|
Post by TheAPlegends on Jul 23, 2019 17:52:25 GMT
[Agree to follow Jared's plan first]
|
|
|
Post by supersagig on Jul 25, 2019 9:46:58 GMT
[Agree to follow Jared's plan first]
|
|
|
Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Aug 2, 2019 15:25:18 GMT
[Go to the rebel camp] Maybe trying to propose a different plan will work, and burning the raft so soon could bring bad consequences in case they need it. I'm not surprised Alynne is probably the most reasonable of Harren's captains. Aye, she might very well be! We haven't met all of them and there are some who might be rather decent but haven't had a lot of screentime yet, but in general, Alynne is definitely on the reasonable and somewhat benevolent end of the spectrum. That is partially because she is not Ironborn and even if she willingly cut ties to her family and decided to directly serve Harren and House Hoare, she's still a Riverlander by birth and upbringing, which means she never got into the aspects of Ironborn culture that encourage the savagery seen in some of the other captains. She'll get a bit more screentime in Book 2 compared to Book 1 (the same can be said about a lot of characters) so I hope to flesh her out in the coming parts.
|
|
|
Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Aug 2, 2019 15:36:21 GMT
[Go to the rebel camp] There's no guarantee following Jared's plan will even convince Deywn, and it's a potentially dangerous and time-consuming task. Let's just try talking first, and if we can't persuade the Fiddler perhaps we can at least come up with another plan for saving our friends. And oh man, this part has got me hyped for the coming Targaryen-Hoare war, can't wait! Glad to hear you are hyped for it, because so am I The whole Act 2 will be dedicated to the hot phase of that war and it is one of the main reasons I decided to give Act 2 one additional chapter compared to every other act, so I really hope I'll get it right. But next chapter will mark the proper start and I genuinely cannot wait for it.
|
|
|
Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Aug 2, 2019 23:32:07 GMT
The Voting is closed! Maya is going to go to the rebel camp Ah, hehe... big choice here, actually. You hopefully remember Deywn the Fiddler, that man has been a pain to deal with for Garthon, but then again, he hates Ironborn and Maya is certainly not one of those, so I'd say it can go both ways. One way or the other, you will see if this was a wise choice in Maya's next part, which is hopefully going to be out soon. The next part will be out later today. I am currently writing a Samantha part and may or may not have room for a Jaron part as well, though it doesn't seem likely at the current lenght of Samantha's part. So, just a recap for her. Last time, she and Sasha snuck into the deserted town of Southshield, where they were ambushed by a man who, after a brief fight, realized the misunderstanding and introduced himself as Robert Beesbury. Furthermore, he explained to them that the island has been taken over by Ironborn. He's currently in service of Lady Arianna Hewett, who has tasked him with preparing the Shield Island fleet to retake Southshield. For this, he had to sabotage the castle gate, to allow the Shield Island forces to storm it with ease. However, the Ironborn leader, a certain Holgar the Red, also has an important hostage with him, namely Lady Arianna's niece Heleri and naturally, she has to be freed before the soldiers can make their move. So, Robert proposed to join forces with Samantha and Sasha, with Samantha choosing one of these tasks and him trying to do the other. She chose to try and save Heleri and the next part will show us how that works out for her.
|
|
|
Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Aug 6, 2019 3:08:45 GMT
I am so sorry for being two days late. I had trouble with my computer over the last two days and it forced me to rewrite the latter half of this part, which was really a drag. Nonetheless, I am glad the part is done, I apologize for the wait and I hope you enjoy it
Samantha One thing Samantha outright hated was dressing in the clothes of the dead. Not what they had been wearing when they were killed, but a plain dress Robert had salvaged from one of the houses. While she was still wearing her light leather beneath it, the man had an excellent point. It was unlikely the Ironborn had killed all of the servants, so in a peasant woman's garb, they could probably infiltrate the castle. Robert himself had left behind his chainmail and switched the longsword out for a smaller one, which he could easily hide within his notably oversized tunic. Samantha had no problem doing the same with her hatchets, though Sasha reluctantly had to leave her arakh behind, instead settling for a pair of long daggers, again a gift from their new acquaintance. After trying to disguise themselves as good as possible, they made their way up to the castle. The trio stayed off the main road, instead walking straight through the small forest that led almost all the way up to it. After leaving the sept, all three remained silent, to avoid any unwanted attention, instead communicating merely through gestures and glances. Even that had to be toned down to the barest minimum beneath the trees, where they could barely make out each other's silhouettes. Things didn't get much better when they reached the edge of the forest. It was still two hundred feet to the castle walls and so close, Samantha could hear noise from behind them, the laughter of several men, even what seemed like a song. She wasn't able to see any guard on the walls, but if there were, she had no doubts they would have seen them had they simply taken the road. Realizing this, she felt relief over having approached the village first. Robert placed a finger on his lips, before he went down on all fours. Silently, he began to crawl across the field of grass that led all the way to the walls. If anyone would directly look at him from above there, Samantha was sure they would see him. But even then, it was the best option they had, sneaking up on the castle in the middle of the night, while the Ironborn were hopefully not expecting an attack. As such, though somewhat reluctantly, she followed Robert's example and began to crawl through the grass. With Sasha right next to her, she made her way across the field, pressing herself onto the ground to avoid being seen. One time, she indeed spotted a torch atop the wall, someone patrolling across it, but the guard seemed to focus on the road instead of the dark field, not noticing the three shadows that crawled through it. Castle Southshield was hardly impregnable, Samantha could say that without being an expert on sieges. The walls were comparably low for a castle and though made entirely of stone, the large bricks had seen better days. On more than one place, the walls were crumbling and had to be reinforced with wooden planks to allow for an undisturbed patrol across them. There was only a single tower, lying in utter darkness, and it was overlooking the bay below instead of facing the island. That all being said, it didn't have to be impregnable, not even impressive. It was the sole castle on the island and House Serry was its uncontested ruler. If anything, its strong fleet should have been its main line of defence. It made her wonder why the Ironborn had been able to take not just the castle, but the entire island with such apparent ease. Up close, Robert finally broke the silence. “Alright then”, he whispered, still keeping his voice down. With the music and chatter from beyond the wall, Samantha was sure none could hear him unless crouching down right next to him. “We'll find a way inside and split up. I'll head to the gates, you'll try to find Lady Heleri” “Any idea where to look?”, Samantha asked and Robert shook his head. “She might be with the Ironborn leader, if she's still alive at all”, he replied. “Holgar the Red might be a brute, but he's been smart enough to take the castle and to take hostages. Makes sense he wants to keep an eye on her personally” Samantha frowned at his tone. “Do you think he is forcing himself upon her?”, she asked and he sighed. “I can't say it for certain”, he admitted. “Though I dearly hope Lady Heleri is unharmed by the time you find her, she is a young woman of high birth and Holgar has a rotten reputation” He shook his head. “The man is unpredictable. He's just as likely to kill her than he is to treat her kindly”, he spoke, before he paused. “Well, probably a bit more likely to kill her. The man is Ironborn after all” “So, how do we get in there?”, Sasha asked and Robert gave her a thin smile. “One of the few servants who escaped the castle told me of a hidden entrance”, he told her. “Apparently, some ancient Lord Serry had a fling with a lowborn girl from the village. They visited each other through a tunnel, which later generations used to escape the castle in times of danger” He reached for his neck, revealing a small chain he wore around it, with a key dangling down. “This is the only key, at least according to Lady Serry”, he claimed. “It should be locked, so I doubt the Ironborn will guard it” With this, he pointed towards the lonely tower. “It's over there”, he told them, as he placed a finger on his lips again. This time, they didn't have to crouch, but instead they were pressing themselves against the wall, as they slowly made their way towards the tower. Once there, Robert moved his hands through the tall grass that grew close to the stone. It did not take him long, as he moved along the foundation of the tower, before the moonlight illuminated a sudden