A Dragon of the North VIII: Whispers of War

[Droman]

A Dragon of the North VIII
​

All right, new thread! If you're just dropping in a for a peek, basically the Dovahkiin from Skyrim dies after a long and fulfilling life, and instead of entering Sovngarde or one of many afterlives that they have in the Elder Scrolls Universe, finds himself shunted across universes to that of A Song of Ice & Fire, reincarnated into the body of Jon Snow. You, as the readers will guide Jon Snow through his life, making the decisions as to how much of his past life he will uncover through dreams, which will affect him physically, mentally and emotionally.

For the purposes of the story, the following decisions will be canon. There are ASOIAF spoilers throughout this quest, so don't read if you don't want spoilers? Don't read. Don't like my decisions? Feel free not to take part.

R + L = J - Yup. Dragon meets Wolf results in little Jon Snow. However, there's a twist that isn't the norm when it comes to this theory. Lyanna & Rhaegar were not in love and didn't run away together and thus damn the Seven Kingdoms or what have you. Jon Snow was born of rape and Rhaegar really did kidnap her and do all sorts of horrible things to her. Why? Because the typical Targaryen madness emerged in Rhaegar just like it did his father and others in his family, and his madness resulted in an obsessive need to fulfill the prophecy of Azor Ahai. First with himself, then his son Aegon, and then through Lyanna, aka the Ice to his Fire, the one who would give him his third child. Whether she wanted to sleep with him didn't matter, because that's how he much valued the prophecies concerning the Song of Ice & Fire vis-a-vis the rights of this poor woman. One woman over all of Westeros? Rape time.

Bad Endings - Bad Endings do exist. That is all. Related: Don't assume I'll outline every possible option for you. Even if I've designated something, making note of precautions that I haven't outright stated you should mention in Jon's POV could be a difference maker.

Call for Civility - To people being rude, snappy or aggressive: don't be.

Elements from the Elder Scroll Universe - There will be elements. More than Arlan, less than Oblivion Crisis. I hope. I guess? I think? I lie?

Silence Is Golden - People seem to think that it's necessary to continue talking and rambling on things when there have been no updates in a while or all the current topics have been exhausted. I'm here to tell you that it's not necessary whatsoever. You can go quiet, and not post for days or weeks on end. I promise, the world won't end if you do.

This Is Not A Chan - If all you're taking the time to post is a gif, a picture or a silly one-line, please don't. I understand everyone is having a laugh and joking, but I do not care for sixty pages of drivel at any given point. An exaggeration, but we have the Rolz room for a reason, and it's for shit like this (and dice-rolls). So please, respect my wishes and do it. I don't want to keep adding things to the Lose DP list when I'm starting out asking nicely. The last hundred and fifty pages of Gathering Storms was very annoying in this regard.
​

The Dragon Break - Basically, I had to rewind back a few updates because I'd not inserted a couple of pieces that needed to be inserted. For the purposes of "hand wave excuse", this will count as a Dragon Break, a element of Elder Scrolls that can be found here.

Top Picture - Made for us by commission through Vanathor and an incredibly talented artist called Thong, that is the official "canon" apperaance of Jon Stormcrown for this quest.

Updated Ages - We're not going so far as the tv show did with Jon, Robb, Theon and Dany, but a few years older will be the case. So consider the setting of events in the first book to line up around 300 AL, where Jon is ~17. For you lot, that just means more time before the shit completely hits the fan, but do not take that as things occurring the same way. Some other characters will also be born earlier, and certain events will also occur earlier. By the time we reach 300 AL, things will have become drastically different.

--

FAQ Source - Storybuilding - A Dragon of the North: Source

Archive - A Dragon of the North: Archive

Character Art Page - http://s1234.photobucket.com/user/Hashasheen1/library/Characters of ADOTN?sort=9&page=1

EPUB Download (up to 141) - http://a.pomf.se/iiizer.epub

Rolz Room - https://rolz.org/dr?room=A Dragon Of The North

--

Quest Thread Index​

1. Skyrim Meets Westeros
2. As High As Honour
3. Born To Glory
4. The Stormcrown Knight
5. Lord of the Five Towers

a. Broken Time​

6. Gathering Storms
7. Whispers of War

--

The Whitelist​

Below is the list of accepted voters. If you are not on this list, you can still interact in this quest by offering plans, discussing the quest or interacting with the players. By doing so, you can build a history of interaction with which to petition me for voting rights. This is to prevent sock-puppets, general lurkers or trolls from having the same voting merit as regular players.

If you are a lurker or recently joined player who feels this is unfair, I apologize, but encourage you to provide valuable content and discourse to get onto the voting list. If you are a formerly active player not currently active looking to get back in, you may also petition me to rejoin the voting, and it will be under consideration. If you are a regular poster I've missed, please also petition me regarding rejoining the voting bloc.

Please petition me by PM and not in-thread.

Spoiler: The Whitelist, 0 - 9

95spartans

Spoiler: The Whitelist, A - H

afterthough53

Andy50
Apalos
A Nation's Virtue
argent
Arlint
Atri
Bakkasama
Bastur2
Bizuneh
Brandark
Charcolt
CharlBaal
Commedia
core_88
Corncake
CrackedMind
Crimson Moon
Cteatus
cxjenious
DerHesse
Diller
Dizzy
Dovahsith
DragonParadox
Dutch
Edkose
EliudFS1
Enjou
enragedavocado
Erandil
EVA-Saiyajin
Ezra
Felenx
Francis D. Saber
General Xanatos
God and the Snake
Hachichiyyin​

Halcyon-Days

HanEmpire
HastyGaming
Hello
hmmbot​

Spoiler: The Whitelist, I - M

Icefyre
InfernalPlato
inirlan
IronForge
Ishaq
invinoveritas
jaques
Jean Danjou
Kaioo
Khaos
KnightofTempest
Kolekzionera
Lucienz
Lord snow
Mazrick
meepo
Melkor
Molyneux
mrmiffmiff
Myrzael​

Spoiler: The Whitelist, N - Z

NavySeel
NeverDies
No-one of Importance
oilworker
overmind
Parabola
Planchar
Probellum
Rabbit
Random Shinobi
saiman
Satar
sidestory
Sidhenlae
Skybreaker
spudman
SwordsmanofS
Thong Nguyen
unknown_xho
Usernames
Vanathor
Van Ropen
Vesvius
Xantalos
Yak
Yew
Zero Gravitas
Zooboss

​

 

[Nurgle]

that new thread smell

 

[Charcolt]

that new thread smell

Click to shrink...

A new thread with new rules. Droman has asked that we avoid one-liners, gifs, or pictures in this new thread (it bothered him in the old one).

I'm interested in the increase in Elder Scrolls elements. I know the Dragonbreak consequences will result in something happening in Oldtown, but I'm curious as to how much we could be looking at. If there are Daedra and Vampires and Werewolves breaking out into Westeros then we might have a real problem to deal with.

 

[WorldSlayer]

OK everyone we now know how the tournament setup is going to go, this is from Rolz.

Edit: Tourney Info has now been removed at the request of Droman.

 

[Droman]

170: The Busy Business​

You've.... you've been busy.

So busy, that you've forgotten the last time you've had sleep. It might have been yesterday.

Might not.

But to be fair, you've gotten a lot of things done.

In a matter of weeks, you'd orchestrated, ordered and overseen a variety of plans and projects to take place in your absence.

Harrentown for instance, had seen your personal attention for the first time in seasons. As they stood bewildered outside their homes, they watched as your hired laboured saw fit to demolish the walls that constrained and protected them, that had sheltered them from the ravages from war.

So really, when you just went and did that, while servants and retainers and men-at-arms sworn to your person could only speak of the glories that where being built within Harrenhal... they got the message.

Or at least, some of them did. Mostly the Crownlander lot, but a fair few Riverlanders as well.

Considering how that was all going along even as you continued to transform Harrenhal, well...

It's feeling damn good, to see the changes happening.

