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One Who is Many - [Worm / Game of Thrones]

Discussion in 'Creative Writing' started by Scrimshaw_NSFW, Mar 23, 2021.

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  1. Organmonkey

    Organmonkey Versed in the lewd.

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    I like the use of the original old gods instead of just the children of the forest. I always felt like that was something that wasn't explored as much as it could have been.

    Ned seems pretty conflicted about things which is basically how he was during the original series but this time it's for different reasons.

    Blood Raven being more upfront actually makes sense. The Witch of Dorne doesn't have to be tricked like Bran the Broken. He's also probably more comfortable dealing with her because both of his fellow magic users were somewhat similar to her in different ways. Bran really wasn't like the people he's used to working with and didn't start powerful enough.

    Arya's just snooping around being underfoot right now but I think if she has a chance to actually talk with the "witch" she might get some perspective. Also since she's one of the stronger skin hangers her own power is something that will probably be noticed. (So something interesting in the books. All of the Stark siblings seem to show different levels of magical ability. My rough rankingpre power boosts from sacrifices, taboo breaking and special blind training would be
    1. Arya
    2. Bran
    3. Jon
    4. Sansa*
    5. Robb/Rickon
    Arya continues having her bond literally a continent away and starts to feels the sensations of the massive pack of wolves in addition to her direwolf. That's absolutely insane levels of power. She's also one of the three Starks to skin change an animal besides their direwolf with the cat. She has potential to be a witch on the level of Ophelia if not going off to be a faceless man.

    Bran is harder to count because he gets more power boosts along the way but he's also the only one to skin change a person.

    Jon has a seemingly unique ability to take on traits from Ghost. When Ghost hunts he can feel full. When Ghost is rested Jon can use more strength. It's odd and I'm not sure if it's his Targ blood or not. He also has a fairly deep connection with Ghost in general compared to a lot of the others and their dorewolves.

    I actually put Sansa here because several times in the Vale she hears information people never told her including conversations she couldn't have been there for. That means either she's thinking in a strange way to avoid mentioning how she got the info or she's skin changing something unintentionally probably a bird and picking up information from it.

    Robb and Rickon have their behavior affected and occasionally get hints from Greywind and Shaggy dog but don't seem to have a deeper connection or ability to skin change other animals.

    In any case I can see Arya at least interested in learning to use her powers.
     
  2. SinSinNombre

    SinSinNombre Please take your time

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    Was there really that much magic in the books? All I remember now (from the Stark kids specifically) is Bran & Jon warging their Direwolves and being massively disappointed that there wasn't another book to read. Thank you for the reminder.

    Agreed it was nice to see the Old Gods! Especially to reveal they know Taylor Hebert and deliberately pulled her here.

    Hopefully QA will calm down now that Best!Host is in town and Bran can catch up on sleep. It might be neat to see Ophelia taking Arya/Bran under her wing if she recognizes them warging, but I don't think the Lady Stark would appreciate it.
     
  3. Gigifiy

    Gigifiy Not too sore, are you?

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    Well magic was supposed to have died out that's what Sozen's Comet the comet was about when Daenerys hatched her dragons. So maybe the magic came back earlier or Ophelia is just magical FOOF and is hitting off of everything left around. Also, there is still the... cult? Coven? The mages that Daenerys runs into that want to turn her into a battery. So magics around, it's just hidden and the books only really hit on a few major pieces of magic like warging, clairvoyance, resurrection, curses and dragon hatching.
     
  4. rad

    rad Getting sticky.

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    Huh, cool.
    So maybe the 'frostbite' she got on the way wasn't that but damage from her reincarnation? Maybe leftovers from her previous life. Maybe the QA that Bran sees is damaged in the same way.
    Whelp, guess it is the canon explaination.
    And problem solved for you.
    Wasn't Sarella supposed to watch her this time? I have to think that she is getting fairly annoyed at this point.
    You are adorable. Which is the cause of many of the problems you have with your sisters.
    Ah, two tomboys learning to be friends in the time honored fasion.
    Also, are Elia and Aria going to have a fight over who gets Gendry (after he possibly recovers from burns after getting bumped like that while working).
    not a greenseer?
     
  5. grzecho2222

    grzecho2222 Getting sticky.

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    I'm waiting for the moment they show the drawing to Ophelia and she responds something like:
    "Oh no, my edgy teenage OC is catching up to me!!!"
     
  6. Organmonkey

    Organmonkey Versed in the lewd.

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    Robb is implied to also warg his Direwolf several times but mostly use him as a way to test if someone has his best interest in mind or not.

    Arya definitely does she has dreams were she is her Direwolf after they separate and may be picking her the targets the wolf pack goes after. More explicitly she sees through the eyes of a cat when she is blinded in her training at the house of black and white.

    Jon definitely wargs Ghost and occasionally in fights he feels Ghost's rage or strength inside him. He also normally tastes blood when this happens.

