Chapter 54: Entry Forty
Date: October 9, 300 After Landing, Summer, Long Winter
Location: Sea Dragon Point
Two very interesting things happened recently.
First, I had some unexpected visitors. Several actually.
Maester Ballabar arrived via, of all things, an Ironborn galley who docked with supplies. Apparently the Ironborn, while at peace with the Five Kingdoms, have continued to roam and loot the Reach. During one such looting, most of House Redwyne in the Arbor was killed or left homeless. The round, pink-faced Ballabar was taken back to Pyke and Asha Greyjoy who showed mercy on the maester and offered to send him back to Old Town. Instead, he asked to be sent to Sea Dragon Point.
The Maester is an interesting man. While not as knowledgeable as Luwin in Winterfell, Ballabar does have a specialized curiosity in healing. For example, he has a theory that the reason people get ill is because of tiny animals, too small to be seen, that overwhelm the body. He took to germ theory like a mad man, and is already reading through everything I wrote down about it that I could remember. I would love to show him these things with a microscope, but I wouldn't know how to build it or even where to find the glass for it.
It's moments like this that make me realize how much I do or do not know about various things. Anyway, I have set him up in a house and hope he could become the towns first doctor.
The other visitor I received came even further away, and had a much harder journey. Jayde was one of the apprentices to Lord Hallyne the Pyromancer, the head of the Alchemist's Guild in King's Landing. What she had to say...well, I suppose her words say it better;
"I studied under Wisdom Hallyne for all my life [she is now 20], and in those years the old Pyromancer was always good to me and took care to teach me all he knew. I learned how to make Wildfire when I was still but a little girl, and he went on to share all he knew with me. I never understood why he did this, most are not allowed to learn the Guild's secrets until they are considered acolytes, and when I asked he only said I had a gift for it. As an orphan, I always liked to think he treated me so well because he thought of me as the daughter he couldn't have.
Anyway, everything was fine until the Red Ones came. They took over the Guild so quickly, none of us knew what was happening. Then they declared us heretics. Claimed our green fires were not of R'hollor, and our skills should only be used for His glory. The Red Woman, King Stannis's true wife, she was there. She said we were to be the King's Red Army. We were to denounce our Seven and accept Him as the one true God. But some of us, those they believed were only bed washers or food cookers, were allowed to leave. Hallyne lied about who I was, said I was some idiot serving girl, and convinced them to let me go.
I was free, but I had no place to go. My home was the Guild. It was all I knew. I knew about the Kingdom of the North, and how King Eddard was accepting of different people and faiths, so I decided to head North. But the way isn't safe. The Crownlands are burning in a civil war, women are raped in the street and their men killed in front of them. I used the money I saved over the years to hire a guard who brought me to Harrenhal. Many refugees had taken up residence there, but when Commander Ramsey learned who I was he sent me to Winterfell. From there, King Eddard sent me here to you."
Magic still confuses me, but now that I have an actual Pyromancer in my Hold maybe I can get a handle on it. She even managed to sneak away some of the Guild's books, and I have sent them to the printing press so copies can be made to study. In any case, I am happy to have her here. Even more surprising was that the bodyguard she hired came along with her, apparently tired of the South. Sandor Clegane.
The other interesting thing was a raven from Castle Black. Not forwarded to Winterfell or passed along, but straight from the Wall to me. And it came from Jon, who should have been at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. It was a plea for help, asking me to come north as quickly as I can and nothing else. I don't know what it is he needs me for that the other several thousand men at the Wall can't handle, but he is my friend. I can't ignore a friends call for help.
Oh, one last thing. I finally got the gunpowder formula right. Blew up a small chunk of my workshop, but at least it is progress.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone