Karhold - Seat of House Karstark

**Pontifex Maximus** · June 09, 2014, 06:32 PM

House Karstark

Rickard Karstark

Eddard Karstark

Torrhen Karstark

Alys Karstark

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Karhold Upgrades

Karhold Levy

**Poach** · June 15, 2014, 04:49 PM

A letter arrives from Winterfell

"To the Castellan of Karhold,

Winterfell wishes to know the progress of White Harbour in carrying out the instructions of Lord Stark to embody a militia for the defence of the homeland against any would-be opportunists while the Lords and the Armies fight in the south for our cause. More men are needed to form a defensive host of suitable size, in order to form a deterrent against those might consider our homes a target and to form a sword with which to strike at any who disturb the peace in the North.

A Stark sigil is inked at the bottom"

**Poach** · June 21, 2014, 03:49 PM

A second letter from Winterfell,

Karstarks,

The army available to Winterfell marches west to engage raiders that have been attacking in force for some time now, our ability to act utterly hampered by the failure of Karhold, and others, to supply the troops Lord Stark instructed be supplied. This is a final request for troops desperately needed to secure the North against further incursions.

Maric Stark

**Poach** · June 30, 2014, 11:00 AM

Some weeks after Rickard and Bayard had left in disagreement in the Halls of Winterfell, a party carrying Stark banners was sighted approaching Karhold. It was not, however, Bayard Stark: rather his uncle, Maric Stark, who was acting as Castellan of Winterfell while Bayard campaigned deep in the Wolfswood. Maric sought to speak to Lord Karstark and to the Castellan who served in his absence during the war.

**Pontifex Maximus** · June 30, 2014, 11:11 AM

Maric was left waiting for a period of time just long enough to be considered insulting before the portcullis was raised. Karhold was a deep gray of a place, and Maric would notice that several newer buildings stood out as well as the presence of a sizable militia, raised in time just as the war was concluding. The Keep of Karhold stood at the top of a small hill, and only a single, winding road seemed to lead to it. large towers overlooked the approach both outside and within the castle. Obviously unless they were taken during a siege they would harry any foe on both sides of the wall leading to the Keep. Once again a smaller gate was pulled open and Maric led into the Keep itself. The Hall had a tall ceiling to accommodate the typically taller people that lived there. In the midst of this, Rickard sat on a throne of carved weirwood with a massive fire burning in the hearth behind him. He did not stand and waited for Maric to speak.

**Poach** · June 30, 2014, 11:18 AM

Maric knew he was not welcome. He was, after all, a Stark, and Starks were not popular among the Karstarks right now. He elected to cut straight to business. Before he had even finished walking to the top of the Hall, he had began speaking, ensuring his tone had nothing humble about it: he was here on business, not to dance around niceties and courtesy.

"Young Bayard was never meant for the seat upon which he sits," said Maric as he approached, "The boy lacks the training, you have seen this firsthand. He fails to realise there are certain... realities, in justice and loyalty. He would believe what the bards sing: that they are virtues of black and white, blind and impartial. He would believe he is just in punishing a man whose services have been long and honourable, over a difference in opinion regarding local militias."

He had stopped walking now. As had been set by precedent, he did not bow.

"You and I both know he will not drop the matter, and you and I both know to escalate this will be to the detriment of the whole North." he said, "Send your man to Winterfell and he'll get nothing more than a slap on the wrist, I can ensure it. The Young Wolf will not back down, but he is wrong to pursue your man like this."

**Pontifex Maximus** · June 30, 2014, 12:33 PM

Two-faced. He set Bayard up to fail in order to undermine his credibility. This man is dangerous.

"Yet he would not have been summoned in the first place had the north been defended competently. How many men did you have?" Rickard held him with an intense gaze.

**Poach** · June 30, 2014, 02:05 PM

[ooc: how exactly does Karstark know that Maric is behind Bayard's militia obsession? Everything he has done has been in the shadows.]

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**Pontifex Maximus** · June 30, 2014, 02:35 PM

ooc: I thought the fact Maric was leading the militia against the Ironborn would be common knowledge? If not I can amend it

**Poach** · June 30, 2014, 04:38 PM

[ooc: Yeah Maric commanded the militia but how do you make the connection of 'Maric was a crap commander' to 'Maric is the puppetmaster responsible for Bayard being heavy-handed in how he's reacting to certain Lords not raising the militia'? The first point screams incompetence and the second evil genius. Between us OOC Maric not engaging the Ironborn was actually because he never had enough troops: he didn't sit out the war as part of some grand scheme to undermine Bayard.]

**Pontifex Maximus** · June 30, 2014, 05:36 PM

ooc: The whole "Bayard was never meant to rule" thing Maric just said seems to indicate he has grander designs for himself or someone else, thus the lackluster defense of the North during the war might be Maric's way of proving to people in the North that Bayard is too incompetent to provide for their defense. He was either just a crap commander in Rickard's eyes or a schemer

**Poach** · June 30, 2014, 05:46 PM

[OOC: Ok... but I'm uneasy with this. You know Maric is indeed aiming to control Bayard and, by extension, the North, but he's doing it strictly in the shadows. I don't want this getting out of hand and having to deal with Karstark guessing all this based on a fairly tenuous connection between a phrase that could have a hundred meanings and what's actually happening behind closed doors. For all you know, and the way it was supposed to come across, Maric is saying 'Poor Bayard isn't trained to do this, he's trying his best but he's a fish out of water'. I'd prefer the 'crap commander' conclusion because I'm taking pains to have Maric be the shadowy puppet master until much later in the North's storyline: I fully intend for him to come into the open at some point. Having him unmasked early because of a very specific (and personally I think difficult to justify) interpretation of one comment would scrap a ton of my RP plan.]

"Three thousand, until late," said Maric, "Faced with many thousands of Raiders. Marching on the coast with so few would have lead more to their deaths and left inland as far as Winterfell vulnerable. By the time the Reeds sent me their militia it was too late, I arrived on the coast to find the Ironborn gone. Lord Stark agreed with my assessment: he doesn't like sending men needlessly to die."

Without pausing, he continued.

"Now your man faces losing his head over it. Do you want my help or not, Lord Karstark?"

**Pontifex Maximus** · June 30, 2014, 06:44 PM

ooc: I'm not using anything ooc to determine Rickard's reactions.

"Choosing to do nothing is a sure method of defeat." Rickard suddenly realized he was dealing either with a craven or a tactical imbecile. "A diligent commander would have made an effort to dupe the enemy. Lighting triple the number of torches in camp offshore, for example, may have spared me the need to dole out my money to thousands of victims. Men did die needlessly by your inaction. And women and children."

Rickard accentuated the last bit, letting the words ring out in the hall. "I will cooperate with you if only to give you the opportunity to see some justice done by not having another man die needlessly because of this bungled affair."

**Poach** · July 01, 2014, 11:43 AM

'As if the smallfolk matter' was the only thought to pass Maric's mind.

"Good. I'll see your man at Winterfell." said Maric, his tone unaltered from before. He turned and walked back out: no further words need be said, it was clear Karstark was still enraged with the Starks.