[img]http://img06.deviantart.net/e2d6/i/2016/029/9/7/iron_throne_by_marcsimonetti-d9ppm5f.jpg[/img] [i]"When you play the Game of Thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground."[/i] - Queen Cersei Lannister This roleplay is based off of the novel series [i]A Song of Ice and Fire[/i], and the HBO tv show [i]Game of Thrones[/i], as well as all related properties. It is story-driven, with an emphasis on world-building, character-development, and meaningful choices where the actions of the players will shape the world. This roleplay is set 25 years after the end of the series, and is the first of many iterations of this thread wherein all iterations of the game will influence the plot and the state of the nation and noble families. In this game winning can mean honor and glory, while losing will bring ruin or death. [hider= The Wolf and the Dragon] Nearly 25 years past, the Night's King broke a hole in the Wall at Eastwatch, marched south with an army of the dead, and began the Long Night. They slaughtered thousands as they marched south, until the armies of the living came together and fought the white walkers at in the War for the Dawn. The battle was long, bloody, and decisive. Thousands of warriors and many heroes fell to the cold or their monstrous foes. Accounts differ wildly but all agree that the battle ended when the Night's King was slain. Only the select rulers, nobles, and commanders present at the battle's end know the exact details of both the Night's King's death and the subsequent armistice negotiated with the surviving White Walkers. Regardless, the White Walkers retreated to the Lands of Always Winter and the war was won. Curiously, the following winter was harsh and brutal but brief. It seemed with the defeat of the White Walkers, the seasons turned from years to months. In the summer of 300 AC, Jon Snow revealed his true parentage as Aegon Targaryen, the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark before wedding Queen Daenerys. King Aegon, known to his friends still as Jon, was then seated on the Iron Throne with Queen Daenerys by his side and Westeros was once again united under House Targaryen in what is now known as the Pact of Ice and Fire. With a small council of talented friends and allies, such as Lord Tyrion Lannister acting as the Hand, the young monarchs set to the work of healing the deep wounds left by the long wars. It is now 325 AC, Summer, and the realm has enjoyed 25 years free from war with booming trade and bountiful harvests under the watchful eye of the White Wolf and the Silver Queen. With the continued growth and breeding of the Targaryen dragons, magic has fully returned to the world; with the children, the giants, direwolves, and countless species of mythical beasts now roaming the country once more. In the North, more wargs, greenseers, and shamanic mystics are born every year while the Alchemist's Guild and Citadel once again study the higher mysteries and begin to slowly rediscover arcane secrets once lost to the world. Meanwhile newly made noble houses led by wildling chieftains and valorous northern soldiers settle the Gift and New Gift and act as a second line of defense behind a newly rebuilt Wall; where all 19 castles are manned by thousands of black brothers and are led by the redeemed Theon Greyjoy, 1000th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch known as the Black Kracken. Slavery has been abolished fully in the now renamed Bay of Dragons along with Volantis, and many of Daenery's Essosi followers have returned home, while others have made new lives in Westeros. The realm has never been stronger and many proclaim Jon and Daenery's rule to be the beginning of a new Golden Age for Westeros. However despite the expert stewardship of King Jon and Queen Daenerys and the great lengths they went to steer Westeros to a better future, conflict stirs once more. The realm has barely recovered from the debts owed to its creditors and high taxes have stirred the seeds of revolt in many quarters. A new outlaw band called the Freemen Brotherhood has arisen to harass the nobility; meanwhile, religious unrest spreads through the land. With the rebirth of magic, numerous ancient faiths and creeds have resurrected in various corners of Westeros and the Faith of R'hllor slowly gains followers, especially among Essosi immigrants. Beyond the Wall, black brothers clash face fanatic wildlings but also roving, aimless hordes of wights and rumors spread of other dark beasts and monsters roaming the land. Tales of necromancers and witches abound in the countryside proper, with villagers spreading word of twisted creatures stalking the roads and towns. In response, renegade septons have called upon the Sparrows to once again take up arms in an illegal and unsanctioned crusade against all "heretics, infidels, and abominations"; many whisper that the Sparrows have monetary support from noble sympathizers and the fear of the mystical is reaching a crescendo, resulting in numerous witch-hunts and pogroms of suspected magic-users