- Location
- florida
Hmm... Maybe I should have plane shifted first...
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
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
ASOIAF for sure. Not sure what I would choose class-wise yet, though. Is level advancement possible?
In ASOIAF, I would virtually be a demigod. Easy choice.
- Location
- Germany
[X] Travel to Lys and deal with the intrigues of the Goblin Market personally
egoo
Totally Not Creating Problems Where None Existed
- Location
- Russia
[X] Travel to Lys and deal with the intrigues of the Goblin Market personally
with TNs coming "Later"TM, and us getting loot/xp anyway, it is as fine direction to go s any.
I want to personally talk to Drunken God's servants still, tho.
We kinda need to put a lid and decide what position does he have in our empire after this, and officially so.
with TNs coming "Later"TM, and us getting loot/xp anyway, it is as fine direction to go s any.
I want to personally talk to Drunken God's servants still, tho.
We kinda need to put a lid and decide what position does he have in our empire after this, and officially so.
Interlude in beta. It's even larger than usual for Yi Ti.
Interlude DXLXXXIV: The Bitterness of Thrones
The Bitterness of Thrones
Twenty-Sixth Day of the Tenth Month 293 AC
Mei Lin had not expected to be called into the imperial presence so soon after that fearful moment of nearly being slain by cursed sorcery only to be whisked away by the grace of the Kami and then by it preserved in turn. She had disciplined her unruly curiosity as best she could until Wei could share her account of the audience, and then she spent most of that meeting congratulating and reassuring her young attendant for helping the foreign envoys keep face in spite of the dreadful approach of the Master of Ceremonies. The talk of blood magic had sent a shiver of concern down her spine, but she had done her best to release those worries in her morning meditations. Those far more knowledgeable in matters of sorcery and spirits would advise His Imperial Majesty....
"I wish for your company in the discussions with the envoys of the Archon of the West whom you have helped introduce to the court..." the Son of Heaven said.
She could not have heard that properly. For one mad moment she wanted to ask him to repeat himself. One did not bring a concubine of the second rank, however favored, to private discussions of state. The court was boiling in anticipation of who the emperor would name among his handful of attendants.
"If you are still not recovered from your ordeal I understand..." The words, spoken so awkwardly, abruptly remind Mei Ling that beneath the weight of the gold-threaded mantle of the Heavenly Sovereign was a young man two years younger than she.
"I am prepared to serve however you command," she replied firmly. "I was merely surprised. I have spoken to them, of course, but only briefly when pressed by the weight of passing moments. I am certain the court diplomats..."
"Will hopefully behave more honorably than they did yesterday," the emperor noted dryly, once more fully in command of himself. "There is, however, a concern that goodwill alone cannot easily bridge."
"The fact that their head diplomat is a woman." Mei Lin nodded in understanding, the pieces finally coming together. She knew of no protocol for diplomats to address a woman in a position of delegated power sufficient to converse freely before the throne. Ordinarily one would simply address this Tyene Sandviper by the name of her family and clan... but she had proclaimed herself a bastard, perhaps not a cause for dishonor in her realm but that would breed certain reflexive assumptions that would be detrimental to a fruitful meeting.
"It would be somewhat awkward to carry the entire conversation myself," the Son of Heaven said, clearly following her thread of thought.
"Others could still speak to her in a more circuitous manner..." Mei Lin trailed off, struggling to imagine the mental balancing act of talking to someone without addressing them. It would be like trying to juggle one's teacup rather than drinking it.
"Entertaining as it would be to see some attempt at that, I think it would be best to avoid it where possible." The words were spoken so softly Mei Lin doubted even the guards behind the silk screen heard it. They definitely heard her answering giggle, even veiled behind her fan.
***
The warm scent of flesh lacquer mingled with the faint but seemingly inescapable mustiness of truly old writings, be they poetry, letters, or as in this case the decrees of state. The Chamber of the Diligent Crane, or simply the Scribe's Room, was decorated not with fine paintings, precious carvings, or any other works of art, but with ancient decrees of Imperial Will, some dating back centuries or millennia, preserved by the blessings of the Kami, or for those less pious the work of the court alchemists.
