Rodez wrote:Anyone have an idea of House Caron's approximate strength? They are a Marcher house, and so more militarized than normal.
As Asyir said, we only know that they can put 5k in at minimum. I've got you down for 4k as of now.
Asyir wrote:Argentumurbem wrote:Long post
Lord Garland's two older daughters are married to Lords Tarly and Ashford, while Garland is married to a Redwyne, and his heir, Ser Abelar, a Rowan, so I see no problem with his youngest daughter being married to Lord Frey.
And I intend to have House Hightower start neutral, and keep a foot in both camps, as they did historically during the First Blackfyre Rebellion.
I was just saying that Frey was getting the better deal, prestige wise
New Granadeseret wrote:Your comment is missing a few important qualifiers from the actual post. What I said was: The Hightowers and Freys are equal
enough in
status for it to be a fair partnership. Status isen't always equitable to power (Even during the main novel eras, it'd be foolish to say the two had equal strength and status), but taking into account the state of their home Kingdoms are roughly the same size fish relative to their pond. And, as Asyir, pointed out, its a third-daughter marriage: you can afford some leeway at that point (For love or power projection)
I'll admit, I'm not an expert on the deep, auxiliary lore of Westros. I could very well be the one making a mistake in estimating my House's relative standing/power. However, I will say that its not particularly fair to extend the House's reputation at the start of the main series that far back, considering how heavy and impact the behyond-the-pale dickishness (both literally and social) of said Lord Walder and the family's knack for backing the wrong horse during the Blackfyre Rebellions and being clearly fickle/opportunistic vassals during Robert's Rebellion must have colored the family name. Just as power changes, so does reputation.
Frey isn't equal to Hightower in status is what I argued, though looking back it does seem like I am saying "na that marriage is never going to happen". Players get to decide what they want and inter faction relationships allows for interaction which is always a positive.
Hightower are former kings and (undisputed I
think) as the second most powerful Reachlord, if not most powerful - which would bring to the fore the obviously decentralised nature of the Reach. They are kin to a targ king. In the Dance of the Dragons the rest of the realm basically assumed the Tyrells would follow their lead, owing to their status and power. They have the ear of the Faith's Most Devout, full control of the trade of Oldtown, muster the most swords, and are sometimes considered more wealthy than Lannisters.
In comparison the Freys are considered as upstarts, being only 6 centuries old in AGoT, who were never kings and got powerful through a toll. Like a merchant. And that sentiment is external from anything any of the Lords have done, good or bad. Most of it has been good like, as far as I remember. This distaste for them even extends to calling one of their Lords a fool for even suggesting that he marry Rhaenyra. Status wise they are weaker than Blackwood and Bracken, who are "party" leaders whenever the riverlands go to war. I'd say their power was greater than the Lothstons, even if their status was far less, given that the Lothstons received a royal seat, marking them as being royally favoured (and obviously through the mistress affair they also got a boost). Lord Walder would go on to make their position far better than previously seen (they married into Swann, Caron, Royce, Crakehall, and even snagged a Lannister during their turbulent period, which they won't have managed if a Lannister of respect was in charge) which obviously increased their standing, but alas, twas only but a dream.
Obviously the Freys dominate the northern Trident, though they are probably rivaled by Mallister in troop numbers (Lord Mallister drove back an ironborn invasion by himself, just with his
brass iron ba forces that could be quickly mustered).
I am more of a Bracken man myself evidently, which brings with it its own biases, but that is more to do with how awesome Aegor is compared to the rest of the GBs. It takes a certain type of man to plot and organise a rebellion, then assume responsibility for keeping the cause alive until the end of the pretender's dynasty. What does Brynden do? Creates a police state, destroys the credibility of the crown, deserts the Night's Watch, and now lets dogs piss on him, that's what. Oh and kinslays. Kinslays hard. At least jaime saved a few hundred thousand people.
EDIT: Oznerol has some good aSoIaF pieces on his deviantart account. Unfortunately I think that they are a bit too big to be "posted" in the thread but a link never hurt anyone.
John the Fiddler for anyone in the know. Blackfyre supporters must know:
http://t06.deviantart.net/vJgYnS0ZK0vR- ... ht(100,100):origin()/pre01/8d87/th/pre/i/2014/063/2/5/ser_john_the_fiddler_by_oznerol_1516-d78w9ys.png
Here is Maekar for whoever wants it:
http://img15.deviantart.net/a17c/i/2013 ... 6vcu7v.pngHere is Baelor:
http://t02.deviantart.net/XOdmjr32usbBG ... ht(100,100):origin()/pre10/d717/th/pre/i/2013/319/2/4/baelor_targaryen_by_oznerol_1516-d6ubzic.png
Here is The Blackfyre himself:
http://pre05.deviantart.net/23dc/th/pre ... 7atosj.jpgHere is Daeron II:
http://oznerol-1516.deviantart.com/art/ ... -441060715Someone mentioned him, Lord Hayford:
http://awoiaf.westeros.org/images/thumb ... l_1516.pngHere is Bittersteels sexy action at Bloodgrass:
http://t01.deviantart.net/W0ul1NZ3Vvjff ... ht(100,100):origin()/pre07/c24b/th/pre/i/2014/063/7/0/last_charge_of_bittersteel_by_oznerol_1516-d78wc0o.jpg