and mythical beings. In the Vale, the hill tribes have begun a bloody campaign of guerrilla warfare under their self-made High Chief, Dornish guerillas, raid and rob in the Red Mountains of Dorne under the leadership of their so-called Vulture King, and rogue ironborn reavers lead by the bastard heir of Euron Crow's Eye, have rebelled against Lady Asha and begun burning and raping along the western coast; while rebels in the Stepstones have launched a campaign to overthrow Lord Aurane Velaryon and secede from the Iron Throne. Abroad, an alliance of Essosi from various nations have created the New Masters and have launched a campaign to return slavery to Essos; while a new Great Khal has begun a revanchist movement to return the Dothraki to their ravaging ways by force. The Tigers of Volantis seek to create a New Valyrian Empire under the upstart Archon Valarr Maegyr and have begun to conquer the continent and in response Myr, Lys, and Tyrosh have revived the Kingdom of Three Daughters. The resulting wars have caused great destruction in Essos and negatively affect trade in Westeros. Tensions are also rising between the noble houses, as many still brood on both old and new rivalries exacerbated by the War of Ten Kings. The situation is particularly precarious in the far North as the former wildlings clash with their new neighbors. Minor conflicts between lords have erupted, and have been swiftly resolved by the Iron Throne, but many believe open war is imminent. With blood beginning to flow at home and across the sea, King Jon and Queen Daenerys face the nearly impossible task of keeping Westeros safe and preserving Queen Daenery's dream of peace and freedom in Essos; while the Great Houses of the realm once again formulate their own schemes and plots. Together the lords of Westeros defeated the Long Night, but now they threaten to make the realm bleed once more. King Jon and Queen Daenerys have invited all the high lords of the realm to King's Landing in a grand tourney and celebration in honor of their newest grandchild's first nameday and the wedding of Prince Aemon of Dragonstone to the Lord Lannister's daughter. It is an opportunity to win glory, but also a chance for the Houses to play the great game of power and influence. The Game of Thrones. [/hider] [hider= The Kingdoms of Westeros] [u]The North[/u]: The Wall has been rebuilt and is manned by a strengthened Night's Watch with many former Unsullied and Wildling members, and even has the support of the Giants and Children of the Forest. Theon Greyjoy commands in the rebuilt Castle Black. The Iron Throne sends ample support every year and the Night's Watch defends against small bands of rogue white walkers, wandering wight hordes, and other dark creatures along with hostile wildlings that refused to integrate. The Gift and New Gift have been settled by the wildlings and new lordlings raised up after the war. The Night's Watch's mission has now expanded to include the protection of the people from dark magic within the domains of the Seven Kingdoms themselves, and to this end wandering crows now roam the land in search of murderous beasts or black magic users, with Harrenhall being their base of operation in the Kingdoms. Wildlings who are not amenable to living in the Kingdoms but are not hostile to them have returned to their old homes, including the Valley of the Thenn and Hardhome. Hardhome particularly has been rebuilt as the only true center of wildling trade with the rest of the continent and enjoys the protection of the Watch, who have built an advance fort on the ruins of Craster's Keep. Sansa Stark, known as the Red Wolf, rules as Lady of Winterfell and Wardeness of the North. She has married and borne heirs with the Stark name. The Northern houses have largely remained loyal, with Sansa's rule being aided greatly by her brother Brandon, who abdicated in favor of Sansa, and who very few know to be the most powerful greenseer and warg in the world. Lady Stark serves as Mistress of Laws on the Small Council, and the day-to-day ruling of her domains falls to her heir. It is now common practice for the members of House Stark to bond to a direwolf. The Northern houses that rebelled against House Stark during the War of Ten Kings, have been forgiven save for the Boltons; who had been extinguished save for Ramsay's heirs by Jeyne Poole. But due to the valorous action of William Bolton in the Stepstones rebellion, House Bolton was restored to the Dreadfort. House Hornwood is now once again in possession of their ancestral lands due to the legitimization of Larence Snow. Moat Cailin has been rebuilt into a strong and mighty fortress once more and is manned by a company of elite northern warriors who call themselves the Winter Wolves. The Winter Wolves also have a garrison in the restored and strengthened Wolf's Den, and are Winterfell's elite guard. Rivalries between former wildlings and other Northmen remain and Lord Bolton remains heavily distrusted due to his father's and grandfather's black reputation. Many Northmen carry grudges