Remove ads

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

Reader mode
Inserted tally
Adhoc vote count started by DragonParadox on Jul 22, 2019 at 12:33 PM, finished with 39 posts and 11 votes.
  • [X] Impromptu Education
    -[X] Cast Legend Lore on the talisman to discover the truth of its origins
    -[X] Proceed to the contents of the library to learn more about the next adventure location
    --[X] Learn everything you can about the surrounding location, the other serpentfolk cities, the Drow, the Underdark, etc.
    ---[X] If there are maps, be sure to single them out for the collection. Mark well major threats and landmarks, alongside places of great wealth like the Silver Mountains
    --[X] Get as thorough an accounting as you can of the different peoples that were known to the Serpentfolk, their temperament, their customs, their locations, etc.
    ---[X] This should be enough for at least a rough timeline of the various empires of Sothoryos and the waxing and waning of their reach.
    ----[X] Special focus, of course, is to be placed on the history of the Serpentfolk as a whole.
    --[X] In the meantime, while studying the library, the Companions are to offer assistance with cleaning up the dangers of the Serpentfolk City of Set'Var (like the marsh gas chamber).
    --[X] After studying the library to Lya's heart's content as well as copying everything to add to your own libraries (and getting an overview of the new tomes), proceed to Gogossos.
Click to expand...
 
Remove ads
Part MMCMLXXII: A History in Ashes Wri
  • Threadmarks
    • A History in Ashes Writ ​

    Fourteenth Day of the Tenth Month 293 AC

    A thread lost in time... You had wondered about Varys, about the sorcerer who broke him and made him the tangle of spite and hatred he was, of how he had come to bear such a precious talisman and where he had drawn it from. Now having listened to the song of history bound in the threads, you almost wished you had just left well enough alone after Yss assured you that it would not harm your plans... almost. Lya's curiosity has long since worked its way into your heart. How could it not, after all, when she is queen there? Carefully laying down the plaque you had been reading through, you make a mental note to share the simile with her, and never share it with anyone else. If Tyene hears of it you will never hear the end of the teasing.

    The spiral was never designed as a key to unlock the chains that bind god and supplicant. In the days of dawn, when the world was young and the sun still shone golden over the green forests of Westeros and the unspoiled plains of Essos, there dwelt then a dragon wise and old, one of the Lost, gold were his scales and vast his age. Yet as all dragons are his dreams were drawn to another in his long wanderings, a mortal, a priestess of the goddess of dreams who walked the night stars. They were first allies, then friends, and at the last when the priestess had already grown old by the measure of man they were lovers but once. Yet she did not pass quietly into her goddess' embrace, for Elysium broke and the power for which not even the dreams of dragons remember fell not merely to darkness, but to the Void, and with her fell all those who swore their souls true.

    The dragon slew his lover... the thing she had become, but with her dying gasps she remembered and plucked from her head a single hair. A thread of silver for mortal passing, a thread of gold from a dragon's scale spun, a thread of adamantine like the will that had seen them together at the last, another tale of the lost.

    Thus had the elder wyrm hoped for a means to fight back against the Void, but now it would serve another purpose. Still, if one good thing can be said from learning the tale is that you know for certain that the talisman's maker would not have objected to the use you plan to put it towards.

    The soft sound of footfalls alerts you to Lya's approach. "What do you find... not in the slates, the talisman I mean?" On hearing your account she grows pensive. "We should probably write that down somewhere. Once the spiral is gone there will be no other way to learn of any of that." Looking around the tall shelves she adds: "We might want to make a place like this, a final repository of lore, no magic or complex engineering, just lore of the ages..."

    "We are not going to fade away," you say, taking her hand in yours, nothing but simple confidence in your words.

    "They did not think they would either, and now look..."

    Indeed you had learned a great deal, firstly that the serpentfolk over their twenty-thousand years of existence as city builders under the sun had oscillated between a strong central government lead by priest-kings in service of Yss to an arrangement oddly analogous to the Free Cities when the merchant class was in the ascendant. The warriors often played king-maker but never king, for the lack of true magic among the black-scales was seen as a clear sign that they were not meant to rule but advise and serve to which they took with a great deal of fervor, so much so that it had left Malarys bemused at least until you had managed to track down the cause.

    The Children of Yss do not have families, they have clutches of eggs, thus the impulse to set one's kindred in positions of power and prestige was wholly absent. Still, dynasties of sort did exist, but they were carried from teacher to student not parent to child that spun together a bureaucratic system unlike anything men had ever attempted. Yi Ti had been the closest, perhaps why they had been the ones to maintain the longest cordial relationships, but as the power of the serpentfolk waned and their numbers dwindled the men of the Sunrise Lands sought more and more punishing trade deals, tribute in truth not only in name, then the final betrayal had fallen, the one whose aftermath you had seen with your own eyes in the council chamber.

