Post by The Smith on Nov 16, 2013 21:19:16 GMT -5
Gareth Hightower reflected that it had been over-long. His first homecoming to Oldtown, after the long campaign in the Stepstones had been short, but now that he had returned from Kings Landing, the desire to visit the places of his boyhood had become overwhelming. The Citadel had been one of those and before he knew it Gareth found himself dismounting in front of its gates with a servant in tow. The memories of his time here came flooding back. Gareth felt for the iron link that hung on a chain around his neck and was surprised to find it warm.
The gates of the Citadel were flanked by a pair of towering green sphinxes with the bodies of lions, the wings of eagles and the tails of serpents. One had a mans’ face, one a woman’s. Gareth Hightower, the brother and heir of the Lord of the Far Reach and former acolyte was a welcome guest and the guards at the gate let him through immediately.
Gareth walked through into what was known as Scribe's Hearth. Here, the citizens of Oldtown came to hire scribes, usually acolytes, to write and read letters for them. Half a dozen bored scribes sat in open stalls waiting for some custom. Other stalls situated at the Scribe's Hearth include those where books were bought and sold. Gareth stopped at one that offered books on history and browsed through them before discarding them.
Ahh. This was more what he was after he thought, moving to a second and then third stall. The Art of Warfare and Generalship, Gareth noted with anticipation was a famous and well-read book. At the previous stall, he had discovered Beldecar's History of the Rhoynish Wars and then King Daeron I’s famous Conquest of Dorne glorying in the re-telling of famous campaigns, the heroic sieges and castle defences and the general waging of war. Gareth, himself was a relatively experienced battle commander, honed by six years of war in the Stepstones, but he was not so much interested in the famous campaigns described in those titles as he was in what had been written about castle defences and siege-craft.
By now the servant following in his footsteps had several books in his collection, as the young Hightower moved onto a fifth and then sixth stall. He picked up a large tome Wonders Made by Man, which was one of the two books written by Lomas Longstrider, the famous traveller. Gareth had heard of the book that recorded nine man made wonders of the world, including their own family seat of the Hightower, but had never seen a copy. The triple walls of Qarth, the Titan of Braavos and the Wall all figured prominently, but it was the triple walls of Qarth that intrigued him.
Once back in his chambers, Gareth spent some time studying his new acquisitions – particularly the sections on Qarth. He called in three of the best stonemasons that Oldtown could provide and fired questions at them as he read. He learnt that the city of Qarth was surrounded by three thick walls of thirty, forty, and fifty feet in height, respectively engraved with portraits of animals, war, and lovemaking. The outer wall was made of red sandstone, 30 feet high and decorated with animals; snakes slithering, kites flying, fish swimming, intermingled with wolves of the red waste and striped zorzes and monstrous elephants. Gareth found the choice of stone interesting, wondering why a harder stone like limestone or grey granite hadn’t been used for the outer wall, like the middle wall had been. Or even the inner wall made of hard black marble.
Gareth opened the next book – a copy of Engines of War by a certain Ayrmidon. It was originally a Valyrian scroll hard to find in its entirety. The scribes had told him that there was a complete version only at the library at Winterfell. Gareth had scoffed at that and when pressed the scribes had admitted that another copy in book form existed in the library at Oldtown. The book had been a fascinating read of all types of siege equipment, some of which he had never heard of and their application in war.
It had been late at night, some days after when Gareth finally finished the books. His head swimming with new found knowledge, he was already planning improvements to his own keep in the Stepstones and planning to talk to his brother on what they could do to improve not only Oldtown’s defences, but the defences of other strongholds of the Far Reach.
As he laid his head on his pillow and closed his eyes, he sleepily resolved to tour the Far Reach and speak to various stonemasons and bannerlords to see what could be done.
Results:
Gareth Hightower improves to Noteworthy + in Siege Tactics
Gareth Hightower improves to Noteworthy in Construction: (Fortifications)
The gates of the Citadel were flanked by a pair of towering green sphinxes with the bodies of lions, the wings of eagles and the tails of serpents. One had a mans’ face, one a woman’s. Gareth Hightower, the brother and heir of the Lord of the Far Reach and former acolyte was a welcome guest and the guards at the gate let him through immediately.
Gareth walked through into what was known as Scribe's Hearth. Here, the citizens of Oldtown came to hire scribes, usually acolytes, to write and read letters for them. Half a dozen bored scribes sat in open stalls waiting for some custom. Other stalls situated at the Scribe's Hearth include those where books were bought and sold. Gareth stopped at one that offered books on history and browsed through them before discarding them.
Ahh. This was more what he was after he thought, moving to a second and then third stall. The Art of Warfare and Generalship, Gareth noted with anticipation was a famous and well-read book. At the previous stall, he had discovered Beldecar's History of the Rhoynish Wars and then King Daeron I’s famous Conquest of Dorne glorying in the re-telling of famous campaigns, the heroic sieges and castle defences and the general waging of war. Gareth, himself was a relatively experienced battle commander, honed by six years of war in the Stepstones, but he was not so much interested in the famous campaigns described in those titles as he was in what had been written about castle defences and siege-craft.
By now the servant following in his footsteps had several books in his collection, as the young Hightower moved onto a fifth and then sixth stall. He picked up a large tome Wonders Made by Man, which was one of the two books written by Lomas Longstrider, the famous traveller. Gareth had heard of the book that recorded nine man made wonders of the world, including their own family seat of the Hightower, but had never seen a copy. The triple walls of Qarth, the Titan of Braavos and the Wall all figured prominently, but it was the triple walls of Qarth that intrigued him.
Once back in his chambers, Gareth spent some time studying his new acquisitions – particularly the sections on Qarth. He called in three of the best stonemasons that Oldtown could provide and fired questions at them as he read. He learnt that the city of Qarth was surrounded by three thick walls of thirty, forty, and fifty feet in height, respectively engraved with portraits of animals, war, and lovemaking. The outer wall was made of red sandstone, 30 feet high and decorated with animals; snakes slithering, kites flying, fish swimming, intermingled with wolves of the red waste and striped zorzes and monstrous elephants. Gareth found the choice of stone interesting, wondering why a harder stone like limestone or grey granite hadn’t been used for the outer wall, like the middle wall had been. Or even the inner wall made of hard black marble.
Gareth opened the next book – a copy of Engines of War by a certain Ayrmidon. It was originally a Valyrian scroll hard to find in its entirety. The scribes had told him that there was a complete version only at the library at Winterfell. Gareth had scoffed at that and when pressed the scribes had admitted that another copy in book form existed in the library at Oldtown. The book had been a fascinating read of all types of siege equipment, some of which he had never heard of and their application in war.
It had been late at night, some days after when Gareth finally finished the books. His head swimming with new found knowledge, he was already planning improvements to his own keep in the Stepstones and planning to talk to his brother on what they could do to improve not only Oldtown’s defences, but the defences of other strongholds of the Far Reach.
As he laid his head on his pillow and closed his eyes, he sleepily resolved to tour the Far Reach and speak to various stonemasons and bannerlords to see what could be done.
Results:
Gareth Hightower improves to Noteworthy + in Siege Tactics
Gareth Hightower improves to Noteworthy in Construction: (Fortifications)
Hope you all are well and happy.