For a bear-spirit? Why risk it?

It's flat out not interest in hearing the how. As far as it cares, we can hold open a gate by ourselves, so if we say we will, it is done.

So yes, already justifying future problems sounds sketchy.
... Alright, this is a point. Fucking bears too impatient for us to explain reasoning.

@Azel, the entire vote accomplishes what we want without this:
-[] "I cannot order the watchers on the Wall to open their gates to what they think their enemies, but if earnest words won't do, then I will simply have to find other ways to accomplish this task. Yet, accomplish it I will, for by the time the Long Night comes, there will be no Free Folk here to serve as their puppets, only warriors to throw them back."

TNE is right that the bear is so stupid that even us explaining how we'll go about fulfilling the oath would make us seem dishonest somehow. :facepalm: Turning our soldiers into werebears doesn't make them morons, does it?
 
For a bear-spirit? Why risk it?

It's flat out not interest in hearing the how. As far as it cares, we can hold open a gate by ourselves, so if we say we will, it is done.

So yes, already justifying future problems sounds sketchy.

If it has a problem with the fact that we don't just kill people to make stuff happen we can.. just kill him.

Huh.
 
... Alright, this is a point. Fucking bears too impatient for us to explain reasoning.

@Azel, the entire vote accomplishes what we want without this:
-[] "I cannot order the watchers on the Wall to open their gates to what they think their enemies, but if earnest words won't do, then I will simply have to find other ways to accomplish this task. Yet, accomplish it I will, for by the time the Long Night comes, there will be no Free Folk here to serve as their puppets, only warriors to throw them back."

TNE is right that the bear is so stupid that even us explaining how we'll go about fulfilling the oath would make us seem dishonest somehow. :facepalm: Turning our soldiers into werebears doesn't make them morons, does it?

Not quite. If you swear first then explain he will at most find you annoying. Is that the intent here @Azel?
 
"I cannot order the watchers on the Wall to open their gates to what they think their enemies, but if earnest words won't do, then I will simply have to find other ways to accomplish this task."

This part is more for the benefit of the Night's Watch man, and a statement of truth. We do not command the Night's Watch.

"Yet, accomplish it I will, for by the time the Long Night comes, there will be no Free Folk here to serve as their puppets, only warriors to throw them back."

This should satisfy the bear? We will accomplish it, that's all he cares about.
 
We already have a way out for them that don't involve the Wall, the portal to MS can be moved, we can move it to the North and evacuate them though it, sure we would have to stock a lot of food in MS, and we would need to make some extra decanters, but it could be done, and then we could bring the portal to Essos and let them out next month, and that's if our fleet hasn't grown big enough we can evacuate them by boat.

It's not like we have to do it right now, we just have to do it when the White Walkers come.
That's only true if planar travel is possible at all in the north. Otherwise you have to set up outside the forbidding and ship people to that location.
 
The intent is "I will achieve what you ask of me, but I will determine how it is done."

Laconic: "Sure, but don't crib my style."

OK, got it. Vote closed.
Adhoc vote count started by DragonParadox on Jan 15, 2018 at 11:37 AM, finished with 139595 posts and 18 votes.

