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

Fourteenth Day of the First Month 294 AC

As you pass through great gate at the head of the company of giants cheers ring out from the black brothers, applause echoing down even from the height of the Wall above, though you suspect that is less for the giants and more the warming statues in whose magic those men are currently shrouded in. Even to the Watch giants must be a rare sight and rarely a good one, but you suspect they are expecting more arcane gifts from you and yours. Good thing they are right.

"Saw the ship going out three days ago signaling it was going after giants, didn't think you would be back through here so soon," the Old Bear says, his greeting gruff but far more cheerful than the first time you proposed moving the Free Folk. The fact that most of said giants are currently vanishing into a shimmering portal out of all concerns of the Watch likely has something to do with it.

"Magic can make for swift marching," you motion to the legion banners the self-appointed standard bearers are carrying. "Had to borrow those from the legion and carve out the odd bridge and tunnel. I'll mark them on your maps before I go in case your rangers pass that way."

"Borrowed?" the First Ranger asked doubtfully. He had been more quiet in his greeting, but his gaze was not as troubled as when you had first met, not by far.

"Aye, borrowed. His Grace can afford to choose his soldiers by more than just how hard they can swing a club, like if they even want to be fighting a war at all," Ser Richard answers, insulted as much on the behalf of the legion as on yours you suspect. He had been among the first trainers of the fledgling Torchbearers, though that had been a responsibility he no longer held.

You clear your throat. "I hope the Watch has more eager hands also for I have brought banners and other magics for your use also, to keep and make use of in your charge as long as it may last."

The Lord Commander offers thanks, motioning to the First Steward to take possession of your gifts. The man looks a touch daunted when Lya rises to accompany him in order to demonstrate the uses of the enchantments, though why you could not say. Lya is certainly being perfectly gracious, even cheerful at being back at the Wall with a chance to look over its ancient runework, if only for a few hours.


Vee meanwhile goes off to speak to the leshies and sunwolves, to see how they fared over the past month as the Enemy continued to move in the Far North through dead things and mortal pawns. Three sunwolves and a druid leshy had perished in a single ambush as a village of Free Follk who had supposedly called on the Watch to rid them of wandering wights proved to all be under the hand of winter, striking from behind with fire and poisoned blades. Thankfully between the courage and skill of the rangers and the magic and alchemy they could call on they were able to break the encirclement from the inside and rally to victory, though the whole affair had obviously left a bitter taste in Benjen Stark's mouth.

"It's one thing to kill wildlings because they're murdering looting sons of bitches, but these ones... With most it was like they were already dead inside and just wanted to take us with 'em too, but there were a few..."

"Who looked like they didn't want to do it, but were compelled," you finish. "There was nothing you could have done that wouldn't have endangered your men and the Watch more."

He shakes his head with a grimace that reminds you of Jon, but does not answer aloud. Looks like the Starks come by their stubbornness honestly.

By contrast Jeor Mormont has more immediate concerns. "Are you sure Craster's kin are clean?" he asks bluntly.

"Certain, not just by my own arts, but by the mark of the Old Gods upon one of his daughters," you reply just as plainly.

"What could one of Craster's daughters do to earn the blessing of the Old Gods?" Benjen asks surprised.

"Gut him on his own altar," Dany replies with perhaps a bit more satisfaction than she should be showing at the fact, though given the horror she had seen at Craster's Keep you can't truly blame her. Turning to Maester Aemon, who until know had been content to mostly record the proceedings, she adds: "There's one thing she wants from the Watch if you can tell it, the name of her grandfather. Craster claimed his mother laid with a man of the Watch before she bore him and the older folk of Whitetree from whence she hailed agreed, but no one could say just what his name was."

"That was before my time and Maester Hanar would not have marked such a thing down," Aemon replies softly. "He was always most attentive of the dignity of the Watch, all the more so as it seemed to sink with every year."

"Alas that failing to record something does not undo it, Craster was born and he lived... as he lived and now there is a girl out there who wants to know the name of her father's father and never shall." You shake off the thought. Truth be told it is probably better this way. Gilly does not resent the Watch itself from what Tyene told you, but if she were to come face to face with the man who had sired her father and then did nothing to aid his own flesh and blood you suspect she might hold a grudge.

How do you attempt to convince Maester Aemon to visit the Deep?

[] Point out that he will have a chance to research the Watch and its great Enemy much better in the library you have amassed in Sorcerer's Deep

[] Make an offer for more black brothers to learn magic and note that Ser Alliser could probably use some help directing those studies to the conditions the Watch faces

[] Write in

OOC: The Watch rolled pretty poorly for ranger actions, but they got through it alright in the end.