Raids Near and Far
Sixth Day of the Sixth Month 293 AC
Dany greets all of you with a hug that morning, even a slightly awkward Ser Richard, glad to see you safe of course, but also you suspect happy to see that your mother has been enjoying her time in the realms of stone and sky. The conversation over breakfast eventually turns to her own doings, however, where she has been a great use to both Rhango and Dalla in the Vale... a bit more of a help than you had originally bargained for.
"I couldn't just let them fight and kill 'lowlanders' when it was so easy for me to ensure they could win without a drop of blood spilled," she admits. "Don't worry, though, no one saw me. I was just a hatchling hidden in the bushes. They barely had time to realize they were being attacked to begin with."
"Sweetheart, why were
you helping wildlings at all?" your mother asks, upset, though obviously reserving judgement.
Though tempted to intercede, you let Dany answer. She has obviously planned for this, and it is a truth your mother needs to understand.
So does she speak with passion and with skill of the miserable lives the clansmen eke from the heights, of children and elders dead to hunger, to cold, and to mischance. "They aren't any worse than the likes of Salladhor Saan, likely better," she concludes. "He could have chosen to become an honest trader, after all. The clansmen never got that choice."
"They are still killing people, sacrificing them though they swore no dark paths and serve no fiends," the answer is still troubled, though clearly less so than before.
"Yes, they are," Dany sighs "It's awful and I want it to
end, but even a mage can't stop a war with a wave of the hand. The scales in which lives are weighed are cruel, yet it is crueler still to ignore them."
"I will see an end to the raids and the killing," you proclaim clearly. "When I sit upon the Iron Throne I will hold sway over the Vale
and Mountains in truth."
Your mother nods, then asks a touch hesitantly, "How was your time in the Vale, Daenerys?"
"I helped ambush the taxes from the Eyrie to King's Landing," she explains proudly. "When Dalla broke through the locks she did not even care about the prisoners. She ordered them all sent on their way just so she could get back to her stronghold faster with her six thousand dragons... she is aiming to use them to get a real one."
"She means to pay Sheepstealer's price in coin not blood?" you ask, surprised.
"She says there's there's not enough blood in half the knights in the Vale to pay for a dragon's rebirth, and the other half are too scared to leave their keeps," Dany replies, quickly adding, "Dalla's prone to exaggerate, but her point is fair. I did not want to say yea or nay without consulting you, but Nettles seems sensible enough from what I've seen, and all her grudges are with those long dead."
"And do you trust her not to start a war if she's given a dragon?" your mother interjects.
"I'd trust her to keep her word far better than most, though..." Dany hesitates a long moment before continuing: "I think she might still be carrying a torch for Prince Daemon even now. She might look to bring him back if she had the power of a dragon to bargain with."
Do you try to resurrect Sheepstealer?
[] Yes
-[] Ask for payment
-[] For free
--[] Write in any conditions in addition to a pledge of service (optional)
[] No
-[] Write in arguments
***
Thankfully, dealing with Dalla can still wait one way or another for you have raids of your own to handle in the company of friends and allies. With Dany, Lya, and Ser Richard at your side and a group of four Erinyes besides you head out for the Sea of Fire. Mereth and her sisters look more than ready for such a task to judge from the tightly leashed bloodlust writ clear upon their features.
"Not the company I was expecting, but I won't spit on honest help," Yrten proclaims on seeing your baatezu guard.
Mereth looks the captain up and down insultingly then offers a curt, but not a truly angry greeting, having obviously decided he is enough of a warrior to speak thus without censure.
"I got your ash willow, in the hold under preserving magics," the pirate captain announces. "Though I promised to ask what you're planning to use it for."
"Horticultural studies," you answer shortly.
"Right," Yrten snorts. "That'll be two hundred scepters, and if you want more stuff we'll need more time to fetch it."
You nod in understanding, the deal quickly made and moving on to more serious matters, raiding. Yrten and his crew identified three potential targets: an isolated fortress said to hold prisoners the Sultan upon the Brazen Throne values just enough to spare them being 'sent to the mint', a convoy of ships carrying large amounts of cold iron that is to be traded to Baator, though Siduri does not know which Arch Duke commissioned it, and last but certainly not least is a meeting place for Salamander princes still loyal to the Efreeti, who are to discuss how to respond to the growing rebellion.
Where do you raid?
[] Tower of Broken Swords (Prison)
[] Ship convoy
[] Principality of Cerulean Flame (Diplomatic meeting)
OOC: I hope this does not feel too disjointed. I thought about stopping at the first part, but I did not want to do an update where the previous vote did not play a part.
@DragonParadox, can we assume these are standard turtle ships with adamantine plating?
