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Post by Queen Joanna Lannister on Mar 21, 2015 17:47:56 GMT -5
"Have you ever heard of an empty ship making port in Lannisport?" Joanna asked sweetly. Clearly Quentyn Cleftjaw was not up to the recent news of the realm yet, or perhaps it was not as widely known as she thought, that the goldlands now had foreign loans. "I think not, my lord. Especially when one is sailing from as far as Volantis."
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Post by Quentyn Cleftjaw on Mar 21, 2015 17:55:49 GMT -5
"It is likely they have things which may be of value." Quentyn conceded. "Throw in a future favor, and I suppose it's a deal. Or the brunette." He waved a hand toward the door Morgan had left through.
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Post by Queen Joanna Lannister on Mar 21, 2015 17:58:46 GMT -5
Joanna's lips curled into a sly smirk. "Why not," she said, extending a hand. It was unclear whether she was talking about the favour or the brunette.
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Post by Quentyn Cleftjaw on Mar 21, 2015 18:11:13 GMT -5
Quentyn took the hand, smiling. He then started to bend toward it, got a curious look on his face, then straightened back up. "I'm sorry, I've forgotten, do you Greenlanders kiss hands? Or is that just an Eastern thing?"
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Post by Queen Joanna Lannister on Mar 21, 2015 18:12:49 GMT -5
"In this situation, I was expecting you to shake it," said Joanna, slightly amused. "What is the Ironborn custom?"
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Post by Quentyn Cleftjaw on Mar 21, 2015 18:18:29 GMT -5
He gave her hand a quick shake, and let go.
"Depends. Shake hands, embrace, slap backs, bump fists, headbutt...we play it by ear. Easy to forget which formal shit to go with, away from home."
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Post by Queen Joanna Lannister on Mar 21, 2015 18:23:50 GMT -5
"Very well," she said with a finality to her voice that announced an end to this little meeting. "I shall send word to you then."
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Post by Quentyn Cleftjaw on Mar 21, 2015 18:28:01 GMT -5
"Lovely. Regarding the merchandise in my hold as well, I presume?"
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Post by Queen Joanna Lannister on Mar 21, 2015 18:29:12 GMT -5
"Oh, of course. I will send someone over today," she said, having nearly forgotten about it.
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Post by Quentyn Cleftjaw on Mar 21, 2015 18:33:20 GMT -5
"Many thanks, my lady." Quentyn gave a short bow. "You are the soul of hospitality."
He turned and walked out the door.
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Post by Quentyn Cleftjaw on Mar 28, 2015 15:30:15 GMT -5
///////////////////////////////
An Ironborn messenger arrived at the manor carrying a bundle addressed to Lady Morgan.
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Post by Septon Martyn on Apr 5, 2015 23:04:27 GMT -5
Martyn approached the main gate to the manor house, fist closed tightly around the parchment in one hand, and the hammer and nails in the other. Am I supposed to feel nervous? He shrugged, and nodded good morning to the Lannister guards nearby. Holding the parchment in one hand, he laid it on the door while he took a nail in his right hand and placed it on the top portion. After he finished hammering it in place aside a number of other public announcements, policies, religious writings, and excerpts of news.
"Out of love and concern for the truth, and with the object of eliciting it, the following points will be discussed in Lannisport under the direction of the most reverend septon Martyn, student of the Citadel and trained in the Light of the Seven, and self-appointed expounder on these subjects in that place. He requests that whoever cannot be present personally to debate the matter orally will do so in absence in writing:
1. When the Seven first graced the Hills of Andolos with their presence they ordained that the founder and leader of Faith among the Andals was a man crowned not by priestly hands, but who received his mandate and right from the Father himself.
2. It is self-evident in the eyes of gods and men that the arrival and consolidation of the Faith in this land of Westeros bore fruit in Seven Kingdoms. The Kings of Mountain and Vale, Rock, Reach, Iron Islands, Trident and Storm, along with the Princes of Dorne constituted Seven realms in which the the Faith spread, flourished, and guided both smallfolk and nobles.
3. Whatever religious inclinations, this pattern of Seven Kingdoms continued until the conquest of the Aegon the Dragon.
4. In Holy Book and Maester's history there is no recorded instance of the Seven taking on earthly form or avatar. The notion that the gods might take on earthly flesh in form of avatar or representative is not only unprecedented before the arrival of Iron and Steel in Andal hands upon these Seven Kingdoms, but contrary to holy writ and natural history.
5. In the course of history, be it due to the presence of an armed faith, a red priest or priestess of the false god of the Baratheons, or self-proclaimed prophets or avatars of the gods, there has been nothing wrought but suffering and death at the hands of those who claim direct divine representation on this land.
6. Based on the preceding points, it is therefore proposed that it was the original attempt and fundamental purpose of the Seven that piety, faith, and power over matter both temporal and heavenly be put in the hands of the Lords, Princes and Kings of Men. This is for the benefit of smallfolk, protected from the deprivations evident not only by sorcery, but the usurpation of the gods' nature, right and rule.
7. Surely such temporal benefit, and the stability evident by a divestment of both spiritual and temporal power from those who might claim to stand in place of the gods will result in the eternal salvation of those under the protection of a benevolent prince exercising power spiritual and temporal."
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Post by Septon Martyn on Apr 6, 2015 12:21:45 GMT -5
"8. It is the height of idiocy and impropriety that in recent events our most honourable Lord Tyrell has taken upon himself the title 'Defender of the Faith.' That such a station should exist is not contrary to workings both divine and natural. The Kings, Princes, and Lords of this realm were endowed by the gods, as was Hugo of the Hills with the tools and mandate to propagate, lead and spread the Faith. No, the idiocy lies not with Defending the Faith of the Seven, but in the implication that such a defense may lie with one sovereign rather than all that populate these Seven Kingdoms.
