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

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Part MMMCXXXVIII: Bridge to Distant Skies
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    • Bridge to Distant Skies ​

    Fourteenth Day of the Eleventh Month 293 AC

    It is oft told in Vialesk that the star Palixna has at its heart a tear of the Hope-Bringer spilled into the dark waters by the mercy of the goddess in a time long before the stone skeleton of the city floated close or the first coral budded. Although the Dragons and Marid dispute the claim as mortal superstition, not even the eldest of their number can be said to have seen the silver light kindle with their own eyes, and so the belief in the legend remains strong in the City of Splendid Waves, as does faith in the Wanderer's Lantern, for you imagine much the same reason why she is beloved of the sailors of Braavos or the far-riding nomads of the Jogos Nhai. She is one who weaves fate, but leaves room for the traveler's good fortune, asks for no grand temples nor ruinous sacrifices, but only that the candle be left burning in the dark to draw those lost upon the waves.

    The principal temple of the Wanderer's Lantern is not so grand as the vast domed temple of the Silver Moon in Braavos, though in its own way it is as prestigious. The tallest spire in the city, higher than the palaces of merchant princes where once the greatest of the vanquished Dragon Lords held court, now houses the Bell of Peace which rings out every twelve hours in remembrance of the sacrifice of those who died in the Uprising. It is, as far as you can tell, the central pillar of time keeping in the city by which all other gears and arcane mechanisms turn.

    As you look up following the sound to its source, you think of Lya and wonder if she and Dany were done with the rune-wrought keystone by which you hope to strike at Tiamat. Turning your thoughts away from Vialesk, you send the question back upon a thread of arcane power.

    "Just finished today," comes the weary but satisfied answer from Dany

    A Dragon Chained Progress 50/12 (Complete)

    "I was going to do some light reading and spell study," Lya's faintly echoing thought answers in turn. It takes you a moment to realize she means both at the same time in different bodies rather than sequentially. "Have you found any interesting books?"

    She is interested in the lore Relath found, of course, but also curious enough to see what the halls of the Goddess under whose roof she had had grown up looks like in a world without moon or sky.

    ***​

    Relath has little interest in the doings of gods and Breath Taker asks to spend a few hours to visit old friends, leaving you, your mother, Dany, and Lya to ascend the marble steps of the Silver Spire. The halls are crowded, of course, but orderly for all that, out of respect for the goddess and age old practice both. Still, you wished you might have a bit more time to study the carvings upon the walls, for even a passing glance is enough to reveal countless stars carved into the walls, and among them two circles and two crescents, the Faces of the Goddess, the marks of the distant moon.

    Is this temple older than the Sundering, you wonder, or had the symbols been passed by word of mouth from one priest to the next through the ages until they could be immortalized in stone? Whatever the truth, it is strange to think that the look of the night sky, that any could freely see at home, was a divine secret in this city of sorcery and wonder.

    At the summit you are greeted by a temple attendant with a pitcher of pure sweet water to refresh yourself after the climb, but are otherwise allowed to walk about freely, whether you wish to speak to a priest simply enjoy the view.

    What do you do?

    [] Try to facilitate reuniting the long sundered branches of the faith
    -[] Write in

    [] Seek to learn more of the temple's history

    [] Write in

    OOC: I thought about doing an interlude for A Dragon Chained, but it just did not seem interesting enough to be worth the screen time. There will be plenty of time to describe the the anti-Tiamat anchor when you guys actually use the thing.
     
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    • DragonParadox said:
    Bridge to Distant Skies ​

    Fourteenth Day of the Eleventh Month 293 AC

    It is oft told in Vialesk that the star Palixna has at its heart a tear of the Hope-Bringer spilled into the dark waters by the mercy of the goddess in a time long before the the stone skeleton of the city floated close or the first coral budded. Although the dragons and marid dispute the claim as mortal superstition, not even the eldest of their number can be said to have seen the silver light kindle with their own eyes, and so the belief in the legend remains strong in the City of Splendid Waves, as does faith in the Wanderer's Lantern, for you imagine much the same reason why she is beloved of the sailors of Braavos or the far-riding nomads of the Jogos Nhai. She is one who weaves fate, but leaves room for the traveler's good fortune, asks for no grand temples nor ruinous sacrifices, but only that the candle be left burning in the dark to draw those lost upon the waves.

