The Dragon Has Three Heads - ASOIAF Quest

[Lunasmeow]

Voting Tutorial
Condensed and Updated
Please Read & Follow
#StickiedForAReason
Votes that do not follow the template will not be counted!​

Spoiler: Write-in Vote Guide

At this time I am using a counter system, listing the number of days votes take to be put into action. However for write-in votes you don't know how many days an action may take. For this we will use the old system of Major/Minor Decisions, and I will tell you how many days/weeks/months the plan will take. Remember that every month has 28 days, and that there are 13 months in the year with New Years as a special day alone outside the months. There is no leap year, as their calendar is not accurate to that degree.

Spoiler: Major Decisions

Major decisions are any new endeavors. Finding new investments. Finding new allies (specify what type, where you're looking if possible, what you want from them, etc) finding new trainers, starting new training even if it is with people you already know... Anything new.

No mixing something that would qualify as a minor decision or free action into your major votes! If you have a question about your votes, ask me.

Spoiler: Minor Decisions

Talking with specific people about specific subjects. You can generally only talk with one person at a time with this. There are simple logical exceptions, Husband & Wife combos can be put together as one conversation, brother & sister, stuff like that. I'll clarify if a combo is unacceptable when I see the vote. This is also for continuing any long term action. Any major decision that you have already voted to start (not just mused about in-story) can be a minor action the next time around. Continuing training that you have already begun for example. Continuing a long-term investigation or plot. Stuff like this.

Spoiler: Free Actions

Making small talk with characters. You will not learn anything special really, but it gives you more insight into their backgrounds and history, can raise/lower their loyalty or other relationship points with you, etc. Raising/lowering and how much depends on rolls.

Spoiler: Immediate Actions

These can interrupt any current action(s) and will take precedence over the current plan. A way to change things on the fly as you discover new information or alternate ways to potentially enhance your plan, or change it completely if needed.

Spoiler: Party Members

Remember for all votes if you take a guard or other individual with you, you will need to write-in which guard/person you take with you (just saying take a guard or ally will leave the decision of which one up to me) and also whether Daenerys tries to use any future knowledge on the decision as well if it is one of hers or she is present. (She still may decide to try and use her future knowledge without your consent if she thinks it necessary.) These details are sub-votes.

Spoiler: Plan Votes

[] [Plan] X (Current Month, Short Term, Long Term, Immediate Actions, Purchases, etc.)
-[] Major Decisions: Character name here
--[] Major Decision 1
---[] Sub-conditions of Major Decision 1
---[] Sub-conditions of Major Decision 1
--[] Major Decision 2
---[] Sub-conditions of Major Decision 2
---[] Sub-conditions of Major Decision 2
-[] Minor Decisions: Character name here
--[] Minor Decision 1
---[] Sub-conditions of Minor Decision 1
---[] Sub-conditions of Minor Decision 1
--[] Minor Decision 2
-[] Free Actions: Character name here
--[] Free Action 1
---[] Sub-conditions
--[] Free Action 2
---[] Sub-conditions

You get the jist of this.

However, under the plan vote, you will then put a "Priority" Vote.

[] Aegon Priority: 1. Major Decision 1, 2. Free Action 2, 3. Minor Decision 1, 4. Major Decision 2, etc.
[] Daenerys Priority: 1. Free Action 2, 2. Major Decision 3, 3. Minor Decision 1, etc.

This way we can vote on the general plan, then I can separate the order of events in said plan.

Don't put V1, V2, or any other such revision information into your plan. Just leave it like I have it. Nothing extra. The tally system will update to your newest post. No need to make version markers. It just makes things harder for me.

If an action in a plan is not one for a specific character, more a general idea of what needs to be done, it will still need to go into the priority matrix.

Spoiler: Reasoning For Votes

At the end of all your votes, put your reasons explaining your vote choice. As I've said before, a plan with reasons will get more weight than one without. Because reasons matter. I care about reasons more than numbers. I need reasons to help build the characters. Get used to putting reasons into your plans, as eventually reasons will become a requirement rather than a suggestion. This post will change when that occurs.

Spoiler: Following Another Person's Plan

[] [Plan] X

You may (but are not required to) put additional reasons to agree with that plan beneath your vote if there are reasons for it that the original vote creator didn't put in that you thought of. The more/better the reasoning inside explaining a vote, the greater the chance it will be added into the story.

Spoiler: Vote Closings and Tiebreakers

Votes are typically closed after either 12 or 24 hours unless real life interferes. Ties will be either decided by me, or by whoever is in the forum or the Discord that has not voted already at the time. I will @ whoever is currently in the forum or Discord that I choose to be the tiebreaker.

Plans have specific timelines. Immediate Actions are obviously immediate. Current Month is similarly self-explanatory. Short Term is something that can conceivably be done within 1-3 months, and Long Term is 3-6 months.

 

[Lunasmeow]

Spoiler: Laena

Spoiler: Zaros

 

[FractiousDay]

So the Iron Bank leaked our identity? That's a pretty serious breach of trust

 

[OnlineArmadillo]

So the Iron Bank leaked our identity? That's a pretty serious breach of trust

Click to shrink...

Yep. We might be able to get them to give us some sort of concession because of that.

 

[Night_stalker]

Yep. We might be able to get them to give us some sort of concession because of that.

Click to shrink...

Like what, no ATM fees?

 

[HugoR]

Like what, no ATM fees?

Click to shrink...

Help us move our wealth to the ships providing some security. Would be a start

 

[Lunasmeow]

One person inside did. And as usual when this happens, they'll hunt them down and use them as an example to the rest of their employees.

 

[Lunasmeow]

So with our sizeable fleet we go to Volantis, pick up Viserys on the way (from the sounds of it he will make a badarse Kingsgaurd and Admiral and his apparently massive ship will help bolster our forces considerably).

Once we hit Volantis we hatch the dragon eggs and try to abuse the R'hollorite majority and the Tigers desire for war (similar to how Viserys did in the Dragon of the North quest). From Volantis we spread out, take over the Valyrian remenants in the East before going West and taking the Three Daughters and Disputed Lands.

Finally, with our fully grown Dragons we have a chat, first with Illyrio, then with Drogo and finally we chat with Robert....

Click to shrink...

No picking up Viserys. You don't know how to find him, (he avoids ships other than those he attacks) and I already rolled for when he reappears. Unless of course you want to try anyway and if you succeed miss out on the three big things he was going to bring with him due to his actions?