The room was also small for all its prestige, imposing an incontrovertible physical restriction to the numbers of the emperor's attendants, only a scribe, the sage Ping Lan, Gang Heng the Champion of the Dragon Throne, and Mei Lin herself caught between keeping her inner balance and peering at the strangers over the edge of her fan. No sooner had the emperor seated himself and granted permission to do likewise that she snapped the fan closed for an unimpeded view. Not the most decorous act perhaps, but she was here to actually facilitate the discussion and not present a perfect picture.
"Honorable guests, you asked for a private meeting that we may speak of those who threaten the peace of the realm. Know that I trust all here with my life..." The emperor's formal declaration sent a jolt down Mei Lin's spine as though he had been addressing her in particular.
"Excellent," Lady Sandviper replied. If there was anything reptilian about the woman then it was her poise, Mei Lin concluded. She had the same calm faintly sardonic expression now as she did when a sorcerer's cursed blood splattered over her robes. "I should begin by explaining what the Golden Company is, though for the sake of brevity I will only touch upon the particularly interesting or sordid points in their existence before moving on to what they have become in this age of awakening magic..."
What followed was a tale of the farthest west, of the warlord Aegon called Unworthy and his sons, their victories and their follies, told by one with both a skill for telling tales and no great concern for the dignity of dead kings. It was not entirely shocking of course, historians had been known to offer sharp rebuke to emperors who had erred in life, but such was usually reserved for members of the previous dynasty, certainly not for retainers of the one whose ancestors were being described. It was only when the tale turned to this Viserys, who would be King of the West, that Mei Lin realized why his envoy had chosen to tell the tale of his kin as she did. Though he bore the name and would make use of his ancestors' mandate to reclaim the far western lands, he saw himself a founder and state-builder, one to bring the raucous warlords to heel under the dominion of a new bureaucracy.
In that note this Golden Company was the worst of the old legacy, men who not only lived by their swords like youxia but bastardized even their own warrior code in the name of coin while aspiring to put a bastard line on the throne. There was a mention of some sort of religious disagreement and a dark sorcerer who had found kindred spirits along the mercenaries, but such spiritual corruption was rarely the first cause of decay.
"This Dark Dragon whom you will not name lest she hear, does she have five heads, each a different color and more rapacious than the last?" Ping Lan asked with a note of odd urgency in his voice.
"Just so," the envoy from the west replied.
"Majesty, I advise we warn all the monasteries of this, even those not in favor with the court..." The sage hesitated a long moment. "I would even advise the Usurper in Trader Town to avoid them at all costs. No Child of the Earth, however burdened by dishonor in their soul, deserves Her eye upon them."
The proclamation was so shocking the emperor almost jumped from his seat, but he did not as Mei Lin might have thought deny the sage's counsel. "Let it be so. If we indeed live in an age of the Kami once more, then let all men know where the lines are drawn and choose according to their hearts. I doubt a kind heart and a treacherous soul can dwell in the same body, eh?" He intentionally lightened the tone as he spoke.
"Familiar words," the bronze-armored warrior who spoke even less than the shadowed Lord Drekelis said.
"How so?" the emperor asked.
"King Viserys has often found himself in the situation of pondering how much to tell the Usurper in King's Landing and the lords loyal to him of the otherworldly perils that stalk his land," the young warrior answered plainly.
"And what did your king choose at these times?" the emperor pressed.
"That he would tell them as much as they would believe. A field of ashes is of no use to conquer back."
"A wise man your king," the Son of Heaven replied honestly, though his gaze was guarded, likely wondering how much the mysterious king Viserys would share of what his agents might have discovered within the borders of the Golden Empire.
