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

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Part MMMDCCLXXIII: Island on the Edge
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    • Island on the Edge ​

    Twenty-Eight Day of the Fifth Month 294 AC

    "So, where do you want to go today?" It is not admittedly a very romantic question to ask of your betrothed on the very next day after having announced the day of your wedding. Part of you, the part that likes grand speeches and grander architecture, had been inclined to try for some secret getaway, the sort of thing that could surprise even her, the sort that would make use of the resources of the Imperium and all the contacts you have made abroad in the world. You tell that part to kindly shut up. There would be time enough for grand declarations when the time came to speak your vows in the Temple of Unity before all the realm, this day is just for the two of you, and as you have no preference of your own besides being with Lya, you leave the choice of place up to her.

    She sits in silence a long moment. "There's a part of me that wants to say the City of Brass," she admits at last. "You know, look through their markets and libraries, see if we can find anything of worth, but this is supposed to be a day off, not an infiltration into the seat of a hostile power. How about the Port Saan. I've never been and I'm sure it's pretty enough in the same way Naath is, and there is a part of me that is curious as to what kind of city the likes of Saan would make."

    "You know, he has been oddly quiet in the deliberations of the Curia. I wonder what he could be..." You cut yourself off and promise with a laugh. "No work this day, let's just see what Port Saan has to offer."

    ***​

    What it has to offer it turns out is much of what you had come to expect of the quickly growing ports that have sprung up in many corners of the realm, the noise and bustle of people and goods being loaded and unloaded, of petty traders hawking heir wares, while the clerks of grander companies wait clipboard in hand to check off the day's acquisitions. The ring of smith's hammers mingles with the hissing calls of caged painted lizards small and great... or at least as great as one can reasonably catch with only mortal might and petty magics. For many Port Saan is the final stop on the journey to the wild lands of Sothoryos, where they seek to make their fortunes. According to the tax records barely more than one in three survive to pass through the port on the way back, but that does not seem to have stymied the desire for profit and adventure, if anything it inflames the passions and hopes all the more.

    Beyond such daring or foolish souls as they make their way south there are many ships traveling on the eastern winds. From the Summer Isles, bringing with them palm wine and hardwood, rare fruits and perfumes to trade not only with the hardened steel and fine crafts of the Imperium, but also the spices and dyes of the Jade Sea, carried in by ships of Vahar and Faros, even a few from distant Qarth.

    On a whim you pick out a small silver hair pin in the shape of a silver phoenix and hand it to Lya with a flourish. She laughs and weaves it into her hair, though it is not long before she pays you back with a feathered hat of the sort Saan himself would not hesitate to wear. "Really now?" you raise an eyebrow in askance.

    "Are you saying it is more eye-catching than the cloak?" she asks innocently.

    "I'm not wearing the cloak as far as anyone can see," you point out reasonably. Both of you are hidden under glamors, you are after all here to enjoy the sights, not draw a crowd. No doubt you just look like one more couple too wrapped up in each other to count the coin that falls from your hands, a fact of which quite a few of the merchants seem all too pleased to profit from.

    Alright, so you are drawing a bit of a crowd, you admit mentally. "Do you want to go have a bite to eat? It's almost midday. Varys found a place that looks interesting..."

    Ironically your familiar had drawn more eyes than you and Lya had, though not as many as might have been the case as little as half a year ago. Plenty of her kin had drifted south from the Deep, hitching a ride on passing ships, far more in fact than had gone north as they loved the warm southern climes far more, not to mention the fact that the Archon of the Isles had a place for many of them in his service. 'Snake Dragons', as they were rather confusingly called here in reference to Varys' own former shape made, for great information gatherers and they were more than glad to share everything they learned for a fair price in coin.

    At Lya's nod you make your way south down Arrow Street, so named for the fact that it was the first built of all the new construction, straight as an arrow into the heart of the island. Thus the two of you come upon the Jade Table, a large tavern with whitewashed walls and wide glass windows with an actual jade sign hanging above the door... or at least so it seems to eyes not skilled enough to pierce the glamor. The actual jade table for which the place has gained its name is a serpent-kin artifact that had been recovered from the mainland in the early days of the settlement and taken whole as payment by one of Saan's long time officers who had then decided to cash in and open a tavern.

    What made the tavern stand out from others of the same sort beyond just the sight of magic at the door was the fact that it was the unofficial hub of sorcerers in the port, though on most days that just meant scholars and sages with a touch of low magic about them and not proper Scholarum trained mages. It was the sort of place one brought random pieces of presumed arcane treasure found and traded, only for most to be disappointed.

    Even here magic was not as commonplace as hope would have it, but the atmosphere was pleasant enough that day owing to one of the regulars having managed to trade for 'the real thing', a silver chalice that could ward off poison when drunk from, so long as one did not mind donating three ounces of tears each day to make the magic work. Apparently they were going to call it 'the onion cup' on resale and offer it along a supply of that venerable bulb for ease of use.

