Reviews
loki98065
HP will be an AU, but it will take a while to get there.
Alan
Dany's dragons aren't worth slaying as they are just magical animals. Unlike Smaug who had power worth taking
Team Builder.
Part 31
The Iron Bank. Braavos.
A common saying in some parts of this world about House Lannister is 'A Lannister always pays his debts' this means they will repay you any favours and also it can mean that they will get revenge for any slights against them.
There is also a common saying that the Iron Bank often uses to remind its clients who fail to repay their loans about how dangerous it is to cross them: 'The Iron Bank will have its due'.
This meant that if you didn't pay back your loans with money they would make you pay with blood. After all the Iron Bank could fund your enemies just as easily as it had funded you in the past.
This was something I would keep in mind when doing business with the Iron Bank. I might be the most powerful man in this entire world in terms of magic and might, but there were other kinds of power and I lacked political influence.
However, I was very unlikely to ever end up in debt with the bank due to my massive share of the treasure from Erebor and even if that was somehow lost I had other sources of wealth.
I still got paid enough by the CYOA to support a well-off lifestyle for the whole group. As an added bonus I'd not spent much of that money over the last year since I'd been hosted by the elves of Rivendell who hadn't charged me any rent.
Plus I also got lots of supplies from the CYOA and this cut down on my expenses. These supplies provided me with the raw materials I needed to work on my crafts and I could sell what I created to make even more money if I so desired.
The Iron Bank was founded long before the Doom of Valyria when Braavos was still a 'secret city' founded by escaped slaves that wished to remain hidden from the Valyrian Freehold.
It was formed by successful traders and artisans. The bank's name comes from the abandoned iron mine in which the bank's founders had placed all their funds when they were starting out.
From what I'd been told by the bank employee who'd shown us around just before taking us to the waiting area, the mine had a single entrance, which was sealed with several iron gates and it was protected by guards hired jointly by all the members.
Since then the Iron Bank has moved to new, grander quarters. Yet the mine is still employed as a depository and is visited due to it being a historical site of this city. Perhaps I would go check it out myself once we were settled in.
Upon arriving here in Braavos it had quickly become apparent to me that I needed to set myself up as quickly as possible as I had four missions rather than one as I had in Middle Earth.
The first was to ensure that I left a legacy behind when I left this world. Back in Middle Earth, I'd done this not by playing a major role in defeating Sauron, which you'd think would be enough.
I ensured my legacy by becoming the creator of the New Rings of Power and therefore ensuring that I would be remembered in that world for thousands of years even before I'd slain the dragon called Smaug and helped the dwarves reclaim Erebor.
Given my sheer wealth and power, I didn't think I'd have much trouble creating a legacy here. I just needed to spread my influence and have an impact on the timeline.
That would be easier to do once I got news of what was going on over in Westeros as that would help to pinpoint what point in history I'd arrived in.
The second mission which required me to uplift this world, at least the known parts of it I hoped, should itself be a legacy. I planned to be the father of this world's Renaissance era.
Braavos was well suited as a place to begin the uplift as it wasn't as primitive as Westeros, and it looked as if it didn't need much of a push to get fully into the next stage of advancement.
This city reminded me much of the Italian cities that would play a big role in transforming Europe from a collection of medieval-level societies into the modern world that I'd come from.
When looking for help with my plan I'd turned to the book that contained all human knowledge from my world to gain more information.
As such, I knew that The Italian Renaissance was a period in Italian history covering the 15th and 16th centuries and that if anyone place could be considered its origin that was Florence.
Much like in the Free Cities of this world the political power of Florence had rested primarily in the hands of the wealthy merchants rather than feudal lords. It was the wealth of that city which allowed for spending on the arts that began the Renaissance.
Braavos was a wealthy trade city that didn't make use of slavery so it had a workforce that didn't need to be oppressed with any sort of military might and they were industrious too if their shipbuilding capabilities were anything to go by.
In my view, this made it the perfect city to turn into the Florence of Planetos.
Another reason why I would stay in Braavos was that the city had people with enough free time and money to buy swords that they went around the city with while picking fights.
If they could waste resources like that then they must have money to spend on other endeavours such as the arts and I hoped that they would invest in new products.
I figured that once I started sharing knowledge that would make the merchants of this city even more wealthy they would embrace it if only due to their own greed.
It wouldn't be easy to bring about change, but this wasn't Westeros and I wasn't as if I had to deal with lords, slavers or Dothraki as long as I stayed in Braavos.
If Braavos began to advance my thinking was that the other Free Cities that depended upon trade would need to embrace the new methods in order to keep up their profits.
Given enough time this should affect Westeros too, and I had a few ideas about how to get the Seven Kingdoms to advance as well without spending too much time there.
I didn't wish to spend decades in this world trying to force it to change so it was good that the R.O.B. had not sent me to the Seven Kingdoms and then charged me with uplifting Westeros.
The true key to advancing this world would not merely involve introducing new technology. I needed to focus on funding art projects and on education.
Doing so would give me influence and I wanted to
others to try to match me. If they tried to undermine my efforts, well that was when Stormbreaker would come in handy.
My third mission was to look after an adopted daughter. If the words used in the CYOA were as I had interpreted them, it sounded as if the adoption wasn't optional and the reward was for being a good parent.
If a suitable girl to adopt didn't turn up via an act of R.O.B. I'd just go to a local orphan and pick up a brat since I didn't think the daughter needed to be a named character.
The fourth mission involved acquiring a list of items to be found in this world and collecting each would gain me a point to be spent. I figured I might need those points if I was going to carry out my plans.
As for my business at the bank, I was here to meet with Tycho Nestoris, who was a representative of the Iron Bank of Braavos.
I'd already heard he was a rational man, more interested in numbers than in words, reasoning that the former are less likely to deceive than the latter.
He sounded rather dull, to be honest. However, I only cared about his personality because learning about it would help me deal with the man it wasn't as if we were going to become friends.
I vaguely remembered him in the show, but nothing that gave me much information so I was glad that the bank employee had spoken so much.
It was important that I have a good working relationship with the Iron Bank if I was going to make any progress with an uplift. The bank would have connections and the influence required to greatly aid or hinder me.
