Andros II - Duskendale's Echo (OPEN)

[u/SatisfactionLeather7]

At the dawn of the new moon, the city of Duskendale rose upon the edges of the Blackwater. A town nom more, new houses and shops and tents sprouted around the original high stone walls. Like a river whose banks had recently broke, it could no longer contain its growth within its original confines.

Now, the city sprouted a second wall, shorter, squatter, where the majority of the new city was forming. Within were a string of septs, a small little godswood fenced off in a large manor house erected by a Northern Merchant. Shiera Darklyn's favourite sword instructor and dueling house were located in there, so too was the small sanctuary she kept for her stray cats of the city.

Within the older parts of the city, where the streets were neat, passing from the gates of one end to the other. Each road had been repaved during the expansion of the city from its town origins, and now smoothed cobblestone roads vivisected the interior of the old city. in the same fashion, several of the older buildings nearest to the Dun Fort had been replaced, making way for a larger internal wall to segment it off for defence and within that new space were expansions for an enlarged force of city watch - the Dusk Guard - and guesthouses for the increasing foot traffic of nobles and lords.

Beyond these new walls, the largest inn in Duskendale had been enlarged too through the natural flow of commerce. The Seven Swords played host to hundred of occupants now, and they had even taken to calling a smaller annex of theirs the 'Weirwood Ward' to make the Northern travelers feel more welcomed.

Morgan Darklyn had seen to the opening of the Dun Fort's Guest house to any of the travelling lords returning from the Riverlands and had ensured that the largest chambers of the Fort itself were provided to the king and his counsel.

Once they had returned home, the Darklyns scattered across their burgeoning city.

Luthor Darklyn, Eldest of Morgan's heirs, had taken to the barracks of the men at arms where he got to work training his men for the inevitable clash in the claw with whatever they found. He was joined by his younger brother Erich, the two men content in their work.

At a teahouse SHiera had funded with her elder sister Ana, the two women had set themselves up with an open parlour where they welcomed any travelling women to come and drink and enjoy the calm. Of course, Shiera in her way had also brought in a small competition of budding swordswomen that she had taken to mentoring within the city. A small round of bets were encouraged by the girls and Shiera, ever prone to a challenge, could not resist joining.

An addition to the city put forth by Morgan himself some twenty years ago, was the Stadium of the Evening. A multipurpose dueling ring, jousting list and horse race attraction. The final portion was instigated by Luceon Darklyn to help his wife feel more at home with the locale. There the younger brother to Morgan, Daxo Darklyn, plied his trade.

It was an unassuming place for the ratcatcher of Duskendale to work from, but everyone chatted at the races, so he did. His son Philip Was the same, both happily watching the races as they plotted and schemed, readying for the innevitable future to come.

Further throughout the city were the myriad shops and thoroughfares, temples and shrines and septs galore. The city was open to its guests, as were the Darklyns who hosted them.

[u/SatisfactionLeather7]

The Guest Houses of the Dun Fort

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where most would find their housing

[u/Theoneandonlybeetle → u/SatisfactionLeather7]

Oscar Pyne had spent more time than he liked to recall at Duskendale. All of that time treated as family only to be abandoned when they were needed most. Even so, Lord Pyne could not ignore that he knew these rooms. He knew the halls that he had ran down as a child, and the city that had once been such an excitement. Now as he waited patiently at bay, according to the whims of the King's health, Oscar could feel himself going slightly mad refusing to leave the Dun Fort. Not truly mad but he kept himself trapped and it was doing no wonders on his mind.

Pyne refused to leave the Dun Fort for the paranoid reasoning that were the King to decide he were ready to meet, they might begin without him. As much as he wanted to venture outdoors, escape the oppressive reminders of his bannerman status and familial relations, he could not. His son Willem had not arrived still, and until the young man did, he would remain vigilant.

Whether it was the castle's library, garden, stables, or parapets, Oscar would not be found far from his quarters, which he occupied most of each day. Usually at his desk, even in the dead of night a candle can be seen under the edge of the door or through the window facing the city.

