A Sword Without a Hilt: A Song of Ice and Fire/D&D 3.5 Crossover
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- a song of ice and fire a sword without a hilt d&d 3.5 dungeons & dragons 100% high octane dragon fuel ave corvidae battle action dragon diplomacy best sister bureaucromancy delicious soul-stuff dragon dreams come true dragon ta'veren greatest uncle hubris is a coward's word in defiance of gods and men mammon's folly mutually assured mage's disjunction qm murderhobo top tier coatl
Wining vote
[] Yes (Tyroshi Scholarum locked in next month)
[] Yes (Tyroshi Scholarum locked in next month)
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Part MMCDXXIII: Sea's Cruelty
Sea's Cruelty
Twenty-First Day of the Sixth Month 293 AC
An old saying about Ironborn oft spoken among those they call 'Greenlanders' claims they only take to the sea to escape the sight of their dreary storm-shrouded home, or in more ribald sensibilities their women. As you halfheartedly try the fish stew in front of you the most likely cause seems to you to be their food. "Haven't they heard of any spice besides salt?" you grouse.
"For a lord's keep perhaps, but not a tavern, even one such as this," your mother replies, motioning to the narrow private dining room your friends had rented for the discussion.
"And that is at the heart of the divide that turns the islanders against themselves," Xor sighs. "Old Ways and New, Iron Price or Gold, it all comes down to the fact that from the merest oarsman to the captains counted kings of their own longboats, they all look to the horizon for all that their islands cannot give. It's in those dreams and not any practical solution that we must seek our answers. For millennia they traded as much as raided, conquered as much as burnt, but to listen to their songs it is only in the latter that true and lasting wealth can be found."
"Ironborn are dumb shits, the sky's blue and this beer tastes like piss," Bronn snorts, earning himself a reproving look from your mother, not that he seems to notice. From what Tyene told you he had been recently gathering tales around the ale barrel with the expected consequences. Though either of you could have cured him of it you decide he's earned the joys of intoxication. After all, much of the most important information you have comes from him.
Xor clears his throat: "Being 'dumb' does not account for the sheer imbalance of songs and tales in a people's collective memory. Consider this, if you are an ironborn who has grown rich on trade, tribute, or both, will you not pay singers to proclaim your honor and ever-lasting glory?"
"Of course," you reply thoughtfully, already getting an inkling of where this is going.
"So then as it follows that it's better to milk the cow for years than skin and eat it once, why are there not more songs about that?" your friend continues, leaning across the table. "Why do so few seems to remember the Hoares who ruled the Riverlands by sailing their ships up its waterways, who only dragons could cast down?"
"Mayhap the Greyjoys have spoken against such a tale," Ser Richard interjects. "No House wishes to live in the shadow of those they replaced."
"That they would have wanted to I do not doubt," you interject. "Yet have you ever heard of a lord however high able to seal a singer's lips?"
"Part of the answer is undoubtedly the Drowned Men, for ever have their preached the way of sword and axe, all the bloodier once they had to contend with the septons' words of peace and plenty," Xor picks up his tale. "Even now they are a thorn in the regent's side, stirring up their faithful nowhere more than on Old Wyk. At times they also call out to the sea for... 'aid'." It is a rare thing to see disgust on your friend's face, but whenever he must speak of the evils the Deep Ones do it is writ clear as day. "Alas that there are more insidious ways. They slip their lures before these unsuspecting folk."
"We found these at the market," Tyene spills open the contents of a small bag on the table. A handful of oily black charms clatter onto the table, the sound oddly muffled. "Only the well-off could buy them of course, but you don't have to be wearing the damn thing for it to sap your mind, waking or sleeping."
"There are far more madmen on the streets of Pyke these days than one might expect," you mother continues grimly. "We found two captains who used to stand with the Reader and one man who claims to have been a singer and a skilled one."
"That's what set me thinking," Xor continues. "What if this isn't new, just stronger? Perhaps Those Below have always poisoned the dreams of Ironborn, none more so than the one who sat upon the Seastone Chair. Rodrik Harlaw does not sit upon it for he claims he is no lord but merely a caretaker for the true heir. Perhaps his humility saved his life and sanity both."
