- Invitation Status
- Posting Speed
- 1-3 posts per day
- One post per day
- 1-3 posts per week
- One post per week
- Writing Levels
- Adept
- Advanced
- Preferred Character Gender
- Primarily Prefer Male
- Genres
- A lot. Can't really pick a few out as it depends on the lore etc. etc. etc.
A Song of Valour and Steel
Short introduction:
This Roleplay is based on the lore and the world 'A Song of Ice and Fire'. Otherwise known, and perhaps more popular, as 'Game of Thrones'. This Roleplay will be more of an alternative universe where many of the show and books don't have a focus on or the canon characters have an appearance. Many Houses, such as the Starks, Lannisters and etc, are still present in the roleplay and might eventually come into play. The Roleplay sets in the North of the World on two smaller Houses who struggle for survival and power in a dangerous and changing world around them.
The GM's:
@Gerontis , @zane620 , @Aliceee
| IC | Accepted Character Thread |
Short introduction:
This Roleplay is based on the lore and the world 'A Song of Ice and Fire'. Otherwise known, and perhaps more popular, as 'Game of Thrones'. This Roleplay will be more of an alternative universe where many of the show and books don't have a focus on or the canon characters have an appearance. Many Houses, such as the Starks, Lannisters and etc, are still present in the roleplay and might eventually come into play. The Roleplay sets in the North of the World on two smaller Houses who struggle for survival and power in a dangerous and changing world around them.
The GM's:
@Gerontis , @zane620 , @Aliceee
| IC | Accepted Character Thread |
The Rules
[tabs][Tab | Behaviour|]
Let us make this clear. These rules are the guidelines of behaviour and coordination within the roleplay. Once you submit a character sheet, you thus submit to the rules and will follow them. This isn't just to bully you but in an attempt to give everybody, who partakes, a sense of enjoyment. We all are here to enjoy and write a great story together. Not to gain bragging rights.
- Rule #1
The GM's are here to keep order and stability. Please do follow their instructions and pay heed to their hints and tips. They are working to make the roleplay a joy for everybody participating. When a GM requests or demands you to stop something, then you will do so. Failure to do so will result in prohibition from further partaking in the roleplay. If you do disagree with one GM, then I suggest to contact the other GM's and we will see if a talk can't take place. - Rule #2
Please do respect each other. Disagreeing or having another viewpoint, opinion or thought is fine and dandy. Attacking another or degrading each other because of it isn't. When not feeling comfortable, please do announce that to each other. It is hard in general to read emotions and tone from just words alone and we all can make mistakes and have bad days, after all. - Rule #3
This Roleplay isn't all based on how magnificent your character(s) is/are. It is about to make an interesting story and bad decisions will mean that your character(s) will have to bear the consequences. This can mean that your character can die. Sometimes certain situations don't fully portray what they seem to be as the setting isn't really a grand fairy tale where everybody will live forever and happily. We ask that you understand this and try to be a good sport. Not often does a character have to die but plot armour will be low, so making a bad call or decision can certainly lead to a premature demise. Of course, there is understanding that you don't want to lose your character and hence this rule being a warning to not just consider your character immortal or invincible. - Rule #4
Weaving further on the previous rule, please do keep in mind that this is a roleplay that focuses on creating an interesting story. When your character is great at something this doesn't mean that there is no equal or better. While many already designed plots and enemies are and will be NPCs, there can be certain clashes where player characters can exchange blows. Be a good sport and try to talk and plot together how to make it interesting instead of trying to just overwhelm the other player and their character. - Rule #5
Drama is to be expected in such a setting as the one where the Roleplay exists in. There is, however, a subtle and thin line between interesting drama and overdoing it. While certain actions have certainly happened, such as rape and abuse, there is no need to keep repeating this or fully writing this out. If you do happen to fancy to write about such 'development', then please do contact the GM team and lay out your idea and how you desire to write it. While we expect that the writers and players of the Roleplay respect each other, we will be trying to not cause anybody to grow uncomfortable. - Rule #6
Let us continue with PG +13 rules. Having a character that swears now and then is okay. Just make certain that it doesn't become too bad or often - as it will certainly take away any allure or shock and become rather dull. Same counts with 'adult writing/scenes'. Some players are teens- and even if there aren't any teens, this isn't a roleplay where we want to see any lustful scenes written out in detail. Fade out please if two characters do happen to indulge in some certain actions. I am certain that we are all intelligent enough to understand what might happen. Else Zane might need to explain it and I doubt you want that. - Rule #7
When writing a solo post, please do state at the top of the post the name of the character and their location. Same counts for a collaborative post, which will need to be spoilered as having a summary. A solo post must have two ~ three paragraphs as a reaction. If you do happen to have some trouble writing in such quantity as a reaction, then approach the GM team for aid. - Rule #8
Please do note that the roleplay is set in a setting where the morals of the average person and character are vastly different from ours. Where most of us grow up that killing is bad, in a grim setting where the world is less explained and certain 'virtues' are different characters have different viewpoints and reasonings for their actions. That we don't agree with a character that kills another character in cold blood, justifying it is for the honour of their house, is okay. As long as we realise that this is a fictional story and not always going to be our own viewpoints, thoughts and opinions. That having said, be aware that some immersion will stay intact. It means that certain roles will be more 'natural' for women or men. It doesn't mean you can't try to become a warrior with your female character but there will be a lot more struggle and hindrances. Not as much in a physical direction - as we will be willing to bend stuff a bit - but in a society where female warriors aren't the common thing, don't please take out any frustration OOC wise. If you feel uncomfortable or bad, come and talk with the GMs about it. - Rule #9
For the given time and plot, we won't accept yet any characters that have their origin from Essos. Once the first arc has been dealt with, there will be a possible opening for characters who have their origins from Essos. Including the much asked for House Targaryen.
