Diplomacraft: The North Sign-Ups

[Kingpoleon]

I would like first dibs on House Stark if we get enough players, but for now I think I’d like House Ryswell. I don’t see how not having Stark be a PC will avoid much conflict, to be honest.


(If Bacon wants Stark, once we have enough players, my real first choice is by far Manderly.)

[Kingpoleon]

House Manderly it is, then. I think the only worrying NPC now is House Dustin, which has a very large army - bigger than Bolton’s, at least.

That being said, I have a fun idea of my own, which should make this all the more interesting. I’ll post my court very soon.

[Kingpoleon]

Cyrus Manderly(Head, Age: 46]
Intrigue: 2
Statecraft: 5
Martial: 5

Helene Manderly(Wife, Age 39):
Intrigue: 5
Statecraft: 0
Martial: 1

Nikeos Manderly(Eldest Son, Age 19):
Intrigue: 0
Statecraft: 5
Martial: 5

Dyana Manderly(Eldest Daughter, Age 17):
Intrigue: 5
Statecraft: 3
Martial: 0

The Manderly Court:

Eleanoh Darkstone(No relation, Age 34)
Intrigue: 5
Statecraft: 1
Martial: 0

Alexios Gardener(Nephew, Age 22)
Intrigue: 2
Statecraft: 5
Martial: 2

Davios Seaworth(No relation, Age 31)
Intrigue: 0
Statecraft: 0
Martial: 5

Alexios claims descent from the ancient Gardener kings, being descended from a half-brother of King Perceon III - the only member of his family who refused to abandon their vassals for House Peake, this Lord Garth later swore fealty to House Manderly on the condition that he and his descendants be on the Court of House Manderly. Alexios’s father was Cyrus’s brother-in-law. Eleanoh Darkstone has been called “The Master of Shadows” - she reports only to Helene Manderly, and she is commonly considered to be one of the bridges of a small divide between the Northern people and the people from the Reach. Finally, Davios Seaworth, while a great general on land, comes from a seafaring family and has advocated building a large navy. Out of all of these, Alexios Gardener is considered “first among equals,” and he has commonly trained Nikeos in diplomacy, while Davios has taught the young man about military strategy and sword fighting.

[Kingpoleon]

Leonardothered, I kind of need a response to some of my PMs.

[Kingpoleon]

I do have a map, but I can tell you you border House Manderly, Stark, and probably Ryswell and Reed.

Westeros maps are always very confusing to me.

[Kingpoleon]

I must admit, I don’t know when I invited a diplomatic entourage to White Harbor.

[Kingpoleon]

Surely to expected to meet someone in person at some point to hash out details?

I mean, I guess I expected my envoy to return with a letter of response arranging such a meeting. You are doing a good job at creating drama this way, though, which is kind of the point of Westeros games.

[Kingpoleon]

The sisters, however, are currently in a state of rebellion against the Vale, as they do so often. If you could come to some accord with the Lord of the Vale, potentially by marrying into his family, accomplishing some task for him or offering him a truly extravagant gift, they may give you leave to take the Sisters or one of the isles for his seat. Such a seat would be truly worthy of his name, especially the seat of House Sunderland, a seat of kings: https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Sisterton

This would take a deal of preparation and would not be easy, and would certainly be much easier with allies. The sisters army could very well be almost as large as your own, and first you must treat with the Lord of the Vale, King Horton Arryn.

I think this PM you sent me was pretty fun and all, but I don’t really see how the way I responded is “acting in totally unexpected ways.”

[Kingpoleon]

question about this map: what's up with the yellow territory on the east coast? Shouldn't that (at least partially) be Manderly territory, since Widow's Watch is a Manderly vassal?

Yes, but canon also says I have a dozen petty lords and a hundred landed knights. Having House Flint among those would give me a bit too much power. Granted, the historical ties of House Manderly and House Flint are hardly of importance now...

[Kingpoleon]

Yay!  This trial should be fun

Indeed. If I could get a list of witnesses beforehand, I would appreciate it. Is the defense allowed to contact witnesses? Or will this be more of a neutral trial, in which the witnesses do not work with the prosecution or defense?

[Kingpoleon]

Considering the urgency and timing of the trial, I saw that as happening first as there were no explicit plans for timings of the weddings, and it requires all parties to be at the Dreadfort per the orders. That's a fair deal of running back and forth

I thought the Stark-Bolton wedding was happening in three weeks and then the Dustin-Bolton wedding a week after that.  Manderly can always await trial in a cell or be confined to comfortable chambers at Winterfell until the festivities are over if that is cool with BaconKing.  It'd certainly be my vote.

