[OOC] Game of Thrones : The Pact of Ice and Fire (Always Open)

[Abefroeman]

@kingkonrad Maybe a situation in which Amber cheats on her husband with Aerion, causing a riff to ensue in which Aerion and the cuckold lord duel, Aerion defeating him in single combat, or perhaps a Trial of the Seven? Or would Aerion be too honorable to lie with a married woman, know such things could cause strife for the realm? Hmmm... maybe a duel for her hand then, Aerion himself challenging the lord?

[AtomicNut]

@Abefroeman Gosh, I can't kill Seran now. Damnit.

@kingkonrad Sure thing, let's give Garlan the massive headache. (And Merrell cannot share his wine with him anymore, rest in peace).

[MrDidact]

I think a Florent marriage with the Tyrells would also cause some interesting things in the Reach. Some Reach lords might still see the Florents as traitors after all, for supporting Stannis. And harboring red priests.

@AbefroemanFor Lord Lorimer, I think that'd be a neat twist. There is a peaceful path here for the Reynes to rejoin the realm. They want their lands back, not to overthrow House Lannister, so Lord Lorimer might be able to help smooth something out.

For Aerion, that sounds like a good progression for him. I think they could offer Aerion a castle, perhaps the Aegonfort (the old land of Aegon Blackfyre) and he could seek a marriage as well. I think they can also allow him to keep his egg, and it can even hatch. But the Throne might try to pressure him to consider calling himself a Targaryen and not a member of a separate house, in order to avoid another Blackfyre situation. He could definitely seek a marriage as well.

Big backstory changes are that Sansa is now Lady of Winterfell and she's no longer married to Tyrion, though both are on the small council. Tom is now the son of Tyrion and some other noblewoman. Young Griff is also no longer married to Princess Arianne, so his dragon rider kids are legit Targs. Might change the spouses for Princess Daenyra and Viserys as well. This frees up more space for setting up marriage alliances, and potential for driving conflicts in between the noble families.

Tom is still married to Alerie however.

[Abefroeman]

@MrDidact All in all sounds good. I like the idea of having that outside pressure to come back to the flock so to speak. Just be a full Targaryen bro, be one of us, no need for a silly cadet house. Aerion would of course politely tell them he will think about it, that he has much to ponder about.

I will have it to where his egg hatched at the same time as all the other eggs, perhaps in his new castle, as opposed to with the rest of the eggs. The Dragon, a pure white with streaks of gold upon it, would be named Jaenara. Still small though being young. Aerion would be very proud of his dragon, and very protective of it.

Now to figure out what marriages would be offered, or which Aerion might pursue.

[Celeste]

Edited the main page to reflect changes in the backstory and the new events.

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 boy 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.

Here is a brief summary of events in the interim period, but of course more has gone on besides. Chime in with your thoughts please.

@MrDidact

I like the overall resolution to the Arryn and Tully stuff.

Let's see what I can chime in with...

Arryns

- After helping bring the Mountain Clans into the fold, Mychel continued to serve for many months as Knight Herald under Tyrion, often returning to the Vale to keep an eye on the transition. Over time, he developed a relationship of sorts with Cronun, less of a friendship than a respectful practical partnership to maintain order.

- Eventually, Mychel starts to build his own power base in the Vale as an unofficial peacekeeping instrument. A year after Cronun's submission to the Iron Throne, Mychel's scheme develops into a parallel government of sorts. A cold war of sorts brews between Mychel's supporters and Ser Harrold's Winged Knights over dominance of the court in the Eyrie, with Robin and the lords of the Vale caught in the middle. Mychel is on increasingly friendly terms with Tyrion, even as the two start to have political disagreements, due largely to Mychel leaning more and more towards an authoritarian and isolationist worldview.

- Robin Arryn becomes increasingly withdrawn and indecisive in the face of high tensions within his own household and between the Valemen and the Mountain Clans. His rule is beginning to revert to the was of his youth, as he delegates more power and responsibilities to the Iron Throne and his court with each passing month. His strained relationship with his son and heir sees no improvement, further complicated by the fact that Mychel is now a representative of the Iron Throne as well as the future Lord Paramount.

- Maybe he has by now had a fling with Ellion Tyrell? x3

Tullys

- Catelyn mostly remained in King's Landing after uncovering and helping prosecute the corrupt members of the Faith, only making a brief trip back to the Riverlands to see her family and gather information on the state of affairs in her homeland. Valerys has remained by her side throughout the year, albeit still presentin himself in court as a friend to House Tully, rather than her paramour.

