The dinner had ended hours ago, but the hall still burned in Jon's mind.
Ned Stark had said nothing beyond the words he'd always said: If you go, you go alone.Catelyn Stark had stormed from the table, her face pale with anger and fear. The hall echoed with her footsteps as she argued with Ned, their voices sharp, cutting through the quiet of Winterfell.
"You cannot allow this, Ned! He's a child of Winterfell! A Stark—"Ned's jaw tightened. "He is not just a Stark. He is his own person, and he has earned the right to choose. You do not decide his life for him, Catelyn.""He is a bastard! You will not raise him to defy this house, not like this!""I will not cage him in shadows!" Ned's voice rang, louder than she had expected. "Let him go, or do not blame me for what he becomes outside these walls!"
Their argument carried on into the night, but Jon had already slipped away, retreating to his small room above the stables. Ghost padded silently at the door, waiting, a living shadow.
Packing and Planning
Jon opened his pack. He had saved some coins over the years from small hunting tasks, gifts from travelers, and the occasional odd job around Winterfell. Enough to survive for a few weeks.
He packed carefully: dried meat, a small water flask, a cloak, rope, a dagger, and a worn map of Westeros he had studied in secret.
Ghost circled him, low growl vibrating in his throat—not in anger, but in awareness. Jon knelt, running a hand along the wolf's snowy fur.
"Where should we go first, Ghost?" Jon whispered. The wolf's ears twitched, as if waiting for an answer Jon himself did not yet know.
System Activation
Just then, Jon's inner vision flickered. The familiar glow of the system interface appeared before his mind's eye.
[New Quest Available: The Tower of Joy]
Quest Description:"To travel from Winterfell to the Tower of Joy in Dorne, you must follow the Prince's Pass through the Red Mountains. This is a long and dangerous journey through southern Westeros, with bandits, wild animals, and treacherous terrain. Completion will grant significant knowledge, experience, and uncover secrets tied to your lineage."
Objectives:
Travel from Winterfell to the Prince's Pass.
Navigate the Red Mountains safely.
Reach the Tower of Joy in southern Dorne.
Rewards:
+3 Survival
+3 Endurance
+2 Strength
Skill Slot Unlock
Hidden Information About Lineage
Optional Bonus Objective:
Identify and collect clues regarding your mother's identity.
Jon's eyes narrowed. This is… perfect.
The system continued:
[Hint: You may encounter companions, enemies, and resources along the way. Use Ghost to navigate stealthily, scout, and survive.]
Jon's heart raced. This was exactly the kind of challenge he had been waiting for. His bloodline, his curiosity, his desire to no longer remain the shadowed bastard of Winterfell—all converged into one path.
The Stark Household's Reaction
Outside his room, the echoes of the Stark household continued:
Catelyn's voice, muffled but furious: "He'll die! You let him leave with no guard, no protection—"Ned's low response: "If he dies, it is his choice. And perhaps, he will survive where others would fail. He is ready."
Jon listened silently, packing the last of his supplies. He knew they argued out of fear, not hate. But their fear did not matter anymore.
I will not return as a shadow. I will not remain a bastard under these walls.
He took a deep breath, checked his pack, and looked down at Ghost. The wolf lowered his massive head, eyes glowing faintly in the firelight. Jon whispered:
"Then it's time. Tower of Joy… here we come."
The First Step
Jon opened the door, stepping lightly into the snow. Ghost followed, enormous and silent, moving like a ghost indeed. The courtyard was empty except for a few late-night guards, who gave him curious glances. Jon ignored them.
This was not a crime. It was destiny.
He walked toward the outer gate of Winterfell, the night air biting at his face. Ghost padded beside him. Every step carried Jon closer to the unknown, closer to the Tower of Joy, and to answers that had eluded him all his life.
[Quest Started: Tower of Joy]
Current Location: Winterfell
Destination: Prince's Pass, Red Mountains, Dorne
Estimated Duration: Weeks of travel
Companion: Ghost (Warhorse-sized Direwolf, Shadow Leap ready)
Jon took one last look at Winterfell.
This is the life of the bastard no more.
And with that, he stepped into the snow, toward the first adventure of his own choosing, with the world stretching endlessly before him.