    Bran is Bran and has his whole mystical journey thing. Where he over time is breaking all the taboos mentioned in the Six Skins section and gets better at skin changing when he does. Bran becomes a worse person over time as he breaks these taboos. Hodor fearing him and him contemplating using Hodor's body to be with Meera.

    The shakiest stuff is Sansa and Rickon since one is a child and one is based on lack of information not information.

    Basically the further you go in the books the more magic there is and the less subtle it is.
     
  7. stads

    stads Experienced.

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    yay for QA making an appearance :D
    nice chat with taylor about her reason for being here
    will be fun to see her travel up north hope she take's bran with her
     
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  8. Here There Be Dragons

    Here There Be Dragons Dragons Lie in Wait

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    Mmm... not sure how QA would have led what is presumably the original white walker (whatever he's called) back to Taylor? Unless he's referring to someone else.

    But it would seem that he's using Bran as a distraction, since QA has realized she can use him to search.

    If that makes any sense.
     
  9. Ljapaubeaves

    Ljapaubeaves Making the rounds.

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    Te beginning of this chapter was full of mystery and mysticism!
    You gave me amazing pictures to imagine and many a future action to consider and be expectant of.

    The middle was adorable and full of interpersonal talk, growth and fun.

    The end was like cold water directly on top of my head after a warm shower. DAMN!! that was scary!

    very well done and thank you! sheesh, i'm now very scared for Bran^^
     
  10. Amdar210

    Amdar210 I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    I could see Ophelia explaining that, while the powers they have are not inherently dangerous, they do have dangers if one is not trained to avoid them. Explain that since magic and Warging is instinctive and that they could become lost inside some animal if the ly aren't trained to stop that.

    Yes Lady Stark, a woman I'm happy to hate on normally, is southron and is of the Seven. This she doesn't like magic, and sees it tied to the Stranger, who in turn is not too liked by followers of the Seven. But I'd like to think even a woman as dense and petty as her could at least hold her words to keep her children safe.

    She might hate it, but a mother's love of her kids is NOT something to underestimate. Besides, I'd love to see if she could be made to get use to it. Perhaps even learn something herself if she has any ancestors from the North.

    Do we know Lady Stark heritage and if she has any Northern blood in the last few generations?

    The Cuteness is powerful. The Cuteness is strong. The Cuteness is sacred. The Cuteness must be protected, even if The Cuteness doesn't like it.

    The Cuteness must simply deal with it, so say we all.

    Poor Bran. Having your brainmeat being used by an eldritch super computer from another universe that is probably older than your entire race. Having such a weird roommate upstairs must really suck.

    However!

    It is QA! Best! Shard!

    You're opinion doesn't matter, cause if you disagree, she'll drown you in bugs! Just like she was taught by Best! Host!

    There! Right there! Writing like this is why I keep coming back to read this! I am simply amazed at this story!

    ....I do want Ophelia to bring back some Ice Spiders after she's done in the true North. I also want her to TAME THE KRAKEN!!!
    ...Not like that you fools! Just find a massive Kraken/squid in the deep sea and bring it home! Maybe even build a BIG harness and put a boat on it! Boom! Instant Awesome!

    ... See, now I'm paging through the asoiaf wiki looking for different animals I want her to claim! There goes like three hours of my time, again! Darn you!
     
  11. ARa

    ARa Your first time is always over so quickly, isn't it?

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    Why Taylor, who lived in 21st century, fought parahumans, Enbringers and Scion, so readily accepts and do what some random prophecies, questionable entities who called themself gods and highly suspicious raven wants of her? Less say about her willingnes of going along with barbaric savages, who are people of Westeros and even her new family. Did she get some progressing form of autism from reincarnation? Really i understand she lived years in westeros, but her behavior is highly unlikely for even just random human from 21st, its unbeliveble for person so strongheaded and willful as Taylor and not to mention about her desires to right all wrongs in the world. Its like she just roll over and go with the stream. I see nothing of Taylors personality in Ophelia, its just some random OC.
     
    Last edited: Sep 3, 2021
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  12. Syqadelic

    Syqadelic Versed in the lewd.

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    Ah yes, Ophelia!Taylor x QA truly is OTP. Imagine what her father would say!

    "You seduced an eldritch abomination from beyond the ken of reality? Good job, I knew you took after me!"
     
  13. Jon Lennox

    Jon Lennox Your first time is always over so quickly, isn't it?

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    The question, though, is whether she's introduced the custom of eating meat between two slices of bread, and named it after herself.
     
  14. Scrimshaw_NSFW

    Scrimshaw_NSFW Making the rounds.

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    To be honest, I'd be fucking terrified too XD


    Well, uh, not sure how we can get them together... but we'll try? It's just gonna probably be a sexless marriage what with QA being a giant crystal super computer. But sure. We'll try.


    The gods are very vague, very poorly defined area. Which is ok, to a degree, but since we're hitting the magic side of things harder we feel like we need to clearly establish what they look like at each stage of their development, how they function, and give a suggestion of what their powers might be.

    Ned being conflicted and butting heads with people seems to be the main cut of his character. I'm not saying he's trying to get ahead of this trouble, but I am saying it can be a real pain in the neck to have to play catch up.

