#there were secret tunnels leading out of one of the storerooms and i was following some people down there but the tunnels got so narrow

[amygdalae]

had a dream last night i was lost wandering the streets of a big city at night and i was cold so i walked into the nearest open store and it was a sex shop but half of the store had several displays of just leather jackets and pants. i wanted it to be real so bad

[broken-mirrors-binding-magic]

Song Fic: Stressed Out

Song: Stressed Out by Twenty One Pilots Characters: Silvester Lehmann and Wyn Sweeney Ships: N/A

“Your majesty, please excuse the intrusion, but I must insist on you joining me in the war room.”

Wyn slowly stood from the dining table, glancing at his wife and daughter, “Enjoy the meal without me. Don’t wait up. You know how these impromptu meetings can be.”

Within seconds he was marching down the hall, following the lead of his trusty right hand in silence. Wyn wasn’t always a fan of silence, but he learned quickly as a teen that Silvester found comfort in it.

As the door to the war room closed behind them, Silvester finally turned to Wyn, “They’ve officially declared war, Wyn.”

Wyn scoffed, sitting in his chair at the head of the table, “You haven’t called me by my name in so long Sylvie. You must be worried…”

Silvester poured the two men drinks before sitting in his seat beside Wyn, “I’m worried we can’t keep this up for as long as we used to, my friend.”

Wyn smiled softly at the drink in his hands, “Cocoa, just like when we were kids… Where did you find this?”

Silvester chuckled, “Of course that would be your focus. It seems good Queen Runa had a whole storeroom full of the stuff. Valerie came across it while helping your wife prepare for the ball.”

Wyn laughed, gently knocking his cup against Silvester’s, “Hiding something like this does sound like my mother.”

Silvester nodded, “She did enjoy hiding most things. What did she add on to the castle, five secret rooms?”

Wyn smirked, “Rooms, tunnels, who knows how much. We’re still finding them to this day. If we hadn’t lost the maps she drew we’d know.”

“Who knows, maybe they’ll turn up eventually.”

“So Sylvie, that’s enough reminiscing, why are you so worried?”

Silvester rolled a scroll out before them, “It seems there have been alliances made under our noses. This isn’t just a conflict between us and them, they’ve gathered forces. They even reached out to the Landvik in hopes of having them turn on us. We can’t handle this kind of attack, especially with our numbers dying off from disease.”

Wyn sighed, sipping his drink, “Guess we need to dust off the armor, just like the old days.”

[yugoloths]

the dungeon crawl I was supposed to run tonight got delayed for another week so I'm dumping all my content here to cope

this is the first level of the abandoned mine the party will be exploring. detailed walkthrough under the cut

DRUMIAN SHALE

The main takeaway from this stage is the bandits the party is hoping to apprehend are not here… but something else is. By the end, they will have made it down to the flooded lower caverns where the cool shit is. 

Area 1: Base Camp

The clearing outside the mine entrance is carpeted in yellow dust, a thin layer of which clings to every available surface. To the right of the entrance, on the east side of the clearing, stands a long-abandoned box sluice littered with old buckets and mining pans. On the opposite side of the clearing lie several ragged canvases half-buried in sand and a cluster of overturned mine carts in various states of disrepair. A set of narrow metal tracks, the same width as the mine carts, leads into what appears to be a natural cave mouth.

Closer inspection of the scene will reveal a dried-up streambed where water once poured into the sluice from above. The canvases on the western side of the clearing are crudely painted with an emblem shaped like a hand with a horizontally elongated plus sign in the center of the palm. They look to have been part of a collapsed tent, but it seems to have been abandoned for several weeks.

Area 2: Tunnel

A 10 foot wide tunnel stretches into darkness. 5 foot wide doorways are located on either side, each pair spaced 20 feet apart. The rail tracks continue along the floor in a straight line. The hall is dark and cramped, the ceiling is low, and the air smells musty. 

PP >14 will notice they don’t see any signs of animal inhabitants.

Area 3: Dormitory A

This room contains twelve narrow beds with bare straw mattresses. A few have crumpled bedding, as if in use, but everything is covered in a fine layer of dust. 

A DC 12 investigation check reveals a chest hidden under one of the beds. The chest is empty except for a dragonchess set and a few old stains.

A PC with proficiency in dragonchess (or who makes a DC 15 history check) will notice that the set is missing several pieces: three black warriors, a white mage, a white thief, and a white elemental.

Area 4: Old Office

This room appears to have been a record keeping office. A table stands in the center of the room, a desk in the corner, and bookshelves line the walls. A few chairs have been overturned, and papers are scattered across the desk. The same hand-and-plus-sign symbol from the tents has been carved into a corner of the table.

