I make it past the gates with a small amount of bribing and some sneers. I've learned well from the many young masters of the novel world a simple do you know who my father is and everyone fucks off afraid to offend. Noone even asked who my father was.
Every step into the city my frown grew this was not how a kingdom was supposed to be.
There were dilapidated buildings with many people living in them none of the people were clothed in what appeared to be more than rags there were what appeared to be starving children, elderly, and mothers begging for food at every turn. The whole city smelt like shit the sewage system seemed to not be working or have been cleaned at all people where just dumping waste pots and pissing in corners wherever. There were fat guards just walking around taking things from the poor laughing jeering or even kicking them. My rage was building at an immense pace. There were voices of children crying they are hungry or don't feel good I'd seen more than one dead body just shoved off to the side of the street. everyone appeared to have lice and some of the older folk were eating what appeared to be rats. while farther up the street fat nobles just went in and out of brothels. As the king drunk wine and whored the kingdom into millions in debt the small folks starved on his front step. This is not a kingdom. This is a disgrace. I heard talks of a tourney in a few days with a 30000 gold dragons prize for the winner of the melee the joust and archery competition. Where did he even get the money and why wasn't he helping his people with it? I made my way to an inn to pay for my stay for a few days I can't just start kidnapping people into the kingdom I had zero reputation I didn't know who was a spy and who really needed help. regardless if I have to tear this kingdom down and rebuild it from scratch or resort to other means I'll do what I can to help.
First off I need information I already know I've attracted attention already just walking through town. a new face. there were spies everywhere. I headed to the nearest bar and started to just listen. I would then find children and give bread and ask questions just basic things I'd do the same with mothers and elderly and just pass out bread while talking and smiling small children would follow me around asking questions and I would answer like who was I and where was I from. I told them my name was Ryan and I'm from a different continent to the east. they asked me specific questions kids shouldn't ask. like what did I do and why was I here. I told them I used to catch bad guys for money and wanted to come and see kings landing and just travel to new places. These children were spies but not all of them and it didn't matter to me I would still give them bread. I asked about all the scary people that I should look out for and the most revolting I got was that most of them were city gaurds. I'd seen a child here or there with bruises or limbs that looked deformed. apparently some of the gaurds like to get drunk and just abuse them. there were much were things but I had to hold myself in from just razing the city to the ground. I asked about what the church of the 7 does here. they told me they just take money and don't really do anything else. donations to be blessed and what not. so corrupt church also robbing the kingdom.
This is a city of thieves murderers rapists and homeless with nobles on top just leading them all down a shitty path. The leader of the city gaurds does nothing but pretend to be a night to attract other men. The master of coin robs the kingdom blind and helps the king whore himself into and early grave as he fucks the wife of the hand of the king behind his back. the master of ships doesn't do anything but sit around and keep count of his navy. the maester is in the pocket of the lannisters who the king also owes money.the spy master doesn't even work for the king he works for the taergaryns and is helping them evade the king. the queen is sleeping with her brother who happens to be one of the kingsgaurd even known for stabbing the previous king in the back and titled kingslayer. the only one even working to hold the kingdom together is Jon arryn the hand of the king. but how long can a single person hold together a collapsing kingdom? when are debts called due from the iron bank? when do the citizen start to riot?
Until the tourney I'll just spend time to gather some information and feed the kids. I'll sneak around a bit invisible and check out some places like the library of the maesters they just horde thousands of books. and I'll check out the slums I mean if the regular city is this bad how bad is the slums.