11

The true, or perhaps most accurate, version of Gullinbursti I own and I swiftly move towards the massive wall I have spent the entire day daydreaming about. The natural cover provided to us by the darkness of the early evening helps stay hidden as we swiftly cross the remaining dozens of miles, as does my activation of a select few perks of mine, primarily "Rogue" which hides both myself and my boar from all but the most skilled and actively alert eyes. 

The remainder of my trip on the back of the mount I've come to enjoy riding is, sadly, quite swift. It takes only minutes, if that, for us to go from seeing the gigantic, unnaturally huge wall in the distance to being right beside the wall, since the distance was not perhaps a thousand miles but only a scant few, two or three dozen miles if even that many. 

We are so close to the strange artifact that I, in a nerdy fit of fascination, reach out and touch the thing. I smile in awe as I feel the cold solidity of the magical structure in real life. I faintly feel the strange spells warded into it in the unbelievably distant past, causing the wall to faintly emit something akin to a heartbeat. I think that's a remixed feature of this world, but it makes some level of sense to me that the wall would almost feel alive, since its purpose is to keep out the dead. 

"So this is the wall…" I remark, astounded by the fact that I'm actually close to it. I am a man on a mission but I allow myself this moment of awe, before I regain my composure and I nod at my companion. 

I get off of the chariot and I walk over to the gigantic boar. I put a hand on the animal and sense his delight even as I tell him that it's time for him to go for a while. I shut my eyes and will my pet into my inventory, which causes the animal to go rigid, almost as though the animal were actually a massive status, and then disappear altogether. 

During this time I sense a few guards stationed on and in the wall pass close by, thanks to my map, though they don't pass terribly close by since most of the guards are stationed atop the wall which is hundreds of feet higher than where I am right now. I tilt my head upward and I smirk as I realize how close the guards are and also how funny it is that they won't be able to stop me from entering the Seven Kingdoms.

They are close enough that I can physically overhear their conversations, though that is primarily due to my enhanced senses. Still there's something incredible about me not needing to listen to my birds to be able to hear the common tongue of Westeros. 

I seamlessly shapeshift and take on the form of a small bird, before I dart towards the gate that allows people through the Wall. The first part of the flight is short, and in moments I find myself darting between some of the bars that constitute the gate, and I inwardly celebrate my unusual victory. I have officially snuck into the Seven Kingdoms! 

I continue to fly, unnoticed and uninterrupted by any of the Shadow Sworn, as I make my way into the dimly lit courtyard where my birds watched several of the guards train. The courtyard is the same one where earlier today Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister first arrived. According to the bird I instructed to spy on this place Jon wiped the ground with several other trainees during an exercise meant to see how skilled he was in battle and with a sword. 

I study the courtyard and my enhanced eyes easily notice a few small drops of blood dirtying the courtyard. At the same time I hear a distant litany of voices, none of which I recognize but all of which are discussing topics of great interest to me: the politics of the Seven Kingdoms. 

I quickly reorient myself ever so slightly and begin to fly in the direction of the voices. To do so I slightly tilt my wings and begin to move in the direction of the same building that I know to be the castle's "Safe Zone". As I do this I inwardly smile, firmly aware that if I enter the building I'll have achieved one of my goals: gaining the ability to travel from the nameless northern reaches of Westeros to the northern tip of the Seven Kingdoms. 

I effortlessly sail until I reach one of the building's windows. When I reach it I land in it I am surprised to see a significant notification appear in my mind's eye, one that is filled with neat tidbits. At the same time I sense power filling me, making me smile 

[Alert: New [Worldspace] Entered

You have reached the outer frontier of the [Seven Kingdoms] and entered a new [Worldspace]. By doing so you have earned a new [Achievement]: [Explorer]. 

[Achievements] are unique accomplishments that bestow you with [Passive Perks] that afford you idle boons. [Explorer] makes it so that explorations you are involved with, even if you are just a financier, are more likely to succeed and gain more than they would even if they ultimately fail. 

You have also attained a variant of [Quest Mode] which makes [Perks] and [Items] from a new [Setting] available to you without purchasing them if you invest the time and energy needed to earn them organically. For now these [Perks] and [Items] all stem from a singular setting [Generic ASOIAF Fanfiction Jump]. Some perks are already available to you. 

The following perks are already yours: [Mother], [Maiden], [Crone], [Mage], [Faceless], [Making the Eight], [Alchemy], [Gamer], [Pottering About]. Of special note are [Pottering About] and [Mage], which grant you the effects of [Wandless Magic]. These are reflections of your existing talents and perks, rather than wholly new skills. Additionally, as a special reward for your [Achievement] certain traits and abilities within you have solidified and become new [Perks]. 

You have earned the following [Perks]: [Supernaturally Attractive], [Metamorphism], [Manipulative!], [Parsel-Magic], [Multi-Animagus], [Pureblood Etiquette] [Magical Animagus], [Goblin Heart!], [Luck of the Devil], [Work Ethic], and [Building Bridges]. 

All of the new [Perks] you have acquired reflect your actions and the focuses you had as you worked to arrive in the Seven Kingdoms, from manipulating Veronica until she willingly became a doll, to using your healing powers, alchemical skills, magic, and the ability to quickly become friends with people to enter new spaces. Certain [Perks] are now partially discounted as well.]

I remain stationary for a second as I give my body a second to adjust to the new perks I possess. I mentally bring up my own stats even as my mind races, and note that my "Intelligence" and "Wisdom" stats have both skyrocketed to the upper twenties. That's far from the only change to my own simple statistics either, as the number of points in my magical energy bar have also increased by almost a quarter of their former value, which reflects the changes to me caused by "Mage". 

"Mage" is a potent perk that tremendously increases my magical abilities, and by fusing it with one of the other new perks available to me I can now use Wizarding World magic without a wand and without uttering the spells aloud. This is fantastic, even discounting the boost to my magical skills that both perks grant me. The ability to silently, wandlessly cast my Wizarding World spells is fantastic, even among my litany of new abilities. 

A part of my mind now explores the updated list of perks I can currently earn. To do so I still need to navigate over to the store I can access in my gamer's system, but when I reach it I go ahead and mentally click on a new icon, one which is an exclamation mark. Clicking on it takes me to a new menu that allows me to see various perks and items. 

In the menu are perks linked to locations like The North - The Honorable Lord Stark which is a perk I could earn by adventuring in my current location and gaining a reputation among the people of this part of the world. There are also magical perks like Gift of the Children which I could earn by befriending existing users of this art, such as the Starks, or by merely watching them long enough and studying how they are when they use the magic. It is clear that this is a more interesting way to earn perks and items than simply purchasing them, though there are certainly advantages to just going ahead and buying them rather than taking the time to learn them the way my system wants me to. 

I wonder how my perks would synergize with existing magic users if I went ahead and made them into dolls… Jon Snow is a magic user, though one who never really learns how to purposefully control his magic. He is a Skinchanger which is a subdiscipline included in the Gift of the Children magic perk, and if I made him one of my dolls I have to wonder how perks like Mage would affect him. 

This knowledge and the speculation I allow myself to do for several moments, a few minutes in fact, almost tempts me to go after Jon right away. Almost. I manage to stay in control of myself, and refocus on the present after allowing my mind to wander for a short while, and when I do I listen to the conversations the Shadow Sworn are having. 

I study the scene before me, as I have landed at the bottom of the "High Tower", and I am able to casually overhear a curious chat. At the same time I can see the handsome face of Tyrion Lannister as he is locked in an important discussion with a number of important, surprisingly well-dressed figures. 

Tyrion Lannister, at least this version of him, is a handsome and small figure. He is clad in a warm-looking outfit made of golden cloth almost as light as his hair, which is not as dark-blonde as it is on the show. He does not yet have any of the scars which will define his appearance, and instead his pleasant face is unmarred and almost youthful. 

"And so, Lord Lannister, we need more men." Says another figure next to him. I recognize this man, he is the Lord Commander of the Shadow Sworn in this version of A Song of Ice and Fire and the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch in the show and book series' more canonical depiction of Westeros: Jeor Mormont. He was not at the castle until earlier today, but arrived to greet Tyrion and to meet some of the new recruits. 

