So in addition to a Second Dance, the coming rift is also going to have shades of the Blackfyre Rebellions as well. The more things change...
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A unremarkable king, Maegor III continued the period of long peace in Westeros and kept the realm stable as the rest of the world changed. Unfortunately, it seems that his attempt to maintain the peace by trying to end the Blackwood-Bracken feud with marriages to his sons will only end up destabilizing the whole realm after his passing. Brothers who hate each other and have wives from age old rival families is a sure source of discontent. Once again, the Blackwood-Bracken feud will devastate Westeros as they attempt to install their favored branch of the Targaryen dynasty on the Iron Throne like during the Blackfyre Rebellion. This time, the Blackwoods and Brackens have direct marriage ties to the rival claimants instead of merely personal friendships or resentments or bastard blood ties with the claimants. Like the original Dance of the Dragons, we have feuding houses who are technically only merely vassals of a great house but have a disproportionate amount of political influence due to their blood ties to rival branches of the royal dynasty and who will wage war though their royal proxies against their rivals for a seat of power next to the Iron Throne.
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Almost! The boot finally dropped immediately after Aenys' reign.
The sad thing is, Aenys and Daemon were friends in game.
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Just caught up with this AAR (now that i have time due to self isolation ) and I want to say I am really enjoying it!
As for the Second Dance... let's hope the Targs and the dragons manage to survive the onslaught.
) and I want to say I am really enjoying it!As for the Second Dance... let's hope the Targs and the dragons manage to survive the onslaught.
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Dany was never born in this timeline, so Rhaegar's only sibling was Viserys. He became a Septon, of all things.
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Apparently, Daemon's friendship didn't extend to respecting his brother's will and daughter. Being a Dance of Dragons, I wonder if we will get conflicting hideously biased accounts of the motives of the warring parties.
The apparent seeds and fuel of the coming Second Dance I am guessing or are mentioned so far are the resurrection of the dragons, royal blood being more spread to the great houses through marriages, the rivalry of the two Queen Jeynes and the rivalry between their houses, Aenys II tempting fate by naming his daughter heir over available male Targaryens like Viserys I before him for some reason, Daemon betraying his brother's will and his niece by trying to usurp the Iron Throne, and a major act of outrage to deepen the split in the Conningtons executing the head of House Fyreblood, a house known for their loyalty to their Targaryen cousins, for refusing to accept Daemon as king.
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History is ever written (or influenced) by the winners...plus this 'book' is written at least a century after the last ruler it will cover...and even then, this is the 'Abridged' version.
But you've got most of the seeds there, save the last one that's in Aenys' entry. Needless to say, it might well change your opinion of dear Daemon. (Not the Connington's though.)
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Aenys II Targaryen
Aenys II Targaryen
Reigned: 470 AC - 487 AC
Spouses: Jeyne Targaryen
Children: Visenya Targaryen
Aenys Targaryen, Second of His Name, was the Twenty-Sixth Monarch of the Seven Kingdoms, the Sixth and Last Ruler of the ‘Long Peace’ period, and the first rider of the dragon Creed.
Much like, and perhaps more so than his father, the Second Aenys was unremarkable. A shy man, he spent a great deal of time in the royal library, even writing books and theses on a variety of subjects. Most of these were on Dragons, and he is credited with the concept of ‘The Great Dragons’, the seven greatest dragons in the known world.
His small council was unusually meritocratic, as seen by the inclusion of both foreigners and commoners amongst its ranks. Whilst this was not popular with his Lords, it made him wildly popular with the common people. Added to this was his twin brother and Commander of the Gold Cloaks, Daemon Targaryen, the future Daemon I, who was known as a fair, yet incorruptible man. Even further was another of his brothers, Gaemon, the Septon of Dragonstone, famed for his charitable acts and sense of duty.
The only notable event that took place in his reign was a large outbreak of Smallpox in Dorne in 475 that lasted three years. Aenys ordered that the Dornish border be closed, and made great efforts to mitigate the disease. But nevertheless, he remains deeply unpopular in Dorne, particularly in Western Dorne, where the disease completely wiped out House Dayne of the Elbow.
Aenys II Targaryen died suddenly in 487AC, at the age of two-and-forty. With his death, the Long Peace that was begun by Jaehaerys III Targaryen in 352AC would come to a close, and the Second Dance of Dragons was mere moons away.
