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ASOIAF: The War of the Five Kings (OOC/Signups)[OPEN]

PostPosted: Mon Sep 05, 2022 12:29 am
by Order of Maesters
A Song of Ice and Fire
The War of the Five Kings


Introduction
Welcome back to Westeros. With HBO's House of the Dragon well underway, the time is ripe for another journey into the world of George R.R. Martin.

In this RP, we will be exploring Westeros from the very beginning, all the way back in 298 AC. King Robert Baratheon sits on the Iron Throne, overseeing a troubled Realm. Eddard Stark, the Hand of the King, has picked up the trail left by his predecessor Lord Jon Arryn of the Eyrie, investigating a secret so troubling, its reveal could cause the entire realm to shake. As Robert continues to hunt, drink, and whore himself into an early grave, the pieces are moving and the board is set for an epic confrontation. Thus, through this RP, you will take on a myriad of possible roles, from Lord Paramount of one of the Seven Kingdoms, to a lowly hedge knight or sworn shield, a foreign pirate or begging brother, a Maester or reaver from the Iron Islands. All possibilities are available. With any luck, this RP will come to a conclusion that is more satisfying, and more enjoyable, than what we received all the way back in 2019.

Premise and Rules
This RP takes place in 298 AC, some time after the death of Jon Arryn, but prior to the execution of Eddard Stark. The beginning of the IC will take place right after the Hands Tourney, as Stark is starting to recognize just exactly what is going on in King's Landing. Catelyn has yet to capture Tyrion. This is a critical point in the narrative, and how the players react to unfolding events, hopefully differently than the books, will inform how the RP progresses.

Given the centrality of the capital, I am willing to be lenient as to the location of characters. For example, if one is playing the Tully's, it is entirely reasonable to think that Edmure could begin the RP in King's Landing as an attendee of the Hand's Tourney. However, we must not stuff one location with all our active characters. Please consider your justifications for altering a character's starting location carefully.

This RP is a sandbox style, character driven RP. This means that you can choose to play as anyone, from a King to a peasant, but must remain cognizant of what your role entails. Character interaction will be at the crux of the RP; nation-building, army management, battles, and all the more overtly strategic considerations will be of importance but will not be central. You are expected to be playing a character, not a kingdom.

Given that consideration, the characters that are available have set personalities. There are certain actions that would not do, and certain actions that they must. For instance, whomever plays Stannis is expected to at the very least approach issues as Stannis might; it would be silly to have him bend the knee without fighting for his claim, for instance. This ensures that the RP does fit the world that we have set it in.

This focus on character interaction does present us with an issue, namely, how do we resolve wars, plots or duels? Well, we plan ahead and we look at the lore. If one player is Edmure Tully, and the other Jaime Lannister, any combat between the two is expected to be pre-scripted, discussed by each player before hand. In this instance, Jaime, the obviously superior swordsman, should be accepted as the winner by bother players. A similar situation goes for large battles, which must take into account army quality, supply, positioning, commanders and other factors. In an instance where there is an inability to come to an agreement, an OP will look at the case and make a ruling.

Character deaths is also a critical aspect of ASOIAF, and must be accepted by players who make mistakes. If the character playing Eddard Stark remains in King's Landing for too long, it is highly likely he will be put on the same path as his book counterpart. If a player allows their character to be captured, for instance, they are at the mercy of another player. Discussion should occur as to what would be the most fun and interesting way to proceed.

All in all, I want this to be a character centric RP, and that means communicating with other players.

Moving on to the hard and fast rules;

1. Standard site rules apply, in particular metagaming, Godmodding etc. You should know the drill. If you do not, this RP is probably not for you.
2. Accept the OP or Co-Ops rulings. Dissent is fine but their word goes.
3. Be realistic and write well. One liners are a big no-no, as are unrealistic story arcs or events. If you are marching an army to Winterfell from Sunspear, its going to take a while.
4. Accept that you will make mistakes and may lose or even die.
5. Consult with the ASOIAF wiki and make sure you know your way around the Lore.
6. Activity is important; if you are going to be off for a period longer than a couple of days, please let us know.
7. Everything East of the Free Cities is off limits. Essosi characters are fine, but they will likely be limited in what they can do. This is a Westeros centric RP. This also means that both Daenerys Targaryen and Aegon VI are non-playable.
8. Have fun


The Applications
Applications are very important; they let me judge your ability to write and to play the character you want. If you are rejected from the RP for reasons of quality, please do not take it personally. This RP is meant to hit a certain standard of writing and some people just are not there yet, there is no shame in that. Likewise, if your application is rejected on technical issues, please simply address them and reapply.

You may make a custom House, but, and this is a big but, you may not displace another House in terms of land or titles, and you must not be particularly powerful or wealthy. Custom Houses will be subject to rigorous review before being accepted.

When writing the application, keep in mind you only need to make a character sheet for your primary character. For example, if one wants to play as House Lannister, you would write the character application for Tywin. If another player would later on want to apply for Cersei, they would make the application for her, taking into consideration any events that had occurred over the course of the RP. If you want to RP as a character in another House that is already being played (ie. Cersei in this instance) please discuss this with the other player. If they do not want to give up that character, please pick another.

House Application
Code: Select all
House Name:
Sigil:
Words:
House Culture: (ie. Riverlander, Northerner, Dornish etc.)
House Head:
Titles:
Holdings/Lands:
Allegiance: (ie. who you are sworn to, such as Yronwood->Martell->Baratheon of Kingslanding)
Military Strength:
House History: (Minimum of 3 good paragraphs)
List of House Characters: (ie. House Tyrell -> Mace, Olenna, Margaery etc.)


Character Application
Code: Select all
Character Name:
Titles:
Age:
Culture:
Appearance:
Personality:
Skills:
Religion:
Character Biography: (Minimum 3 good paragraphs)
RP Example: (Required - Dont forget to include a link or writing sample)


When applying, please ensure to fill out all the fields properly.

