#trident dagger

[theoutcastrogue]

"Daggers and poniards", from Guide des amateurs d'armes et armures anciennes by Auguste Demmin (1869), translated as Weapons of War by C.C. Black (1870)

pages with captions after the cut

[memoryoflooping]

yeah baby tgats what i'm talking aboutttt

[ace-and-ranty]

I was relistening to Vengance Saga without the animatics and I think this is the first saga that genuinely felt like it was written with animatics in mind and I feel it really brings it down? The first half of 600 Strike does NOT stand on its own without visuals and I feel that weakens the impact of the final confrontation and the song as a whole. There's so much empty space in the last three songs of the saga that I feel were specifically designed for artists to put images in, rather than allowing listeners to really immerse themselves in the story and music on their own.

That would make sense. I watched near the entire musical in random animatics before I ever sat down to do a listen-through, so I couldn't tell you if I feel the difference. But when I was listening to the last song, I will say I 100% thought what was happening is that the ghosts of his comrades were fighting Poseidon, so then when I went to see the animatics I was like...

...the fuck is that.

[bhaalswn-arch]

i got a rapier and astarion already got two other legendaries, so wyll, loml, i shall gift you a legendary to wield

[dykeseinfeld]

just. general thank you to the universe for how fucking awesome gideon looks at literally every moment of this book thanks to her knuckle knives like. incredible worldbuilding literally every character should always have glass knuckle knives

[justabunchofdragons]

note 1: i was going to put an option for no weapon, instead wielding magic but i feel like that option would be too appetising and i do want weapon stats!!!

note 2: i KNOW maces & morningstars are not the same (same with spear & javelin) but there's so many weapons and they are similar enough ok !!!

note 3: tell me what you would name your weapon >:0

EDIT HI FOLKS who reblogged or voted in this this silly post i made in 3 minutes! over 30k votes (!!) means that if just over a tenth of people who voted donated $5 to this (vetted, donation protected) fundraiser, maryam and her family would meet their goal TODAY. i've been following this one through operation olive branch for months, and donations have stagnated. please consider giving what you have.

[nobodysuspectsthebutterfly]

Yes, exactly. The Darry trial simply illuminates why Lyanna begged Ned to promise her to keep Jon safe. At the time, he must have protested that even with the murders of Rhaenys and Aegon, that Robert loved Lyanna -- loved Ned -- he wouldn't hurt her baby‚ Ned's own nephew? Surely not. But Lyanna knew what Robert was. So she pleaded until Ned promised her, and only when he gave her his final promise, did she give up her hold on life.

It's not just because Robert hates Targaryens that he ignored the slaughter of Elia and her children. (And rewarded Tywin for it!) He will kill -- or allow to be killed -- any child, any innocent, even one of Ned's loved ones, if it's in his interest. Or if he can't bother to care, he'll just turn away. Despite Ned's own pleadings.

His old friend‚ closer than any brother. "Please‚ Robert. For the love you bear me. For the love you bore my sister. Please.”

Robert looked at Ned with flat‚ dead eyes and left without a word‚ his footsteps heavy as lead.

The face of the butcher's boy swam up before his eyes, cloven almost in two, and afterward the king had said not a word. His head was pounding.

And Ned knows he cannot trust his friend. Despite his suspicions that the Lannisters were involved in Bran's fall and the assassination attempt, Ned never goes to Robert about it because he does not want to know if Robert played a role in it. (And technically he did!) Because Ned cannot trust Robert not to kill children, because he's learned his best friend is a terrible person, he does another end run around his own plans to warn Cersei to take her kids and escape. And that, among many other factors, is what leads to his doom.

“If the queen had a role in this or, gods forbid, the king himself … no, I will not believe that.” Yet even as he said the words, he remembered that chill morning on the barrowlands, and Robert’s talk of sending hired knives after the Targaryen princess. He remembered Rhaegar’s infant son, the red ruin of his skull, and the way the king had turned away, as he had turned away in Darry’s audience hall not so long ago. He could still hear Sansa pleading, as Lyanna had pleaded once.” -EDDARD IV

love this passage. gives us so much insight into what ned really believes about robert even though he’s blocking it all out and trying to see the friend he once knew + some “ned thinks do jon as his son not nephew” fluff. he’s wondering if robert would allow someone to kill his son, bran, bringing him to lyanna’s pleas for jon’s life. yes, ned knows robert would kill ned’s son if it was in his best interest, he’s always known.