I hoped that with my wealth that they would want to aid me if only to get their hands on more of my treasure. Storing a good portion of it in their vaults just made sense as you don't put all your eggs in one basket.
I'd made the appointment just this morning after we'd arrived in this city and thanks to me showing off some of my wealth I'd gotten an appointment this afternoon with Tycho Nestoris.
Only he was making us wait.
Hermione had simply cracked open one of the books that we had gotten while looking around the city when we were told we would have to wait and since then she hadn't spoken a single word.
Braavos being a wealthy city focused on trade had a few small bookstores that I knew Hermione would want to frequently visit during our stay in this world. No doubt I'd soon be glad of my vast wealth as books were very expensive in this world.
I might have to introduce the printing press just so she could have a proper library wherever it was we ended up calling home.
Meanwhile, Ciri, my new companion, worked on sharpening her dagger with a wet stone, something she could do as the guards hadn't taken our weapons from us. I found the rhythmic sound of her sharpening her blade quite relaxing.
So far I had been sitting out here, waiting for about a quarter of an hour. At this point, Tycho Nestoris was running the risk of losing my business just because he wanted to play some silly power game.
I knew that this would change soon enough. Before long people would come to see me and I would make them sit around waiting.
"Marek Dovahkiin, Tycho Nestoris will see you now," a bank employee said.
I got up to follow him into the nearby office.
"Wait for me here" I ordered the girls, speaking over my shoulder as I walked away "I'll call you inside when I need you,"
They both just shrugged and went back to what they were doing, as for me I was soon escorted into the room for the meeting.
"Welcome to the Iron Bank, Marek Dovahkinn," said
Tycho Nestoris as he stood from behind his desk with a polite look on his face "Forgive me for keeping you waiting for so long".
Motioning to one of the chairs he invited me to sit and as I moved I noted that this place looked exactly like a corporate drone's office from back home only much more primitive in design.
It was quite creepy how they how managed that soulless corporate feel, so well. The room was bare with nothing more than a desk and a few chairs.
Tycho the banker was in smart but average clothing the sort of thing that wouldn't stand out in most crowds.
Of course, he wasn't sorry for making me wait, bureaucrats such as him delight in making people waste their time, it's how they get their jollies.
"I believe you wanted to discuss opening a rather large account," Tycho said in a rather bored voice as I took the offered seat "Is this correct?".
Since I saw no point in pleasantries, I got right to the point.
"Recently I was part of a very successful treasure-hunting expedition" I explained, telling him as much of the truth as I felt comfortable sharing "Now that I have a sizeable fortune I need somewhere to store it and I need some help to set myself up here in Braavos".
I wished to become a Magister, a merchant prince, here in Braavos, the magisters participate in the election of the Sealord, and they can be considered the lords of Braavos. I would need that kind of influence to make the changes I desired.
Magisters tend to control some sort of trade although they aren't totally dependent upon trading only say spice, silk, or wine. Illyrio Mopatis a Magister in Pentos primarily deals in cheese, but if I recall correctly he also buys and sells all sorts of luxury goods.
"Perhaps the Iron Bank can be of aid," said Tycho "We do have contacts all over the city".
I'd suspected that given its influence that the bank did more than store treasure and give out loans. They must do if they sink so much money into Westeros.
"What sums of money are we dealing in?" I was asked.
I called for Ciri and Hermione. They brought in the small chests that were packed with dwarven-made coins as well as gems, bits of jewellery and so on.
"Transporting all my wealth will take time," I said "So I need the best security money can buy and as I mentioned before your help in setting things up so that I can stay here in Braavos".
I wanted to imply that more was on the way and I didn't want anyone to know the source of my wealth so it would be good if anyone too interested in it went looking for the treasure coming into the city when it was in fact already here.
My intention was for the bank to act as a sort of middleman. I hoped that by doing business through the bank that other powerful people and organisations would be discouraged from trying to rip me off as they would fear upsetting those who rank this powerful organisation.
"Are you looking for property within the city?" Tycho questioned, "Or outside of it?".
Braavos is a city-state so it also controls the lands around it and is supported by farms, quarries, logging camps and mines.
As such, I hoped to be able to purchase some decent land outside of the city that could be used to grow the pipeweed from the seeds I'd acquired in Bree last winter.
That was something to look into later when I had enough stock to get people interested.
"For now I'd like to acquire a manse within the city," I said "The sooner the better, and I'll pay more if it can be handled quickly".
I would soon find out just how fast the Iron Bank could move when it stood to profit. Once I had a suitable home I could start to focus on other matters.
Team Builder.
Part 32
Manse. Braavos.
It truly is amazing what you can achieve when you have a lot of money to throw around. We'd been in Braavos for only three days, time spent exploring the city and getting to know Ciri, and now we had a new home to move into.
"How did you manage this so quickly?" I asked.
Tycho Nestoris had sent me a message early this morning, he knew what inn I'd been staying at, letting me know that a manse, a sort of fancy house/stronghold meant for the very rich, had just become available and that for a fee they could speed up the process, allowing me to move in right away.
When we'd met up I'd noticed that he was dressed in posher clothing than when at work and this made sense given the wealthy neighbourhood we were in. He was making an effort to look as if he belonged here.
I did find the ruffly thing around his neck to be amusing. I had no intention of wearing such a thing myself even if it would have helped me blend in better.
"The current occupiers of the property were guests of the recently deposed Sealord" the banker explained "Once they lost his patronage they could no longer afford to rent the property. The manse belongs to the Iron Bank and has done for years ever since the Magister who owned it last made some rather unfortunate investments.
The office of Sealord is not a hereditary one as it is for the Iron Throne or one of the noble houses of Westeros such as the Starks of Winterfell.
Instead, when the role is required to be filled one of Braavos's most prominent citizens is chosen to be Sealord by the city's magisters and some of the more powerful players, such as those who run the Iron Bank.
Once chosen, the Sealord serves for life, but some will try to cut that life short if it means a new Sealord will be chosen, one who they have influence over.