Final Notes
We were all disappointed by GOT's 8th Season. I made this RP because, having gone through the books again for the umpteenth time, I think its time to revisit ASOIAF and see if we can redeem it and make a better story than what we ended up with.

Thanks for reading and I do hope you will drop an application!

Miscellaneous
House Name: House Hightower of Oldtown
Sigil: Cendrée, a tower argent, beacon inflamed gules
Words: "We Light the Way"
House Culture: Reachman
House Head: Leyton Hightower
Titles: Beacon of the South, Defender of Oldtown and the Citadel, Lord of Oldtown, Lord of the Hightower, Lord of the Port, Voice of Oldtown
Holdings/Lands: House Hightower rules over Oldtown and much of the southern Reach. These lands, combined with the immense wealth of Oldtown and it's position in the global trading network, have made the Hightower's among the wealthiest families in the Seven Kingdoms, and certainly the most power House to lack a Lord-Paramountcy.
Allegiance: Bannermen of House Tyrell of Highgarden
Military Strength: ~ 20,000 men and a fairly significant fleet.
House History: The Hightower family is ancient, existing since the dawn of days when they were petty-kings. While most scholars believe they descend from the First Men, Maester Yandel posits they descend from the seafarers and traders that settled at the top of the Whispering Sound in an earlier time, men who came to Westeros before the First Men and seem to have founded the original incarnation of Oldtown. Whatever the truth, the Hightowers resided in the ancient black stone fortress of Battle Isle at the mouth of the Honeywine before the "Hightower" of stone was built. During these early days Oldtown was threatened and sacked many times, including by ironborn raiders, Dornishmen, and the armies of the Kings of the Reach, House Gardener of Highgarden. The Kings of the High Tower raised strong walls and higher towers to keep any further invaders out.

During the Andal invasion, the Hightowers and the Gardeners allied with the newcomers. Thus they were able to keep their wealth, lands and privileges. Protected by the might of Highgarden, the lords of Oldtown turned their eyes to trade and commerce and grew with every generation to become one of the richest and most powerful noble families in Westeros. The Hightowers were also one of the first great lords to accept the Faith of the Seven and thus gave their patronage to the establishment of the office of High Septon and the building of the Starry Sept as the center of the Faith.

During Aegon's Conquest of the Seven Kingdoms, Lord Manfred Hightower heeded the High Septon and did not join his liege lord, King Mern IX Gardener, on the march to the Field of Fire. Soon, Mern was dead and Highgarden surrendered, with the Tyrells replacing the Gardeners. When Aegon the Conqueror arrived at Oldtown on dragonback, Manfred opened his gates. Aegon spared the city, and the High Septon anointed him and acknowledged House Targaryen's right to rule all Seven Kingdoms. Despite not being made Lord Paramounts as may have been expected, House Hightower's wealth ensured it was a Great House in all but name throughout the Targaryen Era.

The Hightowers were strong supporters of the greens against the blacks during the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. King Aegon II Targaryen was supported by his mother, the Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower, and his grandfather, the Hand of the King Ser Otto Hightower. Ser Gwayne Hightower served as second-in-command of the City Watch of King's Landing. Lord Ormund Hightower commanded the greens' army from the Reach, which also included the knights Bryndon and Hobert Hightower. Despite this, the war devastated House Hightower, knocking them from the pinnacle of their power held during the reign of King Viserys I.

The Hightowers remained loyal to House Targaryen throughout their reign - siding with King's Landing against both the Blackfyre pretenders and the usurper, Robert Baratheon. Despite this, they bent to knee to the new Baratheon dynasty shortly after the death of Prince Rhaegar at the Trident and the sack of King's Landing. In the years since, Lord Leyton Hightower has rarely been seen beyond his battlements and his many sons execute the duties of their House on his behalf.

List of House Characters: Lord Leyton Hightower, called the Old Man of Oldtown.
Lady Rhea Florent, his fourth wife.
Ser Baelor Hightower, his eldest son and heir. Called Baelor Brightsmile. Married to Rhonda Rowan.
Malora Hightower, his eldest daughter. Called the Mad Maid.
Alerie Hightower, his second daughter. Married to Lord Mace Tyrell.
Ser Garth Hightower, his second son. Called Garth Greysteel.
Denyse Hightower, his third daughter. Married to Ser Desmond Redwyne.
Leyla Hightower, his fourth daughter. Married to Ser Jon Cupps.
Alysanne Hightower, his fifth daughter. Married to Lord Arthur Ambrose.
Lynesse Hightower, his sixth daughter. Married to Ser Jorah Mormont; now concubine to Tregar Ormollen in Lys.
Ser Gunthor Hightower, his third son. Married to Jeyne Fossoway.
Ser Humfrey Hightower, his fourth son.

Character Name: Leyton Hightower
Titles: Beacon of the South, Defender of Oldtown and the Citadel, Lord of Oldtown, Lord of the Hightower, Lord of the Port, Voice of Oldtown
Age: ~ 65-70 years old
Culture: Reachman
Appearance: Lord Leyton Hightower
Personality: Reclusive and mysterious, Lord Leyton Hightower has withdrawn from the outside world. He spends much of his time with his daughter Malora, supposedly reading from spellbooks and dabbling in magic. He is content to allow his sons to execute his authority on his behalf, especially his competent heir, Baelor.
Skills: Despite his enigmatic nature, Lord Leyton was previously a well known warrior and tourney knight. He also has a mind for administration and politics. Despite this, as he has aged he has become preoccupied with prophecy and scholarship above all else.
Religion: Faith of the Seven
Character Biography: Born to the previous Lord of the Hightower, Leyton Hightower inherited his titles on his fathers death. He has been married four times, most recently to Rhea Florent, the daughter of Lord Alester Florent of Brightwater Keep.

During the reign of Robert Baratheon, Lord Leyton was unhorsed at a tourney at Storm's End by Ser Barristan Selmy. Lord Tywin Lannister would later offered his dwarf son, Tyrion, to Leyton for marriage to one of his daughters, but Leyton, feeling insulted by the suggestion, rejected this offer.

