Remove ads

A Sword Without a Hilt: A Song of Ice and Fire/D&D 3.5 Crossover

Reader mode
[X] Snowfire
maybe add something like "unfortunately, right now there is little distinction between King and Kingdom, if i wish to see my people flourish i must guide them myself, in trade, planning, culture and war. Rest assured, that i am slowly placing people i trust in those positions, in a few years my only involvement in trade will be to consult with my master of coin on occasions"
 
Just thought it was interesting and impressive that we've already gone through 23 thread pages today since 12:00 AM Eastern Standard time, with six hours still left in the day.
 
@Snowfire Could we get some emphasis on the size of our trading fleet, as well as a nod to the raids we're committing on the Slavers? I think an idea of how much of a ruler we are could help assuage her fears.
 
firefrog600 said:
does he not have a single bard in his kingdom? or any companions who could even attempt it do we not have any kind of spy master?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Our one Bard is the floating mostrous beholder-kin whose very nature would drive mortals mad (but we've gotten him some magic items to get around that). He's very nice, but, uh, probably shouldn't be the face for our "Viserys is totally not terrible" propaganda.

He's also still figuring out the little nuances with the whole human experience thing (though he's come a long way), so a clever lyricist I'm not sure he'd make, but he could probably compose a song or two, except he's needed to play our magical lyre of building, which we need to use near constantly for some months.

Our other bard is Moonsong, who's price for service was being given command of the ship she is captaining, so she's not exactly free.
 
Diomedon said:
Our one Bard is the floating mostrous beholder-kin whose very nature would drive mortals mad (but we've gotten him some magic items to get around that). He's very nice, but, uh, probably shouldn't be the face for our "Viserys is totally not terrible" propaganda.

He's also still figuring out the little nuances with the whole human experience thing (though he's come a long way), so a clever lyricist I'm not sure he'd make, but he could probably compose a song or two, except he's needed to play our magical lyre of building, which we need to use near constantly for some months.

Our other bard is Moonsong, who's price for service was being given command of the ship she is captaining, so she's not exactly free.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

eventually we are going to get him a very expensive item to disguise him so he can talk to the public without freaking everyone the fuck out.
 
das_slash said:
maybe add something like "unfortunately, right now there is little distinction between King and Kingdom, if i wish to see my people flourish i must guide them myself, in trade, planning, culture and war. Rest assured, that i am slowly placing people i trust in those positions, in a few years my only involvement in trade will be to consult with my master of coin on occasions"
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Not really the direction we are going.

L'État c'est moi
 
firefrog600 said:
eventually we are going to get him a very expensive item to disguise him so he can talk to the public without freaking everyone the fuck out.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

He already has one of those, but it impedes his natural abilities in a bad way, and it's understandably awkward to suddenly have limbs when you've spent your entire existence just floating along, using your eyestalks for everything.
 
So something to think about. Our mother is kind-of an obvious weakspot for us now. Any plans on crafting things for her that keeps her safe? At the very least, she needs Protection Against Evil.

You know, that does make me wonder if our mom is a potential PC, or at least has the chance to learn pick up some magic. It's not like she has that many responsibilities after she settles in, and it might help her relate to us better. Hell, Dany's probably going to be spending a lot of free time with her and it's not implausible that she imparts something.

Either way, I look forward to more interactions with the Mother of Dragons.
 
DragonParadox said:
Children of the Secret City ​

Nineteenth Day of the Twelfth Month 292 AC

You quickly discover that when your mother said everything she meant everything. Rather than asking of magic first and foremost she wishes to know of your time in Braavos since the galley made port. With only the smallest twinge of guilt you gloss over the petty indignities of your first five years in the city. In truth you can barely recall those days as more than a blur of discomfort and dissatisfaction. For all that you give due credit to Ser Darry for leal service so l long as his health held and so you come to that fateful evening more than three years past when the curtain separating the world of the mundane and that you had come to dwell in since.

From the way she pales and grips your fingers tight, he is not entirely convinced by your attempts to downplay the danger you had been in there. Then again you did not wish to hide it fully knowing what is to come. "... and so having little coin and no true friends remaining in the city, my magic hardly more than parlor tricks we slipped from sight to live among commoners for a month," you offer the most glowing compliment anyone ever paid the One-Eyed-Rat. "Luckily the deficiencies of a sheltered upbringing can be made up by even the simplest magics with a bit of luck."

"We could have probably made a decent living just fixing broken things," Dany interjects, pulling and ivory-inset comb from her pack, snapping it in two then mending it with magic.

"That's certainly very convenient," your mother says with a smile that is just a little forced. Though the love in hr gaze has not lessened she looks at Dany with ever greater confusion, of a kind you have seen many times before.

"Fortunately losing ourselves in the crowds of Braavos was not what fate had in store," you say, drawing her attention back to you. Then you tell the tale of your chance encounter with Ser Richard and his pledge to you.

"Thank you ser knight," your mother says to the knight in a way that is somehow at once royal and heartfelt.

"No thanks are needed, your grace," he relies simply. "For loyal service good lordship I have received and rewards worth ten times my service..." He draws Oathkeeper a few inches from its sheath to show the sorcerous fire that bathes the blade.

"My friend," you interrupt. "Not If I were to raid the halls of lost Valyria itself could I find treasures to offer you worth your service."

"Then I shall count myself content if you do not do that," he counters, voice think with emotion.

"Did you find that sword in the east?" your mother asks looking worried.

