Clever Conspiracy

The Clever Conspiracy is the popular term used for the overthrow of House Kenning of Kayce, in favour of House Lantell.

Origins

The Clever Conspiracy began with the Sack of Kayce by Urron Redhand, in 32 A.I. The failure of Harrag Kenning to defend Lann's Point against Ironman aggression served to both signal weakness to his bannermen, who retained their fierce loyalty to House Lannister above their liege lord, and lost House Kenning the lingering affection of the townsfolk of Kayce, who had held the line of Herrock the Whoreson in high esteem.

Planning

In 40 A.I. Lord Tregar Tarwick held a secret council at his seat of Clever Keep. In attendance were Rollam Prester, brother to Lord Harrag's wife and captain of the town guard, Osbert Lantell, the young heir to the Kynlands, and Marwen Tarwick, Tregar Tarwick's second son. During this meeting, they conspired to use each of their positions to best advantage in order to take Kayce and remove the Kennings without causing civil war in the region - whilst Harrag Kenning had been summoned to Casterly Rock, and his men were exhausted from recent fruitless raids along the Stony Shore.

Once the bannermen were agreed - Tregar Tarwick won the assistance of Lord Tygett Lannister of Lannisport, who agreed to send captains to command Kayce's ships after Kenning was removed, sealed with a marriage between Osbert Lantell and Lanna Lannister, Lord Tygett's daughter. Once Tygett arranged a meeting for Tarwick with Queen Elsa Reyne, Tregar travelled to the Rock only to find Harrag Kenning had already been seized, for insulting the queen and attempting to leave the Rock without leave. The Queen was only too happy to support Tregar's plot - and lent a small Lannister army to see it done.

Execution

Rollam Prester led a column of Lannister forces into Kayce, making good on his assurances to his men that he intended to return with reinforcements to defend against the Ironmen. Once inside, he immediately began to round up men known for either being intractable, or particularly loyal to Kenning. Whilst Prester prepared his sister and her children to leave for Feastfires, Tymond Lantell brought wayns of food into Kayce to feed the struggling people, and publicly stated that Harrag Kenning had been complicit in allowing Urron Greyiron to sack Kayce in 32 A.I. Due to these events, Tymond Lantell won the support of the people, in addition to the nobility. Finally, Rollam Prester had Harrag Kenning's captains assemble on the docks. Some agreed to keep their commands and sail under Tymond Lantell, whilst others were hanged when they tried to flee with their vessel. One man, Euron Sharpley, the most senior captain - requested to be sent to the Rock, to meet his fate alongside Kenning.