smile on his face. With both hands, he began to remove the grass, revealing a trapdoor in the ground. It was made of wood reinforced with iron, though the former had grown mouldy and the latter had grown rusty with the years. That being said, Robert's key still fit in perfectly. With a slight grunt, the man pushed the door open, revealing a ladder leading roughly ten feet below the ground. It was pitch black down there, but Samantha could see that the tunnel was rather narrow and built of solid stone. As such, she looked at the heavy-set Robert. “You sure you want to go down there?”, she asked, to which he shook his head. “I hate tunnels”, he admitted. “Those narrow walls... make me feel trapped” He shrugged. “But I'll survive. Duty comes first” With this, he lowered himself down the ladder, but not before taking a deep breath. She realized he barely fit into the tunnel and had to lower his head, as he pressed himself through it. “Seems clear to me”, he hissed and after exchanging a glance with Sasha, who subtly shook her head, Samantha followed after him. Though she could pass through the tunnel with ease, without even having to lower her head, she had to agree on this with Robert. She hated the thought of being in here and the only thing that prevented her from actually tensing up was the fact that there was a way to escape just behind her. It didn't change the fact that it was dark and narrow and she wasn't even able to see Robert in front of her, even though she could hear him just an arm's length away from her. Thankfully, they didn't have to walk the tunnel for long. After a few feet, the man stopped, so suddenly that she walked right into him. “Hey, what...?”, she hissed, but he interrupted her. “Sh!”, he cut her off and she heard his hands moving against something above them, something wooden. Once more, she heard him reaching for the key, moving it across the wood until he found what he was looking for. She allowed herself a sigh of relief as the lock opened. Without effort, Robert managed to push the trapdoor open and though it was still dark, what little light found its way down here allowed her to at least make out his shape this time, as well as that of the opening above his head. This time, there was no ladder and he visibly struggled, so Samantha knelt down to give him a push. She grunted as for a second, he placed all of his weight on her, but then, with their combined strength, they managed to push him up, where Robert quickly crawled out of sight. A shade, apparently his hand, returned to her field of view and Samantha grabbed it. “Get up here, quick”, Robert hissed, as he pulled her out of the hole. She found herself in a round, gloomy room, the basement of the tower, only barely illuminated by a single candle, almost completely burned down. Their entrance was hidden behind a few crates, indicating that this room was used for storage. And while the candle meant that someone had been here not too long ago, it was almost burned down and no one was standing guard in this room, just as Robert had told them. After helping Sasha up, the man leant back, against one of the crates. “So, that is the plan”, he spoke. “I'll head to the gates. I bet it'll be guarded, but I'll think of something” He crossed his arms. “You two will try to find Lady Heleri. Try to keep a low profile. If anyone sees you, you work in the castle” Sasha rolled her eyes. “Yeah, because we make for such convincing servants”, she muttered and Robert chuckled. “I doubt they'll pay you any mind as long as you bring them wine and food” “And if they try anything more, they're dead”, Sasha stated firmly, to which Robert shrugged. “Be my guest, as long as you don't get seen”, he confirmed. With this, he saluted in front of them. “Hurry now”, he hissed. “And may the Seven be with you!” Samantha replied with a nod. “I hope you won't even need them”, she spoke, before they approached the door that led out of the room. It was unlocked and led into a long hallway, only barely less gloomy, with a staircase at its other end. For a second, Samantha froze, as she spotted a guard there, an older man sitting in a chair, but she quickly calmed down as she heard him snoring. A spear was leaning against him and an empty carafe was standing on the ground next to him. Robert placed a finger on his lips, as he snuck through the hallway, with Samantha and Sasha close behind him. Though they tried to be as silent as possible, it turned out to be unnecessary, as the man was fast asleep. The moment he had reached him, Robert pulled out his short sword, pressing one hand on the man's mouth and the blade against his throat with the other. Instantly, the man's eyes widened, as he woke up to the sight of Robert pressing a sharp blade against his throat. “Don't scream”, Robert hissed. “I'll kill you if you do any more than a whisper” Next to him, Sasha quickly reached for the spear, taking it out of the man's reach. “I have questions”, Robert explained. “Answer them and I'll knock you out. Refuse and I'll cut your throat, do you understand?” With wide, fearful eyes, the man gave him a nod and Robert removed the hand from his mouth, just a little bit. “Good”, he confirmed. “See, you're just a grunt and we're not here for you. We want your leader, Holgar the Red. Can you tell us where he is?” The man hesitated for a moment, before he nodded again. “Fuck it”, he whispered. “I like Holgar, but I'm not dying for him” “Smart man”, Robert complimented him. “So, where do we find him?” The man sighed. “He's in his room... formerly the lord's room, I guess”, he began to explain. “You move through that door and into another hallway. Turn right, go out to the courtyard and enter the keep. Once there, go up the first staircase to the left and follow the hallway to its very end. It's the last door on the right” Samantha put on her most charming smile and it got his attention. “Hey”, she said. “Are there any guards with him? Anything we need to look out for?” The man shook his head as good as possible. “Holgar doesn't need guards”, he whispered. “He's with some of the hostages. Don't know what he's doing for them, don't want to know. If you want to get there without any of my mates getting suspicious, grab some wine, the door just over there, to the left. Holgar loves a good wine” “Thank you”, Robert stated. “Anything else?” Once more, the man shook his head. “Don't think you can kill him”, he spoke. “Holgar is the toughest man I know. If you know what's best for you, you just turn around and leave before he...” He didn't get to finish his sentence, as Robert used this moment to just cut his throat. “Don't tell me what to do”, he growled in a low tone. Samantha narrowed her eyes. “You told him you'd knock him out”, she hissed, but Robert just shrugged. “He was the enemy”, he spoke. “Responsible for what you saw in the village. He's utter scum and I gave him what he deserves” He shook his head. “Had I told him that much, he never would have helped us” “Hate to say it, but I agree with him”, Sasha spoke up and Samantha raised an eyebrow. “Let's just get going”, she mumbled. “At least that man told us what to do” She approached the wine cellar, while Sasha stayed behind a moment longer. “What about him?”, she began, as Robert shook his head. “You get the wine”, he told them. “I'll hide the body and get going. Once you're done with saving Heleri, meet me at the tunnel” “You'll wait for us before you light the signal, get it?”, Sasha hissed. “I don't want to be in here with a horde of panicked Ironborn” Samantha glanced over her shoulder and she saw Robert placing a hand on his heart. “I will wait for as long as I can”, he promised, before he began to clean his blade on the dead man's cloak. “Godspeed to you” Samantha quickly spotted what she was looking for. Though the wine cellar showed visible signs of depletion, with the Ironborn having taken freely from the lord's stock, there were a lot of barrels still sealed, as well as plenty of clay carafes and wooden tablets. Within moments, she was finished filling one of the carafes with what she hoped to be good wine, while Sasha had grabbed one of the tablets. “You know a thing or two about wine?”, she asked and Sasha shook her head. “That might surprise you, but they don't have wine where I come from”, she said in a dry tone. “Until I was fifteen, I didn't even know there's other alcohol besides fermented goat milk” She frowned. “And yeah, it was exactly as bad as it sounds. That's perhaps the best thing about your Westeros, that no one here would ever create something as disgusting as that milk” Samantha raised an eyebrow. “What, I thought I am the best thing about my Westeros”, she spoke, followed by a sly grin, as Sasha rolled her eyes. “You're good too”, she admitted. “But don't flatter yourself” Balancing the carafe on the tablet, she turned around. “Now come on, we got a damsel to save and some scumbag to kill” Following the Ironborn's directions, it didn't take them long to reach the courtyard, walking through a dark, deserted hallway, always following the noise, before they entered the courtyard. The sight actually caused Samantha to frown. Dozens of corpses, mostly guards who still wore leather and chainmail, were piled up in the centre of the courtyard, next to them a tall fire. It had partially consumed the corpses, which explained the stench, and none of the people present did anything to stop it from spreading. There were dozens of Ironborn here, sitting around small fires of their own, in groups, or just stumbling around. One of them was playing on a flute and she had to admit that he was doing so quite well, while