    On hearing the story Lya giggles under her breath. "I don't think that is how that cup was meant to be used. That sounds like the kind of thing we would have done though."

    "I'm glad to see practicality is catching on," you agree as you dig into your plate of seafood and strange herbs. At times like this you do almost miss hunger since without it the sensation of enjoying food is more remote, almost analytical, so the novel almost always has the advantage over the accustomed taste, other than chocolate at least, that is its own kind of magic as far as you are concerned, hence the truly decadent deserts you order, the sort that takes a magic ice box to make as well as Summer Isles chocolate.

    As the two of you slowly demolish said confections there is a commotion at one of the windows and many of the patrons rush to see. Curious and a touch wary from long experience you and Lya join them. There is, as it happens, nothing to worry about... though there is certainly something to gawk at. There is a man riding a thirteen foot painted lizard through the streets, tamed, not magically bound at that. It looks like your menagerie is not going to be the only place such beasts are going to be commonplace.

    What next?

    [] Another visit
    -[] Write in where

    [] On to the Turn Vote for the next Quarter

    [] Write in

    OOC: We had not seen much of Port Saan and neither had Lya IC so I figured why not hit two dinosaurs with one stone. One of your potential actions for next turn is going to be dinosaur domestication for better colonization of Sothoryos by the way. We are finally moving in a timescale where that makes sense.
     
    Last edited:
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    • DragonParadox said:
    As the two of you slowly demolish said confections there is a commotion at one of the windows and many of the patrons rush to see.
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    The coin flips! Interrupted picnic arc, here we go again!

    DragonParadox said:
    There is as it happens nothing to worry about...
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    ...and it lands as a three-sided die. Huh?

    Azel said:
    Just wanted to note that it's not Lya's first time there.
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    That was on the mainland, near the drow ruins, I think.
     
    DragonParadox said:
    Island on the Edge ​

    Twenty-Eight Day of the Fifth Month 294 AC

    "So where do you want to go today?" Admittedly, it is not a very romantic question to ask of your betrothed on the very next day after having announced the date of your wedding. Part of you, the part that likes grand speeches and grander architecture, had been inclined to try for some secret getaway, the sort of thing that could surprise even her, the sort that would make use of the resources of the Imperium and all the contacts you have made abroad in the world. You tell that part to kindly shut up. There would be plenty of opportunities for grand declarations when the time came to speak your vows in the Temple of Unity before all the realm. This day is just for the two of you, and as you have no preference of your own besides being with Lya, you leave the choice of place up to her.

    She sits in silence a long moment. "There's a part of me that wants to say the City of Brass," she admits at last. "You know, look through their markets and libraries, see if we can find anything of worth, but this is supposed to be a day off, not an infiltration into the seat of a hostile power. How about the Basilisk Isles? I've never been and I'm sure it's pretty enough in the same way Naath is, and there is a part of me that is curious as to what kind of city the likes of Saan would make."

    "You know he has been oddly quiet in the deliberations of the Curia. I wonder what he could be..." You cut yourself off and promise with a laugh, "No work this day, let's see what Port Saan has to offer."

    ***​

    What it has to offer, it turns out, is much of what you had come to expect of the quickly growing ports that have sprung up in many corners of the realm. The noise and bustle of people and goods being loaded and unloaded, of petty traders hawking their wares while the clerks of grander companies wait, clipboards in hand, to check off the day's acquisitions. The ring of smiths' hammers mingles with the hissing calls of caged painted lizards, small and great... or at least as great as one can reasonably catch with only mortal might and petty magics. For many, Port Saan is the final stop on the journey to the wild lands of Sothoryos, where they seek to make their fortunes. According to the tax records, barely more than one in three survive to pass though the port on the way back, but that does not seem to have stymied the desire for profit and adventure. If anything it inflames the passions and hopes all the more.

    Beyond such daring or foolish souls as make their way south, there are many ships traveling on the western winds from the Summer Isles, bringing with them palm wine and hardwood, rare fruits and perfumes to trade there, not only for the hardened steel and fine crafts of the Imperium, but also the spices and dyes of the Jade Sea, carried in by ships of Vahar and Faros, even a few from distant Qarth.

    On a whim, you pick out a small silver hair pin in the shape of a phoenix and hand it to Lya with a flourish. She laughs and weaves it into her hair, though it is not long before she pays you back with a feathered hat of the sort Saan himself would not hesitate to wear. "Really now?" you raise an eyebrow in askance.

    "Are you saying it is more eye-catching than the cloak?" she asks innocently.

    "I'm not wearing the cloak as far as anyone can see," you point out reasonably. Both of you are hidden under glamors, you are after all here to enjoy the sights, not draw a crowd. No doubt you just look like one more couple too wrapped up in each other to count the coin that falls from your hands, a fact which quite a few of the merchants seem all too pleased to profit from.