Aenys’ wife and Queen, Jeyne Bracken, would give him only one child, a daughter whom they named Visenya (who is famed for a streak of golden hair she had amongst the traditional silver hair of the Targaryens.). Despite this, it was rumoured, persistently, the Author might add, that Queen Jeyne had a lover, and consumed a great amount of moon tea to hide her indiscretions. It was this rumour, planted by his sister-by-law, that led to the Princess of Dragonstone being declared a bastard by the ‘Blackwood Faction’, and in turn led to Daemon Targaryen, Aenys’ twin brother, to claim the throne in his niece’s place.
It would have been hard to believe that the young girl, declared a bastard by her Uncle, would barely a year and a half later, duel the Usurper, and become the first ruling Queen of Westeros.
Outside Westerosi borders, the Kingdom of Andalos fell to the Freeholds of Lys and Braavos. Its deposed King, Cormond III Strongblood, fled with his daughter and remaining supporters…..to Dragonstone.
Notable People:
Ayat of Qarth: Master of Coin for most of Aenys II’s reign. Ayat was originally a member of the Ancient Bank of Qarth, but came to Westeros to serve on the small council. He was reportedly the richest man in Westeros and owned a large manse in King’s Landing, where he, his many lovers, and equally many bastards lived. He collaborated with Daemon I Targaryen, and met his end after the Second Dance when he was one of five people executed as Daemon’s main supporters.
Grand Maester Laziros: Reputedly the son of a Norvoshi merchant that died in Oldtown, Laziros joined the Citadel ostensibly as a means of survival, but soon grew to like his chosen lifestyle. He was a quick learner, and was swift to master the Westerosi tongue, though he apparently never lost his native accent. In his fifth-and-fortieth year, he was appointed as Grand Maester. He would work closely with Aenys II on his literary works on Dragons. He would be executed by Daemon I Targaryen for demanding that Visenya I Targaryen succeed her father, as was his intent.
Falazza of Yaros: Falazza was the bastard daughter of Empress Sezza zo Marlaq. Whilst she grew up in the Imperial Palace of Old Ghis, when she was of age she was quick to leave for Yunkai. It was here that she founded ‘The Spring Bank of Yunkai’, which is now one of the five largest and most powerful banks in the known world.
Lao Zhao: The only son of famed general Lao Cho, Zhao used the wealth his father amassed to do two things, the first of which was to arrange the overthrow of the Royal family of Leng and install himself in their place, and the second was to found a Bank of his own, ‘The Holy Bank of Lao’, which, like the Spring Bank of Yunkai, is also now one of the five largest and most powerful banks in the known world.
Kingsguard at the end of Aenys II Targaryen's Reign
Ser Desmond Piper, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard*
Ser Aegon Waters*
Ser Emory Sarwyck*
Ser Orys Fyreblood*
Ser Theonald Whitehill*
Ser Ygon Goodbrother*
Ser Olyvar Dayne, The Strongstar
*It should be noted that those Kingsguard marked were executed by Daemon upon his ascension to the Throne for refusing to recognise his legality.
Reigned: 470 AC - 487 AC
Spouses: Jeyne Targaryen
Children: Visenya Targaryen
Aenys Targaryen, Second of His Name, was the Twenty-Sixth Monarch of the Seven Kingdoms, the Sixth and Last Ruler of the ‘Long Peace’ period, and the first rider of the dragon Creed.
Much like, and perhaps more so than his father, the Second Aenys was unremarkable. A shy man, he spent a great deal of time in the royal library, even writing books and theses on a variety of subjects. Most of these were on Dragons, and he is credited with the concept of ‘The Great Dragons’, the seven greatest dragons in the known world.
His small council was unusually meritocratic, as seen by the inclusion of both foreigners and commoners amongst its ranks. Whilst this was not popular with his Lords, it made him wildly popular with the common people. Added to this was his twin brother and Commander of the Gold Cloaks, Daemon Targaryen, the future Daemon I, who was known as a fair, yet incorruptible man. Even further was another of his brothers, Gaemon, the Septon of Dragonstone, famed for his charitable acts and sense of duty.
The only notable event that took place in his reign was a large outbreak of Smallpox in Dorne in 475 that lasted three years. Aenys ordered that the Dornish border be closed, and made great efforts to mitigate the disease. But nevertheless, he remains deeply unpopular in Dorne, particularly in Western Dorne, where the disease completely wiped out House Dayne of the Elbow.
