CK2AGOT - Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons

[Thaiga]

@filcat
Oh, how many time I thought about uninstalling the game! But I always came back to it for some reason. For me this game certainly has a soul, a warm embrace of something both familiar and yet forever changing.

I know that fantasy genre itself and especially it's fanfiction has a certain reputation. But I wholeheartedly agree with one scrawny frogboy who said that "a reader lives a thousand lives before he dies." In my mind any genre serves it's purpose, and fantasy strives to unhinge our imagination (sometimes to the point where it has no limits) and lets us live a life or two so unreal that we would've never been able to experience it in any other way due to the limits of our reality. That's why we love it. But while I'm all for freedom and all that jazz I also sometimes like a bit of a challenge. And fanfiction, being a derivative from the source material with it's established laws and such, puts some limits back into the equation while preserving the original source's broadened possibilities.
This ingenious game adds a cherry on top of this mix, with it's endless RNG'ing variations and enormous amount of characters with their own personalities and events that I was not responsible for. It all feels like an almost ideal balance between freedom and restrictions, a proper playroom that a certain amount of shades of a certain colour might be envious of. This is why I think that CK2 is the perfect game for mods as well, because they allow for even more diversity and wild combinations to be explored and tried out.

I want to once again thank you for the nomination and such kind and encouraging words about this whole little project of mine. It started as this small personal thing I've done purely for my own amusement, but now I actually have readers (this fact still blows my mind) and it gives me so much motivations and drive to dig deeper, look closer, let my mind twist and encompass those characters that I write about to weave a more believable story for each and every one of them. I will also try to use more art like in the first Chapters, I know that the latest ones had been lacking as I try to preserve my stash for my other AAR from this playthrough that's in a hiatus until this one is over.

I've been really enjoing @Eludio's To The Strongest - A Hellenistic Resurgence AAR, and he was last nominated in 2019, so I think he is a great candidate for the next week.

Didn't know Faceless Men are title in CK2 AGOT, thought they are secret society. I see they are theocracy as well, how bizarre... Do you know how do they work? i.e. How to become a member for example?

Before I actually started writing this AAR and digging for minor characters, I also thought that the Faceless Men were represented by a society! In the lore they are a closed group within an openly operating religious organisation though, so I guess first making the cult of the Many-Faced God and then somehow coding a secret society exclusive to the cult would've been difficult, but I am not that good with code so I don't really know the reasoning behind this decision. I also don't know that well how they operate, I haven't tried to join cause I didn't know it was possible, I thought they are randomly generated when you try to hire a faceless man to do your dirty work or something, but right now there are a bunch of westerosi chilling in the House of Black and White with a valeman at the helm, so I'm intching to know what's that about and how did the game do that!

 

[NarcomancerPL]

Before I actually started writing this AAR and digging for minor characters, I also thought that the Faceless Men were represented by a society! In the lore they are a closed group within an openly operating religious organisation though, so I guess first making the cult of the Many-Faced God and then somehow coding a secret society exclusive to the cult would've been difficult, but I am not that good with code so I don't really know the reasoning behind this decision. I also don't know that well how they operate, I haven't tried to join cause I didn't know it was possible, I thought they are randomly generated when you try to hire a faceless man to do your dirty work or something, but right now there are a bunch of westerosi chilling in the House of Black and White with a valeman at the helm, so I'm intching to know what's that about and how did the game do that!

I would mod them based on Assassin's society from vanilla. It's not that hard, but it's long and tedious work. I did Assassin society for Zealots (jewish holy order) It has historical context, because one of the part of order called "Sicarii" were actually fanatical jewish assassins during late Roman Era, but that besides the point and not really connected to the topic of this AAR

P.S.: Congratulation for WritAAR of the Week

 

[Thaiga]

I would mod them based on Assassin's society from vanilla. It's not that hard, but it's long and tedious work. I did Assassin society for Zealots (jewish holy order) It has historical context, because one of the part of order called "Sicarii" were actually fanatical jewish assassins during late Roman Era, but that besides the point and not really connected to the topic of this AAR

P.S.: Congratulation for WritAAR of the Week

I think the mod devs are trying to minimize the need for DLCs and the societies were introduced in the Monks and Mystics DLC if I remember correctly, so this might be the reason why they just went with a title instead. I wonder if there is a submod for something similar as you suggest though...
I remember reading a bit about the Sicarii, fascinating stuff actually. And the way I stumbled upon them is rather comical. I was googling about one Cato Sicarius from Warhammer 40K after watching the YouTube series "If The Emperor Had a Text-To-Speech Device", one thing led to another and I found myself reading about the ancient murder-jews. I love the Internet.

And thank you for reading and commenting in here, I sincerely appreciate it!

 

[filcat]

I've been really enjoing Eludio's To The Strongest - A Hellenistic Resurgence AAR, and he was last nominated in 2019, so I think he is a great candidate for the next week.

Spoiler: whooops

Yeah, sorry for causing the misunderstanding due to own misleading words in the notification-post; it was intended to indicate looking forward to know your candidate but after the week of celebrations for your awAARd; no need to expose your choice beforeSorry

But that is one hell-of-a-writAAR, immensely deserving the awAARd; extraordinary choice, kudos.

---

Hopefully will finish the re-reading your AAR soon, and will be able to comment regularly (yeah, the curse of being a slow readAAR, and on top of it also a re-readAAR, due to being not that much bright. And enjoying rereading, too. Still reading the six books every four years only to revel in the mystifying meanings of the words and maybe to make yet another comparison: Duncan Idaho or Siona or Teg? -as the comparison between Paul and Leto II became stale eons after reading for the first time.)

