The year is 286 AC. King Jaehaerys II has just passed, leaving the throne without a rightful ruler. While his three children fight for the crown, Winter creeps closer, and unimaginable darkness looms.
Not all alliances will be so typical this time. In fact, many people have a crucial effect on the way this story is told. As for the ending, we only hope there are enough people left alive to tell it after its passed.
Events
Join us for our first event, the wake of recently deceased King Jaehaerys II.
Updates
AUG. 19: So we are now officially open to the public. We have a mini-event flashback thread going on, and our main event just began. Feel free to make a second canon if you can keep both of them active enough.
Don't hesitate in pestering staff with questions; it's what we're here for! Let's raise a glass and make a cheer toward a successful launch of Winds of Winter.
Post by YULIYA LANNISTER on Aug 20, 2017 3:44:05 GMT
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King's Landing was stifled by the overwhelming amount of sorrow the existed within the city. The Red Keep seemed to be fully suffocated by the mourning, given that all of those within the caste walls closely served the late king. His reputation boasted of justness and adoration, nothing from his reign able to tarnish the name of Jaehaerys II. Except for his inability to name an heir to the throne when the time for his dragonfire to extinguish arrived. Three Targaryen children succeeded him yet not a single one had a true claim to the legacy their father left in his wake.
Yuliya couldn't help but bitterly smile when the empty Iron Throne entered her thoughts. It would be trying time but the Lannister women fervently believed her house would be able locate the silver lining during the time of tragedy. Her Lannister heritage was not the main concern at the given moment; her efforts were being fully devoted to her position as Master of Coin. Her loyalty to the realm trumped every desire or motive that existed within her, even if the little lion was incapable of wholly smothering these desires. While a raven had been sent to her mother to discuss the fallout of the king's death, her attention had rarely left the ledger that sat on her desk. The death of the king was a noble event, meaning that the celebration of his life would ultimately end up costing the realm and its shallow pockets.
The newly appointed Hand had summoned the Lannister woman to his office, but the nature of the meeting had not been provided. Yuliya was able to assume the reason behind the request as she made her way through the castle halls to the familiar location of the Hand's office. Being summoned unexpectedly, the petite woman's hair framed her face freely and she had debated against changing out of the plain blue dress hugging her frame. If crucial matters were on the brink of being discussed, her appearance was the very least of her concerns. Ushered into the room by a servant upon her arrival, the Master of Coin was told that the Hand would be arriving shortly. Her cerulean stare idly traveled across the room, taking in the decor while she waited for the appearance of Arkas Baratheon.
Post by ARKAS BARATHEON on Aug 21, 2017 1:21:11 GMT
The city of King's Landing.
Red Keep.
Tower of the Hand.
The King, always having been frail, had come down with sickness, the kind of sickness that ends a life. The Maesters couldn't tell how long the sickly ruler would cling to this world. But the Stranger was close.
One month from the funeral ceremony.
The tower's small hall was a long room with a high-vaulted ceiling and bench space for two hundred. But the hallw as empty.
The private audience chamber was not as large as the King's, but the walls were littered with Myrish rugs, hangings, and a golden-tinted round window that gave a sense of intimacy. The King's private rooms were intimidating. The chambers of the Hand were a place of work.
While he had arrived in the city a couple of days ago, he had yet to change the office of the aging Lord Rykker. Lord Rykker had been connected to the King for all his life by the means of a friendship, honest and true, but as the King had begun to weaken, the Hand had begun to age. And while times of peace had allowed the pair to coexist, the King's final call for man that would see to his last will coming true had brought the Baratheon to the capital.
Arkas was going to be a different Hand, by appearance alone. The Lord of Storm's End was tall, sharp features gave his face a semblance of a wind-.cut cliff, the sea ever throwing itself against his base. And so would the enemies of the realm. He was clad in black leather, the pin with the hand on his lapel.
It were times of peace, but on his side was a sword.
Not sitting down, he entered the office and walked all the way to the window, looking upon the city of King's Landing below the Red Keep.
Hadn't he summoned her for a talk?
But so far, he kept on standing tall.
And silent.
It took a good deal of time until he turned around. Was this truly the son of the legendary Laughing Storm?
"As you know, His Grace appointed me his Hand. Lord Rykker has withdrawn to Duskendale in order to spend some time with his grand-children. That is a sensible choice, don't you think? We only got one family."
And the realm had many.
All of them wanted only to serve themselves. Only few souls were capable of leaving their emotions behind, serving the greater picture - the interests of the realm at large.
In order to find out the true loyalties of the small council - which had been in essence the small council of Lord Rykker - Arkas had pitted them to one-on-one sessions before gathering them in the tower's hall.
Moving on, he did not ask another rhetorical question. Instead, he led with a statement. "People always talk about the cost of war. But people never tell you how expensive peace truly is."
Post by YULIYA LANNISTER on Aug 22, 2017 3:29:01 GMT
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This was Arkas Baratheon, a nobleman who Yuliya was familiar with but never interacted with on a personal level. Being a lady of House Lannister, it was expected that a general knowledge of all notable individuals resided within her repertoire. Even more than that, she was a woman who preferred to obtain as much as information as she could withstand. A blade could cut down an enemy but there occasions when knowledge possessed an even sharper edge. His towering figure captured the intrigue of her oceanic stare, her attention fixating upon him while he strode across the office.
He loomed by the window, peering down upon the happenings of the expanse of King’s Landing that sprawled out below the Red Keep. The citizen’s concerns pertained to their survival, not funeral preparations or the turning over of the position of Hand of the King. Yuliya’s part in all of this? Master of Coin was an obvious one, but the motives of this meeting continued to remain shrouded with silence stretching out between the two. Even after Arkas turned to face her, stare of sapphire meeting his own evenly, he only presented her with a rhetorical question. Comprehending that a reply was unneeded, the little lion merely responded with an understanding nod of her head.
The Lord Hand did not bother with frivolousness and she found herself greatly appreciating the conciseness. Idle chatter would never arise as a priority for the small council, especially given the arrangements being made as they anticipated the passing of the king. “No one needed to tell me, Lord Hand. I’ve been reminded of such knowledge each day I have served as Master of Coin, five years and counting,” Yuliya offered as an shrewd response, continuing to observe Arkas all the while.
Post by ARKAS BARATHEON on Aug 23, 2017 4:40:43 GMT
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[attr="class","likedoinfo"]He sat down.
Arkas knew her name and her record of the last five years. He wasn't familiar with the intricacies of her number-keeping. In a way, it wasn't even her responsibility. But the King had been spending, and she had been making money appear. Her father, Lord Lannister, might have played a part in that. Where was the royal control over that process? It created a liability.
"The King is dying, as it was. The Maesters would like to make us believe otherwise, but they do not produce wonders. Dragons are wonders. But this dragon, His Grace, is fading. As heartless as it might seem, the Kingdoms need to be run."
But the King would not recover. It would take a wonder. And Jaehaerys had consumed his wonders by lasting this long with such a frail body and complexity to begin with. It was only a question of time. As sick as he was, the next fever - or be it a cough - would kill him.
"Let's keep our eyes on the obvious, then. I'm not here to question the expenses of Lord Rykker. I'm here to make up my mind about the continuation..."
He met her gaze, continiously. Probing.
"You've been on the small council for a while, Lady Yuliya. Your family's expertise with money is sometimes mentioned, but more often is their criminal wealth, is it not? Born on a mountain of gold, you have no doubt have had a time of spending it. But can a rich man's daughter truly be gifted at knowing the reality of money?"
Had she ever learned that in some places of the world, money was tied to consequences?
"But you're not the only house with an ill-reputation," Arkas scowled. Clearly he wasn't one prone to being in a good mood. While he didn't seem to be in a bad mood either, he was hardly cheerful. Perhaps that is his natural disposition.
"The Dragons have been breeding, haven't they? Correct me if I'm wrong. Princess Alysanne and all her children live in King's Landing. They are all given a monthly allowance to properly reflect their status of being members of the royal family. They don't have any incomes and lands, titles and the likes, but they're properly supported by the Red Keep."
A Princess, a husband. Three children. Surely that couldn't bankrupt the crown. But there was more.
"King Jaehaerys insisted that the family line of Prince Duncan retain their monthly income as well. So does the line of Prince Aemon, unless otherwise married and cared for. Prince Daeron has been given the holding of Harrenhall with all assorted titles and incomes while Prince Rhaegar sits at Dragonstone, retaining those incomes to the keeping of his household and family."
There were a lot of mouths to feed; mouths of a lot of silver-haired dragonspawn. Losing substantial incomes by giving them to the control of the respective princes didn't increase the amount of money from which the other expendatures could be generated from.
"Correct me if I'm wrong. If I'm not, share your opinion on this spending habit."
This had been going on for years. Jaehaerys hadn't been a man that had lived in golden-lighted splendor, wasting money left and right - but a large royal family created financial responsibility.
Post by YULIYA LANNISTER on Aug 24, 2017 21:39:58 GMT
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The declining health of the king could not be refuted or reasoned; it was merely fact. Anyone who laid their eyes on the frail form of the man witnessed the little vitality that remained being actively drained from the man. No assurance from the maestars could deter the imminent; it was only a short matter of time before Jaehaerys’ eyes closed for an eternity. While it was tragic, the continually worsening state of the beloved ruler allowed for preparations regarding the measure needed to be taken after his passing. Arkas Baratheon inquiring the thoughts and motives of each of the members of the small council happened to be one of these measures.
“To gauge how suited we are to serve the interests of the realm,” she concluded his trailing remark, gaze cool as she felt his probing stare roving over her. The blond did not appear ruffled or fazed by the sly accusations Arkas proposed about House Lannister and the wealth they possessed. Instead, her lips peeled back into a meek smile, her gaze as fixated upon the Lord Hand as his stare was upon her. “Criminal wealth, as you have called it, cannot be maintained without a certain aptitude. Don’t you agree, Lord Hand? The reality of money has been an undeniable element of my life, if I may include my own input. Each of his children were instructed on proper spending habits and I accompanied him on countless trips to broker sales.” She could only defend the name of House Lannister so much, with the lion pride undeniably sitting atop an unfathomable fortune.
The Master of Coin did not offer a reaction to the scowl on his face, choosing to continue to observe the new Hand of the King sat across from her. Mirth did not paint his features but she could not confirm he was in a foul mood. Yuliya briefly wondered what it took to bring a smile to his face before dedicating her focus to talk of the Targaryen budget and its relation to the crown’s spending. “Jaehaerys brought three children into the world and his kin created their own lines, as is to be expected. He desired to provide for his family, like any father who possessed an ounce of love for them would want to do,” she commented lightly, knowing the words would ring true to Arkas and his paternal instincts. “The funds were provided to fulfill the king’s wishes, which is the duty of Master of Coin. However, I understand the nature of your inquiries, Lord Hand. The amount borrowed from House Lannister did not increase to support the lifestyle of the royal family.”
Post by ARKAS BARATHEON on Aug 25, 2017 15:57:18 GMT
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[attr="class","likedoinfo"]"It's good to hear that the amount the Iron Throne borrowed from House Lannister has not increased," Arkas agreed, but there still was no joy on his face. She was following the wrong kind of conclusion. Granted, she was a Lannister. She wouldn't consider her own house's involvement a 'crime', would she? That made sense. For a Lannister. But for the realm?
"These expenses weren't invented by Jaehaerys. It was his father's policy, and he had the decency to comply. Truly like a father, truly like a son. But the problem that I perceive foots on a different perspective."
Leave it to a Lannister to be proud. But could she - a trained accountant, by all positive vibes of the word - a dry, number-based, emotionless book-keeper, not understand the logical mistake?
"Aegon the Fifth borrowed money from the Lannisters. That he did so to begin with creates a problem in the design. The Crown isn't supposed to borrow money from anyone. In times of peace, the realm flourishing, an increase on taxes would have been prudent just as well. But Aegon chased dreams about dragons, thus he needed the support of the Lords of Westeros. I suppose a Lord that doesn't have to pay more taxes while being able to fill his coffers is more likely to let the King's dreams..." Arkas trailed off, he wasn't going to spite the man on the days of his son's impending death.
Aegon had revived dragons, some said. At Summerhall. Arkas didn't know that. He hadn't been there. Magic didn't concern him. The realm of magic was the illusion of it existing in the first place, wasn't it? And even if it did, did he care about fireballs and dragonflight while steel could kill him just as well?
"The Crown is at the top of the Seven Kingdoms. Aegon has been good to the realm. So has been Jaehaerys. But the Lords Paramount are not only entitled to their superior claims, they're also entitled to a superior responsibility." And Arkas wasn't excluding himself. Every House had been doing well financially after the peace of the last Blackfyre rebellion. Trade was up, and so were other revenues. So why weren't taxes up?
"I want you to devise a spending plan - a longterm plan - to repay the money owed to House Lannister. I don't care if it lasts ten years. Your father can't buy influence in the capital more than other House Lords. I'm not doubting your qualifications, but you serving as the Master of Coin when the Crown does owe your family. That might be more than a coincidence."
