Remove ads

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

Reader mode
DragonParadox said:
Of Pacts and Purpose ​

First Day of the Fourth Month 294 AC

"Firstly I would reinforce the statement that the current status of the Old Gods' effort to stymie the Enemy, and any other motives they possess, are well enough in hand that there is no cause for Arya to heed any call to service for some time yet. But as to any promise of forbearance... I don't think it would serve any purpose." No doubt not the assurance she might prefer, but the only one you can honestly give. "Even without magic, with her brother dead by the Enemy's hand and Jon away and likely training to confront it, hopefully years from now, would you really be able to keep her back?"

You glance at Eddard, wolf's blood they called it for Lyanna, and for Asha no doubt that she must have had salt water in her veins, passed down from the Ironborn of old. The truth is far more prosaic. If you hand someone a tool to rise above themselves, they will most likely use it. If you hand them a key to a locked door, they will likely open it. These days, the Scholarum admissions do not skew nearly as far favoring women, but you recall the first admissions, when one had to make a harrowing journey to an isle only recently divested of piracy to learn magic. It was not that women were inherently braver than men, but that they had fewer paths before them, fewer chances to chart their own course.

"Come the day that she is ready, I will offer her any guidance, warding, or accoutrements needed to take up her charge, should she wish for it. I will support her in battle as an honored ally, the same as anyone who takes up arms in my service, in fact. But you are asking a child who has had magic from a young age, magic being both will and intent, to give up her magic."

"She is a child, she does not understand what battle is or the plans of gods. How could she?" Lady Stark asks, words balancing on the knife edge of worry and anger.

"Yet a choice she would still have, that is how pacts work," you reply firmly, though not unsympathetically. "If it were any other way, the binds which brought us all together would fray too loosely, and the Old Gods hold to their word even closer still."

"There are Powers out there which forge unequal pacts," Dany interjects. "You would not wish their eye upon you nor any whom you hold dear."

Something in her words or voice must have struck a chord with Lady Stark, for she drops her gaze. Your sister has not made any friends here, but then again you doubt she is trying too hard.

***​

Second Day of the Fourth Month 294 AC

It is well into the wee hours of the morning by the time you make it to Sorcerer's Deep, with Jon unsteady on his feet as much from the horrors of the day as the late hour, you suspect. You would have been content to just get him a room in the keep and a chance to sleep, but he insists on officially joining first, so you have Varys engage in what is probably some sort of bureaucratic misdemeanor to pick up the paperwork for him to sign before he turns in for the night.

"I'll make sure his dreams aren't too bad tonight," Dany pledges softly as the door closes. "He is going to have to face them eventually, of course, but I can at least set him down easily."

What next?

[] More rumors
-[] Write in which

[] Turn action
-[] Write in

[] Jon interlude

[] Write in

OOC: And we are done here. A bit of a bridge update, I know some people wanted a Jon interlude but others might prefer getting back into the swing of things. Not yet edited.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Here's an edited version of the chapter, DP.
 
[X] Jon Interlude

@DragonParadox, I hope it includes at least a small part with Jon trying to come to terms with the virtual king's ransom in enchanted gear we're giving him. I'm picturing him running around the courtyard at better than Human speed, Teleporting past doors rather than opening them, etc. 🤓
 
Last edited:
Goldfish said:
[X] Jon Interlude

@DragonParadox, I hope it includes at least a small part with Jon trying to come to terms with the virtual king's ransom in enchanted gear we're giving him. I'm picturing him running around the courtyard at better than Human speed, Teleporting past doors rather than opening them, etc. 🤓
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Jon: ...

*parkours across the imperial palace and into an open window*

Jon: " this is so cool"

*teleports across tower*

Jon: " Robb, can you believe that ... oh"

He probably won't really make peace with Robb's death before he's used to having the gear around.
 
I expect Jon will be moping for a week or two / until he is dragged out by various people needy for his attention. Which there are quite a few.

Then he'll be throwing himself into training, and you'll practically have to drag him into the fun.
 
I know some people think Westeros is a sideshow but I'm really enjoying everything fall into place.

[X] Jon Interlude
 
Mind you, are we giving Jon a room in the old Dragons Roost or in the Imperial Palace? I mean, odds are, he will have to switch rooms in the latter again when the gilders and mosaic layers get to town, but the old keep should be well beyond capacity already.
 
Azel said:
Mind you, are we giving Jon a room in the old Dragons Roost or in the Imperial Palace? I mean, odds are, he will have to switch rooms in the latter again when the gilders and mosaic layers get to town, but the old keep should be well beyond capacity already.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Imperial Palace, definitely. All the royal family and Companions should move there.
 
It actually mostly involves plotting world domination while stroking a cat-like equivalent on the head, engaging in pre-meditated mad science and, occasionally, playing pranks with cosmic powers far in excess of what is necessary for the occasion.
 
Azel said:
Well, yes, but the question is if the quarters are already finished to move people.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Did you not say the bare bones would be finished by the end of the 4th month, and the Outer Wings finished barring any decoration by the end of the 5th?

It seems to me everyone has delayed a move into the palace proper, because the Keep is comfortable and homey instead of somewhat desolate and covered in workmen. I'm sure priority was given over to the areas where people would actually be gathering in greater number for ceremonial purposes, anyway.

And we still gotta loot all that sweet, sweet gold from the Lannisters for the greater portion of all that gilding and glitter.
 
Crake said:
stroking a cat-like equivalent
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
You say this like the default cat substitute isn't a small dragon. The only exception is Lya who, as the most powerful mad scientist in the Imperium, uses a full sized one.
Crake said:
And we still gotta loot all that sweet, sweet gold from the Lannisters for the greater portion of all that gilding and glitter.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
The Xorn kind of took the shine off of this sort of thing for me. Knowing that there are people running around who view it as the best sort of dessert makes it feel more like putting our center of government in a giant cupcake than making a display of wealth or power.
 
Crake said:
Did you not say the bare bones would be finished by the end of the 4th month, and the Outer Wings finished barring any decoration by the end of the 5th?

It seems to me everyone has delayed a move into the palace proper, because the Keep is comfortable and homey instead of somewhat desolate and covered in workmen. I'm sure priority was given over to the areas where people would actually be gathering in greater number for ceremonial purposes, anyway.

And we still gotta loot all that sweet, sweet gold from the Lannisters for the greater portion of all that gilding and glitter.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
What should be finished by the end of the 4th should be the central palace, but that would at least include living quarters for the Imperial family and the Companions. Getting the guest wings fully decorated and furbished can be done later.

Also, you forgot Lannister tears. Gather them all, crystallize them and make a fine set of wine glasses from them.
 
Reader mode
You must login or register to reply here.
Remove ads
Back
Top