with the Dragon Queen and the Lannisters, remembering the atrocities of wars past, and there are more than a few who once again seek sovereignty from the Iron Throne despite the best efforts of Lady Sansa and the White Wolf to keep amity between North and South. Meanwhile, word spreads across the North of another King Beyond the Wall, one who has made alliance with black forces and is more beast than man and who gathers a monstrous force to assault the Wall. [u]The Vale:[/u] The Vale is ruled by Lord Robin Arryn, Warden of the East, who has changed greatly from the once weak and sickly boy. His cousin Harrold Arryn is the Lord Commander of the newly formed Order of the Winged Knights, an order of knights sworn to Lord Robin as his protectors and most skilled fighters and who are distinguished by their Falcon-winged helms. The Winged Knights are not celibate and can still hold lands and titles. Though Petyr Baelish died without any trueborn issue, his bastardborn have inherited his lands on the Fingers. When the Targaryens retook King's Landing, the Dragonpit was fully excavated and the sword Lamentation was returned to House Royce. After the submission of the Mountain Clans to Lord Robin, due to the efforts of his son Mychel, the clans have been settled as vassals and the Valemen have retaken control of all their lands. Expanded mining, terrace farming, and trade have made the Vale prosper greatly. However tensions run strongly among the clans and their new lieges, as well as within the family itself. The Valemen still brood over the death of Jon Arryn, Ned Stark, and Robert Baratheon, and hold great enmity for the lords of the West. The locals also highly distrust the influx of foreigners into the Kingdom, remembering the depredations of Petyr Baelish, whose great-grandfather was of Braavos. [u]The Iron Islands:[/u] Asha Greyjoy is Lady Reaver of the Iron Islands and has saved her House from extinction with a marriage and the birth of heirs. Ironborn can no longer raid Westerosi lands and captives taken in their raids are still called thralls but have much more freedoms and protections. The Iron Fleet is now the most numerous in Westeros, with over a thousand ships, though the vast majority are small longships. Her bastard cousins born of her uncle Victarion's dusky salt wife serve in high positions for Asha while her bastard cousins by Euron took control of their father's [i]Silence[/i], and have lead a revolt against Asha's rule. The rebellious bastards have mainly focused on raiding the mainlands but a conflict between the cousins seems imminent. It is rumored that the leader of this band is also a dabbler in the dark arts. Asha was acclaimed in a ceremony mirroring the legendary Kingsmoot and serves as Mistress of Ships on the Small Council. She has led a new era of reforms that have vastly improved trade and prosperity for her people but have rankled the sensibilities of traditionalist lords and warriors. Furthermore, many still remember the Ironborn invasions of the North and the Reach, and small skirmishes between ships are increasingly common as tensions simmer. [u]The Riverlands:[/u] After the war, King Jon stripped the Riverlands from House Frey and gave them back to Edmure Tully. Lord Edmure does his best to keep the Riverlands from descending into chaos, a laborious task, as most of Westeros's recent political troubles are concentrated in the region. Along with the beast attacks, peasant revolts, religious persecution, economic hardship, and ironborn raids, Edmure must also contend with deep enmities between the Lords of the Trident. Houses Blackwood and Bracken are on the verge of war, and House Frey is in the throes of a succession conflict while many houses still hold a grudge in the aftermath of the Red Wedding. Darry has been given to a bastard cousin of the extinct main branch, a move that angered some members of House Lannister. Oldstones have been rebuilt by the newly landed Mudds of Golden Company, and the governance of the gargantuan Harrenhal has been divided among many former exiles of the sellsword company along with acting as a garrison for the wandering crows of the Night's Watch. Essosi immigrants, followers of Queen Daenerys, have settled extensively in the Riverlands and suffer a great deal of prejudice from their Westerosi-born neighbors. Out of all the kingdoms, the Riverlands once again bears the brunt of the country's troubles. A company of highly trained Trident soldiers, called the Black Lads, have been assembled to help quell the violence. In the God's Eye, the Children have returned to the Isle of Faces and many skinchangers, greenseers, and other first men mystics have joined the Green Men as the Isle's arcane defenders. The Isle is a Haven for nonhumans and magic-users in the south. Several small towns in the Riverlands have been given leave to expand into cities in the wake of the devastation wrought by the Long Night and the King's interests in developing the country's economy, with Maidenpool, Lord Harroway's Town, Saltpans, growing healthily