[Event] The Red Crab Rouses

Claw Isle was a foul castle. It was old, and pretty, but not enough to stand out. In truth, Ardrian hated it.

When he was young, he used to be proud of his castle. Of his family. Hells, before the war, even...

But his brother had ripped all of that away. He could only be proud of the graves outside, now. Of his sons. And when Marston and his boys were buried beside them, he'd be proud of those graves too. Gods willing, he'd make them.

He wondered where he'd be buried. Would his daughter - or his granddaughter - choose to lay him to rest with his sons? Or would he get somewhere else, a pride of place.

If it was up to Laena, he'd probably end up underwater.

That was why she could never get her way. She could never be Lady of Claw Isle. It had to be his granddaughter. His Oswyn's little girl. So he had to hang on to life, for a few more years. And he had to work ahead of her, too. News had reached him that Laena had made it to the capital, and moved on in the months since. Likely enough, she was grabbing her allies, ready to move.

Ardrian had to move too.

So that was why he sent word to his good-daughter, on a warm summer evening, with an urgent request to speak.

He would not let this ship sink without him.