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

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You know, we were already talking about making processions of Black-coloured Leshies in charge of corpse disposal for our empire. With Censers of Gentle Repose and any other item that helps their task.
 
Don't forget to vote, y'all.
Adhoc vote count started by Goldfish on Nov 23, 2019 at 10:18 PM, finished with 96 posts and 10 votes.
  • [X] Divine if there's anything untoward in the growth of the Crystals. If there's something greatly unusual there, investigate where they're grown while unseen and disguised with a Cloak of Khyber in case there's someone from the Opaline Vault protecting their interests.
    -[X] While the Sultana commands greater loyalty, to your mind out of means other than fear, you know how nobles in mortal lands can be very well, to say nothing of what the earth spirits can convince themselves of in exploiting the lack of virtue or sense of 'mere mortals' as something that won't truly concern her. After all, they aren't under the rule of any of her allies. You scoff at the thought but resolve to let her deal with them herself if such should come to pass.
    -[X] If it seems nothing more than as it appears--and you for once hope that two sides engaged in business of mutual self interest could at least manage not to squeeze from the meek and poor like blood from a stone--you'll just move on to meeting Lord Lychester as at that point who he trades with isn't a great concern of yours, so long as such transactions do not breach Imperial law when he falls fully under your banner.
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Absoloot said:
Ah! A wild serptfolk assassin appears! Uh, did we bargain for a retainer from Mr. Double-Snek?
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Yes, we got a personal Serpentfolk Hexblade from Riz'Neth as part of the vassalization. Riz'Neth got a lot of funding, a Weirwood Heart Tree, and a Herald as part of the exchange. And of course later things like recovering the Serpentfolk City of Set'Var and handing it over to him Oblivion free.
 
Since Sonic damage is a thing in D&D, couldn't you create a magic Sonic cannon for magi tech defenses? Was reading discussion and the issue of underwater warfare came up, and I'd think, if anything, water would amplify Sonic damage. Just need a way to keep it localized as a beam or cone.
 
Anyone still thinks it's a good idea to make a Weirwood Treant? Yss can't have all the champions, y'all!

And I want a pet kraken for Asha!
 
Goldfish said:
Fire is purifying, especially against the Others who are so elementally opposed to it. Burned bones shouldn't be usable by the Others.
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Well, usable is a broad term.
Lyanna's bones were almost certainly burned clean and blessed before entering the crypt in Winterfell, as all modern noble corpses have been since the Silent SIsters became a widespread thing in Westeros.

Despite that she could return as a ghost.
So I think while clean-burned bones will take more effort for the Others to use, it might still work if they concentrate on making fewer elite undead, mostly incorporeal, over legions of skeletons.
 
Vote closed.
Adhoc vote count started by DragonParadox on Nov 24, 2019 at 5:19 AM, finished with 107 posts and 12 votes.
  • [X] Divine if there's anything untoward in the growth of the Crystals. If there's something greatly unusual there, investigate where they're grown while unseen and disguised with a Cloak of Khyber in case there's someone from the Opaline Vault protecting their interests.
    -[X] While the Sultana commands greater loyalty, to your mind out of means other than fear, you know how nobles in mortal lands can be very well, to say nothing of what the earth spirits can convince themselves of in exploiting the lack of virtue or sense of 'mere mortals' as something that won't truly concern her. After all, they aren't under the rule of any of her allies. You scoff at the thought but resolve to let her deal with them herself if such should come to pass.
    -[X] If it seems nothing more than as it appears--and you for once hope that two sides engaged in business of mutual self interest could at least manage not to squeeze from the meek and poor like blood from a stone--you'll just move on to meeting Lord Lychester as at that point who he trades with isn't a great concern of yours, so long as such transactions do not breach Imperial law when he falls fully under your banner.
Click to expand...
 
I'm trying to find a good picture for our Mind Dragons. It's hard to find decent Pseudodragon pictures.

Here's what I have so far. #1 is kinda cartoony, but I like it best. #3 is a bit overly cute, but kinda fits, IMO.




