NOTE: The below post is very large, and it also in large part
optional reading. Please be sure to read the information for any region you choose to play, but reading everything for the other regions is not 100% necessary. It's a lot of words and it's mostly old historical info and some more tidbits about things already on the timeline, so not reading it all won't be the end of the world. Also, do note that you can absolutely play someone from a house not listed in this post: they were chosen to highlight some of the major houses of each region, not to act as a list that you must choose from.
The Crownlands is the region surrounding King's Landing. In times past, when Targaryens held the Iron Throne, the King was treated much like the lord of Great Houses of other regions, thus being both king of Westeros as a whole and arbiter of disputes between lesser lords of the region. In current times, the Lord of House Targaryen claims the title Lord Paramount of the Crownlands, taking on those duties of a Great House rather than leaving them for the crown to handle. The Crownlands have been mostly peaceful in recent years, although whispers of insurrection grow stronger and stronger by the day. It is uncertain if the head of House Targaryen is part of this potential plot or if it is something stirred by others without their consent, and it is wholly unknown which other houses may be part of the scheming.
House Targaryen - House Targaryen claims the title of Lord Paramount of the Crownlands and possess two ancestral weapons: Blackfyre, a Valyrian steel hand-and-a-half sword, and Dark Sister, a Valyrian steel longsword. They were once the rulers of Westeros, but a century ago their claim to the throne was stolen out from under them by the Martells. Many Targaryens find this an unbearable offence to their noble line, and some in the past have tried to fight to reclaim the throne, but others have made peace with their current standing in the world. Their banner is a red three-headed dragon on black, they reside on the island of Dragonstone in Blackwater Bay, and their house words are 'Fire and Blood.'
House Velaryon - House Velaryon is a respected house from the blood of Old Valyria, just like the Targaryens. Their lord takes the titles of Lord of the Tides and Master of Driftmark. They have long been allies of House Targaryen, but they have not always risen to join rebellions in their name. During the Third Targaryen Rebellion they lacked a strong leader due to the recent death of their lord in the Bloodpit, and they chose to remain holed up on their island rather than joining that war. Their banner is a silver seahorse on sea green, they reside on the island of Driftmark in Blackwater Bay, and their house words are 'the Old, the True, the Brave.'
Other Houses of The Crownlands - Other important houses in the region include House Rosby of Rosby, House Darklyn of Duskendale, and House Stokeworth of Stokeworth.
The North is the largest region of Westeros, making up everything from the Neck up to the Wall. Their relative isolation leads the region to be somewhat more autonomous than others that are nearer to the ruler's seat of King's Landing, but House Stark and others who take their oaths seriously tend to keep faith with the Iron Throne nonetheless. Their distance and separation from other regions has kept Northern houses mostly free of political machinations in the past, but House Stark's triumphant presence in the Third Targaryen Rebellion and the subsequent presence of a Stark as Hand of the Queen ever since have forced them to learn to deal with such political games. Some Northern lords are concerned with the situation in the Iron Islands, and others have heard whispers of rebellion from friends in the Vale and Crownlands, but only time will tell what they choose to do about it.
House Stark - House Stark claims the titles of both Lords Paramount of the North and Warden of the North, and over the last 35 years only Starks have served as Hand of the Queen. While they are descended from the First Men and their ancestors were once known as the Kings of Winter, they have bent the knee to the Iron Throne ever since the days of Aegon the Conquerer. There is always some talk here and there of going back to the old days of independence now that there are no longer dragons to worry about, but House Stark has stood by their oaths without wavering, most recently so in the Third Targaryen Rebellion. Their banner is a grey direwolf on ice-white, they reside in the castle of Winterfell, and their house words are 'Winter is Coming,' and their ancestral weapon is the Valyrian steel greatsword named Ice.
House Bolton - House Bolton has been a rival of the Starks ever since the Age of Heroes, when the Bolton Red Kings clashed with the Kings of Winter. The Boltons have a long history of cruelty and violence, though it is impossible to say from one generation to the next whether this reputation holds true or the Lord Bolton simply plays upon it to command fear and respect from his subordinates. Most recently they declared for the Targaryens in the Third Targaryen Rebellion, and while they and their allies kept the Stark loyalists busy for many years they were eventually defeated in battle and later forced to reswear fealty to Queen Roslyn Martell. Their banner is a red flayed man on pink strewn with red drops, they reside in the Dreadfort, and their house words are 'Our Blades are Sharp.'
House Manderly - House Manderly is one of the most powerful houses of the North, and certainly the most wealthy thanks to their control of the only true city and the only good port in the region. Many years ago they resided in the Reach, but they were exiled long before Aegon's Conquest and moved North. Unlike most other Northern houses, they follow the Faith of the Seven rather than the old gods. They have long been loyal bannermen to the Starks. Their banner is a merman on blue-green and they reside in White Harbor.
Other Houses of The North - Other important houses in the region include House Karstark of Karhold, House Umber of Last Hearth, House Mormont of Bear Island, and House Glover of Deepwood Motte.
The Riverlands is the central region of Westeros, known for the great rivers of the Triden and the Blackwater Rush that give it is name and for the rich and fertile land around those rivers. The Riverlands is also known for being a primary source of conflict in the history of Westeros due to its central location and lack of mountains or other firm natural barriers to keep others out. They have been luckily free of major open conflict since the conclusion of the Third Targaryen Rebellion 35 years ago, but few expect it to last long with the volatility of the world in modern days. They have the Crownlands and plausible rebellion on one side and the Iron Islands and definite fighting to come on the other, and it will take a lot of effort and more than a little luck for the lords of the Riverlands to make it through such troubles unscathed.
House Tully - House Tully claims the title of Lord Paramount of the Riverlands. They never ruled as kings in ancient days, unlike most other Great Houses or Westeros, but they have a long history of being a powerful presence in the region from their seat of power in Riverrun. They rose to prominence during Aegon's Conquest when they sided with Aegon the Conquerer and earned their hereditary title of leadership of the Riverlands. While they sided with the Targaryens in the First Targaryen Rebellion many years ago, they later served the Iron throne more faithfully and helped to fight off their second and third attempts to retake the throne. Just recently they received a messenger from House Harlaw of the Iron Islands pleading with the Tullys to come to the aid of the Ironborn and help them break free of Lannister rule. Their banner is a silver trout on a field of blue and mud red, they reside in Riverrun, and their house words are 'Family, Duty, Honor.'
House Frey - House Frey is a young house by most standards, dating back only about six hundred years, but they are a powerful and wealthy house all the same. Their ancestors built a bridge across one fork of the Trident and made great sums of money through collecting fees for allowing people to cross. At times they have clashed with the other major houses of the Riverlands, especially due to those other houses insulting them as upjumped peasants, but it has been a long time since it came to open conflict. Their banner is two blue towers united by a bridge on a silver-grey field and they reside in the Twins.
House Lothston - House Lothston is another young but powerful house of the Riverlands. They reside in the imposing castle of Harrenhal, though they are the sixth house to hold it. House Strong, the previous owners, was brought to extinction by fighting on the wrong side of the Dance of the Dragons, and a knight named Lothston was granted the lands for showing great valor in battle and saving King Aegon III Targaryen's life on one occasion. Since then they have grown quite powerful due to the wealth that comes with the vast lands attached to Harrenhal. Recently they have acquired a reputation for betrayal and villainy after the Harrenhal Massacre during the Third Targaryen Rebellion. Their banner is a black bat on a silver and gold field and they reside in Harrenhal.
Other Houses of The Riverlands - Other important houses in the region include House Blackwood of Raventree Hall, House Smallwood of Acorn Hall, House Mooton of Maidenpool, and house Mallister of Seagard.
The Westerlands make up a large portion of the western coast of the continent, resting southwest of the Riverlands and north of the Reach. Where other regions are larger or more fertile or more populous, none can match the sheer wealth of the Westerlands. Many of the noble houses in this region were founded on mines of gold and silver. The Westerlands are not simple merchants though, and their military skill is highly regarded. Fourteen years ago, with the help of the Riverlands and the Reach, the soldiers of the Westerlands conquered the Iron Islands and forced them to kneel to the Lannisters as their Lords Paramount, and their new position as a realm of the Westerlands was affirmed by Queen Roslyn Martell. This has not been a pleasant arrangement for the Ironborn, but garrisons of soldiers around the islands have kept them in check.