  • [X] Swear the oath
    -[X] "I cannot order the watchers on the Wall to open their gates to what they think their enemies, but if earnest words won't do, then I will simply have to find other ways to accomplish this task. Yet, accomplish it I will, for by the time the Long Night comes, there will be no Free Folk here to serve as their puppets, only warriors to throw them back."
    -[X] "Now, take me to a Heart Tree. The fell blood of a beast of frost and darkness shall be a fitting way to forge such an oath."
    -[X] If either of your guides balks at the notion: Point to the dead beasts. "This is what we will face when the Long Night comes again. They will not care about the color of our cloaks or to which lord we do or do not kneel. To them we are just bodies to be added to their horde. Would you truly wish to spend your strength on each other in the face of such an enemy? Would you rather want to join them in their march than let go of old grudges, no matter how well deserved they might be?"
    -[X] Take one of the bodies for dissection and Gentle Repose it before stuffing it into the bag. Burn the rest, unless the bear wants to feast on them.
    [X] Counter-offer
    -[X] "We shall seek out the nearest Heart Tree dedicated to the Old Gods of Stream, Forest, and Stone. The Winterborn's death will be used to seal a binding oath which you will swear, preventing you from ever again feasting upon mankind, except in those instances where they first attack you or others under your protection, or from seeking to cull those you see as weak. Those you gift with power will swear the same oath, lest they run afoul of me and mine. Agree to these terms or know that you need not fear imprisonment ever again, as we will destroy you here and now."
    -[X] If the Bear-man does not accept;
    --[X] Viserys casts Assay Spell Resistance, then targets it with Necrotic Bomb, being careful to avoid catching Richard in the blast. If Richard has already closed to melee with it, use Searing Agonizing Elemental Fire Darts rather than Necrotic Bomb. If the Bear-man still lives, Viserys then casts Celerity and targets it with Searing Agonizing Elemental Fire Darts. Viserys will use his Moment of Greatness buff to double the +2 Morale bonus to Ranged Attacks when he first launches a volley of Fire Darts at the Bear-man.
    --[X] Dany targets the Bear-man with a Reached Harm spell. She will use her Moment of Greatness buff to double the +2 Morale bonus to Ranged Attacks if she uses Reached Harm against the Bear-man.
    --[X] Richard attacks using Pounce and Shock Trooper, Power Attacking as he sees fit.
    --[X] Elle will fire arrows at the Bear-man and Harwood will attempt to protect her should it targether.
    [X] Write in counter offer
    -[X] I would swear to take away by ship any freefolk willing to kneel in exchange for a better life on warmer shores, but I cannot swear to open the wall. It is not my mine to command, and thus not something I will swear. I will not weaken the shield against the others right before the coming of winter.
    [x] Kill bear
    [X] Counter-offer
    -[X] "We shall seek out the nearest Heart Tree dedicated to the Old Gods of Stream, Forest, and Stone. The Winterborn's death will be used to seal a binding oath which you will swear, preventing you from ever again preying upon mankind, except in those instances where they attack you or others under your protection without provocation. Those you gift with power will swear the same oath, lest they run afoul of me and mine. Agree to these terms or know that you need not fear imprisonment ever again, as we will destroy you here and now."
    -[X] If the Bear-man does not accept;
    --[X] Viserys casts Assay Spell Resistance, then targets it with Necrotic Bomb, being careful to avoid catching Richard in the blast. If Richard has already closed to melee with it, use Searing Agonizing Elemental Fire Darts rather than Necrotic Bomb. If the Bear-man still lives, Viserys then casts Celerity and targets it with Searing Agonizing Elemental Fire Darts. Viserys will use his Moment of Greatness buff to double the +2 Morale bonus to Ranged Attacks when he first launches a volley of Fire Darts at the Bear-man.
    --[X] Dany targets the Bear-man with a Reached Harm spell. She will use her Moment of Greatness buff to double the +2 Morale bonus to Ranged Attacks if she uses Reached Harm against the Bear-man.
    --[X] Richard attacks using Pounce and Shock Trooper, Power Attacking as he sees fit.
    --[X] Elle will fire arrows at the Bear-man and Harwood will attempt to protect her should it targether.
    [X] Swear the oath
    -[X] "When the Long Night comes again, and the living gather before The Wall. When Night's Watch blows the horn thrice, then I shall."
    -[X] "Now, take me to a Heart Tree. The fell blood of a beast of frost and darkness shall be a fitting way to forge such an oath."
    [X] Swear the oath
 
That's only true if planar travel is possible at all in the north. Otherwise you have to set up outside the forbidding and ship people to that location.
The Wall only cover behind the Wall, so at most we would have to convince the Nights Watch to let the Wildling's pass over the Wall, to immediately walk to a portal, that's a far easier diplomacy check, than convincing them to let the Wildlings stay in the North.
 
Ya know the bit wher bran lead the others to bloodraven...

With this corpse are we doing the same? Why not let the ranger take it and we can pick it up later when we return to drop off goods. Or at least that map we bought that I want a copy of so we can return it for diplo points :D
 
With this corpse are we doing the same? Why not let the ranger take it and we can pick it up later when we return to drop off goods.
First we're sacrificing the Other-touched Peryton. That'll hopefully get Bloodraven's attention and we can ask him how best to handle the corpse. If it's unsafe to have, then fine. We'll figure out what to do with it.

