I understand your concerns in that regard. So keep in mind any of the four rebel houses named can be changed to another Stormland house if a player doesn't want them to be, well rebelling. I don't want to do a peasant rebellion or outsider invasion as that would unite the power of the Stormlands under the Baratheon's, and at the start I want their power to be basically zero.
Still, I don't want to step on your toes, or anyone else's so please take a gander at this WIP and let me know if the scenario is too crazy, and not too your liking.
HOUSE BARATHEON of STORM'S END
'OUR'S IS THE FURY!'
Recent History
The youngest of the the seven great houses of Westeros, House Baratheon of Storm's End was installed by Aegon I during his conquests of the region, and named Lords Paramount of the Stormlands. For nigh nintey years the sons of Orys 'The One Hand' Baratheon have ruled the Stormlands, taking the words, castle, and honor of the Storm King who came before. The Storm men are a resilient and fractious people, with a long memory, and a righteous fury. House Baratheon, from Orys then to Robbas in the present have struggled to rein in the proud Storm lords, keeping them loyal to the wishes of the Targaryn King on the Iron Throne. Their efforts have not been in vain, and it could be said that with a Baratheon at their head the armies of the Stormlands are the most loyal and dangerous force in all the Seven Kingdoms. Though many of the great houses would beg to differ on this point there is no denying the Stormlands, at least before that pincer grip on power and loyalty has slipped under the chaotic rule of Robbas Baratheon I.
During his reign as Lord Paramount, Robbas Baratheon was known as an effective yet ruthless ruler, the veteran of a score of battles and a master of fear. He fathered two sons and a daughter, with the Lady Sayella Baratheon, née Tarth. During the time of his rule he gathered few friends, but a great many foes, including the houses of Connington and Selmy, Fell, and Buckler, by insult and disrespect among other acts. For example, Robbas bedded the new wife of Lord Selmy during his wedding day celebrations, disarmed Lord Buckler in a duel for Buckler's daughter's honor, and spit in Lord Fell's face for the slightest backtalk. He executed the Lord Connington for being late to battle, and installed the man's son as Lord, an act that has never been forgotten by the Connington's. Robbas was no man to make amends, and actively furthered the bad blood, antagonizing the lords of his sworn houses. Even those families he was not openly feuding with him looked on disapprovingly. Of Houses Selmy, Buckler, Fell, and Connington he made open mockery, and dug salt into their wounds as was his combative nature. Despite this, those four houses could do not but grit their teeth and bend to his will, weathering their Lord Paramount's disdain. For it was known that Robbas Baratheon harbored little patience, and was terrifying to draw battle lines against. Instead they were relegated to plotting silently behind his back in hopes of revenge.
Of the Baratheon children Robbas II, 'The Younger', was the heir to Storm's End. He was as blusterous and promiscuous as his father. He resided at Storm's End, married to Tolana née Swann with a young son of his own, Robbas III, perhaps his fifth child, but his only true-born. Robbas The Elder's second born was Oryon, a man of twenty who was seen far more favorably then his father and elder brother by the Stormlords, he was soft spoken, and true hearted, loyal to a fault, or a "weak willed follower" as his father called him. He spent much of his time away in the Reach, courting his intended bride to be. Mellaran the youngest at only twelve remained at Storm's End, she is a pretty enough girl, and well known for being cleverer then Robbas, and bolder than Oryon. Together they made a rather broken family, with the only ties maintaining their family cohesion being blood and honor.
Nevertheless due to Robbas I's iron will they maintained their power in the Stormlands, never giving an inch to their foes in battle or otherwise. In recent days however, disaster struck, and Lord Robbas Baratheon's demons came for him all at once. In the night a grave sickness took the middle-aged lord, and he was forced to lay abed, his maester tending to him. Meanwhile Robbas II was summoned from the Weeping Town where he had been spending the month feasting with his friend, Lord Whitehead. The ravens sent were mysteriously lost, and new ones were required to call the young lord home from his whoring and jousting to be with his father one last time. The ravens arrived to late, and whilst Robbas II was still preparing for the journey home, Lord Robbas the Elder perished in his bed, a mere week after taking ill. It was at this time when Lord Buckler, accompanied by a score of knights and two score sergeants-at-arms called upon Storm's End to pay his final respects to the ailing lord, he was admitted, foolishly by the castellan of the castle, who did not think as to who it was calling to give his 'respects'. Within the hour the Lady Saynella, Robbas II's heir Robbas III, and Mellaran were all seized and any man suspected of being loyal to Robbas Baratheon were put to the sword. There were few of these, it seemed most of the household had turned against their lord. Within a fortnight the massed forces of House Selmy, and House Connington arrived at Storm's End, reinforcing Lord Buckler's position and by the right of the sword named him Lord Paramount of the Stormlands.
Furious the new Lord Robbas gathered up the might of House Swann and House Whitehead and marched on Storm's End laying siege to the castle. But he was a young commander, only lightly blooded and lacking in the skill and experience of his father. The Lords Selmy and Buckler counted upon this, and sallied forth to meet him in battle. Their forces clashed in a furious storm before the gates, but when it seemed that Lord Robbas II might prevail the men of House Fell took his rear, smashing through his back lines. Caught in a trap Robbas fought to the last and with all the anger of a Baratheon, but the four houses surrounded his hastily gathered army and they fought with little mercy. It was no battle, but a slaughter, and the Lord Robbas was taken, executed, and his head hung on a spike above the gates of Storm's End. His heir Robbas III was held as a hostage against the good behavior of the Stormlords who might still be loyal to House Baratheon. The boy of two was forced to recant his claims and heritage, and swear oaths to Lord Jonnol Buckler. Ser Tytan Baratheon, Robbas I's brother was hunted, but the man had escaped his holdfast before the traitors fell upon him, and went into hiding. Ser Oryon was in the Reach, and temporarily safe...
Many of the Stormlords were shocked and outraged by this aggressive replacement of power. But the four rebel houses together were more powerful then all the others combined, with House Baratheon, House Swann, and House Whitehead shattered. One by one the Stormlords bent, rejecting their oaths to Robbas' heir, who was held by the Buckler's, and swearing fealty to Lord Jannol Buckler. Only House Tarth refused, safe on their island seat, they did not name Jonnol Lord Paramount, vowing to serve only Lord Robbas III and demanding the release of Lady Saynella for captivity. Their efforts were in vain, and even now Lord Buckler eyes the Sapphire Island with malicious intent. In a single bloody month the Baratheon's iron grip on power had been lost in full, and the scattered remains of their family were in hiding, in far off lands, or in captivity.
House Members
Name: Lord Robbas I Baratheon Age: Forty-two Deceased Appearance: (Or description) Biography:
Name: Lord Robbas III Baratheon Age: Two Appearance: (Or description) Biography:
Name: Ser Orion Baratheon Age: Twenty Appearance: (Or description) Biography:
Name: Lady Mellaran Baratheon Age: Twelve Appearance: (Or description) Biography:
Name: Ser Tytan Baratheon Age: Forty Appearance: (Or description) Biography:
Ok so, the sheet's really well written and I understand the desire to want to play a weakened house, but there's a few things to note here.
Firstly; House Baratheon is the Lord Paramountship closest to the Targaryen Crownlands, and this is an age of relative stability and peace for the Iron Throne (at least initially). Not to mention the Targaryens still have their dragons 'and' Storm's End is one of the most powerful seats on the Narrow Sea for the Kingdom to maintain. I don't really see a situation in which the Targaryens allow the Baratheons to entirely lose control of the Stormlands. It might be worth altering the end situation to one of the rebellious Lords being installed as the Regent to the young Baratheon heir, and ruling through him, that way.
