You're the head of a Noble House: Stormlands II

[Pod The Impaler]

This is the second Stormlands scenario - the first one was part of the original series, but James Steller:

http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/123069-youre-the-head-of-a-noble-house-stormlands-edition/

You are the head of a noble house from the Dornish Marches in the Stormlands. As a Marcher lord, your house has a long history of fighting in wars against Dorne and the Reach. You and your spouse have 5 children.

Your eldest child, a son, is now 21 years old. He was knighted at 18 years of age, and though skilled as a warrior and possessed of cunning, he has shown a lot of ambition and little wisdom. He was once betrothed to marry a daughter of House Caswell, but he thought her dull, and his reluctance to go through with it led to their breaking the betrothal, calling him a man more suited to be a sellsword than a knight. Your son did not care, as he has not been home in years. He is enamoured of life in King's Landing and wants to spend his life at court, sowing his wild oats and playing the game of thrones. He has quickly made friends there, and enemies as well. He promises he will win a better wife by his own hand, yet you hear rumours that he is carrying on an affair with some lord's wife. Yet despite neglecting your house and its lands, ignoring your disapproval, and courting scandal or worse, he still styles himself as your heir, with no doubt that he is the future lord of your house.

Your eldest daughter was the hope of your house once. She was always bright, beautiful, and ladylike (and headstrong). Many a fine offer for her hand came in, and your house hosted many prestigious young knights and squires "just passing by" with their fathers. House Tarth and House Selmy were hinting at marriage to first sons, while house Tully and Redwyne were considering matching her to their second sons. She was not betrothed yet to any of them. However, at 14, your daughter was kidnapped by one or more Dornishmen, just after her first flowering. At the time she went missing, you rode with a force of armed men to try and rescue her. However, you were unable to track her down, and had to turn back. On the way home, whatever few Dornish warriors and smallfolk you encountered paid a bloody price as you unleashed your vengeance upon them. For years after, she was missing, and you despaired at the thought of what happened to her.

While you were away in King's Landing for several months, your daughter returned home from Dorne unexpectedly, and she had a son, 2 years old. You were not told of her return at first (at her request), and a few months passed before you found out and went home. You discovered that it seems she was not abducted and raped by the Dornishman, but was seduced and impetuously ran off with him. She refuses to name the father of the child, but you can tell it was a Dornish nobleman, because she is insists the child is named "Sand". The whole thing infuriates you, and you often argue with her, but privately you know she is not wrong that you will seek to avenge your house's honour upon the baby's father. She is still loyal to the father of her child, whomever that is.

She is currently 18 years old and has been home a year - your spouse and most of your household are just glad to have her back, and they have warmed to her little boy despite his being a bastard. The circumstances of her return have become the subject of gossip, and though you still want her to marry well, the offers are few for a girl in her circumstances. There is an offer from a friend of your eldest son, but he is a landless knight and former sellsword, and he has never even met her. There is another offer from House Selmy, but this time for a younger son, and your daughter finds him plain looking. In both cases, the deal depends on her bastard not being raised in her new household, and she would certainly object to that.

Very recently, you received a communication from the Master of Whispers, who indicates that he knows the identity of the Dornish noble whose bastard your eldest daughter has borne. The Master of Whispers will identify that man to you, but there is a price: there is another noble in the Stormlands that you would have to kill. You do not know who that target is yet, but are assured the person is not kin to you, nor a friend, nor your liege lord. The killing must be done with total discretion, so "the crown" can have clean hands. The Master of Whispers is awaiting your answer.