    Oh, I promise you that Brynden still has games to play. Lots and lots and lots of games, lol.

    We're actually addressing the issue with distance there by the use of a familiar. It'll be more explained when we reach that point, but for now it's gonna help cover up that little wriggle. Power levels are probably going to have the siblings... mostly equal, before sacrifices and rule breaking gets involved. Arya is going to be a bit less of an invincible Mary Sue than she was in TV show and no one is going to have that much plot armor.

    Ultimately, it's strongly likely that all of the kids will learn magic to one degree or another. At the very least their bonds with their wolves will be emphasized.


    Lady Stark is going to be causing a little trouble. But such is the nature of things! Do remember what Brynden said - the two gods we saw were young compared to the true "old gods", but yes, they were part of it. And QA is still searching I'm afraid.


    Magic was said to have died out in Westeros. Do remember that we see the red priests, pyromancers, shadow binders, aeromancers, alchemists, warlocks, Valyrian magic performed by Euron with his horn, the priests of the drowned god are potentially magical, and the Maegi of the lamb people. To be honest, it was rather omnipresent, just not in focus.


    They're the Kings of Oak and Holly.


    That is one interpretation, yes.


    It was never going to be different, or, rather, the other potential options would have made for a worse story. However, that doesn't mean everyone knows the truth, lol.


    The will of the gods is mysterious.


    She's struggling a bit. Especially since Ophelia didn't come back to their room, instead going to visit Cersei, and then disappearing anyways.


    Lol. Maybe in a few years. Arya is a bit too young for that and Elia is more focused on swords.


    Oh? Who said he wasn't?


    Hah. That honestly sounds like a rather mature response XD


    Bran may not be broken, but he is still a very young boy. Some of the children might visit the Wall, but no more.


    QA is a foreign invader, wildly running around asking people if they've seen her host, and desperately trying to make contact with "her Taylor". We've shown the spirits of some of the White Walkers in the vision and there was a good reason why they knew how to find Ophelia there.


    Thank you very much. And don't worry, Bran will get better! Probably XD


    Thank you very much and sorry for eating up so much of your time! As to Catelyn having magic blood, yes, actually. The current generation of Tully's are descended from the Whent's who are descended from the Lothstons. Her blood in particular will be needed soonish.


    I think you somewhat misunderstand both the context and consequences of her choices. First of all, Taylor - now Ophelia - has spent almost as much time in this new world, with its new morals and culture and norms, as she had in her old life. She wasn't an old woman who was suddenly given a new body, but a very young one that died after unquestionably going insane by partially merging with an alien supercomputer.

    Now, there are two other key factors to consider. 1: her mother was a literature teacher. 2: what happens in pretty much every classic story when the hero tries to fight a prophecy?

    We actually intended to explain this later on, in a scene with Marwyn, but I suppose I'll explain it now. Ophelia has essentially zero information. All she knows is that some form of higher being has a plan for her, that it involves fighting some form of great, ancient evil, and that she's important enough to have had her very existence brought into this world - meaning they're not just going to let her go. This means her options are to play along until she has more information and influence, like she tried to do with the Undersiders/Coil, or run away to another continent. And the latter is no guarantee of escape. Do remember that she was Gangpressed into the Chicago Wards for 2 years, that she spent more time as Weaver than she ever did as Skitter, and that Taylor, for all her talk of higher morality, was a very pragmatic individual.

    The Dornish are one of the most progressive of the kingdoms, the Martells in particular have no great evil members this generation, and outside of wartime the small folk are mostly free and mostly left alone in Dorne. The Ironborn have been suppressed almost the entirety of her life, she has never seen a major conflict, and has never met the Dothraki or been to any of the great slave cities in Essos either.

    As far as Taylor could see, Dorne was safer and less corrupt than Brockton Bay.

    Westeros is less fucked than Worm's canon. It's less grimdark. And it's a literal medieval stasis fantasy world.

    On top of that, this is a post GM Taylor who sacrificed her mind and body to stop Zion. She was tired, broken, and sullen for years. And even then she's still done what she can to bring bits of the modern world to life, some of which was stopped by Doran because he feared retaliation for rocking the boat too much. So unless you're suggesting she should have become a warlord, used her powers to usurp her family, conquer Westeros through magic - and probably die horribly in the process, and then impose her modern morality on an entire continent through force of arms then I'm afraid I don't know how else she'd have done anything to civilize her "barbaric savages" of a family.


    Two votes for it. Hmm. This is really important to you guys. Guess we'll need to have the hero save the princess after all XD
     
  15. Gigifiy

    Gigifiy Not too sore, are you?

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    Ahh, I didn't mean literally but don't let that stop you lol just the two of them together is Turner and Hooch, Luffy and Zoro, Rick and Morty, Kenpachi and Yachiru. A perfect pair that works perfectly together lol
    I actually forgot all of those. Granted, I haven't read the books since the last one released so it's been a literal decade.

    This is QQ, we're all Tentacle monster Paladins here.
     
