OOC: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=346436
Introduction
It has been three hundred and thirty years since the Conquest of Aegon Targaryen, which saw the kingdoms of Westeros brought under his rule. All except for one: Dorne, a land of deserts, mountains, and almost constant intense heat. This kingdom, descended from Andal adventurers and the people of the Rhoynar Queen Nymeria, lasted a century and a half after Aegon's Conquest, finally subdued by his descendant, Daeron the Young Dragon. Thousands died taking the southernmost kingdom of Westeros, only for it to rise in rebellion before a full year had passed, taking five times as many lives in the process as the original war had. After Daeron's death, his brother Baelor finally managed to bring Dorne into the realm, marrying his cousin to the Dornish Princess Mariah Martell. Since then, Dorne has been a part of the Seven Kingdoms, under the rule of first Targaryens, then Baratheons.
Now, for the first time, a Martell is on the Iron Throne: the fifteen year old Trystane I. The son of Trystane Martell and the former queen, Daenerys Targaryen, Trystane is a true Dornishman, similar to both his grandfather, Prince Doran Martell, and his great uncle, the Red Viper Oberyn Martell. Needless to say, this has angered many in Westeros, especially the lords of the Reach and the Stormlands, who have fought the Dornish for centuries. Similarly, many of the more pious lords have taken note of the fact that Trystane shares many of the aspects of Dornish culture that go against the Faith's teachings: hot bloodedness, sexual licentiousness, and more open views on sexuality in general (Trystane, like his great uncle, is bisexual). The cultural differences between the young king and many of his vassals has led to division in the kingdom, and the Faith is far from supportive of him.
Now, in the year 330 AC, Westeros is in a time of crisis. Support for the crown is slowly but steadily dropping, and king is constantly being pulled back and forth between the influence of his family and that of his Hand, a member of House Tyrell, appointed in order to keep the Reach from rebelling. Rivalries between the various lords and regions have begun escalating. Slavers from Essos have begun raiding coastal areas, bringing captives to be sold in the Free Cities and in the cities of Slavers Bay. Religious divides have caused conflict among the followers of the Seven, the Lord of Light, the Old Gods, and the Drowned God. Dark forces, thought to have been defeated in the time of Daenerys, have begun gathering beyond the Wall once more.
In this time of turmoil and conflict, who will you be?
History
Daenerys's Conquest (301 AC - 303 AC)
In 300 AC, Daenerys Stormborn Targaryen emerged victorious from her many wars in Slaver's Bay, ruling over the newly emancipated cities there and dealing a critical blow to the entire slave trade. Her wars of emancipation completed, the young queen and khaleesi began preparing to return to her homeland, in force. In 301, an army of thousands of Dothraki, Unsullied, sellswords, and former slaves departed from Meereen by ship, accompanied by Daenerys's three dragons. Early that year, the invasion fleet landed at Sunspear, where a deal was struck with House Martell; in exchange for a betrothal between Daenerys and Trystane Martell, Prince Doran would swear fealty to Daenerys, and Dorne would join the war on Daenerys's side. In order to take the Iron Throne by surprise, while the Martells were calling their banners, smaller Dornish armies in the north began launching raids against the marcher lords of the Stormlands and the Reach, who were off fighting against Stannis Baratheon and Euron Greyjoy. The raids were a great success, taking Houses Baratheon and Tyrell completely by surprise, and allowing House Martell time to gather their forces.
Near the end of the month, the Martell and Targaryen armies began their march north up the Prince's Pass before splitting up. With the Tyrell armies in the Crownlands and their vassals occupied fighting against House Greyjoy, the Martell forces were able to easily pass through the Reach, laying siege to Highgarden and taking it after only a few weeks. The Targaryen forces marched on the Stormlands, capturing Blackhaven and several minor towns and castles on their way to Storm's End. Here, Daenerys's army met with the army of her supposed nephew, Aegon Targaryen, which was currently laying siege to the Baratheon stronghold. Hoping to avoid battle with a possible family member, the two Targaryens began negotiations, which eventually fell apart, leading to a three-way battle for Storm's End. During the battle, the Storm's End garrison and its commanders were nearly wiped out, and Aegon Targaryen was badly wounded, forcing the Golden Company to retreat to Griffon's Roost. Following the surrender of Storm's End, Daenerys pursued her nephew's forces to Griffon's Roost, forcing them to retreat once more to Rain House, and finally back to Essos.