House Lannister - House Lannister claims the titles of Lord Paramount of the Westerlands, Warden of the West, and most recently Lord Paramount of the Iron Islands. Their ancestry descends from the Kings of the Rock, but after facing Aegon the Conquerer at the Field of Fire and facing horrendous defeat they bent the knee and became part of the new order of power in Westeros. Since then they have not been particularly loyal to the Iron Throne, and most recently they fought against the Martells until their lord was slain at the Harrenhal Massacre, but since then they have resumed their position as presumably loyal subjects of the crown. Their conquest of the Iron Islands was given royal approval, so most assume they are on good terms with Queen Roslyn these days. Their banner is a golden lion on crimson, they reside in Casterly Rock, and their house words are 'Hear Me Roar!'
House Reyne - House Reyne is a longtime rival and ally to House Lannister. Their home of Castamere is rich with silver and gold, making them second in wealth only to the Lannisters. Over the generations they have been both ally and enemy to the Lannisters, and most recently in the Third Targaryen Rebellion they kept the faith with the Martells and fought against the Targaryen-backing Lannisters. The recent conquest of the Iron Islands has given them a new foe to focus on, though only the Reynes themselves can say whether or not they hold a grudge against their liege lords for the war that ended 35 years ago. Their banner is a red lion on silver and they reside in Castamere.
House Greyjoy - House Greyjoy is a relatively new addition to the Westerlands, though it has a fairly long history of its own. They are still considered one of the Great Houses of Westeros despite being forced to swear fealty to House Lannister. The Greyjoys were at times Kings of the Iron Islands in years long past, though other houses produced more kings than they did through the Kingsmoot. At the time of Aegon's Conquest, the Ironborn were ruled by House Hoare and ruled much of what is now the Riverlands, but after Harrenhal fell and the Ironborn were chased to their islands and defeated there as well, they chose a Greyjoy to be their new leader. That choice stuck and the Greyjoys were named Lords Paramount of the Iron Islands, but that title has been stripped from them recently via conquest. They are currently the unwilling vassals of House Lannister, though few expect them to quietly accept this arrangement in the long term. Their banner is a golden kraken on sable, they reside in Pyke, and their house words are 'We Do Not Sow.'
Other Houses of the Westerlands - Other important houses in the region include House Crakehall of Crakehall, House Clegane of Clegane's Keep, and House Tarbeck of Tarbeck Hall. Important houses on the Iron Islands include House Harlaw, House Goodbrother of the Hammerhorn, and House Botley of Lordsport.
The Vale is an eastern region of Westeros, sitting east of the Riverlands and north of the Crownlands. Its borders are protected by mountains and the sea, making it nearly as isolated from the other regions of Westeros as the North, and it shares that region's harsh winters to some degree. The Vale was fraught with war in the Third Targaryen Rebellion, with the Arryns joining the rebels and House Royce leading the loyalist faction of the region. The area has remained somewhat volatile since then, with a few open fights between houses that had joined the opposing side of that war. Recently there have been rumors of a new Targaryen rebellion forming, and with so many former Targaryen-aligned houses in such an isolated area of Westeros it ought to come as no surprise that these would-be rebels have made moves in the Vale.
House Arryn - House Arryn claims the titles of Lord Paramount of The Vale and Warden of the East. They are descendants of the Andals who invaded Westeros thousands of years ago, claiming to trace their lineage all the way back to the first King of the Andals. The Arryns took control in the Vale by defeating the First Men in the area, led by House Royce, and forcing them to either bend the knee or be exiled into the mountains. House Arryn in modern days has a rather poor relationship with the Iron Throne due to their support for the rebels in the Third Targaryen Rebellion, and some say only the sheer annoyance of trying to invade the Vale kept Queen Roslyn Martell from marching on them rather than engaging herself with a trade war with the Free Cities. With this pall of treason hanging over their heads, many are certain the Arryns have been approached by the rumored rebels-in-the-making, but of course no one is foolish enough to admit such a contact in public. Their banner is a sky-blue falcon soaring against a white moon on sky-blue, they reside in the Eyrie in the summer and the Gates of the Moon in the winter, and their house words are 'As High as Honor.'
