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The Three-Headed Dragon: A Viserys Targaryen Quest Continuation [abandoned]

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The Dragon Ascendant: NO SV: Welcome To Another Viserys Targaryen Quest (A Ck2 Quest) Exiled Dragons: A Viserys Targaryen Quest The Three-Headed Dragon: A Viserys Targaryen Quest Continuation [abandoned]
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Marlowe310811 said:
So the way I'm gonna do this, for you and @Vocalist and anyone else that might want to contribute something before the initial vote is called, is that we'll have the discussion/voting period, during which you can say (for instance) "Yeah, I know searching for Littlefinger is a high DC choice, that's why I'll be adding +50 to it from my omake bonuses" if you want to argue for one choice or another.

Then, when the vote itself is completed, but before I roll for anything, I'll let those of you with omake bonuses say what, if any, you'd like applied where. You could dump it all on one action if you'd like ("damn the DC 90 to "Nests Within Nests" -- full speed and +50 ahead!"). Or, as another possibility, if you wanted to invest +30 to "Little Fingers, Large Shadows", +10 to "The Iron Throne", and hold onto your remaining +10 for a rainy day, that would be fine too. Then, once the bonus holders have let me know what they want where, we'll roll the dice.
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Got ya...

So guys, where should I put these awesome bonuses.
 
Meant to have this up earlier but this week has been...something. I'd rather get something up later than not at all at least.

[X] Plan: Reclaiming the Dragon's Den
-[X] A Royal Progress: A grand tour of the realm hasn't been done by a Targaryen in almost 200 years. You would tour the Seven Kingdoms over the course of the year, holding court in various locales as you went. Most of the Small Council would remain in King's Landing to perform their tasks.
-[X] The Rule of Law: You have two former Small Council members and a former Lord Paramount in chains, all credibly accused of horrific crimes. You will see that the trials are held in public, and that a clear message is sent to the Seven Kingdoms: no man is above the law. DC 75. Reward: trials are held publicly, highborn may be uneasy (15,000 Dr) (locks for 2 rounds) (mutually exclusive with "The Rule of Men")
-[X] Befriending the Banners: The Crownlands are unique among the kingdoms, in that they answer directly to you. Although these lords can be eccentric, they are yours, and you want them loyal. You'll host a series of feasts and worth through inviting them all, to listen to their concerns and assure them of your goodwill. DC 45. Reward: improved relations, information. (30,000 Dr)
-[X] Bastards' Bane: While the War of the Restoration has officially ended, bandits and raiders still pillage areas of the Crownlands and Riverlands, the Band of Bastards being a particular thorn in the ass. With your blessing, Stannis would ride forth with a small but respectably sized force, and stamp this nonsense out. DC 55, predations upon the smallfolk end, some lords may be annoyed at the imposition. (7,500 Dr)
[X] A Gold Standard: The City Watch is poorly equipped, poorly trained, and you're as likely to find an extortionist as you are a good man in the uniform. Aegon would like your permission (and the aid of the Master of War) to clean house, get proper men, proper equipment and proper training. DC 60. Reward: increase quality of the Gold Cloaks to Trained/Full Strength. (15,000 Dr) (locks for 2 rounds)
-[X] Renegotiate Debts: The Usurper left the realm in perilous financial states, and one way to amend this is to renegotiate the terms of the loan the Crown made from the Iron Bank. DC 65. Reward: possibly renegotiate interest rate and/or repayment schedule. (10,000 Dr)
-[X] Nests Within Nests: You can't tell much, given the state of recordkeeping towards the end and the nature of those involved, but you do at least know that Petyr Baelish had a bizarre web of influence and ownerships, the boundaries of which even you couldn't begin to guess at. You'll task Ser Harry with trying to disentangle this Meereenese knot. DC 90. Reward: Baelish's 'ledger' becomes comprehensible, a more complete picture of finances and assets gained. (7,500 Dr) (locks for two rounds)
-[X] The Red Keep's Ways: The Red Keep is riddled with secret passages. Everyone knows this. Fewer know the location of even one. Oberyn, with the help of the Sand Snakes, can find them all. DC 60. Reward: gain complete knowledge of the Red Keep's secret passages. (Free)
-[X] Sins of the Father: Your father's last mad plan never came to fruition, but it left a lot of wildfire scattered around the city, and Jaime doesn't know the locations of all the caches. You'll start trying to quietly track down a paper trail or anyone who knows of something strange. DC 75. Reward: locate the lost wildfire caches. (5,000 Dr) (This project must succeed 3 times to be completed)
-[X] The Iron Throne: You have an odd sense about the Iron Throne, like there's something to the smallfolk tales that it's cursed. It's definitely not just a throne of half-melted swords, you know that much for sure. You'll have the Grand Maester look into it. DC 80. Reward: gain information about the Iron Throne, ??? (1,000 Dr)
-[X] The Dragon's Bane: Wildfire was an obsession of your father, and of other Targaryens before him (Aerion 'Brightflame' makes your father look sane in contrast). You like a bit of fire and destruction as much as the next dragon, but maybe there is something else here? DC 60. Reward: gain understanding of wildfire's properties, potential uses (10,000 Dr)
-[X] Return to Dragonstone: You haven't set foot upon the island in fourteen years, and the last time you were there, your mother died in your presence. Maybe it's been long enough, and you can lay some old ghosts to rest? And who knows what secrets and knowledge may lay hidden in your family's ancestral home? Reward: ??? (Free)
-[X] A Dragon in Black: You do have one living relative you know of outside of King's Landing: your ancestrally and geographically distant uncle Aemon, a maester in the service of the Night's Watch. You're told that Rhaegar would exchange letters with the old man, before his death – maybe he'd like to write you? Reward: Contact with Maester Aemon Targaryen, ??? (Free)
-[X] Silvertongue: Ned wants her to shadow him closely, and likewise guide her hand as need be. If she is to one day take his place, she needs more than talent: she needs skills. Diplomacy, DC 65. Reward: Dany gains confidence in her skills, may gain traits and Diplomacy increases.
-[X] The Path of Ashes: The City Watch should be led by a skilled hand, and the lords of Westeros respect martial prowess above all. You'll have Aegon train with you and select others in your court, to improve his skills. Martial, DC 50. Reward: increase Martial, gain combat-related traits, may improve relationships. (Free)
-[X] Port of Call: A trading company would be sort of silly without having operations of some kind in as many major port cities as possible, and the Tigaros Cartel is not silly. Garret will begin to expand from Lys and Braavos, working to get a foothold in various port cities. Intrigue/Diplomacy, DC & cost varies by port city (write-in 3 target cities, subject to QM approval)
-[X] Gulltown
-[X] King's Landing
-[X] Pentos
-[X] Restoration Reformations: Ser Jaime has gotten himself Opinions as pertain to the Kingsguard, and you haven't gotten this far by not trusting his judgment. He would like your permission (and input, in some cases) to implement some changes in the Kingsguard. Diplomacy & Martial, difficulty varies. Reward: Begin instituting some reforms on the Kingsguard.
-[X] Task them to Dany (takes Sisters in Scales action)

Okay, so my focus with this Plan is to get King's Landing and the surrounding area under some level of control before we go all in on the slightly longer term projects. I tried to have one short term task and only one 'longer' term one where able. This so we'll keep one slot open in case of unforeseen consequences such as a lackluster roll or someone trying to mess things up.

