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Vale Noble House Scenario


James Steller

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Imagine you're the head of a noble house in the Vale (assume you’re an established Andal house). Your lands lie west of Hearts Home. You are close to old age, with an extended family under your roof comprised of you, your wife, your sons, your grandchildren, your brother, and his family.

Under King Robin Arryn, the Eyrie is nearly finished construction. Many of the men labouring to build the Eyrie have been summoned from your lands. This has drawn good workers away from your fields, which means you will not have as much food saved for the upcoming winter.

Your son and heir, father to a three year old boy and a seven year old daughter, is urging you to take out a loan to pay for the food required to replace what will be lost this upcoming harvest, or else many of your smallfolk will starve.

Appealing to the Arryns for a loan is no good, as they are spending their money on building the Eyrie. You hear tell of banks across the sea which could provide loans, but you are dubious about any powers outside of the Vale.

Meanwhile, the very wealthy Lord Rommel Melcolm has heard of your inquiries into securing money to buy extra food for winter, and he is offering to lend you the money you need. His condition is that you wed your granddaughter to his son when they both come of age. You do not have always disliked Lord Melcolm for being a womanizer and a drunk, but he is currently the only lord within the Vale willing or able to lend you the money for your smallfolk.

As you mull this issue, your second son returns home in secret. He was serving as a knight guarding the Bloody Gate, but was found by a fellow man-at-arms in bed with his squire, the 18-year old son and heir of Lord Lynderly. Upon the discovery of their affair, your son and his squire slew the man who discovered them and fled back to your keep. Your son pleads with you to help him and his lover flee from persecution. Meanwhile, a raven has come with a message from King Robin declaring him to be wanted for desertion and murder. While you know the Arryns themselves are distracted by the construction of the Eyrie, you know other lords of the Vale, particularly Lord Lynderly, will be quick to respond when word gets out.

On a side note, your youngest son has just turned 14 and has distinguished himself as a squire to Ser Henry Valmire. As a result of that, a few houses have come forward seeking to engage him to their daughters. Lord Hersy wants your son to wed his daughter and heir. However, Lord Hersy the brother-in-law and good friend of Lord Lynderly, and Hersy will certainly withdraw his offer if word gets out about your son’s relationship with Lynderly’s son. Meanwhile, Lady Waxley is also offering that your son marry her daughter when your son achieves knighthood. She already has a son to inherit her title, but she is offering a small knightly estate as part of her daughter’s dowry. You do not know if she will withdraw her offer when word of your second son’s disgrace reaches her.

How do you run this household?

Note to the administrators: I assure you this is not a game, this is strictly a hypothetical scenario that is entirely subjective and up to each person who answers.

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Nice! One of these again! 

First off, I kill two birds with one stone by sending my second son to Essos as a bodyguard to the envoy I'm sending to one of the banks. I provide him with enough gold for him to get a clean start, but I force Lynderly's son to remain behind. I won't allow myself or my family to be drawn into treason for the sake of my son's passion. The story that I and young Lynderly will tell is that my son murdered the man at arms alone, but didn't tell me. He escorted my envoy to Essos then fled without a word. That should keep me and my family off the hook, and it will hopefully allow for my third son to safely marry the Hersy girl.

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22 minutes ago, Lady Lia said:

Query: what do I know of Lord Melcolm's son? Is he the heir or a younger son, and what is known about his character?

You don't associate with Lord Melcolm, so you don't know his son very well. All you know is that he's the heir to House Melcolm, he's three years older than your granddaughter and he is said to take after his father (but that's a standard compliment so it could mean anything). The chief concern you have is being in Melcolm's debt and also having him as an in law.

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Hmm. Lets take one point at a time.

I agree with my son and heir. A loan needs to be taken and what matters here is the interest. Lord Melcolm´s offer should be evaluated and compared with what the Iron bank of Braavos can offer so I find out what the interest will be apart from the marriage (a granddaughter is a small price to pay for this and since she is not marrying the lord himself, my personal opinions of Lord Melcolm is of no relevance) and then send my heir as a envoy to Braavos when we know what offer from Lord Melcolm they need to beat, in order to get the cheapest loan. It might also give him some new travel experiences maybe.

My second son is a disgrace, but he is desperate and of my blood. I will help him and his boyfriend in secret to leave the Vale (A ship to Lys might be good so they can join the mercenaries if they want) but I make it clear that due to his actions we will no longer be considered related and will force him to give his word on that he will never return to Westeros nor tell who helped him to reach Essos. I might even give him some money and he can of course keep all his belongings as long as he can get them with him easily. Then, when they has left, I respond to the raven with the harshest words of condemnation possible - officially stripping him of any title, family tie and rank and making it clear to the entire Vale that I havn´t seen him but if he shows up on my lands, he will be immediatly arrested and sent to the Eyrie for judgement. That should appease everyone.

