenced to death somehow, they'd almost surely get to run away to free cities, and we'd gain a ton of enemies.

There's no point for me to risk my first son in a trial by combat. No point for my second son to murder Velaryon and run away, I just lose a son this way and gain powerful enemies.

This is one of those "revenge is a dish best served cold" situations. We'll wait for opportunities, maybe in time we'll get our revenge on these people in secret. Maybe we can bribe some of their servants, to keep us informed. In time, we will cut their balls off and feed them to the goats, or at the very least poison them, but we can't do it now. It can take years, decades even.

In the meantime, their campaign of slander must stop. I will talk to the boys' parents. I'll explain the situation and threaten to cause a scandal, if the boys don't shut their mouths. Who wants their young knight heirs to be publicly accused of rape?

As to my children, I'll wed them to the best options I can find. The crown prince's knight is an ok option for my youngest daughter, if he's a landed knight. If he's just a landless sellsword, then he's not a good option. Him being famous can be a blessing or a curse; if he has no land and in time becomes a Kingsguard member, my daughter will be in a bad situation.

[King Viserys Targaryen IV]

I give my 17 year old daughter moon tea to prevent having any bastard children of the rapist.

I tell her to tell anyone what happened and explain to the Princess that her attackers are noble families that she fear retribution from and she can not name her attackers and beg the Princess to keep it quite.

To my Sons I explain that vengeance is a dish best served cold, we will wait and plot and have our revenge when no one will suspect that it was us.

I will swear a vow that my family will wait till each of the attackers is married and then, and only then we will kill the attackers and their lovely wives.

I refuse the Velaryon cousin my daughter's hand in marriage, giving no reason.

Finally, I ask for an audience with the Princess through my daughter and explain that we can not name the attackers as our House will suffer the consequences, but ask a favor instead.

I ask if her father the King can help arrange marriages for my daughters with nobles from the Riverlands and Stormlands to help protect my daughters from their would be attackers

This gives me protection for my daughters and possible strength against the Crownland nobles that wish to crush us.

[Sambo Shaw]

I make my plans, convince my family to follow my instructions. For simplicity's purpose, we'll call the accused houses "Velaryon, A, and B."

If my eldest daughter is up to it, she remains in KL serving the princess. She is to continue building a strong bond with the princess, and endear herself to powerful members of the court. I try to arrange a marriage with the son of a prominent Riverland lord.

My oldest son continues working and training as my heir, and I arrange a marriage with a member of one House A

My second-born son will continue pursuing knighthood. I will arrange a marriage with House B.

My youngest daughter will marry the young Verlaryon knight.

We drop the rape, publicly. However, we have paid men in pubs and whores in brothels spread quiet rumors of continued assaults by one of these three men (not the Velaryon.) We create an under-current of people, both common and noble, that he has raped several noble maidens, and have threatened their houses into silence. When the rumor takes hold, we begin another campaign spreading the story that the Velaryon heir puts the blame for the assaults of the members of A and B.

I have my youngest daughter spy to provide knowledge of the comings-and-goings of the Velaryon heir. We use this knowledge to kidnap him, kill him in a way that appears to have been caused by combat. We frame the murder on retainers of Houses A and B, using our access to them to assist in the frame and then my children fan the flames in each of the houses.. (Vinzini's attempt to start war between Guilder and Florin?)

We then kidnap the A and B rapists, secretly transport them to our dungeons, and go full-Ramsay on them.

[Universal Sword Donor]

Just let shit happen. Get the king's justice. Have my 2nd son murder people. Lock my 14 yr old in a maidenvault.

go out drinking, see if some villages and holdfasts burn down. You know, just let loose.