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  16. Organmonkey

    Organmonkey Versed in the lewd.

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    I just remembered magic isn't even actually gone in Westeros. Besides stuff like skin changing and greenseering the alchemists are still around just politically out of favor. When magic was lower they could still do it it was just slower and less potent. In addition some poisons are actually explicitly mentioned to need magic to work in certain ways. Like how the mountain's death by poison was extended beyond what it should have been. Also more than one character has prophetic visions for example Patch Face. It's not that magic isn't around it's just that the magic that is around isn't respected.
     
  17. Karahar

    Karahar Your first time is always over so quickly, isn't it?

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    Магия не вымерла, она просто истощена без подпитки. Появление драконов просто включило питание колдунства. Магия не появилась. просто стало достаточно энергии для её более регулярного использования. Ну и уровень подпитки рос вместе с драконами.

    Magic is not extinct, it is simply exhausted without nourishment. The appearance of dragons simply turned on the power of witchcraft. The magic didn't appear. it just became enough energy for its more regular use. At the same time, the level of nutrition grew along with the dragons.
     
  18. Shoiran_Toushin

    Shoiran_Toushin Getting sticky.

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    wasn't Taylor also gung ho on by Dinah's "you have two years until Jack Slash starts Armageddon and even then it just changes the sequence of events" Prophesy told to her by a third party and later Dinah's message of "Cut Ties" that triggered her Surrender and the Murdering of Tagg and Alexandria?
    how is that different from... well what is happening here, in one hand you have little kid spewing random things fed to her Brain by a Weird Alien Supercomputer and Taylor completely believing that and becoming obsessed with Stopping Jack Slash, Surrendering herself and leaving the Undersiders at the words of Dinah Alcott's who had about three conversations with, and it was one of the few reasons she had to Shoot Aster, the other was... pretty much obvious.

    and in the other you have very powerful beings doing shenanigans that shown that yes this shit IS real, we don't care if they or we call them Gods, Spirits, Entities, Shards, Whatchamacallits, Random Powerful Beings, Space Bats, Space Whales, Reality abominations, Demons, Daemons, Fae, Fey, Fair Folk, Awakened, Ascended or Blorgkhs, if something that Bends Reality wants to be called that or people want to call them that and is much more powerful than you and yours, you call them that, and try to verify the information and to become less able to be roflstomped into the ground when the inevitable but sudden confrontation for whatever reason happens, because thus far they have actually SHOWN that they are in fact REAL and have Real Power, now whether they are what we would call "Major God" God (as in the Almighty or however anyone wants to call the source of all things) and not on the level of modern belief about a Mythological god/Deity/Great Spirit? that is for us to wonder.

    nevermind the kind of Shit she did from literal bible plague, Bugs Everywhere ready to bite, the shitstorm with the Christners, the asphyxiation of Alexandria, hos she dealt with Valefor, Lung, etc... everything culminating with her convincing Amy and Riley/being convinced along with them to Jailbreak her connection to QA... and she ended up breaking her mind and "assuming direct Control" over any and every 'useful living resource' she could get her control on without being too much trouble/effort...
    remember that Worm for being in the 21st century? is full of barbarich shit, such as the Fallen, Eagleton, Nilbog, the Slaugherhouse 9/9000, Cities that are pracically controlled or defined by Criminal Gangs, the Teeth, Heartbreaker, nevermind the CUI or Moord Nag.
    so what makes these 'westerosi barbarians' worse than the people she lived with, fought with, suffered from, killed and mind controlled?

    Also? she was waiting for the 'other shoe to drop because it would be 'implausible that she reincarnated in another world for free', there must be some reason because there is no way that she earned a second chance or anything like that or that reincarnation was the norm or that it was a glitch in the system, there must be a reason for Why She was Reborn...

    nevermind the fact that Taylor never had a 'hero complex' of 'Must fix the world', the only reason she wanted to be a 'hero' was moral superiority and outside validation to avoid the self destructing downwards spiral that her life became after her mother died and Emma became so damaged that she turned on Taylor and made her life miserable with ever escalating success, destroyed her sense of self and self worth in many levels, and Taylor actually spends all of the series Escalating in order to avoid having t think about the choices that she has done or the people she hurt/didn't spend time with, to the point where she was in the situation of "well, this is over, there is nowhere to run, no Monster to slay, Nightmare to run from, city to fix", she accepted a Gun Lobotomy while contemplating about "we are all small in the end" because while she tried her best, she never had a plan, it was just luck that she went from crisis to crisis and it worked for her and the Worm Earths.

    and in Ward? talking about Taylor is pretty much the same as the modern day Antichrist.

    wat, is she supposed to be the Salaryman from Saga of Tanya the Evil/a Little/Young Girl's War Record and Piss of a Reality Manipulator because of Stubbornness? because even that guy acknowledged that while he didn't believe that the ROB was GOD, it was indeed a ROB and named it Being X who could also be either The Devil or his/Her Personal Devil.
     