Leyton was present for the tourney at Lannisport held to celebrate the victory of the Iron Throne over the Greyjoy rebels during Greyjoy's Rebellion in 289 AC. There, his youngest daughter, Lynesse, was named the queen of love and beauty at the tourney's end by Ser Jorah Mormont, who had become smitten with Lynesse and who asked Leyton permission to marry her that same night. Leyton accepted the offer, much to his later regret. Lynesse, used to the incredible wealth of House Hightower, abandoned her poor husband and became a concubine in Lys.

By 300 AC, Leyton has not descended from the Hightower in more than a decade.


PostPosted: Mon Sep 05, 2022 12:33 am
by Order of Maesters
Roster

House Hightower - Order of Maesters

PostPosted: Mon Sep 05, 2022 2:52 am
by Dragos Bee
All right; I've been absent from this subforum for more than a year now and I might be interested in this RP, if you would have me.

Now, I have to ask: Would a Custom Sellsword Company be facing the same restrictions as a Custom House?

Edit: Also, will there be a Discord Server for the RP?

PostPosted: Mon Sep 05, 2022 10:04 am
by Order of Maesters
Dragos Bee wrote:All right; I've been absent from this subforum for more than a year now and I might be interested in this RP, if you would have me.

Now, I have to ask: Would a Custom Sellsword Company be facing the same restrictions as a Custom House?

Edit: Also, will there be a Discord Server for the RP?


I would not say they are subject to any "restrictions" per se, no more than any application would be by existing lore, but I would say that I am likely to be more particular with custom creations than canon characters, houses, and institutions.

Re discord - absolutely, if and when the RP has enough players to justify one.

PostPosted: Mon Sep 05, 2022 12:49 pm
by Nuxipal
Sounds like a good time. I can pick a house in a little bit, let a few more people join with their favorites first.


To be rennovated into an OP info post soonTM



IC

Discord

Great Houses:
Renly Baratheon - Arlye Austros
Stannis Baratheon - Dentali
Joffery Baratheon - Revlona
House Tyrell - Of the Quendi
House Martell - Open
House Lannister - OPEN
House Greyjoy - Antimersia
House Stark - Lunas Legion
House Tully - Dentali


Vassal Houses/Mercenaries:
Orianna Qarlarys - White Bluff
House Fysher - Ormata
The Sandstorm Company - Dragos Bee
House Seasmoke - Nuxipal
House Whent - White Bluff
House Arryn of Gulltown - Nea Videssos
House Farman - Countesia

PostPosted: Mon Sep 05, 2022 5:23 pm
by Order of Maesters
Nuxipal wrote:Sounds like a good time. I can pick a house in a little bit, let a few more people join with their favorites first.

Welcome Nux!

PostPosted: Mon Sep 05, 2022 5:33 pm
by Dragos Bee
Order of Maesters wrote:
Dragos Bee wrote:All right; I've been absent from this subforum for more than a year now and I might be interested in this RP, if you would have me.

Now, I have to ask: Would a Custom Sellsword Company be facing the same restrictions as a Custom House?

Edit: Also, will there be a Discord Server for the RP?


I would not say they are subject to any "restrictions" per se, no more than any application would be by existing lore, but I would say that I am likely to be more particular with custom creations than canon characters, houses, and institutions.

Re discord - absolutely, if and when the RP has enough players to justify one.


I see. I was planning on making a Sellsword Company composed of Dornishmen and Stormlanders whose goal is to imitate the Ninepenny Kings before them and seize control of one of the Free Cities and made a deal with Braavos to abolish Slavery in whatever city they take in exchange for their support.

Also, I presume you accept only photographs or Western-style art for Face Claims? If so, it's regrettable, but I'll find a picture or just stick with text for appearance, then.

PostPosted: Mon Sep 05, 2022 8:20 pm
by Order of Maesters
Dragos Bee wrote:
Order of Maesters wrote:
I would not say they are subject to any "restrictions" per se, no more than any application would be by existing lore, but I would say that I am likely to be more particular with custom creations than canon characters, houses, and institutions.

Re discord - absolutely, if and when the RP has enough players to justify one.


I see. I was planning on making a Sellsword Company composed of Dornishmen and Stormlanders whose goal is to imitate the Ninepenny Kings before them and seize control of one of the Free Cities and made a deal with Braavos to abolish Slavery in whatever city they take in exchange for their support.

Also, I presume you accept only photographs or Western-style art for Face Claims? If so, it's regrettable, but I'll find a picture or just stick with text for appearance, then.

While I am not opposed in theory, I would say this RP is mainly meant to be played in Westeros. Its unlikely you'll find many player characters in the Free Cities or further afield in Essos

PostPosted: Mon Sep 05, 2022 8:29 pm
by Dragos Bee
Order of Maesters wrote:
Dragos Bee wrote:
I see. I was planning on making a Sellsword Company composed of Dornishmen and Stormlanders whose goal is to imitate the Ninepenny Kings before them and seize control of one of the Free Cities and made a deal with Braavos to abolish Slavery in whatever city they take in exchange for their support.

Also, I presume you accept only photographs or Western-style art for Face Claims? If so, it's regrettable, but I'll find a picture or just stick with text for appearance, then.

While I am not opposed in theory, I would say this RP is mainly meant to be played in Westeros. Its unlikely you'll find many player characters in the Free Cities or further afield in Essos


Ah, and I presume that it would add to your workload to let my OC interact with NPCs in the Free Cities until one of them is conquered?

Also, confession to make: I only read The World of Ice and Fire and Fire and Blood (which is great!) because I'm still waiting for the Main Series to be finished.

PostPosted: Mon Sep 05, 2022 8:45 pm
by Order of Maesters
Dragos Bee wrote:
Order of Maesters wrote:While I am not opposed in theory, I would say this RP is mainly meant to be played in Westeros. Its unlikely you'll find many player characters in the Free Cities or further afield in Essos


Ah, and I presume that it would add to your workload to let my OC interact with NPCs in the Free Cities until one of them is conquered?

Also, confession to make: I only read The World of Ice and Fire and Fire and Blood (which is great!) because I'm still waiting for the Main Series to be finished.

Yes, it would be a bit challenging to RP the conquest of one of the Free Cities, even with the help of Braavos. That unto itself has the potential for an entire RP.

Re lore, that is entirely fine. I also recommend taking a look at A Wiki of Ice and Fire (link in the OP) to fill in any gaps.

PostPosted: Mon Sep 05, 2022 8:50 pm
by Dragos Bee
Order of Maesters wrote:
Dragos Bee wrote:
Ah, and I presume that it would add to your workload to let my OC interact with NPCs in the Free Cities until one of them is conquered?

Also, confession to make: I only read The World of Ice and Fire and Fire and Blood (which is great!) because I'm still waiting for the Main Series to be finished.

Yes, it would be a bit challenging to RP the conquest of one of the Free Cities, even with the help of Braavos. That unto itself has the potential for an entire RP.

Re lore, that is entirely fine. I also recommend taking a look at A Wiki of Ice and Fire (link in the OP) to fill in any gaps.


Thanks; I will do so, actually. But yeah, I am a bit uncomfortable with interacting with Canon characters I don't fully know while I like the Free Cities better than Westeros anyway. That said, I do have plans for interacting with the Westerosi should I succeed in 'liberating' a Free City, assuming trying to do so is not banned.

PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2022 2:21 am
by Order of Maesters
Dragos Bee wrote:
Order of Maesters wrote:Yes, it would be a bit challenging to RP the conquest of one of the Free Cities, even with the help of Braavos. That unto itself has the potential for an entire RP.

Re lore, that is entirely fine. I also recommend taking a look at A Wiki of Ice and Fire (link in the OP) to fill in any gaps.


Thanks; I will do so, actually. But yeah, I am a bit uncomfortable with interacting with Canon characters I don't fully know while I like the Free Cities better than Westeros anyway. That said, I do have plans for interacting with the Westerosi should I succeed in 'liberating' a Free City, assuming trying to do so is not banned.

No it would not be banned per se but again, it would be an exceedingly difficult process. The Free Cities are individually very wealthy - they can hire ships, armies, and buy endless supplies. It would be an immense achievement for a sellsword company to sack one of them, much less hold the city against inevitable attempts to reclaim it.

PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2022 2:36 am
by Dragos Bee
Order of Maesters wrote:
Dragos Bee wrote:
Thanks; I will do so, actually. But yeah, I am a bit uncomfortable with interacting with Canon characters I don't fully know while I like the Free Cities better than Westeros anyway. That said, I do have plans for interacting with the Westerosi should I succeed in 'liberating' a Free City, assuming trying to do so is not banned.

No it would not be banned per se but again, it would be an exceedingly difficult process. The Free Cities are individually very wealthy - they can hire ships, armies, and buy endless supplies. It would be an immense achievement for a sellsword company to sack one of them, much less hold the city against inevitable attempts to reclaim it.


Hmm, this is true. And after the Ninepenny Kings, they would be wary of anyone trying to pull the same stunt as those Sellswords did.

I still want to try, though; even if I fail, it'll be an adventure.

PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2022 4:40 am
by Dragos Bee
Character Name: Ser Zakar Moonspring.

Titles: Captain-General of the Sandstorm Company, 'Babyface', Ser Palehair.

Age: 28

Culture: Dornishman/Lysene

Appearance:
As in this Picture.

Personality: Zakar has a love-hate relationship with Westeros itself, finding its people and lords (except the Daynes) uncivilized, uncouth, self-serving and half-mad, but admiring the ideals of Knighthood, the abborhence of slavery preached by The Faith, and the piety of poor travellers and the lower ranks of septons, even as he disagrees with what they see as the 'right way' as regards attraction and love. This dislike makes him hate even stepping on Westerosi soil, seeing even that as dirtier and poorer than that of Essos, where he has spent a lot of time as a sellsword. Nevertheless, money talks, and Westerosi lords do have money.

Essos, meanwhile, he regards as a paragon of civilization if not for their use of slavery, which he abhors, and their worship of false gods which sometimes mandate human and animal sacrifice. He has mixed feelings about one of them, the 'Lord of Light' Rhi'llor, due to how the latter's otherwise moral precepts are tainted by the fact that he asks for innocent blood in exchange for his greatest miracles. And he absolutely despises the Dothraki and wants to humiliate and foil them in any way he can, and this spite exceeds that of his contempt for many Westerosi. To him, Westeros should be more like Essos and the reverse is also true.

Skills: A man of both brains and brawn, an athletic paragon of male beauty, Zakar is able to fight with Westerosi weapons, in Westerosi armor, but is most proficient with the spear, the scimtar, and the Dornish Bow, which he can use from either his knightly warhorse or a smaller, lighter sand steed for added mobility. He has boasted that he can match a Dothraki Khal in horsemanship and archery both, and has had the chance to prove such when he found himself doing mercenary work to the north of Volantis.

Not just that, but he has acquired several books from both Westeros and Essos, among them Archmaster Glyndyn's Histories, The Testimony of Mushroom (a personal favorite), The Conquest of Dorne (he is an avid student of its tactics), and even fragments of Septon Barth's Unnatural History, all of which he reads almost religiously. He also has a copy of the Seven-Pointed Star, which he has read from and memorized in order to overawe those of his folk who have lingering loyalty to the Faith.

Religion: Faith of the Seven.

Character Biography: Zakar was the son of a Dornish Hedge Knight and an escaped Lysene slave whose freedom he bought at great cost, and whom he married in order to make sure their son was not born on the wrong side of the marriage bed. Zakar was thus born into Westeros and the Faith of the Seven but had one foot in Essos from the start.

As a Hedge Knight, Zakar's father had no land, no wealth, and had only his horse and weapons to feed his family with. However, his wife was more than a courtesan; she was a trained healer and herbalist who despite being mistrusted as a 'witch', was able to keep her new husband alive with her skills. In exchange, Zakar's father gave her a free hand with his accounts, allowing her to spend what coin they could spare on the education of their son - Being a learned, literate woman herself, she knew to arm him with more than mundane tools, and as someone who had been a slave, she knew how to make one dream of being above one's station while reminding them that such thoughts were dangerous.