 
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Inserted tally
Adhoc vote count started by DragonParadox on Nov 24, 2019 at 5:19 AM, finished with 107 posts and 12 votes.
  • [X] Divine if there's anything untoward in the growth of the Crystals. If there's something greatly unusual there, investigate where they're grown while unseen and disguised with a Cloak of Khyber in case there's someone from the Opaline Vault protecting their interests.
    -[X] While the Sultana commands greater loyalty, to your mind out of means other than fear, you know how nobles in mortal lands can be very well, to say nothing of what the earth spirits can convince themselves of in exploiting the lack of virtue or sense of 'mere mortals' as something that won't truly concern her. After all, they aren't under the rule of any of her allies. You scoff at the thought but resolve to let her deal with them herself if such should come to pass.
    -[X] If it seems nothing more than as it appears--and you for once hope that two sides engaged in business of mutual self interest could at least manage not to squeeze from the meek and poor like blood from a stone--you'll just move on to meeting Lord Lychester as at that point who he trades with isn't a great concern of yours, so long as such transactions do not breach Imperial law when he falls fully under your banner.
Click to expand...
 
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Part MMMCXCII: Cave of Lights
  • Threadmarks
    • Cave of Lights ​

    Twenty Second Day of the Eleventh Month 293 AC

    There is something odd about the source of Lychester wealth, something that twists and turns the seer's gaze, that warps the verse into even more obscure meanings. Thankfully it is not the grey void of something warded beyond the power of mortal magic that might leave you wondering of foes or darker powers, but still a curious conundrum. If nothing else you would like to see how this veiling had been done and why. Thus you slip through the shadows and ask questions of beast and tree, stone and stream, until finally you find what all of them have been whispering of, that which does not belong.

    Wards there are to pass set across the land, enduring as the bones of the world, the whisper of another world, unknown to most save perhaps for the fleeting feeling of unseen walls closing in and a strange darkening across the face of the sky, beyond them a path of stones cunningly fitted together across the hills and vales, no chalk here but granite drawn from the bones of the earth. Upon that road horsemen ride, knights bearing the black talon of House Lychester on their surcoats, silver spurs glittering at their heels. To your surprise one lifts what looks to be a small Myrish Eye to look through it, though no Myrman had worked upon it, that you know for certain. Glyphs in the Tongue of Earth are etched into the polished brass with the pride of those famed artisans.

    "He's not looking to the horizon," Ser Richard whispers from beside you.

    You nod wordlessly, from the aura of the far-eye you suspect it is meant to see more than the world under the sun, works of magic, perhaps even unseen spirits. Whatever else can be said of Lord Derman Lychester the man knows how to secure his gains once he has them.

    Still, neither wards nor watchers are enough to snare you and so in the end you find yourself before the entrance of the hill that supposedly holds the 'mine'. If this mound of chalk and flint has ever held enough silver to make even a single coin you will climb a tree and call yourself an Essarian.

    Wary of yet more wards you once more look with a deeper sight upon the world... and this time you are practically blinded. There are no spells upon the hill, you are not altogether sure most enchantments could even last more than an hour here. Lashing threads of wild magic in colors bold and brash fill the air, discordant notes and otherworldly spells seen, heard, and tasted in an almost indecipherable melange.

    Inside night turns to unnatural twilight as from the floor, to the walls, and to the ceiling spear out crystals of deep crimson light, the light waxing and waning as though with the beat of some vast heart. "Blood crystals," you recognize at once, not malignant itself but one of the more dangerous things to harvest on the Plane of Earth for only creatures of flesh and blood can tend to it, yet the crystals crave the lifeblood of their 'gardeners' far more than the beast blood with which they are usually watered. From the faint smell that still lingers inside you would guess goat blood.

    "How bad is it?" Ser Richard asks, sword going to the hilt of his sword.

    "It could be worse..." you admit finally. You can see why Lord Lychester's Shaitan backers were willing to arrange this trade to keep the dangerous business of growing blood crystals out of their hands. You suspect the pay in silver might even be further tilting the bargain in their favor.