In this tab will be the rules for the rare items and goodies. A great example being Valryian steel weapons or armour. In order to have an object, weapon or such of this list you will need to request the GM team and see if it is possible.
- Valyrian Steel.
The magical steel that is lighter and more durable, as sharper, than the usual steel or any other metal alloy is known and craftable in the setting will be rare. Rumours have it that there are some surviving pieces in the Ruins of Valyria but that place is riddled with horrors and dangers that even the bravest think twice to go there in search for Valyrian steel. Some noble families have a Valyrian weapon but these are very well guarded and kept within those families.
- Dragons.
The fire breathing and flying reptiles that have changed warfare in Essos during the rise of Valyria. These creatures can grow to terrifying sizes and it is said that their flames tear and rip stone apart. If you are lucky enough to not be burnt alive by their fire, their muscled tails can crush you. Their teeth are sharp as long as steel spears. A more vicious and dangerous foe doesn't exist. And since the Doom of Valyria, there hasn't been any sighting of these fearsome beasts. Though rumours spin around that within the Ruins of Valyria, offspring of Dragons have survived the horrible event. Some even dare to claim unhatched eggs still lay in wait to be found.
- Other Houses.
The Roleplay will, at first, focus on two smaller Houses in the North. These Houses will be the centre of the roleplay as the story will begin about their struggle for survival and stability. Other Houses do exist and will most likely be interacted with. Characters of other Houses of both canon and custom made will be allowed but do please discuss this with the GM's. We do try to keep some immersion of the setting intact and seeing a majority of the characters being of some other part of the world seems a tad too odd.
Seeing that there will be a lot of different equipment and ways to get them, the GM team asks you to try to communicate on how various new gear will be obtained. Some can be bought from merchants or made by smiths. But do please understand that the purpose will be that most equipment will be of average or low quality due to not an abundance of stunning quality resources. The same will go for skill. But more detailed descriptions can be found below:
- Armour.
In the North, some kind of protective gear is quite expensive. A chainmail vest is quite expensive to purchase and only the very wealthy have plate armour. This means that most lower classed nobility and people won't have access to great protective gear like steel chain mail and plate. There is also the scarcity of great resources that make a difference. To make good armour, one has to either import expensive resources or go to one of the great trading hubs to find an artisan who is willing to do a commission - for a hefty price. - Weapons.
The same counts pretty much for weaponry of great quality. Steel isn't some rare resource but finding a longsword of great quality and steel isn't going to be in just any farmer's house. Keep that in mind. - Exotic gear.
Some gear will be considered exotic. Think of armour and weapons imported or made from the likes of other regions of Westeros or even Essos. If you can have a good reason, your character is allowed to have some exotic piece of equipment but will follow the same rules as the previous points: High-quality gear is going to be expensive and having something stolen will bear sooner or later grim consequences.
- Skill, talents and such.
It is okay to have a character who is great at something they have been trained or groomed to do or know. Just please keep in mind that when your character is poisoned or sick that they can't just recover or being able to tell what kind of herbs will cure them. Certain skills outside of fighting or knowing ways around a court can be pretty nifty but have to make some sense. It would be pretty weird to see somebody of nobility who is groomed in the art of war and diplomacy to know a lot of herbs and such. If you are in doubt, please contact the GM team on what would make sense on your character with his/her origin.
The Sheets and Lore
[tabs][Tab | Q&A |]
So, before you click on the other tabs to quickly get the coding of the character or a (small) House sheet, please read this through. It is aimed to help answer some questions before making a character!
- Q: Can my character be of some other origin than the two 'main' Houses that the Roleplay will focus on?
