Tolbric's Journal

Well, I have moved into my new, though rather small, quarters - barely managing to set up my things. Some of them are rather precariously perched and I have books shoved under my bed. I attempted to put some of the overflow into Ayrant's room where he has several empty shelves - but his infuriating little manservant shooed me out. I'm actually rather content with the cozy little rookery for my ravens. The man who built it for me listened to ever one of my suggestions. Hm. Maybe I could see if he can install more shelves in my room. I've managed to snare the interest of all three of my students by gently putting hooks into their studies based on their particular interests. I've conspired with Nana to create a schedule for their studies. Thus far I've found her company to be the most...comforting. She's content to either be silent or else she's telling stories - some of which I've never heard of. As for my Lord...well. He's a bit...

What have I gotten myself into? My Lord is a bit of a mess. He drinks too much, from looking at his books (and by "books" I mean a massive pile of unsorted & drink stained pages) he can't tell a silver stag from an acorn, and he seems to have somewhat given up - part of the reason he summoned me...to fix his mess. And the Heir, Ayrant, seems to be far more interested in fighting and/or fucking, though I think he possesses a layer underneath this somewhat slimy varnish that is actually genuinely concerned with doing what's best for the House. We shall see. Everyone else I've met has been largely pleasant. I have a lot on my plate, but I think I'm surrounded by a good crew that can help me accomplish it, assuming I'm not shot to death with arrows while strolling to the inn to get a drink. Bandits seem to be a problem in this region and I'd rather not add more arrow scars to those I now possess. I wonder if there is a chain link I can forge for expertise on being a target dummy?

The most wonderful part of this exile, er - I mean assignment is the cheese! They have so many varieties of such wonderful cheese here! I've already befriended a number of crofter wives and become a regular patron of them - happily spending my coin to keep them bustling about their churns and providing me with all the cheese I can eat - and I've found I can eat a lot. So delicious! Not like the cheese from Old Town, which tastes as if it were produced from wax cows. In addition to payment in coin, I gather up a variety of herbs for them to use when I'm out foraging for things for myself to use in my "workshop".
Tomorrow I ride with Ayrant and Garwyn, a capable young man who had been part of our escort to Wisenwood Town. I hear he's a well known & accomplished tournament jouster in these parts. I look forward to my first tournament since...well, since I left Blackhaven I suppose. I enjoyed them so much as a child.

Save for an encounter with a bow wielding ranger hiding in my mulberry tree, I enjoyed the trip to the pale tower much more than I would have believed I would. While I don't give into superstitions and religious nonsense, I will admit the tower has a certain...daunting air to it. Dinner was fantastic - Northerners know how to eat. Although the concept of strict rationing come Winter is a bit daunting. No, not daunting - downright terrifying. I checked out the kennels upon arrival, seeing as it's one of my tasks the Lord had assigned. They were largely in order, though a little more attention to cleanliness would be good. Two new litters. I plan to take two of the pups with me back to Wisenwood Town to train as household guardians (and I'll be honest - for myself. I like to roam the woods far too much not to have a little protection given the lands' bandit problems).

The next morning we set out for the boar hunt. I was going to stay behind and introduce myself to the crofters, but they requested that I handle the hounds - so I agreed. It went pretty quickly & we suddenly had three defeated boars lying before us. One of the hounds had gone missing, though. Garwyn & I set out to find the poor boy. He was in terribly condition. I quickly bandaged him up as best I could in order to move him when a grizzly bear appeared and was interested in the bloody dog. The bear was not actively aggressive and I wasn't going to leave the brave little dog to him. I used the skills I had learned at the Citadel regarding animal charming and it paid off. The bear was quite taken with me & the treats I had in my robes. I convinced Garwyn to take the dog & leave so that I could shoo the bear off without his attention returning to the others. Garwyn wasn't happy about it, but I insisted. He left with the dog & I was able to convince the bear that I was no longer worth it's interest & it wandered off. I returned to find the others headed my way, convinced they were going to find a half eaten Maester. Ha! We returned and I tended to the poor dog. The others were convinced the boy would not survive, but with a week worth of medical attention, I was able to save the dog. I may take him back with me along with the two pups. We had a fantastic feast the night we returned. The others returned to Wisenwood Town and I followed a week later, eager for the tournament that was forthcoming!