Royal Progress will hopefully ease any worries brewing due to a Rule of Law and Bastard's Bane with Befriending the Banners synergizing well with the latter. Chose a Gold Standard since it matches well with choosing Rule of Law, what with crowds likely to be a thing when during the trials and we'll need people to watch for rabble rousers.

Renegotiate Debts because it's best to get that out of the way asap, no one should want to devote huge amounts of our treasury to pay for Robert's addictions. Nests, depending on it's success, could aid any future Mockingbird hunts and lets us get a better picture for what we have. Going with The Red Keep's Ways will hopefully keep said Mockingbird from sneaking it's own pets into our home. Vermin, all of 'em.

Went with Iron Throne because I don't want that bad juju giving us a cut that turns into a madman or something without having to throw out the whole thing...nothing brings the throne room together quite like it. I can see The Dragon's Bane working well with Sins of the Father, don't want to mess with something we don't have at least of grasp of how not to set it off, after all. Or possibly even defuse it.

The Personal and Hero Unit actions are pretty clear cut, Dragonstone and Black Dragon to help put the past to rest and potentially learn from it. Silvertongue because the main reason we chose Ned was for him to be Dany's Tutor and Path of Ashes since Command ties into Martial with that being the most valuable skill for a Lord Commander of an recovering City Watch. Didn't think the Intrigue actions I chose really needed the boost assigning the Sand Snakes to Oberyn would entail so I went with the option that lets Dany better defend herself. Reformation for Jaime because he deserves nice things...though the fact it apparently requires Diplomacy makes me worry for him a little...snarky little shit that he is.

Port of Call is probably the action I've put that differs the most from the other Plans though I do have my reasoning. Gulltown was Littlefinger's playground for years and likely still is to some degree so getting some eyes in there will likely be a must for when we genuinely go after him. King's Landing is going to be our Playground, however, so I want to look at it from as many angles as possible. Pentos...is actually mostly just a filler choice but it's the nearest Free City to our Capital so it's certainly valuable to have a clue to what's going on there. This trio also makes for nice straightforward path on south for our burgeoning Trade Company so there's that.
 
My general thoughts on things:

[ ] A Royal Progress: A grand tour of the realm hasn't been done by a Targaryen in almost 200 years. You would tour the Seven Kingdoms over the course of the year, holding court in various locales as you went. Most of the Small Council would remain in King's Landing to perform their tasks.

This is definitely needed. The question is should we take this action right now? One serious drawback is that we will be far more exposed to danger than if we stay at the Red Keep. Perhaps we ought to wait until Tywin Lannister has been tried and dealt with first? Or at least until we deal with the Band of Bastards? Additionally, it places a large burden on the various Lords that host us. It's expensive, and a lot of them are currently hurting and recovering from the war. I'm fully in favor of doing this, but I really feel that we would be wiser and get a better effect if we wait a year or two before doing it.

As for the tour of the Free Cities, I feel we shouldn't wander from Westeros for a few years, least the lords and people begin to think of us as a conqueror from Essos.

Diplomacy:

[ ] Princess of Songs: Few things can capture minds and sway opinions like a good song. If Dany writes something good enough, and you pay bards to play it in the right places, you can stealthily change the public opinion. DC 60. Reward: Improve Happiness, change public opinion on a topic of choice. (5,000 Dr)
[ ] The Rule of Law: You have two former Small Council members and a former Lord Paramount in chains, all credibly accused of horrific crimes. You will see that the trials are held in public, and that a clear message is sent to the Seven Kingdoms: no man is above the law. DC 75. Reward: trials are held publicly, highborn may be uneasy (15,000 Dr) (locks for 2 rounds) (mutually exclusive with "The Rule of Men")
[ ] The Rule of Men: You have two former Small Council members and a former Lord Paramount in chains, all credibly accused of horrific crimes. You will just get through this as quickly and normally as possible, and the wheel will turn as usual. DC 45. Reward: trials are held in the Red Keep and attended only by the highborn, unrest is unlikely (5,000 Dr) (mutually exclusive with "The Rule of Law")
[ ] Frey'd Lines: Many Houses across the Riverlands, Stormlands and the Reach are now in contention over who should inherit -- with a truly alarming number of men from House Frey in the wings. Lords Hoster, Mace and Stannis can only do so much, and they have asked for Royal assistance in settling these matters. DC 50. Reward: inheritances are settled, some lords may be displeased with results (2,500 Dr)

I feel we need to pick either the of the trial options, no good will come of letting Tywin continue to plot from his cell. I feel the second higest priority is probably the Frey'd Li9nes, as I feel that the sooner we act on it the better. I suspect the DC will start to go up if we ignore it. The other choice that is attractive is Princess of Songs, but I don't know if we have to take it this turn, perhaps on the second turn so it completes at the same time as the trials?

Martial:

[ ] Bastards' Bane: While the War of the Restoration has officially ended, bandits and raiders still pillage areas of the Crownlands and Riverlands, the Band of Bastards being a particular thorn in the ass. With your blessing, Stannis would ride forth with a small but respectably sized force, and stamp this nonsense out. DC 55, predations upon the smallfolk end, some lords may be annoyed at the imposition. (7,500 Dr)
[ ] A Gold Standard: The City Watch is poorly equipped, poorly trained, and you're as likely to find an extortionist as you are a good man in the uniform. Aegon would like your permission (and the aid of the Master of War) to clean house, get proper men, proper equipment and proper training. DC 60. Reward: increase quality of the Gold Cloaks to Trained/Full Strength. (15,000 Dr) (locks for 2 rounds)
[ ] Rebuilding the Fleet: The Royal Fleet took quite a beating during the Restoration. You should get started on building more ships, and hey, you have all the materials you could want for the task. DC 50. Reward: increase the fleet's numbers to Full Strength. (Free) (locks for 2 rounds)
[ ] Master and Commander: Stannis has been toying with the notion of a naval academy, an institution to teach sailing and sea-based warfare to any who would learn. The idea has its merits, and it also has its detractors. DC 65. Reward: begin instituting Stannis' naval academy (30,000 Dr)* (locks for 2 rounds)
[ ] The Kraken's Men: Many men can sail and many men can fight, but few can sail and fight like the Ironborn can. Your Master of Ships is floating the idea of training a small, elite force of Ironborn that can fight at land or sea. DC 65. Reward: found the Iron SEALs. (15,000 Dr)* (locks for 2 rounds)

The most important action here is probably re-establishing the Royal Fleet. It's an a major power multiplier. On the other hand the most urgent is the Bastard's Bane, because royal rule is always undermined by banditry, plus it's a strong demonstration of the benefits of our rule. I agree we want to do both the Naval Academy and the Iron Seals, but I think we can delay those projects a couple turns at least- after all, there's hardly the point in building a Naval Academy if we don't have a fleet.