Secondly, one of the main potential claimants to the Iron Throne, Rhaenys Targaryen, is half Baratheon through her mother, Jocelyn Baratheon. As mentioned you're more than welcome to change canon to play different characters, this is quite an important link. To keep this connection intact, I'd like to offer the solution that Robbas the Elder was a younger brother of both Jocelyn and Boremond (making him a son of Lord Rogar Baratheon and Dowager Queen Alyssa Velaryon) and that, unlike in canon, Boremond died without heirs. Let me know if that works for you.
Yadira Greyjoy is a squatly built young woman, with the hard physique of a warrior, supplemented with an element of softness, and the beginnings of a wine belly, due to a tad too much time spent revelling in the spoils of her conquests.
She has the dark hair typical of her family, and a slew of decorative tattoos are inked across her body in swirls and coils; depicting the various conquests and achievements of her reaving days.
Her right canine and premolar have been replaced with onyx dentures, sharpened to have fang-like points.
Biography:
From an early age, it became apparent that Yadira Greyjoy was “the mad one”. If she wasn’t playing twisted mind games on other children, she was getting into fights, or taking out her fits of rage on any small animals unlucky enough to cross her path. She was always an effortless liar, and showed no remorse for those she hurt. Her childhood was defined by strife and disorder, much to the anger of her family.
It was obvious that Yadira no interest in being subservient to anyone, be they man or woman, and that the life she sought was one of adventure and violence.
Although she was reviled by most on the Iron Islands, for her sadistic nature, Yadira began to attract a crowd of some of the more savage islanders to her side, who became known colloquially known as “The Cunt’s Corsairs”.
The young woman’s life truly changed on the fifteenth name day of her younger brother, when a drunken argument between the two culminated in Yadira smashing her sibling over the head with a metal goblet, which split his skull open, and left him blind in one eye.
Her father furiously struck her, knocking out the teeth which she would later replace. Years of depraved behaviour, coupled with her recent transgressions, soon saw Yadira exiled from the Iron Isles, and cast out from House Greyjoy.
Yadira and her followers stole one of her father’s galleys, Stormdrinker, and set sail for Old Town. Once they arrived in the port city,, the reavers encountered the Mereenese merchant Sqkur Zo Alois, after introducing themselves as simple sell-swords. Sqkur hired Yadira and her crew to escort him back across the Summer Sea, which was an opportunity that they all were eager to seize. Sqkur was impressed with the efficiency at which they dealt with the pirates that tried to raid the merchant’s ship, throughout their voyage, and found the idea of Yadira, a foreign woman with a knack for fighting and cruel tendencies, to be rather delightful.
Striking a deal, Sqkur sponsored Yadira to train as a gladiator, before entering her into the fighting pits of Meereen, where she has since gained herself an infamous reputation as “Blacktooth the Brutal”.
Yadira has adapted well to life in Meereen, and draws savage enjoyment from her victories over beasts, and other gladiators, in the fighting pits.
Very fast! I like the sheet, but I just want to clarify one point. Is her father meant to be the Lord Paramount of the Iron Isles and the head of House Greyjoy or just a part of the Greyjoy house? Mainly just as a reference for someone wishing to possibly play the Greyjoys.
I tend to prefer breaking from canon to mainly come in the form of additional characters or changes to backgrounds rather than events which change the history of the whole region because that can dictate what anyone else willing to play a Stormlander house might be able to do.
That said I'm not dead set against it as the Stormlands are a pretty fractious 'kingdom' during the earlier Targaryen period. What might be better is rather than rival houses uprising against House Baratheon would be a rebellion of peasants combined with a particularly succesful Cornish raid? Maybe a new Vulture King of the Red Mountains. Just a thought.
Some may remember in the distant annals of history that a group of us used to host Advanced ASOIAF/GoT games with a generally open approach to player action and collaboration. Well, with a substantial break and the last season of GoT running down, consider us out of retirement in this regard.
The RP is something of a blend of an open character based rp and a nation rp, with most players taking on houses or influential characters and their network of political and other such influence. Posts are generally from the point of view of characters rather than an 'overview' as a Nation RP might be. We're all big ASOIAF nerds who host this, so we like to take our guide from canon, but it's certainly not a canon game, players may be creative with their houses and characters, and the story may go a dramatically different direction.
The RP itself is set long before the books and the TV show, even prior to the Targaryen Civil War, the Dance of Dragons, which spelt the end of the reign of true Dragons in Westeros. For those interested in the period, there are several books dealing with this period of canon, such as 'The World of Ice and Fire' and 'Fire and Blood' from which the inspiration for this RP has formed.
Let Daemon play at war. It keeps him out of trouble.
—Viserys I Targaryen to his court
This is a game set in the world of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series, as well as the short stories of the Hedge Knight, and most recently HBO's adaption series 'Game of Thrones'. Credit and thanks goes to Mr. Martin himself. And of course to those taking the time to participate.
While Canon is the starting point and basis for the RP, where we go from there is firmly 'Alternate Univerese.' While Lore characters at the beginning of the RP will be assumed to exist unless otherwise stated, other than Houses Targaryen, Velaryon and Hightower, players may choose to play more loosely with the characters which make up a house they decide to play as. Sticking closer to Canon is encouraged but not enforced. Likewise, many houses in this period famously had several prominent individuals influencing the Realm, often on differing sides, for that purpose, simply because someone has applied for a House, does not mean you cannot specifically apply for a certain character of that house and their sphere of influence.
This Game takes place in the year 111 AC, before the Tournament of King's Landing that will, historically, give the name to the two major factions in the Targaryen Civil War of the Dance of Dragons, the Greens and the Blacks. King Viserys I sits the Iron Throne of Westeros, while his brother, the infamous Daemon Targaryen rules the previous Pirate Stronghold of the Steptones as it's first 'King' fighting continual conflicts with The Kingdom of the Three Daughters and the Princedom of Dorne for domination of the critical Southern Sea trade routes. Their separation has allowed the wounds of their parting to settle, but rumour has it that Daemon grows tired of his paltry Kingdom of Sea and Stone.
IC Details
The game will take place in the year 111 AC
Many Noble Houses reside more permanently in the Capital than their personal fiefdoms. Partly due to the oppulance and success of Viserys I's reign, but also because of the growing need to court either his Wife or Daughter for political reasons.
Small Council seats open to PCs.
Don't worry about canons, but if you want, you can apply for one.
Daemon Targaryen has been held as a GM character for story reasons. Other Targaryens are open for application.
Dragons are very much alive and thriving. There are even non-Targaryen Dragon riders, although House Velaryon are currently the only example of this.
The chain of events following the beginning of the RP may differ dramatically from the lore, both from player action, and the path the GMs may take events in response.
OOC Details
The IC setting will take place well before the events of the series/show.
Consider this an Alternate Universe; canon is our starting off point, not our end point.
This is not a pure NRP. Think other PCs are your greatest threat? Just wait.
Advanced standards; collaborative storytelling at it's finest.
You're assumed to be an adult by submitting a character for this game; please act like one.
Applications may take a few days before a decision can be made. Generally, issues will be resolved over PMs.
Players are encouraged to play typically one-on-one scenarios, large battle scenarios, cloak-and-dagger scenarios, small plots and large plots. To be creative, and to interact with their fellow players on their own to plot is expected. Take the initiative.
Character Sheets
Please note: Apply for one character, or an entire House. Generally, players will either pick up a canon house or create their own house and roleplay with one or several members of it. This means each player is entitled to several characters per house. However, they do not all have to be members of said house by ties of blood. Instead, you can use several types of characters as points of views.
Naturally there are other options in the world of aSoIaF, such as Septons, hedge knights and sellswords, spies and spymasters, mercenaries and merchants from across the Narrow Sea, and many more. Additionally, as spots fill up or the need arises, players are allowed to play as more than one house or take over a fallen one. Get creative, don't be afraid to push a few boundaries.