Cheers, and enjoy the week. And write, write more, and all AARlanders will read them all.

 

[Thaiga]

Spoiler: whooops

View attachment 833170

Yeah, sorry for causing the misunderstanding due to own misleading words in the notification-post; it was intended to indicate looking forward to know your candidate but after the week of celebrations for your awAARd; no need to expose your choice beforeSorry

But that is one hell-of-a-writAAR, immensely deserving the awAARd; extraordinary choice, kudos.

---

Hopefully will finish the re-reading your AAR soon, and will be able to comment regularly (yeah, the curse of being a slow readAAR, and on top of it also a re-readAAR, due to being not that much bright. And enjoying rereading, too. Still reading the six books every four years only to revel in the mystifying meanings of the words and maybe to make yet another comparison: Duncan Idaho or Siona or Teg? -as the comparison between Paul and Leto II became stale eons after reading for the first time.)

Cheers, and enjoy the week. And write, write more, and all AARlanders will read them all.

Oh, no! I've made a proper fool of myself XD I thought it was like a vote or something, but then I went and actually read the rules (I do the same thing with everything that has instructions, I break the thing and then frantically search for that damn booklet!). I'm so sorry for this blunder!

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I have the same problem with silent reading. Before I started my own, I always hesitated to comment, I thought that surely the author has more interesting things to do than read my comments, but now I understand how gratifying and rewarding and just plain old interesting it is to have other people engaged with your mind.

 

[Thaiga]

Field of Diamonds Red and White​

Ser Harrold of House Hardyng, Lord of Hardvale, died from seemingly natural causes, although at a relatively young age of nine-and-forty.

His only daughter, lady Deana, was married to Ser Walton of House Frey. Two of their oldest children unfortunately met the most gruesome ends, both executed with fire.

Ser Harrold’s youngest child, Ser Desmond, was cursed with internal rot from a young age. Despite that he managed to get knighted, married and fathered two children before his death at the age of three-and-forty. His loving wife, lady Perra of House Arryn (the ones from the Gulltown), who married Ser Desmond despite her family’s wishes and forfeited any claims she migh have had, never remarried after her husband’s death and mourned him for the rest of her life.

Their daughter, lady Sherlyse, was married to Ser Jon of House Badics until his unfortunate death in a tourney at the age of just eight-and-twenty. She never remarried and is serving on her grandson’s small council.

Ser Desmond’s son, Ser Beomar, was married to lady Mynalla of House Rethermont until his own unfortunate death. The official cause is stated as “bad case of the flu”, but reports say that Ser Beomar was suffering from a severe case of mental breakdown and paranoia, and one’s prone to question whether this other sickness might have been more culpable of his demise than a mere case of runny nose.

Ser Ronnel was the next Lord of Hardvale, succeeding his father, Ser Harrold, in the year 280AC. He was married thrice with one child with each woman, but for some reason the names and houses of his two wives are missing from the archives.

He also beget a bastard daughter with lady Myranda of House Royce. The girl was rather controversially named Cersei, but she grew up to be a complete opposite of her infamous namesake. She was married to Ser Igon of House Tully from The Bloody Gate, a good man with a very tragic (and some say cursed) life.

Ser Randyll was Ser Ronnel’s third son. He was married to Lady Emmara of House Chyttering until his death at the age of two-and-thirty from a combination of his love of drink and his mental instability that apparently runs in the family. Lady Emmara later remarried.

The pair’s only child, Lady Wylera, was one of the wives and victims of the now infamous Lord Jaymond of Wycliffe. Her most certainly wrongful death will be addressed at the impending trial.

Ser Harrold was Ser Ronnel’s second son and once an heir apparent to the whole Vale. After that became out of the question, he left the Seven Kingdoms entirely and joined a mercenary company in Essos. He died there from bad nutrition at the age of four-and-forty. He never married, but left a bastard daughter he fathered in one of the many brothels. Eventually lady Arelle came back to the Vale and settled with the Hardyngs’ liege lords, the Waynwoods. There are rumours that she was a lover of one of the members of that House, but there are no hard proofs.

Ser Hugh was Ser Ronnel’s firstborn and heir. He was married to Lady Myranda of House Royce, the same one that gave birth to her father-in-law’s daughter Cersei.

It would seem that the pair reconciled and moved on after that incident, but Ser Hugh evened the score anyway with a bastard of his own. Unfortunately the boy, who was a son of a northman woman and followed her gods of the old, died from greyscale at a prime young age of just eight-and-ten. He was at that time already married to lady Alynne of House Blackwood, but they did not have time to have a child. Lady Alynne later remarried to Ser Gerold of House Serrett in the West.

Ser Eldred is Ser Hugh’s and Lady Myranda’s youngest child. He was unfortunately born a lackwit with a clear hint of cruelty and a very bad temper. His misplaced ambitions and pride were clearly taken advantage of by lady Lyseria of House Breakstone, a ruthless and cunning woman. She found a drunken hedge knight who then knighted Ser Eldred in a tavern. She then seduced Ser Eldred and became pregnant with his son (or with a son of an unwashed “holy man” that she continues to see near the local village and to whom she had already given a small fortune). The boy was born small and sickly and died from a flu within a year after birth. Despite Ser Eldred’s wishes and probably due to lady Lyseria’s undignified illness, the pair did not produce any more children and will probably never have.

