Mafia Round 1 - Royal Tragedy

[Dylflon]

Grand Maester Dylflon rushed hurriedly down one of the keep's many long winding stone pathways. In his older years, Dylflon had become comfortable in his body and allowed himself to accumulate a little more fat than most. Usually this extra girth proved to inhibit his movement, but not today. Dylflon had to keep moving, for if he didn't, the lives of everyone he had sworn to protect could be in danger. He had been sure of what he'd seen, though now it seemed like a fever dream born of too much wine.

Dylflon had been making his way back to the royal banquet hall from treating the king's nephew who had been playing in the ivy bushes and developed a serious case of hives. He happened to glance down a corridor at an intersection in the keep's pathways and saw a faint flickering light. Since the only people thought to be in the keep were those at the private wedding banquet that was soon to start, the king's nephew, and the Grand Maester himself, Dylflon thought investigation would be the most prudent course of action. What he saw he was still not quite sure of; five hooded figures bathed in the light of a single torch. Dylflon could not have said what they had looked like underneath their robes, but their words were unmistakable. Poison the royal family. Dylflon gasped and that was just enough to betray his position.

Dylflon cursed himself now, though avoiding detection is not one of the skills for which maesters earn their chain. He had to warn the king, even if it meant his life. Nothing was more important than saving the royal family. He turned left down one corridor, right down another, and left again. Just as Dylflon thought he had evaded his pursuers he was met with an unwelcome surprise; a dragon bone dagger sticking out of his stomach. Dylflon staggered backwards trying to steady himself on the wall beside him, but it was to no avail. He found himself on his back, bleeding profusely. One of the hooded figures loomed over Dylflon's body, and to his horror, it was a face he recognized. Then the other four hooded figures joined him. Theirs were all familiar faces too. There were a dozen things Dylflon wanted to say. How could you betray the king? Why would you tarnish your names so? How do you expect to get away with this? Instead of words, his mouth only sputtered his life's blood.

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Combine's back ached from hours of standing and the grumbling in his stomach wasn't doing much to help the situation. The private wedding banquet had been going on for hours it seemed, with dish after dish of delicious food being served. Combine and his brothers of the city watch had to look on hungrily, standing perfectly upright, in full chain mail. Schadenfreude seemed to be just as hungry as Combine but their captain Bond managed to avoid letting his stomach betray his expression. Captain Bond stared out across the hall stoically, no doubt looking for any small indication of evil doing. Bond was nothing if not vigilant. He had every right to be however considering the queer company the royal family had been keeping of late. In this large banquet hall was seated, less than twenty guests. A few members of the city guard and some brothers of the Royal guard were also in attendance. The point of this feast it appeared, was to have a small private function before the real wedding in order to let the royal family and the betrothed relax. Some knights had gained access due to their victories in the tournament that morning. Of note were Sir Fox who had won the joust and Sir Jeepnut who had been the victor in the melee. All the expected people were there. The King and Queen, their Prince, the Prince's soon to be wife Lady Ulala, Ulala's father Lord Swan, the King's brother, and the Hand. The King's more violent and unforgiving nature had been surfacing of late but Dyne as the King's hand had been more than sufficient at acting as a public face the commoners could agree with. Maester Teuthida was in attendance though by the vacant look on his face, one would assume he was somewhere else entirely. Septon Typhoid was prattling off about some pious nonsense, but this was the norm.

There were however, attendees that put Combine on edge. The singer for instance was entirely unknown to the court until yesterday when he won the tourney of the bards. This bard champion Thespis was from the Eastern Realm and wore a long shaggy beard that concealed his facial expressions. The only thing that gave any indication of his mood or disposition were his eyes. They appeared to be joyous eyes, eyes with a hint of laughter in them. Whether that was a good or bad thing, Combine could not say. The assassin Fyacin was in attendance. Though Fyacin had served the king for years it still seemed odd to bring an assassin to a wedding banquet. The Hand's pet Angrist was there. Angrist was a sellsword whom Dyne hires out for special contracts. Angrist was a favorite of Dyne's and he seemed to bring him everywhere, even to painfully inappropriate places at which no sellsword had right to be.

The queerest of all the guests however was the Red Priest. The Red Priests preached of one God instead of the Seven Gods of Westeros. Their God was the God of light and it was said that the Red Priests could divine things from the flames. This priest Germanator had become an instant enemy of Septon Typhoid but was well loved by the Queen who had adopted this strange God as her own. Why she would invite him to this feast however was entirely beyond Combine.

The feast went on and the small number of guests talked and jested and eventually it was time for the toasts. Lord Swan made a excessively long and drunken speech about the beauty of these two houses joining. By the time he was done everyone in the hall needed a drink. The King beckoned for the head servant to pour wine for the royal family, Ulala, and Lord Swan. Ulala drank from her cup greedily as soon as it was poured. Combine looked over to his captain. From the look on Bond's face, Combine could tell something was amiss. Ulala was choking. She clawed at her throat but could make no sounds. Her eyes bulged and her face turned black. Maester Teuthida did everything in his power to help her but in the end he was powerless. Lord Swan fell to his knees and let out a horrible wail.

"Seize the servant" came the cry from the king. The servant was already running for the door, straight towards Combine. Combine stepped into the path of the servant but was almost knocked off his feet when the servant crashed into him. For such a small man, his strength was almost unbelievable. The servant pulled out a dragon bone dagger and attempted to stab Combine with it, but Combine managed to dodge the blade narrowly before thrusting his own into the servants chest. The servant sputtered and choked, and then died. Combine breathed a sigh of relief. Then the servant's mouth opened and a wisp of black smoke rose up into the hall. The smoke appeared to take the shape of a man before dissipating entirely.

The command from the King came loud and clear, and echoed through the entire hall.

"Bar the gates. Nobody leaves the Keep."

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PLAYER LIST/CHARACTERS/SUSPECTS

1. BreakABone - Lord Commander of the Royal Guard
2. thatmariolover - Brother to the King
3. Dyne - Hand to the King (essentially vice-king; can speak with king's authority)
4. Bond - Captain of the City Guard
5. manasecret - Royal Guard
6. Teuthida - Maester (scholar/healer)
7. Swan - Lord Father of the Bride
8. GameMaster - Knight
9. Schadenfreude - City Guard
10. uber_paddler - Prince
11. Typhoid - Septon (high priest)
12. Fox 6 - Knight
13. Angrist - Sellsword (mercenary)
14. Germanator - Red Priest
15. jeepnut - Knight
16. Jason1 - Royal Guard
17. Combine 017 - City Guard
18 Thespis721 - Singer
19. Vampyr - Knight
20. Fyacin - Assassin

This round will end in two days on Sautrday December 20th at 10:59 am PST/ 1:59 pm Eastern.

Make sure to get at least two posts in and your vote.