When Zakar grew up, he became a squire to his own father, who taught him how to fight. As he grew up, his father finally found stable employment under House Dayne, one of the few Houses respected by other Westerosi as 'true knights'. This allowed Zakar and his mother a stable place for him to train and learn and eventually access more books and converse with the occassional Maester. Eventually, however, Zakar's father was killed when he joined House Dayne in fighting Robert's Rebellion and after their loss, the House was forced to send Zakar and his mother away, yet not without a farewell gift: In honor of his dead father's valor, Zakar was dubbed a Knight by one of the surviving retainers of the family.

Zakar then chose to become a sellsword in one of the more 'honorable' Free Companies, and crossed the narrow sea, avoiding Lys and Tyrosh to join a band of mercenaries fighting for Myr. He fought hard, earned his spurs, and earned a place by the captain's side, before a few jealous subordinates began spreading rumors that this was due to his handsome looks rather than his valor, causing him to start a brawl where several of the rumormongers were killed. This got him expelled from the band and taught him a lesson in learning how to be circumspect.

He then moved east to join a company fighting for Volantis against Dothraki raids, and even bet his freedom that he can contest a Khal in a contest of horse archery. He won, and was rewarded by a local official with enough cash to buy a sand steed straight from Dorne, better armor and weapons, and a copy of Archmaester Glyndyn's Histories, and had enough to spare for the funeral of his mother, who made it all possible (she died from old age). His fame soared, and he leveraged it to start a company of mercenaries composed of Dornish Spearmen, Stormlander Longbowmen, and other Hedge Knights from Westeros.

Then Zakar learned that running a company was different from fighting in one; men had to be paid, men had to be fed, horses had to be bought and then fed, and the Seven forbid that his folk had to break their weapons and armor while fighting, as repairs and replacements were expensive. He was fast running out of cash and ways to acquire new cash, until agents of the Iron Bank approached him, promising him the cash he needed in exchange for returning to Westeros for 'a job'. What was said job? He didn't know, but it was clear that he'd be going back to 'uncivilized' territory once more. But needs must, and he and his men took ship for Planky Town; Dorne was the least bad of his options, after all...

RP Example: See below.

Natasha Zhang

All but three of Natasha Zhang's crew had abandoned her, and of those three, one was a fratricidal maniac disliked even by others of his species and the other had a knack for reappearing and disappearing on his own time, such that he can be mistook for a Magus. As for the third... That guy was obsessed to the point where he scared her.

This meant that the supersoldiers she would meet with would have to fill in the crew's duties, and considering the fact that the medic had also abandoned them, the Xuanzang's captain also hoped that one of their future allies was a super-doctor. And also that the rumors of 'Child Spetnaz Magi' were exaggerations and that she was not going to be stuck in a babysitting job.

So the young-looking woman waited in front of the Xuanxang's opened airlocks and hatch, alone for now, all the while feeling a creeping dread at the back of her head...

Ashton and Flame

The Galactic Bazaar was a space station the size of Ireland, a megastructure which floated above the gas giant Xenadan. Chosen due to its proximity to no less than three wormholes -Spacewarpers were even rarer after The War - The Bazaar held everything one can ask for and every danger one did not want. And here was where the former child soldiers had chosen to come, wished well by their former captors.

Even in the hangars, there were moving shuttles - The modern equivalent of the ancient food carts and mobile booths - which offered services from food and drink to beauty products or even various services left unsaid. As the motely group neared the Xuanxang's location, they encountered one of these shuttles, a brightly colored vehicle the size of a department store on 21st Century Earth. More ominously (for their wallets), it advertized sweets and 'street food'.

"Ashton," Flame Brooks spoke up, trying to be the voice of reason, "We don't have the time for this. We need to meet with our contact in a few hours. Plus, this could be a trap, and even if it isn't, we should practice being cautious." He turned to Nero and Avelyn, knowing full well that they did not have a sweet tooth, and said, "Can you two back me up on this? Our group cannot afford to be distracted by candy."

Ashton, however, was already talking with the propeitor of the 'shuttle' through his Omni-tool, and tried to defang Flame's argument by saying, "The Rau've lady running this also says she can bring us to where we want to go for a 100-Galactic Credit purchase. Travel will be smooth enough for us to eat along the way and it'd be better than continuing to walk in a kilometers-long hangar or taking a transport vehicle anyway."

Noticing the obvious game Flame was playing, Ashton turned to Tarak, their unofficial leader, and opened his mouth, only to find Flame saying, "Fine, but we take turns eating just in case this turns out to be a trap somehow and just to keep in practice."

And with that, the door to the shuttle opened, allowing the group of friends inside a large shop + restaurant filled with shelves of brightly colored sweets and baked goods, as well as a set of tables close to a shuttle window. Another section held saltier meats and savory vegetables, most of them in stew form or in skewers (blunted to prevent a hazard). There were no intoxicants, which was just as well for Flame - He did not want the group poisoning their livers early. And finally, there were drinks equivalent ot coffee and hot chocolate, as well as those tiny marshmallows mixed into the syrup.

"All right, Folks," Ashton said as he pulled out his credit stick, "Let's dig in - I think that for our health, we should buy non-sugary sweets first, then stevia-equivalents in hot chocolate or coffee, then go to the 'meal' section to buy some meat and vegetables - We should make sure we don't eat too many fried foods. Mom used to be a nutritionist and I picked up a few things from her, things I still remember and may have even added to."

Flame rolled his eyes and said, "Tarak, I think you and I should use our Omni-Tools to test each foodstuff we get for poison or allergens. And of course, we should make sure to contact our, well, destination that she should not be afraid of a large shuttle coming to her ship and depositing a group of 'Child Marines'...

