Campaign of the Month: December 2020

House Jasper

Snownook Hosts a Tourney, Pt 1

In my raven form, I come across Ser Carsen hunched over a stream on the side of the mountain. He looked as though he were packed with a few days provisions, and had been out for some time. Perched on a nearby tree, I observe the knight shake around a large flat round object for hours on end, and it’s not until I get closer that I realize he’s panning for gold. The fellow has a family at home, and a castle under construction, and he’s focused on flakes of gold! How pitiful. He doesn’t seem to get anything during the time I’ve watched him as evidenced by his repeated cursing, so in trying to understand his unwavering commitment to such a fruitless task, I check out his saddle bags to see if he was being motivated by previous success. I don’t find gold, but I do find a most unusual smell…what is distinctly human flesh. I try my best to dig around and open his saddle bags with no luck, and not wanting to push my luck with Carsen’s distraction level, I give up and return to Castle Snownook.

I deliver the news of Olira’s response to the message about their builders, and the unusual nature of Carsen’s behavior and contents of his bags, with Teddy, who seems utterly unconcerned. But the smell from his saddle sacks was so unusual that it gnaws at me for the rest of the day.

In celebration of Ser Jamie Lannister’s stay at Castle Snownook hosts a tournament with handsome prizes. The first event is a trick riding race, that I enter with a bit of confidence. At the starting line is Rhaella, Eustice Hunter, and Ser Darron among others. Together we raced through obstacles including jumping over a fence, through the shallows of the sea, and up the gate house ramp. The whole way I trail Ser Darron by bit a bit and never quite catch him, and I watch with a hint of envy as he’s awarded 50 gold dragons for his victory.

The next even is a knife throwing competition, that I join in fueled by the festivity of the day. Wyne, Eustice Hunter, Marianne Malcome, and Ser Dolins himself also compete, and while I enter with abysmal expectations for being competitive, I’m delighted to just make it to the second round. As the events wraps, the crowd turns its attention towards the joust…

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A Bud of Curiosity

After Ser Lannister and his party depart, Lady Alys sends me with a message to House Carsen. It’s a lovely afternoon, so I’m happy to have the chance to go for a long ride with Kusa and August, and we meander down the gentle hills under the sun. After about an hour, we arrive, and I can’t help but notice the magnificent progress the builders have made at his home. They’ve still got a long way to go, but I think about how exciting it must feel to watch something be made from nothing each day.

Olira greets me warmly outside their stead, and shares that Carsen isn’t home, but agrees to take the message and share it with her husband when he returns. The message is not a particularly good one, the builders are being conscripted to work on the sept, and her disappointment is palpable. Olira asks a few questions that I do not have the answers for, but I encourage her to send Carsen to meet with the Jaspers when he gets back. On that note, I ask earnestly, “By the way, where is Carsen?”. She shares without hesitation that he’s been leaving to go to the mountains recently, and when she asks what he’s doing up there he responds that she wouldn’t understand. How mysterious!! I thank her for her time and agreement to deliver the message to Ser Carsen, and express my hope that we see them at Snownook soon.

Pulled by my curiosity, once well out of sight of the Thorne residence, I pull our little party far off the path and behind some foliage, and warg into my helpful raven friend to head to the mountains and seek out Carsen’s whereabouts.

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Unexpected Visitors

After the bardic college opening, out riding one day, I see about a mile in front of August, Kusa and I a column of soldiers headed directly east towards Castle Snownook. I squint, trying to make out the details of the party but without much luck, I warg into the raven that trails us and get a closer look. About 100 soldiers trail behind a couple supply carriages and blonde twins, carrying sigil of a golden lion on a blood red field. I race back to the Jasper party as fast as I can and notify them of the approaching group.

After a few minutes of discussion, I recognize the stature of our guests, House Lannister, and offer to get the kitchen working on an impressive meal to greet them with. When I hear the gates open, I take it upon myself to carry in a tray of goblets of the house’s finest wine, and offer it to a dusty Ser Jamie after being verbally assaulted by an over eager Darron praising his prowess.

While the nobles meet, I tend to the Lannister horses, and have the opportunity to work on Ser Jamie’s impressive steed. From behind, my work is interrupted by a quiet woman’s voice, “You have a way with him”. I turn around and upon rising from a curtsy, I see a familiar face, Olive the Septa. We make some small talk, though much to my annoyance, every sentence of hers is peppered with references to her gods. Thinking of Ser Dolins’ skepticism of the Seven, I avoid the subject, and happily hand her the bag of feed for the mules she requested.

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Oh Mirage - a poem by Darron

Her beauty eclipses the southern sun
Her grace exceeds the Vale’s heights
When the stars emerge – as the night comes
Her eyes, they shine at least as bright

Oh Fortune! You have made us one!
Do I have the warrior or crone to thank?
It feels that any-thing now can be done.
From six feet up upon her flank

Fur and plate and hoof and lance
She’s flies just like a northern gale
Our enemies all poop their pants
Victory…. comes without fail

I’ll always share the spoils, of course
Oh Mirage, my loyal horse

Recited at the Opening of the Bardic College in April of 288 AC

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Raven to Mia Elesham

Could not find the girl in Jasport. Will look again with more information, can you describe her appearance?

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Hands and Fingers
A poem by Teddy

A Hand

He asked for a hand
But it was only a finger
That I could offer the stranger

A hand

To quest for further land
To expand to the hand
That someday we will lend

A Finger

For now, to linger
Will have to do

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From Poetry Book of Gregoriy
for the opening of the bardic college!

A Set of House Jasper Limericks……by a Norvosi

There once was a lord from the vale
House Jasper, from which he doth hail
The sight from his eyes
Use to be exorcised
Until recently, he has no use for braille.

There lived a son of our most gracious lord
The leader of our great and powerful horde
Not the most observant
But with coin fervent
To the point of leaving no deal unexplored (Norvosi Unledanket)

There once was a Knight from the vale
From House Jasper he doth hail
Once from the Reach
He is such a peach
Especially with his Tankard of Ale (Norvosi Grak)

In House Jasper, lives a quiet and helpful Stablehand
Who has experienced much more than she had planned
Animals are her kin
Almost as if they were her twin
She is a pivotal part of our band (rafeep)

And finally, our generous host for the night
Good with song and is hard to best in a fight
Always has a song
Wielding Victorinox all day long
We all know the great bard-knight (norvosi tonamin)

And I am a priest from Norvos
Your most tall and omnipotent host
I always put up a fight
But try as I might
I can’t speak WESTEROS!

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Hooray - A Poem By Cedric

Hooray
By Ser Cedric

It is with many thanks that I am here today
Good Jardon, Better Darron found me
In their names we should cry out Hooray!

I’ve been to the Riverlands, seen the Freys
Lord Ronnel and Lady Alys welcomed me
In their names we should cry out Hooray!

I was not in the war, distance was my delay
Sly Teddy and the kind Ser Dolins accepted me
In their names we should cry out Hooray!

I’ve rode more than some leagues, my tired horse would neigh
Dutiful Edric and lovely Summer care for he
In their names we should cry out Hooray!

I’ve lived many a hard year, my hair has gone to grey
The Jasper family protected you and protected me
In their names we should cry out Hooray!

Recited at the Opening of the Bardic College in April of 288 AC

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Ser Darron's Journal 26

Now, this is a story all about how
My life got flipped-turned upside down
And I’d like to take a minute
Just one short speech
I’ll tell you how I was unfairly separated from my family in the Reach

In South Westeros born and raised
In the tiltyard was where I spent most of my days
Chillin’ out, maxin’, relaxin’, all gallant
And all swingin’ some longsword showin’ my talent
When a couple of jewels that were pretty rare
One night just disappeared into thin air
The Lord needed a scapegoat and I was nearby
He said, “You’re losing your head if we catch you alive!”

They weren’t jokin’ around so ole Darron conceded
Rolled Stealth bonus Sneak and just barely succeeded
Not usually the kind to get scared and turn tail
But I thought “Nah, forget it, yo, horse to The Vale!”
I pulled up to Snownook at the break of daylight
And I yelled to Lord Jasper, “Yo holmes, need a Knight?”
I looked at my kingdom
It would have to do
And I swore on that day to bring my family here too

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The Unbeatable Knight

Several more rounds of fights go by before a mystery knight no one recognizes challenges Ser Darron, who he swiftly defeats. The crowd goes wild and cheers Darron’s name, and the mystery knight quickly storms off, clearly a poor sportsman.

As the tournament continues, a fight in the crowds breaks out. The voice of an enraged man rises from the murmurs of the audience, and all look to see a man screaming at a knight with a sigil of white birds on a brown background, from House Shett. He bellows “It is you who are the bastard! How dare you!” and departs before swords start swinging, much to my relief. Eyes shift uncomfortably within the audience, and when no one approaches the knight, I quietly check in on him. He assures me he’s alright-“words can cut deeper than swords, can’t they?”. He introduces himself at Ser Hammett, and not long after, he dons armor to go challenge Ser Darron. I wish him luck on his way out to the platform.

My wishes are no use in the face of his opponent, Ser Darron. Ser Hammett is cut down like all the others

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