If he doesn't know, Aylard can still one day be a somewhat functioning human being. But if we tell him, he'll be off the deep end forever. This is the kinder and in my opinion the correct options, honesty is not always the best policy.
Apologies for the longer wait. I encountered some problems with this part, which required more intense revising of it, meaning I had to wait… more until later today to post it, as parts of it have underwent a longer rewrite. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless, despite the longer wait! Also, a little heads up, I will try to close the next voting a bit quicker this time, because I wish to put out two more parts in this week.
Lucas
Lucas wasn't sure how long it was since Mullendore had left. Hours? A day maybe. It was dark, with the only source of light being the tiny window behind him. It was cold and damp and his limbs were aching from being chained to the wall and from the general climate. By now, his whole body felt sore, hurting with every move he made. He was hungry, but even worse was the thirst. They had given him nothing and the way things looked right now, he wasn't even sure if he'd be able to make it to whatever fate his brother and M… [view original content]
Apologies for the longer wait. I encountered some problems with this part, which required more intense revising of it, meaning I had to wait… more until later today to post it, as parts of it have underwent a longer rewrite. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless, despite the longer wait! Also, a little heads up, I will try to close the next voting a bit quicker this time, because I wish to put out two more parts in this week.
Lucas
Lucas wasn't sure how long it was since Mullendore had left. Hours? A day maybe. It was dark, with the only source of light being the tiny window behind him. It was cold and damp and his limbs were aching from being chained to the wall and from the general climate. By now, his whole body felt sore, hurting with every move he made. He was hungry, but even worse was the thirst. They had given him nothing and the way things looked right now, he wasn't even sure if he'd be able to make it to whatever fate his brother and M… [view original content]
Apologies for the longer wait. I encountered some problems with this part, which required more intense revising of it, meaning I had to wait… more until later today to post it, as parts of it have underwent a longer rewrite. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless, despite the longer wait! Also, a little heads up, I will try to close the next voting a bit quicker this time, because I wish to put out two more parts in this week.
Lucas
Lucas wasn't sure how long it was since Mullendore had left. Hours? A day maybe. It was dark, with the only source of light being the tiny window behind him. It was cold and damp and his limbs were aching from being chained to the wall and from the general climate. By now, his whole body felt sore, hurting with every move he made. He was hungry, but even worse was the thirst. They had given him nothing and the way things looked right now, he wasn't even sure if he'd be able to make it to whatever fate his brother and M… [view original content]
Apologies for the longer wait. I encountered some problems with this part, which required more intense revising of it, meaning I had to wait… more until later today to post it, as parts of it have underwent a longer rewrite. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless, despite the longer wait! Also, a little heads up, I will try to close the next voting a bit quicker this time, because I wish to put out two more parts in this week.
Lucas
Lucas wasn't sure how long it was since Mullendore had left. Hours? A day maybe. It was dark, with the only source of light being the tiny window behind him. It was cold and damp and his limbs were aching from being chained to the wall and from the general climate. By now, his whole body felt sore, hurting with every move he made. He was hungry, but even worse was the thirst. They had given him nothing and the way things looked right now, he wasn't even sure if he'd be able to make it to whatever fate his brother and M… [view original content]
Apologies for the longer wait. I encountered some problems with this part, which required more intense revising of it, meaning I had to wait… more until later today to post it, as parts of it have underwent a longer rewrite. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless, despite the longer wait! Also, a little heads up, I will try to close the next voting a bit quicker this time, because I wish to put out two more parts in this week.
Lucas
Lucas wasn't sure how long it was since Mullendore had left. Hours? A day maybe. It was dark, with the only source of light being the tiny window behind him. It was cold and damp and his limbs were aching from being chained to the wall and from the general climate. By now, his whole body felt sore, hurting with every move he made. He was hungry, but even worse was the thirst. They had given him nothing and the way things looked right now, he wasn't even sure if he'd be able to make it to whatever fate his brother and M… [view original content]
Apologies for the longer wait. I encountered some problems with this part, which required more intense revising of it, meaning I had to wait… more until later today to post it, as parts of it have underwent a longer rewrite. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless, despite the longer wait! Also, a little heads up, I will try to close the next voting a bit quicker this time, because I wish to put out two more parts in this week.
Lucas
Lucas wasn't sure how long it was since Mullendore had left. Hours? A day maybe. It was dark, with the only source of light being the tiny window behind him. It was cold and damp and his limbs were aching from being chained to the wall and from the general climate. By now, his whole body felt sore, hurting with every move he made. He was hungry, but even worse was the thirst. They had given him nothing and the way things looked right now, he wasn't even sure if he'd be able to make it to whatever fate his brother and M… [view original content]
Hm, I can understand what you mean, surely. This is something that always annoys me as well Though it should be noted, this is Lucas' way of discouraging Aylard from asking this question. He very much does not wish to speak about it, so he tries to evade the question far longer than necessary. It was not necessarily meant to feel dragged out, but I wanted to show his reluctance to answer here.
[Tell Aylard the full truth] As others have stated, he deserves to know it. Really good part.
One minor thing, Firstly, I get why it is t… morehat way, and fully understand Lucas' honour and trying to keep the details from Aylard. But it felt a bit dragged out to me. Lucas asking Aylard if he's sure he want to hear in 5-6 different ways went on a bit to long in my opinion. It might just be me, because I have a friend IRL who does it like that (not for as important things of course), asking if I am sure many times, before I get to know what I want. But overall, a really good part indeed!
Apologies for the longer wait. I encountered some problems with this part, which required more intense revising of it, meaning I had to wait… more until later today to post it, as parts of it have underwent a longer rewrite. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless, despite the longer wait! Also, a little heads up, I will try to close the next voting a bit quicker this time, because I wish to put out two more parts in this week.
Lucas
Lucas wasn't sure how long it was since Mullendore had left. Hours? A day maybe. It was dark, with the only source of light being the tiny window behind him. It was cold and damp and his limbs were aching from being chained to the wall and from the general climate. By now, his whole body felt sore, hurting with every move he made. He was hungry, but even worse was the thirst. They had given him nothing and the way things looked right now, he wasn't even sure if he'd be able to make it to whatever fate his brother and M… [view original content]
Well, this is certainly going to take a toll on Aylard. He knows the basics, that Lunett was brutally murdered by Mullendore, but he asked for details and now, Lucas will provide them. Safe to say, the guy does not know what he is getting into there. I am not entirely sure if I am able to show the conversation between the two due to the pacing of Lucas' next parts and Aylard's role I have planned, but you should certainly see the aftermath. This was an important choice for Aylard's character, but it will affect things beyond that, as you can probably imagine.
As I announced earlier, I will try to put out this new part earlier than usual, which is why I close the voting roughly a day earlier. I am, however, not entirely sure if I will manage to finish it today, but if not, it will be out very early tomorrow, with another part possibly out early on Monday. It is unfortunately still not sure if I will be on my short trip next week, but putting out another part now is a good thing regardless of wether or not there will be new ones next week. But well, I shall try my best to finish writing as quickly as possible. I am super hyped to write it and especially motivated after the first thing I saw on Youtube today is a new, freshly released Rise Against song and one of the best in ages on top of that. It seems I have found the song I will listen to on repeat for the entirety of the writing session As for this next part, it will be a Jaron part. It seems Jaron is the only PoV whom I manage to give a good pacing in this chapter, but that is only natural, considering that he has one of the longer and easier to plan storylines, being currently not reliant on developments in other storylines, such as most of the Raylansfair cast unfortunately are. Ah, I cannot wait to separate most of them in Book 2, this will make things so much easier Anyways, last time we saw Jaron, he said his goodbyes to Harpy (and we all know what happened next there ), before starting his mission with Samuel, to locate Ryder Harrington. For this, they found out about one of Ryder's friends, the guardsman Farris Flowers, whom they approached. On Jaron's insistance, they tried a less violent way for once and instead of getting into a fight with him, they started a talk. Farris pretty early on demanded their names and Jaron decided to reveal their real names there, despite the risk this poses, figuring that it would be the best way to get him to cooperate. We'll see how this one goes pretty soon, so stay tuned.
I was also informed that there is going to be a new portrait before that. I don't know which character it shows, but I am surely excited to find out!
God these are beautiful!!! I really don't know what it is about your close ups but they look so amazing and highly detailed and I just want to stare at them for a long, long time.
Amazing work Wildling. Do the universe a favor and never stop being passionate about these .
Oh man, I love these! When you told me that the newest Drent part inspired you for a portrait, I sort of expected Orys and sure thing, he is amazing. Argilac was an unexpected addition, but this makes him all the more enjoyable. Man, I cannot wait to write more stuff for that guy. Book 2 is going to be a good one for him, I hope. For Orys as well Anyways, the portraits are always the best and these are two of my favourite portraits for two of my favourite characters. Your earlier drawings of them have already been nice, but these are just the best. One thing I like in particular about Orys is that background. He might not look like a Targaryen at all, but I like how you still managed to include the colours. And Argilac, oh man, quite probably my favourite portrait so far, or at least one of my favourites. I kind of like their similarities in terms of looks as well. Both of them are brilliant and I cannot praise them enough. Thank you for drawing!
And now I really need to get to finish that part, after having a lot less time yesterday than I thought
Jaron took a deep breath, as he met Farris' glare firmly. He had made his choice. This was a better way and it was worth the risk. “My name is Jaron”, he introduced himself. “Ser Jaron, a hedge knight” He looked at his companion. Samuel frowned at his words and though he was not making any overly aggressive gestures, he reminded Jaron of a predator about to attack. “And this is Samuel Harrington”
Farris narrowed his eyes, instantly putting a hand onto the greatsword on his back, though he remained surprisingly calm. Jaron breathed out with relief as the feared confrontation did not happen immediately. There was a chance, he saw it now.
“So, the day has come at last”, Farris sighed. “Ryder has warned me you'd come” He took a step forwards and Jaron saw himself urged to get between the two, to make sure that they won't just attack each other immediately. “I was not afraid then and neither am I now”, the guard growled. “Tell me, why have you come?”
“I want answers”, Samuel spoke up, his voice showing an unusual and unsettling amount of emotion. “I want to know where I can find my brother” Farris narrowed his eyes. “And what would you do once you find him?”, he asked. To this Samuel crossed his arms. “I am going to kill him”, he declared nonchalantly.