The Iron Islands rise from the stormy seas in the midst of Ironman’s Bay, west of the Neck. This desolate archipelago consists of the isles of Pyke, Old Wyk, Great Wyk, Harlaw, Orkmont, Saltcliffe, Blacktyde, and dozens of smaller crags and islets, some so tiny that they can barely host a single village. Life is hard on the Iron Islands, and the brutal conditions have given rise to a grim fatalism among the fierce, hardy folk who have dwelt on the isles for millennia. The Ironmen are as hard and cold as their homeland, and their wrath is as deep and fierce as the sea they love.
Land
The rest of Westeros dismisses the Iron Islands as an insignificant backwater of the Seven Kingdoms. The islands are all rocky and barren, the soil is thin, and the weather is harsh to extremes rarely found elsewhere in Westeros. Damp, cold, and wind are ever present; only the interior of Great Wyk, largest of the islands, has places out of sound or sight of the sea. The thralls and common folk of the Iron Islands spend their lives in dismal toil, scraping a living from the poor soil, wrestling with the sea and the creatures in it, or tunnelling under the earth as they pull their fortune from its depths.
Aside from the sea’s bounty, which is little enough, the rocky crags of the Iron Islands are blessed with one other meagre source of wealth. Many of the isles, particularly Harlaw, boast deposits of metals, including lead, tin, and the iron that gives the isles their name. These ores are the only resource of note that the Iron Islands export to Westeros and the rest of the world. Trade, however, has never been a great concern to the Ironmen. They take to the seas, living as raiders and reavers. For thousands of years, the people of the Iron Islands have taken what they need to survive, letting the rest of the world thrive as best it may.
People
The origins of the Ironmen are lost to the mists of time. They claim descent from the Grey King, the mighty mariner of the Age of Heroes. The Grey King’s people have always been people of the sea, revering the Drowned God and plying the oceans on swift longships. They have no patience for farming, fishing, or mining (as the Greyjoy words say, “We Do Not Sow”) — such lesser work is left to the thralls taken in raids.
For the folk of the Iron Islands, the only true occupation is war. For countless centuries, all the coastlands of Westeros have lived in fear of the raiding longships of the Ironmen. At various times, bold High Kings of the Isles have conquered large sections of Westeros, while intrepid captains have sailed to Asshai and beyond. With the coming of Aegon Targaryen, the Iron Islands were brought under the sway of the Iron Throne. Septs, maesters, and other trappings of the green lands came to the isles, but the Ironmen still remembered the Old Way, and their hearts yearned for its return.
Cleverness, skill at arms, and persistence are all treasured traits to the Ironmen. They live in contempt of the weaklings of the “green lands” (their name for the mainland of Westeros), their gods, and their laws. Ship captains and warriors are revered among them; it is said that every captain is a king on his or her deck, and every king must be a captain. Captains are expected to raid, gaining wealth for their crews through plunder and pillage.
Indeed, true Ironmen only value things “bought with iron” (won by force of arms in combat), and have only scorn for those who clothe themselves in finery bought with gold. Among the Ironmen, women are usually relegated to secondary roles in society. There are, however, some women who have proven themselves in combat and become ship captains. Some say the salt and sea temper them, giving them the appetites and strength of men.
Life is short on the Iron Islands, and the harsh climate has bred a harsh outlook in the Ironmen. Even their sports are brutal: most feasts see at least one “fi nger dance,” a game where one or more drunken warriors hurl short-hafted axes at each other. Players must either catch the axes or leap over them. The game draws its name from the fact that most dances end when one player loses some of his or her fingers. Death and pain are the expected results of a life spent reaving, and dying well in battle is seen as far better than a life of comfort.
The southernmost kingdom of Westeros, Dorne is a desert land of red mountains and warm winds. Its princes rule from the mountains, the desert, and the sea, following 1,000 years of Rhoynish tradition and rule. Until Princess Nymeria and the Rhoynar crossed the sea, it was populated by the descendants of the Andals and First Men, who fought bloody wars all across its lands. Nymeria married into the Dornish nobility, and their family attained supremacy over the rest of Dorne.
The people of Dorne are fiercely independent, but loyal to their rulers; it was the only land to escape the wrath of Aegon the Conqueror and his dragons. Daeron I, the Young Dragon, eventually conquered Dorne, but was unable to hold it as the treachery of its lords soon led to rebellion and independence. Dorne ultimately won peace with the Targaryen kings through marriage and treaty rather than war. It was the last of the Seven Kingdoms to fall under Targaryen rule.
Land
The lands of Dorne are as diverse as its people: from the Red Mountains in the west and north, to the inland desert and river vales, to the coasts of the Sea of Dorne and the Summer Sea. All regions of Dorne are almost universally harsh, giving birth to a hardy, determined people who know how to survive. Lack of food and water, the threat of stinging scorpions and vipers, and the natural dangers of the land itself conspire against those who live in Dorne, but somehow they have always found a way to endure — and even thrive.
The vast majority of Dorne is a dusty land of small deserts and dry river valleys. This region is the southernmost part of Westeros, reaching out into the ocean from the mountains that separate it from the rest of the Seven Kingdoms. Water is scarce in this land, and most of its inhabitants live near the low-running rivers and canyons that cut into the dry terrain. The Brimstone runs south into the sea, while the Vaith and Scourge meet in the eastern mountains to form the Greenblood. This river runs to the sea in the east, just south of the stronghold of Sunspear.
The Sea of Dorne separates this dry land from the rainwood and Storm’s End, a long-time enemy of the princes of Dorne. The last outposts of Dorne include Starfall, a castle that guards the pass to the western arm of the Reach, and Yronwood, as a final defence against invaders coming down the Boneway.
North of the strongholds of Starfall and Yronwood are the mountains that both protect and isolate Dorne from their northern neighbours. These lands are populated by a tough and hearty breed of Dornishman, warriors who have led the vanguard in almost every Dornish assault on Storm’s End or the castles of the Reach. Since Dorne has become one of the Seven Kingdoms, the large battles of the past have largely been left behind, but the Dornish mountain folk have not been quiet. They still occasionally raid the lands of the Reach, ensuring that the old wounds between the two lands never heal.
North and east of these mountains stretch the vast Dornish Marches. The castles of Blackhaven and Nightsong stand outside these lands, marking the last stops before a traveller must pass through the Boneway or the Prince’s Pass to reach the desert lands of Dorne. Dornishmen heading north often take the Boneway up to the ruins of Summerhall, where they turn east and intersect with the kingsroad in order to bypass the lands of the Reach.
People
The people of Dorne are scattered all across its lands. King Daeron I once observed that there were three types of Dornishmen, and those divisions are still present in the region to this day. The salty Dornishmen live along the coasts, mainly along the Broken Arm region where the red mountains stretch out into the Sea of Dorne. These Dornishmen are litheand dark, with smooth olive skin and long black hair. They are fishermen and sailors, hard men who sail the ships of the Dornish fleet. They wait eagerly for the next opportunity to test their mettle against the steel and stone of Storm’s End or the harrowing waves of Shipbreaker Bay.
The salty Dornishmen have the most Rhoynish blood — a fact that gives them a sense of pride and a connection to their rulers in Sunspear. Sandy Dornishmen live in the deserts and long river valleys of the Dornish inland. Their skin is even darker than that of their salty brethren, burned brown by the hot Dornish sun. Even in the heat of the desert, these Dornishmen prefer to wear armour inlaid with copper. They often wear one or more copper discs about their body in tribute to the desert sun.
The stony Dornishmen live along the Boneway and in the Red Mountains that separate the region from the rest of the Seven Kingdoms. They are the largest and fairest of the region’s people, and have the least amount of Rhoynish blood. They keep the look and many of the customs and traditions of the Andals and First Men from whom they are descended. Of all the Dornishmen, the stony sort hold the least allegiance to the princes of Sunspear. They are still loyal, however, and appreciate the protection given them by the Rhoynish princes against their hated enemies to the north.