I was greatly looking forward to the tournament - it's where much of my attention was focused, though now stranger things tug at my mind. The first part of the journey was relatively normal. Our party continued to grow as we picked up others headed to the tournament. One night on the road I needed some ingredients to make some poultices for Lord Blackthorn's aching joints and wandered out into the forest in order to find them. While I was gathering up willow bark, a bear snuck up on me & bumped me with his head.

THE bear! The one from the boar hunt! I'm pretty sure this is not normal behavior in a bear per anything I've ever read. I gave him some bread & cheese and petted him, gathered up my willow bark and...he was following me. I'll admit I was - am - very intrigued by this. But the timing is terrible. I can't go back to the camp with him - the dogs, horses & well the men too - would all be rather upset by my new friend. It would end up with people, animals and bear hurt and/or dead. And if I stayed in the woods too long they would send people out to find me with poor results again. So I managed to eventually shoo him away. The dogs were none too fond of the smell I came back with. After a quick medical application of the poultice to Lord Blackthorn's joints & some quick instructions on application of compresses, I found Garwyn & Ayrant with some of the other men, mostly those who had been on the hunt & stated what had happened. They looked rather confused by this news, but didn't dwell long on it. I'm just hoping that some superstitious Northerner doesn't get it in his head that my jest about being a worg was more sincere a statement than it was intended and I wake up with an axe having neatly removed my head.
Crazy bear incident aside we arrived at Torrhen's Square and began to set up. I was to share a pavilion with Ayrant. That night we were invited by Wylis Manderly to join him for drinks and celebration. I spent most of the evening declining drinks from numerous people. I was invited to join the Maester council the next evening & happily accepted (as well as inquiries into who I might speak to regarding strange Northern wildlife). The next morning was the horse race, which Kaila had snuck her way into. I managed to warn her mother and once the race was concluded, we took care of it before her father was ever aware. Before he knew anything was amiss we had her stuffed into a corset and sitting pretty next to her parents ready to give her favor to some jousting knight or another. Ayrant and Garwyn had also competed, Garwyn had barely been beaten and not placed in the top three and Ayrant - it was not his most shining moment. He handled it very well, making it appear that it was his intention to entertain in the fashion he did. Next was the grand joust, which Garwyn was competing in. His first match was brief as he cleanly swept the other rider right off his horse with seemingly no effort at all.

That night after the first leg of the jousting, while the others were feasting and drinking yet again, myself and the others maesters gathered at Torrhen's Square, met for our own sort of sport. There were three games to be completed in that night; a game of code breaking, of riddles, a game of riddles and a debate concerning Northern history. I'm generally a humble man and not given to competitive ventures - but I won everything. I was more surprised than anyone else really. I just entered for the entertainment value of the exercises and took home all the prizes, which was a considerable number of rare and wonderful books to add to my small collection. I was rather happy with this outcome. My resources are currently limited and anything that adds to my ability to better serve my House is a fantastic boon. That night I slept and dreamed of the buxom blond tavern girl from the previous evening carrying stacks of books balanced upon her head while mounted on a bear. The next morning I awoke early and met with House Torrhen's maester and we drew up the marriage contract. As I'd not had a scrap of breakfast or tea yet, I must say I was not on top of my game and the contract ended up favoring them more than us, but not too terribly. I heard some talk that Garwyn truly charmed Lady Stark at the previous dinner. Hm. I wonder how difficult it would be to snag the hand of their eldest daughter for Ayrant. Or perhaps one of their greater banner houses mayhaps have a daughter of appropriate age. If we could bind ourselves closer to House Start that would be very beneficial indeed.

