The salt-sting of tears burned hotter than the smoke.
Arion of Brownhollow—no, not Arion, not really—crouched behind a splintered cart, the real Arion's memories clotting his mind like spoiled wine. Fifteen years old. Third son of Lord Karyl of Brownhollow. Sworn to House Rosby. Squire to Ser Tallad the Thin. Dead family. The last thought slammed into him anew. His mother's scream as the raider's axe fell. His little sister's doll trampled in the mud.
SYSTEM INITIALIZED.
The words flared across his vision in glacial blue light, sharp and intrusive against the chaos of the burning village. Bandits—twenty, maybe thirty—roared through Brownhollow's narrow lanes, their leathers stained with mud and blood. Steel flashed in the firelight as they cut down fleeing villagers.
This isn't a dream. This is hell.
USER: Arion of Brownhollow
LEVEL: 1
XP: 0/100
CLASS: Squire (Noble)
HEALTH: 22/25 (Smoke inhalation: -3 HP/min)
STAMINA: 15/20
STATS:
STR: 4 | DEX: 5 | CON: 5 | INT: 10 | WIS: 7 | CHA: 6
TRAITS:
Crownlands Survivor: +5% Damage vs. Outlaws.
Grief-Stricken: -10% Focus.
ACTIVE QUEST:
SURVIVE THE NIGHT (MAIN)
Objective: Escape Brownhollow alive.
Reward: 150 XP, Trait Unlock.
Failure: Death (Permanent).
A bandit stumbled past the cart, dragging a sobbing girl by her hair. Arion's hand closed around the only weapon nearby—a woodcutter's rusted axe, half-buried in mud.
*INT Check Success (10/10):*
The axe is brittle but sharp enough. Strike the femoral artery. 78% chance of lethal bleed.
He moved without thinking. Years of historical treatises on medieval combat—his old life's obsession—crystallized into instinct. He lunged, swinging low. The axe bit deep into the bandit's thigh. A fountain of arterial blood sprayed Arion's face—warm, metallic, real.
CRITICAL HIT!
XP GAINED: 25
The bandit crumpled, howling. The girl scrambled away. Arion didn't watch her go. His eyes locked onto the notification:
SKILL UNLOCKED: DIRTY FIGHTING (LVL 1)
"Honor dies in the mud."
Effects: +10% damage with improvised weapons.
"Oi! Rat in the rubble!" A bald brute with a notched greatsword spotted him. Two others flanked him, grinning.
Threat Assessment:
Name: "Hack" (Bandit Enforcer)
Level: 3
Health: 50/50
Perk: Brute Force (Ignores 20% armor)
Run. The thought screamed through him. But Brownhollow's sole escape route—the postern gate—lay behind the bandits.
QUEST UPDATE:
OPTIONAL: PROTECT THE GIRL
Objective: Ensure "Lysa" (Villager) escapes.
*Reward: +10 Karma Points.*
Lysa was limping toward the gate, twenty paces away. Hack advanced, sword raised.
*WIS Check Failed (7/10):*
No tactical advantage. Stamina low. Survival probability: 17%
"System," Arion hissed, "give me something!"
SOLUTION:
1. DISTRACTION (CHA Check: 60% Success)
2. ENVIRONMENT: Overturn burning cart (STR Check: 40% Success)
3. FLEE (DEX Check: 75% Success)
He chose chaos.
"Your mother fucked a donkey, Hack!" Arion bellowed, voice raw.
Hack froze, bewildered. CHA Success.
Arion kicked the cart's splintered wheel. Flames licked up his boot as he shoved with every ounce of his meager strength.
*STR Check: 4/10 → Roll: 3*
FAILURE
The cart shuddered but didn't budge. Hack roared, charging.
*DEX Check (Dodge): 5/10 → Roll: 9*
FAILURE
The greatsword whistled toward Arion's neck—
—And slammed into a rotting timber beam as Arion threw himself sideways. Splinters rained down. Hack snarled, wrenching his blade free.
Perception Check (INT):
The beam's base is charred. Structural integrity: 12%.
Arion scrambled backward, grabbed a smoldering branch, and jammed it into the beam's cracked heart.
*INT Check (10/10): Success*
Fire damage multiplier: x3 vs. decayed wood.
The beam groaned. Then, with a shriek of tearing wood, it collapsed—crushing Hack's left leg. Bones snapped like dry twigs.
ENEMY INCAPACITATED: "HACK"
XP GAINED: 50
Lysa vanished through the postern gate. Arion followed, gasping. Outside, the Kingswood loomed—a wall of primordial darkness. Behind him, Brownhollow burned like a funeral pyre.
QUEST COMPLETE: SURVIVE THE NIGHT
REWARD: 150 XP | TRAIT UNLOCKED: CALLOUS CALCULATION
"You traded a man's agony for your survival. Mercy is a luxury."
Effect: +5% Critical Hit Chance when exploiting environmental hazards.
LEVEL UP! (Level 2)
STAT POINT GAINED → DEX +1 (Now 6)
HEALTH: 30/30 | STAMINA: 25/25
Hoofbeats thundered down the Rosby road. Torchlight revealed crimson banners: the leprous head of House Rosby. A dozen riders, led by a gaunt knight on a skeletal horse—Ser Tallad the Thin.
"Boy?" Tallad's voice was like gravel. "Where's Lord Karyl?"
Arion met his gaze, blood drying on his cheeks. "Dead. Brownhollow is gone."
Tallad's eyes narrowed, lingering on the notched axe in Arion's grip. "You killed Hack. I saw his corpse."
*CHA Check (6/10):*
Tell truth? 40% chance of suspicion. Lie? 15% chance of detection.
"The beam killed him," Arion said flatly. "I just lit the fuse."
Ser Tallad dismounted, clasping Arion's shoulder. His grip was iron. "Rosby needs every sword. You're a squire no longer. You ride with us."
NEW QUEST: THE ROSBY REDEMPTION
Objective: Report to Lord Gyles Rosby at Rosby Keep.
Reward: 50 XP, Title: "Blooded".
As the riders turned north, Arion glanced back one last time. Amidst the ashes, something glinted—a half-melted pendant stamped with a three-headed dragon. He pocketed it.
Item Added: "Burned Sigil"
Description: Valyrian steel fragment. Origin unknown.
