Journey Plan- Image :
Author's Note: I won't repeat the details of every visit to each new town. By now, readers should have a good sense of the usual routine. This chapter focuses on the journey through Dorne towards his main goal in Greenblood.
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----Prince's Pass----
----Walder's Pop---
As we left Nightlong and entered the Prince's Pass, the harsh Dornish heat and unfriendly stares hit us hard. In this small village, everyone except Kerith faced either cold looks or outright hostility at times.
Thankfully, the mood lightened thanks to the back-to-back entertainment shows by Leonis's mummers.
Of course, the most successful ones were Huric and Kerith. One became close to them by healing their spirit, and the other by healing their body.
Soon, as Garhammer sold some of his craft, he recruited some apprentices again.
"Finally, the loading of the spices and water is done, Maester Walder."
"Thank you for the help. Village head Oberic. Here is your payment- 100 Gold dragons."
I stopped my observations of the group as the spices were loaded into the wagon. These Spices were for the daily consumption of travelers, not for trade.
It is obvious, considering we are going deep into Dorne. According to Kerith's plan, we will make a round of all the major Dorne towns and cities and return to exploring the rest of the Reach.
Even I could guess that from there it would be the Stormlands.
His insistent need to explore the Kingdoms, other than various specimens he collected, can be only for one reason: Garmond's group. Each new city or town, it seems to grow by a member at the very least. A small number, but each unique in the fact they seem to have an animal. No wonder rumors of the Wargs started spreading.
I can see Kerith is using the Travelers to get various things - wealth, fame, skilled talents. As for why, well, it is not really a question of why, but how much.
In a few topics around the fire, it became a bet to see which Great Lord would make him a noble or in which kingdom we will settle in. The question is how much price is needed to tempt Kerith's heart.
The current bet options are Danes, Yornwood, and Martell. I'm mostly leaning towards Martell since they are the next Lord Paramount we'll meet on our journey.
The signs are clear that he's preparing to take over a territory.
With his efforts to promote education in the group, I can see him already building the foundation of a strong administration.
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---Black Mount----
The days went by, each one making us drink more water under the relentless heat. I was thankful for Kerith's decision to stock up and travel near water sources. Even with such foresight, our spirits were almost crushed.
Especially for our furry friends in the group. I watched as Kong, my gorilla companion, jumped into a small oasis, doing his best to quench his thirst.
Turning my attention to Kerith, I noticed he was focused on recruiting someone. This was a rare sight, as he often left such tasks to others. His target was a Dornish woman named Shalira, a singer in the Dornish troupe we had met. According to her, singing was a family tradition.
However, her twin kids without a father figure showed the real struggles of performers without Kerith's protection.
I could easily guess the reasons, especially given her beauty.
At least her eyes didn't show signs of hardened trauma. Perhaps her relationship was mutual in the past.
While my genius friend may not realize it, everyone else knows that if there were any other knight in his place, our path would not be so smooth.
Based on the profit our group can generate, we would likely be crushed and assimilated into some lord's territory. Kerith's fame and his connections are keeping most of them at bay.
Hopefully, he finds a great lord to serve, and fast. With the swelling of the group, I fear some Lord may cross the line one day.
-------Kerith's pov--------
----Starfall----
As I wandered the streets and visited the forges of Starfall, I was drawn into the bustling atmosphere, especially in the metal shops. The wide array of alloys impressed me. Garhammer was thrilled, amazed by the high level of metallurgy in Starfall.
It made sense for a town famous for its swords and its respect for the Sword of Danes.
Even though I hoped to find groundbreaking discoveries in Starfall's libraries, I didn't come across anything truly new.
The books on metallurgy were similar to those in the Citadel.
However, what set Starfall apart was how they applied their metallurgical knowledge, which was clearly ahead of its time.
Even the simplest farmer's tools could be commissioned to be stronger than castle-forged steel. Not that they would, but it can be done is the important point.
I was thankful that Garhammer expressed his intent to recruit individuals with such skills. I trusted him, knowing that it takes genuine passion for one to leave their home and embark on a journey across the continent.
As I was walking through the camp, I heard music playing.
It was a dance performance by our recruit Shalira. She's a woman singer, and she looks a lot like a Colombian singer I knew in my past life. Even their names are similar.
I watched her sing and, to be honest, she's just average. She has a lot of room to improve with practice, and she knows it too.