Holding a reigning lord in a cell would be a serious breach of protocol. He turned himself over voluntarily and, as a reigning lord, cannot legally be confined so long as he remains bound to trial by his honor.

[Kingpoleon]

Because someone who voluntarily turns himself over and is nobility doesn’t take a cell? Tyrion “committed the great crime of being a dwarf,” was not a reigning lord, and the circumstances of his imprisonment is rather different.

[Kingpoleon]

I thought I’d add a bit of description to the trial. If you guys don’t like it and want a strictly verbal trial, or perhaps think my description is too much purple prose, just say the word and I’ll take it down.

[Kingpoleon]

alright everyone! thank you for accommodating me with the delay court thread update incoming

I think I speak for all of us when I say that we understand if there are any more delays, and you can certainly post it here or PM me if you need to vent about anything else to let off steam.

Now, then: Let the games trial begin!

[Kingpoleon]

I asked permission for if my thing was okay. By the way, an honor guard by definition are sworn to turn on their liege in the case of him breaking his honor. That was kind out of turn by Baconomics - I suspect he missed my post about it here for obvious and understandable reasons. That being said, I think it would be fun for a defendant to be in charge of his guards unless he tries to escape or betray his oath. It’s basically a “you’re in charge but you can’t do anything” respect for a fellow lord. If you guys don’t like it, I’ll narrow it down to like six guards.

[Kingpoleon]

I asked permission for if my thing was okay. By the way, an honor guard by definition are sworn to turn on their liege in the case of him breaking his honor. That was kind out of turn by Baconomics - I suspect he missed my post about it here for obvious and understandable reasons. That being said, I think it would be fun for a defendant to be in charge of his guards unless he tries to escape or betray his oath. It’s basically a “you’re in charge but you can’t do anything” respect for a fellow lord. If you guys don’t like it, I’ll narrow it down to like six guards.

Could you reduce it to six as a compromise with the condition they won't actually be used?  I'm trying really hard to make sure this is a fair trial, so it's only reasonable that I try to compromise on stuff like this too in the interest of being accommodating to the accused

Thank you, I will. I will retcon it - assuming no one objects - and Baconomics can retcon his opening statement as well. I don’t intend to use them, but I figured that at least some of those that accompanied the Lord Manderly to the trial should enter. We’ll assume the rest are working with the city guards to keep anyone from inciting the crowds or ruling them up.

[Kingpoleon]

There we go. I think you’ll find my questions most beneficial to the course of the trial.

[Kingpoleon]

That’s fine. I don’t intend to object to anything that isn’t going to really effect the trials. I just brought the honor guard because it would have been very... sad for someone to use intrigue against me in the trial.

[Kingpoleon]

@ Kingpoleon: Do you want to do your testimony while we wait for Dereich's internet problems to sort themselves out in the interest of keeping things moving at a reasonable pace?

If I could give testimony as well as a final statement, that would be fine, but I’ve written my testimony as a final statement, in part based upon what Dereich intends to say.

[Kingpoleon]

@ Kingpoleon: Do you want to do your testimony while we wait for Dereich's internet problems to sort themselves out in the interest of keeping things moving at a reasonable pace?

If I could give testimony as well as a final statement, that would be fine, but I’ve written my testimony as a final statement, in part based upon what Dereich intends to say.

I see no reason why not, although before you give your final statement, I may ask to call you back up for questioning once all the evidence is in, so I’d ask that the court be given a chance to do so before you give your final statement.  Maybe give the testimony now and I can call you back up to make a final statement later?  Would that work?

It would, but I don’t see how it would save any time. I’d really prefer to combine my testimony and my final statement, if that won’t bring everything to a grinding halt. If you want to bring me up for questioning before I give my testimony, that might work. I don’t think my testimony would add any additional questions.

[Kingpoleon]

Have we figured out the next step in the trial? Id like to have that in the half turn update....

We’re waiting on Dereich.

[Kingpoleon]

I've just come off a busy week(practice all week in top of work and a wedding), so please excuse me.

I am giving 3 days(Friday night) for closing arguments from both sides. If the witnesses aren't available to give testimony, then they aren't going to be able to give it. At the close of the trial I'll give closing comments from attending npc high lords and Lord Stark can make his final decision.

I have written testimony I sent for approval to you and the chief judge and have not had a response yet from either.

[Kingpoleon]

You have my approval, certainly. Ill message the player as a last warning and then youre free to go

Cleared?