From what you hear of the Reader's deeds the man has certainly demonstrated more than mere sanity, forethought, wit and, wisdom in the face of an uphill battle where a single step could mean his doom. The company he founded on the Essosi model, West Sea Seekers, has made consistent profits by both trade and sellsail contracts, profiting from the fact that in the Iron Isles, unlike the rest of the Seven kingdoms, it is far likelier for smallfolk to have wealth in coin not just land, beasts, or other cumbersome goods. Much like any of success it has drawn imitators, lords eager to make their fortune 'paying the gold price' after Iron has failed so utterly in Balon's rebellion. Alas none of these companies seem to survive long, storms, ill chance, and hushed tales of monsters followed everyone your friends had discovered.
"Either the man's a thrall hiding in plain sight, or the damn squids are being surprisingly cunning, stoking the fires of jealously while letting Harlaw struggle like a fish at the end of the line," Tyene concludes. "The latter would explain his increasing desperation in seeking some sort of magical council."
"Who are his allies and his foes?" you ask at length. "Houses, histories, and characters, everything you found."
Thus you learn that most of the lords of Harlaw support the regent still, save for his own cousin Boremund the Blue who quarreled with his lord over a ill-fated voyage. The Stonetrees are supposedly restless, more from greed than any grudge, though tales of giving shelter to Drowned Men who had been declared outlaws persist. Beyond the island the Regent's control shows a def hand, but slipping from the reigns just the same. Erik Ironmaker is first with the wine cup at feast time, but some of his grandsons are said to be reaving in defiance of law and oath. Lord Meldred Merlyn is a man of the New Way educated on the mainland, but one of his ships has supposedly mutinied recently due to some 'sign of the Drowned God' which lead to to him being ever more afraid to set foot outside his keep lest rebellion not follow him ashore.
Perhaps most ominously Lord Donnor Saltcliffe appears to have simply abandoned his lands along with the entire population of his fiefdom, though he did not have nearly enough ships to sail off. You fear that the most common rumor, that 'the sea had swallowed them up,' is all too real, and that they will not be staying there for long.
What do you do?
[] Seek an audience with the regent
-[] Write in
[] Try to gather more information
-[] Write in
[] Write in
OOC: As part of my effort to deliver on more nuance in politics I rolled a lot more on the Iron Isles situation, rather than just leaving it at the background rolls. I hope it works and makes the wold feel more alive.
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egoo
Totally Not Creating Problems Where None Existed
- Location
- Russia
@DragonParadox, I can't help but notice that we skipped over an action that we kinda-sorta voted on doing?
Not a mention that I see :/
That will be in a Hermetia interlude since it is not really something Viserys has to deal with in person.
- Location
- Germany
[X] Seek an audience with the regent
-[X] Wandering mages, as he was looking for. Going by Tiserys Vargaryen.
-[X] Priority is getting him to help us help him against the Deep Ones (and if need be the Drowned Men). If we work together on this point, there will be something left on Iron Islands mortals may care about, if not his position on Asha as successor and the struggle between Bobby and us will be meaningless soon enough, through enthrallment or death.
--[X] Speak of their activities on the other coast, of the fruits Damphair's madness had grown and of their cities and fortresses underwater that can only be struck by reasonably powerful magic to begin with.
--[X] Point is, if he works agains their thralls and worshippers on the land, we can deal with the rest
-[X] Wandering mages, as he was looking for. Going by Tiserys Vargaryen.
-[X] Priority is getting him to help us help him against the Deep Ones (and if need be the Drowned Men). If we work together on this point, there will be something left on Iron Islands mortals may care about, if not his position on Asha as successor and the struggle between Bobby and us will be meaningless soon enough, through enthrallment or death.
--[X] Speak of their activities on the other coast, of the fruits Damphair's madness had grown and of their cities and fortresses underwater that can only be struck by reasonably powerful magic to begin with.