Remember, Viserys told them he would show up once he recovered from his madness, if he ever did. While I rolled for him succeeding, that was taking into account the time I also rolled for that he would be away. Who says he's sane yet? You might fuck up his recovery, albeit unintentionally.

 

[Genji]

One person inside did. And as usual when this happens, they'll hunt them down and use them as an example to the rest of their employees.

Click to shrink...

I think we might want to reserve this 'favor' for a more important task than just to transfer our wealth. That said, how in the world are we going to sustain the fleet we are buying/amassing? It sounds like we need to go a-conquering somewhere to set up base. Maybe the stepstones since that's where Viserys seem to be?

 

[Lunasmeow]

Winning Vote

Spoiler: The Dothraki Are Coming!

The rumors are obvious, the Dothraki are coming and we know exactly what they seek, or rather whom. It is time to cancel all our other plans and instead prepare to leave Braavos. We know that staying in Braavos will be suicide; once the Dothraki state their terms everyone in the city will come looking for us. Before anyone finds out what the Dothraki want, and also before any available ships are gone, we need to go to the harbor and buy as many ships as possible, so that we can take our wealth with us. We should have more than enough time to order 2 frigates and a galleon from each shipyard, and a Flagship, which should total in 34 Frigates 17 Galleons and a Flagship. We'll also need to return to the merchant we ordered the pendant for Dany from and tell him to send it to our destination, Volantis.

Ships currently available: 35 Caravels, 30 Frigates, and 20 Galleons
Ships currently being built that can be made available: 34 Frigates 17 Galleons and a Flagship
Total ships for our new Targaryen Fleet: 35 Caravels, 64 Frigates, 47 Galleons, and a Flagship

Ships cost:
Caravel = 20GT = Storage
Frigate = 35GT = Fast fighter but weaker fighter
Galleon = 50 GT = Slow powerful fighter
Flagship = 100GT = Medium, extremely powerful fighter - slow to turn

Total Cost: 5,390GT

We'll use the threat of the incoming Dothraki to recruit many men. We must not mention our lack of a pass. We'll have our retainers use their contacts to speed up the process, as well as to get trustworthy and competent workers. Boromun will recruit sailors to sail the ships and carry the carts, and will be the admiral for this trip. Matalarr and Jorah will recruit men to guard the crew whilst carrying treasure and act as marines in case of pirates.

We'll also need to visit the temple, we need to get everything out of there before we leave town. The men and carts Boromun hired will come to take everything away. We'll then send a message to the Valyrian faithful and say that we are setting off to Lorath. We'll ask if any of them want to come with us. Meanwhile we'll be sure to talk loudly in the streets about how we are moving back to Pentos in order to throw off the scent of any spies. If our household servants want to come with us they may. Should they come, we'll hire a few people to look after the property while we're away. If they remain, we'll let them live in the manor in exchange for taking care of it in our absence.

The carts hired by Boromun will finally move all our wealth and whatever we claimed from the temple to our ships. The Iron Bank will be requested to provide guards for the transfer, in return for one of their employees spilling our private information. However we will leave 100,000 GT in the Iron Bank, both for financial security, as well as to pay for taxes and repairs on the manor while we are away. We will also want to continue doing business with them once the Dothraki are no longer a threat and we can safely visit Braavos again.

That night, in order to secure a method out of the harbor, we'll have a Faceless Man we previously hired kill and replace the harbor inspector, and using the harbormaster's identity, give us a pass. (200 GT) This will allow us to leave the port and safely set sail to Volantis with our rather large fleet.

The Flight of the Dragons - Part Two
First Week of the Sixth Month 297 AC​

After the conversation with Laena, you and Dany immediately went out to the docks with Boromun and Matalarr and split up so that you could hit as many of the shipyards as possible. Once you had purchased every ship currently available, as well as those that would be ready within the next three weeks, you customized one of the galleons to be a flagship for your fleet.

It took a hit from your account with the bank, a weighty 5,390 golden talons, but considering how much your ancestor Jahaerys put away in case of "tough times" you can easily afford it. Jahaerys the Wise indeed... you have much to thank your ancestors for. Still, there is much to do. Boromun is hiring the carts and guards for the trip to the temple, and Matalarr is hiring men to man and guard your ships in the harbor. More come every day as people decide that they don't want to risk facing the Dothraki.

More and more people come to be hired every hour. The claim that he works for a man with a pass is helping immensely. He's also weeded out several people that he knows are untrustworthy or not skilled enough already.

In the meantime, you are heading to the church meeting with Daenerys. If everything went according to plan, Thomas should no longer be an issue, and at least with them you can easily swoop in as the savior and leader they require.​

---

You and Dany walk into the temple just before the time for the nightly meeting. Thankfully most are present, though not all. They are surprised however when you walk onto the raised dais and begin to speak instead of taking a seat as one of the flock.

You step behind the podium and begin to speak. "Thomas is gone," you say before they can question you. "He was a false prophet, and was stealing your donations for himself. The gods did not appreciate being used against their own, and so sent me to help you in this time of upheaval."

You see uneasiness on the faces in the crowd, and know that they should be questioning you by now, probably shouting you down and calling you a liar; but you can see a veritable wreath of Power from Dany. She's doing some kind of magic, and the people seem to be listening rather than arguing as you'd expect. "Shrykos herself sent this knowledge to us through my sister Daenys. One of your own, Laena, has also confirmed it. She should be arriving soon, and can answer any questions you have. Please be patient for the time being while Daenys and I explain what needs to be done, for the gods have sent us instruction."

Dany's spell is complete, and the people are hushed, quietly waiting for instruction while looking at the two of you worshipfully. You'll need to ask Dany exactly what she did later. For now you'll just have to go with it. "Daenys will explain that last Dragon Dream sent to her from Shrykos." You step aside and let Dany step up onto the dais, taking a place beside you as she stand behind the podium from where you spoke.

"It is good to finally see you all, my fellow worshipers of the one true worthy pantheon of this world. As it led the Valyrians of old to greatness, so shall it lead us there once more. As an example of their favor, the gods have graced us with the wealth that Thomas had stolen from all of you. That is what is taking Laena so long. She is transporting all his ill-gotten gains here. The gods are restoring to you that which was lost, and we the messengers of their will, shall continue to guide you to greater successes."