"We come now to the most pressing reason why this discussion had to be private," the shadow-garbed lord interjected, the master of spies for the western kingdom himself, Mei Lin had discovered. "We have found a cabal of Golden Company spies working with corrupt spirits—oni of the land—and infiltrated one of our number in their ranks to keep an eye on their doings. We ask that you do not move against them in force until the hammer can be brought against the Golden Company in the west and the power of the Dark Dragon broken. Powerful sorcerers have a way of hiding and crawling away in hidden holes and then drawing the holes in after themselves only to rise again to trouble the world anew in some new way..."
For the first time the emperor looked displeased at the foreigners, but before he could speak Ping Lan interjected. "A truth that cannot be denied, however sharp its edge."
The Son of Heaven sighed in frustration. "Be that as it may, can you guarantee that the Oni will not devour my subjects, body and soul, while we wait for your lord to move in the west, be it even a matter of weeks or months? I will not sacrifice my people on the altar of secrecy. I hope your king is such a man to understand that sentiment." The tone made it clear that if he did or no the emperor's view of his duty would not change.
"He does, and he would make the same decision in your place. We will do our best to constrain the Oni and their depraved allies through our agent, and we welcome your aid in doing so."
The emperor did not look happy, but after looking at the sage for counsel and at Mei Lin almost as though seeking forgiveness he nodded. "You have my blessing to continue to watch as long as I am kept informed."
- Waymar and Tyene gain 3,900 XP
- Garin gains 4,800 XP
OOC: Well here we have it, probably not the largest part I wrote for this quest, but definitely in the top ten.
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- Location
- France
Well then. At the very least, the Emperor has half-decent advisors with access to good lore. He also has the ability to shut up and listen to a story, as well as a surprisingly active conscience.
Ah well, he's young.
Note that in ASOIaF, it's entirely possible that the Others are ridiculously OP and will therefore kill everyone. Maybe there's a tragic ending! We don't know! It's also possible that you'll accidentally butterfly away the weird mess of prophecies that should let the weak and divided humans defeat the army of the dead. Be careful! You don't have a friendly Viserys who'll handle everything if you keep your head down and hide behind a Mind Blank!
On the other hand ASOIaF probably has a far smaller chance of being eternally tortured by devils, and the eldritch horrors are more discreet and seem less intent on doing horrible things to everyone than their counterparts in ASWAH.
I love it!
I suggest picking a spellcasting class that can control the weather though. There isn't much guns can do against Other-enhanced blizzards.
What would you pick if you couldn't access Pathfinder stuff?
By the way, I edited my post : your magic works fine in ASOIaF, and you can still level if you somehow find valid threats.
That's still a lot fewer eldritch abominations than in ASWAH, of course. And fewer Efreet Empires who might get involved on the material Plane, etc. But this option doesn't include a friendly neighborhood Viserys to win everything for you, either.
Ah well, he's young.
Yes, you can use magic in ASOIaF. You can level in both, assuming you find enough threats that grant XP. Mythic Ranks are possible in both, but aren't any easier to get in ASOIaF than in ASWAH.
Note that in ASOIaF, it's entirely possible that the Others are ridiculously OP and will therefore kill everyone. Maybe there's a tragic ending! We don't know! It's also possible that you'll accidentally butterfly away the weird mess of prophecies that should let the weak and divided humans defeat the army of the dead. Be careful! You don't have a friendly Viserys who'll handle everything if you keep your head down and hide behind a Mind Blank!
On the other hand ASOIaF probably has a far smaller chance of being eternally tortured by devils, and the eldritch horrors are more discreet and seem less intent on doing horrible things to everyone than their counterparts in ASWAH.
That one is actually hilarious. A False Prophet of the Seven pushing for reconcilation with the Dragon? Bloodraven will love you! And who knows, perhaps you'll summon Celestials and manage to get them to back up your lies?
I love it!
10/10, a valid choice. Best of luck with your industrial revolution! I hope you manage to save the world from the undead with the power of guns!
I suggest picking a spellcasting class that can control the weather though. There isn't much guns can do against Other-enhanced blizzards.
Interesting.