Stretching from Moat Cailin in the south to the Wall and beyond, the North is nearly as large as the other six kingdoms of Westeros combined. It is a harsh land filled with bogs, forests, and large stretches of open plain dotted by the various castles and holdfasts of the people who inhabit the frozen region. The Starks of Winterfell Castle are the most prominent of these people, although many houses hold claim to territory within the North. Also found within the region’s icy grasp is the Night’s Watch, outcasts from the Seven Kingdoms and eternal guardians against terrors beyond the North.
Land
The lands of the North are mostly cold and empty, with civilisation rare, scattered far and wide about the freezing land. The various houses that hold sway here are almost all descended from the blood of the First Men, for few others have the strength to live in such a place, much less grow fond of it. Settlements can be found in even the remotest of places, from the heart of the wolfswood to the broad, flat plains that stretch between the Dreadfort and White Harbor. As one moves north toward the Wall, though, the settlements become fewer and farther between. These lands are harsh, even during summer, and the woods along the Last River are cold and grey.
Perhaps because it is so sparsely settled, the North holds some of the greatest fortresses and castles in the Seven Kingdoms. Moat Cailin guards the southern boundary, nigh-impregnable even after enduring years of neglect and the ravages of the humid swamp on which it sits. Winterfell stands north of Moat Cailin along the kingsroad. This fortress stands like an impregnable granite monument to the hardiness of the First Men, whose blood flows through the veins of the Starks who inhabit it. The Mormonts sit on Bear Island in the Bay of Ice, while House Umber rules from the Last Hearth, east of the kingsroad on the edge of a small, cold forest by the border of the Gift.
The Gift is an area of land ceded to the Night’s Watch by the North’s rulers. It stands as an unmarked barrier between the lands of the North and the Wall, sparsely populated by a hearty people who eke out an existence despite mounting raids from wildlings and the harsh, wintry environment. Beyond the Gift lies the Wall, and the remaining fortresses of the Night’s Watch. The men along the Wall have given up their old lives to guard the Seven Kingdoms against the horrors of the frozen wastelands.
The southernmost portions of the region are known as the Barrowlands. This is a wide, hilly region in which many of the barrows of the First Men can be found. Its plains stretch from the Stony Shore on the Sunset Sea in the west to the Bite and the fortress of Widow’s Watch to the the east. Where the kingsroad cuts this region down the middle, it is a featureless grassland that stretches for days and days in every direction.
People
The people of the North are a tough and hardy lot, working hard during the summer to plan for leaner times. One will not find any dreams of the Great Summer among these people and already the maesters and stargazers are accounting for the shorter days that lead them to the inevitable realisation that winter is coming. Those who come from the settlements of the North are practical and direct, not favouring the political games and guarded communication of the cities of the south.
Transactions are made above the table, and those who would do otherwise are looked upon with a suspicion reserved for scoundrels. This attitude toward dealing with one’s fellows translates into a relatively safe region — at least from the depredations of one’s fellow man. It is said of the North that “a maiden girl could walk the kingsroad in her name-day gown and still go unmolested, and travellers could find fire, bread, and salt at many an inn and holdfast.”
The people of the North are practical in their dress, their attitudes, and their outlook. They tend toward simple clothing that will keep them warm, rather than the impractical fashions one might find in King’s Landing or Highgarden. Even the nobility prefers simple dress, although they wear their house colours proudly and travel with bannermen on many occasions.
The majority of the North’s population lives on farms owned by the family or families that live within them. During the long summers these farms prosper. As winter approaches, the farmers move in toward the towns and castles of the North. These “winter towns” lie abandoned during the summers, but become bustling trade centres when the people of the North huddle together to endure the long, wintry nights.
The farther north one goes, the more grim the people, like the land, become. They have resigned themselves to the bitter cold of their homes and the dangers of the wildling attacks that they endure. At one time the Wall made these people feel secure from the dangers of the Haunted Forest and the Frostfangs, but in recent years more and more threats have been spotted south of the great bulwark. The Wall’s defences have grown weak and scattered over time, and the First Ranger’s calls for more men have fallen on deaf ears. No one is certain what the ultimate consequence of such neglect will be, but the people of the North are determined to be as prepared as possible for the day when winter comes.
The Reach is a beautiful region of lush fields and vibrant flower gardens. Its boundaries stretch from the Blackwater Rush in the north to Oldtown in the south, and from the Dornish marches in the east to the shores of the Sunset Sea. These lands are the heart of chivalric tradition in the Seven Kingdoms, and many of the greatest knights come from the House of Tyrell, or their bannerhouses. The fields of golden roses near Highgarden and their elaborate traditions hide a proud and vain people, however, and the ruling house of Tyrell is one of the most ruthless and conniving of all that play the game of thrones.
It was not always this way. The Tyrells were once only stewards of the royal house of the Reach, the Gardeners. When the Gardeners were destroyed on the Field of Fire, Aegon raised the Tyrells to supremacy ... but some say the Florents or the Hightowers would have had a better claim.
Land
The Reach is home to the most beautiful landscapes in all the Seven Kingdoms. Wide fields of flowers and lush grasses cover the plains of the north, while the roseroad travels southwest toward the wineries and fields near Honeyholt and Brightwater Keep. The Roseroad meanders through the land, at several points crossing the Mander River, which forks and winds across the entire region.
In the west, the Honeywine River creates a temperate lowland environment, much different from that of the mountains and deserts east of Starfall. The area is the agricultural capital of the Reach, growing everything from fireplums to honey to grapes. The Arbor, an island off the cape of Whispering Sound, produces some of the finest wines in the Seven Kingdoms. The city of Oldtown sits at the southern end of the roseroad, acting as the Reach’s primary port as well as the home of the Citadel, wherein young men are trained in the maesters’ arts.
Although the upper waters of the Mander are muddy and difficult, it becomes clear and calm as it nears Highgarden. Great green willows and plants grow along the shore, making any trip down the river pleasing to the eyes. The lords of Highgarden have pleasure barges that routinely travel up and down the river as their highborn passengers feast on melons and sweet wines from the Arbor. It is not uncommon for the ladies of Highgarden to have marriage ceremonies on the largest of these barges, with the river fi lled with rose petals and scented with mint and lemon.
The plains to the north and west bound the goldroad and the searoad. They are not nearly as fertile or beautiful as those to the east and south. These plains begin to show characteristics of the rocky flatlands of the Westerlands. One area in the region is particularly notable, the Field of Fire; it is here that Aegon Targaryen ended the final major threat to his rulership over Westeros.
People
The Tyrells of Highgarden are a proud house that demands respect from all who owe them their allegiance. They believe themselves to be the very definition of chivalry. Their sworn houses take their cue from Highgarden, acting in only the most gallant and courtly manner and maintaining a strict relationship with the smallfolk and fellow nobles of the region. Most every boy in the Reach dreams of one day serving as a squire to one of the great Tyrell or Florent knights, and perhaps even becoming knights in their own right. Girls grow up dreaming of marrying a handsome knight who will sweep them off their feet and carry them off on a grand destrier bearing the noble colours of a great house.
Even though the chivalric code followed by the lords of the Reach ensures that the smallfolk know their place in society and know it well, many still feel a sense of pride at being ruled by such beautiful and brave lords — or so their lords would like to believe. The smallfolk of the Reach are much like those everywhere between the North and Dorne, giving traditional tributes and paying taxes as their station demands. Celebrations and festivals are common, and knights on their way to a tournament often make many stops along the way to parade their sharply dressed horses and attendants and to receive the favours due them from the smallfolk. Many a bastard has been sired as a direct result of these pageant trains, though for the most part the mothers of such children feel blessed rather than forgotten.