Any further investigation will reveal that the following books and papers are still in readable condition:

Old shipping manifests - Prices & shipments of rations, supplies, etc. If Varna or one of the PCs read this, they should be able to ascertain that the mine was just barely turning a profit at the time of its closure. They would also notice that they seemed to spend a lot of money bringing in barrels of fresh water.

Mine blueprints - Similar to Varna’s map. Shows the current level as well as two lower levels starting about 200 feet down. It appears miners used a lift at the northern end of the mine to navigate between levels. The lift was powered by a water wheel located in the far northeast chamber on the current level.

Geological survey - General measurements of soil composition and stability, rate of erosion, and location of ore veins. The writing style is extremely dry and technical, so PCs will need to either succeed on a DC 14 investigation or insight check or get Varna to read it in order to learn the following details:

-the water at the site was not drinkable, hence the need to import fresh water

-researchers had great difficulty measuring the water table; some days their instruments suggested it was very high, while other days they registered nothing at all

Varna will not notice this on her own, but a PC who lands a really fucking good investigation/insight check might be able to do a little off the cuff data analysis and notice that high water table measurements tended to occur in the mornings and evenings, while the low readings tended to occur in the afternoon or late at night. A character with extensive nautical knowledge and/or who lands a second really really good investigation/insight check might be able to make the low tide/high tide connection, but don’t force it.

Any investigation of the room reveals a heavy safe under the desk. It stands unlocked and empty, door ajar. Presumably this is where the deed to the mine was kept.

Area 5: Dormitory B

This room is nearly identical to Dormitory A, but several of the beds have been overturned and mattresses torn apart. The chest in this room has been dragged out from under the bed and opened with enough force to rip off one of the hinges. It is empty except for three silvers, four coppers, and an old sock.

A DC 10 investigation check reveals a set of two-toed footprints. With a good roll, or a separate investigation or survival check to learn more about the footprints, a PC could ascertain that the creature that made the footprints has a quadrupedal gait and seems to be some type of insect. 

A DC 12 investigation check reveals a small amount of blood spatter on several of the beds.

A DC 14  investigation check reveals a strange object wedged under one of the beds. It is a flute-like woodwind instrument with an unfamiliar bulbous shape. Varna will be unable to identify what material it’s made out of, although she may note that it reminds her of shell or coral (though not from any creature she’s encountered.) Any PC who attempts to play the instrument will be able coax a few hollow, resonant notes out of it. The instrument is uncomfortable to play, as if it were not designed for their hands.

If a PC attempts to play the instrument, anyone with PP>10 hears an echoing melody coming from the end of the hall. Anyone with PP>15 can identify it emanating from below, in the mine shaft.

Area 6: Storeroom

This room contains old supplies. A heap of frayed old sacks that must have once contained grain are heaped in the northwest corner. The northeast corner is home to a pile of old crates that takes up most of the room. The south wall is lined with wooden barrels, all but a few of which have been split open and destroyed.

Closer inspection of the scene reveals that some of the crates have fallen over and/or split open to reveal general mining equipment - pickaxes, machine parts, railway slats, etc. The crates seem ancient and relatively untouched, while the destroyed barrels are more recent.

A DC 12 investigation check on the room in general will turn up 100 feet of hempen rope, three lanterns with 10 hours of fuel each, an entire crate of candles, and 100 pitons. 

A DC 10 insight or investigation check on the barrels reveals that they likely held pickled vegetables and cured meats. 

Area 7: Dormitory C

This room is nearly identical to Dormitory A. There are no signs of a struggle.

A DC 12 investigation check (or a decision to look under the beds) reveals yet another chest stashed under the bed. It contains two bottles of Keoghtom’s Cure-All, one of which is cracked and useless. The label purports the product “miraculously relieves sewer plague, sight rot, and tunnel stutters! Archmage Keoghtom’s patented blend of penetrating oils, restorative herbs, and secret enchantments reduces pain, enhances vigor, and restores the user to full health, all in a single application!” When applied, it restores 2d8+2 HP. 

Area 8: Machine Room

This room is dominated by a water wheel about 10 feet in diameter, fixed along the north wall. A trough leads away from the water wheel to a large drain set into the floor by the southeast wall. A system of pulleys leads out of the room toward the mine shaft. The rail tracks fork just outside the doorway, with one fork leading into the room while the other continues straight. The wheel powered a lift that transported miners, slag, and equipment between levels, presumably fed by the same stream that fed the box sluice in area 1.

A DC 15 investigation check of the room (or a DC 10 investigation check on the drain specifically) reveals that the screws holding the drain cover down have been removed, and that the cover has been moved recently.

A DC 10 strength check (or whatever) allows them to move the drain cover, revealing an entrance to area 10.

Area 9: Mine Shaft

The mine shaft is a square, 10 foot by 10 foot pit that drops straight down into darkness. A rotting pulley system dangles from the stalactite-covered ceiling, but the rope has broken and the lift platform itself is nowhere to be seen. The walls of the pit are decorated with strange, insectile shapes that resemble no living creature. Go ahead and make a perception check.

The lower part of the shaft is filled with salt water. The water is too far down to be visible, but anything falling into the shaft will create an audible splash.

The mine shaft is inhabited by three darkmantles disguised as stalactites. As soon as someone pokes their head in, a darkmantle will drop down and try to engulf their face. The remaining darkmantles will use their Darkness Aura ability to create confusion before attacking. These darkmantles are unusual looking, with long cone-shaped shells covering their mantles, giving them the appearance of orthocerid cephalopods. If none of the PCs are dumb enough to stick their head into the shaft, Felix will be happy to oblige in order to get a closer look at the fossils.

About 50 feet down the shaft is a hidden entrance to area 10 containing two Chuul, the source of the mysterious flute echo from earlier (assuming one of the PCs tried to play the flute). Like the darkmantles, they are unusual, resembling anomalocarid arthropods. When the Chuul hear the PCs at the top of the mine shaft, they will attempt to ambush them through the drain in area 8. It takes the Chuul about one minute from when they detect the PCs to launch their ambush. If one of the Chuul is killed or seriously wounded, the other will attempt to flee to area 13 and escape into the tidepools.

A PC who makes a DC 12 perception check will note that the presence of stalactites is odd, as they have not seen any elsewhere in the mine. 

If the players found the flute in area 5, a DC 15 perception or investigation check reveals that some of the fossils embedded in the wall look similar to the instrument.

Because the Chuul are so unusual looking, PCs must succeed on a DC 17 history or nature check in order to identify them as such.

With a DC 18 perception check, PCs can see the faint movement of the Chuul 50 feet down the shaft and hear scuttling noises, although they cannot make out what is causing them.

Area 10: Secret Tunnel

The drain leads to a rough tunnel, about 5 feet wide. It is not indicated on Varna’s map or the blueprints in area 4. The construction is noticeably different from the rest of the mine, more like an animal burrow, and the floor slopes downward. The air is strangely humid.

If the PCs managed to access area 10 before being ambushed by the Chuul, they will instead be attacked at the entrance to area 11 or 13, whichever is convenient. If they killed both Chuul, they will encounter no enemies in area 10. If one of the Chuul escaped, the PCs will hear a faint flute melody emanating from the tunnel leading to area 13 but will not be attacked. 

A DC 10 investigation or perception check reveals more of the two-toed footprints found in area 5 - they should be able to figure out these belong to the Chuul.

Area 11: Brood Chamber

This roughly circular chamber contains a clutch of slimy, yellow-green eggs surrounded by human and animal bones. It is guarded by an older Chuul which is missing a claw, making it unable to multiattack. This will not deter it, however, from defending the clutch with its life. Because it is protecting its eggs, it will not pursue the party should they choose to flee.

Closer investigation reveals a single human skull amidst the bones. A DC 12 nature or survival check reveals the other bones belong to a horse, several donkeys, and two large dogs.

Area 12: Treasure Chamber

This chamber is similar to area 11, but instead of eggs it is piled high with objects the Chuul have collected from their victims and from the abandoned mine.

Any investigation will reveal the following items:

-A small pile of gold nuggets worth ~200 GP

-A steel mirror

-Robe of Useful Items (missing all of its patches)

-A viol with the initials “MQ” carved into the back of the head

-A breastplate that has been messily painted blood red, with a symbol on the front consisting of a black hand with a horizontally elongated plus sign on the palm (same as the one carved into the table in area 4)

-Two hard hats with hooded lanterns mounted on the front

-A swordbreaker (stats identical to a dagger, but if the wielder is hit by a sword attack they can make a DC 8+[attacker’s weapon attack modifier] dexterity check; on a success, they take no damage and the opponent has disadvantage on their attack roll next turn; on a critical success, they take no damage and break the opponent’s sword) with a crude hand-and-plus-sign symbol carved into the hilt

-An intricately carved sending stone that, when used, plays the following intercept message: “We’re sorry. You have reached a sending stone that has been destroyed, or is no longer in service. Please contact an operator.”

-Three silver rings (worth 15 gp each)

The deed to the mine is not present.

Area 13: Cenote Chamber

This natural cavern has a high, arched ceiling decorated with stalactites. The space is dominated by an immense monolith carved with the same pattern of wavy lines as Felix’s tablet. Covering the bottom third of the slab, a reeking carpet of matted vegetation extends to cover the entire floor. The wet stench of rotting plant matter and salt permeates the humid, clinging air. 

