Author's note: I realized I haven't properly explained the enchantment on Compass. Essentially, it is like the defense in the Room. Non-magical can't focus their senses on it. Senses here mean-Vision, hearing, etc.
So Garmond wears it in conspicuous place, to find potential magical who sees the scary blood-stained compass.
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[Orphans of Greenblood : The remaining remnants of Rhoynar culture in Dorne, defying the red edicts of Martell banning their culture. They are still legends of their existence till the time of Jon snow.
They are considered the orphans who were separated from their Mother Rhoynar, the great river.
Currently, they are making their home near the river Greenblood. ]
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[Red Edicts : Orders from the Martell kings to forbade the Rhyonar culture and taking up of Seven.
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I could see that most of the core group is affected somewhat by my revelation of warg abilities.
I kept wondering if whether there will be chaos if the whole talks with Walder and Smallfoot was revealed. On second thought, I realized my stupidity in having such a doubt. There will be complete and utter madness if such things spread. There is no doubt about that.
It has been more than a week since Jonas, a prospective water wizard, was captured by me. It feels awkward to me even now. An Andal name for a Rhyonar. I even nursed a small doubt in the back of mind whether Jonas might be a simple thief.
Thankfully, he caved in after sharing the lunch with Simba and Pride for a week. On enquiry, I learnt they seem to have brought all their prey back alive for the last week.
I sighed at that; I have a feeling they might become sadists. Perhaps the change is because of my frequent of use of them to establish fear. Of course, the use of forms a bloody spectacle.
I had called for Walder and Smallfoot to talk with me, to the now willing Jonas. Together, we entered the prisoner tent to see Garmond already present, waiting for us.
I took my seat in front of the tied-up Jonas. So, I started with round-2 of investigation with a simple question, "So, are you ready to talk about the truth this time?"
To help motivate him, I had Simba come and sit near him for support. It worked well based on the answers I got in previous cases of interrogation with bandits.
Jonas, to my surprise, said with a glance filled with fear at Simba, "Please stop this Ser Kerith. I have been expecting offers of wealth or fame when I got caught, not death threats. Especially from your warg animals."
Simba just burped at that, making me curious about their interactions. Still, it doesn't come as a surprise to me he knows about my magical nature. Considering the Rhyonar is one of the last systemic inheritors of magic.
Thankfully, Walder asked the fundamental question, "Aren't you being a stupid fuck if you expect something like a fortune after trying to steal from Kerith?"
Jonas seemed to be guilty at that and answered, "It was my fault, I accept that. I am a cursed person who steals no matter the place or time, despite my unwillingness."
A Kleptomaniac wizard, so wonderful.
He then got silent for a second as if thinking about the next choice of words and continued, "It got more out of control when I entered your tent due to me hearing a divination from the water diviner back at the Orphans. I heard from him I would find fortune with Ser Kerith, not just me, but the Orphans will find fortune from him. So, my non-existent control over my curse slipped."
While I was expecting to meet these Diviners in my life, I could only feel irritation and anger. It's as if I am being stripped naked by them.
According to some books in Citadel, they have a standard probability of success. Still, for him to risk just on words means trouble.
Smallfoot questioned him regarding that, "Isn't it stupid to put your life on the line just from words alone?"
Jonas replied, "Of course, Apprentice Smallfoot. It would be stupid if it's just words, but Divinations are a magical equivalent of calculation. Diviners observe the world and its changes using their own methods to guess the result. Usually it is a reflexive skill, while the experienced ones can note the changes required to cause the said future. In a way, divination is like telling a parchment on the table will get burnt when a fire spread is ignited on one end of the table. The result changes if a Maester is in the room. Then the parchment will not get burnt because of the Maester removing it. But it is instinctual most of the time, requiring talent for divination in the real world. But you know that the Water wizards have the most reliable way of training diviners irrespective of talent needed for it."
I had enough of this and asked him directly, "Where are the rest of your people?"
Jonas simply said while getting up from the floor, leaving a cut rope on wet ground, "I can bring you to them, if you are daring enough to meet them."
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Looking at the sight in front of me, I felt my eyebrows twitch in the location's absurdity of the Orphans of Greenblood.
I turned back to see the camp of the Travellers in the distance and then turned forwards to confirm the same sight once again.
