Reach Noble House Scenario

[James Steller]

Imagine you're the head of a noble house in the Reach (assume that it’s been around for as long as the others). You and your wife are newly middle-aged, with all three of your children in or entering adulthood.

You are hosting a tourney on your lands, and many great lords of the Reach are in attendance. Lords Alaric Hightower, Henri Florent, Meryn Peake, Garse Tarly, and most prestigious of all, Prince Gordan ‘Grey-Eyes’ Gardener, heir to Highgarden, and his two younger brothers, Ferric and Lanval. Already famed for his nobility, Prince Gordan is still recovering from a broken leg suffered while battling the Ironborn, but his brothers entered the tourney.

The tourney has been a resounding success so far, and men already hail this as the best tourney they have attended in many years. Your bountiful food and plentiful ale seem to flow unceasingly, and the bards sing new songs of the many great jousts that have taken place.

But some things are happening which trouble you greatly. Your eldest child and heir, Marlo, has proven a disappointment at the jousts. Starting off well initially, he was unhorsed by Ser Oscar Inchfield. Former servants to House Manderly, they historically turned on their masters when the Peakes drove them out and became landed knights for their actions. Your son’s early defeat is embarrassing, even if Ser Oscar is shocking all by stubbornly refusing to be defeated by anyone who challenges him thus far.

Only six knights remain for the final lists: Ser Oscar Inchfield, Ser Timo Peake, Ser Robert Ball, Ser Isek Fossoway, Prince Lanval Gardener, and your second son, Lidole.

It is Lidole who is covering himself in glory rather than Marlo (who was usually thought to be the better jouster than Lidole). He unhorsed both of Lord Hightower’s sons, as well as the young Marcher Lord Tarly himself. However, he is due to face off against Prince Lanval in his upcoming list.

This marks a troubling conflict. Marlo as approached you and insists that Ser Oscar got lucky. He asks you to force Lidole out and give his armour to Marlo so that Marlo may regain some glory in defeating a Gardener prince. You know that some would see this as self-serving, while Lidole’s reputation would suffer greatly as a result, but Marlo is your eldest son, and if all goes well, he will rule your house. The bards would love a great song of redemption about Marlo triumphing in disguise. Not to mention, you were in negotiations to wed Marlo to Lord Alaric’s eldest daughter, Ira. Alaric resents that House Hightower had to give up their crown to the Gardeners, and he would love to see the Gardeners knocked down a peg or two.

However, earlier in the day, Lidole confided in you that Prince Lanval approached him last night and says that regardless of whether Lanval or Lidole emerges triumphant against the other, he will nominate Lidole to join the Order of the Green Hand. This is a high honour which has never before been awarded to a member of your family. Lidole bowing out of the tourney to give his brother the chance to regain glory through trickery will surely destroy that chance for a nomination.

Meanwhile, your beloved daughter, Pamela, is a noted beauty even amongst the daughters of other great lords. She is being courted by several available bachelors. Ser Robert Ball has publicly vowed to crown her queen of love and beauty if he wins the tourney. However, this hasn’t stopped Ser Isek Fossoway, Robert’s bitter rival, to directly ask you for your daughter’s hand in marriage. Isek's courtesy and good manners can't hide the fact that he is not favoured to win this tourney, though you certainly find him a more likeable man than the highly favoured Ser Robert Ball. Even as these high-ranking knights talk of Pamela’s beauty and her grace, you see that Pamela herself has eyes only for one man: Ser Oscar Inchfield. Ser Oscar is the lowest-ranking knight still in the tourney, and his remarkable talent as a jouster is angering the great lords even further. His reputation as an honest and true knight cannot be denied, and he seems determined to redeem his family name and divorce it from the means by which they first gained their status as a knightly house. Based on how she talks of him and their interactions, you know Pamela’s heart has already been won (the fact that he defeated Marlo, whom she has never gotten along with, seems just the cherry on top). As good of a man as he is, you also know that choosing Oscar will offend House Ball and House Fossoway.

Meanwhile, as you and a couple of your bodyguard walk back to your castle, you suddenly overhear a woman sobbing. Behind one of the tents, Prince Ferric Gardener is in the process of assaulting Becca, the youngest daughter of your brewer. She is a sweet child of fourteen whom you’ve known since she was born. Pamela helped her take her first steps. But any action taken against a prince of Hightower will be taking a grave risk to yourself and your family, even if it is justified. There is a chance that Ferric’s brothers may condemn Ferric’s actions, or there is a chance that they will take his side out of loyalty and defend him. This could also affect your children’s futures.

