House Creation.

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Caladin

GM, 1591 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Mon 10 Nov 2014
at 18:29

msg #1

House Creation

This Thread will hold the information on House Creation. Including Book Rules to any House Rules that may apply.

We will list the needed steps here as well, ..........

Our House Creation CO-GM and will handle all related questions and builds for House Creation. This is the rule heavy part of the game and is only needed for the set up. Once we get passed this only a few rolls are needed which players will be guided. The storyline and none mechanicals as it relates to the house creation will be handled by Caladin GM.

The goal is to have the details done in advance so that the game can move smoothly as we RP. As a RPG (PbP) game we have to have these items so that there is structure.

Caladin

GM, 1592 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Mon 10 Nov 2014
at 18:29

msg #2

Re: House Creation

House creation is a cooperative process in which each player has equal say about the most important features pertaining to the house. Most importantly, you and your fellow players will work together to attach stories to mechanical developments in the house creation process. You will use the broad descriptions and details generated from these decisions and transform them into a living, breathing house with a history, future, and interesting family to give rise to the same sorts of investment that players have for their particular characters.

Player Notes:

Player Houses will create their noble house before creating their characters. Doing so will provide a good basis from which each player can build their personas. Each region will be allowed three (3) Player Houses. Once these houses have been created all future players, if interested, will come from these Player Houses.

Non-Player Houses Those not interested in coming from a Player House will pick an exissiting house, but create their characters beforehand, during charater creation they will be allowed to add too the written historical events of that house and develop some new material.

Caladin

GM, 1593 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Mon 10 Nov 2014
at 18:33

msg #3

Step One: The Realm

Westeros is a vast land, having nearly every type of terrain and climate imaginable. From the frozen mountains and frigid stretches of the North to the arid plains of Dorne, people carve out their homes in a variety of regions, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.

First Step:

Pick your noble house in one of Westeros’s southern realms.

Dorne, ruled by House Martell
The Reach, ruled by House Tyrell
The Stormlands, ruled by House Baratheon

Your realm is important because it has a great deal of influence on other factors, including your house’s starting resources, history (both ancient and recent), and a number of other elements that shape its final form.

This message was last edited by the GM at 04:06, Fri 28 Nov 2014.

Caladin

GM, 1594 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Mon 10 Nov 2014
at 18:35

msg #4

Step Two: Starting Resources

As much as a house is defined by its place in the Seven Kingdoms, its history, deeds, and alliances, a house is essentially a collection of seven resources.

Each resource, like a character’s abilities, describes aspects of your family’s holdings, such as the size of your Lands, your house’s Status, Wealth, and so on. Each resource has a rating that varies greatly depending on the power of the House, with the higher number representing greater resources and smaller number representing fewer resources. These values will fluctuate during house creation and more during game play, rising and falling depending on how well you play the game of thrones. Since resources are very much a part of the lands where your house resides, your starting kingdom determines your starting values. Unlike a character’s abilities, your resources are not purchased with Experience; rather, they are generated randomly to reflect the deeds of those who have come before you and the circumstances surrounding your family’s founding.

Second Step:

For each resource, roll 7d6 and sum the results. Then find your realm on the Table below: Starting Attributes, and apply the modifiers as shown to each of your resources. For explanations for each resource and their values, see their respective entries below. Modifiers cannot reduce your resources below 1.

Starting Resources

Realm	Defense	Influence	Lands	Law	Population	Power	Wealth
Dorne	+0	–5	+10	–5	+0	+10	+0
The Stormlands	+5	+0	–5	+10	–5	+5	+0
The Reach	–5	+10	+0	–5	+5	+0	+5

Initial Modifications
Once the starting values for each resource are determined, each player gets to modify the values by rolling 1d6 and adding it to a resource of their choice. The immediate result is that larger groups of players have slightly more powerful houses because they have the benefit of more signature characters. Players may modify any resource they like, but no resource can benefit from more than two extra rolls.

This message was last edited by the GM at 04:47, Tue 11 Nov 2014.

Caladin

GM, 1595 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Mon 10 Nov 2014
at 18:36

msg #5

Starting Resources

Defense
Defense describes fortifications, castles, keeps, towers, and other structures that serve to protect your holdings. Defense also describes the presence and quality of roads, representing the ability to move troops and supplies to threatened areas.

Influence
Influence describes your presence in the Seven Kingdoms, how other houses see you, and the notoriety attached to your name. A high Influence resource typically describes one of the great houses or the royal family, while a low Influence resource would describe a house of little consequence, small and largely unknown beyond the lands of their liege. Influence is also important in determining your characters’ maximum Status.

It should be noted that holding the titles of King, Queen, Crown Prince (or being part of the Royal Family), King’s Hand or Warden of the East, North, South or West confers Status in addition to that of being Lord of whatever house the one so titled is granted. The maximum Status of heirs and others in the House is still based on the maximum Status of the Lord based on the House’s Influence rating, not on their Status adjusted for title.

Lands
Land resources describe the size of your House’s holdings and the extent of their influence over their region. A high score describes a house that controls an enormous stretch of terrain, such as Eddard Stark and the North, while a small score might represent control over a small town.

Law
Law encompasses two things: the extent to which the smallfolk respect and fear you and the threat of bandits, brigands, raiders, and other external and internal threats. Law is something your family must maintain, and if you don’t invest in keeping your realm safe, it could fall into chaos.

Population
Population addresses the sheer number of people living in the lands you control. The more people there are, the more mouths you have to feed. However, the more people there are, the more your lands produce. This abstract value describes the quantity of folks that live under your rule.

Power
Power describes your house’s military strength, the ability to muster troops and rouse banners sworn to you. Houses with low scores have few soldiers and no banners, while those with high scores may have a dozen or more banners and can rouse an entire region.

Wealth
Wealth covers everything from coin to cattle and everything in between. It represents your involvement and success in trade, your ability to fund improvements in your domain, hire mercenaries, and more.

Caladin

GM, 1596 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Mon 10 Nov 2014
at 18:36

msg #6

Step Three: House History

The first historical event rolled describes the circumstances of your house’s origins, defining what sort of event elevated your family to nobility.

