Ours is the Fury - House Baratheon AAR

[Karelian]

The Lineage and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms

Part I: War of the Usurper

Warning: the following thread is picture-intensive. The narrative texts are freely adapted from various historical text, dating closely before, during or after the War of the Roses.

(In-game-notions and comments are below the screenshots like this.)

All feedback is much appreciated.

 

[Karelian]

War of the Usurper

"...We begin our chronicle at the battle that took place near Fairhunt in the lands of Amberly, between the loyalist forces of the Mad King and the armies of Lord Robert, in Year 282 after Aegon's Landing. The events that precluded this first major engagement between the two warring parties had spelled the doom of the ancient Targaryen rule over the Seven Kingdoms. After the arrest of the head of House Stark together with his son for the alledged purpose of compelling them to answer the charges brought against them was followed by sudden and unjust judgment of death pronouned upon them both by Mad King himself, the fires of rebellion were first lit. Upon hearing the fate of Starks at Kings Landing, many of the nobles of the realm, who held the said Lord Paramounts in high degree of honor, took it very much to heart that injuries so monstrous and so great should be inflicted upon innocent men; nay more, for want of free breathing, they were unable to bear this state of things any longer, but determined to watch for an opportunity to inflict due vengeance for their malice upon their tyrannical liege.

(I marched towards Reach to stop their forces from joining up with Crownlanders, and gained the first major victory on the way)

From this day, these nobles acted no longer in secret, but openly manifested their intentions. For, having summoned armed men, in fearful and unheard-of numbers, from the North, Vale, Riverlands and other lands then subject to them, the said Lord Paramounts declared their intentions to overthrow the Mad King from the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms. Upon themselves they decided to choose Lord Robert of House Baratheon to lead their struggle, and agreed to support his claim to the Iron Throne. Dutifully Robert thus girded himself with the sword of battle; summoned the bannermen of Stormlands, and prosperously hastened his steps, being met by bands of loyalist warriors innumerable, to avenge the injuries of the realm, his friends and his betrothed. For he was then of vigorous age, and well fitted to endure the conflict of battle, while, at the same time, he was fully equal to the management of the affairs of state.

So began the war against the Mad King, later on commonly known among scholars of histories of the Seven Kingdoms as the War of the Usurper. This war was fought between the loyalist party adhering to the king against the rebels, who being attached to the said Lord Paramounts by blood or by ties of duty, sided with them. And not only among princes and people had such a spirit of contention arisen, but even in every society, whether motte, hillfort or sept, had this unhappy plague of division effected an entrance; so much so, that brother could hardly with any degree of security admit brother into his confidence, or friend a friend, nor could any one reveal the secrets of his conscience without giving offence.

The consequence was, that, from and after this period of time, the combatants on both sides, uniting their respective forces together, attacked each other whenever they happened to meet, and, quite in accordance with the doubtful issue of warfare, now the one and now the other, for the moment gained the victory, while fortune was continually shifting her position. In the meantime, however, the slaughter of men was immense; for besides the Lords, sers, barons, and distinguished warriors who were cruelly slain, multitudes almost innumerable of smallfolk died of their wounds. Such was the state of the realm for nearly seven years.

(The two Tyrell hosts were more separated than my forces - I seemed to be numerically weaker, so the AI surged forward with the larger force. As I almost immediately combined my forces, the Tyrell force was soon outnumbered and driven from the field)

(After Blackbridge, I had numerical superiourity in the region and I promptly used it by attacking and destroying weaker Reachman armies one by one)

(And then the Mad King was polite enough to take the hint and die.)

(Hammerhal was yet another major victory for the rebellion.)

(And although I didin't realize it back then, the capture of Mace Tyrell was also the turning point of the whole war.)

(Since Mance Tyrell died to his wounds in my dungeons.)

(And House Florent decided that it was a good time to seize the leadership from Highgarden. Most of the major houses of the Reach supported the notion.)

(After defeating the initial Tyrell forces, my battered armies moved to Crownlands together with forces of House Tully, House Arryn and House Stark. By this time the end of the war seemed to be at hand.)

(Now we only have to seize King's Landing and...oh, bloody Seven Hells, I wonder what Rhaegar promiced to Tywin)

As the forces of Lord Robert, Lord Arryn and Lord Eddard now besieged King's Landing, they received news that Lord Paramount of the Westerlands, Tywin of House Lannister, the former Hand of the King, had now raised his banners for King Rhaegar despite the earlier quarrels between him and the Mad King. Upon hearing the news, Lord Robert consequently presented a countenance which, always attenuated, was on this occasion more livid and ghastly than usual, and asserted that the issue of this day's battle, to whichever side the victory might be granted, would prove the utter destruction of the Targaryen Rule. He also declared that it was his intention, if he should prove the conqueror, to crush all the supporters of the opposite faction; while, at the same time, he predicted that his adversary would do the same towards well-wishers to his own party, in case the victory should fall to his lot.

