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Chapter 234: House Tashi Bows Quickly
🕑 Added 2025-03-28 13:33:47 +0000 UTC“It looks like your visit to the temple and the bronze bells was quite rewarding.”
In the dimly lit inn room, Marwyn was jotting something down when he saw Lynd enter and couldn’t help but ask curiously.
He had good reason to ask—Lynd’s face was alight with an unmistakable excitement.
“Is it that obvious?” Lynd rubbed his face, trying to rein in his grin.
It was no surprise that he was in such high spirits. Just moments ago, the magical runes on the three bronze bells had triggered a portion of the hidden knowledge within the Nameless King’s rune. That knowledge contained the method for forging a magical artifact known as the Cloud-Top Bell.
To call it merely a magical item would be an understatement—it was more akin to a divine instrument. The Cloud-Top Bell had a singular function: the ability to disperse and gather clouds at will. Possessing it was akin to controlling the weather itself. Lynd realized that with this bell, he wouldn’t even need to draw much from the Nameless King’s rune power to manipulate the elements. If he desired, he could command the skies and wield storms like a true Storm God.
Yet, this discovery alone was not what had him so elated. What truly excited him was the fact that the materials needed to craft the Cloud-Top Bell were rare but still obtainable on the market. Unlike Valyrian steel, which required secret knowledge and nearly extinct resources, these metals, though precious, were accessible.
This revelation meant that Lynd could finally begin crafting more magical artifacts. Since inheriting the knowledge of the Nameless King, his mind had been filled with countless designs for enchanted weapons and tools.
Some of these magical items, such as the Dragonglass Dragon Rune Necklace, could even be used by ordinary people. However, the scarcity of required materials had made most of them impossible to produce.
Now, with this new magical metal, that limitation was lifted. The discovery had the potential to significantly enhance the overall strength of his forces.
Marwyn, intrigued by Lynd’s expression, asked, “My lord, do those three bronze bells truly contain magic?”
Lynd nodded in confirmation.
Marwyn frowned slightly, considering this before speaking again. “Legend has it that the bearded priests of Norvos forged the three bells. If that’s true, doesn’t it mean they possess magical knowledge as well?”
“Impossible,” Lynd said, shaking his head. “Those bells are ancient—far older than the bearded priests themselves. They must be relics from a long-lost civilization. It’s more likely that the priests discovered the bells within the ruins of an unknown ancient culture and then…”
Before he could finish, a sudden knock sounded at the door. A voice followed, polite but firm.
“Lord Lynd Tarran, Maester Marwyn, I am Quinon Tashi, second son of House Tashi. I hope you will grant me an audience.”
Lynd and Marwyn exchanged glances.
“Come in, Quinon of House Tashi,” Lynd said evenly.
He wasn’t surprised that House Tashi had learned of his presence in Norvos so quickly. He was certain they had informants in Kevira’s waterborne stronghold, and the fate of White Skull Udawu’s river raiders would have reached them by now.
Anyone with a shred of intelligence would be able to deduce that Lynd had played a role in Udawu’s demise. After all, he had openly revealed his identity before Kevira and negotiated an agreement in her presence—with some of her so-called loyal subordinates standing by.
And among those subordinates, there were undoubtedly spies for House Tashi. The news of his alliance with Kevira would have reached Norvos swiftly.
Even if that hadn’t given him away, his grand entrance into the city surely had. Riding in with over a thousand horses—most of them Dothraki warhorses—was bound to attract attention. It would be impossible for House Tashi to remain oblivious to such a spectacle unless they were deaf and blind.
The door creaked open, and Quinon Tashi stepped inside.
Like all Norvoshi men, he wore only a pair of thin mustaches on his upper lip, unkempt and scruffy. His features were unmistakably those of a native Norvoshi—deep-set brow, high cheekbones, and a strong, straight nose.
As Quinon Tashi entered the room, he bowed respectfully to Lynd and spoke in flawless Westerosi Common Tongue.
"Welcome, Lord Chosen One."
Lynd smiled. "Welcome? You should know why I'm here. Even knowing that, you still welcome me?"
Quinon Tashi responded in a steady voice. "What happened in Ghoyan Drohe was merely an accident. In truth, there is no real enmity between us. Wouldn’t you agree, Lord Lynd?"