With the Stormlands under control and Highgarden occupied by the Martells, Daenerys began to march on King's Landing, her army now including the forces of the subjugated storm lords. In early 302, the dragon queen's army arrived on the outskirts of the city, defended by the armies of House Lannister and House Tyrell, as well as of the lords of the Crownlands. The siege and battle that followed came to be known as the Great Blaze, officially the Second Battle of the Blackwater. The battle began early one morning, when Daenerys's army made an assault on the King's Gate, while her dragons set fire to the royal fleet in the Blackwater Rush. The city defenders were able to hold the gate until the end of the day, and responded to the burning of the royal fleet by using wildfire against the Targaryen fleet. On the second day of battle, the defenders of the city forced the attacking army to fall back from the gate using more wildfire; however, the winds changed soon after, causing the fire to blow back towards the city and forcing the defenders to abandon the King's Gate. With the King's Gate inaccessible, Daenerys's army launched simultaneous assaults on the Lion Gate and the Gate of the Gods. Reluctantly, the young queen used her dragons, breaking through at the Lion Gate and leading her army into the city. The fighting within the walls was brutal. The two armies fought viciously, and wildfire and dragonfire burned through the streets. By the end of the third day of battle, thousands had died in battle, and a raging red and green inferno had consumed King's Landing. Defeated, and in fear of burning to death, the Lannister and Tyrell forces threw down their arms, and joined their enemies in trying to extinguish the blaze. This was all in vain... attempts to put out the fire failed, and the city was left to burn to the ground.
With the enemy armies surrendered and the former capital a smoldering ruin, Houses Lannister and Tyrell were forced to submit to House Targaryen. By this point, southern Westeros was almost entirely under the dragon queen's rule, with the only exceptions being small pockets of resistance in the Reach, as well as lands captured by the ironborn in that area. With winter worsening, Daenerys decided to give her forces time to rest before marching north, instead sending letters to the lords of the Riverlands, the North, and the Vale demanding they swear fealty to her. Most of the Vale submitted, but many of the lords of the Riverlands and the North refused, remaining loyal to Stannis Baratheon or to the Bolton-Frey alliance. During this period, the capital city was moved to Plankytown (renamed Queen's Landing), and a new castle began construction there, the old one being destroyed. Towards the end of 302, the Martell and Tyrell forces were able to drive Euron Greyjoy out of the Reach, and back to the Iron Islands. In the last month of the year, bolstered by armies from the Vale, the Crownlands, the Stormlands, and the Reach, Daenerys launched a direct assault on Pyke, devastating the ironborn forces and killing Euron Greyjoy in the process.
Seeing that the rest of Westeros had fallen, the Freys and Boltons approached Daenerys with a deal: in exchange for their fealty, House Bolton would remain lords of the North, and House Frey would be named lords of the Riverlands. Houses Manderly, Blackwood, and several others made their own deals: they would swear fealty only if Daenerys could bring justice to the Freys and Boltons for the Red Wedding and the Sack of Winterfell. Under the pretense of accepting their oaths of fealty, Daenerys agreed to meet with Roose and Ramsey Bolton at the Twins, only to turn her dragons on the castle when they arrived. House Bolton was extinguished, and much of House Frey was destroyed along with their keep. Her last major opposition destroyed, Daenerys sat down to negotiate with Stannis Baratheon, who, having lost nearly all of his support and occupied with the situation north of the Wall, agreed to relinquish his claim to the throne, provided he was installed as Lord of the Stormlands. With the kingdom unified, Daenerys Targaryen was crowned queen at Sunspear in 303 AC, bringing an end to the Second Conquest.
The consequences of the war changed Westeros forever. Following the destruction of King's Landing, Cersei Lannister, Jaime Lannister, and Tommen Lannister were taken prisoner by Daenerys. With their capture, Myrcella Lannister's captivity in Dorne, and the rest of House Lannister captured, in hiding, or in league with Daenerys (Tyrion Lannister was one of her advisers during the invasion), the house which was formerly the most powerful in Westeros was crushed. Many of its members were executed, with the exception of Tyrion, who was given control of Casterly Rock (but not the Westerlands), and Tommen and Myrcella, who were legitimized as Lannisters and put into their uncle's custody. With the destruction of King's Landing and the creation of the new capital in the south, the old Crownlands were dissolved, with the old lords either swearing fealty to the lords of the Stormlands or joining the newly formed Lordship of the Claw. Dorne was greatly rewarded for their part in the war, being granted control of large swathes of the Dornish Marches, and the Reach gained a huge new market for exporting food. It was a new age in Westeros. An age of dragons.
