The important bit is getting plausible deniability for killing a bunch of problematic main-branch Lannisters that would otherwise stand in the way of an orderly transition in the Westerlands.
I mean, we could just hang Cersei for a whole bunch of crimes she committed, like murdering good old Robert, but people want to loot her kids, so...
Oh wow. Hanging Cersei because she murdered Robert.
As for the kids, I'm fine with never looting them. They seem more like canon character pokemon than anything else. Politically they are a liability, and they don't have much reason to like us at all. Cersei wasn't quite at the stage of fully estranging all her children, so they're not about to thank us for a kidnapping.
Best case scenario all of them simply fade to irrelevancy while inquisition agents monitor them and make sure nothing fishy happens.
Not the conquest, just paving the way for shitting all over the Lannister dynasty and sewing the seeds of chaos throughout the continent. Ironically we're pulling a Varys, just better and far more targeted.
The thing I'm worried about most at this point is us not noticing the Elder Horror under the Red Keep. That would suck. Bloodraven being in the Red Keep for months and not noticing has me a bit nervous that we're also going to miss it.
Footsteps can be heard in the distance, He does not bother lifting his head, he will not give them the satisfaction.
The footsteps finally cease in front of the warded cell, the silence stretching out as prisoner and jailer wait to see who breaks the silence first. The prisoner will not!
Oberyn sighs dramatically, flopping down onto a chair, thoughfully left in front of the cell... By himself, last time he was down here. "You know, you take half the fun out of it when you won't even lift your head."
Silence stretches as the prisoner refuses to answer.
"Oh well, I do have a treat for you! A little something Emperor Viserys had commissioned in your honour!" Oberyn mocks with a wide smile. He can only get so hard, that lovely Targaryen knows how to treat a leal bannerman.
Oberyn flips through a manuscript, "The tales of Tywin Lannister the Fool, a rather engaging play that is set to recieve a monstrous sum in patronage to play in every sphere of existence we can get it to!"
"Still won't talk? How about some excerpts? And so Tywin, so craven that he did not want to fight the Lord of Castamere brought his army, not to fight, but to beg and plead, a jester in front his own bannermen. The Lord was unmoved, and so it was that the Jester lord stood on the walls of Castamere taking a break from his humiliation and needing to piss. Being a well raised Lannister he of course dropped his breechers and pissed over the wall in sight of all his guardsmen. Laughingly he cried out "Drowning them all! Those flowers.."
"All his men heard, was Drown them all! And as they were lacking in wit, having been picked from Lannister stock, the men of the Lannister Jester drowned all of Castamare its people and its plentiful mines because Tywin Lannister needed a piss."
Oberyn paused smirking at the seethingly silent prisoner. "Now, little bit of revision of the truth perhaps, but who is going to remember anything but this a decade or two forward, and of course in other planes this will be all they know of the great Tywin Lannister..."
Oberyn snickers as the prisoner finally lifts his head pure hate directed towards the Dornish Prince.
Oberyn casually flicks another page, "How about another excerpt? Of when Tywin Lannister the fool ran around the King's court as a halfwit useful only to the King as a means to amuse himself? Or about the time Tywin shat gold because he forgot metal wasn't meant to be food? There is plenty here. How about when Tywin accidentally invaded his own lands?"
Oberyn bends forward staring into Tywin Lannisters face with a malicious smirk. "You will die suffering, but your legacy? That will be ruined beyond any hope. Any surviving Lannister will foreswear the name, children will grow up hearing about Tywin the fool who couldn't do anything right. You will forever be a laughingstock!"
"I will kill you." Tywin growls out, a last defiance the light in his eyes slowly going out as the hopelessness sets in, his family legacy, the history of his line would be the universe's punchline.
"Oh sweetie, still the fool even now I guess, Its me that's killing you tomorrow remember? Just wanted to share this little tidbit with you first, didn't want you going to your death thinking that your life meant something you understand?"
The prisoner falls down in rage, hopelessness and fear as he hears the Dornish Prince's laughter echoe down the hallway as he slowly meanders out.
Not the conquest, just paving the way for shitting all over the Lannister dynasty and sewing the seeds of chaos throughout the continent. Ironically we're pulling a Varys, just better and far more targeted.