by the year. Many Riverlanders resent their foreign neighbors as well as the men of the West, and House Frey has fallen greatly from favor if not wealth. [u]The Westerlands:[/u] Lord Tyrion Lannister, the Imp, Hand of the King, and Warden of the West has stewarded House Lannister away from the brink of disaster. Jaime abdicated his claim and title to his brother and under Tyrion, the Westerlands have largely healed from the war. Tyrek Lannister had been found alive and assumed his place as Lady Ersemande's consort in Hayford and the house itself is as numerous as ever. The war had almost ruined the family financially and they are just now starting to recover. Castamere was stripped from the conniving House Spicer. Despite their relative prosperity, the Lannisters are in a precarious position. While the West remains loyal to the Rock, the Lannisters are among the most hated family in Westeros in the wake of the war and many in the family are preparing for reprisal while others wish to extinguish their rivals. The Reach, especially, has great fury at the Lannisters for atrocities committed in the previous war, and border skirmishes between men of both lands occur regularly. Tyrion must also contend with the rivalry of the Iron Bank after his creation of the first Westerosi bank, the Gold Bank located in Lannisport. As his house bickers over the future of their family and the rulers of King's Landing debate the course of the nation, much rests upon Tyrion's shoulders. Podrick Payne, Tyrion's one-time squire, is an anointed knight and Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. The Lion's Pride, an elite contingent of knights, was formed as House Lannister's top enforcers and are on the frontlines of the struggle against the resurgent Reynes and Tarbecks, whose rogue knights and soldiers haunt the countryside. [u]The Reach:[/u] Lord Willas Tyrell, Warden of the South, shrewdly leads House Tyrell and the Reach. Despite the deaths of Mace, Margaery, Loras, and Olenna, Willas saved the Tyrells from destruction and has the loyalty of most of his bannermen. Tensions still abound however between those who had supported Stannis and those who had turned to Joffrey during the war. Brightwater Keep was returned to House Florent, but rivalries and grudges have appeared between the noble houses of the Reach. Garlan Tyrell became Willas' Lord Marshall, raised a new seat at the mouth of the Mander, and turned it into a strong fortress to resist any threat to Highgarden. In Oldtown, the Citadel is undergoing a renaissance of discovery and research, with many advances in all manners of science that never before had been achieved under the old dogmatic oversight of previous Conclaves. Now many Maesters forge a Valyrian steel link in their chain, though still relatively few have real arcane power. It is said House Hightower has numerous skilled and potent sorcerers in the family but most dismiss the talk as mere rumor. Dickon Tarly has ascended to the High Lordship of Horn Hill and is a formidable commander of the Reach. Recently Maesters have started development of explosive powders but the technology remains in its infancy. To help keep the Reach safe, Willas Tyrell recreated the Order of the Green Hand. All members of this knightly order must both be brave warriors and have proven descent from Garth Greenhand, but members are allowed to hold titles and own lands. Garlan serves as Lord Commander of the Order and the Green Hand of the extinct House Gardener is the Order's sigil; some members of House Manderly are also members of the Order. As always however, many older families of the Reach continue to resent the leadership of House Tyrell, especially in the wake of the disastrous death of so many Reachmen in preceding years, as well as Euron Greyjoy's invasion. Rumor has it that the House Gardener guerrillas have secret noble support. Meanwhile, many in the Starry Sept resent the King's removal of the arms of the Faith and it is said that rebel faithful have the backing of clergymen both in Oldtown and across the nation. It is also said that many Maesters of the Citadel are fearful of the return of magic to the realm and there is a growing schism in the order between reformers and traditionalists. Distrust of the West and the Iron Islands runs high. [u]Dorne:[/u] After the death of Doran Martell, Princess Arianne Martell rules Dorne. The surviving Sand Snakes are valuable assets to House Martell and serve their cousin in numerous vital positions. Dorne has largely remained loyal to House Martell and one of their staunchest supporters is Edric Dayne, Lord of Starfall and Sword of the Morning. Despite this, Dorne is not without its troubles. A new upstart had claimed Hellgate Hall and proclaimed himself the newest of the Vulture Kings, and had begun raiding Dornish settlements and Marcher villages alike. Raiders from the Stepstones and the Three Daughters now periodically raid the Dornish coast, forcing Dorne to heavily militarize. Aegon Targaryen, the false son of Rhaegar, is the rider of Viserion, now