A: Yes. It is a possibility to have a character that is actually part of a certain bloodline or House that is foreign. The thing is that we as GMs desire to see some good reasoning for it. If you do happen to desire to make a character that isn't close or native to the lands of the North that you seek contact with the GMs in order to communicate and plot a good reason out. Do please understand that we will try to make it work but sometimes need to adjust ideas and plots to make a character fit in. - Q: I really want to know but will there be dragons, white walkers and such being a possibility for later?
A: For at the start, there won't be any dragons or such mythical creatures. They will be the stuff of rumours and legends. But much can't be confirmed yet. We as GM team do discuss it and see some potential but at the start, we want to start rather somewhat low and keep things tenser. Something that won't really happen when a person has a flying reptile that can spit fire that is hotter than Alice's mixtapes. - Q: I know that the focus will be in the North with the two 'main' Houses but will there be any chance that other regions of the world will be explored?
A: Yes, once the starting plots have been dealt with there will be certain expeditions that can be mounted towards other regions of the known world. Characters that have their origins there can be quite useful as they will be given some information on those regions and can increase the chances of success. Though, far away expeditions won't always be successful and can be quite dangerous for everybody involved. - Q: I am wondering but will magic and characters being able to conjure spells and such be a thing?
A: It is the same as dragons. There will be some rumours and legends. Perhaps even characters who claim that they can put hexes and curses on people but real working spells and magic won't play a prominent role such as somebody blasting a fireball from their fingertips or calling the wind to strangle a target. - Q: I have this idea for a certain House or people.
A: Feel free to approach the GMs with your respective ideas. We will be happy to offer help to see it done or try to give a constructive review on why it wouldn't work. Please do note and remember that we won't say no just because we don't like something but in order to preserve the idea of a low-fantasy and the concept of that we start 'small'.
Currently, Westeros isn't unified in Seven Kingdoms. While there are many canon Houses being present and the most dominant political entities in their regions, there isn't yet a unified North, Stormlands and such. Many regions of the world thus still reside in a shifting situation as various noble houses vie for influence and wealth. This situation has paved a lot of ways for sellswords, both individuals as companies, with a lot of work. Smiths are often being commissioned to craft weapons and armour by lords and knights, either for themselves or their troops. Bards are paid with coins to sing about war deeds of valour and victories.
At the moment, both Houses that will be open for players to join with their characters are vassals of the Red King. The Red King reigns over a large portion of the North, being the most dangerous political rival for the flourishing Kings of Winter, being of House Stark in Winterfell. Around fifteen years ago, a conflict did break out between the Red King and King of Winter but a stalemate saw to it that a status quo would follow. Now the North is slowly being unified by the King of Winter, whose name is Stark.
Some political entities that will be of importance in the current story's status.
- Do note that when a wikia link is used in reference, that we don't use all the canon history. It is to give some information and idea on the respective subject. If you gain any doubts then please direct them towards the GMs. -
"Our blades are sharp."
House Bolton of the Dreadfort is a noble house from the Dreadfort in the north. They are an old line descended from the First Men and dating back to the Age of Heroes. The Boltons are known for their practice of flaying their enemies.
The Bolton sigil is a flayed man, red on pink. A common saying that the Boltons have is "a naked man has few secrets, but a flayed man has none". Because of this practice together with their formidable military and economic power, they are one of the strongest oppositions for the Starks to unify the North under their domain. Calling themselves the Red Kings, the Boltons have most of the eastern reaches and land of the North under their control. Using the terrain in their favours, such as the rivers as the White Knife and the Last River, they have managed to keep the status quo with the Starks while mustering more resources for the next and inevitable clash. Their land reached from the Last River and the White Knife to Hornwood Forest and the Broken Branch.
Currently, House Bolton is ruled by Carth Bolton, second of his name. Carth is known to be a ruthless and harsh leader who rules with fear and dread, keeping most of his vassals in line with reminding them what disobedience will reap. Being at the age of forty-four, he has three sons and two daughters.
Current patriarch and leader: Carth Bolton.
Spouse: Elyse Bolton.
Firstborn and heir: Rickon Bolton. Currently at the age of twenty-one.
Second son: Aren Bolton. Currently at the age of eighteen.
Third son: Manrel Bolton. Currently at the age of sixteen.
Oldest daughter: Alessa Bolton. Currently at the age of fourteen.
Second daughter: Dynna Bolton. Currently at the age of six.
Their vassals/bannermen:
House Bolton of the Dreadfort is a noble house from the Dreadfort in the north. They are an old line descended from the First Men and dating back to the Age of Heroes. The Boltons are known for their practice of flaying their enemies.
The Bolton sigil is a flayed man, red on pink. A common saying that the Boltons have is "a naked man has few secrets, but a flayed man has none". Because of this practice together with their formidable military and economic power, they are one of the strongest oppositions for the Starks to unify the North under their domain. Calling themselves the Red Kings, the Boltons have most of the eastern reaches and land of the North under their control. Using the terrain in their favours, such as the rivers as the White Knife and the Last River, they have managed to keep the status quo with the Starks while mustering more resources for the next and inevitable clash. Their land reached from the Last River and the White Knife to Hornwood Forest and the Broken Branch.