The thing I'm worried about most at this point is us not noticing the Elder Horror under the Red Keep. That would suck. Bloodraven being in the Red Keep for months and not noticing has me a bit nervous that we're also going to miss it.
Nah..... We will try and use Cersei to kill Bobby just to find that Elder Horror is like growing anew inside her or something and she goes nuts blowing up half the red keep.
We will have an epic fight scene not with Bobbity B but with the bitch Queen high on elder juice.
And Bloodraven never noticed because bitch be crazy to begin with, he saw no change.
EDIT: I wonder if Bobby B will make a pact with the Eldritch Horror in his last moments, and we're in an awkward position to tell Eddard Stark that we killed his friend for the good of King's Landing, and Eddard Stark will need to take it at face value because it's the truth, and the prophecy goes more or less right despite everything else.
EDIT: I wonder if Bobby B will make a pact with the Eldritch Horror in his last moments, and we're in an awkward position to tell Eddard Stark that we killed his friend for the good of King's Landing, and Eddard Stark will need to take it at face value because it's the truth, and the prophecy goes more or less right despite everything else.
Honestly, no matter what we do old Neddard Stark can't do overly much, he knows what is waiting up north..... If he has any brains he also knows half his bannermen actually swear to us now, so what is he gonna do, march on a dragon? While half the north hits Winterfell in that case? All for someone he knows very well has been a piss poor king. Friendships only last so far.
Characters and Strategic Assets: a full list of people we can assign to doing stuff during a turnvote. (Note, the list doesn't include characters incapable of either Adventuring or Research, like Alinor or Gerold).
(Minions – mid-to-low level):
[Casters] Anu of Sallosh (Level 13), Alyssa Crowl (Level 13), Danar Crowl (Level 13), Elaheh Marita (Level 9), Nettles & Sheepstealer (Level 13); Siduri of Dis (Level 12); Valaena Velaryon (Level 9); Theon Greyjoy (Level 8), Asha Greyjoy (Level 7), Soft Strider (Level 8), Svitran (Level 7), Jeyne Weaver (Level 6),
[Melees] Bronn (Level 13), Yurten (Level 13), Oberyn (Level 11), Renly the Changeling (Level 13), Ser Gerold 'Darkstar' Dayne (Level 10), Ser Kennos of Kayce (Level 12); Thoros of Myr (Level 10), Rhango Two-Lives (Level 10), Roose Bolton (Level 9), Vrath the Serpentfolk Hexblade (Level 8), Mors 'Crowfood' Umber (Level 8), Argo the Cunning Bull (Level 7), Ser Roger 'Reyne' (Level 6);
[Tritons] Breath Taker (Level 12), Blight's Bane (Level 12);
[The Misfits] Ceria 'Storm' (Level 10), Ser Criston Storm (Level 10), Chung Ting Lo (Level 10), Ser Denys Trainer (Level 10);
[Drow] Morwyn (Level 10), Tuin (Level 10); Selwys Jyreal (Level 8)
[Windwards] Ser Aubert Flowers (Level 10), Lothos Saan (Level 9), Koron Redmane (Level 9), Menel Goldentooth (Level 8), Grazdan the Grim (Level 8);
[Wards] Jon Snow (Druid 5), Samwell Tarly (Wizard 5); The Grenseer Twins (level 5)
(Dragons):
[Named] Amrelath (CR 14/Dragon Mystic 1), Relath (CR 10/Sorcerer 1/Dragon Mystic 2), Balerion, Dirizz the Faerie Dragon (Faerie Dragon Racial HD 3/Oracle 7), Osryx (Very Old Myrkdreki CR 15),
(Arcanums -- all 8 HD):
[For combat stuff] Mercy of the Soul (Caster/Healer), Aradia the Huntress (Randed DPS), Kira Windgraced (retard Bard), Diana the Sea Sprite (Ship's Captain/Caster), Beryl the Strategist (Strategist/Military-oriented Researcher), Nuri (OwTheEdge/Caster)
[For non-combat stuff] Valeria the Wondersmith (Crafting Monkey/Researcher), Naria the Loreseeker (Teacher/Researcher);
(Outsiders):
[Named] Velen (Level 9), Tanura the Hadhayosh (CR 20), Bloom the Brijidine (CR 17) Mereth (Erinyes HD 9/Steel Fury 4), Yrael (CR 15?), Sarell of the Black Scales (Erynies HD 9/Paladin of Tyranny 2), Tor the Shadow Guide (Level 9 equivalent?); Azema (Level 8 -- Alu Demon 6/Cloistered Cleric 1/Chameleon 1),
I'll be revamping the "Special Forces Assignment" tab later for making more sense and taking up less space.