Your second son is 16 years old. He was fostered by Lord Caron and later served as a squire to his son. Knighthood is expected to take place within a year or two, but this son of yours shows just as much promise as a warrior as his elder brother. He has seen a few battles as a squire, and showed himself to be brave and disciplined. He is thoughtful, dutiful, hardworking, and attentive to your house's fortunes. On the other hand, he does not care much for courtly intrigues ("mind games", he calls them) and he is prickly when it comes to defending the family's honour - especially as it concerns his elder sister. He is also resentful of his hot-shot elder brother's behavior, though he has never suggested usurping him as your heir. He does not cultivate friends at court, though he is considered a trustworthy and promising sword by people who matter at Storm's End. At a recent visit to Storm's end, it was noticed that the 12 year old daughter of Lord Baratheon seems to have a crush on him. The Baratheon girl is not yet betrothed to anyone, but for you to ask Lord of Storm's End would be reaching very high, and you sense they might agree if he were the future lord of your house.

Your younger daughter is 14 years old, and recently flowered. Though she is a typical young girl in terms of her interests and concerns, and also quite shrewd, she is also increasingly critical. She once was very close to her elder sister and missed her the most of all your children, but around the time her elder sister came back, she was made a lady in waiting at Storm's End. Now she talks out loud that the "lies" and "promiscuity" of her elder sister might have harmed her own chances of landing a worthy husband. She seems cold to your sister's bastard as well, saying cruel things like "he's no kin of mine" and "still too young for the Night's Watch". She is not a shallow girl overall, but her ambition to marry upwards has recently become clearly stated (since she flowered). You are not sure if all of this is coming from her, or from the influence of her new peers at Storm's End. She is a friend of Lord Baratheon's daughter, and the possibility of matching your second son to the Baratheon girl was first proposed by her. You are not receiving a lot of offers for her, but House Rogers has been in negotiations with you for a couple of years. As well, she has expressed some interest in a squire who's a Fossoway of Cider Hall, and claims you should go with her to a tourney in the Reach where he will be competing. You are hoping this is just some phase where she is just acting out - much as you are angry with your eldest daughter's actions, you are dismayed by the way your younger girl bluntly hurts her older sister's feelings. Your eldest daughter pretends that its meaningless, but you're no fool and can see that it is a wound that cuts deep.

Your last child is a son, born rather unexpectedly. The birth was very difficult, and for that reason it is the last. He is almost 4 years old, and is friends with your eldest daughter's son. They play together, learn together, sleep near to each other. Your little boy has just recently heard the word "bastard" though, and asked you what it means.

So, how would you deal with your house's situation?

[Lord Lannister]

I'll be continuing with my "what would someone similar to Tywin Lannister" do in my answers, so the lord in this scenario will be selfish and concerned with the family image, position and prestige over the actual family itself.

There's a very basic solution to the dilemmas with both my oldest son and daughter. I would accept the offer from the Master of Whispers on condition that in exchange the next opening in the Kingsguard go to my oldest son. He likes life in King's Landing, fine. It can accord the family some prestige and he stays in King's Landing as he wishes. Most importantly this frees up my second son as heir, to whom I can match him with the Baratheon daughter and it allows me to avenge the honor of the family as I will destroy the Dornishmen who defiled my daughter.

My oldest daughter needs to be married and married soon. Not only will a marriage put the Dornish disgrace behind her, but putting some distance between my two daughters will let the venom between them seep away. Her son is going to be called Storm, not Sand, and will be found a fostering. If one of the other storm lords won't take him in, one of my household knights or holdfast castellans will suffice. Regardless, separating the bastard and my youngest son as soon as possible is for the best in the long run. I might quietly arrange for him to be squired when older to keep his mother happy, but beyond that I'm not too concerned about him. If he makes a life for himself, great. If he becomes a problem, to the wall he goes.

My youngest daughter would seem to be after my own heart. I'd humor her by going to the tournament in the Reach as much for her as to size up her would be interest. If the young man is suitable and this match would make her heir to House Fossoway I might agree to it. Otherwise I'll let issue linger for a time as she's not eager to marry into House Rogers. Once my middle son is betrothed to the daughter of my liege lord, some of the stigma attached to my house may pass and better offers would be forthcoming. Especially if my new heir brings glory to himself during the revenge on the Dornish, along with a knighthood.