Aenys II Targaryen died suddenly in 487AC, at the age of two-and-forty. With his death, the Long Peace that was begun by Jaehaerys III Targaryen in 352AC would come to a close, and the Second Dance of Dragons was mere moons away.
Aenys’ wife and Queen, Jeyne Bracken, would give him only one child, a daughter whom they named Visenya (who is famed for a streak of golden hair she had amongst the traditional silver hair of the Targaryens.). Despite this, it was rumoured, persistently, the Author might add, that Queen Jeyne had a lover, and consumed a great amount of moon tea to hide her indiscretions. It was this rumour, planted by his sister-by-law, that led to the Princess of Dragonstone being declared a bastard by the ‘Blackwood Faction’, and in turn led to Daemon Targaryen, Aenys’ twin brother, to claim the throne in his niece’s place.
It would have been hard to believe that the young girl, declared a bastard by her Uncle, would barely a year and a half later, duel the Usurper, and become the first ruling Queen of Westeros.
Outside Westerosi borders, the Kingdom of Andalos fell to the Freeholds of Lys and Braavos. Its deposed King, Cormond III Strongblood, fled with his daughter and remaining supporters…..to Dragonstone.
Notable People:
Ayat of Qarth: Master of Coin for most of Aenys II’s reign. Ayat was originally a member of the Ancient Bank of Qarth, but came to Westeros to serve on the small council. He was reportedly the richest man in Westeros and owned a large manse in King’s Landing, where he, his many lovers, and equally many bastards lived. He collaborated with Daemon I Targaryen, and met his end after the Second Dance when he was one of five people executed as Daemon’s main supporters.
Grand Maester Laziros: Reputedly the son of a Norvoshi merchant that died in Oldtown, Laziros joined the Citadel ostensibly as a means of survival, but soon grew to like his chosen lifestyle. He was a quick learner, and was swift to master the Westerosi tongue, though he apparently never lost his native accent. In his fifth-and-fortieth year, he was appointed as Grand Maester. He would work closely with Aenys II on his literary works on Dragons. He would be executed by Daemon I Targaryen for demanding that Visenya I Targaryen succeed her father, as was his intent.
Falazza of Yaros: Falazza was the bastard daughter of Empress Sezza zo Marlaq. Whilst she grew up in the Imperial Palace of Old Ghis, when she was of age she was quick to leave for Yunkai. It was here that she founded ‘The Spring Bank of Yunkai’, which is now one of the five largest and most powerful banks in the known world.
Lao Zhao: The only son of famed general Lao Cho, Zhao used the wealth his father amassed to do two things, the first of which was to arrange the overthrow of the Royal family of Leng and install himself in their place, and the second was to found a Bank of his own, ‘The Holy Bank of Lao’, which, like the Spring Bank of Yunkai, is also now one of the five largest and most powerful banks in the known world.
Kingsguard at the end of Aenys II Targaryen's Reign
Ser Desmond Piper, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard*
Ser Aegon Waters*
Ser Emory Sarwyck*
Ser Orys Fyreblood*
Ser Theonald Whitehill*
Ser Ygon Goodbrother*
Ser Olyvar Dayne, The Strongstar
*It should be noted that those Kingsguard marked were executed by Daemon upon his ascension to the Throne for refusing to recognise his legality.
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Here it is!
Apologies about the delay for this one. I've had to work odd hours (or not at all) the last few weeks, so I've had little time to do much of anything recently. I am on furlough now, so barring an out of the blue call to go into work and lend a hand, the Second Dance entry shouldn't be too far off.
It's hard to believe that we only have a little over a century left of this, hm? 600AC is still the intended end point for this, after all.
So! Quiz time!
1. Which reign (so far) would you have liked to live in the most?
2. Which King has been your favourite?
2. Which King has been your least favourite?
3. Which period do you think would make the best TV series?
I truly appreciate all your continued support for this, and hope that all of you and your families are safe at this most confusing and troubling time.
-Rem
Apologies about the delay for this one. I've had to work odd hours (or not at all) the last few weeks, so I've had little time to do much of anything recently. I am on furlough now, so barring an out of the blue call to go into work and lend a hand, the Second Dance entry shouldn't be too far off.
It's hard to believe that we only have a little over a century left of this, hm? 600AC is still the intended end point for this, after all.
So! Quiz time!