Ser Ronnel is Ser Hugh’s and Lady Myranda’s fourth child. He was married to Lady Barba of the northern House Flint of Widow’s Watch until her very questionable execution by the Hardyng’s liege lord at the age of three-and-forty. The pair did not have children, but it was a loving and respectful marriage, so it took some convincing by his family to make Ser Ronnel marry again. He eventually did though, to lady Minisa Rivers, a woman young enough to be his daughter. There are rumours that Ser Ronnel only married her because he wanted to alleviate her mistreatment as a bastard born without a father. The pair’s first child unfortunately lived only a couple of months, but lady Minisa is pregnant again, so there is still hope that Ser Ronnel will get his wish for a daughter.

Ser Jon is Ser Hugh’s and Lady Myranda’s third son. He is married to lady Josella of House Rollingford. The pair had struggled to conceive for many years, but in their maturity they finally had their wish, and their only son is currently squiering for an esteemed knight in their household.

Ser Alec is Ser Hugh’s and Lady Myranda’s second son. He seems to have forgotten that he is not a young man anymore and recently suffered a nasty fall from one of his apple trees that left him unconscious and practically comatose. His diligent wife sees to him every day, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge the inevitable.

The pair’s only daughter, lady Carina, was married to Ser Corwin of House Errol before he got himself exiled to the Westwatch-by-the-Bridge for a duel gone wrong. Lady Carina stayed with her ex-husband’s family with her daughter and eventually had a brief affair with her ex’s kinsman and liege, Lord Kyle of Wendwater, that resulted in a bastard-born son Eldon.

Lady Carina’s daughter, lady Mary, is married to Lord Kyle’s half-brother, Ser Edwyn of House Swann.

Lord Kyle and Ser Edwin share a mother, lady Jeyne of House Swann. After the death of Lord Kyle’s father, Ser Desmond of House Errol, she fell in love with a lowborn knight in her son’s household and became pregnant with his child. Lord Kyle hastily arranged for his mother’s marriage. As her new husband did not have a family name of his own, their son became a member of lady Jeyne’s House Swann.

Hugh is Lady Carina’s twin brother. He is married to lady Liane of House Cox, already a widow and a mother at the time of their marriage. They do not have any children together.

Ser Merton is Ser Alec’s second son. He is married to lady Edrise of House Lynderly. This pair also seems to be struggling with fertility.

Ser Alec’s firstborn, Ser Arlon, unfortunately lived for only twenty years before a severe case of lung inflammation took him far too early. He was married to lady Ursula of House Elesham. Curel tongues claim that he married the unfortunate woman as a cruel jest and just to always have someone to torment, a fact that might have contributed to lady Ursula’s problematic character. She never remarried, probably due to her abnormality, and still resides with her late husband’s household.

Ser Dunstan, Ser Hugh’s firstborn, succeeded his father in the year 339AC. He was married twice. His first wife, Lady Melissa of House Haigh, unfortunately died at the age of five-and-twenty in her childbirth bed along with the pair’s stillborn daughter. Maester of Hardvale claimed that the poor woman should have never gotten pregnant in the first place as she was suffering from a rotten womb and that child was her death sentence. Ser Dunstan later remarried to a homely lady Obyra of House Lipps, also a widow at the time of their marriage. The union was built on a foundation of mutual kindness and some twisted ideas and resulted in four healthy children. Lady Obyra deeply mourns her deceased husband for almost ten years now.

The pair’s youngest daughter, Lady Elyra, was shipped off across the Narrow Sea to wed a handsome Lord Tytos of The Andal Coast in a resurfaced Kingdom of the Andals. Despite the fact that the pair does not have that much in common, they seem to be deeply in love with each other.

Lady Elyra’s older sister, lady Eddyne, married within the Seven Kingdoms. She resides with her husband, Tristan of House Errol, with his family in Stormlands.

Ser Leowyn is Ser Dunstan’s second son. He is married to lady Jeyne of House Bar Emmon.

The current Lord of Hardvale is Ser Lyn, Ser Dunstan and Lady Obyra’s firstborn. He is married to another Lady Jeyne, this one from House Goodbrook in the Riverlands. Ser Lyn once possessed a kind and gentle heart, but recently his behaviour became increasingly erratic and the sudden changes in his whole personality make it seem that Ser Lyn became possessed by something else entirely. His wife is ready to do whatever it takes to get her husband back, but due to her readiness to believe any and everyone there is a high risk that the poor woman might be taken advantage of. Hopefully a maester assigned to Hardvale proves capable enough to deal with this unfortunate situation, or it might warrant an intervention by the Conclave.

 

[Thaiga]

First of all, I have updated the Chapter about the main branch of House Dayne.

Here it is.​

And then there is Darkstar, who is not so dark in this timeline, but still pretty dark...

 

[Thaiga]

The Dark Hermits​

Ser Alester, the Lord of High Hermitage, was a younger brother of Lord Beric of House Dayne, Lord of The Torrentine. He died from seemingly natural causes at a relatively young age of seven-and-forty in the year 292AC.

His only daughter, lady Alyse, was married to Ser Gerris of House Drinkwater, Lord of Vulture’s Roost.

Ser Alester’s second son, Ser Ronnel, was married to lady Delonne of House Allyrion until his peaceful death at the age of six-and-fifty. His poor wife could not bear the amount of grief she had to endure and followed him two years later. The pair had their fair share of tragedy. They had to witness the horrible death of their beloved young daughter when she fell from one of the towers and died a mangled mess in one the many caverns below, the stone below her more vivid red than the Red Mountains usually are.

The pair’s son, Ser Aegon (no doubt named so in the hopes to please the ruling family), fell down the stairs during a wake in his father’s honour and died two months later, a loss that was a final straw for his poor mother. Ser Aegon’s wife, lady Loreza, the last bastard of Red Viper before he finally married her mother, became deranged with grief after his death. She eventually went back to her brother’s court at the Viper’s Nest castle near Plankytown and accused him of stealing her and her sisters’ birthright and demanded a trial by combat for the seat. Her brother, Lord Morgan, was forced to obliged and kill his unrelenting sister with a Viper’s Fang through the eye. Lord Morgan himself died a year later from a wound he sustained in this senseless duel, most probably due to the poison lady Loreza applied to her own spear.