9. Furthermore, there exists an inherent contradiction between a sovereign's rule over matters spiritual in his demesne, and the presence of a man with mortal flesh, inclinations, and passions occupying the seat of the Seven as their avatar. A prince may not fully occupy his position as the Defender of the Faith in THEIR realm while still answering to the whims and wishes of a spiritual ruler who, time and again, has gone from competent and pious, to false and fallible depending on which High Septon wore the crystal crown of the Seven.
10. The existence of septons and septas whose role is to instruct, guide and perform rites for those less educated in matters spiritual is natural to both the inclinations of man, and the order of religion. Recompense for these services is both admirable and necessary so that those dedicated to the Faith may pursue more freely the propagation thereof. It is not meet however, that the tithes and offerings of the Faithful be used to enrich and beautify the homes, clothing and food of these septons. The work of the Smith was to be industrious of this own volition and divine nature, for the betterment of others.
11. It is also not meet according to scripture or natural law that septons, septas, or others dedicated to the Faith be restricted from vows both marital and familial. In the appearance of the Seven among the men of Andalos they mandated that the sovereign and prince chosen to spread and protect the Faith be fruitful and multiply his posterity and piety through family and marital vows. Maidenhood must give way to Motherhood, which tempers the woman into the Crone. For without experience both familial or otherwise may she guide humanity with her lamp. The Warrior and the Smith arm and strengthen the sons of the Father. It is only in the Stranger that the family is separated and marriage dissolved.
12. The marital relationships is therefore ordained of the Seven, chastity being restricted to those who have not yet attained but are striving for such a station, and loyalty within that relationship. Should the Mother prove merciful, the children produced by such a relationship are not an impediment to piety, but the spreading thereof via instruction from righteous parentage and religious instruction.
13. The purvey and implementation of such policies should be guided by Lordly virtue. The septries, septs, septons, septas, brothers and sisters being subject along with all other families and individuals both in property and being to their sovereign, ordained by the gods to that position for their good, protection and salvation.
14. Worshipers of gods more ancient than those who appeared among the Hills of Andolos are neither to be blamed, nor harmed for their inclinations. While their conversion is hoped and aspired for, it is evident that the gods and spirits among their ancestors provided for the same prosperity and stability among the realms of men. Let not the hand of persecution fall among them, for charity, love and brotherhood is a greater power for conversion than sword and flame. Let not the same be said for worshipers of the Red God of Essos, or followers of devious and dark arts. Prophecy and claims to represent the divine or magical should be condemned as murderous and disruptive forces both in village, home, and realm. Prophecy is a sword with no grip, causing both the wielder and the victim to be sundered and cut by its use. Instead, let us turn to the order established by divine mandate and example. Whose realm it is, let that be the determiner of stability and faith, otherwise the forces of evil prophecy, sorcery and proclamations of divine avatrship plunge the people of the Seven Kingdoms into war and calamity."
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Post by Septon Martyn on Apr 6, 2015 15:00:25 GMT -5
The treatise would go on to list an additional 63 grievances claimed by Martyn to have corrupted the Faith and fractured the realm. While Martyn had little regard to the practice of numerology as a serious foci for luck or divine fortune, he was nothing if not theatrical. Let the pious have their 77 points of piety. He had to stretch at some points, condense in others, but he hoped that the message was clear to all involved, smallfolk and Lord:
- The gods had endowed the Kings and Lords of Westeros with power to conduct matters both spiritual and temporal in their realms, being the court of last resort for matters of the Faith.
- The High Septon was subservient to the Kings and Lords of Westeros, and a servant of the people. Any claims that he stood as an avatar of the Seven should be dropped, as a matter of recognizing his own mortality, foibles and frailties.
- Septons, septas, and other members of the faith may receive recompense in the form of offerings by the faithful, but were not to build worldly wealth from said offerings. Anything extra should be donated to the poor for their uplifting, or remitted to the King for the general protection of the realm and faith. Stewardship of the property and persons of the faith was under the direction of the local sovereign.
- Septons and other members of the Faith were not to set themselves apart from the smallfolk and lords with regards to matters of family and marriage. The Seven exemplified the divine family, and gave the first Andal king the means to propagate the Faith through family.
- Sorcery, worship of fire and prophecy, and similar claims to represent the gods were to be seen as dangerous and subversive to the stability of the realm. This was best exemplified in the fracturing of the realm following the death of good King Robert I by his wicked brother under the thumb of a red sorceress, and the use of said sorcery in the murder of his good friend Eddard Stark, Hand of the King
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Post by Queen Joanna Lannister on Apr 7, 2015 10:44:05 GMT -5
Roland Brax, freshly returned from his diplomatic trip to the Arbor, arrived at the Lannister Manor to pay his respects to the Lady Lauren, who he reckoned would be in charge of Lannisport in the absence of.. well, everyone else. He hopped off his saddle, bewildered at the sight of the front door, which now resembled a notification board of some tavern, barely visible from under all that parchment nailed to it. He walked up to it with the intent of removing the first page so as to present the evidence to Lady Lauren, who had clearly missed the ruckus of someone nailing 77 theses to her front door.
Yet by the time he reached the second clause, he had already reconsidered, and proceeded to read twenty or thirty of them, before he finally headed inside to have a servant undertake the task of removing the written disputation from the door. A little later, after having read through all of them next to a cup of mulled wine, he headed out to find the brilliant Westerling septon who'd come up with those.
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