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2021
  19. Daemonflayer

    Daemonflayer Certified Arachnos Arbiter

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    Describe the shards how you like, but subtle isn't exactly in their definition - their primary communication method involves discharges of energy that could scour a chunk of a continent, after all.
    This bugs me. Shards are alien, yes, but they're no more "computer" than any other living entity is.
    So Ophelia needs to save Bran?
     
  20. Gnarker

    Gnarker Versed in the lewd.

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    Heh. Poor Ned. His befuddlement at Suddenly Naked Taylor is great.

    Though I'm still a bit surprised that she made a sword for her father back in King's Landing, and not a spear or similar polearm, seeing as those are both his and the house's signature weapons.
     
  21. Scrimshaw_NSFW

    Scrimshaw_NSFW Making the rounds.

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    Lol. We hear yah. Just, uh, do be careful. At least one of us is enough of a pervert to have been not so quietly pulling for a harem ending. They really don't need the fuel XD

    A very good thing to be! Though I do wonder what kind of touch powers they have.

    The nature of the gods is actually going to be something we touch on relatively soonish. And, for once, we're writing a GOT story that doesn't shit on the Seven and their worshippers.

    Hey, just be glad we didn't turn all the Starks into girls of various archetypes for Ophelia to romance! Though, well, Bran is Bran... so his curiosity can be a bit, well, dangerous. So probably!

    We didn't realize that was going to happen until we wrote it! Though, ultimately, we think it helps elaborate on his character and how, even as a grown man, he's still a bit of the Quiet Wolf. Swords in Westeros are a status symbol, spears, for a number of reasons, are not. Moreover, a spear may be Oberyn Martell's preferred weapon, but it is a weapon of war - not a sidearm. There's also the fact that spear would have used less Valyrian steel by far, meaning somewhting would have had to be done with the rest of it and we couldn't think of much besides creating a crap ton of valyrian steel spears for the Snakes and that seemed... boring. If somewhat practical. Instead, Oberyn gets to get his ass kicked more until he grows as a warrior!
     
  22. Gigifiy

    Gigifiy Not too sore, are you?

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    The best kind, Lay on Tentacles.
     
  23. Shoiran_Toushin

    Shoiran_Toushin Getting sticky.

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    well, what i tried to mean by that comment was that, unlike Salaryman who did manage to piss off a ROB because of Hyper-rationalizing Stubbornness on his side and... really bad arguments on the side of the ROB, Salaryman didn't doubt the Power of Being X or its abilities to manipulate reality, he just didn't agree with its claims of being the Almighty and ROB didn't really responded to his arguments beyond "because i said so, and now i am going to proceed and make you be reborn with your memories intact in a brand new world and a brand new body kthxbai", neither Taylor nor Ophelia are the kind of persons who would get into a fight (even a verbal one) over 'terminology' with someone who was OoM Stronger than them if they didn't have a chance to pull out a win or an escape, because i was going with the "Taylor/Ophelia would not get into a fight over a naming convention with a Reality Manipulator unless they are in the same ballpark of power".
    or how both of her lives have conflicting beliefs (mostly on how each of her worlds had different beliefs and how was she educated in base of both) and how those have indeed produced and formed her current beliefs about the Nature of Reality.

    and for once i am interested and can't decide what would be more interesting for me to read about:
    a 'seven faced' God
    Seven Gods
    Seven Fragments/Aspects of a Greater God
    or... no God, no Great Heroes that later were depicted as Gods, but the Unconscious Collective Will of Mankind that people that people Anthropomorphized into Seven Distinct Avatars because of course it is easier to 'be good and tell others to be good' if a System of Beliefs is involved rather than from enlightened self interest...
     
    Last edited: Sep 6, 2021
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  24. masterofmadness

    masterofmadness Know what you're doing yet?

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    Okay I lost my review before and I had to rewrite it so forgive the lateness. But here it is my Ch14 review even if it is a few days late!
    Well it looks like we have a vision scene! Rather inevitable with the magic and history Winterfell has I guess.

    NO! WHERE IS BENEDICT! PROTECT THE EGG BABY!

    Well ship congratulations on making me feel like I am in a blizzard while in a heaterd room with a blanket. Oh and the body horror too! So nice to hear all about a person's body being totally destroyed.

    Ah now this is a Godswood! The primal beauty of nature in the frozen lands of the North and its bounty! I know it is a vision but it is still cool.

    I am not sure if you trying to make me feel disturbed but if you did then you succeeded, hard to read this passage and worse to picture it in my mind.
    So this is the Godswoods of the Starks. All of them going back six thousand years! Damn.

    Given what they were fighting I am guessing the scene of agonizing death are proof of greater acuracy not lesser.
    YES FOLLOW! I have been waiting for a talk with the three eyes raven since the start.
    So these are the Old Gods or at least two of them. I mean they are apparently the nameless Gods of almost everything in nature so they should e pretty numerous but you usually onyl see the Weirwood since they are quite literally the face of the Old Gods.