The vegetation at the base of the slab is actually a shambling mound, which is hiding the entrance to the next layer of dungeon with its body. It is dormant, but as soon as someone steps on or touches it it will come awake and attack the PCs, revealing the cenote pit beneath it. However, music from the strange flute the party discovered earlier will render it dormant again. Upon being defeated, it falls into the cenote with a splash. As it falls it pulls away some of the vegetation covering the bottom of the slab, revealing the full design.

A DC 14 perception check before the shambling mound attacks reveals the muffled sound and faint movements of breathing. After it is defeated, it becomes apparent that the “breathing” noise was actually the sound of water rushing rhythmically from within the dark cenote.

Varna encourages the party to explore the cenote in hopes of locating the remaining bandits (or their remains) and recovering the deed to the mines. Felix, excited by the symbols on the monolith, insists on accompanying them. Varna will remain to establish a base camp; she has not survived 200 years as a geological surveyor by diving headfirst into mysterious pits.

[strivingscribe]

Badgered ~ Chapter 3

Badgered by  MsMoon

Chapter 3 ~ Audacity

Chapters: 3/?

Chapter Navigation: 1, 2, 3, 4,

Fandom: Harry Potter

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: N/A thus far

Relationships: Possibly a lot of OCs…and OCs with main characters.

Summary: It’s a new year at Hogwarts, and the Potions professor is having a hellish time. Not with the students, mind you. It’s the ridiculous new DADA professor that’s a badgering experience.

Notes: So that paper took a lot longer than I anticipated :|

It was three in the afternoon before Cygnus bothered to look up from her work. It wasn't that her office and storage rooms needed the extra attention. She simply had her own methods of organization, and she just had to sort through everything.

 The only reason she bothered stopping was due to the dizziness. The porridge and sausage links she’d had for breakfast were gone, and the orange she’d snacked on for brunch was not lasting.

 She carefully shut and locked the doors to her office before she slipped the keys back into the pocket of her robes and exited her classroom. Once the door shut softly behind her, she turned down the tunnel that would lead to her quarters.

 Time for lunch had long since passed, so she would have to fix herself something... Her vision blurred slightly and she massaged her brow. Perhaps it would be better to summon Dinky to her quarters and request lunch.

 Her arms rose high above her head, stretching to work the kinks out of her back. Another wave of dizziness hit and she faltered sideways. She let out a tiny squeak when a pair of strong arms caught her.

 “What have I caught here?” The deep voice resonated through her spine, sending goosebumps all over. Lips were pressed very close to the nape of her neck, making the hair at the base of her scalp rise and tingle. Something about that voice made the hair on her arms stand on end.

 She wanted nothing more than to thrash about until she was released, but she maintained her composure… just barely. But just enough to bring that steely ‘Malfoy’ edge to her words.

 “Set me up right...and release me.” She commanded.

 A soft chuckle answered her before she felt herself tip back onto her own feet. She schooled the fear from her face before turning to face her 'rescuer'. Her eyes widened as they met a set of mischievous green eyes.

 “Fancy meeting you here, Malfoy.” he murmured, still too close for her liking.

 Cygnus took a step back, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared at him.

 “Potter.” She practically growled.

 The last she'd heard of Albus Potter, he had left his position as a beater in professional Quidditch and was now more known for his 'romantic exploits'. Her father had remarked on many occasions on the astounding obsession the Prophet had with anything and everything ‘Potter’, whether it was news-worthy or not.

 He chuckled at her in the most maddening fashion. Something about his tone, it was deep and almost scratchy, and it seemed to make her skin vibrate unnaturally.

 “If I didn't know any better, I'd say Professor Snape had come back to possess you, what with the way you say 'Potter' and all.” She could see how that might be a worry for him, as he looked so like his father…though he did not wear spectacles, of course.

 “The ghost of one of my predecessor is hardly a worry.” Cygnus admitted. “Now if you'll excuse me... I was just on my way to lunch.”

 “A little late for lunch, isn't it?” He asked, looking slightly puzzled.

 “Indeed.” She muttered, continuing along her way.

 “Why the late lunch?”

 “I wanted to get my office and storeroom in order... it took longer than I thought.”

 “Ahh, so you're the new Potions Professor.” He said, falling into step beside her. Hadn’t she already revealed that by naming Snape as a predecessor? Honestly.

 “I take it you will be the Defense Instructor.”

 He eyed her curiously. “McGonagall told you?” He seemed mildly surprised.

 “Only that there would be a new Defense professor.” She sighed heavily. “Besides myself, you are the only new person here.” She let her eyes drift to him momentarily. “I'm surprised you managed to keep it a secret for so long.”

 “I can keep secrets.”

 “Perhaps, but your exploits are often in the Prophet ... though not as well publicized since you quit Puddlemere.”

 “You shouldn’t believe everything you read.” She heard the smirk in his voice without having to look at him. “You keep up with Quidditch?”

 “Corvus does.” She bit out.

 It was a half-truth… Corvus did keep up with Quidditch, like most wizards.

 Cygnus paid attention to better follow Lilly’s career. Lilly was the most fantastic seeker that had played the game since her father hung up his broom, if Cygnus had anything to say about it, and she did… but Cygnus and Lilly’s friendship was somewhat limited these days… Lilly wasn’t the best at writing letters, as her life was such a whirlwind. So, Cygnus kept up with her career and sent letters weekly.

 “I never would've pegged you as a Puddlemere fan.” Potter remarked, snapping her back to the present along with her churning belly.

 “I prefer the Ballycastle Bats, actually.”

 “What! The bats…” He stared in shock before seeing an impish smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. He let out a soft chuckle. “Score one for the Potions Professor.”

 “I manage.”

 “Indeed, it seems you know enough to be dangerous.”

 She eyed him. “Are you following me?”

 “I prefer the term ‘escorting’.” He said with a smile. “If I were to leave you alone, I would be afraid you would faint before you could get to your room.”

 Cygnus scoffed. “I shall make a mental note to eat proper meals, lest I gain the dubious honor of being ‘escorted’ by Albus Potter.”  Something around his eyes tightened, making his boyish smirk skew slightly. Cygnus stopped momentarily, releasing a breath. “That sounded much more snide than I had intended…” she observed with only a touch of contrition.

 Potter actually chuckled. “Please tell me you aren’t concerned that you hurt my feelings.”

 “I only fear misinterpretation.” Cygnus quipped. “What was said was intended in jest, not scorn.”

 “I have heard you and Lilly together, you know.” Albus said dryly. “I’m one of the few people who knows that you can speak like an actual person.” Cygnus stared at him resolutely for a beat.

 “And now yours is the tone dripping in scorn.” She remarked.

 “I’m only saying, you sound like a dictionary.” He said, his arms fanning out slightly as if in surrender.

 “Sometimes it is necessary to be better understood.” She admitted before continuing on her way.

 “As you say then.” Albus quipped back, jogging for a pace before catching up with her.

 “You are following me.” Cygnus muttered grudgingly.

 “I’m only checking to see if you’ll actually invite me in.” He replied with a smirk. It make her upper lip curl in a sneer. What cheek. What outright audacity.

 “Mystery solved.” She reported, stopping and leaning back against her door. “Good afternoon, Potter.” She said simply, as she swiftly opened the door, stepped into her room and closed the door before Potter could do more than blink in surprise. With a sigh, she summoned her house elf. “Dinky?”

 “That’s not very polite, Malfoy.” She heard him, though his voice was muddled through the door. Her only response was a bland glare at the offending portal. Of course, that was irrational. It wasn’t the door’s fault that Albus Potter was insufferable.

 “Is Misses needing Dinky?” Dinky asked brightly. Cygnus hadn’t even heard the little dear pop into the room. She was chubby-cheeked, almost cherubic truthfully. And her wardrobe…

 The little house elf was wearing a pale purple dress that Cygnus had given her long ago. Grandfather had been entirely aghast when he learned that Cygnus had begun playing dress-up with her house elf, thereby freeing her. Of course, since Cygnus tended to treat Dinky lovingly, the house elf had no intentions of leaving her servitude. In fact, Dinky had inherited all of the clothes Cygnus had grown out of. Today’s outfit was pale purple dress with a drop waist marked by a border of daisies, set off with a matching purple headband adorned with a single audaciously large daisy.

 “Yes, Dinky.” Cygnus said with a soft smile. “I’m very hungry, Darling, and I was wondering if you could bring me any left-overs from lunch?”

 Dinky’s face twisted slightly in reproach. “Misess is forgetting to eat again?”

 “I’m afraid I did get carried away.” She replied with a nod. “It won’t happen again.”

 Dinky nodded before disappearing.

 Before Cygnus could relax at being alone, a knock sounded from the door. She stared at it first in shock before carefully sliding over and opening it. Her face fell into that bland glare again.

 “May I come in, Cygnus?” Potter asked with a smile.

 “No.” Cygnus replied simply. It grated on her that he was using her first name. Like he knew her. Like he had any right.

 “Why not?” He asked, looking genuinely curious.

 She crossed her arms, leaning her shoulder against the doorframe. “Potter, in case it has escaped your notice, I’ve failed to invite you in twice. This means that I don’t want you to come in. Ergo, you are now imposing.”

 “I only want to know why.” He said with a small smile.