What do you do, and 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.

[Floki of the Ironborn]

Gotta love how deep your scenarios go into the regions where they take place.

I refuse to allow a Gardener prince get away with rape. I am responsible for the safety of my smallfolk, and I'll be damned if the second son of a king can just waltz onto my lands, rape a young girl, and still call himself a knight. If Prince Gordan is half the man he's supposed to be, he'll listen to the testimony of Becca, and help in condemning Ferric as a rapist with no honour. So the first thing I do is intervene, take Ferric prisoner, and send word to Prince Gordan about what I just discovered.

Next, I have Marlo roused from sleep, bound, gagged, and smuggled onto a ship to take him to the Wall. He's a dishonourable fool who is willing to walk all over his brother's reputation and life to get what he wants. He is an unworthy son and heir.

I go to Lidole and explain what Marlo intended to do. I name him my heir, and encourage him to fight well and honourably against Ser Lanval. He must be as gentle as possible, as both he and Lanval must survive so that the prince can invite my son into the Order of the Green Hand. I then approach Lord Hightower and explain that Marlo proved unworthy, but maybe he'd like to marry Ira to Lidole instead?

When it comes to my daughter, I want her to be happy, but I also want her to have a good life. If Ser Oscar survives the tourney, then I'll marry him to Pamela, and provide him with a sufficient dowry to build up his family's reputation. He seems to have the drive to move beyond his ancestors' treachery.

[Adam Yozza]

There'll be other opportunities for Marlo to win some glory. But getting added to the Order of the Green Hand is once in a lifetime. So I refuse Marlo outright, and encourage Lidole. I also place a guard on Marlo (saying it's a sworn shield, of course, just while there are so many potential enemies around...), someone I trust completely to ensure that he doesn't try to replace his brother anyway.

I marry Pamela to Ser Oscar; he seems to be a good man and overall he'd be better for her than either Ball and Fossoway. While it's annoying to make enemies of those two house's, they aren't the largest forces in the Reach (not even close; Florent, Tarly, Hightower, Redwyne, Peake and perhaps Rowan all stand out as more powerful, along with Gardener) so it's not too much off an issue. Besides, I have a son who is set to marry a Hightower. If he doesn't know I refused to embarrass a Gardener, then he can't be pissed at me for it.

As for Ferric, I have him seized and confined to his rooms for the duration of his stay. Gordon and Lanval both seem like decent guys and if Gordon's reputation and my first impressions of Lanval hold up then they should denounce their brother's actions. Even if they don't, then I'm not allowing one of my people to be treated that way.

[Equilibrium]

Sorry Marlo, if you wanted glory you shouldn't have been beaten by some two-bit upstart. Lidole earned his shot at triumph, and besides, he would bring great honor to the hous by being admited to Order of the Green Hand. It will benefit him immensly since he is a second son, and by being in the Order he can count on the place at Gardner court and more.

Pamela marries Fossoway, he is nice guy, great lord and best marriage prospect, she will get over Oscar, who will have to find somebody else's daughter for social climbing.

Pull the Ferric from the girl, pretending you don't recognize him. Then act surprised and assure him this will stay between us, just as long as he behaves while at my castle. Surely he isn't such a fool to complain that I stop him from raping the girl.

[Protagoras]

First, my first son is a fool and a bad loser and I can´t tolerate that. I will most certainly refuse his request and threaten him if he keeps it up. I implore him to show good sportsmanship and make it clear that I could make his brother my hier if I wished to (and of course make it clear that if he by some chance would end up replacing his brither in some magical way, he is no longer my heir). And if Lord Alaric withdraw from the negotiations because of Marlos bad tournament (because come on! It is just a social game in order to meet up with the peers from time to time) then he doesn´t look like the patient, trustworty and valuable ally I was looking for.

As for my daugther, I don´t see a problem with her being an interest of several men. My daughter is young, single and beautiful, let her enjoy the interest and the honor from whoever crowns her queen of love and beauty. However, such crowning is far from a marriage and in order to agree on such a marriage I am willing to hear what the different parts have to offer (and so far I have heard no concrete suggestions). Who is willing to cash up the most and/or give me the best support. Certainly, my daughter´s opinion is important as well, but in the end I will take real offers into consideration and use many parameters, not just one. And neither of the two candidates has actually expressed an interest to marry her nor of sufficient status for me to go "Oh, wow". As usual when it comes to these issues, I should have time to wait.