The man is dressed in a cloak made of black bear fur. He is an older man but one possessing a quick, sharp gaze and I can tell that his body is still quite strong even without using "Observe" on him. Tyrion is gazing at something on the table he is seated at, even while he lifts the leg of what must be some meaty animal to his mouth and bites it. I can see a look of careful contemplation on his face, as figures around him race to keep the Shadow Sworn well fed. 

I allow myself to remain stoic and still as I study the scene. Of all of the figures next to Tyrion one stands out the most to me: Aemon Targaryen, the "Sage" of the castle. I study my minimap and note that there are other "Sages" in the handful of noble houses that my spies allow me to see on my minimap. I nearly instantly realize that this must be a remixed element unique to this world and "Sage" must be this world's version of "Maester". 

Much like in both the books and the show Aemon Targaryen is a truly ancient figure. The man is actually a century old, and he has a body that reveals that. He wears a dark cloak made of warm fur and sits on the other side of Jeor. He is small, though still larger than Tyrion, and remarkably thin with a small shock of snow-white hair atop his head. He is blind and politely listens to both Tyrion and the other leaders of the Shadow Sworn. 

Truthfully I had forgotten about Aemon until I saw his name appear for the first time on the minimap days ago. The Targaryen is a vital counselor to the Lord Commander, and he is a fascinating target that would make a remarkable doll. 

I idly use "Observe" on him and take stock of his stats. The man's physical scores are all below average, with only his constitution score being even a 9, but all of his non-physical scores are in the upper half of the teens. It's easy for me to see why he is so respected given his impressive scores at his advanced age. 

As I study him I idly recall what I know about him. I am able to almost effortlessly recall something he eventually tells Samwell Tarly: he mentions that every member of the Night's Watch will have a moment when the strength of their commitment to their vows is tested. His have been tested more than once, and the most recent time they were tested was during Robert's Rebellion.

The canon version of the man was a man of duty above all else. Even when his family, including Prince Rhaegar were swept away in the throes of the madness of King Aerys the Second and Robert's subsequent rebellion, he did not renege on his oath. I can perceive the man's passive sadness at this realization, and the powerful regret he feels. As I study him I realize that he is a prime target to turn into a doll, and that he could even make a fascinating way to gain an inroad with his distant relative, Daenerys herself. Yes… Aemon will make a fascinating first Westeroi doll. 

I allow the evening to proceed without interrupting any minor canon events that occur right now. I silently listen in on the conversation that Tyrion is a part of, and distantly spot Jon Snow himself eating with some of the new recruits. Snow is a lad in his late teens, and he has a protagonist's energy even from a distance, but he is not the primary focus of my attention at this moment. 

When dinner is finished I watched multiple servants, including some of the figures who mocked Samwell and first alerted me to his presence, appear and begin to clean the feasting hall of the High Tower even as different individuals part to their individual sleeping areas. Jon accompanies other lesser Shadow Sworn and recruits, while Mormont heads to the head of the tower. Tyrion also joins Mormont, but before Aemon can head anywhere I make use of a simple spell to whisper a phrase to the Targaryen. The fact that I can do this is an example of the potency of Mage which allows me to make use of magic far more universally. 

"The Targaryens still need you, Aemon." I whisper into the man's mind, making use of "Manipulative!" to know instinctively how to manipulate people. The sudden utterance of these words in the mind of the mostly forgotten Targaryen causes his eyes to widen in shock and he begins to scan his surroundings. He is blind, but his other senses are keen, and an example of this occurs when he eventually zeroes in on me and stiffens in shock.

"Come. Find me outside. Let us converse." I utter, using the same spell and casting it even in my bird form. The fact that I can use magic in this form is new, but it's actually quite a simple application of my new abilities. I turn and fly out of the building, landing in the courtyard and making simple bird noises to make it easier to follow me. I wait until Aemon visibly exits the tower, and then make more noises before I fly off, heading towards the edge of the castle's grounds. 