The people of Horn Hill and other locations near the Dornish Marches are less interested in the honour of their lords and more concerned with how many swords they can send against the raids from the stony Dornishmen of the nearby mountains. They tend to be a harder people than the farmers and merchants in other areas of the Reach, although not nearly so much as the Dornishmen they fight or the hardy Northmen.
The people of the Reach have greater access to dyes than most because of the preponderance of fl owers. Because of this, they dress much more richly and extravagantly than smallfolk elsewhere, and more so than even some nobility. The greens and golds of Highgarden are popular colours, as are the reds and purples made in the Southwest from grapes that cannot be used for wine. The Reach has become a place of almost dream-like beauty in the time since Aegon Dragonlord immolated its lords on the Field of Fire.
The riverlands are the heart of the Seven Kingdoms. Within its borders are some of the most storied and signifi cant castles in Westeros. House Tully flies its red and blue banners above the castle at Riverrun, while their bannermen, the Freys, guard the river crossing where the Green Fork flows from the swamps of the Neck. New alliances and old rivalries keep the riverlands in a state of flux, and the winner of the game of thrones may very well be determined on its green fields.
Land
The riverlands are a vibrant region, full of bustling riverside towns and farmers transporting goods to market. Settlements are common and it is hard to travel for a day by road or river without encountering other travellers or passing through a village. Some farmers and merchants have shops upon the great rivers of the region, floating from town to town and selling to travellers whom they happen upon. Even mummers use the rivers to their advantage, floating downstream on brightly coloured barges from which they can give performances.
The Trident is the heart of the region, being the confl uence of the Blue Fork, the Red Fork, and the Green Fork rivers. It was at the ruby ford of the Trident that Robert Baratheon slew Rhaegar Targaryen. The lands that surround this great river are green and fertile, home to several towns and farms as far as the eye can see. Most of the lords of the region have built their castles and holdfasts along the banks of the Trident, including Riverrun, the seat of House Tully.
Riverrun stands where the Tumblestone falls into the Red Fork before continuing towards the Trident. Its walls rise sheer from the water of the two rivers, and in times of war a moat can be formed to prevent an army from attacking from the west. It is here at Riverrun that Robb Stark wins a great victory against the Lannisters, and inspires his sworn lords to proclaim him King in the North.
Harrenhal is the greatest castle of the region, however, dwarfi ng Riverrun and boasting the highest castle walls in the Seven Kingdoms. It is held by Lady Whent until Lord Tywin drives her and her lords bannermen from it. The castle is rumoured to be cursed, however, since the time Aegon Targaryen unleashed his dragons upon it and turned it into a pyre, burning everyone inside.
The Gods Eye, a lake that stands south of Harrenhal, feeds a river into the Blackwater Rush, where it then travels on to King’s Landing and spills out into Blackwater Bay. This area is also fertile farmland where wheat and other grains are grown in abundance. The kingsroad runs through this region, to the east of the Gods Eye from the north after it crosses the Trident.
People
The people of the riverlands are happy and well fed. For the most part they lead quiet lives, although the spectre of war always looms large over the green fi elds and hills. The people know when war comes they will be at the heart of it, but they do not despair at this. Instead they strive to find joy in their everyday lives. Fairs and celebrations are common in the region, especially around harvest time when the crops come in. The river people dress in bright colours and enjoy playing music gathered from all the settlements and communities along the great rivers. Their lords — the Tullys, Freys, Blackwoods, Brackens, and Mallisters — treat them well.
The people are not strangers to historical rivalries, however. The neighbouring Houses of Blackwood and Bracken have long been ancient enemies, and are always at each other’s throats. Their feud dates back to the Age of Heroes, when both houses ruled the riverlands at various times, and also splintered on religious lines — the Brackens went over to the new gods, while the Blackwoods remain steadfast with the old. Their liege lords spend a good deal of time and effort making peace between them, but it seldom lasts.
The folks of the riverlands have adopted the worship of the Seven, although there are a few lords who still follow the old gods. The blood of the Andals runs deep within their veins, and worship of the old gods has almost been completely eradicated from the region. Religion plays a large part in everything the folks from the riverlands do, and even smaller villages have septs dedicated to the Seven (like much of the south). To grow up to take the vows of the godsworn is almost as glorious a dream as becoming a knight for children of the riverlands.
Legends say the Stormlands were born in a struggle against the gods themselves. Thousands of years of conquest, conflict with the elements, and war with the people of Dorne have given rise to a folk as stern and strong as the tempests that give these lands their name. The coastlands of the narrow sea are not renowned for their wealth or prosperity, but as a breeding ground of kings. Two lines of great kings have called the Stormlands home: the Storm Kings who arose in the Age of Heroes, the Targaryens who invaded Westeros from Dragonstone Isle.
Land
The Stormlands stretch from the waters of Blackwater Bay in the north to the Sea of Dorne in the south. They include the lands surrounding Shipbreaker Bay, and the far southern region of the Dornish marches, which forms a troubled border with Dorne. Most of the inland regions of the Stormlands are covered in two great forests, the kingswood and the rainwood, while the coastlines consist of ragged snarls of rocks or sheer cliffs. Ships sailing to King’s Landing from Storm’s End travel through Massey’s Hook, which shields them from gales coming out of the narrow sea. From the end of Massey’s Hook, known as Sharp Point (and controlled by the Bar Emmons of Dragonstone), ships travel through the Gullet and into Blackwater Bay.
A few villages and holdfasts are nestled in the depths of the woods, while castles and fortresses cling to the coastal cliffs. The larger islands like Tarth host fiefs as well. None of these settlements has grown to the size of a full-fledged city, and in many ways the Stormlands stand in the shadow of King’s Landing. The lands along Cape Wrath and in the kingswood and the rainwood are fertile, but low populations and historic strife have kept the Stormlands fairly rural. The Stormlands have little to offer in trade with the surrounding regions — the coastal fiefs cannot hope to compete with the bounty of the Reach and riverlands, or the mineral wealth of the Westerlands.
Though it lacks any major cities, the Stormlands are home to one of the most famous castles in Westeros. Storm’s End, ancient home of the Storm Kings, crouches atop the chalky cliffs of Shipbreaker Bay facing the angry sea. According to legend, Storm’s End was the seventh castle built by Durran, the first Storm King. Legends say Durran raised seven castles during his feud with the gods of sea and sky, and only this last held strong. Some say Durran was aided by the children of the forest, or by Brandon the Builder in his youth. Potent spells are said to have been woven into the stout keep’s walls, magics that make the castle impervious to storm or siege. Since Aegon Targaryen awarded Orys Baratheon the titles of Argilac the Storm King, Storm’s End has been held by House Baratheon.
The Stormlands contain several other notable holdings, such as the castle of Bronzegate; Harvest Hall, home of the Selmys; and Evenfall Hall on the island of Tarth, which is also known as the Sapphire Isle. Furthermore, the Royal Palace of Summerhall are found in the Stormlands, at the place where they meet Dorne and the Reach. Smmerhall was a lightly fortified castle built by Baelor the Blessed on the edge of the Dornish Marches to serve as a royal residence for the Targaryens.
People
The people of the Stormlands are primarily of Andal extraction, although some ancient houses trace their origins to Durran the Storm King in the Age of Heroes. At one time, the Storm Kings ruled all of the surrounding lands up to the Neck. They then lost their empire to the Iron Men. The last Storm King, Argilac the Arrogant, died during the Wars of Conquest at the hand of Orys Baratheon. Favoured by the Targaryens, the Baratheons have ruled the Stormlands ever since.