 “I owe you nothing, Potter. Though, I suppose between the two of us, I am more capable of being gracious.” she said, baring her teeth more than she’d like. “Because. It’s my room.” Cygnus snapped. “ Mine . And I am extraordinarily territorial. I have no intentions of sharing it, let alone with you.”

 “Ouch.” He half grumbled, giving a bleak look to the doorjamb.

 “You asked. Nay, you demanded.” Cygnus reminded, bouncing up from the doorway, the door firm in her grasp. “And at the moment, I’d like to eat in peace. Close my eyes for a moment and be alone. I can’t do that if you’re barging in.”

 “Very well, but I wonder if you’ll enjoy the consequences.” He said, looking away with feigned disinterest.

 Cygnus let out a frustrated sigh. “There are consequences to a woman wanting to eat alone?”

 “Oh yes.” Potter had the cheek to smile at her. “See you around, Cygnus.” He said before turning and leaving.

 Cygnus stared at his retreating back with a puzzled look on her face before shaking her head and closing the door. “Insufferable man.” She muttered to herself.

[wildchildalr]

Sansa/Oberyn                                Great Wall AU

Long ago the greed and violence wrought by King Maegor I Targaryen across Westeros brought forth a curse from the Gods from the north. Wrights of the undead marched from the frozen wastelands destroying and consuming all in their path. However, they were held at bay by the strength, bravery and sacrifice of the Starks and their bannermen. Knowing the legions were not defeated, merely regrouping, Brandon Stark commissions a wall to be built of ice and stone to protect those to the south. For hundreds of years the Starks have stood guard on The Wall. 

During the fifth year of Winter during the reign of Robert Baratheon, Prince Oberyn travels north with a group of twenty men. Having crossed The Gorge they find themselves just north of The Wall. After being pursued by the Brotherhood Without Banners for several days, only four men remain; Prince Oberyn, his squire Daemon Sand and two others. Upon escaping they seek refuge in a cave but they are attacked by an unknown monster leaving only Oberyn and Daemon alive, Oberyn having slashed off the creature’s hand. The next day, they stumble upon The Wall and are taken prisoner by Northern soldiers of a secretive military sect called the Night’s Watch which is led by General Robb Stark and Strategist Luwin.

The Night’s Watch is a military order commissioned by the Starks consisting of members of their own family as well as their bannermen and others who pledge themselves from lands bellow The Wall. The Watch’s sole purpose is to repel the wrights known as White Walkers who rise every 100 years.

At first Oberyn tells his captors that those in his homeland of Dorne far to the south have heard stories of the Night’s Watch, but few believe they are real. He insists he always thought them true but sought proof in order to persuade his elder brother Doran that the group needed their support and aide. In reality he seeks black powder, an explosive substance many claim the Starks use to battle the White Walkers. Oberyn wishes to use the powder as a weapon against the Lannisters whom he believes ordered the deaths of his sister and her children when Robert took the throne.  

The commanding officers are shocked upon seeing the monster's severed hand among Oberyn's belongings, as the Watch believed the invasion was still weeks away. Suddenly, a wave of monsters attack the Wall, and the battalions are mobilized. With no time to secure the prisoners, Robb orders them to be guarded on the Wall until after the battle.

The Night's Watch is divided into five special units: Robb Stark commands the melee-specialist Bear Troop, his sister Sansa leads the acrobatic-specialist Raven Troop. The archer-specialist Eagle Troop is led by young Bran Stark, while the siege engine-specialist Wolf Troop serves under Jon, and Arya commands the horse-mounted Mammoth Troop. Heavy losses are sustained on both sides before the monster’s King calls back his troops. During the battle Oberyn and Daemon are freed by Rickon Stark, the youngest of the siblings, and Oberyn in turn saves his life when a number of White Walkers scale the Wall. The forginer’s skill and battle prowess earn them respect from Robb and Strategist Luwin.

During the feast that night Oberyn speaks with Sansa wondering at how her family has been able to keep such monsters at bay for so long with little to no aid from the rest of the kingdom. She replies that they have the support of their bannermen and the knowledge that their sacrifices are for the protection of all of Westeros. Despite his desire to simply take what he came for and leave Oberyn begins to respect and sympathize with what the Watch have dedicated their lives to. Later, Oberyn and Daemon meet Lord Petyr Baelish, a minor noble from The Vale. Petyr tells them he too had wondered North searching for black powder... nearly twenty years ago. Like the Dornishmen he was captured and held prisoner but had integrated himself with The Watch by securing funds for weapons and supplies. The three foreign mercenaries discuss plans to steal black powder from the storeroom and flee while the soldiers are occupied by battle. Later, Strategist Luwin meets with Oberyn and explains the situation: The monsters that he has fought are called White Walkers, which originated from the Lands of Always Winter two thousand years ago. The Northerners believe the Walkers were sent from the gods to punish the king for abusing his authority over the kingdom and the people. They attack northern Westeros once every one hundred years, an invasion for which the Watch has been training for their entire lives.