(I wasn't amused when Starks decided that a one-province revolt of some hill clansman noble at the border of the Wall was a grave danger to whole North and requested immediate, full-scale intervenion of all of their available armies. My forces and their Arryn supporters met the men of the Westerlands alone. And then things got legendary.)

(But while the armies of the rebellion had to flee from this battlefield in defeat, their commander took his revenge.)

A battle of the greatest severity now ensuing between the two sides, Lord Robert, together with his knights, made straight for King Rhaegar; while the Lord Arryn of the Vale, who was next in rank to him in the whole army and a most valiant soldier, drew up his forces, consisting of a large body of Valemen troops, opposite the wing in which Lord Tywin had taken his position. At length a glorious victory was granted by the Warrior to the said Lord Robert, now a would-be king and no longer a mere usurper, together with the crown, of exceeding value, which King Rhaegar had previously worn on his head. For while fighting, and not in the act of flight, the said king Rhaegar was pierced with numerous deadly wounds struck by no other than Robert himself, and fell in the field like a brave and most valiant prince. After he had personally slain King Rhaegar, Lord Robert then abandoned the field to the victorious Lord Tywin. For while the rebels had lost a battle, they had won their war.

(I had nothing to do with this, but after Tywin died the Targaryen prospects of subduing the rebellion pretty much died with him.)

(Meet House Florent, my new best friends in the south and the rightful Lord Paramounts of the Reach.)

(The young dragons might be weak now, but I intent to cut their heads as soon as possible)

The nobles of the realm, and all the people who inhabited the Crownlands, as well as those who were situate in the eastern and western parts there of, or in any way bordered upon the Crownlands, seeing that they were despised and abandoned by the new regent Tywin, who, at the instigation of his supporters, had betaken his armies to the Stormlands and abandoned them to the mercies of the rebels, utterly forsook the child king, after his house had completed a reign of nearly a millenia; and their hearts were now no longer with him, nor would they any longer admit of his being king. Upon this, the nobles and people immediately sent special messengers into camp of Lord Baratheon, in whom they could place entire confidence, to disclose to him the wishes of the people, and request him, with earnest entreaties, to hasten into King's Landing to their speedy succour, as further delay only seemed to increase their perils. Upon receiving the news of these events the last supporters of the young Targaryen prince took flight, together with a few of his followers, accross the Narrow Sea into foreign lands where he then lay concealed, in great tribulation, during the following years...

(Only Griffin's Roost and Sharp Point defied the new lords of the Iron Throne, but they would soon be forced to bent their knees as well.)

 

[Rafinius]

Ooh! This is the first historical/gameplay writing style AAR for this mod that I have seen. Congrats!

Who are those enemies on the last screenshot, why are they fighting you and what is the reason you don't mention them at all in the AAR while showing them in the screenshot?

 

[Karelian]

The early years of the reign of King Robert the Kingslayer

Now shall I prove how a hunter may not fall into any of the seven deadly sins. When a man is idle and reckless without work, and be not occupied in doing some thing, he abides in his bed or in his chamber, a thing which draweth men to imaginations of fleshly lust and pleasure. For such men have no wish but always to abide in one place, and think in pride, or in avarice, or in wrath, or in sloth, or in gluttony, or in lechery, or in envy. For the imagination of men rather turns to evil than to good, for the three enemies which man hath, are the sin, the world and the flesh, and this is proved enough.

Nevertheless there be many other reasons which are too long to tell, and also every man that hath good reason knoweth well that idleness is the foundation of all evil imaginations. Now shall I prove how imagination is lord and master of all works, good or evil, that man's body or his limbs do. You know well, good or evil works small or great never were done but that beforehand they were imagined or thought of. Now shall you prove how imagination is the mistress of all deeds, for imagination biddeth a man do good or evil works, whichever it be, as before is said.

And if a man notwithstanding that he were wise should imagine always that he were a fool, or that he hath other sickness, it would be so, for since he would think steadfastly that he were a fool, he would do foolish deeds as his imagination would command, and he would believe it steadfastly. Wherefore methinks I have proved enough of imagination, notwithstanding that there be many other reasons the which I leave to avoid long writing. Every man that hath good sense knoweth well that this is the truth.