House Royce - House Royce is an ancient and powerful house that is now sworn to House Arryn. Their ancestors were kings, known as the Bronze Kings, and they proved formidable foes for the Andal invasion. They eventually were defeated and bent the knee to then-King Arryn. For many years they were constant and stalwart allies of the Arryns, but in the Third Targaryen Rebellion they found themselves on opposite sides of the war. That rift remains, and there are some in the Vale who say that Royce would make a better house to hold the titles of Lord Paramount and Warden of the West. Their banner is black iron studs on bronze bordered with runes, they reside in Runestone, and their house words are 'We Remember.'
Other Houses of the Vale - Other important houses in the region include House Corbray of Heart's Home, House Waynwood of Ironoaks, and House Templeton of Ninestars.
The Reach is the southwestern region of Westeros. It is the second largest region, beaten only by the North, but it is the most heavily-populated and fertile region by a fair margin. While the Reach is primarily known for its abundant food, it is also regarded as the heart of chivalry in Westeros. Knighthood is regarded with great reverence in the Reach, and their tournaments are known for having the most strictly enforced rules. Aside from a few notable exceptions, the Reach largely sided with the rebels in the Third Targaryen Rebellion, though they focused on fighting the Dornish and largely managed to avoid the intra-region violence that plagued the rest of Westeros. Their eyes have turned toward Dorne once more with the order given by the Queen to the Tyrells to quell the civil war that has been raging in Dorne for three years.
House Tyrell - House Tyrell claims the title of Lord Paramount of the Reach; they used to also hold the title of Warden of the South, but it was stripped from them after the conclusion of the Third Targaryen Rebellion and granted to House Baratheon. House Tyrell is vastly wealthy, outshined only by the likes of the Lannisters and Reynes, and can accurately boast that it can call on the largest army and navy of Westeros by calling all its bannermen to war. The Tyrells never ruled as kings, but rather were the stewards to the old Kings of the Reach of House Gardener. When the last Gardener King died facing Aegon the Conqueror at the Field of Fire, the Tyrell steward surrendered the castle and was in turn granted lordship over it and the Reach as a whole. They have a long history of warring with the Dornish, both before and after Dorne bent the knee to the Iron Throne, and the future looks to hold even more Dornish blood for House Tyrell. Their banner is a golden rose on green, they reside in Highgarden, and their house words are 'Growing Strong.'
House Hightower - House Hightower has been one of the most powerful houses of the Reach for countless generations, and despite being sworn to Tyrell they are considered a Great House in their own right. The Hightowers were once kings before marrying into the Gardener line and setting aside their crowns. House Hightower has a long history of focusing on trade and avoiding wars and they were integral to the founding of the Citadel and thus the scholarly order of the maesters. In the Third Targaryen Rebellion, however, they marched with the Tyrells to support the rebels and keep the Dornish from lending much useful support to their Queen. After the war was lost, though before the Tyrells were finished fighting with Dorne, the Hightowers returned home to focus once more on less bloody pursuits, though it is always possible they might rise to war again in the near future. Their banner is a white tower crowned with flames on smoke grey, they reside in the Hightower in the city of Oldtown, their house words are 'We Light The Way,' and their ancestral weapon is a Valyrian steel longsword named Vigilance.
House Tarly - House Tarly is another of the strongest houses sworn to House Tyrell, and their ancestral weapon is the Valyrian steel greatsword Heartsbane. They have a reputation of being both fine warriors and excellent strategists, making for invaluable commanders in many battles throughout the ages. House Tarly often goes its own way in wars, choosing the side they feel has the right side of the conflict regardless of which side their liege lords fight for. In the Third Targaryen Rebellion, this lead them to fight for Queen Roslyn Martell while the Tyrells and most of their bannermen marched south to fight her Dornish allies. House Tarly marched its men north rather than fighting their own kin, and they acquitted themselves well in battle and earned the lasting favor of the Queen. Their banner is a red huntsman with a bow on green, they reside in Horn Hill, and their house words are 'First in Battle.'