The only daughter of Ser Aegon and lady Loreza, lady Robyn, who was tutored by her mother in her saner years, was much more inclined to the martial matters rather than those of matrimony, so she fled to have her own adventures. The latest reports place her at the small council of the Lord of Llhorulu in the Golden Fields of the Rhoynar, serving as his treasurer.

Ser Aegon and lady Loreza’s second son Vorian denounced his family after a heated fight and resides with his wife’s branch at Starfall.

His oldest brother Garmond suffered some kind of heart condition and often had a purplish discoloration of his face. He died at the age of two-and-forty, assumingly from that malady. He was married to a lowborn woman named Mariya who still resides at High Hermitage with her son.

Aegon the younger, Garmond’s only child, is also married to a lowborn girl by the name of Elianne.

Ser Alester’s firstborn son, Ser Gerold Darkstar, succeeded him as Lord of High Hermitage. He was married to Lady Nymeria Sand, one of the famous Sand Snakes, Red Viper’s daughters. He broke her heart when he acknowledged a bastard daughter from a lowborn woman and Lady Nym was never the same after that. She eventually died from an ordinary flu, possibly due to her body’s refusal to fight any longer. Ser Gerold did not remarry after her death and died a nervous wreck six years later.

A Game of Thrones - Darkstar by TheFirstAngel

Nymeria Sand by Bella Bergolts (unfortunately I could not find this picture on author's official page)​

The bastard in question, lady Bryanna, is married to the heir of Kingsgrave, Ser Mors of House Manwoody, as his second wife. Her mother was executed by her father a year before his death when he became convinced that she was responsible for Lady Nym’s death and planned to take out his legitimate children. Lady Bryanna’s half-sister was implicated in this convoluted “trial” as well and later caught and executed by the Lord of The Torrentine.

The legitimate daughter, lady Loreza, was married to Ser Lorrent of House Blackmont until his death at the age of nine-and-thirty. She did not remarry and remains with her late husband’s family, serving as a master-at-arms for the young Lady of Blackmont.

Lord Darkstar’s third son, Ser Michael the Exile, was one of the parties insisting that lady Bryanna’s mother was out to get them, so after his father’s death and his brother’s succession and posthumous exoneration of the poor woman he threw a tantrum and left the Seven Kingdoms to serve under the Ragged Standard of a mercenary company. After no-one had called him back, he declared that he was exiled by his own kin and stubbornly stayed with the sellswords, a decision that proved to be his undoing. His wife, lady Charissa, who actually loved her mule-headed husband very much, could not bear the news of his passing and died of a broken heart a year later.

The pair’s daughter, lady Erin, is married to Ser Orbert of House Cordwayner.

Her oldest brother, Ser Garrison, a bright but cruel young knight, died from liver failure at the prime young age of four-and-twenty. His widow, Lady Obara of House Martell, remarried to the Lord of Greenshield.

Ser Benedict, Ser Michael’s second son, is married to lady Estalia of House Hunt.

His youngest brother, Ser Conrad, is married to lady Serena of House Allyrion.

Ser Alester is Lord Darkstar’s second son. He is married to lady Maryce of House Jordayne.

The pair’s only daughter, lady Denisa, is married to poor kind Ser Osmund of House Blackbar, but before Ser Osmund's father had passed, she was her own father-in-law’s favourite mistress. Their three bastards, “the white flowers of Blackbar”, are an open secret of Bandallon’s court. She also is unfortunately ravaged by some vile sickness of the mind, probably due to the brothel sickness Lord Rolland suffered from, although she does not exhibit any external signs of it.

Ser Lancelyn, Lord Darkstar’s firstborn, is the current Lord of High Hermitage. He was married to Lady Robyna of House Fowler before her execution by his kinsman and overlord, Lord Joris of The Torrentine. The exact reason is rather muddy and rumours have it that the whole charges were fabricated by one of Ser Lancelyn’s male friends. Ser Lancelyn also remains unremarried.

The pair’s older daughter, lady Katrin, was married to Joffrey of House Cuy before her death at the age of five-and-thirty. It is believed that she could not bear the grief of a stillbirth. Her husband later remarried.

Lady Katrin’s younger sister, lady Lorinda, is married to Ser Harys of House Cordwayner.

Ser Vorian is Ser Lancelyn’s youngest son. He is married to lady Malarra of House Wagstaff.

Their daughter, lady Denyse, is married to Ser Alyn of House Sloane.

Ser Lancelyn’s second son, Ser Myles, is married to lady Elinor of House Reyne.

Their daughter, lady Dinah, is married to Ser Quincy, Dayne of the Elbow. They both reside at High Hermitage though.

Ser Gerold is Ser Lancelyn’s firstborn son and heir. He is married to lady Tya of House Falwell.

Their daughter, lady Falyce, is married to Ser Leo of House Blackbar.

Ser Gerold’s son, Ser Archibald, is married to lady Dancy, once briefly the Lady of The Elbow.

 

[streaker77]

Ive always been interested by House Dayne, seems like they have some sort of secret in the book, how did they become lords of High Hermitage?

 

[Thaiga]

Ive always been interested by House Dayne, seems like they have some sort of secret in the book, how did they become lords of High Hermitage?