known as Griff helped the Dornishmen repel the raids on their coast. His children played a vital role in the crushing of the Stepstones while he himself helped the King drive out the Vultures from Hellgate Hall. The Vulture army was broken and many of the rebel leaders killed, but rumors abound that the Vulture King escaped death with the aid of black magic. Regardless, he and his family were highly awarded. Near the river Greenblood, the Faith of Mother Rhoyne is gaining vitality and many speak of adherents learning the art of water magic. In years past, the Iron Throne constructed a great canal to help the deserts bloom, and Dorne has prospered greatly. However, the Martell rivalry with the Lannisters continues as strongly as before and now Dorne even has conflicts with the Vale, the Stormlands, and House Velaryon over the rulership of the Stepstones and their advantageous position on the Narrow Sea. The fact that the Iron Throne favors the Velaryon rule of the Stepstones has not pleased the Princes of the Sun. [u]The Stepstones:[/u] During the war, Aurane Waters had commandeered the royal fleet and used it to conquer the Stepstones and rule as its Pirate King. With the arrival of Daenerys Targaryen, he pledged his fleet and his banner to her and after the war's conclusion, the Stepstones were officially inducted into Westeros with a legitimised Aurane Velaryon as it's Lord Paramount. Lands and titles in the Stepstones were rewarded to supporters of King Jon and Queen Daenerys, and Lord Aurane turned his province into both a center of commerce and a bulwark against potential foreign aggression. Forever a hotbed of criminal activity, the Stepstones angrily resisted the change and various rebellions raged. The newly made Lords of the Stepstone fight near constant battles to retain control and keep commerce open while the threat of the Three Daughters looms large. Aurane's nephew Monterys, Lord of Driftmark, supports him with material and men, and House Velaryon has once again become one of House Targaryen's staunchest supporters. Salladhor Saan was one of the few foreigners who were granted a title and now has his own seat in the Stepstones and is a vital part of the province's defensive strategy against any incursion from the Three Daughters. The exile lord of House Vunatis styled himself the Scorpion King and tried to rally the pirate lords, using mystical aid to augment his fleets. But dragonfire destroyed his fleets and laid his merling allies low, and thanks to daring heroes and shrewed commanders, the rebel army was broken and the Scorpion King was killed, with his sister taken hostage. Aurane's rulership of the Stepstones has been secured, though time will tell if it will remain secure. In the meantime, Aurane has secured the two branches of House Velaryon in marriage alliance and now his main rivals for the Stepstones are Lord Edric, Princess Arianne, Lord Robin, and perhaps even his own nephew. [u]The Stormlands:[/u] Edric Baratheon, legitimized bastard son of Robert Baratheon and Delena Florent, reigns in Storm's End. After the eradication of the main Baratheon line during the war, Edric and his protectors had returned to Westeros and rallied the Stormslands to Queen Daenerys' banners. In thanks, Edric was proclaimed Lord of the Stormlands. In order to secure his house's future, Edric had his bastard siblings Gendry of Hollow Hill and Mya Stone legitimized and brought to Storm's End, where a new Godswood was planted to replace the one that Stannis burned. Both now live in comfort beyond their wildest dreams and are faithful servants to their brother. Rolland Storm was legitimized as Rolland Caron and given the seat of Nightsong for his loyal service and most of the Storm Lords faithfully follow Lord Edric as they did his father. However, many traditionally minded lords chafe at the idea of serving bastard or low-born lords and often test Edric's reign. Edric must also contend with raiding parties both from the coast as well as the remnants of the Vulture raiders. In both the Stormlands and King's Landing, House Seaworth has become a powerful and influential house. Davos Seaworth is one of the King's most trusted confidants, and his heir is similarly one of Edric's most loyal supporters. Once reviled by the high lords, House Seaworth has earned its place in history. The Iron Throne's favor of the Lannisters has angered the Stormlanders however, and though they remain loyal, discontentment spreads. There is also high intolerance of Essosi immigrants and wide hatred of followers of the Red God in particular, and many lords hold grudges with the newly settled former exiles of the Golden Company, who they mislike for their invasion of their lands a generation past. Weeping Town has now started to expand into a true city, thanks to greater commerce and development in the Stormlands. [u]The Crownlands:[/u] Once again, the Targaryen banner flies over King's Landing. The city has recovered from the famine of the war and is once again a center of trade and travel. The man many now know