    Well shit. I am curious exactly what 'Woven from ice and flesh, bound together with the Children’s magic, but gifted with Man’s cunning and cruelty.' truly means. Is it just a comparison of power or any they literally connected to both somehow.

    No matter what it looks to me like the White Walker might be even more dangerous then Scion for Ophelia. Sure they probably aren't equal raw in power but they are apparent smart which is often far worse.
    Got to give props to Ophelia or perhaps is it better to say Taylor here! No hesitation in answering the challenge to saving the world once more. She probably has no shortage of desire to not face the pain she did like last time she had to do something like this but she is not flinching.

    Bonus point for being genre savvy too. She is just skipping the whole trying to reject destiny part of the typical fantasy apocalypse tale to get to the facing the inevitable part. Probably for the best I mean it never works out well for anyone does it?
    Their you are Bloodraven!

    Very logical that the Old Gods set up Ophelia's birth, would probably be too much for it to be a coincidence so someone had to be behind it. That said I could see him lying here too. I would not put it past Bloodraven to sweep up some other magical powers' chosen one in order to get a better successor when he dies. For all we know Mother Rhonyne brought her to be her chosen one but Bloodraven has no problems being a thief.

    No shit. Bryden I know you are used to dealing with a society with much in the way of genre awareness but Ophelia's first life mom was a literature teacher. She doesn't need to here about the fact she should beware any old thing in the fantasy world. just how to avoid them or fight them if she must.
    So these are very specifically the old gods of the Stark bloodline, is this perhaps analogous to some degree of ancestral god? And if so then what is the relation to the Targ ghosts? Is this what they could of would have grow into in thousands of years given time? And how much magic power or time does a dynasty need to form one of these? Do the Lannister or Baratheons have their old version even though they no longer worship them or are the Targs and Stark spcaily since they are more magical in their connection to fire and ice?
    So we have in text confirmation that Ophelia has Bolton heritage, presumably via her mom. Good to have but sadly I don't think this will ever be solid enough proof of her heritage to go up to Roose and call him Uncle while you ask for a hug.

    Also we get a glimpse of the Flayer God of the Boltons. Presumably this in a way the same as the Kings of Oak and Holly, Ancestral Gods but since the bolton are monstrous psychos their ancestral spirit is a horrifying reflection of that. A reminder that the Old Gods are not good or evil but simply are. It does raise question about if the beast of harrenhal is similar though, if given time will it become like the flayer god. And if so then is not just any one line of people what makes an Old God but just a legacy or story and the magic to form it?
    Right so she is going to need to convince Robert to help her on a recue mission. Also the Hundred thousand people is an interesting figure, If he was talking about what the others might do if left unopposed it should be higher then that. But it would work as how many people are North of the wall so perhaps part of the journey is convincing the Wildlings to go south of the wall so they don't end up more wights.

    Hurray! You aren't a walking corpse! Though it is very concerning that if you were purged of that since it means it was not a representative but a corruption. That if it had overwhelmed you it would have ended with you as a Wight or night queen of some kind. Which only didn't happen even in Winterfell because Old Gods spent power weakening themselves to undo it.
    I don't believe it we have seen a true miracle of the Old Gods! They did the impossible and made her realize this is no vacation any more! Didn't believe it possible.

    Make that two miracle because booze are always a miracle!

    I am also not sure if the attitude of 'well world is not ending right this moment guess I will drink while I can' is a sign Ophelia is dealing with this very well or very badly.
    I don't think you can defined anyone by a single thing that happened to the but if I had to pick one thing that really matters the most in making Ned the man we know it is the loss of his family. He sometimes curses them for their foolishness sometimes yet always end up wishing they could be back more then anything. He even puts everything in jeopardy to protect the last member of that family he has in Jon.

    Ha! Good one Ned! I know you feel inferior to you big bro at times but no way. The two of them shared too many vices to ever have him really restrain Robert. Frankly if you or Jon couldn't do it I don't know who could.

    God it is good to see Ned begin shown as something other then a dour mope concerned with duty. People sometimes forget under that skin their is still a Northern Lord in their ready to chug a brew and throw down.
    This is a great depiction of the mind of a worshiper of the Old Gods. I will show some bias by saying that Gods like the Seven are the kind of Gods humans invent to give themselves comfort, their is a guarantee of safety from a benevolent power above you. The Old Gods are the Gods of the world as it simply is, the stream or trees can provide aid to you but so too do they exist and act on their own without import of humans sometimes to their determent without care. The proper response for a man in such a world is to be respectful of that power and give respect but also to slightly fear it for it could harm you if you are not careful.

    Well this is a big change. We already knew about it but I should say again this level of general awareness at the highest levels of the North something is going on up North is very different. A lot is going to depend on what exactly happens when Ophelia goes North and how much Ophelia can bring back to show but the defense against the others are already much better then they ever were in canon.
    I like the logic here in regards to magic from Ned.

