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

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Interlude DXCII: Of Serpents Silver and Black
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    • Of Serpents Silver and Black​

    Thirty-First Day of the Tenth Month 293 AC

    Relor the Lucky was a Silver Serpent man, a self-made man of the sort that was common in Braavos and all the more common in these strange times when Dragons flew overhead and sorcerers worked great wonders in the light of day for all to see. After all, he too was a sorcerer, he'd been one since before the Scholarum Tower first cast its shadow in the Deep, since before Viserys Targaryen had made himself known again as prince and sorcerer. Of course, most did not know just how much of a self-made man he was or who he had been when men called him 'lucky' for managing to keep all his teeth in his head as a gambler and conman 'round Ragman's Harbor that wasn't so ragged these days.

    Looking out from the deck of the good ship Fair Horizon towards the looming presence of the old pirate keep the Dragon King had made his own, Relor wondered not for the first time how his life would have changed if he'd taken 'Corlys'' offer back in Braavos. Would he be an inquisitor, a spy, or gods help him, a Companion? He shivered, and not from the brisk northerly breeze. If even half of what he heard the Companions got up to was true he didn't want to be within fifty leagues of that.

    The Braavosi mage tore his eyes from the keep with an effort of will, gaze falling almost by accident upon the temple of arching green marble built where the shore rose into chalky cliffs. What better place for an old lizard to sun itself? he thought irreverently, thinking of the tales that the Snake God Yss, the very thing that had given the name of the Silver Serpent, was somehow present inside. He wondered just how skilled the priests were at illusion and if the Dragon King took his cut. Always useful to see a master at work, he thought idly as the boarding plank struck the pier with a reassuringly solid thunk.

    After stowing his journey bag in one of the better inns, though not aspiring to the fine wares or the gilded prices of the Golden Hearth, Relor set off for the temple of the Serpent God... and that was when he hit his first hurdle. There was a line, and what a line it was, sailors and craftsmen shuffling their feet, highborn crowding besides peasants with squawking chickens in their arms ready for the knife. The Braavosi mage did not even try to bribe his way past the line. If the fellow holding a gold embroidered handkerchief to his too-sharp nose wasn't able to do it, then the handful of silvers Relor was willing to spend for the task wouldn't do shit. Still, it wasn't poor weather out, and the line moved along pretty well, presumably all those that went in came out through some other door.

    Down he went through corridors that coiled and twisted so much you would think that they would have to turn back upon themselves, but just didn't somehow, even the sounds of the people around him became muffled and distant so he couldn't tell how far ahead or behind they were, only the quiet hissing of the Snake-Man guide was clear. Hell of a trick, Relor told himself, doggedly ignoring the small but growing voice at the back of his head that told him that this might not be as much of a scam as he thought.

    "The Timeless One awaits..." the soft voice of the Snake-Man announced, motioning towards an archway tall enough to fit a giant through, though barely wide enough for a man to slip in.

    The room was bare stone carved with strange icons that seemed much older than they should be, like they had always been here though the temple was but two years old, and in the center a pool of dark water that neither the eyes of flesh nor those of magic could pierce.

    From that pool a great snake rose with scales red as blood and black as night, or maybe it was the snake of which all others were but pale shadows. "What do you ssseek?" the being... the God asked.

    Relor's first impulse was to turn tail and run as fast as his feet could carry him, but lucky for him his feet were frozen in place with fear. His second impulse was to make up some flattering shit, but there too he was lucky for not being able to force the words past his lips until his mind finally caught up with him. 'Never lie when you know you're going to get caught,' was the conman's first rule, and this thing could catch anyone in a lie he knew in his bones. "I came to see if you were real, mighty Yss," he replied, all the while wondering if all those people ahead of him really left the temple alive and whole.

    "Wissse..." The great golden eyes beheld him in silence for a long breathless moment. "Too many trussst... without thought."

    "Ah, well, it's my job to check the scales, ain't it? A poor merchant I'd be if I trusted every rumor," Relor replied, wondering if he dared pray to some other god to get him out safely or if the one right in front of him would take offense.

    "A merchant... yesss... an even balance..." Eyes of molten gold bored into Relor's, looking into his very soul. "Ssserve... keep my balance true..."

    It took Relor a full twenty heartbeats to understand what the Snake God was saying and twice as many to believe it. "You want me to serve as a merchant priest?"

    The scaled head dipped ever so slightly.

    You can't win if you don't wager, Relor thought. From that day forth he knew he'd never con anyone again, not that he had really been planning to since he joined the Silver Serpent, but who better than an old cheat to catch young ones? "I will, Great One."

    OOC: Behold, Yss' first cleric with the Trade Domain (upgraded from Hedge Mage).
     
    Last edited:
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    • Goddamn, Relor! You picked a good God, too. Yss knows how to get his hands dirty.

    IF HE HAD THEM!

    Hahaha.
     
    Well, that was a surprising comeback.
    Good for him, conman he may be, but Relor is surprisingly reliable for his profession if I'm remembering things right.

    And yay, Yss is finally a changed... snek.

    How long did it take since us establishing Silver Serpent company for him to catch up, again..?
    Somehow, I feel like that was near light-speed-fast change by Divine standards, even for one nearly dead as Deities go.
     
    egoo said:
    Well, that was a surprising comeback.
    Good for him, conman he may be, but Relor is surprisingly reliable for his profession if I'm remembering things right.

    And yay, Yss is finally a changed... snek.

    How long did it take since us establishing Silver Serpent company for him to catch up, again..?
    Somehow, I feel like that was near light-speed-fast change by Divine standards, even for one nearly dead as Deities go.
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    Well we have been feeding him and touting him as the God of the Fair Deal.
     