These events are broad and loosely defined to allow you and your fellow players the greatest latitude in building your house. It’s up to you, with GM approval to determine the particular details of each event, though suggestions are present under each entry. Come up with particular instances that can help you make your house as interesting and as detailed as the houses in the novels. Doing so binds your characters to the setting and helps to shape your own character’s ambitions and personality. Pay special attention to the first historical event, for it should inform your decisions about your family’s motto and heraldry.

Third Step:

The next step is to determine your house’s historical events, which is done by rolling for your First Founding as shown below: First Founding. When your house was founded determines the number of historical events that can influence the final shape your house takes at the start of the game. Older houses have more historical events, while younger houses have fewer.

First Founding

Roll	Founding	Example	Historical Events*
1	Ancient	Age of Heroes	1d6+3
2	Very Old	Andal Invasion	1d6+2
3	Old	Rhoynar Invasion	1d6+1
4	Established	The Seven Kingdoms	1d6
5	Recent	Targaryen Dynasty	1d6-1
6	New	The Dance of the Dragons	1d6-2

*Minimum one historical event.

Caladin

GM, 1597 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Mon 10 Nov 2014
at 18:37

msg #7

Ancient History

The Age of Heroes was an era during the history of Westeros which takes its name from the great men and women who lived in the years of peace that followed the forging of the Pact between the First Men and the children of the forest.

Many noble houses trace their family histories to the Age of Heroes and many stories, songs, and legends are told about it. It is an era that is shrouded in mystery, with more myth than fact known about it. There are numerous tales from the Age of Heroes, too many to count. These histories were not recorded in books but passed down from generation to generation through story and song. While some of them may be dismissed as fairytales everyone one of the Seven Kingdoms is defined by them.

History

The Age of Heroes began with the signing of the Pact on the Isle of Faces. The Pact ended the war of the First Men and the children of the forest and lasted for nearly four thousand years.

During that time, a hundred kingdoms rose and fell. This was a rugged time where many ancient traditions and legacies forged by the First Men were established, with influence from the children. Many of these customs live on among the lords of the North, who still bear the blood of the First Men in their veins. The laws of hospitality, the obligation of a judge to also be the executioner, and the renowned Wall are all accredited to these ancestors of the northmen; the barrows of the First Men can still be found throughout the North. This was the time when many legendary kings and heroes walked the earth, such as:

Lann the Clever - While House Lannister is of mostly Andal descent, Lann is believed to have been descended from the First Men. One of Lann's female descendants is believed to have married into an Andal family during the Andal invasion. Lann is popular amongst singers and storytellers. One popular story tells how he supposedly swindled Casterly Rock from the Casterlys using nothing but his wits. In another tale he is said to have stolen gold from the sun to brighten his hair. Some claim that Lann still haunts the castle, who supposedly swindled Casterly Rock from the Casterlys using nothing but his wits. House Lannister traces their descent from Lann.
Garth Greenhand - who founded House Gardener of the Reach, and from him sprung numerous other lines and families.
Durran - first of the Storm Kings, who raised Storm's End to check the wrath of the gods for wedding their daughter Elenei
The Grey King of the Iron Islands - legends hold that he wed a mermaid and became king of the western isles and all the sea beyond.
Symeon Star-Eyes - a legendary knight who was blind.

Other royal houses from the era include the Blackwoods, Brackens, and Darklyns. During the Age of Heroes the Boltons are said to have flayed Starks and worn their skins as cloaks. A dozen armies smashed themselves to bits upon the Bloody Gate. The Ravenry of the Citadel is believed to have been the stronghold of a pirate lord.

While much was achieved during this ancient era, it was at a cost - in the midst of the Age of Heroes fell the longest and blackest of winters - The Long Night which heralded the arrival of the Others.

The Long Night: In this time, night seems to last for a generation, and the longest, coldest and darkest winter descends on Westeros. The ice spreads down from the north, and under the cover of darkness, the Others invade Westeros from the uttermost north, marching, killing and raising up the dead to be their servants in unlife and nearly destroying all men in Westeros. The Long Night comes to an end with the Battle for the Dawn. The children and the First Men unite to defeat the Others with dragonglass weapons, with the Night's Watch pushing them back into the frozen reaches of the Far North. During this time it was also recorded by the Night's Watch that the children of the forest gave the defenders of the Wall a hundred obsidian daggers every year. Legendary figures from this time include the last hero and Azor Ahai, who wields a great sword of fire, Lightbringer.

Building of the Wall: With the Others defeated, Bran the Builder, with the aid of giants, the First Men, and perhaps the children of the forest, raises the Wall, a monumental fortification of ice and ancient magic, to shelter the realms of men from the menaces of the north. The Sworn Brotherhood of the Night's Watch guards the Wall. It is said that Bran the Builder built Winterfell, he is accredited for other famous constructions, including Storm's End, became the first King in the North, and founded House Stark.

The Night's King: Not long after the Wall was complete, the thirteenth Lord Commander of the Night's Watch breaks his oath. He is seduced by an Other woman from beyond the Wall, declares himself the Night's King, and rises in rebellion with the Watch as his personal army. During the dark years of his reign, horrific atrocities are committed, of which tales would be told in the North even after several millennia. The Starks of Winterfell and the King-beyond-the-Wall, Joramun, join forces to defeat the Night's King and thus restore honor to the Watch. This is the same Joramun who also finds the Horn of Winter, which he is said to use to awaken giants from the earth.

Timeline:

ca.-10,000 to ca.-8,000

Caladin

GM, 1598 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Mon 10 Nov 2014
at 18:38

msg #8

Very Old History

The Andal Invasion was a migration of the Andals from Essos to Westeros. The time when this occurred is disputed; some sources indicate six thousand years ago, the True History states it was four thousand years ago, and some maesters claim it was two thousand years ago. The migration was often violent. The old kingdoms of the First Men were destroyed and the children of the forest were pushed back to the north. Sometimes the takeover was more peaceful with intermarriage between Andals and First Men as in the case of House Hightower.