    In canon because of the raw scarcity of magic it was logical for people to believe that if it did exist it didn't in their lives enough to ignore it save superstition. But here? Ophelia is obvious enough abut her magic it is rather impossible to deny it at least exist in some form. So it is logical to assume of one exists their could be others who might be causing the problem you facing but at the same time you don't take a leap of faith on that big an issue you on investigate and prepare. The same can be said of his focus on logistic over any spells, he is a Lord his tools are those things and no matter what they are needed. So leave the exact detail of magic to the side for now, if it turn out to be so he will find men who truly know it to advise him on how to deal with it.
    And it also appears he is aware of Ramsay's nature as well or at least some rumor of it he has not yet investigated fully since he has more pressing concerns.

    In terms of what he should actually do sadly the whole situation is way more complicated then it seems since Ramsey is sadly the last living son of the current lord since his heir's death. If he goes then the lands of one of the most important house in the North is up for grabs so who gets it? It would be a mess of claims of every northern lord like the Hornwood in canon but worse without even an old women to marry for legitimacy. Their is even an extra kink in that Ophelia is apparently a Bolton too. Logically it must come from her mother so the best assumption is she would be Roose's illegitimate niece which is not nothing but still tenuous and their is no way to prove this connection unless Bloodraven at some point openly says 'oh yeah every lord of the North? This girl's more was a Bolton BTW swear on the Old Gods'. Even then Ophelia wouldn't want the Dreadfort so back to square one.

    Best option I could think of is 'politely' talking to Roose to inform him that one way or another Ramsay is not being the next Lord Bolton so he better get a new heir lined up pronto if he doesn't want a dead house on his hands. Given who this is Roose might even respect that instead of killing him.
    HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
    Damn it Ophelia! I thought I told you to stop ruining the language of Westeros!

    God this has to be the strangest attempt to establish dominance in GOT history, 'Look at me and my wet naked body when I am talking to you Lord Stark, unless you are a chicken?'.

    Ned Stark is a proper gentlemen! Though this is usually not how one gives his cloak to a lady to deal with a puddle.

    Yeah I don't blame Ned here at all since he is not wrong. Dany Flint is more then enough to worry anyone and The Night's watch has plenty of rapist who are have been sent somewhere cold and officially without women. If she wasn't a witch who will have armed people with her to guard her it would be a tragedy in the making.

    Well this is a bit of good luck on Ned's part as much as he partly doesn't want it for good reason. He gets an experienced magic user to investigate the problem and a reason to get the king behind you on it too. Almost like it was exactly a certain Greenseers plan huh? This is not even a deal so much as too people working together.

    I do wonder to the reaction will be if rumors of this get out though. Probably a mix of worry and reassurance for the Northern lords overall. On one hand if a witch is being contacted by the Old Gods to go North with a royal contingent something is probably very wrong. On the other it also means you know the best people are actively on it and the Gods are with you in stopping it. Though whatever actually gets out with be some mix of rumor as Ophelia is not exactly doing a public service announcement.
    Yes the mummer who said this is definitely horny and Dornish in spirit.

    You shouldn't be even if you avoid the crazy blondes you still need to deal with the arguments over who messed up by not watching their sister after last time. It certainly won't lessen your hangover.
    So Elia has chosen to bother Gendry in her free time? Could be doing worse I guess. Lets see how he is doing with the whole 'finding out you have a king for a dad' thing.

    First name basis with Joffrey? I guess that is a good sign. I suppose he isn't threatened by him at all and is in a good mood from recent fatherly approval. Oh and Arya is insisting on a first name basis too. GendryxArya confirmed everyone. Though I do imagine it is awkward going from blacksmith apprentice who has spent his whole life only knowing nobles for talking about their orders to getting to first names with princes and lords.
    Oh Mott is making Needle? That is nice, it will probably be better then the original with a master like Mott doing it even if it is just so he doesn't have to bother with an annoying project he doesn't want to do.
    Ouch! Elia and the Snakes getting the burn from the blacksmith! To be fair he has been a bit of a victim of their schemes by getting thrust into the spotlight forging a Valyrian steel sword for the king. It will probably work out better off then otherwise as being a royal bastard if not a currently acknowledged one yet will result in far better opportunities for him then his old life eventually.
    Elia you do realize most of these are deadly acts of intrigue right? No wait I forgot you are Dornish so you do you are just too crazy to care.
    Well at least you are self aware of your family and how crazy they are. That is something at least even if it doesn't counteract their addiction to gambling with their lives.
    Ophelia and Sarella remain the best of the snakes after Elia. Sarella letting her sister go with her on her adventuring binges that is it not her fault that she doesn't stay around long enough for the 'fun' parts and Ophelia being her second mom.
    I do wonder how so many people still get tricked by Tyene at all when the family is so open about warning people she is crazy. I mean if any of the Sand Snakes say they are nuts then you should listen to that red flag.
    Poor Elia, I think every child her age wants to stand out and be more independent around her age but it is even worse for her because of her overshadowing of Elia tragic fate. Still I respect her approach to it nonetheless, as much as she complain she is not being stupid about it and acting out in spite but toughing it out till she does get the chance.