Natasha Zhang

Natasha received a message - Apparently, the rumors of 'Child Spetnaz Magi' were true after all, and because she was dealing with children, they were going to take a dining shuttle instead of a regular transport craft. Because of candy. So she typed back to 'Flame' and possibly Tarak (who at least looked the part of a super soldier) :

If you're going to dawdle, buy me some Milk Tea with fruit jelly and peanut-brittle-equivalents.

PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2022 10:45 am
by Nuxipal
Interesting concept there. I do agree that sliding into the free cities would be extra work for the OP and any Co-OPs. I have done similar things in the past with OC houses/characters, though it was usually to recruit mercenaries to move to Westeros with a claim of our own or something of that sort.

As for the house I'll take, depending on if we can get enough players, Looking at Stark, Frey, Velaryon, or Dayne. I was also looking at either House Darke, or another Darklyn cadet branch, or my Custom Velaryon Bastard House for flavor characters.

PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2022 7:04 pm
by Dragos Bee
Nuxipal wrote:Interesting concept there. I do agree that sliding into the free cities would be extra work for the OP and any Co-OPs. I have done similar things in the past with OC houses/characters, though it was usually to recruit mercenaries to move to Westeros with a claim of our own or something of that sort.

As for the house I'll take, depending on if we can get enough players, Looking at Stark, Frey, Velaryon, or Dayne. I was also looking at either House Darke, or another Darklyn cadet branch, or my Custom Velaryon Bastard House for flavor characters.


If you choose to be the Daynes, do you want to talk about backstory stuff, as my character bio had interactions with them as a thing?

PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2022 7:58 pm
by Nuxipal
Dragos Bee wrote:
Nuxipal wrote:Interesting concept there. I do agree that sliding into the free cities would be extra work for the OP and any Co-OPs. I have done similar things in the past with OC houses/characters, though it was usually to recruit mercenaries to move to Westeros with a claim of our own or something of that sort.

As for the house I'll take, depending on if we can get enough players, Looking at Stark, Frey, Velaryon, or Dayne. I was also looking at either House Darke, or another Darklyn cadet branch, or my Custom Velaryon Bastard House for flavor characters.


If you choose to be the Daynes, do you want to talk about backstory stuff, as my character bio had interactions with them as a thing?


For sure, if we go the Dayne route I'll get with you. I sort of was hoping to see people grabbing up Houses left and right when I got in here. Its been awhile since there was ASOIAF rp on here.

PostPosted: Tue Sep 06, 2022 8:11 pm
by Dragos Bee
Nuxipal wrote:
Dragos Bee wrote:
If you choose to be the Daynes, do you want to talk about backstory stuff, as my character bio had interactions with them as a thing?


For sure, if we go the Dayne route I'll get with you. I sort of was hoping to see people grabbing up Houses left and right when I got in here. Its been awhile since there was ASOIAF rp on here.


Honestly, this is true. Maybe people on NS got tired of it after a few years, after all?

PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 11:43 am
by Flarbinia
Interesting

PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 12:48 pm
by Nuxipal
Dragos Bee wrote:
Nuxipal wrote:
For sure, if we go the Dayne route I'll get with you. I sort of was hoping to see people grabbing up Houses left and right when I got in here. Its been awhile since there was ASOIAF rp on here.


Honestly, this is true. Maybe people on NS got tired of it after a few years, after all?


Possibly, though we have a few active players we'll get more as time goes on.

Flarbinia wrote:Interesting


Hey there, any particular house you interested in?

PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 6:56 pm
by Flarbinia
Nuxipal wrote:
Flarbinia wrote:Interesting


Hey there, any particular house you interested in?


I'm planning on creatin' a house located in the North.

PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 7:02 pm
by Dragos Bee
Nuxipal wrote:Possibly, though we have a few active players we'll get more as time goes on.


Hopefully, yes. And here's hoping we do get someone in the Free Cities besides me...

PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 7:10 pm
by Order of Maesters
Dragos Bee wrote:Character Name: Ser Zakar Moonspring.

Titles: Captain-General of the Sandstorm Company, 'Babyface', Ser Palehair.

Age: 28

Culture: Dornishman/Lysene

Appearance:
As in this Picture.

Personality: Zakar seeks out challenges for their own sake, taking on difficult tasks for the joy of striving, winning, and even losing as long as he had learned something. However, he had learned the harsh lesson that to 'unlock' the chance to tackle said challenges, he had to appeal to people's baser desires; money, power, pleasure, and even a misplaced desire to do 'the right thing' in a universe where such a thing was a mirage at best, a pitfall at worst. To the mercenary sort, he appeals to the lure of coin. To those committed to a higher cause, he offers a vision. To those who just want to live, he offers security. But those who know him also know that Zakar feels no commitment to his men (and the occassional woman) beyond their usefulness, that they are merely tools for him to overcome problems and he would gladly abandon them in the blink of an eye.

Or is this the case? Oftentimes, Zakar has taken risks to get wounded soldiers to safety, ate and drank the same meals as his men, and made sure that the women and children who served as camp followers in his Company were treated with respect. He justifies this to those close to him as 'maintaining his weapons', and puts the most cynical face he could on his actions. He says this with enough conviction that it appears he himself believes what he says. And he is no coward despite what he frequently asserts behind closed doors; he has fought in the thick of battle before, relishing the combat but making sure to save the lives of his men whenever he could, ostensibly so they can continue being his tools, of course.

Who knows the truth?

Skills: A man of both brains and brawn, an athletic paragon of male beauty, Zakar is able to fight with Westerosi weapons, in Westerosi armor, but is most proficient with the spear, the scimtar, and the Dornish Bow, which he can use from either his knightly warhorse or a smaller, lighter sand steed for added mobility. He has boasted that he can match a Dothraki Khal in horsemanship and archery both, and has had the chance to prove such when his company was stationed in the north of Volantis.