During the night two Walkers reach the top of the Wall and kill several watchmen. Robb and Sansa lead a squadron of Bear Troop warriors but are ambushed in a trap set by the monsters. Though the Walkers are slain Robb is severely wounded and Sansa is left in command while his fate remains uncertain. Around this time, an envoy from the capital arrives with an ancient scroll which suggests that the monsters are most easily killed with weapons made of Dragonglass. Luwin believes the stone Oberyn had carried all this time is what enabled him to dismember a White Walker so easily the night before they reached the Wall. The discovery is a disquieting one because the Watch has always depended on Valyrian steel for their weapons, and while it is one of the few materials able to kill a White Walker, Dragonglass is much more effective. Hoping to make an escape Oberyn suggests that he, Petyr and Daemon be allowed to ride for the capital of King’s Landing and demand adequate supplies of the material on behalf of the Watch. For they are from the lands to the South and know the roads and terrain better then those who have never been more than 30 miles bellow the Wall. Though Sansa considers the idea she decides the Watch’s secrets must be protected and refuses, ultimately ordering Petyr to use his supply network to obtain what they need. This puts a damper of the three foreigners plans to escape but Daemon and Petyr readily agree to try again during the next attack, to which Oberyn reluctantly goes along with.

During the next attack, the Walkers are numerous enough to cause Sansa to resort to using black powder rockets, whose existence had been kept secret from the Southerners until now. Though they manage to beat back the hordes the Watch has suffered many losses and at the discovery of a hole at the base of the Wall through which the Night King has led his troops to the lands beyond, a hopelessness settles upon the order. While Sansa and her siblings investigate the tunnel Daemon and Petyr break into the Armory and attempt to steal weapons and black powder. Oberyn commands them to stop but Daemon mocks him claiming he is allowing his sister’s murder to remain unavenged due to his attraction to Sansa. The pair fight until Petyr knocks the prince out with a studded club. Oberyn is arrested by the Watch for aiding in the theft and escape but is saved by Rickon’s eyewitness testimony that he actually tried to stop it. Despite this Sansa orders Oberyn to be locked up.

A short distance away while being pursued by the Mammoth troop, Daemon is betrayed by Petyr and abandoned. However Petyr is captured by the Brotherhood Without Banners, who inadvertently destroy themselves and Petyr by igniting some of the stolen powder. Daemon eventually reclaims the horses and remaining powder but is soon after captured by the Mammoth troop.

Knowing that the horde is nearing the capital, Sansa orders the use of Direwolves to reach the capital in time. The creatures are as big as horses and have never been used in combat before so their training is extremely limited making them almost as dangerous as the White Walkers. Before setting out for the capital Sansa sends word to Luwin to set Oberyn free with instructions to tell the rest of the kingdom what is about to come. But Oberyn decides to stay and wrangles the last remaining Direwolf along with Luwin and Rickson. They arrive just in time to see Sansa's wolf be shot out from under her as she entered the capital and they save her from being torn apart by the undead horde. Fighting their way to the palace they discover that King Robert is dead, having ridden out to battle the Walkers and that his spoiled, inept son Joffery is now the ruling monarch. The new king rages at the Watch for allowing the Walkers to reach the capital but promises to make Sansa his mistress if they manage to save the city. Appalled Sansa never the less assures him that she will give her life to see the Walkers defeated.

As they search the King’s armory for Dragonglass Oberyn confesses to Sansa the true reason he journey to the Wall. That his sister and her young children had been brutally murdered and he sought vengeance against those responsible, but in doing so he was likely responsible for the breach of the Wall and the destruction that followed. Instead of striking him like he expected Sansa gently but firmly takes his hand assuring him that he is not the first to discover that those who seek vengeance should dig two graves, and that it is thanks to him that they know of the potency of Dragonglass against the White Walkers. Soon after Luwin enters the armory, having searched the ancient archives for more information about the new weapon material. Rickon follows close behind, his arms laden with scrolls. Luwin announces that he has discovered information that leads him to believe that if the Night King is killed, all of his soldiers will perish as well.