Same, the Daynes fascinate me! The First Men House with some valyrian features and a sword made from a meteorite that has a very specific criteria for its wielders. If that's not badass I don't know what is! XD But I don't think there is enough info about the main or the Hermitage branch in the books. I've found this very interesting post about it all and I really like the author's way of thinking.

 

[Thaiga]

Essos​

The following paragraph was taken in its entirety (with relevant adjustments) from the Atlas of Ice and Fire (referred throughout this work as Atlas)​

Essos is the largest continent in the known world. To its inhabitants it is the birthplace of civilisation, the probable birthplace of humanity and up until the most recent times it was the world, Westeros less than an afterthought.

Essos is a land of great extremes: its great rivers (such as the Rhoyne and the Sarne) dwarf the largest rivers in Westeros and its tallest mountains are far beyond the tallest peaks of the Sunset Lands in size. Its cities are larger and its merchants richer, by far, than their western cousins.

It is also still a much more fractious and violent land. Whilst all of Westeros is now united as a single polity, Essos, especially it’s Far East, is still divided between dozens of city-states and kingdoms, as well as several large empires and nomadic warriors whose territories extend over thousands of miles.

It is also a land of mysteries and the unknown. Even its geographic constraints have not been measured: beyond the forests of Mossovy, the plains of the Grey Waste, the peaks of the Mountains of the Morn and the mist-shrouded waters of the Saffron Straits, all knowledge of the continent abruptly ceases. Expeditions seeking to explore the lands to the east of Carcosa and the Shadow Lands – even by the ancient Valyrians on dragonback – have simply all vanished without a trace. Even the famed Sea Snake of Westeros, Corlys Velaryon, chose to turn back at Nefer rather than risk further travel through uncharted seas.

The mapped portion of Essos, stretching from the western-most promontory in the Disputed Lands to the eastern shores of the Hidden Sea, extends across a distance of approximately 6,335 miles. At its widest in the far east, the continent extends for approximately 2,600 miles from Nefer on the Shivering Sea to Asshai on the Jade Sea. The continent is divided into several informal cartographic regions by maesters when discussing its geography, for ease of debate.

The western-most region is known as the Great Cities (formerly known as Free Cities), for it is dominated by nine great city-states and the large regions of territory each control. These cities are Braavos, Lorath, Lys, Myr, Norvos, Pentos, Qohor, Tyrosh and Volantis. This is the area that has the most traffic with Westeros, lying as it does just a few days sail across the Narrow Sea.

East of the Free Cities the fledgling colonies of Essaria are just starting to sprawl their wings. In their shadow a newly resurrected Kingdom of Sarnor is trying to find its footing.

Further east lies the vast region known as the Dothraki Sea, consisting mainly of the vast grasslands that give it its names as well as the forests of Ifequevron.

South of this region lies the Smoking Sea, formerly the heartland of the vast Valyrian Freeholdand, but today divided between the ruined lands of Valyria and the newly resettled Lands of the Long Summer; and the Slaver’s Bay, formerly the heartland of the Ghiscari Empire and today consisting of the resurgent cities of the harpy: Meereen, Astapor, Yunkai and New Ghis. Immediately neighbouring them to the east is the kingdom of Lhazar.

East of Slaver’s Bay lies the forbidding Red Waste and the great city-state of Qarth, as well as the immense offshore island of Great Moraq. The gateway between east and west, this region sees immense wealth flowing between the Summer Sea in the west and the Jade Sea in the east.

North of the Dothraki Sea lies the island of Ib (sometimes called Ibben).

East of the Dothraki Sea lies the immense Bone Mountains and the Plains of the Jogos Nhai, home to a formidable, nomadic warrior-race as well as the surviving city-states of the ancient Patrimony of Hyrkoon reborn from the ashes of old.

South of the Plains of the Jogos Nhai lies the Golden Empire of Yi Ti. Probably the most populous nation in the known world, Yi Ti is ancient (some might say decadent), rich beyond reckoning and home to a hundred quarrelsome cities, each larger than King’s Landing or Oldtown. The wealthy island of Leng lies just off its coast.

In the far south-east of the world lies the Jade Sea, a vast, circular ocean whose shores teem with great cities, forbidding jungles and dark mysteries. Hundreds of islands fill the Jade Sea, chief among them fire-shrouded Marahai and the exotic Island of Elephants.

East of the Jogos Nhai lies the Far East, home to the Thousand Isles, the heavily-forested realm of Mossovy and the disturbing Bleeding Sea. This region is home to the Cannibal Sands, the Land of the Shrykes and the Cities of the Bloodless Men. The Mountains of the Morn loom over the landscape, in a hidden valley of which is said to lie the Hidden Sea, the homes of the fabled winged men and the forbidding, mysterious city of Carcosa. Knowledge fails us in this land and reality and myth become entwined.

Finally, south of the Mountains of the Morn and east of the Jade Sea lies the Shadow Lands, a land of towering mountains so high that they block out the sun, plunging the surrounding valleys into utter darkness even during the day. This is the land of ghost grass, the brackish waters of the River Ash and the corpse-city Stygai, where even the greatest sorcerers of the Shadow refuse to tread. At the mouth of the Ash lies the largest city (but most heavily under-populated) in the known world, Asshai-by-the-Shadow, mostly left in derelict ruins where sorcerers practice foul rites and hungry merchants lust for gold.

The population of Essos is hard to estimate, although maesters suggest it is considerably more than the (conservative) estimates of forty-five million for Westeros. Yi Ti is densely populated and the Free Cities almost all dwarf the largest cities in Westeros in population.

