Valesmen Beyond the Wall

[Poach]

The five Gulltown ships neared the coast of the lands Beyond the Wall, having passed the impressive structure a day ago. There were some ice flows to be avoided during a winter's sail through the Bay of Seals, but not nearly as hazardous as those in the Bay of Ice.

A Night's Watch ship had come out to find out why the ships were sailing north, but didn't offer any hassle when it was found they weren't smugglers or slavers. Lazily-rising smoke from within the tree-line signaled that there were Wildlings living near this part of the coast. Skagos, too, was passed without incident a few days previously, a few small ships were observed but none approached the flotilla of warships.

"Stay close, keep your wits about you," said Caron as the rowboats ground against the shingle that comprised the beach, "Wildlings don't have a reputation for hospitality."

The party, heavily clad in furs, moved inland, the snow making soft crumpling sounds beneath their boots. The ships had five hundred men aboard them in all, and Caron had taken two fifths of each ship's compliment ashore: the majority remained behind to guard the boats, Caron being unwilling to risk losing his escape route, while twenty men moved inland.

Entering a clearing in the trees where the smoke was rising from, the eerie silence of the forest erupted in cries as concealed Wildlings burst forth in their dozens from pits in the snow: the village ahead of them appeared deserted, the tribe probably hidden somewhere in the woods once the outsiders were sighted approaching.

"I'm here to talk," said Caron loudly from behind his shield, the small party now being entirely surrounded by Wildling warriors, "I've come to offer a deal!"

Inside the Valesman circle stood a man with a horn concealed behind his shield. If it came to blows, the other hundred and eighty men at the boats could reach Caron's position in minutes, if the small group could hold on that long...

[Gandalfus]

One of the Wildlings stepped forward from the group. Clad head to toe in furs, it was hard to make out his facial features, but he was relatively tall and lean. Hissing as his iron blade left its rudimentary scabbard, the Wildling planted the tip of the blade in the thick quilt of snow that carpeted the ground. Leaning on his sword, the Wildling fixed Caron and his Valesmen a hard stare.

"You don't look like Crows. But you're all kneelers to me." The Wildling said, in a gruff voice. Looking towards one of his companions, a huge bear of a man, the Wildling gave a throaty chuckle. "What do you think, Gwyl?" The other man merely spat at the feet of the Valesmen, prompting a laugh from many among the Wildlings. For a while, the chieftain merely stared at Caron, before eventually breaking the stern silence.

"Why should I listen to your words, kneeler? Why have you come where you're not welcome?" In truth, the Wildling chief was curious. He had never seen these banners before, so the man was not from nearby. He had raided the lands of Umber, Wull, Norrey, and the other Northern Clans, but this banner was new to him. While some among the wildlings counselled a massacre, the Chief was content to at least hear them out before he ordered them put to death.

[Poach]

"I'm here to strike a deal," said Caron, "dried meats for your stores and good steel for your men. In return, a dozen of your best hunters come south with me for a job, I'll need them for a few months. I'll pay the preserved meat up front."

[Gandalfus]

"We don't need your steel or meat, kneeler!" One among them spat venomously, with others roaring their approval.
"We can take care of ourselves!" Another said, with increasing chants of encouragement growing louder. Some of the Wildlings growled and drew their swords, but the Chieftain raised his hand, and it gradually fell silent.

"Who are you to offer us this, kneeler? What do you want from our hunters?" He said, looking to his brethren. This man must be mad, trying to get wildlings to come south with him.​

[Poach]

"Meat and steel you might not need yourself," said Caron, lowering his shield and looking the apparent chieftain in the eye, "but the rest of the free folk? Good meat and good steel are valuable commodities at the best of times, never mind in the winter. Where I'm from people don't starve over the winter: you'll get enough meat to trade for whatever you want among your fellows. I need your men for their skills in surviving weather like this. I'm going into the mountains from my homeland, they're cold and barren: you and yours are the most skilled people in all Westeros at surviving those climates. I'm looking to contract those skills."

[Gandalfus]

"Only weaklings accept help from a kneeler." One replied, and there were murmurs once again amongst the crowd. Boisterous folk, these Wildlings.

"I don't command my hunters." The Chief said, with a shrug. "We aren't like you. The hunters help the clan, they don't serve the Chieftain." He turned, looking to the throng of Wildlings who had followed him.

"Are any of you willing to serve this man? A southerner? He offers good steel, good meat, to help the Clan. But in exchange, you must go south with him, serve him! Do you accept this?" The Chieftain bellowed, and waited for his answer.

OOC: Shall I roll?

[Poach]

[OOC: Sure, Caron has +5 Charisma, +3 base and +2 trade goods.]

"Temporarily work for me." said Caron loudly after, the Chieftain had finished speaking, "I require no oaths: you'll work for pay."

[Gandalfus]

Base Roll: 5/20
Modifiers:
+5 charisma
+2 offered reward

Final Chance: 12/20

Roll: 16

"Nay!" Many shout collectively,
"I won't work for a in' Kneeler!" a particularly profane one responds,
" off back down south!"

Turning to Caron, the Chieftain waits for the clamour to quieten before replying. "Leave now, southerner. My people have spoken. You aren't welcome here. Be thankful I don't offer you as a sacrifice to the Old Gods."

Stepping forward, he pulled his sword from the snow, pointing it at Grafton,

"Return to your ships. Do not come to the land of ice ever again."