History

The Andals were the first new invaders after the First Men had made their Pact with the children of the forest and lived in harmony with them for four thousand years. They came from the hills of Andalos in Essos. They were tall and fair-haired warriors who carried steel weapons and the seven-pointed star of their gods painted on their bodies. They eventually swept across Westeros much as the First Men did thousands of years before.

The Fingers in what is now the Vale of Arryn were where the Andals first landed to wrest from the First Men. The Andals arrived in successive waves. The wars between the First Men and the Andals lasted hundreds of years, but eventually the various First Men realms south of the Neck fell to them. Only the Kings of Winter remained in the North. The Andals burned out all the weirwood groves and slew the children when they found them, believing them abominations, and put the myriad First Men kingdoms of the south to the sword. They created great kingdoms of their own, but this process was somewhat slow. They expanded to the Iron Islands roughly two thousand years after their initial invasion, defeating House Greyiron, which had ruled the Iron Islands for a thousand years.

Eventually, Andal kings joined forces and extinguished House Mudd, who were the rulers of the Kingdom of the River and the Hills and kings among the First Men. After conquering the Trident, the Andals were able to invade the North. However, every attack was thrown back by the crannogmen of the Neck or the strong fortifications of Moat Cailin. Eventually, the Andals relented and the North was allowed to remain in peace, although over succeeding millennia Andal blood entered the North through dynastic marriages.

One of the major, if largely forgotten, consequences of the invasions is the ending of the Pact; the children of the forest abandoned Westeros and slowly disappeared over succeeding generations. During and following the Andal invasions, six southron kingdoms of Westeros were forged: the Kingdom of Mountain and Vale, the Kingdom of the Rock, the Kingdom of the Reach, the Kingdom of the Iron Islands, the Kingdom of the River and the Kingdom of the Stormlands. At this time Dorne was left as a confederation of bickering, feuding states.

The Andals introduced writing, as before that time the First Men only used runes for carving on stone. Everything since written about the Age of Heroes, the Dawn Age, and the Long Night originates from stories written down by septons. They also introduced the Faith of the Seven to Westeros in their newly raised kingdoms and largely extinguished worship of the old gods south of the Neck. An exception to the spread of the Faith is the Iron Islands, where the native worship of the Drowned God was adopted by the invading Andals. They also introduced weapons of iron, the use of horses in warfare and the concept of chivalry.

King Tristifer IV Mudd also known as the Hammer of Justice, was the fourth King of the Rivers and the Hills to bear that name. His crypt lies among the ruins of Oldstones. He ruled from the Trident to the Neck in the era where the First Men were being attacked and overrun by the Andal invasion. He fought one hundred battles, winning ninety-nine and losing one. The one battle he lost was his last, where seven Andal kings attacked simultaneously. He raised the castle that became known as Oldstones, where it was the strongest in Westeros at the time of its construction. He was succeeded by his son, Tristifer V Mudd.
Ser Artys Arryn also known as the Winged Knight, is a legendary Andal leader who crossed the narrow sea from the hills of Andalos in Essos. He became the first King of Mountain and Vale and founded House Arryn. According to legend Ser Artys was an Andal leader who set out from Essos to conquer Westeros and spread the Faith of the Seven. He commanded the forces that drove the First Men and the children of the forest out of the Vale of Arryn. He flew to the top of Giant's Lance on the back of a giant falcon to slay the Griffin King. There are hundreds of tales recording his adventures. He is said to have been the first King of Mountain and Vale.
The Griffin King - is a legendary figure, who lived six thousand years ago. He was the leader of the First Men of the Vale and the last of the Mountain Kings. According to legend, Ser Artys Arryn flew to the top of Giant's Lance on the back of a giant falcon to slay the Griffin King.
Mountain King - is the ancient title held by the rulers of the Vale during the domain of the First Men over Westeros until the Andal invasion, during which Ser Artys Arryn slew the last Mountain King. Afterwards, the Arryns became the rulers of the Vale as Kings of Mountain and Vale.
King in the North and King of Winter - are ancient titles held for thousands of years by House Stark of Winterfell. They were the last kingdom of the First Men and continued to rule the North after the Andals invaded and took over the southern kingdoms of Westeros. While the running direwolf is the sigil of House Stark, some Kings in the North had personal variants. The last King in the North prior to the end of the third century was Torrhen Stark, who bent the knee to Aegon the Conqueror during the War of Conquest, thus making the North part of the Seven Kingdoms controlled by the Iron Throne.

Foundation of the Faith: In the hills of Andalos on Essos, a new religion takes shape, called the Faith of the Seven. Supposedly, the supreme deity of the Andals appears to them, guiding them into their invasion of Westeros.

The Iron Islands fall: The Andals end the first line of kings ruling the Iron Islands uncontested for over a thousand years, originating from Urron Greyiron. Unlike in the other regions, however, Andals are assimilated to the native beliefs of the Old Way and the Drowned God.

Timeline:

ca.-6,000 to ca.-4,000

Caladin

GM, 1599 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Mon 10 Nov 2014
at 18:39

msg #9

Old History

The Rhoynar Invasion occurred over a thousand years ago. The Rhoynar people fled Essos after being defeated by the Valyrian Freehold, and settled in Dorne on Westeros. By allying with Queen Nymeria and the Rhoynar, House Martell were victorious against the other Dornishmen in Nymeria's War.

History

Around 700 years before Aegon's Landing, the expansion of the Valyrian Freehold into the western coastal regions of Essos threatened the great city-states of the Rhoyne, a vast river network of the east. The Rhoynar's defense was led by Prince Garin the Great, the wonder of the Rhoyne who temporarily made Valyria tremble. The Valyrians and Volantenes eventually defeated Garin, however, with a quarter of a million Rhoynar men killed in the process. Before his death, Garin is said to have cursed the occupying Valyrians and Volantenes; the conquered city of Chroyane is now largely submerged and known as the Sorrows. The city of Ghoyan Drohe on the Little Rhoyne was turned into a ruin by the Valyrian dragons. Other cities conquered by the Valyrians were Ar Noy, Ny Sar, and Sar Mell.