After Lady Wisent and I made a quick detour to pluck Kaila out from a line of "men" waiting to compete in the archery competition, we stuffed her into an appropriate dress again and the three of us headed to the second leg of the jousting tournament. Garwyn performed magnificently once again. He and his opponent, a noble from one of the Stark banner houses, kept to their horses until the third round when Garwyn unhorsed his opponent. Afterward was the grand melee. I was one of the volunteer maesters assigned to stand by the lines and tend to the injured. It looked as if Garwyn & Ayrant's team would make it to the end, until they were ganged up on by an arrogant prick with a battle axe. He took Ayrant down and it seemed some foul play was going on, hard to tell from where it was bandaging up fallen combatants, when Garwyn surged into the middle of a gaggle that were about Ayrant where he was on the ground. The axe bearer and his cronies ended up taking Garwyn out, but not before Ayrant was able to limp away to safety. The beast with the axe ended up under my care and I did not like his attitude or disposition - this did not improve my disposition, nor my gentleness to his wounds. A pity I didn't have some salt to rub into his cuts. A gaggle of annoying little bitches kept hanging over my work, praising the blond brat I was sewing up and discussing the scandal regarding bastards and rumors regarding Ayrant. I snapped at them a few times to shut up and back up until the conversation reached a high plateau of irritating and I yelled at them. They trotted off at that point. Annoying creatures. I hope my girls never become that. Well, no fear for Kaila - she wants to be a lord, not some lord's lady is the problem. Her husband is going to have a difficult time I suspect.

Off to do some reading on my new treasures until the next fun filled event. Or perhaps I should stop by that tavern and get a little wine and more cheese from that pretty girl with the blond curls.

The tournament is over and we have returned home and I find myself facing a mountain of paperwork and a line of petitioners seeking this or that to deal with. Garwyn was eventually unhorsed in the joust, by none other than the man who's unhorsing had led to Garwyn's fame and knighting. That night was the masquerade ball. I did myself all up as a raven. It was a rather eventful evening. I counseled a gloomy Kaila at the prospect of living in Torrhen's Hold and a lifetime with her future husband. After an exchange with her fiance I've come to side with her in the matter. I'm hoping some time spent in Wisenwood will do him some good. Nanna misplaced Dania at one point and I gathered up Ayrant and Garwyn to assist me in finding her. Fortunately we found her relatively in the gardens. Unfortunately she was in the company of Serise Dustin. I took possession of Dania and left Ayrant to have words with the woman that is the source of so many of his woes. He shot me an irritated glance when I took my leave for leaving him with her. On my way back, I thought perhaps it was unwise to leave him along with her. No telling what sort of stories she might cook up next to cause him grief. I met a lovely young lady named Jonelle Branley at the dance who was very intrigued by scholarly pursuits and unfortunately a bit too interested in what perhaps lies under a maesters robes and chains. I tried to steer her away from this pursuit as I found the conversation genuinely enjoyable. When it was clear that she would not be persuaded to leave the conversation to lie solely upon academia, I made to leave her. Pretty as she may be, and interesting in academia - not a terribly common trait amongst women I've met, but above most things I take my vows seriously. She stopped me and apologized. We chatted a goodly bit more until some knight I scarcely remember from Blackhaven approached me drunk and regaled me with boring stories from my childhood. He was looking for work. I scheduled him an appointment for the following day and made my leave of his presence.

The next day was the final joust, which I only saw part of. Preparations were underway to depart Torrhen's Hold and I was involved in getting things underway. Jonelle, the young lady with a fondness for lore I met the previous night, found me that day and stated that she had heard of Serise's confrontation with Ayrant about their bastard son. She, being one of Serise's ladies in waiting, was able to give me the child's name. I contemplated the wisdom of giving the name to Ayrant; but concluded that wise or not, it was Ayrant's right to know of his son and choose what he would do with the knowledge. All too often parents are too busy trying to rid themselves of their bastards - that a parent would actively want to seek them out, who am I to deny either of them that. Back to paperwork & petitions. Yey.

Lord Redface has arranged, without any word at all to the rest of us, to have a number of the Ryswell family to come, stay with us and accompany him on another boar hunt. If boar was not as tasty as it is, I would begin to object with all these pointlessly perilous hunts. Actually - why do the nobles have to do this hunting? Can't we just get our hunters to do it & keep the nobility inside safe from bandit arrows or the boars themselves? Foolishness. Ah well, nobody is going to listen to such a suggestion. I'll just eat my boar and be quiet.