The System flickered:
HIDDEN QUEST TRIGGERED: DRAGON'S ASHES
Objective: Discover the origin of the sigil.
Reward: ???
Cold dread coiled in Arion's gut. This game had just begun.
Rosby Keep smelled of damp stone, rotting rushes, and the cloying sweetness of decay. Arion followed Ser Tallad through the gatehouse, his boots sinking into mud churned by cartwheels and hooves. The courtyard teemed with hollow-eyed peasants, underfed guards in patched tabards, and a dozen mangy hounds snapping at fleas. High above, on the battlements, the banner of House Rosby hung limp—a gaunt, coughing man on a field of grey-green. Apt, Arion thought.
LOCATION DISCOVERED: ROSBY KEEP (Crownlands Stronghold)
FACTION: HOUSE ROSBY (Loyalist - Lannister Affiliated)
REPUTATION: NEUTRAL (0/100)
Ser Tallad didn't slow. "Lord Gyles sees no one after dusk. You'll bunk in the squire's loft. Dawn, you report to Maester Grover for wound-tending. Then the armory." He paused, his sunken eyes boring into Arion. "Speak of Brownhollow to no one. Rosby has enemies enough without drawing the Mountain's eye."
*WIS Check (7/10): Success*
Ser Tallad hides fear beneath pragmatism. Rosby is weak. Vulnerable.
Arion nodded, clutching the burned Valyrian pendant beneath his tunic. The System flickered:
QUEST UPDATED: THE ROSBY REDEMPTION
Objective: Report to Lord Gyles Rosby. (Reward: 50 XP, Title: "Blooded")
The squire's loft was a drafty garret above the stables, strewn with moldy straw and the sour reek of unwashed boys. Three other squires eyed Arion—two gangly youths with Rosby's sallow complexion, and a hulking brute with a broken nose.
"Brownhollow whelp," sneered the brute, kicking a bucket of greasy water toward Arion's pallet. "Heard your lord father pissed himself when the Mountain came."
THREAT DETECTED: "BOROS" (Squire - Level 2)
PERK: Bully (+10% Intimidation vs. Lower Levels)
Option 1: Ignore (CHA Check: Avoid Conflict)
Option 2: Retaliate (STR Check: Risk Injury)
Option 3: Provoke (INT Check: Turn Allies Against Him)
Arion met Boros' glare. "And I heard Lord Gyles coughs so hard, he shits his smallclothes. Do you lick those clean too?"
The loft fell silent. Boros flushed crimson. The younger Rosby boys stifled snickers.
*CHA Check (6/10): Roll 7 → Failure*
*Boros enraged. Hostility +30%.*
"You little—!" Boros lunged, meaty hands grabbing for Arion's throat. Arion ducked, driving a knee into the squire's thigh—right over the femoral nerve cluster.
SKILL ACTIVATED: DIRTY FIGHTING (Lvl 1)
Exploited Weakness: Nerve Strike → 75% Chance of Stun
Boros gasped, leg buckling. Arion jammed a thumb into the pressure point behind his ear.
CRITICAL STUN!
XP GAINED: 15
The squire crashed face-first into the straw, groaning. Arion stood over him, voice cold. "Touch me again, and I'll shove that bucket where the sun doesn't shine."
Reputation Change:
HOUSE ROSBY SQUIRES: RESPECT +10 (10/100)
BOROS: HATRED +50 (50/100)
Dawn came grey and drizzly. Maester Grover, a bent man reeking of pennyroyal and despair, peeled the bandage from Arion's burned calf. "Festering. Needs maggots."
*CON Check (5/10): Roll 3 → Failure*
*Pain: -5% DEX for 4 hours.*
Arion bit back a scream as the maester packed the wound with writhing larvae. "Lord Gyles?" he ground out.
"Abed. Coughing blood again." Grover's voice dropped. "Littlefinger's men are in the yard. Again. Here to 'renegotiate' the loan terms."
QUEST UPDATED: THE ROSBY REDEMPTION
Secondary Objective: Eavesdrop on Lord Gyles' meeting.
*Reward: +20 XP, Intel: "Littlefinger's Web"*
The Great Hall of Rosby Keep was a tomb. Tapestries hung moth-eaten, depicting forgotten Rosby glories. At the high table sat Lord Gyles—a skeletal figure drowning in ermine robes, his face the color of spoiled milk. A fit of wet, rattling coughs shook him, speckling the table with blood.
Two men stood before him. One wore a guardsman's boiled leather, sharp-eyed and silent. The other was plump and smiling, clad in dove-grey velvet.
CHARACTER IDENTIFIED: "LOTHOR BRUNE" (Sellsword - Level 4)
AFFILIATION: HOUSE BAELISH
PERK: Quiet as Shadow (+25% Stealth)
CHARACTER IDENTIFIED: "MASTER FERRY" (Factor - Level 2)
AFFILIATION: HOUSE BAELISH
PERK: Silvered Tongue (+30% Persuasion)
Ferry spread plump hands. "My lord, the Iron Throne's debt stands at thirty thousand gold dragons. Lord Baelish offers… leniency. A mere Rosby Town as collateral."
Lord Gyles wheezed, slamming a bony fist. "That town feeds… cough… my people!"
"People starve everywhere, my lord," Ferry sighed. "Or… perhaps a trade? Your nephew's wardship. Sweetrobin needs a companion."
*INT Check (10/10): Success*
Blackmail. Ferry threatens to reveal Lord Gyles' secret: His nephew is actually his bastard son.
Arion slipped behind a pillar, pressing against cold stone. The System pulsed:
STEALTH MODE ACTIVATED (DEX 6/10)
*Visibility Meter: 45% (Shadows + Pillar Cover)*
Lothor Brune's head snapped toward Arion's hiding place. Perception Check (High). Arion froze, holding his breath.
Ferry continued, oblivious. "Think on it, my lord. We return at moon's end."
As they strode out, Brune paused, his hand resting on his dagger hilt. His eyes scanned the shadows. Arion's Threat Assessment flared red:
DANGER: 85% Chance of Detection → Combat Imminent
Then, Lord Gyles erupted in another coughing fit, spraying blood across the table. Brune turned away in disgust, following Ferry.
