A Sword Without a Hilt: A Song of Ice and Fire/D&D 3.5 Crossover
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It says something about Sothorys that this was en entirely reasonable assumption.
Winning vote
[] Yes
-[] Hire the pair for an initial period of six months. (Cost: 10,400 IM)
-[] Inquire into their equipment. We might be able to lend them some additional gear on short notice which could prove helpful in their upcoming duties.
[] Diplomatically point out that the fight to come would be too dangerous for her.
-[] Retrieve Rina before departing Armun Kelisk. Her powers will be of great assistance in the coming raid.
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Part MMDCCCXCIII: That Winter's Heart Might Thaw
That Winter's Heart Might Thaw
Twenty-Fifth Day of the Ninth Month 293 AC
The wolf-kin sorcerer snaps in annoyance at Embra's presence, looking like he would very much wish to interject tales of just how dangerous sellsword's work might be, while the giant leans on his axe, his disgruntled gaze passing over the heads of the two highborn Djinn to bore into the back wall of the tavern. Both keep their peace, however, waiting for your reply.
Lost 10,400 IM
"Do not for a moment think that we do not value your aid in peace and in war, my lady, nor that we doubt your courage," you begin truthfully, though keeping back that you doubt her ability to fight in this battle without provoking a diplomatic incident by the use of wishcraft.
"I can hear the 'but' already," Embra sighs, trying and failing to keep the frustration from her voice. "'We are all here concerned for your safety, not because we think little of you, but because we think much, you are a friend, or at least so I feel towards you.'"
"I was going to say 'however'," you reply, flashing a smile, that does less good than it might have but still better than nothing.
"That's why I want to help," the young woman points out, her bright blue eyes darkening to the shade of the sky at twilight. "Can I not wish to see you safe? To make the world a better? If it makes me a fool to ask to go to war expecting no payment, then fine. I hereby ask for one Vermilion Banknote as my price," she finishes, naming the very smallest division of Djinn Windsilk Notes.
Cryl laughs, though the sound is more appreciative than mocking, while Ser Richard looks approving, though he tries to keep it off his face so as not to make your task any harder.
It is Lya, however, who speaks up next: "You know there's nothing to say aid in battle is inherently more worthy than any other. That is a truth I have struggled for a long time given my skills are as much turned to making as to destruction, and I had long thought that to utter slow spells over wood and steel was lesser than the rush of battle. Your words in the mirror's eye were worth a great deal to very many far and wide across the breadth of Essos."
For long moment Embra is silent, looking down at her own hands, then shaking her head. "I know. It's just that everything that needs to be done is so unimaginably huge, and that sort of thinking makes me feel like I'm nothing more than a cog in some great mechanism, that I just have to take on faith someone is doing something."
Hajar Rebys' gaze softens as he looks at his daughter. "Why do you think I became as I am now?" he asks with a melancholic smile. "I too wished to know for certain that the ends of my work were worthwhile, for the betterment of the realm and all those of good will."
Embra takes her father's hand, surprise and sympathy writ clear upon her face. "Alright, I understand." A few moments later a light of humor returns to her eye as she adds: "So does that mean I should become a spy, too?"
"There are worse tasks to take up, certainly," the Vizier of the Whispering Winds says, a fond smile briefly shining through his diplomat's mask.
Yet though Embra chooses to remain in the city there is another friend you would bring back with you to aid in the battle to come. Rather than traveling to the towers of the Djinn cryomancers, remote and warded as they must out of necessity due to their great use in war, Rina herself is brought back to Armun Kelisk by the same paths she had taken before.
"Good day, Your Grace," she greets you cheerfully as she enters the private parlor, looking a good bit more at ease than when you had left her here, her mantle of power more a chilly breeze than icy gusts, her smile wide. Being here seems to have helped her find more joy within herself. She bears in hand a box of samples, seeds, flowers, and fruits of various plants most enduring to the touch of frost. "I can be off at once since I'm no longer needed to deal with the heart..."