    Sarella! Don't help Ophelia commit and spread her word crimes!
    Yeah it has been said before but the Sand Snake sort of hit the lottery in term of freedom. A prominent enough dad they can do almost everything but none of the responsibilities coming with being a lord while at the same time having a reputation from that father that protect you for most trouble.

    Come on now Elia Arya is just curious! If you really want her to stop bugging you about it that bad just exaggerate so much she realize you are screwing with her. It turns out all the Sand Snakes are witches you included part of your powers are getting little annoying Northern girl to go away!
    Busted! Also the solution that Catelyn came up with was to let her meet Ophelia but not ell her she is witch of dorne? Does she really think that will work? Like eventually someone will tell her and she will connect the dots then be pissed off at her mom then be even more motivated to spend time with a witch to spite her more. Then again I don't think Catelyn even really figure about a way to deal with Arya's rebelliousness other then 'scold for not being lady like, fail to change things and repeat'.

    Elia: We have to do that sometime with our Nymeria too sometimes but only when it involved the Fowler twins.

    Gendry: "And that kids is how I met your mother!" If you are wondering if is is Arya or Elia I am referring to the answer is simple... Yes.

    Seriously though this is the start of a beautiful friendship, beautiful like a wildfire or tornado but beautiful in its own way.
    Ha! Sorry Bran you aren't meant to be an artist I suppose. No shame really, I certainly can't draw more then a stick figure.

    Good to see the Reed here too! Bran could use some friends and they are good ones.
    Honestly the more you hear about Taylor from this perspective the worse it sounds. He doesn't even know about the fact she mind controlled a crap ton of people to kill what is basically a god.
    So this is what it means to have hidden QA in practice. I know it had to be done lets it draw in worse things but I don't blame Bran for want to 'break his curse' either.

    I have to say this is a great way to get around the restriction. Not only is it a clever subversion with breaking it it works from a story perspective since it lets some info get out but not enough to have him find Ophelia is connected just yet.
    Wow QA really is pretty Eldritch to the perceptions of someone on Westeros. I can't wait for Ophelia to have to describe what it is an make it worse!

    I want you to imagine an ... Entity of incredible size and power enough to destroy worlds. This Entity is not of our world it is alien by nature a thing which travels the space between the stars for endless eons. But its power and size is so great it cannot control in all, it must divide itself, form Shards. It gives these Shards a Hierarchy, a Kingdom within itself with some becoming noble or even queens. What you saw in your dreams was Queen administrator one of this highest of those nobles who as the name say administrated other Shards. But what does any King or Lord fears more then its most powerful vassal? So that Enitity cast her down, crippled her till she could administrate nothing but bugs and insects. That is what you deal with and how she was when I meet her. Betrayed and alone as I was.
    I suppose that makes sense hard to draw something from yes or no questions at the best of time especially something that you are missing a lot of context for.

    I mean he is not wrong at least from a reasonable man's perspective. I suspect that if the Others move in force with the Kingdoms aware this time you might see a why Winterfell was built to host 100,000 people if needed. War tend to require the occasional mass rallying of nobility in this period.

    Good point and even if that does look enough like Taylor to be recognized by Ophelia they have no idea she is the one that needs to see it. The best reason I could think of for them to seek her out is deciding to talk to the Witch Of Dorne about his curse which would hopefully be recognized by her.

    Careful Bran curiosity is natural in a child but when dealing with magic and things from beyond the star it often leads to tragedy.
     
  25. Scrimshaw_NSFW

    Scrimshaw_NSFW Making the rounds.

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    We approve~

    We can dig it!

    We'll be replying properly in PMs, since we don't wanna ping the thread too many times. Thank you very much though! As always, these kinds of reviews help keep us going!
     
  26. Sartek

    Sartek Not too sore, are you?

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    Can someone give a really short quick summary of what this story is?

    Tags say pretty much nothing and the first post jumps right into the story.
     
  27. Pylon

    Pylon I trust you know where the happy button is?

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    Taylor reincarnated as an OC Sand Snake, and has grown up with them. As of story start she has already gathered a reputation as a witch and alchemist of some note in the seven kingdoms, and stands accused of poisoning Jon Arryn. Worth noting that she is, in fact, a witch and alchemist of some skill. The story (to put it very simply) follows her family's journey to King's Landing to clear her name and the adventures that follow on from there. Damn good read thus far, cannot recommend enough.
     
    edofthesquid, Nerve, cogi234 and 3 others like this.
  28. ATP

    ATP Experienced.

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    Basically this.Good story,but she is so overpovered that it is hard to find her human enemies which could threathen her,hence Lannisters was turned into comic relief.
     
  29. Scrimshaw_NSFW

    Scrimshaw_NSFW Making the rounds.

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    Wait till you guys see what we did with Euron.
     
  30. The_Bajar

    The_Bajar Not too sore, are you?

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    While not in the top three of most hated characters (as in characters we love to hate), seeing Euron go down is always fun. The top three, in my opinion would be Joffrey, Littlefinger and then a toss up between the Mountain that Rides and Ramsey Snow
     
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