Other Houses of The Reach - Other important houses in the region include House Redwyne of the Arbor, House Florent of Brightwater Keep, and house Ashford of Ashford.
The Stormlands is a southeastern region of Westeros, sitting south of the Crownlands and north of Dorne. Its name comes from the savage and frequent storms that batter its coast. The Stormlands has a very martial culture compared to other regions of Westeros, thanks to its long history of frequent wars with the Reach and Dorne. There are no proper cities in the area, but there are many large fortresses that are supported by several small towns each. The Stormlands as a whole has been given rather favorable treatment by the Queen thanks to their support for her in the Third Targaryen Rebellion. Recently House Baratheon has been given the order to end the ongoing civil war in Dorne, and it is likely they will return to their old pastime of killing Dornishmen with gusto.
House Baratheon - House Baratheon claims the titles of Lord Paramount of the Stormlands and warden of the South (though they've only had it for a few decades now). They are the newest of the Great Houses, descended from one of Aegon the Conqueror's generals and supposed bastard brother, Orys. Orys killed the last of the Storm Kings, married his daughter, and took the sigil and words of his new wife's bloodline to found House Baratheon. In more recent times, House Baratheon stood in support for Queen Roslyn Martell against the Targaryens in their third rebellion, thus for the first time ever going against their old ties to House Targaryen. Along with an invitation to attend her nameday feast, Queen Roslyn ordered House Baratheon to see to putting an end to the civil war in Dorne. Their banner is a black stag on gold, they reside in Storm's End, and their house words are 'Ours is the Fury.'
House Tarth - House Tarth is one of the principle bannermen to House Baratheon. Their ancestors were once kings, with the head of their family taking the title "the Evenstar," and came under the rule of the Storm Kings by way of marriage. The island of Tarth is regarded as one of the most beautiful places in Westeros. The Tarths are known for their loyalty and sense of duty, and as such it came as a surprise to nobody at all when they joined the Baratheons in the Third Targaryen Rebellion. Their banner is quartered with yellow suns on rose pink and white crescents on blue and they reside in Evenfall Hall.
Other Houses of The Stormlands - Other important houses in the region include House Connington of Griffin's Roose, House Selmy of Harvest Hall, and House Swann of Stonehelm.
Dorne is southernmost region of Westeros, sitting south of both the Reach and the Stormlands. Dorne is the least populous of the Westerosi regions, and their culture is markedly different from those other regions; where the rest of Westeros is influenced by their ancestral First Men or Andals, the Rhoynish people immigrated en masse to Dorne and remained largely isolated there, thus making their long term cultural impact quite localized. The Dornish people are viewed as hotblooded and sexually immoral by other regions of Westeros. Dorne is the most recent addition to the lands ruled by the Iron Throne. Where all other regions were ruled by Aegon the Conqueror, Dorne held out until the Martells married into the Targaryens 145 years after Aegon's Conquest. This history of independence included many wars with the Reach and Stormlands, and a terrible war on two fronts with both of them was the cause for their desperate choice to join the rest of Westeros under the rule of the Iron Throne. Over the years, however, the Martell line declined and was eventually snuffed out by murder. Dorne is now in the middle of a civil war between houses looking to take control of the region for themselves.
House Yronwood - House Yronwood is the most powerful house in Dorne now that the Martells are out of the way. They were kings of half of Dorne before the Rhoynar arrived and eventually aided the Martells in taking power aware from them and forcing the Yronwoods to kneel before the Martells. They have a very long history of warring with the Stormlands in large part due to being on the Dornish end of the Boneway, the passage through the Red Mountains that connects Dorne and the Stormlands. Three years ago, the Yronwoods decided they did not wish to wait for the Martells to die off in their own time. They stormed Sunspear in the night and killed everyone with a drop of Martell blood inside, thus sparking the civil war. What was hoped to be a quick and dirty coup turned into a battle for control of Dorne, and Yronwood is one of those contending for that power. Their banner is a black portcullis grill on sand, they reside in Yronwood, and their house words are 'We Guard the Way.'