    Knowledge (Alchemy) +8
    Knowledge (Arcana) +5
    Knowledge (Architecture) +6
    Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +3
    Knowledge (Economics) +9
    Knowledge (Geography) +8
    Knowledge (History) +12
    Knowledge (Mathematics) +4
    Knowledge (Nature) +7
    Knowledge (Religion) +2
    Knowledge (The Planes) +1
    Knowledge (War) +3

    ***

    'How far the Heirs of Heaven had fallen,' one of the last tablets included in the library noted.

    "Do you think they meant that literally?" Dany asks as the five of you are standing around one of the makeshift shaped stone tables in the evening. "The Great Empire of the Dawn was said to have been founded by a child of the gods..."

    "The son of the Maiden Made of Light and the Lion of Night, whose descendant generations later brought the Long Night to the world," Malarys interjects, sounding unimpressed. "The tale is too tangled to get any sense out of it."

    "Remember who would be telling the tale," you note. "The survivors of the Long Night, refugees looking for purpose in a broken world. Would it not be more comforting to think that the scourge upon the land is divine retribution that can be warded off through living a virtuous life than simply a blight that wishes to devour all?"

    You had been close to calling to leave the library, having learned all you could in so short a time of the waning and waxing of the Serpentfolk Empire and their various client states when Vee makes an unexpected discovery.

    She, along with Ser Richard, had been more concerned with removing the worst perils of the city, and in her expeditions they had found the tomb of the black-scale whose shade you had fought. There were no riches in the tomb, nor even any bones of the general for he had met a darker end, but what Vee had found were the bones of the general's defeated foes and worthy allies, including the envoy you had seen perish in the recorded vision.

    Do you interrogate the skull of the Yi Tish diplomat?

    [] Yes
    -[] Write in

    [] No, move on to Gogossos

    OOC: There is a limit to how much information I can put in an update before it gets dry and rambling, but if you guys have any questions about the rise and fall of the serpentfolk civilization I will be more than happy to answer and I will of course pepper in more lore through the narrative.
     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • DragonParadox said:
    Knowledge (Alchemy) +8
    Knowledge (Arcana) +5
    Knowledge (Architecture) +6
    Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +3
    Knowledge (Economics) +9
    Knowledge (Geography) +8
    Knowledge (History) +12
    Knowledge (Mathematics) +4
    Knowledge (Nature) +7
    Knowledge (Religion) +2
    Knowledge (The Planes) +1
    Knowledge (War) +3
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Call for ambulance, please :V
     
    Last edited:
    I should make something clear, the reason I did not even give the gold dragon in the story a name is because he is so utterly removed from the present that there is not even a whisper of a chance of interacting with him or his memory, everything about him except the talisman is gone.
    Just trying to head off unproductive discussions.
     
    Here's current numbers for our library, then:
    @DragonParadox, feel free to update Library
    Knowledge (Alchemy) +14
    Knowledge (Arcana) +27
    Knowledge (Architecture) +14
    Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +13
    Knowledge (Economics) +13
    Knowledge (Geography) +21
    Knowledge (History) +33
    Knowledge (Law) +15
    Knowledge (Mathematics) +9
    Knowledge (Nature) +14
    Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) +10
    Knowledge (Religion) +21
    Knowledge (The Planes) +21
    Knowledge (War) +12
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Snek-people kinda exploded our "history" section, we now have more of Planetosi lore than magical knowledge :V
     
    Great chapter, @DragonParadox. Neat tie-in with the Void and the talisman.

    Can someone remind me of the full plan, at least what we have thus far, for using the talisman against Tiamat?
     
    Goldfish said:
    Great chapter, @DragonParadox. Neat tie-in with the Void and the talisman.

    Can someone remind me of the full plan, at least what we have thus far, for using the talisman against Tiamat?
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    I think it went something like this:
    1. Get an Avatar of Tiamat, or maybe Aegon.
    2. Bring it to the dragon-trap in the Red Wastes, where we found the Dragon Orb.
    3. Use the magics of that place, the power of our allied gods and the Well of Souls to tear the connection between Tiamat and the thing with the strongest link to her that we could capture (Aspect, Avatar, or her Highpriest Aegon) and while doing so rip as much power out through the connection as possible, ideally a domain.

    Of course we need some research, because I'm not sure improvising that ritual is a good idea.
     
    Goldfish said:
    Great chapter, @DragonParadox. Neat tie-in with the Void and the talisman.

    Can someone remind me of the full plan, at least what we have thus far, for using the talisman against Tiamat?
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Very barebones, since original plan-maker (Snowfire) refused to open up via PMs, and I have no idea how it all suppsoed to work really:

    1) We research the Worm beneath the Red Dragon Orb fortress, and get controls over it working (currently in-progress).
    2) We empower the talisman as a foci for every God we can diplomance into that (1/6 currently).
    3) We capture F!Aegon (somehow), and move them to pre-prepared location (to Worm)
    4) We put the amulet on them, and have our Gods hold onto Tiamat's power extending over them (likely also forcing her to push as much power as she can - for one, I want to defile the skulls of her Avatar).
    4.1) Gods are: Jazzirian (agreed to help), Yss (already contributed), Merling King (sacrifice ready for contribution), Old Gods, Weeping Lady of Lys (had yet to listen to our request), Goddess of Silver Moon (agreed to help).
    5) While our Gods hold her power, we use Worm's unique nature to cut off as much of whatever power she extends in F!Aegon's direction, robbing her of it.