That being said, I don't think this is anywhere near as bad as what Bran did. Bran basically opened a hole in the wards for the Night King to exploit. We're being far more cautious than that.
Or at least that map we bought that I want a copy of so we can return it for diplo points :D
That map is ours, we paid for it fair and square. It's going to stay in our map collection. If we want to return it for diplo points we can just have our dragonpens recreate the map and then teleport the duplicate back to Eastwatch. No need to give up the original.
 
First we're sacrificing the Other-touched Peryton. That'll hopefully get Bloodraven's attention and we can ask him how best to handle the corpse. If it's unsafe to have, then fine. We'll figure out what to do with it.

That being said, I don't think this is anywhere near as bad as what Bran did. Bran basically opened a hole in the wards for the Night King to exploit. We're being far more cautious than that.

That map is ours, we paid for it fair and square. It's going to stay in our map collection. If we want to return it for diplo points we can just have our dragonpens recreate the map and then teleport the duplicate back to Eastwatch. No need to give up the original.

Either/or regarding the map. It basically falls under support for the watch imo. We should, of course, offer to make copies of any books that Aemon has been referencing to drop off with the armor (returning orignals asap).
Originals of the books as they are probably lowish quality.
 
Last edited:
Either/or regarding the map. It basically falls under support for the watch imo. We should, of course, offer to make copies of any books that Aemon has been referencing to drop off with the armor (returning orignals asap).
Originals of the books as they are probably lowish quality.
Duplicates it is, then. The original map is quite the collectable and I want it prominently displayed in our future map room.

As for the books, we made sure to bring our own empty books so we could Amanuensis all of the important books in the library. We're not going to be taking any of the originals at all, those would fall apart. :sour: As a gift we can make new copies for Aemon and the Night's Watch as well, but we're definitely taking our chunk of the pie.

EDIT: I have been looking forward to these books for months. :evil: Next on the list: the library at Runestone, Winterfell, Storm's End, Sunspear, High Garden, Riverrun, the Eyrie, King's Landing, and most profitable of all--the Citadel.

And beyond that we raid extra-planar libraries.
 
Last edited:
Duplicates it is, then. The original map is quite the collectable and I want it prominently displayed in our future map room.

As for the books, we made sure to bring our own empty books so we could Amanuensis all of the important books in the library. We're not going to be taking any of the originals at all, those would fall apart. :sour: As a gift we can make new copies for Aemon and the Night's Watch as well, but we're definitely taking our chunk of the pie.

EDIT: I have been looking forward to these books for months. :evil: Next on the list: the library at Runestone, Winterfell, Storm's End, Sunspear, High Garden, Riverrun, the Eyrie, King's Landing, and most profitable of all--the Citadel.

And beyond that we raid extra-planar libraries.

Ok, we need an item of Amunesis. Absolutely need it.
 
Part MDCXXI: The Price of Blood
The Price of Blood

Sixteenth Day of the Twelfth Month 292 AC

"Though cannot command the watchers at the Wall to stand aside and unbar their gates..." the sound of the ancient war-pick ripping through stone and roots almost covers your words but neither your gaze not voice wavers, "this I will do by words or else by other paths. By the time the Long Night comes, there will be no Free Folk here to serve as their puppets, only warriors to throw them back."

"Ware what you swear before the Gods," the bear spirit warns. "Many are the dead left to lie beneath the earth in places none now living yet know. Come what may they will have their army. Let it be that this time it would not have the faces of those who fell behind..." Again the strange flash of regret. Is it from the body the spirit inhabits or some kinship of old?

Alas, now is not the time to sate your curiosity lest you try its patience more and risk the fragile peace you have brokered. "Know you of a Heart Tree near here that the pact might be sealed and the beast at last gone from this world?" you ask instead.

The spirit snorts and motions for you to follow before setting off through the forest, carrying the white beast lightly over one shoulder almost gently. He moves with surprising grace for one so large, a feat you ruefully admit you cannot match and shed your scales falling into step with your two guides.

Harwood is the first to speak measuring his words carefully. "Many of the brothers will take ill to the thought of Free Folk being let loose in the world to go as they will."

"You saw those things, fought them and killed them. Tell me, do you think they will care for the color of your cloak or the loyalties you hold?" you ask.