Not just that, but he has acquired several books from both Westeros and Essos, among them Archmaster Glyndyn's Histories, The Testimony of Mushroom (a personal favorite), The Conquest of Dorne (he is an avid student of its tactics), and even fragments of Septon Barth's Unnatural History, all of which he reads almost religiously. He also has a copy of the Seven-Pointed Star, which he has read from and memorized in order to overawe those of his folk who have lingering loyalty to the Faith.

Religion: Faith of the Seven.

Character Biography: Zakar was the son of a Dornish Hedge Knight and an escaped Lysene slave whose freedom he bought at great cost, and whom he married in order to make sure their son was not born on the wrong side of the marriage bed. Zakar was thus born into Westeros and the Faith of the Seven but had one foot in Essos from the start.

As a Hedge Knight, Zakar's father had no land, no wealth, and had only his horse and weapons to feed his family with. However, his wife was more than a courtesan; she was a trained healer and herbalist who despite being mistrusted as a 'witch', was able to keep her new husband alive with her skills. In exchange, Zakar's father gave her a free hand with his accounts, allowing her to spend what coin they could spare on the education of their son - Being a learned, literate woman herself, she knew to arm him with more than mundane tools, and as someone who had been a slave, she knew how to make one dream of being above one's station while reminding them that such thoughts were dangerous.

When Zakar grew up, he became a squire to his own father, who taught him how to fight. As he grew up, his father finally found stable employment under House Dayne, one of the few Houses respected by other Westerosi as 'true knights'. This allowed Zakar and his mother a stable place for him to train and learn and eventually access more books and converse with the occassional Maester. Eventually, however, Zakar's father was killed when he joined House Dayne in fighting Robert's Rebellion and after their loss, the House was forced to send Zakar and his mother away, yet not without a farewell gift: In honor of his dead father's valor, Zakar was dubbed a Knight by one of the surviving retainers of the family.

Zakar then chose to become a sellsword in one of the more 'honorable' Free Companies, and crossed the narrow sea, avoiding Lys and Tyrosh to join a band of mercenaries fighting for Myr. He fought hard, earned his spurs, and earned a place by the captain's side, before a few jealous subordinates began spreading rumors that this was due to his handsome looks rather than his valor, causing him to start a brawl where several of the rumormongers were killed. This got him expelled from the band and taught him a lesson in learning how to be circumspect.

He then moved east to join a company fighting for Volantis against Dothraki raids, and even bet his freedom that he can contest a Khal in a contest of horse archery. He won, and was rewarded by a local official with enough cash to buy a sand steed straight from Dorne, better armor and weapons, and a copy of Archmaester Glyndyn's Histories, and had enough to spare for the funeral of his mother, who made it all possible (she died from old age). His fame soared, and he leveraged it to start a company of mercenaries composed of Dornish Spearmen, Stormlander Longbowmen, and other Hedge Knights from Westeros.

However, it was a second big break that allowed him to keep his company alive and its coffers full: The Iron Bank of Braavos wanted some work done for it; work too poor for its agents yet rich by the standards of any common mercenary. The details of the job were kept secret, but word was that whatever it was, it was a smashing success and Zakar had enough for his next new challenge: Take a Free City for himself and see how long he could hold it!

RP Example: See below.

Natasha Zhang

All but three of Natasha Zhang's crew had abandoned her, and of those three, one was a fratricidal maniac disliked even by others of his species and the other had a knack for reappearing and disappearing on his own time, such that he can be mistook for a Magus. As for the third... That guy was obsessed to the point where he scared her.

This meant that the supersoldiers she would meet with would have to fill in the crew's duties, and considering the fact that the medic had also abandoned them, the Xuanzang's captain also hoped that one of their future allies was a super-doctor. And also that the rumors of 'Child Spetnaz Magi' were exaggerations and that she was not going to be stuck in a babysitting job.

So the young-looking woman waited in front of the Xuanxang's opened airlocks and hatch, alone for now, all the while feeling a creeping dread at the back of her head...

Ashton and Flame

The Galactic Bazaar was a space station the size of Ireland, a megastructure which floated above the gas giant Xenadan. Chosen due to its proximity to no less than three wormholes -Spacewarpers were even rarer after The War - The Bazaar held everything one can ask for and every danger one did not want. And here was where the former child soldiers had chosen to come, wished well by their former captors.

Even in the hangars, there were moving shuttles - The modern equivalent of the ancient food carts and mobile booths - which offered services from food and drink to beauty products or even various services left unsaid. As the motely group neared the Xuanxang's location, they encountered one of these shuttles, a brightly colored vehicle the size of a department store on 21st Century Earth. More ominously (for their wallets), it advertized sweets and 'street food'.

"Ashton," Flame Brooks spoke up, trying to be the voice of reason, "We don't have the time for this. We need to meet with our contact in a few hours. Plus, this could be a trap, and even if it isn't, we should practice being cautious." He turned to Nero and Avelyn, knowing full well that they did not have a sweet tooth, and said, "Can you two back me up on this? Our group cannot afford to be distracted by candy."

Ashton, however, was already talking with the propeitor of the 'shuttle' through his Omni-tool, and tried to defang Flame's argument by saying, "The Rau've lady running this also says she can bring us to where we want to go for a 100-Galactic Credit purchase. Travel will be smooth enough for us to eat along the way and it'd be better than continuing to walk in a kilometers-long hangar or taking a transport vehicle anyway."

Noticing the obvious game Flame was playing, Ashton turned to Tarak, their unofficial leader, and opened his mouth, only to find Flame saying, "Fine, but we take turns eating just in case this turns out to be a trap somehow and just to keep in practice."

And with that, the door to the shuttle opened, allowing the group of friends inside a large shop + restaurant filled with shelves of brightly colored sweets and baked goods, as well as a set of tables close to a shuttle window. Another section held saltier meats and savory vegetables, most of them in stew form or in skewers (blunted to prevent a hazard). There were no intoxicants, which was just as well for Flame - He did not want the group poisoning their livers early. And finally, there were drinks equivalent ot coffee and hot chocolate, as well as those tiny marshmallows mixed into the syrup.