Given that the Ironborn Rebellion was supposed to have just started I couldn't help thinking that there was a connection between that rebellion and the recent need to select a new Sealord.
"Normally we'd wait until the current occupants have left the property, but you did make it clear that you wanted a suitable home as quickly as possible," said Tycho Nestoris as we passed through the front gates "The manse is partly furnished. It was fully furnished, however, the servants who were employed here until recently hadn't been paid so they helped themselves to some of the contents of the manse".
Not a problem for me as I had more than enough money to pay for the manse to be properly decorated. I might go a little overboard with my spending, but I could refill my coffers easily enough.
I didn't think Hermione or Ciri had a passion for interior decorating so I'd simply hire someone to decorate the place.
The manse had brick walls that were twelve feet high with iron spikes atop. There were three gates, the main gatehouse being the way in and out of the manse.
It was wide enough to allow a carriage through and in fact, we had a carriage that must have been the property of the former household. This entry would be for the family and important guests.
I was shown the second gate which was much smaller and to the side of the manse. I figured that it was meant to be a servant's entrance and the way in for less important guests.
The third gate was large as well, enough to let a wagon enter the grounds, and must be how food is delivered since that path led to the kitchens.
We had our supplies, thanks to the CYOA, but we would need food delivered to keep up appearances.
Perhaps we could donate food to the poor so that it wouldn't to waste.
I also thought about using my last point to buy maids to help keep the manse clean and orderly. That would give me no more points to spend, but there were a dozen items for me to collect that would each give me a point so I wouldn't be pointless for long.
The front door of the manse, the one to be used by members of the family and important visitors had been painted red, and it was decorated with carvings of animals.
For some reason, this rang a faint bell in my mind, but I couldn't recall why it was important. I would figure it out before too long I felt sure.
As we entered the main courtyard I saw that there was a fountain. The wealthy of this city could have water from the sweetwater river, which was actually an aqueduct, piped directly into their homes.
More proof, if any was needed at this point, that Braavos was the kind of place I needed to be to uplift the known world.
There was also a marble pool with a statue of a naked woman in the centre for some reason. It looked to be a tasteful nude so I decided to keep it. I would have guests in this garden, ones who were important to my plans, so it wouldn't do to offend anyone.
Trees were a rare sight in Braavos as all the islands within the lagoon were heavily built up. Only the wealthy could have gardens and I noticed that the trees here weren't well suited for the climate.
Braavos had foggy weather and cold winters so having a lemon tree here seemed really out of place even with the high walls to protect it. Apple trees would have been much more practical and would have provided fruit.
"Here we have the kitchens and the cellars," Tycho Nestoris said to me as we carried on with the tour "This manse can store a great deal of food, vital for the winter".
Winter lasted for years in this world and so stockpiling supplies was very important. Not it would affect the deliveries made by the CYOA. Winter in Rivendell certainly hadn't.
"Marek, you can't let them do this!" I heard Hermione shout.
She and Ciri had gone to check on the bedrooms. We all wanted our own space even if we were all willing to sleep together, or soon would in Ciri's case.
I was most interested in finding a room large enough to become my workshop. I had many ideas, I would need both the tools and the materials to produce them.
"Let them do what, my dear?" I asked.
Over the year we'd spent together, Hermione had become far more casual with me than she had when we'd first met, and that was fine most of the time, but I couldn't have her nagging me about things in front of VIPs.
This wasn't Rivendell, no Braavos was a much more dangerous place and to be accepted as a Magister I couldn't afford for people to think I wasn't in control of my household.
I would talk to her about that later and remind her that she wasn't my wife. She and Ciri had to play the role of my mistresses, and it was acceptable in Braavos to have mistresses openly.
In fact, this city had courtesans that married men would pay small fortunes to spend time with, and the courtesans were treated much like famous actresses were back in my world.
"You can't let them throw those poor children out" the witch explained.
That got my attention. I was willing to bet a sizable part of my fortune that they were the Targaryen children who must both be quite young at this point in the timeline.
When selecting this world I had hoped to meet her as an adult so I could make her my wife and hatch dragons with her, because who doesn't want a magical princess who can ride dragons on their team?
Alas the R.O.B. had chosen when and where I would arrive. I assumed it had something to do with the missions it had selected, or perhaps it just wanted to see me struggle to look after her.
"Ah yes, the former Sealord hosted the last of the Targaryen family" explained Tycho Nestoris "His successor has a different foreign policy when it comes to Westeros".
Yes, now I recalled Daenerys and her brother lived in Braavos for a time in a house with a red door. This was before they ended up wandering the Free Cities.
They would end up in the care of a Magister in Braavos who would arrange to marry Dany to the local version of a Mongol warlord. I figured that I'd be a better guardian for her.
"If you want to look after them then they can stay," I told Hermione.
My mission just requires me to be a good parent to a daughter I didn't have to be a great one and a good parent by the standards of this world was different than back home.
"Taking in the Targaryen children does come with risks" mentioned Tycho Nestoris once Hermione had raced off to go deal with the brats "But it could also be a profitable choice".
I wasn't worried about King Robert coming here to kill them at the head of an army as Robert didn't become concerned with Dany until after she married someone who could threaten the Seven Kingdoms.
Her brother was a different matter, but I didn't have to keep him. The mission only mentioned a daughter so her brother might not be an issue for long.
He could be useful to me if I took him as a ward rather than raise him as a son. For example, If I could marry Viserys to say Margary Tyrell or the Princess of Dorne, and combine their forces with a sellsword army funded by me, it would be possible to get him on the Iron Throne.
That plan would take years, a lot of sellswords, and some dragon eggs. It really depended on if I was going to be around long enough to carry out such a plan. I'd spent only a year in Middle Earth and while I'd likely be here longer the war of Five Kings was nearly a decade away if I had my timeline in order.
Actually holding the throne would be even more work as even if I invaded during the war of the Five Kings I could still end up facing half the armies of Westeros.
Something to consider further when we were settled in and it would be good to have several long terms plans that could help along the uplift.
Right now it was far more important that I set up a study/workshop so that I could soon begin my work.
Once I had some servants who could keep the house in order I would concern myself with the Targaryen children's short-term care.