Stewardship:

[ ] Renegotiate Debts: The Usurper left the realm in perilous financial states, and one way to amend this is to renegotiate the terms of the loan the Crown made from the Iron Bank. DC 65. Reward: possibly renegotiate interest rate and/or repayment schedule. (10,000 Dr)
[ ] Nests Within Nests: You can't tell much, given the state of recordkeeping towards the end and the nature of those involved, but you do at least know that Petyr Baelish had a bizarre web of influence and ownerships, the boundaries of which even you couldn't begin to guess at. You'll task Ser Harry with trying to disentangle this Meereenese knot. DC 90. Reward: Baelish's 'ledger' becomes comprehensible, a more complete picture of finances and assets gained. (7,500 Dr) (locks for two rounds)
[ ] A New City: King's Landing is overcrowded; anyone can see that. About the only thing that can be done at this point is to organize the settlement of a new district. This is going to be a massive and years-long project. DC 40. Reward: Complete the planning stage for the new district. (5,000 Dr)
[ ] Brown Bile: King's Landing's sewer system dates back to the reign of King Jaehaerys I, when the city was a lot smaller. You want to expand and modernize it into something that will keep the city, as much as possible, from smelling like human waste. DC 70. Reward: begin work on new sewers, increase Health significantly when the project is completed. (50,000 Dr) (This project must be succeed 5 times to be completed)
[ ] A Stable for Dragons: The ruins of the Dragonpit still stand atop Rhaenys' Hill. Now that there are dragons living in King's Landing again, you might want to rebuild it so you have a place to keep them by the time they're old enough to really cause trouble. DC 50. Reward: the Dragonpit is rebuilt. (75,000 Dr) (This project must succeed 4 times to be completed)
[ ] Fools' Errands: the maps of the world have largely looked the same for centuries (save for Valyria becoming an archipelago of misery and death). The Shivering Sea seals away the North beyond places like Hardhome and the Wall, the Sunset Sea has never been defined beyond the Targaryen Islands (not terribly far to the West) the East is legends and mysteries beyond Yi Ti, and none since Jaenara have ventured beyond the coasts of Sothoryos. You'd like to do something about this, beginning by funding some ships to start mapping as much of the world as possible. DC 80. Reward: an "Outbound Fleet" takes shape, and exploration of the world begins anew. (65,000 Dr)

This one is hard. I think we can all agree on Renegotiate Debts is needed right away. Brown Bile and the Dragonpit are both very important, but probably not urgent, and I feel committing to an expensive project like Brown Bile when we are currently in the red is a serious mistake. So leaning towards Nests within Nests for our first turn, despite it not being as important.

Intrigue:

[ ] Develop Spy Network (Region): Set your Master of Whispers to finding informants. You want to know what your lords are trying to keep hidden. DC 70. Reward: get additional insights along with the standard rumors that everyone hears. (25,000 Dr) (Please specify region when voting) (may be taken twice for multiple regions)
[ ] The Red Keep's Ways: The Red Keep is riddled with secret passages. Everyone knows this. Fewer know the location of even one. Oberyn, with the help of the Sand Snakes, can find them all. DC 60. Reward: gain complete knowledge of the Red Keep's secret passages. (Free)
[ ] Sins of the Father: Your father's last mad plan never came to fruition, but it left a lot of wildfire scattered around the city, and Jaime doesn't know the locations of all the caches. You'll start trying to quietly track down a paper trail or anyone who knows of something strange. DC 75. Reward: locate the lost wildfire caches. (5,000 Dr) (This project must succeed 3 times to be completed)
[ ] Little Fingers, Large Shadows: The only remaining member of Robert's Small Council at large, former Master of Whispers Petyr Baelish has somehow vanished from the world. This cannot be. You'll find him somehow, someday. You'll start by tracing his past, his movements and his dealings. No one can just disappear, he has to have left some kind of trail. DC 80. Reward: begin gaining information about Baelish, his assets and his disappearance. (10,000 Dr)
[ ] Three is Auspicious, but…: More dragons are better, right? You came across your three dragon eggs by chance, but surely these were not the only three eggs left in the world. DC 85. Reward: possibly discover other dragon eggs??? (15,000 Dr)
[ ] The Lonely Dragons: At the moment, the entirety of House Targaryen consists of you and your infant children, your sister, and your nephew (and your unacknowledged other nephew, Snow). Is it possible that there's more family out there? Your father and brother may have had bastards, and who knows how many female relatives married into other families? Your knowledge of your family tree is woefully incomplete, and you would know more. DC 50/75/100. Reward: learn more about the branches of the Targaryen family, ??? (15,000 Dr)

Ugh... almost everything is urgent and all of them are important. I think we ought to pick the Red Keep right away though, not knowing the secret passages in our own castle could end very badly for us. After that, probably take a swing at Littlefinger.

Learning
Advisor: Grand Maester Jacaerys
[ ] The Iron Throne: You have an odd sense about the Iron Throne, like there's something to the smallfolk tales that it's cursed. It's definitely not just a throne of half-melted swords, you know that much for sure. You'll have the Grand Maester look into it. DC 80. Reward: gain information about the Iron Throne, ??? (1,000 Dr)
[ ] The Higher Mysteries: Magic exists in this world. Your dragons are proof of it. Your dreams are proof of it. Seven Hells, whatever nightmarish things Euron Greyjoy got up to would also qualify. But it is an unknown to you. This is where your request to the Citadel regarding the new Grand Maester comes in. DC 55. Reward: learn about magic, ??? (5,000 Dr)
[ ] The Dragon's Bane: Wildfire was an obsession of your father, and of other Targaryens before him (Aerion 'Brightflame' makes your father look sane in contrast). You like a bit of fire and destruction as much as the next dragon, but maybe there is something else here? DC 60. Reward: gain understanding of wildfire's properties, potential uses (10,000 Dr)
[ ] What Made the Red God Red?: Lord Stannis Baratheon and his wife Selyse are open devotees of the Lord of Light, after a servant of the Red God saved their daughter's life. A Red Priestess named Melisandre was once so interested in meeting you she put a bounty on you. Just what is the deal with the Red God and his followers, anyway? DC 50. Reward: gain information about R'hllor and his disciples (2,000 Dr)
[ ] On Crowns They Hung the Dragonfire: Three dragons now live in King's Landing, and they are, for now, obedient and under control. Dany has great instincts, informed by her old book of Valyrian tales and myths, but you would really like additional information, and there must be more out there than just this book. DC 85. Reward: find out more about dragon rearing, training and maintaining (7,500 Dr)
[ ] Silence Lay Steadily Against the Wood and Stone: You know hardly anything about Summerhall, one of the darkest marks in your family's long and checkered history in Westeros. Your brother went there often, but spoke nothing of it; your father wouldn't hear the name in his presence; your mother wept at the very thought of it. Perhaps an impartial third party, an observer like the Grand Maester, can give you the salient details – what the buildup was, what if anything went wrong, anything you don't know but should. DC 75. Reward: information about Summerhall, ??? (7,500 Dr)

All of these are important. However, learning how to control dragons is urgent, that has to be one of the things we pick.

