- Location
- France
Gregor Clegane could be a Paladin? I love it !
A Sword Without a Hilt: A Song of Ice and Fire/D&D 3.5 Crossover
- Thread starter DragonParadox
- Start date
-
- Tags
- a song of ice and fire a sword without a hilt d&d 3.5 dungeons & dragons 100% high octane dragon fuel ave corvidae battle action dragon diplomacy best sister bureaucromancy delicious soul-stuff dragon dreams come true dragon ta'veren greatest uncle hubris is a coward's word in defiance of gods and men mammon's folly mutually assured mage's disjunction qm murderhobo top tier coatl
- Location
- Brazil
You can't just let silverbrows multiply, y'know? Sooner or later the dragon blood shows itself and BAM, you got a rogue sorcerer in your hands.
Last edited:
Update in beta.
My reaction to that sort of nonsense would be to have NPCs react in a realistic way, which is to say the DCs for seducing most people would be impossible, unless they put in a lot of time and effort, make it less 'wacky fun times' and more 'IC time sink' and they will lose interest fast.
Last edited:
Inserted tally
Part MMCMLXXIX: Tales of the World and of the City
Tales of the World and of the City
Fifteenth Day of the Tenth Month 293 AC
Over the years you have faced no small number of challenges—those that could be overcome with words no less than those where swords spoke, and as your companions could attest you certainly not shy about giving speeches—but a request to recount 'the history of everything' with no context as to what the one asking already knows is still daunting. Still, you are willing to try if it will answer your own questions and perhaps gain you a guide through the ruins.
At first you spin an illusory map, though less akin to one of cloth or parchment and more like the world itself seen from on high, the mountains soar and the rivers flow, plains and forests sway in unseen winds, yet the watcher seems more confused than impressed.
It takes Xor only a moment to realize why: "Show him something closer, as one might see the world from the top of a tree or a high cliff."
It seems you have had wings for so long that you had forgotten others might not have the perspective to see the world the same way, and you doubt many intact maps had survived among the ruins of the city, not unless the old flesh-smiths had been as forethoughtful as the inhabitants of Set'Var.
Thankfully your unexpected guest proves sharp of wit indeed. As soon as you shift the perspective, closer then slowly drawn back, he nods in understanding, though looking a touch daunted by the scale of the sea. "Poisoned Water," he hisses, startling you a moment with the phrase the Dothraki so often use for the oceans. You try to imagine any circumstance in which a Dothraki would end up here and live long enough to influence the local turn of speech. Sometimes a coincidence is just a coincidence, you conclude, carrying on with your explanation.
Thus you speak of the return of magic of which he seems to know too well, for though more memories of magic have lingered in Gogossos than in other realms here too the tide has risen and elder powers come to light. Then you speak of the Targaryens from the Conquerer onward, how they had survived the Doom and thrived in a new land, yet you do not shy away from speaking of their failings, the weak, the blind... the mad. You suspect a being so swift to check truth from falsehood by magic would appreciate an unvarnished tale, and even if that were not so the notion of hiding your father's sins sits ill with you. He deserves no less than to live on in infamy for his crimes.
"I am Shadow Grasper," the watcher introduces himself abruptly, once your tale had at last reached its end. The name fits him as much as it fits the hour, for twilight reaches out across the sky with fingers of mist. "You have fulfilled your bargain, so now I will fulfill mine, but not here. The Unfinished will be abroad soon..."
"The Half-Born?" Xor asks curiously before you can.
And so you discover that there are three distinct sorts of beings abroad among the ruins. First are the Neverborn, beasts of the jungle untouched by the forge's magics, the True Born, those who breed true and possess at least some loyalty to their own kind, if not necessarily an inclination to be peaceful to others, and the Half-Born, mad gibbering horrors with terrible bestial strength, or worse yet those who are able to veil their madness for a time through sorcery to infiltrate and devour.
