Of Truths in Lies Reflected
Twenty Eighth Day of the Eleventh Month 293 AC
The founding the Dragon Guard will pass through the Crown Council after the inheritance and tax laws, and will be doubtlessly easier to swallow for the delegates. For good measure you add a pledge to buy rings of sustenance for every dragon, for while gold, rare gems and an enchanter's time might seem more precious now than cows and sheep to fill a dragon's stomach, with as long lived as they are the scales will inevitably tilt the other way.
Moreover, as Zherys points out, the less that goes into a dragon's mouth the less that has to be checked for poison. Seeing his expression, one might almost pity the fool who would try to poison Caraxes...
almost.
"The Inquisition will begin functioning properly in Volantis starting next month," he notes as the others return to their homes and tasks, or in the case of Nettles, to her training in magic. The once shepherdess of Dragonstone had taken to formal magic as naturally as she had to riding Sheepstealer you had learned.
Establish Inquisition Base in Volantis (Complete) 10/4
Nettles Retraining Complete
"A pity it could not be done sooner," an unexpected voice interjects, though you had heard neither the door nor the telltale whoosh of sound from someone translocating. Melisandre of Asshai nods graciously to you and Zherys both, the girl following in her wake just looks on in confusion and weariness.
Not one of your wards, you realize at a glance, though she is wearing one of Liset's dresses. Something tells you she is about to be among that number.
"This is Elyra of Volon Therys, unfortunately an orphan due to the machinations of the Golden Company and the madness of the Blighted Ones of Sarnor," the priestess continues, recounting the circumstances under which she found the girl before finishing on a most surprising note, "Her mother's spirit is unfortunately beyond even the power of R'hllor's light to restore."
It takes you a moment to register what Melisandre had said... and why. She had knowingly made the Red God seem less powerful than he is,
lied about it to give the child peace of mind about it, when in truth her mother's spirit did not wish to return to life.
"She has a rare courage for one who has gone through so much." There is something about the priestess' soft words you cannot place, a subtle timber you had never heard before from her yet cannot put a name to. "Normally I would take her to the temple here in Sorcerer's Deep, but given the circumstances, I thought it might be better for her to weigh her possible future paths..."
...as I never had the chance. The flash of insight strikes like thunder from clear skies, so startling you barely keep it off your face. So might she too have been bought from the block by some long dead red-robed priest. Melisandre does not regret her calling, that much you know for certain, but she wishes to give the girl, Elyra, a choice she herself had not been able to afford.
"Of course," you nod seriously, as the matter demanded, though carefully withholding emphasis so as to not give away what you had guessed. Once the child had been lead out and into the care of a phoenix who had been waiting to take her, you ask about the rest of her mission, the path to Tiamat's fortress now open, and the rewards of the brief battle with the dead, both cursed steel and once unliving bone to feed the Flesh-Forge.
Most powerful and most perilous of all these is the breastplate of the champion of the damned host. His spirit still sheathed within, contained for now by a blessing of R'hllor, but far from purified, Melisandre explains. "If the specter could be removed, I suspect the armor would serve very well as a ward against sorcery." A small but still triumphant smile flickers upon her lips. "Although it did not serve its present master very well against my spells."
"Excellent," you nod, though your thoughts are not upon the treasure or the ashes she has returned with, but what had passed between you and R'hllor in the Dreamlands. "My lady..." you begin, uncertain of how to claim divine visitation.
"I am to help in the forging of some arcane working meant to snare a great evil through the power She has invested in one of Her mortal slaves, the False Dragon," she interjects with a smile. "I am glad you sought the aid of of the Lord of Light. You will not find my working a lacking bridge to His hallowed power, but it would be wisest, I think, to ask for the aid of all the lesser spirits first."
The only blessing that remains besides R'hllor is of the Old Gods. You wonder, given that she has been given a task by her god to weave his power into the workings of others... "Do you wish to observe, my lady, the better to aid you adding the blessing?"
Melisandre only hesitates for a moment before nodding. "I shall, yes."
What sacrifice do you make to the Old Gods to empower the Well of Eternity? (Minimum 54 HD worth of sacrifices, Soft Cap 1080 HD worth of sacrifices )
[] Write in
OOC: This time I remembered to put in a minimum and a maximum, since I figured there would be a good chance for you guys to go for the latter. Also nat 20 on a bluff so Melisandre would not realize what you guessed about her reasoning, after a 16 for the Sense Motive check itself. Viserys does not often need those sorts of rolls in social situations, but he did so here. 
]