The guardsman snarled as his lips formed a sneer. “Then you have to beat the information out of me”, he spat. “And one thing I can promise, I will not talk. Not to the likes of you” Before both men could draw their weapons, Jaron spread his arms. “Hold it!”, he yelled. “This does not have to end in violence”
“You had your chance, Jaron”, Samuel replied. “This was a waste of time. We do it my way now” Jaron quickly shook his head. “No”, he answered. “I will not stand for this! No matter what your brother did, this man had no part in Ryder's crimes!” He turned to Farris. “And you... you are ready to die instead of talking, but what would this achieve?”
Farris tilted his head, though remained silent, as Jaron continued. “Sure, you would stop us for a moment, but you cannot win against both of us”, he explained. “And then, Samuel will continue. Another dead guard and another one, until finally someone decides to speak. How many men have to die until then?”
The guard captain raised an eyebrow and remained ready to attack. “And you call yourself a knight?”, he spat. “That you conspire with him? That you threaten me?” Jaron shook his head. “I am not threatening you”, he clarified. “And I am a knight. Otherwise we would have done things his way”
“And what is your way?”, Farris asked. “We talk”, Jaron replied. “You are Ryder's friend. But do you know what he did to earn Samuel's hatred?” Now, he had caught Farris off guard. “He rarely speaks about the past”, he said. “I know what I have to know” He glared at Samuel. “But tell me your version”
“Think?”, Samuel spat. “I know. I saw them! Saw what he did. My mother. My father. My siblings. Massacred by him!” His breaths became faster, his eyes narrowed and now he had put a hand onto the hilt of his sword.
As much as Samuel was looking closer to a fight now, Farris actually had a surprised look on his face. “That is what you think?”, he said and sighed. “This explains why you're after him for so long” He sighed and Jaron spoke up. “He didn't tell you?”, he said and Farris clenched his fists, moving the hands away from his greatsword.
“He told me all I have to know”, he said and shook his head. “Not this though” Reluctantly, he looked at Samuel, this time not in an aggressive way. “He told me never to speak to you. Urged me not to share what I know”, he explained. “I won't break his trust on this end”
Samuel frowned. “Then we will fight”, he stated coldly. To Jaron's surprise, Farris shook his head. “Your so-called knight is right”, he said. “Bloody hell, he is right” He sighed. “I don't know what Ryder has done, how much of this is true. But I know that he wants you to find him”
This time, Samuel's glare got a confused streak. “He does?”, he asked, his voice shivering and for the first time, it was not entirely aggressive. Farris gave him a nod. “This much I know. Ryder is well aware of the fact that you are hunting for him and that you get closer with each day. He is prepared for it”
“I doubt he is”, Samuel snarled and Farris smirked smugly. “You underestimate your brother, Fang”, he said. “The only reason I myself am telling you this is because I want this to end. He is going to cut you down, so approach him at your peril”
Samuel clenched his teeth, as he narrowed his eyes. “Where is he?”, he uttered and Farris finally gave in. “Do you know the Thousand Shades of Flowers?”, he said. “The brothel”, Samuel replied and Farris gave him a nod. “It is far more than a mere brothel, but yes, I see you are familiar with it”, he answered. “Your brother is currently there. Has a thing for one of the girls, as far as I know”
“My brother and a whore...”, Samuel muttered. “It seems a lot of things have changed when it comes to him” His glare remained. “How can I know you are not leading me into a trap?” Farris shrugged. “You don't”, he stated. “But you won't get another answer from me. Ryder wants to face you, so I am not helping you, I am helping him. You've become strong, but not strong enough to take him down”
“I'll see about that”, Samuel said, as he turned around. “You can keep your life. But don't get in my way when I face Ryder” He started to walk down the alleyway, before Farris' call cut him off. “Your brother is not a bad man”, he said and the sellsword glared over his shoulder. “Whatever he did in the past, he is one of the few good men in this city”
When Samuel did not answer, the guard turned to Jaron. “I know, it's hard to believe with only Samuel's side of the story, but Ryder is a hero. He saved my life and many others countless times”, he explained. “Without him, this city will be for the worse. Now that Commander Mullendore is in a critical condition, he might even be the last person that keeps everything together. Think about that before you make your move, Ser”
“You don't think he did it?”, Jaron asked. “To their family, I mean” Without even hesitating, Farris shook his head. “Ryder rarely speaks about his past. There is something in his eyes, a grief so terrible that I don't dare to ask”, he answered. “Whatever it is, I doubt he has murdered his family. The man I know would never do that”
“People change”, Jaron said. Farris nodded. “Aye, but that much? I doubt anyone can come back from such a thing”, he answered. “Besides, would it matter? Ryder is a good man now, I can testify for that. Is revenge reason enough to cut down a good man? Does it justify what your friend is trying to do?”
Jaron sighed, before he shook his head. “I don't know what to think here”, he said. “This is Samuel's fight. It means nothing to me. I am just here to pay off my debt to him. And you should have thought about Ryder's life before you revealed his position”
“I don't worry for Ryder's life”, Farris answered. “Otherwise, I wouldn't have told you. I would have fought you tooth and nails if I would be convinced that you two are any threat to him. The way he wields a blade... I have never seen a man with such skill” He narrowed his eyes. “I am concerned because he could kill his younger brother today. Maybe Samuel won't leave him a choice”
“And you want me to stop him? I cannot do that”, Jaron replied. Farris sighed. “Not stopping him. But convincing him to talk, like you did with me. Not everything has to end in violence”, he answered. This caused Jaron to frown. “I fear there are no other options here”, he said, a weak defence an he knew it. Farris shook his head. “If you would truly believe that, one of us would be dead by now”, he growled. “Go on then, do what you have to. But remember my words. Samuel is out to spill the blood of a good man”
His words caused concern to rise in Jaron. It was something he was only reluctant to admit, but if Farris was right, if Ryder was truly a good man, then this was wrong. And he had seen the anger in Samuel's eyes. It was the same anger he had seen before. Harpy had this look, when they confronted Butterfly and later, when she faced Mullendore. It was the sort of anger that led to mistakes. To tragedy and nothing more.
But he didn't know what to think. Samuel's side of the story, it contradicted with Farris'. And the guard knew Ryder better than anyone else. Certainly better than Samuel, who hadn't even seen him for years. Whatever happened so long ago, there was one thing he knew. People could change. He had to believe in this if he wanted to have any chance for himself and for Harpy.
“I will remember them”, he promised, before he turned around to follow Samuel, who had slowly begun to leave the alleyway. However, Farris grabbed his arm, the wounded one, hard enough to cause him to gasp in pain. “Remember this”, he growled in a low voice. “I gave you and Samuel a chance to end this peacefully. But I have a duty to my friend. You get half an hour, then I will follow, and I will take loyal men with me. I leave it up to you to decide what I will find there”
He let go of Jaron, who staggered for a few steps, before turning around to answer. However, Farris had already turned to the other end of the alleyway, where he continued his patrol. Frowning and breathing heavily, Jaron quickly hurried after Samuel, his arm thumping with soft pain.
Samuel was waiting for him at the harbour basin, where he looked across the bay, to the Hightower. He gave him a silent nod, though he noticed the odd way Jaron was clenching his arm. “Are you okay?”, he asked and Jaron raised an eyebrow. “Are you concerned?”, he replied and Samuel chuckled dryly. “For an asset in the coming fight”, he stated. “Yeah, I am. Will you be able to help me once things go sour?”
“Do you have to fight?”, Jaron asked and Samuel gave him a grim nod. “Your method back there worked, I admit it”, he said, not without appreciation. “You were right, I was wrong. But this time? There is no way around a fight. My brother ruined my life, my family. He has to die”
Silently, they continued to walk down the street, with Samuel leading the way. “Are you certain it was him?”, Jaron asked. Samuel did not answer, at least not immediately. They dived into the mass of people, Tyroshi with dyed hair, perfumed women from Pentos, a fat Lorathi who praised his goods with a thick accent. A bald Summer Islander glared at Samuel and Jaron as they walked past him, something that caused Jaron to uncomfortably shift his attention to the sellsword walking in front of him.
“Samuel?”, he asked again and now, the man sighed, as he led them away from the main street and into a smaller, more quiet side street. “I am certain”, he assured him. “And whatever redemption bullshit Farris told you about, I don't buy it. And I won't have it. Ryder must pay for what he did, period”
His tone made it clear to Jaron that this was nothing he would discuss right now and nothing he should further bring up for the time being. With a heavy heart, he chose to remain silent, as Samuel led him through smaller side street, away from the harbour and into the better regions of Oldtown. Eventually, the two men entered a larger square and there, Jaron lay eyes on the building.
The Thousand Shades of Flowers was the largest brothel he had ever seen. The one his mother had worked in was barely a shack, especially compared to this. Even the Burned Man's mansion had been smaller. The building was outright dwarfing the surrounding mansions. White marble walls, high columns, countless windows, a large, open door, it was a gorgeous display of architecture.
“There we are”, Samuel said and Jaron momentarily averted his eyes from the building. “Is there anything we have to pay attention to when we're in there?”, he asked and Samuel nodded. “The Thorns”, he said. “Hishi's private guards. Even Butterfly had respect for them”
“I remember Lanford mentioning them”, Jaron said, as they made their way across the square. “I think I got along with him. Maybe that could help us?” Samuel shook his head. “Quite the contrary, I am afraid”, he replied. “Lanford knows both of us now. If he spots us, he will know what we're up to”
“So, we should avoid him”, Jaron concluded. “Are there other men we should look out for” Samuel nodded and pointed at the entrance. Jaron narrowed his eyes as he saw the guard standing there, leaning against the wall. “Your friend Erik”, he growled. “Seems like he got his job. You know, it might be better to keep your distance, considering how much money you cheated him out”
“I did not cheat him”, Jaron stated. “Harpy negotiated with him and I believe that she wishes to pay him still” A slight grin formed on his face. “But you are concerned, are you not?” Samuel sighed. “Maybe”, he admitted. “You got your girl, depending on you an everything. You have a home to go to. I need your help, but I don't want your blood on my hands” He glanced at him. “Just don't get yourself killed in there”
“I won't”, Jaron said, as the two walked up the stairs into the shadow beneath the columns, where Erik was standing. The man raised his eyebrows as he saw them coming. Another man was with him, leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the door. They both straightened their backs as Jaron and Samuel approached.