(Harrentown Wall demolished, +1,200 people in Harrenhal, -1,200 people in Harrentown, +200 gold dragons per season, further Harrenhal residential construction completed, -1250 gold dragons)

All as your other initiatives continued, including the expansion of your patronage to the Faith of the Seven. A fact much pleasing to your maester you knew, who had taken great pains to oversee and help administrate the program. Across your lands, there were well over three hundred honest septons and septas, men and women of the fait who had deigned to preach to their brethren, who had tended to the hose in need. With your money grants (and donations from the wealthy), several septs had even been built across your land without your direct initiative, directed from the seminary within Harrenhal.

Truly, one of your better initiatives, in terms of accrued effects.

Enough so, that when Maester Tucker had come to you to discuss increasing the current religious budget, you had given it serious thought...

[] Yes - Increase religious tithe to 200 gold dragons per season to maintain current socio-political benefits.
[] No - Leave religious tithe as is, necessitating reliance on donations to make ends meet regarding new responsibilities and priorities.

(Peasant Happiness upgrades to Happy , Public Order upgrades to Calm, Peasant Health upgrades to Good)

A fact which had annoyed Yohn slightly, for all that he acknowledges the benefits brought by cooperating with the Faith.

"We're of the Old Blood," says Yohn to you "And the Old Ways. For all that I sound like my father, our traditions should not be kept aside for mere benefit and solution."

With that in mind, he'd taken over the matter of the weirwood bows himself, intent on shaping and preparing them himself, as Forley looked to oversee the preparations of the wedding gifts for House Stark's wedding.

"They'll be property of House Stormcrown," he said to you quietly as he began working the lumber "Given to only the most trusted of the household, as an honour."

"Admit it, you just love your ceremonies."

"Maybe," he says with a cheeky smile "Who doesn't like a bit of pomp, after all? And I might be able to make some little trinkets from the scrap left over from the bows and your gifts. Maybe make a couple of toys for Logain and Yolanda."

"A toy sword," you mull for consideration "And a couple of horses?"

"That's an excellent idea! Only..."

"Only?"

"What will I make for little Logain?"

(Hounds of Harrenhal formed, a 24-man elite archer unit armed with weirwood bows commanded by Ser Robin Locksley of Harrenhal. Wedding gifts for next season readied, including 12 macua longswords, 2 obisdian daggers, 4 obsidian & gem necklaces, 1 necklace of moonstone, Needle for Arya, 6 weirwood longbows and 12 Bracken foals. -3000 gold dragons)

As you committed to the matter of the "Hounds", you also looked to arrange other elements of your council. With Logain dead, the position of Captain of Guards was vacant, one which needed to be rectified. With the changing nature of your seat as well, it would now be as good a time to do so, especially in lieu of your frequent departures.

After discussion with your inner circle, you had come to a conclusion, and made your changes accordingly.

(See A Dragon of the North: Source)

Though to be honest, directly administrating Harrenhal had been the least of your concerns. Prior to your departure to Oldtown in the King's company, you had taken great strives to make use of every waking moment. Rising with the dawn, you would see to Valonqar, spending time in his company, slowly getting him more and more used to obeying your commands, to meeting your expectations...

Until one day, you saddled him.

Until one day, you had him fly off the tower.

Gods.

Gods, it was wonderful.

He was young yet, still not quite ready to bear you as a burden for great distances or periods of time, especially not in armour. But still, you flew.

You flew.

(Skyrider Trait gained, Jon can now fly Valonqar for intermediate period of time, Valonqar loyalty at Trusting)

...Which Arlan did not absolutely give a single iota of care about.

"Bah," he said to you atop the Lord's Tower after you had landed back down "You should have waited until he was as large as the Dovah. You would have enjoyed it more."

"No," you say thoughtfully "I don't think I would have."

From beneath you, Valonqar roars.

You'd like to think it was in agreement.

"Zeymah," said Arlan as he stepped nearer to you "You spoke before, of these .. Others?"

"Yes," you said in confirmation "Creatures of myth, of ice and frost. Enemies to my mother's bloodline, long ago. Enemies of humanity, really. Were it not for Brandon the Builder, all of Westeros might have frozen into their grasp."

"Indeed?"

"Yes," you say with a sigh, as you look over your lands "A frightening thought, Arlan. A world of ice."