Personal (Pick Two)
[ ] Sharper than the Sharpies: You may not officially run your merchant enterprise anymore, but the intrigues involved are what you truly excel at, and if you're honest with yourself, you sometimes miss the fun of it. Allows you to take on an additional Cartel task.
[ ] A Bent Copper: You remember well what happened to the last king when he didn't pay close enough mind to his financials. Seven Hells, his situation was so dire that you sent him a million gold dragons as a taunt once. While you're certainly no indulgent wastrel, you'd like to get better with coin. Stewardship/Learning, DC: 60. Reward: increase Stewardship, gain related traits, may improve some relationships (Free)
[ ] Return to Dragonstone: You haven't set foot upon the island in fourteen years, and the last time you were there, your mother died in your presence. Maybe it's been long enough, and you can lay some old ghosts to rest? And who knows what secrets and knowledge may lay hidden in your family's ancestral home? Reward: ??? (Free)
[ ] Beyond the Veil: You have little to no control over your visions. You would like to try and improve upon this. Maybe the Grand Maester knows something, maybe someone wrote on this once, anything – you need guidance. Willpower, DC 50. Reward: may unlock Seer traits, other options (Free)
[ ] The Bonds Between Us: You have a core group of people in your inner circle, but it's only a few. And a king certainly can't ignore the members of his court. (Specify a person, or perhaps two people, to spend time with). Reward: strengthen relationships, may improve stats or gain new traits. (Free)
[ ] A Dragon in Black: You do have one living relative you know of outside of King's Landing: your ancestrally and geographically distant uncle Aemon, a maester in the service of the Night's Watch. You're told that Rhaegar would exchange letters with the old man, before his death – maybe he'd like to write you? Reward: Contact with Maester Aemon Targaryen, ??? (Free)

Contacting Aemon should be considered both urgent and important. I feel Bonds Between us is actually probably the most important thing listed, but we can probably put it off for a couple turns if we need to. I'd like to Return to Dragonstone because I think we might learn things there that help elsewhere.

Daenerys Targaryen
[ ] Diplomacy of the Dame: There are few as good with their words and innate charm as Dany, and she can put that to good use. (Allows you to take on an additional Diplomacy project, using only her Diplomacy bonus) (Please specify project when voting).
[ ] Silvertongue: Ned wants her to shadow him closely, and likewise guide her hand as need be. If she is to one day take his place, she needs more than talent: she needs skills. Diplomacy, DC 65. Reward: Dany gains confidence in her skills, may gain traits and Diplomacy increases.
[ ] Shadows of the Past: For good or ill, the most powerful and consequential of Targaryen women have always had martial skills. To advance her in this arena, you'll have Dany train with Ser Bonifer. Martial, DC 55. Reward: increase Martial, gain combat-related traits. (Free)
[ ] Sisters in Scales: Dany has never been one for the traditional route, and neither have you. She's forged good relationships with the Sand Snakes, and they could probably teach her things that would never occur to Ser Bonifer. Martial/Intrigue, DC 40. Reward: increase Martial and Intrigue, may gain combat-related and intrigue-related traits. (Free) (assigns the Sand Snakes to Dany for the round)

Diplomacy of the Dame would allow us to get a third Diplomacy action this turn, which could be useful... but I think we should focus on training right now, and we did promise Ned Stark he would train her. I say that, unless the Sand Snakes are available, in which case have them train her.\

Aegon Targaryen
[ ] A Mind that Burns: The Golden Prince is smart, and received much of the training for kingship that you never did. You would have him improve on those subjects, as they will not only benefit his work with the Goldcloaks, but when he becomes a lord somewhere as well. Learning, DC: 50. Reward: increase Stewardship and Diplomacy, gain related traits. (Free)
[ ] The Path of Ashes: The City Watch should be led by a skilled hand, and the lords of Westeros respect martial prowess above all. You'll have Aegon train with you and select others in your court, to improve his skills. Martial, DC 50. Reward: increase Martial, gain combat-related traits, may improve relationships. (Free)
[ ] Along the Nascent Echo: Summerhall sits long ruined, a scar on the Stormlands and a sobering reminder of your house's fragility and fallibility. Aegon has some curiosity about the place, given his father's connection to it, and he's dreamed of visiting it sometime. Reward: ??? (2,500 Dr) (will necessitate naming an Acting LC for the City Watch, and could have repercussions on Aegon's reputation departing so early)
[ ] The Shape of Dreams: Many Targaryens across history have been touched by some kind of influence beyond the mortal coil – some dream of the future or the past, some discover things in the present beyond their ken, some speak with the dead … Aegon wonders, in his few quiet moments, if he has inherited something of this from his father. Willpower, DC 60. Reward: increase Willpower, may gain related traits. (Free)

Wait on Summerhall until we take the Learning action on it. Probably start with Martial and then alternate with Stewardship?

Garret of Saltpans
[ ] Port of Call: A trading company would be sort of silly without having operations of some kind in as many major port cities as possible, and the Tigaros Cartel is not silly. Garret will begin to expand from Lys and Braavos, working to get a foothold in various port cities. Intrigue/Diplomacy, DC & cost varies by port city (write-in 3 target cities, subject to QM approval)
[ ] Hoist the Colours: You know a profitable venture that you never got yourself into? Piracy. The Narrow Sea is almost crawling with ships, some more vulnerable than others, and the Summer Sea never lacks for opportunity either. And there's always the Arbor… Intrigue, DC 40. Reward: the makings of a pirate enterprise, varying amounts of coin and cargo, ??? (20,000 Dr)
[ ] Settling Accounts: Once upon a time, you had to flee your home in Braavos, thanks to the amorality of the servants Ser Willem Darry had hired. You are very much now in a position to reclaim what was lost (as can be, anyhow) and to have Garret exact some petty revenge. It would be unbecoming for a King of Westeros to stoop so low, but hey – that's what Tigaros is for. Intrigue, DC 35. Reward: reclaimed items lost from Ser Willem's home, sweet sweet vengeance, ??? (5,000 Dr)
[ ] Tempting Fate: You survived the Doom of Valyria once, with the help of Ser Jaime and Lord Gerion and no small amount of luck. So far, everyone else that's tried has failed where you succeeded. You'll task Garret with finding out why, and maybe collecting some treasures you recall still awaiting claimants in the Doom. It's a very foolhardy but potentially very profitable option. Intrigue/Martial, DC 90. Reward: information on failed expeditions, secrets and treasures lost in Valyria, ??? (100,000 Dr)
[ ] O Brothel, Where Art Thou?: A funny thing has happened since the Restoration – many of the brothels in King's Landing have been in trouble, their proprietor missing and assets (in every sense of the word) left vulnerable. It's a bit distasteful and lowbrow, but it is the oldest profession in the world, and someone needs to do it. Diplomacy/Stewardship, DC 45. Reward: the Tigaros Cartel steps in and gains some, erm…assets. (10,000 Dr)
[ ] Selling Swords: Besides trading and whoring, the most profitable work in the world is mercenary work. There are a lot of sellswords out there, and there's a lot of veterans who, for one reason or another, can't seem to go home. Garret will put them to work. Martial/Stewardship, DC 40. Reward: the Tigaros Cartel gains a sellsword arm, and you gain a private army loyal only to you (and your coin). (25,000 Dr)

Port of Call is the reasonable choice, but I think I'd like to take the Settling accounts, not so much about getting revenge, as that recovering items might be useful.