In 300 AC, Daenerys Stormborn Targaryen emerged victorious from her many wars in Slaver's Bay, ruling over the newly emancipated cities there and dealing a critical blow to the entire slave trade. Her wars of emancipation completed, the young queen and khaleesi began preparing to return to her homeland, in force. In 301, an army of thousands of Dothraki, Unsullied, sellswords, and former slaves departed from Meereen by ship, accompanied by Daenerys's three dragons. Early that year, the invasion fleet landed at Sunspear, where a deal was struck with House Martell; in exchange for a betrothal between Daenerys and Trystane Martell, Prince Doran would swear fealty to Daenerys, and Dorne would join the war on Daenerys's side. In order to take the Iron Throne by surprise, while the Martells were calling their banners, smaller Dornish armies in the north began launching raids against the marcher lords of the Stormlands and the Reach, who were off fighting against Stannis Baratheon and Euron Greyjoy. The raids were a great success, taking Houses Baratheon and Tyrell completely by surprise, and allowing House Martell time to gather their forces.
Near the end of the month, the Martell and Targaryen armies began their march north up the Prince's Pass before splitting up. With the Tyrell armies in the Crownlands and their vassals occupied fighting against House Greyjoy, the Martell forces were able to easily pass through the Reach, laying siege to Highgarden and taking it after only a few weeks. The Targaryen forces marched on the Stormlands, capturing Blackhaven and several minor towns and castles on their way to Storm's End. Here, Daenerys's army met with the army of her supposed nephew, Aegon Targaryen, which was currently laying siege to the Baratheon stronghold. Hoping to avoid battle with a possible family member, the two Targaryens began negotiations, which eventually fell apart, leading to a three-way battle for Storm's End. During the battle, the Storm's End garrison and its commanders were nearly wiped out, and Aegon Targaryen was badly wounded, forcing the Golden Company to retreat to Griffon's Roost. Following the surrender of Storm's End, Daenerys pursued her nephew's forces to Griffon's Roost, forcing them to retreat once more to Rain House, and finally back to Essos.
With the Stormlands under control and Highgarden occupied by the Martells, Daenerys began to march on King's Landing, her army now including the forces of the subjugated storm lords. In early 302, the dragon queen's army arrived on the outskirts of the city, defended by the armies of House Lannister and House Tyrell, as well as of the lords of the Crownlands. The siege and battle that followed came to be known as the Great Blaze, officially the Second Battle of the Blackwater. The battle began early one morning, when Daenerys's army made an assault on the King's Gate, while her dragons set fire to the royal fleet in the Blackwater Rush. The city defenders were able to hold the gate until the end of the day, and responded to the burning of the royal fleet by using wildfire against the Targaryen fleet. On the second day of battle, the defenders of the city forced the attacking army to fall back from the gate using more wildfire; however, the winds changed soon after, causing the fire to blow back towards the city and forcing the defenders to abandon the King's Gate. With the King's Gate inaccessible, Daenerys's army launched simultaneous assaults on the Lion Gate and the Gate of the Gods. Reluctantly, the young queen used her dragons, breaking through at the Lion Gate and leading her army into the city. The fighting within the walls was brutal. The two armies fought viciously, and wildfire and dragonfire burned through the streets. By the end of the third day of battle, thousands had died in battle, and a raging red and green inferno had consumed King's Landing. Defeated, and in fear of burning to death, the Lannister and Tyrell forces threw down their arms, and joined their enemies in trying to extinguish the blaze. This was all in vain... attempts to put out the fire failed, and the city was left to burn to the ground.
With the enemy armies surrendered and the former capital a smoldering ruin, Houses Lannister and Tyrell were forced to submit to House Targaryen. By this point, southern Westeros was almost entirely under the dragon queen's rule, with the only exceptions being small pockets of resistance in the Reach, as well as lands captured by the ironborn in that area. With winter worsening, Daenerys decided to give her forces time to rest before marching north, instead sending letters to the lords of the Riverlands, the North, and the Vale demanding they swear fealty to her. Most of the Vale submitted, but many of the lords of the Riverlands and the North refused, remaining loyal to Stannis Baratheon or to the Bolton-Frey alliance. During this period, the capital city was moved to Plankytown (renamed Queen's Landing), and a new castle began construction there, the old one being destroyed. Towards the end of 302, the Martell and Tyrell forces were able to drive Euron Greyjoy out of the Reach, and back to the Iron Islands. In the last month of the year, bolstered by armies from the Vale, the Crownlands, the Stormlands, and the Reach, Daenerys launched a direct assault on Pyke, devastating the ironborn forces and killing Euron Greyjoy in the process.