“You two again”, Erik said, clearly not thrilled by their presence. “You're up to get a whore after the troubles of today, or maybe two?” He grinned smugly. “I doubt your girl is all too happy about this” Jaron sighed, but it was Samuel who spoke. “I see you have a new job”, he said.
Proudly, Erik gave him a nod. “Just started my first shift”, he said. “Whereas you just lost your job” He and the other man exchanged a glance. “But everyone is welcome here. No questions asked. Just hand over your weapons and have a good time in there”
Samuel gave Jaron a nod, before he removed the scabbard that held his sword. He handed it to Erik, who carefully put it into a large box. The other man approached Jaron, who handed him his sword without a word. However, this did not suffice for the man. He put a hand onto Jaron's belt and heavily patted him against the back and the sides, frisking him for any hidden weapons, without finding a thing.
Erik raised an eyebrow, before he went to do the same to Samuel, who allowed it without a word. After a second, Erik's eyes widened and he pulled a dagger out of Samuel's clothes, for which he gave the sellsword a glare. “You wanted to smuggle this in here?”, he growled and Samuel shook his head. “I forgot it for a moment”, he lied.
To this, Erik rolled his eyes. “This is a well-paying job and I like it”, he said, as he put the dagger to the sword. “Don't you dare ruining this for me” He continued to frisk Samuel, without finding anything. Satisfied, he gave the other man a nod, who made a handwave into the direction of the open door. “You can go in”, he said calmly. “Behave in there, respect the workers and we won't get into any trouble”
“Do not worry”, Samuel assured him, as he and Jaron entered the building. The foyer of the building was as lavish as the exterior. Red carpets, embroidered with gold, covered the floor, the walls showing colourful tapestries, which depicted battles of old, historical details Jaron knew little about, but also mixing the violence with graphic displays of intercourse. Men and women were in the room, some scantily clad, others in full clothing, as they made their way through the room and towards one of three large doors without paying any attention to the newcomers. The air was warm, but not sticky, and the heavy smell of a thousand perfumes gave it an odd, yet not unpleasant scent, reminding Jaron of nothing more than a walk through a field of flowers in summer.
“Have you been here before?”, he asked and Samuel gave him a nod. “Not as a customer though”, he said. “It was a matter of business. Had to kill a man, though back then I knew which room he was located in. So I sneaked into the building at night and cut his throat with a knife”
“This time you don't have a knife”, Jaron said. “I doubt this means you have reconsidered Farris' words?” With a grin, Samuel shook his head. He put a hand onto the sleeve of his left forearm. “Who says I don't have a knife?”, he spoke. “Erik is good, I give him that much, but I have more experience in smuggling a weapon into this building than he has in finding it”
Jaron sighed, but before he was able to answer, a man approached them, walking through the crowd and right towards them. He had the dark skin of a Dornishman, with a lithe body covered in decent, yellowish silk. His hair fell into short curls and a moustache, a thin, dark line just above the upper lip, completed his look. A joyful look appeared in his dark brown eyes, as he bowed, as brief as elegant.
“Welcome, welcome to the Thousand Shades of Flowers”, he said with a warm, gentle voice. “My name is Joshawa, the dark sunflower, and it is a pleasure for me to greet you in our halls” He smiled widely, his shiny, white teeth performing a notable contrast to his darker skin and hair. As he came closer, Jaron noticed the strong perfume on his body and clothes, a sweet scent that pleased his nose.
“Good evening”, he said, as he shook Joshawa's outstretched hand. The man had a firm grip, though he let go quickly as he turned to Samuel, to shake his hand as well. This time, Samuel complied reluctantly. “Is this your first time in our halls?”, he asked and Jaron gave him a nod. To this, his smile widened. “Ah, splendid. Then how may I be of service? Do you require help in finding ladies that suit your taste?”, he asked and gave Jaron a wink. “Or shall it be gentlemen?”
Jaron did not blush at the coquettish remark, even if he otherwise would have. This was a brothel. A lot larger and more exquisite than the one his mother worked in, but a brothel nonetheless. Jaron felt at ease here, he was used to the workings of such an establishment.
“Neither”, Samuel said. “We are looking for someone” Joshawa was quick to give him a nod. “Ah, a very specific preference then”, he said. “The Flowers are here to serve. Just say their name and they shall be brought to you as soon as they are available. Do we speak about a man, or a woman?”
Samuel was far less relaxed than Jaron, though this was understandable, especially as the dark-skinned man had gotten closer to him than the sellsword was comfortable with. “A man. My brother, to be precise”, Samuel said and for a moment, Joshawa's smile was gone. “Your... this is certainly a very unusual...”, he said, before his smile returned. “Aaah, you are searching for one of the customers then”
As Samuel gave him a nod, Joshawa sighed theatrically. “I am afraid I cannot help you there. The customers are not to be disturbed, especially not when strangers ask for them”, he said. Samuel frowned, as his expression grew dark. “I am afraid this is not an acceptable answer”, he growled and to his horror, Jaron noticed that he put a hand onto his sleeve, right where he had hidden his knife. “Perhaps there is another agreement we can reach”
He was angry, that much was clear. However, Jaron was afraid that he would do something reckless now, with his brother being so close at last. He moved to intervene, to calm Samuel down a bit, before his eyes fell onto a second potential threat. He took a deep breath as he spotted Lanford, approaching the building as he walked across the square. The older man climbed the stairs, as Erik leaned in, to whisper something into his ear. Instantly, he narrowed his eyes and Jaron knew, he had to act quickly.
Nice, Jaron handled the situation with Farris very well, I'm proud of my bastard! A great part, which made me consider for the first time if Ryder truly has done what Samuel claims.... though I'm still leaning to yes, he has done it, and is just good at acting like a decent person. Not that different really from what Mullendore is/was doing. I am a bit concerned for the coming fight though. Usually I'd trust Samuel has got what it takes, but this is a very emotional matter for him, which takes away from his professionalism. Also, it really sounds like from Farris' words that Ryder is a hard one to kill.
[Calm Samuel down] Ah, tough choice, but I feel like we should still try to keep a low profile. If we start a fight now, it'll be hopeless to find Ryder in all the chaos... more likely he will find Jaron and Samuel, which is definitely not the best way to start the fight. Jaron managed to keep Samuel calm before, I'm positive he can do it again.
Jaron
Jaron took a deep breath, as he met Farris' glare firmly. He had made his choice. This was a better way and it was worth the risk. … more“My name is Jaron”, he introduced himself. “Ser Jaron, a hedge knight” He looked at his companion. Samuel frowned at his words and though he was not making any overly aggressive gestures, he reminded Jaron of a predator about to attack. “And this is Samuel Harrington”
Farris narrowed his eyes, instantly putting a hand onto the greatsword on his back, though he remained surprisingly calm. Jaron breathed out with relief as the feared confrontation did not happen immediately. There was a chance, he saw it now.
“So, the day has come at last”, Farris sighed. “Ryder has warned me you'd come” He took a step forwards and Jaron saw himself urged to get between the two, to make sure that they won't just attack each other immediately. “I was not afraid then and neither am I now”, the guard growled. “Tell me, w… [view original content]
[Calm Samuel down] If we are quick enough here, then maybe, just maybe, Lanford won't see Jaron. Also, let's save the killing for Ryder. This part was very... interesting, to say the least. It opened up a couple new possibilities about the Harrington family. Maybe it isn't Ryder after all! There is yet no proof that it is him though, so I'll still say it's him, but it's certainly interesting.
Also, is it stated where the Harrington family is from? If it has been, where was it? I forgot, if that's the case.
Jaron
Jaron took a deep breath, as he met Farris' glare firmly. He had made his choice. This was a better way and it was worth the risk. … more“My name is Jaron”, he introduced himself. “Ser Jaron, a hedge knight” He looked at his companion. Samuel frowned at his words and though he was not making any overly aggressive gestures, he reminded Jaron of a predator about to attack. “And this is Samuel Harrington”
Farris narrowed his eyes, instantly putting a hand onto the greatsword on his back, though he remained surprisingly calm. Jaron breathed out with relief as the feared confrontation did not happen immediately. There was a chance, he saw it now.
“So, the day has come at last”, Farris sighed. “Ryder has warned me you'd come” He took a step forwards and Jaron saw himself urged to get between the two, to make sure that they won't just attack each other immediately. “I was not afraid then and neither am I now”, the guard growled. “Tell me, w… [view original content]
A great part, which made me consider for the first time if Ryder truly has done what Samuel claims.... though I'm still leaning to yes, he has done it, and is just good at acting like a decent person. Not that different really from what Mullendore is/was doing.
It's certainly both a possibility here. A third one would be that both are right, that he did what Samuel accuses him of, but that he has also changed his ways for some reason and is now the good man Farris claims him to be. A lot of it is unsure for now, although meeting Ryder at last could provide more of an answer. After Mullendore though, I can understand that you are not willing to just trust him there
I am a bit concerned for the coming fight though. Usually I'd trust Samuel has got what it takes, but this is a very emotional matter for him, which takes away from his professionalism. Also, it really sounds like from Farris' words that Ryder is a hard one to kill.
Yeah, this concern is justified. Ryder has always been better than Samuel back in the day where they lived together. Samuel has of course trained heavily, but there is the chance that Ryder did the same. Farris certainly holds a lot of respect for him as a fighter. On top of that, Samuel is unusually emotional here, which might put him into danger of making a mistake. The presence of Jaron is very much needed here, that much is for sure.
Nice, Jaron handled the situation with Farris very well, I'm proud of my bastard! A great part, which made me consider for the first time i… moref Ryder truly has done what Samuel claims.... though I'm still leaning to yes, he has done it, and is just good at acting like a decent person. Not that different really from what Mullendore is/was doing. I am a bit concerned for the coming fight though. Usually I'd trust Samuel has got what it takes, but this is a very emotional matter for him, which takes away from his professionalism. Also, it really sounds like from Farris' words that Ryder is a hard one to kill.
[Calm Samuel down] Ah, tough choice, but I feel like we should still try to keep a low profile. If we start a fight now, it'll be hopeless to find Ryder in all the chaos... more likely he will find Jaron and Samuel, which is definitely not the best way to start the fight. Jaron managed to keep Samuel calm before, I'm positive he can do it again.
Also, is it stated where the Harrington family is from? If it has been, where was it? I forgot, if that's the case.
They come from the North, though no particular part of it has been stated. That is a detail I'd leave up to @Nightshroud18, if he wishes to come up with something
[Calm Samuel down] If we are quick enough here, then maybe, just maybe, Lanford won't see Jaron. Also, let's save the killing for Ryder. Thi… mores part was very... interesting, to say the least. It opened up a couple new possibilities about the Harrington family. Maybe it isn't Ryder after all! There is yet no proof that it is him though, so I'll still say it's him, but it's certainly interesting.
Also, is it stated where the Harrington family is from? If it has been, where was it? I forgot, if that's the case.
[Calm Samuel down] Let's avoid to obtain unnecessary attention that can only make the mission harder to accomplish
RT:
While I'm happy that Jaron succeed to obtain the information that he need it seems weird to me that Farris just let him and Samuel go,expecially because it seems that he give more value to the world of the mercenary that want to kill his friend instead of his own friend world.Oh well,I suppose that however we won't have to wait too much time before see him again (expecially because he give Samuel and Jaron only half an hour of "freedom").
I'm really curious to hear of Ryler PoV about what happened that make him kill all his family and to discover if he is a killer masked as a good city guard or a man that really change his way of life
I'm honestly surprised that you show The Thousands shades of Flowers for the first time during this mission (while I expected the first apparition of the building in the next book)!I obviously really enjoy your decision!
I really forget of Jaron's mother profession
It seems that Erik has a really bad start for his new job (not manage to take all the hidden weapons that Samuel wear)!Luckly it seems that he understand that maybe something is wrong
And the new character of the day is Joshawa!I can't obviously say too much about him but I obviously enjoy read of his introduction inside this part
Jaron
Jaron took a deep breath, as he met Farris' glare firmly. He had made his choice. This was a better way and it was worth the risk. … more“My name is Jaron”, he introduced himself. “Ser Jaron, a hedge knight” He looked at his companion. Samuel frowned at his words and though he was not making any overly aggressive gestures, he reminded Jaron of a predator about to attack. “And this is Samuel Harrington”
Farris narrowed his eyes, instantly putting a hand onto the greatsword on his back, though he remained surprisingly calm. Jaron breathed out with relief as the feared confrontation did not happen immediately. There was a chance, he saw it now.
“So, the day has come at last”, Farris sighed. “Ryder has warned me you'd come” He took a step forwards and Jaron saw himself urged to get between the two, to make sure that they won't just attack each other immediately. “I was not afraid then and neither am I now”, the guard growled. “Tell me, w… [view original content]
Hmm an interesting question. Back when I created the Harrington brothers, my information on Game of Thrones was really limited since I just got into the series and eventually the books.
But now, I think the most suitable location where they originate from has to be Torrhen's Square, South of the wolfswood. Hope it's fine! I'll vote later when I get the chance to right freely.
Also, is it stated where the Harrington family is from? If it has been, where was it? I forgot, if that's the case.
They come from t… morehe North, though no particular part of it has been stated. That is a detail I'd leave up to @Nightshroud18, if he wishes to come up with something
Jaron
Jaron took a deep breath, as he met Farris' glare firmly. He had made his choice. This was a better way and it was worth the risk. … more“My name is Jaron”, he introduced himself. “Ser Jaron, a hedge knight” He looked at his companion. Samuel frowned at his words and though he was not making any overly aggressive gestures, he reminded Jaron of a predator about to attack. “And this is Samuel Harrington”
Farris narrowed his eyes, instantly putting a hand onto the greatsword on his back, though he remained surprisingly calm. Jaron breathed out with relief as the feared confrontation did not happen immediately. There was a chance, he saw it now.
“So, the day has come at last”, Farris sighed. “Ryder has warned me you'd come” He took a step forwards and Jaron saw himself urged to get between the two, to make sure that they won't just attack each other immediately. “I was not afraid then and neither am I now”, the guard growled. “Tell me, w… [view original content]
Awesome Part. Well this is quite a mess isn't it? Though I'm happy the Farris situation could be solved without violence.
Now, he had caught Farris off guard.“He rarely speaks about the past”, he said.“I know what I have to know” He glared at Samuel. “But tell me your version”
“Think?”, Samuel spat.
You know I hate to point this out but I think there's a bit of dialogue missing here missing here.
Mulledore's in critical condition? But last time he was arguing with Orys. Did I miss something?
Ok priorities people. [Calm Samuel down]. No one can possibly manage to successfully distract them from Samuels violent, in the open murder of the guy.
Jaron
Jaron took a deep breath, as he met Farris' glare firmly. He had made his choice. This was a better way and it was worth the risk. … more“My name is Jaron”, he introduced himself. “Ser Jaron, a hedge knight” He looked at his companion. Samuel frowned at his words and though he was not making any overly aggressive gestures, he reminded Jaron of a predator about to attack. “And this is Samuel Harrington”
Farris narrowed his eyes, instantly putting a hand onto the greatsword on his back, though he remained surprisingly calm. Jaron breathed out with relief as the feared confrontation did not happen immediately. There was a chance, he saw it now.
“So, the day has come at last”, Farris sighed. “Ryder has warned me you'd come” He took a step forwards and Jaron saw himself urged to get between the two, to make sure that they won't just attack each other immediately. “I was not afraid then and neither am I now”, the guard growled. “Tell me, w… [view original content]
You know I hate to point this out but I think there's a bit of dialogue missing here missing here.
I think it's just kinda a minor typo. Farris was just probably gonna say something like 'Tell me what you think your version is'. Or "Tell me your version, what you think." Probably.
And I also think that the city guard is just informed that Mullendore is in critical condition they probably don't know anything else. They probably don't know that he has left Oldtown even.
Awesome Part. Well this is quite a mess isn't it? Though I'm happy the Farris situation could be solved without violence.
Now, he had ca… moreught Farris off guard. “He rarely speaks about the past”, he said. “I know what I have to know” He glared at Samuel. “But tell me your version”
“Think?”, Samuel spat.
You know I hate to point this out but I think there's a bit of dialogue missing here missing here.
Mulledore's in critical condition? But last time he was arguing with Orys. Did I miss something?
Ok priorities people. [Calm Samuel down]. No one can possibly manage to successfully distract them from Samuels violent, in the open murder of the guy.
I think it's just kinda a minor typo. Farris was just probably gonna say something like 'Tell me what you think your version is'. Or "Tell me your version, what you think." Probably.
Yeah I agree. It just kinda stands out because its one of the few times it happens in FOT since Liquid is so good at writing parts. I just wanted to point it out so he can fix it.
And I also think that the city guard is just informed that Mullendore is in critical condition they probably don't know anything else. They probably don't know that he has left Oldtown even.
You are probably right, which makes it hilarious to think of what the heck they say if they ever found out all the things he's done.
You know I hate to point this out but I think there's a bit of dialogue missing here missing here.
I think it's just kinda a minor t… moreypo. Farris was just probably gonna say something like 'Tell me what you think your version is'. Or "Tell me your version, what you think." Probably.
And I also think that the city guard is just informed that Mullendore is in critical condition they probably don't know anything else. They probably don't know that he has left Oldtown even.
While I'm happy that Jaron succeed to obtain the information that he need it seems weird to me that Farris just let him and Samuel go,expecially because it seems that he give more value to the world of the mercenary that want to kill his friend instead of his own friend world.Oh well,I suppose that however we won't have to wait too much time before see him again (expecially because he give Samuel and Jaron only half an hour of "freedom").
Hm, well, Farris' justification is that by doing so, he will avoid the other guardsmen to be targeted by Samuel. He is also pretty confident that Ryder can take him, so he sees it as better to force the confrontation instead of being yet another obstacle. If he is right with his assumption is hard to tell, but he has good reason to put so much faith into Ryder. Then again, he didn't exactly seem to take Samuel as a threat all that seriously, or else he would have likely reacted differently.
I'm really curious to hear of Ryler PoV about what happened that make him kill all his family and to discover if he is a killer masked as a good city guard or a man that really change his way of life
There is an interesting story behind this indeed. You may remember him from Lucas' Chapter 4 parts, during which he appeared as a perfectly affable man. Mullendore even said to Lucas that he has absolute trust that Ryder is an honest guardsman and not working for Butterfly (I wonder how he could know that). So, his actions in the story have been far from villainous. However, there is the chance that he is merely faking it, that he is now putting on a nice guy persona. The truth will be seen in the near future.
I'm honestly surprised that you show The Thousands shades of Flowers for the first time during this mission (while I expected the first apparition of the building in the next book)!I obviously really enjoy your decision!
Hehe, I thought this might be a surprise for you In fact though, this has been my plan from the very beginning, to have the Thousand Shades of Flowers as the location for the climax of Jaron's Book 1 storyline. Hishi him/herself won't be introduced until Book 2, but the building is going to play a prominent role in the remaining two Jaron parts for this chapter.
I really forget of Jaron's mother profession
Well, it wasn't that big of a detail when it has first been mentioned and likely won't become a central plot point anytime soon, but it is still a detail I wanted to bring up again here. Since it had a big role in the way Jaron was conceived and in the way he was raised in his childhood, it is also arguably an important detail for him as a character, so it does hold its relevance.
It seems that Erik has a really bad start for his new job (not manage to take all the hidden weapons that Samuel wear)!Luckly it seems that he understand that maybe something is wrong
Hehe, that is true. Erik doesn't have it easy in general lately. He loses his nice job for the Burned Man, gets cheated out of immediate payment and the girl that wants to pay him is abucted by slavers before she can even think of making good on her promise. And while he has a new job, he makes the mistake of allowing one of the most dangerous men in the city entrance into the building without taking away all of his weapons. But it's Samuel we're talking about here, that could have happened to anyone.
And the new character of the day is Joshawa!I can't obviously say too much about him but I obviously enjoy read of his introduction inside this part
Ah, that is another scene I had planned from the moment you introduced these characters. Ever since I decided that my planned introduction scene for Hishi in Book 2 is too good to introduce them in Book 2, I knew that I wanted Joshawa as the guy to greet Samuel and Jaron here. And, that much I can say, he is not going to remain the only of your characters to be intrdduced in this chapter
[Calm Samuel down] Let's avoid to obtain unnecessary attention that can only make the mission harder to accomplish
RT:
* While I'm h… moreappy that Jaron succeed to obtain the information that he need it seems weird to me that Farris just let him and Samuel go,expecially because it seems that he give more value to the world of the mercenary that want to kill his friend instead of his own friend world.Oh well,I suppose that however we won't have to wait too much time before see him again (expecially because he give Samuel and Jaron only half an hour of "freedom").
* I'm really curious to hear of Ryler PoV about what happened that make him kill all his family and to discover if he is a killer masked as a good city guard or a man that really change his way of life
* I'm honestly surprised that you show The Thousands shades of Flowers for the first time during this mission (while I expected the first apparition of the building in the next boo… [view original content]
You know I hate to point this out but I think there's a bit of dialogue missing here missing here.
Actually, you are right, there is something missing here. The problem is, the posts in this forum have a length limit of about 19700 letters, maybe 19800, but certainly less than 20000. You noticed that with your newest Multiverse part, more than once. I don't want to mak a second part for 300-500 letters, so I usually either expand the second part to a full-length part, or I cut some unnecessary stuff down. Occasionally, this is a problem, but sometimes it is for the better, by removing clunky sentences and generally making the dialogue feel shorter and more lifelike. That is what happened here. Originally, Farris had a second sentence after this one, it was something along the lines of "But tell me your version. I want to know what you think has happened", to which Samuel had this angry reaction. I cut down Farris' line, but did not realize that this meant that I have to change Samuel's line as well.
Mulledore's in critical condition? But last tim he was arguing with Orys. Did I miss something?
No, you didn't miss anything. The problem is that Mullendore has left the city in secret and in a hurry. The last thing Farris knows is that he was grievously wounded and is treated for by a skilled healer, but nobody in the guard knows more, leaving them basically leaderless at this point. With Mullendore's reputation in the city at risk, due to the growing rumour that he is Butterfly, he thought it is better to leave without risking to be stopped by anyone.
Awesome Part. Well this is quite a mess isn't it? Though I'm happy the Farris situation could be solved without violence.
Now, he had ca… moreught Farris off guard. “He rarely speaks about the past”, he said. “I know what I have to know” He glared at Samuel. “But tell me your version”
“Think?”, Samuel spat.
You know I hate to point this out but I think there's a bit of dialogue missing here missing here.
Mulledore's in critical condition? But last time he was arguing with Orys. Did I miss something?
Ok priorities people. [Calm Samuel down]. No one can possibly manage to successfully distract them from Samuels violent, in the open murder of the guy.
Hmm an interesting question. Back when I created the Harrington brothers, my information on Game of Thrones was really limited since I just … moregot into the series and eventually the books.
But now, I think the most suitable location where they originate from has to be Torrhen's Square, South of the wolfswood. Hope it's fine! I'll vote later when I get the chance to right freely.
Hm, I have never been all that big into anime. I watched some of the mainstream essentials when I was a child. Pokemon, Digimon, Yu-Gi-Oh and One Piece, with a little bit of the very early Naruto episodes. And Beyblade. Beyblade was the shit in my day NightShroud's comment seems to hint at Naruto, which I unfortunately haven't watched even nearly enough of to spot the similarities you have seen.
[Calm Samuel down] I really enjoyed this part. I think it convied a lot of helpful dialogue and exposed some interesting questions. I didn't think Jaron would be able to defuse the situation with Farris, but it worked for the better. Samuel is getting a little too anxious for his quest, Jaron needs to contain him before it escalates and things get out of hand.
Jaron
Jaron took a deep breath, as he met Farris' glare firmly. He had made his choice. This was a better way and it was worth the risk. … more“My name is Jaron”, he introduced himself. “Ser Jaron, a hedge knight” He looked at his companion. Samuel frowned at his words and though he was not making any overly aggressive gestures, he reminded Jaron of a predator about to attack. “And this is Samuel Harrington”
Farris narrowed his eyes, instantly putting a hand onto the greatsword on his back, though he remained surprisingly calm. Jaron breathed out with relief as the feared confrontation did not happen immediately. There was a chance, he saw it now.
“So, the day has come at last”, Farris sighed. “Ryder has warned me you'd come” He took a step forwards and Jaron saw himself urged to get between the two, to make sure that they won't just attack each other immediately. “I was not afraid then and neither am I now”, the guard growled. “Tell me, w… [view original content]
Jaron
Jaron took a deep breath, as he met Farris' glare firmly. He had made his choice. This was a better way and it was worth the risk. … more“My name is Jaron”, he introduced himself. “Ser Jaron, a hedge knight” He looked at his companion. Samuel frowned at his words and though he was not making any overly aggressive gestures, he reminded Jaron of a predator about to attack. “And this is Samuel Harrington”
Farris narrowed his eyes, instantly putting a hand onto the greatsword on his back, though he remained surprisingly calm. Jaron breathed out with relief as the feared confrontation did not happen immediately. There was a chance, he saw it now.
“So, the day has come at last”, Farris sighed. “Ryder has warned me you'd come” He took a step forwards and Jaron saw himself urged to get between the two, to make sure that they won't just attack each other immediately. “I was not afraid then and neither am I now”, the guard growled. “Tell me, w… [view original content]
Jaron
Jaron took a deep breath, as he met Farris' glare firmly. He had made his choice. This was a better way and it was worth the risk. … more“My name is Jaron”, he introduced himself. “Ser Jaron, a hedge knight” He looked at his companion. Samuel frowned at his words and though he was not making any overly aggressive gestures, he reminded Jaron of a predator about to attack. “And this is Samuel Harrington”
Farris narrowed his eyes, instantly putting a hand onto the greatsword on his back, though he remained surprisingly calm. Jaron breathed out with relief as the feared confrontation did not happen immediately. There was a chance, he saw it now.
“So, the day has come at last”, Farris sighed. “Ryder has warned me you'd come” He took a step forwards and Jaron saw himself urged to get between the two, to make sure that they won't just attack each other immediately. “I was not afraid then and neither am I now”, the guard growled. “Tell me, w… [view original content]
[Distract Lanford and Erik] Hopefully Samuel is simply threatening the man and he'll comply. Erik and Lanford seem to be the real problem that could cause complications.
As to Farris' words I think what he says is important but he's wrong. I think Ryder probably did do it but feels guilty, like Jaron said "people change" sometimes it's in a good way.
Jaron
Jaron took a deep breath, as he met Farris' glare firmly. He had made his choice. This was a better way and it was worth the risk. … more“My name is Jaron”, he introduced himself. “Ser Jaron, a hedge knight” He looked at his companion. Samuel frowned at his words and though he was not making any overly aggressive gestures, he reminded Jaron of a predator about to attack. “And this is Samuel Harrington”
Farris narrowed his eyes, instantly putting a hand onto the greatsword on his back, though he remained surprisingly calm. Jaron breathed out with relief as the feared confrontation did not happen immediately. There was a chance, he saw it now.
“So, the day has come at last”, Farris sighed. “Ryder has warned me you'd come” He took a step forwards and Jaron saw himself urged to get between the two, to make sure that they won't just attack each other immediately. “I was not afraid then and neither am I now”, the guard growled. “Tell me, w… [view original content]
Well, not exactly. Originally when I created them, I was very inspired by the Uchiha brothers from the anime. However, I saw potential in growth here. Me and Liquid went into discussions about how they will develop and eventually add more backstory. I didn't want the Harrington brothers to feel just copy/paste characters, so I added my own touch towards them and changed some details along the way. The rest is all up to Liquid, since he's deciding the story as the choices are being chosen, so I have no idea where this will end up, but I'm really digging it. Hope you are too!
Oh yeah, I love it! Samuel's my favorite character in Jaron's storyline, which I guess kinda makes sense since Sasuke was my favorite in the Naruto series.
Well, not exactly. Originally when I created them, I was very inspired by the Uchiha brothers from the anime. However, I saw potential in gr… moreowth here. Me and Liquid went into discussions about how they will develop and eventually add more backstory. I didn't want the Harrington brothers to feel just copy/paste characters, so I added my own touch towards them and changed some details along the way. The rest is all up to Liquid, since he's deciding the story as the choices are being chosen, so I have no idea where this will end up, but I'm really digging it. Hope you are too!
Jaron
Jaron took a deep breath, as he met Farris' glare firmly. He had made his choice. This was a better way and it was worth the risk. … more“My name is Jaron”, he introduced himself. “Ser Jaron, a hedge knight” He looked at his companion. Samuel frowned at his words and though he was not making any overly aggressive gestures, he reminded Jaron of a predator about to attack. “And this is Samuel Harrington”
Farris narrowed his eyes, instantly putting a hand onto the greatsword on his back, though he remained surprisingly calm. Jaron breathed out with relief as the feared confrontation did not happen immediately. There was a chance, he saw it now.
“So, the day has come at last”, Farris sighed. “Ryder has warned me you'd come” He took a step forwards and Jaron saw himself urged to get between the two, to make sure that they won't just attack each other immediately. “I was not afraid then and neither am I now”, the guard growled. “Tell me, w… [view original content]
As to Farris' words I think what he says is important but he's wrong. I think Ryder probably did do it but feels guilty, like Jaron said "people change" sometimes it's in a good way.
Indeed, this is yet another possibility, which would make both men be right with their assumptions. Samuel's belief that Ryder killed his family doesn't come from nowhere, while Farris has reason to believe that Ryder is a good person now. If both are correct, this would mean that he more than likely feels guilty for his actions and that this convinced him to change his ways. Jaron certainly wants to believe this, as the example of a multiple kinslayer able to express regret for his actions and actively working for something good for years now gives him hope for himself and Harpy to atone for the things they did in Oldtown. Obviously, I cannot yet say which interpretation of this is right (beyond the fact that I greatly enjoy all of them), but it is something I cannot wait to tell you more about when the time has come.
[Distract Lanford and Erik] Hopefully Samuel is simply threatening the man and he'll comply. Erik and Lanford seem to be the real problem th… moreat could cause complications.
As to Farris' words I think what he says is important but he's wrong. I think Ryder probably did do it but feels guilty, like Jaron said "people change" sometimes it's in a good way.
Comments
[Refuse to answer]
If he doesn't know, Aylard can still one day be a somewhat functioning human being. But if we tell him, he'll be off the deep end forever. This is the kinder and in my opinion the correct options, honesty is not always the best policy.
[Tell Aylard the full truth]
Goooooood. Let the hate flow through you.