"No, that was made by a smith in Braavos, though other treasures we have claimed thus," You hand her the ivory rod marked with serpents that she may weigh it in her hands and know it to be real and solid thogh it is a thing of sorcery. "Others were gifts," you draw a bit of the shadow-stuff of your cloak between your fingers. "And still others new crafted," you motion to the simple silver disk around your neck. You take the time to explain what each of them does. You realize these powers are not quite real to her yet, but they will be

"You kept saying we," she says once you are done. "Who does that mean?"

Taking this for your cue to pick up the story you tell of how you found another mage new come to power and together you explored the limits of your powers and how after a month's time you gathered enough coin for a modest but respectable house in the city. From the sharp searching look she gives you you suspect your mother did not miss haw vague you were about this fellow mage. Fortunately you have the advantage of a truly fantastical tale to distract her with, of how you gained friends among the other burgeoning sorcerers of the city,be they highborn or low and resolved to protect the less gifted from those that would prey upon them. By the time you must speak of the sad fate of the House of Drekelis there is no hiding that you placed yourself in peril of your life and soul not just for a friend new-found but for all of Braavos.

"That's when I decided I needed to have magic," Dany interjects. "Wants are light and fickle things, but a need is weightier by far. As it was for him so it was for me. That's why I'm here too. To protect Viserys, our friends, and those innocent who might stumble over something beyond their strength from the things in the dark." By the end she speaks almost defiantly.

"You are a very brave g..." she hesitates a long moment, looks at you, then at Ser Richard. "You are very brave." Her words sound faint.

"Thank you," Dany says with a small, relived smile. A small step only, but a welcome one. It will be many more Days before your mother understands in full, before she is ready to.

The tale becomes easier in the telling then, as you speak of rising back into the rarefied heights of the Braavosi elite, if by unusual means, of Dany's friendship with the Fairwind children, though not their precise nature and at last of how the Sealord himself was willing to face a trade war to keep you in the city. "...our exile from the city is in Ferrengo Antaryon's won words so threadbare one can see daylight through it. The businesses in which I hold stock are unmolested and making a tidy profit, though not near so much as controlling trade through the Stepstones will of course," you finish.

"I will have to sleep on... much of what you told me," your mother says. "It seems the world has changed so much one might expect the sun to rise in the west, but if you will, take advice in a more mundane matter...."

"I will always listen," you assure her, utterly sincere, though you might not always heed her worlds.

"It will do your good name no good to be known to have such intimate involvement in trade." She does not speak the last word so much with disgust, so much as vague incomprehension, as one might speak of the finer details of gutting and salting fish.

What do you answer?

[] Write in

OOC: If Rhaella felt like she caved a little quickly there, its because in that shape Dany has less the air of a little girl and more a holly warrior, not to mention inhumanly high charisma.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Aww, she's trying to help as best she can with the context she has.

Sweet. Sweet, but awkard.

We can straight up tell her that magic, power, has a cost. There are a limited number of spells one can cast a day, casually, but to create enchantments has a cost, be it terrible, paid in suffering and the blood of others, some of it wrought in mighty deeds (guesture to Ser Richard's armour), or, with rare and expensive reagents, crafted with mages with the skill to do so - so their time also. We know two that can do such a thing.

To our pfe amulet: most valuable item I have: 400 iron marks (or equivalent westeros currency).

To Dany's percipt of wisdom: material cost.

To Richard's belt: material cost
To our ring of cha: material cost.

An musical item that when used by a skilled player (we know one (Xor), possibly another, but she would not enjoy the task fir long (moonsinger)) can achive 40-80% of the effort to build something, material cost.

Trade was the only option available to aqquire these items on our own terms, as opposed to having to lean on the sealord.
This does make me worry that she might ask what we paid to bring her back.

Hmm, that, that we might be able to explain to her that the cost for that is literally dangrous knowledge, in a very real sense, and that in a few weeks or so, when she has more context on what is possible with magic, we will answer what we can.
Tell her we can not tell her all the answers to her questions yet, and some we may not, but those we can tell, we will when she has context to understand the answers, and those we can not, must not, she will gain the context to understand why.

We Promise to not lie. And so we will leave out a lot as we go.

Reality has has changed from when she last walked this world.
 
Quest said:
So something to think about. Our mother is kind-of an obvious weakspot for us now. Any plans on crafting things for her that keeps her safe? At the very least, she needs Protection Against Evil.

You know, that does make me wonder if our mom is a potential PC, or at least has the chance to learn pick up some magic. It's not like she has that many responsibilities after she settles in, and it might help her relate to us better. Hell, Dany's probably going to be spending a lot of free time with her and it's not implausible that she imparts something.

Either way, I look forward to more interactions with the Mother of Dragons.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

She's definitely getting a PfE amulet next turn, and maybe a Healing Belt and Ribbon of Disguise due to the cheapness and utility of such items.

Nothing else would really be worth the investment, as she's too pathetic in an adventurer sense for most gear to make a difference.
 
I'm very excited about teaching Rhaella some magic. It's her birthright as a dragonlord.

By the way, Viserys should introduce her to his dragonpen. It's ours, and it's technically a dragon. :p Same with Dany and her dragondagger.
 
I think taking is slow would be better. Her suggestion about the trade was an attempt to handle the situation; to participate instead of just not understanding a thing.
 
More pressing for protecting her is just how secret, and how much effort to keep secret, do we want to make her resurrection.

At this point, we have people coming in and out of our keep all the time, some of whom have their own servants, etc. The routes for leaks is pretty broad.
 
Reader mode
You must login or register to reply here.
Remove ads
Back
Top