"I should show you something of Atmora," said Arlan in amusement "So that you might truly see a realm locked in ice. But that is not your lesson for the day, boy."

"Lesson?" you say curiously in question "What lesson-"

MINDOVAAT

Suddenly, your mind explodes in agony, as a thousand images flash before your eyes, as you See, Understand, Comprehend... utter destruction.

Utter annihilation.

Utter devastation.

Utter... destruction.

Destruction.

HAAV GRAL AHKOS.

Suddenly, you are back at Harrenhal, away from the carnage, away from the death-

"Arlan," you say as you gasp for breath "What was that?"

"The battle of Firsthold," he says to you gruffly "My first attempt to force a personal incursion upon Thalmor soil, after the conventional fleet landings had failed."

"You... you did that to a city?"

"I did it to an army first. Then I destroyed the city. One in a thousand of the Thalmor died that day."

"Gods..." you mutter to yourself, as you dully lean over Valonqar to vomit "Gods."

"You are not to use that Speech against anything that is remotely human."

"I won't be using it at all," you retorted back, almost disgusted by his attitude "That... that was foul. What hells did you plunder to learn such evil?"

"The hells of Oblivion, boy. The hells of Oblivion."

"Arlan..."

"Enough. We will practice your healing now."

"... Yes, Zeymah. We will."

(Kopraan Muz Haas perfected, Haav Gral Ahkos acquired)

You hadn't spoken much to Arlan after that for a while, trusting yourself only to use the bare minimum of words, lest the thoughts that consumed you be spoken.

How he could willingly learn and use such brutality was beyond you. Yes, the Thu'um was power, it was strength, it was ferocity.

But it was life, creation as much as it was destruction.

Only Arlan had seen fit to excise creation, remove everything that might have once mattered to the Way of the Voice, that old make of Jurgen Windcaller. In a single revelation, he had gone from companion, from mentor, to ... a stranger. More than you'd ever thought he could be, even at the beginning of his coming to Harrenhal.

What had happened to him?

--

Unable to ask the question, and unwilling to spend any more time regarding the Shouts with him, you had instead thrown yourself into a largely different aspect of lordship.

Reading.

In what very well takes you back to fonder memories of Winterfell, you sit with Maester Tucker for two hours a day, discussing various books that he had acquired for your personal library, books of rare quality and varying nature.

Books like the Obsidian Tablets of Skagos, transcribed from their guttaral dialect of Common into Southron vernacular. Largely indecipherable, it spoke significantly as to the Others, of the "enemy from beyond the graves, beyond winter frosts and winter's coming". Of obsidian's worth, of a thousand ways and one as to fight the Others, written in flowing script, as if poem or song.

Had they written this orally at first, so as to remember it?

Whatever their reasoning, it had proven interesting, and lingered on your mind as you moved on to other studies. You'd spent time debating the concepts of The Unseen Gods with Maester Tucker, the two of you trading points as fiercely as you would sword-strikes. This might very well prove to be the first time ever you've actually seen the maester so invested and offended by something, as he cast claim after claim upon the Old Gods and the Faith of the First Men.

It's more than a little softened by your revelations in seasons prior, of the Long Night coming, but he makes his position very clear (and that of the book), that these... gods of yesterday, these inhuman deities were not meant to be worshipped by humanity, that said worship was a chain, a millstone around the people of the North.

"As opposed to the Faith of the Seven?" you'd asked, curious at his passion "Where a High Septon is held up as the holy representative of the gods?"

"A High Septon can be cast down," said Tucker dismissively "Held accountable, by gods and men. These tree-folk, these spirits and children and wood-dancers... can you say that they are by any standard friends to us? House Stark fought them for generations, my lord. Your own ancestor, Brandon of the Bloody Blade, saw fit to put paid to them and the giants of the Reach."

"A Reachman favoured myth," you note politely "Not one held so strongly by the North. Considering they also hold Lann the Clever to be a grandson of Garth the Gardener, I would consider their mythological claims with a grain of salt."

"Bah," he says with a shaking of his head "I've spent several years trying to map and explain the historical inconsistencies between the various regional mythologies. Durran Godsgrief and Elenei, the Grey King, Brandon the Builder, the High King of the First Men and the First King at Barrowton. It's as much lies as it is myth, I grant you, but there's some kernels of truth in there to be found."