As in the rest of the Seven Kingdoms, most of the people of the Stormlands live in small villages clustered around keeps, crossroads, or holdfasts. Most lowborn folk till the soil or fish in the sea, pledging their labours to the nobles of lesser houses, who in turn serve House Baratheon. Fishing is a common profession among the island and coastal fiefs, and many of the lesser houses have turned to shipping (and even smuggling) as a means of making their fortune. Though the fiefs of the Stormlands produce few trade goods, their position between the markets of King’s Landing and the prosperous Free Cities draws many foreign merchants to the towns and islands of the Stormlands.
Perhaps the old enmity of the sea and storm gods has infused itself into the people of this ancient land. Kings and houses may come and go, but the fury of sea and storm always remains, and the people of the Stormlands have long since learned to trust to their strength and swords for survival. The kingswood and rainwood are notorious for the bandits and brigands who hide in them from the King’s Law, and the Marcher Lords have fought with the Dornishmen to the south for more than a thousand years. Some of the greatest warriors in Westeros, including Ser Barristan Selmy (Lord Commander of the Kingsguard), the Marcher Lord Beric Dondarrion, and King Robert Baratheon were all nurtured in the lands of the Storm Kings.
A hidden paradise nestled among the sheer peaks of the Mountains of the Moon, the Vale of Arryn is one of the oldest of the Seven Kingdoms as well as one of the most remote. Accessible only by long, treacherous mountain roads or by sea, the Vale has stood apart from the turmoil and intrigues of Westeros since the Kings of Mountain and Vale took the lands from the First Men. The Vale’s isolation — and the depredations of the mountain clansmen — have given rise to both pragmatism and caution among the folk who live there.
Land
The Vale of Arryn encompasses all the lands encircled by the Mountains of the Moon, from the twin watchtowers known as the Bloody Gate in the west, to Gulltown and the barren lands of the Fingers in the east. Near the Bloody Gate, the Vale is only a few leagues across, while the broken coasts to the east are a seemingly endless labyrinth of bays and cliffs.
The heartland of the Vale is a beautiful land, with stunning vistas of green fi elds, blue skies, and snowy summits. The wide valleys between sheer peaks of the Mountains of the Moon are blessed with slow rivers and black soil, dotted with hundreds of small lakes. The air is clear and chill in the Vale, and ice and snow are common sights in the mountain trails, even in summer.
The heartlands are blessed with prosperity to match their breathtaking beauty. The rich soil is admirably suited for wheat, corn, and barley, and it is said that the pumpkins and other produce of the Vale are as large and fine as any in the orchards of Highgarden. The Giant’s Lance, tallest of the Mountains of the Moon, dominates the skyline of the Vale.
The Eyrie, one of the strongest castles in Westeros and ancient home of the Arryns, is perched atop the mountain. Though the Eyrie is far smaller than Winterfell and the other great castles, its granaries are ample, allowing it to withstand a long siege if need be. The difficult approach is guarded by a castle called the Gates of the Moon, along with three watchforts named Stone, Snow, and Sky. In places, the path up the sheer mountainside is only wide enough for a single man to pass. The watchforts are ideally positioned to rain arrows and stones upon it.
The outlands of the Vale are far less pleasant. The Fingers are bleak, empty lands, home to stones and sheep and little else. Most of the Vale’s commerce with the rest of Westeros comes through the bustling port city of Gulltown, for even the uncertain seas are safer than the mountain roads, plagued by clansmen and shadowcats.
People
The people of the Vale are mostly of Andal extraction and live as the rest of the peoples of Westeros do. The lowborn, mostly farmers or fishermen, dwell in small villages gathered around the holdfasts or mansions of the highborn. Every highborn family swears its allegiance to the Arryns. The Arryns have ruled the Vale from time out of mind and have served the Iron Throne as Wardens of the East since the Targaryen conquest.
Peace and prosperity have lingered in the Vale for centuries, and with them have flowered generosity, hospitality, and courtesy. The people of the Vale are friendly and generous even to outsiders, save at the western end near the Bloody Gate, where the continual raiding of the mountain clans has given rise to constant wariness.
The Vale was one of the first places that the Andals invaded during the Age of Heroes, landing at the Fingers and wresting the Vale from the First Men. The Kings of Mountain and Vale, legends say, were one of the purest lines of Andal nobility.
House Arryn, the modern descendants of the Mountain Kings of old, are famed for their honour and love of tradition. The ancient, formulaic greetings are still intoned before any may pass the Bloody Gate.
West of the Trident and north of the Reach is a region known as the Westerlands, a rocky land of miners and fi shermen. The Westerlands are rich in coin, thanks to the many gold mines that dot the surrounding hills and mountains. Additionally, the coastal fisheries and large tracts of grazing land keep the region well fed. The Lannisters of Casterly Rock are the unrivalled rulers of this precious hill country. Through their ruthless actions and the devotion of their enforcers, such as House Marbrand, House Lannister has seen every family in the region bend the knee to their lord, Douglas Lannister.
Land
The Westerlands stretch from Lannisport in the south to Ironman’s Bay in the north, with the goldroad and the Red Fork marking convenient southern and eastern boundaries. The lands here are rocky and mountainous, a far cry from the rolling wheat fields and pig farms of the nearby riverlands. The region’s farmers concentrate on blooming crops such as nuts and berries as well as root crops, such as turnips, which are staples of the Westerlands’ agriculture.
Fishermen from Faircastle and Lannisport supply much of the coastal region’s food, while those farther inland rely on the aforementioned fruits, herds of sheep and cattle, as well as deer and goats from the mountains. The region has few inland towns that are not directly tied to the many gold mines or the handful of silver mines found in the mountains. Some of the mines have dried up, leaving ghost towns whose inhabitants try to scrape by as best they can while newer generations move to other cities to find work and life.
The mines at the Golden Tooth are some of Casterly Rock’s most prolific, and the area around it has become hotly contested for this reason, as well as its strategic importance as a pass between Riverrun and Casterly Rock. Other gold minesdot the mountainous regions of the Westerlands, and people flock from the fields and cities to participate in the mining of the precious ore. These towns often present a sharp dichotomy for those who live there. The mines themselves are tightly regulated to discourage attempts to smuggle out any gold. The towns that spring up around them, however, are often lawless affairs, ruled by itinerant landlords and their personal guard. Some of these towns are run by sellswords in the pay of nobles who live in Lannisport and elsewhere. Living conditions in these towns are harsh, and violence can break out at any time without cause or justice.
The towns along the western coast of Westeros are rich from the plentiful gold. Nobles live good lives and are spared much of the fi ghting that has taken place. Fisheries and imports from across the sea keep trade bustling in Lannisport, and the city’s population reflects the diversity one often finds in port cities with access to the riches of the world.
There are fewer castles and holdfasts in the region than in the fertile regions to the east or in the North. The mountains provide a strong defensive position for local lords, and Casterly Rock is a nearimpenetrable stronghold whose presence protects those around it.
People
The best thing the people of the Westerlands have to say about their lot in life is that they are well defended. House Lannister holds more political power than any of the other houses, and this alone grants their lands some measure of security. Unfortunately, they give little else for their smallfolk to cheer about. The riches of the area’s gold mines have done little or nothing to help the region’s poor, who struggle daily to sell fish in the cities and bring gold out of the mines in the mountains. This gold goes to enrich the coffers of Lannister nobles and their bannermen, while life remains rugged and short for those without access to the wealth.
Lannisport and Casterly Rock are the two greatest hubs in the region; the world’s eyes are on the Lannisters upon their perch at the Rock, while the local population centres upon the prosperous city of Lannisport. Merchants and middlemen are somewhat scarcer in the cities of the west than in other regions, as the majority of the local wealth is controlled by the region’s nobles. Control over the money is given to lords and sworn men, leaving very little room for advancement in Westerland society. Yet undoubtedly those who prove outstanding ability can find powerful local patrons and great rewards.