Gained samples of Frost Resistant Flora
"Good news I hope?" Lya asks curiously as she takes the box.
Before Rina can reply an improbable but somehow oddly charming creature born of a mingling of rabbit, cat, stag, and swan perches itself on her shoulder, giving off a sound that begins as a growl and ends in a sort of trill.
"I'll tell them about you. Don't worry, Alyn," Rina says, amused by her diminutive companion. She goes on to explain that the Djinn mages' studies of the Heart of Winter have been focused on discovering if Other-touched magic could be purified and safely made use of. To that end they had used Rina's lore to try and track down other signs of Winter, of which Alyn is strangely one, having been drawn from the stock of the blood-crazed Perytons.
Through the studies of such remnants as well as Rina's own lore and even direct probing of the Heart, under the strongest of wards, the cryomancers had gained some understanding of how the Heart might be made safe without sacrificing any portion of its power in the process, though the solution is not the most convenient...
"We would have to make a white dragon?" Part of you wonders why you should even hesitate. Already you have three True Dragons under your banners, what is one more? You have Lady Saenena's notes, and for that matter the aid of the lady herself.
"Not necessarily, only something of that scale color, of that breed, to resonate with the natural power of winter and claim it from Them," Rina explains.
Cryomancer Notes received: Hearts of Winter can be made safe in the hands of a True White Dragon, a White Draconian, White Dragonwrought Kobold, or other derived draconic species. Further studies may unlock means of safely removing the taint from the Winterborn (more samples required)
That would be more manageable certainly, and more likely to be of use before Night falls in earnest, for such breeds mature swifter than True Dragons... As you realize that you are already seriously considering the prospect, you have to struggle to keep back a laugh at the prospect of returning so much of dragons and their kin to the world in defiance rather than supplication of She who so desires it. For now, however, it is to the Brazen Throne you turn your attention to, not Tiamat the Many-Hued.
How do you take on the adamantine convoy?
[] First scout it to learn what you can of their numbers, strengths, and weaknesses
-[] Write in
[] Conjure Cinder Rain or a Shard Storm and attack under its cover
-[] Write in
[] Write in
OOC: I obviously need to know who you will take with you for the fight. The above options exist as a reminder of plans that have been discussed in the thread already.
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egoo
Totally Not Creating Problems Where None Existed
- Location
- Russia
Honestly, so long as development is done over weekends, I don't really see the issue.
I would not mind dealing with most myself, even.
Isn't our established routine for new places "Enforce Martial Law (if needed)" - > "Establish Guard Posts" -> "Messenger Service" -> "Inquisition Outpost/Base" -> "Establish Scholarum", with "Establish Orphanages" and "Establish University" done at need?
...What does Messenger Service do, actually? Kinda can't remember...
TBH, I'm of half-mind to strongarm DP into keeping the vote on MAs alone open for full 24 hours, simply because people give so little feedback to it every time I bring those up.
So, there would be ample time to craft the turn-vote one way or another.
- Location
- Germany
Well, we can make Kobolds.
We need a Fleshforge, a sample of White Dragon and the show can get started.
I'm optimistic either the Others or Tiamat will provide the latter, so we just have to take Gorgossos.
egoo
Totally Not Creating Problems Where None Existed
- Location
- Russia
So... Have Djinn gained any important insights over "Void" from looking into Heart?
@DragonParadox?
We also have been promsied Ice-trees at start of this month, once we expalined the nature of entity behind Others to Djinn SPymaster...
Tbh, I'm unsure why aren't the cryomancers running around wildly over the prospect of Heavens-breaking threat being on Plane of Balance of all palces now.
Maybe that's just my reaction to this...
That's the thing, the very fact that it is a routine is what makes me feel like it should be abstracted down. You guys care about research, you care about scholariums, you care about diplomacy, but I have seen very little interest as to the results of martial law, so why not automate it, the same with building roads and orphanages?
egoo
Totally Not Creating Problems Where None Existed
- Location
- Russia
...I do care, tho'.