[targaryenluvs]

BREAKUPS & MAKEUPS

pairing: finnick odair x fem!victor!reader

summary: you and finnick used to date, but it took a nasty turn when you heard rumours of his dalliances. but now the two of you reunite apart of the same alliance. will you breakup or makeup? again?

warnings: major flirting, TEARS, confrontation, mentions of cheating and rumours, insinuations, heavy tension and make outs, miscommunication and my terrible descriptions of make outs?? inappropriate talks n teasing, motherly mags

word count: 2.1k

a/n: old married couple bickering is my fav NOT PROOFREAD

you’d hoped you’d never see him again, only on screens and what not. but of course you’d get fucked over like this. ignoring him in the training quarters was one thing but the arena?

you were angry. so was everyone else in the room of course. rather than lashing out at people you figured channeling your energy into training was a much better outlet.

the daggers in your hands were nothing but iconic. you felt like you were in your own games again. having them in your hands felt, odd, but familiar. like a distant memory in the back of your mind. but it was muscle memory when it came to training as you stood upright. your arm retracted back and launched forwards, again and again.

“what’d the target do to you?” the dreaded voice you’d been hoping to avoid under all measures, and he was right behind you. “finnick, to what do i owe the pleasure?” he looked down at the floor and then back at you before grinning, “felt you were missing me, and perhaps my face would reinvigorate your training.” you smiled sweetly, and he could tell it was fake. as much as you hated it, the two of you knew eachother all too well.

“you were wrong but great guess. see you around.” you placed the remaining daggers down and made your way to move around him but he held his hand out, placing it against a wall and blocking your path. “come on honey, talk to me.” you raised your hand and patted his cheek, “i’d rather not.” you smiled at him again before ducking underneath his arm.

he reclined his head back and groaned. were you seriously going to ignore him this whole time?

your feet pounded against the rocky shore as you reached the cornicopia and headed for your daggers and sword. of course a heavy sword wasn’t always the most practical, but you’d trained with it for so long it was more than easy to use. you may be small but you sure as hell weren’t weak. but one look at finnick, with wet hair, dripping down and his arms flexing as he picked up his trident sent your head into spiral.

“sweetheart you know i love it when you stare but right now is not the time.” you scoffed, “whatever, now duck.” the dagger you released went right through a tribute behind finnick as katniss approached you both, taking note of finnicks gold bracelet and your golden necklace.

“good thing we’re allies right?” finnick grinned whilst showing off his bracelet. “where did you get your jewellery?” katniss was not in the mood to play around, neither were you since you saw finnicks face. just your luck, you were in the same alliance as him. “where do you think?” you and finnick spoke in unison as you threw an annoyed glance his way. copycat.

“where’s your fiancé?” you asked as finnick walked past the two of you and around the corner before yelling out to the pair of you that mags had found him.

as much as you’d rather move on and away from them you stayed. when finnick didn’t resurface you held your breath, he was okay right? he was an amazing swimmer, there’s no way he’d drown or anything. the sigh you let out when he came back to land was too big for your liking and even he could tell you were relieved.

“i knew you still cared about me.” finnick laughed as you all walked through the jungle. “you never stop talking do you? you were always the chatty one.” you wanted to tear out his eyes, or his tongue. all you wanted was to walk in peace and you knew he’d never let that happen. he wouldn’t stop staring at you and you hated it, he loved doing it since he knew it always got you flustered.

you were his entertainment source.

“well someone had to be. you usually only talked to a few people. but you always talked to me, especially when we were in bed.”

“god you’re so inappropriate.”

“you like inappropriate. i remember a captiol dinner party and a bathroom-”

“shush!” you whisper-yelled as he laughed again.

“did you two use to date or something?” peeta asked as he chopped away at the greenery. your dramatic sigh and slumped shoulders gave you away, “sadly, yes.” finnick bumped your arm with his, “it wasn’t all bad. we were quite the pair if i do say so myself.” you waved him off as you continued to walk.

“you’re a bit red in the face there.” your hand reached up as you subconsciously touched your face to gage your temperature. “am i? who would’ve thought a hot rainforest would overheat someone especially after they haven’t drunk water in a while.” you stated the obvious whilst finnick raised his eyebrows, “only reason you have?” you breathed in and out before facing his way,

“yes.”

you could practically feel his amusement and you saw him nodding along. “you are quite literally one of the most hydrated people i know. you’d always remind me to hydrate and there’s no way you didn’t drink water beforehand and you care about your self a lot.”

“how on earth do you make teasing someone so nice and why the hell do you remember all that?” finnick shrugged, “i remember things about people i like.” you smiled, “oh. that’s sweet.”

“especially the gorgeous ones.” and he was back.

you rolled your eyes again, “of course you’d say that. your voice does my head in, i’m going to walk with someone i actually like.” you emphasised on the last word as you quickened your pace to match mags.

