04 Night's Watch.pdf - Chaos Bleeds

Chapter 2: The Wall & The GiftThe East StablesThe East Stables were built to accommodate the caravans and tradersthat brought supplies up the road to the Watch. The Watch kept theirown mounts in the larger Old Stables. As the Watch shrank, the needfor separate stabling did as well and the Old Stables fell into disrepair.The Silent TowerThe Silent Tower housed the scribes of the Watch. It was they whorecopied the old histories, transcribed records and ledgers, and kept theilluminations in the old texts bright.There is no room in the Watch for such luxuries now. Now, the SilentTower is truly named. It’s been empty for centuries.The ArmoryOnce the Armory boasted a full score of smiths and its forges burnedday and night keeping the Watch in arms and armor. Now there’s justDonal Noye, and he short an arm. Even so hobbled, the old armorer hastrouble filling his days.The Armory is a long, low building of stone and timber. It has adozen chimneys, half again as many storerooms for oil, ore, pig iron,and finished product. At one end it even has its own brackish well, thewater wretched for drinking but perfectly suitable for quenching steel.The WormwalksThe grounds of Castle Black are riddled with tunnels running frombuilding to building, keeping the castle connected through the Winterwhen snow would otherwise make it impossible. These days there aredozens that go unused and many of these have been sealed for decadesif not centuries. Here and there they open on the vaults that hold thecastle’s library, store rooms, wells. Oak doors and iron gates block passagesas they enter buildings and at irregular intervals between.No one living knows all the tunnels. There are many that haven’t seenhuman traffic in ages and every winter a few young brothers vanish intothem and are never seen again. Smart men stay on the familiar paths.The Stair, the Gate, & the LiftThe focus of the castle’s defense is a narrow, switchback tunnel cutthrough the very ice of the Wall. It is the only passage throughthe Wall. Men seeking to use it must walk single-file, leading anymounts. There are three iron gates set into the ice with murder holesabove them. In time of attack, those gates are frozen shut. At thenorth end, the tunnel is sealed with an oak door nine inches thickand bound in iron.Climbing the Wall to the south is the stair. Supported by great beamssunk deep into the ice, it climbs drunkenly from the ground all the wayto the top of the Wall. Though its looks do little to inspire confidence,the stair is solid, reliable, and the chief means by which the men of theNight’s Watch gain the top of the Wall.Besides the stair there is one other way to mount the Wall: hungfrom a great chain, a cage large enough to carry ten men can be drawnup and down by means of an enormous winch anchored in the ice atthe top.Brothers of Castle BlackCastle Black maintains the largest population of the still active castlesof the Wall. It is the de facto headquarters for the whole of the Night’sWatch, and the place where all its recruits are trained. Moreover, it iscentrally located so that it sends out more than half of the rangings thatgo forth from the Wall, and its location allows it to send reinforcementsto any of the other two castles should the need occur.Bowen MarshLord Steward of Castle Black“You knelt as boys...Rise now as men of the Night’s Watch”–A Game of T hronesThe First Steward of the Night’s Watch, Bowen is chief of all the Stewards.He oversees the activities of his brethren from his offices in CastleBlack, where he also acts as chief steward of the keep, and arguablyLord Mormont’s right hand in its operations.PersonalityMarsh understands that he supports and assists and has achieved hisposition in the Night’s Watch for his skill in doing so. He doesn’tBowen MarshAbilitiesAnimal Handling 3 Ride 1BAwareness 4 Notice 2BCunning 4Endurance 4Fighting 3 Long Blades 1BKnowledge 4 Education 2BPersuasion 3 Negotiate 2BStatus 5 Stewardship 4BWill 5 Coordinate 3BCombatDefense8AttributesIntrigueDefenseHealth 12 Composure 15Destiny1 PointBenefits: Brother of the Night’s Watch (Steward),Expertise (Coordinate), Head for NumbersDrawbacks: NoneArms & ArmorMail Armor: AR 5 ❂ AP -3Bulk 2 (Movement 3, Sprint 10)Longsword 4D+2B 4 damagePersonal Gear: Longsword, black woolen garb and cloak, black mail1349