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Post by ironaquilifer on Aug 20, 2020 15:49:21 GMT -5
It was early when Ser Eldred Hill made his presence known to his superior. He wore the chainmail of a watchman, dim under the light from the unforgiving nature of their duties. Yet the smile that graced his features was bright. Though with the bastard, that could be just as false as his birth.
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Post by Politburo Barry on Aug 21, 2020 21:57:41 GMT -5
"Ah, Ser Eldred." Massey greeted the knight pleasantly, matching the man's smile with his usual one. He seemed at ease in his new office, having settled in nicely, and his squire Stannis Seaworth would likely have been present with him as well. "I'm going to guess from that smile on your face that you have some good news to report?"
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Post by ironaquilifer on Aug 22, 2020 13:51:57 GMT -5
"Ah, Ser Eldred." Massey greeted the knight pleasantly, matching the man's smile with his usual one. He seemed at ease in his new office, having settled in nicely, and his squire Stannis Seaworth would likely have been present with him as well. "I'm going to guess from that smile on your face that you have some good news to report?" Eldred had to laugh, though the soft bark did not have much strength behind it. " No news is good news at this point." He offered an apologetic gesture of his hands. " Rather I feel that I have a notion that could assist with the growing maintenance of the city." If he were a man taken by cunning, the bastard would have smirked. " The Central Barracks is in dire need of rebuilding. We are barely managing to house half the number before Stannis took the crown. But I think we could be more ambitious than just keeping our heads above water, Lord Massey." With that the knight, albeit with some self-conscious trepidation, unveiled a small roll of parchment. Upon its face was something that would take the commander a few minutes to make out: a crude map of the city. " Why not a fourth barracks? When the king took the city he did so from the waterfront, cutting off the Keep from the rest of the city's defenders. But another barracks, established between the keep and the mud gate can if needs be serve as a rallying point to keep a corridor running from one corner of the city to the next." He looked for a reaction from his commander, assessing that his eagerness was perhaps misplaced. " And with this fourth barracks we could take up the kingsguard on their offer of training. Why not stage melees, showing off the skill at arms of the goldcloaks for the populace? With the whitecloaks at our side, lending their prestige, we could drum up a wave of volunteers. Volunteers who are eager to prove themselves in this service." The knight paused, turning his eyes back to the crude map of the city. " Surely with whatever gold Lord Baelish was hoarding from the treasury would be best put towards this? We could win the support of the people. Not begruding contentment, not even acknowledgement. The streets could be ours."
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Post by Politburo Barry on Aug 23, 2020 22:43:54 GMT -5
"A fourth barracks?" Massey scrutinized his subordinate, one hand under his chin as his smile rearranged itself into a thoughtful expression. From the last time he'd worked with the Master of Coin, his understanding was that Baelish had spread his wealth across the realm, and it may be difficult - and certainly out of the Goldcloaks' jurisdiction - to claw it all back. Did they really have the money to afford this expense, what with their debts to the Iron Bank? Still, it sounded tempting, and would certainly enhance the prestige of a corps previously best known for murdering babies for having black hair, barely managing to suppress riots, and being defeated at the city walls. Such an enhancement would also surely reflect well on its commanders...
"Sound proposal, Ser Eldred..." Justin finally openly mused. "Lord Seaworth's suggestion has sent us off on a good start." Though the six hundred recruits weren't quite enough to make the City Watch a formidable force just yet. "Bringing some luster back to the gold cloak seems to me a sound way indeed to build on that start, makes joining our ranks more attractive to those denizens living outside of Flea Bottom. I could present your proposal to the King at the next meeting of the Small Council, see if I can get the funding. I can't promise anything, of course, but I know King Stannis to be a man of reason who will at least consider sensible suggestions. And what you've just suggested to me makes plenty of sense." What commoner didn't like watching a good melee with free bread and ale or watered wine in hand, maybe so much so that they'd think of joining in?
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Post by ironaquilifer on Aug 25, 2020 15:53:22 GMT -5
"A fourth barracks?" Massey scrutinized his subordinate, one hand under his chin as his smile rearranged itself into a thoughtful expression. From the last time he'd worked with the Master of Coin, his understanding was that Baelish had spread his wealth across the realm, and it may be difficult - and certainly out of the Goldcloaks' jurisdiction - to claw it all back. Did they really have the money to afford this expense, what with their debts to the Iron Bank? Still, it sounded tempting, and would certainly enhance the prestige of a corps previously best known for murdering babies for having black hair, barely managing to suppress riots, and being defeated at the city walls. Such an enhancement would also surely reflect well on its commanders... "Sound proposal, Ser Eldred..." Justin finally openly mused. "Lord Seaworth's suggestion has sent us off on a good start." Though the six hundred recruits weren't quite enough to make the City Watch a formidable force just yet. "Bringing some luster back to the gold cloak seems to me a sound way indeed to build on that start, makes joining our ranks more attractive to those denizens living outside of Flea Bottom. I could present your proposal to the King at the next meeting of the Small Council, see if I can get the funding. I can't promise anything, of course, but I know King Stannis to be a man of reason who will at least consider sensible suggestions. And what you've just suggested to me makes plenty of sense." What commoner didn't like watching a good melee with free bread and ale or watered wine in hand, maybe so much so that they'd think of joining in? Eldred nodded along with the words of his commander, broad smiles as it seemed that his gambit was paying off. Seaworth's dregs were not the sort of company Hill enjoyed, their confusing blend of proud and base such that they were neither over-awed by his lineage nor bought with coppers, making for poor company in barracks and on the streets. And there were so many of them. No, give the knight bandits or guildsmen, those men were simple in their vices, simple enough that he had a good chance of making himself the provider of their desires. " I am sufficed that you have heard my pleas, Ser Massey." The bastard lied a lot, to himself as much as others. And in doing so, he had a tenuous grasp on objective truth. He just accepted everything that he uttered as fact, damn any contradiction that meant for him down the line. " It would be a good spectacle, the final push before winter wraps us all in its embrace." He regretted saying that though. Winter was a dirty word to someone who was going to have to work during it.
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