The timing couldn't be more perfect. Just as Dany finishes her speech and the followers start to mutter among themselves, her spell having slowly started to wear off, the doors burst open and in walks Laena, leading what few carts and cart bearers Boromun managed to acquire on such short notice. Seven carts full of iron marks of various denominations are brought in, and Laena quickly and efficiently starts setting up distribution for each of the faithful.

You can't help but smirk to yourself internally, though you keep your face calm and collected. In Braavos, "Coin is King," and you have just provided these people with much of it. For all that miracles and the like would help you convince them to follow you, this in and of itself is proof positive for people used to valuing coin above all else. 'Yes,' you think to yourself. 'This is going rather well.'

Once the money is distributed you start letting people know that the time has come to leave Braavos. "The Sealord is dead," you tell them "and Thomas, leader of the faithful, will be implicated in his murder if he hasn't been already."

People gasp in shock, and then again in fear when the realize what danger will come next.

"Yes," you say. "Shrykos has shown this to Daenys. It will take time to ascertain his guilt, but once they do there will be vengeance. The city will turn on the worshipers, seeking blood. Most already hate Valyrians, and this will give them the excuse they have been waiting for to attack us."

The energy of the faithful is turning from the alarmed reaction that Dany originally had to suppress with her spells and into a fearful panic. But panic can be beneficial. If you can show yourself to be the strong, capable, and better yet prepared hand that guides them, you can make them your followers in one fell swoop.

"There is no need to fear!" you say loudly over the slowly rising whispers of the faithful. "I have already taken steps to provide for your safety." The muttering and whispers slowly die out as everyone waits to hear your words. "Ships are prepared for everyone to flee on. Anyone who chooses to remain may do so, but they take their fate into their own hands. The investigation into the Sealord's death will take time, but things must be handled immediately. Once the knowledge of who killed him becomes public, it will be too late." You pause to allow the weight of your words sink in. You want them fearful, but feeling safety from that fear as provided by you.

"Any who wish to flee should start packing their things now and meet you at the harbor in one week's time. Once your homes are empty, you shall stay in the guest rooms at my manor. It will be a little tight, but at least you will have guards for the remaining week until we are prepared to leave Braavos for friendlier shores."​

---

Second Week of the Sixth Month 297 AC​

A few days later you are reminiscing about the faithful while on your way to the hidden temple in the mountains. You have several wagons ready to carry any number of items from inside. Hopefully you brought enough. You have no idea how large or small the inner sanctum is, and you'd prefer to have overpaid and have several empty wagons rather than underpaid and need more. You can't help but wonder to yourself at the large sums of money you've been throwing around lately, another 10 talons for two dozen wagons, the men to drive them, and the guards to protect them for such a short trip. The Dothraki are known to be two more weeks away at a minimum but agents are still using their currently non-existent threat to drive prices up. 'Typical.'

You, Daenerys, Matalarr and and the faithful have come to the temple to see what lies within. Boromun is remaining at home guarding the house and keeping an eye the property. The basement has been securely locked since they have moved in, and you have the only key. It wouldn't do for someone to take the eggs after all...

You've gotten to know the worshipers by name now by sheer necessity. You had no idea they'd be staying in your house so soon though!

Spoiler: Laena of Braavos

Age: 14
Class: Rogue
Primary skills: Persuasion, Acrobatics, Stealth.
Secondary skills: Fighting: Dagger, Fighting: Archery.

She has silver blonde hair, cut shoulder length. Hazel eyes. Olive colored skin. Freckles. Lithe and flexible build with cords of lean muscle all throughout.

A young woman who at first glance seems little less than a beggar. Goes about her home city dressed in unflattering rags, with her head covered by an unexceptional hood, drawn down to an inconspicuous degree.

Her face is pretty in an unpolished sort of way. People often muse that she could even be called beautiful if she put in some effort.

Whenever some man is foolish enough to tell her this (often pared with a lewd proposition), she is liable to snort derisively before knocking him out and stealing his coin purse.

Although her clothes and general demeanor point to a life of destitution, Laena is in good health and seems cheerful more often than not.

Quotes:
"I get by with a little help from my friends."

"Braavos! City of coins, freedom, and murderous face-stealing death priests!"

"Watch out for that one. I heard he likes to beat his maids when he gets drunk. You can find out a lot about a person when they're drunk."

"Beggars, stable boys, maids, whores. Most rich folk don't actually see them. But even if they can't read for shit, they can still hear things and remember."

"The men work for this arse, calls himself the motherfucker... yeah he's about what you expect."

"Rich, poor, lord, or whore. People are people. They all just want to live as well as they can."

Spoiler: Bantis of Volantis

Age: 19
Class: Bastard
Primary skills: Deception, Persuasion.
Secondary skills: Accounting, Fighting: Dagger.

Born to a pleasure slave in Volantis by a nobleman, Bantis was never sure of his place in life. Being the bastard of a noble he was taught to read and write, but being the son of and so himself a slave he was also taught the menial tasks expected of a servant. He enjoys reading and could always be found in his father's library looking for new books to study. He secured work helping an old merchant with managing his bookkeeping and counting coppers. After he and his wife reached Braavos, they found a group of the worshippers of their gods and joined them.

He is married to Vezenka, and by all accounts their marriage is a happy one, though the other members think she is too good for him, despite her lack of Valyrian blood.

Spoiler: Vezenka of Volantis

Age: 24
Primary skills: Diplomacy: Intimidation, Diplomacy: Political
Secondary skills: Fighting: Cutlass, Stealth

Vezenka is not Valyrian, and was originally from Astapor. But when she was 4 years old, she and her mother were sold to a Volantene nobleman. They were treated well, for slaves. Initially, she worked as a servant in the household, helping the other maids. When she was 16, she was given to one of the nobleman's ship's captain to warm his bed. She also had a prancing horse, the figurehead of the ship, tattooed on her right cheek to show her status as a slave. Once, on a voyage, they were set upon by pirates. There, she saved the captain's life by fighting off two of them. Impressed by her untrained skill, and in gratitude for saving his life, he taught her how to properly use a cutlass. When she was 20, the nobleman's house was invaded by R'hllor zealots, claiming them to be heretics for worshiping the old gods of Valyria. After the fighting men, including the ship captain, were killed, the rest of them were captured. Later, her mother and the nobleman were sacrificed to R'hllor in a ritual. Fearing she and her friend Bantis were next in line, she used her stealth skills and prowess with a blade to make their escape and stowed away on a boat. The boat brought them to Braavos, and the Braavosi merchant who the boat belonged to took pity on them being slaves and offered them both jobs as freedmen. Vezenka was made a member of the boat's crew after she proved her skill. She has been working there ever since.