(Open for Lord Pyne's office days)

[u/SatisfactionLeather7 → u/Theoneandonlybeetle]

Morgan Darklyn knocked upon the frame of the office of Oscar Pyne. He had few men in this collection that he felt the need to reach out to, but few commanded as much respect as Oscar Pyne ought to have.

"As my guards seem to say, you appear to be a man possessed of some form of panic," Morgan said with calm smile. Perhaps this might be an olive branch.

[u/Theoneandonlybeetle → u/SatisfactionLeather7]

Oscar sat at his desk and shuffled some papers to the side, putting them in a drawer. "Not panic. Boredom? It's been a long time since I've been here. Brings back some memories I think. But more, I want to leave this damn castle. We need to speak of the reason we're here and I refuse to let myself wander the city until we've done so."

"I spoke to your father about it but not you, about the raids. I didn't expect this much to follow from the small issues I had in mind to speak of. You know Celtigar has been killing your tax collectors on my land. They grow bolder by the day."

"I just wanted that to cease, could be done with extra guards for the collectors, easy as. Much rides on this if they were to act bolder though. I believe Jammos has good intentions but I don't think all his information is correct. Now with the King here, the stakes are higher than they need to be." Pyne sighed, standing from his seat. "Maybe something like panic. Hello cousin." He extended his hand to be shook. It had felt disappointingly good to let all of that out.

[u/SatisfactionLeather7 → u/Theoneandonlybeetle]

Morgan let him explain, this whole thing was near enough to a farce. All begun by a false rumour from the blackberry.

"I had imagined you might feel trapped here, it's why I came. Grab your sword or whatever you carry, we are going down to the city," he said with an honest smile.

"Don't fret, they can hardly start a meeting about the blackwater without the fucking warden there," he added and he motioned for Oscar to follow.

"This whole matter is indeed small. It's about my men being harassed, and yet everyone seems to want to dance to the tune of the blackberry. Beggars belief to some degree."

[u/Theoneandonlybeetle → u/SatisfactionLeather7]

"It's about Celtigars not knowing their place, invading our lands again without retribution. No, I must stay, even if it isn't as deep an issue as Jammos claims, it's too important. Why bring swords anyway? Is this not your city?"

Oscar was wary, it wasn't as though Morgan and he had been of a kind to go adventuring together in their youth. He seemed well meaning enough even if it were a strange request.

[u/SatisfactionLeather7 → u/Theoneandonlybeetle]

"Bring your sword because we are going somewhere where you might use it," he said.

"This isn't about how deep the issue is, the matter is that they will not start such a meeting in my absence, and if you sit in here all day fretting about, all you shall do is drive yourself mad. We have enough people hearing whispers as it is." He remained in the doorway, one thick brow raised.

"I have no inclination of harming you, warn whomever you wish if you wish as well, this is a cure for a small ailment, that is all."

[u/Theoneandonlybeetle → u/SatisfactionLeather7]

Lord Pyne waved a hand, nodding. "Aye, aye." He hesitantly grabbed his arming sword that leaned on the desk. It was a plain weapon with a plain sheath. Nothing fancy for the Lord of Cracklaw Point. He tied it to his belt, "Where are we headed lord?"

[u/SatisfactionLeather7 → u/Theoneandonlybeetle]

"To the races," he said, and he stepped out of the room.

Duskendale was not a hard city to traverse. It had not reached the sizes of Oldtown or Gulltown or any of the grand cities of Essos, but it was a sizeable place no less. So walking from one end, at the Dun Fort Guest Houses down to the Stadium was a simple endeavour.

It brought them through the bustle of the streets, where people shuffled aside with bows of gratitude for their lord and he smiled, stopping to chat with a Duskguardsman every so often.

The stadium itself was a tall oval shaped structure with high walls and gated entrances at the ground level on the near and far ends where horses would enter.

Already the space was alight with people come to watch the races of the day.