Due to its huge size, Essos is home to numerous disparate factions and forces. The Free Companies, or mercenary sellswords, are considerably influential. Many of the city-states cannot afford to maintain standing armies, so they instead hire swords for coin to fight their battles for them. Although traditional, this has been cited as ineffective, since sellswords are untrustworthy and may turn their cloak if another city offers a better price. The Unsullied of Astapor, famed warrior-eunuchs with a reputation for absolute loyalty and fearlessness, are still popular for their staunch reliability in battle, but this comes with a price. The warrior-nomads of both the Dothraki and the Jogos Nhai are feared for their skill and savagery in battle.

In matters of religion, Essos is home to almost as many faiths as there are stars in the sky. Rising in popularity is the cult of the red god, R’hllor, Lord of Light, which has gained vast numbers of followers in recent centuries. The center of this faith is in far Asshai, but there is also a significant temple to him in Volantis. The Moonsingers are the most popular religious sect in Braavos, as they helped found the city, but temples to almost every deity under the sun can be found in the city. Also popular are the Great Shepherd of Lhazar, the Lion of Night, the Many-Faced God, the Stone Cow of Faros, the Weeping Lady, Trios, Bakkalon the Pale Child, the Hooded Wayfarer and the Black Goat of Qohor, amongst many, many others.

Essos then is a vast land of many different peoples, gods and lands, a teeming and confusing morass of cultures and races whose beliefs are very alien to those of the Seven Kingdoms.

 

[Thaiga]

The Great Cities​

The following paragraph was taken in its entirety (with relevant adjustments) from the Atlas of Ice and Fire (referred throughout this work as Atlas)​

To the people of Westeros, “beyond the Narrow Sea” is a phrase promising exotic new locales, adventures in remote and interesting lands and a reference to rich cities specialising in exotic gods, heathenism and corruption. They refer to the Twelve (formerly Nine) Great Cities of Essos (Braavos, Lorath, Andalos, Norvos, Qohor, Rhoynar, Pentos, Myr, Lys, Tyrosh, Volantis and Essaria), often talking about them in the same terms when each city is remarkably different in tone, character and history. The Great Cities share a history – they were founded or ruined by or in response to the actions of the Freehold of Valyria – but culturally and economically each stands unique.

The region covered by the Great Cities is vast, matching the entire South of Westeros in size. It extends for approximately 1,800 miles from north to south and for over 1,300 miles from east to west. The Great Cities region is bordered by the Shivering Sea to the north, the Narrow Sea to the west, the Summer Sea to the south and the Dothraki Sea and Painted Mountains to the east.

Internally, the Great Cities region consists of large and fertile plains watered by numerous rivers. Several rivers rise in the hills and mountains of the north. Generally referred to as the “Hills of Norvos”, although many of these “hills” rival mountains in Westeros in size, these highlands give rise to the rivers which rush down to the plains and forests, forming the mighty Rhoyne along their way. The Rhoyne sweeps south for almost 1,350 miles, from the source of the Upper Rhoyne all the way to the river delta just below Volantis, watering the Flatlands, the Golden Fields and the Volantene hinterlands along the way.

The Ones No Longer Free​

Each Great City in this Chapter will be mentioned in order of their inclusion in the Realm.​

While for the westerosi the practice of slavery is abhorrent and is strictly forbidden for thousands of years, it is still widespread throughout many parts of Essos. The Slaver’s Bay got its name for it, the Dothraki are notorious for their slave raids and the warlocks of Quarth are known to participate in this vile trade. It also was just recently practised openly in the Stepstones, the Three Daughters and not-so-openly in Pentos. But it all finally came to an end with the Liberation of the Stepstones (covered in the appropriate previous Chapter) that marked the beginning of the subsequent Liberation Wars of the Narrow Sea. By the end of those, the whole eastern coast was changed forever.

 

[Thaiga]

Tyrosh​

Game of Thrones: Tyrosh II by Claudio Pilia for Unseen Westeros​

Tyrosh is located on the north-easternmost island in the Stepstones, 400 miles south-west of Myr and 450 miles north-west of Lys. It dominates the northern part of the island and started life as a Valyrian military outpost, with walls of fused black dragonstone. Later, the inhabitants discovered a unique species of sea snail on the islands nearby which produced a remarkable dye. Tyrosh built its reputation and its riches on both this dye and controlling the treacherous trade routes through the Stepstones.

Tyrosh is also the nearest of the Great Cities to the mainland of Westeros; the coast of Dorne lies barely 200 miles south-west of the city. That is why it was the first to fall.

The Tyroshi War of 308-314AC marks the second victory in the series of conquests collectively known as The Liberation Wars.

It started in the late 308AC with an ultimatum that Archon Myrmello the Second had imprudently refused. He unfortunately did not live to see the full extent of the consequences of his actions, so on the First day of the Sixth moon of the year 314AC his successor, Archon Oro the Third, became the last Archon of Tyrosh.

The Storm of Crows​

After the reorganisation of administration in Tyrosh was completed, a new Lord Paramount for the region was appointed by the Queen. Her choice surprised almost everyone, especially the chosen. When he was called to stand before the Queen, a long, awkward silence ensued as the Queen pierced the flamboyant sellsword with her purple eyes for some long minutes. She finally muttered something to herself and averted her gaze toward the parchments before her (reportedly her words were: “Seriously?..”, but no-one knows what she actually meant by that). She then proceeded to put her final signature and press her ring into the wax thus making Daario Naharis, the former sellsword from the Stormcrows company, the first Lord Paramount of Tyrosh.

Daario Naharis.Fragment by steamey

Lord Daario made his crest the three black crows on a grey stormy sky, a tribute to his origins (three instead of four because “One often must lose something in order to gain something, and I’d rather just lose a bird”).