Vezenka and learned of, and follows, the gods of Valyria from her Volantene master who worshiped them. On the way to Braavos, she met and fell in love with Bantis and got married. She loves her husband more than anything else in the world. She enjoys being on a ship's crew and she gets a rush of excitement every battle she's in, usually against pirates. She gets bored with any non-physical work and she hates being idle. She has a severe hatred of R'hllor and his followers. After how hers turned out, she has a distaste for slavery. She loves her newfound freedom and life of not being a slave. She has expensive tastes in food and drink, and she wishes she to wear the dresses worn by the rich. She desperately wants to prove her worth and move up the ranks of the crew and the world. She knows it will be hard for her as a woman, but she believes that with her skills of political maneuvering as well as skill with a cutlass and physical intimidation she can pull it off, along with the help of her husband.

Spoiler: Vaerola Mopyris

Age: 19
Primary skills: Accounting, Fighting: Dagger
Secondary skills: Lockpicking, Pickpocketing

Born in the free city of Lorath, to a slave family. Her parents, house slaves to one of the richest men in the city, managed to instill a rudimentary knowledge of letters and numbers into her head, before she was taken at the age of seven from her parents, and branded a pleasure slave, she was to be sent to the city of Lys with several dozen other girls for training. However, a Braavosi patrol happened to intercept the slave ship she was aboard, and thus she was freed. She chose to travel back to the city of Braavos, seeking to make a life amidst the famous waterways of the Bastard Daughter. However, the Secret City did not live up to the stories whispered among the slaves of Lorath. Instead of a paradise, where all men and women are welcome, she was forced to beg on the streets. She quickly taught herself how to wield a dagger in defense of her person, as well as how to pick locks and pockets, although she never gained any great skill in the art. Eventually, she found employment with a minor merchant company, working as a clerk. Fortunately, she had quite the head for numbers, and her skill eventually attracted the attention of several Braavosi Merchant Princes, including one Thomas Mecumber, who also introduced her to the Valyrian Faith. Although she does not work for the Mecumbers, she is employed by a lesser Merchant Prince, one Thorio Vynos.

Spoiler: Varen Nahoris

Age: 51

Born the son of a barber-surgeon and his wife attached to a sellsword company out in Essos, Varen learned his trade on the fly, with little formal schooling.

On the upside, he learned from a young age the important stuff, how much milk of the Poppy is needed to pacify someone for surgery, how to properly restrain someone (Which is related to the mask, guy broke loose mid operation and fucked up his face before expiring), and best of all, how freakin' idiotic people can be.

No, seriously, he had to pull 6 rats out of people's anuses within the first week of him arriving in Braavos! And one of them was a repeat customer at that. That was when he realized that while Braavos had less chances of him being stabbed to death by sellswords, it came with a worse issue, namely idiots with too much cash on their hands, and liquor. While it does keep him paid, before he takes a bit off the top, it gets annoying after awhile.

He's too uncouth and probably more pertinently, too off putting for the richer nobles to hire, he gets along with the middle and lower classes. The Braavos though, are of mixed opinions on him.

On one hand, he tends to ramble a bit when operating on them, and says stuff like "If you come back here one more time with a pox from the whores, I'm cutting your cock off ", but at the same time, he's got cool stories, and on occasion, will beat the demons of stupidity out of someone who refuses to pay up.

Spoiler: Nelaehra of Volantis

Age: Centuries?
Primary skills: Business Acumen, Mercantile: Fencing, Sorcery?
Secondary skills: Linguist

A moderately successful merchant who owns the store Windblown Antiquities a "Purveyor of Strange Artifacts and Other Curiosities Collected for the Discerning Eye" (at least officially). She actually makes the bulk of her income running a fence for stolen goods and acting as a broker for those conducting 'questionable' business transactions. Her true profession is something of an open secret to the elite of the city, but she is allowed to keep operating due to her reputation for being both discrete and frighteningly competent. She speaks more languages than most can believe and has her own force of skilled sell swords on retainer. She appeared abruptly several decades ago and led a secret war against her competitors before finally coming out on top. Her true history remains unknown to even her closest friends. Some words whispered in the dark say that she is actually an ancient sorceress, many centuries old. But one should never take such foolish notions seriously.

She is extremely angry the Thomas Mecumber has cost her the position of merchant dominance that she worked so hard to own, but grateful that the gods sent you to warn her that she might get out of town while it was still possible. She still hates the idea of having to start all over somewhere else however.

Spoiler: Alyssa of Lys

Age: 16
Primary skills: Prostitution, Seduction
Secondary skills: None

Daughter of a rich politician of Lys, but born to his pleasure slave. Eventually losing interest in her, their master sold them to a worshipper of R'hllor (who lived in Braavos) when she was six. They were smuggled into Braavos and their new master kept her mother in his basement, sacrificing her blood and performing rituals. She was allowed to roam outside, and employed as a servant, but was forbidden from speaking to anyone about her slavery with the threat of her mother's death. When she was fourteen years old, her master sacrificed her mother to R'hllor by burning her alive. She escaped and brought the news of her master's slaving and burning practices to the world outside. He was arrested and beheaded. She has been living as a prostitute ever since.

All her life, her mother taught her about the Weeping Lady of Lys. Meanwhile, her Braavosi master kept talking about their Valyrian blood. On one of her appointments, her client mentioned the gods of Valyria. She grew interested, and he brought her to this group where she learned about the gods, especially Meleys the Temptress. Determining her to be the Valyrian equivalent of the Weeping Lady, she took on "worshiping" her wholeheartedly, by being the best prostitute she can.

She enjoys fucking and earning a good wage while at it. But she also secretly dreams of being someone more important than a prostitute. She prefers Braavosi food, but Lysene music. She hates R'hllor and his worshippers. But she surprisingly doesn't hate slavery, remembering her happy childhood as a slave. She just hates when people mistreat slaves. She also can't stand dogs or cats or pets of any kind. Why do people voluntarily choose to bring animals into their homes? She doesn't understand it at all.