Currently, House Bolton is ruled by Carth Bolton, second of his name. Carth is known to be a ruthless and harsh leader who rules with fear and dread, keeping most of his vassals in line with reminding them what disobedience will reap. Being at the age of forty-four, he has three sons and two daughters.
Current patriarch and leader: Carth Bolton.
Spouse: Elyse Bolton.
Firstborn and heir: Rickon Bolton. Currently at the age of twenty-one.
Second son: Aren Bolton. Currently at the age of eighteen.
Third son: Manrel Bolton. Currently at the age of sixteen.
Oldest daughter: Alessa Bolton. Currently at the age of fourteen.
Second daughter: Dynna Bolton. Currently at the age of six.
Their vassals/bannermen:
- House Hornwood of Hornwood, ruled by Lord Harald Hornwood.
- House Trevelyan of Tornburg, ruled by Lady Amber Trevelyan.
- House Marric of Frosthold, ruled by Lord Anselm Marric.
- House Wythers of Widow's Watch, ruled by Lord Korb Wyters.
"Winter is coming."
The Lords of Winterfell and Kings of Winter. The Stark words are "Winter is Coming", one of only a few house mottoes to be a warning rather than a boast. Currently, they are the dominant force in the North of Westeros and just a few Houses away from unifying the North under one banner. Already they have managed to subdue and gain control over the area of White Harbour and Karhold, effectively starting to cut House Bolton from the rest of the North with only the Umbers being somewhat neutral.
The Starks are the bitter rivals of the Boltons. Deeming themselves as the rightful rulers of the North, they have the largest military and economic power in the region. However, due to their stretched borders and land, the Starks and their vassals haven't been able to subdue various strong Houses. Such as Red King of House Bolton nor the Wolfswood Lord of House Glover.
News and rumours are spreading about the Stark making more progress, though. Already they have managed to expand southwards and making House Reed bend the knee, swearing fealty to the King of Winter and now are apparently now having exchanges of a diplomatic nature with the Lord of the Rill - the northwest of the North's coast.
Their vassals/bannermen:
The Lords of Winterfell and Kings of Winter. The Stark words are "Winter is Coming", one of only a few house mottoes to be a warning rather than a boast. Currently, they are the dominant force in the North of Westeros and just a few Houses away from unifying the North under one banner. Already they have managed to subdue and gain control over the area of White Harbour and Karhold, effectively starting to cut House Bolton from the rest of the North with only the Umbers being somewhat neutral.
The Starks are the bitter rivals of the Boltons. Deeming themselves as the rightful rulers of the North, they have the largest military and economic power in the region. However, due to their stretched borders and land, the Starks and their vassals haven't been able to subdue various strong Houses. Such as Red King of House Bolton nor the Wolfswood Lord of House Glover.
News and rumours are spreading about the Stark making more progress, though. Already they have managed to expand southwards and making House Reed bend the knee, swearing fealty to the King of Winter and now are apparently now having exchanges of a diplomatic nature with the Lord of the Rill - the northwest of the North's coast.
Their vassals/bannermen:
- House Karkstark of Karhold, ruled by Lord Jorick Karkstark.
- House Manderly of White Harbour, ruled by Lord Keat Manderly.
- House Reed of Greywater, ruled by Lord Blande Reed.
- House Cerwyn of Cerwyn, ruled by Lord Ronard Cerwyn.
- House Tallhart of Torrhen's Square, ruled by Lord Torhen Talhart.
[/tab][Tab | The World Map |]
At the start, the map will be focused in the North as the story will be starting there. Over time, the map will be expanded over the entire continent of Westeros as expeditions and adventures might be mounted towards such locations once the story is progressing. More locations and sites will be discovered, and eventually, added to the map as the story progresses.
In case you were wondering where a legend is, to get the names of some of the numbered places, here you go: The Legend of the map.
The link to the image: Click me!
[/tab][Tab | Character Sheet |]
The place where the Character Sheet is located. Please do try to fill in as much information as you can. And remove the '- texts -' please. You are free to adjust the character sheet somewhat but keep it in large lines the same to make it easier for reviewing as well as having the Roleplay some uniformity in sheets.
Code:
[CENTER]- Name of the Character -
- Image of character, if thou has one. -
[FONT=Book Antiqua][SIZE=5]
[B]Personal Motto:[/B]
[color=Insertcolorhere]""[/color]
[ Personal Information ][/SIZE][/FONT]
[spoili]
[B]Name:[/B]
[B]Aliases:[/B]
[B]Gender:[/B]
[B]Age:[/B]
- Starting date is 89 BC (Before the Conquest of Aegon, thus 32 years after the Doom.)