He never married, cheerfully stating that he already had two wives while brandishing his Dothraki arakh and Myrish stiletto with golden hilts of a matched pair of wanton naked women. He did however sire three children by three different women, two of them being declared as his legitimate.

His oldest daughter, Lady Roslin, was married to the son of the famous Lady Asha of the Southern Stepstones. As their wedding gift the pair was granted their own little isle near Tyrosh thus making Lady Roslin’s husband Lord Tyler of Little Tyrosh.

Lord Daarion’s second daughter, Lady Tiryna, was married to another son of Lady Asha, Lord Aeron of Wreckstone. Unfortunately she died at the age of just two-and-twenty under very questionable circumstances. Her only son, Lord Torwyn, later became Lord of Little Tyrosh after the death of his uncle. Lord Aeron remarried to Lady Sera of House Saan, fathered three more children and gloriously died in a reaving.

Lord Daario’s only son became the next Lord Paramount of Tyrosh. Lord Paramount Harlan was married to Lady Lyssa of House Seastag from the neighbouring Stepstones. They had three daughters and two sons together. After Lord Harlan’s death Lady Lyssa declared an indefinite mourning.

Both of their oldest daughters are married into prominent houses in the region.

The younger son, Master Joryo, recently married mistress Laresha of House Otherys. He was granted a palace of Dynelos as a wedding gift from his brother, a deed that earned his brother his moniker.

The current Lord Paramount of Tyrosh is Lord Daarius the Open-Handed. He is the only Naharis that forgoes the usual tyroshi practice of dying his hair and flaunts his silver mane he inherited from his mother. His wife, the merry Lady Saka of House Drahar from Myr, is also a silverhead.

Notable Vassals​

After the war some redistribution of lands was inevitable and expected.

Krakens of Tyrosh
An island of Little Tyrosh first went to Lady Roslin’s husband Lord Tyler, but due to their lack of sons it then went to Lady Tiryna’s only son, Lord Torwyn. He is married to Lady Lysanei of House Vunatis from Western Stepstones.

The lands of Tyroshi Landing near the capital was granted to another Greyjoy descendant, Lord Lucimore, a bastard son of “king” Euron Crow’s Eye. Lord Lucimore held no love for his sire and quickly adopted both the customs and the faith of his new subjects. To further commemorate this shift, he changes his family name to Greytrios and his sigil to three golden circles on a light-grey line across the black field, a tribute to both the three-headed god Trios and his Greyjoy colours.

Lord Lucimore was married to Lady Nakodi of House Ormolan from a nearby land of Kylos.

Their oldest daughter, lady Syrea, is married to Nakorno Orlonnis, a former sellsword of pentoshi origin. Curiously enough, Nakorno follows the drowned god of the ironborn, the faith of lady Syrea’s infamous grandsire. Lady Syrea herself formally follows the Trios, but is heavily influenced by her family history and her husband’s belief and seems to merge the different ideas of both faiths. She also does not dye her hair.

Her two sisters do though. Ladies Nilora and Doreza are both married into prominent families of the region and fully embody its faith and traditions.

The current lord of Tyroshi Landing is Lord Tregar, Lord Lucimore’s only son. He too does not dye his hair. He is married to Lady Nesynea, the last member of the short-lived minor house of Vynenohr.

The Disputes in the Disputed Lands​

Lord Tychan Dynohrin was Lord Paramount Daario’s comrade and friend, so when Lord Daario became the ruler of Tyrosh, he elevated his friend as well. Some years later he shattered that friendship beyond repair with one swift order of execution. When the light of Lady Zansa’s pyre went out, so did the one in her husband’s eyes. His body lingered in this world for four more years, but then his soul could not wait any longer. He died from a broken heart at the age of nine-and-sixty and for his devotion he is forever remembered as the Chaste Lord Tychan.

He was succeeded by his son from his previous relations though. Lord Malero of Tyroshi Disputed Lands is married to Lady Jonna, twin-sister of late Lord Lucimore of Tyroshi Landing. Lord Malero is also stark raving mad and had chopped off his own hand in one of his more violent fits, but fortunately for him his kind-hearted wife did not take anything after her father and is looking after her beloved deranged husband.

 

[streaker77]

I started from the middle and had no idea you had conquered many of the free cities, will be very interested to see the other ones, and im sure the Greyjoys dont complain about having a base on the narrow sea for ''sailing'' trips.

 

[Thaiga]

I started from the middle and had no idea you had conquered many of the free cities, will be very interested to see the other ones, and im sure the Greyjoys dont complain about having a base on the narrow sea for ''sailing'' trips.

A was not really planning to do it, but sometime around the Stepstones Dany got the Liberator trait after yet another slave rescued (I think it was one of Missandei's brothers), so I thought "Hey, I already have literally all the armies of all the kingdoms nearby, might as well" and it just snowballed from there. Also Pentos was a very pleasant surprise, but we'll get to that.

Oh, I think the Krakens are delighted, they were reaving like crazy from there XD

 

[TWR97]

Judging by her reaction to Daario, looks like Dany there briefly accessed her Dragon Dreams and the Greensight to peer into the Canon timeline and probably found her relationship there with the Sellsword-turned-Lord Paramount in this world uncomfortable. That is one canon character I did not expect to be there as well.

 

[Thaiga]

Judging by her reaction to Daario, looks like Dany there briefly accessed her Dragon Dreams and the Greensight to peer into the Canon timeline and probably found her relationship there with the Sellsword-turned-Lord Paramount in this world uncomfortable. That is one canon character I did not expect to be there as well.