Spoiler: Daenera of Lys

Age: 35
Primary skills: Business Acumen, Mercantile
Secondary skills: Sorcery?

Daenera is a strange one. Not much is known about her personal life. She has a child – but one which she's not seen grow into a man, having left him with the father. Aegon looks like him she acts somewhat sad and wistful around him but not matronly.

She is very beautiful, yet hard as steel; this apparently was a side-effect of having made it as a merchant alone in a patriarchal world. She's something of a mystic, showing some interest in the esoteric. She never really trusted Thomas, but this was the only place those who believed in her gods gathered, so she put up with his obvious (to her) lies.

Spoiler: Aenerys Vareen

Age: 17
Primary skills: Appraisal: Art, Diplomacy: Politics
Secondary skills: Knowledge: History

Aenerys Vareen is a cold woman, at least when she forgoes her mask. She was taught by a famous Mummer from the Summer Isles, making her experienced in acting, and controlling her emotions. She has an interest in Valyrian culture and history, and took up the Ancient Dragon Gods of Old. She'd like think of herself as a good judge of both character and art, most of which she gained experience in the court before the current Sealord made her "unwelcome".

She recently gained quite the sum of resources due to her late husband's death, leaving all of his property to her in his Will. With no apparent Heir, all of which seems to have recently disappeared, she gladly accepted her new found wealth, taking time to thank to Meraxes for her continued luck.

She married young, at sixteen summers of age. Her husband died only a year later.

The trip thus far has been relatively uneventful, and as much as you hate sleeping in a wagon, it's better than the little sleep you've been getting since this whole plan to leave Braavos began.

Everything feels rushed. There's just so much to do and so little time to do it in. However your rest will end all too soon when you open the way to the inner sanctum. You have the faithful to help move things from inside, and though Vezenka won't be able to come inside, she can watch with Matalarr to ensure that none of the wagon drivers try to slip anything brought out into their own pockets.

Best to get some rest while you can. This week and the next will be a whirlwind of activity, and everything will be more rushed than usual.​

---

A whole "bit" got skipped with Thomas and the Sealord, that will be cleared up with an Omake I'm working on with @OnlineArmadillo.

Eh, more him working on it with me approving and specifying edits.

This chapter hopefully felt rushed but not too rushed. I want the readers to feel the same lack of time to focus on things that Aegon does. Hopefully the editing kept the rush feeling without making it too rushed like it was before.

Also:
​

What do you name the flagship? What is its design? Two to three times larger than a galleon, minimum to maximum size. Euro syle ships only at this port. Other types are found in other ports. (Think the type you can find in pirate movies.) I don't know too much about ships so some details can be handwaived, just know I need the capacity of the ship (cargo & crew) and that canon is not a factor in this age. Boarding for combat is the way right now.

[] Write-in

Who should each member of the faithful pledge themselves to? They can each choose one, except Vezenka who is not Valyrian.

[] Write-in

 

[OnlineArmadillo]

Omake Laena IV

"Well… this turned out to be a far better decision than I expected." When Zaros had insisted that they strike while the iron was hot, Laena had been a bit dubious. As far as the "Velaryons" knew she was just some random beggar that hung around Mecumber's little cult. That's if Aegon even remembered her face at all. "I still think things aren't quite what they seem though. He was telling the truth about not being Viserys, but that immunity to fire isn't something just any old Dragonseed would have. Maybe he's some secret bastard of the Mad King's?"

"But we need to deal with Thomas first." Those words bring a spark of malicious glee to Laena's heart. She looks between the two Valyrians enthusiastically "Well alright then, what ya need me to do?" Aegon goes to respond but is smoothly intercepted by his sister Daenys "I knew it started with a D." She tugs Laena to a nearby fainting couch and sits them both down, never breaking the link formed by their arms.

"My brother isn't the only one favored by the gods. However, my blessings tend towards more subtle displays." Daenys runs a hand over Laena's forearm and Laena's mind conjures up the feeling of a warm breeze upon her skin. "Shrykos gifts me with Dreams of things that were, and things that are, and things that yet may be."

Laena is intensely intrigued. Daenys' isn't doing much more than having a friendly, albeit mystical, conversation with her. But for some reason Laena finds herself wanting to listen, her natural curiosity making itself felt more acutely than ever before. "Sounds like quite the gift Dany." Daenys' eyebrows shoot up slightly "Oops, forgot for a second that she's some kind of exiled highborn. Better keep things more formal with these two fo-"

"I don't mind if you call me that Laena." Dany interrupts, cutting short Laena's inner monologue. The Valyrian beauty smiles gently and Laena finds herself relaxing again. "I hope that we will come to be good friends in the fullness of time."

Laena lets out a small huff of a laugh "Did Shrykos show you that? In those dragon dreams of yours?"

Dany's smile slides smoothly into one of coy amusement "Now Laena, you know very well that a woman must hold some secrets close to her heart."

The Velaryon lady's eyes dart over to her brother who seems to be maintaining a slightly stiff yet still dignified stance by the fireplace. "Huh, I wonder if Dany's the one actually making the decisions here. She seems to defer to her brother, but he in turn seems to rely heavily on her god given insights." Laena's expression changes to match her counterpart "Right you are Dany. We'll just have to set some time aside later for a more… intimate discussion."

"If you two are quite done plotting my impending humiliation, can we please move onto how Thomas might be handled?" Aegon says, finally run out of patience.

Dany smiles at her brother. "Why, Laena's going to be framing him for murder of course!"

Both Laena and Aegon go completely still. Then, as one, they turn to gape stupidly at a still smiling Daeneys. Aegon recovers first, perhaps due to his greater familiarity "Dany… whose murder are you talking about?"

"The Sealord's," a still serene Dany says with complete nonchalance.

That proves too much for Laena's poor overwrought sensibilities "Well, you're not lacking in boldness at least. But I have ta say, you might want to find a bit more good sense to pair it with," She says with a slightly shaky giggle. "Dany you have to be joking. The current Sealord has been in power for near half a century. He's had to have dodged thousands of assassination attempts by now. The Faceless men won't take contracts for him, or any Sealord who doesn't directly target the House of Black and White. Probably because doing so would start a trend, one that would lead to Braavos' ruin. How do you suggest I succeed where countless others have failed?" She shakes her head "And anyway, Mecumber might be a complete arse, but he hardly deserves to take the fall for something like that."