“oh don’t be sour sweetie.” finnick teased as you flicked him the finger. mags noticed and pinched your cheek, “ow! okay okay, i’m sorry.” peeta laughed and so did katniss, it was like watching two kids be chastised by their own mother.

katniss was on night watch and you were wide awake. this certainly wasn’t how you were expecting to see finnick again, let alone sleep with him. well next to him. turns out he wasn’t either.

as much as his presence and speech exuded confidence his mind was hazy. being so near to you, talking to you and being with you. it was driving him crazy. and as much as he joked and teased, all he wanted was to be with you again. he thought you wanted anything but. “can’t sleep?” damn him and his observant self. “mhm, you?” he turned his head your way and you looked to his. “why’d you cheat on me?” you blurted out at him and as soon as you saw his eyebrows furrow you wanted to drown yourself in the water.

he sat up immediately and you did too. “cheat? what’re you talking about y/n/n?” it was your turn to be confused, “my friends old me about the rumours. that you got with some girl from four whilst i was in the captiol for adrenias wedding.” about three years ago it was your favourite stylists third wedding and she would not take a no for an answer. “i never- who told you that? amelia?” of course he’d randomly remember things about you, and the people around.

“no- maybe- yes. it really did hurt me. if you didn’t want to be with me anymore you should’ve just said something to me rather than cheating on me finn.” his breath hitched at his nickname and he couldn’t help but admire you.

even if you were all tired out and sweaty you looked as gorgeous as he remembered. your hair was tied up per usual, your cheeks were flushed and your eyes were teary. finnick couldn’t help but remember how much he still loved you. he’d never cheated on you, he would and will never cheat on you. you were one of the few people in his life he truly cared for and he lost you. it was one thing for the two of you to break up but he never knew why.

you’d stopped talking to him or sending correspondence via letter. every time he reached out to talk to you or meet you, finnick was met with excuses. somehow he was never able to walk over to your house at the right time. in the mornings you’d be asleep and he wouldn’t want to wake you. the afternoons meant you were visiting friends, shopping for groceries, working in town, teaching kids to fish. you loved your district and you hated being alone in the house. your parents lived in their own home and worked in a job they liked. your siblings were happily married and after breaking up with finnick you were practically alone.

and so was finnick.

you didn’t mean to get emotional but you’d never ever fully gotten over it, over him.

having him infront of you and listening to you when you never had the courage to tell him about what you’d heard was oddly horrifying. the idea of listening to his side of the story? he was an annoying ass you wanted to leave behind but something about his expression let you know that there was something wrong.

finnick grabbed your chin to have you looking at him before holding your hands. “i never cheated on you y/n.”and there it was, your relationships saving grace. “but- the rumours?” you were crying and he was tearing up, “you broke up with me over rumours? we wasted three years of our lives because you-” his voice broke and yours was wavering. you clutched onto his hands, as if he would slip away without. “i’m so sorry finn, i always felt like you deserved someone better than me. everyone loves you and i felt like i couldn’t be the girl you wanted. when amelia told me i felt like it was an opening, i didn’t want to hold you back.”

you looked like a trainwreck but finnick couldn’t care less, he had the girl of his dreams back in his arms again and he’d be damned if let you go again.

“y/n you are everything i’ve ever wanted. when you stopped talking to me i thought i did something wrong.” you shook your head immediately, “no you didn’t it was all me.” finnicks hands were on your face as he leaned his forehead against yours, “i would never cheat on you and i never did. i love you y/n, i’ve loved you for so long and when you wouldn’t talk to me i didn’t know what to do, i was lost and it felt like the only light in my life was gone. i promise i’ll get you out of here, i promise.”

the kiss was desperate and heated and everything you’d ever wanted. his hands were frantic and roaming, muscle memory, his grip was iron tight on your waist as he pushed you onto the ground as he separated from you.

“i love you, i love you, i love you.” he muttered as he kissed you again and moved to your neck as your hands tangled in his hair. the salty smell of him was nothing short of home.

finnick was your home and you’d navigated your way back to him and he had to you. two lost wanders finding solace and comfort in a kindred soul, a fairytale ending.

the one you both deserved.

the shuffling in the distance and katniss announcing the fog brought you out of paradise but not before one last kiss.

“i missed you.” you whispered as he grinned,

“i know.”

[my-name-is-apollo]

Speaking of coins, I think it's neat that we have a trinity of Apollos with uncommon characteristics:

Apollo Karneios with ram horns and ram ears, Apollo Soranus with a star diadem and a pick-axe and Apollo Vejovis with winged head, a trident and a dagger. (The last two are the results of his syncretism with Roman deities)

What's more fun about the coins of Apollo-Vejovis is that some of them put a thunderbolt under his bust or straight up show him holding it:

And I can't help but think of this being equivalent to a girl wearing her mom's makeup for the photo day

[j-k-writes]

Helloo! Can I request older targaryen male reader (maybe rhaegar's younger uncle) x ned stark? With prompts: stay with me. i can keep you safe. And they're all afraid of me. / if they know you're with me, they'll leave you alone.

Okie that's all! Hope it's not too much! Glad to see another asoiaf blog writing for m reader:D

Summary - After his injury on the trident, Robert leaves command of his forces to Ned. Struggling with the meaning of this war, Ned is met by an old friend, Prince Y/N Targaryen.

Warnings - general GOT warnings, BIG age gap (Ned is 19/20 while Y/N is 32/33), mentions of canon character death.

Ned longed for Winterfell. He had tired of the south, and he had tired of the war. 

Rhaegar was dead, slain by Robert on the Trident. His rubies littered the bank of the trident, a place that Ned had heard the men around him start to refer to as the ruby ford. Ned had felt no satisfaction in Rhaegar’s death, Lyanna was still missing, and his brother and father were still dead. 

And so Ned continued on. 

Robert had given him command of the forces after the trident, unable to continue on with his injuries. So here sat Ned, a day's ride out from Kingslanding ready to claim the throne for his closest friend, and avenge his father and brother’s murders. 

Ned looked up at the sound of the flap of his tent being disturbed, he expected to see one of the Lord’s of his army, but he saw a man he did not recognize instead. He reached for the sword at his side, taking a defensive stance against the hooded figure. 

“Who’s there?” Ned called out to the man, “You should not be here.” 

The man held his hands up in surrender, slowly taking his hood off as Ned’s grip on his sword tightened further. The man’s hood fell away and despite the poorly chopped and dyed hair, Ned recognized the mysterious figure for who he was. 

Y/N Targaryen, younger brother to King Aerys II. 

“What are you doing here?” Ned hissed, releasing his sword yet keeping his posture tense, as if bracing for attack. 

“I needed to see you.” Y/N walked deeper into the tent. 

Ned laughed in disbelief, “Everyone in this camp wants you and your family dead-” 

“Everyone?” 

Ned paused facing the man. Y/N’s violet eyes searched Ned’s face, and Ned faltered under their weight. He frowned, “That’s not fair. You chose your side, Y/N.” 

“I chose my family, Ned.” 

“So did I.” 

Y/N nodded, and Ned felt sick at the sight of the man. He looked defeated, dark bags under his violet eyes and his cheeks were sunken like he hadn’t eaten. His hair was chopped messily, as if with haste and a dagger, and dyed dark to hide his appearance. He looked so different from the confident prince Ned had grown to know, and love, during his time in the Eyrie. 

Y/N turned away from Ned, “You’re right, I-” 

Ned watched as the man took a deep breath, and Ned had to remind himself that they’d both lost their families in this war. Y/N’s nephew had been killed not but a week ago, and his siblings were not likely to survive the end of this war. 

“Do you not grow tired of fighting, Ned?” Y/N asked. “Taking Kingslanding won’t bring Rickard and Brandon back. As Rhaegar’s did not bring back Lyanna.” 

“What would you have me do?” 

Y/N sighed, “I- I do not know. I just wanted to see you before I left.” 

“Left?” 

The man nodded, “I’m tired of this war, Rhaegar is dead, and my brother is past saving. We are not going to win this war, and I do not intend to stay and discover the fate Robert has waiting for me. I just came to say goodbye.” 

Y/N turned to walk out of the tent, but Ned leaped forward grabbing the man’s arm. Y/N seemed surprised at Ned’s action, and Ned surprised him further by taking his hand. “I do not wish for you to leave.” 

Ned swallowed, looking down at the ground, before squaring his shoulder’s back and looking the prince in his eyes. “Stay with me. I can keep you safe.” 

Y/N smiled, yet Ned felt oddly mocked by the action. “You may be leading this war, but you are just a boy, Ned. You cannot protect me. They’re all afraid of me, as long as I live this war rages on and Robert’s reign is threatened.” 

“I am man enough for you to take to bed, but not to protect you?” Ned accused, releasing the man’s hand. 

“That has nothing to do with this, Ned.” Y/N said, face falling. “And I do not need to remind you who invited who into their bed.” 

“I did not take you for a deserter, Y/N.” Ned scoffed, turning away so the prince could not see the flush that covered his cheeks at his words. 

Y/N’s face hardened at Ned’s words. “I am not deserting.” 

Ned turned to him again, “Prove it then. Stay, if they know you’re with me they’ll leave you alone.” 

“You don’t get it do you, Ned?” Y/N shook his head, “I am a Targaryen, my very existence continues this war. It doesn’t matter if you vouch for me, if I stay here my head will end up on a pike!” 

Ned opened his mouth to speak, but no words were coming out. He knew in his heart that Y/N was right, Robert would not rest until every Targaryen was dead and buried. He sighed, closing in on himself in defeat. 

Y/N gently touched his cheek, and Ned raised his eyes to meet the prince’s. “I am sorry, Ned.” 