At this point I doubt there's even any point to distinguishing "Inquisition Forces" and "Free Forces", for example.
Since we can assume they use everything that isn't assigned somewhere during a turnvote, at their discretion, anyway. Being the Inquisition, and all.
No sense in having a force that is "only" for them to use that is somehow separate from all the other forces we dont have guarding somewhere specific and different only on paper.
...No, Deathwach is shit, we don't go there.
And that's before going into how many more locations will need a far more concise descriptions of the defenders/overwatch assigned to them than the endless [ spoiler ]'s, seeing how we are about to conquer Westeros.
Etc etc.
Stuff above is for easier turnvote discussion, which was nearly killed by sheer amounts of people involved in a month.
Well, again, see above for proof.
Mind Over Magic (Su): As per the Spell Turning spell, usable up to 3/Day.
Nondetection Cloak (Su): As per the Nondetection spell at 10th caster level, but constant.
Extraordinary Abilities:
Blank Thoughts (Ex): Constantly benefit from the non-magical equivalent of a Mind Blank spell.
Weapon Bond/Magebane (Ex): Using your bonded weapon, in this case Midnight Hour, you are treated as possessing the Magebane special ability, which effectively increases the weapons' Enhancement bonus by +2 and its damage by +2d6 when used against enemies capable of casting Arcane spells or using Arcane spell-like abilities.
Equipped Magic Items: Amulet of Tears, Boots of Speed, Earring of Arcane Acuity, Gloves of Hero's Strength (+2 STR), Greater Ribbon of Disguise, Handy Haversack, Healing Belt (+2 CON, Giant's Growth), Reinforced Segmented Adamantine Fullplate (+1), Ring of Protection from Evil, RIng of Sustenance, Soulfire Mithral Bracers, Valyrian Steel Greatsword (+2)
.....I am just imagining..... If we actually diplomanced Bobby, told him he hated ruling anyway and would be so much happier just hunting and beating shit over the head.
Cue new identity Bobert Raratheon. A bannerman to.... Stannis...
Ah, to be Stannis is suffering.
He might actually show an emotion if we saddle him with that vassal.
Robert isn't even really a person. More just a ball of depression and rage eternally chasing chimeric satisfaction from destroying a concept that is Rhaegar than any real desire to seek "the most satisfying form of revenge" I.E living well.
He's a step above a rabid dog since he won't burn down the world around him just to get back at us, and all of that anger and resentment is focused like a hot iron, but take that away from him and he doesn't have much left.
Robert knew he was a shit king, but from his behavior he was fine with it until he was on his death bed and realized even if he was fine with it, he'd be leaving anyone he vaguely still cared about to clean up his mess. He's also either not the most introspective or considerate person to begin with, because either he couldn't conceive a world where his wife would commit infidelity against him (which is incredibly ironic considering he felt no strong attachment to his own children and the two had one of the worst marriages on the continent, which is saying something when his competition is so stiff in the setting for "worst marriages" that you have to go further back to people currently dead to find candidates).
Or he knew Cersei was sleeping with someone else, maybe not who or he probably would have killed them on principle, but was fine with it because legacy meant nothing to him, it was all Jon and Tywin who horse-traded for that arrangement. He didn't care if he was jeopardizing succession by inaction because it's not like he used the position as anything more than a joke and forced other people to wipe his ass for him at the end of the day.
Fanfiction can be funny like that, it's better to focus in the moment on the human element and remember the reason you sympathize with a character is because of the emotional impact of a particular passage spoken from a biased point of view, but that biased point of view isn't who that person is. Like any historian, you have to add up the various outcomes and events over that person's life and make your best guess of their true character, which can shift with the benefit of time passing when the contemporaries in that period aren't dressing it up as a political sop to one group or another.