others danced to the tune. There was laughter and joy, a stark contrast to the grim sight of the corpses. Others were there as well, servants who nervously walked among the Ironborn, tending to their needs and never remaining in one place for too long. In several makeshift cages, Samantha spotted groups of men, some of them wounded, their tabards giving them away as sworn men-at-arms of House Serry. All in all, these would probably even outnumber the Ironborn, but none of them was armed, whereas most of the Ironborn kept a long knife or an axe with them even now. “Hey, honey!”, a man slurred, as he stumbled towards Sasha. “Give me some of that and maybe I can give you a good time” He was tall and a bit on the fat side, but Samantha mainly focussed on the sharp axe he freely carried in one hand. Sasha narrowed her eyes. “A good time...”, she hissed, but Samantha was quick to cut her off. “Has to wait”, she chirped. “This one's for Holgar. Still in his room, I suppose?” Immediately, the man's smile faded. “Bloody hells...”, he mumbled. “That man can't get enough. But yeah, still in his room” He sighed. “Don't let him wait then, I suppose” He took a step aside, even stopping another Ironborn from getting in their way and Samantha raised an eyebrow. “That was simple”, she whispered, as they made their way past another group of Ironborn and then past the rotten pile of corpses. Up close, the stench was horrible and she turned away from the grisly sight. “We're not done yet”, Sasha stated. “It's all a bit too easy, don't you think?” Samantha sighed. “Can't it be easy for once?”, she asked, though Sasha immediately shook her head. “It never is”, she growled, as they approached the keep. “Remember Oldtown?” Samantha frowned. “That was unnecessary”, she mumbled, as she briefly closed her eyes. All she saw was Lunett and what that monster had done to her. And yet, she didn't just feel sadness. There was anger as well and resolve, knowing why she did this. All of this, all she had done and all she would do, for the rest of her life if necessary, it was solely to take down Maron Mullendore and his entire rotten house at best. The keep was clearly the main base of operations for the Ironborn within the castle. The great hall was filled with even more of them, but luckily, they had to walk only past it, stepping over several sleeping men in the process. Following the guard's direction, they walked up a set of stairs, past a few doors, always approaching the last one on the left. They had barely reached it when a blood-curdling scream from behind the door caused them to stop for a moment, as they exchanged a worried look. Then, Samantha rushed past Sasha, who still clung to the tablet and she pushed the door open, while subtly reaching for the axe she had hidden within her dress. It was a large bedroom in surprisingly good condition, the furniture still intact and seemingly even unlooted. She immediately noticed half a dozen people within it. Four were kneeling on the ground, bound and gagged, one of them just sinking to the ground with a thrown knife embedded within her forehead. This fifth man was a hulking brute of a man, almost three heads taller than her and likely nearly twice as wide. His blonde hair fell down his back in several braids, with iron rings woven into them and he had one of the most massive beards she had ever seen, falling down to his belly and similarly having rings woven into it. He was standing there with his chest bared, revealing dozens of gruesome scars covering his entire body, most notably a disfiguring, knotty scar from his right cheek to the left side of his chin, almost splitting the lips in half. The moment Samantha entered, he shot her a glare out of his icy blue eyes. Behind him, there was a young woman on the bed. She had her hands tied, but seemed otherwise unharmed. She was barely a woman grown, with a head full of raven hair, tied into a messy bun, her hair partially covering one of her copper eyes. Tears streamed down her face and with wide eyes, she stared at Samantha and Sasha as they fully stepped into the room. “What are you doing here?”, the man growled, his voice surprisingly calm for his fearsome appearance. He came a step closer, glaring at Samantha, then looking at the wine. “I didn't order wine, did I?” His voice was slightly slurred, indicating that he had been drinking quite a bit, but his gaze was focussed and unbroken. He shot them a grin and it was hideous, probably not just because of the scar. “We thought you could use more refreshments”, Samantha spoke. “You've... you've been ordering a lot... Captain Holgar” Holgar the Red chuckled, before he shook his head. “Bullshit!”, he roared, as he kicked an empty carafe. It flew through the room and shattered as it hit the closest wall. “That ain't much for me. Though I'll never say no to more wine” He grabbed the carafe, before he turned to the girl. “A toast, Lady Heleri!” The girl tensed up as he approached her. “To your loose tongue, hopefully”, he spat, as he glanced over his shoulder to Samantha and Sasha, who were still standing within the doorframe. “Get in here, girls!”, he ordered them. “Get in and close the door” Samantha gulped, as she glanced at the bound servants, especially at the dead one. “See, I was just about to play a game with your lady here”, Holgar explained. “I ask her a question and I know she has an answer” He sighed. “But the bitch won't open her stupid mouth, so any time she refuses to speak, I kill one of her precious servants” He grabbed Heleri's chin and squeezed it tightly. The tears that shot into the girl's eyes were not just fear and grief, but for a moment, there was clear pain. “Just...”, Holgar mumbled and Samantha saw him reaching to his belt, where several throwing knives dangled freely. “Like... this!” With this, he spun around, throwing a knife right at Samantha, who had seen the move coming. She darted to the side, while Sasha in return dashed to where she had just been. A heavy thud followed, as Samantha landed on all fours, she spun around to see Sasha standing where she had been seconds ago. The knife had hit the wooden tablet she had used as a shield, piercing through it and nearly hitting her flesh. Seeing the other woman still unharmed caused Samantha to sigh in relief and she noticed the look of shock on Sasha's face. Holgar, however, was downright amused by the display. “Beautiful!”, he complimented them, as he gave them a mocking clap. “Didn't know there's fucking monkeys among the servants here” He flashed them a wide grin, as he slowly approached Sasha. “No tricks, beautiful”, he spoke calmly, as he extended his open palm towards her. “Give that to me” Sasha narrowed her eyes and instead of handing it over as requested, she swiftly raised it, trying to deliver a quick strike to his head with the wooden tablet. Holger didn't even try to dodge or avoid the blow, though he did slightly twist to the side. Instead of his face, it crashed against his shoulder, just as his fist hit Sasha's chest in retaliation. The woman, notably lighter than the Ironborn, gasped, as the blow pushed her back, forcing her to fall down on her back, where she heavily hit her head on the ground. She groaned in pain, as Holgar merely chuckled. “You got spirit!”, he spat. “Keep that up and I keep you as a salt wife when I'm done in this bloody city” He shook his head, as he grabbed the servant next to her, an older man who weakly tried to resist. “Alright then, Heleri!”, Holgar roared. “Next round!” He turned around, as he dragged the helpless man towards her. His captive tried to punch him, but his hands were tied and Samantha spotted dry blood on his clothes. “No, please!”, the girl screamed. “He's innocent! Please, I don't know anything, let him go!” But her words fell on deaf ears. “Where is the fucking treasure?”, Holgar spat. “Answer me and I let this maggot leave” By now, he had turned his back to Samantha and Sasha, as he wrapped his hands around the old man's throat. “You got time to think until he expires...” Next to Samantha, Sasha had managed to get back on all fours. One of her hands was reaching into her tunic, where she had hidden her knife, though instead of charging the massive Ironborn while his back was turned, she looked at Samantha. It took her a moment to realize what the other woman was waiting for. It was her order... She tensed up as she realized she wasn't sure if this was the right moment. The old man was gasping for air, as Holgar began to strangle him, slightly at first, but rapidly growing stronger. And yet, they only had one chance to kill him... [Attack Holgar] [Wait for a better opportunity]
|
|
|
Post by diversegnu on Aug 6, 2019 3:55:27 GMT
[Wait for a better opportunity]
Fuck, man. Sorry old dude, but I feel like we only get one shot at this.
|
|
|
Post by TheAPlegends on Aug 6, 2019 11:22:37 GMT
[Attack Holgar]
|
|
|
Post by edinosaur22 on Aug 6, 2019 23:43:33 GMT
[Wait for a better opportunity] The man is a monster, so it's not a good idea to attack him right now.
|
|
|
Post by nolonius on Aug 7, 2019 0:51:28 GMT
Awsome part! Sorry I have been very inactive lately. Im super happy to see Holgar and I can't wait to see more of him. Im courios so i'll go with (Attack Holgar)
|
|
|
Post by GMS Freeman on Aug 7, 2019 15:38:31 GMT
[Attack Holgar]
|
|
|
Post by WildlingKing on Aug 8, 2019 14:50:58 GMT
[Wait for a better opportunity] Damn, this is a tough choice, but ultimately I think Samantha should be patient here. Thing is, I highly doubt this Holgar guy will die right after being introduced, and if that is the case attempting to kill him will necessarily fail.
|
|
|
Post by supersagig on Aug 9, 2019 22:30:32 GMT
[Attack Holgar]
|
|
|
Post by drdestroyer18 on Aug 11, 2019 19:28:35 GMT
[Wait for a better opportunity]
|
|
|
Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Aug 14, 2019 22:01:11 GMT
The Voting is closed! Samantha is going to wait for a better opportunity Perhaps one of these days, I shall introduce a character who gets killed off in the very next part to prevent things from becoming too predictable ^^ Perhaps this moment would have been... now? Well, in any case, Samantha is going to wait for a better opportunity, hoping that it will come up soon. The next part will be out today. Currently, I am writing a Jaron part, which I hope to finish very soon, but there is also going to be room for a Janae part. Last time we saw Jaron, he accompanied Lysara, Samuel and Arryn to the mansion of Bazaeya Braesendys, with whom Lysara hopes to negotiate a trade deal. Helping her out is part of the deal she has struck with Aidan and she has made it clear that she doesn't want the group to talk without being directly adressed, possibly not even then. This order was put to the test when the first person they met at Bazaeya's mansion within the black walls, namely her favourite servant Zixun, assumed Jaron and the others to be Lysara's slaves, an impression Jaron chose not to correct, albeit reluctantly. Meanwhile, Janae's part began with Harpy admitting to having killed Haar in self defence. Abbas, benevolent as ever and realizing he had to punish Harpy somehow without actually harming her (as he wants to sell her to her old master without any injuries) decided to punish Behara instead, severing a small piece of her finger and making it clear that further disobedience from either Janae or Harpy would be met with more severe punishment. The next day, the group arrived at a fortified bridge, controlled by an acquaintance of Abbas, whom the slaver is not too happy to meet again. Said acquaintance turns out to be a young woman named Rowan and Abbas is apparently in debt with her. Unsurprisingly, Abbas isn't well-liked among the garrison of the bridge fort either and as soon as Rowan and Abbas left for further negotiation, the captain of Rowan's guards, a certain Salazar Redwind, approached them and asked straight away if she can tell him anything bad about Abbas. With the most recent warning still fresh, Janae decided to lie to Salazar so that she wouldn't risk anything.
|
|
|
Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Aug 17, 2019 2:47:35 GMT
Jaron Jaron knew, this was not his time to be prideful. And it was not as if he, the hedge knight, never had to swallow his pride in the past. As such, nodding and confirming Zixun's presumption was almost an easy decision for him to make. The slave gave them a wide smile. “Lady Rogare and her servants then”, he proclaimed. “Please, follow after me, my lady will be pleased to welcome you in her humble home” He turned to the side, allowing Jaron to have a full view at a mansion that was anything but humble, not even when compared to the buildings around it. It seemed humility was not a Volantene strength, but he had to admit, he was suitably impressed. In Lys, he had seen it only from afar, but here he had the opportunity to actually experience it up close, the fading splendour of Valyria. Though one of dozens in this part of the city, the mansion seemed closer to a Westerosi castle in size and also in layout. The Burned Man's mansion in Oldtown had been lavishly decorated and even a bit intimidating in its opulence, yet it ultimately still felt like a house meant to live in. This mansion was a different case entirely. The entrance hall alone had almost half the size of a decent Westerosi mansion, yet where back home, as far as Jaron could tell, the nobility preferred warm wood for the floor and wall cladding, this massive room was made of cold marble. Beyond that, it seemed the Volantene had a preference for columns and statues, judging by the sheer amount of both. The entrance hall had three floors alone, the upper levels accessible through four balconies, each of them resting on a trio of columns. A marble statue stood between each of them, depicting tall, slender men and women. For a moment, Jaron could only stare at the level of detail that had gone into these statues, their bodies and faces looking no less lifelike than Lysara as she walked in front of him. In fact, he recognized the similarity between her delicate facial features and the cold beauty of these statues. The only sign of life within this cold hall was a small figure, unsuccessfully trying to hide behind one of the columns. “Ah, Aentihys!”, Zixun called out for her, a warm smile forming on his face as the young girl reluctantly stepped into view. She was pale and thin, but well-dressed, although her dirty blonde hair was a wild mess that would defy any attempt to comb it. What actually caused Jaron to pause and gulp were her eyes, dark pools that lacked the emotion and joy he would expect in a child of her age. They were dull, only barely lighting up when she looked at Zixun, but downright shocking the knight with the cold hatred within them as she gazed upon Lysara and her companions. Someone of her age shouldn't have eyes like this... “Aentihys, be good and find the mistress”, Zixun told her, though his voice was warm, not the slightest bit commanding towards the girl. “Tell her Lysara Rogare has arrived” She hesitated for a moment, before she gave him a nod. “Fine...”, she whispered, before she hurried away. With a wide smile, Zixun turned to Lysara. “Lady Bazaeya will meet you in her audience hall”, he stated. “How do you know?”, Arryn blurted out, which caused Lysara to narrow her eyes, while Zixun chuckled. “I told you, I am mylady's favourite”, he replied. “I know just what she will order. And for her dear guest, Lady Lysara, she would want nothing less than to meet her in the finest room within this humble mansion” Once again, Jaron had to admit that this mansion was anything but humble. The thought that all of this was for a single person baffled him. An entire village could live within the halls Zixun led them through and the statues and paintings they walked past were probably worth more than a small Westerosi castle. One thing was for sure, the lady was not humble. “What's about the girl?”, Lysara asked and Zixun smiled. “Aentihys”, he spoke. “A sweet child. She's from Qohor and the newest addition to our household” Lysara shrugged. “You're not supposed to tell me her story”, she clarified firmly. “I can guess it already. No, I'm just surprised Lady Bazaeya employs child slaves” Zixun raised an eyebrow. “Apologies, Lady Lysara”, he was quick to say. “Mylady was not aware you draw the line at that” The Lysene woman shook her head. “I bet she makes a fine slave one day”, she stated and Zixun's smile grew slightly thinner. “But from my experience, young children are unreliable for most duties” “Oh, Aentihys is strictly obedient, as are the other children in myladies service”, Zixun claimed and this time, Lysara nodded. “I would expect nothing less”, she mumbled. “But is she reliable? A child of her age is bound to make a mistake sooner or later” She shook her head. “It seems like a foolish risk to keep a child slave around” Her gaze fell upon a small alcove and Jaron noticed that her lips tightened. “And what is this?”, she asked. As Jaron followed her gaze, he noticed that the alcove prominently featured a stone place embedded into the wall, depicting a heart surrounded by flames. Dozens of candles stood before it, some burned down, others freshly illuminated. He narrowed his eyes as he tried to remember where he had seen this symbol, before he finally realized its origin. The small red temple in Oldtown had displayed it as well. “Ah, a shrine to the Red God”, Zixun explained. “I know it must be different in Lys, but here in Volantis, R'hllor is actually a well-respected god. A significant part of the city prays to him” Lysara raised an eyebrow. “Lady Bazaeya as well?”, she asked sharply and Zixun was quick to shake his head. “Of course not! Only the proper gods of Valyria for her”, he clarified. “But unlike the major part of Volantis' nobility, she allows her slaves to pray openly. Let's not kid ourselves, everyone knows they'd just do so in secret either way. It helps with keeping the slaves satisfied” “I see...”, Lysara spoke slowly. “One might say you learn from Lys' mistakes” She narrowed her eyes. “And yet, the Red God and his followers aren't innocent to the plight of my people” Zixun was going to reply something, though he was cut off the moment he opened his mouth. “Yet the main culprit was someone else entirely”, a firm voice spoke, feminine yet slightly darker than Lysara's bright tone. “A certain... Absidee of Lys if my sources aren't mistaken” Jaron turned to the one that had spoken and he spotted a woman, who just walked through the hallway. She was tall and slender, and though her skin was notably more tanned than Lysara's, she sported the same silvery-golden hair and eyes a shade of purple. The first signs of ageing had already appeared on her well-shaped face and the heavy paint she wore around her eyes couldn't cover the fine wrinkles up entirely. She wore a stunning dress, green and golden, contrasting well with her darker skin and the pale hair. She was accompanied by two girls, one of which Jaron recognized as the young Qohorik, Aentihys. The