He placed a piece of paper into the Lord of Winterfell’s hands, closing Ned’s fist around it. “Your sister is alive, although I doubt you will be happy with what you find.” 

“What-” Ned opened the parchment, reading its contents. He raised his head to look at the prince in confusion but by the time he did Y/N was gone. 

And Ned would never see him again.

[juliaswickcrs]

Reyna & Aegon + Tragedy

"Bards would sing songs of King Aegon II and his Dornish paramour. Just as poems would be written and plays composed across the narrow sea. The artists would have you believe it was a love for the ages, two people divided by class and kingdom overcoming all odds to be with one another regardless of status or thought for others.

Some believe the affair to be purely manipulation on the Evenstar’s part. A witch beguiling the King with spells and potions. A ploy to sit herself on the Iron Throne. Queen Helaena’s letters to her younger brother, however, tell a different story.

She writes of the King’s nigh obsession with the Dornish girl and her rebuffs to his advances. It was only when he took her riding on Sunfyre their love story truly began to unfold. Queen Helaena would claim her handmaiden was just as smitten with the King as he was with her.

It was said when Aegon II was poisoned, so was the last of Queen Reyna’s good will. And she let out a scream that shook the very foundations of the Red Keep. Some claimed it could have cracked the moon.

But the truth has been lost to the history books. All that remains is the dagger the two used to bind their blood on their wedding day. Dragonbone and Valyrian Steel, it was last seen on Prince Rhaegar's body at the Battle of the Trident. Robert Baratheon later took it in the spoils of war."

@bisexualterror @foxesandmagic @iron-parkr @camiemendess @a-song-of-quill-and-feather

@arrthurpendragon @starcrossedjedis @drbobbimorse @kingsmakers @noratilney

@stanshollaand @astarionbae @darth-caillic @mystic-scripture @aliverse

@misshiraethsworld @asirensrage @eddiemunscns

HOTD TAGLIST: @misskatiewrites (wanna be added? Lmk!)

[moofbat]

My piece for FTH this year for @bluejayblueskies ! this was so fun to do :)

ID: a digital drawing of sasha and zolf from rusty quill gaming stood back to back in combat. zolf is front and to the left facing the viewer, standing defensively with his left arm out in front of sasha as he casts a spell. sasha is behind and to the right with her back slightly to the audience, her head over her shoulder looking towards the viewer as she guards her front with her daggers. zolf has eye length curtains and his beard is planted in two plaits, he wears a jumper and plain trousers with a knee length overcoat. he has his trident and dolphin necklace, and his wooden leg leg from season 1, he looks irritated but unshaken as energy comes out of his raised and open hand. sasha is in her long black leather coat, tight trousers and mid calf boots with a thigh sheath for a knife on her left leg. she has eye length short black hair and a certain degree of nervousness to her expression. they are on a plain blue-grey background with a dark blue denoting the ground that they stand on, sasha and zolf themselves are a shade of light blue with more saturated blue shadows. end ID

[jozor-johai]

I noticed a little subplot happening in the background of ADWD, and I’m wondering if anyone has any theories on where this is going. I have my own theory, which I'll explain in full at the end, but is essentially this: I think that GRRM is placing these Dothraki khalasars strategically along the Rhoyne and telling us about them in ADWD so that if Dany commands the loyalty of the entire Dothraki in TWOW, she'll already have loyal armies in place right by the Free Cities, rather than having to wait transport troops anywhere—even though the Dothraki aren't a threat now, the Dothraki will be in place to attack the Free Cities while the Free Cities have sent all their armies to fight Dany's forces at Meereen.

I'll explain my reasoning, and where I think GRRM is putting the pieces into place here—under the cut, since it's a slightly long post with maps.

We first hear of Dothraki along the Rhoyne in ADWD Tyrion III:

“Griff means to strike downriver the instant we are back. News has been coming upriver, none of it good. Dothraki have been seen north of Dagger Lake, outriders from old Motho’s khalasar, and Khal Zekko is not far behind him, moving through the Forest of Qohor.” The fat man made a rude noise. “Zekko visits Qohor every three or four years. The Qohorik give him a sack of gold and he turns east again. As for Motho, his men are near as old as he is, and there are fewer every year. The threat is—” “—Khal Pono,” Haldon finished. “Motho and Zekko flee from him, if the tales are true. The last reports had Pono near the headwaters of the Selhoru with a khalasar of thirty thousand. Griff does not want to risk being caught up in the crossing if Pono should decide to risk the Rhoyne.”

As a reminder, Dagger Lake is where the Rhoyne in the east meets the Qhoyne in the west to make the full-force Rhoyne that we know and love.

Illyrio dismisses any reason to be concerned with these particular Dothraki, and perhaps he is right. But we do get our first preview into the concerns of Khal Pono, and the premise of Dothraki along the Rhoyne. Are they doing to be placated by gifts, like Illyrio says? Or is something different afoot?

