[Game Thread] Prologue: Arrival

[Lord Snow]

Game Post The Watcher's stood motionless on the top floor of one of the city's highest towers. From beneath the hood of his cloak, his eyes burned with an azure radiance. He watched expressionlessly as a solitary figure on horseback emerged from the edges of the great forest below... The walls of the great city appear suddenly as you round the last bend of the trail and exit from below the canopy of dark oaks comprising the Wolfswood. You bring your courser to a halt and take a moment to behold the site of the great fortress city. Winterfell was nothing if not immense. Hundred foot walls of cool grey granite sprang from the earth like the base of some great mountain; an impression not easily forgotten. You flick the reins and guide your mount to the towering gate eager to find a place within the city walls...

[Lord Snow]

The Watcher The Watcher watched (as Watchers often do) as over the course of several days, seven solitary travelers arrived at the gates of the city. The armored dwarf was the first to arrive atop his pony, then came the Maester in black with the dark raven on his arm, then a man atop a dark horse with a darker cloak flapping behind him as he rode, then a barrel chested wildman with tangled locks of auburn hair, then a well armed warrior with the demeanor of a lad, next a man who moved in shadow and entered the city as part of a merchant band, lastly, a cunningly disguised halfling on an oversized horse. He had been expecting them. He moved little and ate nothing as the days went by. Finally, when the last of the adventuers had arrived, the Watcher's eyes gave a sudden flare from beneath the silken hood of his robe. At last satisfied, the immense figure spun quickly on his heel and disappeared down the winding stone steps of the tower.

After making your presence known as adventurer's answering Lord Stark's summons, you are shown to the large guesthouse where you are instructed to wait for your audience with Lord Stark. You are fed well and your private chambers are adequate for your needs. There are many other interesting people about but you mainly keep to yourself, not knowing what your ultimate purpose here will be. In the spare time not spent in your room, you take to wandering about the city getting to know the general layout of it's buildings and getting a feel for its inhabitants. It is not long before a page seeks you out and summons you to an audience within Winterfell's Great Hall....

It is a bright and sunny morning when you find yourself in a large waiting room within Winterfell's Great Hall. Beams of sunlight shine in through long narrow windows illuminating an asssortment of old shields and banners adorning the tall granite walls. Other than the light shining in, the room is rather dreary. There are four or five Winterfell Guards within the room that seem to be coming and going at irregular intervals. There are also six other individuals present who seem to be in much the same situation as yourself. You take the time to regard them with some interest. Presumably, they too are adventurers, each one strikingly different from the next...

After Several minutes an armored man with a longsword at his belt strides confidently into the room. The guardsmen present stand at attention. The man turns to address you. Greetings adventureres. I am Jory Cassel, Weapon Master of Winterfell and Captain of the Winterfell Guards. Lord Stark bids you welcome. It should naught be but a few minutes before you may take your audience with him.

[Avonic]

"A few minutes? Guess I won't hold my breath then..." the halfling thought, pulling his cloak tighter about him. Sighing he leaned against a pillar and plunked a few chords on his Lute, keeping his ears perked for whatever the others might start saying.

[Qerps]

Maester Henrick pondered upon Maester Luwin’s Valyrian link as he made his way towards the Great Hall. He had wished to meet the man in private, but so far he had only managed a few brief encounters Winterfell’s appointed Maester. While the short conversations had been interesting, he had not dared bringing up a subject as touchy as Magic. The Valyrian in his chain showed he tried his hand at some spells as well in his younger years – for old Maesters were expected to ‘know better’ – and he had no doubt that when asked, he would get a very convinced answer that Magic simply did not work. He was most curious to see if he could convince an old Maester to relive a childhood folly for a moment and give him proof of that statement. It would be enlightening to find out whether he himself lay at the base of these newfound powers, or whether he was simply the only one to care enough to have found out that that the knowledge in those dusty tomes had regained some of its power.

Abruptly, he stopped, together with his train of thoughts. Lost in contemplation he had reached his destination sooner that he had anticipated. He gave a quick around, sparing a nod in greeting for those that acknowledged his presence. When Jory finally arrived, he was keeping himself busy looking at the shields and banners and trying to recall the name of their former owners. Nothing like exercising the mind to pass time after all. As Jory entered, the Maester turned towards him. He gave a curt nod at the Weapon Master. He had only learned of the strange tidings in the region upon arriving in Winterfell, but he was interested in learning more about them just the same as these others, be it for different reasons. In his view, exotic creatures should prove to be a fascinating object for some field study.

[Anea]

Harnix stood as stone when Jory came into to inform them of the arrival of Lord Stark. The dwarf had been standing there since this morning, patient and calm as always. The first few days that Harnix Soulforge had spent at the keep had been a hard adjustment for the Lord's family and the guard. Dwarves, though not uncommon, are rarely given any serious consideration by "normal" folk. They just don't see the potential of a man who is only two thirds the height of a regular man. But soon enough, the guards at least came to respect him. As Harnix practiced in the courtyard daily with his craghammer, many a stout fellow saw that he could be brought low with a single swing from the dwarf. Many more still marveled at the constitution and stamina of such a seasoned warrior.

Letting out a small breath, Harnix flexed and relaxed his muscles one by one. During training, paladins were taught to stand guard over important figures for hours on end. This technique ensured that the muscles didn't over-tighten from spending so long in one place. Let us see if Lord Stark remembers me. It was only twenty years ago, but Lord's memories are short at times.

[ZeroDraven]

"Such are a lord's ways, must make all the merry subjects wait eagerly. At least they are all so consistent" Karlon thought to himself, as he crossed his arms. Despite his feelings, years of being placed in this very same situation had left him experienced in feigning the appropriate guise of pleasantries, and so his posture remained placid and polite, and a well-practiced smile played across his face. He gave curt nods to the other guests stood with him, though the smile never reached his eyes.