Dany strokes Laena's arm once again, banishing her distress with the same ease as before. "How is she so good at that?"

"My dear Laena, I don't mean for you to do the deed yourself. Only to implicate Thomas as the guilty party, for a scheme already in motion." Her words are so calming, that Laena's mind seems to almost fuzz over, like it's being swaddled in heavy blankets. "The Sealord will die very soon regardless. If we do nothing, then his passing will merely be attributed to his recent sickness." Dany's eyes take on a predatory cast and something within Laena recoils. But the greater part of her feels like it's being pulled forward. Like her very self is being swept away with a changing of the tides. "Come now Laena, don't you want to bring justice to the one responsible for your father's passing?"

That last bit snaps Laena out of her daze and she pulls away from Dany's grip. "Wh- what d'ya mean by that Daenys?"

Aegon seems shocked as well "Dany?"

Daenys eyes never leave Laena's "Thomas Mecumber is a greedy man, even by the standards of the cutthroat Braavosi. He is always seeking out new ways to lower his costs. One such as he would gleefully sell his own mother off for a few dozen Talons. Didn't you ever wonder why that load of cargo was only tied up by a few lengths of substandard rope? If it had been secured properly, it never would have fallen, and your father would still be alive."

A gasp escapes Laena as Daenys' meaning becomes clear "It was Mecumber's fault? My Da died because some cheap fucking miser wanted to save a few coppers?" The wild idea flies around in her head, collecting clues like some moon-addled mental magpie. "It could be true... Mecumber definitely makes more coin than most. But even so, he goes out of his way, every week, to swindle the faithful for a handful of Silver Drakes." Despite the evident likelihood of this little revelation, shock slowly gives way to anger "No… wait just a moment. This is all too fucking convenient! How do I know that you're actually tellin' me the truth huh? What proof do I have that this isn't just some mummer's farce?"

Suddenly Laena feels a pressure upon her skin, akin to the sensation felt upon the eve of large thunderstorms. Daenys voice has changed somehow. It has gained some indescribable quality. Her next words are said in a calm, almost sympathetic tone "Shall I describe the way your father Tregan was the only parent you ever knew? How he once told you of your mother Vhaera's last act? To gift you a name under the holy light of Urrax One Eye? Does this little phase seem familiar? 'Rich, poor, lord, or whore. People are people. They just want to live as well as they can.' That was something he liked to say wasn't it? You took the words to heart. Promised to remember them as you stood over his grave. You were 8 at the time, no?"

Laena looks into Lady Velaryon's implacable gaze, for once unable to summon any of her clever words. "Don't-" she whispers past the lump forming in her throat.

As Daeneys seems about to continue, Aegon's hand falls heavily upon her shoulder "Dany…"

Lady Velaryon stiffens, eyes gradually losing their piercing intensity. Though hints of power still linger in the air, the feeling is far less oppressive than just a moment ago. "Thank you Egg… I delved too deeply for a moment." Daeneys turns a mournful look towards Laena's silent form "I'm so sorry for reopening such old wounds Laena. When I use some of my more… arcane abilities, I sometimes lose myself." A slightly bitter smile twists her lips "Or find myself, in one sense or another."

No one says anything more for a full minute. But before long, Laena decides that enough is enough. She hadn't gotten where she was in life by letting mere words tear her down. Things had been tough after her Da had… been taken from her. But then she'd met Zaros. The old dog had taken her under his wing as it were. Taught her what she needed to know to survive and even thrive on the mean streets and in the clawing dark. "Besides, I can't lay all the blame at Dany's feet even if I wanted to. I was the one to demand some proof after all."

"If... if you'd like to leave, I understand. I'll even give you and your friend some-"

Laena waves her hand dismissively "No… there be no need for that Dany." She sends the older girl a crooked smile "I did ask for it. You just took me off guard is all."

"Still, it was a cruel thing to do."

"Yeah it was." Dany lowers her eyes and Aegon seems torn between defending his sister and acknowledging the truth of Laena's words. "But the world is cruel. That's why people need to keep fightin' for what they can get." Laena's face firms with determination tinged with both righteous anger and well-worn grief. "I fight for myself, and those that are dear to me. I even help a few strangers now and again. But that is my choice. My Da was the same way. He was a foreman at the docks. A good man who looked after the people who depended on him. He wasn't above taking a few bribes now and again, but he always gave folks a fair shake." She leans forward and says with absolute certainty "I believe you when you say that Mecumber is the one who caused the accident that killed my father. So tell me your plan to pin the fucker to the wall. I'll get the job done, and then some."

Dany nods solemnly and Aegon takes that moment to add his own declaration "Miss Laena. I may not understand everything that my sister just spoke of. But I do know what it is like to lose family. To grow up without the safety that parents should have been able to provide." He sets his shoulders resolutely "If we can bring you some relief by helping you in this venture, then I vow, to the gods, that we will use everything we have at our disposal to do so."

"As my brother says, so too do I," Dany agrees. "But we need to move quickly. There are a few things of… questionable legality that we must acquire if we are to succeed. We must also be sure that whoever we get them from is willing to be discreet."

Laena smirks confidently. Her regular cheer restored at least in part "I know a few people that could help with that."
___

AUTHORS NOTE: Next Time on Armadillo's Omakes. Mission Frame that Fucker is a go.

 

[FractiousDay]

The editing for this is becoming somewhat confusing.

 

[HugoR]

[X] The Valirian Hope.

Spoiler: The Valirian Hope

It houses between 600-700 people, so in this setting and time, when the ships for capture are boarded, it would be a pretty difficult task.
It can hold 900 tons of cargo, roughly the equivelent to half the English treasury in 1592. That's about 500,000 pounds.
As a side note, it took 6 english Warships to capture this one.

So after this voyage this ship could be used as the flagship for voyages to the summer islands.

[X] The Newborn

 

[Hamadryad]

[X] The Newborn

Spoiler: The Last Dragon

(Inspired by HMS Victory)

She houses between 800-1000 people, so in this setting and time, when the ships for capture are boarded, it would be a pretty difficult task to capture and loot.
It can hold about 1200 tons of cargo, which makes it an ideal merchant ship when not in service.

 

[Lunasmeow]

Did some pretty heavy editing to the last segment, so you all might want to re-read it. The story is the same, but the way it is presented is different. It's meant to feel rushed, but I think it was a little too rushed the way it was before, even for what I wanted to impress on you all. Let me know what you think. Does the feeling of being rushed still carry over? Is it better this way or the way it was before? I'm not totally sure honestly.