Lynd raised an eyebrow. "Is that your opinion, or is it the opinion of House Tashi?"
Quinon gave a small nod. "Both. My thoughts align with those of my house."
"So, does that mean you've given up on Ghoyan Drohe?" Lynd asked.
Quinon lowered his stance even further. "How can one give up something they never truly possessed? Now that Ghoyan Drohe is in your hands, Lord Lynd, it is bound to prosper once again."
Lynd was slightly surprised by Quinon's attitude. Before coming to Norvos, he had learned from Marwyn about House Tashi’s reputation. They were known for their hardline stance, always advocating strength and dominance. It was House Tashi that had led Norvos in the famous battle against Volantis at Dagger Lake, and they had long been a pillar of Norvoshi militarism.
Because of this, Lynd had entered Norvos prepared for a confrontation. Yet now, Quinon Tashi—their representative—stood before him acting meek and accommodating, as if he were surrendering before a battle had even begun. It was so unexpected that Lynd wasn’t quite sure how to respond.
At that moment, Marwyn suddenly spoke up. "I’m quite curious—why did House Tashi suddenly become so interested in Ghoyan Drohe? Would you care to explain?"
Quinon hesitated slightly, as if weighing whether he could speak openly.
Marwyn pressed further. "Is it because of the Rhoynar’s lost treasure?"
Quinon’s expression shifted instantly. Though he said nothing, the flicker of shock in his eyes betrayed his thoughts.
Lynd frowned. "It’s been centuries. Countless people have searched the ruins of the Rhoynar Free Cities—including Ghoyan Drohe—looking for lost treasure, and none have found anything of significance. What makes House Tashi think they can succeed where so many others have failed?"
Quinon didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he lowered his head in thought before responding, "Since you, Lord Lynd, are now the de facto ruler of Ghoyan Drohe, we would be willing to cooperate with you to find the treasure. If we succeed, we split it evenly."
Lynd studied Quinon carefully. "So... does that mean House Tashi has already found something in Ghoyan Drohe?"
Quinon fell silent again, offering nothing but a quiet smile.
Lynd observed him for a moment before chuckling. "Very well. I agree to work with House Tashi in searching for Ghoyan Drohe’s treasure—but only after my people have completed the reconstruction."
"That won’t be a problem at all," Quinon quickly replied, his face lighting up with relief.
With the agreement settled, Quinon extended an invitation for Lynd to visit House Tashi to further discuss the details. However, Lynd declined. He stated that he would leave the matter in the hands of Ghoyan Drohe’s appointed governor, who would handle negotiations with House Tashi at the appropriate time.
Though Quinon seemed somewhat reluctant about this arrangement, he did not object. He simply requested a token from Lynd as proof of their agreement before taking his leave.
...
Once Quinon Tashi had left, Marwyn sat in thought before murmuring, "It seems there really is a hidden treasure in Ghoyan Drohe—and House Tashi must have solid evidence of it. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be this fixated on the matter."
Lynd nodded in agreement. "The treasure is most likely not within the ruins themselves. When I mentioned reconstruction, he showed no signs of concern. That suggests the gold is hidden somewhere nearby—someplace unexpected. Even if the ruins were fully rebuilt, the treasure would remain undiscovered."
"You’re right. It must be close but well-hidden," Marwyn said with a knowing smile. "But what’s truly amusing is that House Tashi must already know the treasure’s exact location—yet they don’t dare claim it themselves. Instead, they’ve come running to you, willing to offer half of it just to secure your cooperation. Seems like your reputation has put quite the fear into them."
Lynd chuckled but said nothing.
With this, the matter of Norvos was resolved—both as expected and unexpectedly.
Given the power Lynd had displayed, even the Sealord of Braavos would have had to tread carefully, let alone a noble house of Norvos. What was unexpected, however, was just how quickly House Tashi had chosen to yield. Their surrender had come so fast that even Lynd had been caught off guard.
Still, the outcome was favorable. Now, all that remained was for Lynd to arrange for his people to take control of Ghoyan Drohe.