    DragonParadox said:
    Of Serpents Silver and Black​

    Thirty-First Day of the Tenth Month 293 AC

    Relor the Lucky was a Silver Serpent man. A self made man of the sort that was common in Braavos, and all the more common in these strange times when dragons flew overhead and sorcerers worked great wonders in the light of day for all to see. After all, he too was a sorcerer. He'd been one since before the Scholarum Tower first cast its shadow in the Deep, since before Viserys Targaryen had made himself known again as prince and sorcerer. Of course, most did not know just how much of a self-made man he was, or who he had been when men called him 'lucky' for managing to keep all his teeth in his head as a gambler and conman 'round Ragman's Harbor that wasn't so ragged these days.

    Looking out from the deck of the good ship Fair Horizon towards the looming presence of the old pirate keep the Dragon King had made his own, Relor wondered not for the first time how his life would have changed if he'd taken "Corlys'" offer back in Braavos. Would he be an Inquisitor, a spy, or gods help him, a Companion? He shivered, and not from the brisk northerly breeze. If even half of what he heard Companions got up to was true, he didn't want to be within fifty leagues of that.

    The Braavosi mage tore his eyes from the keep with an effort of will, gaze falling almost by accident upon the temple of arching green marble built where the shore rose into chalky cliffs. What better place for an old lizard to sun itself, he thought irreverently, thinking of the tales that the snake god Yss, the very thing that had given the name of the Silver Serpent, was somehow present inside. He wondered just how skilled the priests were at illusion and if the Dragon King took his cut. Always useful to see a master at work, he thought idly as the boarding plank struck the pier with a reassuringly solid thunk.

    After stowing his journey bag in one of the better inns, though not aspiring to the fine wares or the gilded prices of the Golden Hearth, Relor set off for the temple of the Serpent God.. and that was when he hit his first hurdle. There was a line, and what a line it was. Sailors and craftsmen shuffling their feet, highborn crowding beside peasants, all with squawking chickens in their arms ready for the knife. The Braavosi mage did not even try to bribe his way past the line. If the fellow holding a gold embroidered handkerchief to his too-sharp nose wasn't able to do it, then the handful of silvers Relor was willing to spend for the task wouldn't do shit. Still, it wasn't poor weather out and the line moved pretty well. Presumably all those that went in came out through some other door.

    Down he went through corridors that coiled and twisted so you would think they would have to turn back upon themselves, but just didn't somehow. Even the sounds of the people around him became muffled and distant so he couldn't tell how far ahead or behind they were, only the quiet hissing of the snake man guide was clear. Hell of a trick, Relor told himself, doggedly ignoring the small but growing voice at the back of his head that told him that this might not be as much of a scam as he thought.

    "The Timeless One awaits..." the soft voice of the snake man announced, motioning towards an archway tall enough to fit a giant, though barely wide enough for a man to slip though

    The room was bare stone carved with strange icons that seemed much older than they should be, like they had always been there, though the temple was but three years old. In the center there was a pool of dark water that neither the eyes of flesh nor those of magic could pierce.

    From that pool a great snake rose, scales red as blood and black as night, or maybe it was the snake of which all others were but pale shadows. "What do you ssseek?" the being... the God asked.

    Relor's first impulse was to turn tail and run as fast as his feet could carry him. Lucky for him, his feet were frozen in place with fear. His second impulse was to make up some flattering shit, but there too he was lucky for not being able to force the words past his lips until his mind finally caught up with him. 'Never lie when you know you're going to get caught,' was the conman's first rule, and this thing could catch anyone in a lie, he knew in his bones. "I came to see if you were real, mighty Yss," he replied, all the while wondering it all those people ahead of him really left the temple alive and whole.

    "Wissse..." The great golden eyes beheld him in silence for a long breathless moment. "Too many trusst... without thought."

    "Ah well, it's my job to check the scales, ain't it? A poor merchant I'd be if I trusted every rumor," Relor replied, wondering if he dared pray to some other god to get him out safe if the one right in front of him would take offense.

    "A merchant... yess... an even balance...." Eyes of molten gold bored into Relor's ,looking into his very soul. "Ssserve... keep my balance true..."

    It took Relor twenty heartbeats to understand what the snake god was saying and twice as many to believe it. "You want me to serve as a merchant priest?"

    The scaled head dipped ever so slightly.

    You can't win if you don't wager, Relor thought. From that day forth he knew he'd never con anyone again. Not that he had really been planning to since he joined the Silver Serpent, but who better than an old cheat to catch young ones. "I will, Great One."

    OOC: Behold Yss' first cleric with the trade domain (upgraded from hedge mage).
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    Here's an edited version of the chapter, DP.
     
    Can't go around cheating people during business anymore. He'll still be able to lie and cheat gambling and whatnot right?
     
    Crake said:
    Level 5, last I checked. Not bad.
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    So he just got turn undead, better HP, level 3 spells (including 1/day Eagle's Splendor) and access to one of the game's best classes?
    I wonder if he's limited to level 5 or not. Probably not (otherwise would Yss really have chosen him as a Cleric?) but he's unlikely to ever reach high level anyway.
     
    TalonofAnathrax said:
    So he just got turn undead, better HP, level 3 spells (including 1/day Eagle's Splendor) and access to one of the game's best classes?
    I wonder if he's limited to level 5 or not. Probably not (otherwise would Yss really have chosen him as a Cleric?) but he's unlikely to ever reach high level anyway.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    Being the fist cleric with a god's new domain is rather momentous. His soft cap is 10 right now.
     
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