A Rhoynar ruler, the warrior queen Nymeria of Ny Sar, managed to unite the surviving Rhoynar, most of whom were women, and they began an evacuation from Essos, allegedly fleeing in ten thousand ships across the narrow sea. It is unknown if they evacuated before or after the Rhoynish cities were conquered. After an arduous journey full of storm, disease, and slavery, including living on the Isle of Women for a time, Nymeria's host landed on the eastern coast of Dorne in southern Westeros. Nymeria made common cause with Mors Martell of Sunspear, whose lands were dwarfed by those of House Yronwood. On the day she wed Mors, Nymeria had her fleet burned to affirm that the Rhoynar could not return to Essos.

With Nymeria's vast host at his command, Mors was able to unite the entire peninsula of Dorne under his rule in Nymeria's War. House Fowler sided with the Martells, while the Yronwoods had to be forced into submission. Six self-styled rival Dornish kings were captured and sent to the Wall in golden fetters to join the Night's Watch. In the Rhoynar style, Mors took the title "Prince" and introduced equal primogeniture. The fortress of Sunspear was made capital of Dorne, and House Martell has ruled ever since. The Rhoynar influence remains strong in Dorne.

Prince Garin -better known as Garin the Great, is a historical figure of the Rhoynar. Prince Garin led 250,000 men to their deaths in an attempt to stop the Valyrians. He was named Garin the Great for giving the Valyrians pause.
Nymeria The Warrior Queen - and a Princess of the Rhoynar. After the Rhoyne was conquered by Valyria, Nymeria led the Rhoynar to Dorne, where she took Lord Mors Martell as her husband. House Nymeros Martell has ruled Dorne since.
Mors Martell - was the Prince of House Martell and Lord of Sunspear who married the warrior queen Nymeria. Together they conquered the rest of Dorne in Nymeria's War.

Rhoynar evacuation: Nymeria, a Rhoynish warrior-queen, evacuates the survivors of Garin's war, mostly women and children, on ten thousand ships across the narrow sea, seeking refuge in Dorne in southern Westeros. There, Nymeria forms a marriage alliance with Lord Mors Martell and together they finally organize the land into one kingdom, establishing House Martell as the ruling house of Dorne. Mors adopts many Rhoynish customs. The unification of Dorne under Nymeria and Mors leads to new conflicts with the kingdoms of the Reach and the Stormlands, expressed through raids, skirmishes, and the occasional wars over the centuries.

The Valyrian Freehold: The Valtrian's annexes a small island at the mouth of Blackwater Bay, off the east coast of Westeros. The Targaryens, a minor Valyrian noble family, take control of the island, building a castle whose towers are shaped to look like dragons, giving it its name: Dragonstone.

Timeline:

ca.-700 to ca.-100

Caladin

GM, 1600 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Mon 10 Nov 2014
at 18:40

msg #10

Established History

The Seven Kingdoms was made up of seven individually ruled kingdoms, for most of their history the regions of Westeros were independent: The Kingdom of the North, the Kingdom of Mountain and Vale, the Kingdom of the Isles and Rivers, the Kingdom of the Rock, the Kingdom of the Reach, the Kingdom of the Stormlands and Dorne. The Riverlands had been independent before, but had fallen to the Storm Kings and to the ironborn. They regained independence after the local lords rebelled against Harren the Black and swore fealty to Aegon during the conquest. The number of these kingdoms and their borders have changed many times.

Centuries After The Andal Invasion: the southern kingdoms of the first men fall, and eventually the Andals raise up six powerful kingdoms of their own.

Wildling Invasion: The free folk (wildlings) unite under the brother Kings-beyond-the-Wall, Gendel and Gorne. They manage to evade the Night's Watch and bypass the Wall in great numbers using a network of tunnels that extend under the Wall. However, they are met by the Stark king on the other side and are eventually thrown back.

House Stark subdues House Bolton: their primary antagonists for dominance in the North. Later Karlon Stark would defeat sea raiders from the east and found the cadet branch House Karstark.

Ironborn rise to power: in the west the Iron Islands, at their peak and control most of the western coast from Oldtown and the Arbor in the south to Bear Island in the north.

The Storm Kings: expand their control of the Stormlands north to include the territory of the Riverlands up to the Neck.

The Ironborn Lose Lands: many of their holdings but, three generations before Aegon's Landing, they conquer the territory of the Riverlands from the Stormlands. An ironborn king, Harren Hoare, builds Harrenhal.

Timeline:

ca.-3000 to ca. -350

Caladin

GM, 1601 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Mon 10 Nov 2014
at 18:41

msg #11

Recent History

The Targaryen Dynasty started as one of the forty ancient noble houses known as dragonlords who ruled the Valyrian Freehold, a great empire spanning most of the eastern continent. They were traditionally not one of the most important of these families, however. Daenys the Dreamer, the daughter of the head of House Targaryen, Aenar, had visions of a cataclysm that would come over Valyria. Aenar led House Targaryen and their five dragons, including Balerion, to the westernmost outpost of Valyrian influence, the island of Dragonstone, off the east coast of Westeros in 114BC. Twelve years later the Doom descended on the city of Valyria, leading to the collapse of the Freehold. The Targaryens were one of the few families to survive the destruction of their home and were the only dragonriders of Valyria to survive. Thereafter four of the five dragons of House Targaryen died under unknown circumstances, but two more were born from eggs, Vhagar and Meraxes.

Following the Doom, there was pressure for the Targaryens to go east and ally themselves with Volantis, who attempted to restore the Freehold by conquering the rest of the Valyrian colonies to survive the Doom, now known as the Free Cities. However, the Targaryens remained on Dragonstone for another century. After flying to the Disputed Lands and joining an alliance to crush Volantene aspirations, the young Aegon the Conqueror developed ambitions toward Westeros.

