The Stepstones

[Victarion]

Once a strip of land connecting Westeros and the Eastern Continent it was shattered by the Children of the Forest in Legend. It is now a collection of tropical islands often fought over by Free Cities and occaisionally even Westeros.

[Victarion]

Jorah rode back into the mercanary camp at the head of the left over calvary. Bittersteel had taken his forces back to his camp on the other side. Guards were posted at the entrance, occaisionally glancing at the massive fleet still anchored in harbour. The fight was not over yet, the Braavosi and Tyroshi forces still had some fight in them, and they knew that if the Lyseni Fleet didn't arrive soon their enemies were doomed.

Jorah entered into the tent, and to the cheers of his captains. He smiled, "All alive? Good, that's very good. Well not for me, I still have to pay you bastards." They all laughed and he sat down in a chair and took a goblet of pear wine, blood still on his gauntlets. "How many dead?" "Not many, about a hundred," A Summer Islander said. Jorah nodded and answered back in the man's language, "Good, but let's try to make it none next time, we can't afford to lose men, even if it does mean we all get a larger share of the pay."

[Victarion]

Constance took a seat near Jorah, "You'll be pleased to know that we captured a few sons of Braavosi and Tyroshi nobles, as well as a few Westerosi." Jorah nodded, "Good, we'll ransom them as soon as the battle's done, and sell whatever's left in Ghis. There was this one bastard on the beach, Slynt was his name, he claimed to be some lordling."

Constance frowned, "I've heard that name before."

[Victarion]

Several days later they were still fighting, and the constant battle was starting wear on the men. Jorah sat down in a chair, and scratched his itchy face, unshaven due to the lack of time or energy. Constance gave a wry smile, "Well at least with more of our men dying there will be more to go around." Jorah gave a grim smile, "Aye, at least there's that." He heard a shout, nodded at Constance and slipped outside. It seemed as though they were doomed to a dismal destruction.

[Victarion]

Jorah continued fighting, leading the calvary to any area where breaches formed. He thinned the Unsullied ranks to allow some to rest, even they needed sleep every once in a while. When a few Braavosi soldiers landed on the opposite side of the island he and Bittersteel sallied forth to ride them down. The fighting seemed never ending, and it was starting to wear on the men. Thankfully the island supplied an ample amount of food, although that was even becoming depleted.

[Deleted]

Rhaego spat on the ground as he rode back with ten riders. They had just had a skirmish with a group of Braavosi soldiers. "There is nothing here," he growled at Jorah. "No gold to take, no women to take, no clotted mare's milk. Those bravos color their hair like women and fight like them too."

[Victarion]

Jorah nodded and spoke to Rhaego in his own language., "Just hold friend, the Lyseni will be here soon, then we'll have all the gold we need. Now lets head back to camp." The group headed back into the base camp. Where the Braavosi and Tyroshi still funneled into the chokepoint held by the Unsullied, night and day arrows rained down on the enemy from the cliffs.

[Deleted]

At camp, Rhaego rubbed his red mare down, and saw that his warriors kept the horses secure. It began to rain, and Rhaego thought with satisfaction that the Braavosi and Tyroshi women wouldn't like that too much.

"So, Andal," he said, entering Jorah's tent unannounced. "After your Lyseni come, what next? I don't like this place, surrounded by the waters." The Dothraki hated to cross the sea, and Rhaego longed for the real sea, the wide green plains of the Dothraki sea.

He clapped Jorah on the back. "You forget your little Westeros islands, and come with me, eh? We'll ride with a real khal, rape every wench from Vaes Dothrak to Pentos to Qarth, and feast until our bellies burst."

[Victarion]

OOC: Read Jorah's character description. He's never even been to Westeros. He's descended from Gerion Lannister (Tywin's brother) who was thought to be lost at sea. He's even got the Lannister Valyrian sword Brightroar, thought lost with Gerion. Gerion's line established a sellsword company called the Lost Lions. Jorah's been the leader of it for years.

IC: "Do you not listen at the meetings at all Rhaego?" Jorah answered in Rhaego's own language. "When the Lyseni fleet comes we get our pay and move on."

[Deleted]

"Yes. We move on - east." Rhaego longed for the plains. He enjoyed himself imagining his arakh slicing into the warriors of other khalasars and taking their gold and horses. Especially their horses. Rhaego imagined himself with a great herd of fine steeds. The Dothraki valued warriors with great horses.

[Deleted]

An envoy arrives under a peace banner. He has just disembarked from a Tyroshi ship.

"I wish to speak to Jorah Lannister," he said. "Captain Jorah, I have here a letter marked with the seals of the Archon of Tyrosh and the Sealord of Braavos. They offer to pay you five thousand more - that's five thousand each - of what Lys pays you, if you will cease attacks on their troops and fight for them instead."

Rhaego whooped. Finally, a sniff of gold.

[Victarion]

Jorah gave Rhaego a sharp look then turned back to the envoy. "We'll see here's the problem, we've been fighting your paltry forces for about twelve days now, and we've been trying to keep up with the Golden Company. Now the only way we'll join you is if Bittersteel comes with us, and considering they've got their reputation to maintain that seems unlikely. No, I don't thinks so. I think we'll keep this spot, I like it here."

Bittersteel, who had been listening from behind gave a bark of laughter. Jorah gave the envoy a wicked smile and drew Brightroar from his scabbard. The messenger's eyes grew wide, but then took on a befudled look as Jorah walked right past him and up to his horse. Jorah gave the beast a smack on the hinds with the flat of his blade. The horse jumped in the air and went tearing off down the beach. "My-my horse." The envoy stuttered. "Seize him," Jorah ordered. The man screamed.

An hour later the man was seen walking down the sand beach naked except for a piece of cloth wrapped around his eyes. He was accompanied by the laughter of the Lost Lions and the Golden Company. When arrows from the Summer Islanders started hitting near his feet the man broke into a run, shouting.

[Horas]

Jalahbar, Jorah's massive Summer Islander archer captain, lets out a booming laugh.

"I like this way better," Jalabhar says in his deep voice, "After we slay these armies of womanly men, we go to their cities and take all their gold. It is a good plan, no?"

[Victarion]

Jorah smiled as he watched the Braavosi envoy run naked down the beach. "That's a very good plan, give him another volley to speed him on his way."

[Horas]

Jalahbar draws his bow. Six feet tall and made from the strong golden wood of the Summer Islands, it is quite an impressive weapon.

Jalahbar grins and looks sideways at Jorah without loosing the shaft. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather have him dead? Dead men have their own way of sending messages. They can be very persuasive..." Jalahbar laughs again.