QUEST COMPLETE: SECONDARY OBJECTIVE
REWARD: 20 XP | INTEL GAINED: "LITTLEFINGER'S WEB - TIER 1"
Lord Gyles Rosby is bankrupt. Littlefinger owns his debts. Leverage: Illegitimate heir.
Ser Tallad found Arion in the armory, sharpening a pitted shortsword. "Poachers in the Kingswood. Slaughtering my lord's deer. You're hunting."
"Alone?"
"With me. And Boros." Ser Tallad tossed him a rust-speckled gambeson. "Prove you're more than a butcher of bandits."
NEW QUEST: KINGSWOOD JUSTICE
*Objective: Hunt down and capture/kill the Kingswood Poachers (0/3).*
*Reward: 100 XP, +25 Rosby Reputation, Unlock: Tracking Skill Tree.*
*Failure: Ser Tallad's Disfavor (-50 Reputation).*
The Kingswood swallowed them whole—ancient oaks draped in strangler fig, thickets of blackberry bramble, and the constant drone of insects. Ser Tallad led, his longsword resting on his shoulder. Boros trailed behind, glowering at Arion, a wood-axe clutched in his meaty fists.
SKILL UNLOCKED: TRACKING (Lvl 1 - Passive)
Basic Pathfinding:
Broken branches glow faintly gold.
Footprints shimmer blue (Freshness indicated by hue).
Bloodstains pulse red.
Arion's vision shifted. Ahead, a snapped sapling gleamed. "Here. They turned east."
Ser Tallad grunted approval. Boros spat.
They followed the trail—a boot print in soft loam, a shred of rough cloth on a thorn. The signs led to a clearing where three skinned deer carcasses hung from an oak, buzzing with flies.
*Perception Check (WIS 7/10): Success*
Trap Detected: Pit covered by leaves (Left of carcasses).
"Ambush," Arion hissed, drawing his sword.
Boros snorted. "Rabbit droppings—" He took two steps forward.
The ground gave way.
Boros screamed as he vanished into a spike-lined pit. A gurgle. Then silence.
DEX Check (Dodge Trap): Roll 8 → Failure (Not Triggered)
*Boros Health: 0/40 → DEAD*
Three men erupted from the undergrowth—lean, hard-eyed, armed with skinning knives and cudgels.
POACHER (Level 2) x 3
PERK: Woods Savvy (+15% Stealth in Forest)
Ser Tallad moved like smoke. His longsword flashed, shearing through a poacher's wrist. "Arion! Left!"
Arion faced the second poacher—a scarred man with yellow teeth. The man lunged, knife aimed at Arion's belly.
Combat Mode Engaged:
OPTION 1: PARRY (DEX Check)
OPTION 2: DODGE (DEX Check)
OPTION 3: COUNTER (DEX + STR Combo)
Arion chose counter. He sidestepped, letting the knife graze his gambeson, and slammed his pommel into the poacher's temple.
STUN! (Duration: 5 seconds)
The third poacher charged Ser Tallad from behind. Arion didn't hesitate. He hurled his dagger. It wasn't elegant—it tumbled end over end—but it struck the man's shoulder.
DISTRACTION! (-20% Poacher's Attack Accuracy)
Ser Tallad spun, his blade opening the poacher's throat in a crimson arc.
QUEST PROGRESS: POACHERS SLAIN (2/3)
The stunned poacher scrambled to his feet, eyes wild. He bolted into the thicket.
"After him!" Ser Tallad barked, wiping gore from his blade. "Alive!"
Arion crashed through ferns, the System's tracking overlay painting the poacher's flight in shimmering gold. The man was fast, desperate. He vaulted a fallen log—
—And screamed.
Arion found him thrashing on the ground, a rusty iron jaw-trap clamped on his ankle, bone gleaming white through torn flesh.
Item Identified: "Illegal Poacher Trap"
Damage Type: Piercing/Crushing
The poacher sobbed, clawing at the earth. "Mercy! I've kids starving in Flea Bottom!"
Ser Tallad arrived, his face grim. "Littlefinger's rats. Stealing game to sell back to the city through his butchers." He raised his sword.
MORAL CHOICE:
1. Execute Him: +25 XP, +20 Rosby Reputation.
2. Spare Him: -10 XP, Unlock "Merciful" Trait (Cha +1), Gain "Poacher's Intel."
Arion met the man's terrified eyes. "Who pays you? Ferry? Brune?"
The poacher nodded frantically. "Ferry! Brings the silver stag each moon! Says it's the 'Hand's Justice!'"
*INTELLIGENCE GAINED: "LITTLEFINGER'S WEB - TIER 2"*
Baelish funds poaching to bankrupt Rosby further.
Arion looked at Ser Tallad. "He's more use alive."
The knight lowered his blade, his expression unreadable. "Bind his leg. Drag him back."
QUEST COMPLETE: KINGSWOOD JUSTICE
REWARD: 100 XP | +25 ROSBY REPUTATION (25/100) | TRACKING SKILL TREE UNLOCKED!
TRAIT GAINED: PRAGMATIC MERCY (CHA +1 → Now 7)
As they hauled the whimpering poacher toward Rosby, the System pulsed with icy finality:
HIDDEN QUEST UPDATED: DRAGON'S ASHES
Clue Added: "Littlefinger's men operate near Brownhollow ruins."
Warning: Pursuing this quest may trigger Faction Hostility (House Baelish).
In the distance, Rosby Keep's towers clawed at the weeping sky. Beneath his tunic, the Valyrian steel pendant felt suddenly heavy. The game had just turned deadly.
The dungeons of Rosby Keep reeked of piss, despair, and the metallic tang of fresh blood. Arion stood beside Ser Tallad in the torch-lit gloom, watching Maester Grover pack mud and moss into the weeping stump where the poacher's leg had been. The man—Joth, he'd sobbed out his name between screams—shivered on a straw pallet, his face the color of curdled milk.
"L-lord Ferry," Joth stammered, teeth chattering. "Comes t' the Leaky Tankard dock… third night o' the moon. Brings a leather satchel… silver stags for the hunters. Takes the pelts… sells 'em in the Butcher's Block… under the Hand's Seal."
Ser Tallad's gaunt face tightened. "The Hand's Seal? Jon Arryn's?"
Joth nodded weakly. "Aye… Ferry says… 'The Hand sees all, feeds all.'"
INTEL UPDATED: "LITTLEFINGER'S WEB - TIER 2"
Confirmation: Master Ferry uses forged Hand of the King warrants to control black-market game in King's Landing. Profits funneled to Baelish.
New Location: Leaky Tankard Dock (Flea Bottom, King's Landing)
Lord Gyles' reaction was a rasping death rattle from his solar. Propped on pillows, drowning in furs, he clutched a blood-spotted handkerchief. "Littlefinger… cough… strangles me with my own… cough… coin." He fixed watery eyes on Arion. "You. Brownhollow boy. Take the… taxes… to Ferry in King's Landing." He gestured weakly at an iron-bound chest at the foot of his bed. "Fifty gold dragons… cough… for the Iron Throne's levy. Give it… only… to Ferry. Watch his eyes… when he counts it."
*WIS Check (7/10): Success*
Lord Gyles suspects Ferry of skimming. He's testing Arion's loyalty and perception.
QUEST UPDATED: THE ROSBY REDEMPTION
Primary Objective: Deliver Rosby Tax Chest to Master Ferry at the Leaky Tankard Dock, King's Landing.
Secondary Objective: Observe Ferry's reaction to the gold. Report discrepancies.
*Reward: 100 XP, +50 Rosby Reputation, Title: "Rosby's Eyes".*
Failure: Theft of gold = Execution. Offending Littlefinger = "Accident".
The road to King's Landing was a ribbon of mud winding through the war-scarred Crownlands. Arion rode a sway-backed Rosby rounsey, the heavy tax chest lashed behind his saddle. Beside him, on a nervous grey palfrey, rode Ellyn, Lord Gyles' sharp-tongued niece and the castle's de facto treasurer since the maester's hands shook too much for coin-counting.
"Uncle's gambling with fire," Ellyn muttered, her hood pulled low against the drizzling rain. Her eyes, the color of tarnished steel, scanned the ruined fields where Lannister patrols had burned peasant holdings. "Sending fifty dragons into Flea Bottom with you as guard? He might as well toss it into the Blackwater Rush."
"Charmed as always, Lady Ellyn," Arion replied, his hand resting near the hilt of his shortsword. The System's Threat Assessment pulsed softly at the edge of his vision, scanning the treeline. Bandit Probability: 35%. Lannister Patrol: 20%.
She snorted. "Save the courtesies. If Ferry tries to short us, or if Brune's lurking, you'll need more than that pig-sticker." She patted a long, cloth-wrapped bundle across her lap. "I brought Rosby's last heirloom. A Myrish crossbow. Loaded with a bolt that can punch through plate at fifty paces."
ITEM IDENTIFIED: "LADY'S KISS" (Myrish Light Repeating Crossbow - Unique)
*Durability: 30/100*
Effect: Fires three bolts in rapid succession (Reload: 15 seconds).
Ammo: Bodkin Bolts x 12 (Armor Piercing).
Arion's respect for Ellyn ticked upward. Rosby Reputation: +5 (30/100 - Neutral). "Why come yourself? Lord Gyles didn't order it."
Her lips thinned. "Because Uncle is dying. Because Rosby is crumbling. And because someone needs to ensure those dragons buy us another moon's grace from the Lannister taxmen… or Littlefinger's knives." She met his gaze. "I saw you pocket that burned sigil from Brownhollow. Valyrian steel. Dangerous things to covet, Arion of Nowhere. What do you really want?"
*CHA Check (7/10): Roll 5 → Failure*
Suspicion Confirmed. Ellyn doesn't trust your motives.
"To survive," Arion said flatly. "Like everyone else."
Before she could retort, the System flashed red:
DANGER: AMBUSH!
Location: Broken Bridge Ravine
*Enemies Detected: 6 (Level 2-3)*
Type: Highwaymen (Poorly Armed, High Aggression)
Arrows hissed from the treeline. One thudded into Ellyn's saddle; another grazed Arion's thigh.
HEALTH: 27/30 (-3)
DEBUFF: "Arrow Graze" (-5% DEX for 1 hour)
"Down!" Arion roared, dragging Ellyn from her horse. They tumbled into the muddy ditch beside the road as six ragged men charged, waving cudgels and rusted swords.
Combat Mode Engaged.
Tactical Overlay Active.
HIGHWAYMAN (Level 2) x 4
HIGHWAYMAN LEADER (Level 3) x 1
ARCHER (Level 2) x 1
"Cover me!" Ellyn snapped, scrambling behind an overturned cart. She unwrapped Lady's Kiss with practiced speed. The Myrish crossbow gleamed oil-black.
Arion drew his sword and lunged. He ducked a wild cudgel swing, kicked the kneecap of a second bandit (Dirty Fighting: Crippling Blow!), and parried a thrust from the leader. Steel shrieked. The leader was big, scarred, missing an ear – Perk: Battle Frenzy (+10% Damage when wounded).
"Coin! The chest!" the leader bellowed, swinging a notched longsword.
Arion sidestepped, letting the blade whistle past. He saw the opening – the man's overextended stance. He stabbed upward, aiming for the armpit gap in the leader's boiled leather.
CRITICAL HIT! (Vitals Strike)
XP GAINED: 40
The leader gurgled, blood fountaining. Before he fell, a bolt thwacked into the archer's throat. Ellyn, cool as winter ice, cranked Lady's Kiss. Thwack-thwack! Two more bolts took down bandits rushing her position.
ARCHER SLAIN. HIGHWAYMAN x 2 SLAIN.
The two remaining bandits fled into the woods. Ellyn reloaded, but Arion grabbed her arm. "Let them go. We need to move."
She glanced at the tax chest, still lashed to the terrified rounsey. "They knew we were carrying gold."
*INT Check (10/10): Success*
Ambush too precise. Information leaked. Ferry? Brune? Or someone in Rosby Keep?
King's Landing hit Arion like a fist to the face. The stench – sewage, smoke, rotting fish, and unwashed humanity – was a physical assault. Flea Bottom was a labyrinth of leaning hovels, overflowing gutters, and eyes watching from every shadow. The Streetwise Skill Tree flickered to life in Arion's vision:
Paths of Shadow (Lvl 1): See safe(er) routes through slums (Glowing blue paths).
Ear to the Ground (Lvl 1): Overhear relevant snippets of conversation (+10% chance).
Rat's Instinct (Lvl 1): Sense imminent danger in urban areas (Passive Perception +5%).
A blue path snaked ahead, leading toward the riverfront. Arion guided Ellyn through stinking alleys, past cutpurses who melted away at the sight of his sword and her crossbow, past bawdy houses spilling drunken laughter, past a septon preaching doom to a crowd of beggars. He heard whispers:
"…Mountain's men took three girls from the Pisswater Bend last night…"
"…Ferry's raising the 'protection' fee again…"
"…saw a shadow with knives near the Leaky Tankard… Brune's about…"
SKILL ACTIVATED: EAR TO THE GROUND
Information Gained: Lothor Brune is active in Flea Bottom. Ferry is increasing extortion rates.
The Leaky Tankard wasn't a tankard at all, but a rotting wharf protruding into the Blackwater Rush like a broken tooth. Warehouses slumped nearby, their timbers green with damp. Ferry stood near the end, plump and smug in his dove-grey velvet, flanked by two thugs. Lothor Brune leaned against a warehouse wall nearby, sharpening a dagger, his eyes like chips of obsidian.
MASTER FERRY (Level 2) - STATUS: Smug
THUG (Level 1) x 2 - STATUS: Bored
LOTHOR BRUNE (Level 4) - STATUS: Alert (Threat Assessment: HIGH)
"Ah! The Rosby delegation!" Ferry beamed, ignoring the drizzle. "Punctual. Admirable. And Lady Ellyn! A rare bloom in this cesspit." His eyes flicked greedily to the chest Arion heaved onto the slimy planks.
Ellyn didn't smile. "Fifty dragons. Count it."
Ferry knelt, popping the chest open. Golden dragons gleamed dully in the grey light. He scooped a handful, letting them clink through his fingers. Arion watched his eyes. They narrowed, ever so slightly, at the sight of the coins. Disappointment?
SECONDARY OBJECTIVE PROGRESS:
Ferry expected less gold. Or different gold. He's displeased.
"All seems… adequate," Ferry said, standing and brushing mud from his knees. One of his thugs moved to close the chest. "Tell Lord Gyles his loyalty is noted. Now, if you'll excuse—"
"Not yet," Arion said, his voice cutting through the drizzle. He pointed at the chest. "Rosby seal on the lock. Broken when you opened it. Needs resealing. Lord Gyles' orders." It was a lie. But Ferry's reaction was instant.
A flicker of irritation. "Nonsense, boy. The seal is—"
PERCEPTION CHECK (WIS 7/10): SUCCESS
Ferry subtly shifted his weight. His right hand dipped toward his belt pouch. A small object inside – rectangular, metallic.
The System screamed:
ITEM DETECTED: SECOND VALYRIAN STEEL SIGIL FRAGMENT (Proximity: 2 meters)
HIDDEN QUEST: DRAGON'S ASHES - CLUE CONFIRMED!
Arion lunged. Not for Ferry, but for the pouch. His hand shot out, fingers closing around the hard rectangle within the velvet.
"Thief!" Ferry shrieked, stumbling back. "Brune!"
Lothor Brune moved like a striking snake. His dagger flashed, aimed not at Arion, but at the pouch itself – trying to cut it free. Arion twisted, the blade slicing his forearm instead.
HEALTH: 22/30 (-5)
BLEEDING: -1 HP/10 seconds
He ripped the pouch free. Inside, nestled in silk, was a flat rectangle of scorched Valyrian steel. Identical to the one from Brownhollow, but stamped with the neck and right wing of a dragon. The pendant he had was the head and left wing.
ITEM GAINED: "BURNED SIGIL (FRAGMENT 2/3)"
HIDDEN QUEST UPDATED:
Objective: Find the final fragment. Unlock the sigil's secret.
*Warning: House Baelish Hostility +50% (Max: Hated)*
"Kill him!" Ferry screamed. "Get it back!" The thugs charged. Brune's eyes locked on Arion, cold fury replacing indifference.
Ellyn didn't hesitate. Thwack! A bolt sprouted from a thug's eye. Thwack! The second thug took one through the throat. She cranked furiously for the third shot.
Brune was already moving, a shadow closing the distance. Arion dropped the pouch fragment into his own shirt, drew his sword, and met the sellsword's charge. Steel rang on steel. Brune was terrifyingly fast, his dagger darting like a serpent's tongue, probing for gaps. Arion's Dirty Fighting skills barely kept him alive – a kick to the shin, a handful of mud thrown at Brune's face. It bought him a second.
Thwack! Ellyn's third bolt slammed into Brune's shoulder. Not deep – he wore mail beneath his jerkin – but it staggered him.
"Go!" Ellyn yelled, tossing Arion the reins of her palfrey. She snatched up the tax chest, surprisingly strong. "To the Dragon Gate! NOW!"
Arion vaulted onto the horse. Ellyn scrambled onto hers, the heavy chest clutched before her. They spurred the terrified animals down the wharf, past the corpses, leaving Ferry screaming impotent curses and Brune wrenching the bolt from his shoulder, his eyes promising murder.
QUEST COMPLETE: THE ROSBY REDEMPTION
Primary Objective: Success! (Taxes Delivered… technically)
Secondary Objective: Success! (Ferry's disappointment noted, Fragment recovered)
*Reward: 100 XP | +50 Rosby Reputation (80/100 - Friendly) | Title: "Rosby's Eyes" (Perception +5%)*
LEVEL UP! (Level 3)
STAT POINT GAINED → INT +1 (Now 11)
HEALTH: 35/35 | STAMINA: 35/35
As they thundered through the chaotic streets toward the Dragon Gate, the two Valyrian steel fragments burned cold against Arion's chest. He had the head and the wing. But where was the heart of the dragon? And why did Littlefinger want them buried?
The game had just become a war.
The gates of Rosby Keep loomed like the teeth of a starving wolf. Arion's stolen palfrey stumbled beneath him, foam flecking its muzzle. Ellyn rode at his side, her knuckles white around the reins of her own mount, the half-empty tax chest lashed behind her. The rain had turned to a sleeting downpour, needling their skin.
"Uncle will flay us alive," Ellyn muttered, though her voice lacked its usual venom.
Arion glanced at her. The fight at the Leaky Tankard had changed something between them. She hadn't protested when he'd taken the Valyrian fragment, hadn't hesitated to kill Ferry's men. Now, her eyes were hollow with exhaustion—and something darker. Fear.
ROSBY REPUTATION: 80/100 (Friendly)
NEW RELATIONSHIP STATUS: "Ellyn Rosby - Wary Ally"
The guards at the gate didn't hail them. Their faces were grim, their spears held too tight.
*WIS Check (7/10): Success*
Something's wrong. The keep is too quiet.
They dismounted in the courtyard. No stableboys came running. No servants scurried about their duties. Only Ser Tallad awaited them, his gaunt face carved from stone.
"Lord Gyles is dead," he said.
The words hit like a warhammer.
QUEST UPDATED: THE ROSBY REDEMPTION
Primary Objective Failed: "Serve Lord Gyles Rosby."
New Primary Objective: "Secure Rosby's Future."
Reward: 200 XP, Title: "Rosby's Shield."
Ellyn swayed. Arion caught her arm before she could collapse.
"How?" he demanded.
"Blood in his lungs. Choked on it before dawn." Ser Tallad's voice was flat. "The maester says it was coming for years. But the timing…" His eyes flicked toward the keep's highest tower, where the banners hung limp in the rain. "Lannister riders arrived an hour after he died. Demanded the overdue taxes. Again."
Ellyn straightened, her face hardening. "How much?"
"Ten thousand dragons."
She laughed, a sharp, broken sound. "We don't have ten thousand dragons. We barely had the fifty we just gave Ferry."
Ser Tallad's jaw tightened. "They know. They've given us until the new moon to pay. Or Rosby passes to… another lord."
*INT Check (11/10): Critical Success*
"Another lord" means Littlefinger. Or a Lannister stooge. This is a coup.
Arion's hand drifted to the Valyrian fragments beneath his tunic. "Who inherits?"
Ellyn's voice was a whisper. "My cousin. Alyn. He's eight years old."
Ser Tallad exhaled through his nose. "And the Lannisters will name a regent. One who'll strip Rosby bare."
A gust of wind howled through the courtyard, carrying the scent of wet stone and decay. The System pulsed in Arion's vision:
HIDDEN QUEST UPDATED: DRAGON'S ASHES
Clue Added: "The third fragment is hidden in the ruins of the Dragonpit."
Warning: Pursuing this now risks Lannister/Baelish hostility.
The solar still smelled of Lord Gyles' sickness. The blood-spotted handkerchief lay discarded on the desk. Ellyn stood before the hearth, her back rigid, staring into the flames.
"We need leverage," she said. "Something to force the Lannisters to back off."
Arion leaned against the desk, exhaustion dragging at his bones. "We have two pieces of a Valyrian puzzle Littlefinger wants buried. We have proof he's been stealing from the Crown through Ferry."
Ellyn turned, her eyes reflecting the firelight. "And what good is that? The Lannisters won't care about Littlefinger's schemes unless it benefits them."
DIPLOMACY SKILL TREE UNLOCKED!
Available Perks:
Silver Tongue (Lvl 1): +10% Persuasion in formal negotiations.
Veiled Threat (Lvl 1): Imply consequences without outright hostility.
Faction Insight (Lvl 1): Identify what a faction truly values.
Arion activated Faction Insight and focused on the Lannisters. The System responded instantly:
HOUSE LANNISTER - PRIMARY MOTIVATIONS:
Gold: Immediate liquidity over long-term gains.
Power: Visible dominance. Humiliation is intolerable.
Legacy: Future security for the dynasty.
"We don't go to the Lannisters," Arion said slowly. "We go to Tyrion."
Ellyn frowned. "The Imp?"
"He's the only one who might listen. And if we offer him something valuable enough—"
"—he might convince his father to delay the debt," Ellyn finished. Her gaze sharpened. "What do we have that Tyrion Lannister would want?"
Arion smiled. It wasn't pleasant. "A story about Littlefinger stealing from the Crown. And a dragon."
The summons came at dusk.
A Lannister rider in crimson-and-gold livery delivered it personally, his lip curled in disdain as he took in Rosby's crumbling walls.
"Lord Tyrion requests the presence of Arion of Brownhollow at the Red Keep," the man intoned. "At once."
Ellyn's fingers dug into Arion's arm. "This is a trap."
*WIS Check (7/10): Success*
Unlikely. Tyrion doesn't waste time on petty traps. He wants something.
Arion took the parchment. The wax seal bore the Lannister lion—and the Hand of the King's insignia.
QUEST RECEIVED: "THE IMP'S INVITATION"
Objective: Meet Tyrion Lannister in the Red Keep.
*Reward: 50 XP, Intel on Lannister/Baelish tensions.*
Failure: Offending Tyrion = Lost opportunity for alliance.
The Red Keep loomed over King's Landing like a predator crouched above its kill. Arion passed through the Lion Gate with his borrowed Rosby cloak damp from the rain, the two Valyrian fragments hidden in a sewn pocket inside his tunic. The guards eyed him with bored contempt but let him pass—Tyrion's orders, no doubt.
The Imp awaited him in a small, windowless chamber deep in the Keep's bowels. The room was lined with books and dominated by a scarred oak table littered with maps, wine cups, and a half-eaten wheel of cheese. Tyrion Lannister sat at the head, his mismatched eyes gleaming in the candlelight.
"Ah. The Boar-Slayer," Tyrion said, raising a goblet. "I've been curious about you since Robert's hunt. A minor Crownlander squire who saves a king, then vanishes into Rosby's cesspit. And now I hear you've been making trouble for Petyr Baelish's men."
Arion remained standing. "Trouble finds me, my lord."
Tyrion chuckled. "Modest, too. How refreshing." He took a sip of wine. "Tell me, Arion of Nowhere—why did you attack Master Ferry?"
*DIPLOMACY CHECK: VEILED THREAT (CHA 7/10)*
Option 1: Deny (Low Risk, Low Reward)
Option 2: Confess (High Risk, High Reward)
Option 3: Deflect (Misdirect with a Truth)
Arion chose deflection. "I didn't attack Ferry, my lord. I defended myself when he tried to kill me over this." He reached into his tunic and placed the two Valyrian fragments on the table.
Tyrion's wine cup froze halfway to his lips. His eyes locked onto the scorched steel.