It's just that previously they all have been in Azel's hands, and there haven't ever been any need of our input into the matter because of that/
But so long as they all are assumed to be done automatically...
Mphr. I'm not sure.
I want our realm to be efficient... And automatisation will lead into forgetting something, eventualy.
It's very likely they are in a panic, you are getting the news from Rina... as for Ice trees, that will take research (ythough esier than it might have been without those notes)
egoo
Totally Not Creating Problems Where None Existed
- Location
- Russia
No, you got me wrong - we were promsied samples, from which we could then research a combination of a Heart Tree with.
Instead of spending IC time to find said ice-trees.
Have we gotten those?
If something gets forgotten I'll retcon it in, after all it would come my job to handle this and itwould be unfair to punish you guys for my forgetfulness.
Ah that, yes you have, will edit in. One moment.
egoo
Totally Not Creating Problems Where None Existed
- Location
- Russia
And I have little inclination to push yet more stuff onto your workload.
You are going to have enough with MAs anyway
Eh, we'll see next weekend, I suppose.
We'll need to draft a turn-plan of both kinds to see pros and cons :/
egoo
Totally Not Creating Problems Where None Existed
- Location
- Russia
Ah, also - is there any point for having Rina continue working with them next month(s)?
She is a competent spellcaster with an unique connection to "Void" and lore on it...
And she seemed to find a lot of peace of mind in Armun Khelisk.
The fact that it also gives us some good PR if she helps with their projects is just a cherry on top.
And I have little inclination to push yet more stuff onto your workload.
You are going to have enough with MAs anyway
Eh, we'll see next weekend, I suppose.
We'll need to draft a turn-plan of both kinds to see pros and cons :/
True, we'll have to see and discuss a lot before making any changes
Plant samples edited in
Not right away, they need more samples before they can continue the avenue of research in which Rina's aid would be the most valuable
- Location
- Germany
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Is there any synergy with Quiburn's research into Other-proof undead?
Not really, they are looking at the matter from entirely different perspectives. The Djinn are looking at the natural tendency of life to evolve away from the taint. Quiburn is trying to create undead that are more construct-like and thus resistant.
- Location
- Greece
I now am curious to see if perhaps the least of the Winterborn can be separated from this void. Old Gods called the original batch corrupted. Capture one, enclose such into a dimensionally locked area, try and reason with it over the course of months - utilizing our research into not necessarily evil necromancy. Set a mageling or two, perhaps some leshies as company.
Hold no illusions the entire race can be somehow 'redeemed' of course, but it might give us insight into their mentality... And also a unique loot piece if said venture succeeds.
tarrangar
Fat arctic chicken
I think somewhere in the North, but I really can't say precisely where yet.
He said 300 times his size not 300 times his length, and it's not like Falabix is a perfectly reliable narrator, so 300 times is just him making a rough guess.
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That's perfectly fine. Omake chain is now canon.
egoo
Totally Not Creating Problems Where None Existed
- Location
- Russia
Fair enough, would she still be of use there?
For one, I have the following in MAs for next month:
Would she be able to help out in those dealing with Djinn, while maybe also helping them out in non-Other Research?
...Thinking about it, would it help you if aside from the "Viserys Actions/Delegated Actions/Backgroun Actions"-distinction, I'll also drop some in narratively-connected groups, like the above form "Djinn and Shaitan", with the following?
Althouhg, It's the only coherent "group" anyway...
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egoo
Totally Not Creating Problems Where None Existed
- Location
- Russia
...I just remembered that Danelle has a particular companion, one with connection to Winter...
@DragonParadox, would his involvement be beneficial for research?
She could help with all these but she is not necessary to any of them. To be honest from a narrative perspective I would prefer her closer to the center of the action next month so we can get to know her batter. That is not to say you guys should feel obliged by this, it's just a mild preference on my part.
Brandon? Possibly though his connection is pretty frayed by know.