[B]Length and body build:[/B]
( Please use this to display both systems of centimetres and inches: http://www.inches-to-cm.com/)
[B]Weight:[/B]
(Please use this to display both pounds and kilograms: https://www.convertunits.com/from/pounds/to/kg)
[B]Sexuality:[/B]
[B]Religion:[/B]
[hr][/hr]
[B]Grandparents:[/B]
- Optional -
[B]Parents :[/B]
[B]Siblings:[/B]
[B]Distant relatives:[/B]
- Optional -
[hr][/hr]
[B]Appearance:[/B]
- The usual style of appearance. An image to give an idea is okay but some details on what they prefer as fashion or attire is highly appreciated -
[hr][/hr]
[B]Loyalty: [/B]
- Which house do they serve -
[B]Occupation:[/B]
- State both current and previous occupations! -
[B]Ambition(s):[/B]
- Don't be shy~ -
[hr][/hr]
[B]Personality:[/B]
- Please do try to write down a personality of around two to three decent sized paragraphs. -
[/spoili]
[FONT=Book Antiqua][SIZE=5][ History ][/SIZE][/FONT]
[spoili]
[B]The History:[/B]
- Please do try to write at least four to five decent sized paragraphs in. If you are short on insperation, try to work it up in a chronological order. From their situation as a child to their current years. How it is that they have become what they are now. -
[B]Theme music:[/B]
- Optional. I am just interested in what might have inspired you or what you think represents your character. :) -
[/spoili]
[FONT=Book Antiqua][SIZE=5][ Skills and Gear][/SIZE][/FONT]
[spoili]
[B]Skills and various Traits:[/B]
- Think of in what fields the character is skilled in and what various traits that they have. Such as herbal knowledge, reading and writing and for example. Do note that some skills can be subjective. Having a nice singing voice won't mean that just everybody has to appreciate your character's suggested singing voice or tune.-
[hr][/hr]
[I][B]List of weapons.[/B][/I]
- Copy the small sheet below to fill in the information for each weapon and equipment your character has with them. This doesn't mean what they are competent with but just what they can bring with them in various situations! Don't go overboard though!-
[B]Name:[/B]
-Of the Weapon or Tool.-
[B]Description:[/B]
Perhaps how it was gained or how much it is valued. Not to mention of how the character uses it and their skill with the weapon/tool.-
[B]Appearance:[/B]
- An image and some description on the appearance or some notes on the weapon or tool. Marks of damage as use and the like.-
[B]Name:[/B]
-Of the Weapon or Tool.-
[B]Description:[/B]
Perhaps how it was gained or how much it is valued. Not to mention of how the character uses it and their skill with the weapon/tool.-
[B]Appearance:[/B]
- An image and some description on the appearance or some notes on the weapon or tool. Marks of damage as use and the like.-
[B]Name:[/B]
-Of the Weapon or Tool.-
[B]Description:[/B]
Perhaps how it was gained or how much it is valued. Not to mention of how the character uses it and their skill with the weapon/tool.-
[B]Appearance:[/B]
- An image and some description on the appearance or some notes on the weapon or tool. Marks of damage as use and the like.-
[hr][/hr]
[I][B]List of armour or attire.[/B][/I]
- Pretty much the same as the previous with the weapons and armour. Obviously, you don't have to list everything but I relish every bit of information that is given about the character. :) -
[B]Name:[/B]
-Of the armour or attire.-
[B]Description:[/B]
Perhaps how it was gained or how much it is valued. Not to mention some description on the armour or clothing.-
[B]Appearance:[/B]
- An image and some description on the appearance or some notes on the weapon or tool. Marks of damage as use and the like.-
[/spoili][/CENTER][/tab][Tab | House Sheet |]
Though the Roleplay will have only two Houses as the centre of the Roleplay at the start, there is the possibility of creating small nobility that serves those Houses or even distant houses from which your character(s) originate from. Do please communicate with the Gm team when you do intend to make a distant house. Much as the character sheet, you are free to modify the sheet a bit but keep it in large lines the same as the original sheet.
Code:
[B]Name:[/B]
[The name of the Lesser House]
[B]House Words:[/B]
[What is the phrase affiliated with the respective House? Good examples can be taken from [URL]http://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/mottos.php#.WZtF3j5JaM8[/URL].]
[B]Overlord:[/B]
[Which of the two houses does this small house serve?]
[B]Sigil:[/B]
[ Image of the sigil ]
[B]Traits:[/B]
[ What are the common traits found in the House? Don't think too big, however. Just something as small, like freckles or just subtle features. Also, not every character will be forced to have these traits. They are just considered common by and for the affiliated house.]
