Battle of the Gold Cloaks

Combatants| * House Wilder
* House Kalkuho
* Winter Sons
* House Lash
* Rouge Hedge Knights
* Order of the Black Knights

Commanders| * Ser Zelos Wilder
* Lord Privat Kalkuho
* Ser Royalnd Ironwood
* Ser Robb Griften
* Lord Tavion Lash
* Savoy
* Harden

Forces| 620 House Wilder forces~* 550 Goldcloacks
* 14 Kalkuho Troops
* 50 Winter Sons
* 6 Griften forces
* Unknown number of Goldcloak reinforcements
* 20 Hedge Knights
* 12 Paramilitary Bandits

## Prelude

> *Zelos: This is a warzone Lord Privat, and no offense but your not exactly built for the front lines*
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> *Privat: I have the necessary protection I assure you.*
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When Zelos was appointed Commander of the Goldcloaks he was treated with suspicion given his former allegiance to House Targaryean and the Golden Company. Though he started off impressing people and protecting the city fairly, some time after a mass recruitment spree and rearrangement of the commanders and officers, the crime rate increased and many crimes went unpunished due to there being no culprits. All the blame shifted to him either out of incompetence or belief that he was responsible in some way. In this growing distrust in him some places such as Lions gate and its commander Jon Black are growing in popularity as many wish for him to be in charge instead, but refusing to give up Zelos went out of his way to try and find the culprit personally patrolling as much of the city as he could looking for any signs of misdeeds from the people or his own men and giving his commanders specific orders to be on the lookout. One such Commander Tristan de Bois was killed in the middle of the night while on patrol and later on his way back from Summerhall Zelos was attacked by some of his own men, sending his sister back Zelos continued on into the city determined to find the one responsible. When Seles returns to the castle, Artos Starkwood; her father-in-law and Robb Griften; a Knight courting her, offer there assistance. Artos sends 50 Winter son under his commander Royland and Robb Griften rides with five of his men to aid Zelos.

## The Investigation

> *Royland: Anything you need of my men? Just give the order and it will be done*
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> *Zelos: Keep 10 men here to protect my wife and house, the rest I want around the city listening for information*
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Starting at his own house in the city where his wife was threatened Zelos receives a taunting letter by the man in charge before he's informed of one of his commanders deaths. Investigating the scene Tristan's journal detailing his suspicions of some of his men are found. Zelos then gives control of the gate to Edwyn Waters despite the popular choice being the officer Harden.

Regardless Zelos confronts all of his commanders but his rage and accusations make him look even more crazy especially to the prying eyes of the meeting. Eventually Lord Privat arrives from Summerhall wanting to help and with his notes and Tristan's journal they find a lead in a man named Ryon who Zelos tails throughout the city. Ryon expecting someone else leads him into an ambush but his small forces are taken by Zelos' own allies and Ryon confesses to having been under orders by Harden himself, the loyal officer of Jon Black. Zelos suspects both men and assembles 550 men under his direct command to join him while placing a warrant for both Harden and Jon Black's arrest. Jon hears about this and desperately readies his men to enact his coup in force, assembling 678 men loyal to him.

## The Battle

> *Jon: I admit I was careless but I still dont intend to turn myself in, not when I still have a card to play*
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> *Zelos: If you have any sense you'll turn yourself in now before you get you and your men killed.*
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Marching to the Lion's gate expecting a fight he isn't surprised to find Jon there with his entire force at his back and potentially more. Tavion Lash and 50 of his own men are present at first siding with Jon Black before switching sides once seeing the Master of Laws on the opposing side. Lord Daniel Younglower also joins when he notices the Gold cloaks assembling in mass. Zelos attempts to get Jon to surrender but Jon refuses and instead opts to fire upon Zelos and his men starting the battle. Already chaotic as the mass number of Goldcloaks are unable to tell whos friend or foe once the fighting starts the battle grows even more chaotic when the smallfolk riot as there protectors clash with one another. Some try to keep them out of the fighting others cut them down regardless and the fighting spills into other parts of the city as more and more of the Gold cloaks get involved but which side they fight for is harder and harder to tell. Savoy slips out of the main fight and begins taking advantage of the chaos to cause havoc in the city raiding houses, raping and murdering indiscriminately and killing whoever opposes his way.

Jon Black attempts to flee and Zelos gives chase, killing whoever stands in his way as Jon attempts to take a hostage but Zelos doesn't slow down his pursuit, reasoning that Jon would kill her anyway and attacks costing the woman her life as the two brawl throughout the streets. The main fight slows down as the traitorous Goldcloaks are either killed captured, flee, or pretend to be loyalists when the fight becomes lost to them. Savoy realizes this and escapes with Harden and a band of his own taking a ship and using a hostage of his own to keep the soldiers from giving chase with more success then Jon did as he's able to flee and escape the city. Zelos eventually gets the upperhand over Jon and knocks him out, refusing to kill him before he faces judgment for his actions and the injured commander his helped up by Daniel Younglower. The Gold cloaks and Brightflame forces are able to quell the riots eventually and put a decisive end to the battle.

## Aftermath

> *Robb: The enemy was defeated. how is this not a victory for us*
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> *Privat: The people put there trust in the city watch, that trust more or less has been shattered and Zelos is still less popular then Jon in the people's eyes..hardly the making of a victory.*
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The battle ends in Zelos's favor but its far more pyrrhic then decisive. The faith and trust in the Gold cloaks is broken as many see them at fault for everything, with some even claiming Jon was set up and Zelos was the one behind the whole thing still. Even the results of the trial do little to damage these opinions and the distrust persists until the Gold cloaks win back there favor in the Siege of Kingslanding many months later.

The Gold cloaks themselves are also damaged as its impossible to confirm that Jons entire coup was taken in and captured or fled the city and many allies look over there shoulders even amongst there close friends. The loss of life also hinders there ability to watch the city as there short on hand. Though the battle does draw some hardened warriors such as Royland and later Robb Carnath and Robb Griften to join and eventually King Daeron himself retires some of his most trusted and experienced men from his families time as a sellsword and lets them join with the Gold cloaks to help boost there numbers.

Jon is found guilty by a trial led by the Master of Laws and is ordered for execution. Jon tries to bribe them to spare him with the location of the Highborn family he captured before hand but is refused and after some interrogation of his other men a general location his found. Unable to go himself due to his wounds Zelos sends Caim to lead a party to find Savoy and the captured Terrances. Many notable knights and lords accompany Caim on this journey.

Soon after Jory Redwater arrives and uses his influence to let the gates come under Redwater control for the duration and oversee Jon Blacks execution with his own forces to which he protests the method used to do so by Lord Privat. The execution itself is stopped as Jon is given a more merciful death by Privat's last minute orders seemingly ending the threat to the city. However its later revealed that Jon Black was a pawn in a much bigger game and his defeat kick started the feud between House Wilder and House Darkspear.