    EDIT: Artemis1992'd
     
    Last edited:
    Snowfire said:
    This is a plan in several parts, and requires taking F!Aegon alive.

    First, we get the amulet we took from Varys upgraded by every deity we're friendly with. This is Yss, the OG, the Merling King, possibly others if we can convince them to. If the Moonsingers are about freedom (I think they are?) we might be able to get them in on this too. We turn the amulet into a minor artefact, but in doing so, we modify it from a defence into a snare. The point of this is to turn it into a focus that all of our divine allies can connect to and use when the time comes.

    In general terms, the amulet is designed to be a giant well for divine power. When we try to break F!Aegon free, Timmie will try to stop us. In doing so, she'll Act upon the mortal realm. The amulet, when around the neck of someone who is being Acted Upon by a deity, is designed to siphon off all of that power into itself. Due to how I'm pretty sure gods work, this means Timmie will have suddenly poured a considerable amount of power into what's basically a honey trap. She's also now metaphysically connected to the coordinates of the amulet, and where it currently is. This is important.

    We do this at the location of the ruins for the Red Orb, built up into a full Snare around defences that we'll probably have to spend a long time researching in hopes of reactivating and bringing under our control. This is a research action all on its own. When Timmie hits F!Aegon in the hopes of hitting us too, we lock the part of her that reaches out in place with the amulet. Our Gods act as the hooks for this trap, latching on and keeping her there, a piece of her essence stretched out as far as we can. We then 'aim' the Worm at the thinnest point of that connection and...well...let it fly.

    If all goes to plan, we shatter the link Tiamat has to F!Aegon, and also rip off a whole bunch of her power and trap it in the blessed Amulet. What we do with that power, be it use it as a way to give Mythic Power to more of our Companions or just feed it to one of our Gods to give them a new domain, is a matter for then.

    In simpler terms, there are at least two Research Actions here.
    1. The Amulet that Varys wore is a potent defence, but with what you know the the Golden Company and Tiamat's investment in the false Blackfyre, it might be turned to use as a snare. Seek a way to modify the device in this way, and set the blessings of your divine allies upon it as hooks to catch the power of any god trapped by its presence.
    2. The fortress-ruin that held the Orb of Dragonkind still holds leashed power unlike anything you've ever sensed, but it remains dormant for now. With time, it might be possible to reconstruct the controls of that power, and with proper preparation use it as a weapon to slice away part of a god.
    Probably more, but I'm being hopeful. @DragonParadox would be the real arbiter for this.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    This is the plan @Goldfish
     
    Oh shit Desna existed here and got fuuuccckkeedd up. Makes sense but kinda a potty since she's one of the best gods mechanically with Travel and Luck as domain's plus that feat that let's you use Charisma for hit and damage.
     
    TalonofAnathrax said:
    ilds that were mostly good at fighting (healing, socials, defenses and stealth all seem more important to me), but this takes the cake. Congratulations on enthusiastically embracing local customs!
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Hey hey, the Shadow Spirit Guide Oracle I'm thinking of can do all that!

    Or the Elan Psion. Super self-sufficient.
    TalonofAnathrax said:
    A martial T1 class? What a hilarious idea!
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Spell variant of swordsage?
    Duesal said:
    Excellent. Fighter it is.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Pro-tip: Crusader. Damage, tanking, healing, and a surprising 4+INT skills per level, very nice class features (on top of the maneuvers).

    Seriously great martial.
     
    [X] Interrogate the Skull
    -[X] What's his name?
    -[X] Who was his emperor?
    -[X] What did his people do to betray the Serpentfolk?
    -[X] Get a feel for the various magical peoples the Yi Tish came in contact with.
    -[X] Keep the skull, go to Gogossos.
     
    [X] Duesal
    The skull is really far too old for anything more than barebones material, yes.
     
    DragonParadox said:
    I should make something clear, the reason I did not even give the gold dragon in the story a name is because he is so utterly removed from the present that there is not even a whisper of a chance of interacting with him or his memory, everything about him except the talisman is gone.
    Just trying to head off unproductive discussions.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    A shame that talisman is so important, if it was less important, we could use the thread spun from his scale, to learn how to create Gold Dragons in a Flesh Forge.
     
    tarrangar said:
    A shame that talisman is so important, if it was less important, we could use the thread spun from his scale, to learn how to create Gold Dragons in a Flesh Forge.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    ... You are horribly overestimating the bullshit fa Flesh-Forge is capable off.
    It's not "DNA from a single feather to re-create a whole family of dinosaurs"

    A single scale wouldn't be enough, let alone a thread woven out part of a scale.

    We'd need at least a full body to learn how to recreate something.
     
    Reader mode
    You must login or register to reply here.
    Remove ads
    Back
    Top