"When you find them maester, do take heed to inform me."

With another relationship tested, you'd looked to other matters, claiming books to take with you upon your journey south to Oldtown.
These books would serve you well in the dull moments to come, you hoped. The Wars of Yesterday and the Account of the War of the Ninepenny Kings. Two of the finer military history records in the world, if your maester's praise was any indication.

(Logistic III, Siege Breaker II, Siege Maker II, Strategic Intelligence II acquired, in effect after season's end. Theologically Aware is acquired! Skagosi Cultural Awareness acquired!

--

Besides that, you'd also managed to put some other practice in...

Particularly, in the realm of archery.

You had been given one final command by Ser Brynden, after all.

What hours had not been spent by reading or dragon riding (though to be fair, you'd oft combined those together for the sheer sake of it), you'd spent training alone, atop the Lord's Tower, your own targets the high flying birds of the Riverlands.

Training, and training, until the time had come for you to leave for Riverrun, to attend upon Lord Ryman Roote, the Lord Protector.

But first had come another summons, one from within your own home.

A summons by Ser Robin Locksley.

"My lord," said the Riverlander knight to you in greeting as you stepped into the Hall of Hundred Hearths, now long since turned into your garrison building "I've gathered the finest archers in your household at last. I was hoping you might enjoy a demonstration..."

With a nod, you both turned to the corner of the cleared hall, where two dozen archery targets stood. At the other end of the hall, as far as they could be without leaving the building, stood your candidates. As you stood and watched, they each fired three arrows at command, as fast as they could manage. When Locksley bid them to stop, you headed to the targets, to inspect their impacts.

"Good, good..." you mutter to yourself as you look them over "Not a bad mix, Ser Robin."

"My nephew is amongst them, my lord. In interests of honesty."

"He as good as you?"

"He's getting there, my lord. I dare say he'll be the equal of any man in the Riverlands before he turns thirty."

"Hmm. Fetch me my longbow, Ser Robin."

With a nod, he did as bid, heading to the armoury with key-keeper in hand. In his absence, you walked up to the men and men who would comprise your newly elite archery unit, shaking hands and speaking amongst them, setting them. at ease until Ser Robin's return.

With a thank you, you took the weirwood longbow from his hand, demonstrating it before your applicants.

"This will be your weapon of grant," you say with all sincerity and honest "My mark of trust and reliance upon you all."

As you say that, you take up three arrows from an abandoned quiver, drawing them against the bowstring. As they step away, you draw and set loose,

Each arrow finds itself positioned in the other's rear, following in quick succession to hit a bullseye.

"If you can hit that," you declare to them all "Then I'll know you've earned that reliance."

(Elite Archery acquired, Ser Brynden's expectations met).
--

Click to shrink...

 

[Charcolt]

[X] Yes - Increase religious tithe to 200 gold dragons per season to maintain current socio-political benefits.

I'm a bit worried about Arlan and the growing distance here. At least things are great with Valonqar and in Harrenhal. It will continue to be costly but I think we're really doing well for ourselves in making this a fief to be envied.

 

[Dovahsith]

[X] Yes - Increase religious tithe to 200 gold dragons per season to maintain current socio-political benefits.
we can afford it and it helps not to make conditions for the sparrows to thrive here.

 

[Crimson Moon]

Things are actually going quite well for once...I probably shouldn't have said that should I?

[X] Yes - Increase religious tithe to 200 gold dragons per season to maintain current socio-political benefits.

 

[HastyGaming]

[X] Yes - Increase religious tithe to 200 gold dragons per season to maintain current socio-political benefits.

"socio-political benefits" For that and that alone. But I'd like to do something for those who follow the old ways as we do. Not an incredibly 'exciting' update, but then not all updates need to be exciting. I still enjoyed it!

 

[Vanguard_D]

[X] Yes - Increase religious tithe to 200 gold dragons per season to maintain current socio-political benefits.

The benefits outweigh the cost. Finally fulfilled Brynden's last order.