"All right, Folks," Ashton said as he pulled out his credit stick, "Let's dig in - I think that for our health, we should buy non-sugary sweets first, then stevia-equivalents in hot chocolate or coffee, then go to the 'meal' section to buy some meat and vegetables - We should make sure we don't eat too many fried foods. Mom used to be a nutritionist and I picked up a few things from her, things I still remember and may have even added to."

Flame rolled his eyes and said, "Tarak, I think you and I should use our Omni-Tools to test each foodstuff we get for poison or allergens. And of course, we should make sure to contact our, well, destination that she should not be afraid of a large shuttle coming to her ship and despositing a group of 'Child Marines'...

Natasha Zhang

Natasha received a message - Apparently, the rumors of 'Child Spetnaz Magi' were true after all, and because she was dealing with children, they were going to take a dining shuttle instead of a regular transport craft. Because candy. So she typed back to 'Flame' and possibly Tarak (who at least looked the part of a super soldier) :

If you're going to dawdle, buy me some Milk Tea with fruit jelly and peanut-brittle-equivalents.

Interesting application, and good overall quality.

However, there are a few issues that need to be addressed before I can accept it.

- He needs more flaws. As of now, he is attractive, wealthy, a peerless warrior, learned, respected and a variety of other adjectives.

- Similarly, he is too successful. He is rich AND famous. He had a contract with the Iron Bank. He won a variety of contests. This sets up a rather uninteresting run of success.

- I really think that you would be better served focusing on Westeros. Being a Free Company is fine, but if the goal remains to take a Free City, you will likely only be interacting with NPC's. As stated previously, this puts too much pressure on the OPs to run their own characters AND all those interacting with yours. This is the War of the Five Kings. Give it time and there'll be a highbdemand for Free Companies from Dorne to the Wall.

- You'll need to fill out an application detailing your Free Company and it's strength. You can use the House application for this.

PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 7:25 pm
by Dragos Bee
Order of Maesters wrote:Interesting application, and good overall quality.

However, there are a few issues that need to be addressed before I can accept it.

- He needs more flaws. As of now, he is attractive, wealthy, a peerless warrior, learned, respected and a variety of other adjectives.

- Similarly, he is too successful. He is rich AND famous. He had a contract with the Iron Bank. He won a variety of contests. This sets up a rather uninteresting run of success.

- I really think that you would be better served focusing on Westeros. Being a Free Company is fine, but if the goal remains to take a Free City, you will likely only be interacting with NPC's. As stated previously, this puts too much pressure on the OPs to run their own characters AND all those interacting with yours. This is the War of the Five Kings. Give it time and there'll be a high demand for Free Companies from Dorne to the Wall.

- You'll need to fill out an application detailing your Free Company and it's strength. You can use the House application for this.


Thanks! Honestly, I went a bit overboard and made him a Marty Stu - I know enough that such characters eventually wind up bland to read, like the literary equivalent of junk food, and so I'll try and give him more flaws and less successes.

As for focusing on Westeros, again, I do not know the canon story because I'm waiting for the Main Series to finish before reading it*. This means that I might blow apart the other players' plans by just being there, going about ignorant of everything which is happening like a bull in a china shop. I honestly don't like adventures where I am ignorant of what's going on OOCly as well as ICly while every other player knows what's going on and what canons I am interacting with.

I'll make an application for my Free Company later.

*I do get the tone of ASOIAF from Fire and Blood and The World of Ice and Fire, though, as well as the Wiki.

Another Edit: On second thought, I can work with focusing on Westeros, but I will be doing a lot of Wiki reading.

More Edits: I replaced my previous character sheet with a new one on the relevant post!

PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2022 8:57 pm
by Dragos Bee
House Name: The Sandstorm Company.

Sigil: N/A; we are a Free Company.

Words: "We are the scouring wind!"

House Culture: Dornish/Stormlander

House Head: Ser Zakar Moonspring.

Titles: N/A, we're a Free Company.

Holdings/Lands: Hahaha... Not yet.

Allegiance: The Iron Bank, at present.

Military Strength:

- 800 Dornish Spearmen.
- 400 Stormlander Longbowmen (who also have small axes).
- 150 Myrish Crossbowmen (freed slaves).
- 50 Hedge Knights of various origins.

House History: Inexperienced in fighting as one company, expensive to maintain, the Sandstorms are barely held together by the charisma of their leader and the money provided by the Iron Bank for accepting its 'job'. Nevertheless, in theory, they combine the best of Dornish and Stormlander tactics with a dash of Essosi skullduggery, and should they be given a chance to test out the unique mix of tactics that their leader has borrowed from The Conquest of Dorne, they might rise in reputation and thus cash. And by that, give them a chance to prove themselves, and their actions will show that they are as good as other Free Companies.

Or so they believe - Who knows the truth?

Many of them have picked up their Captain's habits of deeming Westeros as 'uncivilized', being used to the relative luxury of Essos. Their camp and their tents are well-organized in a grid pattern, with designated places for latrines, regular refuse, barracks, quarters for camp followers, storage and even a large tent for bathing with several camp followers designated to boil water. This focus on hygine, though regarded as effiminate, is speculated to have helped keep out disease and infection from the company, resulting in less of them falling sick than other mercenaries and regular armies.

Not helping the finances of the company is their insistence on buying slaves to free them; the quartermaster and the steward of the company are freed slaves, and so are the entire contingent of Myrish Crossbowmen. Of course, the quartermaster and steward are able folk, with the latter being trusted to keep accounts ably. Nevertheless, the job from the Iron Bank came at a good time for the Sandstorms, as mentioned before, and Westerosi lords can pay well when they need to, meaning that returning to Westeros was not the supreme sacrifice that many of the company feel it is...

List of House Characters:

- Ser Zakar Moonspring.
- Ser Dannel of Vaith, a Hedge Knight and Second-in-Command.
- Quartermaster Morgan Sand.
- Steward Vierra of Lys.
- A Septon, Barth of Maidenpool.
- Regro of Pentosh, an 'Intelligencer' who analyzes news and reports from the outside; basically a discount spymaster.