    The principal temple of the Wanderer's Lantern is not so grand as the vast domed temple of the Silver Moon in Braavos, though in its own way it is as prestigious. The tallest spire in the city, higher than the palaces of merchant princes where once the greatest of the vanquished dragon lords held court, now houses the Bell of Peace which rings out every twelve hours in remembrance of the sacrifice of those who died in the Uprising. It is, as far as you can tell, the central pillar of time keeping in the city by which all other gears and arcane mechanisms turn.

    As you look up following the sound to its source, you think of Lya and wonder if she and Dany were done with the rune-wrought keystone by which you hope to strike at Tiamat. Turning your thoughts away from Vialisk, you send the question back upon a thread of arcane power.

    "Just finished today," comes the weary but satisfied answer from Dany

    A Dragon Chained Progress 50/12 (Complete)

    "I was going to do some light reading and spell study," Lya's faintly echoing thought answers in turn. It takes you a moment to realize she means both at the same time in different bodies rather than sequentially. "Have you found any interesting books?"

    She is interested in the lore Relath found, of course, but also curious enough to see what the halls of the Goddess under whose roof she had had grown up looks like in a world without moon or sky.

    ***​

    Relath has little interest in the doings of gods and Breath Taker asks to spend a few hours to visit old friends, leaving you, your mother, Dany, and Lya to ascend the marble steps of the Silver Spire. The halls are crowded, of course, but orderly for all that, out of respect for the goddess and age old practice both. Still, you wished you might have a bit more time to study the carvings upon the walls, for even a passing glance is enough to reveal countless stars carved into the walls, and among them two circles and two crescents, the Faces of the Goddess, the marks of the distant moon.

    Is this temple older than the Sundering, you wonder, or had the symbols been passed by word of mouth from one priest to the next through the ages until they could be immortalized in stone? Whatever the truth, it is strange to think that the look of the night sky, that any could freely see at home, was a divine secret in this city of sorcery and wonder.

    At the summit you are greeted by a temple attendant with a pitcher of pure sweet water to refresh yourself after the climb, but are otherwise allowed to walk about freely, whether you wish to speak to a priest simply enjoy the view.

    What do you do?

    [] Try to facilitate reuniting the long sundered branches of the faith
    -[] Write in

    [] Seek to learn more of the temple's history

    [] Write in

    OOC: I thought about doing an interlude for A Dragon Chained, but it just did not seem interesting enough to be worth the screen time. There will be plenty of time to describe the the anti-Tiamat anchor when you guys actually use the thing.
    Click to expand...
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    Made a few edits to the chapter, DP.
     
    Ah, I feel shenanigans are about.
    How truly fitting to first real Deity we got introduced in this quest to have long-spanning mysteries about her...
    While also not being manipulative like Syrax, or just an asshole like R'hlor.

    Thanks for the chapter, DP.
    It is quite fascinating to see the magic societies you build from the ground up, outside of ASoiAF bounds.


    So...
    @eveyone, shall we talk to Goddess of SIlver Moon now?
    We voted to ask for her assistance (as well as every other god of our "pantheon") with empowering the talisman to trap Tiamat with - and few places are better-suited.

    Albeit, we probably should facilitate the mending of Faith's branches first, regardless.
    I'm sure she'll be all the happier for that.

    ...not sure how, tho :V
     
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    [X] Speak with a Priest and mutually share history, mostly in regards as it pertains to the Faith in Braavos and elsewhere and that of the Endless Waters, as some background of the whole of the Garden might be necessary to help them see things as the people living there view them, not just what ancient tomes speak.
    -[X] Carefully broach the idea of reuniting the two Faiths, not just to exchange lore but perhaps intermix acolytes to better deepen that bond. You have a Grand Temple of their Goddess in your own capital, and should the trade links between it and Vialesk deepen it would be a simple thing on that day if not before to walk the paths back and forth for even the least of Clerics.
    -[X] Present a gift to the Temple in the form of a generous donation (20,000 IM in local currency exchanged from bullion with the bursary). Given the proclivity toward charity of the local sects on our Plane, gifting them opulent objects would likely just frustrate them as they carefully avoid giving insult rather than earn their favor, so they are free of course to direct it in whatever ways they wish.
     
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    egoo said:
    Ah, I feel shenanigans are about.
    How truly fitting to first real Deity we got introduced in this quest to have long-spanning mysteries about her...
    While also not being manipulative like Syrax, or just an asshole like R'hlor.

    Thanks for the chapter, DP.
    It is quite fascinating to see the magic societies you build from the ground up, outside of ASoiAF bounds.