[Duderk]

"Standing in the middle of such a large empty room always has an interesting feel to it." Shelton thought to himself, while waiting for something interesting to happen. "You can see every line someone can use to get close to you, there is no sense of crowding, and there are few shadows for others to hide in."

Eyes darting around the room, Shelton checks everywhere for some shadows to hide in himself. "Although, while there is nowhere others might hide from me, there isn't really anywhere I can hide myself."

Shelton half listens to the Weapon Master speak, as he checks all of the people in the room. The guards are far enough away that Shelton gives them only a passing check, spending most of his attention on the six other adventurers beside him.

"The Dwarf looks like he can take a beating easily, and probably give one out almost as easily. That old man looks shifty, to light on his feet for one of his age. That ragged looking man bears the sigil of Karstark, I wonder how deeply he is connected with them. A Maester, might be interesting to get to know him; he might be able to help translate that note of mine. That big guy has a big sword, and his arms look like he knows how to use it well." Shelton took each in, in turn, finally reaching the last person in the short line-up. "And I guess that leaves us with just that big hair-ball that looks like a Wildling. That cannot be right, Wildings would never walk openly this far south"

Finishing his thoughts, Shelton shifts closer to Boryn Ursalthe last one he was looking at, and tries to get a closer look, and see if there might be something to indicate his origins.

[Mowbeeus1]

Having never met any man of a social rank higher than a common soldier, Robert was as nervous as could be.
Looking upon the others gathered around, he spotted the dwarf standing near motionless, yet in perfect control. Drawing inspiration from this, Robert exhaled a breath, set his legs and heard his father speak in his head "Remember Robert, it is wiser to keep one's mouth closed and seem a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt."

He saw the gear of all the others and knew that all of them had been through many more trials than he. He would have to prove to the assembled men that he was no mere boy.

Cracking his knuckles swiftly, he awaited the arrival of Lord Stark.

[Tarek]

Keeping silent as stone, Boryn eyes the group. Adventurers, Fortune Seekers, Soldiers.. None of them know what they are up against. This won't just be a trial of steel and stamina, it's going to deal with fear, the deep kind that doesn't let you sleep. I hope they have the Stones. The Wilder thinks to himself. After Listening to the Weapons Master, Boryn beings to listen, and Smell his companions of the room. I feel like I am in a cage, but it's for a good reason, the things and people outside are probably less safe, and here nothing has room to run.

Hearing sole on stone he turns his eyes to look upon Shelton. The look of curiosity about the man strikes humor with him, with a dark smile, Boryn asks "Something I can Help you with? exposing a set of gnarled, yellow, and nearly pointed teeth. Attempt to seem pleasant, yet also someone, no something not to be underestimated with.

[Duderk]

Having lightly scuffed his boot to test the senses of the man in front of him, Shelton is not surprised when a face appears from among the hair. The question asked, somewhat casually, strikes Shelton to have a wildling accent to it, and the teeth that were hidden behind his lips seem to agree. having seen enough to make him feel that he is correct, Shelton decides to test his theory.

"Not really, I just thought I saw some discomfort, and thought I would take a chance to get to know you better. From where do you hail?" Shelton pulls a tight-lipped smile, not trying to provoke anything, but rather to learn more about this man. Deciding to push his little test as far as it would likely be safe to, Shelton asks a question of the slightly intimidating man. "Most who come from the north, shall we say, do not like being inside stone structures."

[Tarek]

Thinking for a partial moment, Boryn replies to Shelton. "As you said, Most do not. When you decide to live on the safer side of the wall, you learn to live like Southmen. Think of it this way, Man-stone is safer then a Tree." His voice gravely, almost as if he had aged too quickly. "And your right, I'm from North of the Wall, and from what Lord Stark needs us to handle, your going to need me"

With a quick sniff and slight turn of his head, he catches a glimps of Robert and grins before turning back to Shelton. "Boryn, of the Bear. And you be?"

[Lord Snow]

After only a few minutes, a guardsman enters the room and nods to Jory. Jory in turn nods to two of other guardsman who are standing beside a large oaken double door. The guardsmen turn and grab hold of the large handles on the doors and push them open with some effort. They then stand aside. Through the doors you can see the main chamber of the Great hall of Winterfell. There is a collection of people gathered at the far end of the room on a slightly raised dais. Presumably, this is the Lord of Winterfell and his Council. "Please follow me." says Jory extending a hand towards the room. "Lord Stark will see you now."

[Duderk]

"Shelton, though some call me the shadow, for how well my enemies can see me coming." Shelton replies to Boryn, with a quick glance towards Jory "And your right Boryn, those from north of the wall usually are good fighters."

With that, Shelton waves towards Jory in an after you gesture, and then follows the group.

[Anea]

With a slight head nod to Jory out of respect, Harnix took point and moved forward. His pace was swift, and yet appropriate, as he led the group towards the Lord of the North. Upon reaching the dais, Harnix bowed to Lord Stark and said, "Greetings, milord. I don't know if you remember me, but I am Harnix Soulforge."

[Qerps]

Henrick raised a brow as the Dwarf ‘took point’ and went ahead with introducing himself. Or did he know Lord Stark that well? The Maester chose to simply stand amongst the others and waited for the Warden of the North to take the initiative. To say the call for help had brought together an interesting group seemed an understatement. Even if these wild animals proved to be less than spectacular, he might yet learn a thing or two about Dwarves or Wildlings. Books could tell you a lot about either, but reality did not always match the tale.