[B]History:[/B]
[What is the history of the House? Who was the founder, how did it proceed after being founded and etc]
[B]Customs:[/B]
[ What kind of customs does the House have that are considered special to it? (Also possible origins of such customs!)]
[B]Members:[/B]
[Who were revered ancestors and family members and who are currently members of the House?]
[B]Household:[/B]
[ The list of retainers and household of the House, currently serving. Perhaps the addition of some renowned retainers that originate from the House.]
[B]Holding:[/B]
[ The keep or castle that is the (ancestral) home of the House. What is it like? ][/tab][Tab | Social Structure|]
Feudalism/Social structure.
This society is based on a rigid social structure and government consisted of kings, lords, and the peasants. Nobles rule over the smallfolk within their territory through a system of fealty and sworn oaths. In this system, each man owes military service to his lord in return for protection, a grant of land, and the peasants to work it.
Hierarchy
The feudal system has a rigid structure of social classes. Those who are born commoners can expect to die as commoners. There are no provisions for the advancement of individuals from a lower class into the higher classes. This is not to say that it is impossible, only that it is very difficult, usually bestowed by lords to those who have done a great service to them, or knights bestow the rank and title of Knighthood on any individual who has proven himself worthy.
- Sovereign Lords/Kings
Kings, in turn, have vassals, the high lords of great houses. These high lords control the major regions of the Seven Kingdoms, and in turn, employ vassals of their own; even these lords might have vassal lords sworn to them. This system terminates with the lowest level subordinate knights or minor land owners.
- Nobility
Some lords have extra titles which belong only to their houses: House Greyjoy, for example, has the title of "Lord Reaper of Pyke", House Lannister has "Shield of Lannisport", the newly-created House Royce of the Gates of the Moon has the title of Keeper of the Gates of the Moon made hereditary for them, and House Manderly has several flowery titles, many of which relate to their past life in the Reach and make no sense in the north, but are preserved as tradition. These titles do not elevate a lord above others, they serve as markers of a house's history.
- Knights
Landed knight is a rare rank in the north and is almost nonexistent on the Iron Islands, because knighthood is culturally linked with the Faith of the Seven, which is not widely practised in those lands. While it isn't canon, in the roleplay the equivalent of a knight in the North is a Sworn Shield.
- Commoners
Many of the tradesmen and craftsmen belong to guilds, such as the Alchemists' Guild.
There is little social mobility; odds are that if you are born a commoner, you will never be able to rise above commoner status. However, it does happen, and there several examples of people who have managed it. A few good canon examples are: Varys was a common-born slave and rose to be the spymaster of the Seven Kingdoms. Dunk was born a commoner in Flea Bottom, yet he was able to rise to be a member of the Kingsguard.
Another thing that sets nobility and commoners apart is that commoners lack surnames.
More terms:
- Liege, the primary lord of a vassal who holds by military tenure. The liege lord and vassal each have responsibilities to one another; the vassal must remain loyal to the liege lord above any other lords, while the liege is the vassal's principal protector.
- Vassal, a person granted the use of land, in return for rendering homage, fealty, and usually military service or its equivalent to a lord or other superior. They are frequently referred to as "bannermen".
- Warden, commanders who exercise military functions for geographic locations, such as Lord Manderly being Warden of the White Knife.
Armies
The military of Westeros doesn't really know a standing army protocol. To generalise it, we have a few terms and levels of military service and professions that make the bulk of the active military in the world.
- Levy (levies in plural).
- Man-at-arms (Men-at-arms, in plural).
- Mercenary (mercenaries, in plural) and Sellsword (Sellswords, in plural).
Weapons
The weapons carried generally reflect those of the prototype armies and by far the most common is the sword. This is to a very real extent the mark of a soldier and so carried by all, although it may not necessarily be the soldier's primary weapon. Other weapons are also common. Almost everyone carries a knife or dagger, as they are useful and practical in many circumstances. Effective spears and mauls are relatively cheap to make and are, thus, popular weapons for men-at-arms. A cheap spear can still be a good weapon; the same cannot be said of a cheap sword.
Polearms
- Halberd: The halberd has a heavy, cleaver-like blade at the top of a long shaft. It usually has a spike at the top of the shaft and a thorn or a hook opposite to the blade.
- Poleaxe: A Poleaxe has an axehead opposite to a hammer or a spike, mounted on a shaft. The shaft usually has a spike on both ends.
- Battle-axe: A wicked, broad-headed axe, used to cleave through armor and shields. It can be wielded in one hand, and some battle-axes are double-bladed.[1]
- Hand Axe: A warrior's version of a hatchet, smaller than a battle-axe and balanced to be thrown. These short-hafted axes are used by the ironmen to dance the finger dance.
- Longaxe: A long-hafted version of the battle-axe. The longaxe is light enough to be wielded by one hand.[2] A longaxe may have a double-bladed axe head or it may have a spike on one side.[3] It is likely that some longaxes are large enough to require two hands, such as the one wielded by Areo Hotah.