As for my women, Hermione would be content with her books and research, and if she wanted to play big sister to the Targaryen children then she was welcome to do so.
Ciri would need something to help keep her occupied beyond teleporting me around. She was a fighter and had we ended up north of the Wall over in Westeros or ended up meeting a Dothraki Warband she'd be of more use to me.
Sure she'd make for a fine bodyguard and I could put her in charge of security, but she wanted to be a Witcher so she'd need monsters to fight. Lucky for her there were some monsters in this world that needed dealing with and not all of them were human.
Something had to be done about the White Walkers. That was also something to plan out later and discuss with Ciri.
"We'll take the manse," I said "I'd be grateful if you could send along someone who can handle decorating this place".
Braavos had many wealthy citizens and therefore there must be someone within the city who can handle that sort of thing.
"I'll make some enquiries for you" offered Tycho Nestoris "And I'll return tomorrow to discuss the terms of your loan".
Rather than buy the property outright I'd decided to make a hefty deposit and then take a loan from the bank to buy the manse from them.
This made sense as I was supposed to be a treasure hunter who got lucky and had wealth entering the city. Paying off the loan with treasure brought into Braavos fitted my role better.
With that, the banker let himself out and I wandered about until I found a room suited for me to serve as a study and workshop.
I'd need to set up the forge outside as you don't want to forge in an enclosed space and I'd need a roof to keep off the rain. That could be easily arranged.
"The courtyard will be great for sparing," Ciri told me as she came over "You will spar with me every day as you promised".
This version of the Lady of Space and Time wore an outfit that was apparently fashionable in Zerrikania unless I'd misunderstood her.
Hermione had given Ciri the fancy mithril shirt that Thorin had gifted her. This made sense since my witch was not a fighter and it did look good on my new woman.
"Yes, I will" I confirmed.
I had promised that while we'd been staying at the expensive inn when she had been complaining about no one in all of Braavos having a Gwent deck other than her. Something I would need to fix.
"We'll need to stay in shape if we're going to deal with the White Walkers," I said.
I had some ideas about making Witcher-style bombs that were packed with obsidian and then dropped on armies of wights from above. That was just one of my many plans.
"Dinner first" demanded the Witcheress "I'm starving".
I'd never met a woman who could eat like Ciri.
"Let me summon up some servants to help get this place in order," I said as I took out the CYOA book.
As I went to the right page and took in the information I realised that I would likely need guards and secretaries in the near future.
My home would be secure thanks to the magical idol I'd purchased, but the protection didn't cover the whole city and I couldn't keep us indoors all the time. Besides, I didn't know if the safe space it empowered would stop someone from stealing from me.
Concern about thieves was partly why I wasn't going to hire any locals as servants. They couldn't be trusted not to steal from me or not to share information with any business rivals that I made.
As for the secretaries, I didn't need them now, but soon I would require the services of people I could trust to oversee my business interests so that I didn't spend all my time micromanaging everything.
Maids
Cost: 1
A small army of maids for cooking, cleaning, and all other housekeeping needs including basic home maintenance. Sexual needs are also included.
Moments later I had more than enough staff to keep the manse in order as well as the grounds. They were dressed in sensible clothing for the climate and were all very attractive young women. Their style of dress and hair reminded me of Ayra when she was pretending to sell seafood around Braavos.
"Okay ladies," I said, "There's a manse to look after, gardens to tend to and meals to be cooked".
I didn't know if they were real people or magical constructs so I decided to let them get on with things. I could sort out pay later, important given the anti-slavery attitude here and I didn't want Hermione comparing them to House Elves and going all SJW on me.
They bowed called me sir and went to carry out their duties as any group of good little minions should.
"Marek, I'm not the kind of person who jumps into bed with someone I've just met" Ciri mentioned "But if I do end up getting along with one of them. Would you be upset if they ended up taking baths with me and keeping me warm at night?".
This version of Ciri must be bisexual. Hermione wasn't at all and so if I wanted threesomes then the Witchress was who I needed to look to.
"Not at all," I told her "I want you to be happy".
If only so she didn't bother me when she got bored. I had a lot to be getting on with.
Team Builder.
Part 33
Manse. Braavos.
My plans for Viserys Targaryen ended before I even had a chance to sit the lad down and see if I could mould him into a king that would suit my needs.
He had been sullen during dinner last night, hardly doing more than grunting and Dany had barely spoken at all. So I'd decided to give them both some time to adjust to the change of circumstances.
Besides, I had a lot to be getting on with, there was a lot of unpacking to do and a workshop to set up as well as a forge to build in the back garden.
As such it wasn't until Hermione entered my study/workshop that I knew something had gone wrong. As soon as I saw her face I was able to guess that it involved Viserys or his sister.
I'd known her long enough to tell when she was mad about something and when she was worried about someone, and since I was fine I knew she must be worrying about someone else.
Given that Ciri could look after herself it seemed clear to me that it must involve the two Targaryen children in some way.
"Hermione, what's the matter?" I asked.
She took a deep breath before answering.
"Marek, I just found out that Viserys is gone," she told me "He must have left during the night".
I wasn't concerned about him because it didn't affect my missions here, and my security was meant to protect from harm not keep people from leaving. Hermione's wards would prevent it either.
"What about Daenerys?" I asked.
I could check the map to find out, but I felt sure that Hermione, who I noted was wearing simple Braavosi-style clothing, would have checked on the girl before reporting to me. She cared far more about the poor little girl than I did.
"He didn't even tell her that he was leaving" my witch reported.
I didn't know Viserys at all, but it seemed odd that he'd simply abandon her because sibling affection aside she was a Targaryen, as such her hand in marriage could be quite valuable.
My thinking had been that his mental health couldn't have been so bad when he was younger since he'd not been murdered. It seemed as if I'd been wrong about that. He was at least acting very foolishly.
"She didn't seem very upset" mentioned Hermione.
Perhaps he'd already started abusing her if only verbally. Not that it mattered now, I wouldn't let Viserys near her again if wasn't willing to even pretend to care.
"He's thirteen," I said "Practically an adult by local standards he's free to do as he pleases".