second girl was not much older, likely younger than ten years of age, with pale, slightly sunburnt skin and reddish-brown hair, which she wore in a neatly combed braid. She wore a plain red dress and the look on her face wasn't much brighter than the expression Aentihys sported, but where the other girl showed hints of anger within her glares, this second girl showed hints of fear. “You are not”, Lysara clarified, before a thin smile formed on her face. She did the slightest of bows in front of the other woman, who replied with a much deeper gesture of respect. “Lady Braesendys, I am pleased to meet you so soon” The woman smiled and it was wider and warmer than Lysara's forced expression. “As am I, Lady Rogare”, she replied. “Last time we met, you haven't been much older than my girls here and I was freshly married” She spread her arms. “But please, call me Bazaeya” Lysara took a step closer, briefly hugging the other woman and kissing her on both cheeks. “Lysara”, she offered. “My father sends his regards. Of course, the situation in Lys makes it impossible for him to come here by himself, but let's just say, he was deeply intrigued by your proposition” “Splendid”, Bazaeya spoke, as she pointed at a door, which Zixun had already opened. “But shall we speak within my audience hall? We should have a bit more privacy in there” She turned to the red-haired girl to her left. “Melony, dear”, she spoke sweetly and the girl gulped, staring blankly at the floor instead of her mistress. “Go and fetch a plate of refreshments for my guest. This time, I expect you to spill nothing” The girl nodded and quickly hurried away, while Bazaeya turned to Aentihys. “And you follow her and grab a plate of food”, she spoke, not as gentle as Zixun, but neither was she particularly harsh towards her. “When you do this, you can get a slice of bread and a handful of figs for yourself” Aentihys nodded without looking at Bazaeya, before following after the other child. “Do you have many child slaves these days, Bazaeya?”, Lysara asked, as they approached the open door. Jaron, Samuel and Arryn followed. Bazaeya shook her head. “Just these two, compared to one and a half dozen grown men and women in my service”, she clarified. “And I aim to sell Melony in the near future. The red temple has offered to buy her at a generous price” “Now you make deals with the red temple?”, Lysara growled and Bazaeya gave her a nod. “As should you, my dear”, she spoke. “You can think what you want of the red priests and their teachings, but they have coin, way more than one would think. And many of them are pragmatists. Slaves make up a sizeable portion of their believers, but it doesn't mean they won't trade them just as easily as you and I would” “They won't just set her free?”, Lysara asked in slight disbelief and Bazaeya chuckled, as she shook her head. “No, dear”, she clarified. “They'll put her to work, that's for sure. Melony will grow up to be decently pretty, so I bet they'll give her a teardrop tattoo and make her earn enough coin to fund another one or two of their temples” Jaron could not tell if Lysara was pleased with this answer or not, as her expression did not change in the slightest, although he himself subtly clenched his fists at Bazaeya's explanation. “So be it”, she finally spoke as they entered the audience hall. It was smaller than the entrance hall, but still massive in size. In contrast, it was sparsely furnished, allowing the few decorations to stand out all the more. Even the furniture was a work of art, from the finely crafted tables to the chairs with their clawed legs. The ceiling was stylized, with scales and wings carved into it to give it the impression of standing right beneath a marble-coloured dragon. “Shall we continue this conversation in the Westerosi common tongue?”, Bazaeya asked, to which Lysara gave her a nod. “I take it few of your slaves speak it”, she replied and the older woman nodded in return. “Only Zixun and the girl, Aentihys” She smiled at her favoured servant, who stood behind her, his arms crossed behind his back. “It will be safer this way” With a gesture, she offered a single seat to Lysara, while Jaron and his companions stood behind her. Despite the three men and her own seeming lack of guards, she didn't seem the slightest bit intimidated and even gave a careful smile to each of them. “Hired guards, Lysara?”, she asked. “What happened to reliable slaves?” Lysara chuckled. “Attract too much attention”, she stated. To this, Bazaeya actually laughed brightly. “Dear, with your looks, your slaves aren't the ones attracting too much attention”, she replied. “There's not many of us left, you know. The scions of Valyria” She crossed her arms. “I take you are not married?” Lysara shot her a crooked grin. “Thankfully, my father values my talents too much to just sell me off like cattle”, she replied. “Ah, that was not what I was going for”, Bazaeya clarified quickly. “What I mean is, you will see it soon enough. Our seed has grown weak after the Doom. Many women of Valyrian ancestry struggle to get pregnant and when they give birth, the child is rarely of pure blood. You can be thankful your father married within the family, else your hair might lack that radiant silver shade” She narrowed her eyes. “Unless a miracle happens, the beauty of Valyria will be nothing but a legend in a few hundred years” Lysara slightly tilted her head. “You and I will have long turned to dust until then”, she spoke, though she hesitated. “So why should I care? What matters is that House Rogare lives on, not that a future offspring of my family has silver hair. Where exactly are you going with that?” Bazaeya folded her hands over her belly. “What I mean, and I believe you are inclined to agree with me on that, is that our people, the blood of Valyria, deserves one last shot at becoming more than a legend in a future history book” The younger woman waited for a few seconds, before she leant back within her chair. “What do you propose then?”, she asked, her voice forcibly calm, though Jaron could sense that she was intrigued. Bazaeya obviously noticed the same, as a sweet smile formed on her face. “There is one of our blood, quite literally, as we're both distantly related to the man, who seeks to build a new legacy for our people instead of clinging to what little the Doom has spared” “Aegon Targaryen...”, Lysara gasped and her smile grew a tiny bit more genuine. Behind her, Jaron noticed Samuel pressing his lips together, the usually calm and quiet man appearing unusually stressed. “You seek to aid the dragonlord”, Lysara added and Bazaeya gave her a nod. “And you are not unhappy about this”, she deduced. “Yes, I seek Rogare coin to fund Aegon's campaign in Westeros” She narrowed her eyes. “Your family has served his once”, she stated. “Surely you would like to strengthen old ties” Lysara hesitated again. “House Rogare serves no one these days”, she clarified. “But we always pay our debts. We have House Targaryen to thank for our current wealth, it's true” She narrowed her eyes and the two women carefully looked at each other. “Yet you should know the Rogare bank is no charity either. What do you need and what's in this for us?” Bazaeya leant forwards. “What I need is to get into a position of power within Volantis”, she stated. “Namely, I must win the upcoming election and become one of the triarchs of this beautiful city” Lysara raised an eyebrow. “I wasn't aware there's an election coming up”, she spoke. “Hasn't there been one, just four... five months ago?” The other woman gave her a nod. “Almost five”, she clarified. “But I cannot wait for another seven months. By then, Aegon Targaryen has either won without our aid or he has suffered crushing defeat. Neither is desirable if you want some profit out of this incredible opportunity” Lysara flashed her a grin. “Plus, you wouldn't win the election in seven months, would you?”, she asked. “Sharp”, Bazaeya complimented her. “It is true, I have the support now, but with each passing week, more of my supporters fall for Trianna's lies. She's a bitter rival within the elephant party. I say let her have her time after I had mine, but unlike me, she would never advocate to support Aegon Targaryen” “Many wouldn't”, Lysara stated. “He and his dragon brought your city to its knees. Even among the elephants, few would be in favour of supporting him now, no matter his bloodline” Bazaeya narrowed her eyes. “And yet I can convince them”, she claimed. “I alone. For this, I must win the coming election” Her smile returned. “As for you, help me with this and you can return to Lys with a new trade deal. It will help both of our cities recover from war and rebellion... and it will be exclusively between the merchant houses of Volantis and the Rogare bank” Lysara's eyes widened subtly. “Tempting”, she admitted as she leant closer, carefully eyeing the woman opposing her. “Very... tempting. Yet you forget one important aspect” Her smile faded. “The election is held only once a year. You just had your chance and clearly you missed it”, she stated, before she paused. Jaron noticed that she suppressed a gasp. “Unless...” “Unless one of the triarchs dies before the year is over, yes”, Bazaeya finished her line of thought. “Yes, I like how you think. One of the triarchs just needs to die before the next election, preferably very soon” Lysara's smile faded entirely. “The Rogare bank does not deal in assassination”, she stated firmly, to which Bazaeya chuckled. “No, you deal in coin and services, dear. Consider it a case of the latter that will bring you a lot of the former”, she explained, before she narrowed her eyes. “Besides, in public you can claim that your family is honest and innocent all you want but here in private, I expect more honesty. You and I both know there is little your father wouldn't do for solid coin” Lysara hesitated for a moment, before her confident smile returned. “I will neither confirm nor deny this”, she spoke firmly. “But let's just think for a moment... if one of the triarchs were to suffer a tragic accident... whom would you prefer?” Bazaeya didn't even have to think about it, as she immediately looked up. “There is only one whom I would wish this upon”, she claimed. “His name is Irrario Paenys, from the tiger party. Honestly, how he even managed to get elected is beyond me, considering that it was his party that brought us into this devastating war” “He is the only tiger among the triarchs?”, Lysara asked and Bazaeya gave her a nod. “With me, every triarch would belong to the elephant party for once. Honestly, it's about time”, she explained. “With this power, it won't be hard to support our candidate in Westeros. With coin from Volantis and Lys, he will be able to unite all of Westeros under his banner. And then, he will be in our debt. Think of what this will mean for your war-torn home and for mine” “I'll consider it”, Lysara finally stated. “And I might even know just whom to hire” With this, she glanced at her three companions and Jaron, who had feared this much, tensed up at once. “Will you do it?”, the woman asked. The first to react was Samuel, who gave her a quiet nod. “My blade is yours”, he stated firmly. “Give the order and that man will die” “You're just going to murder him like that?”, Jaron growled, earning him a glare from Lysara and a slightly confused look from Samuel. “What do you think I did in Oldtown?”, the sellsword asked in return. “Probably killed better people than him. Heard little good about the triarchs” Arryn chuckled. “They're right proper cunts, yeah”, he spoke. Bazaeya chuckled. “Right proper, as you so eloquently said”, she chirped. “If it helps, Irrario is indeed a horrible man. He is cruel towards anyone of lesser blood and even towards his own daughter, the poor thing. He's a dedicated tiger, a warmonger with no equal in this city” She gave him a quick wink. “And he is in my way”, she added. “Is that reason enough for a sellsword to kill a man?” “I'm no sellsword”, the hedge knight clarified. “I came along to protect Lady Lysara, not to kill one of the rulers of this city. I'm no assassin!” Samuel raised an eyebrow and Arryn chuckled. “Come on!”, Blackwell spoke. “You mean to tell me you never killed a guy back in Oldtown? For the Burned Man?” Jaron sighed. “That was different”, he claimed. “This would be... a political murder. It's different from a small gang fight” “True”, Lysara agreed. “It is different. The whole situation is different” She gave him a long, deep look out of her hauntingly beautiful eyes. “In Oldtown, you killed for survival, you killed for revenge and you killed for the woman you love”, she stated. “Now I ask you to kill for me. I told you I can help with finding your woman and I mean it. But first, I want that trade deal” “I think you should help”, Samuel spoke. “Your morals served you well in Westeros, but you should have noticed by now, you're not there anymore” He gave him a strong glare, but not vicious. There was... almost a plea within it? “I want to help you and I want you by my side when we face my... when we face Ryder once again”, Samuel explained. “But if you want to have any chance at seeing your girl again, you can't cling to the wrong morals, at least not here” [Agree to kill the triarch] [Refuse to kill the triarch]
|
|
|
Post by diversegnu on Aug 17, 2019 4:16:17 GMT
[Agree to kill the triarch]
Man, I'm already so pumped for this storyline.
|
|
|
Post by GMS Freeman on Aug 17, 2019 6:33:56 GMT
[Agree to kill triarch]
|
|
|
Post by drdestroyer18 on Aug 17, 2019 11:15:44 GMT
[Agree to kill the triarch]
|
|
|
Post by TheAPlegends on Aug 17, 2019 13:14:48 GMT
[Agree to kill the triarch]
|
|
|
Post by edinosaur22 on Aug 17, 2019 13:26:22 GMT
[Agree to kill the triarch]
|
|
|
Post by supersagig on Aug 17, 2019 17:41:05 GMT
[Agree to kill the triarch]
|
|
|
Post by WildlingKing on Aug 18, 2019 15:34:15 GMT
[Agree to kill the triarch] Refusing would only achieve complicating the situation for Jaron, most likely losing any support from Lysara and possibly even putting himself in danger. And all that just to protest an assassination of some Volantene elite who will be assassinated regardless of Jaron's participation, and who most likely wouldn't give even an ounce of value for Jaron's life were the roles reversed. Anyway, the politics of the Free Cities certainly make for a very interesting setting, and I'm eager to watch this plotline unfold.
|
|
|
Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Aug 28, 2019 1:11:17 GMT
The Voting is closed!
Jaron is going to agree to kill the triach That was the choice I've been hoping for! I mean, not that I necessarily want Jaron to become a hired killer, but I've got quite a storyline planned for this route. It was a major choice and it will really change the way Jaron's storyline is going to develop in the long run. Plus, it is one of the storylines where I am 100% positive it'll make for an exciting read for you and an exciting write for me Also, there is a small easter egg hidden within this part, which you may or may not have noticed, but it'll become a little bit more obvious in future parts for Jaron's storyline. So, the next part will be out right now. It is going to include the Janae part I mentioned earlier, but also the next John part, after which the narrative will wrap up some plotlines in Westeros for this chapter. I know it has been a long one, but bear with me, we are about to enter the chapter finale soon. So, I gave a recap for Janae's part last time I closed the voting, so here's one for John. Last time we saw him, he, Temari, Aidan and Aidan's first mate Gill went to look for a slaver who is in massive debt to the Rogare family. While Aidan doesn't like working for Lysara, he is making an exception now that the target is a slaver. Said target goes by the name of Konrad Blacktyde, a cousin to the main line of the Ironborn house of Blacktyde. He is hiding somewhere within Volantis and Aidan hopes that a well-connected friend of his can help him, a Norvoshi trader named Kovaggo Rednar. Kovaggo meanwhile only wants to help them if John manages to defeat his companion Beopin in a drinking contest. So far so easy, but unfortunately, it turned out that Beopin is a grown bear, if a somewhat docile one due to being raised by Kovaggo since he was a mere cub. John actually managed to win that contest and his next part will show the aftermath of it. Also, a new, weird bug has arisen within the Telltale site. Right now, I can access the FoT thread there, I can like posts, but I cannot reply or make a new comment. This is only within the GoT section, as I can still reply to posts within the General section. While the Telltale site has remained online for far longer than I expected and while I commit to my promise to update the thread over there for as long as possible, I must admit that I am really glad that Creator's Haven is running without any glitches, so that I can update this story for years to come
|
|
|
Post by LiquidChicagoTed on Aug 28, 2019 1:12:12 GMT
Janae “He...”, Janae began, before she sighed. Abbas had warned them about this and while there was nothing she would like more than to defy him, she had to be smart about it. Just telling the first person who seemed somewhat affable about what kind of a man Abbas truly was, it seemed like too much of a risk. Besides, how could a sellsword captain help them? He was not in charge here. As such, she shook her head. “He is not a cruel master”, she lied through her teeth and next to her, Harpy narrowed her eyes. Salazar just stared at them for a moment, before he sighed. “I can see you are afraid of him”, he replied, his voice showing just a hint of disappointment. “So be it. Keep his secrets if you must” He gave the man next to him a nod. “Get them some supplies, then leave them be” Slightly shaking his head, he turned away. “He sure trains them well these days”, he mumbled, before he walked to one of the houses near the wall. Some of his men remained behind, often casting glances at the three women, which Janae replied to with sharp glares. She didn't know these people. They owed her no help and truth be told, she expected none from them. When it came to Abbas, there was no one she could trust but herself. Even Behara and Harpy were more hindrance than help, the former being scared out of her wits, the latter being prone to rash decisions, blinded by her anger, understandable as it was. “Why didn't you tell him?”, Harpy whispered and Janae raised an eyebrow. “Why didn't you?”, she asked in return. “I don't trust this man. Doubt he's a friend of Abbas, but that doesn't make him our friend. He didn't want to help us, he only wanted to help himself and maybe his employer” Harpy thought about this for a moment, before she nodded. “I don't trust him either”, she agreed. “None of them. All it takes is one snitch and Abbas...” She glanced at Behara