(Oh please. Have you SEEN George Martin? You aren't working out, you're running out to buy more butter)

[ooc] Ummm GRRM doesn't workout Chief. [/ooc]

What of the other Kings - will there be votes made this eve?

Clearly I have no friends in the North. I apologize, Balon, for voting your son but he has shown his true colors.

VOTE THEON GREYJOY

I feel like we did this already.
Vote Theon Greyjoy

I have never had any idea who anyone is talking about unless they tell me :)

There will. I hear reports though of white walkers. I must get more information first.

Since clap doesn't know who is who ... ;-)

claphamsa votes theon greyjoy

Is there a vote count?

my apologies my lords for my absences during the past few days. Matters of a personal nature have kept me from being able to fully involve myself in the affairs of the realm.

however, now that i have come back to giving the seven kingdoms my full attention, i feel it is time to become fully involved

vote ser axell florent

Stark seems to have the support of the neutrals. consider that when choosing where to vote. When it's just you and him who will vote with you?

Ah, Lord Balon. I had intended to send Tywin to visit you today, but there was a rather unfortunate occurance.

We should talk tomorrow - or you can send Asha to me.

Renly votes Theon Greyjoy
Penrose votes Theon Greyjoy

I am interested in preserving a balance of power. That is the only thing this vote represents.

Lord Stark appears to be...reaping the dubious rewards of being seen as victorious in several recent battles.

My son has strayed too far from the sea. He is bewitched by the trees and the wolves.. though more likely the women.

ill forgive you since you were so good in Avatar!

[OOC] DEADLINE (FOR CHIEF) [/OOC]

Unfortunate.

[ooc] teacher's pet [/ooc]

that was meant for DT, lol

I must head back to my quarters, so you will probably not hear from me until morning.

I am always willing to listen.

But apparently, not vote quite right.

This cannot be. The greatest man in the realm cannot have been brought low by a simple assassain's knife. I swear I will find the person responsible and I will kill them.

Who would waste coin killing bannermen? It seems a singularly bad way of defeating the Stark house. I can think of four people who conceivably could gain from the death of my father. Tyrion, Littlefinger, the Spider and Lord Stark himself.

I doubt the Imp has the coin to pay for the assassain unless he has been receiving donations - which is a possibility. I know that Stark has the coin and I suspect he would guess that my father would flee before being voted but I don't think the price tag is worth the gain for him. Balon, Renly and Stannis would be fools to pay 50000 to kill someone who would likely be voted for execution or flee Stark tomorrow anyway and ensure that Casterly Rock, my father's troops and money all went to Stark. Littlefinger would certainly have the necessary means and his intentions are not very clear to me. Varys? Who knows? It does not seem his usual way of acting but maybe there was some perceived gain for him there.

Lord Renly, it seems to me that you can either decide to bend the knee or you can fight. "Do it for Chief"! It seems to me that you are finding excuses for your lack of resolve.

Lord Balon. I suspect I misjudged your purpose in these affairs. I thought I had found a kindred spirit with a similar purpose. It would seem otherwise. So be it. If you wish to waste your time and money killing inconsequential nobodies rather than make a difference then there is little that can be done on that score. One would at least hope that you will be sending Asha out raiding today.

Your bannermen are paying the price for your decision to support Renly yesterday my lord. A tactical mistake perhaps but, then again, you have no need of bannermen anymore in any case. So was it actually a mistake at all? It seems you are leading in terms of land, money, manpower and honour. Your enemies killing your bannermen is hardly going to weaken your position - quite the opposite.

Nobody dare declare war on Stark because he will meet them in battle and defeat them immediately. Stark dare not attack anyone because they will retreat to a coast and the rest will join in the battle. So it seems there is an impasse until one of the royal aspirants decide to bend the knee. Or, presumably, when there are but three bannermen left. When my lord Stark will be crowned king.

Axell Florent - Stark, Theon, Tyrion, Selmy, Baelish (5)

Theon Greyjoy - Stannis, Seaworthy, Florent, Renly, Penrose, Balon, Asha (11)

Did not vote - Cersei, Varys, Joffrey (3)

Ahhh! Theon, I had high hopes for you - but I feel you have to take a lot of responsibility for this outcome. I am sure Lord Stark will do a good job seperating your head from your shoulders. They say you were like brothers. I wonder if his hands will quiver as he makes the blow, as he remembers all the time you spent together, growing up in Winterfell. It must certainly pain Stark to have to execute you. I am sure that will be a comfort to you.

A rather accurate depiction of things - though I personally would rather my bannermen lived - I'm rather loyal to them in that regard.

Talk to your son, Cersei. For the good of the realm, it's time he surrenders Kings Landing to me and swears allegiance. Even Theon received my pardon and lived - Joffrey would not come to harm ... at least not by my own hand.

[ooc] Lordy...-2 bannermen for House Stark just like that [/ooc]

[ooc] So - rereading the rules...how can a king even possibly be removed from the game? [/ooc]

War (being captured). Possibly assassination, depending on the King and the assassin.

And, of course, a King can simply realize he needs to give up his Kingly win condition and Bend the Knee, giving him a chance to win as a bannerman.