Seeing that the rest of Westeros had fallen, the Freys and Boltons approached Daenerys with a deal: in exchange for their fealty, House Bolton would remain lords of the North, and House Frey would be named lords of the Riverlands. Houses Manderly, Blackwood, and several others made their own deals: they would swear fealty only if Daenerys could bring justice to the Freys and Boltons for the Red Wedding and the Sack of Winterfell. Under the pretense of accepting their oaths of fealty, Daenerys agreed to meet with Roose and Ramsey Bolton at the Twins, only to turn her dragons on the castle when they arrived. House Bolton was extinguished, and much of House Frey was destroyed along with their keep. Her last major opposition destroyed, Daenerys sat down to negotiate with Stannis Baratheon, who, having lost nearly all of his support and occupied with the situation north of the Wall, agreed to relinquish his claim to the throne, provided he was installed as Lord of the Stormlands. With the kingdom unified, Daenerys Targaryen was crowned queen at Sunspear in 303 AC, bringing an end to the Second Conquest.
The consequences of the war changed Westeros forever. Following the destruction of King's Landing, Cersei Lannister, Jaime Lannister, and Tommen Lannister were taken prisoner by Daenerys. With their capture, Myrcella Lannister's captivity in Dorne, and the rest of House Lannister captured, in hiding, or in league with Daenerys (Tyrion Lannister was one of her advisers during the invasion), the house which was formerly the most powerful in Westeros was crushed. Many of its members were executed, with the exception of Tyrion, who was given control of Casterly Rock (but not the Westerlands), and Tommen and Myrcella, who were legitimized as Lannisters and put into their uncle's custody. With the destruction of King's Landing and the creation of the new capital in the south, the old Crownlands were dissolved, with the old lords either swearing fealty to the lords of the Stormlands or joining the newly formed Lordship of the Claw. Dorne was greatly rewarded for their part in the war, being granted control of large swathes of the Dornish Marches, and the Reach gained a huge new market for exporting food. It was a new age in Westeros. An age of dragons.
The War for the Dawn (300 AC - 310 AC)
The War for the Dawn began in late 300 AC with the Battle of Castle Black, in which the forces of the Night's Watch and Stannis Baratheon fought off an attack by an army of wildlings under Mance Rayder. The wildlings who survived the battle split into two groups: one which allied themselves with the Watch and took residence in several of the abandoned castles along the Wall, and the other which fled with one of their leaders to the abandoned settlement at Hardhome. This would be a decision they'd come to regret. There, the wildlings were starving, forced to resort to cannibalism, and found themselves surrounded by wights in the forests and sea. An initial relief effort by sea, led by Cotter Pyke, failed horribly, prompting the severely injured Lord Commander Jon Snow of the Night's Watch to dispatch the supposedly dead Mance Rayder with another relief force, this time travelling over land. The night that the force arrived in Hardhome, an army of wights descended on the settlement, slaughtering thousands. Much later, the few dozen men who survived the slaughter, still led by Mance, returned to the Wall, many of them near death.
In 301, the Night's Watch started sending out smaller rangings in order to gather whatever supplies or survivors were still out there, each one coming back to the wall with fewer men than were sent out. By the end of the year, the driving snows had made it near impossible to go very far, and by mid 302, there were wights lurking just outside the Wall, attacking anyone who tried to pass through. At that point, it became clear that it was time to prepare for the worst. By early 303 AC, the armies of Westeros began their march north, stationing themselves both at the various cities and castles of the North as well as in the abandoned castles along the Wall. During this time, the peasants of the North began to evacuate in huge numbers, with most either heading to the Neck to reach the relative safety of the Riverlands or to White Harbor, where the forces of Lord Manderly, at the time the most powerful northern lord, could defend them. In case the North was overrun, three defensive perimeters were set up as well, at White Harbor, Barrowton, and Moat Cailin. It was deemed that should these measures fail, the North would be doomed, and the rest of Westeros would be nearly defenseless against the coming assault.
The first assault south of the Wall came in early 304. A huge force of wights and white walkers poured over the Bridge of Skulls, while a smaller force emerged from the sea on the eastern coastline. The Shadow Tower and Eastwatch-by-the-Sea soon fell, and one by one the castles along the Wall were overrun, with only Castle Black still standing. Even that didn't last for long; by the end of the year, it too had fallen, and the remainder of the Night's Watch fled south, the wight hordes following closely after them. In early 305, the defensive perimeters around White Harbor and Barrowton came under attack, but were very narrowly able to defend the two settlements, fighting with fire, obsidian, and Valyrian steel. Save for pockets of resistance, however, everything north of Ramsgate had been overrun. In the middle of that year, the definitive battle for the North began when a huge wight army, accompanied by a never before seen number of white walkers, launched an assault on Moat Cailin. The battle for the ruined fort lasted several days, with only the presence of Daenerys Targaryen and her dragons allowing the forces of Westeros to keep the fight going. Finally, after almost a week, the battle came to an end. The wight horde was decimated, and Westeros was safe, at least for the time. The cost was high, however. In that battle alone, thousands died, including two of Daenerys's dragons, Rhaegal and Viserion.
