Post by The Smith on Jul 1, 2009 11:31:47 GMT -5
It had been almost a month since he’d dispatched riders across the Riverlands, and they were just beginning to trickle in by the ones and twos, with handfuls of young children, boys and girls both, in tow.
Each child was greeted with two tunics of homespun cloth, raw hide shoes, and milk and biscuits. Then their names were recorded in to a large book assembled for the purpose, stating their name, if they had one, and the age they believed themselves to be. Those without names were given them, usually by Talyn leafing through the history books found in the abandoned Maester’s chambers and picking out names at random. Children were then set up in rooms inside the Widow’s tower, and divided up by age and gender. Groups of 50 children were watched over by one of the Sons, who they children were instructed to call, "Brother-Sergeant."
Because of the timing of the Five year War of the Long Winter, most children were between the ages of 5 and 12.
The young children spent their days playing games in the outerward, overseen by some of the older Sons. Most games were rough and tumble games, meant to restore their strength, and grow their bodies.
For the children that were ten or older the games became more practical, and incorporated sword fighting and spear-fighting, along with the use of shields. Each young boy was issued a little pine wood shield, and told to carry it with him everywhere he went.
During the evenings, Talyn would read from the Harrenhal library, stories of brave soldiers, and loyal ladies. Sometimes he had to fudge the ending, so that it seemed that loyalty and honor were being upheld as virtues, which didn’t seem to be the case in too many of the stories from Westeros’ past.
Kyma had begun to take over teaching the girls to dance, sing, and do needle work. And although some of the girls were afraid of her because of her penchant to say harsh things to them, she was slowly improving in her effort to be motherly.
There were some discipline problems, but most were solved with peer pressure by the other children, although more severe cases required corporal punishment.
Eventually the men Talyn had dispatched, reported that they were finding it more and more difficult to find orphans in the Riverlands, most of them having been swept up. Thatcher ordered them to widen their search to the other regions.
After several weeks, the system finally seemed to be running fairly smoothly and Talyn was breathing a sigh of relief. It was nice to see the halls and hearths filled and being used, with the young boys giving salutes and the young girls curtsying their elders. And it made the massive hall, itself ringing with the sounds of construction, a little less lonely.
Results:
Thatcher’s Orphanage is established and begins to collect parentless children from around Westeros. They are fed, clothed, and begin indoctrination.
The Orphanage will produce its first troop of 500 Traitors’ Sons in 577 A.C
Talyn Thatcher to Novice-Stewardship.
Each child was greeted with two tunics of homespun cloth, raw hide shoes, and milk and biscuits. Then their names were recorded in to a large book assembled for the purpose, stating their name, if they had one, and the age they believed themselves to be. Those without names were given them, usually by Talyn leafing through the history books found in the abandoned Maester’s chambers and picking out names at random. Children were then set up in rooms inside the Widow’s tower, and divided up by age and gender. Groups of 50 children were watched over by one of the Sons, who they children were instructed to call, "Brother-Sergeant."
Because of the timing of the Five year War of the Long Winter, most children were between the ages of 5 and 12.
The young children spent their days playing games in the outerward, overseen by some of the older Sons. Most games were rough and tumble games, meant to restore their strength, and grow their bodies.
For the children that were ten or older the games became more practical, and incorporated sword fighting and spear-fighting, along with the use of shields. Each young boy was issued a little pine wood shield, and told to carry it with him everywhere he went.
During the evenings, Talyn would read from the Harrenhal library, stories of brave soldiers, and loyal ladies. Sometimes he had to fudge the ending, so that it seemed that loyalty and honor were being upheld as virtues, which didn’t seem to be the case in too many of the stories from Westeros’ past.
Kyma had begun to take over teaching the girls to dance, sing, and do needle work. And although some of the girls were afraid of her because of her penchant to say harsh things to them, she was slowly improving in her effort to be motherly.
There were some discipline problems, but most were solved with peer pressure by the other children, although more severe cases required corporal punishment.
Eventually the men Talyn had dispatched, reported that they were finding it more and more difficult to find orphans in the Riverlands, most of them having been swept up. Thatcher ordered them to widen their search to the other regions.
After several weeks, the system finally seemed to be running fairly smoothly and Talyn was breathing a sigh of relief. It was nice to see the halls and hearths filled and being used, with the young boys giving salutes and the young girls curtsying their elders. And it made the massive hall, itself ringing with the sounds of construction, a little less lonely.
Results:
Thatcher’s Orphanage is established and begins to collect parentless children from around Westeros. They are fed, clothed, and begin indoctrination.
The Orphanage will produce its first troop of 500 Traitors’ Sons in 577 A.C
Talyn Thatcher to Novice-Stewardship.