Dunstonbury, Seat of House Manderly

**Gandalfus** · December 04, 2015, 05:24 PM

Dunstonbury is a rather large castle that overlooks the upper Mander, the traditional domain of House Manderly. Originally a wooden structure, it expanded along with the wealth and influence of the Manderly's over the years, thanks to the prosperous estates that surround the fortress. Now it is a formidable stone castle, and it serves as the centre of House Manderly and its power. Nearby are the lands of their vassals, Fossoway, Inchfield, and Gracehall, as well as their respective castles.

Levies

Income

Trade

Character traits

Vassal levies

Men-at-arms

**Alexandrine** · December 08, 2015, 02:18 PM

Queen Gwennyse sat on the chair that for now would do as her throne. Her elder sister tried to rob her from her rightful inheritance. She loathed her. For most of her life, Gwennyse had lived under her shadow as only the younger sister. But she always knew in the back of her mind who was the rightful daughter to her father. It was her, Gwennyse who was the rightful Queen of the Reach. She was shocked about the treachery of her second, something, cousin Mern. How dare he challenge her rule. She! Who was the rightful heir to her fathers throne. Females have inherited before and successfully did so. Ruled castles and succeeded their fathers for ages. What was the difference between a lady regent and a regent queen? Even the Dornish where not stupid enough to believe that only males are capable to be Kings. Restlessly she stood up and walked around the room. Finding no rest at the fireplace nor at the window. "I will have his head!" she screamed. " I will have his head!" she repeated. Mern Gardener was a traitor and should be dealt with in that manner.

**Gandalfus** · December 08, 2015, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by Alexandrine

Queen Gwennyse sat on the chair that for now would do as her throne. Her elder sister tried to rob her from her rightful inheritance. She loathed her. For most of her life, Gwennyse had lived under her shadow as only the younger sister. But she always knew in the back of her mind who was the rightful daughter to her father. It was her, Gwennyse who was the rightful Queen of the Reach. She was shocked about the treachery of her second, something, cousin Mern. How dare he challenge her rule. She! Who was the rightful heir to her fathers throne. Females have inherited before and successfully did so. Ruled castles and succeeded their fathers for ages. What was the difference between a lady regent and a regent queen? Even the Dornish where not stupid enough to believe that only males are capable to be Kings. Restlessly she stood up and walked around the room. Finding no rest at the fireplace nor at the window. "I will have his head!" she screamed. " I will have his head!" she repeated. Mern Gardener was a traitor and should be dealt with in that manner.

Manderly cautiously pushed the door open, and stalked slowly into his wife's chambers.

"Gwynesse? What is all this damned shouting?!" Arthor grunted, as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. It was late, and he needed rest before the upcoming campaign. Rest that had been disturbed.

**Alexandrine** · December 08, 2015, 02:54 PM

"Its my cousin!" she shouted at the same manner to him. "It is his nerve! Claiming my seat and throne! I am sick of them. We should kill him! Hang him from the tower and drawn his children. Send his widow to the Mother house! I want his head for even suggesting that my throne is his!" she folded her arms."You must deliver me his head. Only then I will find my night peace."

**Gandalfus** · December 08, 2015, 03:20 PM

"Peake's head on a spike first." Manderly growled threateningly, as he sat down and massaged his throbbing temple. "Your cousin may yet be useful to us. Well, his men will be anyway. Mern doesn't seem good for fighting, or ruling. A fop, like your dribbling father."

**Alexandrine** · December 08, 2015, 03:30 PM

She looked with a certain distain on her face. "The only good thing my father did was disgard himself from the whore who bore him Tyene. If she is even his. My bastard sister should be set in her place indeed." Oh yes. It was a small secret that she always had longed for the day that her sister would fall from her high horse and would bow down to her sister, grabble in the dirt. Begging for her mercy. "Perhaps we should ask for the help of house Tarly, She would know the importance of a lady regent. Mern is a threat to her, and all the other reigning ladies as she is to me. If Mern is considered King, why would a lady be able to rule too?"

**Gandalfus** · December 08, 2015, 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by Alexandrine

She looked with a certain distain on her face. "The only good thing my father did was disgard himself from the whore who bore him Tyene. If she is even his. My bastard sister should be set in her place indeed." Oh yes. It was a small secret that she always had longed for the day that her sister would fall from her high horse and would bow down to her sister, grabble in the dirt. Begging for her mercy. "Perhaps we should ask for the help of house Tarly, She would know the importance of a lady regent. Mern is a threat to her, and all the other reigning ladies as she is to me. If Mern is considered King, why would a lady be able to rule too?"

"By all means, you are Queen, so why do you not approach her yourself?" He said, harshly, as he filled a goblet of wine to the brim. "Or must I do everything?"

**Alexandrine** · December 08, 2015, 03:52 PM

"I am Queen." she said. " I am the most valuable woman in the kingdom. Do you want me to leave the safety of the castle to be kip napped by the Dornish, Mern or worse, my own sister? I think not."
She copied him and took a goblet too. "Do we have any allies so far?" she wondered softly. Her worst nightmare was that nobody would follow her.

**Gandalfus** · December 08, 2015, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by Alexandrine

"I am Queen." she said. " I am the most valuable woman in the kingdom. Do you want me to leave the safety of the castle to be kip napped by the Dornish, Mern or worse, my own sister? I think not."
She copied him and took a goblet too. "Do we have any allies so far?" she wondered softly. Her worst nightmare was that nobody would follow her.

Manderly took a great swig, swallowed, and laughed; harsh and wolfish.