The next five years of winter were spent slowly pushing the undead back, with thousands coming to fight under the command of Jon Snow, Stannis Baratheon, and Daenerys Targaryen. With fire and sword, the North was freed, with every destroyed wight giving new hope. By 306, Oldcastle, Ramsgate, and Widow's Watch were relieved. By 307, humans once again occupied Torrhen's Square and Castle Cerwyn. By 308, the ruined capital at Winterfell had finally been reclaimed, and the undead had been purged from the Dreadfort. The Wall was retaken in 309, and the year after, spring finally came as the armies of the living marched throughout the lands beyond the Wall. If any white walkers managed to survive, they fled to the Lands of Always Winter, leaving the realms of men at peace once again. In order to ensure that the realm remained safe, a new lordship was formed by order of Queen Daenerys and King Trystane: the Wilds. This new territory stretched from the southern edge of the New Gift to the edge of the Lands of Always Winter, bringing the free folk into the realm. Control of the Wilds was split between the Night's Watch and the newly appointed Lord Paramount, in this case Gerrick Kingsblood, the supposed 'King of the Wildlings' declared by the would-be Queen Selyse Florent. To ensure the realm was prepared, Night's Watch garrisons were set up beyond the Wall, with each new settlement having one.
The aftermath of the War for the Dawn changed Westeros even more than the Second Conquest had. For one, the Wildings, for the most part at least, dramatically changed their way of life. With the creation of new settlements beyond the Wall, the people there began to live more like those to the south, including the use of noble titles. The hunter-gatherer lifestyle of the Wildlings largely stayed the same, although some began to use agriculture as well. While most Wildlings reluctantly accepted this new way of life, some continued with the way they had lived before, and often raided settlements in the Wilds and the North. South of the Wall, there was a noticeable increase in followers of R'hllor, with many claiming that the victory against the Others was his doing. However, there was an interesting divide within R'hllor's faith; while some believed that Daenerys Targaryen was the reincarnation of Azor Ahai, sent to save them, others believed that it was Stannis Baratheon. In the present, since both are dead, the support of the faith is split between the descendants of Daenerys and the descendants of Stannis.
The War for the Dawn began in late 300 AC with the Battle of Castle Black, in which the forces of the Night's Watch and Stannis Baratheon fought off an attack by an army of wildlings under Mance Rayder. The wildlings who survived the battle split into two groups: one which allied themselves with the Watch and took residence in several of the abandoned castles along the Wall, and the other which fled with one of their leaders to the abandoned settlement at Hardhome. This would be a decision they'd come to regret. There, the wildlings were starving, forced to resort to cannibalism, and found themselves surrounded by wights in the forests and sea. An initial relief effort by sea, led by Cotter Pyke, failed horribly, prompting the severely injured Lord Commander Jon Snow of the Night's Watch to dispatch the supposedly dead Mance Rayder with another relief force, this time travelling over land. The night that the force arrived in Hardhome, an army of wights descended on the settlement, slaughtering thousands. Much later, the few dozen men who survived the slaughter, still led by Mance, returned to the Wall, many of them near death.
In 301, the Night's Watch started sending out smaller rangings in order to gather whatever supplies or survivors were still out there, each one coming back to the wall with fewer men than were sent out. By the end of the year, the driving snows had made it near impossible to go very far, and by mid 302, there were wights lurking just outside the Wall, attacking anyone who tried to pass through. At that point, it became clear that it was time to prepare for the worst. By early 303 AC, the armies of Westeros began their march north, stationing themselves both at the various cities and castles of the North as well as in the abandoned castles along the Wall. During this time, the peasants of the North began to evacuate in huge numbers, with most either heading to the Neck to reach the relative safety of the Riverlands or to White Harbor, where the forces of Lord Manderly, at the time the most powerful northern lord, could defend them. In case the North was overrun, three defensive perimeters were set up as well, at White Harbor, Barrowton, and Moat Cailin. It was deemed that should these measures fail, the North would be doomed, and the rest of Westeros would be nearly defenseless against the coming assault.