Aegon aspired to unite the seven Westerosi kingdoms under one ruler, himself. A hundred years after the Doom, Aegon set forth from Dragonstone with his sister/wives Rhaenys and Visenya, their dragons, and a small force, landing at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush and beginning the Wars of Conquest. During his campaigns, Aegon was anointed king by the High Septon in Oldtown, leading to the unification of the Seven Kingdoms under Targaryen rule from the Iron Throne, starting a dynasty that lasted nearly 169 years. The area where the Targaryens began their conquest became the site of their new capital, King's Landing. Dragonstone was used as the seat of the heir to the throne. The region around these strongholds became known as the Crownlands, and several houses of the area, such as the Velaryons, Darklyns, and the lords of Crackclaw Point, were among the staunchest Targaryen loyalists. Another close ally was House Baratheon; Aegon had installed his bastard brother Orys Baratheon to rule the Stormlands.

Early Dynasty and the Faith Militant Uprising: Despite converting to the Faith of the Seven, the Targaryens held themselves apart from the laws of gods and men, and continued to follow the Valyrian practice of incestuous marriage, which was a sin in the eyes of the Seven. Indeed, Aegon had been married to both of his sisters before the Conquest. When Aegon died 37 years after the end of his Conquest and was succeeded by his incest-born son and heir, Aenys I, local populations revolted in what is known as the Faith Militant uprising. Early Targaryen kings often appointed those of the blood royal to act as their Hand. Such was the case with Aenys, who was served by his brutal half-brother and cousin, Prince Maegor. Maegor conducted the suppression of these revolts, and seized the throne for himself after Aenys's death, going on to earn the moniker "the Cruel" in his attempts to crush the rebellion. Construction of the Red Keep in King's Landing was finished during Maegor's reign. After his mysterious death in 48AC he was succeeded by Aenys's son Jaehaerys the Conciliator, who disbanded the Faith Militant. His rule was wise and long, lasting 55 years.

The Targaryens the dragonlords: Targaryens are closer to dragons than other men are. Aegon I introduced dragons to Westeros when he conquered it, and dragons were kept and ridden by the Targaryens until the last one perished in the reign of Aegon III Dragonbane. The Targaryens kept dragons for much of their reign in Seven Kingdoms. To house them they built an immense domed structure in King's Landing called the Dragonpit.

The War of Conquest was a time when the House Targaryen Dynasty took a leep in westeros with the campaign in which Aegon I conquered Westeros. Supported by his two sisters, their dragons and a small army, the Targaryens subdued six of the Seven Kingdoms, opposed only by Dorne. Not all the continent had to be taken by conquest, some regions and houses actively supported House Targaryen and others submitted voluntarily. The war lasted two years.

Timeline:

114 BC. to 161 AC.

This message was last edited by the GM at 20:59, Fri 02 Jan 2015.

Caladin

GM, 1602 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Mon 10 Nov 2014
at 18:42

msg #12

New History

The Dance of the Dragons was a civil war during Targaryen rule. A war of succession between Aegon II and his half-sister Rhaenyra over their father Viserys I's throne, the war was fought from 129AC to 131AC. It saw the deaths of both rival monarchs, and the crowning of Rhaenyra's son, Aegon III.

History

King Viserys I had three children by his first queen Aemma Arryn, but only one, Princess Rhaenyra, survived to adulthood. Lacking a son to succeed him, Viserys began to train Princess Rhaenyra to be his heir. Young Rhaenyra was included in discussions of the affairs of state, and was allowed to participate in meetings of the small council. Many of the nobles took note, and Rhaenyra soon acquired a clique of adherents and supporters. However, after his queen died, the king remarried in 106AC, this time to Alicent Hightower and had four more children, including three sons, the eldest son named Aegon. Nonetheless, Viserys I strengthened Rhaenyra's place in the succession; he married her to Ser Laenor Velaryon - who himself had Targaryen blood through his mother, Princess Rhaenys. Rhaenyra gave birth to three sons during her marriage, although there were rumours that the father of these boys was not Ser Laenor, but Ser Harwin Strong.

When Laenor Velaryon passed away Rhaenyra married anew, this time her own uncle, Prince Daemon Targaryen, younger brother to Viserys I Targaryen. Her sons by him are the future Aegon III (called Aegon the Younger in his youth, to distinguish him from his uncle, Aegon II, who on occasion was called Aegon the Elder) and Viserys II. Her father's intention that she should follow him on the Iron Throne was confirmed by proclamation and the will of Viserys I Targaryen. In 105AC, hundreds of Lords and landed knights had done obeisance to the Princess Rhaenyra.

In 111AC, a great tourney was held at King’s Landing on the fifth anniversary of the king’s marriage to Queen Alicent. At the opening feast, the queen wore a green gown, whilst the Princess Rhaenyra dressed dramatically in Targaryen red and black. Note was taken, and thereafter it became the custom to refer to “greens” and “blacks” when talking of the queen’s party and the party of the princess, respectively. In the tourney itself, the blacks had much the better of it when Ser Criston Cole, wearing Princess Rhaenyra’s favor, unhorsed all of the Queen’s champions, including two of her cousins and her youngest brother, Ser Gwayne Hightower.

Rhaenyra and Alicents relationship had gone bad early in Alicent's marriage to Viserys, since both ladies had been trying to be the realm's first lady, and there could only be one. As a consequence of their bad relation, Alicent's sons did not take to Rhaenyra's sons. Ser Otto Hightower had also disliked Prince Daemon since the beginning of Viserys' reign, though the exact reasons are unknown.

Aegon II was the sixth Targaryen monarch to sit the Iron Throne, succeeding his father, Viserys I Targaryen. He was married to his full sister Helaena Targaryen. His dragon was Sunfyre. His personal sigil was a golden dragon instead of a red one.
Orwyle, Grand Maester during the reigns of Viserys I Targaryen and Aegon II Targaryen. Orwyle pleaded with Aegon II to send him with terms of peace to Rhaenyra Targaryen, but he was refused. The Dance of the Dragons war occurred afterwards.
Ser Laenor Velaryon was a knight from House Velaryon and was the first husband of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. He was a dragonrider whose dragon was Seasmoke.
Ser Otto Hightower was a knight of House Hightower who served as Hand of the King to three kings, although two of the kings removed him from office at various times. When Viserys died in 129AC, Otto played a crucial role in crowning his eldest grandson as Aegon II Targaryen in defiance of the last will of Viserys I, which specified Rhaenyra as the successor. This defiance precipitated the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons.