- Woodsman's Axe: A woodsman's tool for chopping and splitting wood, this axe can easily turn into a deadly weapon. Normally used by smallfolk and brigands, it is single-bladed and smaller than its martial cousin, the battle-axe.
- Club/Cudgel: A short club fashioned of hard wood or sometimes metal. Usually used by policing forces such as local guards and watchmen.
- Mace: A blunt crushing weapon designed to smash armor, a mace consists of a heavy head of stone or metal set upon a wooden or metal shaft. The head is often flanged or knobbed to better penetrate armor.[4]
- Warhammer: Usually about the same length as a mace (though they can be much longer), the head is made of hardened steel that has a long spike to one side and a small mace-like counterweight on the other. Warhammers are good for piercing armor, or hooking the enemies' reins or shields.
- Arakh: Dothraki warriors favor this long curved sword. It is a type of sword with no guard and a curved blade resembling a scythe.
- Shortsword: Shorter than a longsword but longer and heavier than a dagger, the shortsword is a one-handed blade generally meant for thrusting.
- Falchion: A short, cleaver-like sword used for hacking.
- Braavosi Blade: Slender swords, edged and balanced for the thrust. The Water Dancers of Braavos have made these narrow swords famous, though they can be found throughout the Free Cities.
- Longsword: A common weapon of knights throughout Westeros, these one-handed blades are also known as broadswords or simply "swords." The blades are about three feet in length, double-edged, and mounted on a hilt with a heavy pommel and a sizable crossguard.
- Bastard Sword: Neither a longsword nor a greatsword, the bastard sword is named for its lack of family. It has a longer blade and a more elongated grip than a longsword. However, the longer hilt is not as large as that of a greatsword and it is meant for the off-hand to provide a bit more leverage. Thus, the bastard sword is more of a hand-and-a-half weapon than a two-handed sword.
- Greatsword: The greatsword requires two hands to use. It is the largest type of sword.
- Bow: Bows in the Seven Kingdoms are made from wood, though bows from more exotic lands may be made from laminated horn or bone. Bows are difficult to use while mounted and cannot normally be used with any accuracy if the mount is moving.
- Longbow: The longbow is cut from a single piece of wood approximately six feet long, and when drawn back to the chin or ear will have a draw-weight of upwards of 100lb, sufficient to carry a shaft 250 yards or so, even to drive one through plate armor at very close range. Longbows will be used by most of the armies (and indeed unless someone is specifically mentioned as carrying a crossbow it can be safely assumed that all archers are longbowmen).
- Bow, Double-Curved or Recurved: This small bow is double-curved and made from laminated horn, wood, or bone (hence it is also called a "Composite Bow" sometimes). Double-curved bows are mostly favoured in Dorne, but they can be found in many places throughout the world. The Dothraki especially favor them, alongside the Dornishmen. Double-curved bows can be fired from horseback (primarily to lay an arrow storm, rather than pick individuals), and can achieve draw-weights comparable to longbows.
- Crossbow: Crossbows are shorter bows that shoot bolts or quarrels. There is a stock attached to the bow with a mechanical assist to draw the bowstring. Due to its shorter draw, the crossbow requires a higher draw weight to give the same amount of energy as a conventional bow. The drawing mechanism can be a stirrup with a winch or a crank. The Myrish produce ungainly crossbows capable of firing three quarrels at a time.
- Spear: A simple weapon used for hunting and combat, comprising a wooden shaft up to 10 feet long tipped with a relatively small head of iron or steel. It can be used for individual combat.
- Pike: A pike is a longer spear, normally 10-15 feet long. This weapon is characteristic of the Northern armies in particular and is used by large bodies of infantry operating together either to push through or over opposing infantry or hold off cavalry.[10]
- Spear, Boar: A short version of the spear, the boar spear features a large blade and has a cross-piece just behind the head to prevent it from penetrating too deeply. Sometimes favoured by infantry officers it is as the name indicates primarily a hunting weapon
- Spear, Frog: A weapon used by the Crannogmen, these small spears end in three prongs and are primarily used for hunting frogs and other small prey in the Neck, but they can just as easily be adapted to fight men. Frog spears can also be thrown.
- Flail: A military cousin to the farmer's tool, a warrior's flail is a length of chain attached to a rod. At the end of the chain is a heavy metal head, either blunt like a mace or spiked like a morning star.
- Morningstar: Cousin to the flail and ball and chain, a morningstar is a length of chain connected to a rod at one end and bears a spiked ball at the other.
- Dagger: A long knife used to stab and pierce, often carried as a tool as much as a weapon.
- Dirk: A dagger designed for combat with a straight, narrow blade, often used in the off-hand to complement a primary weapon.