as Aegon Targaryen rules as Westeros' first Dragonking in many generations, and his heirs all bear the name and colors of House Targaryen. Dragons are now once more seen flying over the city skies or perched on the Red Keep, and have become a source of both wonder and terror depending on the observer. Jon himself rides Rhaegal, a smaller mount than his wife's dragon Drogon. Queen Daenerys sits upon another Iron Throne, one forged by Drogon from the blades of those who fell fighting the white walkers. Both Thrones sit side by side in the Red Keep, though all still refer to the Iron Throne in the singular. Jon and Daenerys both wear the Valyrian steel crowns of old. The Dragonpit was rebuilt but is now used as a base of operation for the Gold Legion, who are both the City Watch of King's Landing and the Iron Throne's first standing army with sole loyalty to the crown. Their device is the Golden Three-Headed Dragon on a black banner. The Dragonpit also serves as the base of operations for the newly formed Dragon's Teeth, a company of special troops modeled after Brynden Rivers' Raven's Teeth. A massive flagship named [i]Winter Rose[/i] is at the head of the strong royal fleet. The Grand Sept of Morning was rebuilt as the seat of the High Septon, with dedicated monuments to those who had been entombed or died there. Some septons now claim to have miraculous healing powers and other gifts from the Seven. Summerhall was rebuilt and in it's ashes, a cache of Dragon eggs was discovered. The castle once again served as the family's summer palace. Jon and Daenerys have many children and grandchildren and all were gifted eggs at birth. All of their heirs proved to be dragonriders, riders of mounts raised in open space unlike the pit dragons. Dragonstone became an important military fortress, home to half of the royal fleet and serving as a defense against pirates and invaders. House Targaryen has achieved heights it had not seen for centuries. Their bannermen have all proven loyal, with House Velaryon once again tied by marriage to the Targaryens. After the successful crushing of the Stepstoner revolts, a knight of the Darke family was given Lordship of Duskendale and resurrected the vaunted House Darklyn. While many of Daenery's followers settled in the Riverlands and elsewhere in the Kingdoms, many others settled in Crownlands and especially King's Landing either to start new lives or to continue serving their queen. These foreign immigrants are often looked down upon by the locals but Queen Daenerys provides ample opportunity for her loyal followers in her service. King's Landing was devastated in the Long Night, but the city has been rebuilt and now a sister settlement has risen on the south bank, a more beautiful town of white marble and where there is a renaissance of music and art. The thirdborn son of House Targaryen was named Prince of the City, and is in charge of the new settlement that is officially known as the Dawn District but many also call Little Valyria. The old castle of Aegon Blackfyre was refurbished into the Aegonfort, and is intended to be the seat of the fourthborn Prince. The Targaryens have prospered but the king and queen must still take care in the troubling times ahead. [/hider] [hider= Casualties of the War of Ten Kings and the Long Night] (Assume the same for those killed in the show so far) - Queen Mother Cersei Lannister - King Euron Greyjoy, the Crow's Eye - Melisandre - Lady Stoneheart - Lord Petyr Baelish, Littlefinger - Lord Captain Victarion Greyjoy - Aeron Greyjoy, the Damphair - Olenna Redwyne, the Queen of Thorns - Varys the Spider - Ser Jon Connington - Thoros of Myr - Marwyn the Mage - Ellaria Sand - Nymeria, Obara, and Tyene Sand - Lord Randyll Tarly - Ser Robert Strong - Qyburn - Ser Ilyn Payne - The Tattered Prince - Brown Ben Plumm - Gryff Whitehill [/hider] [hider= Legendary Weapons] Lightbringer - The Sword of Heroes, created in a mystical ritual during the Long Night and wielded by King Jon Blackfyre - Aegon the Conqueror's blade, formerly in possession of the Golden Company, now once again in the hands of House Targaryen Dark Sister - House Targaryen's other sword. Found by Brandon Stark on his return from Beyond the Wall, and wielded by Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. Ice - The successor blade to House Stark's ancestral greatsword. A crystal blade forged in the Lands of Always Winter and yielded to House Stark as a peace offering from the White Walkers. Longclaw - Wielded by the White Wolf, returned to House Mormont. Catspaw - Arya Stark's valyrian steel dagger, formerly owned by Lord Petyr Baelish. Oathkeeper - Gifted from Brienne of Tarth to House Stark and in turn gifted to Edmure Tully for House Tully's loyalty. Widow's Wail - Returned to House Stark by Tyrion Lannister, bestowed upon House Arryn. Dawn - House Dayne's legendary weapon, bequeathed to Edric Dayne, Sword of the Morning. Brightroar - House Lannister's ancient sword, lost centuries ago. Found by Tyrion Lannister on his return home. Stormbringer - A dragonbone warhammer wielded by Edric Baratheon, a gift from the Iron Throne. Nightfall - Stolen from House Harlaw by Euron Crow's Eye, now wielded by Asha Greyjoy. Red Rain - Won off the corpse of Lord Drumm, wielded by rebel Red Lion. Heartsbane - Owned and wielded by Lord Dickon Tarly, distinguished commander of the Reach. Blood - House Bolton's fabled weapon, said to be a keenly sharp long knife, possibly Valyrian steel. Given to William Bolton. Lamentation - House Royce's sword, lost in the Dance of Dragons. Recovered during the excavation of the Dragonpit and returned to the family. Vigilance - House Hightower's weapon, owned and wielded by the current Lord Hightower. Orphan-Maker - The ancestral blade of House Roxton, Lords of the Ring. Pincer - House Celtigar's valyrian steel great-axe, one of the only weapons of its kind. Terminus - A valyrian steel greatsword in possession of House Buckler of the Stormlands. Just Maid - The legendary sword of Ser Galledon of Morne, discovered to be a valyrian steel blade and now wielded by Brienne of Tarth. Drakeheart - Once owned by the mercenary Caggo Corpsekiller. Retrieved from his body and taken in possession by Daenerys Targaryen; then reforged into a saber and given to the Prince of Summerhall. [/hider] [hider= Citadel Codex] (In-game lore entries here, under construction. Any lore the players help develop will show up here as well.) [/hider] [hider=Events] (where important milestones in the game will be recorded) (A year has now passed in-game) - The marriage of Prince Aemon Targaryen to Tyrion Lannister's daughter, Joanna, where the Stepstoner rebels tried to assassinate the royal family with the aid of dark magic. All survived and thus began the newest war to suppress the islands. - The Iron Throne sends an army to the Red Mountains to crush the Vultures. After many hard battles, the Iron Throne prevailed and the Vultures were rooted out of Hellgate Hall, the rebellion utterly crushed. Many heroes were awarded for their service. - The Scorpion King is killed in battle, his rebel fleets crushed and his allies including the exile Kraken out to flight. As with the Red Mountains, many young champions are given high honors for their contributions. - The Mountain Clans of the Vale finally submit, due to the expert diplomacy of Tyrion Lannister and Mychel Arryn. The Clans now vow fealty to Lord Robin, allowing the Valemen to expand their mining, timber, and farming trade. Tensions between the two peoples are high, and the Vale itself is divided by the so-called peace, with many lords and smallfolk resenting the treatment of wildlings as neighbors. - Tommen Lannister is knighted and married to Alerie Tyrell in a glorious ceremony uniting two great families and angering many lords and commonfolk in both the Westerlands and the Reach. The insurgent campaigns of the Reynes and the Gardeners continues. - William Bolton is named Lord of the Dreadfort, an appointment that has caused unrest in the North. Many others, such as Mirren Sand, Ser Aerion Goldfyre, Taria Greyjoy, Seran of Lys, Ser Ellion Tyrell, and the dragon princes themselves are also rewarded in various manners for their victory over the rebel Stepstoners. - Agents of the crown secretly uncover that a number of clergymen in the Grand Sept have been making free with septas and congregants, which the High Septon sought to keep quiet. The High Septon avoids any real consequences but the offending priests are forced to reveal any associations with Sparrow rebels. Those who comply are exiled to the Watch, those who do not are executed as traitors. The scandal itself is kept under wraps so as not to bring shame to the Faith. The rebel sparrows continue troubling the realm, using the deaths as supposed proof of the unholiness of the Targaryen dynasty. - Along with his siblings and father, Ser Mantarys is honored for his contribution to the Iron Throne. He is given the hand of Jonquil Celtigar, a former septa and one of the Grant Sept victims, and is made the legal father of her child. Though many claim that the child is actually Aemon's and it is said that the Prince intended to take her on as a second wife, a move that would have caused no end of trouble. The marriage has further inflamed the famous rivalry between the two dragon riders. - With the aid of Qarth and the Tigers of Volantis, the New Masters have begun raising a host to reinstate slavery in Dragon's Bay. Meanwhile, Mantarys, Elyria, and Tolos have bent the knee to Archon Valarr who has declared a New Valyrian Empire and begun resettling ruined cities abandoned in the wake of the Doom. The Three Daughters now war with Braavos and Pentos as the Dothraki loyal to Daenerys war with the great khalasar that has formed to return the Dothraki to their raiding ways. - Several dragons are born at the same time in a dramatic hatching ceremony, and Prince Aemon's son Aegon has bonded with one while his lady wife is already pregnant and awaiting another child soon. Various tensions run high in the Kingdom as wars in the east loom and minor rebellions