Now I will prove how a good hunter may not be idle, and in dreaming may not have any evil imaginations nor afterwards any evil works. For the day before he goes out to his duties, the night before he shall lay him down in his bed, and shall not think but for to sleep, and do his duty well and busily, as a good hunter should. And he shall have nothing to do, but think about all that which he has been ordered to do. And he is not idle, for he has enough to do to think about rising early and to do his work without thinking of sins or of evil deeds. And early in the dawning of the day he must be up for to go unto his quest, searching his prey, well and busily, for as I shall say more explicitly hereafter, when I shall speak of how men shall quest and search to harbour the hart. And in so doing he shall not be idle, for he is always busy.

And when he shall come again to the assembly or meet, then he hath most to do, for he must order his finders and relays for to move the hart, and uncouple his hounds. With that he cannot be idle, for he need think of nothing but to do his duty, and when he hath uncoupled, yet is he less idle, and he should think less of any sins, for he hath enough to do to ride or to foot it well with his hounds and to be always near them and to hue or rout well, and call out well, and to look whereafter he hunteth, and which hounds are vanchasers and and redress and bring his hounds on the right line again when they are at fault or hunting rascal. And when the hart is dead or what other chase he was hunting, then is he less idle, for he hath enough to do to think how to undo the hart in his manner. And he should look how many of his hounds are missing of those that he brought to the wood in the morning, and he should search for them, and couple them up. And when he has come home, should he less think to do evil, for he hath enough to do to think of his supper, and to ease himself and his horse, and to sleep, and to take his rest, for he is weary, and to dry himself of the dew or peradventure of the rain.

And therefore I say that all the time of the hunter is without idleness and without evil thoughts, and without evil works of sin, for as I have said idleness is the foundation of all vices and sins. And the hunter may not be idle if he would fill his duty aright, and also he can have no other thoughts, for he has enough to do to think and imagine of his duties, the which is no little charge, for whoso will do it well and busily, especially if they love hounds and their duties. Wherefore I say that such an hunter is not idle, he can have no evil thoughts, nor can he do evil works, wherefore he must please the Gods with his conduct. For by many other reasons which are too long to write can I prove these things, but it sufficeth that every man that hath good sense knoweth well that I speak the real truth.

(Stannis received Dragonstone and was quite pleased)

The hart is a common beast enough and therefore me needeth not to tell of his making, for there be few folk that have not seen some. The harts be the swiftest beasts and strongest, and of marvellous great cunning. And they are bold, and run upon men as a wild boar would do if he were hunted. And they be wonderfully perilous beasts, for with great pain shall a man recover that is hurt by a hart, and therefore men say in old saws : " after the boar the leech and after the hart the bier." For he smiteth as the stroke of the springpole, for he has great strength in the head and the body. They slay, fight and hurt each other, when they be in rut, that is to say in their love. They slay hounds and horses and men at that time and turn to be at bay as a boar does especially when they be weary. And yet have men seen that he hath hurt him that followeth after, and also the greyhounds and furthermore a courser. And yet when they are in rut, which is to say their love, in a forest where there be few hinds and many harts or male deer, they slay, hurt and fight with each other, for each would be master of the hinds. And commonly the greatest hart and the most strong holdeth the rut and is master thereof. And when he is well pured and hath been long at rut all the other harts that he hath chased and put to flight from the rut, then run upon him and slay him, and that is sooth. And in parks this may be proved, for there is never a season but the greatest hart will be slain by the others not while he is at the rut, but when he has withdrawn and is poor of love...An old deer is wonder wise and cunning for to save his life, and to keep his advantage when he is hunted and chased by dogs, and if he have a deer with him that be his fellow, he leaveth him to the hounds, so that he may save himself, and let the hounds enchase after that other deer. And he will abide still, and if he be alone and the hounds find him, he shall go about his haunt wilily and wisely and seek the change of other deer, for to make the hounds lose chase, and to look where he may abide. And then he maketh a ruse on some side, and there he stalleth or squatteth until the hounds be forth after the other prey, and thus he changeth so that he may abide. And if there be any wise hounds, the which can bodily enchase him from the change, and he seeth that all can not avail, then he beginneth to show his wiles and ruseth to and fro. And all this he doth so that the hounds should not find his tracks in intent that he may be freed from them and that he may save himself. And therefore by this and many other things many men may be beguiled by deer, for some goeth better and are better running and fly better than some, as other beasts do, and some be more cunning and more wily than others, as it is with men, for some be wiser than others. And it cometh to them of the good kind of their father and mother, and of good breeding and of good nurture and from being born in good constellations, and in good signs of heaven, and that is the case with men and all other beasts...

