Jacob Preston (1421)

Jacob Preston

You are the son of Finán Preston and the brother of Kateryn. Your mother died giving birth to Kateryn and you have had to assume a lot of the duties of the estate you live on from an early age. Your father deals with a lot of things, but you have been required to be a man about things from the age of 10.

When you were 17, you went for an outing with some friends to the town of Trim, in south Meath. There, you decided to pick up a local prostitute and have some fun, but she ended up getting pregnant with your child. You married her 6 months into the pregnancy. 1 month later, she miscarried.

Since then she has lived a life of despondency. First, she attempted suicide, then she attacked you with a knife, finally, you think she is reverting to her old ways of promiscuity. She never learned to act like a real lady, and derives her only real joy driving your father crazy.

Well, your father has a plan. Your family is hosting a social where both English and Irish are invited. You expect dignitaries from both sides to attend. There will be a dance on Friday and a joust on Saturday. The reality is that there is a potential food for water swap happening because Dublin is plague-ridden and Ireland is under famine. Both have affected your people. If you could get your hand in one or both of those pots, it would be a coup.

Your father has ordered Matilda to clean herself up this weekend, and intends to find a priest who will annul your marriage, on the basis that you never consummated, and that she is barren. That’s no skin off your teeth. You can’t stand her anyway. Maybe you can trade her for food or water.

You and your father have discussed how this weekend is going to work, and a lot of things need to happen. First, you have to find a priest to annul the marriage. Second, you have to find an adequate suitor for Matilda and marry her off before he finds out about her past. You’ve heard that Cormac O’Reilly is offering his daughter up as a prize for the joust; perhaps he will allow you to offer Matilda up as second prize. Third, you need to make sure that things go well at the dance and the joust. Finally, you and your father will be responsible for the lances to be used during the competition on Saturday. People may want to make “adjustments” to the equipment, and a little money will go a long way towards making Kateryn’s dowry significant.

Your father tends to get into trouble by making promises to both sides (the English and Irish). Even though they are meeting on peaceful terms this weekend, it is important to remember that these people really hate each other, and the lid could blow at any time. If your father promises Kateryn to the wrong side (or both) too early, it could prove disastrous.

As for the meetings, they need to go off without a hitch. The last thing you need is to have a major conflict start on your estate. Both sides are likely to blame you for it and confiscate the Preston estate.

What is this?

Matilda Preston (1421)

Matilda Preston

You were born to a very poor family in the town of Trim, south Meath. One day, when you were 15, a man named Jacob Preston was visiting the tavern you were selling yourself in. He purchased your wares and one thing led to another…you were pregnant with his child. He married you before your 16th birthday after being coerced by your parents and his father.

6 months into the pregnancy, you miscarried and it left you barren. Jacob and his father, Finán have treated you like it is your fault, and now, 5 years later, you are still despondent. Your ongoing depression has manifested itself in many forms. Suicide attempts when you were 18, knife waving at Jacob on various occasions, and now finally, promiscuity. It seems nothing will get his attention.

You have developed very little regard for life, yours or others’. Bathing very little nowadays and crass about most things, you develop a special joy grating Finán’s nerves any way you can.

This weekend, Finán is hosting a huge gathering of English and Irish dignitaries. Ostensibly, they are getting together for a dance Friday night and a joust Saturday night. You know for a fact that they are going to be discussing the problems besetting the area. In Dublin, there is a plague and they do not have enough fresh water. In Ireland, there is famine, so they are short on food. There is going to be negotiations surrounding a food/water swap between these natural enemies.

Rumor on the manor has it that your husband Jacob and Finán are going to attempt to have your marriage annulled this weekend. Then they are going to pawn you off on some unsuspecting soul before they find out about your past. Well, not bloody likely, you say. If something goes wrong at all with this weekend’s events, then it will be a pure nightmare for both Finán and your poor excuse for a husband, Jacob.

It will be a tight rope to walk between your personal death and a Preston nightmare, but perhaps you can finally extract revenge for the way you’ve been treated over the past 5 years.

Your proclivities have netted you a bit of extra information to help you.
• You personally know the guard that will be guarding the lances for the joust Saturday night. If someone is looking to rig the event, you could acquire some cash to support yourself after this weekend.
• There is a coven of witches in the area. Beatrix Fitzgerald gabbing about it to you after a 3-way with you and Cellach Fitz-Dermot (a guard of the O’Reilly’s).
• Some Welshmen are going to arrive to assist Fergus O’Sullivan in making the life of the English hell over the course of the weekend. You have no idea how, but perhaps Fergus would trade some information for a wild ride with you.

Good Luck!

What is this?