House Dayne - House Dayne are one of the oldest houses in Westeros, claiming ancestry dating back ten thousand years. Their ancestors were kings of the Torrentine River, and it is unclear when they gave up their crowns and knelt before the Martells. House Dayne has been part of countless wars against the Reach over the years, and in the Third Targaryen Rebellion they fought against the Tyrells in a failed effort to go north to aid Queen Roslyn Martell in King's Landing. After House Yronwood murdered the remaining Martells in Dorne, House Dayne rose up against them to fight with the loyalists, but after it became clear that new leadership was needed for Dorne they broke off into their own faction to fight to take control of the region; they maintain an unsteady alliance with the Martell loyalists and focus on fighting the other two factions. Their ancestral weapon is Dawn, a greatsword said to be forged from the heart of a fallen star, and the wielder of this weapon traditionally takes the title Sword of the Morning. Unlike other ancestral weapons, House Dayne does not pass the sword from lord to lord; Dawn is granted only to knights of House Dayne who are deemed worthy to wield it. Their banner is a white sword and falling star crossed on lilac, they reside in Starfall.
House Manwoody - House Manwoody is an old and influential house that once ruled over the Red Mountains as kings, before the Rhoynish migration allowed the Martells to conquer the assorted kings of Dorne and take the whole region for their own. The house was founded by a man who slew a King of the Reach many years ago, thus the name of their ancestral home and their chosen sigil. The Manwoody seat of Kingsgrave guards access to Dorne via the Prince's Pass, thus they have had many years of conflict with both the Reach and the Stormlands over the years. Recently, House Manwoody supported House Yronwood in the civil war that broke out after the Martells of Sunspear were murdered. After disagreements between their houses, the Manwoodys broke off into their own faction and declared themselves the best choice for Lords Paramount of Dorne. Their banner is a crowned skull on black and they reside in Kingsgrave.
Other Houses of Dorne - Other important houses in the region include House Fowler of Skyreach, House Allyrion of Godsgrace, and House Santagar of Spottswood.
Essos is the continent to the east of Westeros, separated by the Narrow Sea. It is home to a vastly diverse array of civilizations including the Free Cities, the wandering Dothraki, the cities of Slaver's Bay, the ancient city of Qarth, and much more. It is rare for a native of Essos to travel to Westeros and attain great political influence, but it is indeed possible for those with the determination and ambition to make it so. However, rising above the individual level there are groups and institutions which have had strong impacts on Westeros over the years that all but the most ignorant lords are aware of.
The Iron Bank of Braavos - Although all the Free Cities are of some importance to Westerosi lords concerned with trade, the Iron Bank located in Braavos is of great importance to all lords who need gold, and as it so happens most lords need more gold from time to time. The Iron Bank is one of the wealthiest banks in the world and is willing to make loans to outsiders, including the King or Queen of Westeros and sometimes to lesser lords and ladies of Westeros. They are known for being quite ruthless in making sure they either get what gold they are owed or making an example of those who fail to pay their debts.
The Faceless Men - Another ruthless institution of Braavos is the assassin society known as the Faceless Men. It is said that for the right price, the Faceless Men will kill any person in the known world. Many deaths of lords and ladies of Westeros have been blamed on these assassins for hire, although it is always uncertain whether such killings were their work or the work of some other killer who managed to escape being discovered. Those who wish to purchase the services of the Faceless Men know to seek out the House of Black and White in Braavos, and they are wise to remember the haunting words of their order:
valar morghulis, "all men must die."
Mercenary Companies - Unlike Westerosi lords, with their knights and bannermen and the like, the powerful people of Essos have a strong history of making use of mercenary companies to fight their battles or supplement their standing armies. A few are more widely known, with their reputations reaching Westerosi ears as well, than others. The Golden Company, founded by Aegor Targeryen in 196 AC after he grew to despise King Nymor Targaryen and travelled to Essos to find something to do with his life, is the largest, most famous, and of course most expensive group of sellswords in Essos. The Second Sons have a longer history than the Golden Company, but they are not so large or so well equipped, and they come at a slightly lower price. For those with no care for honor among mercenaries, the Brave Companions are a cheap and brutal alternative to the Golden Company and the Second Sons; they are made of the dregs of society, criminals and outcasts, and they are renowned for being despicable through and through, but they do come rather cheaply.