The Village which we have been staying, is the base of Orphans of Green blood. I felt like a joke, which is used routinely in movies and anime. I used to laugh at the characters in a similar situation for being stupid. Experiencing it in the real life, despite my many precautions and intellect, is embarrassing and disgusting.
I walked forward to enter the village. The same way I have done about a dozen times till now. Only this time, having to give instructions to Simba in the back of my mind.
I saw the Village head talking with Jonas who more or less gesturing the story till now.
I could only ask him, "How in the hell did we not find you?"
The Village head nonchalantly said," While it might be tough to hide from the Blood magic or Faith hunts, there is no problem in instructing my men to act as if they didn't notice a magical artifact. Excellent use of it though, if it was untrained magical with no knowledge, they would fall for the simple trap. But our tribe's history of being hunted gave us a specific measures and training to avoid the detection our hunters."
He led me through the village while explaining they use their magic to mix mind numbering agents into the water of the Oasis. Under the Sun's heat, Vapor rises from it, to form a natural defense. Deflecting away the occasional people who visit their village.
He said with a sorrow filled tone, "Initially, it was a war skill to kill the hunting noble houses. But with Life put on the line and many more thrown away, it developed into a method to form as an enchantment similar to the one on your device. But ours is a defense maintained, and it works against people of hostile intent. It worked for centuries to protect our culture from Red Edicts. Until you arrived."
It felt awkward to be put on the spot like that. I heard the next words filled with humor, " A figure that is attracting many eyes for some time, who to my surprise seems to be a warg and gathering other magical. But not just them, a group filled with various talents that tells your intent on carving a territory in the world."
Hearing the talks till now, I felt exhausted under the cruel sun.
However, the Old Man gave a smile, looking at my condition, and stretched his hand to the oasis a few meters away. Water rose from it and followed the wave of his hand to appear in front of me.
He closed his fist, mirroring him as it turned into a ball.
Holding his left fist in the same way, he brought out an earthen pot with his right hand. With the relaxing of his left fist, the water dropped into the pot. He then gave it to me.
With a nod of thanks, I drank it. I exclaimed in shock. "It is cold."
The Old man gave a simple smile and said, "One of the many skills of our people. There is a reason we could withstand the world hostile to us and survive for centuries."
Impressed by it, I gave a whistle. Only those who experience the Dorne can understand the significance of the control over water. It is the mirror to the frozen north. Here the Sun is an enemy that kills people en masse during the long summers.
So, I asked him directly regarding their answer to my aim. I am sure they must have an idea about my intention to recruit them by now. "What's the verdict, then?"
He fucking shrugged and answered, "You can stay for a month and learn as much as you can. If somebody likes to leave with you, you can take them."
I was surprised at that answer and couldn't help myself from asking, "Why? I thought for all your words about the hostility you faced from the world, you would reject my idea of recruitment."
Old man snorted at that and explained his point of view, "My people have harnessed the element of water, the life giver. Under its effects, we had no problem with food, shelter, security. Socially, we are united because of the hostility outside of our home. Just from these aspects alone, we are ahead when compared to the rest of the world. But it is suffocating like a trapped bird, chained in a cage."
I could see the people stopping their work and focusing on our words as he ended the talk. "We are the stubborn tribe that opposed the entire world for our way of life. So, we never turned our back on trying to bring it back to its former glory. Each generation had visits to the outside world in trying to accomplish that. That had the side effect of our location nearing the Greenblood river. Still, we rather improved our defense than betray our way."
Looking at their resolved eyes, I remembered stories from my past life regarding the forest tribes who choose mass suicide rather than leaving their homes and their way of life in the forest. Back then, it felt unbelievable to me. Despite various proofs online, I couldn't even imagine it. But seeing the orphans showing similar attitude, I am speechless.
The Old Man gave a bright smile, looking at my reaction and said, "I am hungry. Let's go eat."
I just nodded at that, a smile coming to my face at his words.
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Looking at the roasted chicken made with gestures from the old man, guiding the water to cook the meat while changing its temperature appropriately.
I am impressed with his skill. My inner leader is like a pokemon trainer shouting aloud; Gotaa catch them all.' I really want this guy in the Travellers. He is the first true magic user I met.