The Kingsguard
[ ] A Duty to Swords: A Kingsguard is never skilled enough. (Martial, difficulty varies) Reward: Increase Martial and gain combat-related traits.
[ ] Loyal Knights: (Allows you to take on an additional Martial Project) (Please specify which one when voting)
[ ] Restoration Reformations: Ser Jaime has gotten himself Opinions as pertain to the Kingsguard, and you haven't gotten this far by not trusting his judgment. He would like your permission (and input, in some cases) to implement some changes in the Kingsguard. Diplomacy & Martial, difficulty varies. Reward: Begin instituting some reforms on the Kingsguard.
[ ] Brothers and Sisters: It has not escaped notice that an informal Queensguard has coalesced around your wife, Arianne. You will formalise this arrangement, and work with Ser Jaime to smooth over whatever vocal objections arise to armed women being legitimised by the Crown. Diplomacy, DC 75 (Jaime & Viserys). Reward: Queensguard established, some traditionalist feathers ruffled (unlocks future vote bloc to recruit members)

Loyal Knights might be useful to take so that we could also reform the Gold Cloaks, have the Kingsguard hunt down the Bandits, and that means we will have both Martial actions aligned to do the Naval Academy and Iron Seals at the same time in two turns.


The Sand Snakes
When they are not minding your wife (their cousin) as an informal Queensguard, whom do they aid?
[ ] Task them to Dany (takes Sisters in Scales action)
[ ] Task them to Oberyn (+10 to Oberyn's rolls)
[ ] Task them to Arianne full-time (lowers DC of Brothers and Sisters by 15)

Help Oberyn since we are taking a swing at Littlefinger. First time available for other tasks, probably put them on Brother and Sisters (when the Kingsguard is also available of that action).

Those are my general thoughts.

Magoose said:
[X]Plan: We Are the Blood of Kings! But My God What A Mess
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Umm... some of these choices seem emotional and not thought out very well.

I think I'll have to post my own plan.
 
Elder Haman said:
Umm... some of these choices seem emotional and not thought out very well.
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Click to shrink...
Well I chose some of the options that make the most sense given Viserys mindframe. He's Aloof, loves his family, and carries a sense of justice, but also very nostalgic for parts of his life that he wants back.

Besides, he's lived his entire life in exile... let him have his moment where he can reminese about himself.

If there is one thing I love more then trying to not focus only on the game (/Though I will with certainty try to do that as well), it's making choices and roleplaying based off what that character should do... so Roleplaying as V, I chose those kinds of options.
 
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[X] Plan: Stabilize the Realm
-[X] No special project this turn

We need to stabilize the realm first before we have the Royal Progress.

-[X] The Rule of Law: You have two former Small Council members and a former Lord Paramount in chains, all credibly accused of horrific crimes. You will see that the trials are held in public, and that a clear message is sent to the Seven Kingdoms: no man is above the law. DC 75. Reward: trials are held publicly, highborn may be uneasy (15,000 Dr) (locks for 2 rounds) (mutually exclusive with "The Rule of Men")
-[X] Frey'd Lines: Many Houses across the Riverlands, Stormlands and the Reach are now in contention over who should inherit -- with a truly alarming number of men from House Frey in the wings. Lords Hoster, Mace and Stannis can only do so much, and they have asked for Royal assistance in settling these matters. DC 50. Reward: inheritances are settled, some lords may be displeased with results (2,500 Dr)

For Diplomacy these are the two most urgent actions, so let's deal with them first. The Frey's inheritances will get much harder to deal with if we let it sit, so I'd rather get it over with now, and nothing good will come from ignoring Tywin. The trial action takes 2 turns, so we can do Princess of Song next turn and have it complete in unison with the trial.

-[X] A Gold Standard: The City Watch is poorly equipped, poorly trained, and you're as likely to find an extortionist as you are a good man in the uniform. Aegon would like your permission (and the aid of the Master of War) to clean house, get proper men, proper equipment and proper training. DC 60. Reward: increase quality of the Gold Cloaks to Trained/Full Strength. (15,000 Dr) (locks for 2 rounds)
-[X] Rebuilding the Fleet: The Royal Fleet took quite a beating during the Restoration. You should get started on building more ships, and hey, you have all the materials you could want for the task. DC 50. Reward: increase the fleet's numbers to Full Strength. (Free) (locks for 2 rounds)

First things first, we need to rebuild the fleet before we establish a Naval Academy (otherwise we'll have admirals and captains, but no ships). Eliminating the Bastard Bandits is the next most urgent thing to do, but we can have the Kingsguard do that instead of Stannis. (It's a traditional role for them). Meanwhile have Ameon rebuild and reform the Gold Cloaks. That way we got both our fleet and our royal land forces re-established.

-[X] Renegotiate Debts: The Usurper left the realm in perilous financial states, and one way to amend this is to renegotiate the terms of the loan the Crown made from the Iron Bank. DC 65. Reward: possibly renegotiate interest rate and/or repayment schedule. (10,000 Dr)
-[X] Nests Within Nests: You can't tell much, given the state of recordkeeping towards the end and the nature of those involved, but you do at least know that Petyr Baelish had a bizarre web of influence and ownerships, the boundaries of which even you couldn't begin to guess at. You'll task Ser Harry with trying to disentangle this Meereenese knot. DC 90. Reward: Baelish's 'ledger' becomes comprehensible, a more complete picture of finances and assets gained. (7,500 Dr) (locks for two rounds)

We have to Renegotiate the Debts and succeed at them before we begin any expensive projects like improving the sewer system (which I agree ought to be a high priority). Maybe Littlfinger's records will help Oberyn hunt down Littlefinger?

-[X] The Red Keep's Ways: The Red Keep is riddled with secret passages. Everyone knows this. Fewer know the location of even one. Oberyn, with the help of the Sand Snakes, can find them all. DC 60. Reward: gain complete knowledge of the Red Keep's secret passages. (Free)
-[X] Little Fingers, Large Shadows: The only remaining member of Robert's Small Council at large, former Master of Whispers Petyr Baelish has somehow vanished from the world. This cannot be. You'll find him somehow, someday. You'll start by tracing his past, his movements and his dealings. No one can just disappear, he has to have left some kind of trail. DC 80. Reward: begin gaining information about Baelish, his assets and his disappearance. (10,000 Dr)

All of the Intrigue options are important, and most are urgent too, but I think these are the two most urgent. Especially the Red Keep, not knowing about secret passages in our own castle is a very bad vulnerability to have, we need to fix that right off.

-[X] The Higher Mysteries: Magic exists in this world. Your dragons are proof of it. Your dreams are proof of it. Seven Hells, whatever nightmarish things Euron Greyjoy got up to would also qualify. But it is an unknown to you. This is where your request to the Citadel regarding the new Grand Maester comes in. DC 55. Reward: learn about magic, ??? (5,000 Dr)
-[X] On Crowns They Hung the Dragonfire: Three dragons now live in King's Landing, and they are, for now, obedient and under control. Dany has great instincts, informed by her old book of Valyrian tales and myths, but you would really like additional information, and there must be more out there than just this book. DC 85. Reward: find out more about dragon rearing, training and maintaining (7,500 Dr)

On Learning we have more flexibility, but I think these are two we should go with. Higher Mysteries are why we chose the maester we did, and the sooner we learn how to manage dragons the better - otherwise get ready for dragons killing shepherd girls.