Though Xor is obviously troubled by such a peril being common on the ruined streets of Gogossos, his curiosity is undimmed: "They hunger for flesh?"
"For flesh and magic," Shadow Grasper explains. "They never feast upon the Neverborn but instead upon we who are True Born and upon each other, though the last only as a last resort. The madness passes on in the blood."
"Tell us more of the other... True Born," Malarys asks, less from curiosity and more from the preference to interact with societies, however crude and strange, rather than wander in the wilds.
Thus you discover that Shadow Grasper is a member of a tribe known either as 'Ledge Runners' or 'Branch Runners' since they do not make a distinction between perches of stone and wood, that the beings you had captured are thankfully not allies of his tribe and rarely trusted enough to trade. As far as he is able to tell you the meat nest was nothing more than an altar and a mark for the territory of some new tribe, though he is as bemused as you upon hearing of how it tore itself apart.
Beyond those inhabitants you hear of foul-tempered vulture-men that dwell in the highest towers of what had once been the city's slave barracks, gathering the bones of the ancient dead for grotesque feasts of carrion. They even seem to prefer the bones of those previously cursed with unlife, though only their chieftains have the courage to indulge in such perilous meals outside of feasts, earning them the title 'Ghost Eaters' and it is said fearsome magics besides, though Shadow Grasper is quick to point out that he has never been mad enough to try to fight one of them to see if the tales are true or false.
Lastly the old Ghiscari quarter holds those Shadow Grasper knows only as 'the Pale Ones.' Weak of arm but strong in numbers, they are known for swarming over their foes in a tide of flesh and rage that can topple even the great painted-lizards of the jungle.
What do you do next?
[] Ask more questions
-[] Write in
[] Continue exploring
-[] Write in
[] Write in
OOC: This took way longer to get right than I anticipated it would. I'm not really used to Xor in an adventuring context these days, so I had to get that settled in my head before I could work on the larger story.
Last edited:
- Location
- United States
[X] Ask more questions
-[X] Inquire further of the other True Born.
--[X] Inquire about the other True Borns' temperament, how trustworthy they are, whether they can be traded with, how aggressive they are, etc. Get a rough history of the pattern of conflicts among the True Born in living memory to determine which ones can be reasoned with and which ones less so.
--[X] Ask of the Pale Ones and try to determine any special abilities they might have.
--[X] Does Shadow Grasper have a rough idea of the numbers and locations of the other tribes beyond what he already told us?
--[X] Does Shadow Grasper know of any notable leaders among them with special powers?
-[X] Ask of the unlife that plagues the city and see if you can figure out what manner of unlife it is and more importantly if Shadow Grasper is aware of a specific source.
-[X] What can Shadow Grasper tell us of his own tribe, the Ledge/Branch Runners?
--[X] How many members are there? Are they all like Shadow Grasper or do their forms vary?
--[X] Inquire about Shadow Grasper's magic, the scope of it, and what magics the members of his tribe share.
--[X] What standing does Shadow Grasper have in his own tribe? Who are the people in power in the Ledge/Branch Runners and what are their roles?
--[X] Get a clear accounting of what tribes the Ledge/Branch Runners are friendly with and which ones less so.
--[X] What does Shadow Grasper and his tribe value? What do they currently lack which they desire?
--[X] Ask if Shadow Grasper would be willing to arrange a meeting between us and his tribe.
-[X] What does he know of the Bastion?
-[X] See if Shadow Grasper is aware of where the Forge is.
-[X] Afterwards, continue exploring, and see if you can find any hints in the administrative section of the city.
Those vulture things look like very nice sacrifices.
-[X] Inquire further of the other True Born.
--[X] Inquire about the other True Borns' temperament, how trustworthy they are, whether they can be traded with, how aggressive they are, etc. Get a rough history of the pattern of conflicts among the True Born in living memory to determine which ones can be reasoned with and which ones less so.
--[X] Ask of the Pale Ones and try to determine any special abilities they might have.