That was exactly my idea, I'm very pleased it was noticed!
He almost got forgotten but then I was sitting with an empty Tyrosh and going through tyroshi characters looking for someone worthy and/or interesting, and there he was, obnoxious blue hair and all, and I was like BINGO!

 

[Thaiga]

Myr​

Concept Art - Arabic City A by LoneGaze (Aaron Fong)​

Myr is located some 450 miles south of Pentos and commands an impressive harbour at the eastern end of the Sea of Myrth, a significant inlet of the Narrow Sea. The city controls a wide swathe of territory, extending inland for several hundred miles and south to the river that marks the northern perimeter of the Disputed Lands.

On the eighth day of the third moon of the year 315AC that river was crossed by an enormous westerosi army that had just liberated Myr’s southern neighbour Tyrosh a year prior. This crossing marked the beginning of the Myrish Liberation War.

It was a time of great promises and great deeds.

Lord Paramount Willas of House Tyrell of the Reach has made a pledge of eternal loyalty on behalf of his whole House, which the Queen had accepted with great gratitude.

But the most immediately rewarding gift in this war was made by Lord Yohn of House Royce of Runestone when in one of the earliest battles he managed to capture Magister Ferrego of House Uteuran, the contemporary ruler of Myr at that time.

It toor another two years to liberate all Myr’s territory, but in the end their resistance proved futile and on the fourteenth day of the eleventh moon in the year 317AC Magister Ferrego, still technically the ruler of the City, signed a capitulation. He was then sent to the Wall and is remembered by the scholars as the Black Magister.

Those magisters who were known to not have slaves or have just a few and treated them well were allowed to return to their ancestral lands and continue to rule them as lords. Those who were found guilty of crimes against their slaves were banished or executed and their lands redistributed.

New Order, Old People​

The first order of business was finding a new Lord Paramount for the region.

Black Magister’s predecessor, his rival Magister Roro of House Drahar, was overthrown by his successor and executed in the year 293AC. Roro’s brother Thoros, magister of Byloth, was driven into exile along with his children and died in the same year as his brother under rather suspicious circumstances. Prior to this disaster, heir House was well established and well respected in the region. It can boast several of previous rulers of the City among its members and is believed to be the first House to ever hold that position as well.

So when Thoros’ son Narbo came before the Queen’s court to address his grievances in a civilised and honourable fashion instead of becoming a vigilante, she knew that she had found her perfect representative. His younger brother Cossomo was given back the Drahar ancestors’ land of Byloth and his four-years-old great-grandson is its current ruler.

Lord Paramount Narbo, for his stubbornness in seeking justice remembered as the Tenacious, ruled Myr in peace and prosperity for forty years and died of gout at an impressive age of eighty.

His son, Lord Paramount Conos the Red, is the current ruler of Myr. He was married to his childhood friend and sweetheart, Lady Firanela, daughter of a free company captain that the Drahars met during their exile. After her death Lord Paramount entered a peculiar three-corner relationship with two lowborn ladies who by all accounts are participating in this curious union willingly and with great joy. Both have a son by their paramour with both boys acknowledged and well-provided for. While this is undeniably highly unusual, all parties seem to enjoy each other's company very much, so who are we to dictate the rules of love?

Two of Lord Paramount Conos’ children are married to the members of House Naharis of Tyrosh. The merry silver-haired Lady Salea is the wife of the current Lord Paramount Daarius of Tyrosh. His sister, Lady Pysaria, is the wife of Lady Salea’s brother and Myr’s heir presumptive, Lord Narbo.

Notable Vassals​

Some minor land near the capital and a chunk of the disputed lands that belonged to Myr was redistributed among the people from the Drahar household.

Lord Cadaros, the Drahar’s master of whispers, was granted the lordship of Naqes Embar at the mouth of the Myrth river, establishing the House of Cadaro. Lord Cadaros was married to Lady Saella, but after she was found to participate in the vile orgies of some local cult Lord Cadaros was forced to execute his own wife. The paternity of his children by his first wife was questioned at every turn, but deep down Lord Cadaros was a kind-natured man, so he could not find a strength in him to disown his children outright, but in his pride he did proclaim them not fit to inherit. He later remarried to the last member of the fallen house of Lornel, the former holders of Naqes Embar, to both add the legitimacy of his own rule and that of their progeny.

After Lord Cadaros’ death he was succeeded by Lord Cossoquo, his son by his second wife. Thoren, the disinherited son of a disgraced first wife, definitely holds a grudge against his younger brother. In an attempt to get at him he even went so far as to get his brother’s wife drunk and father a child on her. As it was established that the lady went with him “willingly”, he could not be charged with violating her, so he continues to live at his brother’s household and parades the poor boy in front of him whenever he can. To his credit, a kind-hearted Lord Cossoquo does not hold any contempt against his wife or the boy.

Lord Donicho, the Drahar’s steward, was granted the lordship of Myrwater and the overlordship of the two adjacent lands. His House became known as the House of Iranin with a clay watchtower against a pale turquoise sky as their sigil.

Lord Donicho’s son Lord Tregys is the current ruler of the Myrish Disputed Lands. After the death of his first wife, Lady Serenei, he took Lady Dorelna of House Vhassar as his second wife, a girl twice his younger, and the toll of keeping up with his young wife seems to be catching up with him.

 

[streaker77]

I dont know how many of them are new( newly created houses) but I really like some of the house sigils in this area. Id imagine the people of Myr are pleased that unlike their neighbors, there is a distinct lack of Ironborn prowling about their lands and they have one of their own leading them. Good to see a new chapter.

 

[Midnite Duke]

Keeping up with wives half your age may not be conducive to long-life, but it requires a stonemason to remove the smile from your face. Thank you for giving us a tour of the islands.