Next we get an update in Tyrion VI, by Selhorys.

Haldon Halfmaester explained. “On the way down from the Sorrows to Selhorys, we thrice glimpsed riders moving south along the river’s eastern shore. Dothraki. Once they were so close we could hear the bells tinkling in their braids, and sometimes at night their fires could be seen beyond the eastern hills. We passed warships as well, Volantene river galleys crammed with slave soldiers. The triarchs fear an attack upon Selhorys, plainly.”

Another reminder for geography, Selhorys is significantly south from Dagger Lake. Like, further than King’s Landing is from the Trident. Once again, we have this concern: will Khal Pono cross the Rhoyne for Selhorys?

That concern is brought up again in Tyrion VI:

“Three,” Qavo allowed, “against thrice three thousand enemies. Grazdan mo Eraz was not the only envoy sent out from the Yellow City. When the Wise Masters move against Meereen, the legions of New Ghis will fight beside them. Tolosi. Elyrians. Even the Dothraki.” “You have Dothraki outside your own gates,” Haldon said. “Khal Pono.” Qavo waved a pale hand in dismissal. “The horselords come, we give them gifts, the horselords go.” He moved his catapult again, closed his hand around Tyrion’s alabaster dragon, removed it from the board.

As predicted by Haldon in Tyrion III, here is Khal Pono across from Selhorys. We hear that Qavo is unconcerned with Khal Pono, despite Haldon’s concerns.

This might be a bit of a meta opinion, but whenever someone is as flippant as Qavo is being here, expect them to be wrong. They definitely aren’t going to go away with gifts, Qavo is totally jinxing it—that’s my prediction.

Then we get another update later on, in The Lost Lord:

Haldon’s horses did not please him. “Were these the best that you could find?” he complained to the Halfmaester. “They were,” said Haldon, in an irritated tone, “and you had best not ask what they cost us. With Dothraki across the river, half the populace of Volon Therys has decided they would sooner be elsewhere, so horseflesh grows more expensive every day.”

By this point, they’re in Volon Therys, which is only barely outside of Volantis—think roughly the distance between King’s Landing and Duskendale, for comparison. And here, too, there are Dothraki on the other side of the river. Are these the same Dothraki, are they traveling south at the same pace as Tyrion/JonCon? Or is this yet another khalasar? We haven’t heard any update from Qohor, and this is the first time that we’ve unexpectedly encountered a khalasar—are they here to meet with the Volantenes about Meereen, like Dany’s advisors fear? Or are they here for another reason? Is it possible that Illyrio and Qavo are wrong?

The last update we get is in ADWD Victarion, when he captures a ship from Myr heading for New Ghis and Yunkai:

Sailing out of Myr, the Dove brought them no fresh news of Meereen or Daenerys, only stale reports of Dothraki horsemen along the Rhoyne, the Golden Company upon the march, and others things Victarion already knew.

Unfortunately, this is stale news for both Victarion and we the readers—this is like a snapshot back to Tyrion II/III, when the Golden Company broke its contract and started marching east, and when we first heard about the Dothraki on the Rhoyne in my first quote.

However, despite this being a snapshot back in time to old news, I wonder about GRRM’s choice to include this again so close to end of the book—is this a reminder for the readers about these Dothraki on the Rhoyne? We’ve learned why the Golden Company marching ended up being important, could this passage from Victarion be a reminder of these tidbits of news because they will continue to matter moving forward?

I am doubly interested because it’s in this same book, in the very midst of all this talk of Dothraki on the Rhoyne, that we hear the tale of a previous time the Dothraki came. This is back in ADWD Tyrion IV, between the reports of Motho and Zekko on Dagger Lake and before the talk with Qavo about Pono. I’ve bolded the relevant sections, because it’s long, but left the rest for context.

“The war left the Disputed Lands a waste, and freed Lys and Myr from the yoke. The tigers suffered other defeats as well. The fleet they sent to reclaim Valyria vanished in the Smoking Sea. Qohor and Norvos broke their power on the Rhoyne when the fire galleys fought on Dagger Lake. Out of the east came the Dothraki, driving smallfolk from their hovels and nobles from their estates, until only grass and ruins remained from the forest of Qohor to the headwaters of the Selhoru. After a century of war, Volantis found herself broken, bankrupt, and depopulated. It was then that the elephants rose up. They have held sway ever since. Some years the tigers elect a triarch, and some years they do not, but never more than one, so the elephants have ruled the city for three hundred years.”

Maybe this wasn’t just to set the stage for the Volantene elections, but to remind us that the Dothraki can come out of the east to wreak havoc…. when the Free Cities are weak. And boy, is Volantis looking undefended right now: the Golden Company is gone to Westeros, other sellsword companies have gone to Meereen, the Volantenes have sent their fleets to Meereen.