The Slave Trade - Although slavery is outlawed in Westeros and many cities of Essos, the slave trade is alive and well, centered on the ancient cities of Slaver's Bay. Anyone in Westeros being found to own a slave or sell someone into slavery earns a death sentence if they are found out, but this has not stopped some unscrupulous lords from attempting to make some money in this devious way. Slaver ships from the Free City of Tyrosh are known to travel the coasts of Westeros, and some may find their services very useful in getting rid of troublesome mistresses and bastards and enemies, so long as they are willing to risk the punishment of course.
The Hand of the Queen - The Hand is the ruling monarch's most trusted advisor. They manage the day-to-day running of the kingdom and at times engage in duties such as drafting laws, dispensing justice, and commanding armies. The Hand is the second-in-command and will run the Small Council when their King or Queen is not present, and they may act on the monarch's behalf when they are ill or otherwise indisposed. For the last 35 years, since the end of the Third Targaryen Rebellion, the Hand has always been a Stark.
THIS ROLE IS RESERVED FOR HOUSE STARK.
Lord Commander of the Kingsguard - The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard is the leader of the ruling monarch's sworn order of knights. The Kingsguard lives to protect their King or Queen and their family. On the Small Council the Lord Commander serves predominantly as a military advisor. Despite the longstanding rule of a Queen and the altering of the name of the Hand's position, the Kingsguard has retained its name due in large part to the stubborn pride of its members. The current Lord Commander of the Kingsguard is Ser Borros Connington, a man of fifty-three years who has served on the Kingsguard since he was a lad of twenty.
THIS IS A GM RESERVED ROLE.
Master of Coin - The Master of Coin is in charge of the treasury and finances of the kingdom. They oversee a rather large bureaucracy that includes everything from the operators of the royal mints to tax collectors. Their role on the Small Council is to advice on financial matters and to assess the cost of proposed plans and laws.
THIS ROLE IS OPEN TO PLAYERS.
Master of Laws - The Master of Laws is in charge of maintaining law and justice in Westeros. Their day-to-day duties include overseeing the running of the Red Keep's dungeons and the City Watch of King's Landing. They have also been known to go out of their way to ensure that lords of Westeros are enforcing the King or Queen's justice with a fair and even hand. Their role on the Small Council is to advise on existing law and to aid in drafting new laws.
THIS ROLE IS OPEN TO PLAYERS. (TAKEN)
Master of Whisperers - The Master of Whisperers is the spymaster of the kingdom. Their one duty is at once simple and vastly complex: to gather information from King's Landing, Westeros, and beyond and to relay that information as needed to the King or Queen and the rest of the Small Council. The means and methods of this position vary wildly between different officeholders, though there is a fairly well established network of paid informants that can easily be inherited by new holders of the position. Although this is a historically very powerful position, it is also a dangerous one as some monarchs have been known to be very distrusting of their own spymasters.
THIS ROLE IS OPEN TO PLAYERS.
Master of Ships - The Master of Ships is the commander of the royal navy. Their regular duties include building and maintaining warships for the royal fleet, obtaining and training crews for those ships, and commanding naval military operations. Their role on the Small Council is largely as a military advisor, though many in the past have come from colorful backgrounds and acted as advisors on matters in lands beyond Westeros as well.
THIS ROLE IS OPEN TO PLAYERS.
Grand Maester - The Grand Maester is the chosen representative of the maesters of the Citadel to the ruler of Westeros. He sits on the Small Council and provides guidance in all matters, but especially on issues of lore and scholarly pursuits. Grand Maester Harwyn has held this position for nearly ten years and is still a relatively young man to hold such a distinction.
THIS IS A GM RESERVED ROLE.
Art sources: here, here, & here.