This is Game of Thrones...and considering the caliber that Garland and Alerie live up to, they know what they owe and what they do not, and what they actually need. So a disfigured Stormlands poses no threat to anyone externally, not even the Reach...Garland doesn't care about The Wall, and if his neighbor is tearing himself apart, it'll just mean there's another Baratheon on the Lord Paramouncy of the Stormlands. This could change if they became united with the Reach, by marriage and a real, actual debt of "We saved your asses", they are basically forced to play along if Garland decides to actually get involved, potentially compromising his vassal numbers. And if say, Dorne wants the Red Church to take power...The Reach suddenly becomes Kingdom No.4 that could be effected by the Domino Effect of the Red Priests' movements that could take over in the Stormlands.

You don't have to change it, you're going to get a response in my post :D The Reach is a kind, chivalrous and noble house after all, it's not like they have an agenda to put out onto anyone. Like you know, killing fucking thousands of rebels in hard, rapid conflict and chaining the Stormlands to Rhaeanyra Targaryen's rule, is their aim. Or, just throwing another random Baratheon onto the Storm King's throne, and saying "Hah, you'll be our puppet".

@Apoalo

And yeah...if so, then this is a Cold fucking War, it's definitely going to take relationships between Dorne and The Reach from cosy to a little bit strained. This also means The Reach is shit-stirring with everyone, BUT has a potential ally in the south. Though of course, Garland may just say "Meh" and leave it.

I still feel so TENSE... the we stand upon a knife edge, truly on the brink of war... the kingdoms all stand ready to annihilate one another, the throne is empty, the Stormlands are falling apart under a mad man, the red church has its claws in one of the strongest forces seeking the throne AND his son AND are rising in the stormlands. White walkers wait on the outskirts, the north and iron islands tear at eachother and the west secretly plots to destroy the great kraken... SHIT IS GETTING REAL

*hums Game of Thrones theme again*

I think I have just the right music for this -> youtube.com/watch?v=FcEizDACxNk

It's not a Cold War at all because to Eleina's mind she's liberating citizens from a rule where the Lord ignored them. The red priests would preach right at the Stormland's border and not cross but what happens inside their territory is all Stormlands. And if asked to stop, Eleina would stop. =p Again, Dorne doesn't care, they're perfectly content to just stay in Dorne BUT, the Stormlands are veryyyyy tasty looking. And it all depends on how Garland reacts, if he shows that he's more inclined to let the Stormlands fall and bring them under the sisters via Dorne then El will invade hard. If he's more inclined to protect and such then she'll back off.

All while this happens, the Vale remains unchanged.

Sringer: "There is a conflict brewing, just outside our door."
Ellion: *solemn nod, watches a falcon snatch up a mouse*
Arecel: *slurps her tea loudly* e_e

I posted!

@Apoalo

This in itself is interesting. Because Garland already risks one very big war with the Crakehalls, to risk another one for something else completely, is basically madness to his vassals, and while actually, it COULD work, saying it's what he'd risk and what he would actually go right ahead with are two different things. Get a Reach-Stormlands Alliance brewing, you could really muster up some serious political force, combined with a Dayne on the council, and this is nirvana for Garland- if he can do that without pissing people off, then he has things under control, and he would laugh in the face of Crakehall's rhetoric, while bringing all the key friendly players into the council, sans Crakehalls. It is political bloc-ing at it's finest.

But there are problems, and the main one is the fact that Garland doesn't know what the fuck is going on in some ways, and he does in others. House Tarly would tell him to march right the fuck in, Belgrave Tarly** being great for such a campaign, while other vassals would be opposed on his council, and tell Garland to focus only on the narrower picture for his OWN realm. It's a fucking hard decision to make, and Garland actually quite likes Eleina, respects her despite being a part of a religion that occasionally burns people like roman candles....so what he does has to be as politically and diplomatically manipulated as possible, if he wants to make it work. This is Game of Thrones though, so the best laid plans can always go to shit.

