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(Picture - Kol Velaryon)
Craster’s Keep
Ramin Djawadi – Winds of Winter
As the nights grew longer and the cold set in, the winter’s veil was now almost covering the entire northern lands. The white snow had taken place of every other color till then dominating the pastures.
Every remaining vegetation had now adopted the winter’s shade, metamorphosing its structure and body into a frozen piece, now accustomed to the rest of the environment.
Kol had left the sheltered walls of the grand Skyhold a few days ago, and he along his men were headed toward the Northern defense, known by the name of Watcher’s Fortress.
Taken its name from the order which called themselves “the watchers”, the fortress was built around two hundred years ago at the base of a huge and impassable ice wall. Stories were told in the past about the immense wall’s genesis, and how it came to be, but all of them were just stories.
No one had a logical explanation for how such a wonder to have appeared a few hundred years ago out of the blue. Someone might have built it, some thought. Or even nature might have risen from its roots back in the past, no one knew.
Some speculated that a great flood once washed over the lands of Alion, and when a large wave coming from the south, hit the icy winds of the north, it froze instantly. In time, the weather would shape the frozen wave into being and thus create the “The Wall” everyone knew today; but again, all those supposed explanations and theories were just stories and speculations.
In truth, no one knew how the Wall came into being. But no one cared enough to ask the questions anymore. In the present, it represented the border of civilization, which kept the wild and untamed frozen wastes beyond it in check. Figuratively, it represented the boundary between what was considered the Northern kingdom and what laid beneath. No one knew exactly what rested in the far, far corners beyond that. Crossing almost half the size of the entire southern and northern kingdoms combined, the wild and unknown north was short to be explored.
The furthest anyone had ventured, was a point of interest which everyone knew by the name of Eternal Winter; a forest so vast and untamed that any experimented adventurer would get lost in it and eventually die. Not because of their lack of orientation or cunning; but the cold and strong winds which were known to induce paranoia and disorientation if said individual would be exposed long enough. The scouts sent from the Watcher’s Fortress grew familiar with those woods, but even they didn’t dare venture far in the heart of the forests. It was said that what laid beyond the forests of Eternal Winter were only mountains and frozen pastures, where snow and freezing temperatures never ended, where the sun never shined.
And way beyond the mountains. There was nothing, or so was thought.
Watcher’s Fortress was the last point in the far North which connected the warden keeps with the south.
The many houses which were connected with those in pilgrimage from other territories directed many of their livestock and supplies to Skyhold. People from both the Far East and from the Southern kingdoms.
But even the Lord in the North had to answer to someone; someone who ruled over all the kingdoms of Alion.
The Queen of the Kingdoms, Lady Raelia Deveraux. A beautiful golden haired young queen, who took the crown after her father died of old age. She was known for her harsh tongue and forgiving heart, but also for her tenacity and vile strategies when the situation demanded.
In the past, the two forces, the North and the South, used to be united and helpful of each other, but times changed when both their rulers passed away.
King Gavar Velaryon of the North and King Tormund Deveraux of the South used to be good allies and friends alike; until the dark day came war and the cold hands of death took them one after another.
Their successors, which in this case were no one else but Kol and Raelia never saw the same edge of the same sword. Their differences and past misunderstandings led to a gap between the two kingdoms, leading to far more restricted boundaries between the two and also a series of rule changes, which in the end led to borders to be built and people restricted to pass freely between the North and the South.
Also, despite their ancestors, Raelia and Kol shared different interests in the different schools of magic. In Realia’s case, she was fascinated by healing and what was called “green magic”. While on the other hand, Kol was not, preferring to dwell into the arts of runic magic, and all the ancient and less known practices from that specific school.
**
Kol and his few men which accompanied him on their way to the Fortress were now heading toward a small settlement which by many was known as one of the warden’s lookout towers. A small but fortified fortress, sitting atop a hill’s peak. Watching over the entire land around it.
This small castle, known by the name of Craster’s Keep, had been built by King Gavar in his first years of reign. And since then represented one of his much graceful and always respected decisions. Not far from Craster’s Keep, lay the white forests of Snowplain which were shortly connected to the Watcher’s Keep beyond them and the Backroads mines further East.
One more day would take for Kol and his men to reach the Fortress. But as night shortly followed, he decided to make a stop at Craster’s Keep and rest. Their horses, even though accustomed and familiar with the harsh weather, seemed to tire faster than before. Temperatures were already below the freezing point, and during the night, out in the open lands, they would go way lower. What an ordinary man would call a freezing night, the Northerners would call, a normal day. But when one would hear a northerner say otherwise, it had to be Winter.
As they stopped in front of the castle’s gates, two of their guards turned their heads looking at them somewhat strangely.
Kol had been wearing his usual warm clothing while his white guard, their common black, and white assortments.
“Milord.” One of the guards addressed him. “I shall take care of this.”