"Your hearts would taste the same," Dany adds artfully, as though in passing.

"Hearts?" the ranger sounds almost like he would rather not know.

"Those beasts we fought have a love for ripping out and devouring the hearts of their foes, even in the midst of battle, obsessed with finding the perfect one," Dany presses. Once you might have been upset at hearing such words from her, now you are merely grateful for the help.

Unfortunately just as Harwood falls into a thoughtful silence, Elle hisses, "You swore you'd get rid of the bastards..."

In truth you had made no oath, not even a formal promise, and your words to her tribe had all been true and without ill intent, but you doubt that alone will satisfy the woman who had earnestly tried to slit her lover's throat when his crimes came to light. Ahead you can see red amid the green of the forest canopy and bone white the limbs of the weirwood trees, yet before the blood of monsters can be spilled you must address as well as you are able that of mortal men who shall remain unavenged.

What do you answer?

[] Write in

OOC: I considered just rolling through this, but in the end it is too important character-wise and relating to your approach to the Free Folk to do without player involvement.
 
Last edited:
That's bullshit @Duesal . He wasn't murdered in one round because there was no room to charge, and Ser Richard knows we like prisoners and found it more expedient to simply disarm him than batter him down, as he, unlike most of everything we fight, can be disarmed.

Surviving one or two rounds is not "fighting Ser Richard to a standstill". It is "not being murdered in the first three seconds because Ser Richard felt like it."

Anyone that is not us or ours, more or less.

This is dead wrong, @Wheel of time . This ain't 5E.

Barbarian is at most a fighting style which focuses on raw power and learned skill than studied moves. "Rage" might be "gets real angry and stronk", but it can easily be "adrenaline gets really pumping, granting strenght but also tunnel vision."

Why are you so agains it? It's conversely a waste to kill it.

It's not some insane Aberration. It is logical.

And then we can't have recruits. Think it through.

Except he is a 8000+ year old spirit that the others have been irate enough with to torture every day, and he has survived every day of it.

I don't know what came over you guys. This is a great ally to have, he:
1) Can make werebears
2) Can give accurate information about the Long Night
3) Is an immortal enemy of the Others

We aren't talking with a bear dude here, remember that.
I was going on this definition here but heart pumping blood rushing adrenaline dare devil sounds good too.
 
[X] "Would it bring back the dead to kill him? This is not his own body, just a borrowed one and I have little doubt that he would just take over the next one who received his 'gift'. With neither knowing how many he has claimed yet or where they are, it would be a fools errand. I would dearly love to see justice done here, but not when that would mean to set him loose to murder others."
 
[X] "I made no such oath. We came here hunting bear-men, and we have found them. If we can end their hunting of your fellow Free Folk without bloodshed, then so be it. Every enemy of the Others we leave in their path is one more obstacle they must overcome before setting their sights on those less able to defend themselves."
 
@Azel, Elle is seeing this as a personal vendetta rather than viewing this logically. I suspect she would be happier with the fool's errand so long as we killed as many werebears as possible.

The only thing that's going to get through to her is hammering down on the fact that the Long Night is swiftly approaching.

[X] Goldfish
 
[X] "And did I not? No more will they prey on men, a threat they are no more. Perhaps even an ally. The True North isn't a nice or easy place, is it?"
-[X] "Tell me, you two, what do you know about the Long Night? If anything, the tales you heard fell short. And soon, very soon, it will be upon us again. I count myself lucky if we have a decade to prepare. The Wall is mighty, but the enemies' host is nigh endless. How many Free Folk have died in the course of eight thousand years? Not to mention ancient creatures and weapons from the last age of magic, held in store for this fight. A host such that the creatures we've slain are but chaff."
-[X] "It's easy for you to see, Harwood. Climb the wall, and the enemy's host will be all you can see. Elle, take your steed, climb into the air until the air becomes thin and your vision starts to darken. And the enemy's host will be all you can see."
-[X] "There will be but two sides on that war. The living, and the dead. If you loathe this side so much, just give up. Get yourselves drunk with the finest booze you can find and go to sleep in the snow, it will be peaceful. But I have no intention of letting frozen fucking corpses overrun the world. So either you help, or you get out of the way."
 
Last edited:
Back
Top