Hermione didn't argue about that, however, I could tell that she didn't agree with me.
"I'm not going to drag him back here," I told her "We have an entire world to worry about and a household to set up".
Hermione wasn't soothed.
"I'll find out what it takes to adopt Daenerys when I next speak to someone from the Iron Bank," I said to the worried woman "We can dye her hair and I'll pass her off as my daughter. She'll be safe here and we can discuss her getting an education once she feels more comfortable with us".
Hermione relaxed a little.
"From what you've told me about her she might be magical" she was now saying "When she's older I'd like to see what she can do".
Even if Daenerys wasn't able to wield a wand there was always the option of giving her spell tomes from Skyrim purchased from the Daedric Merchant or I might even be able to make some with the right equipment.
At the very least she should be able to brew some simple potions or learn some of the magic used by the elves that we had been taught.
Also, she was the key to hatching dragons I'd not forgotten about that and with my special map, it wouldn't be too hard to find some dragon eggs.
I'd rather hatch and raise them in my own pocket dimension so I would need to gather those collectables first. Having baby dragons in Braavos was just too risky.
"Make sure that Daenerys has a maid with her at all times," I ordered "Five year old aren't hard to distract, so they can keep her occupied".
At this stage of her life, the young Targaryen needed a lot of supervision and attention, something I couldn't supply right now, but I would find time to spend with her.
If nothing else I knew some awesome bedtime stories that no one in this world had ever heard before.
Thinking about it I should write some of them down and publish them.
Braavos being a more advanced city than was normal for this world meant that more people would be able to read. Books were expensive, but there were a lot of rich people around here so I would get some customers.
"Dear, is there something else bothering you?" I asked.
I could tell just by looking at her that there was something she wanted to tell, and I guessed that she was worried about how I'd react.
"Before he left Viserys stole some of your treasure," she told me.
I wasn't even surprised to hear that he'd been foolish enough to steal from me.
"It was a small chest, one he could carry out" Hermione explained "It was filled with dwarven-made cups and bowls. I was going to put them on display as part of your plan to take on the role of merchant prince".
Open displays of wealth were important so as to impress potential my allies, and the loss of any of my treasure irked me, yet I didn't get angry.
"He can keep the treasure as long as I get to keep Daenerys," I said.
It was better to wash my hands of the boy and focus my efforts elsewhere. Besides I had a feeling that he was going to be robbed and killed before long.
Sure the loss annoyed me, but it wasn't worth worrying about when I had so much else to be getting on with. I guess that I hadn't become too much like Smaug after all.
"Aren't you mad about your treasure?" asked Hermione "It isn't as if we can replace dwarven-made items. Well not unless we go back to Middle-Earth".
I could make my own treasure given the right materials and I had more money than I needed.
"If I want more wealth I have a map that will lead me to it," I said "Besides, I just don't want to deal with Viseyrs if I don't have to".
Perhaps I should get my property back, but I simply didn't feel motivated to do so.
"Sir, Tycho Nestoris is here to see you," said one of the maids as she entered the room, not bothering to knock since the door was wide open "He says he has urgent business with you".
I sure was seeing a lot of this guy.
"Go sort out Daenerys," I told Hermione "We'll go over the details later".
I then turned to the maid.
"Send him in" I commanded.
Before long the banker stepped into my still disorganised study/workshop.
"Good morning Mister Dovahkiin" greeted the local "I see that you are settling in".
Attempting to.
"Good morning, Mister Nestoris" I replied "I assume you are here to talk about the loan".
I gestured to a seat and sat down behind my desk. I didn't bother to offer him refreshment as he'd not done so for me and it was best to get on with things.
"Yes, I would like to discuss that" confirmed Tycho Nestoris "But first I wish to tell you that Viserys Targaryen came to the bank this morning and tried to open an account. Given that his House has lost its wealth, I was interested in where he acquired his funds".
Wow, that boy really was stupid. It took a special kind of fool to try to open up a bank account with stolen money when you're so well known.
"He didn't even try to deny it" Tycho Nestoris informed me, "He told me that he took the wealth and left you his sister in exchange. I enquired as to what value he placed on his sister and he admitted to never discussing it with you".
Given that the people of this city loathed slavery of any kind then it was no wonder Viserys hadn't gotten away with his crime. He'd basically traded his own sister for money. Since he did not even bother to get my agreement I was in the clear.
"The Targaryen boy has been arrested and will be charged with theft, fraud and slavery," said Tycho Nestoris "The last one carries the death sentence, but given his age, he'll most likely be exiled from the city".
I was surprised to hear that and the banker picked up on it.
"This isn't Westeros," he said "We don't kill children and we have no Wall to send them to".
Viserys fate wasn't my concern or Tycho Nestoris's for that matter. I could always back someone else when they made a claim for the throne and use them t make changes in Westeros if I needed to. The sellswords I planned gto hire wouldn't care who they fought for as long as they got paid.
"As for the wealth he stole that has been transferred to our vault for safe keeping" informed the banker "You can recover whenever you wish".
I would do so later. Right now I had important matters to discuss.
"If Viserys is executed or thrown out of the city, what becomes of his sister?" I asked.
I didn't want to be accused of some sort of kidnapping by keeping her here. I needed a good reputation here in Braavos for my plans to work out.
"Since he left her with you and Visyers is Daenery's only living relative then you can claim responsibility for her if you wish, or send her to the orphanage" I was informed, "The Iron Bank will not interfere and she has no family left to look after her, so there is nowhere to send her".
Well, that wasn't totally true. Her closest male relative of adult age would be Maester Ameon at the Wall. Only he was sworn to both the Citadel and the Night's Watch so he couldn't look after Daenerys. If she were a boy that might allow it as they do take in young boys, Mance Ryder being an example.
Jon Snow if he was her nephew happened to be the same age as her more or less so he couldn't look after her either. Even if Young Griff was a real Targaryen he was also still a child.
"She'll stay with me," I told the man from the bank "I'll adopt her as my daughter and she will become a member of the Dovahkiin family. I hope the bank will keep that to themselves".
There was no point telling him that I would kick her out because he'd notice rather soon that I suddenly had a daughter who was the same age as the Targaryen girl.