The Ryswell's arrived and the menfolk quickly left the next morning for Palewood and their boars. They did happen to bring Jocasta, one of the young potential brides on The List. Excellent! Ayrant remained behind and I was thankfully allowed to remain as well this time. I have plenty to do and hunting boar is not on that list. Marrying Ayrant to a house that will raise our own on the other hand is high on said agenda. I was delighted, if not confused, to see Jonelle Branley accompanying Lady Jocasta. I eventually got a chance to pull her aside and inquire of her presence. Turns out that Serise was none too keen on her lady in waiting gabbing about her personal concerns and the two parted ways conveniently at the same time Lady Jocasta was passing through. So Jonelle suddenly embraced the new opportunity she found herself presented with and jumped ship. I find this rather fantastic news actually. Not only does it give us time to visit during this trip, but she is much better off with Jocasta than Serise and her scandals. Later on that night she also gave me more information regarding Ayrant's bastard son; that he had been orphaned to the Wall. Considering his age he will very soon be of age to choose to take the black if he wishes. I informed Ayrant immediately of this news in case he sought to seek his son out.
The next morning Ayrant suggested taking Jocasta to view the godswood at the Weeping Gardens. Fantastic idea! I resist the itch to begin writing up marriage contract drafts. I do need more practice after the abyssmal job I did with poor Kaila's contract... So! Yes. Godswood. Good idea. He asked if I wished to go with them and I happily invited Jonelle to join us. Garwyn and a few of the Ryswell house guard also accompanied us.

We had not been at the godswood for very long before a band of bandits emerged from their hiding places in and around the godswood and attacked us. Ayrant and Garwyn quickly dispatched them, yet kept one alive for questioning. The ladies were quickly escorted away from the scene back to the tower. What awful timing! I pray that Jocasta does not begin to associate this incident with House Wisent or Ayrant. While Ayrant escorted the ladies back to the tower, Garwyn and I started questioning the surviving bandit. I had also noticed that all of the bandits were well and uniformly equipped - very unusual for "common bandits". His tongue loosened after I feigned mixing a poison and handed it to Garwyn to force into his mouth. Garwyn managed to get a few answers out of him; he was part of a small raiding party belonging on a much larger group with a leader, near 100 men that were camped a day or two away. The captive agreed to lead us to the camp if we spared his life and promised him protection from his own people. We agreed and put him under guard in the tower cellar.
A plan was devised to allow the captive to manage to escape his imprisonment in the stockades when the guards abandoned their duty for a drink. Then the castellan, most skilled in tracking & stealth amongst us, would track him to the camp vs. a group of us following him into an ambush. We put the plan in motion and things went according to plan. Shortly after the man escaped, though we found that the plan had failed in disaster; the castellan had been murdered in an alley. The bandit had fled in a different direction, so it had not been him - there was another person involved in this plot.

I have not been very good at keeping my journal updated. It's been a rather busy time her amongst the Wisent family. The ordeal with the bandits ended very poorly, though ultimately a victory. Ayrant & Garwyn and one of the Wisent Wise, a suspicious looking man named Bory, tracked down the escaped bandit to find him dead - killed by the same person who had killed the castellan. Terrible.

Upon returning we had received a messenger that Palewood was under attack by the bandit force and that Lord Wisent was terribly injured. We assembled the Bulls and they headed north with Ayrant & Garwyn leading them. I was also in the company so that I could treat Lord Wisent and others of the injured We arrived to find that the attack on Palewood was a diversion and that the real attack was on Blackhorn. I remained at Palewood where I tended my Lord and other injured soldiers. The others headed west to face off with the attackers.

The vanguard, which for some reason included Ayrant & Garwyn amongst some others were attacked by a fearsome sounding Ironman barbarian. Ayrant was returned to me barely hanging onto life. Fortunately with the help of Lady Wisent we were able to save him from death. Others were greviously wounded as well, including that Bory fellow. Garwyn and others from House Wisent led the Bulls to attack the bandit army. The very well equipped with Ironmen weapons...lead by an Ironman priest...bandit. I detect a theme here. And not one I like at all.

In the end, our forces won the day, but at a terrible loss of life. We will need to rebuild our forces.