and sighed as she wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulder. “But we have to get out of here”, she continued and Janae nodded. “And we will”, she hissed. “Sooner or later, Abbas will make a mistake. He... used to make them all the time, you know” Harpy raised an eyebrow. “You two have quite the history”, she stated and Janae gave her a nod. “Back then, he was a different man”, she revealed. “Had I known back then, I would have slit his throat before escaping, if only to spare him from ever turning into this... monster” She sighed. “The old Abbas would have been horrified by the man he became” “Sounds as if you pity him”, Harpy growled and Janae gave her a tired nod. “I pity the man he used to be”, she admitted, as she briefly closed her eyes. “He was different from the rest of the masters. Gentle, even a bit awkward with people, but with a good heart” Harpy raised an eyebrow. “Doubt it”, she remarked. “Maybe he didn't even know it back then, but deep down, he has always been a cruel son of a bitch. People with good hearts, they don't grow to be like him” Janae glanced over her shoulder and she noticed the sellsword from earlier approaching them again, now holding a tray with both hands, displaying three cups and a clay carafe. He also displayed a massive smile as he came closer. “You should drink”, he told them. “It's going to be a hot day and the captain isn't sure how long your master will talk to Lady Rowan” He reached for a cup and handed it to Janae, who accepted it reluctantly, slightly narrowing her eyes at his smile. “What?”, she growled, as he gave a cup to Harpy and another to Behara. His smile didn't fade. “I'm Semsi, by the way”, he introduced himself and Janae rolled her eyes. “I don't care, by the way”, she hissed. “What do you want?” By the Seven, his grin already got on her nerves. As if he read her thoughts, it faded in this moment. “I heard what you said to the captain”, he revealed. “About your master” Harpy shot him a sharp glare. “He is not...”, she began, before she cut herself off. “Go on”, she mumbled and Semsi gave her a brief smile. “I do not mean to gloat, but yes, at least right now he is”, he stated. “And you can lie to Captain Salazar all you want, but it's clear as day you want out of here” “And your point is?”, Janae asked in a cold tone, to which Semsi gave her a thin smirk. “My point is, perhaps you shouldn't be so quick to dismiss someone who can help you”, he replied. “Salazar is not in league with the Ghiscari. You help him, maybe he helps you” Janae shook her head. “I don't put my faith in a 'maybe'”, she snarled at him. “So, you got anything specific for me?” To this, Semsi gave her a nod. “I have more water”, he stated with a chuckle, to which he thoroughly earned himself an angry glare from Janae and Harpy. A second later, his smile faded. “Listen, maybe I have something else”, he offered and before Janae could interrupt him, he raised a finger. “And yes, I know how you stand to the word 'maybe'. But I believe we can help each other” Janae suppressed the urge to just tell him off, as she knew that at least hearing him out won't do any harm. “Enlighten me then, but keep it quick”, she spoke. “How can you help us?” Semsi quickly glanced around. “It'd be more like, how can we help each other. I'm not a kind man, so if I am supposed to help you, I want you to help me in return” Once more, he looked around. There were few guards on the dusty courtyard, but a couple manned the wooden towers and half a dozen patrolled to the other end of the bridge. “But not here, not now”, he clarified. “Meet me behind the stables after nightfall. Come alone and don't tell your master a word about this, or you'll doom us both” Janae raised an eyebrow, before glancing down at the chains that tied her to the cart. “Haven't you forgotten about something?”, she asked in return. “It's not as if I can just leave” Semsi shook his head. “You won't stay chained to a cart like some ox”, he promised her. “Sure, maybe chained, but I overheard their talk, between the fat slaver and the guard. You're the one they called... Janae, aren't you?” Janae gave him a reluctant nod. “What if I am?”, she asked, to which he smirked. “Then you won't stay in chains. Seems like Abbas trusts you a great deal” Janae almost chuckled at this comment. “He doesn't trust me one bit”, she corrected him. “But he knows I cannot escape without Harpy and Behara” She narrowed her eyes. “He enjoys tempting me”, she clarified. “So if your proposal doesn't involve them, we can keep this short. I'm only in if you can help them as well” Semsi nodded slightly. “Yeah, I picked that up already”, he spoke. “Worry not, this won't be a waste of your time, you have my word for it” Glancing over his shoulder, he and Janae noticed Ryder Harrington at the same time, just as the sellsword walked out of the house he had entered earlier. He glanced into their direction and narrowed their eyes, as Semsi took a deep bow in front of the women. “It will be a warm day”, Semsi spoke loudly. “So, if you need more to drink, don't hesitate to ask for Semsi” He placed a hand on his chest. “That is me”, he added, before he continued in a lower tone. “The stables, after midnight. Meet me there or don't do it if you prefer an iron collar around your neck for the rest of your days” He gave her a wink, before he turned around, walking into Ryder's direction. “Is there a problem?”, Harrington asked and Semsi shook his head. “Just brought them something to drink”, he claimed. “Salazar's order” Ryder narrowed his eyes. “Mighty considerate of you”, he growled, as they both continued on their way, Semsi towards the barracks, Ryder towards Janae. As he reached them, he crouched down in front of the women. “Everything alright?”, he asked. In reply, Janae shot him a glare. “What do you care?”, she hissed. “Or have you forgotten it so quickly, how you held me down while Abbas did that to Behara?” Ryder met her gaze fearlessly. “Had I not done that, he would have harmed her worse than that”, he claimed, before he placed a hand on his heart. “I am not your enemy” “Yes you are”, Harpy replied firmly. “You have always been. I know your name, from Oldtown. You've been one of Butterfly's thugs” To this, Ryder firmly shook his head. “I worked for Commander Mullendore”, he clarified. “And no, I had no idea of his secret for the longest time. I... had my suspicions, but never enough to confront him about it. Suppose I've still been close enough to the man to be on everyone's hit list now that Hishi is cleaning up the Solver mess” “And you expect me to believe that?”, Harpy asked, to which Ryder shrugged. “Believe what you want”, he stated. “It won't change a thing. I need to get to the other end of the world as fast as possible and Abbas will help me hide my tracks. That's all there is to me and him” He gave Harpy a long, stern look. “My brother was actually in league with Butterfly”, he stated. “I don't know how deep Samuel drifted into this darkness, but he will never stop hunting me” He narrowed his eyes. “And he is not alone”, he added. “Recently, he acquired the help of a hedge knight you know well” This caused Harpy to gasp, as Ryder rose from the ground again. “Jaron...?”, she mumbled, before her eyes widened. “You have seen Jaron?” But Ryder already turned around without looking back. “As I said”, he stated. “Samuel will never stop hunting me. That's why I'm still here” He began to walk back to the barracks, leaving the women behind. Surprisingly, Harpy sported an odd smile. “So, your knight is coming for you”, Janae stated and Harpy nodded in return. “And your sellsword is coming for you”, she replied. “Ryder's brother helped us in Oldtown. Can't say I trust him all that much, but he is a fighter without equal. If Jaron allied with him, then Abbas should be terrified” Her smile faded, but Janae still saw it linger within her eyes. “What about that other man, that Semsi?”, she then asked. “You trust him?” “Not one bit”, Janae clarified. “Just not sure if we can afford it though. Not trusting him, I mean” She raised an eyebrow. “You think I should go?” Harpy bit down onto her lower lip. “Honestly... not sure”, she admitted. “It is as you said, we don't know him and just one mistake and...” She paused and glanced at Behara, who was staring at the ground. “But he seemed... I don't know, reasonable?” She sighed. “Listen, it's your choice. Meet him or not, but keep in mind that it can backfire either way” [Meet Semsi] [Refuse to meet Semsi]
John