I planned to have her hair dyed black to better match mine and we had the same eyes already, but this wouldn't have fooled Nestoris.
"The Iron Bank didn't get where it is today by being indiscreet," my visitor said.
It was time to move to another bit of business.
"Mr Nestoris have you ever heard of a patent office?" I asked.
The banker clearly hadn't.
"I'm not familiar with that term", he admitted "I assume it has something to do with governance".
This would take some explaining.
"It's something we have in my homeland," I told the banker "The idea is that if someone invents something, such as a new game, or perhaps writes a play they can patent it so as to prevent others from profiting from their ideas without either purchasing the intellectual property or renting it".
Nestoris had a sharp mind so he caught on fast.
"I know that the playwrights have contracts with the different acting tropes," he said "But those deals could be more secure and you could claim anything you create as intellectual property, even a recipe for lemon cakes".
That was the idea and I knew that in my world the process was more complex than I was envisioning, but it could be kept simpler here in Braavos.
"The right to use a playwright's work could be borrowed by an acting trope in exchange for a portion of the profits made when the play is performed" I was now saying "And the fees would go through the patent office. The office would collect a small amount of the profits".
If the Iron Bank funded the office some of that money would go to them.
"You could patent stories, new designs for ships and swords, song lyrics, recipes anything that a person creates," I said.
I could tell that the banker was interested.
"People who can't afford to see their ideas brought to life could sell them to people who have the money to do so," I added "And the Iron Bank could profit".
Nestoris was now deep in thought.
"We'd never be able to prevent the minstrels from playing certain songs, and stories have a way of being spread about," he said "But if this patent office was back by the Iron Bank and the Magisters it could work. I'll mention it when I next speak to the keyholders".
Keyholders are officials of the Iron Bank of Braavos. They hold the keys that open up the vault that used to be an iron mine. Like the Magisters they are the true power in this city.
"I don't have the influence required to set one up myself" I stated "My interest is in patenting ideas from my homeland so that the wealthy of this city can introduce new products to their trading partners".
The office would need to be a government one in order to have any authority.
"I would be willing to help fund its foundation" I mentioned
Nestoris moved the subject on to that of the loan I'd taken. Interest rates and a schedule for payments had to be decided upon. Only then I could start work on my many projects.
Team Builder.
Part 34
Dragonstone. The Narrow Sea.
Before the Doom, the island of Dragonstone was the westernmost outpost of the Valyrian Freehold, the dragonlords' empire in Essos, which dominated most of the known world much as the Roman Empire had once done in my world.
Much like the Roman Empire, the Valyrian Freehold fell and plunged the world into a dark age that lasted for centuries. A simplistic view of history to be sure, but exactly incorrect.
As for Dragonstone, it was home to a unique castle built by the Targaryens before they fled the Doom of Valyeria. If not for one of their own having dreams of the Freehold's end, the Targaryens would have died with the rest of the dragonlords.
The island was not claimed by the dragonlords of old because it had any mineral wealth to exploit, the only thing you could mine here was dragonglass, or even for its strategic position, rather it was used for trade with Westeros if the books I'd read about the island were to be trusted.
After the Doom, this island and the castle became the refuge of the last of the dragonlords, House Targaryen and from here Aegon the Conquerer launched his invasion of Westeros and united the Seven Kingdoms under his leadership.
It could have been the start of the greatest empire this world would ever know. Alas for the Targaryen dynasty, it was plagued with infighting and insanity.
With the loss of their dragons, the dynasty began its slow end. It didn't actually fail until Robert's Rebellion, but it had been dying since the Dance of the Dragons.
Once Aegon had united six of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros under his banner (Dorne was never conquered it joined later under its own terms) Dragonstone became the seat of the crown prince due to its importance in the survival of the Targaryens after the Doom.
The Lord of Dragonstone had dominion not only over the island but also over the surrounding lands, which he would have to manage, a way to practice rulership before the crown prince took the Iron Throne.
Prior to the Sack of King's Landing by Tywin Lannister, and following the Battle of the Trident, Queen Rhaella Targaryen and Prince Viserys Targaryen were sent to Dragonstone for their protection.
Queen Rhaella perished here, during a stormy night while giving birth to Daenerys Targaryen who had recently become my adopted daughter.
Currently, it was held for King Robert Baratheon by his younger brother, Lord Stannis Baratheon, rather than be the seat of the Crown Prince.
Since the Ironborn were rebellion Stannis was far from here and his household was in Kingslanding. This meant the castle was practically empty, meaning that was a good time to come visit.
The castle contains the Chamber of the Painted Table, and that Painted Table was one of the collectables I needed to claim for an extra point, but that could wait until I'd finished forging the Ring of Power that would help me reshape the course of fate for this world.
I'd considered making three Rings of Power, one for myself, one for Hermione and the last for Ciri, but I'd decided against doing so.
Ciri was already very powerful, potentially more so than myself, and she didn't care much for the power she already had. Hermione wasn't interested in obtaining more power as she cared more about acquiring knowledge.
As for Daenerys, giving even a lesser ring of power to a five-year-old was just asking for trouble. When she was older and Hermione felt confident that Danny had enough control over her powers then I would offer her a lesser ring.
So I was making a single ring this time and I was doing it here on this island for a few good reasons.
The entire island and the castle I'd secured part of with Hermione's help, were connected to dragons. Granted the dragons of this world were not like the dragons of Skyrim, but from what I understood about magic, symbolism is important.
As such, here I was on Dragonstone, a volcanic island, deep within a castle that had been home to dragons, forging a Ring of Power for myself, the Dragonborn.
While I worked I poured just a little of what it meant to be a Dragonborn into the new Ring of Power as I didn't want to make something that would end me if it was destroyed.
To be a Dragonborn is to be a mortal blessed with the Blood and soul of a dragon by Akatosh, the Father of Dragons and chief of the Divines. Like a dragon, the Dovahkiin is a fragment of Akatosh's soul and thus can be considered angelic in nature.