[Tell Aylard the full truth]
[Tell Aylard the full truth]
[Tell Aylard the full truth]
[Tell Aylard the full truth]
[Tell Aylard the full truth]
Hm, I can understand what you mean, surely. This is something that always annoys me as well
Though it should be noted, this is Lucas' way of discouraging Aylard from asking this question. He very much does not wish to speak about it, so he tries to evade the question far longer than necessary. It was not necessarily meant to feel dragged out, but I wanted to show his reluctance to answer here.
[Spare him the details]
This way, he gets what he wants but not in full detail. Seems good enough.
Hm. John's presence here may have been a good thing, unfortunately he isn't so you know, bad.
The Voting is closed!
Lucas is going to tell Aylard the full truth
Well, this is certainly going to take a toll on Aylard. He knows the basics, that Lunett was brutally murdered by Mullendore, but he asked for details and now, Lucas will provide them. Safe to say, the guy does not know what he is getting into there. I am not entirely sure if I am able to show the conversation between the two due to the pacing of Lucas' next parts and Aylard's role I have planned, but you should certainly see the aftermath. This was an important choice for Aylard's character, but it will affect things beyond that, as you can probably imagine.
As I announced earlier, I will try to put out this new part earlier than usual, which is why I close the voting roughly a day earlier. I am, however, not entirely sure if I will manage to finish it today, but if not, it will be out very early tomorrow, with another part possibly out early on Monday. It is unfortunately still not sure if I will be on my short trip next week, but putting out another part now is a good thing regardless of wether or not there will be new ones next week. But well, I shall try my best to finish writing as quickly as possible. I am super hyped to write it and especially motivated after the first thing I saw on Youtube today is a new, freshly released Rise Against song and one of the best in ages on top of that. It seems I have found the song I will listen to on repeat for the entirety of the writing session
As for this next part, it will be a Jaron part. It seems Jaron is the only PoV whom I manage to give a good pacing in this chapter, but that is only natural, considering that he has one of the longer and easier to plan storylines, being currently not reliant on developments in other storylines, such as most of the Raylansfair cast unfortunately are. Ah, I cannot wait to separate most of them in Book 2, this will make things so much easier 
Anyways, last time we saw Jaron, he said his goodbyes to Harpy (and we all know what happened next there 
), before starting his mission with Samuel, to locate Ryder Harrington. For this, they found out about one of Ryder's friends, the guardsman Farris Flowers, whom they approached. On Jaron's insistance, they tried a less violent way for once and instead of getting into a fight with him, they started a talk. Farris pretty early on demanded their names and Jaron decided to reveal their real names there, despite the risk this poses, figuring that it would be the best way to get him to cooperate. We'll see how this one goes pretty soon, so stay tuned.
I was also informed that there is going to be a new portrait before that. I don't know which character it shows, but I am surely excited to find out!
Alright, like Liquid said I have a new portrait for you! Well, actually I have two portraits: Ser Orys Baratheon and King Argilac Durrandon
Ho-ly shit. Theese. Are. Amazing. I think I love Argilac more, and it makes ne very hyped for his return. Orys is fantastic more.
Side-note. Thanks for notifying with that theead of yours about the new promo-pics. I fucking love the Hound one, as you may notice.
God these are beautiful!!! I really don't know what it is about your close ups but they look so amazing and highly detailed and I just want to stare at them for a long, long time.
Amazing work Wildling. Do the universe a favor and never stop being passionate about these
.
Oh man, I love these! When you told me that the newest Drent part inspired you for a portrait, I sort of expected Orys and sure thing, he is amazing. Argilac was an unexpected addition, but this makes him all the more enjoyable. Man, I cannot wait to write more stuff for that guy. Book 2 is going to be a good one for him, I hope. For Orys as well
Anyways, the portraits are always the best and these are two of my favourite portraits for two of my favourite characters. Your earlier drawings of them have already been nice, but these are just the best. One thing I like in particular about Orys is that background. He might not look like a Targaryen at all, but I like how you still managed to include the colours. And Argilac, oh man, quite probably my favourite portrait so far, or at least one of my favourites. I kind of like their similarities in terms of looks as well. Both of them are brilliant and I cannot praise them enough. Thank you for drawing!
And now I really need to get to finish that part, after having a lot less time yesterday than I thought
Jaron
Jaron took a deep breath, as he met Farris' glare firmly. He had made his choice. This was a better way and it was worth the risk. “My name is Jaron”, he introduced himself. “Ser Jaron, a hedge knight” He looked at his companion. Samuel frowned at his words and though he was not making any overly aggressive gestures, he reminded Jaron of a predator about to attack. “And this is Samuel Harrington”
Farris narrowed his eyes, instantly putting a hand onto the greatsword on his back, though he remained surprisingly calm. Jaron breathed out with relief as the feared confrontation did not happen immediately. There was a chance, he saw it now.
“So, the day has come at last”, Farris sighed. “Ryder has warned me you'd come” He took a step forwards and Jaron saw himself urged to get between the two, to make sure that they won't just attack each other immediately. “I was not afraid then and neither am I now”, the guard growled. “Tell me, why have you come?”
“I want answers”, Samuel spoke up, his voice showing an unusual and unsettling amount of emotion. “I want to know where I can find my brother” Farris narrowed his eyes. “And what would you do once you find him?”, he asked. To this Samuel crossed his arms. “I am going to kill him”, he declared nonchalantly.
The guardsman snarled as his lips formed a sneer. “Then you have to beat the information out of me”, he spat. “And one thing I can promise, I will not talk. Not to the likes of you” Before both men could draw their weapons, Jaron spread his arms. “Hold it!”, he yelled. “This does not have to end in violence”
“You had your chance, Jaron”, Samuel replied. “This was a waste of time. We do it my way now” Jaron quickly shook his head. “No”, he answered. “I will not stand for this! No matter what your brother did, this man had no part in Ryder's crimes!” He turned to Farris. “And you... you are ready to die instead of talking, but what would this achieve?”
Farris tilted his head, though remained silent, as Jaron continued. “Sure, you would stop us for a moment, but you cannot win against both of us”, he explained. “And then, Samuel will continue. Another dead guard and another one, until finally someone decides to speak. How many men have to die until then?”
The guard captain raised an eyebrow and remained ready to attack. “And you call yourself a knight?”, he spat. “That you conspire with him? That you threaten me?” Jaron shook his head. “I am not threatening you”, he clarified. “And I am a knight. Otherwise we would have done things his way”
“And what is your way?”, Farris asked. “We talk”, Jaron replied. “You are Ryder's friend. But do you know what he did to earn Samuel's hatred?” Now, he had caught Farris off guard. “He rarely speaks about the past”, he said. “I know what I have to know” He glared at Samuel. “But tell me your version”
“Think?”, Samuel spat. “I know. I saw them! Saw what he did. My mother. My father. My siblings. Massacred by him!” His breaths became faster, his eyes narrowed and now he had put a hand onto the hilt of his sword.
As much as Samuel was looking closer to a fight now, Farris actually had a surprised look on his face. “That is what you think?”, he said and sighed. “This explains why you're after him for so long” He sighed and Jaron spoke up. “He didn't tell you?”, he said and Farris clenched his fists, moving the hands away from his greatsword.
“He told me all I have to know”, he said and shook his head. “Not this though” Reluctantly, he looked at Samuel, this time not in an aggressive way. “He told me never to speak to you. Urged me not to share what I know”, he explained. “I won't break his trust on this end”
Samuel frowned. “Then we will fight”, he stated coldly. To Jaron's surprise, Farris shook his head. “Your so-called knight is right”, he said. “Bloody hell, he is right” He sighed. “I don't know what Ryder has done, how much of this is true. But I know that he wants you to find him”
This time, Samuel's glare got a confused streak. “He does?”, he asked, his voice shivering and for the first time, it was not entirely aggressive. Farris gave him a nod. “This much I know. Ryder is well aware of the fact that you are hunting for him and that you get closer with each day. He is prepared for it”
“I doubt he is”, Samuel snarled and Farris smirked smugly. “You underestimate your brother, Fang”, he said. “The only reason I myself am telling you this is because I want this to end. He is going to cut you down, so approach him at your peril”
Samuel clenched his teeth, as he narrowed his eyes. “Where is he?”, he uttered and Farris finally gave in. “Do you know the Thousand Shades of Flowers?”, he said. “The brothel”, Samuel replied and Farris gave him a nod. “It is far more than a mere brothel, but yes, I see you are familiar with it”, he answered. “Your brother is currently there. Has a thing for one of the girls, as far as I know”
“My brother and a whore...”, Samuel muttered. “It seems a lot of things have changed when it comes to him” His glare remained. “How can I know you are not leading me into a trap?” Farris shrugged. “You don't”, he stated. “But you won't get another answer from me. Ryder wants to face you, so I am not helping you, I am helping him. You've become strong, but not strong enough to take him down”
“I'll see about that”, Samuel said, as he turned around. “You can keep your life. But don't get in my way when I face Ryder” He started to walk down the alleyway, before Farris' call cut him off. “Your brother is not a bad man”, he said and the sellsword glared over his shoulder. “Whatever he did in the past, he is one of the few good men in this city”
When Samuel did not answer, the guard turned to Jaron. “I know, it's hard to believe with only Samuel's side of the story, but Ryder is a hero. He saved my life and many others countless times”, he explained. “Without him, this city will be for the worse. Now that Commander Mullendore is in a critical condition, he might even be the last person that keeps everything together. Think about that before you make your move, Ser”
“You don't think he did it?”, Jaron asked. “To their family, I mean” Without even hesitating, Farris shook his head. “Ryder rarely speaks about his past. There is something in his eyes, a grief so terrible that I don't dare to ask”, he answered. “Whatever it is, I doubt he has murdered his family. The man I know would never do that”
“People change”, Jaron said. Farris nodded. “Aye, but that much? I doubt anyone can come back from such a thing”, he answered. “Besides, would it matter? Ryder is a good man now, I can testify for that. Is revenge reason enough to cut down a good man? Does it justify what your friend is trying to do?”