But my logic prevailed as I realized he has a responsibility to his people. It is already incredible that he will gamble a bet on me for a chance to restore their culture.
Stuffing myself with the delicious food, I asked him, "So, why Greenblood river?"
Seeing his puzzled face, I clarified my question, "I mean, despite the many water bodies in the world, why green blood? A river so close to Sunspear, the capital of Martell.'
The old man nodded at the question and explained, "Interesting question. In fact, consider this as your first lesson. While we could control water, it varies based on the type of water. The oceans, for all their vastness, are like steel block compared to the wooden like rivers. I heard that the water of Mother Rhoynar is like a part of our flesh. Even a child could use it easily.
Our entire culture built of millennia is around it, from birth to death. Even the ashes after our death were spread in her to increase our bond to it. Under her shadow, even hundreds of dragons were easy to fight."
His face turned angry for a few seconds, but finally shifted the topic. I didn't want to pry the sore topic off him.
"When we arrived in Westeros, we helped the Martells build multiple canals or tributaries or underwater waterways to give life to Dorne. But our crown achievement was that we made the greenblood."
I choked on my food and his answer. Checking if my mind was working properly or not, because I felt he just said that they had man made a river spanning across one side of Dorne to other.
"Some things can be added to the water to increase our connection to it. Based on this principle, our people that filled 10,000 ships used the ingredients to ocean water and made an artificial river from it to a peak of red mountains. We established a water cycle, such that the nature itself ensures the continuity of the river as payment to the Dornish for accepting our people as their fellow citizens."
He then grew silent and despondent, as the future from there is quite known to everyone. He shook his head and asked me, "Can you guess the ingredients we used for the river?"
I thought for some time, realizing the answer from the name of the river, "The water wizard's blood and Weirwood sap, both in abundance."
"Yes, Weirwood trees were abundant in Dorne but forsaken by the children of Forests. So, my ancestors cut them for the sap. The rest is history.", The old man then pointed at my chest, saying, "It was this treasure, similar to the sap, that had this idiot resort to stealing."
With that, he gestured for the hot water to strike Jonas.
Hearing his words, I took out the Weirwood seed, which I wore around my neck. Frankly speaking, this was just an experiment from to study Weirwood trees. It was the seed from the 8000-year-old weirwood tree in Citadel.
It was a recent one given by it. I had taken it into my hands. Just like always, its surface seems to absorb my blood. The weird part was that there was no break in my skin or blood vessels.
The old man solemnly said, "It is a recent seed from an ancient Weirwood. This one had regular nourishment for all this time. The sheer magic presence in it can rival a dragon egg."
I nodded at his words. The answer to the regular nourishment lies in the plans for Oldtown. Every Passageway from the room, more or fewer, acts as its extensions. The Room acts as the extension of the source of its power, the Weirwood tree. All the many executions and deaths in Oldtown are acting as a continuous nourishment to it. This is when not considering the absurd rituals conducted by the madmen of the citadel.
The old men then explained, "We water wizards have some idea about blood because of its similarities with water. So, we could sense it well. The weirwood tree themselves takes the sacrifices offered to it and turns them into a neutral magic condensed into sap."
I agree with him on that topic. Weirwood trees are like a magic engine.
He then pointed towards the seed and said, "I could more or less feel, this seed has been only fed on your blood," and he continued saying, "perhaps because of that reason, its magic is becoming similar to yours. Usually, if a living being's magic changes to a certain degree, its body would collapse from the change. This seed, perhaps because of its strong heritage, is changing itself under your blood."
I understood the gist of it. Then I laughed out loud, "Fucking yes. Hahaha! It means my experiment is a success."
The Old man seems to raise an eyebrow at my sudden joy and let it be with a single mutter, "If it is voluntary then fine. I just thought you were being under the control of the Demon Trees."
I shook my head at that comment and answered, "Nah! It's fine, old man. I only need a stick length of wood from it. It's just I wonder when it will take for it to grow from my blood."
He seemed to think of something from my words and said, "If it is to speed it up, I have a way."
I literally hugged the Old man at that and said, "If I have a child in the future, I will name them after you, Old Man-"
I stopped myself at that and asked him an awkward question, "What is your name, Old Man?"
Old Man grew angry under the laughs of everyone and said, "to protect our tribe, the head's name is only shared with his other half."