- Her original purpose fulfilled, she now dedicates herself to investigating and prosecuting other crimes being committed in the Seven Kingdoms. Over the course of the year, she has tackled the clandestine slave trade and helped prosecute several lawbreaking nobles in King Jon's court. However, she is also increasingly tempted to return home and assume once more her role as her father's justiciar, and has developed a rivalry of sorts with the High Septon, unsatisfied with the impunity he has enjoyed thus far. In court, she openly advocates for populist political reforms, which often puts her at odds with her more authoritarian cousin Mychel Arryn.

- Roslin Frey gave birth to twin boys, Eddard and Brynden Tully, both of them healthy and very much like their parents.

- Sylvester Tully continued to fight outlaws and rebels in the Riverlands with great success, and spent much of the rest of the year in the Isle of Faces, rather than Riverrun. As of late, he has started to journey outside of the Riverlands, leading his own band of Rivermen knights, most of them worshippers of the Old Gods, to fight against various foes and hunt down dangerous monsters.

- The situation in the Riverlands has improved somewhat, thanks in part to Catelyn's success in persecuting some of the figures behind the rebel sparrows. Edmure Tully's increasingly unorthodox but effective coalition has continued to provide a modicum of calm and order in the region, even though it still is a flimsy political structure built in no small part on good will and exhaustive micromanagement, with not enough coin or manpower directly in the hands of the Tullys to sustain itself in the face of unforeseable widespread disasters.

[Abefroeman]

@Celeste How would you like to move forward with events concerning the village of Three Corners?

[Celeste]

@Abefroeman I guess it'd be about time for Sylvester to stumble into the affairs of the Three Corners. Is there anything I should know about that plot?

[Abefroeman]

@Celeste The most abridged version would be small time poaching/corruption/smuggling/criminal activities. Probably no worse than in any other town or village, but Three Corners seems to try and keep the outside eyes from finding out.

There is also a number of Faith Militant/Sparrow supporters, who provide weapons and food to the Sparrows. This may be know to a lesser degree, as those involved are doing their best to be secretive about it.

As for the ruling family, the Slynt's are doing both good things and bad things, depending on who you talk to. The eldest is a firm believer in the Seven, while the other two are a bit more... tolerant.

[Greenie]

I've thought about it some more and I'm going to have step back from the RP. Too much is going on in my life atm and I'll be moving soon once more.

Once I'm settled again I may rejoin the RP. My apologies for having to leave.

[MrDidact]

@Greenie I'm sorry to hear that but it's been great having you and I hope you can rejoin us soon.

On a happier note. Merry Christmas and Happy New Years, you guys. Hope you're all having a great time.



Think I'll take two presents.

[Abefroeman]

@MrDidact I've had a great Christmas and build up to New Years so far.

Hope everyone is doing great, and I look forward to the continuation of the RP.

[Abefroeman]

@MrDidact What's the word boss man. Should we continue to hold tight?

[MrDidact]

@Abefroeman I apologize for the delays, things have been absolutely insane with work and school and me getting into the swing of things. Progress on my update has been very slow and it's very unrefined at this stage. Frankly managing a game of this scope by myself is getting pretty taxing with other obligations at the same time.

Would anyone be interested in partnering with me as a Co-GM and helping me run the game? Ye shall be privy to all of my thought processes on the game and we would make decisions on the plot direction and collab on posts together.

[MrDidact]

I've also started collabing with @kingkonrad on the next update post instead of taking it all on myself, and if anyone else wants to chime in with their characters for these scenes, you are more than welcome to do so.

[Abefroeman]

@MrDidactif No one else wants the co game master position, I submit my name for consideration.

[MrDidact]

@Abefroeman I think you'd probably be one of the best possible people to run the game with me. Since I know you're probably busy with your own schedule too, sharing the load equally is gonna be very important. Do you happen to be on Discord?

[Abefroeman]

@MrDidact I have an account. I'm not near my computer right now though.

[MrDidact]

@Abefroeman I'll dig up the Discord link so you can join and we can communicate faster. In the meantime, I now pronounce you Hand of the King.

[Abefroeman]

You hear that lads, I'm da new Hand of the King. Time to plan me funeral.

@MrDidactI am most honored your Grace.

[MrDidact]

@Abefroeman The honor is all mine my lord.

Here be the discord link. Anyone who has an account who hasn't joined yet definitely should.

And please feel free to chime in with the general collab going on in the piratepad.

Abe, once you're joined in, we can discuss strategy on the server.