Most labourers and beggars have little time for the intrigues and games played by nobles throughout the realm, of course. The smallfolk of the Westerlands are mostly loyal to House Lannister and its banner houses. Aside from the mining towns, law and order is kept throughout the region. Casterly Rock does not tolerate outlaw bands that seek to steal from the mines and coffers of its noble houses. Taxation remains relatively low, and there is always work to be had.
Established originally as a fortress of earth and wood at the point where Aegon the Conqueror first landed in Westeros, King’s Landing has since evolved into a thriving and bustling city, home to the seat of power of the Seven Kingdoms. Though there are other cities in the Seven Kingdoms, none are so large or so steeped in treachery and deception as that which houses the Iron Throne. From the nobles and their game of thrones to the street urchins who prey on lone, unsuspecting victims, perfidy is the touchstone of this municipality.
Land
King’s Landing rests on the north shore of the mouth of the Blackwater Rush, as it empties out into Blackwater Bay. It is built upon three hills named after Aegon and his two sisters, Rhaenys and Visenya. Aegon’s High Hill, which rises up beside the waters of the Blackwater, is home to the seven drum-towers of the Red Keep, within which resides the king on the Iron Throne. Beneath this tower are webs of secret tunnels that extend out into the city.
In the southwestern corner of the city stands Visenya’s Hill, the top of which features the Great Sept of Baelor. From afar, one can clearly make out its seven crystal bell towers. Rhaenys’s Hill lies in the northeastern portion of the city, and is topped by the ruins of the Dragonpit. At the base of Rhaenys’s Hill sprawls the section of twisting alleys and cross streets known as Flea Bottom. Flea Bottom is one of the poorer, if not poorest, neighbourhoods in King’s Landing. Its streets are unpaved and the buildings lean so close to one another over the alleys that they nearly touch. The entire area stinks of pigsties, stables, tanneries, and winesinks.
Seven gates lead into the city. To the south, between the castle walls and the river, is a collection of ramshackle buildings that make up the fi sh market, as well as the hundred quays that line the river for merchants to unload their wares. In the southwest, just beyond the King’s Gate, lie the tourney grounds. In the middle of the north wall is the Old Gate, near which are the wealthier neighbourhoods of King’s Landing. Strangely, the upper crust of King’s Landing live on the other side of Rhaenys’s Hill, opposite from the poverty of Flea Bottom.
Across the river to the south lies the kingswood. Though nominally the private hunting reserve of the king, there are many hiding places for outlaws to conceal themselves within its verdant reaches. Some smallfolk also dwell within those woods. West of the city is the beginning of the goldroad, which aptly connects King’s Landing to Casterly Rock. The kingsroad extends both north and south of the city. To the south, a side fork leads to Highgarden by way of the roseroad, while the kingsroad proper continues on through the Stormlands to Storm’s End. The northern road extends past Winterfell, reaching up to the Wall.
To the east, however, Blackwater Bay opens out into the narrow sea, where the island fortress of Dragonstone can be found. Dragonstone rises from the narrow sea near Sharp Point, crowned by a mighty castle of the same name. The refuge of the Targaryens, Dragonstone’s walls and buildings are shaped from black basalt, and carved into the shapes of dragons, gargoyles, and countless beasts of legend.
People
As the largest city in Westeros and the seat of power within the Seven Kingdoms, influences from all parts of the kingdom find their way here. Most highborn Westerosi come to King’s Landing at some point in their lives. Many establish a regular presence in the city in order to stay intouch with happenings in court. With the High Septon presiding over the faith from the Great Sept of Baelor, many septons also make their way to King’s Landing eventually to pay their respects.
Visitors and merchants from across the narrow sea pass through, often taking up residence in the largest port in Westeros. Some possess a useful skill to ply in their new home, but others find themselves resorting to less savoury acts to survive. With all social classes present and confined within the walls of the city, it is not inconceivable to imagine the lowest-born thief rubbing shoulders with the wealthiest of nobles — or at least passing by on the same street.
While they are predominantly of Westerosi stock, the native-born residents of the city are more cosmopolitan than most folk of the Seven Kingdoms due to contact with more exotic cultures. Prostitutes from the Summer Isles, fencing instructors from Braavos, and merchant princes from Qarth may all be found managing their respective businesses in the city, and conceivably extending their bloodline into the local population.
For those not well born, life in the city can be hard. Merchants must always be wary of the ubiquitous thieves that populate the poorer portions of town; these thieves, meanwhile, must be on guard against one another, as well as against the grim gold cloaks of the City Watch.
Military Might: The North
The Starks of Winterfell command perhaps 45,000 fighting men. Since the region is so large and has such a diffuse population, however, it takes a very long time to gather an army. Since the winters are so harsh, the local lords are always concerned with having enough men to bring in the harvest. Sending away needed workers means a cold, hungry death for everyone in the area. Among the forces of the North, the average ratio between foot and horse solider is 4 to 1.
The Northerners have no fleet to speak of since Brandon the Burner torched the navy.
Military Might: The Iron Islands
The Iron Islands can call upon an estimated 20,000 swords. The island fleet is the largest in Westeros. The islands can probably float about 500 longships or more — many of these might dip no more than 20 oars, while a handful dip more than 100. The Iron Fleet is a specific elite fleet of these larger ships. It should be noted that a longship does not compare well to a galley or carrack, despite being faster and more manoeuvrable, as those ships have much higher decks with room to mount scorpions and other such instruments of war.
The ironmen have an advantage over other regions for their martial culture encompasses everyone, high and low, men and even some women, all of whom learn to fight and reave. The only exception are the thralls, who are not taught to fight but instead do heavy labour.
Military Might: The Riverlands
The strength of the Riverlands is roughly 45,000 swords, likely comparable to that of the Vale of Arryn. Unfortunately, the strong personalities of the river lords lead to fractious divisions — the Freys like to sit and wait, and they command some 4,000 by themselves. The lords of Bracken and Blackwood are at odds, helping to paralyse the region. The ratio of foot to horse is likely fairly high, at about 3 to 1. Houses on the major rivers will have barges, galleys, and skiffs.
Military Might: The Vale
The Defenders of the Vale can summon perhaps 45,000 swords to their banners. Their force is comparable in power to the North, or Dorne, although far more concentrated than the former. They have little naval power to speak of outside of Gulltown, but have a decent ratio of infantry to mounted soldiers (perhaps 3 to 1).
Military Might: The Westerlands
The Westerlands commands slightly more troops than places like the Riverlands or the Vale. It is estimated that the entirety of the Westerlands can bring in 50,000 soldiers when all the banners are raised, but this includes the greenest boys, and leaves many castle garrisons desperately weak. The Lannister wealth allows them to command the second strongest land force, in large part because it allows them to field a tremendous mounted force compared to infantry, perhaps as good as 2 to 1. The pikemen of the City Watch in Lannisport are known to be well trained, perhaps the most disciplined feudal foot levy in the Seven Kingdoms. The Lannisters also have a fairly significant naval strength. The Lannisters have 20 or 30 cogs, carracks, galleys, and dromonds at Lannisport, and can call upon their bannermen to fill out their fleets. Each minor coastal house likely has two or three ships to patrol their waters. In total, the Westerland navy is probably close to 50 or 60 large ships, leaving their longships for coastal defence.
Military Might: The Reach
Because of its bountiful harvests and its wealth, the Reach has a large population. With that comes the largest army in the Seven Kingdoms, capable of reaching 80,000 troops with a foot to horse ratio of 2 or 3 to 1. Should the sweepings of the Reach be collected and trained, they might marshal as many as 100,000 swords. With the Redwynes, the Shield Islands, and the coastal lords gathered together, the Tyrells also command a fleet to rival the king’s royal fleet and the fleet of the Greyjoys, floating 200 ships or more of which dip 100 oars or more.