My youngest son will doubtless be heartbroken for a time with his half-brother gone, but it's well he learns how the world works. Beyond that I start searching for a suitable fostership for him, preferably with a powerful house, to take place in a couple of years. Perhaps also arrange a squiring to House Baratheon in the future since my heir married their daughter.

[Pod The Impaler]

I'll be continuing with my "what would someone similar to Tywin Lannister" do in my answers, so the lord in this scenario will be selfish and concerned with the family image, position and prestige over the actual family itself.

Can't be Tytos Lannister for once, hmm ? Funny how nobody wants to be him. :cool4:

[Lord Lannister]

Can't be Tytos Lannister for once, hmm ? Funny how nobody wants to be him. :cool4:

Hey, virtually all the answers in the last series were "nice guy" answers, so gotta spice it up some. :)

[King of Vaes Tolorro]

Seven Hells, this is a hard one. My children are going to be the end of me.( Keep em coming).

1. First Born Son: If he wants to be independent, and play the Game of Thrones with the rats , snakes, and spiders of Red Landing, let him play their games. We are the Arragils, the cranes of the Storm Lands, and we glean such vermin. I strip him of his title and bid him success in his games.

2. First Born Daughter: Marry her to the Selmy boy. If she had been dutiful, I would have permitted her to marry anyone of her suitors. But now she will marry who I say. If she had told me who the father of her child was, I would have let her take the bastard with her as the son of her maid. But now, she goes alone.
3: Second Son: A dutiful son who cares for his family and his land is a worthy future lord. Name him my heir and betroth him to Baratheon's daughter once he becomes a knight. Bring him home to learn how to rule, not play games, but rule the Stormlands.

4. Second daughter: Words are Wind, Action is Might. In return for her helping her brother, I will go with her to see the Fossoway boy. She will marry him. She will be my favorite daughter.

5. Third Son: I will explain what a bastard is when I explain how children are born. Go sailing with him. Make him a squire. Be a father.

6. Grandson: The boy is not at fault for what is mother and father did. Nor does he deserve the Wall. He will be raised in my house, as my grandson, Arrec Storm. He will be raised a knight like his uncle, and one day, I will marry him to some other bastard in another house ad create a cadet branch with them.

7. Dornish worm: First I will personally ask the people who I attacked for their forgiveness, and give them gold as recompense. Then I will pretend to accept the Spider's offers. When the name is given to me, I will go the Lord and tell him that the Spider, and the Crown, ordered me to kill him. Then I will go with him to the King, tell him that my daughter has been despoiled by a treacherous dog, tell him that his spider knows who this is, and tell him that the spider told me to kill someone to for the information. I will say this before the court for all to hear. I am not a man for the Games. I am a lord. If the king will give me justice, then all will know him to be a worthy ruler. I will put the matter in the King's hands. If he fumbles, then I will shore up my alliances in the Storm Lands and declare that unless the crown metes out justice, we will not pay our taxes.

As it is said under the silver crane upon of House Arragil, We Stand Above the Filth

[Aemond's Eye]

Wow. This is an excellent scenario. I'll need to give this some thought.

[Til]

First and foremost, I disinherit my eldest son. If he cares so little about our House, then he shouldn't mind no longer being in line to lead it.

I name my second son as heir in his stead. I explain to him the burden of leadership and why his elder brother proved unworthy. With him now my heir, it becomes more likely that the Baratheons will consent to betrothing their daughter to him.

My elder daughter is married off to the highest House that will take her. In this case, the younger son of House Selmy. Her bastard is given to the Citadel. In time, if he proves capable enough, he'll serve the realm as a maester. At least that way some good will have come out of my daughter's embarrassing lapse in judgement.

I attend the tourney with my younger daughter. The Fossoways are a strong House, so this is a match I am very much interested in.

As for my youngest son, I tell him what a bastard is, and how society views them. I explain that although it is painful being separated from his friend, that is is the best course for both of them. Eventually, I'll send him to squire for the Baratheons, to further increase our ties.

As for the Master of Whisperers' proposal, I pass. While I'd love to strangle the Dornish pig that defiled my daughter, it's not worth it to potentially ignite a blood feud with another Stormlands noble house.

[James Steller]

First of all, I try my best to marry my youngest daughter to the Fossoways. Her poisonous attitude is going too far.

I gently tell my youngest son what the term bastard means while also emphasizing that it is a word he shouldn't use. Might as well teach him that lesson now before someone else teaches him for me.

My eldest daughter, well, I suppose I could bite the bullet and offer her to a Dornish house which doesn't care about her child. If she wishes to return to Dorne that is. I won't bother to find out who the Dornishman is. Vengeance will give me little satisfaction.

My eldest son is clearly incompetent and entitled as all hell. So what I do is I make a new deal with the master of whispers. I kill the troublesome noble, and in return my eldest is named to the Kingsguard. That keeps him in King's Landing and away from any actual responsibilities at home. If he refuses a royal command, he's sent to the Wall.

Finally, I appoint my second son as my heir. I proceed to teach him important lessons on how to be a proper lord while arranging for his marriage to the young Baratheon girl.

[TheKingoftheSevenKingdoms]

This is me being way hardcore.

I would command my eldest son to come on the pretense of threatening to revoke his status as heir and grant that honor to my youngest son. As much as he doesn't seem to care for the House, he seems selfish and ambitious enough that if I disinherit whilst he is at court he will cause a ruckus and will want the power my title would enable him. When he arrives at my gates, I will have my guardsmen arrest my eldest son with strict orders against killing him and have a hundred well-armed soldiers escort him and the rest of the criminals I have imprisoned to the Night's Watch. Since he has not entered my keep, has not eaten bread and salt and I have not killed him, I will not be labelled a Kinslayer. I will also command my men to cut out his tongue for good measure before taking him to my dungeons. I don't want my wife or other children learning of what I did, though I am sure one of the maids or one of the servants will speak. So the end result will be my tongueless eldest boy at the Wall where he can be of use instead of parading around King's Landing. Since he seems the capable warrior, I'm sure Lord Commander Mormont will make him a Ranger.

As harsh as I am, I has a soft spot for my daughters. I will have my bastard grandson take the name Storm and then send him off the Citadel ASAP. My daughter can marry the younger son of House Selmy - and if she has a problem with that, I will send her off to become a Septa or even more grim, a Silent Sister. I will fulfill the Master of Whisperers request and when I receive the name, I will go to King's Landing and demand that the King dispense justice in the form of monetary compensation or retraction of land from the Dornishman's house. If he is a good king, he will see how my house was wronged and agree to my request. If not, then I will challenge that Dornishman to a duel to the death. I will probably die, so that's why I will secure my family dynasty before sending out my challenge.

My second son and my pride and joy will become my heir, and I will immediately take him back after he receives knighthood raise him upon the importance of family and respect. I will betroth Lord Baratheon's daughter to him to remove some stigma from my family.

My youngest daughter, I will attend the Tourney with her and my youngest son to see if the boy is truly worth the marriage. If he is a main relative of House Fossoway, then I will negotiate a betrothal for that house is powerful. If he is a cousin, then it is House Rogers for my girl no matter what she wants.

My youngest son, I bluntly tell him what a bastard is and how society condemns their existence. I will raise him like my second son on the importance of wisdom, family and respect and have him sent to Storm's End as a fosterling, to get him away from the turmoil of our homelife. If I should die in this duel, I don't want him caught up in the immediate aftermath.

If the Dornishmen accepts the challenge, I will fight him. I will instruct my second son to not take vengeance against that House if I should die and to settle things amicably. If I win, then he is dead and some of my house's honor is restored. If the Dornishmen refuses, I will threaten to pillage every village, put to sword all his men and rape all the women in his domain. If he is angered by that and declares war, so be it. I will have some support from the Marcher Lords and the Storm lords, and maybe even the Crown if Robert is king.

[Poodle Pup From Astapor]

Good scenario.

1. The first son is 21 year old, and he was left alone with no proper occupation in a big city for many years. So of course he wants to sleep with hot women and hang out with famous people.

He's a good warrior, he has ambition, he's able to make friends at court and he's not weak willed. It's a promising combination.

The question is why did I leave him with no supervision for so long? I assume he's living off my money, so why do I keep sending him money? It looks like I've been a bad dad. I will tell him to come back and I'll develop him.

2. The Master of Whispers business smells funny. Does he seriously expect me to kill a Stormlands noble and then some dornish noble who didn't even rape my daughter? That's crazy.

It's weird that the Master of Whispers would make this suggestion, especially since I could just go to Baratheons and tell them everything.

I guess one possibility is that my reputation is terrible. I'm a total nut, half Gregor Clegane half Joffrey, so the Master of Whispers expects me to commit these crimes.

Another possiblity is that he or someone else is playing a game that I don't understand. Can I trust Master of Whispers? Do I even know that these communications are definitely coming from him? Maybe someone is trying to create a conflict between Baratheons and the royal court? Maybe someone does expect me to go to Baratheons and tell them that the crown is trying to kill a Stormlands noble?

I will capture the guy who's bringing me these messages and have my people torture him a little, see what's what. Then I will most likely talk to Baratheons.

3. My eldest daughter will probably get married eventually, but I won't rush. What's done is done. There's no point to marry her to some landless knight, it gives me nothing, it doesn't make my house stronger, and I would still have to pay dowry, so my house gets weaker if anything.

She may be disgraced, but she's still a lord's daughter, young, beautiful, proven to be fertile. Some older lord who's desperate to get some heirs might care about fertility much more than virginity. There's dowry too.

Maybe a few years down the road I will have better offers. If not an equal lord, then maybe some landed bannerman.

4. The bastard will be called Storm. Calling him Sand in the Stormlands is like asking for more attention to this situation, plus it's terrible for the kid too. Foreign bastard, that's the ultimate outcast. I will talk some sense into my daughter, she clearly loves her kid so she will stop the Sand nonsense.

My daughter can't take the bastard when she marries, but by that time I will probably have sent him to be a page / squire somewhere, so it won't be a problem.

5. The second son seems fine, but I won't consider making him my heir right now. For all I know, the first son will grow up and become a good lord. He seems to be more sociable and ambitious than the second son, which are good traits for a lord.

Either way, a lord's power to disinherit his first son is questionable. To be safe, I would have to send my first son to the Wall (he won't go) or kill him or make him a Kingsguard member (easier said than done). It's just way too soon for such measures.

6. As to the Baratheon girl, marriages at that level are highly political, plus she's only 12, so I doubt that Baratheons give two figs if she has a crush on some squire.

Still, if we are one of the main Marcher lords, I will try to ask for the girl for my first son. We aren't Carons or Selmies, but maybe we are Swanns or Dondarrions. Those would be reasonable suitors for a Baratheon girl.

I'll probably approach that question after I figure out what's going on with the Master of Whispers business. Maybe Baratheons will have a reason to be grateful.

7. My younger daughter. I will ask her to take it down a notch. I will talk to my older daughter and ask her to be patient, her sister is young and was hurt by her running away. It will get better.

I'm not sure what my second daughter expects to happen in the tourney, but it's a good idea to show up at such tourneys. I can meet a lot of nobles, build connections, maybe find some possible matches for all my children. And my first son should take part in it.

Anyway, I will decide on the best match for this daughter within a couple years.

8. I will tell my youngest son what's a bastard. It's a kid who has no dad. He's a 3 year old, no need to get complicated.