And then the rape...the biggest problem is that Ferric has decided to take this into his own hands (or own cock, depending on your outlook). But I am lord of this territory! I have the right to decide who is getting raped and who is not! I have pit and gallows here, and the Gardeners fealty does not mean that they run my territory. I separate Ferric from his victim, if he resists he goes into my jail, if not then he will follow me under guard to Gordon, where I describe what happened and implore Gordan to punish him. I also make it clear that in order for me to stay silent (because, I have heard Lord Alaric Hightower  would like that kind of gossip) my house needs compensation because of the severe violation performed by house Gardener. Suitable compensation involves cash, land, titles, less tax and so on. Then I give Becca and her family alot of money (from their perspective) as compensation.

[Ser Loras The Gay]

2 minutes ago, Protagoras said:

I also make it clear that in order for me to stay silent (because, I have heard Lord Alaric Hightower  would like that kind of gossip) my house needs compensation because of the severe violation performed by house Gardener. Suitable compensation involves cash, land, titles, less tax and so on. Then I give Becca and her family alot of money (from their perspective) as compensation.

It's a honorable thing to do, but threat your king's family isn't always a good idea. He could simply say he didn't do it and it'd be the words of your guards against a brother of the king. But overall good thinking.

 

1 hour ago, Floki of the Ironborn said:

Next, I have Marlo roused from sleep, bound, gagged, and smuggled onto a ship to take him to the Wall. He's a dishonourable fool who is willing to walk all over his brother's reputation and life to get what he wants. He is an unworthy son and heir.

Lol. That's the second thread of roleplay that you send one of your sons to the Wall haha. But this time he deserved it.

[Floki of the Ironborn]

1 hour ago, Ser Loras The Gay said:

Lol. That's the second thread of roleplay that you send one of your sons to the Wall haha. But this time he deserved it.

The Wall must be supplied. And given how this is even before the Andals arrive, the Wall is still a place with some semblance of honour. Marlo can find glory while hunting wildlings and looking out for the Others.

[Ser Loras The Gay]

2 minutes ago, Floki of the Ironborn said:

The Wall must be supplied. And given how this is even before the Andals arrive, the Wall is still a place with some semblance of honour. Marlo can find glory while hunting wildlings and looking out for the Others.

Fair enough. People on the wall would be happy for your existence in the ASOIAF universe haha

[Ser Frasier of House Crane]

I would tell Marlo to learn some humility and to be proud of his brother, and that there is always the next tourney. He may not like it, but he should also know that tourney glory isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, not when there are other things that an heir to my house should exhibit. So Lidole will have the opportunity to join the Order of the Green Hand. I also cannot deny my children’s happiness, so I will decline both the Ball and the Fossoway offers. If Ser Oscar wishes to wed my daughter, he may. I would also stop Prince Ferric from assaulting Becca, first and foremost. If he decides to come at me, so be it, but the girl’s welfare is paramount.

[Canon Claude]

If there's one thing I hate, it's a rapist. I arrest Prince Ferric and tell his brothers that Ferric is on trial for rape, under the laws of my king (their father). Ferric can take trial by combat, which means that I shall name Marlo as my champion. This will be his chance to serve justice for Becca, and rebuild his reputation by defeating someone for real. And Lord Hightower will get to squeal over a dead and disgraced Gardener. He'd probably agree to marry Ira to Marlo with Ferric's blood still on his blade.

Regardless of what happens, Lidole will be able to claim ignorance of what happens, and I'll happily swear that Lidole had nothing to do with my actions. He still gets into the Order of Lanval has any sense of decency to him. If not, then the Order isn't worth getting into and the Gardeners don't deserve respect.

Based on how things could turn ugly, I need to get my daughter to safety. I'll marry her to the Fossoway lad. She can pine for Ser Oscar but she'll hopefully fall for his charm and courtesy over time. 

[Davjos]

Marlo would be the problemen I'd need to deal with first. He would be locked in his room while guarded by two of my most trusted knights, not involving any feudal lords. Marlo's squires Will also be constrained somewhere. There's a big chance Marlo is going to the Wall, but during the trial that's not directly necessary. 

Lidole would be task to joust safely above all, but try to win too! A Gardener Prince unhorsed should please the Hightowers. My plan is for Lidole to become part of the Order of the Greenhand. This would make him a great marriage option for the Hightower. After the joust I'd tell lord Hightower I intend Lidole to inherrit my house. I Will also have a trump card in the discussion with Hightower: Ferric's rape. 

 

Regardint Ferric: I'd stop him, hand on my sword and tell him we don't treat our smallfolk that way here. This would give me some leverage over house Gardener, but I don't plan on needing it. After the joust and my sons honouring I'd expect to talk to Prince Gordon. I might drop the bomb that his younger brother has slighted my house and that I expect/hope proper actions will be taken. During this talk I'd make it clear I'm not threatening it, playing it of as an honour to be able to help my prince in this problematic matter. 

 

Oh and my daughter: the offers will be graciously delayed 'I'll think about it'. Her lover will get an offer, become my house knight, the possibility to prove himself while I search for a match for my daughter, but he needs to leave her alone or get castrated before I approve him. If he denies this, he'll be kept out of her room tonight, dies in his bed and I could use this to either send my Son to the wall(make it seem like a fight between Oscar and Marlo over the joust) or spread some rumours it was Ball or Fossoway. Ofcourse I'd kill him after the joust, the Lords despise him already, so Peake, Ball or Fossoway is happy and suspicious if he wins the joust. 

[devilish]

A- I'd say Mario to grow up. He lost fair and square and there will be other opportunities to do well

B- My daughter will marry the person I want and not some knights especially at this delicate period were we might need allies soon

C- What happened to Becca is regrettable but I am a Lord here while the Gardeners are the real rulers. I'll forward the case to the king while keeping such sensitive case as a secret. I do that both for the Gardeners sake(who are my liege) and Becca's. Surely she doesn't want to become the ruling family target. Either way, Becca will live, from now on, as one of my children. I might not have been able to protect her and defend her honour. However I'll make up to that by treating her as nobility and use my influence (and money) to marry her off to a good man

[The Mountain That Flies]

19 hours ago, Equilibrium said:

Sorry Marlo, if you wanted glory you shouldn't have been beaten by some two-bit upstart. Lidole earned his shot at triumph, and besides, he would bring great honor to the hous by being admited to Order of the Green Hand. It will benefit him immensly since he is a second son, and by being in the Order he can count on the place at Gardner court and more.

Pamela marries Fossoway, he is nice guy, great lord and best marriage prospect, she will get over Oscar, who will have to find somebody else's daughter for social climbing.

Pull the Ferric from the girl, pretending you don't recognize him. Then act surprised and assure him this will stay between us, just as long as he behaves while at my castle. Surely he isn't such a fool to complain that I stop him from raping the girl.

I was going to write my own response, but this is just a more concise and clear version of what I was wanted to say. Totally agreed on all fronts.

The only thing I'd add is compensating Becca and her family in some way, since you (regrettably) have to let the attempted rapist go.

[Equilibrium]

2 hours ago, The Mountain That Flies said:

I was going to write my own response, but this is just a more concise and clear version of what I was wanted to say. Totally agreed on all fronts.

The only thing I'd add is compensating Becca and her family in some way, since you (regrettably) have to let the attempted rapist go.

Yeah, of course, I forgot to add that but since my character was supposed to be pretty familiar with Becca and her dad, it sounded wrong to you know bribe her or something, but she would continue to be cared after.

[Protagoras]

On 2017-03-23 at 11:59 PM, Ser Loras The Gay said:

It's a honorable thing to do, but threat your king's family isn't always a good idea. He could simply say he didn't do it and it'd be the words of your guards against a brother of the king. But overall good thinking.

I wouldn´t say threatening...more like that "rumors of this will spread from this, your grace. And my servants are very unhappy. I think it might be only a matter of time before this will reach, so to speak". And then hint that I might be able to stem these troublesome things, but "due to the dishonor my house has suffered from this (after all, the even has taken a dent), I am not going to do so free of charge...but we might be able to reach a beneficial deal for both parties".

[1000th Lord Commander]

On 3/24/2017 at 7:02 AM, James Steller said:

Imagine you're the head of a noble house in the Reach (assume that it’s been around for as long as the others). You and your wife are newly middle-aged, with all three of your children in or entering adulthood.

You are hosting a tourney on your lands, and many great lords of the Reach are in attendance. Lords Alaric Hightower, Henri Florent, Meryn Peake, Garse Tarly, and most prestigious of all, Prince Gordan ‘Grey-Eyes’ Gardener, heir to Highgarden, and his two younger brothers, Ferric and Lanval. Already famed for his nobility, Prince Gordan is still recovering from a broken leg suffered while battling the Ironborn, but his brothers entered the tourney.

The tourney has been a resounding success so far, and men already hail this as the best tourney they have attended in many years. Your bountiful food and plentiful ale seem to flow unceasingly, and the bards sing new songs of the many great jousts that have taken place.