Before I continue, here’s a map of the locations of the Dothraki khalasars along the Rhoyne:

Why we should care

We can be almost certain that Dany has to return to Vaes Dothrak to visit the Dosh Khaleen. Though we don’t know for sure if Khal Jhaqo’s forces are going to outpower Dany and Drogon, Dany is already envisioning the future where she returns to Vaes Dothrak when she sees Jhaqo’s outrider at the end of ADWD:

One rider, and alone. A scout. He was one who rode before the khalasar to find the game and the good green grass, and sniff out foes wherever they might hide. If he found her there, he would kill her, rape her, or enslave her. At best, he would send her back to the crones of the dosh khaleen, where good khaleesi were supposed to go when their khals had died.

Of course, we ought to already have known this from Dany’s vision in the House of the Undying:

Beneath the Mother of Mountains, a line of naked crones crept from a great lake and knelt shivering before her, their grey heads bowed.

If Dany was truly seeing her future—and I believe she was—then we know we will inevitably be seeing her return to Vaes Dothrak to accept the homage of the Dosh Khaleen.

However, this creates a bigger problem: we need Dany to get to Westeros, and potentially have time to also reach both Volantis and Pentos (though whether or not Dany will actually go either of those places is purely speculation, however well-founded). Vaes Dothrak is in the entirely opposite direction from where she is now—that would be heading east, away from Westeros, not closer to her end goal.

For some readers, this isn’t a concern: we might trust Quaithe, who reminds Dany that:

To reach the west, you must go east. To go forward you must go back, and to touch the light you must pass beneath the shadow.

Some readers, though, wonder about the time and ability for TWOW to contain this storyline within its time. GRRM is realistic about how long travel time takes, which is great for the realism, but presents immense logistic problems.

Dany doesn’t need to worry about the time it takes to travel long distances as mucha as she used to—if she can begin to control Drogon, she can fly around at will. However, that’s only her; if Dany does gain the allegiance of the Dothraki at Vaes Dothrak, how can she actually leverage that in a meaningful way when they’re constrained to horseback? While the AGOT timeline is largely unclear, we can use Dany’s pregnancy to at least be sure it takes months to get from one side of the Dothraki Sea (in Dany III) to Vaes Dothrak (in Dany IV). Does Dany have months to mobilize Dothraki from one side of the Sea to the other?

With the Dothraki along the Rhoyne, though, she doesn’t need to wait for anyone to ride across the sea. Conveniently, they’re already there. If there’s some way to send a message that the Dosh Khaleen have decreed that the Dothraki will follow Dany, that she is the Stallion Who Mounts the World, then she has a ready-made army just waiting for her word to cross the Rhoyne after all, and take the Free Cities. Then Dany can fly over there on her own and just meet them.

I know we’re all looking forward to Dany taking Volantis, so I don’t want to propose something too contrary, but how about this: sicne we’ve been hearing all through ADWD that there are a ton of Dothraki already in place, conveniently for story purposes, ready to accept their regular gifts… or perhaps ready to act if, for example, word came that the Stallion Who Mounts The World has come after all. That might speed things up a bit. We know Volantis is only weakly defended, we know there are Dothraki outside of Selhorys, Qohor, and Volon Therys. Dany has spent five books searching for home and finding one among the people she’s freed. Maybe this is how she makes sure it’s the Volantene slavers who don’t have a home to go back to this time.

[shanastoryteller]

Happy Halloween! I love your writing! Can you continue the merman Draco story please!

a continuation of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

It's not just pearls.

Merpeople like fine, glittering things. Pirates and merpeople were a perfect match for more than one reason - many relationships were built on worse foundations than a love of the sea and stolen treasure. Besides, any captain with a mermaid for a lover never had to worry about burying their treasure on some abandoned island. Entrusting it to them to guard meant no human would ever be able to find it.

But adorning his boyfriend in jewels is considered tacky among humans, on top of being expensive, and it's not like Draco wears any anyway. Harry's sure he'll wear whatever pearl he finds for him happily enough, but it doesn't seem to be something he allows himself to indulge in.

"It's not about value," Ginny tells him in exasperation. Harry wonders if he should be offended at how much easier she's finding this whole dating a merperson thing, but Luna is significantly more forthcoming than Draco. About some things. "Not these days, and not to merpeople like the Malfoys, who have more than enough of their own gold and money and jewels on both sides of the family. Draco will probably give you a pair of emeralds when he can find a suitable enough occasion, but that doesn't mean he wants the same."

What's he supposed to do with a couple emeralds? Should he get his ears pierced, maybe?

"That doesn't tell me what to get him, though," he says.