    Alright, so you are drawing a bit of a crowd, you admit mentally. "Do you want to go have a bite to eat, it's almost midday. Varys found a place that looks interesting..."

    Ironically, your familiar had drawn more eyes than either you and Lya, though not as many as might have been the case as little as half a year ago. Plenty of her kin had drifted south from the Deep, hitching a ride on passing ships. Far more, in fact, than had gone north, as they preferred the warm southern climes, not to mention the fact that the Archon of the Isles had a place for many of them in his service. 'Snake Dragons' as they were rather confusingly called here, a reference to Varys' previous form, made for great information gatherers. They were more than glad to share everything they learned for a fair price in coin.

    At Lya's nod, you make your way south down Arrow Street, so named for the fact that it was the first built of all the new construction, straight as an arrow into the heart of the island. Thus, the two of you come upon the Jade Table, a large tavern with whitewashed walls and wide glass windows with an actual jade sign hanging above the door... or at least so it seems to eyes not skilled enough to pierce the glamor. The actual jade table for which the place has gained its name is a serpent-kin artifact that had been recovered from the mainland in the early days of the settlement and taken whole as payment by one of Saan's long time officers who had then decided to cash in and open a tavern.

    What made the tavern stand out from others of the sort, beyond just the sight of magic at the door, was the fact that it was the unofficial hub of sorcerers in the port, though on most days that just meant scholars and sages with a touch of low magic about them and not proper scholarum trained mages. It was the sort of place one brought random pieces of presumed arcane treasure, found and traded for, mostly to be disappointed.

    Even here magic was not as commonplace as hope would have it, but the atmosphere was pleasant enough that day owing to one of the regulars having managed to trade for 'the real thing'. A silver chalice that could ward off poison when drunk from, so long as one did not mind donating three ounces of tears each day to make the magic work. Apparently, they were going to call it 'the onion cup' on resale and offer it along a supply of that venerable bulb for ease of use.

    On hearing the story, Lya giggles under her breath. "I don't think that is how that cup was meant to be used. That sounds like the kind of thing we would have done though."

    "I'm glad to see practicality is catching on," you agree as you tuck into the plate of seafood and strange herbs. At times like this you do almost miss hunger. Without it, the sensation of enjoying food is more remote, nearly analytical, so the novel almost always has the advantage over the accustomed taste. Other than chocolate, at least, as that is its own kind of magic as far as you are concerned, hence the truly decadent deserts you order, the sort that takes a magic ice box to make as well as Summer Island chocolate.

    As the two of you slowly demolish said confections, there is a commotion at one of the windows and many of the patrons rush to see. Curious and a touch wary from long experience, you and Lya join them. There is, as it happens, nothing to worry about... though there is certainly something to gawk at as a man rides a thirteen foot painted lizard through the streets, tamed, not magically bound at that. It looks like your menagerie is not the only place where such beasts are going to be commonplace.

    What next?

    [] Another visit
    -[] Write in where

    [] On to the Turn Vote for the next Quarter

    [] Write in

    OOC: We had not seen much of Port Saan and neither had Lya IC so I figured why not hit two dinosaurs with one stone. One of your potential actions for next turn is going to be dinosaur domestication for better colonization of Sothoryos by the way. We are finally moving in a timescale where that makes sense. Not yet edited.
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    Here's an edited version of the chapter, DP.

    I hope we can have more interludes like this, dude. They don't have to be super common or anything, but a couple a turn wouldn't be amiss. It was a fun departure from the norm.

    Also, holy crap, three ounces of tears. That cup sounds defective.
     
    DragonParadox said:
    Isn't Gogosos mostly a military installation? I would not think they would be exporting much of the local color to the neighbors yet.
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    There's a massive stream of materials coming to the place and tons of living and unliving monsters leaving. Our Teleportation capacity isn't so high that we could transport everything that way (yet). There's also the neatly matching interests of Saan wanting less monsters eating his settlers and the Fleshcrafters wanting raw materials. I'd expect a lot of cheap undead doing guard work, as a Black Knight can tank an ornery dinosaur significantly longer than. Likewise, Necro-Harpies would be great at scouting for and culling the wildlife in the jungles.
     
    I want to see Lya geek out on neat historical stuff from the olden days.

    [X] Another visit
    -[X] Find a museum or library in Armun Kelisk or the Opaline Vault which Lya would like to visit, then do so incognito.
     
    Mimas said:
    I liked the practical solution to that defect. It needs an impractical amount of tears? Here's a freaking onion; report to the kitchen and chop until you've cried enough to satisfy the silly artifact.
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    Operative word being "impractical" here. Three ounces a day is significantly more than a healthy human should be able to produce.
     
    [X] Get out the Buttercup disguise and have a party in some random tavern in Oldtown.
    [X] Have Lya also disguise as a bard called Bubbles.

    Edit: kinda need another person to make a Powerpuff Girl reference, but this is a date so no dice......unless?
     
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