Invading The Ironborn
Invading the Ironborn
Summary: A report on the events of the invasion of Harlaw and Pyke, as experienced by Ser Kamron Mallister, written for Lord Patrek Mallister.
Date: 16/04/2012 (OOC Date)
Related Logs: A Knight Chastened
Players:
Kamron 
Written at Seagard
16 April, 289

My Lord Patrek,

What follows is my own account of the counter-invasion of the Iron Isles, submitted for your perusal and retention in your records.

On Harlaw
I arrived on Harlaw Isle on the 16th day of the third month of the year 289 After the Landing, aboard a resupply ship, having been delayed, as you know, in the healing of a wound to my arm and the escort home of the bodies of the two Talon Point men killed during the Siege of Seagard.

I was able to immediately reconnect with the Mallister contingent, under command of Ser Martyn Mallister, who, by order of Lord Tytos Blackwood, also had command of the force investing the Grey Gardens. I found them in good spirits, if already tired of the siege. It became apparent that most members of the encampment were somewhat dispirited due to signs that the reavers had been scouting the rear of our camps, and by the lack of general action, but were generally spoiling for a chance to join that action. We kept ourselves and the men in shape to fight with patrols, drill, and sparring.

Shortly after I joined the Mallister forces, Ser Martyn arranged a parlay upon the raised bridge leading to the gates of the Grey Garden. The Army of the Cape was drawn up in case of treachery on the part of the Harlaws. Ser Martyn selected myself to serve as his second in advancing to meet Lord Rogr Harlaw and his own second.

Upon our arrival at the midpoint of the bridge, The Harlaw challenged Ser Martyn to single combat. Ser Martyn requested of me that I inform his family that he needed to accept the challenge, if he fell. After that, there was no more time for requests or orders, as the two engaged one another in combat. The Harlaw proved himself a powerful fighter, and his plate stymied most of Ser Martyn’s attacks. Ser Martyn fought him bravely, and stood before him like a rock, but like a rock before the sea, he was eventually toppled, seeming to fall unconscious at the feet of The Harlaw.

With Ser Martyn unconscious, I took it upon myself as his second to inform The Harlaw that Ser Martyn had been defeated and that the reaver could return to his host with honor. However, The Harlaw attempted to strike off the head of Ser Martyn, so I interposed myself between the blow and its target, as The Harlaw was now attempting to kill a defenseless man outside of combat. I write this not as an excuse, but as explanation for my actions, which I still believe to be right and true as both knight and second.

Some have said that I dishonored myself by placing my shield between The Harlaw’s strike and Ser Martyn’s neck, and that I robbed Ser Martyn of an honorable death. If they believe so, that is their prerogative. If any honor is to be lost, however, let it be on my part, not on Ser Martyn’s. He fought honorably and manfully, standing up before blows which would have killed a lesser man on the spot.

To my dishonor, I may have made an intemperate threat to The Harlaw if he did not desist in his attempt to slay the fallen Ser Martyn. This far removed, I do not remember the words.

The Harlaw then began to call “treachery,” and both he and his second attempted to slay me as I removed Ser Martyn from the bridge. The Seven were watching, however, and I was able to fend off their attacks. At no time did I draw a weapon, but I was forced to abandon the Mallister banner I had been carrying, which was captured by The Harlaw’s banner bearer.

I did not see the next part, as I was too busy defending myself and removing Ser Martyn from danger, but the majority of the remaining Harlaw defenders sallied forth from the Gardens to attack us. They were defeated, although not without losses, and we pursued them into the Gardens and thence into the town.

Once Ser Martyn was safely free of combat, I returned to the fight, and led the Mallister forces through the Gardens and into the town alongside Ser Keelin Dorsey. With Ser Martyn incapacitated, Lord Rickart Nayland took command of the army, and claimed pride of conquest of the Gardens.

Lord Nayland immediately placed Nayland banners over the gatehouse, ignoring the efforts of any other houses in the conquest. This caused a great deal of grumbling amongst your banner houses, but I felt it could not be protested without seeming petty. Before any further actions could be taken, The Harlaw surrendered to Lord Nayland.

The remaining time on Harlaw was spent patrolling, drilling, and tending wounds. I experienced a wide variety of responses to my actions at the end of the single combat, ranging from outright disgust and disdain to acceptance and even approval. On the fourth day of the fourth month of 289, the Army of the Cape transited to Pyke to join the royal forces there.

On Pyke
Immediately upon our arrival, while the majority of the forces were encamping, a dozen-plus-one knights were requested by Lord Yohn Royce to assist Ser Tygett Lannister in turning back a sortie into the lower bailey. This was accomplished without loss, although several of the knights, myself included, took wounds.