--[X] Does Shadow Grasper have a rough idea of the numbers and locations of the other tribes beyond what he already told us?
--[X] Does Shadow Grasper know of any notable leaders among them with special powers?
-[X] Ask of the unlife that plagues the city and see if you can figure out what manner of unlife it is and more importantly if Shadow Grasper is aware of a specific source.
-[X] What can Shadow Grasper tell us of his own tribe, the Ledge/Branch Runners?
--[X] How many members are there? Are they all like Shadow Grasper or do their forms vary?
--[X] Inquire about Shadow Grasper's magic, the scope of it, and what magics the members of his tribe share.
--[X] What standing does Shadow Grasper have in his own tribe? Who are the people in power in the Ledge/Branch Runners and what are their roles?
--[X] Get a clear accounting of what tribes the Ledge/Branch Runners are friendly with and which ones less so.
--[X] What does Shadow Grasper and his tribe value? What do they currently lack which they desire?
--[X] Ask if Shadow Grasper would be willing to arrange a meeting between us and his tribe.
-[X] What does he know of the Bastion?
-[X] See if Shadow Grasper is aware of where the Forge is.
-[X] Afterwards, continue exploring, and see if you can find any hints in the administrative section of the city.
Those vulture things look like very nice sacrifices.
Last edited:
- Location
- ?????????
Should we ask him where the forge is? Also as for the Half-Born I am curious about them. You said they feast on flesh and magic? Do they sense magic? Do they have magic sense and then hunt that?
- Location
- United States
I'm pretty pleased with what we've found. The True Born can probably become citizens if properly diplomanced, the Half-Born will make excellent sacrifices, and so will those Gholes roosting in the slave quarters.
Now we just need to get our fresh supply of Seekers and figure out where the Forge is.
- Location
- ?????????
Well the True Born isn't a hard issue with our memetic diplo score. I just want to know if they(Half-Born) sense magic because if they do then I want to fucking bait them to where we are and then capture them all at once.
Edit: Half Born.
Last edited:
- Location
- United States
We could probably use Shadow Grasper to arrange a big meeting with all of them where we tell them who now owns the city. The little guy's definitely smart enough to be bribed, we just need to figure out what he wants.
It looks like I was unclear. To summarize, there are four kinds of true-born in Gogossos:
- Ghonhatines
- Ledge Runners
- Gholes
- Pale Ones
- Location
- Germany
Do the Ghole look worse than the other Trueborn to you?
The Trog-variants and the Pale Ones don't sound any more sympathetic.
- Location
- Brazil
- Location
- United States
Ah, okay. The Ledge Runners definitely seem the friendliest.
They're all equally problematic, the Gholes just look juicier for the Larder.
I'm really nervous about the Pale Ones. They sound like humanoid piranhas.
I do have to give you guys some kind of challenge.
egoo
Totally Not Creating Problems Where None Existed
- Location
- Russia
Too bad, I'm now interested in collecting samples and having Vee further enginier it into a bioweapon, since original sample is so good.
Hell, even increasing frequency of affecting would make it hella debilitating, even before we make it air/waterborn
- Location
- United States
I'm anticipating that being in the form of some kind of gargantuan flesh construct. And lots and lots of wonderful Seekers which we can claim as our own. @DragonParadox, what are the chances we find clues about what the "Holy Grail" is here?
Anyway, updated the vote for more relevant questions.
Holy Grail?
- Location
- United States
My mistake. Living Grail. The thing supposedly strong enough to take on Red Dragons at their peak.
- Location
- ?????????
[X] Duesal
We are going to plop a research facility here and a hunting party also. But first we need to get information.
We are going to plop a research facility here and a hunting party also. But first we need to get information.
Last edited:
- Location
- United States
I'm not against visiting the tribe, but we were in the middle of getting clues from the administrative district. We can certainly talk to Shadow Grasper's tribe after we're done here.