"Luna like weird, kitschy jewelry that I find in bargain bins in Knocturn Alley or that Dad confiscates and sends me after it's been de-cursed," she shrugs. "It's - the point is lots of it, and often, and something they like."

Draco doesn't seem to really be attached to things though, which is likely a side affect of growing up being able to have anything he wanted. He liked flying and fighting and hunting -

Hm.

"Do you like it?" he asks anxiously while Draco looks over the dragon bone dagger he'd had Charlie help him find. It wasn't particularly expensive, but it's genuine, and well made, and ethically sourced. "I know you have your claws and teeth but you use your trident sometimes too and I thought you might like-"

Draco kisses him, the edges of his too sharp teeth pressing against his lips before he pulls back. "Yes."

[johnconstantinesdick]

It's been a week since @lost-words-exchange creator reveals, so here's my contribution! I think I'm the funniest person alive for this.

AO3 link

[ID: 1; A drawing of Dean Lorden, Simon Lorden, and October Daye. Simon is in the middle with his arms around Dean on the left and Toby on the right. Dean is dark-haired with brown skin. He's wearing a flannel and a t-shirt that reads "my step-dad turned me into a tree and all I got was this stupid shirt". Simon is red-haired, pale, and freckled, and is wearing a t-shirt that reads "I'm not the step-dad, I'm the dad who can't stop magically transforming his kids oh god oh fu". Toby has brown hair and pale skin and is wearing a leather jacket and a t-shirt that reads, "My step-dad turned me into a fish and all I got was this stupid shirt". They are all grinning, and their names are signed at the bottom as if it were a photograph.

2; A black t-shirt with the white text "My step-dad turned me into a tree and all I got was this stupid shirt". There are two tridents pointing to "My" and two trees on either side of "a tree".

3; A black t-shirt with the white text "I'm not the step-dad, I'm the dad who can't stop magically transforming his kids. oh god oh fu". There are sparkles on either side of "magically".

4; A black t-shirt with the white text "My step-dad turned me into a fish and all I got was this stupid shirt". There are two daggers pointing to "my", and two koi fish on either side of "a fish".

5; A black t-shirt with the white text "Starting to feel left out of the magically transformed my my dad club TBH". There are sparkles on either side of "magically". End ID]

[abxolotl-rewrites]

First post of the blog! Let's start this off with a Shadow Knight infodump! This will also include info about two of my OCs! Abaris and Anna! Anna being my Aphblr minecraft server character :D

I thought of these with input from the lovely @gumbootrambles

AHEM SO-

The Shadow Lord can pick and choose who becomes a SK, mostly talented guards & soldiers, though exceptions are made for magicks users and those who practice witchcraft.

The current named Shadow Knights, in order of creation, are:

Xavier, Abaris, Vincent, Amethyst, Anna, Glenda, Vylad, Gene, Zenix, Janus, Sasha and Laurance.

All Shadow Knights have scars pertaining to their deaths or torture. Xavier had a big scar on his chest from having his relic ripped out of him, Abaris has a large scar on her chest and back from being ran through by Esmund, Gene has a scar around his neck with two others messily cut into the back of his neck (He was still alive for the first two), Sasha has burns over her body under her shoulders, Zenix has scars crisscrossing all over from being blown up, Vylad’s throat and stomach are scarred internally from poison, Laurance has scars from his torture, as does Vincent & Amethyst with the three of them having their throats slit at the end, Anna was many small cuts on her neck from rope-burn as well as an indent in the skin, Janus has three scars through his stomach from Abaris’ trident and Glenda has a scar on her throat from her throat being slit.

Shadow Knight’s armour is made from their blood, their death/torture scars reopen and the blood forms the armour-like shell, they cannot take it off.

Their armour is unique to them, making it easy for them to identify each other. Though their armour will also have marking indicating their rank, and if they use magicks/witchcraft.

You can also roughly tell how old a Shadow Knight is by the colour of their armour. The lighter it is, the younger they are.

The reason for that is their blood darkens over time. First Gen Shadow Knights, like Abaris and Vincent would have black blood, while a new Shadow Knight like Laurance would just have the usual.

A Shadow Knight’s weapon is also unique to them, it depends on their fighting style and personality:

Xavier had a rapier

Abaris has a double trident

Gene has a katana

Laurance has a falcion, which then becomes a rapier

Vylad has a kusarigama/chain knife

Sasha has daggers

Zenix has a battleaxe

Janus has dual greatswords

Vincent has an odachi

Glenda has a longsword

Amethyst has a guandao

Anna has a scythe

The blue soul fire is commonly used in the Nether as a symbol of rebellion against the Shadow Lord for those that defect, rebel, or those wishing to do so. Shadow Knights that rebel often mark their armour with it.

Shadow knight armour colour chart, with added symbol of rebellion soul fire blue.