The first assault south of the Wall came in early 304. A huge force of wights and white walkers poured over the Bridge of Skulls, while a smaller force emerged from the sea on the eastern coastline. The Shadow Tower and Eastwatch-by-the-Sea soon fell, and one by one the castles along the Wall were overrun, with only Castle Black still standing. Even that didn't last for long; by the end of the year, it too had fallen, and the remainder of the Night's Watch fled south, the wight hordes following closely after them. In early 305, the defensive perimeters around White Harbor and Barrowton came under attack, but were very narrowly able to defend the two settlements, fighting with fire, obsidian, and Valyrian steel. Save for pockets of resistance, however, everything north of Ramsgate had been overrun. In the middle of that year, the definitive battle for the North began when a huge wight army, accompanied by a never before seen number of white walkers, launched an assault on Moat Cailin. The battle for the ruined fort lasted several days, with only the presence of Daenerys Targaryen and her dragons allowing the forces of Westeros to keep the fight going. Finally, after almost a week, the battle came to an end. The wight horde was decimated, and Westeros was safe, at least for the time. The cost was high, however. In that battle alone, thousands died, including two of Daenerys's dragons, Rhaegal and Viserion.
The next five years of winter were spent slowly pushing the undead back, with thousands coming to fight under the command of Jon Snow, Stannis Baratheon, and Daenerys Targaryen. With fire and sword, the North was freed, with every destroyed wight giving new hope. By 306, Oldcastle, Ramsgate, and Widow's Watch were relieved. By 307, humans once again occupied Torrhen's Square and Castle Cerwyn. By 308, the ruined capital at Winterfell had finally been reclaimed, and the undead had been purged from the Dreadfort. The Wall was retaken in 309, and the year after, spring finally came as the armies of the living marched throughout the lands beyond the Wall. If any white walkers managed to survive, they fled to the Lands of Always Winter, leaving the realms of men at peace once again. In order to ensure that the realm remained safe, a new lordship was formed by order of Queen Daenerys and King Trystane: the Wilds. This new territory stretched from the southern edge of the New Gift to the edge of the Lands of Always Winter, bringing the free folk into the realm. Control of the Wilds was split between the Night's Watch and the newly appointed Lord Paramount, in this case Gerrick Kingsblood, the supposed 'King of the Wildlings' declared by the would-be Queen Selyse Florent. To ensure the realm was prepared, Night's Watch garrisons were set up beyond the Wall, with each new settlement having one.
The aftermath of the War for the Dawn changed Westeros even more than the Second Conquest had. For one, the Wildings, for the most part at least, dramatically changed their way of life. With the creation of new settlements beyond the Wall, the people there began to live more like those to the south, including the use of noble titles. The hunter-gatherer lifestyle of the Wildlings largely stayed the same, although some began to use agriculture as well. While most Wildlings reluctantly accepted this new way of life, some continued with the way they had lived before, and often raided settlements in the Wilds and the North. South of the Wall, there was a noticeable increase in followers of R'hllor, with many claiming that the victory against the Others was his doing. However, there was an interesting divide within R'hllor's faith; while some believed that Daenerys Targaryen was the reincarnation of Azor Ahai, sent to save them, others believed that it was Stannis Baratheon. In the present, since both are dead, the support of the faith is split between the descendants of Daenerys and the descendants of Stannis.
The Essosi Wars (307 AC - 312 AC)
With the defeat of Aegon Targaryen in Westeros, the remains of the Golden Company fled back to Essos to regroup. For a few years they returned to their old business, forging contracts with the various Free Cities to fight in their wars for them. By 306 AC, they had returned to their former strength, and regained much of their wealth. However, they had a longing to return to the kingdom that had been promised to them. The Company's leadership, however, knew that this would be impossible. Instead, they convinced their young prince to forge a new kingdom for himself. While Westeros was too powerful to take, there was a much weaker, and potentially much richer, target to go after in the east: Slaver's Bay. During her wars, Daenerys had forced her enemies in the east into submission, setting up friendly governments in Yunkai and New Ghis, securing alliances with the Lhazareen, and rebuilding Astapor. When she headed west, however, she had left them without much defense; after all, her enemies had signed treaties not to fight with her, and they were trustworthy enough to be believed.
The Golden Company seeing this weakness, quickly fell upon Slaver's Bay, taking the cities there off guard. Within two years, all of them had fallen except for Meereen and New Ghis. Yunkai, Astapor, and Lhazar were declared to be the new 'Gold Republics,' with societies much like the ones that had been there before Daenerys arrived, except with Aegon as king. Of course, his control was far from solidified. Dothraki hordes and sellsword companies roamed the countryside attacking supply trains. The Mother's Men, Stalwart Shields, and Brazen Beasts established by Daenerys conducted sabotage in the conquered cities. Slave rebellions occupied the Golden Company's attention. Spies reported enemy movements to the armies in Meeren and New Ghis. However, the Golden Company, augmented by Ghiscari nobility, was too strong to be defeated easily, and New Ghis fell in 309.