Since the battle I have been attending a great many things that need my attention. Juggling the Ladies of the List for Ayrant's affections & relationships with them until we can decide who he's to marry. I've been corresponding with Jonelle about her becoming one of Kaila's ladies in waiting. She is smart, clever and I would be able to continue her education as well as ensuring that Kaila has a learned and cunning individual at her side when she is away from us. Now to find Jonelle a worthy husband for the future. Lord Wisent has decided to send Ayrant and Garwyn with Kaila for her six months at Torrhen's Hold, so we are arranging a quick visit for Ayrant to the Wall to seek and meet his son. I continue to work on the finances, shifting money here and there - there is a great deal of paperwork following a battle - dealing with deaths and new recruits. So many young boys. While patriotism is great, it's so sad to see such young faces putting on mail and wielding weapons.

A side note. I commissioned one of my favorite cheese crofters who has shown some talent as a seamstress to produce a few pairs of new robes. I seem to have outgrown the ones I traveled north in. I will admit that I have eaten better here than I had since I entered the Citadel, but this is...well, embarrassing. But the food is so good!! Great. The children already tease me, and now many of the adults too, by calling me the Mouster because of my well known fondness for cheese. At this rate I'll have to hire a litter like Lord Manderly, having grown too large for my poor horse, Sugar.
Training of the pups has gone very well. Since I've had constant hands on training with the pups I brought back with me to Wisenwood Town, they are exceptional. I believe I will keep one here to guard the girls and send the other with Kaila. While I tend to keep Boot with me, Mutt and Harold have both taken quite a liking for him and vice versa, I think I shall claim another couple from the next litter to train for here as well. Eventually I'll have a full kennel here in Wisenwood Town as well.

Final Entry

This shall be my last entry in this journal for some time. Jonelle was a liar. And the young knight that Garwyn and Ayrant had met during their journey to the Wall. They were survivors from a fallen enemy house of the Wisents and they had conspired for revenge. And they succeeded. They're all dead. My Lady, Garwyn, I'm assuming Ayrant, though I did not see him fall. And my poor girls. Brave Kaila and precious little Cimbre. I must assume that my Lord and the youngest Dania fared no better. Dead. Murdered. And I let that monster in. She poisoned all of the ravens, even Harold, having personally known I kept him in my chambers. I could send no word, no plea for help. I helped destroy the house I was sworn to serve. And now I betray my oath as a Maester. Because I must. Jonelle, the vile harpy creature, said that she was genuinely fond of me. That she was sorry for what I had been put through in this ugly affair - as if she had a heart at all in her foul temptress body. She let me go. I was a Maester, I did not need to die. I'd return to the Citadel and be reassigned to serve another house. She let me escape. So I fled. I hid in the stables, freed the horses and set fire to the stable to create a distraction. It worked and I ran. But before I got too far... A whisper carried through the air. It said my name. As clear as I have ever heard any voice speak, soft yet powerful and piercing. It called my name again. I was terrified, but I followed the sound. I felt that I had to. It was important. Necessary. I was led into the Godswood grove and there before the great white weirwood was the enigmatic worg-bear Jinas. He was bloodied and there were two dead men lying on the ground before him. Crouching just behind him beneath the ever watching face carved into the white tree was a small, terrified girl; Dania. She lived! I bundled the child up, she was weeping soundlessly, her face stricken with terror and confusion. Lying next to the weirwood trunk was the form of the kindly old Nanna Snow. She had been attacked and was soaked in blood. She looked at me holding Dania, smiled at us and died. The bear nudged me. Time to go, he seemed to say. I heard my name again, in the branches of the grove, on the wind, from the wood and earth. I turned and stared into the great red face of the weirwood of House Wisent's Godswood as it stared back into me. I understood. Dania lived. And I was led to her. I could not return to the Citadel. A Maester is supposed to be a neutral party in service of the house that pays fees due to the Citadel. Our loyalty is as strong as valyrian, but only so long as the houses coin travels to Oldtown. Jinas murmured urgency at me. I held Dania close to me and we fled the grove. Fled the Wisentwood. Fled the North. We are on the road headed south. I'm note sure to where. I don't know what sort of welcome I would receive if I were to return to Blackhaven. Or how they would react to Dania. And word of us might travel, reach the wrong ears and endanger her. We must leave our old lives behind us. I cannot continue on as Maester Tolbric and she must no longer be Dania Wisent. I will keep her safe. Until she is older. Then...we shall see. We will have to reinvent ourselves and make a new life for now. "To find a way or make one."