[hodorisfaclessman]

Ok first of all I feel this new guy the youngest daughter is dating out..if hes a noble enough guy i let him know what happened and thus put him off wanting to ever fight for the rapists in a trial by combat and also give my blessing for him to be bethrothed to her

Next I set up an ambush with my youngest son........if hes in their social circle I want them all in one place not just the velyrion heir , where 'brigands' will ambush and slay them all while they are drunk and unprepared :)

when blame falls on my youngest il make sure he gets a trial by combat ...and seek to cheat to ensure his victory in any way i can

Now the eldest daughter with the rumours of what happened having ruined her good name il seek to marry to a rich merchant ....but ensure its a good match , that way shes happy and that our house has more wealth comming in (and links to essos through trade..i may need sellswords or assasins)

The remaining sons il try and marry off to as powerful houses as i can

Il then base my actions on whos most likely to be a threat among the remaining houses whos sons i killed, assasins and/or posion for those who talk of vengance the loudest.

[Floki of the Ironborn]

My daughter is going to take some time to recover, during which time I admonish my second son for being prepared to throw away his life so rashly. It wasn't his fault that his sister got raped, so no more talk of the black or murder. In the meantime, I also invite the Velaryon cousin to my hall and watch how he behaves amongst everyone, poor and noble alike. If he passes inspection, I make him swear every oath under the sun to keep a secret, and I explain what his cousin and his two lackeys did to my daughter. If he reacts appropriately, he may marry my daughter so long as he is prepared to swear a second unbreakable vow: to never side with House Velaryon against my daughter or her family.

Once that's all established, we go to King's Landing and she lets slip to the Princess what happened to her. A couple of days after that, she will stand before the Royal Family and name her rapists. I step forward and offer to fight each one in three trials by combat, and if I die, my eldest son shall take my place. If the boys are not the lowest form of coward, I shall declare, they will come out and die. Hopefully I kill at least one of them before I go, and if my eldest son dies with me, that leaves my second son alive to carry on the legacy. He'll look after his elder sister to assuage whatever guilt he apparently feels, or my elder son will. My youngest will be safe with the Velaryon boy, or else find another husband, while my elder daughter is free to either marry, join the silent sisters, or take up a prominent position in our household.

[Universal Sword Donor]

Nah fuck it. Just poison everyone and make new kids.

[King of Vaes Tolorro]

Blood will flow.

1. Have my daughter ask for Trial by Combat. Then bring her back and look after her. See if I can find her a good man to wed.

The Trial: Three vs Three

2. Son: Have him poison his blade with nightshade from our gardens and then have him fight against one of the three.

3. Second Son: have him join his brother and challenge the Velaryon boy to a duel to the Death: Have him poison his blade.

4. SecondDaughter:H ave her seudce and wed hte knight. She can use her feminie wilesto bring him over to our side. With luck, he will side with us and will kill the third bastard.

5. If it comes to War, our House will give them the worst war they will ever know.

For we are the Poisonwoods of the CrownLands and the Nightshade tree is our emblem.

Doom is our Word.

[Corpse Sniffer]

Imagine you're the Lord/Lady of a Noble House in the Crownlands. It is a minor house, having only existed for four generations thus far. The other houses often dismiss you rather than offer friendship, and now you face a crisis.

Your 17 year old daughter, who had recently been appointed a maid to the Targaryen princess, was attacked and raped by three young noblemen in King’s Landing. While being tended to by the he has confided in you that they are each a son of another Crownlord, the ringleader being the heir to House Velaryon. She has not spoken to anyone but you of this, though the princess herself has asked her to name her attackers to receive the King’s Justice. However, you have received word that your daughter’s name is being slandered by those noble houses to whom the rapists belong, and in a battle of words before the King, he may decide to avoid prosecuting three noble houses in defence of a minor one.

Your 20 year old son, meanwhile, has told you that he intends to persuade her to demand a trial by combat so that he will stand as her champion. You have no doubt that he is a skilled enough swordsman to fight in such a combat, but his survival is not guaranteed depending on who is chosen to fight him. And even if he wins, the noble houses may resort to vengeance in less direct ways.

At the same time, your 18 year old son, in the final stages of being knighted, has been in the same social circle as one of the rapists, having always been at odds with him. He approaches you now, in great secrecy, confessing that they may have targeted his sister (aka your daughter) because he had seduced a maid that the Velaryon boy already had his eye on. He offers to make things right by slaying the Velaryon heir and fleeing King’s Landing immediately afterwards to take the black.