    So...
    @eveyone, shall we talk to Goddess of SIlver Moon now?
    We voted to ask for her assistance (as well as every other god of our "pantheon") with empowering the talisman to trap Tiamat with - and few places are better-suited.

    Albeit, we probably should facilitate the mending of Faith's branches first, regardless.
    I'm sure she'll be all the happier for that.

    ...not sure how, tho :V
    Click to expand...
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    Politics now, presumptuous blasphemy once everyone is in a good mood.
     
    ...we could use this as an opportunity to have the branches reconnect over designing a temple to build on the moon, and have their first official ceremony there be Viserys' and Lya's wedding.

    If anyone else still wants to build a moon temple for the wedding that is. For the sake of stamping a big "V + L = ❤" on the face of history/the moon if nothing else.:V

    incidentally, Lya's life is definitely more ridiculously story book than Viserys'. Just imagine what her romantic advice would be:

    L: " just hang out on the steps of your orphanage casting detect magic until you find an invisible dragon prince to sweep you off your feet on an adventure into profound cosmic power and imperial might."

    young women of the empire: "that happens in real life!?"

    L: "empirical evidence suggests yes"

    young men of the empire: "how are we supposed to meet this standard?!"

    edit: fixed some errors.
     
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    And so he provdes :V

    [X] Crake

    BronzeTongue said:
    we could use this as an opportunity to have the branches reconnect over designing a temple to build on the moon
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    I would fucking love that, but I suspect there are very Eldritch monstruosities out there on the Moon.
    :confused:

    We just aren't lucky enough for there not being space-faring Eldritch fuckshit flying around in the void.
    ...That comet Bloodstone Emps found, and the Red Comet that signified the start of canon, being the main examples.

    Space=Eldritch, prove me wrong.

    Also, practically, making one's way to the Moon would take months even with Antigrav Moonchaser has.
    :C
     
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    Crake said:
    [X] Speak with a Priest and mutually share history, mostly in regards as it pertains to the Faith in Braavos and elsewhere and that of the Endless Waters, as some background of the whole of the Garden might be necessary to help them see things as the people living there view them, not just what ancient tomes speak.
    -[X] Carefully broach the idea of reuniting the two Faiths, not just to exchange lore but perhaps intermix acolytes to better deepen that bond. You have a Grand Temple of their Goddess in your own capital, and should the trade links between it and Vialesk deepen it would be a simple thing on that day if not before to walk the paths back and forth for even the least of Clerics.
    -[X] Present a gift to the Temple (an altar worked of the treasures of the sea, true silver, incandescent gems one might find from trade with Fire Whales as well as the Dimwell Depths that Shaitan ply, and water resistant woods you have newly come into whole groves of.
    Click to expand...
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    I don't know the exact difference between the two branches. However I recall we tried gifting stuff to the Bravos sect and they said they would prefer we just give money to the poor or something. Am I misremembering? I just don't want to get off on the wrong foot.
     
    egoo said:
    And so he provdes :V

    [X] Crake


    I would fucking love that, but I suspect there are very Eldritch monstruosities out there on the Moon.
    :confused:

    We just aren't lucky enough for there not being space-faring Eldritch fuckshit flying around in the void.
    ...That comet Bloodstone Emps found, and the Red Comet that signified the start of canon, being the main examples.

    Space=Eldritch, prove me wrong.

    Also, practically, making one's way to the Moon would take months even with Antigrav Moonchaser has.
    :C
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    Moon crusade.

    Why fight the space monsters ourselves when we can get fanatics to do it for us?
     
    egoo said:
    And so he provdes :V

    [X] Crake


    I would fucking love that, but I suspect there are very Eldritch monstruocities out there.
    :confused:

    We just aren't lucky enough for there not being space-faring Eldritch fuckshit flying around in the void.
    ...That comet Bloodstone Emps found, and the Red Comet that signified the start of canon, being the main examples.

    Space=Eldritch, prove me wrong.

    Also, practically, making one's way to the Moon would take months even with Antigrav Moonchaser has.
    :C
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    I don't understand how you got that impression. Without air resistance the thing can accelerate even faster than its already very fast atmospheric speeds. The argument based on physics that TNE brought up was that it would be laughable for them to approach interstellar speeds like anything impressive. In-system travel?

    It would take days at the latest for it to reach the moon, and it would likely go faster than the Apollo 8 rocket. About the only thing truly limiting it is lack of shielding from micrometeorite impact--and well, it has thicker armor plating than what they had to work with... I think.