FACTION INSIGHT: TYRION LANNISTER - INTEREST DETECTED (VALYRIAN LORE)
"Where did you get these?" Tyrion asked, his voice suddenly sharp.
"Brownhollow. And Ferry's pocket." Arion met Tyrion's gaze. "Littlefinger's been collecting them. I think there's a third piece."
Tyrion leaned forward, his fingers hovering over the fragments. "Do you know what these are?"
Arion shook his head.
"They're pieces of a key," Tyrion said softly. "A Valyrian key. To the Dragonpit Vaults."
HIDDEN QUEST UPDATED: DRAGON'S ASHES
Objective Confirmed: Find the third fragment in the Dragonpit ruins.
Reward: Access to the Dragonpit Vaults (Contents: Unknown).
Arion's pulse quickened. "Why would Littlefinger want a Valyrian key?"
Tyrion's smile was razor-thin. "Why does Littlefinger want anything? Power. Secrets. Leverage." He tapped the fragments. "The vaults were sealed after the Dance of Dragons. Rumor says they contain… remnants of House Targaryen's glory. Or their sins."
Silence stretched between them. Then Tyrion sighed and pushed the fragments back toward Arion.
"Keep them. For now." He refilled his wine cup. "But know this—if you're right about Littlefinger's interest, he won't stop until he has them. Or until you're dead."
Arion pocketed the fragments. "What do you want in return for this information?"
Tyrion's eyes gleamed. "Two things. First—Rosby's taxes will be deferred. For a time."
*DIPLOMACY CHECK: SILVER TONGUE (CHA 7/10)*
Negotiation: Push for more.
"And the second thing?" Arion pressed.
Tyrion grinned. "I want you to find that third fragment. And bring it to me before Littlefinger gets it."
QUEST UPDATED: "THE IMP'S INVITATION"
New Objective: Recover the third Valyrian fragment from the Dragonpit.
Reward: Lannister favor, Rosby's debt deferred.
The Dragonpit was a corpse.
Its massive dome, once the pride of the Targaryens, lay half-collapsed, its ribs of blackened stone jutting into the night sky like the bones of a long-dead beast. Arion stood at its entrance, the wind howling through the ruins, the two Valyrian fragments burning cold against his chest.
LOCATION DISCOVERED: DRAGONPIT RUINS (King's Landing)
DANGER LEVEL: HIGH
Threats: Structural collapse, bandits, ???
Ellyn had insisted on coming. She stood beside him now, Lady's Kiss loaded and ready, her face pale but determined.
"You're sure the third piece is here?" she whispered.
Arion nodded. "Tyrion seemed certain."
*PERCEPTION CHECK (WIS 7/10): Success*
Movement in the shadows. Not bandits. Too quiet.
He drew his sword. "We're not alone."
A figure detached itself from the darkness near the Dragonpit's gaping maw. Tall, lean, moving with the silent grace of a predator. Moonlight glinted off steel.
Lothor Brune.
ENEMY DETECTED: LOTHOR BRUNE (Level 4 - Elite)
STATUS: Hunting
Brune didn't speak. He didn't need to. His dagger whispered from its sheath, his eyes locked onto Arion's throat.
Ellyn raised Lady's Kiss.
The game had just turned deadly.
The wind howled through the shattered ribs of the Dragonpit like a dying beast's last breath. Lothor Brune moved like a shadow given life, his dagger gleaming in the moonlight. His eyes, cold as obsidian, never left Arion's throat.
Ellyn's crossbow twitched—just slightly—as she adjusted her aim.
COMBAT MODE: ENGAGED
ENEMY: LOTHOR BRUNE (Level 4 - Elite)
PERKS:
Quiet as Shadow (+25% Stealth)
Knife Master (+30% Critical Hit Chance with daggers)
Relentless (Ignores first stun/debuff per fight)
ALLY: ELLYN ROSBY (Level 3 - Skirmisher)
EQUIPPED: Lady's Kiss (Myrish Repeating Crossbow)
Arion's grip tightened on his sword. The System's tactical overlay painted the ruins in shades of threat—Brune's approach path glowed crimson, potential cover flickered blue, and the crumbling pillars offered structural weakness markers.
"Last chance, boy," Brune murmured. His voice was rougher than Arion expected, like gravel under a boot. "Give me the fragments. Walk away."
*CHA Check (7/10):*
Option 1: Taunt (Aggro Focus)
Option 2: Distract (Create Opening for Ellyn)
Option 3: Lie (False Surrender Gambit)
Arion bared his teeth. "Come take them."
Taunt Successful. Brune's focus locks onto Arion.
Brune moved.
One second he was ten paces away—the next, his dagger flashed toward Arion's ribs. Arion twisted, feeling the blade graze his gambeson. He countered with a slash aimed at Brune's wrist. The sellsword recoiled, but not fast enough—steel bit flesh.
HIT! (Brune HP: 85/90)
Brune didn't flinch. He lunged again, this time feinting high before driving low. Arion barely parried, the impact jarring his arm to the shoulder.
*DEX Check (6/10):*
Brune's attack pattern analyzed—he favors the left side after a feint.
Arion pivoted, forcing Brune to adjust. For a fraction of a second, the sellsword's right flank was exposed.
THWACK!
Ellyn's bolt took Brune in the thigh.
CRITICAL HIT! (Brune HP: 65/90)
DEBUFF APPLIED: Limp (-10% Movement Speed)
Brune snarled, yanking the bolt free. Blood sheeted down his leg, but his eyes never wavered. "Clever girl."
Ellyn cranked Lady's Kiss, her fingers a blur. THWACK-THWACK! Two more bolts streaked through the dark.
Brune moved.
One bolt missed entirely. The second skimmed his shoulder—Glancing Hit (Brune HP: 60/90)—before he vanished behind a toppled column.
STEALTH MODE DETECTED
*Brune has disengaged. Re-engagement probability: 98%.*
Arion's breath came in ragged gasps. The Dragonpit's ruins were a maze of shadows and debris—perfect for an ambush. He signaled Ellyn toward a half-collapsed archway, its stonework offering some cover.
"Reload," he hissed.
Ellyn's hands shook as she slotted fresh bolts. "He's faster than Ferry's thugs."
Understatement. Brune was a ghost with a knife, and they were trapped in his domain.