"Allies?! I think not. Reachmen are fair weather friends. While we are neglected now, if we but break Peake, then I guarantee dozens of lords will flock to our banner. Slimy turds, all of them."

**Alexandrine** · December 08, 2015, 04:10 PM

She silently took a nip. "Then we must crush my sister and bring her into chains." she stated simply.

**Gandalfus** · December 08, 2015, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by Alexandrine

She silently took a nip. "Then we must crush my sister and bring her into chains." she stated simply.

"A captive, preferably. We need her alive, so that she may be declared an official bastard."

**Alexandrine** · December 08, 2015, 04:20 PM

She nodded. "That seems best. Otherwise we might be declared kinslayers. Eventually the robes of a septa will suit her fine I suppose." for her goodbrother, she wanted the same as her cousin; his head.

**Oznerol** · December 10, 2015, 04:24 AM

A raven arrived:

To my cousins of Manderly:

Thou hast suffered a defeat in the hands of the so-called pretender to the crown of my forefathers, decimating and depleting thine strenght. Thus we have an offer for thee; we shall fully pardon thou and embrace thou as our cousins and peers, thine lands shall be left intact and thine prestige shall not suffer. We promise thou to cast the pretender and deliver thou his bastard wife. Bend the knee before us and we shall defeat the usurper together, join us and we will be graceful and compasive, thou shall not fear from us, for thou bear my blood and my kin. Starpike shall be demolished to the ground and the lineage of the pretender uprooted, for we shall be most vengeful and ruthless again he who dares to raise his hand and sword against us. However, the hand that delivers Justice deliver Mercy the very same, all shall remember that.
Thine rights to the crown shall be recognized and if my line dies out in the male line thou shall inherit the realm, for thou are the blood of Gardeners while the pretender has married a bastard, barred from succession by the laws of Gods and Men. Thou shall be granted a princely title befitting thine status as Princes of the Blood, and our lines shall be again joined by marriage, blood and kin. And we shall reign in unison, most peacefuly and restore the realm's greatness. Consider my most graceful offer and we shall raise thee like our brother and sister, like the most powerful and noble Lord and Lady in the Realm.

That we say and that we swear,

In the Light of the Seven,

Mern Gardener.

Written at Highgarden, the 10th Day of the Twelfth Month, year 4004.

**Gandalfus** · December 10, 2015, 05:49 AM

Reading the letter, an exhausted Manderly looked towards his wife, and frowned. As he began writing, he had no doubts in his mind that she would not like the reply.
But these things had to be done, he reminded himself. It was either bend the knee to Mern, and be forgiven, or bend the knee to Peake, and die.
Proudly he looked out into the courtyard upon his sons, playing with swords in blissful mockery of the recent conflict. He had lost, and he knew it. That was the throw of the dice. Allies would gather to Peake now, and he would taste victory should Mern and Tyrell fail.
Prince of the Blood, cousin of the King, brother of the steward... And a united front against Peake; the sworn enemy of his forefathers, and their fathers before them.
Need for survival creates strange bedfellows. And Arthor Manderly was about to lie with one of his sworn enemies, who would now become his greatest ally.

**Alexandrine** · December 10, 2015, 01:15 PM

She was furious. All the seven hells would not be able to behold her Wrath. Her husband was defeated. Defeated. Like a silly puppy to a wolf. All this failure was a blame on her person, it would make her look bad. Who would follow a defeated queen. She hated him for that. She had married a fool. He might be rich and powerful, but all his men now all lay dead beneath the walls of Starpeake. What was supposed to be her glorious army of elevation to cement her rule in the Reach, ended up in disaster. She had not spoken to him; because they both knew it wouldn't be a happy conversation.
But ravens had spoke the follow days. Oh they did and all the realm knew. Her husband had sided with her enemy, her cousin Mern. She burst into the room. "You betrayed me!" she shouted at him. "Betraying your Queen is Treason." she reminded him.

**Gandalfus** · December 10, 2015, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by Alexandrine

She was furious. All the seven hells would not be able to behold her Wrath. Her husband was defeated. Defeated. Like a silly puppy to a wolf. All this failure was a blame on her person, it would make her look bad. Who would follow a defeated queen. She hated him for that. She had married a fool. He might be rich and powerful, but all his men now all lay dead beneath the walls of Starpeake. What was supposed to be her glorious army of elevation to cement her rule in the Reach, ended up in disaster. She had not spoken to him; because they both knew it wouldn't be a happy conversation.
But ravens had spoke the follow days. Oh they did and all the realm knew. Her husband had sided with her enemy, her cousin Mern. She burst into the room. "You betrayed me!" she shouted at him. "Betraying your Queen is Treason." she reminded him.

"Shut up woman. You're not a Queen, and all your damned posturing isn't going to change that."

Arthor massaged his temple, and glanced back down to the letter.

"It's not over yet, anyway. You think Mern is secure? or Peake, if he wins? No, this conflict is much deeper than that."

**Alexandrine** · December 10, 2015, 03:13 PM

"All i know is that you let my claim down for a second-third-stupd cousin! Tell me what you are plotting to do then? Before i'll have your head for treason."

**Gandalfus** · December 11, 2015, 02:12 AM

"Remember whose castle you sit in, wife." He spat, as he violently stood from his seat. The goblet that sat in front of him noisily clattered to the floor. Stalking through the room, he picked it up, and tossed it out the window.

"This war is not over, Gwynesse. Anything may yet happen, and I intend to be there to see that it does."