While recovering of the wounds, several of us who served in the Rebellion took the opportunity to re-establish friendships with men of other houses whom we had not seen since the Rebellion. I also took the opportunity to bring our men and those of the Roost together, so that we might exchange names and descriptions of those carried off by the reavers. It was my hope, and the hope of the other knights of the two contingents, that this might assist in ensuring the rescue of any such captives found within the castle.

It was later discovered that the majority of our own captives had been freed elsewhere on Harlaw, and that the majority of the Terrick captives were held on Orkwood, but the attempt did bring the two contingents closer together.

Ser Jarod Rivers, Ser Gedeon Rivers, Ser Martyn, and myself discussed the possibility of coordinating the efforts of our three contingents to make Ser Gedeon in particular stand out, and so to both remind King Robert that we have ever been at his side and to draw His Grace’s attention to Ser Gedeon that he might weigh his request for legitimacy favorably.

The final assault on the Castle Pyke came on the eleventh day of the month, and was begun by Lord Stannis Baratheon’s men of Dragonstone capturing the Sea Tower by escalade up the cliffs from ships below. Then King Robert led the Crownlanders and Stormlords into a breach created by trebuchets and other artillery. Lord Randyl Tarly commanded the Westermen and Reachers in an assault of the Bloody Keep, and while they retained a foothold, they were driven back by a counterattack by the Pretender Princes.

It was at this point that Lord Eddard Stark’s northmen and we Rivermen were called upon to complete the conquest of the Bloody Keep. The Frey bannermen were sent to a secondary crossing some levels below, while our own forces and the northmen took the main crossing. We were faced with a contingent of reavers from house Greyjoy, with Ser Harras Harlaw and Rodrik Greyjoy behind the lines to inspire the men.

We pushed our way through the first line of Greyjoys, and Ser Harras and Rodrik Greyjoy joined the battle. I called out to Greyjoy, and he came to meet me. We fought for some time, as the others present dealt with Ser Harras and the remaining Greyjoy reavers. I drove him back, but he would not fall, and we wounded one another time and again. Eventually, he drove me to my knees and damaged my spaulder. Others, including Ser Martyn, Ser Keelin, Ser Kittridge, Ser Eamon and others assaulted Rodrik Greyjoy, and as soon as I could, I rejoined the fight. There-after, he was quickly defeated, tackled to the ground by Ser Kittridge, at which point he was found to be dead. Ser Kittridge brought Rodrik Greyjoy’s greatsword to me, which I retained until it could be presented to King Robert.

Three days later, the rebel Balon Greyjoy surrendered, and it became known that Maron Greyjoy succumbed to wounds received at the hands of the Frey-sworn contingent. King Robert held a feast to disburse rewards to all and sundry who had come to subdue the rebellious lord.

After the Surrender
The Lannisters requested one hundred longships, and were given one tenth of Pyke’s ransom and one quarter of the captured longships. Lord Eddard Stark was also given one tenth of Pyke’s ransom, 20 longships, and a Greyjoy hostage. When the Good King called for a bannerman of Lord Tully, Ser Martyn, myself, and representatives of our banner houses came forward. Ser Martyn requested recompense for the damages done to our shores, and I presented Rodrik Greyjoy’s sword to the Good King, which greatly pleased him. King Robert assigned one tenth of Pyke’s ransom to Lord Tully, 12 longships to yourself, and hostages from Harlaw, Old Wyke, and Orkwood, as you well know by now.

Ser Jarod Rivers also requested that Balon Greyjoy be held accountable for his treason, and King Robert promised to have The Greyjoy’s head off with Rodrik’s sword. It seems, however, that other councilors convinced him otherwise, since The Greyjoy has been spared and pardoned.

The Naylands likewise made no specific requests, just requesting vagaries of “favor in dealing with them” and to be remembered as “ever loyal to King Robert.” I’m proud that none of our contingent laughed or otherwise embarrassed ourselves.

The contingents from the Vale, Reach, and Stormlands were likewise given one tenth of Pyke’s ransom, and then the audience quickly became a feast, with much drink to be had. Once things had settled somewhat, Ser Martyn and I brought Ser Kittridge, Ser Jarod, and Ser Gedeon to the Good King’s table, where we discussed the fight against Ser Harras and Rodrik Greyjoy. While we were unable to smoothly draw the conversation over to Ser Gedeon’s legitimizing, I believe that we were able to make a favorable impression upon the Good King of all of us, as well as reminding him of our efforts on his behalf in this war and the last.

Upon the next day, the great host dispersed, and we sailed for Seagard, arriving there without incident.

I write this the night before the seventeenth day of the fourth month of the year 289 After the Landing, intending to present it upon my summons to court upon that day.

— Ser Kamron Mallister.