- Net: Made of strong rope, a net is typically a tool to catch fish or birds. Some people have adapted them for fighting, such as the crannogmen from the Neck, who use them to ensnare opponents or entangle weapons.
- Peasant Tool: Peasants rarely could afford traditional weapons and generally fought with what was at hand: sticks, clubs, tools or their bare hands, those weapons are of poor quality.
- Lance, War: A weapon of knights and heavy cavalry, lances are normally 8-10 feet long, made of turned ash, and banded to prevent splitting. The lance is tipped with a sharpened steel point and is normally used for a single charge before becoming too unwieldy in close combat.
- Lance, Tourney: Tourney lances are longer and more fragile than their battlefield cousins. Their tips are blunted to better unhorse an opponent without causing serious harm, and they are unbanded, meaning that they will often break upon impact. A tourney lance is normally 12-14 feet long and may be made from a prettier wood, such as golden wood from the Summer Isles.
- Khukuri Knife: A weapon of Nepalese origin used in the Middle to Far East. It is made of varying grades of steel. It is most recognizable for its inward bending cutting edge. This aggressive design helps the combatant in close quarters combat
Armour
Armor in Westeros is commonly forged from iron and steel. Occasionally one may find an ancient piece of armor forged from bronze, but that is a great rarity today. Advanced full plate and scale armor, made of relatively light weight steel, is also available to those with the proper funds.
Additional ornamentation can be quite elaborate. Common methods involve paints, enamels, or bluing the steel. A truly skilled blacksmith, however, can work colour into the metal itself to ensure that it does not chip or flake off. Such work is expensive and can be afforded only by the nobility. In the real world, the technological level is comparable to the late medieval and early renaissance, which is quite advanced "for the time" in Westeros.
The most effective, and expensive, armor is plate armor, which consists of a number of shaped plates of steel fitted to the body. Plate is normally worn over chainmail and an undercoat padded leather. Those who cannot afford plate may wear chainmail and leather, and this coverage still provides good protection. It is also common to wear only partial plate; a plate helm, for example, is common, as are breastplates and gorgets. Scale armor is also known but considerably less common. Armor made of boiled leather is sometimes worn by itself, particularly by scouts and levied men-at-arms. While better than nothing, it cannot stop an on-target sword blow, whereas plate armor can.
Plate armor is more common in the Reach, while mail is more the rule in the North, and the wildlings beyond the Wall are much more primitively armored. The Dornish use a lot of copper armor, but mainly for ornamental purposes. It's very pretty flashing in the sun - as pretty as gold - but cheaper.
- Padded armor: Made of leather or canvas, which has been stuffed with cloth. This can be worn by itself, often called a gambeson, but is essential when wearing mail in order to absorb blows more readily.
- Boiled leather armor: Used by GRRM to denote thick leather, boiled in water, and usually worn under mail. In reality such leather would be dressed with oil to retain its flexibility. Boiled leather will set very hard and was moulded into rounded pieces to protect shoulders, elbows and knees before the ready advent of plate armor.
- Brigandine: Also known as Jack, is a cloth garment, generally canvas or leather, lined with small oblong steel plates riveted to the fabric. Commonly worn by: freeriders, mounted bowmen, and men-at-arms.
- Hauberk: A chainmail shirt, the hauberk includes sleeves and can extend as low as the knees. The hauberk is typically constructed of interlocking whoops of metal sewn into a shirt or a tunic. The sleeves of a hauberk often reach the elbow, though the sleeve length varies. The hauberk tends to be made of iron rings, and is generally worn over a padded undercoat, or boiled leather.
- Byrnie: Made of chainmail. Byrnies are generally distinguished from hauberks by their sleeve length (a byrnie has only short sleeves). There are doubts about the exact definition (and length) of a historical byrnie, but both in Westeros and in history byrnies are some variety of armor jacket or a shirt. Oberyn Martell's is specifically described as chainmail.
- Scale armor: A garment with hundreds of small plates stitched and riveted onto it.
- Heavy plate armor: Worn over mail and a padded surcoat. Large rondels protect the juncture of arm and breast. The vulnerable points are at the less protected joints, places at elbows, knees, and beneath the arms
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The Story.
First Arc: The Haunting Past.
In the North, there are various large and influential houses that vie for political power and influence as wealth. The King of Winter, whose name is Stark, has been a large power that has came to clash with the Red King, whose name is Bolton. Our story will be starting with some of the bannermen that serve the Red King for a long time. Their loyalty isn't perhaps steadfast to the Red King and Bolton House but it is out of pure protection against other neighbouring houses that wouldn't mind usurping control of the lands that the two Houses hold. Various dangers of have risen to challenge the capability of both Houses to survive in a grim and unforgiven world. Loyalties will be tested, blood will flow and decisions will be final to determine the outcomes of each House.
Where will you stand?
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