If she devised a solid plan to not harm her house but to return the realm to more of a status quo, he'd be able to consider her a loyal thinker toward the concept of keeping the realm in balance. "However. There'll be unforseen costs I want your opinion on."
Post by YULIYA LANNISTER on Aug 28, 2017 21:38:13 GMT
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She was not dumb. Maestars and septas had educated her from a young age, but they did not inform her on the politics and fragile connections between the houses. Nor did they gift her with insight on how the council served the crown and the ways in which the masters bent their limbs to appease their ruler. These were lessons and experiences Yuliya had cultivated herself, through every triumph and defeat she had accumulated over her five years of serving as Master of Coin. Policies of the Targaryen family had been enforced even though they compromised the very foundation and integrity of the crown.
How was the Lannister woman supposed to break a two generation old tradition?
Her house was prestigious in its own right and boasted of its owns achievements, but she did not carry the blood of royalty in her veins.
“Pardon, but if I may ask, shouldn’t the former Master of Coin pointed out the harm this policy dealt to the crown years ago?” Her tone was far from accusatory, closer to inquisitive if a label needed to be applied.
Arkas dissolved into an impromptu history lesson of the Targaryen line, halting before he sullied the name of the late ruler. Yuliya remained silent, finding it unnecessary to provide her own input towards facts that weren’t meant to be disputed. Lord Hand was policing the actions and mistakes that had occurred before he assumed his position, as any reliable Hand of the King should do. As Master of Coin, she partook in this discussion with the intentions of appeasing whatever commands he meant to assign to her.
“What is it they say? Great power wields great responsibility? We’re all feeling such a weight at the moment,” she offhandedly commented, her words light but thoughts wondering of Arkas’ intentions with her. Her patience did not need to be tested any further as he finally spoke of a task she could grasp onto. All she needed was a direction and Yuliya’s mind would begin to stir, reaching out for the resolve to whatever issue had been presented to her. “You are right to hold onto your suspicions but I hope to clear you mind of them when I return to you with this plan.” She spoke soberly, her eyes trained on Lord Baratheon to convey the sincerity of her words.
“Please, do go on, Lord Hand.” Her interest was piqued once more.
Post by ARKAS BARATHEON on Aug 29, 2017 3:26:29 GMT
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[attr="class","likedoinfo"]She was right, to a degree. But only about a thing or two. Arkas hadn't come to put the blame on anybody. He was moving forward. Assessing the situation was part of that. But he wouldn't linger too long.
"You're right. I don't blame you for the former Master of Coin's policies. Neither do I blame you for Lord Rykker's upholding of these policies. Who are you to go against the King's orders? But the nature of a loan is not quite a tradition, is it? You've turned a transition into a pillar that the realm should not need. Find a better solution. Present it to me once you've come up with it."
He leaned back, gleaming at her pride-filled eyes. It was holding her back.
"You didn't think I was expecting an elaborate solution within the blink of an eye, did you?" Arkas was a brooding man. He could appreciate someone that took their time. The payments on the loan were constant, but weren't bankrupting the Iron Throne. Nevertheless. Moving forward, Arkas wanted it gone.
"Our longterm goals ought to be preserving money, however, that takes certain investments."
Arkas slid a couple of note-filled papers across the desk. Mostly numbers, regarding the infrastructure of King's Landing. "I've brought two-hundred men at arms to King's Landing as my personal guard. Over the next few weeks, I'll have more soldiers from the Stormlands coming in. I want to raise the city watch's strength from two-thousand men currently to four-thousand men by the time the guests from all over the realm arrive."
Two-thousand men were a small police force to begin with for a city such as King's Landing. Once the King passed, there would be a great deal of confusion. People trapped in a cage were prone to reaction. And rarely were it positive reactions.
"You'll notice a letter at the bottom. It's a copy that I've sent to Prince Maekar Blackfyre, Commander of the Golden Company. What's left of it, anyway. They number another two-thousand men. The royal fleet will ferry them over the Narrow Sea, so that they may join the security forces of King's Landing as well."
Arkas was preparing the city for a storm, even though he did not say that with so many words. The numbers said it all. The two-thousand city watch men were no soldiers. But they would be capable fighters by the time Maekar, the Blackfyre Prince, had properly drilled them.
Littering the ranks with soldiers loyal to the Stagbanner of Storm's End would further grasp his control over the city. "As the Master of Coin, your primary concern should be the accomodation of these troops. However, the world is more than numbers. Any thoughts on the issue? Feel free to make yourself know, lady lion."
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