Kol nodded without dismounting his horse.
As he watched his White stop in front of the castle’s guards he cocked his head to the side sneaking a peek around the wall on his right. A strange gathering in the clouds far away peaked his interest. It must have been snow, but the clouds were way too dark to be passable as usual.
“Lord Velaryon!” One of the Craster’s guards called out Kol’s name. “We humbly apologize for the delay. Please, you’re free to enter Craster’s Keep. Welcome, milord!”
Kol turned his attention toward the guard as he saw them standing aside right away.
“Get the horses to the nearest stables. Feed them and shelter them for the night.” He told the guard as he dismounted his horse petting it on his forehead smiling as he did so.
“I want to speak with your warden.” Kol told the guard as he saw the man bow down immediately.
“Please follow me, milord.” The guard answered right away showing Kol the way.
“No need.” He turned around speaking to his white guard. “Make yourselves comfortable for the night. I don’t need protection.”
“With all due respect, your grace.” One of his men replied.
“Rasmus,” Kol answered. “I’ll be fine. Take a break. You deserve one. We’re safe here.”
As he made his way inside the castle’s keep, he couldn’t take his eyes off from the sky. A strange feeling lingered around him all the way inside up until his attention switched from the darkening clouds to a torch lit hallway which led to the warden’s tower above the keep.
“This way milord.” The guard which showed him the way said bowing, reaching his hand out toward the direction Kol had to follow.
“Thank you,” Kol told the guard dismissing him.
He hadn’t seen the warden of Craster’s Keep in a few years. To be more exact, since his father passed away.
Four years, he thought. Four years since both his only left parent and friend left this world. Leaving him alone to bear and rule the entire North. He never wanted the title of a Lord, nor did he find it something to be cherished, but for respect and for the love he had for his father he had to accept it and do whatever his position demanded.
He stopped in front of the large wooden door, hearing bantering from inside. The dwarf’s deep manly voice echoed through the entire hallway as he spoke from inside the room.
“Where da fuckin’ hell did I tell ye no’ to leave those bastards? Exactly, where ye left them!” He heard the dwarf shout. Possibly at one of his men using the dwarfish tongue. “I sha’ not bear any more o’ this shite Jallen. Get yer horses out by da morning and find mi thos’ goddamn mountain lions or I shall go out there and hack dem to pieces miself.”
“Yes milord!” His men answered on the same tone making his way toward the door.
He met Kol face to face, standing in the doorway. He remained speechless for a moment, but as soon as he realized who had been standing in front of him, he bowed swiftly.
“Milord!” Jallen greeted Kol as he made his way toward the stairs in a hurry.
Kol looked over his shoulders smiling for a short while. He then turned around and stepped inside the warden’s chambers.
“I didn’t expect you to be so fired up for some mountain lions, master Baeric.” He addressed the orange haired fat dwarf standing in front of the window.
“Who tha..?” Baeric turned around widening his eyes. “Lord Kol! By mi beard!” He shouted starting to laugh. “I didn’t expect ye at mi keep tonight. O’ any other night!”
“Am I not a sight for sore eyes, master Baeric?”
Baeric laughed again making his way toward Kol stopping in front of him. He raised his head, cocking it on the back, barely reaching Kol as he stood there.
“I waelcome ye, milord! I am huembly pleased to hav’ ye here, en hono’!” Baeric added as they shook hands.
Kol smiled sincerely as he saw his old friend happy and well. He knew Baeric since he was a child. Back then the dwarven lord of house Blackwall used to be one of the leaders mining down in the Backroads, when the old mines of Myria were still used.
Baeric and his miners were the only ones left to survive after the mines collapsed under a catastrophic earthquake back in the day.
He was a dear friend to Kol’s father and thus was immediately named Warden at Craster’s Keep after his dismissal from the miner’s company. Many of Skyhold’s weapon stocks were made out of the metal mined and provided by Baeric’s company. They still had obsidian swords and maces back at the keep.
The dwarf also used to be one of the guards who worked for the Silver Company back in the North-western dwarven city of Gol Baldur. So both his military and mining experience granted him the position he now held for almost ten years.
“Mountain lions master Baeric?” Kol asked his friend as he sat down in front of the large sparkling fireplace. The soft pelts and furs which were covering the two hardwood seats reminded him of home.
“Aye,” Baeric answered as he made his way toward his liquor store at the far side corner of the large room. “We’ve been havin’ trauble wid tha bloody creatures fo’ tha past couple’o’weeks. But in the last o’ days, they’ve been actin’ really strange.”
“Strange? How do you mean?”
“Wine, Lord Kol?”
“Please.”
“Strange, aye. We have not sin dem bloody bastards so far into o’ territories for a long time naow. Since I have been tha warden of dis lands, I never had problems o’ this kind. Not sure wat made ‘em wander dis far.”