I also moved the vote down to the end since a lot of you probably missed it, and added small guidelines.

As always, enjoy the quest. Also, any guesses as to what is in the inner sanctum of the temple?

Finally, don't forget to make a plan vote for who should pledge to who. Each of the followers can choose one deity. Except Vezenka of course. Choose carefully!

(Plan format is they syle used in weekly votes.)

 

[OnlineArmadillo]

[X] The Newborn

I'd change the name though, it makes me think of a helpless baby. We need to call it something more fitting for a warship.

Maybe:
The Desolation
The Doom
The Black Wing
The Blood Wing
The Valyrian ___

@Galerius You should open up a vote to change the name. Have The Newborn be what the previous owner called it and let Aegon choose a new one IC. Then you could get others more involved. Or not, it's your plan after all

 

[HugoR]

[X] The Valyrian Faithful
Laena - Vhagar

Laena is like a bird without a nest, someone who gets by easily by keeping a hear to the ground, and seems to follow her instincts more often than not.

Bantis - Meleys

Someone with a Pesuasion and Deception should allways seek the embrance of Meleys, who else can twist everything to their gain?

Vaerola - Vermithor

Someone who learnt the skills she have on the fly, she learned how to go with the flow, just like the ocean.

Varen - Caraxes

Someone who treates people, and tries to keep people afloat, to keep them from declining, seems fitting to worship the god who does the same.

Nelaehra - Syrax

Someone who succeded, but now must try again. Who else but Syrax to help her with her new venture.

Alyssa - Meleys

She seems to have a knack for it already, and seems dead set with that choice.

Daenera - Vermax

A hardy woman who passed many hardships, seems like a good fit.

Aenerys - Meraxes

She already seems to already know what she wants.

 

[OnlineArmadillo]

[X] The Valyrian Faithful

 

[McLuvin]

[X] The Newborn

 

[Isaacssv558]

[X] The Newborn

 

[Hamadryad]

Petition to change the name of the Newborn.

Any suggestions?

[ ] Write In.

 

[McLuvin]

Petition to change the name of the Newborn.

Any suggestions?

[ ] Write In.

Click to shrink...

The Last Dragon

The Herald

The Dragons Flight

Darkfyre

Vengeance

 

[Lunasmeow]

I guess you guys don't care much about your flagship or your cultists. Meh, oh well. At least I know how Aegon feels about them now too. I did warn you all that Aegon's persona comes from the votes. A king who cares more about his jewel pendant gift than the flagship of his navy, or his followers. That'll be interesting to write.​

VOTE CLOSED​

Adhoc vote count started by Lunasmeow on Sep 20, 2017 at 1:13 AM, finished with 1947 posts and 4 votes.

• ---

  1 people have voted

  [X] The Newborn

  • McLuvin

  2 people have voted

  [X] The Valyrian Faithful

  • HugoR
  • OnlineArmadillo

 

[Lunasmeow]

Winning Vote​

The Newborn: Houses between 800-1000 people, so in this setting and time, when the ships for capture are boarded, it would be a pretty difficult task to capture and loot. It can hold about 1200 tons of cargo, which makes it an ideal merchant ship when not in service. (Prepare for the enemy to make all kinds of morale busting jokes about your ship. Newborn... wow. Yup that's gonna be a thing. Good luck intimidating anyone in a naval battle of any kind with a name like that for your flagship.)

The Valyrian Faithful: Laena/Vhagar, Bantis/Meleys, Vaerola/Vermithor, Varen/Caraxes, Nelaehra/Syrax, Alyssa/Meleys, Daenera/Vermax, Aenerys/Meraxes

The Flight of the Dragons - Part Three
Second & Third Weeks of the Sixth Month 297 AC​

The trip to the temple is finally over and it is time to open the long sealed door to the inner sanctum. The members of the church, both those who attend regularly and those who were merely loosely affiliated like Nelaehra, are all present. The wagon drivers look around nervously as you and the faithful enter, wary of even being near the cursed place. Still, that is none of your concern. You only care about what lies within.

The steps of the group echo as you all make your way to the dedication chamber. The group, which was at first excited at the prospect of solving the mystery of the temple has become hushed. Only a few short whispers pass between members, and even those end as you get ever closer to the doors guarded by Tessarion the Unknowable, God of Secrets. Finally, you arrive.

During the trip here over your nightly meals you explained to the faithful about the ritual of dedication and how one could seek to become blessed by the gods. Vezenka was rather disappointed that her gods would not bless her, but Dany assured her that non-Valyrians merely had to pass some test of loyalty first, and then if they had a sponsor willing to perform a ritual with them, they would be welcome. The idea of having to prove her worth seemed to resonate with the Astaporian woman, and she seemed eager to accept and surpass any challenge provided. Hopefully the gods will provide her with one soon, as someone with such apparent drive to succeed despite the odds is someone you'd do well to have tied to you rather than another. The rest of the faithful however, have taken the time to decide exactly which deity they think suits them and their agendas most. They move around the chamber, taking their places before the altars of their chosen gods, before spilling their blood with the ritual daggers.

Some of them are more hesitant than others, perhaps from fear, perhaps from disbelief, and you take note of who they are, just in case. No one ever said that Thomas was working alone after all. Bantis, Varen & Daenera all hesitate before following through. Once again you see the flow of power from the idols to the members before them, and once again you and Daenerys move forward to the sealed door.

In unison you move, and this time you do not resist the pull as the words to the spell of unraveling spill forth from your mouths. You can feel the power from the spell flow through first you, then Daenerys, and back again. It is testing you, judging you. If you fail you will die, this you know for certain. Finally the power flows out of you and into the idol of Tessarion that guards the door. The idol glows even to mundane sight with the sheer power of the magic within, then vanishes.

You hear the expected gasps as the god leaves, then hear another and a jump. You turn to see the cause and discover that Tessarion's idol is now on his once empty altar, like all the others. How he traversed the space between you do not know. Still, while it is curious, you don't have time to ponder details like how gods move their idols. The sanctum awaits, and you don't have a lot of time left before you must leave the city.​

---

You and Daenerys slowly push open the doors leading further in. The first thing you notice is the presence of light. Bright light. There are lanterns burning inside, despite the long centuries since the sealing of the chamber, and upon closer inspection they seem to burn without fuel. Even stranger, there are just enough for there to be one for each of you. As if somehow someone knew just how many of you there would be and prepared accordingly. Taking one in hand you and the faithful hold your lanterns up to get a better look at the area.