I fly slowly and surely, and watch as curious figures, members of the Shadow Sworn and smallfolk who call this place home alike watch after Aemon. None dare tell the man to stop doing what he is doing as he methodically makes his way away from the castle's more guarded sections. I eventually reach the front of an empty building nestled on the far end of the castle and continue to make bird noises so as to help the blind man following after me.

I wait until there is no one nearby and then morph back into my human form. Distantly Aemon still continues to walk in my direction. When the figure eventually reaches the front of the building I respectfully nod at the wizen sage and greet him with a smile. The world freezes as text boxes appear before me. 

"Hello Aemon. It is nice to meet you. I have read of your wisdom and filial piety." I remark, and allow the figure's white, nonfunctional eyes to gaze at me. He is quiet for a second. 

"Stranger… No, ghost of the past, what are you?" He asks, and fear and awe are audible in his voice in equal measure. His respect and caution make me happy, as Aemon is a tremendously wise maester in canon and I can sense his wisdom and intellect even as I gaze at him. 

I fall silent as I study the man, contemplating reaching out and turning him into a doll without any fanfare. I decide not to do this and instead give myself a chance to persuade the man to willingly accept becoming a doll. As I commit to this goal I sense that the easiest route to do so lies in the man's conflicted conscience.

"I sense your fear, Aemon. Why do you subtly tremble before me, and yet stand before me alone?" I ask, curiously. The man's lips tremble as he lifts them and then bows his head before me. 

"If you are a servant of one of my living relatives, such as the children of Aerys, sent to slay me then I cannot in good conscience stop you. I let my family perish, or be broken and scattered to the winds… I am a man of some honor, but my honor is tainted by my abandonment of my family." He replies. I consider his words and watch as more text boxes appear which illuminate clear rhetorical paths for me to take. I pause and consider which is both maximally entertaining while also being maximally useful to my ultimate goal. 

"I am no servant of the Targaryens, Aemon. Indeed, I am no one of any great import, yet. But you see… I wish to be the closest ally the Targaryens could possibly have." I inform the figure with a bright smile. This causes the sage's eyes to narrow and I watch his body language shift and become defiant.

"So you've used my family name and reminded me of my failures… to what end, stranger?" The normally calm man asks and I silently laugh when I hear the fire in his voice. His anger is good, it is what I want. More text boxes appear.

"I have not come to remind you of failures, Aemon. I have come to promise redemption and reunion." I remark, before pausing for a brief instant and then continuing to speak.

"The time has come for you to contribute what you have learned to your family. And to do so you need more time." I explain, causing the man to close his eyes and sigh. I feel sadness weigh on the man's next words.

"And how would you give me 'More time' mysterious stranger?" He asks, which causes text boxes to appear before me. 

"I will give you power, and the ability to swiftly leave this place. In exchange you will accept the power I give you, and will go to the Grass Sea, where Daenerys and Viserys are living under the aegis of Khal Drogo as part of his Dothraki horde, his khalasar. Daenerys is Drogo's khalessi" I inform the man, causing his heart to hammer in his chest. I feel the weight of the fantasy words I am uttering and it makes me feel a rush of joy unlike any I've felt since I first arrived in this world. My words are, however, utterly devastating to the old man I am luring into my clutches.

"My… My niece has gone from living under the gaze of an enterprising merchant lord to living as the wife of a brutish warlord. Gods, how my family has fallen." Aemon mourns, pitifully complaining about the new circumstances of his relatives. He goes quiet for a second, and I place a hand on his shoulder. 

"Aemon, I am part of a faction that wishes to see the mighty Targaryens rise again. I have the power to give you the ability to see your family lifted out of ruin and loss. Just say yes." I remark, even as I will my energy to surge into my fingertips and wait to be loosed upon Aemon. Tears begin to fill the man's eyes as I watch him contemplate what to do.

"I… I can't abandon my duties." He eventually says, his voice strangled with conflicting emotion as he wishes to see Daenerys helped out of her current situation. I see an interesting option appear in the list of text boxes that emerge when Aemon finishes speaking. 