1. Which reign (so far) would you have liked to live in the most?
2. Which King has been your favourite?
2. Which King has been your least favourite?
3. Which period do you think would make the best TV series?
I truly appreciate all your continued support for this, and hope that all of you and your families are safe at this most confusing and troubling time.
-Rem
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1. Which reign (so far) would you have liked to live in the most?
Hmm...gon think on this, very narrowly choosing Maegor II Targaryen. Rehabbing the name of Maegor itself, (in a highly morbid way) Great Summer Sickness, DRAGONS, and something resembling civility before that tiny little scuffle his son would get into.
2. Which King has been your favourite?
Jaehaerys III would be the easy pick, but he's not. So I'm going for Valarr I Targaryen instead, mostly for he comes across as my favorite type of ruler to play as: the kind good enough at his job to basically get away with a lot.
3. Which King has been your least favourite?
Maegor III but not for anything he did but for being what passes for an unremarkable middle-ground king who's major sticking point in people's minds will likely be the inadvertent creator of Dance of the Dragons II. Depending on how it goes, Daemon I might swap in here.
4. Which period do you think would make the best TV series?
War for the Dawn. Not much else to say. Great Summer Sickness as a mini-series could be interesting.
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Aenys II is another unremarkable king on the Iron Throne who will be largely remembered as the king before the Dance of the Dragons like Viserys I before him. Like Viserys I, he ruled over a long period of peace in the Seven Kingdom, named his daughter heir over available male Targaryens, and had a younger brother named Daemon. Unlike Viserys I, Aenys II was not particularly with his nobles in his own time due to his meritocratic approach to governance although the common people did love him. Like the canon Robert Baratheon, Aenys II either did not know about or did not do anything about the rumors of his wife's supposed unfaithfulness.
Daemon I shares his name, birth order position, and job as Commander of the Gold Cloaks with Prince Daemon the Rogue Prince who I presume is Daemon I's namesake. But he is hinted to be more like the canon Stannis Baratheon with a dragon which some people would consider a frightening thought. Like Stannis, Daemon I is the dutiful and loyal younger brother of the King known for a firm sense of justice and fairness. He will pursue the Iron Throne because he genuinely believes his late brother's designated heir is a bastard and he would be the rightful legal king by right of blood and birth. His harsh sense of justice and legalism will lead him to conduct a merciless purge of anyone who would deny his supposed birthright and alienate many powerful nobles in Westeros much like Stannis would have done if he had seized King's Landing. Unlike Stannis, Daemon I did have a close relationship with his older brother.
1. Valarr's reign. Valarr might not been a particularly good king but his reign was a festive time for the common people and the nobility alike.
2. Jaehaerys III. Won the War for the Dawn and established the Long Peace. Admittedly, he is far more like what most Targaryens likely imagined what the "Prince who was promised" would be like than the likely canon candidates of the stubborn and just middle brother Stannis Baratheon, the female Daenerys "Stormborn" or the more Stark than most of the Starks Jon Snow.
3. Maegor III. Not actually a bad king but he will be more remembered for laying the seeds of the Second Dance of the Dragons than anything else he in his reign.
4. War for the Dawn or the final days of the reign of Aenys II and the resulting Second Dance of the Dragons.
Daemon I shares his name, birth order position, and job as Commander of the Gold Cloaks with Prince Daemon the Rogue Prince who I presume is Daemon I's namesake. But he is hinted to be more like the canon Stannis Baratheon with a dragon which some people would consider a frightening thought. Like Stannis, Daemon I is the dutiful and loyal younger brother of the King known for a firm sense of justice and fairness. He will pursue the Iron Throne because he genuinely believes his late brother's designated heir is a bastard and he would be the rightful legal king by right of blood and birth. His harsh sense of justice and legalism will lead him to conduct a merciless purge of anyone who would deny his supposed birthright and alienate many powerful nobles in Westeros much like Stannis would have done if he had seized King's Landing. Unlike Stannis, Daemon I did have a close relationship with his older brother.
1. Valarr's reign. Valarr might not been a particularly good king but his reign was a festive time for the common people and the nobility alike.
2. Jaehaerys III. Won the War for the Dawn and established the Long Peace. Admittedly, he is far more like what most Targaryens likely imagined what the "Prince who was promised" would be like than the likely canon candidates of the stubborn and just middle brother Stannis Baratheon, the female Daenerys "Stormborn" or the more Stark than most of the Starks Jon Snow.
3. Maegor III. Not actually a bad king but he will be more remembered for laying the seeds of the Second Dance of the Dragons than anything else he in his reign.
