The Swan Ships of Julukati Zhan

[Poach]

Here sits the fleet of Prince Julukati Zhan, ready to take his hired Westerosi army back to the Summer Isles for his civil war. The ships are lightly manned for now, skeleton crews keeping watch over them, as most of the crew enjoy King's Landing. Prince Julukati had sent word to all who signed up to his forces to gather at these ships, and that they leave on the appointed date.

The Prince himself is currently absent, making a burden of himself upon King Blackfyre and the Red Keep.

[OOC: General pre-RP thread. The Prince himself won't appear to give any briefings until later, but any who wish to show up and RP may do so. The Prince will appear tonight (GMT) sometime.]

[Adamat]

Dat majestic swan

Prince Eon Arryn and his men had come to the Capital with all possible haste, and apparently they were the first to arrive. The two-thousand knights, of which more than half were horsed, laughed when they saw the Swan Ships of the Summer Isles. The crossbowmen seemed grim. They were mostly men who had never set a foot outside the Vale, never been away from their wives and children for more than a few months. But now they were about to embark on a great journey to the Summer Isles, taking their gigantic crossbows with them.

The Prince started to appoint his men to ships, and told the little crew that was left to load up the equipment that the men had brought with them.

[Zethira]

Jehaine wasn't going to lie, she knew her men would be a little on edge marching for King's Landing again after what happened last time. Still, despite having been declared innocent she couldn't shake the feeling the event had left a bad mark on the Order's reputation. It was with the hopes of cooperating with other armies that would be coming along with the expedition that she could correct it into a more favorable impression, especially given that the people leading said armies would be or at least know others that were interested in hiring her forces further down the line.

That said however, she couldn't have hoped for a better opportunity. She could disprove for good any involvement of hers with the planned treason of her first employer, and establish the Order as a reputable company besides. She was a bit worried about the safety of her men, but with herself and the more experienced generals that would be coming along for the journey, she believed they stood a pretty good chance of victory. Even though she knew nothing of the lands they were headed to.

Once at the ships, she directed her own men on board, divided over several ships, allowing them some time off in King's Landing to take the pressure off though with distinct instructions on when they would be expected back again.

[Pontifex Maximus]

They're going to need more ships. Solareon thought to himself as they approached the docks. His armor was pounded thin but with great skill that offered him not only the best protection money could buy, but an elegant suit of armor that fit his personality. The thin steel was etched with scenes of nature, a prancing lion gilded with thin gold lines composing most of the front. The lances would follow, hauled by squires, but Solareon was armed with his mace and a shield slung across his back bearing the sigil of his house. The scarlet banner of House Lannister danced beside him in the wind coming off the sea. He dismounted and allowed his horse to be led onwards. He stood just under six feet tall, and ran a hand through his fine blonde hair as he removed his helm. He took stock of the others assembled for this adventure. His husbandly duties were done. He had given Lyessa a child to care for and there were other conquests to be had in and out of the bedroom. At eighteen he imagined he would be among the youngest.

He approached one of the crew "My men will all travel in the same ships as a matter of security." The Prince is going to have a time getting all these to cooperate.

[Pinkerton]

Ser Allard arrived to the docks after a long night of rest
He had fitted himself in modest chain-mail armor and wore a tabard emblazoned with the arms of House Marbrand on top of it.

He didn't expect to see so many men roaming around the ships. Many different banners decorated the scenery and Allard could recognize several. The most important one was the lion or on gules. The sigil of House Lannister

[Hengest]

With 3000 Valesmen along the esplanade, Ser Humphrey sat with some sergeants fiddling with his new armour. His banners were a mix of Arryn azure blues, Hardyng chequy gules and argent and the sable argent of his wife's House Waxley. They were mainly Falcon Guardsmen and made up roughly half of Sirsha's veteran Winged Regiment.

[Poach]

Bayard arrived later than many of the companies that had answered the call. Marching down into the docks with the Company of the Wolfswood, three thousand men. Many of them were lightly armed and armoured, but there was a solid core of heavy foot and a strong line of archers to back them up. With the famed prowess of Summer Islander archers, Bayard had elected to bring a light force that could operate in open order without stress, arming his men in leather tunics and light shields.

He could see instantly some tension may be present in the expedition. A Lannister banner, a Valesman banner, and now he, a Northman. He quietly decided he would endeavour to keep his troops apart from the Westermen, lest anything spark during the sea voyage...

[jacb547]

From the south road arrived sixteen hundred armed men in the small hours of the day, at its head came a vanguard of fully armoured men and horse bearing the green turtle of Estermont and headed by young Lord Andrew himself, they start embarking the ships trying to stay all in the same ones.

[Ori]

Aiseru Kokoro had never fought a war before. Gang fights, sure, but a real, proper war with sieges and field battles... Such were merely stories in Yi Ti, written and read by merchants with dreams of glory in battle. But a mercenary is nothing without experience. He would make a name for himself on this Expedition. Throughout Westeros they would hear of the glory won by Aiseru Kokoro and his band of warriors, he hoped at least. Glory is the precursor to gold, he assumed. They're only a few letters apart after all. All he had to do was not die and he'd return home with riches and find himself with plenty of lords clamoring for the chance to hire him. And, really, what are the odds he'd die in a war?

[Axis Sunsoar]

Duncan Tarly rode in proudly at the head of 3,000 men, a lordly host. He observed the gathered forces. Lannisters, Glovers, some sort of spin-off Reach banner, a green turtle... and then he spotted it, a falcon on sky blue. Giving his men the order to set up camp, he rode over to the familiar banner.