The Conquest of Dorne: Young Daeron I Targaryen had long felt that the continued independence of Dorne represented unfinished business for the Targaryens, and upon his ascension he vowed to rectify his ancestor's mistake. He ascended to the throne in 157AC, and marched south, defeating the Dornishmen in battle. He used a goat track to bypass the Dornish watchtowers on the Boneway. Meanwhile, Alyn Velaryon, Daeron's naval commander known as Oakenfist, broke the Planky Town and sailed up the Greenblood while most of the Dornishmen's strength was occupied in the Prince's Pass. Daeron wrote about his victory in his Conquest of Dorne. In order to make it seem more glorious, Daeron exaggerated the strength of the Dornishmen.

After the Submission of Sunspear, the Young Dragon left Lord Tyrell of Highgarden to rule Dorne for him. The Dornishmen proved cunning and impossible to rule, as they had done before. Lord Tyrell moved with his train from one keep to the next, chasing rebels and keeping the knees of the Dornishmen bent. It was his custom to turn the lords of the keeps he stayed in out of their chambers, to sleep in their place. One night, finding himself in a bed with a heavy velvet canopy, he pulled a sash near the pillows to summon a wench. When he did so, the canopy opened and a hundred red scorpions fell upon him. The news of his death led to a rebellion throughout Dorne, and in a fortnight all the work of the Young Dragon was undone.

The Conquest of Dorne lasted a summer and ended with Daeron's death in 161AC at the age of 18 while trying to put down the Dornish rebellion. He possibly died in the Prince's Pass, as the Three Leaves of House Oakheart, including Alester and Ser Olyvar the Green Oak, died there at the side of the Young Dragon. After the death of Daeron, Dorne successfully separated itself from the Seven Kingdoms. It is said Daeron I lost ten thousand men taking Dorne and another fifty trying to hold it.

The Small Council Meeting:Upon the death of King Viserys I Targaryen, on the third day of the third month of 129AC, Queen Alicent and Ser Criston Cole send out the Kingsguard to summon the Small Council members. During the gathering, the conversation quickly stirred towards Rhaenyra’s coronation, but Ser Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, told those who had gathered that it would be a new King who would be crowned, whilst Lord Lyman Beesbury, the Master of Coin, insisted Rhaenyra should be crowned a queen.

Grand Maester Orwyle predicted a war, believing that Rhaenya would never be willing to give up her birth right, since she had dragons at her disposal. Lord Beesbury declared Rhaenyra had friends as well, and that he was not willing to sit there and listen to people plotting to steal Rhaenyra’s crown. He rose to leave, but Ser Criston Cole forced him back into his seat and opened his throat. This made Lord Beesbury the first casualty of the Dance of the Dragons.

After Beesbury’s death, the green council made their plans, vowing their loyalty to their new King, and arresting all those in King's Landing who could be loyal to Rhaenyra. To all those who might be loyal to Aegon, ravens were sent. Meanwhile, Rhaenyra remained on Dragonstone, unaware of what had happened.

Coronation of Aegon II: Aegon’s coronation was prepared in short time. Ser Criston Cole placed the crown of Aegon the Conquerer on Aegon’s head, while Alicent Hightower placed a crown upon the head of Aegon’s Queen, his sister Helaena.

The night before Aegon’s coronation, however, the first defection had taken place. Ser Steffon Darklyn had left the city, with, amongst other things, the crown Kings Viserys I and Jaehaerys I had worn.

The Black Council: Rhaenyra made her own council, called the Black Council. Participants were, amongst others, Rhaenyra’s husband Daemon, her three eldest sons Jacaerys, Lucerys and Joffrey, Lord Corlys Velaryon, and his wife Princess Rhaenys.

House Targaryen (the blacks)	House Targaryen (the greens)
House Velaryon	House Hightower
House Arryn	House Lannister
House Stark	House Baratheon
House Manderly	House Reyne
House Celtigar	House Strong
House Dustin	House Redwyne
House Darklyn	House Lefford
House Blackwood	House Crakehall
House Frey	House Swyft
House Rowan	House Fossoway of Cider Hall
House Tarly	House Peake

Timeline:

129 AC. to 161 AC.

Caladin

GM, 1603 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Mon 10 Nov 2014
at 18:43

msg #13

Historical Events

Each house has a history, a chronicle of deeds and crimes that shape its identity. Great deeds might elevate a house to greater heights, while scandal and tragedy can shatter a house’s foundation, forcing it to fall into obscurity. Historical events provide important developments in your family’s history, either adding to your fortunes or diminishing them.

Forth Step:

Each event modifies your resources, increasing or decreasing them by the indicated value. Roll 3d6 once for each historical event and compare the result to Table below: Historical Events. Record them in the order that you rolled them. Historical events can reduce a resource to 0 but no lower.

The first historical event rolled describes the circumstances of your house’s origins, defining what sort of event elevated your family to nobility.

Historical Events

Roll	Event	Defense	Influence	Lands	Law	Population	Power	Wealth
3	Doom	–2d6	–2d6	–2d6	–2d6	–2d6	–2d6	–2d6
4	Defeat	–1d6	–1d6	–1d6	-	–1d6	–1d6	–1d6
5	Catastrophe	—	—	—	—1d6	–1d6	–1d6	–1d6
6	Madness	+6–2d6	+6–2d6	+6–2d6	+6–2d6	+6–2d6	+6–2d6	+6–2d6
7	Invasion/Revolt	—	—	—	–2d6	–1d6	–1d6	–1d6
8	Scandal	—	–1d6	–1d6	—	—	–1d6	—
9	Treachery	—	–1d6	—	–1d6	—	+1d6	—
10	Decline	—	–1d6	–1d6	—	—	–1d6	–1d6
11	Infrastructure	+1d6*	+1d6*	+1d6*	+1d6*	+1d6*	+1d6*	+1d6*
12	Ascent	—	+1d6	+1d6	—	—	+1d6	+1d6
13	Favor	—	+1d6	+1d6	+1d6	—	+1d6	—
14	Victory	+1d6	+1d6	—	—	—	+1d6	—
15	Villain	—	+1d6	—	+1d6	+1d6	+1d6	—
16	Glory	+1d6	+1d6	—	+1d6	—	+1d6	—
17	Conquest	–1d6	+1d6	+1d6	–1d6	+1d6	—	+1d6
18	Windfall	+1d6	+2d6	+1d6	+1d6	+1d6	+2d6	+2d6