(The last of the Targaryen line pose no threat to me as long as they remain in their self-imposed exile at the court of the angry, old West Valyrian lord of Sharp Point)

An hart liveth longest of any beast for he beats a serpent with his foot till she dies, and then he trampled her and then goeth to drink, and then runneth hither and thither to the water till the venom the serpent bit to his blood be mingled together and make him cast all his evil humours that he had in his body, and maketh his flesh come all new.

(My beloved queen-to-be is safe! Tens of thousands of slain commoners must be really pleased in the afterlife, as their sacrifice was not in vain.)

(Pregnant already, two weeks after returning from captivity? Makes you wonder, doesn't it?)

(Notice that Princess Rhea already has a half-sister - her story will be told in more detail later on)

A wolf is a common beast enough and therefore I need not tell of his make, for there are few men beyond the Narrow Sea, that have not seen some of them. And also I would have you know that when a bitch and a wolf of her
kind hath fellowship together they generally stay evermore together, and though they sometimes go to seek their feeding the one far from the other they will be together at night if they can or at the farthest at the end of three days. And
such wolves in fellowship together get meat for their whelps the father as well as the mother, save only that the wolf eateth first his fill and then bears the remnant to his whelps. And there be some wolves that hunt at the hart, at the wild boar and at the roebuck, and windeth as far as a mastiff, and taketh hounds when they can. There are some that eagerly devour children and men and prefer to eat no other flesh from the time that they be blooded by men's flesh, for they would rather be dead. They are called direwolves, for men are in dire peril when meeting them,, and they be so cautious that when they assail a man they have a holding upon him before the man can see them, and yet if men see them they will come upon them so cunningly that with great difficulty a man will escape being taken and slain, for they can wonder well keep from any harness that a man beareth. There are two principal causes why they attack men ; one is when they are old and lose their teeth and their strength, and cannot carry their prey as they were wont to do, then they mostly go for children, which are not difficult to take for they need not carry them about but only eat them. And the child's flesh is more tender than is the skin or flesh of a beast. The other reason is that when they have been blooded in a country of war, where battles have been, they eat dead men. Or if men have been hanged or have been hanged so low that they may reach thereto, or when they fall from the gallows. And man's flesh is so savoury and so pleasant that when they have taken to man's flesh they will never eat the flesh of other beasts, though they should die of hunger. For many men have seen them leave the sheep they have taken and eat the shepherd. It is a wonderfully wily and cunning beast, and more false than any other beast to take all advantage, for he will never fly but a little save when he has need, for he will always abide in his stronghold, and he hath good breath, for every day it is needful to him, for every man that seeth him chaseth him away and crieth after him. Men cannot nurture a wolf, though he be taken ever so young and chastised and beaten and held under discipline, for he will always do harm, if he hath time and place for to do it, he will never be so tame, but that when men leave him out he will look hither and thither to see if he may do any harm, or he looks to see if any man will do him any harm. For he knoweth well and woteth well that he doth evil, and therefore men cry at and hunteth and slayeth him. And yet for all that he may not leave his evil nature.

("I defeated the bloody Targaryens and rule the Seven Kingdoms, so what if I like my bloody Arbor Red every know and then? Last time I checked the realm still knows me as Robert the Kingslayer, not as Robert the Fat or as Robert the Drunkard!")

(Here you go Renly, a nice realm for you to govern. This both keeps the Stormlands in Baratheon hands and will also hopefully extend our influence southwards. Dorne sided with the Mad King in the war, so creating a new alliance with them is essential for creating a lasting peace in the realm.)

The roebuck is a common beast enough, and therefore I need not to tell of his making, for there be few men that have not seen some of them. It is a good little beast and goodly for to hunt to whoso can do it as I shall devise hereafter, for there be few hunters that can well devise his nature. And if the roebuck were as fair a beast as the hart, I hold that it were a fairer hunting than that of the hart, for it lasteth all the year and is good hunting and requires great mastery, for they run right long and cunningly. For although he be a mere beast, he has many ruses and treasons to help himself.

(And as the matters of succession are now complete, it is time to finally move my court to King's Landing. What better way to start my reign there than with a grand tourney?)

(After the tourney I had to go for my first war as a true king, proving myself worthy of my title as the Protector of The Realm. Combined armies of Stormlands, Crownlands and the Vale crushed these savages and drove them back to their hills.)