Jaron sighed, before he shook his head. “I don't know what to think here”, he said. “This is Samuel's fight. It means nothing to me. I am just here to pay off my debt to him. And you should have thought about Ryder's life before you revealed his position”
“I don't worry for Ryder's life”, Farris answered. “Otherwise, I wouldn't have told you. I would have fought you tooth and nails if I would be convinced that you two are any threat to him. The way he wields a blade... I have never seen a man with such skill” He narrowed his eyes. “I am concerned because he could kill his younger brother today. Maybe Samuel won't leave him a choice”
“And you want me to stop him? I cannot do that”, Jaron replied. Farris sighed. “Not stopping him. But convincing him to talk, like you did with me. Not everything has to end in violence”, he answered. This caused Jaron to frown. “I fear there are no other options here”, he said, a weak defence an he knew it. Farris shook his head. “If you would truly believe that, one of us would be dead by now”, he growled. “Go on then, do what you have to. But remember my words. Samuel is out to spill the blood of a good man”
His words caused concern to rise in Jaron. It was something he was only reluctant to admit, but if Farris was right, if Ryder was truly a good man, then this was wrong. And he had seen the anger in Samuel's eyes. It was the same anger he had seen before. Harpy had this look, when they confronted Butterfly and later, when she faced Mullendore. It was the sort of anger that led to mistakes. To tragedy and nothing more.
But he didn't know what to think. Samuel's side of the story, it contradicted with Farris'. And the guard knew Ryder better than anyone else. Certainly better than Samuel, who hadn't even seen him for years. Whatever happened so long ago, there was one thing he knew. People could change. He had to believe in this if he wanted to have any chance for himself and for Harpy.
“I will remember them”, he promised, before he turned around to follow Samuel, who had slowly begun to leave the alleyway. However, Farris grabbed his arm, the wounded one, hard enough to cause him to gasp in pain. “Remember this”, he growled in a low voice. “I gave you and Samuel a chance to end this peacefully. But I have a duty to my friend. You get half an hour, then I will follow, and I will take loyal men with me. I leave it up to you to decide what I will find there”
He let go of Jaron, who staggered for a few steps, before turning around to answer. However, Farris had already turned to the other end of the alleyway, where he continued his patrol. Frowning and breathing heavily, Jaron quickly hurried after Samuel, his arm thumping with soft pain.
Samuel was waiting for him at the harbour basin, where he looked across the bay, to the Hightower. He gave him a silent nod, though he noticed the odd way Jaron was clenching his arm. “Are you okay?”, he asked and Jaron raised an eyebrow. “Are you concerned?”, he replied and Samuel chuckled dryly. “For an asset in the coming fight”, he stated. “Yeah, I am. Will you be able to help me once things go sour?”
“Do you have to fight?”, Jaron asked and Samuel gave him a grim nod. “Your method back there worked, I admit it”, he said, not without appreciation. “You were right, I was wrong. But this time? There is no way around a fight. My brother ruined my life, my family. He has to die”
Silently, they continued to walk down the street, with Samuel leading the way. “Are you certain it was him?”, Jaron asked. Samuel did not answer, at least not immediately. They dived into the mass of people, Tyroshi with dyed hair, perfumed women from Pentos, a fat Lorathi who praised his goods with a thick accent. A bald Summer Islander glared at Samuel and Jaron as they walked past him, something that caused Jaron to uncomfortably shift his attention to the sellsword walking in front of him.
“Samuel?”, he asked again and now, the man sighed, as he led them away from the main street and into a smaller, more quiet side street. “I am certain”, he assured him. “And whatever redemption bullshit Farris told you about, I don't buy it. And I won't have it. Ryder must pay for what he did, period”
His tone made it clear to Jaron that this was nothing he would discuss right now and nothing he should further bring up for the time being. With a heavy heart, he chose to remain silent, as Samuel led him through smaller side street, away from the harbour and into the better regions of Oldtown. Eventually, the two men entered a larger square and there, Jaron lay eyes on the building.
The Thousand Shades of Flowers was the largest brothel he had ever seen. The one his mother had worked in was barely a shack, especially compared to this. Even the Burned Man's mansion had been smaller. The building was outright dwarfing the surrounding mansions. White marble walls, high columns, countless windows, a large, open door, it was a gorgeous display of architecture.
“There we are”, Samuel said and Jaron momentarily averted his eyes from the building. “Is there anything we have to pay attention to when we're in there?”, he asked and Samuel nodded. “The Thorns”, he said. “Hishi's private guards. Even Butterfly had respect for them”
“I remember Lanford mentioning them”, Jaron said, as they made their way across the square. “I think I got along with him. Maybe that could help us?” Samuel shook his head. “Quite the contrary, I am afraid”, he replied. “Lanford knows both of us now. If he spots us, he will know what we're up to”
“So, we should avoid him”, Jaron concluded. “Are there other men we should look out for” Samuel nodded and pointed at the entrance. Jaron narrowed his eyes as he saw the guard standing there, leaning against the wall. “Your friend Erik”, he growled. “Seems like he got his job. You know, it might be better to keep your distance, considering how much money you cheated him out”
“I did not cheat him”, Jaron stated. “Harpy negotiated with him and I believe that she wishes to pay him still” A slight grin formed on his face. “But you are concerned, are you not?” Samuel sighed. “Maybe”, he admitted. “You got your girl, depending on you an everything. You have a home to go to. I need your help, but I don't want your blood on my hands” He glanced at him. “Just don't get yourself killed in there”
“I won't”, Jaron said, as the two walked up the stairs into the shadow beneath the columns, where Erik was standing. The man raised his eyebrows as he saw them coming. Another man was with him, leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the door. They both straightened their backs as Jaron and Samuel approached.
“You two again”, Erik said, clearly not thrilled by their presence. “You're up to get a whore after the troubles of today, or maybe two?” He grinned smugly. “I doubt your girl is all too happy about this” Jaron sighed, but it was Samuel who spoke. “I see you have a new job”, he said.
Proudly, Erik gave him a nod. “Just started my first shift”, he said. “Whereas you just lost your job” He and the other man exchanged a glance. “But everyone is welcome here. No questions asked. Just hand over your weapons and have a good time in there”
Samuel gave Jaron a nod, before he removed the scabbard that held his sword. He handed it to Erik, who carefully put it into a large box. The other man approached Jaron, who handed him his sword without a word. However, this did not suffice for the man. He put a hand onto Jaron's belt and heavily patted him against the back and the sides, frisking him for any hidden weapons, without finding a thing.
Erik raised an eyebrow, before he went to do the same to Samuel, who allowed it without a word. After a second, Erik's eyes widened and he pulled a dagger out of Samuel's clothes, for which he gave the sellsword a glare. “You wanted to smuggle this in here?”, he growled and Samuel shook his head. “I forgot it for a moment”, he lied.
To this, Erik rolled his eyes. “This is a well-paying job and I like it”, he said, as he put the dagger to the sword. “Don't you dare ruining this for me” He continued to frisk Samuel, without finding anything. Satisfied, he gave the other man a nod, who made a handwave into the direction of the open door. “You can go in”, he said calmly. “Behave in there, respect the workers and we won't get into any trouble”
“Do not worry”, Samuel assured him, as he and Jaron entered the building. The foyer of the building was as lavish as the exterior. Red carpets, embroidered with gold, covered the floor, the walls showing colourful tapestries, which depicted battles of old, historical details Jaron knew little about, but also mixing the violence with graphic displays of intercourse. Men and women were in the room, some scantily clad, others in full clothing, as they made their way through the room and towards one of three large doors without paying any attention to the newcomers. The air was warm, but not sticky, and the heavy smell of a thousand perfumes gave it an odd, yet not unpleasant scent, reminding Jaron of nothing more than a walk through a field of flowers in summer.
“Have you been here before?”, he asked and Samuel gave him a nod. “Not as a customer though”, he said. “It was a matter of business. Had to kill a man, though back then I knew which room he was located in. So I sneaked into the building at night and cut his throat with a knife”
“This time you don't have a knife”, Jaron said. “I doubt this means you have reconsidered Farris' words?” With a grin, Samuel shook his head. He put a hand onto the sleeve of his left forearm. “Who says I don't have a knife?”, he spoke. “Erik is good, I give him that much, but I have more experience in smuggling a weapon into this building than he has in finding it”
Jaron sighed, but before he was able to answer, a man approached them, walking through the crowd and right towards them. He had the dark skin of a Dornishman, with a lithe body covered in decent, yellowish silk. His hair fell into short curls and a moustache, a thin, dark line just above the upper lip, completed his look. A joyful look appeared in his dark brown eyes, as he bowed, as brief as elegant.
“Welcome, welcome to the Thousand Shades of Flowers”, he said with a warm, gentle voice. “My name is Joshawa, the dark sunflower, and it is a pleasure for me to greet you in our halls” He smiled widely, his shiny, white teeth performing a notable contrast to his darker skin and hair. As he came closer, Jaron noticed the strong perfume on his body and clothes, a sweet scent that pleased his nose.
“Good evening”, he said, as he shook Joshawa's outstretched hand. The man had a firm grip, though he let go quickly as he turned to Samuel, to shake his hand as well. This time, Samuel complied reluctantly. “Is this your first time in our halls?”, he asked and Jaron gave him a nod. To this, his smile widened. “Ah, splendid. Then how may I be of service? Do you require help in finding ladies that suit your taste?”, he asked and gave Jaron a wink. “Or shall it be gentlemen?”
Jaron did not blush at the coquettish remark, even if he otherwise would have. This was a brothel. A lot larger and more exquisite than the one his mother worked in, but a brothel nonetheless. Jaron felt at ease here, he was used to the workings of such an establishment.
“Neither”, Samuel said. “We are looking for someone” Joshawa was quick to give him a nod. “Ah, a very specific preference then”, he said. “The Flowers are here to serve. Just say their name and they shall be brought to you as soon as they are available. Do we speak about a man, or a woman?”
Samuel was far less relaxed than Jaron, though this was understandable, especially as the dark-skinned man had gotten closer to him than the sellsword was comfortable with. “A man. My brother, to be precise”, Samuel said and for a moment, Joshawa's smile was gone. “Your... this is certainly a very unusual...”, he said, before his smile returned. “Aaah, you are searching for one of the customers then”
As Samuel gave him a nod, Joshawa sighed theatrically. “I am afraid I cannot help you there. The customers are not to be disturbed, especially not when strangers ask for them”, he said. Samuel frowned, as his expression grew dark. “I am afraid this is not an acceptable answer”, he growled and to his horror, Jaron noticed that he put a hand onto his sleeve, right where he had hidden his knife. “Perhaps there is another agreement we can reach”
He was angry, that much was clear. However, Jaron was afraid that he would do something reckless now, with his brother being so close at last. He moved to intervene, to calm Samuel down a bit, before his eyes fell onto a second potential threat. He took a deep breath as he spotted Lanford, approaching the building as he walked across the square. The older man climbed the stairs, as Erik leaned in, to whisper something into his ear. Instantly, he narrowed his eyes and Jaron knew, he had to act quickly.