But to clarify, Chief, normally a king can't be captured in war. Are we to assume that if the king has no bannerman and fights in a war, he can be captured and/or killed?

[ooc] yes, this is where i was confused too [/ooc]

Yes, if a King has no bannermen he can be captured in war.

So if you think you can beat a "singleton King" in a war, you might want to challenge him. ;)

[ooc] reading the original rules it just says a king can't be captured. i started to wonder due to Robb's lack of bannermen. [/ooc]

Yeah, this is what I've been going by, so assumed they could not, though I imagined maybe an eventual rule change was in the works.

Renly, regarding what we were discussing yesterday. I have checked with my maester and am willing to make the deal for twice the amount we discussed. That is not meant to be a hard bargain, but it would not be worthwhile for me otherwise. If it is agreeable send the coin as a sign and I will proceed.

I feel that the removal of my father has helped Lord Stark greatly. With only two bannermen left to be voted it can be expected that Stannis and Renly will return to bickering between each other. And, consequently, lose the war. Looked at from that point of view and given the almost certainty that my father would have fled today if put to the vote, I feel a lot less certain of Stark's lack of involvement in the assassaination.

I don't kill my own people. Ser Barristan would have never served at the head of my Kingsguard were I do indulge in such a dishonorable act.

Queen Regent, I can assure you that Robb Stark had nothing to do with the assasination of your lord father. I know the Stark boy, and he is not capable of such a dishonorable act.

Perhaps not directly but Lord Stark could easily provide the coin for someone else to pay for an assassain. Have you been giving coin to anyone Stark?

Not in those sums.

I am fairly certain I know who is responsible for the crime - though it was not done by my hand, or by my consent. Though at this point, does it matter? Dead is dead.

Five Kings, with four bannermen amongst them.

I direct this to the banners - you are dead men walking, and you know it. One more of you will fall today from voting. How many more will die in the next battle?

Renounce your Kings. Let this conflict be settled by the Kings, and you may yet survive when the dust settles.

[ooc] Accidental click into Stark thread. [/ooc]

It seems we've come to a bit of an impasse.

Nobody wants to be a bannerman, there are only two left and those will be voted the next two days.

Nobody wants to bend the knee to each other, we all want the others to bend the knee to us.

What about all five kings in a mano-a-mano battle royale? Last one in the ring wins. We're heading towards something like that anyway, though I assume one will get a visit from a Faceless Man sooner or later. So a four king battle.

I'd go for it.

In fact. Ser Axell Florent, and Lord Penrose - You two in particular should be paying close attention. It is one of you two who will perish in the vote today. And only one of you two.

Ha. King Robb and I appear to be thinking along the same lines.

Too true.

Well if we all want to be crushed by Robb Stark and his giant army then yes we should go into a king free for all. Honestly, invest in a maester if you want to see how foolish that plan is Renly.

You're of course, welcome to bend knee and add to that giant army, Joffrey. In fact, I heartily recommend it.

Bend your knee to him then. Or anyone else.

If you can manage to sneak some wildfire to me, I'll even not name you Hand.

And the other will die tomorrow. As you have stated yourself. So what difference does it make?

And be executed the next day. A tempting proposition.

Should they both flee, it'd make quite a bit of difference for them, I'd imagine.

As you are a Stark bannerman in all but name you will forgive me if I do not heed your words Lord Baelish.

I'd imagine you'd imagine incorrectly.

I don't even think more than a two way battle is in the rules so this whole thing would have to be a new rule for GRRM. If he was able to implement I'm sure there could also be a mechanic to make things relatively balanced.

But Joffrey makes a good point. It's been awhile since I updated my maester reports. I know though that what I do not want to be is a bannerman in the forseeable future.

And just my mothers vote on one each day would end their lives. No matter how many vote for no enemy of the realm, her half vote would win out.

How so? I do not believe an independent bannerman can be voted.

They certainly have better odds of survival that way.

I believe that any bannerman who is not an enemy of the realm could be voted one.

I can of course, offer an easier solution.

Three of you can bend knee to me, and we can stomp the odd one out.

Not a bad idea. With the small proviso of me being the one that the three bend to.

(Btw, I'm very angry you people voted Theon without letting me name him my Hand first - I have a reputation of dead Hands to consider, you know!)

[ooc] FYI I'm seeing Star Trek at 6:50 and then having dinner after, but I'll have time inbetween to catch up. [/ooc]

Vote Tyrion Lannister

It may not be a valid vote but I care not. He is not a valid man.

Is it just Penrose and Florent left? Isn't there a Greyjoy bannerman as well?

Asha is a favored of the realm - can't be voted.

Oh, I see above it is Asha. What about Davos?

I guess my question is does the "realm favorite" or whatever it is called mean that person cannot be voted?

Got it, thanks. Welp,

Renly votes Axel Florent
Penrose votes Axel Florent

At least I seem to remember that's the case.

Oh, thank god I avoided the torture!

So, no one blinks today.

What will tomorrow bring?

(ooc - I have been working under the assumption that the game will end once there's only three bannermen. Looks like I might have been wrong about that).

One way or another, war happens today.

Good timing, CHief. MY son's birthday and busy with work, I won't have a lot of time to do stuff.

My little birds report that there are several new eunuchs running around as a result of this raid.

Lord Varys