Oldtown

[Horas]

The great port of Oldtown, the second largest city in Westeros. Its docks bustle with activity, and it is home to such great landmarks as the Citadel, the Starry Sept, and the Hightower.

[Horas]

The Grapes of Wrath, Lord Redwyne's own vessel, slides into the Oldtown harbor, dwarfing the ships around it. Lord Hugo steps off the ship, while sailors and servants struggle to unload its heavy cargo.

[House Celtigar]

Maester Vickon paused outside one of the many bookshops on the way to the Citadel, lips working silently as he read the title. He hadn't expected to see a copy of the "Lives & Loves of Targaryen Kings pre-Conquest" outside of the Citadel itself.

He wondered if it was a forgery and glanced at the shop's name "The Pointed Quill" before entering

[Horas]

He is abruptly bowled into by a much younger man who is moving far too speedily for a bookshop. The young man stumbles, dropping the pair of books he was holding, and Vickon can see that he wears a maester's chain. "Oh!" Maester Leon says, "I'm so sorry!"

[House Celtigar]

"Oof!" Maester Vickon exclaims as he stumbles backwards against the sudden contact.
"Careful there my boy, you might end up having to use your healing arts on your own victims at this rate. Some of our brethren aren't as spritely as you seem to imagine" he says with a mock scowl but in good humour as he dusts himself down.

Leaning over he picks up the two dropped books and reads the titles with pursed lips before handing them back to the younger man. "I trust these books will be worthy of such haste" he chuckles and picks up his own belongings.

He pauses for a moment before continuing "Though you ought to know that the Baratheon book you've picked up has been discredited as a work of fiction by the Grand Maester himself recently" he says delicately

[Horas]

One book seems to be on various methods of farming and irrigation on a large scale, creatively titled, On the Various Methods of Irrigation. The second book, as noted by Vickon, is titled A Tale of Two Dynasties, with a stag and a dragon embossed on the front.

Leon has a friendly, open face, and his maester's robes are decorated with winestains. "It can't be!" He replies, shocked, "I had it on good authority that the genealogies were well researched and most accurate!"

[House Celtigar]

Vickon shrugged "Word has it that a Baratheon King about 70 years ago ordered all copies to be, ah...edited somewhat, reinforcing the impression that the two houses had inter-married more often than had actually taken place. The Grand Maester at the time was fairly weak politically speaking and acquiesed to his request and nearly all known copies were amended. A dark chapter in the Citadel's history which is not often spoken of - this was far from the only work affected" he said grimly.

His face brightened suddenly and he held out his hand "However, perhaps you've been fortunate enough to find one of the original un-edited copies. It is easy to tell - the unedited version has King Rodrick Baratheon I wed to Lady Melissa Arryn, the edited version has it as Lady Elaena Targaryen. A silly attempt really, she was near 60 had anyone bothered to compare other contempary genealogies available"

[Horas]

Leon hurriedly flips through the pages to check if the book was indeed unaltered.

"Oh," Maester Leon smiles sheepishly, "It seems like I got lucky, but I feel foolish all the same. You seem to know a great deal about the subject." He says with admiration, sticking out his hand. "I'm Leon, newly made maester to the Arbor."

[House Celtigar]

Vickon smiled and shook his hand firmly
"I am Vickon, and genealogy has always been a passion of mine. We may have to show our competence in several disciplines before being given leave of the Citadel, but we are only human and I confess that I was never all that good at metallurgy!" he said the last in a mock whisper as he leaned forward with a grin.

"And luck is the one skill we cannot earn a ring for, so be proud that you seem to be so blessed. I unfortunately wound up serving in one of the forgotten corners of the realm" he said with a sigh

[Horas]

Leon chuckles. "I'm afraid I might have been helped along by my connections, in that regard. My uncle is the Lord of the Arbor. What keep do you serve?"

[House Celtigar]

Vickon smiled wryly, with a hint of bitterness. "Aah, connections. Well that is the best luck of all, is it not?"

He straightened slightly "I serve House Celtigar, of Claw Isle. That copper ring you wear means you probably are aware of it, it seems few are, outside the Citadel"

He sighed melodramatically "At least the duties are light enough that I can steal away to Oldtown for new books occassionally, to liven up my time there. In truth I have almost grown fond of it's dreary grey walls now, though I was not much older than you when I was first sent there and they felt like a prison's walls at the time"

"You spend so much time learning of the world and all it's wonders here at the Citadel, and then they pack you off with all your learning to go and mind a raven's cage in the Narrow Sea" he said angrily

[Horas]

"Ah." Leon replies, awkwardly. He felt as though he should commiserate with his fellow maester, but the truth was that taking care of the Arbor was a pleasure.

"But you're so close to Dragonstone!" Leon says excitedly, trying to find a bright spot, "All that history, the seat of royal princes, Baratheon and Targaryen both, for hundreds of years!"

[House Celtigar]

Vickon gave Leon a brief sour look, wondering if he was being mocked.
"Abandoned for hundreds of years you mean. The place may be old but it is just as grim, bitter and stinks of seaweed just the same. The only things which don't rot are the dragon bones kept in it's basements. The Painted Room is a wonder, right enough, but it too is merely a reminder that Dragonstone was once important and is no longer"

He sighed "I am sorry if my words offend, Leon. It's just I remember my own youth here and perhaps you reminded me a little of myself at that age, keen to see the world and make my mark in it before being sent off to some backwater"

"It is not anything you have said and you deserve better than to be lectured by some old man. All the same, cherish these days and the honor you will receive by serving such an important house. Oh, and should a beloved hound die make sure the cook receives the blame and not yourself" he says, recounting a tale from his youth with some of his original good humour

[Horas]

"I will," Leon nods earnestly. "But..." He begins hesitantly, unsure if he should continue, "But if you hate it so much... why not come back to the Citadel? Write, mayhaps. Study to be one of the Archmaesters."

[House Celtigar]

Vickon smiled and shook his head
"I believe you said it best earlier on. Connections. The Citadel is no more immune to politics than the royal court and I don't have any. Even most of the tutors I had in my time here are dead now. I write the occassional paper and send it in but I have no illusions about my chances of ever reaching the upper levels of the Citadel" he shrugs, as if this is just the way the world is.