Considering that most likely, Garland knows Gris is madly obsessed with Science* to not care about his realm, while his sister actually looks a little more competent, and I would assume, be a perfect woman to listen to the Lord Hand's advice whilst guarding the South-East from Dorne. So, in typical Tyrell fashion, they're going to do something far more political. If not, raise the banners, send in the Reachmen, maybe less in the nick of time.

** I haven't introduced him yet, but he is the latest incarnation in the pretty militaristic Tarly line that happens to enjoy being pretty damn fuck-off with a Valryian Steel sword. Masterful general, soldier, not a PC character but a character who happens to enjoy the fruits of conflict more than the fruits of the Reach.

*Which actually, would anyone be randomly willing to throw up there that Yi Ti has this shit he speaks of right now? Maybe? Possibly?

@Major Ursa

Ellion may or may not receive a letter at some point from Garland. It may involve travel to King's Landing. And if he arrives with about a dozen falcons hoisting him up with rope, then fuck it, that beats what will happen in Abe's next post. :D

Btw I'd say the forces under lord Banefort (the 33,000 marching to kings landing, swelled to 38,000 by houses of the crown lands like House Blackwater), are just about on Wilas's doorstep... I think it's been about long enough by now

And, Dragonstone would have reverted back to the hands of the Targaryens once they had come back into power, as it was an ancestral seat for them. The heir to the throne controls Dragonstone, which would have been Daenys Targaryen, at least due in part with Aegon X not having a designated heir. He would have forces still loyal to him upon the island, so, if the Baratheon Lord is on the island, it is in asylum, as the ancestral Baratheon seat, Storm's End, had fallen. Perhaps to rebels, or a cousin branch of the Baratheons who are not pleased with the Lord being a maester more than a lord.

House Baratheon supports Daenys then, and is a traitor. Support the rebels!! Viva la revolution.

@kingkonrad Well, not so. If Yi Ti is really a China clone, then they would continue using spears and swords well into the time when others would have trains, hot air balloons, and cannons. Gunpowder is just the first step, really.

Also, on another note, has anyone noticed that the Game of Thrones world uses the British Imperial system for measurements, rather than the metric system?

@agentmanatee

Acknowledged. 38,000 sieging a city filled with 13,500, with two dragons and some fucking high walls. Let it last. Come at me, bro. :D

@bloonewb

The Stormlands are going to get messy, my good friend. It's an interesting point, and it'll be interesting to see what comes of it.

@Abefroeman

Oh, and what was mentioned at the end of the post, as everyone else has seen, is an interesting point. Not really been talked about, but this is exactly why succession crises occur.

How old are these dragons?

They are only three years old. Big enough to ride, so, probably Drogon's Size from Season Five in GoT. Maybe the other two... hmmm.

@kingkonrad Well, you've got to help the Baratheons. Tales are spoken of the lord's vast and eldritch knowledge, which he may share with close allies (nudge nudge wink wink /:))

@kingkonrad
Arecel: "Should we suspect fowl play?"
Sringer: e_e "Your lord brother tried to fly off on a rope hoisted up by a dozen birds...none of the twelve falcons made it, either."
Arecel: "...hooo~, this is hawkward."
Sringer: *brings that dagger back up to his throat*
Arecel: "I jest to cope...I'll go jest at the two servant girls I just passed, I know I can at least get a peregrines from them."
Sringer: *sets himself on fire*

@bloonewb It does, which makes no sense considering Westeros is based on Medieval England

@Major Ursa So many Bird puns, it makes my tits hard

@Abefroeman Does this world have anymore room for dragon riders?

@bluetommy2 Our story takes place long after the events of the show, right? Even in real life, there had to be some dreamers that ushered in the Renaissance (that being the time that Gris dreams of). However, I don't expect many of his plans to come to fruition until long after his death. Well, maybe some.

@bluetommy2 Boobies
B: