|
|
Post by The Black Dread on Jun 22, 2014 19:11:41 GMT -5
Currently camped two days' march north of Skyreach, the Dornish Army numbers just over three thousand and has made its camp in a cunningly concealed valley that runs parallel to the main Pass not far from Skyreach. It is narrow, with sheer cliffs on either side, which make it difficult to see, even from the air. Eleven hundred men are camped beneath the blue-and-white banners of House Fowler, three hundred of them knights, each of whom has at least two horses, as squire or two, and small entourage of grooms, farriers, and other men associated with the costs of maintaining a knighthood. Lord Quentyn Fowler himself was present, in overall command of the army, and so his banner flew the highest above the camp, and beneath it a banner bearing a black hawk in flight on a blue field, the personal arms of son and heir, Ser Qarl Fowler. Lord Quentyn was known as 'the Stone Hawk' and was recognized on both sides of the Marches as the greatest General in Westeros south of the Blackwater Rush. Qarl was sometimes called 'the Blackhawk', for his coat of arms, which he adopted while squiring at Blackmont for one of his uncles.
From Blackmont there were Thirteen hundred men, three hundred of them mounted knights, led by Lord Blackmont's father, Ser Godry Yronwood, the rightful Lord of Yronwood who had been at his wife's seat of Blackmont in 86 AL, at the time Yronwood was sacked and his father and brothers slaughtered. He was now the eldest surviving Yronwood, and was the fiercest advocate of war with the Stormlands, to recover his lost inheritance. Of his sons by Lady Blackmont, the eldest (Lord Oberyn the Red of Blackmont) had remained at his citadel, but the young, Ser Daeron Yronwood, had accompanied the army. Additionally, one hundred knights and four hundred conscripts camped under the banner of House Dayne of Starfall, led by Ser Beric Dayne, who bore the great Starmetal sword known as Dawn, and along with it the title 'the Sword of the Morning'.
Commander: Lord Quentyn Fowler
2,200 conscripts
700 knights
|
|
|
|
Post by Lord Elyas Dryland on Jun 24, 2014 14:46:30 GMT -5
Lord Elyas Dryland was also present, having been one of the first of the dragonriders to reach his old home of Skyreach having stopped only briefly in Vaith. He had reexplored the familiar hallways of Skyreach while he waited for the arrival of Prince Trystane. Once the Prince had arrived he had accompanied him as ordered with Lady Visenya and her kin north to the gathered army.
|
|
|
|
Post by Morys Martell on Jun 25, 2014 1:59:46 GMT -5
Morys Martell had arrived some time after elyas had, dressed in his black iron plate armor and red silk and leather robes. The young lord of whitesand had waited for the prince to arrive, and had joined him in his march to meet with the north gathered army at the prince's pass.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Black Dread on Jun 25, 2014 7:00:04 GMT -5
Valaena arrived suddenly on the fifth day, circling the castle of Skyreach twice before descending to the army camp several miles north aback Nymeraxes. Prince Trystane had already detailed a squadron of men to serve in her entourage as guardians and household knights, and when she arrived at the camp they escorted her to the pavilion that had been erected near the field where the dragons were to be tethered. She slung the chains over Nymeraxes' wings as was customary, and settled into her pavilion to wait for Prince Trystane's arrival.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lady Visenya Targaryen on Jun 25, 2014 10:27:39 GMT -5
Visenya of course was not far behind her daughter. She let Valaena lead, flying Silverwing just far enough to the rear to let Valaena feel more trusted. The sick feeling in the pit of Visenya's stomach had not abated, but she wished to let her children have the feeling of independence (though as far as she was concerned, they would never have actual independence).
She set her dragon down and oversaw the chains going over poor Silverwing's bulk, sparing a moment to pet and murmur to the creature in a kindly way before heading into the camp to change clothes and freshen up.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Black Dread on Jun 25, 2014 12:57:27 GMT -5
Prince Trystane arrived the day after Visenya, with two hundred knights from Sunspear at his back. He had accepted Lord Fowler's hospitality in Skyreach for one night before continuing northward to the army camp, and when he arrived each of the commanders present was summoned to his command tent; Ser Godry Yronwood and his son, Ser Daeron, as well as Lord Fowler and his heir, and the Sword of the Morning.
After meeting privately for about an hour, the Prince sent pages to summon Visenya and Valaena, as well as the Lords of Vaith and Whitesand.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lord Elyas Dryland on Jun 25, 2014 13:36:01 GMT -5
Lord Elyas was the first to arrive. He bowed to the Prince and gave Lord Quentyn a respectful nod, having been acquainted with the man in his youth. He then stepped to the side of the tent out of the way of the commanders, awaiting the arrival of his fellow dragonriders so that they might receive their orders.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Black Dread on Jun 25, 2014 13:40:02 GMT -5
Valaena arrived a step behind him, dressed finely in silk and linen and, while beautiful, her clothes had been designed with functionality in mind rather than appearance. Her skirts were divided for riding, and there was a knife at her hip far larger than the eating knife she customarily carried.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lord Elyas Dryland on Jun 25, 2014 13:48:11 GMT -5
Elyas eyed her as she entered, but said nothing, assuming she would first want to speak to her second step-father, Prince Trystane. His eyes left Valaena and moved about the tent disinterestedly.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lady Visenya Targaryen on Jun 25, 2014 13:56:54 GMT -5
Visenya was clothed for battle, all in white drapery layered over with dyed leather armor that fit closely to the curves of her torso. She trailed a long diaphanous bit of silk over her shoulder that she would wind about her head when she flew to protect her face and hair. Here and there she glinted gold. She scanned the room, nodding to each man, even Lord Dryland. She found herself focusing on the Sword of the Morning and regretting the advice she had given Valaena concerning him.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lord Elyas Dryland on Jun 25, 2014 13:59:49 GMT -5
Elyas, clad in a light chain mail that covered his torso and thickened riding leathers on his legs returned her nod curtly.
|
|
|
|
Post by Morys Martell on Jun 25, 2014 14:39:49 GMT -5
Morys arrived shortly after, having taken a bit longer in actually chaining his dragon then would have been needed. He was dressed in red silk robes and leather, with black plate and chainmail over them. He bowed to the prince, as well as to the other commanders, stepping to the side as he looked about about room. His eyes periodically went to both his mother and sister, as he stood near elyas, giving the man a courteous nod.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lord Elyas Dryland on Jun 25, 2014 14:45:51 GMT -5
Elyas nodded back to him, slightly less curtly than he had to Visenya, before turning his attention to Prince Trystane.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Black Dread on Jun 25, 2014 18:34:32 GMT -5
Lord Fowler returned Lord Dryland's nod; he had squired Elyas' father, the previous Lord of Skyreach who was Lord Quentyn's cousin, more than thirty years ago, and while he remembered Lord Anders' baseborn son, there was little familial connection. Lord Quentyn had ascended to the Lordship of Skyreach fourteen years ago, after his cousin's death from the bloody flux, Lord Anders having outlived all of his own legitimate children.
Valaena, on the other hand, crossed the pavilion immediately and started speaking to the Sword of the Morning, laughing occasionally as they spoke in low tones, like old friends meeting after a long time being apart.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lady Visenya Targaryen on Jun 25, 2014 23:48:42 GMT -5
Visenya tried her best to keep her look of dismay from her face. Her oldest child was a woman grown, older by a year and more than Visenya herself had been when she had arrived in Dorne. Even so, it was difficult to watch her daughter flirt so with a man not only ten years her elder but married. She, too, moved through the crowd of men, but headed toward the Prince. "Valaena and that Dayne fellow seem to have taken a liking to eachother," she murmured to him quietly. "Should I worry about her?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Morys Martell on Jun 26, 2014 0:23:36 GMT -5
Morys kept to the side of the crowd, prefering to keep out of the way rather then inject himself into a situation. More to the point however, he was busy watching his sister as she went towards one of the gathered men.
"Lewyn Dayne..." Morys muttered softly, so that no one might over hear him, recognizing the famous sword of the morning of starfell, as his sister began to chat with him casually. Were the two familiar with one another that much?
Morys looked away, towards the entrance of the tent instead, as he kept his arms folded behind his back as he usually did, though his hands tightened around one another like vices, as a serious look of contemplation crossed his face.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lord Elyas Dryland on Jun 26, 2014 0:43:35 GMT -5
"What was that, Lord Morys?" Elyas turned to look at the young lord with the look of a man who hadn't been paying attention. He had heard Morys speak, but had not heard any words. As the lordling was standing at his side he could only assume he had been the desired recipient of Morys' comment.
|
|
|
|
Post by Morys Martell on Jun 26, 2014 1:16:43 GMT -5
"What?" Morys said as he blinked, looking to elyas with a bit of embarrassment, "Oh, my apologies lord elyas...I'm just nervous about this coming battle...and some other things." He said, trailing off a bit as he unknowingly took a glance towards his sister again, before looking away. "I've...never dealt with something like this before. It has me a bit...on edge, I guess one could say."
|
|
|
|
Post by The Black Dread on Jun 26, 2014 5:52:12 GMT -5
Lord Fowler was also watching Valaena and Ser Beric Dayne, though his face was expressionless. Visenya recalled that the Sword of the Morning's wife was a Fowler, though she had no idea what the girl's relation was to Lord Quentyn; perhaps a cousin, or niece, she thought.
Trystane smiled a little as he looked up at Valaena. "A little harmless flirtation, love, think nothing of it. In truth, Ser Beric is so handsome that I am surprised not to find you competing with Val for his attention," he added with a wink and an indulgent smile. A shadow loomed up behind Visenya when the Prince spoke, and she turned to see her uncle, Ser Godry Yronwood approaching. The youngest of her mother's brothers, Ser Godry was the eldest surviving son of Lord Jonos Yronwood and thus the rightful heir to Yrowood; he had only survived the sack by having been at his wife's seat of Blackmont when Yronwood was taken, but it was said that had he had sworn a blood-oath bound by sorcery, not to rest until the Stormlanders were driven from his home.
Visenya had quite liked Ser Godry as a girl, him having possessed a jovial nature and having been far more indulgent of her than her other uncle, Lord Anguy. Since the Fall of Yronwood, however, he had turned morose and surly, and Visenya rarely saw the man who had once been so filled with laughter. He'd taken the rape and murder of his sister Jeyne at the hands of Lord Baratheon particularly badly, and Visenya had actually been frightened of the glee she'd seen in his eyes, the day she told him Lord Baratheon was dead.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lady Visenya Targaryen on Jun 26, 2014 9:19:37 GMT -5
Visenya could hardly do other than roll her eyes at him, but he was right. She and her daughter were not so different, after all. She tried to put it out of her mind, but resolved to brew moon tea and keep it at the ready just in case.
She smiled to see her uncle, dark and terrible though he appeared this afternoon. "Dear uncle Godry, it's a pleasure to see you again." She faltered there, and Visenya was hardly one to ever be at a loss for words. He had a deeper thirst for revenge than even Visenya or her daughter, Visenya's having largely been sated after she killed Baratheon and put to the side in favor of managing her children's lives. The bloodlust had never left Godry, though, only brewed and boiled harder and stronger. He was a tough man, to be sure, and reliable. "It cannot be too long now before we begin to march properly."
|
|
|
|
Post by Lord Elyas Dryland on Jun 26, 2014 11:33:15 GMT -5
"What?" Morys said as he blinked, looking to elyas with a bit of embarrassment, "Oh, my apologies lord elyas...I'm just nervous about this coming battle...and some other things." He said, trailing off a bit as he unknowingly took a glance towards his sister again, before looking away. "I've...never dealt with something like this before. It has me a bit...on edge, I guess one could say." Elyas looked at the boy and spoke calmly. "That is natural enough, but there is no real cause for fear. You have the advantage of going into your first battle on a dragon. Most go into it alone with nought but a shield and a blade." |
|
|
|
Post by The Black Dread on Jun 26, 2014 11:37:51 GMT -5
Visenya could hardly do other than roll her eyes at him, but he was right. She and her daughter were not so different, after all. She tried to put it out of her mind, but resolved to brew moon tea and keep it at the ready just in case. She smiled to see her uncle, dark and terrible though he appeared this afternoon. "Dear uncle Godry, it's a pleasure to see you again." She faltered there, and Visenya was hardly one to ever be at a loss for words. He had a deeper thirst for revenge than even Visenya or her daughter, Visenya's having largely been sated after she killed Baratheon and put to the side in favor of managing her children's lives. The bloodlust had never left Godry, though, only brewed and boiled harder and stronger. He was a tough man, to be sure, and reliable. "It cannot be too long now before we begin to march properly." "Not long now, Lady Visenya," Ser Godry replied. Despite being the most enraged man she had ever met, he never forgot his courtesies. "Now that the Prince has arrived, we will likely march north on the morrow, when the Whore Queen's festival is set to begin." |
|
|
|
Post by Lady Visenya Targaryen on Jun 26, 2014 11:41:57 GMT -5
She nodded. "It is remarkably convenient that so many things conspire to take their attentions away from the border. I can only hope that the castles will fall quickly and easily, and be securely held before their men can turn back.. Perhaps Dorne will have her own celebrations soon enough." She smiled charmingly at her uncle.
|
|
|
|
Post by The Black Dread on Jun 26, 2014 11:55:10 GMT -5
Godry merely nodded. It was no coincidence; this campaign had been carefully planned to coincide when a time when many of Westeros' lords would be away from their castles at the capital. The older knight opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced by Prince Trystane calling for everyone's attention.
"My lords, my ladies," he said, with a respectful nod to Visenya and her daughter. We march for Nightsong tomorrow, and I mean to set a pace that will have us there by dawn of the following day. We can steal a night march on them and be at the castle walls nearly before the alarm is raised; between such a surprise and four dragons in the sky I cannot imagine them offering more than a token resistance. Lady Caron and her son are not to be harmed; they will make for valuable hostages to be ransomed. Depending on circumstance we will either leave a small force to occupy Nightstong, or raze it to the ground.
"Either way, the main body of our host will swing east and loop south of Blackhaven. My spies have informed me that Lord Dondarrion has elected to shun the Queen's festival, and will be present at Blackhaven, however he is unlikely to do anything without instructions from his liegelord," the Prince continued. "I expect Wyl to fall quickly, for they'll not be expecting an attack from the north; from there I will write to Lords Manwoody and Hellholt, who will begin raising men as soon as Nightsong is ours. They will move against Yronwood from the south, while we strike from the north. With dragons on our side, victory will be all but assured and the Queen will have to ask for terms."
|
|
|
|
Post by Lord Elyas Dryland on Jun 26, 2014 11:59:52 GMT -5
Elyas remained where he stood, and listened attentively to the Prince's plan. He nodded in approval upon hearing the plan to extend the campaign toward the more traditional areas of Dorne's patrimony.
|
|
all alone and also really bored 
Hopefully going to kickstart the festival too