continue while rivalries fester. [/hider] [hider=Game info] - Began in 325 AC, in the 25th year of Jon and Daenery's reign as King and Queen of Westeros. A year has now passed and it is now 326 AC, Summer. - Based on a combination of the novel and tv show canon, but strongly diverging after the end of ADWD in the books and S6 in the show. This is our own AU to do with as we please. - Magic is a reality in the world now but it is not High Fantasy like LoTR or WoW but simply an expansion of the horror fantasy elements of the series. Magic is still scary, dangerous, and largely unknown in this setting. - The actions and decisions of the players have strong consequences for Westeros, it's noble houses, and the Iron Throne. This will be the first in many iterations of the game, and the outcome of this chapter in history will affect following games. - Besides the bare bones of the political situation set up by me, it will be up to the players to help determine the state of the Westerosi Houses. - Players can have an entire House as their PCs, but can also have solo PCs who may or may not owe allegiance to a noble family. Players can be knights, priests, scholars, bards, spies, sellswords, and any other role that can affect the political situation of Westeros. - King Jon, Queen Daenerys, and most of House Targaryen are NPCs but I may allow a few PC Targ dragonriders. Some players may even have arcane abilities and traits, though these will be highly scrutinized and regulated. - You are entirely free to RP canon characters from the series (those who are still alive) or your own custom PCs. Custom Houses are also allowed, but they will as a rule not be on the same standing as powerful canon Houses like the Starks or even the Tarlys. - The majority of the game will be based in Westeros but PCs will have the opportunity to influence events in Essos. - You don't have to have an exhaustive knowledge of the book or show. Between the geeks here and online wikis, you should be fine as long as you have the basics down. - Collaboration is highly encouraged, players should have an open dialogue with regards to world-building and potential alliances. - Similarly, competition, backstabbing and plotting is also expected and encouraged. I will be mostly hands-off unless intervention is necessary. - The RP will be mostly sandbox style with some story arcs that the players help develop, such as the wars in Essos and the revolts in the Riverlands. The main introduction will take place in King's Landing but there will be multiple ongoing scenarios so having multiple POVs in your House would be advantageous. - Your character/s can achieve glory, fame, riches, and power. But they can also lose everything. Your characters can be imprisoned by their rivals, maimed in battle, or even killed if things go poorly enough, which is why there should always be an heir. [/hider] [hider= Rules] - All standard forum rules apply - No godmodding, meta-gaming, etc. - There will be mature content such as extreme violence, drug use, language. If offended by this, this game might not be for you. - Romance is acceptable, but please keep it PG-13. PMs are always an option. - The OOC will remain civil. Any and all heated arguments should be kept to PMs. - One post per week at a minimum. If not doable plus inform me. - If I don't hear from you for more than two weeks, you are considered out and your PCs can be commandeered by another player or myself. Or killed off. - Have fun. Just because it's a game of murder, betrayal, and atrocity doesn't mean it can't be fun. [/hider] [hider= Single Character Sheets] Name: Include any titles or nom de guerres here. Age: Affiliation: A House they're sworn to, a mercenary company, the Citadel, etc. Appearance: Written description and/or image. Profession: Equipment: Any items they use frequently. If your character isn't a fighter or doesn't need any special equipment, you can leave this out. Skills: Biography: Brief description of their personality, history, motivations, and current circumstances. Notes: Any other special information that doesn't fit the above categories. [/hider] [hider= House Sheet] House: Include a picture of their emblem if a canon House, and their words if possible. Region: Which of the kingdoms are they located in? Liege: Who do they owe allegiance to? Holding: What lands does the family personally control? Recent History: A short description of the House's affairs near the end of the wars, the reign of King Jon and Queen Daenerys, and their current standing. Family Members: The important family members you will choose to play as all have individual sub-sheets. Only family members who will be relevant need be described. Other family members can be NPCs. Name: Age: Appearance: Role: If your character holds an official position or title in their House, describe it here. Equipment: Skills: Biography: Notes: If your character has a unique emblem, describe it here along with any other special info. [/hider] (Post your sheets for consideration in the OOC, and once accepted, in the CS tab)