"Eon Arryn! Of all the places, this was the last one I expected to see you my friend!"

[Adamat]

"Duncan Tarly!" Eon said when he saw the leader of the Wayward Huntsmen come his way. "Good that you're here. I'd much rather fight a battle with you at my side than with ten of them!" He pointed to the Lannister banner. "I heard we'd get to kill things and rescue pretty ladies," he jested. "I begged Eon to call some of the Vale's knights to arms. And apparently it worked," he said, turning to look at his 1200 heavy Horse getting organised. "The cream of the Vale's forces."

[Pontifex Maximus]

Solareon looked around idly, surprised at the number of troops gathered. Some of it constituted a rather large part of the main armies of any particular area. Three hendred knights from the Westerlands were barely a drop in the bucket, in fact not even 1% of the forces at the disposal of the Rock. Few familiar faces, even I know the abnners well. Solareon spotted something which he did not expect to see, a Marbrand. He approached the man. "Surely, ser, though I do not know you personally, you hail from House Marbrand of Ashemark? Or else you use a sigil devilishly close to theirs."

[Pinkerton]

Solareon looked around idly, surprised at the number of troops gathered. Some of it constituted a rather large part of the main armies of any particular area. Three hendred knights from the Westerlands were barely a drop in the bucket, in fact not even 1% of the forces at the disposal of the Rock. Few familiar faces, even I know the abnners well. Solareon spotted something which he did not expect to see, a Marbrand. He approached the man. "Surely, ser, though I do not know you personally, you hail from House Marbrand of Ashemark? Or else you use a sigil devilishly close to theirs."

Allard's eyes grew wide and a stutter invaded his speech

I-indeed mi-milord. I-i'm S-ser Allard, t-third son of t-the Lord of A-ashemark. It i-is an honour, m-milord

He bowed. It was a funny sight, to see a man of his size kneel so nervously

[Pontifex Maximus]

Now I see why Ashemark is less proud of this son, rather like me I think.

Solareon decided to ignore his obvious difficulty in speech. After all, Clegane was about as well spoken as a goat but nobody would dare say that to his face. Solareon's lean, slim frame was oft a betrayal of his inner thoughts based on his unmistakable body language - it was a tell he was attempting quickly to eradicate by locking those he spoke to with a solemn gaze.

"Then I do not feel as lonely as I did before! I see many banners, many knights and lords still unknown to me, and they seem less than friendly. And why should they be? We were at war with many of them these past years, and they on the losing side. I might be less polite than I should be."

[Pinkerton]

Now I see why Ashemark is less proud of this son, rather like me I think.

Solareon decided to ignore his obvious difficulty in speech. After all, Clegane was about as well spoken as a goat but nobody would dare say that to his face. Solareon's lean, slim frame was oft a betrayal of his inner thoughts based on his unmistakable body language - it was a tell he was attempting quickly to eradicate by locking those he spoke to with a solemn gaze.

"Then I do not feel as lonely as I did before! I see many banners, many knights and lords still unknown to me, and they seem less than friendly. And why should they be? We were at war with many of them these past years, and they on the losing side. I might be less polite than I should be."

Tis weird, how war once separated the Kingdoms, and now war is bringing us together. In a weird way

A shy smile appears in the cleanly shaven face of Ser Allard. He felt relieved at the cordiality of Lannister

[Pontifex Maximus]

Tis weird, how war once separated the Kingdoms, and now war is bringing us together. In a weird way

A shy smile appears in the cleanly shaven face of Ser Allard. He felt relieved at the cordiality of Lannister

"I would not venture to predict that this little expedition will somehow serve as a larger uniting force within the Kingdom, but it appears we must unite or face ruin in the Summer Isles at least." Solareon began to board his ship. "Better prepare yourself, ser, the voyage begins!"

[Axis Sunsoar]

"Duncan Tarly!" Eon said when he saw the leader of the Wayward Huntsmen come his way. "Good that you're here. I'd much rather fight a battle with you at my side than with ten of them!" He pointed to the Lannister banner. "I heard we'd get to kill things and rescue pretty ladies," he jested. "I begged Eon to call some of the Vale's knights to arms. And apparently it worked," he said, turning to look at his 1200 heavy Horse getting organised. "The cream of the Vale's forces."

"Truly, I can see what fine troops you have brought. Though my family hails from the home of chivalry, my Lord Father couldn't be bothered to hire more than 200 real knights for his own son, although the rest of the troops I bring are by no means incapable." He laughs quietly.

"Indeed, the way the foreigner tells it, only a fool would miss out on this quest."

Duncan's eye follows Eon's finger to the Lannister banner. "They have been an ally of the Reach for I long time, yet I feel no need to defend them. Lady Aurelia taints the mind of Lord Victor with her plots and plans."

[Adamat]

Eon laughed. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you had a chat with my Lord Father," he said. "You sound just like him."

He watched as the horses were guided onto the ships. Some of the Knights had insisted on taking three horses, and as such there were about 2500 horses for the Valesmen alone. He pointed to the closest Swan Ship. "If the enemy has artillery or ballistae, we'll have lost half our force before we even land. I hate ships."

[Axis Sunsoar]

Duncan laughed with him at the mention of his father, then nodded darkly in agreement with the denouncement of ships.

"Aye, if your lucky the lions won't be able to swim." He muttered with dark humor. "However, whether I like them or not, the Lannister cavalry could be useful in the battle. That is, if their even is a battle after we make it off those damned deathtraps."