-[X] Return to Dragonstone: You haven't set foot upon the island in fourteen years, and the last time you were there, your mother died in your presence. Maybe it's been long enough, and you can lay some old ghosts to rest? And who knows what secrets and knowledge may lay hidden in your family's ancestral home? Reward: ??? (Free)
-[X] A Dragon in Black: You do have one living relative you know of outside of King's Landing: your ancestrally and geographically distant uncle Aemon, a maester in the service of the Night's Watch. You're told that Rhaegar would exchange letters with the old man, before his death – maybe he'd like to write you? Reward: Contact with Maester Aemon Targaryen, ??? (Free)

I think these fit Viserys very well, and will be useful.

-[X] Silvertongue: Ned wants her to shadow him closely, and likewise guide her hand as need be. If she is to one day take his place, she needs more than talent: she needs skills. Diplomacy, DC 65. Reward: Dany gains confidence in her skills, may gain traits and Diplomacy increases.

-[X] The Path of Ashes: The City Watch should be led by a skilled hand, and the lords of Westeros respect martial prowess above all. You'll have Aegon train with you and select others in your court, to improve his skills. Martial, DC 50. Reward: increase Martial, gain combat-related traits, may improve relationships. (Free)

Training

-[X] Settling Accounts: Once upon a time, you had to flee your home in Braavos, thanks to the amorality of the servants Ser Willem Darry had hired. You are very much now in a position to reclaim what was lost (as can be, anyhow) and to have Garret exact some petty revenge. It would be unbecoming for a King of Westeros to stoop so low, but hey – that's what Tigaros is for. Intrigue, DC 35. Reward: reclaimed items lost from Ser Willem's home, sweet sweet vengeance, ??? (5,000 Dr)

Let's see if we can recover anything important.

-[X] Loyal Knights: Bastards' Bane: While the War of the Restoration has officially ended, bandits and raiders still pillage areas of the Crownlands and Riverlands, the Band of Bastards being a particular thorn in the ass. With your blessing, Stannis would ride forth with a small but respectably sized force, and stamp this nonsense out. DC 55, predations upon the smallfolk end, some lords may be annoyed at the imposition. (7,500 Dr)

Let's have our Kingsguard handle this before it becomes a real problem.

-[X] Task them to Oberyn (+10 to Oberyn's rolls)

Oberyn is going after Littlefinger, he'll need the Sand Snakes help.

Magoose said:
Well I chose some of the options that make the most sense given Viserys mindframe. He's Aloof, loves his family, and carries a sense of justice, but also very nostalgic for parts of his life that he wants back.

Besides, he's lived his entire life in exile... let him have his moment where he can reminese about himself.

If there is one thing I love more then trying to not focus only on the game (/Though I will with certainty try to do that as well), it's making choices and roleplaying based off what that character should do... so Roleplaying as V, I chose those kinds of options.
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I have no idea what you are referring to here, as I support Rule of Law, and visiting Dragonstone, and contacting Maester Ameon, which are the actions that fit with what you are citing. I just don't understand the point in building a Naval Academy before we rebuild the fleet, as that seems a pretty obvious incorrect build order, and I don't see why Viserys would do that. Dealing with the Bastard Bandits and the Frey Inheritence problems right now before they fester just seems like being smart and diligent, I don't see how that conflicts with Visery's personality at all.

And starting a massive project like Brown Bile that costs 50,000 dragons when we are currently in need of fixing our financing seems like a very un-Viserys and financially foolish thing to do.

Those are the main parts of your plan that I object to.
 
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[X] Plan: Stabilize the Realm

I agree with @Elder Haman I want to get the realm stable before embarking on expensive projects, especially since we decided not to add our trading company money to the Realm's coffers and instead are starting a cartel with it.
 
[X] Plan: Stabilize the Realm

Has most of what I think is urgent while putting some better thought on things I hadn't...like not doing a Special Project at all.
 
[X] Plan: Stabilize the Realm

I agree with the priorities here. I am probably going to contribute my omake bonus to one of the difficult Littlefinger actions.
 
To those voting for Blood of Kings! I strongly urge you to reconsider, look at the result on our finances:

Current Treasury after income and expenses: 1,016,131 Dragons
Income: Total: 2,385,000 Dragons
Expenses: Total: 2,397,000 Dragons

Net Income: -12,000

Then we have the cost of Blood of KIngs on top of this:

Rule of Law: -15,000
Princess of Songs: -5,000
Master and Commander: -30,000
Kraken's Men: -15,000
Renegotiate Debts: -10,000
Brown Bile: -50,000
Sins of the Father -5,000
Little Finger's Large Shadows: -10,000
Iron Throne: -1,000
Higher Mysteries: -5,000

Total: -158,000 Dragons, and that does not include whatever the Royal Progress ends up costing

So we are already losing money each turn, and this plan costs us slightly more than 15% of our treasury, and remember that most of that treasury is going to need to be used to pay off debts so that we don't have to pay the runious interest rates anymore. It also commits us to locking both our martial actions for two turns on royal fleet improvements when we currently don't even have a Royal fleet (meaning they won't take effect until 4 turns have passed at the earliest). We also get no benefit from Brown Bile until it succeeds 5 times (which means a total expense of 250,000 on the project before we see benefits). Bluntly, this is not a financially sound plan.

Compare this to the Stabilize the Realm plan, which gives us:

Rule of Law: -15,000
Frey'd Lines: -2,500
Bastard's Bane: -7,500
Gold Standard: -15,000
Rebuilding the Fleet: Free
Renegotiate Debt: -10,000
Nests Within Nests: -7,500
Red Keeps Ways: Free
Little Fingers Large Shadows: -10,000
Higher Mysteries: -5,000
On Crowns they Hung Dragonfire: -7,500

Total: -92,000 Dragons, a little more than half of what the other plan costs. (or about 8% of our treasury).

It also provides us with both a fleet and a reformed Gold Cloak army at the end of 2 turns, deals with the two current threats to the realm's peace (Frey Inheritance and the Frey Bastards Bandits), and does not commit us to a 250,000 Dragon project when we currently have a budget deficit.

Since we are going to want to us a lot of our current treasury to pay off debts, we cannot afford to spend so much of it on the first turn, particularly not on projects that don't have short term payouts.

Maybe the first plan is cooler and more exciting, but it's going to put us in a dangerous situation and will cripple our abilities to do anything else for probably four or five years.
 
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Interlude: For the Night is Dark and the Sky is Red
  • Threadmarks
    • For the seventh day in a row, Melisandre came up from the lower chambers of the Red Temple she occupied, and opened a shuttered window to look outside. For the seventh day in a row, the horizon had disappeared into a haze as red as her robes. Seven days now. The Andals may actually acknowledge this as significant now, though for the wrong reasons, she thought. Careful not to sigh aloud, she closed the shutters before her eyes could start to burn, and shifted her headscarf to also wrap around her lower face. The air in the belly of the temple was, mercifully, still clear enough that she and the other priests did not need to take the precautions that they were forced to topside.