The badger is a common beast enough and therefore I need not tell you of his making, for there be few men that have not seen some of them, and also I shall take no heed to speak much of him, for it is not a beast that needeth any
great mastery to devise of how to hunt him, or to hunt him with strength, for a grey can fly but a little way before he is overcome with hounds, or else he goes to bay and then he is slain anon.

(Jon Connington demanded a duel.)

(And got what he deserved. Coming up next: bastards, incest, marriages and intrigue)

 

[Karelian]

Heirs of the Baratheon Dynasty

(Ruling the Seven Kingdoms is much harder than simply leading armies - luckily the soothing presence of my dear wife would soon cure me from this ill.)

...Let no one be surprised if, in speaking of entirely new lordships as I shall do, I adduce the highest examples both of lord and of realm; because men, walking almost always in paths beaten by others, and following by imitation their deeds, are yet unable to keep entirely to the ways of others or attain to the power of those they imitate. A wise man ought always to follow the paths beaten by great men, and to imitate those who have been supreme, so that if his ability does not equal theirs, at least it will savour of it. Let him act like the clever archers who, designing to hit the mark which yet appears too far distant, and knowing the limits to which the strength of their bow attains, take aim much higher than the mark, not to reach by their strength or arrow to so great a height, but to be able with the aid of so high an aim to hit the mark they wish to reach. I say, therefore, that in entirely new lordships, where there is a new lord, more or less difficulty is found in keeping them, accordingly as there is more or less ability in him who has acquired the state. Now, as the fact of becoming a lord from a private station presupposes either ability or fortune, it is clear that one or other of these two things will mitigate in some degree many difficulties. Nevertheless, he who has relied least on fortune is established the strongest. Further, it facilitates matters when the lord, having no other state, is compelled to reside there in person.

("Well, the Stormlands are for yours to rule as you see fit, but are you certain that stealing titles from your vassals is the wisest course of action?")

Those who by valorous ways become lords acquire a lordship with difficulty, but they keep it with ease. The difficulties they have in acquiring it arise in part from the new rules and methods which they are forced to introduce to establish their reign and its security. And it ought to be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. Because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new. This coolness arises partly from fear of the opponents, who have the laws on their side, and partly from the incredulity of men, who do not readily believe in new things until they have had a long experience of them. Thus it happens that whenever those who are hostile have the opportunity to attack they do it like partisans, whilst the others defend lukewarmly, in such wise that the lord is endangered along with them.

("Brave Sir Willas of the Reach goes to war!")

I say at once there are fewer difficulties in holding hereditary states, and those long accustomed to the family of their lord, than new ones; for it is sufficient only not to transgress the customs of his ancestors, and to deal prudently with circumstances as they arise, for a lord of average powers to maintain himself in his state, unless he be deprived of it by some extraordinary and excessive force; and if he should be so deprived of it, whenever anything sinister happens to the usurper, he will regain it. For the hereditary ruler has less cause and less necessity to offend; hence it happens that he will be more loved; and unless extraordinary vices cause him to be hated, it is reasonable to expect that his subjects will be naturally well disposed towards him; and in the antiquity and duration of his rule the memories and motives that make for change are lost, for one change always leaves the toothing for another.

("Brave Sir Willas of the Reach goes to rot away in the dungeon!")

It is necessary to consider another point in examining the character of these lordships: that is, whether a lord has such power that, in case of need, he can support himself with his own resources, or whether he has always need of the assistance of others. And to make this quite clear I say that I consider those are able to support themselves by their own resources who can, either by abundance of men or money, raise a sufficient army to join battle against any one who comes to attack them; and I consider those always to have need of others who cannot show themselves against the enemy in the field, but are forced to defend themselves by sheltering behind walls. The first case has been discussed, but we will speak of it again should it recur. In the second case one can say nothing except to encourage such lords to provision and fortify their towns, and not on any account to defend the country. And whoever shall fortify his town well, and shall have managed the other concerns of his subjects in the way stated above, and to be often repeated, will never be attacked without great caution, for men are always adverse to enterprises where difficulties can be seen, and it will be seen not to be an easy thing to attack one who has his town well fortified, and is not hated by his people.

(As a loyal wife, Princess Arianne brought bannermen of Dorne to the wars of her husband.)

Therefore, a lord who has a strong fortress, and had not made himself odious, will not be attacked, or if any one should attack he will only be driven off with disgrace; again, because that affairs of this world are so changeable, it is almost impossible to keep an army a whole year in the field without being interfered with. And whoever should reply: If the people have property outside the city, and see it burnt, they will not remain patient, and the long siege and self-interest will make them forget their lord; to this I answer that a powerful and courageous lord will overcome all such difficulties by giving at one time hope to his subjects that the evil will not be for long, at another time fear of the cruelty of the enemy, then preserving himself adroitly from those subjects who seem to him to be too bold.