Event: Infrastructure * Choose two and increase each +1d6

Caladin

GM, 1604 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Mon 10 Nov 2014
at 18:45

msg #14

Re: Historical Events

Player Notes:

These events are broad and loosely defined to allow you the players the greatest latitude in building your house. It’s up to you, your fellow players and GMs to determine the particular details of each event, though suggestions are present under each entry. You should come up with particular instances that can help make your house as interesting and as detailed as possible. Doing so binds your characters to the setting and helps to shape your own character’s ambitions and personality. Pay special attention to the first historical event, for it should inform your decisions about your family’s motto and heraldry.

Ascent
An advantageous marriage, a great deed for a liege lord, or heroism in a decisive battle can all improve the fortunes of a noble house. If this is your first historical event, it indicates that your house was raised from the smallfolk by marriage or through some great act that warranted your elevation to a noble house. Otherwise, ascent indicates that your house participated in some key historical event that improved their fortunes.

Catastrophe
A result of catastrophe usually indicates a natural disaster, such as an outbreak of plague, blight, or drought, any of which can diminish your population and ability to control your lands. If catastrophe is your first historical event, it means your family may have gained their status through dubious or tragic means, perhaps replacing the previous lords who were wiped out during the catastrophe or were a lesser branch that rose in station as they inherited the holdings of their kin.

Conquest
Your family fought and defeated an enemy, annexing their lands and holdings to their own. With such a victory comes the trouble of old loyalties, weakening your house’s hold and influence over the smallfolk. If conquest is your first historical event, you gained your noble status by defeating another lord or landed knight.

Defeat
Your family fought a war or smaller conflict but was defeated, losing status, precious resources, and influence. If defeat is your first roll, your family might have been swallowed up by another house and forced to marry into a lesser branch until your original bloodline became all but extinct.

Descent
Whether from a poor marriage, a downturn in trade, or a series of tragic losses in a conflict, your house entered a period of decline. If descent is your first roll, your house was probably born from a poor marriage — a desperate lord wedding his daughter to a merchant prince—or of a major branch becoming extinct, leaving the holdings to a lesser branch to rule.

Doom
Easily the worst possible result, your house suffered a terrible series of mishaps, disasters, and tragedies that nearly erased your family. Depending on the era, doom might be of a supernatural origin—a dreadful curse or an attack by horrors from beyond the Wall. In more recenteras, doom would be purely natural, combining the results of several downturns into one catastrophic setback. For a first historical event, your family might have clawed their way out of the ashes of a destroyed house, maybe being loyal retainers or even just smallfolk that seized the old lord’s holdings.

Favor
Your family gained the favor of the king, their lord, the Faith, or from some other powerful body. As a result, their fortunes improved, and they climbed in standing. This favor might also result from the naming of a family member to the ranks of the Kingsguard or attaining the rank of Grand Maester or Great Septon. Should favor be your first historical result, the king likely raised your family to nobility.

Glory
A family wins glory through a military victory, personal achievement, or by a great act of heroism. Glory is similar to ascent, but it focuses on one figure in your family’s past. The result of this individual’s deeds advances your family’s standing in the eyes of its peers. Generally, glory as a first historical event should imply that your house was formed as a reward for the great acts of their founder.

Infrastructure
Infrastructure describes a period of peace and prosperity, a moment in your house’s history remembered for growth and expansion. Whenever you get this result, choose two different resources and increase each by 1d6. If infrastructure is your first result, your house was born during a period of expansion under your lord or king’s rule.

Invasion/Revolt
An invasion or revolt marks a period of collapse, destruction, and ruin. Most of these results come from an external invasion, either from ironmen, clansman, or wildling raiders, or from an enemy house, but it can also stem from a period of inept rule that led to a widespread smallfolk revolt. Invasion/revolt as a first historical event means your house was born from the strife and came to power in the aftermath.

Madness
Inbreeding, fell secrets, disease, or mental defects can produce derangement and madness among any people of Westeros, including its rulers. A madness historical event indicates that a particular figure suffered from some insanity, producing unpredictable results, with positive or negative outcomes. Each resource increases by +6 and then decreases by –2d6, producing a range of +4 to –6. If this was your first result, your family was instead raised by an insane lord or king as appropriate to the period of your first founding.

Scandal
Your family was involved in some disaster, a scandal that haunts them still. Good options include spawning a bastard, incest, failed conspiracies, and so on. In the case of your first roll, the scandal created your family as a way of covering up the crime.

Treachery
Either you suffered the results of treachery or you were involved in committing a treacherous act. In either case, the historical event stains your family’s name. Should treachery be your first result, you gained your house by means of some dark deed, possibly betraying another lord or noble.

Victory
You family achieved an important victory over their enemies. Foes could include ironmen reavers, a King-beyond-the-Wall, or a rival house. In any event, your family rose in prominence and power because of their victory. As an initial historical event roll, this victory was so great that your family was raised to nobility.

Villain
Your family produced a character of unspeakable cruelty and wickedness, a villain whose name is still whispered with dread. Such a character might have committed terrible crimes in his home, killed guests under his roof, or was simply just a bad person. A villain as a first roll usually wins this position by dint of his evil, possibly murdering a rival and seizing his lands or birthright.

Windfall
A windfall is a boon, a blessing that catapults your family into fame (or infamy). Possible results could be an advantageous marriage, a gift from the king, discovery of new resources on one’s lands, and more. If windfall is your first historical event, you won your lands by attaining a victory at a tournament, performing a great act, or something else of the like.

Caladin

GM, 1605 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Mon 10 Nov 2014
at 18:45

msg #15

Step Five: Defense Holdings

Holdings are like investments in that you use your resources to select specific elements in the form of castles, towers, cities, towns, soldiers, mines, and more. When you define your holdings, you do not reduce the resource; instead, allocate those points to a specific expression of that resource. You don’t need to allocate all of your resources and may keep some in reserve to make other investments as your resources grow from Glory or Coin earned by the player characters or from House Fortunes.