    Her scarf would remain where it was until she returned to her quarters, where she carefully removed it so as to not disturb any ash it might have collected on her journey. She quietly gave thanks to R'hllor for the new dawn, that the terrors of the night would recede, but a blasphemous thought whispered in her ear that the darkness of the day, the dimness of the light would not hold the terrors at bay as true dawn would.

    Turning from the whispered doubt towards her hearthfire, Melisandre whispered one more prayer. That the smoke and ash choking Volantis would not obscure her vision, that the red of the sky would guide more to R'hllor's embrace, that her sight be guided true, and that her Lord would keep her safe. While no one spoke of it directly, a few had talked around one of the more concerning things to have struck all those who looked into the flames for guidance; since the lands to the East were put to the torch, ash clouded everyone's vision, no matter how little time they spent aboveground or out of doors. One priest, who had sought guidance from her personally, spoke of travelling east to see for himself the flames consuming the Grass Sea, and lean on the strength of the blaze to aid his understanding of R'hllor's messages. He had returned to the temple unable to see anything, save for the dimmest of glows whenever a fire was near, and swaddled in so many robes and blankets that it was only by the Lord's grace that he could walk at all. But he shivered still underneath such weight, worse when he was moved away from a fire. And he warned her to take care, lest one as valuable to the Lord as her be lost, too.

    She wondered what she might have seen if she had journeyed to Vaes Dothrak with the crusader Alessander, and looked into the fires there. Then again, I may be delivered from wondering, she thought as she remembered seeing the glow of the grasslands burning bright enough that even from so far away they stole the stars from the night sky. The blaze seemed to come closer day by day. And the words of her brother in the Light gave her suspicion of what she would have seen. The blinded priest had spoken only briefly about what he'd seen, and only to her – ships as far as the eye could see, seeming to sail upon an endless sea of snow; eyes blue as lightning, and just as blinding to directly look upon; and a chill that had yet to depart from him, even days later.

    Melisandre's eyes closed, one more time. Guide my eyes, Lord, she prayed. Show me the way. And she opened her eyes, gazing into the hearthfire. Visions moved in the flames before her, gold and crimson, spreading and consuming and flickering and growing again. She saw a lonely island, fires burning bright, waves eating ceaselessly at its stone. Roars, cries, screams no human voice could make. Shadows, cast by the fires she saw within, whispered in the dark, promising desires and doom to be delivered in equal measure. Then a woman falling, riding, falling again, eyes watching that looked like the sea, whirling in motion on the surface but cold and fathomless below. She saw a woman pour flames into a cup and watch a man drink and writhe in pain as she took all that was his. Caves, deep and dark and little embers floating in the depths before flickering out one by one, towers of black stone crumbling and the hell they held at bay laying in wait as the tallest tower clung to existence.

    Where is the dark tower? What stone is this, what devilry tears it asunder? But her hope of insight was dashed as the tower fell away from her sight, the ruins of its castle becoming another ruin, deadly silent yet power screamed from within it and it tore her vision from the flames. Blood dripped from between her fingers as clenched fists drove her nails through almost to bone, sizzling and burning away as it touched the floor.

    Again. She looked deep, letting the pain from her hand focus her mind rather than distract it. A child of stone screamed not in pain but in fear as flames closed in. Fire spread from her to a woman and then a man, burning brighter than any she'd ever seen, so bright it burned the land around it as dragons rose from the flames to watch from above. Ashes swirled like snow and then mingled with snow as the drakes of flame disappeared and seas froze below, so fast the waves stood as sculptures in ice, so deep she saw men walk upon the sea in twos and threes and tens and hundreds and hundreds and they were not men at all, they were cold and dead and still they walked and it was so cold—

    Melisandre fell to the floor. Her hands shook not from tension but from chill. Looking at the fire but not into it, it had burned low and little and it blurred in her sight for a moment before returning again, and it blurred again, and she realized her breath was obscuring her view. Braving the cold to close her eyes for a moment, she reached within for the warmth that R'hllor blessed her with, and felt it come to her hands and legs and head once more as she opened her eyes again. Her breath stopped appearing in the room and the fire regained some of its former life. She added fuel to it, feeding it almost gluttonously as she pulled her robes closer around her. She had not felt cold in longer than she could remember, so long ago she had forgotten the truth of the feeling and had held only the idea of it in her mind rather than the memory.

    Unbidden, her eyes found the flames once more, and began to look more out of habit than intent, and before she could pull her gaze away she saw ash and snow dance and mingle and become only snow as she felt the fingers of cold brush against her for the briefest of moments. Shaking herself, she went to her table to drink of the water there, and found ice within. Melisandre felt a chill that came from no source of cold, and she took the small cup in her hand and threw the bit of ice into the fire before she opened her door and left her rooms without a second thought.

    It was quickly that she happened upon another, a young slave who looked on her with fear and with worship. She had little time for either. "Go to my quarters and gather my things from the tables within, and bring them to me in the chambers aboveground," she commanded.

    He nodded, but held out a hand and spoke wiltingly. "This came for you, from the Lady Kinvara," he showed her a tightly-scrolled parchment. She took it from him with a nod, and he moved quickly to do as she commanded, while Melisandre began her ascent to the surface. She broke open the seal, and read as fast as she could before she reached the atrium that led to the rest of the city. Finished, she cast the scroll into a nearby fire, the words already committed to memory. Even with the red glow of the sky it was barely bright enough to see, closer to the end of twilight than the bright dawn of a new day. Beyond the temple she could see some people moving quickly, rushing from one door to another and inside with hardly a step of pause. Elsewhere, she heard someone fall sick, heard the wet sound of vomit striking stone and the shuffling steps onward. Hardly anyone was out, hardly any sound was made. Cities were not meant for such quiet, such lifelessness. Torches burned without end wherever the city could manage, but it wasn't enough to chase away all the dark or the haze, and it did nothing for the sensation of the air being thick, almost resisting physically any who would walk through it.

    She secured her fresh headscarf around her face, and breathed carefully as she leaned into R'hllor's protective embrace. He had shielded her from worse than smoke and ash, and while her eyes and lungs itched, she did not need to rush her movements. The same could not be said of the young slave who brought her two bags from her chambers, who wiped at his eyes furiously while he bowed, then fled from her with a wheezing cough. He would find the grace of R'hllor in time.

    If there is time enough left to him, Melisandre thought as she gathered herself and began to make her way to the port, where she would board the first ship leaving for Westeros. Kinvara's words had confirmed what her visions had led her to believe: the Prince that was Promised walked among them, and the Great Other now stood upon the earth once again. Lord protect us all, she prayed. The war is here.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Marlowe310811 said:
    For the seventh day in a row, Melisandre came up from the lower chambers of the Red Temple she occupied, and opened a shuttered window to look outside. For the seventh day in a row, the horizon had disappeared into a haze as red as her robes. Seven days now. The Andals may actually acknowledge this as significant now, though for the wrong reasons, she thought. Careful not to sigh aloud, she closed the shutters before her eyes could start to burn, and shifted her headscarf to also wrap around her lower face. The air in the belly of the temple was, mercifully, still clear enough that she and the other priests did not need to take the precautions that they were forced to topside.