Finally, your 14 year old daughter is growing up an especially beautiful young lady. A noted knight in the service of the Crown Prince has offered to court her and win her heart. However, he is also a cousin of the Velaryon heir. He has not been made aware of your elder daughter’s rape, and you don’t know whose side he would take when told. So there is a very slight chance that he might even be chosen to fight on behalf of the Velaryons’ honour against your son, or he may step in as champion for your house against his own family.

How do you run this household?

I have the princess declare the names of the Knights herself, with the sway of her on my side the King cannot deny that my House has been slandered. I send my heir with a force of 1,000 men to KL to show our power and the declare that the rapists must be given the Kings Justice. I assume that he decides in my favor and takes their heads.

The crowned prince cannot deny that we were slandered, and although tentative is open to the marriage still. I approve the marriage, and promise him that my vengeance is not through. i will see the familys of the guilty parties destroyed, or they must needs pay a dowry for my daughters maidenhead that they stole. He endorses this and the three families pay us, although the money is taxed heavily by the prince.

I urge the Targ princess to take my 18 year old son into her service because of the slander, and this takes him away from the clutches of those who seek to harm him. And I have my heir return to me so he may rule in my stead. I go to KL to sit in court, and make alliances and a future marriage pact for my son and heir. I also must defend my children from teh vipers in KL.

[Equilibrium]

Got to hand it to you, much more trying then Iron Isles III, I was really distressed, at par with Telltale games :)

Rage couple of hours in my own room smashing everything and yelling you will have rapists flayed. Then collect myself, fucking snobbish lords will have their heirs dead, one way or the other.

Have the daughter confide in princess and get her to broach the subject with the king first. Send the bunch of ravens to houses of Lord Paramounts, houses with really chivalric and able knights, you know the type and houses who hate or would benefit from downfall or offending houses. Sell bunch of things and amass much gold to start propaganda campaign in the central regions via bribing bards, singers, informers and other shapers of public opinion. Both will help king make the right choice and first would come handy if they decide to demand Trial by Seven. I know all great lords and most of the smaller hate Velaryons because of their Valyrian snobbery and it will be fairly easy to get them to take my side

Start with the young daughter, I don't know if knight is Velaryon or not, he can be cousin either way and what kind of person he is, but from the way how you have put it, I will assume he is not Velaryon and is decent sort of guy if not very rich or powerful. From the subtext I also deduce my daughter isn't antagonistic towards him. So let her return the courtship and turn him to our side. Now I say to the young son that we both want them dead but it's much more fitting to destroy them first, and we can kill them later.

Announce my coming to KL far and wide and subtly urge the lords I wrote to to attend, come with great ceremonial, make a show of it, over-the-top oaths of loyalty and pleas for justice in front of the king, with my daughter immediately giving tearful testimony of the incident while princess comforts her. King knows if he wants any pretense of upholding justice he has to order three geldings. Offenders look to the my intimidating son and flower of chivalry that has gathered in hope to earn themselves a song by defending the honor of princess' beautiful maid. Only thing left for offenders is to take the black.

It is far from over, secretly go into dungeons, find most violent and ruthless criminals being sent to the Wall and promise them nice sum of money if they geld the offenders on the way to the Wall and make their life living hell there. For the final act, offer families of the offenders hand of peace and chance to regain honor in front of the whole court, marriages for my sons, not the daughter if she doesn't want, it would be cruel. Of course using my newly found renown and position spend the rest of the life scheming and using every underhanded trick to bring the downfall of the houses of offenders preferably in the way my sons get to inherit something.

[Wmarshal]

Let death be my friend. I will tell the princess and ask the king's justice. Ask for a trial by seven and call the kingsguard as my champions, be it my daughter was a servant of the royal family and the rapist blacked the king's honor. If need be my sons and I will take up three spots. If the cousin wants my daughter let they wed, but only if he swears he would take no sides. if fights for his bastard cousin, let his blood spill on the floor. These boys are cowards, young enough to cowed by my youngest son to do a dark deed. four kingsguards men should put the odds on my side enough. I would advice my sons though to take on the weakest of the band, the Velaryon boy is mine.