John's grin widened and with one large gulp, he emptied his mug. He was not sure if the bear realized what had happened, but his groan sounded almost disappointed, before he sank forward. John himself had to strongly suppress the urge to do the same, as the strong Norvoshi alcohol really got to his head. “So I... guess I won!”, he exclaimed. A wide grin formed on Aidan's face and the old Gill looked genuinely impressed for a moment, while Temari merely shook his head in disappointment. Next to him, Kovaggo clapped his hands. “You did, friend!”, he confirmed. “Challenged Beopin like no one before. And you triumphed!” He patted John onto the back. “If you got dizzy head, say it, I know food to help” John raised an eyebrow and behind Kovaggo, he saw Aidan who rapidly shook his head. “Yeah... no”, the sellsword declined. “I just want you to help Aidan with our little problem” “I take it you will keep your word, mate?”, Aidan asked and Kovaggo gave him a nod. “Yes of course!”, the Norvoshi promised. “You need to find... Konrad, yes? Konrad the Westerosi” Aidan nodded. “Konrad Blacktyde, that's his name. Ironborn, probably pretty important on the isles, judging by his name. Made a couple powerful enemies here in Essos though” “So did you, captain”, Gill reminded him and Aidan rolled his eyes. “Yeah, but I'm not a slaver”, he defended himself. “I kill slavers and around here, that is bound to piss off some people. Konrad, he is a slaver and still managed to get on their bad side” He shook his head. “So yeah, we're looking for some dumb Ironborn named Konrad. You know the guy we're looking for, mate?” Kovaggo thought about this for a moment. “Might do, yes”, he confirmed. “I know many people. See many things. They come to me and Beopin, they talk and trust” He chuckled and mumbled something in his native tongue. “They never think Kovaggo remembers”, he added, before he gave him a wink. “It's why I speak, how you call, broken Westerosi” With this, he cleared his throat and as he continued, his speech was clear and correct, despite the still present Norvoshi accent. “Actually, I can speak your tongue quite well, you see”, he revealed with a clever smile. “The Westerosi only see a bumbling foreigner when they look at me and I realized my speech helps with that image. Makes it a bit easier to trust me” John's eyes widened, but neither Aidan, nor Gill seemed even remotely surprised by this revelation. “Most Westerosi who come here have a secret and others pay well for it”, Kovaggo continued, perhaps subconsciously slipping back into his strong accent. “Helps with feeding Beopin. Lazy bear, drinks my drinks and eats my food but rarely brings me any coin” He patted the bear onto the back and Beopin growled. “But Kovaggo is a man of word”, the Norvoshi continued. “I will help. I know Konrad. A slaver, many contacts in the east, but few friends around here. Dangerous by himself, but on the run” His smile widened. “But fear not, I know where he is, where he used to be. Last time I saw him”, he revealed. “It is not far. Do you know Balerion's Rest?” “The tavern?”, Aidan asked and Gill rolled his eyes. “Of course you know where the tavern is, captain”, he mumbled, to which the pirate chuckled. “I've been there a couple times in the past. Not a bad place if you want to keep a low profile. Wouldn't have been my first choice to hide though, as a slaver. Owner's a freed slave himself” “Wasn't his first choice either”, Kovaggo clarified, as Temari spoke up. “What do you mean with 'he used to be there'?”, the sellsword asked and Kovaggo smiled. “Konrad is on the run”, he revealed. “He is switching hideouts frequently. Last time I saw him was three days ago, but he is switching hideouts every week” “Why isn't he leaving the city?”, John growled, trying to ignore the urge to throw up. His mind was still clear, but by the gods, the Norvoshi made some stiff drink. Kovaggo shook his head. “Not so simple, friend”, he explained. “The tiger triarch, Irrario, he controls the ships these days. Rarely lets anyone leave without a lot of paperwork. You'll have trouble too. Konrad just waits for smuggler friend to help him escape” Aidan's smile faded. “Wonderful”, he mumbled. “I would've loved to leave this city by the end of the week” He rolled his eyes. “At least we know where to find Konrad... maybe”, he added. “That means if he's still there by now” He placed a hand on Kovaggo's shoulder and squeezed it briefly. “Thanks mate”, he told him. “I really owe you one for that” Kovaggo was quick to shake his head. “I owe you”, he clarified. “This was fun!” He heavily patted John onto the back with strength that likely matched that of his bear. “You can drink, man from Westeros!”, he exclaimed. “Beopin could learn a lot from you” John groaned, as he pushed himself up from his seat, leaving the bear sitting where it was. “Yeah, I hear that all the time...”, he mumbled, as he shook Kovaggo's hand. The Norvoshi took a slight bow in front of them. “It was pleasure”, he assured them. “If you ever be in Volantis again, come seek me out. We can drink some more and we can talk” John gave him a nod. “Sure, that sounds... lovely”, he spoke and Kovaggo turned to Aidan. “And if you don't find Konrad, return. We can make another deal”, he promised. Aidan raised an eyebrow. “If we don't find Konrad you can bet that I return”, he spoke in a low tone, before he broke into a wide grin. “And I'll bring my new friend along! But we should go now, before Konrad gets away” He placed an arm around John's back, supporting him as they walked out of the room and quickly out of the holdfast. By the time they had reached the street, John had regained his composure. “Can't say that's how I expected to spend the day”, John spoke and his grin matched Aidan's with ease. “Man, what do they give to those Norvoshi bears? That thing was huge” He turned to Temari, who replied with a mildly annoyed glare. “Seemed like a waste of time to me”, his companions growled and John shook his head. “Consider it a tale for your grandchildren”, he replied. To this, Temari actually broke into a thin smirk. “That time where Uncle John drunk with a bear”, he replied and John raised an eyebrow. “Uncle John”, he repeated. “I like the sound of that” They followed after Aidan into one of Volantis' countless alleyway. The pirate stopped next to a building that seemed downright deserted, but John was not so certain about it, not in a city like Volantis, too small for its people. “So, what is the plan?”, Temari asked, as Aidan leant against a wall. “We just walk up there and grab him?” To this, the pirate gave him a nod. “Yeah, pretty much”, he replied, before he giggled. “Nah, don't give me that look. You heard the Norvoshi! Konrad is on his own, means we cannot waste any time. We have to act now before he gets away again” “Shouldn't we at least wait until nightfall?”, Temari brought up. “He should be asleep by then. We can overpower him without much of a fight” He glanced around and his expression somehow managed to grow even more sour. “Besides, I don't exactly know my way around here. If he escapes, don't count on me to chase him. Won't be much use for that” Aidan shook his head. “Kovaggo saw him three days ago. If he hasn't changed his hiding spot yet, he's at least about to do so”, he countered. “In a few hours he might not be there anymore. Maybe Kovaggo can help us again, but I'd rather not risk it” He glanced at John. “Impressed as I am about your deed, mate”, he admitted. “No, I say we go there right now” “And risk a fight”, Temari spoke, to which Aidan gave him a nod. “We're four people, of course I'm risking a fight”, he stated, before he glanced at Gill. “You're with me, old man, aren't you?” Gill hesitated for a moment, before he sighed. “You know I'll follow you, captain, if that's your order”, he replied. “But I have to agree with Temari. I doubt the slaver is going to flee so soon and approaching him during the night sounds like the safer bet” He turned to John. “Besides, it'll give that one enough time to get a clear head again”, he growled. “Bah, don't listen to him!”, Aidan exclaimed, as he placed an arm around John's shoulders. “Now, John, my mate, my iron-stomached, hard-drinking new mate, what do you say?” He flashed him a bright grin. “Shall we get to that slaver right now, where nothing can go wrong, or would you prefer to wait until he gets away, like those two cowards right here?” John raised an eyebrow over his eyepatch. “You'd trust me with that decision?”, he asked and Aidan gave him a wink. “Aye, sure do!”, he replied. “As long as you're on my side, I trust you till it snows in Dorne” He paused and his smile actually grew slightly thinner for once. “Even if you do kinda reek from that Norvoshi piss, hope you don't mind me saying so...”, he whispered, before he let go of John. “So, what do you say?” [Head to the tavern immediately] [Wait until nightfall]
|
|
|
Post by InGenNateKenny on Aug 28, 2019 3:27:48 GMT
[Refuse to meet Semsi] I have a feeling this encounter is of the unwanted sexual kind, and I think it's best to avoid it. Dude's shady.
[Head to the tavern immediately] I'm not in the mood for stake-outs, let's just get in there and go to town on this joker.
But he's only got one eye, so he shouldn't be able to do this? Although I guess someone's eyes could widen even if they couldn't see (might have to look it up, it would be cool to know)?
Hmm. So Ryder knows Jaron and Samuel are coming after him. I wonder if Abbas knows too. Either way, I can sense the confrontation brewing.
Glad to see more of Beopin. Such an interesting little moment. I like Kovaggo. Smart guy.
|
|
|
Post by TheAPlegends on Aug 28, 2019 12:11:19 GMT
[Meet Semsi]
[Head to the tavern immediately]
|
|
|
Post by drdestroyer18 on Aug 28, 2019 14:42:06 GMT
[Meet Semsi] [Head to the tavern immediately]
|
|
|
Post by diversegnu on Aug 28, 2019 14:45:07 GMT
[Refuse to meet Semsi] Nah, I think Janae should just wait for Jaron and co. to eventually find them.
[Head to the tavern immediately] Kovaggo's the man, hope to see more of him and his bear.
|
|
|
Post by WildlingKing on Aug 29, 2019 11:01:55 GMT
[Meet Semsi] It's risky for sure, but we are given too many tempting chances to refuse them all [Head to the tavern immediately] It's 4 against 1, what could go wrong? Well, now that I think about it probably a lot, but eh I'm in a mood for taking risks XD
|
|