[Poach]

[OOC: To what extent am I allowed to repeat this? The Wildlings are many clans and the shoreline is quite long.]

"Very well." said Caron, as the group moved away from the Wildlings, shields still up and weapons still ready, "The loss is yours: remember this when your children cry with hunger."

"We can sail up the coast and look for more villages," said Caron to his lieutenant once they were out of the forest and approaching the boats, "Else we move south of the wall and speak to the Northern Mountain Clans sworn to Winterfell."

[Gandalfus]

OOC: I suppose you could pop down to another settlement, although who knows what kind of clan you might get :

[Poach]

[OOC: One more attempt, then, before going to the (more) civilised side of the wall. ]

The fleet sailed on up the coast for the rest of the day, keeping an eye out for signs of life. The fleet passed Hardhome, and many sailors who had heard the more fantastic rumours were disappointed: the place looked like any other ruin, and while "shrieks" could be heard from the caves along the cliffs, the more educated members of the crews contended that it was merely the sound of the wind whistling through them.

Passing the cursed town, the fleet sailed west, following the coast and arriving at the Antler River. The ships anchored here, and the boats set off once more with their usual compliment, going upriver. Soon, men on the boats started calling out sightings of rustling among the trees, flashes of fur, glints of metal.

The small flotilla beached itself along the riverbank, the men forming a ragged line before their boats and peering into the dense woodland. Caron took twenty men forward and advanced a few dozen paces into the woods, until the sound of the moving water was noticeably quieter.

"We are no crows," shouted Caron at the empty woodland, ​"We come from the far south with an offer!"

[Gandalfus]

"What do ye want, kneeler?!" A voice called out from the shrubbery in reply. It wasn't clear how many of them were there; they couldn't be seen amongst the forest and undergrowth.

[Poach]

"To trade barrels of salted meat and enough good steel to arm your clan in return for some skilled huntsmen in my employ for a few months, we are going into mountains in the south and need experts in surviving the cold weather." said Caron warily, scanning the undergrowth. No one was readily visible, but the voice came from directly in front of him: they must be in those bushes. Still, his men bunched up and raised their shields, instinctively forming a semi-circle in defence.

"Food and weapons in return for employment as guides for the duration of the expedition." he shouted.

[Gandalfus]

Whispering was heard amongst the shrubs, and the leader of the wildlings emerged from one of the shrubs. He was bald, covered in strange blue markings that formed a sort of pattern on his hairless scalp and face. Holding a few dead hares in his hand, he fastened them to his crudely fashioned belt before addressing Caron.

"Guides, you say kneeler? And how many of us would you need?" Watching the Grafton warily, it was clear that he was not alone. Likely there were others in the trees and undergrowth, waiting for the Grafton to make one wrong move.

[Poach]

"Five, ten at most," said Caron, "and in return you'll have two dozen barrels of salted pork and beef, and enough steel to equip your clan's warriors."

Caron drew a knife, and was sure he heard bowstrings being drawn in response, and tossed it over to the Wildling leader.

"Good steel." said Caron confidently. It was no secret that the Wildlings could produce no steel of their own: the Thenn were among the best equipped Wildling clans about and their weapons were bronze by material. Captured Night's Watch weapons were a high-quality prize beyond the Wall.

[Gandalfus]

Picking up the weapon, the wildling ran his finger across the blade, and remained unflinching when it drew blood.

"Aye. Good steel, kneeler. Enough for all our clan?" The strangely painted wildling looked bemused. It seems this kneeler was promising them the world for next to nothing.

OOC: I'll roll it next post.

[Poach]

"Steel's cheap in the south," said Caron confidently, "so's meat. Snow falls sometimes and melts quickly, people and livestock don't starve or freeze in the winters where I come from."

Now, the Mountains of the Moon, snow falls there and stays there. The lowlands around Gulltown are an entirely different world to the high valleys and passes of the Vale's mountains.

[Gandalfus]

The Wildling nodded, and grinned sardonically. "What do you say boys? Shall we accept this kneelers offer?" A few growls were heard in response, and the knocking of arrows. The silence seemed to last for hours; thick, and tense. Dozens of Wildlings rose from the bushes and shrubs, revealing themselves in every direction, baring crude weapons of bronze and stone. It seems Grafton and his men were surrounded.

Chance: 12/20 (same as previous)
Roll: 12 (lucky )

It must have seemed to Grafton as if he had walked in to a death trap. Fortunately for him, the Wildling leader strode forward, and extended his hand.

"I accept your deal, kneeler. We free folk keep our word. I trust you'll keep yours."

[Poach]

"I'll do one better than asking trust." said Caron as the group walked towards the river once more.

Arriving at the larger group of Valemen soldiers waiting by the river, Caron pointed to a collection of a few dozen barrels occupying several of the boats, "I'll give you the meat up front and your men will return with the steel at the end of our arrangement."

"Which of you are coming?" asked Caron to the group at large.

[Gandalfus]

The Wildlings mobbed forward towards the boats, eager to collect their payment. They looked at each other, and eventually a small group of rough looking, heavily built, shaggy haired free folk step forward. All boast great manes of shaggy hair, various scars on their faces and arms, as well as an impressive pattern of warpaint on their faces. Each of them stand there silently, watching Caron carefully.

"We'll come with you, kneeler." A raven haired figure growled, before looking towards his companions. They strode towards Caron's men, whilst the Chieftain watched on.