(Prince Viserys lives a low-profile life as man-at-arms in Sharp's Point)

Further, the enemy would naturally on his arrival at once burn and ruin the country at the time when the spirits of the people are still hot and ready for the defence; and, therefore, so much the less ought the lord to hesitate; because after a time, when spirits have cooled, the damage is already done, the ills are incurred, and there is no longer any remedy; and therefore they are so much the more ready to unite with their lord, he appearing to be under obligations to them now that their houses have been burnt and their possessions ruined in his defence. For it is the nature of men to be bound by the benefits they confer as much as by those they receive. Therefore, if everything is well considered, it wilt not be difficult for a wise lord to keep the minds of his citizens steadfast from first to last, when he does not fail to support and defend them.

(The authoritative little would-be heir to the Iron Throne keeps him company)

A lord must also consider, as has been in part said before, how to avoid those things which will make him hated or contemptible; and as often as he shall have succeeded he will have fulfilled his part, and he need not fear any danger in other reproaches. It makes him hated above all things, to be rapacious, and to be a violator of the property and women of his subjects, from both of which he must abstain. And when neither their property nor honour is touched, the majority of men live content, and he has only to contend with the ambition of a few, whom he can curb with ease in many ways. It makes him contemptible to be considered fickle, frivolous, effeminate, mean-spirited, irresolute, from all of which a lord should guard himself as from a rock; and he should endeavour to show in his actions greatness, courage, gravity, and fortitude; and in his private dealings with his subjects let him show that his judgments are irrevocable, and maintain himself in such reputation that no one can hope either to deceive him or to get round him.

(Along with young Lady Rhaenys, named after her legendary warrior ancestor of old.)

That lord is highly esteemed who conveys this impression of himself, and he who is highly esteemed is not easily conspired against; for, provided it is well known that he is an excellent man and revered by his people, he can only be attacked with difficulty. For this reason a lord ought to have two fears, one from within, on account of his subjects, the other from without, on account of external powers. From the latter he is defended by being well armed and having good allies, and if he is well armed he will have good friends, and affairs will always remain quiet within when they are quiet without, unless they should have been already disturbed by conspiracy; and even should affairs outside be disturbed, if he has carried out his preparations and has lived as I have said, as long as he does not despair, he will resist every attack.

(Together, the young trio are the last heirs of a dying breed)

But concerning his subjects, when affairs outside are disturbed he has only to fear that they will conspire secretly, from which a lord can easily secure himself by avoiding being hated and despised, and by keeping the people satisfied with him, which it is most necessary for him to accomplish, as I said above at length. And one of the most efficacious remedies that a lord can have against conspiracies is not to be hated and despised by the people, for he who conspires against a lord always expects to please them by his removal; but when the conspirator can only look forward to offending them, he will not have the courage to take such a course, for the difficulties that confront a conspirator are infinite. And as experience shows, many have been the conspiracies, but few have been successful; because he who conspires cannot act alone, nor can he take a companion except from those whom he believes to be malcontents, and as soon as you have opened your mind to a malcontent you have given him the material with which to content himself, for by denouncing you he can look for every advantage; so that, seeing the gain from this course to be assured, and seeing the other to be doubtful and full of dangers, he must be a very rare friend, or a thoroughly obstinate enemy of the lord, to keep faith with you.

("Dear brother, ever since that young bastard girl was born after my short affair with your exotic wife, I've kind of lost that feeling I initially had with her. So she's once again all yours, dear brother.")

And, to reduce the matter I say that, on the side of the conspirator, there is nothing but fear, jealousy, prospect of punishment to terrify him; but on the side of the lord there is the majesty of the principality, the laws, the protection of friends and the realm to defend him; so that, adding to all these things the popular goodwill, it is impossible that any one should be so rash as to conspire. For whereas in general the conspirator has to fear before the execution of his plot, in this case he has also to fear the sequel to the crime; because on account of it he has the smallfolk for an enemy, and thus cannot hope for any escape. For this reason I consider that a Lord ought to reckon conspiracies of little account when his people hold him in esteem; but when it is hostile to him, and bears hatred towards him, he ought to fear everything and everybody. And well-ordered realms and wise lords have taken every care not to drive the nobles to desperation, and to keep the people satisfied and contented, for this is one of the most important objects a liege can have. And further, I consider that a lord ought to cherish the nobles, but not so as to make himself hated by the smallfolk.