[Calm Samuel down] [Distract Lanford and Erik]
Nice, Jaron handled the situation with Farris very well, I'm proud of my bastard!
A great part, which made me consider for the first time if Ryder truly has done what Samuel claims.... though I'm still leaning to yes, he has done it, and is just good at acting like a decent person. Not that different really from what Mullendore is/was doing. I am a bit concerned for the coming fight though. Usually I'd trust Samuel has got what it takes, but this is a very emotional matter for him, which takes away from his professionalism. Also, it really sounds like from Farris' words that Ryder is a hard one to kill.
[Calm Samuel down] Ah, tough choice, but I feel like we should still try to keep a low profile. If we start a fight now, it'll be hopeless to find Ryder in all the chaos... more likely he will find Jaron and Samuel, which is definitely not the best way to start the fight. Jaron managed to keep Samuel calm before, I'm positive he can do it again.
[Calm Samuel down] If we are quick enough here, then maybe, just maybe, Lanford won't see Jaron. Also, let's save the killing for Ryder. This part was very... interesting, to say the least. It opened up a couple new possibilities about the Harrington family. Maybe it isn't Ryder after all! There is yet no proof that it is him though, so I'll still say it's him, but it's certainly interesting.
Also, is it stated where the Harrington family is from? If it has been, where was it? I forgot, if that's the case.
It's certainly both a possibility here. A third one would be that both are right, that he did what Samuel accuses him of, but that he has also changed his ways for some reason and is now the good man Farris claims him to be. A lot of it is unsure for now, although meeting Ryder at last could provide more of an answer. After Mullendore though, I can understand that you are not willing to just trust him there
Yeah, this concern is justified. Ryder has always been better than Samuel back in the day where they lived together. Samuel has of course trained heavily, but there is the chance that Ryder did the same. Farris certainly holds a lot of respect for him as a fighter. On top of that, Samuel is unusually emotional here, which might put him into danger of making a mistake. The presence of Jaron is very much needed here, that much is for sure.
They come from the North, though no particular part of it has been stated. That is a detail I'd leave up to @Nightshroud18, if he wishes to come up with something
[Calm Samuel down] Let's avoid to obtain unnecessary attention that can only make the mission harder to accomplish
RT:
Hmm an interesting question. Back when I created the Harrington brothers, my information on Game of Thrones was really limited since I just got into the series and eventually the books.
But now, I think the most suitable location where they originate from has to be Torrhen's Square, South of the wolfswood. Hope it's fine! I'll vote later when I get the chance to right freely.
[Distract Lanford and Erik] Can't let Lanford and Erik notice us. Even if we calm Samuel down, they'll still end up seeing Jaron and Samuel.
Awesome Part. Well this is quite a mess isn't it? Though I'm happy the Farris situation could be solved without violence.
Now, he had caught Farris off guard. “He rarely speaks about the past”, he said. “I know what I have to know” He glared at Samuel. “But tell me your version”
“Think?”, Samuel spat.
You know I hate to point this out but I think there's a bit of dialogue missing here missing here.
Mulledore's in critical condition? But last time he was arguing with Orys. Did I miss something?
Ok priorities people. [Calm Samuel down]. No one can possibly manage to successfully distract them from Samuels violent, in the open murder of the guy.
[Calm Samuel down]
Ryder and Samuel's story is reminding me more and more of a certain pair of brothers in a popular anime.
I think it's just kinda a minor typo. Farris was just probably gonna say something like 'Tell me what you think your version is'. Or "Tell me your version, what you think." Probably.
And I also think that the city guard is just informed that Mullendore is in critical condition they probably don't know anything else. They probably don't know that he has left Oldtown even.
I think it's just kinda a minor typo. Farris was just probably gonna say something like 'Tell me what you think your version is'. Or "Tell me your version, what you think." Probably.
Yeah I agree. It just kinda stands out because its one of the few times it happens in FOT since Liquid is so good at writing parts. I just wanted to point it out so he can fix it.
And I also think that the city guard is just informed that Mullendore is in critical condition they probably don't know anything else. They probably don't know that he has left Oldtown even.
You are probably right, which makes it hilarious to think of what the heck they say if they ever found out all the things he's done.
"Ser is Mulledore in better condition?"
"Ummm....yeah, about that....."
Does the anime by any chance feature a stubborn blonde haired knucklehead, an emo edgy douchebag and an annoying useless pink haired woman?
Hm, well, Farris' justification is that by doing so, he will avoid the other guardsmen to be targeted by Samuel. He is also pretty confident that Ryder can take him, so he sees it as better to force the confrontation instead of being yet another obstacle. If he is right with his assumption is hard to tell, but he has good reason to put so much faith into Ryder. Then again, he didn't exactly seem to take Samuel as a threat all that seriously, or else he would have likely reacted differently.
There is an interesting story behind this indeed. You may remember him from Lucas' Chapter 4 parts, during which he appeared as a perfectly affable man. Mullendore even said to Lucas that he has absolute trust that Ryder is an honest guardsman and not working for Butterfly (I wonder how he could know that). So, his actions in the story have been far from villainous. However, there is the chance that he is merely faking it, that he is now putting on a nice guy persona. The truth will be seen in the near future.
Hehe, I thought this might be a surprise for you
In fact though, this has been my plan from the very beginning, to have the Thousand Shades of Flowers as the location for the climax of Jaron's Book 1 storyline. Hishi him/herself won't be introduced until Book 2, but the building is going to play a prominent role in the remaining two Jaron parts for this chapter.
Well, it wasn't that big of a detail when it has first been mentioned and likely won't become a central plot point anytime soon, but it is still a detail I wanted to bring up again here. Since it had a big role in the way Jaron was conceived and in the way he was raised in his childhood, it is also arguably an important detail for him as a character, so it does hold its relevance.
Hehe, that is true. Erik doesn't have it easy in general lately. He loses his nice job for the Burned Man, gets cheated out of immediate payment and the girl that wants to pay him is abucted by slavers before she can even think of making good on her promise. And while he has a new job, he makes the mistake of allowing one of the most dangerous men in the city entrance into the building without taking away all of his weapons. But it's Samuel we're talking about here, that could have happened to anyone.
Ah, that is another scene I had planned from the moment you introduced these characters. Ever since I decided that my planned introduction scene for Hishi in Book 2 is too good to introduce them in Book 2, I knew that I wanted Joshawa as the guy to greet Samuel and Jaron here. And, that much I can say, he is not going to remain the only of your characters to be intrdduced in this chapter
Actually, you are right, there is something missing here. The problem is, the posts in this forum have a length limit of about 19700 letters, maybe 19800, but certainly less than 20000. You noticed that with your newest Multiverse part, more than once. I don't want to mak a second part for 300-500 letters, so I usually either expand the second part to a full-length part, or I cut some unnecessary stuff down. Occasionally, this is a problem, but sometimes it is for the better, by removing clunky sentences and generally making the dialogue feel shorter and more lifelike. That is what happened here. Originally, Farris had a second sentence after this one, it was something along the lines of "But tell me your version. I want to know what you think has happened", to which Samuel had this angry reaction. I cut down Farris' line, but did not realize that this meant that I have to change Samuel's line as well.
No, you didn't miss anything. The problem is that Mullendore has left the city in secret and in a hurry. The last thing Farris knows is that he was grievously wounded and is treated for by a skilled healer, but nobody in the guard knows more, leaving them basically leaderless at this point. With Mullendore's reputation in the city at risk, due to the growing rumour that he is Butterfly, he thought it is better to leave without risking to be stopped by anyone.
That works perfectly fine! Torrhen's Square it is then. I'll try to include that information at some point in a later part
Hm, I have never been all that big into anime. I watched some of the mainstream essentials when I was a child. Pokemon, Digimon, Yu-Gi-Oh and One Piece, with a little bit of the very early Naruto episodes. And Beyblade. Beyblade was the shit in my day
NightShroud's comment seems to hint at Naruto, which I unfortunately haven't watched even nearly enough of to spot the similarities you have seen.
[Calm Samuel down] I really enjoyed this part. I think it convied a lot of helpful dialogue and exposed some interesting questions. I didn't think Jaron would be able to defuse the situation with Farris, but it worked for the better. Samuel is getting a little too anxious for his quest, Jaron needs to contain him before it escalates and things get out of hand.
[Calm Samuel Down]
Haha, did you actually base the Harrington brother on them? I've been getting Uchiha vibes from them for quite a while now.
[Calm Samuel down]
[Distract Lanford and Erik] Hopefully Samuel is simply threatening the man and he'll comply. Erik and Lanford seem to be the real problem that could cause complications.
As to Farris' words I think what he says is important but he's wrong. I think Ryder probably did do it but feels guilty, like Jaron said "people change" sometimes it's in a good way.
Well, not exactly. Originally when I created them, I was very inspired by the Uchiha brothers from the anime. However, I saw potential in growth here. Me and Liquid went into discussions about how they will develop and eventually add more backstory. I didn't want the Harrington brothers to feel just copy/paste characters, so I added my own touch towards them and changed some details along the way. The rest is all up to Liquid, since he's deciding the story as the choices are being chosen, so I have no idea where this will end up, but I'm really digging it. Hope you are too!
Oh yeah, I love it! Samuel's my favorite character in Jaron's storyline, which I guess kinda makes sense since Sasuke was my favorite in the Naruto series.
[Calm Samuel down]
Indeed, this is yet another possibility, which would make both men be right with their assumptions. Samuel's belief that Ryder killed his family doesn't come from nowhere, while Farris has reason to believe that Ryder is a good person now. If both are correct, this would mean that he more than likely feels guilty for his actions and that this convinced him to change his ways. Jaron certainly wants to believe this, as the example of a multiple kinslayer able to express regret for his actions and actively working for something good for years now gives him hope for himself and Harpy to atone for the things they did in Oldtown. Obviously, I cannot yet say which interpretation of this is right (beyond the fact that I greatly enjoy all of them), but it is something I cannot wait to tell you more about when the time has come.