    You think back to the village, the smallfolk had been close-mouthed, but out of loyalty not fear. Whatever they are getting paid they too think it is worth the risk, but it still rankles that some shaitan House had looked at life in the Seven Kingdoms and reasoned that the lives of the people here are cheap enough to make the deal profitable. You have a great deal to say to the lord of these lands.

    As though your thought had conjured it you hear the sounds of hoof-beats down the winding path, a moment later another rider emerges, this one more than a knight. That much is clear as much from the deference of the guards as much as the spark of gold and gems about his throat, the spark of sorcery also. He had taken to guarding more than his knights with shaitan magics.


    "Any trouble today?" he asks in a loud almost brusque manner before moderating his tone. "The damn snarks have me on edge."

    "No, my lord, no missing tools nor strange ailments since Little Horst came down with the green tongue three days back," the knight replies. "Maybe they've given up once it was clear we wouldn't be scared off a gold mine this easily."

    "Silver mine, Gwain, silver," the lord corrects, though the smile that twitches beneath his mustache makes it clear he did not mean it as a reprimand.

    "Then I shall have to remind my lord that they are called fey, not snarks," the warrior replies."They don't like the name."

    "I'll be courteous to them when they stop harassing my men," the lord snorts.

    So they fey have been making trouble, easy enough to guess why, the magics of the blood crystals are anything but natural to this realm and many of the fey see themselves as the guardians of the world's balance.

    What do you do?

    [] Reveal yourself to Lord Lychester
    -[] Write in

    [] Find and speak to the fey first to get their side of the story
    -[] Write in

    [] Write in

    OOC: It's just you and Ser Richard here under invisibility, so you could either casually stroll in or drop the glamour abruptly.
     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • Cave of Lights ​

    Twenty Second Day of the Eleventh Month 293 AC

    There is something odd about the source of Lychester wealth, something that twists and turns the seer's gaze, that warps the verse into even more obscure meanings. Thankfully, it is not the grey void of something warded beyond the power of mortal magic that might leave you wondering of foes or darker powers, but still a curious conundrum. If nothing else, you would like to see how this veiling had been done and why. Thus you slip through the shadows and ask questions of beast and tree, stone and stream, until finally you find what all of them have been whispering of, that which does not belong.

    Wards there are to pass set across the land, enduring as the bones of the world, the whisper of another world, unknown to most, save perhaps for the fleeting feeling of unseen walls closing in and a strange darkening across the face of the sky. Beyond them, a path of stones cunningly fitted together across the hills and vales, no chalk here but rather granite drawn from the depths of the earth. Horsemen ride upon that road, knights bearing the black talon of House Lychester on their surcoats, silver spurs gleaming at their heels. To your surprise, one lifts what looks to be a small Myrish Eye to look through it, though no Myrman had worked upon it, that you know for certain. Glyphs in the Tongue of Earth are etched into the polished brass with the pride of those famed artisans.

    "He's not looking to the horizon," Ser Richard whispers from beside you.

    You nod wordlessly, from the aura of the far-eye, you suspect it is meant to see more than the world under the sun, works of magic, perhaps even unseen spirits. Whatever else can be said of Lord Derman Lychester, the man knows how to secure his gains once he has them.

    Still, neither wards nor watchers are enough to snare you, and so in the end you find yourself before the entrance of the hill which supposedly holds the 'mine'. If this mound of chalk and flint has ever held enough silver to make even a single coin, you will climb a tree and call yourself an Essarian.

    Wary of yet more wards, you once more look with a deeper sight upon the world... and this time you are practically blinded. There are no spells upon the hill, you are not altogether sure most enchantments could even last more than an hour here. Lashing threads of wild magic in colors bold and brash fill the air with discordant notes, and otherworldly spells seen, heard, and tasted in an almost indecipherable melange.

    Inside, night turns to unnatural twilight as from the floor, the walls, and the ceiling rise spear-like crystals of deep crimson light, the illumination waxing and waning as though with the beat of some vast heart. "Blood Crystal," you recognize at once. Not malignant itself, but one of the more dangerous things to harvest on the plane of earth, for only creatures of flesh and blood can tend to it, yet the crystals crave the lifeblood of their 'gardeners' far more than the beast blood with which they are usually watered. From the faint smell that still lingers inside, you would guess goat blood.

    "How bad is it?" Ser Richard asks, his hand going to the hilt of Oathkeeper.

    "It could be worse..." you admit finally. You can see why Lord Lychester's Shaitan backers were willing to arrange this trade to keep the dangerous business of growing blood crystal out of their hands. You suspect the pay in silver might even be further tilting the bargain in their favor.

    You think back to the village, the smallfolk had been close-mouthed, but out of loyalty not fear. Whatever they are getting paid they too think it is worth the risk, but it still rankles that some Shaitan House had looked at life in the Seven Kingdoms and reasoned that the lives of the people here are cheap enough to make the deal profitable. You have a great deal to say to the lord of these lands.

    As though your thought had conjured it, you hear the sounds of hoof-beats down the winding path. A moment later another rider emerges, this one more than a knight. That is clear, as much from the deference of the guards as the spark of gold and gems about his throat, and the spark of sorcery also. He had taken to guarding more than his knights with Shaitan magics.


    "Any trouble today?" he asks loudly in an almost brusque manner before moderating his tone. "The damn snarks have me on edge."

    "No, my lord. There have been no missing tools or strange ailments since Little Horst came down with the green tongue three days back," the knight replies. "Maybe they've given up once it was clear we wouldn't be scared off a gold mine this easily."

    "Silver mine, Gwain, silver," the lord corrects, though the smile that twitches beneath his mustache makes it clear he did not mean it as a reprimand.

    "Then I shall have to remind my lord that they are called fey not snarks," the warrior replies."They don't like the name."

    "I'll be courteous to them when they stop harassing my men," the lord snorts.

    So the fey have been making trouble. Easy enough to guess why, as the magics of the blood crystals are anything but natural to this realm and many of the fey see themselves as the guardians of the world's balance.

    What do you do?

    [] Reveal yourself to Lord Lychester
    -[] Write in

    [] Find and speak to the fey first to get their side of the story
    -[] Write in

    [] Write in

    OOC: It's just you and Ser Richard here under invisibility, so you could either casually stroll in or drop the glamor abruptly.
    Here's an edited version of the chapter, @DragonParadox.
     
    Raw Blood Crystal is worth 100 IM per pound. I can see how Lychester can afford wards and to purchase enchanted gear for himself and his armsmen.

    I wouldn't be surprised if the Fey are particularly up in arms because the hill selected to grow the Blood Crystal is of special significance to them. The Wild Magic might have been present before the crystals were grown, and may have been necessary for them to grow well or at all. If that's the case, the Shaitan side of the deal could have sent his people pretty far afield looking for the proper growing conditions.
     
    ...Do we care about this practice, so long as nothing untoward happens to people/workers?
    I mean, Shaitan set up shop for it -so good enough on them, again, so long as no people are hurt.

    Side note, the crystals may be growing for a reason, along with a WM-zone.

    Who's betting on an ancient Evul sealed beneath the ground, and Fey only wanting to keep stupid mortals away from feeding it?
    :V
     
    [X] Find and speak to the fey first to get their side of the story
    -[X] See if there's any local fey court to address, any form of higher authority at all, and if so go treat with them
    --[X] If yes, find one of their subjects first and get an idea of the court's composition and nature, if they bear grudges against mortals or not, the disposition of their leader, etc
    --[X] If no, use a combination of divinations and searching to track down one of the fey that's been involved in the pranks on Lychester lands
    -[X] Learn why the Lychester lands have been targeted, what significance if any the hill and/or the blood crystals have for them
    -[X] Take the opportunity to learn about any nearby courts and various pacts that they're aware of if possible

    And once this is out of the way we can go right back to politics until we finish with the Riverlands. Although @Crake, if we have time I'd like to see if we can pay a visit to the Dondarrions and secure the Dornish Marches fully.
     
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