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

Sixteenth Day of the Twelfth Month 293 AC

For all Red Roly was made a knight by Aegon's hand he is 'a man of his own hands', as the saying goes in Braavos, a craftsman at his trade before he is a warrior seeking glory. Perhaps if you had met him under any other circumstances he too could have been an ally or at least not a foe. You had taken Bronn under your banners and the man came to your shores besides a monster bearing kegs of wildfire after all, but as with 'Old Griff' and with Ashara reading the man's mind convinces you that you cannot afford to let him walk. "Ashara saved his soul once, not just his life, his soul from a rakshasa lord," you explain softly. "The same one who bore the blade he is carrying now."

"How?" Dany's tone is somber but she is curious too. Anything you can discover about your enemies alive or dead can be of use.

"He walked a dangerous path between the temptation of Tiamat and the oaths of chivalry. Some would say he held to the latter exemplary." You cannot quite keep a grimace off your face as you say it though.

"Some?" Ser Richard asks.

"Arthur Dayne perhaps, that is what Ashara told him at least and I think she believed it even, that oaths of fealty were more important than those of protection. He knew of Varys' plan to betray Tiamat, so did she. I suspect that is what allowed them to sleep at night after all they had seen their lord and master do."

"They were lovers?" Tyene guesses shrewdly. At Lya's surprised look she shrugs. "Dornish remember, I don't care how much of a pretty picture the Daynes make playing knight and lady fair, or in Ashara's case both, they don't trust trust their darkest secrets lightly and if you are going to trust someone that far, and if they're pretty enough to look at, you might as well get some... exercise out of the deal."

"After the maharaja was slain, yes," you explain. "It would have made a decent ballad I suppose, better than the insipid nonsense that so often crosses a bard's lips about ladies sighing mournfully and looking on into the distance while their suitors are away in battle."

"You might have a bit of a peculiar perspective on that," Lya smiles fondly at you.

"Not round here it isn't," Waymar counters. "I think all fell halfway in love on the battlefield."

"You can't fall halfway..." Tyene trails off, catching Waymar's smile. She gives him a stern look instead. "Are you tying the Common Tongue into knots just to tease me, or do you have some courtly gesture you are itching to announce?"

Waymar only shakes his head and smiles.

Ser Richard clears his throat and turns to you before the conversation can meander any further afield. "So, about that shadow spirit and his sword, did they kill him properly or is he still around and likely to look for it?"

"He has fallen a rung in the hierarchy of the City of Blood, but he will seek out the sword." Dark Fire sputters angrily in your hand, almost seeming to coil upon itself, the better to burn the hand that wields it. It is only an illusion, at least so long as one's will does not waver in the bearing it. The hilt is old, older than the Shadow and its twisted ruler, the marks upon it of sanctity and protection, gleaming back as though a willful mockery in the oily light of the blade. "This is not a thing lightly lost."

Gained Defiler of Eternities

The knight's armor by contrast is both more commonplace and thankfully more wholesome in forging, a thing conceived to grant him the power of flight and to ward against cunning blows and artful feints. He could have done better with something to guard against sorcery.

"Think either of them would serve old Liomond Lashare well?" Dany asks, reaching out towards the sword with abstract interest. She could not bear something like this of course, though you have little doubt that she could resist its power.

"I think we should know the man better before we pledge any artifacts to his service."


Liomond Lashare, newly raised from death by the highest sorcery, has the look of a man who would rather be drinking in a tavern than kneeling before a throne, which you suppose says good things about his mental fortitude. Most people upon being returned to life after years as a walking corpse would be overwhelmed by the sensations, not looking forward to more of them. "Your Grace, will you be wanting my oath in my own name or shall I take another? I'll admit I have some fondness for Liomond, but I can leave or take the other as it suits you."

What do you reply?

[] Publicly admit Liomond's indemnity, tales of his exploits have only grown since the War of the Ninepenny Kings and being seen embracing one who was once an enemy of your House might incline others to swear to you rather than clinging to a losing hand

[] Ask him to take a new name, you could do without the questions as to how and why he came into your service

OOC: I thought I could do the whole vote but then I realized I really do need an answer here one way or another. The Lord of Battles has something of a reputation to him.