"Have you not been overseeing the training of the stewards and scribes of the order? Do you not have talented proteges? Have you not directly transcribed all you know multiple times over? Do you believe the order as it currently stands is in such desperate need for your counsel that if you leave the remaining Shadow Sworn will fall into disarray? Do you have such little faith in your brothers that you think that a century-old man leaving them would cause them to fall in their sacred duties? I have been to the Dothraki Sea and seen the khalasars of men like Khal Drogo. I have wandered into the sacred city of Vaes Dothrak and seen the slaves that tend to the city. The Dothraki make women of such esteemed beauty as Daenerys wish for the life of a slave with what they do to women like her. She needs your help." I state, firmly and powerfully. 

The tone of my words and the wisdom with which I chose them washes over Aemon. I feel a part of him momentarily try to counter the words, and I watch his body language shift as he games out different arguments and watches them fall. In time he slumps and I sense that Aemon has been defeated, rhetorically. I physically see him mentally surrender and watch joy fill a small part of him as he realizes that he has a chance to do what the man has longed to do: save his living relatives. That same part of him doesn't care about the cost he'll have to pay, but truthfully I doubt that'd be the case if he meaningfully understood what was about to happen.

I nod at him as he gazes downward and I unleash my energy. He freezes as my power races into him. He has accepted the changes, and so before he can even think to resist the power filling him it races into his body and begins the eldritch transformative process by which humans lose parts of themselves and become something altogether greater: a doll in my collection. 

My hand remains firmly placed on Aemon's shoulder as he changes. I watch him become her as the figure before me becomes taller, her eyes changing from sickly white to stunning sapphire orbs, and as her figure fills out her clothing. His small stock of white hair becomes luminous golden-white hair which flows freely down the transformed Targaryen's back. I sense supernatural power filling the woman, enhancing every aspect of the Targaryen's physique from her charisma to her strength. It's hard for me to look away as my own power morphs Aemon into a female Targaryen. 

By the time the defeated Targaryen finishes her transformation I am standing in front of a Targaryen woman as beautiful as Daenerys herself. She has the stunning blonde hair that is common among people who share her blood, and has the deep blue eyes that some Targaryens have, as opposed to the violet eyes Daenerys grows up to be famous for. She is the single most fantastically beautiful woman I have ever seen, and even knowing that mere seconds ago she was an old man is not enough to quell the lust I feel as I gaze at her. 

Her eyes are cloudy for a few moments after her physical transformation finishes occurring. When it does I watch a noticeable blush spread across her fair cheeks as her mind adjusts to her new reality. 

"Hello there. You and I have a lot of work to do." I remark, as I smile at the figure. She happily smiles at me, and I instruct her to shift into her original form. This surprises her, but I have a longer term plan involving her and the men of the Shadow Sworn. She obeys the order, and asks me what to do next.

I shapeshift into a broach she can attach to her coat, while inviting her to join the guild of dolls serving me throughout the world which she gleefully accepts. As soon as she accepts the invite dozens of messages appear in the chat box posted by dolls throughout the nameless reaches of the world beyond the wall and the handful of spy dolls already stationed in the Seven Kingdoms.

I instruct her to return to her room in the high tower, and tell her that in a few days she will be leaving for Essos. She questions me as to why she isn't leaving right away, and all I do is tell her that I want to make more dolls, to transform the good men of the Shadow Sworn into dolls like her. This revelation delights her, and she moves faster when she discovers this is my plan. 

When we are back in Aemon's private chamber I spend the rest of the night upgrading her. I share every magical perk I possess with her, particularly Mage and Supernaturally Attractive. I am delighted when, upon sharing Mage with her I watch a new skill appear within her skill list: Dragonborn. That is the name of a powerful perk which confers the mysterious magic of the Valyrian Freehold, the magic which helped the dragonlords of old build an empire in Essos and then, after the Doom of Valyria, another one in Westeros. 

This enhanced version of Aemon must be more in tune with his… their blood, now that they have been gifted Mage. This is incredible, and assuming Aemon is not somehow a one off, it means that I can see versions of perks manifest their incredible power if I can find the right people to doll and then share Mage with. What an amazing discovery!