What would you pick if you couldn't access Pathfinder stuff?
By the way, I edited my post : your magic works fine in ASOIaF, and you can still level if you somehow find valid threats.
In ASOIAF you're a demigod, but you stand out a lot. You have no guarantee that the story isn't a tragedy (what if the Others win?), and the setting canonically contains Nyarlathotep and the Yellow Emperor, of all things.
That's still a lot fewer eldritch abominations than in ASWAH, of course. And fewer Efreet Empires who might get involved on the material Plane, etc. But this option doesn't include a friendly neighborhood Viserys to win everything for you, either.
- Location
- United States
Name: Ser Waymar Royce: Level: 16 (123,553/136,000 XP) + 4,800 XP --> (128,353/136,000 XP)
Name: Garin Drekelis: Level: 15 (114797/120000 XP) + 3,900 XP --> (118,697/120000 XP)
Name: Tyene Sandviper: Level: 16 (123,460/136,000 XP) + 4,800 XP --> (128,260/136,000 XP)
They're all so, so close. Only one big fight away from their next level.
- Location
- Germany
Tyene and Waymar are almost 8000 XP away from levelling, that's most likely two bigger, or several smaller encounters.
- Location
- United States
Easily accomplished with the Deep Ones stirring. We'll probably see them level within three months.
- Location
- Greece
Ehm. I really do not know much about 3e proper. Beguiler? With some sort of dip or PRC to add yet more spells in the list? I assume you flat out ban Rainbow Servant. Perhaps Sand-shaper..
Skill points aplenty, excellent class features, pretty amazing spell list with one of the best casting mechanics. I'd pick Silent+Still metamagic as soon as possible for sneaky and social shenanigans.
EDIT: Oh, mindbender! A level in that too, snag Mindsight while at it.
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- Location
- florida
Love and hate hopefully. I'm planning on doing a much better job than Lucan.
- Location
- United States
No worries.Oops I just realized I inverted the XP totals, Garin is the one who is a level behind. Editing
Sorry for the confusion @Duesal
Name: Ser Waymar Royce: Level: 16 (123,553/136,000 XP) + 3,900 XP --> (127,453/136,000 XP)
Name: Garin Drekelis: Level: 15 (114797/120000 XP) + 4,800 XP --> (119,597/120,000 XP)
Name: Tyene Sandviper: Level: 16 (123,460/136,000 XP) + 3,900 XP --> (127,360/136,000 XP)
They can still claw their way to the next level with two good fights. Garin on the other hand is right at the edge.
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
Very nice interlude, DP.
I would advocate for looting Mei Ling in addition to Fen, but it wouldn't be cool to snag the Emperor's favorite concubine.
- Location
- Germany
Unlike Zherys's.
But she was worth it.
- Location
- Mexico
All's well that ends well, if anything, i am more intrigued about Zherys/Teana now that he might have to properly court her as a peer.
The original relationship was a bit disgusting because of the Master/Slave relationship, even if she was recently freed.
But now? It's clear he still has feelings for her, and she respects him a colleague, i would not be bothered at all if they decided they could begin again, both coming from a better place.
So... I just checked and there aren't a lot of votes and it's rather late.
tarrangar
Fat arctic chicken
I'm not planning on doing it alone, I will be stacking up on abilities, that will allow me to make more magical beings, things like Awaken should help with that, anything I Awaken is a magical creature after all, so spell casting potential should be there.
I was planning on it, once I have defeated the Others, I have forever for my industrial revolution after all, so I see no idea not to spec for anti-undead combat, basic modern knowledge and a 4-5 centuries should be enough to get my industrial revolution going, no need to load up on extra things for that.
- Location
- florida
[X] Travel to Lys and deal with the intrigues of the Goblin Market personally
time to bring the hammer down.
Air drop some inquisitors, and get him some more... Experience, and hell do just fine.
time to bring the hammer down.
Personally im happy with him where he is.
Air drop some inquisitors, and get him some more... Experience, and hell do just fine.