Episode: Paved With Good Intentions
Posted by Story on 01/12/19
Among all else happening in the Compact, the ennoblement of a commoner could possibly pass notice among the peerage with so much distracting them. One might think so. Jyri Tersk, a prodigal kennelmaster of the Iron Guard, is liked and well respected among his fellow servants of the Crown, so under better conditions, most would use him as an example of one that shows their merit, even if the peerage might still disapprove of any noble raising up a prodigal, however worthy. But these are not really the best of times. A proclamation goes forth from the Count of Grayford, one of the sworn vassals of House Deepwood, whose Count Augustus Grayreeve had distinguished himself years ago in particularly brutal battles against the Gray Forest Abandoned while serving under House Bisland's called banners. The proclamation reads:
"When it became clear that our sworn liege, Marquessa Samantha Deepwood, was in fact a liar masquerading as a noble, we held our tongue, for the king himself forgave her. When House Riven married a prodigal, another old and proud house serving the same Deepwoods, again, we said nothing, as the blood our enemies intermarried into an old and proud house. And when a commoner family of merchants, the Merciers, who quarreled over vineyards and bushels of wheat and crass commerce were raised to nobles and given the title of House Whitehawk, again, we said nothing, out of deference to the Lady Dawn and those who followed her.
The Marquessa of Longwood is dead, assassinated treacherously by Thraxian scum so lost to honor that they broke guest right to do so, and our blood so thinned by prodigals and commoners that we are not already marching to war. The so called 'House Whitehawk' now marries one of its commoner-nobles, Lady Elora, to a Jyri Tersk. A prodigal! No, no more. We cannot remain silent on this. Until the Thraxians are brought to justice, until their lands are laid low, we cannot count ourselves as vassals to 'Ivy'. We cannot pay taxes to a pretender more concerned over the rights of prodigals and even Abandoned than the peerage. Not until she and all her vassals show that they truly understand noble honor, and see those who would strike at the Crownlands dead."
In effect, House Grayreeve, a vassal of House Deepwood, just renounced fealty and is in open rebellion until their concerns are addressed.
"When it became clear that our sworn liege, Marquessa Samantha Deepwood, was in fact a liar masquerading as a noble, we held our tongue, for the king himself forgave her. When House Riven married a prodigal, another old and proud house serving the same Deepwoods, again, we said nothing, as the blood our enemies intermarried into an old and proud house. And when a commoner family of merchants, the Merciers, who quarreled over vineyards and bushels of wheat and crass commerce were raised to nobles and given the title of House Whitehawk, again, we said nothing, out of deference to the Lady Dawn and those who followed her.
The Marquessa of Longwood is dead, assassinated treacherously by Thraxian scum so lost to honor that they broke guest right to do so, and our blood so thinned by prodigals and commoners that we are not already marching to war. The so called 'House Whitehawk' now marries one of its commoner-nobles, Lady Elora, to a Jyri Tersk. A prodigal! No, no more. We cannot remain silent on this. Until the Thraxians are brought to justice, until their lands are laid low, we cannot count ourselves as vassals to 'Ivy'. We cannot pay taxes to a pretender more concerned over the rights of prodigals and even Abandoned than the peerage. Not until she and all her vassals show that they truly understand noble honor, and see those who would strike at the Crownlands dead."
In effect, House Grayreeve, a vassal of House Deepwood, just renounced fealty and is in open rebellion until their concerns are addressed.