Those with the blessing have an extraordinary aptitude in the use of the thu'um, being able to absorb the knowledge of Shouts directly from the souls of slain dragons
For me, things were a bit different. I had no connection to Akatosh as far as I knew since I'd been created by something else, and I'd not felt like a proper Dragonborn until I took in Smaug's soul.
Now I understood it all much better, the need to dominate to prove myself superior. I was meant to rule, to shape history, it was my purpose.
Other Dragonborn had built empires and become legendary heroes, and perhaps in Middle Earth I would be remembered as a legendary hero.
I knew that Reman Cyrodiil and Tiber Septim both founded their own dynasties that contained many emperors. Some of them had been good and some had been mad. Not unlike many of the Targaryens.
Like Miraak, the first Dragonborn, I had chosen a different path than becoming a great hero or conqueror when I arrived in this world.
Yet I would still decide the fate of this world and shape its history to my one liking. That was real power, the power of the Dragonborn.
Since I was still somewhat mortal I didn't want to forge my One Ring inside a volcano, just being this close to one, was fine with me. I had no desire to pass out due to the heat and fumes.
The Ring of Power was made of ebony with some gold to help make it more malleable during the forging. Rather than engrave it with elvish writing and embed it with a gem, I'd gone for a simpler design, much like when Sauron had made the One Ring.
I'd used ebony and gold because ebony was supposed to be the blood of a god, and it came from volcanic regions, and this mattered since I was trying to tap into the power of this place as I forged the ring.
Gold was less important. I used it to symbolise the treasure I'd claimed and would claim. Not that all the treasure I wanted was made of gold, as there were other things of value I desired, items and people to claim as my own.
This band had the three words that made up the title of Dovahkinn engraved on it in the Dovah language which would just look like claw marks to others. I'd filled in those marks with mithril that shone as I put the completed Ring of Power upon my finger.
Once the Dragon Ring of Power, which was a part of myself, become fully connected I could feel myself becoming mightier. I'd not just filled the ring with my own spirit I'd drawn upon the magic left here.
Dragonstone was not without its own power, it was the last ember of lost Valyeria and I'd taken some of that fire as I'd forged the Dragon Ring of Power.
Unfortunately, power always came at a price, and while it wasn't going to be me who paid that price, this world still demanded it.
The volcano was going to erupt as Mount Doom had when I'd destroyed Sauron's sort of Horcrux. Dragonstone would soon be destroyed. I felt this as soon as I put on the ring and the world seemed to shake.
Thankfully the mountain didn't go off right away. It took time for the pressure to build, and the quakes were a warning of the disaster to come.
This was different than when the One Ring was destroyed because that ended Sauron and he was heavily connected to Mordor. He'd used the ring's power to build his fortress and to increase his hold over all of Mordor.
There was a crack as Hermione teleported herself into the area I'd been using as a forge. She'd put up all the wards required to keep this place hidden from Stannis's servants and as such they didn't hinder her.
"What did you do?" she asked as I packed away my tools.
If she'd been my wife I would have found myself sleeping on the couch tonight. Lucky for me I had my own bedroom and I had other women to sleep with if the mood took me.
"Hermione, I have destabilised the island" I admitted, trying to make it sound like it wasn't a big deal.
To be fair, it wasn't as if I'd meant to do it and thankfully the island wasn't heavily inhabited, in fact, it was practically deserted due to the ongoing Ironborn Rebellion having called Stannis and his Household away.
"The volcano is going to erupt as it did in Mordor, just less dramatically," I said "It might take a few hours, but we should grab the Painted Table and leave".
Braavos wasn't too far from Dragonstone in terms of Portkey travel and since she could turn anything into a portkey she might as well cast the spell on the table and take it home. Then I could figure out how to get the one point for a single collectable.
"No, first we need to save the books" insisted my witch.
She'd gone to the castle's library to investigate it while I was busy forging.
"Marek, I need your expanded bag" she insisted.
Knowing better than to argue with Hermione when she was on a mission I just went along with her plan. She teleported us to the library and used the Pack spell to empty it of books that soon went flying into one of my pouches of holding.
"I can make copies later," she said "Oh maybe we could open up a public library!".
That idea had not crossed my mind, but I certainly could afford to fund one and there were spells that allowed books to be copied.
Back in the Wizarding World, there were spells placed on books to prevent that so you had to go buy copies, but Hermione would never try to limit the sharing of knowledge.
"If we can afford a suitable building and you want to run a library I will fund it" I promised.
Aside from making my witch happy, it would be a good way to spread knowledge and help this world advance.
"We'll talk about it later," I said.
Having scouted out the castle earlier with scrying meant that Hermione could take us directly to the room with the Painted Table in it. When we arrived it became clear that the island was being evacuated.
People were yelling at each other, voices called out to grab what could be carried and to get moving down to the docks.
"I hope everyone gets out of here" Hermione commented.
In my opinion, if you were willing to live next to a volcano then you knew the risks and should have an escape plan ready, or better yet don't live near a volcano.
"Stannis took his family to Kingslanding before sailing to the Iron Islands, and he took most of his men with him for the war," I told Hermione "Everyone who isn't a noble makes a living fishing, so they have boats".
I'd checked the map, so I knew that this island wasn't far from the coast. Besides, I didn't care much for the fates of strangers. I couldn't afford to when I had a whole world to focus on.
When I touched the table it vanished and while I didn't have time to open up the CYOA book, as Hermione had moments ago filled the expanded bag with books, I could check it later to see if I'd gotten a point.
Rather than remark on this, Miss Granger tapped a chair with her wand. We didn't have time to talk about the strange thing that just happened.
"Portus"
It was now a Portkey.
"Grab the chair" Hermione instructed.
I did so and one uncomfortable magical transportation later we landed in the garden of my manse in Braavos.
"Next time you forge a Ring of Power, please don't do it near a volcano" Hermione chastised "Or at least make sure it's an uninhabited volcanic island".
While I shouldn't tolerate her speaking to me like that there was no point in having companions if you didn't listen to them. That was one of the differences between a leader and a tyrant.
Besides, she was right to be upset. What if Dragonstone had been our home?
It didn't matter, it was done, I could only promise to be more careful next time, something I did verbally.