Shelves. Rows upon rows upon rows of shelves. The shelves are covered in scrolls. Too many to read in a single lifetime. You step up to a shelf and against all odds find the scrolls remarkably well preserved. They seem to not have felt the passage of time at all. You unroll one and find the thing written entirely in High Valyrian. A language that you speak fluently. Dany speaks nearly as much as you, but not quite. Illyrio was always oddly insistent that you learn it. More insistent on you than either of your relatives actually. 'Just like he always insisted that I spend time with the common people and learn their ways.' you suddenly recall.

Shaking your head from the memory you put the scroll down and step further in. You see hints of a podium, and as you come closer and your light illuminates deeper into the sanctum you see that it is indeed a podium, with chairs behind it, and some sort of altar behind them. You tell Dany to get the faithful moving the scrolls and out as you move forward to examine the inner section.

The chairs are not empty. Each has a skeleton seated within, leaned over small writing desks. On the desks are unfinished scrolls and quills with inkwells. These people wrote until their last, you realize. On the podium is a letter. "To the Last of the Dragonlords" is the heading. Slowly you unroll it further and read.

To our long awaited descendant, we pray to all the gods that you find this chamber in safety and security. We have called upon all the power we could, leveraging even the forbidden power of the 14th, the Nameless God, to assist in the protection of this place. Here we will spend what remains of our lives writing what lore we can, that Valyria might be reborn from the ashes it has created for itself. May you find glory without the arrogance that led us to our Doom.

Ahead you will find a grand altar, upon it are several things. A horn of Dragonbinding, that which can forcefully bind and tame a dragon to a Dragonlord, but the cost of doing so this way is such that the Dragon will never reach its full potential in size nor power. They are to be used only if all other measures fail. You will also find three eggs, one of Fire, one of the Sea, and one of Ice. The price demanded by the Nameless One for lending his preserving power to this place was that a Dragon of his Kind would also be stored here in safety. The Sea dragon is of Fire, as are those that soar above the skies. Their breath is that of Steam, melting any it comes in contact with. The Ice dragon is of course, of Ice. Its breath a freezing cloud of death that leaves all it touches frozen, ready to shatter at the lightest of touches. Both of the last two were rarer than their brethren, and all are powerful as they are dangerous.

No Dragonlord can tame more than a single dragon at a time. However the Dragon must have Three Heads. We have provided three for you, we can only hope there are three of you left to ride them. Better still if there can be more. With three survival, even victory is possible, with more the world has better chances, and with less all are doomed.

May you repair the damage caused by our hubris and folly, and avoid becoming what we were. Valar Morghulis; Valar Doheris. We fought against the first, and forgot the second. Beware that you do not. I did, and it cost me everything. I should have left with my family, though I suppose if I had, I would have been unable to assist these here in creating this place, and we barely had enough power for the barrier as it was. Good luck, blood of my blood.

Dragonlord of Valyria,
Aelyx Targaryen

You look up and see the eggs your great-great-great something or other has mentioned, though they weren't apparent before. Three eggs lie before you. One the color of Flame, a flickering orange and red. Another the color of the Sea, greens and blues that you are familiar with from your time on the ocean and in port cities. The last is the color of Ice. Pale blue, and you know it to be of Serwyn-That-Was. However, you already have three eggs, and Serwyn is known to have taken the eye of Urrax. This egg, unborn or no, may not be a dragon that can be trusted. For a moment you consider smashing it, destroying it utterly. You already have three dragon eggs, and these other two make five. There aren't even enough of the Blood to ride them all. You, Dany, Viserys and Jahaerys (Jon) are all there are, and that is being optimistic about Viserys. Four riders. You already have one extra egg, even without this Ice Dragon of Serwyn's.

What do you do?

[] Destroy the egg. Serwyn is not to be trusted.
[] Don't destroy it. The power of the Dragon may be that of Ice, but it is unborn. Tamed, you might yet use Serwyn's power for good. Also, your blood is not just Targaryen. You are of the blood of the North. Perhaps you could ride it, or your twin brother. Or one of your future children.
[] Write-in.​

 

[RideTheWalrus]

[X] Destroy the egg. Serwyn is not to be trusted.
It feels like a trap with this being the only safe option.
Hah, what a funny name for the ship. The reactions of pirates should be amusing. I suppose I could have voted for a name but I was feeling a bit discouraged about the story. The last omake was so creepy and set of alarm bells that we are going to be constantly fighting against insanity for Dany. Getting attached to the characters with that insanity guillotine hanging over their heads seems stressful instead of fun. So yeah, creepy omake scared me off. I'm still sticking around but I'm worried.

 

[Lunasmeow]

[X] Destroy the egg. Serwyn is not to be trusted.
It feels like a trap with this being the only safe option.
Hah, what a funny name for the ship. The reactuons of pirates shoukd bw amusing. I suppose I could have voted for a name but I was feeling a bit discouraged about the story. The last omake was so creepy and set of alarm bells that we are going to be constantly fighting against insanity for Dany. Getting attached to the characters with that insanity guillotine hanging over their heads seems stressful instead of fun. So yeah, creepy omake scared me off. I'm still sticking around but I'm worried.

Click to shrink...

No worries. You all will be choosing when Dany reaches for future knowledge after this. This forced instance was to show what can happen when you do. Even if this gets overused, it isn't insanity. Just not "good" with a capital "G".

So, basically if you choose to use future knowledge, I roll a 20. 1-5 is Evil Goddess, 15-20 is Good Goddess, and 6-14 is both, with it leaning more one or the other depending on who.

Sorceress Dany is not a Goddess and therefore can only interject at certain times. Time Magic is difficult, risky, and takes a lot of power. The Goddesses can interact more freely.

Good or Evil, Dany is both sane and loyal. The question becomes what she is willing to do, what lines she is willing to cross, to further the cause. Is she willing to go as far as a Bolton? Or not? That is what gets determined by these things.

Oh, and did I mention that 20s can be spent on those rolls to ensure the Evil Goddess doesn't show up? Or to ensure that the Evil Goddess does show up of course. Up to the user.