The Dornish Marches

[Sam]

The mountains that divide Dorne from the rest of Westeros are consist of high red peaks and craggy, narrow passes. The Marcher Lords that dwell in these mountains are well used to the violent raids of the Dornish, and their strong castles are a testament to their martial nature. The mountains stretch southwest from Storm's End, for hundreds of miles to the southern coast of Westeros.

The Prince's Pass, in the west, and the Boneway, in the east, are the only two passes through which an army can be marched, and this defensive feature has seen the death of hundreds of thousands would-be invaders of Dorne over the centuries.

[Sam]

Lord Steffon Baratheon leads a small force of twenty-five knights into the Dornish Marches. The tracker from the Summer Islands rides at his side, and as they ride through the mountains toward the Boneway the party stops at each outlying village or town in their path, asking after the outlaw leader known as the 'Vulture King'.

[The Stranger]

Most of the stories are contradictory, and it seems clear that most of the villagers are telling ghost stories, more than anything. Eventually the party reaches another village, where there are signs of a battle having taken place. Several thatch roof homes lie in ruins. A Headman runs out and kneels down when he sees the Lord of Storm's End's standard.

"Milord," The man says, with bowed head.

[Sam]

Steffon dismounts, looking around at the ruined town. He signaled for his men to rest for a moment, and the some of the knights drink from flasks or waterskins while others pull dride rations out of their saddlebags and begin to eat.

"What happened here, goodman," Steffon asked the man who'd come forward.

[The Stranger]

"That blasted Vulture King, milord, gods spare us. They rode in hard and fast, with torches and lances. Put the bleeding sept to the torch, the bastards. Not much of as sept, you understand, just wooden walls, still, we were awful proud of it. And these bastards come in and its gone, in a few seconds, just gone. They even drove Pate's pigs and sheep off in front of them when they left. Will be a hard harvest, this year, like as not."

[Sam]

"They were all mounted?" Steffon asked? "How many men rode with this Vulture?" he added, refusing to call the outlaw by his chosen title. He surveyed the damaged sept, its wooden walls blackened from fire.

[The Stranger]

"I... I don't know milord, i was hiding in a hay bale when they came. Those that didn't hide well paid with their lives. I'd show you, but we've buried the bodies already. It's been two weeks, and no one's come to ask about it, we didn't think anyone was ever going to."

[Sam]

Steffon nodded solemnly. "This outlaw's crimes will not go unpunished, this I swear." He walked over to his horse and pulled a small purse out of the saddlebag. He pressed it into the man's hand. "This is for the reconstruction of your sept, and to purchase seed and cattle to replace what was lost," he said.

"Can anyone in your village will be able to tell me the direction they rode off in?"

[100 Stags given to the Villagers]

[The Stranger]

"I... don't think so milord. We asked around before we sent a runner to Ser Yorick, but we weren't sure. Josie and her mother think it was southeast, and Horg and Pate said they thought it was due west," The headman shrugged his shoulders helplessly and did not look up.

"Thank you milord, thank you," he offered as he received the bag of silver.

[Sam]

"I would speak with goodman Pate, as well as Josie," Steffon said, indicating for the Headman to bring the two in question to him.

[The Stranger]

The headman bowed and backed away, running into the village. He returned a few moments later, dragging a young girl of perhaps sixteen, her stomach showing the beginning of a baby bump. Pate was older, perhaps sixty or so, and smelled like a pig. His head was bald from ringworm.

They all bowed.

[Sam]

Steffon gestured for them to rise. "I am seeking after the outlaws that attacked this village, and I must know in which direction they fled after attacking to. The attack was a fortnight past," he said, stating the obvious. He turned his attention to the girl first, giving her a charming smile. "Did you see them depart, Lady Josie?"

[The Stranger]

"I was in my house, looking out in a crack through the wall, and I thought i saw the back of them. That woulda been Southeast." Josie says tenatively, not looking up from the ground.

'Wasn't no southeast, I done told you, it was west, straight as the crow flies. I was looking out through the knot in my door, and I seen them clear as day riding away to the west," Pate says.

[Fel]

Ashurgi Saboa watched the two of them, trying to tell which one was lying.

[The Stranger]

Both of them seem perfectly earnest as far as Ashurgi can tell.