Quoted By:
>The Crab King had been a fool, a violent, undisciplined and Glory hungry fool, none could deny his success but his overconfidence reminded you of one thing, overconfidence was a slow & insidious killer to even the greatest of men. [Cynic]
>Meeting this man had been no small chance, it had been an omen of something unfinished, of oaths unfulfilled and honor not yet repaid. You would call him to service again. [Haughty + Persuasion check]
>3 = <span class="mu-i">‘’By salt & stone, by old gods & new...''</span> The man may be old but he is not yet spent, his old oaths are not yet forgotten. He will serve for as long as you desire [+1 companion]
>Gain Companion: ‘’old’’ Harry [+5DC, +10AV, Comrade 50% Death's Door]
You felt a strange chill as you considered the tale the old man had laid before you, all it had taken was one moment of hubris in the shadow of victory and the Crab Kings' life & work had been undone in a scarce few hours, worse it had lead to the near extinction of your house and the decimation of its strength. You could not help but recall how hot to trot you had been at the prospect of the coming campaign and the call of real battle, now such thoughts seemed hollow and foolish. Such overconfidence could be the end of you as it had your grandsire if you did not master it and you resolved that you should.
Taking the path ordained by fate seemed a good start to such mastery and the matter of the old man’s was a thing yet resolved, had you less pity or wits so as to ignore providence you might have scorned the old man and his ghosts but his loyalty to your grandsire had seemed genuine and it seemed that fate had plans for him beyond that of a living ghost.
<span class="mu-i">‘’Ser’’</span> you began, taking care to measure yourself carefully before continuing <span class="mu-i">‘’I know such a telling is a hard thing and I thank you for it, the end of my grandsire has been a long shadow over my house and something not often spoke of.’’</span>
<span class="mu-i">‘’I did my duty lad’’</span> he responded, there was still a cracking rawness to his voice but it seemed soothed a touch and when he turned to look at you again you could see a measure of steel behind his burdened eyes, you thought that a good sign.
<span class="mu-i">‘’I must ask you, If you remember your oath to house Celtigar…’’</span> you had thought the words you had found to appeal to him sounded good but the sight of the old man taking a knee had the rest dying on your tongue.
<span class="mu-i">‘’Yes m’lord, I remember, on rock and salt, we swore to be loyal to our last, by bread and hearth we promised our service and by the gods old & new we swore to defend he and his kin to the last, I remember.’’</span> the steel in his eyes had reached his voice and you knew you had won him.
<span class="mu-i">‘’You are true then’’</span> you made certain there was no question in your tone.
<span class="mu-i">‘’Aye ser, I am yers.’’ he replied ‘’till my last day.’’</span>
You liked the sound of that.
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