But some things are happening which trouble you greatly. Your eldest child and heir, Marlo, has proven a disappointment at the jousts. Starting off well initially, he was unhorsed by Ser Oscar Inchfield. Former servants to House Manderly, they historically turned on their masters when the Peakes drove them out and became landed knights for their actions. Your son’s early defeat is embarrassing, even if Ser Oscar is shocking all by stubbornly refusing to be defeated by anyone who challenges him thus far.

Only six knights remain for the final lists: Ser Oscar Inchfield, Ser Timo Peake, Ser Robert Ball, Ser Isek Fossoway, Prince Lanval Gardener, and your second son, Lidole.

It is Lidole who is covering himself in glory rather than Marlo (who was usually thought to be the better jouster than Lidole). He unhorsed both of Lord Hightower’s sons, as well as the young Marcher Lord Tarly himself. However, he is due to face off against Prince Lanval in his upcoming list.

This marks a troubling conflict. Marlo as approached you and insists that Ser Oscar got lucky. He asks you to force Lidole out and give his armour to Marlo so that Marlo may regain some glory in defeating a Gardener prince. You know that some would see this as self-serving, while Lidole’s reputation would suffer greatly as a result, but Marlo is your eldest son, and if all goes well, he will rule your house. The bards would love a great song of redemption about Marlo triumphing in disguise. Not to mention, you were in negotiations to wed Marlo to Lord Alaric’s eldest daughter, Ira. Alaric resents that House Hightower had to give up their crown to the Gardeners, and he would love to see the Gardeners knocked down a peg or two.

However, earlier in the day, Lidole confided in you that Prince Lanval approached him last night and says that regardless of whether Lanval or Lidole emerges triumphant against the other, he will nominate Lidole to join the Order of the Green Hand. This is a high honour which has never before been awarded to a member of your family. Lidole bowing out of the tourney to give his brother the chance to regain glory through trickery will surely destroy that chance for a nomination.

Meanwhile, your beloved daughter, Pamela, is a noted beauty even amongst the daughters of other great lords. She is being courted by several available bachelors. Ser Robert Ball has publicly vowed to crown her queen of love and beauty if he wins the tourney. However, this hasn’t stopped Ser Isek Fossoway, Robert’s bitter rival, to directly ask you for your daughter’s hand in marriage. Isek's courtesy and good manners can't hide the fact that he is not favoured to win this tourney, though you certainly find him a more likeable man than the highly favoured Ser Robert Ball. Even as these high-ranking knights talk of Pamela’s beauty and her grace, you see that Pamela herself has eyes only for one man: Ser Oscar Inchfield. Ser Oscar is the lowest-ranking knight still in the tourney, and his remarkable talent as a jouster is angering the great lords even further. His reputation as an honest and true knight cannot be denied, and he seems determined to redeem his family name and divorce it from the means by which they first gained their status as a knightly house. Based on how she talks of him and their interactions, you know Pamela’s heart has already been won (the fact that he defeated Marlo, whom she has never gotten along with, seems just the cherry on top). As good of a man as he is, you also know that choosing Oscar will offend House Ball and House Fossoway.

Meanwhile, as you and a couple of your bodyguard walk back to your castle, you suddenly overhear a woman sobbing. Behind one of the tents, Prince Ferric Gardener is in the process of assaulting Becca, the youngest daughter of your brewer. She is a sweet child of fourteen whom you’ve known since she was born. Pamela helped her take her first steps. But any action taken against a prince of Hightower will be taking a grave risk to yourself and your family, even if it is justified. There is a chance that Ferric’s brothers may condemn Ferric’s actions, or there is a chance that they will take his side out of loyalty and defend him. This could also affect your children’s futures.

What do you do, and 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.

Marlo got knocked out of the tourney once, so I'm not going to let him ride again and ruin his brother's chance at glory. Instead, I give him tasks to do around the tourney itself, so he can at least be seen to claim some credit for helping run a successful tourney, which is not a terriblle thing to be known as. There will be other tourneys where Marlo can win.

Lidole has earned his shot at glory, so I let him have his chance. Hopefully he wins, if not he still makes it into the Order of the Green Hand, and it will improve his standing, as well as that of the house.

Pamela's betrothal I will let rest on the tourney outcome. Her infatuation with Oscar may only be that - an infatuation. Drag out the marriage negotiations with everybody, see what she will be amendable to in a year's time.

My bodyguards grab Ferric and hustle him off to a tower cell for the night. Persuade Becca not to talk in the meantime. In the morning, I offer Ferric a choice - he can go on trial for the assult, or he can give the girl a weregild as a apology. This would be a decent dowry for the girl, and I can escape a blight on my successful tourney. I dislike covering up a rape, but its probably the best outcome I'm going to get.