If ASOIAF doesn't have a downer ending with everyone dying, the best that can be said is that Robert wasn't a madman or a tyrant, no better or worse than your average feudal despot. Another "king who did nothing" as Dany in ASWaH would put it.
But in ASWaH, because we control Viserys' actions, we can allow history to remain relatively unbiased and objective in regards to Robert's actions, and the benefit of hindsight will directly compare the advantages of a developed, sophisticate and equitable modern state and "the dying embers of incompetent warlords" and make him appear as an obstructive petty villain who gave sanctuary to war criminals.
He had since the end of the 9th Month 293 AC to retrain, which was about when he started studying in the Scholarum, and hung around with Criston's group, who was going through the same training.
Hey now, all fighters at Level 5-9 are basically irrelevant, but a Level 10 Ser Richard sincerely could kill most mages trivially if they were taken by surprise--which generally isn't impossible with the right support.
And he's got about as mundane a build as you can have while still having Martial Adept levels, and didn't even benefit from Maneuvers until after 10.
Basically, if he sticks around long enough, you'll think "well, alright, he's a great vessel to carry around expensive magic items and turn them into death walking".
Which is what most fighters are. Delivery mechanisms for more [ SWORD ].
Hey now, all fighters at Level 5-9 are basically irrelevant, but a Level 10 Ser Richard sincerely could kill most mages trivially if they were taken by surprise--which generally isn't impossible with the right support.
And he's got about as mundane a build as you can have while still having Martial Adept levels, and didn't even benefit from Maneuvers until after 10.
Basically, if he sticks around long enough, you'll think "well, alright, he's a great vessel to carry around expensive magic items and turn them into death walking".
Which is what most fighters are. Delivery mechanisms for more [ SWORD ].
I mostly mean it in a "Jeyne is the one the thread actually cares about and this guy is also here I guess" manner
Even with my little knowledge of dnd/pf Richard has shown me not to underestimate Fighters.
Mind Over Magic (Su): As per the Spell Turning spell, usable up to 3/Day.
Nondetection Cloak (Su): As per the Nondetection spell at 10th caster level, but constant.
Extraordinary Abilities:
Blank Thoughts (Ex): Constantly benefit from the non-magical equivalent of a Mind Blank spell.
Weapon Bond/Magebane (Ex): Using your bonded weapon, in this case Midnight Hour, you are treated as possessing the Magebane special ability, which effectively increases the weapons' Enhancement bonus by +2 and its damage by +2d6 when used against enemies capable of casting Arcane spells or using Arcane spell-like abilities.
Equipped Magic Items: Amulet of Tears, Boots of Speed, Earring of Arcane Acuity, Gloves of Hero's Strength (+2 STR), Greater Ribbon of Disguise, Handy Haversack, Healing Belt (+2 CON, Giant's Growth), Reinforced Segmented Adamantine Fullplate (+1), Ring of Protection from Evil, RIng of Sustenance, Soulfire Mithral Bracers, Valyrian Steel Greatsword (+2)
I mostly mean it in a "Jeyne is the one the thread actually cares about and this guy is also here I guess" manner
Even with my little knowledge of dnd/pf Richard has shown me not to underestimate Fighters.
The Reyne dude is an excellent political tool. Once Lanna and Gerion are dealt with, we can give Castamere to him. Hell of a statement to all of Westeros that we undid Tywin's greatest accomplishment, dismantled all of House Lannister, and restored House Reyne.
This more than anything would make Tywin roll in his grave.
You are right on the money there. Out of the dozen Companions, how I would rate direct combat power with all things being equal is something like...
Viserys (Can survive most situations long enough and can fall back on the appropriate solution for that situation when his first attempt doesn't work).
Richard
Dany (Polymorph forms give a good leading edge)
|
Lya (Not an optimized combat build even if she has all of the magic, she doesn't really have any specialization, tricks or gimmicks besides "I have a spell for that").
Malarys
Rina
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Waymar
Tyene
Vee
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Garin
||
Xor
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Maelor
That's right. On a list of the most powerful PCs in the setting... I'd honestly put him directly below the archetype for "Big Bad". That's why Richard is the Vader expy.