(Alester Florent served me royally as a Hand of the King, but the future of his house is dependent on his chaste, childless and already quite old son, who married to an equally pious and old wife. If House Florent loses their hold of the Reach, I'll have to find new allies against the Tyrells. Since House Tarly will inherit the Florents in case their family has no male heirs, it seems that this gullible failure of a son of Lord Tarly is actually a good candidate for future marriage.)

A lord is also respected when he is either a true friend or a downright enemy, that to say, when, without any reservation, he declares himself in favour of one party against the other; which course will always be more advantageous than standing neutral; because if two of your powerful neighbours come to blows, they are of such a character that, if one of them conquers, you have either to fear him or not. In either case it will always be more advantageous for you to declare yourself and to make war strenuously; because, in the first case, if you do not declare yourself, you will invariably fall a prey to the conqueror, to the pleasure and satisfaction of him who has been conquered, and you will have no reasons to offer, nor anything to protect or to shelter you. Because he who conquers does not want doubtful friends who will not aid him in the time of trial; and he who loses will not harbour you because you did not willingly, sword in hand, court his fate.

(Marya is still young, I have time to find her a guardian who will teach her the manners and customs of the nobles of Reach.)

Thus it will always happen that he who is not your friend will demand your neutrality, whilst he who is your friend will entreat you to declare yourself with arms. And irresolute lords, to avoid present dangers, generally follow the neutral path, and are generally ruined. But when a lord declares himself gallantly in favour of one side, if the party with whom he allies himself conquers, although the victor may be powerful and may have him at his mercy, yet he is indebted to him, and there is established a bond of amity; and men are never so shameless as to become a monument of ingratitude by oppressing you. Victories after all are never so complete that the victor must not show some regard, especially to justice. But if he with whom you ally yourself loses, you may be sheltered by him, and whilst he is able he may aid you, and you become companions in a fortune that may rise again.

(The man who secured the throne for me passes away. The least I can do is to marry another of my daughters to his oldest son, to create a lasting alliance between the masters of the Vale and the Iron Throne.

In the second case, when those who fight are of such a character that you have no anxiety as to who may conquer, so much the more is it greater prudence to be allied, because you assist at the destruction of one by the aid of another who, if he had been wise, would have saved him; and conquering, as it is impossible that he should not with your assistance, he remains at your discretion. And here it is to be noted that a lord ought to take care never to make an alliance with one more powerful than himself for the purpose of attacking others, unless necessity compels him, as is said above; because if he conquers you are at his discretion, and lords ought to avoid as much as possible being at the discretion of any one.

(So off you go to Arryns, little Roelle.)

Never fool yourself with the hope of choosing perfectly safe courses; rather expect to have to take very doubtful ones, because it is found in ordinary affairs that one never seeks to avoid one trouble without running into another; but prudence consists in knowing how to distinguish the character of troubles, and for choice to take the lesser evil. A lord ought also to show himself a patron of ability, and to honour the proficient in every art. At the same time he should encourage his subjects to practise their callings peaceably, both in commerce and agriculture, and in every other following, so that the one should not be deterred from improving his possessions for fear lest they be taken away from him or another from opening up trade for fear of taxes; but the lords ought to offer rewards to whoever wishes to do these things and designs in any way to honour his realm. Further, he ought to entertain the people with festivals and spectacles at convenient seasons of the year; and show himself an example of courtesy and liberality; nevertheless, always maintaining the majesty of his rank, for this he must never consent to abate in anything.

(And since the Tylers are still a Lords of Highgarden, it's good to keep somewhat warm relations to them as well. "So please, dear lady, train the future wife of your worst rivals in the region well and good.")

Every one admits how praiseworthy it is in a lord to keep faith, and to live with integrity and not with craft. Nevertheless our experience has been that those lords who have done great things have held good faith of little account, and have known how to circumvent the intellect of men by craft, and in the end have overcome those who have relied on their word. You must know there are two ways of contesting, the one by the law, the other by force; the first method is proper to men, the second to beasts; but because the first is frequently not sufficient, it is necessary to have recourse to the second. Therefore it is necessary for a lord to understand how to avail himself of the beast and the man.

(Lord Tywin might have been my enemy during the war but his son has really won my friendship. After all, every proper court should have at least one dwarf, right?)