    Yep. Like 3 times thicker or more depending on the point.
     
    BronzeTongue said:
    Moon crusade.

    Why fight the space monsters ourselves when we can get fanatics to do it for us?
    Click to expand...
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    ...Good point :/
    Still, making our way there isn't immediately practical.
    Moonchaser, as much as being first to set her fot on the Moon would benefit Moonsong, is needed against Tiamat's forces and to evacuate Thenns in the immedaite time.
    If we'll go after Illithids in 2-4th months of next year, we'll also need it there, too.

    And dropping off a teleportation circle would still need an elite battle-group avaliable on the ship, jsut because we can't be sure there would be possibility to Gate people in.
    Because spehhs-magics are bullshit in Eldritch-infested settings like this one.

    Crake said:
    I don't understand how you got that impression. Without air resistance the thing can accelerate even faster than its already very fast atmospheric speeds. The argument based on physics that TNE brought up was that it would be laughable for them to approach interstellar speeds like anything impressive. In-system travel?

    It would take days at the latest for it to reach the moon, and it would likely go faster than the Apollo 8 rocket. About the only thing truly limiting it is lack of shielding from micrometeorite impact--and well, it has thicker armor plating than what they had to work with... I think.

    Yep. Like 3 times thicker or more depending on the point.
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    Ah. And there goes most of my argument.
    Then, sure, let's go to the moon after Timmie is done with.

    Moonsong's gonna be sooo beefed up with that.

    ...We'll be broadcasting the moon landing, aren't we?
     
    Okay, that shit with off-timed notations is really fucking annoying now.
    Did someone tell mods yet?
    }:C
     
    egoo said:
    ...We'll be broadcasting the moon landing, aren't we?
    Click to expand...
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    Duh. Talk about winning public support forever. No one will try to cast us down unless we become as bad as the Valyrians. And honestly I think they would tolerate us even if we were as stern as the Shaitan, even then.

    Seeing as how we're far and away from either... we win after that. Just straight up, no one will be able to win on the basis of trying to stir public opinion against us. A man, a puny mortal, in an EVA suit, taking their first steps on the moon (after Moonsong gets her moment to shine, of course)? Glory for the common man that one might gaze up the sky and wonder and attribute that wonder to our deeds?

    We win. Forever.

    Maybe not militarily, but in all other ways that matter.
     
    Crake said:
    Duh. Talk about winning public support forever. No one will try to cast us down unless we become as bad as the Valyrians. And honestly I think they would tolerate us even if we were as stern as the Shaitan, even then.

    Seeing as how we're far and away from either... we win after that. Just straight up, no one will be able to win on the basis of trying to stir public opinion against us. A man, a puny mortal, in an EVA suit, taking their first steps on the moon (after Moonsong gets her moment to shine, of course)? Glory for the common man that one might gaze up the sky and wonder and attribute that wonder to our deeds?

    We win. Forever.

    Maybe not militarily, but in all other ways that matter.
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    I just hope there aren't any enemies waiting on the Moon.
    Would fuck up the Presentation if something suddenly attacks, and would be... less than perfect if first our people have to fight shit off and then play up the "first man on the Moon".

    "the moon landing was faked" taken to a new level :V
     
    Viserys, giving presentation in SD, turns to the mirror receiver: "...hold that thought, citizens." pop

    Viserys, appearing LIVE, VIA SORCERY: "DIE SCREAMING!"
     
    Only if Viserys gets the first step! Moonsong can have the legend of carrying the Dragon King to the Moon. Should tie her to us even more.

    I'll settle for Waymar if needed. If anything is worth a Mythic Rank that would be and I want it.
     
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    [X] Crake

    starting off with this is a better idea than jumping straight to "visit the holy land/face of your goddess".

    egoo said:
    I just hope there aren't any enemies waiting on the Moon.
    Would fuck up the Presentation if something suddenly attacks, and would be... less than perfect if first our people have to fight shit off and then play up the "first man on the Moon".

    "the moon landing was faked" taken to a new level :V
    Click to expand...
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    well we know at least one coatl is hiding there, so it's probably at least somewhat safe. If stuff jumped you every five meters it'd be a horrible place to stash a weakened, sleeping, snake-bird.

    Edit: also, if we go up with the priests I'd bet on supreme divine protection. Not only would this be a huge moment for the moon goddess, it'd also be the most literal possible expression of her domain. I wouldn't be surprised if she'd be capable of taking direct action/manifesting an avatar independent of her priesthood.
     
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