But for her dance, she was amazing. It was probably because of her practice with Dornish dancing, which is known for being sensual. The crowd was really into it, whistling and hooting as they watched her dance with some other women.
"Oh, baby, when you talk like that
You make a woman go mad
So be wise (sí) and keep on (sí)
Reading the signs of my body
I'm on tonight
You know my hips don't lie (no fighting)
And I'm starting to feel it's right
All the attraction, the tension
Don't you see, baby, this is perfection? "
The crowd filled with Dornish men and women blew up at that, effectively making Shalira the favorite of the crowd.
"Hey Shalira, that was great!"
"That's one sexy bitch."
"Baby, come to me tonight. I will make you my wife."
"What about your wife?"
"Seeing her, I sent my wife to the nuns. Because I wet myself under her tonight. If possible, it will be forever."
"As if a road side bitch like can enter that goddess's pussy."
The crass comments at the end actually came from the women in the crowd. I could only say, this is Dorne.
And everyone fell right in love at this. Ever since we reached true Drone, the members of Travelers never made a profit. Because they spent everything on the nights of wet fun. The problem I found was that the night visits were done even by a couple together, looking for a third lover in the mix.
I could still remember the fresh looks of embarrassment from them when looking at a sandwich the next day.
I count more than a dozen orgies, that just occurred in the last week. A short time we spent in Starfall.
"Shalira, Shalira, Shalira."
As I admired the sexy curves of Shalira, I overheard Captain Berek, the old guy, humming. "Quite a sight, isn't she?" he remarked, catching my attention.
I chuckled and answered without shame. "Indeed, Captain. Seems like she's will be the centre of dreams for many people tonight."
"Yes, that lass got some fine treasures. So how's my favorite little man doing?"
"I am doing fine, you old ass. Still, I think it is better you don't joke on your full-time boss."
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We shared a few jokes before deciding to step away from the bustling crowd to discuss important matters.
"So, Captain, did everything go as planned with the ships?" I inquired, getting straight to business.
Berek nodded seriously. "Yes, we have enough ships to transport all the Travelers, loaded with supplies from Highgarden."
I nodded in approval, relieved to hear the news. Then I remembered the compass I had given him.
"What about the compass I provided?" I asked, curious about its usefulness.
Berek's face lit up with a grin. "Ah, that little gadget has been quite handy. It's like having the navigation skills of an iron born. But," he added with a hint of caution, "it might raise some eyebrows. People could mistake it for magic."
With a thoughtful expression, he reached into his pocket and pulled out another item–a book titled "Magnets and Basic Physics for Dummies," authored by yours truly, Kerith.
"This book has been a lifesaver," he admitted, flipping through the pages. "Not everyone can grasp these high-level concepts, but it's been quite the eye-opener."
I wanted to say it was basic knowledge, but considering the conditions of this era, I held my tongue. It was, in fact, remarkable that he had taken the time to learn and understand it.
With the important tasks completed, I gathered the messages given to me by him, which were collected from all over the place- Teacher and a few others, including the inn owners in most coastal towns, a few businesses in Braavos and Pentos.
I spent some time going over the messages, making sure everything was in order. Then I turned to him and asked if he had heard any rumors regarding the Greenblood.
He pondered for a moment before responding, "There are quite a few villages with a complete Rhoynar culture there, completely defying the Red Edicts. You can try your luck there with whatever you want."
I nodded in understanding. It seemed like a promising lead. With the information I could gather from being the guests of the Nobles along the way, there should be no trouble identifying the location roughly.
I could sense that he wanted to say something more, but he ultimately remained silent.
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Captain Berek Journal:
As we departed from the bustling port of Starfall, the warm Dornish sun beating down on us, we set our course for Sun House to replenish our supplies. The journey was not without its challenges, as we encountered the expected threat of sea bandits along the way. Our crew remained vigilant, ready to defend our cargo and ensure our safe passage.
Thankfully, Ser Kerith's monstrous pets crushed the attackers' morale.
With his guards and my veteran sailors, we achieved a significant victory, suffering only a dozen casualties.
I saw that the warriors in Travellers are slowly becoming accustomed to the swaying boats and, hence, the sea combat. Good for them as I got orders to come back for them in Sunspear in 3 months' time.