As for my youngest, I present him with the marriage ideas offered to him but in general I think he is too young to marry unless he really wants to. If he is interested, I think Lord Hersys offer is the strongest BUT it is a risk, in that Lord Hersy might get a son later (and I assume that my son must take the Hersy name in order to preserve the family) making my son with no estate of his own. Lady Waxleys offer is also tempting, but since I already have an extended family under my roof, I am not in a hurry. Tbh I think my third son might be in need of some seasoning and I am considering sending him to Braavos as well with my heir.

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Rommel Melcolm sounds like a man not long for this world. And I already have a grandson, might as well give my granddaughter a chance to live like a high ranking noblewoman. I get Melcolm drunk and offer to take in his son as a ward if he isn't already someone's ward. This means he'll learn how to be a gentleman from me rather than his dad.

My son's sex life doesn't bother me, but he is a murderer and Lord Lynderly has many friends. I will not risk him dooming us, so I send him to the Wall on the first ship I can find.

My youngest son will go to Wickenden when he comes of age. I won't give any of Lynderly's friends a chance to take their revenge on my family if I can help it.

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5 hours ago, James Steller said:

Imagine you're the head of a noble house in the Vale (assume you’re an established Andal house). Your lands lie west of Hearts Home. You are close to old age, with an extended family under your roof comprised of you, your wife, your sons, your grandchildren, your brother, and his family.

 

Under King Robin Arryn, the Eyrie is nearly finished construction. Many of the men labouring to build the Eyrie have been summoned from your lands. This has drawn good workers away from your fields, which means you will not have as much food saved for the upcoming winter.

 

Your son and heir, father to a three year old boy and a seven year old daughter, is urging you to take out a loan to pay for the food required to replace what will be lost this upcoming harvest, or else many of your smallfolk will starve.

 

Appealing to the Arryns for a loan is no good, as they are spending their money on building the Eyrie. You hear tell of banks across the sea which could provide loans, but you are dubious about any powers outside of the Vale.

 

Meanwhile, the very wealthy Lord Rommel Melcolm has heard of your inquiries into securing money to buy extra food for winter, and he is offering to lend you the money you need. His condition is that you wed your granddaughter to his son when they both come of age. You do not have always disliked Lord Melcolm for being a womanizer and a drunk, but he is currently the only lord within the Vale willing or able to lend you the money for your smallfolk.

 

As you mull this issue, your second son returns home in secret. He was serving as a knight guarding the Bloody Gate, but was found by a fellow man-at-arms in bed with his squire, the 18-year old son and heir of Lord Lynderly. Upon the discovery of their affair, your son and his squire slew the man who discovered them and fled back to your keep. Your son pleads with you to help him and his lover flee from persecution. Meanwhile, a raven has come with a message from King Robin declaring him to be wanted for desertion and murder. While you know the Arryns themselves are distracted by the construction of the Eyrie, you know other lords of the Vale, particularly Lord Lynderly, will be quick to respond when word gets out.

 

On a side note, your youngest son has just turned 14 and has distinguished himself as a squire to Ser Henry Valmire. As a result of that, a few houses have come forward seeking to engage him to their daughters. Lord Hersy wants your son to wed his daughter and heir. However, Lord Hersy the brother-in-law and good friend of Lord Lynderly, and Hersy will certainly withdraw his offer if word gets out about your son’s relationship with Lynderly’s son. Meanwhile, Lady Waxley is also offering that your son marry her daughter when your son achieves knighthood. She already has a son to inherit her title, but she is offering a small knightly estate as part of her daughter’s dowry. You do not know if she will withdraw her offer when word of your second son’s disgrace reaches her.

 

How do you run this household?

 

Note to the administrators: I assure you this is not a game, this is strictly a hypothetical scenario that is entirely subjective and up to each person who answers.

 

I send my eldest son over to Melcolm to see what things are like over there, and leave the choice to him. If he is willing to consent to the betrothal and the loan, it's his daughter. Not that a ten year old boy will be much in the way of a womanizer and a drunk, but betrothals can be broken later.

I send my second son to Essos, and make him to leave his squire/lover behind. Reply to the Arryns that I simply haven't seen him. Tell Lynderly that his son came to my keep looking for my second son, and offer to complete his training under my first son.

Wed my third son to Lord Hersy's daughter.

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What is the official story/spin surrounding the death at the Bloody Gate? Have both men been implicated, or just your son? Is their relationship common knowledge or whispered about? Who was murdered and who cares? Just want to be clear because it seems to me, from the scenario presented, that Lord Lynderly has as much or more to lose than you do over this and would want to work with you get get ahead of it, and the dead guy's family would be the one rallying support.

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5 hours ago, dala said:

What is the official story/spin surrounding the death at the Bloody Gate? Have both men been implicated, or just your son? Is their relationship common knowledge or whispered about? Who was murdered and who cares? Just want to be clear because it seems to me, from the scenario presented, that Lord Lynderly has as much or more to lose than you do over this and would want to work with you get get ahead of it, and the dead guy's family would be the one rallying support.

The murdered man was not a nobleman, but his death while in service at the Bloody Gate is more than enough to be noticed. As of now, your son is blamed for the murder; his squire is given the benefit of the doubt because any squire is assumed to instinctively be loyal to his master, with little opportunity to defy or flee. They have no idea that knight and squire are lovers, but while Lord Lynderly would certainly want it kept quiet, assume that he will accuse your son of corrupting his heir, thereby deflecting blame entirely away from his own child.

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It’s pretty straightforward for me

a-    Id accept Lord Rommel Melcolm’s offer.  Lords are supposed to take care of their smallfolk and that’s what I intend to do. Also, just because Rommel is a drunk and a womanizer that doesn’t mean his son is.

b-    I will meet both Lord Lynderly’s son and mine in my keep. I’d be clear that their irresponsible actions had brought great peril to both households and that they should be ashamed of what they did.  In normal circumstances I would have removed their heads myself, however Lord Lynderly is my friend and therefore its up to him to decide what to do with his son. I would escort my son to Lord Lynderly promising the Lord that I will keep silence of what had happened between his son and mine if he does the same. The boy is Lynderly’s son and heir so its within his interest not to spread rumours. Id return to my son were I will further guilt him for what he did in front of my entire household. His crimes has the potential of damaging Lord Lynderly, his lover, the entire family and all the smallfolk under both domains. Under such circumstances I have no choice but to take him to the King with the risk of both of us being punished  just because of what he did. The day after I'll take him to the King and I am pretty sure that he won't dare saying anything stupid about what he did. H


c-    Hopefully my son will do what is expected out of him and no one spreads any rumour. The way I handled things should be honourable enough to convince Lord Hersy to marry his daughter with my son.
 

 

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You're Lord Frostbeard Greenwood, living about 100 miles North of Hornwood. Your daughter, Violet "Soft on the Eyes" Greenwood has a bastard child with Knucklehead the Stable Boy, but you marry her off to  Stone Axe Flint, the son of Lord Bonehead Flint of Breakstone Hill, to cover up the pregnancy.

She resents this and starts an affair with Ser Barking Mad Forester, the nephew of Lord Talltree Forester, of Pinewood Lodge.

Kuncklehead is upset by this and runs to tell Lord Stiffspear Norrey who is the sworn enemy of Talltree Forester. Stiffspear informs Lord Bonehead of Violet's infidelity with Talltree's nephew, Barking Mad.

Bonehead is furious, and sends his guard-captain, Bent-Sword Ben, to challenge Barking Mad to a duel. But Talltree aligns with Frostbeard to oppose Stiffspear and Bonehead with their sworn swords.

Question: Who the hell is who again in this convoluted, pointless story?

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56 minutes ago, Free Northman Reborn said:

You're Lord Frostbeard Greenwood, living about 100 miles North of Hornwood. Your daughter, Violet "Soft on the Eyes" Greenwood has a bastard child with Knucklehead the Stable Boy, but you marry her off to  Stone Axe Flint, the son of Lord Bonehead Flint of Breakstone Hill, to cover up the pregnancy.

She resents this and starts an affair with Ser Barking Mad Forester, the nephew of Lord Talltree Forester, of Pinewood Lodge.

Kuncklehead is upset by this and runs to tell Lord Stiffspear Norrey who is the sworn enemy of Talltree Forester. Stiffspear informs Lord Bonehead of Violet's infidelity with Talltree's nephew, Barking Mad.

Bonehead is furious, and sends his guard-captain, Bent-Sword Ben, to challenge Barking Mad to a duel. But Talltree aligns with Frostbeard to oppose Stiffspear and Bonehead with their sworn swords.

Question: Who the hell is who again in this convoluted, pointless story?

Not a roleplayer I see :D

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