In 310 AC, fresh from her victory against the undead in Westeros, Daenerys Targaryen arrived in Meereen at the head of an army, riding her remaining dragon. In the field, the dragon queen won victory after victory, forcing the Golden Company to hide behind their city walls. However, despite the tremendous victories in the field, the cities of Slaver's Bay remained under Aegon's control. In order to fight them there, Daenerys would have to turn her dragon on the city, bringing harm to those she saw as her children. In 312 AC, the dragon queen sadly agreed to peace with her nephew, deciding that the people of Slaver's Bay were better slaves than dead. However, she refused to simply abandon them. Even after she left, Daenerys continued having contact with a large network of spies within Slaver's Bay, as well as the Mother's Men, who nearly tripled in size in the first two years of peace. Much of her former khalasar remained loyal to her as well, although many returned with her to Westeros, and continued to harass the armies of the Gold Republics. One day, Daenerys promised, she would return to see her children free.
With the defeat of Aegon Targaryen in Westeros, the remains of the Golden Company fled back to Essos to regroup. For a few years they returned to their old business, forging contracts with the various Free Cities to fight in their wars for them. By 306 AC, they had returned to their former strength, and regained much of their wealth. However, they had a longing to return to the kingdom that had been promised to them. The Company's leadership, however, knew that this would be impossible. Instead, they convinced their young prince to forge a new kingdom for himself. While Westeros was too powerful to take, there was a much weaker, and potentially much richer, target to go after in the east: Slaver's Bay. During her wars, Daenerys had forced her enemies in the east into submission, setting up friendly governments in Yunkai and New Ghis, securing alliances with the Lhazareen, and rebuilding Astapor. When she headed west, however, she had left them without much defense; after all, her enemies had signed treaties not to fight with her, and they were trustworthy enough to be believed.
The Golden Company seeing this weakness, quickly fell upon Slaver's Bay, taking the cities there off guard. Within two years, all of them had fallen except for Meereen and New Ghis. Yunkai, Astapor, and Lhazar were declared to be the new 'Gold Republics,' with societies much like the ones that had been there before Daenerys arrived, except with Aegon as king. Of course, his control was far from solidified. Dothraki hordes and sellsword companies roamed the countryside attacking supply trains. The Mother's Men, Stalwart Shields, and Brazen Beasts established by Daenerys conducted sabotage in the conquered cities. Slave rebellions occupied the Golden Company's attention. Spies reported enemy movements to the armies in Meeren and New Ghis. However, the Golden Company, augmented by Ghiscari nobility, was too strong to be defeated easily, and New Ghis fell in 309.
In 310 AC, fresh from her victory against the undead in Westeros, Daenerys Targaryen arrived in Meereen at the head of an army, riding her remaining dragon. In the field, the dragon queen won victory after victory, forcing the Golden Company to hide behind their city walls. However, despite the tremendous victories in the field, the cities of Slaver's Bay remained under Aegon's control. In order to fight them there, Daenerys would have to turn her dragon on the city, bringing harm to those she saw as her children. In 312 AC, the dragon queen sadly agreed to peace with her nephew, deciding that the people of Slaver's Bay were better slaves than dead. However, she refused to simply abandon them. Even after she left, Daenerys continued having contact with a large network of spies within Slaver's Bay, as well as the Mother's Men, who nearly tripled in size in the first two years of peace. Much of her former khalasar remained loyal to her as well, although many returned with her to Westeros, and continued to harass the armies of the Gold Republics. One day, Daenerys promised, she would return to see her children free.
The Dragon's Three Heads
During her reign, Daenerys Targaryen had three children, one trueborn and two bastards. The first of these children was born to one of the dragon queen's sellsword captains, Daario Naharis. Born in 311 AC during the Essosi Wars, the eldest son of Daenerys, Daario Targaryen, was given to his father to be raised in secret, supposedly the son of Naharis and a Lyseni whore. His true identity was not revealed until the child was five years old, looking too much like his mother to be a mere coincidence. After his mother's death, Daario, along with his father, returned to fighting with the Stormcrows in Essos. Following Daario Naharis's death in battle in 328, the younger Daario took control of the Stormcrows, and as of 330 AC is in Lys, awaiting another contract.
The second son of Daenerys Targaryen, Viserys Targaryen, was, like his brother, both a bastard and born during the Essosi Wars, this time to one of the dragon queen's bloodriders, Rakharo. Born in 312 AC, shortly before the dragon queen departed Slaver's Bay, Viserys returned to Westeros with his father and his mother's khalasar. Viserys, however, grew to despise Westeros as he grew older. While his other brother was also a bastard, and also the son of a foreigner, at least the Westerosi were familiar with Tyrosh. Viserys, however, was Dothraki, and the people of Westeros viewed Dothraki as little but savages. After his mother's death, and his father's ritual suicide shortly after, Viserys traveled east to the Dothraki Sea, where he took leadership of his mother's khalasar. As of 330 AC, his khalasar has grown to twenty thousand strong, and frequently launches raids against the Gold Republics.