"There you are," said Ciri as we entered the house "Danny just woke up from a bad dream about a shaking castle and I've had this oddest feeling that something went wrong".
That got my attention. Danny was having dragon dreams. These involve seeing the future or at least something important going on in the present. It was a rare trait of the Targaryens.
Some of those with the dragon blood in the Elder Scrolls verse had such dreams. I'd not had any yet, but that could change.
"You felt something?" I asked, "Was it just a feeling or did you really sense something?".
Ciri confirmed that she'd felt something for sure. If she had then others sensitive to mystical energies might also have sensed that something had changed in the world.
Since I had protections against magical ways of finding people, they would prevent people from detecting that I was the Ringmaker as the Dragon Ring was a part of myself now it was finished.
"I didn't sense anything, but I've never been sensitive to magic," said Hermione "I definitely felt the ground move".
Ciri looked perplexed.
"What did you do?" she asked.
This was going to take some explaining and that was best done with a drink in our hands. Maybe a sandwich was well, followed by 12 hours of sleep, ring forging really takes it out of you
Team Builder.
Part 35
While the man who forged the Dragon Ring of Power remained hidden from those with a connection to the mystical as did the Dragon Ring itself once it was worn by its master, the forging of the Dragon Ring was noticed by those with the ability to see beyond the merely physical.
The forging of the Dragon Ring had done more than cause a volcano to erupt it had sent out shockwaves felt by those who were sensitive to such things, and it altered the course of history for an entire world.
Daenerys Targaryen dreamt of disasters and at the Wall, an old man dreamed of dragons hatching in a far-off land. Children in Winterfell howled in their sleep and wargs living north of the Wall felt their abilities grow stronger.
Magic had never left this world as the Maesters of the Citadel claimed, it was simply that Doom of Valyeria had shifted the balance between the seasons so that winter began to grow stronger than it should.
This caused the Walkers in the lands beyond the Wall to waken and once again threaten the living. As cold magics grew the dead began to rise for the first time in thousands of years.
For now, not many wights could be raised and driven by the Walkers, but their numbers were always growing as men and beasts crossed their paths, only to die and join the ranks of the dead.
The Doom of Valyeria had weakened the magic of fire and blood so that over time the dragons weakened as well. Until they left the known world and began to slip into legend as the Children of the Forest had done.
Soon dragons would return, and the magic of fire, blood, shadows and earth would rise, even as the magic of cold and death grew ever stronger.
The seasons attempted to be balanced, a long summer would pass before the second Long Night began and should the Long Night come then in that darkness the fate of the world would be decided.
When the Ring of Power was forged and the island of Dragonstone was lost the balance shifted. Before long a bloodred comet was seen in the sky all across the world. Few knew what its appearance meant, even if many understood its importance.
Magic had never left, but it was becoming a stronger force in the world.
In the far east, the Warlocks of Qarth drank their shade of the evening and experienced visions more vivid than ever before. They grew stronger and would in a matter of years move to take Qarth for themselves.
Across parts of Essos, the priests that served the so-called Lord of Light looked into the flames and saw more clearly than ever before.
They saw fire and ash claim Dragonstone as their own powers grew. They didn't know what to make of it, yet they believed it to be the work of their god and a warning of the changes to come.
In one temple a woman known as Melisandre of Asshai looked into the flames and tried to make sense of what she saw as she stared at the fire.
She had felt the shift more clearly than the others of her order and she tried to make sense of what she saw the woman started to believe that it was a sign from her lord that the Prince Who Was Promised had arrived as was foretold in the ancient scrolls.
She had to seek out Azor Ahai and prepare him for his destiny, to protect and guide him, for if she had seen this vision then darker forces would also have been alerted. She would travel to the Sunset Kingdoms and seek out the Prince Who Was Promised.
Over in Westeros, in the city of Oldtown, within the walls of the Citadel, a young acolyte on the verge of becoming a true Maester sat in a dark room failing to light a candle made from obsidian.
To begin with, he had like a thousand men before him, failed to get so much as a spark or whiff of smoke.
Only this time as the night dragged on the candle was lit and the man in grey robes began to see such things as wonderous as they were terrifying.
He saw a mountain of fire erupt, he saw dead men walking, and dragons in the sky. He watched as the world began to change. Old orders were swept away and a new age began.
When he reported what he saw to the Archmasters he was silenced by his superiors, sworn never to speak of what he saw, and sent to work in a remote keep. If his father hadn't been so important the young man would have been killed to make sure he never told anyone of what he saw.
Marwyn was the only Archmaester to be pleased by this news and his glass candles could now be lit. Soon he would be able to see into distant lands, spy on dreams, and learn of events yet to pass.
The Archmaester wished to seek out the source of the coming changes so as to advance his own knowledge. Alas, he had no idea where to look.
In the lands of endless winter, a man stuck in a tree struggled to find the source of the shift in the balance. He'd never been able to see events so easily yet he could not find the source of the shift.
All he had been able to find out for sure was that something world-changing had happened on the island of Dragonstone. A place connected to his own history, but he didn't think that mattered.
The Children of the Forest who attended him were not
as concerned about the shift as the Greenseer. They were feeling stronger than they had done in centuries and they liked this, so while curious they were not worried about the changes.
Not so far away in a palace made of ice, the Night King, the leader of the White Walkers and the army of the dead, felt something he had not felt in thousands of years.
He was afraid, there was something out there in the world he wished to claim for his own, something that could threaten him as Azor Ahai had done so long ago when the Wall had yet to be built.
He had thought the world of men too weak to resist him, he had thought that he would in a matter of years be able to march south and finish what he began so long ago.
By this time, the Watchers on the Wall meant to safeguard the living were diminished, the Children of the Forest were fading away, and the realms of men had forgotten them. Even the dragons had died.
The Night King had been wrong. There was a threat out there, and he had to prepare to meet it. He would not change his plans much, he would gather his might, build his army and when the Long Night came he would seek out this new Azor Ahai.
All across the world those attuned to magic sense and saw the world change. They believed it did so for different reasons and the only thing any of them had gotten right was that the world was going to change.
Someone out there was going to make it change.