    Her scarf would remain where it was until she returned to her quarters, where she carefully removed it so as to not disturb any ash it might have collected on her journey. She quietly gave thanks to R'hllor for the new dawn, that the terrors of the night would recede, but a blasphemous thought whispered in her ear that the darkness of the day, the dimness of the light would not hold the terrors at bay as true dawn would.

    Turning from the whispered doubt towards her hearthfire, Melisandre whispered one more prayer. That the smoke and ash choking Volantis would not obscure her vision, that the red of the sky would guide more to R'hllor's embrace, that her sight be guided true, and that her Lord would keep her safe. While no one spoke of it directly, a few had talked around one of the more concerning things to have struck all those who looked into the flames for guidance; since the lands to the East were put to the torch, ash clouded everyone's vision, no matter how little time they spent aboveground or out of doors. One priest, who had sought guidance from her personally, spoke of travelling east to see for himself the flames consuming the Grass Sea, and lean on the strength of the blaze to aid his understanding of R'hllor's messages. He had returned to the temple unable to see anything, save for the dimmest of glows whenever a fire was near, and swaddled in so many robes and blankets that it was only by the Lord's grace that he could walk at all. But he shivered still underneath such weight, worse when he was moved away from a fire. And he warned her to take care, lest one as valuable to the Lord as her be lost, too.

    She wondered what she might have seen if she had journeyed to Vaes Dothrak with the crusader Alessander, and looked into the fires there. Then again, I may be delivered from wondering, she thought as she remembered seeing the glow of the grasslands burning bright enough that even from so far away they stole the stars from the night sky. The blaze seemed to come closer day by day. And the words of her brother in the Light gave her suspicion of what she would have seen. The blinded priest had spoken only briefly about what he'd seen, and only to her – ships as far as the eye could see, seeming to sail upon an endless sea of snow; eyes blue as lightning, and just as blinding to directly look upon; and a chill that had yet to depart from him, even days later.

    Melisandre's eyes closed, one more time. Guide my eyes, Lord, she prayed. Show me the way. And she opened her eyes, gazing into the hearthfire. Visions moved in the flames before her, gold and crimson, spreading and consuming and flickering and growing again. She saw a lonely island, fires burning bright, waves eating ceaselessly at its stone. Roars, cries, screams no human voice could make. Shadows, cast by the fires she saw within, whispered in the dark, promising desires and doom to be delivered in equal measure. Then a woman falling, riding, falling again, eyes watching that looked like the sea, whirling in motion on the surface but cold and fathomless below. She saw a woman pour flames into a cup and watch a man drink and writhe in pain as she took all that was his. Caves, deep and dark and little embers floating in the depths before flickering out one by one, towers of black stone crumbling and the hell they held at bay laying in wait as the tallest tower clung to existence.

    Where is the dark tower? What stone is this, what devilry tears it asunder? But her hope of insight was dashed as the tower fell away from her sight, the ruins of its castle becoming another ruin, deadly silent yet power screamed from within it and it tore her vision from the flames. Blood dripped from between her fingers as clenched fists drove her nails through almost to bone, sizzling and burning away as it touched the floor.

    Again. She looked deep, letting the pain from her hand focus her mind rather than distract it. A child of stone screamed not in pain but in fear as flames closed in. Fire spread from her to a woman and then a man, burning brighter than any she'd ever seen, so bright it burned the land around it as dragons rose from the flames to watch from above. Ashes swirled like snow and then mingled with snow as the drakes of flame disappeared and seas froze below, so fast the waves stood as sculptures in ice, so deep she saw men walk upon the sea in twos and threes and tens and hundreds and hundreds and they were not men at all, they were cold and dead and still they walked and it was so cold—

    Melisandre fell to the floor. Her hands shook not from tension but from chill. Looking at the fire but not into it, it had burned low and little and it blurred in her sight for a moment before returning again, and it blurred again, and she realized her breath was obscuring her view. Braving the cold to close her eyes for a moment, she reached within for the warmth that R'hllor blessed her with, and felt it come to her hands and legs and head once more as she opened her eyes again. Her breath stopped appearing in the room and the fire regained some of its former life. She added fuel to it, feeding it almost gluttonously as she pulled her robes closer around her. She had not felt cold in longer than she could remember, so long ago she had forgotten the truth of the feeling and had held only the idea of it in her mind rather than the memory.

    Unbidden, her eyes found the flames once more, and began to look more out of habit than intent, and before she could pull her gaze away she saw ash and snow dance and mingle and become only snow as she felt the fingers of cold brush against her for the briefest of moments. Shaking herself, she went to her table to drink of the water there, and found ice within. Melisandre felt a chill that came from no source of cold, and she took the small cup in her hand and threw the bit of ice into the fire before she opened her door and left her rooms without a second thought.

    It was quickly that she happened upon another, a young slave who looked on her with fear and with worship. She had little time for either. "Go to my quarters and gather my things from the tables within, and bring them to me in the chambers aboveground," she commanded.

    He nodded, but held out a hand and spoke wiltingly. "This came for you, from the Lady Kinvara," he showed her a tightly-scrolled parchment. She took it from him with a nod, and he moved quickly to do as she commanded, while Melisandre began her ascent to the surface. She broke open the seal, and read as fast as she could before she reached the atrium that led to the rest of the city. Finished, she cast the scroll into a nearby fire, the words already committed to memory. Even with the red glow of the sky it was barely bright enough to see, closer to the end of twilight than the bright dawn of a new day. Beyond the temple she could see some people moving quickly, rushing from one door to another and inside with hardly a step of pause. Elsewhere, she heard someone fall sick, heard the wet sound of vomit striking stone and the shuffling steps onward. Hardly anyone was out, hardly any sound was made. Cities were not meant for such quiet, such lifelessness. Torches burned without end wherever the city could manage, but it wasn't enough to chase away all the dark or the haze, and it did nothing for the sensation of the air being thick, almost resisting physically any who would walk through it.

    She secured her fresh headscarf around her face, and breathed carefully as she leaned into R'hllor's protective embrace. He had shielded her from worse than smoke and ash, and while her eyes and lungs itched, she did not need to rush her movements. The same could not be said of the young slave who brought her two bags from her chambers, who wiped at his eyes furiously while he bowed, then fled from her with a wheezing cough. He would find the grace of R'hllor in time.

    If there is time enough left to him, Melisandre thought as she gathered herself and began to make her way to the port, where she would board the first ship leaving for Westeros. Kinvara's words had confirmed what her visions had led her to believe: the Prince that was Promised walked among them, and the Great Other now stood upon the earth once again. Lord protect us all, she prayed. The war is here.
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    Viserys, upon learning he has to stop the Apocolypes for the Third time in his life, because of fate and destiny.

    Viserys: HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TEACH THIS LESSON OLD MAN!?

    Jaime: Don't you mean, have me save your life at the last possible second again?

    Viserys: Details!
     
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    Magoose said:
    I'm not saying that Viserys is the PtwP... its just that he would think himself it after the bullshit that is his life happened
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    Oh no, I got that. That's why it was a jokey IC thing of R'hllor as Magneto (which. he wishes he could get Ian McKellen to front him) shutting him down. And also, because I am petty and manipulative, to see if I could spark any debate about who PtwP might be.
     
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