The third, and most well known, son of Daenerys Targaryen was, unlike his brothers, trueborn. Born in 315 AC, Trystane Martell, the first of his name, was born between Queen Daenerys and her husband, also named Trystane Martell. Trystane, unlike his bastard brothers, was raised to one day rule the Seven Kingdoms. A fiery Dornish boy, Trystane is much like his great uncle, Oberyn Martell, so much so that many in the kingdom are concerned. It doesn't help that Trystane has been significantly influenced by Oberyn's children, nicknamed the Sand Snakes. Trystane has always been friendly with his two older brothers, although they have both always been a bit jealous of him. With the death of his parents, Trystane was crowned king, with Arianne Martell as regent. As of 330 AC, Trystane is seeking a bride, and preparing to rule his kingdom.
During her reign, Daenerys Targaryen had three children, one trueborn and two bastards. The first of these children was born to one of the dragon queen's sellsword captains, Daario Naharis. Born in 311 AC during the Essosi Wars, the eldest son of Daenerys, Daario Targaryen, was given to his father to be raised in secret, supposedly the son of Naharis and a Lyseni whore. His true identity was not revealed until the child was five years old, looking too much like his mother to be a mere coincidence. After his mother's death, Daario, along with his father, returned to fighting with the Stormcrows in Essos. Following Daario Naharis's death in battle in 328, the younger Daario took control of the Stormcrows, and as of 330 AC is in Lys, awaiting another contract.
The second son of Daenerys Targaryen, Viserys Targaryen, was, like his brother, both a bastard and born during the Essosi Wars, this time to one of the dragon queen's bloodriders, Rakharo. Born in 312 AC, shortly before the dragon queen departed Slaver's Bay, Viserys returned to Westeros with his father and his mother's khalasar. Viserys, however, grew to despise Westeros as he grew older. While his other brother was also a bastard, and also the son of a foreigner, at least the Westerosi were familiar with Tyrosh. Viserys, however, was Dothraki, and the people of Westeros viewed Dothraki as little but savages. After his mother's death, and his father's ritual suicide shortly after, Viserys traveled east to the Dothraki Sea, where he took leadership of his mother's khalasar. As of 330 AC, his khalasar has grown to twenty thousand strong, and frequently launches raids against the Gold Republics.
The third, and most well known, son of Daenerys Targaryen was, unlike his brothers, trueborn. Born in 315 AC, Trystane Martell, the first of his name, was born between Queen Daenerys and her husband, also named Trystane Martell. Trystane, unlike his bastard brothers, was raised to one day rule the Seven Kingdoms. A fiery Dornish boy, Trystane is much like his great uncle, Oberyn Martell, so much so that many in the kingdom are concerned. It doesn't help that Trystane has been significantly influenced by Oberyn's children, nicknamed the Sand Snakes. Trystane has always been friendly with his two older brothers, although they have both always been a bit jealous of him. With the death of his parents, Trystane was crowned king, with Arianne Martell as regent. As of 330 AC, Trystane is seeking a bride, and preparing to rule his kingdom.
The Death of a Queen
In 323 AC, the realm was robbed of their queen. In the middle of the night, an assassin snuck into the Black Keep in Queen's Landing, somehow managing to evade the guards. The king and queen had their throats slit by the assassin; according to rumor, the queen's blood caught fire, although this is most likely a story made up by the red priests. Supposedly, the assassin also planned to kill Prince Trystane, but was slain by Obara Sand, who happened to be walking by the prince's chambers when the assassin was there. Ever since, countless accusations have been made as to who was responsible, the most common being House Tyrell and House Lannister, although no proof of either's involvement has ever been found, and countless other theories exist that are equally as likely. What is certain is that the likes of Daenerys would not be seen again, and that the stability of the realm suffered a great blow with her death.
In 323 AC, the realm was robbed of their queen. In the middle of the night, an assassin snuck into the Black Keep in Queen's Landing, somehow managing to evade the guards. The king and queen had their throats slit by the assassin; according to rumor, the queen's blood caught fire, although this is most likely a story made up by the red priests. Supposedly, the assassin also planned to kill Prince Trystane, but was slain by Obara Sand, who happened to be walking by the prince's chambers when the assassin was there. Ever since, countless accusations have been made as to who was responsible, the most common being House Tyrell and House Lannister, although no proof of either's involvement has ever been found, and countless other theories exist that are equally as likely. What is certain is that the likes of Daenerys would not be seen again, and that the stability of the realm suffered a great blow with her death.