4. War for the Dawn or the final days of the reign of Aenys II and the resulting Second Dance of the Dragons.
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Book 3: The Second Dance of Dragons
Book 3: The Second Dance of Dragons
The third of Maester Jon’s Masterworks. This particular work focuses on the period surrounding and following Second Dance of the Dragons, the reign of Daemon I Targaryen, and his niece and successor, Visenya I Targaryen. This was one of the more controversial of Maester Jon's works at the time, as it painted Daemon the Usurper in a more reasonable light. Today however, it is considered to be the most accurate account of the reigns of the two Monarchs.
Maester Jon completed this particular work in 718 AC.
The third of Maester Jon’s Masterworks. This particular work focuses on the period surrounding and following Second Dance of the Dragons, the reign of Daemon I Targaryen, and his niece and successor, Visenya I Targaryen. This was one of the more controversial of Maester Jon's works at the time, as it painted Daemon the Usurper in a more reasonable light. Today however, it is considered to be the most accurate account of the reigns of the two Monarchs.
Maester Jon completed this particular work in 718 AC.
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The Great Dragons of the World prior to the Second Dance of Dragons:
The Great Dragons of the World prior to the Second Dance of Dragons:
The 'Great Dragons' of the world are the seven most famous, or infamous, dragons at any given time. Once declared, a Great Dragon remains so until their death. The concept was put forward by Aenys II Targaryen, as a way of ranking different Dragons as their numbers grew. It is a council of Maesters, scholars and royals that judge entry.
Below are the Great Dragons of the world circa 487AC.
Sintharia ‘the Suneater’: The first of the ‘Jaehaerian Dragons’, and earliest known of that particular line. The mighty she-dragon was the mount of Jaehaerys III Targaryen, and a noted hero of the War for the Dawn in her own right. Between the death of her first rider and the Second Dance, the Suneater only took female riders.
Nefarian ‘The Black’: An oddity amongst the Jaehaerian Dragons, Nefarian spent most of his time without a rider. He prefered living deep within the Mountains of the Vale, feasting on the hapless Mountain Clans that continuously tried to slay him.
Sabellian ‘the Splendid’: Considered one of the most beautiful creatures to ever live, Sabellian the Splendid had spent most of his life on Dragonstone, where the citizens of the island all but worshipped him. He was the first Dragon tamed by House Fyreblood.
Ebyssian, 'the Yellow Flame': The only Jaehaerian Dragon to actively be worshipped as a God, Ebyssian remains as he has done since the death of his first and only rider, Beyond-The-Wall.
Nalice ‘the Black Queen’: Originally hatched by Haegon I Targaryen, the Black Queen all but ruled the narrow sea during one hundred and fourteen years of life. Pirates were a distant memory, and remained so for at least a decade after her death. A common saying about the relationship between the Black Queen and her final rider, Daemon I Targaryen is: “Jeyne Blackwood might have been his wife, but Nalice was his Queen.”. It would be her only known offspring, Wrathion, that would eventually kill her in a fierce Dragon Duel above Stokeworth in 488AC.
Onyxia the Red: A dragon that loathed anyone that wasn’t a Targaryen, Onyxia was known to eat anyone that tried to tame her that wasn’t of the Royal line. Despite, or perhaps because of this, Onyxia is known to have laid many eggs, most of which hatched. She died in a dragon duel during the Second Dance.
Fahrad: Known for his fondness for whales. Fahrad has almost always been ridden by a Velaryon. He was unusually slender for a dragon, but equally unusually swift. He fell to a band of Dornishmen, loyal to Visenya I Targaryen, during the Second Dance of Dragons.
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I'll have to put the questionnaire off for later (never been a fan of pop quizzes ), but just wanted to drop a line to say that I'm still following even though I haven't had much to say lately
), but just wanted to drop a line to say that I'm still following even though I haven't had much to say lately - 1
If it helps, I'll be asking those three questions (plus a few more) at the very very end of this. Which is now less than a century away in game, actually. Could always just answer'em then!I'll have to put the questionnaire off for later (never been a fan of pop quizzes
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Yeah, that'd work. Might end up having different answers after the high drama of the Second Dance
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Plus whatever else *Hint hint hint* might happen. A century is a long time, after all.Yeah, that'd work. Might end up having different answers after the high drama of the Second Dance
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STOP! COOKIE TIME