Upon reaching Sun House, we swiftly restocked our provisions, taking advantage of the opportunity to replenish our stores before continuing our voyage.
The sands of Dorne stretched out before us, the landscape rugged and unforgiving, yet strikingly beautiful in its harshness.
Leaving the Travellers near Sandstone, we use the space aboard our vessels to stock up on precious Dornish spices. These aromatic treasures would fetch a favorable price back in Oldtown, where demand for such exotic flavors was high.
Navigating the azure waters of the Summer Sea, we made our way back towards Oldtown, our ships laden with the rich bounty of Dorne. The journey was arduous, but the promise of a profitable sale awaited us at our destination. With each passing mile, we drew closer to our goal, the anticipation of a successful trade filling the air with excitement. Because with Trade comes Gold, with Gold comes Whores, With Whores is the heaven.
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----2 months later---
As we journeyed from Sandstone, we passed through Hellholt, Vaith, Scourge, and the Salth shore, each stop filled with its own challenges and discoveries.
After gathering information in God's grace, we finally reached the villages along the greenbelt River. It was here that I began my task of seeking the water wizards. Despite a month of searching, we had nothing to show for our efforts. Not a single magical being could be found.
Surprisingly, this lack of success excited me. It was the first time in our journey that we had encountered no magic, despite the large population in the area.
There were only two explanations: either there had been a cleansing by the Faith Militant, which seemed impossible given their burning fate under Balerion's flames, or the water wizards were organized and hiding, observing our movements.
You don't need to be smart to know which is the correct explanation.
"Thank you, Ser, for your help in treating my brother," a villager expressed gratitude to me.
I waved my hand in response, showing that there was no need for thanks. However, I also overheard a quiet apology, "I am sorry for this, Ser."
My consciousness wavered, and my anger, instead of erupting, shifted towards another target. "SIMBAAAAA!" I shouted, attempting to stay awake as I felt myself slipping into slumber. Just as I found a clue regarding my target, I fell into a deep sleep, with Simba and Bautista bursting into the room.
With them in the room, I could relax and mutter out happily, "Well, let's sleep."
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I woke up with a pounding headache, struggling to shake off the effects of the drugged sleep. "Thank the stars for the warg bond," I muttered to myself, grateful that it had kept me alert enough to call out to Simba.
Slowly, I eased myself out of the tent and surveyed the camp. Everyone was going about their usual tasks, unaware of the attempt on me. It was a wise move not to cause a scene, considering I had only just woken up from being drugged. I hoped that Simba and Bautista hadn't taken drastic measures while keeping this in mind.
Approaching a passing guard on patrol, I inquired about the whereabouts of Bautista.
"Ser Kerith, Leader Bautista is on the Prisoner side of the tents, surrounded by the carnivore pride."
With his guidance, I made my way to the area designated for prisoners—a place built to house bandits, thieves, and other rule breakers after they had completed their heavy work for the community.
As I stepped into the tent, I caught sight of the man who had drugged me—a figure with olive skin and black hair. I gave a meaningful look to Simba, who awoke feeling my presence. I silently thanked him and turned my attention to the matter at hand.
I started by asking common questions to get more information. "What's your name?" I asked.
He hesitated for a moment before replying, "My name is Jonas."
[Lie chances 5% based on the observations- Slight tremble in voice, Hesitation, Movement of eyes etc are acceptable based on the situation.]
That is confusing. An Andal name.
"Jonas, what were you trying to do by drugging me?" I inquired further.
He shifted uncomfortably before answering. "I was just looking for supplies."
[Half-truth. Pattern matched with the studies in Citadel and the data gathered in the last decade.]
"What's your profession?"
"A hedge healer, with some idea of herbs growing near here."
[Lie- 98 %.
The hands with discolouration show improper handling.]
"How many more of you are there?"
Even with naked eye, I could see the nervousness on his face because of my question. My hopes rising because he really might be related to the Water wizards near here.
I continued with the next question, "What is your opinion on Mother Rhoynar?"
I could see him surprised at that and closely noted his reaction and words, "I frankly believe it is stupid to worship a river on the other side of the world, no matter how prominent she had been in the past. Besides, I am a proud believer of the Seven who are one. "
[ Multiple emotions in the words- Respect, Anger, Unwillingness, Pride etc. Impossible to judge the truth of the answer.]
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After sifting through a web of lies during the interrogation, the only truth I could glean was that Jonas had been searching for something in my tent. It was clear he wasn't being truthful. Frankly speaking, it is obvious when we were considering his position.
Though I can more or less guess, he is an eyeliner for the Orphans of Greenblood- the water wizards. With Andal name and culture which gives him a disguised front, helping to keep him safe and act as a scout.
My suspicion that Jonas might be a water wizard or connected to them grew stronger. My recent inquiries about them near the Greenblood added weight to this theory.
I pondered my next move as different paths presented themselves in mind. First, Jonas could suddenly come clean and lead me to his group willingly. Unlikely one and hence rejected.
Second, I could force him to choose the first path. Third, I could wait for his group to mount a rescue attempt.
With a steely gaze, I made Jonas uncomfortable, probably from my power over him.
For the first time outside Garmond's presence, I fully invoked my connection to Simba. It felt like being pulled and pushed simultaneously. With a surge of power by possessing Simba, I saw my body in front of Jonas with my eyes glowing white.
With Simba in the back of my mind, I nimbly stepped towards, encircling him until I slowly kept Simba's head beside his head. With a sharp intake of air that literally blew up Jonas's hair, I roared in his ear.
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Exiting Simba's mind, I stepped out of the tent to witness Simba's Pride bringing prey carcasses and a tiger, even dragging a live camel. They followed my command, their feast echoing through the camp.
In a few days, this display of power might prompt Jonas to cooperate or provoke his comrades into action—either outcome served my purpose.
Turning to Bautista, I instructed, "Gather all the core members in my tent," I thought for a second and also said," Bring Garmond and his group back from their search, tell them it is my command to attend the meeting."
It was time to reveal the truth about my abilities.
Delaying further would only be foolish, given their growing awareness of my capabilities.
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In the open field, surrounded by guards for our safety, I gathered my trusted friends and retainers for an important meeting. Walder and Smallfoot, representing the healers, were there, along with Clinton and Steffon. Garhammer, the skilled craftsman, Leonis, representing our performers In the open field, with guards around us for safety, I gathered my trusted friends and helpers for an important meeting.
"These are the people I have carefully chosen, just like we did with Jonas," I began. Over the years, I have made sure each of you is loyal and trustworthy.
Seeing I had their complete attention, I revealed the truth.
"I am a warg, and Garmond and his group are wargs or possess other abilities yet to be discovered."
There was a moment of silence as everyone processed this information. Then, Garmond spoke up, "I can confirm that we are indeed wargs, and there are others like us among the Travelers. Each has been recruited by Master."
I felt rolling my eyes at Garmond's, adding to the conversation. I just fucking told the same the thing.
Leonis, puzzled by the serious looks on everyone's faces, asked, "What does being a warg mean? How does it affect us?"
I explained, "Being a warg means I have a telepathic connection with Simba, my liger. I can talk to him and see through his eyes. This ability has helped me, but it's not always fun. There's a chance that the animal's traits can mix with the human, changing them forever. I also think it can work the other way, making the warg animals smarter than normal ones."
Smallfoot directly asked the important question, "Does being a warg have anything to do with the rapid skill climb by you guys?"
I nodded with a sigh, knowing that this point will be , "Yes, wargs tend to feel the animal's strength and experiences. Giving them a unique advantage. In my case, the combat is just easier than feeling Simba's experiences. Though I am influenced by his strength to pick up my Gada as my primary weapon. "
Garmond pitched in his own case. "After bonding with Hawk, I could rapidly feel the improvement in my insight over my vision. Meaning, I can use his capabilities only stopped by my human body. For example, Now I can easily notice any flaw in Leonis's emotions. Right now, he is feeling shock and slight fear."
Looking at the smiling front of Leonis, which is the same as his everyday face with no flaw, everyone got an idea of the bond's help.
Garhammer, ever practical, asked, "How does this affect our group? "
Clinton bluntly said, "If revealed, we would be hunted down by the faith of the seven and Citadel. Maybe the King too. A group of magical for a Dragonlord is enough to put a few weekly trips of burning down the continent in his schedule. "
It was Huric who refuted the statement, "Not really. Ser Kerith here has that covered, actually. Only now, I realize his compulsive need to hold some influence of over citadel and Faith is because of this. "
Everyone turned towards me at that. I just shrugged to convey my acceptance of his theory. But to my surprise, Huric asked another question, which I avoid thinking about most of the time.
"Since the magic is real, what about the Divine?"
I replied, remembering the various books explaining Faith's nature, and research on various faiths in the world, "I have no clue."
Huric's reaction to that was funny. He looked like he would explode any second, as he groaned out, "Stop bullshitting and answer me for once."
I sighed and said, "I really have no clue, my friend. Maybe you guys seem to have an illusion that I know everything, but no, I don't. All I have are doubts and conjectures on the topic of the Divine. But I have a way to confirm them."
Huric rapidly came to me to question me with his face hovering towards mine. "How? How ? How? How? Tell me now."
I pushed him back a bit and exclaimed," Sorry buddy, I have no interest in pillow biting. I am as straight as Valyrian steel. "
That set him off completely as he is making a ruckus despite the hold of Bautista. "You Asshole. Do you realise this topic is something that is plaguing mankind since the dawn of civilization? You are now using this to tease me. Fuck you, asshole."
Guilty as charged, I replied, "Well, the way I am speaking about has to do with talking with a few people in different parts of the world. One is beyond the Wall. One is in Asshai. Another person is dead for some time. One has not even born."
My ridiculous answer stumped them into silence. I realized I might be a bit of an asshole, considering I am enjoying this too much.
I looked towards Walder and Smallfoot, who just stood silent about the whole thing. Probably planning to ask me their own doubts in private. I don't mind answering them, even including the Room.
I ended the topic with a blunt advice, "Moving forward, we need to keep this information within our trusted circle and be cautious around outsiders who may not understand or accept our abilities. Trust me people. Even the non magical will be implicated."
There were nods of agreement and understanding among the group. With this knowledge revealed, we could better plan for my plans.
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As everyone left the field with their own thoughts, I had Bautista and Simba follow my next order, "Assign some guards to monitor their exchanges and movements. This duty will go on until my say so."
Bautista nodded, while Simba mentally rolled his eyes in irritation. Simba thinks he's an expert judge of character. The only reason I hesitate to follow his advice is because his solution to any defiance is death. Simba is mostly peaceful, but his leadership is like a tyrant's.
"Ahem! I wish you wouldn't always get lost in your thoughts."
I turned to see that Walder and Smallfoot were waiting for a private conversation. I had a feeling they will hound me till I give them everything that sates their curiosity. So, I started from the beginning, telling them about my discovery of the Room, my exploration of magic and its violent nature, and finally about the cursed compass.
".... like that, the magical grew and fell from the age of heroes till now."
Walder simply questioned me, "Why take such a risk? I mean, it will soon be revealed no matter what if more magical were found. Especially if an entire organised water wizard who tends to Rhyonish join us."
I told them the truth, "The advantages are too great. Think of Garmond's attention to detail in an artist or a Spymaster. A Water Wizard needs no explanation when Dorne's map was redrawn with new rivers. And there are other magics in the world: Greensight, Dragons, Shadow binding, and more."
I spread my arms to out as if to show the world, "Even our current society is deeply affected by magic. The nobility's inheritance of skill and talent by some unknown magic. Not all of them, but the true nobles like Danes, Targeryens, Starks, Lannisters. Who as long as they were motivated, and enough support can be cultivated into elites."
I didn't tell them one important thing—some discoveries, when shared widely, have led to assassinations, plagues, and even wars throughout history.
This pattern is so common that these discoveries are often seen as failures now a days.
I guess that if we advanced with gunpowder weapons and electrical engineering, giving non-magical people the power to eliminate the magical kind, I would face assassinations or many troubles until the knowledge is buried in a few decades. It's not an organized conspiracy, but prophets around the world seem to get visions when major changes happen. Even deciding to follow through with these changes might lead to a vision and, eventually, my death.
Valyrian empire, Rhyonish empire, Yi-Ti, Starks, and other powerful magic lords seem to change their stance when such discoveries are made. Meaning, they did their best to crush the discoveries.
The most important reason is—I am magical.
With that, I told them my plans to use the wargs. "Wargs with common animals like cats, dogs, rats, and sparrows can become spymasters. These spymasters will have good education, combat skills, and loyalty based on common origins. They will be spread around major cities and towns. I don't know much about Rhoynar wizards yet, but the knowledge in books about their abilities is incredible—healing, detecting, and managing water sources…"