--[X] Point is, if he works agains their thralls and worshippers on the land, we can deal with the rest
Massgamer
Advance toward the Future
- Location
- The Future
Well that isn't a surprise really since it was easy to predict that the Deep Ones have been influencing the place for thousands of years, at least the main leader is sane and smart while having his own supporters so not hopeless.Of course the Iron Isles would be fucked up...
- Location
- being near locations is my passion.
I think we should bring Asha and Theon in if we talk to Roderick, the nice thing is he's under assault from the Itthlid, and won't give a fuck about who's in the pointy chair considering the circumstances, so we can be Viserys the Sorcerer, what he needs most: magical advice and possibly support.
Massgamer
Advance toward the Future
- Location
- The Future
I'm for that, I'm sure they would live to see some non crazy family anyhow.
We should certainly offer magical items to help shield his mind and maybe some willing mages back home to work with him, maybe even ask Dorne to help on that part since they have their own magic users as well.
- Location
- Germany
[X] Viserys and Rhealla seek audience with the Reader. Use Essosi trader as your cover, but reveal yourself as the rightful king, having come to aid his rightful subjects. Get his side of the situation first.
-[X] Meanwhile Bronn, Tyene and Xor snatch up some of the Bilestone peddlers. Find out where they get their supplies. If they are unwilling thralls, offer them healing and asylum in SD. If they are willing thralls, dispose of them.
-[X] Meanwhile Bronn, Tyene and Xor snatch up some of the Bilestone peddlers. Find out where they get their supplies. If they are unwilling thralls, offer them healing and asylum in SD. If they are willing thralls, dispose of them.
- Location
- Germany
Do we have anyone with Heal for that task? Or a scroll?
I know not all magical insanity effects are as hardy as the level 7 spell, but it's never a bad idea to e prepared.
- Location
- ?????????
[X] Goldfish
Goldfish
Friendly Spider-Fish Abomination
- Location
- Formerly of the Far Realm
[X] Azel
Nope. It's something we can put researchers on next month, though.
- Location
- being near locations is my passion.
I think we should involve them, but after we speak to Roderick a bit, see how it's going.
@Azel suggestion: "his rightful king, but primarily as someone who can help against the monsters that think of thinking beings as food/cattle"
I feel that a stronger focus on anti inthiild stuff first and then moving into kingship might be a good idea, but that's just a tweak to a plan that I think will work well as is *Shrugs*
[X] Azel
- Location
- Germany
By the way, I think it's time to break that ceasefire.
As long as we start with a Mindblanked group they won't see it coming and I prefer to get the first unexpected shot in, rather than be its target.
Maybe the Sahaguin-breeding city?
As long as we start with a Mindblanked group they won't see it coming and I prefer to get the first unexpected shot in, rather than be its target.
Maybe the Sahaguin-breeding city?
egoo
Totally Not Creating Problems Where None Existed
- Location
- Russia
Ah, here is that Chaotic Neutral person we all know and love.
No.
- Location
- Germany
After Lys and Myr is propably better.
But don't kid yourself, they will attack us, sooner or later, and an unexpected strike has much better odds of doing some real damage than the expected one, either after the deal is over or as retaliation to them breaking it.
- Location
- being near locations is my passion.
Breaking the ceasefire is implicit (explicit? Anyway, clear to see) as part of your vote. Do not want.
Though now we have Tyrosh and a lot of boulders rolling down hills to collect cities unlike when we made the ceasefire.
Also, we could conquer a square foot of the island, and thereby extend our fifty mile exclusion zone over the area. It might sound absurd, but part if the reason that I've been so comfortable pushing the limits of our agreement at all times it comes up is not that these are definite foes, or that they are dishonourable/inherently trying to hurt anyone, but that they are alien. More alien than outsiders.
It could well mean that us taking a square foot and blocking the 50 miles around it is actually... Valid.
I wouldn't try it with a mortal, fey, god or outsider, but with things this alien, I feel it is entirly possible. And if they complain they are prey.