Military Might: The Stormlands
The Baratheons of Storm’s End command the most formidable castles in the Seven Kingdoms, but their arms are fewer than those of some of the richer regions. The lords of the Stormlands can raise perhaps 30,000 men to fight, however there is likely a poor horse to foot ratio. Individual soldiers are often seasoned veterans due to the strong martial traditions in the Marches, and the marcher lords tend to have very strong castles to resist Dornish raids.
Military Might: Dorne
The spearmen of Dorne number about 50,000. They favour spears and lighter armours, due to Rhoynish influence and the heat of the country.
The Dornishmen are famous for their sand steeds, light coursers that can outrun any other horse of the Seven Kingdoms; they tend to ready large numbers of mounted soldiers. The Dornishmen are experts at using terrain to their benefit. Already dangerous fighters, they become almost unbeatable when fighting in their mountain passes or across the hot deserts. They favour guerrilla tactics — light, quick assaults and hasty retreats that favour their fast horses and spearmen.
Dorne has few ships, certainly fewer than the Reach or the Westerlands.
Corellian Engineering Corporation. Orbital Dock X5-12
“That’s a sorry sight if I’ve ever seen one.”
The words received only a long sigh in response, as the two men gazed upon the sight before them. A Praetorian-Class frigate ‘listed’ in the bay before them. The sprawling orbital docks of Corellia surrounding the craft as smaller vessels darted between it and the docking platforms reaching out from the main bulk of the dock, like fingers enclosing around the space-faring craft. Even to the naked eye, and across the deceptively vast distances between their viewing station and the dormant craft, the battle damage to the frigate was obvious. Blackened scarring from barrages that had broken through shielding and crashed against the hull of the ship itself streaked across the orange-white plate of the Republic vessel. In places, gaping wounds denoted the great misfortune of cabins which had been vented into the void as the very walls of the ship had given way. As with many such Republic craft, it had been fortunate to escape at all.
Like ants crawling over a carcass, smaller craft danced across it, and a thousand tiny pinpricks of light betrayed the position of power torches getting to work. Slowly, steadily, the Docks of Corellia were putting the Republic fleet back together.
“Not half as sorry as the amount we’re all getting paid for this.” The shorter of the two men grumbled, leaning forwards on the railing which precipitated the dizzying drop down to the planet below, turning slowly on its axis.
His taller companion made a noise that was something like a sigh, something like a grunt, before replying; “You can blame the Sith for that, Republic’s hardly holding itself up after the War, and they need their fleet back in one piece if we want to hold them off a second time.”
“Maybe ‘we’ don’t need a Republic at all, is all I’ll say to that. Corellia made its own success once.”
“Yeah, a fair few thousand years ago maybe. There’s no independence in this galaxy anymore, and grumble all you might, I’ll take the Republic over an Empire any day.” The two men stood in silence after that for some time, continuing to watch the repair works as their conversation reached an impasse. When they steadily drifted apart, it was with a finality that neither could anticipate.
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Corellia
“Colonel Malcom.” The blue-sheen presentation of the wizened Republic commander flickered on the hand-held transmitter. State-of-the art though it may have been, the small size and vast distances between them caused the odd graphical glitch all the same.
“Havoc Five, you had a matter to report?” The Colonel’s response was tense, none within Republic Command with any level of intelligence expected good news out of Corellia right now, for one of their best on-the-ground teams to be emergency reporting from the ground itself, was hardly going to be a call of ‘all’s well.’
“It’s happening Colonel, they’re pushing Secession through the Council. It’s unlikely to pass, my guy tells me it’s a statement play.” The Republic trooper stood upon a balcony jutting out from the Corellian Council Hall. The telltale white and orange plate of his armour hiding his identity, only the Havoc decal to the right side of his helm presented any true sign of identification.
“Be on guard Havoc, it might not seem it, but I’m sure the Sith are behind this sudden prominence, keep and eye on the Counci-” The communication network suddenly stuttered and died for the moment, the device working over time to attach itself to a new network, but it’s user was no longer interested in finishing his report, as he eyes drew skyward.
The sky was on fire.
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Corellian Engineering Corporation. Orbital Dock X5-12
Explosions ripped through the orbitals, shuttle craft and workers alike scrambling to avoid the sudden surge of heat and energy blossoming from various sources. It had seemed an accident at first, one of the Praetorian-Class Frigates had gone up after a detonation within it’s engine core, at first seemingly the result of damage sustained in the fighting of the war that had gone unchecked. But then another Frigate had gone up in flames, then another, and another.
Several craft had simply crashed into their docking space, annihilating smaller craft and walkways with a touch, before embedding themselves deeper and deeper into the hive-like hulls of the Corp Mechanical stations.
It was then that the announcements came.
“Sons and Daughters of Corellia! The time has come, throw off your chains! We reject the hegemony of the Republic and it’s pawns, The Engineering Corporation and the Council! It is time for Corellia to stand strong, without the leeches of the Galactic Senate! Free Corellia!”
It blasted over the alert systems, on every channel, drowning out the sounds of alarms, warnings, and incoming communications. Among the workers, while many scrambled for cover, others took up the arms of their trade, getting to work on reaching those Republic vessels at dock which had not yet been sabotaged.
As the riot and damage spread across Orbital Dock X5-12, other pinpricks of light sparked in space. Fires leaping across the other Docks. Not in such magnitude, nor such coordination, but as word spread of the X5-12 uprising, the spirit caught across the other docks. It was not long before similar pinpricks of light could be noted on the surface of the world below.
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Roughly at the same time, above Kashyyyk.
The observation deck of the Chirikyât—a Harrower-class dreadnought—was silent. Only one person was there at the present and like so many other Sith, she wore dark robes. She was Darth Theya Katherion, and she was smiling as she read the report from one of her agents on Corellia. Everything was moving according to the schedule.
She did not need to do anything for now. It was clear that the situation was perfectly under control. She put the report aside, then turned back to what she had been doing before. A dozen transport ships and a number of other warships were also in orbit above the green planet, though many sections of its surface were obscured now, some by clouds, others by smoke. Countless shuttles moved up from and down to the surface, loading up the cargo holds on the transports. Some with raw materials, others with slaves destined for work camps deep within the Empire.
Everything was as it should be. Except for the fact that the Jedi Order still existed, but that error would be dealt with eventually. But for now, few direct actions could be taken, on account of the treaty. Fortunately—she smiled to herself at the thought—there were many indirect options, like those currently being deployed on Corellia.
Greetings and welcome to the first main plot thread of the PW!
This is a thread to collate any and all actions revolving around the building Civil Disaster on Corellia, a political and civilian rejection of the Republic and its rule of the planet that is widespread across Corellia and its Orbital stations.
Any and all Characters accepted to the PW are able to become involved (Certain characters such as those hailing from the Sith Empire will need to be covert or face reprisal from their own political systems), but jump ins and temporary characters are also possible. Jump In characters cannot be force users and are generally of low influence, but if you feel like simply playing someone caught up in the conflict nothing is stopping you jumping in. To take part as an accepted PW character simply repost your sheet to the character tab.
The other option for getting involved is to create a character specific to Corellia In Flames using the sheet below. These can be Characters involved in Corellian politics, Cor-Sec, the Correllian Independence movement or other such groups specific to the conflict. If you are playing a Corellia In Flames specific character and wish to carry on using them after this RP Plotline concludes, you are welcome to then fill them out as a full PW character.
Taking part in Corellia In Flames provides you the opportunity to have GM driven content, whether that be interacting with GM NPCs or having events thrown at you by the GMs. Most importantly, it gives you, as players, a very real way to influence the fate of the Persistent Galaxy as we move through the Galactic Cold War.
Name: Species: Role on Corellia: Personality: Skills: Assets: Biography:
Half Pint,
Bingelly,
ChronicleMan,
Fuzzybootz,
Simple Unicycle,
Sep,
Heat,
Nightwing95,
Izurich,
kittyluna45