 

[Goldfish]

[X] No - Leave religious tithe as is, necessitating reliance on donations to make ends meet regarding new responsibilities and priorities.

Reasoning: The peasants are happy now and there are significant donations coming in. If they're generous enough to fund building new septs across your land, they're generous enough to get by without more handouts from their lord. Jon isn't hurting for cash, but this isn't so much a matter of money but of lending overmuch support to a Faith not his own.

 

[Lost Egos]

[X] No - Leave religious tithe as is, necessitating reliance on donations to make ends meet regarding new responsibilities and priorities.

I think this might be a big mistake but I really don't want to get in bed with the faith.

 

[AZATHOTHoth]

[X] Yes - Increase religious tithe to 200 gold dragons per season to maintain current socio-political benefits.

 

[Lord snow]

[X] Yes - Increase religious tithe to 200 gold dragons per season to maintain current socio-political benefits.

 

[95spartans]

[X] Yes - Increase religious tithe to 200 gold dragons per season to maintain current socio-political benefits.

Anyone funding the faith in our lands now gains quite a lot of influence over our peasants, which could be used against us if we aren't paying the most. We really shouldn't have gone this far with the faith but it's too late to do anything about that now.

 

[XelianEmperor]

[X] Yes - Increase religious tithe to 200 gold dragons per season to maintain current socio-political benefits.


If we get close to the high septon by doing all this church donation we might be able to convince the church of a crusade expy

 

[argent]

[X] Yes - Increase religious tithe to 200 gold dragons per season to maintain current socio-political benefits.

I don't want public health failing anymore. We spent to long only one step away from a plague. Its also nice not to have to send in the militia to put down rebels.

 

[Kataphraktos]

While on the subject of faith, it would be best to bring in more Old Gods worshippers while Harrenhal is still a nascent city. Once enough people have settled down the civic culture will be harder to steer toward a multicultural/cosmopolitan nature. Especially now that the Faith's influence has begun to snowball.


It'd be nice to have another White Harbor culturally instead of just another Southron city with an outnumbered 'heathen' lord. Even if the quest will end long before that point, I'd rather our descendants not convert to the Seven in order to fit in better.

 

[DragonParadox]

[X] Yes - Increase religious tithe to 200 gold dragons per season to maintain current socio-political benefits.

 

[Dalmity]

[X] Yes - Increase religious tithe to 200 gold dragons per season to maintain current socio-political benefits.

 

[Erandil]

While on the subject of faith, it would be best to bring in more Old Gods worshippers while Harrenhal is still a nascent city. Once enough people have settled down the civic culture will be harder to steer toward a multicultural/cosmopolitan nature.

It'd be nice to have another White Harbor culturally instead of just another Southron city with an outnumbered 'heathen' lord. Even if the quest will end long before that point, I'd rather our descendants not convert to the Seven in order to fit in better.

Click to shrink...

If wanted to do that we shouldn´t have voted to destroy Harrentown because the clans people, who would have provided the base for a old gods worship, are now massively outnumbered by Riverlanders and Crownlanders.


[X] Yes - Increase religious tithe to 200 gold dragons per season to maintain current socio-political benefits.

 

[Parabola]

[X] Yes - Increase religious tithe to 200 gold dragons per season to maintain current socio-political benefits.

 

[Van Ropen]

A fact much pleasing to your maester you knew, who had taken great pains to oversee and help administrate the program.

Click to shrink...

[Andy's Paranoia Intensifies]


[X] No - Leave religious tithe as is, necessitating reliance on donations to make ends meet regarding new responsibilities and priorities.

But no, really. They built those septs on their own? They can fund them. Though I suppose there is an argument on having them be reliant on our gold...

 

[Gig_Complex]

[X] Yes - Increase religious tithe to 200 gold dragons per season to maintain current socio-political benefits.

We've got the money in the budget to afford the tithe, it keeps the faith of our back, and it keeps the peasants happy and peaceful. I really don't see why we wouldn't want do this.

 

[Shane_357]

@Droman, is it at all possible to send up a raven or something to invite Arya to come with us to the tourney - IC both a as a big bro thing and to talk about this dragon - or have you already written those parts up?