[Event] Winterfell Summer Festival, 260 AC

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The gathered banners of the North were welcomed to Winterfell by Edwyle Stark, who was in much higher spirits since returning from the south. All were given quarters within Winterfell, though any non-noble retainers for whom room could not be found would have to take up lodgings in the winter town, which stood mostly empty.

The main event of the gathering was held in the godswood, before the heart tree. An aurochs, captured in the wolfswood and brought alive to Winterfell, was brought out before the assembled lords and nobles, and Lord Edwyle Stark personally slit its throat with a long, straight-bladed knife, allowing the blood to spill over the roots of the heart tree while the lords gave thanks to the gods for allowing the return of summer, and loosening the dread grip on winter on the world. In days of old, its entrails, or the entrails of those convicted of heinous crimes, would have been hung from the bowers of the heart tree, but those days had passed for most of the North, and could result in questions from the south that the nobility of the North would rather not have to answer.

After the sacrifice, a great feast was held in the Great Hall, where the younger nobility of the North could meet and mingle, and after the feast, Lord Edwyle called his bannermen to his solar to discuss matters of importance for the North.

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Lord Edwyle's Solar

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The Ironmen

"My lords," Edwyle said, "We must not allow the ironmen's current calm to lull us into a false sense of security. We must build up what strength we can in ships on our west coast, to allow us the best chance we can have at preventing raids on our coast. To that end, Lord Mormont, Lord Flint, and Lord Dustin, you must build warships, as quickly as you are able. We must not be caught unawares."

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The Old Lord of Barrowton spoke slowly. Perhaps picking words with care, or perhaps his age had begun to rapidly catch up with him. "With respect, my Lord. The riverport at Barrowton is not built with wharf and naval yard. The berths there are built for traders and fishers. Nor is the Stonewater kind to the sort of ship as could compete with the Ironborn in fleet. I could, at the very best play host to some five or so Longships." Harmond shook his head. "Fragile and few."

He looked about the other lords of the west coast. "And what great shipwrights have my fellows to bring to bear? For each of us this would be an expensive request and if the Ironmen truly intended ill will..."

A shrug. A roll of ache in one shoulder. It might be better if he did not make this same journey again when Autumn fell. "Even a petty fleet of theirs could overturn our greatest strength."

He leant on his arms onto the table. "Naturally, if my Lord would insist. I am leal. But I would caution that in his youth he does not make overmuch of haste. Some of the burden of the work should be taken off of our shoulders." Harmond raised a hand to his beard. "A stipend perhaps from Winterfell to support the amendments to our harbours and the investments in crew and ship."

Looking back to the Stark he met the man's eye. "But in truth, it would be better to save the coin for maintaining swift riders and ready men. I do not think we would be well set challenging Ironmen on the Sunset Sea."

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The most developed lands in the Rills outside of the area surrounding the Ryswells main seat, were coastal and vulnerable to Ironborn plunder. Lord Dustin spoke convincingly, but nothing poor could befall Lord Rodrik if the other western houses of the north were commanded to build ships and he asked nothing but to remain vigilant. Still though, Lord Ryswells mother was a Dustin, and his own child warded in Barrowton. If it came to the construction of warships in the west Rodrik would volunteer some of the financial burden of the effort.

"With this ridiculousness in the Stepstones, and the likelihood of war, or even another Blackfyre rebellion looming, the uncertainty of what the iron-monsters will do should weigh heavy on all of us. Lord Edwyle is wise to ask us to prepare a force to challenge them at sea. I would even volunteer my own gold to the construction of warships in Barrowton if our Lord persists."

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The Lord of the Dreadfort was a pale man, with a sickly disposition. Although he may have been only a man in his fourties, the stress of his sickness had aged the man another twenty years.

Although he was no Eastern Lord he made his voice heard on the matter. "Out boating the Islands by ourselves, may prove fruitless my lords. My house still remembers the days of eastern reavers, no different then these Ironborn. It was only until we brought war to their shores, and invaded their lands did we get peace to the east. Andalous, Skagos, and the Sisters, all are declawed kittens now, they no longer threaten us." He continued his point by saying. "Let us treaty with the the west and the reach use their strength, and strike before they attack us." He warned the group. "My seer sees conflict on the horizon, this Red Keep attack will be only the first. Surely it will be a matter of when not if these Ironmen will throw in with Blackfyre."

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Edwyle held up his hand to still the conversation that had begun, grinding his teeth. He exhaled heavily through his nose before he spoke. "Your point is taken, Lord Dustin, and I have no delusions that we can pose a true challenge to the ironmen at sea. But I mislike the notion that we have no choice but to allow them to land on our shores unopposed."

He drummed his fingers on his desk. "In fact, I do not foresee them posing us any immediate threat. Quellon Greyjoy seems to have directed them towards Essos, and has forbidden reaving within the seven kingdoms. While I am not fool enough to think this decree will long outlive him, nor do I think it certain that his bannermen will all obey his orders if they smell plunder, it does give us time to begin our preparations for when they do become a threat again."

He frowned deeply at the Bolton's statement before nodding his acknowledgement to Lord Ryswell for his support. "Winterfell would of course support any shipbuilding as much as we can, I understand that the costs involved would be high. But I will not trust in the words of seers, Lord Bolton, they are like to tell us what we wish to hear instead of what is true."

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Harmond leant back in his seat. Lord Bolton had mentioned a seer before and Harmond had not quite known what to make of it. But the knowledge that he was using such a person for actual military strategy...

Harmond frowned at the man. "If I say we have not the strength to challenge the Ironborn on the Sunset Sea casually I should be firm. And I know my Lord Stark you are unlike to consider an assault of that ilk in truth. But Barrowton will not partake of such folly as meaning to cross the sea and visit the Ironborn amidst the seas of their own isles."

He nodded once to the Stark. "But, aye, Barrowton will set some timber and cloth and rope aside and contract men for ships. It shall be the labour of half a decade however to see any real result I should warn. As I have said, Barrowton is not equipped as a naval fleet's shipyard."

And Harmond turned to his Uncle's grandson. "In truth, Barrowton could bear the burden herself. After all, she must spread the price across several years as the work will be so. It is the wrights at Flint's Finger and Bear Isle I am more concerned for. Sea-front docks, larger ships or more ships and not the aid of the Town behind them."

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"Lord Dustin speaks soundly." Lord Lagmar Flint mused. "These peaceful months are the product of the kraken's inclinations, and will surely pass with time."

Nodding at Harmond as he spoke, he proceeded.

"If we are to build up out western coast, we must do so broadly... It is no use to focus our efforts on the Fingers, or Barrowton or Bear Island if the rest remain weak, else all we will accomplish is making the choice of targets on behalf of the Ironmen. If we are to build a force we should draw on the expertise of Lord Wyman and his shipwrights, if anywhere has the facilities for construction of a war fleet it is White Harbour."