The System flickered:
ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD DETECTED: Unstable Rubble Pile (West)
Structural Integrity: 12%
Collapse Potential: High
An idea sparked. Arion grabbed a chunk of loose masonry and hurled it toward the rubble pile. The stone clattered loudly.
For a heartbeat—nothing.
Then a shadow detached from the darkness near the noise. Brune, drawn toward the sound like a wolf to prey.
*INT Check (11/10): Critical Success*
Brune took the bait.
Arion lunged, not at Brune, but at the cracked pillar supporting the rubble pile. He slammed his shoulder into it with every ounce of strength.
STR Check (4/10): Roll 19 (Critical Success!)
The pillar groans… and gives way.
Stone rained down. Brune twisted, but too late—a slab the size of a shield clipped his side, sending him sprawling.
BRUNE INCAPACITATED! (HP: 30/90, Stunned: 5 seconds)
"Now!" Arion roared.
Ellyn stepped out from cover, Lady's Kiss leveled. Brune looked up, blood streaking his face, and did something unexpected—he smiled.
"Good," he rasped. "But not good enough."
He flicked his wrist. A dagger flashed through the air—
—and buried itself in Ellyn's shoulder.
ELLYN HP: 28/40 (-12)
DEBUFF: Bleeding (-2 HP/10 seconds)
She gasped, stumbling back, but kept the crossbow steady. "Eat steel, bastard."
THWACK!
The bolt took Brune through the chest.
CRITICAL HIT! (Brune HP: 5/90)
The sellsword coughed blood, his smirk fading. He slumped against the rubble, one hand pressed to the wound. "Littlefinger… will just send… someone else."
Arion approached, sword raised. "Where's the third fragment?"
Brune's laugh was a wet, broken thing. "You're standing… on it."
His eyes fluttered shut.
ENEMY DEFEATED: LOTHOR BRUNE
XP GAINED: 150
LOOT: Brune's Shadowdagger (+15% Stealth Damage)
The Dragonpit's floor was a graveyard of shattered stone and old bones. Arion and Ellyn dug where Brune had indicated, their fingers raw and bleeding. The System's Valyrian Lore Skill Tree flickered to life as they worked:
Rune Reading (Lvl 1): Decipher basic Valyrian glyphs.
Dragon Senses (Lvl 1): Detect Valyrian steel/stone within 10 meters.
A faint blue glow pulsed beneath the rubble. Arion heaved aside a broken slab—and there it was.
The third fragment.
ITEM OBTAINED: *BURNED SIGIL (FRAGMENT 3/3)*
QUEST COMPLETE: DRAGON'S ASHES
Reward: Access to the Dragonpit Vaults.
The fragment was larger than the others, stamped with the heart and tail of the dragon. As Arion lifted it, the three pieces clicked together in his hands, merging seamlessly. The completed sigil shimmered, its edges too sharp, too perfect for something so ancient.
VALYRIAN ARTIFACT IDENTIFIED: THE DRAGON'S KEY
Purpose: Unlocks the Dragonpit Vaults.
Warning: High-value target. House Baelish hostility now MAX (Hated).
Ellyn clutched her bleeding shoulder. "Now what?"
Arion turned toward the pit's yawning depths. "Now we see what Littlefinger was willing to kill for."
The vault door was hidden beneath centuries of dust and debris, its surface etched with Valyrian glyphs that glowed faintly as Arion approached. The System translated:
"Here lies the price of fire and blood."
The Dragon's Key fit into a recess at the door's center. The moment it slotted home, the ground trembled. Stone groaned as the door split down the middle, sliding open with a hiss of trapped air.
Cold, dry darkness yawned beyond.
LOCATION DISCOVERED: DRAGONPIT VAULTS
DANGER LEVEL: EXTREME
Torches flared to life along the walls, their flames burning an eerie blue. The vault was small—a circular chamber lined with alcoves. Each alcove held a single item:
A blackened dragon skull, smaller than Balerion's but still massive.
A cracked glass candle, its wax frozen mid-drip.
A tarnished silver harp, its strings intact but silent.
A scroll case, sealed with three-headed dragon wax.
And in the center of the room—
A sword.
Not Valyrian steel. Not any metal Arion recognized. It was pale, almost translucent, its edge shimmering like heat haze. The System's analysis flared red:
ITEM IDENTIFIED: DAWNBREAKER
Type: Unknown
Properties: ???
Warning: Extreme magical signature detected.
Ellyn reached for it.
*WIS Check (7/10):*
Stop her? (Risk: Offending ally)
Let her touch it? (Risk: Unknown magical effect)
Arion grabbed her wrist. "Don't."
She glared but didn't pull away. "Why?"
"Because this place is wrong," he muttered. The air tasted metallic, like lightning about to strike. The torches didn't flicker. The dust didn't settle.
The System pulsed a warning:
HIDDEN MECHANIC DETECTED: TIME DILATION
*Effect: 1 minute here = 10 minutes outside.*
They'd been inside five minutes. Nearly an hour had passed in the real world.
Arion snatched the scroll case and backed toward the door. "We're leaving. Now."
Ellyn hesitated, her eyes lingering on Dawnbreaker, but followed.
The door sealed behind them with a final, echoing thud.
The Red Keep's dungeons were quiet at this hour. Tyrion Lannister awaited them in the same windowless chamber, his expression unreadable as Arion placed the Dragon's Key and the scroll case on the table.
"You didn't bring the sword," Tyrion observed.
Arion met his gaze. "It wasn't meant to be taken."
Tyrion's lips quirked. "Wise." He cracked open the scroll case and unrolled the parchment within. His eyebrows climbed as he read.
"Well," he said softly. "This changes things."
ITEM IDENTIFIED: RHAEGAR'S FINAL TESTAMENT
Contents: The Crown Prince's private writings pre-Robert's Rebellion.
Key Revelations:
Lyanna Stark went willingly.
A child was born at the Tower of Joy.
"The dragon must have three heads."
Tyrion rerolled the scroll with deliberate care. "Petyr Baelish has been searching for this for years. With it, he could control the realm."
Ellyn's voice was hoarse. "What do we do with it?"
Tyrion's smile was all teeth. "We use it to burn him alive."
NEW QUEST: THE SPIDER'S WEB
Objective: Deliver Rhaegar's testament to Varys.
Reward: 200 XP, Varys' Favor, Littlefinger's Downfall.