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

Nineteenth Day of the Twelfth Month 293 AC

There is something faintly surreal about Melisandre of Asshai leading four enthralled efreeti into your study, still wearing the insignia of captains in the Brazen Fleet, still garbed in gleaming djezet and weapons at their sides. They look ready to strike you or flee by some enchanted talisman, in truth they could no more disobey the priestess then the salmon can reject the instinct to return to the waters of their birth to perish. R'hllor's hand is upon their hearts and he is not a merciful master.

"These are the ones whose ships we managed to capture intact, two shield and two sword ships" she explains. "Our salamander allies were left with the more damaged sword ships to rebuild from the keel. It would be unwise for them to sail brazenly in the Sultan's stolen vessels." It takes you a moment to realize she had made a jest for all that her expression gives nothing away, but when you do you chuckle.

Gained 2 Shield Ships and 2 Sword Ships


Glancing down at the written report in Siduri's careful hand you ask: "How were three ships damaged and the last turtle sunk reduced to wrecks when you commanded the captains?" Your tone is measures to show interest, but not censured. Battle against a skilled foe is never an easy thing and from the way your agents' ambush was almost turned about you suspect this High Whip of the efreeti is one such.

Melisandre's next words confirm the impression all the more. "The commander of the fleet had some sort of flame-wraith warn several of the pact-bound officers. It was not nearly as effective as a general pronouncement would have been and we were able to deal with it before it spread the news too far."

"But the main fleet was not able to arrive in time to join the battle?" you surmise. Hopefully the Sultan in his blood madness does not realize his commander's competence and executes him for losing so much of his fleet.

One of the spell-bound efreeti practically shakes with rage, but the priestess does not give him leave to speak. "Yes, owing to the ash clouds and the dragon harassing them by up snatching crewmen off deck and hurling them into the sea," She sounds as though she respects Amrelath's boldness in spite of herself, but does not wholly approve. "The reinforcements were not able to reach the bound ships before the officers and warriors aboard had been killed or captured."

"Were there any losses among your forces?" you ask. None among the erinyes you had assigned for the task, you knew already, and Yrten and Siduri were loud enough in patronizing the taverns of Sorcerer's Deep that one could not imagine either suffering any harm.

"A handful of the Golden Wind's crew, far less than they had expected when they first heard the plan for dealing with the Brazen Fleet," the priestess explains, allowing a thread of pride into her words. She finally turns to her captives. "What are you planning for these, Your Grace? A gift for our esteemed allies of stone and wind or... a sacrifice?"

You know at once she does not mean a sacrifice to the Old Gods, Yss or to the Merling King, but the the flame of R'hllor, fire onto fire given. The notion has merit of course, without Melisandre's power over the spirits of flame the entire plan would have been impossible. Siduri could not master true efreeti. On the other side of the scales, you had not captured them, nor risked anything in the battle. Should it not then be the priestess' own boon?

What do you do with the efreeti captains?

[] Pass them on to the Shaitan

[] Pass them on to the Djinn

[] Make a sacrifice to R'hllor

[] Give them to Melisandre to sacrifice

[] Write in

OOC: I rolled the battle and there just was not enough interesting events to showcase, victory was never in doubt so I went with a summary so we could see Mell and Viserys play off each other again.