“I’ve received a shadow raven from lord Greywatch a few days ago;” Kol started as they both sat down in front of the fireplace enjoying their blood red wine. “He had his usual sort of ambiguousness in his message, but something was off.” Kol stopped taking a sip from his drink as he turned to look at Baeric. “He was talking about something he hadn’t seen before Baeric. And THAT alone worries me.”
Baeric scratched his long beard which was now hanging down covering his stomach.
“I hev not known lord Greywatch fo’ long Lord Kol, but I em sure he wuld not send o’ raven to Skyhold if it would not be en emergency.”
Kol agreed nodding taking another sip from his drink.
“Tell me, master Baeric,” he began as he switched his attention to the dwarven lord. “What happened back in the day, you know,” he made a stop. “When Myria collapsed. I know it wasn’t natural.”
The dwarf looked at the flickering flames in front of him, his eyes sparkling in color as he watched the logs burn.
“Oh,” he spoke in a husky voice. “I em afraid it all happened o’ very long tiem ago Lord Kol. But, from wut I can ‘a do remember, it was no’ natural. By tha time wi got out’a’there tha ‘quake ‘ad already ended. But wi culd still feel and hear tha tremors beneath. Ay em very sure it was ‘o creature o’ some sort.”
“What kind of creature?” Kol asked him intrigued.
“O’ that I em no’ sure Lord Kol, but I can still remember tha feelin’ ay had back then. But enough o’ dat. Hou’s Aeden? Haven’ seen tha boy since mi beard was shorter than mi legs.”
Kol laughed amused at Baeric comparison.
“Aeden had just returned from Valheen. One of the cities ruled by the Eastern masters, it had to be freed and liberated.”
“O’ ay em sure he did da job.”
“He did,” Kol said gazing into the fire. “Although, I am not entirely sure of what happened back there; he wasn’t acting like himself when he returned.”
“Even tha strongest men waver sumtimes Lord Kol.”
“I guess,” Kol answered his eyes flickering light blue as he thought of Aeden and Valheen.
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**
Valheen (Eastern Desert)
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After the liberation of the city Aeden had brought one of his most trusted friends he had left behind back in the great city of Eventerr to the South when he left to join Kol a couple of years back.
Elras Keller. Middle aged, bald, a great listener and an amazing teacher. Respected in most guilds of mages and wizards back in Eventerr. Specialized in ice and illusionary magic, Elras was one of Aeden’s teachers back in the day. And over time, they grew close, and became good friends. Such good friends that Aeden didn’t even flinch when considering who to put in charge of the newly conquered city.
He trusted Elras more than anyone in his inner circle, which for now only had a few members in it. Some which Aeden put his trust into the most.
Elras on the other hand, didn’t have anything to object when the young man presented this opportunity.
They had gotten along well before in the past, leaving Elras in charge of a somewhat magical city, was the right choice.
A week had passed since the liberation, and the city could be called the great city of Valheen once again. Hanging gardens were rebuilt, its temples finished and reimagined in Elras and Aeden’s vision, and even the markets were reestablished and open. The sister city, Ralheen, which was still under some master’s rule seemed to have sent merchants and visitors to Valheen. Some had to see for their own eyes to believe the rumors which started to circulate along the desert about the newly restored city, now under the Northern Kingdom’s control.
Elras stepped foot into one of many temples in the city, as he marveled in the greatness some of their sculptors and mages had managed to build. There stood statues of long forgotten kings and lords. Even the great spirit beast, Ragan, had been immortalized in a marvelous granite statue standing almost 9 feet tall above Elras.
And as he continued to walk around the temple, he heard footsteps coming from his back.
Two of the city’s enchanter guards stopped in front of him bowing in respect.
“Milord.”
Elras nodded.
Watching them pass by, he stopped in front of Ragan’s statue cocking his head to the side, squinting his eyes for a moment.
“I wonder, where does your legend come from?” He asked himself out loud.
“The Always Winter Forests in far North, milord.”
Elras turned to the right meeting gazes with the captain of the guard.
“Olron. Did the Lord Commander order you to stay?”
“No milord. I volunteered.”
“And why would you do such a thing?”
“I heard you were about to be appointed as ruler of this city, I thought I’d stay behind, just in case anything happens. I’d like to be the one to keep you safe.”
Elras squinted his eyes again looking at Olron.
“Do you have a debt to pay Olron?”
“No milord. I am just grateful you’re here. My family is in Eventerr; you helped many poor folks back in the day, some of my family members as well. I’d like to repay the favor, by being the head of your guard, if you’ll have me. And on top of that, whom better to rule this new and strange place, but a mage of your stature, milord.”
Elras took a step forward, holding his hands together under his silver sewn robe.
“I’d be my pleasure to have you.”
Orlon bowed turning around, as he left.
Making his way toward the great golden dragon statue that stood tall in the farthest point of the temple, Elras’s gaze carefully inspected the civilian quarters of the city below, as he turned walking back to his temple above.
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