He reads an account of how King Maegor, no longer desiring to rule jointly with his brother Aenys, tricked Aenys to travel North to quell a non-existent rebellion headed by the Starks and supported by the Wildling hill-folk of the far North. Convincing Aenys to attack the Wildings first Maegor leads the way into the Lands of Always Winter. Once they reached the barren wastelands Maegor buried a blade of Dragonglass into Aenys’ heart and left him for dead. Aenys with his dying breath cursed his brother and swore he would have his vengeance. The scroll then goes on to describe how the Children of the Forest used their magic to turn him into the Night King. The transformation was intended to bind Aenys to the ancient beings and help defend them from Men who were cutting down their sacred trees and with whom they were at war. However, the combination of magic, Dragonglass and hate in Aenys’ heart twisted it and caused him to answer to no one, and his only desire was the total destruction of Westeros. The author theorizes that if the Night King is killed, the White Walkers will all perish as well.

Taking a wild gamble the quartet don the armor of vanquished Walkers and sneak through the horde towards it’s center where the Night King telepathically commands his troops. They nearly make it but Rickon, his fear setting him on edge, draws his Dragonglass weapon too soon. The Walkers, sensing the material begin to attack from all sides. Luwin, though having been trained in combat, lacks skill and is quickly killed by a sword thrust to the abdomen. Sansa and Oberyn protect Rickon as best they can but it is obvious they are loosing ground. Suddenly a piercing scream cuts through the air and multiple blasts of fire shake the ranks of the White Walkers.

It’s Daemon riding among the ranks of the Mammoth troop with Arya Stark leading the charge the former shooting his pilfered rockets into the Walker ranks. Using the distraction to their advantage Oberyn and Sansa resume their quest to get close enough to the Night King to destroy him. The undead monarch turns his glowing eyes on them and strides forth, his minions parting easily before him. As he draws his weapon Oberyn lunges with his Dragonglass tipped spear while Sansa attacks with a pair of long daggers. They battle back and forth, a pair of Walkers standing over a disarmed Rickon. But then the Night King disarms Sansa and using his heavy boots, shatters the blades of her daggers. Oberyn, desperate to protect her lunges at the enemy and distracts him. Soon however Oberyn tries to swipe too far out at his enemy and the Night King uses the weakness to land Oberyn on his back. Using the shaft of his spear Oberyn holds off the downward attacks raining upon him. Breaking free from his captors Rickon snatches a sword from one of the Walkers and buries it into the King’s back. The weapon, not made of Dragonglass or Valyrian steel is useless. Glowing blue eyes star emotionlessly at Rickon as he is stabbed repeatedly by the surrounding Walkers. Sansa, overcome by grief and anger snatches up the largest shard she can find, and with inhuman speed and strength she plunges the weapon into the Night King’s throat. The monster grabs her by the neck and begins to squeeze but Oberyn rights himself and impales his own Dragonglass into the Night King’s chest. Releasing Sansa the creature stumbles, his movements becoming jerky and disoriented as if his joints were ceasing up. Raising his arms in rage he tries to command his soldiers to attack, but he freezes and suddenly his arms start to fall in great chunks of ice like a spring thaw upon a fjord. Soon the Night King is nothing more than a pile of ice upon the battlefield.

All around them the Walkers stop mid-battle and begin to disintegrate into swirling breaths of snow. As the area clears Arya quickly spots her sister and Oberyn and leads her troops to them. When she sees her youngest brother lying in a pool of his own blood she falls to her knees and howls more sorrowfully than any wolf.

Once the dead and injured are collected Sansa leads the way to the throne room expecting to be granted an audience with King Joffery. Instead she is told that when it appeared the Night’s Watch was loosing ground during the battle the king had poisoned himself, expecting his court to do the same. None had however, and it was now his younger brother Tommen whom sat on the throne. Tommen, barely older than Bran  gave off the appearance of a frightened child. Beside him sat his mother the Dowager Queen Cersie, her eyes shooting venom. Sansa had been forewarned that Cersie blamed her for the former king’s death. King Tommen however praised the Night’s Watch and profusely thanked them for saving Westeros. He pledged more funds, supplies and land to the Watch as well as an offer of marriage to Sansa herself. Shocked Sansa declines the offer claiming she has no head for politics and would better serve both him and the realm on the Wall to ensure the Night King and his armies never return. Tommen concedes her wisdom and assures that the Starks will forever be held in a place of esteem above all houses.

The next day Sansa and Oberyn stand at the gates of King’s Landing, their eyes memorizing every detail of one another. Taking her hands in his and placing tender kisses upon each of her knuckles he tells her that he must journey home to Dorne to tell his brother and people all that has happened. And then he must find a way to let go of the hatred and violence that has festered in his heart for so long as well as discover who he is without it. She assures him that she has faith that he will find all he seeks. She also tells him that when that day comes he knows just where to find her.

Two years later as Robb, Sansa and the others meet with Daemon Sand;  their recently appointed Strategist, a guard quickly enters the room announcing a rider has been spotted leading a large supply train bearing the standard of a red sun pierced by a golden spear, on an orange field.