So it is necessary for a lord to know how to make use of both natures, and that one without the other is not durable. A lord, therefore, being compelled knowingly to adopt the beast, ought to choose the fox and the lion; because the lion cannot defend himself against snares and the fox cannot defend himself against wolves. Therefore, it is necessary to be a fox to discover the snares and a lion to terrify the wolves. Those who rely simply on the lion do not understand what they are about. Therefore a wise lord cannot, nor ought he to, keep faith when such observance may be turned against him, and when the reasons that caused him to pledge it exist no longer. If men were entirely good this precept would not hold, but because they are bad, and will not keep faith with you, you too are not bound to observe it with them. Nor will there ever be wanting to a lord legitimate reasons to excuse this nonobservance. Many treaties and engagements have been made void and of no effect through the faithlessness of lords; and he who has known best how to employ the ways of the fox has succeeded best.

(My fifth child and fourth acknowledged heir to the Iron Throne - and all of them are girls)

But it is necessary to know well how to disguise this characteristic, and to be a great pretender and dissembler; and men are so simple, and so subject to present necessities, that he who seeks to deceive will always find someone who will allow himself to be deceived. Therefore it is unnecessary for a lord to have all the good qualities I have enumerated, but it is very necessary to appear to have them. And I shall dare to say this also, that to have them and always to observe them is injurious, and that to appear to have them is useful; to appear merciful, faithful, humane, religious, upright, and to be so, but with a mind so framed that should you require not to be so, you may be able and know how to change to the opposite.

(At least I love my dear wife, though)

And you have to understand this, that a lord, especially a new one, cannot observe all those things for which men are esteemed, being often forced, in order to maintain the state, to act contrary to faith, friendship, humanity, and religion. Therefore it is necessary for him to have a mind ready to turn itself accordingly as the winds and variations of fortune force it, yet, as I have said above, not to diverge from the good if he can avoid doing so, but, if compelled, then to know how to set about it. For this reason a lord ought to take care that he never lets anything slip from his lips that is not replete with the above-named five qualities, that he may appear to him who sees and hears him altogether merciful, faithful, humane, upright, and religious.

(And having so many children is a matter of pride, I'll have that son yet.)

There is nothing more necessary to appear to have than this last quality, inasmuch as men judge generally more by the eye than by the hand, because it belongs to everybody to see you, to few to come in touch with you. Every one sees what you appear to be, few really know what you are, and those few dare not oppose themselves to the opinion of the many, who have the majesty of the state to defend them; and in the actions of all men, and especially of lords, which it is not prudent to challenge, one judges by the result.

(And while doing so, my youngest daughter is married to Starks - it's good to keep our houses firmly bound to one another with ties of honour and blood.)

For that reason, let a lord have the credit of conquering and holding his state, the means will always be considered honest, and he will be praised by everybody because the commoners are always taken by what a thing seems to be and by what comes of it; and in the world there are only the smallfolk, for the few find a place there only when the many have no ground to rest on. Thus a good lord never preaches anything else but peace and good faith, and to both he is in secrecy most hostile, and either, if he had truly kept them, would have deprived him of reputation and kingdom many a time.

 

[Karelian]

A thousand views and one comment
So, ye lurking masses, what is your opinion about the AAR so far?
Is the current style enjoyable, annoying or simply irrelevant to your tastes?

 

[Tufto]

'Tis most excellent. Keep it up, please!

 

[Deaghaidh]

The period reading can be a bit dense, but its a novel idea well executed. I have to say, your war of the Usurper was epic, and its nice to see good King Robert the Kingslayer living happily ever after with his precious Lyanna. And I loled at his affair with Stannis' wife. It's not like Stannis is the grudge-carrying type. . I lol'd harder at Samwell Tarly's royal betrothal. Is his future wife the heir to the throne? I'd love to see him as King Consort.

Out of curiousity, what happened to Jaime and Cersei Lannister?

 

[Karelian]

The period reading can be a bit dense, but its a novel idea well executed. I have to say, your war of the Usurper was epic, and its nice to see good King Robert the Kingslayer living happily ever after with his precious Lyanna. And I loled at his affair with Stannis' wife. It's not like Stannis is the grudge-carrying type. . I lol'd harder at Samwell Tarly's royal betrothal. Is his future wife the heir to the throne? I'd love to see him as King Consort.

Out of curiousity, what happened to Jaime and Cersei Lannister?

Well, happily ever after is relative - while Lyanna is a loyal and caring wife and Robert does have warm feelings towards her, Robert is still a young warrior king prone to temptations.
The offspring of Stannis and his Myrrese wife are another tale I'll tell later on, worry not ^^
And young Samwell has an interesting future ahead of him as well.

Meanwhile Cersei is warming the bed of old Lord Tully, while Jaime died as a wounded prisoner during the war.