Now that the matter had been settled—and with the unexpected benefit gained from Norvos’s bronze bells—Lynd had no reason to linger in the city. After spending the night at the inn with Marwyn, they prepared to leave.
He planned to follow the Valyrian Road directly to the House Soyed’s mines north of the Forest of Qohor. His first priority was to recover the armor of the Banished Knight. After that, he would head to Qohor to settle accounts with House Soyed.
As they stepped out of the inn, Quinon Tashi was already waiting by the door. It seemed he had anticipated Lynd’s departure and had stationed himself outside in advance.
Quinon made no effort to conceal his submissive stance. “I regret that I was unable to properly host you, Lord Lynd,” he said, offering a box with both hands. “This is a gift from House Tashi. I hope you will accept it.”
Although Quinon Tashi himself was not the most powerful figure in Norvos, House Tashi was an influential family. Several of its members resided within the temple, and the family held a seat on the Magister’s Council. Due to this prominence, Quinon was a well-known figure in Norvos, recognized by many.
Now, the normally proud and high-handed Quinon Tashi was acting like a mere servant before an outsider. Those who knew him were visibly shocked, and curiosity about Lynd’s identity spread among the onlookers.
Lynd accepted the gift, opened the box, and found a set of property deeds for several shops in Pentos.
“What is it your family wants?” he asked, closing the box. “Be direct.”
Quinon hesitated for a moment before responding, “We hope to obtain the right to sell a portion of Summerhall’s specialty goods.”
Lynd handed the box back to Quinon, then tossed him a special golden coin bearing the mark of the Chosen. “Take this to the Miracle Merchant Guild in Pentos. Speak with the branch master there about establishing a branch in Norvos. Once the Miracle Merchant Guild is formally established here, your family will have the right to sell a share of the goods.”
With that, Lynd turned and left without waiting for a response. He already knew House Tashi would accept the arrangement.
...
After passing through a section of the city, Lynd and Marwyn reached a small dock and boarded a boat to cross the river.
The Valyrian Road once spanned the Noyne River via a grand bridge, but a great flood had washed it away years ago. The bridge had never been rebuilt, forcing travelers and merchants to rely on small boats to ferry between the riverbanks.
When their boat reached the large dock on the far side, they were met with an unexpected commotion. A crowd had gathered, murmuring in agitation, and both Lynd and Marwyn were curious enough to investigate.
Several flat-bottomed warships had docked at the pier. Their hulls bore visible damage, and some of the crew had suffered injuries. The sailors' expressions were grim, their spirits clearly shattered. A group of bearded priests had assembled at the dock, questioning a few men who appeared to be captains.
Lynd gave Marwyn a look, and the maester stepped forward, addressing a nearby Norvoshi in fluent local dialect. “What happened here?”
The man glanced at him briefly, unwilling to engage. “They went to fight the Old Man of the River and failed,” he said curtly before turning away.
Marwyn continued asking around and eventually pieced together the full story.
At the confluence of the Rhoyne and Noyne, near the ruins of Ny Sar, a massive one-horned turtle—believed to be an incarnation of the Old Man of the River—had appeared. The creature had gone berserk, attacking every ship that attempted to pass through the waters of Ny Sar.
For Norvos, the Rhoyne and the Noyne were vital trade routes. With the rivers blocked, supplies from the south could no longer reach the city, and Norvos’s own goods could not be transported outward. Using the Valyrian Road as an alternative would significantly increase both cost and travel time. Faced with this disruption, the Norvosi had decided to take action.
Though belief in the Old Man of the River was ancient and still prevalent among the fishing communities along the Rhoyne, it held no significance to the people of Norvos. To them, the so-called river god was nothing more than an oversized turtle. They had no qualms about launching an extermination effort. To ensure success, they had even transported several massive siege crossbows from the city onto their ships.
Yet despite their preparations, the campaign had ended in catastrophe.
Forty warboats and pole-driven ships had set out from Norvos. In the end, only a handful returned. Out of more than a thousand men, fewer than a hundred had survived. The battle had effectively cut Norvos’s naval strength in half.
After taking in the explanation, Lynd turned to Marwyn. “I want to see Ny Sar for myself.”
Marwyn grinned, his eyes alight with curiosity. “So do I.”