If your resources are later reduced, such as by a blight sweeping through your crops or losing a battle, you may lose your investment. Similarly, if an investment is destroyed, such as having an enemy burn your castle to the ground, you lose the resources you invested in that particular holding. All of the following holdings include how much of your resources you need to invest to gain the holding and a time factor, expressed in months. Whenever you would invest after house creation, you allocate your resources as normal, but you must wait the allotted time before you can derive the benefits from the investment.

Defense
Score	Description
0	Desolate, ruined land, ravaged by disaster, war, or simply abandoned. No defensible structures of any kind, and no infrastructure for moving troops. You have no fortifications whatsoever.
1–10	Scarce cultivation, mostly wilderness with a few unprotected pockets of civilization, having one or two roads or a minor stronghold.
11–20	Some cultivation, presence of a keep or smaller stronghold with a few roads, rivers, or ports.
21–30	Defensible, with at least one fortified town or castle. Roads and trails are present, and rivers or ports are likely.
31–40	Good defenses with, almost certainly, a castle, along with a few other strong points. Roads and rivers provide easy transportation. Alternatively, natural terrain features, such as mountains or swamps, provide additional fortification.
41–50	Excellent defenses, with man-made fortifications likely combined with defensible terrain features.
51–60	Extraordinary defenses with structures, walls, and terrain features that, when combined, make attacking this land very costly.
61–70	Among the greatest defenses in the world. A good example would be the Eyrie and the Vale of Arryn.

This message was last edited by the GM at 02:56, Thu 20 Nov 2014.

Caladin

GM, 1606 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Mon 10 Nov 2014
at 18:46

msg #16

Re: Defense Holdings

Defense Holdings:

Defense holdings are strongholds, towers, walls, and other fortifications. A defense holding grants benefits to your units’ Defense when defending your lands, but they are also a symbol of status and power. To gain a defense holding, you must have at least one land holding.

Superior Castle
Investment: 50
A superior castle is a massive stronghold in the vein of Harrenhal, the Eyrie, Storm’s End, Dragonstone, and Winterfell. A superior castle has several towers, structures, and smaller buildings, all surrounded by a steep curtain wall and likely a moat as well.
	Benefit: Units defending a superior castle gain a +12 bonus to their Defense.
	Build Time: 144+10d6 Months
Castle
Investment: 40
Castles are impressive fortified strongholds but are not as large or as imposing as a superior castle. Most castles incorporate at least one central keep and several towers connected by walls and surrounded by a moat. Example castles include Deepwood Motte, the Twins, and Riverrun.
	Benefit: Units defending a castle gain a +8 bonus to their Defense.
	Build Time: 96+10d6 Months
Small Castle
Investment: 30
A small castle is simply a smaller version of a standard castle. It usually has no more than a single keep, perhaps two towers and a wall. Examples of small castles include Bronzegate, Honeyholt, and Yronwood.
	Benefit: Units defending a small castle gain a +6 bonus to their Defense.
	Build Time: 72+10d6 Months
Hall
Investment: 20
A hall (or keep) is usually a small, fortified building. It may or may not be surrounded by a wall, and it could have a tower, though it’s unlikely. Examples of halls include Acorn Hall, Cider Hall, and Longbow Hall.
	Benefit: Units defending a hall gain a +4 bonus to their Defense.
	Build Time: 60+10d6 Months
Tower
Investment: 10
Towers are single free-standing stone or timber structures that thrust up from the ground. If they have any outbuildings, they are small and unprotected. Petyr Baelish’s holdings in the Fingers included a single tower.
	Benefit: Units defending a tower gain a +3 bonus to their Defense.
	Build Time: 36+10d6 Months

Special Defences:

Gatehouse
Investment: 15
Consisting of two towers between a Gate, either free-standing of stone or timber that blocks a natural pass, the structures sometime thrust up from the ground or rest between natural elements. If they have any outbuildings, they are small and on the protected side of the gate. Requirements: Must have a Defense Resource of Hall or greater. The Bloody Gate in the Vale is and example of this type of structure.
	Benefit: Units defending a gated battlement gain a +4 bonus to their Defense.
	Build Time: 48+10d6 Months

This message was last edited by the GM at 04:59, Fri 28 Nov 2014.

Caladin

GM, 1607 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Mon 10 Nov 2014
at 18:48

msg #17

Step Six: Influence Holding

Influence represents your social power, your presence in your region and throughout all of Westeros. The primary investment for Influence is in heirs, the children of the house’s head. Heirs are valuable in that they extend the will and presence of the patriarch, but they also provide means to improving the house’s standing through deeds and marriage.

Alternatively, you can reserve Influence to use as an expendable resource. You can reduce your family’s Influence to modify the outcomes of your House Fortunes roll. For every 5 points of Influence you spend, you can add 1d6 to your House Fortunes roll. If reducing your Influence would lower the maximum Status, such characters take –1D to Status tests for each rank they have above the maximum until they raise their Influence back to its original level or higher.

Your character can also expand your family’s Influence, expending 2 points of the Influence resource to gain a +1B on any tests related to intrigues. Again, such expenditures reduce your family’s Influence. Resolve diminishing Influence as described in the previous paragraph.

Influence also establishes the highest Status attained by any member of the household. This character is always the head of the house (Lord or Lady). Limits on Status follow.

Influence
Score	Description
0	The house’s name and history has been erased from all records, and no one speaks of them anymore.
1–10	Maximum Lord's Status 2. A minor landed knight or the equivalent. An example would be Craster.
11–20	Maximum Lord's Status 3. A greater landed knight or the equivalent. A sample house would include the Knotts and Liddles of the North.
21–30	Maximum Lord's Status 4. A small minor house. Examples include House Mormont and House Westerling.
31–40	Maximum Lord's Status 4. A minor house. Examples include House Clegane, House Payne, and House Karstark.
41–50	Maximum Lord's Status 5. A powerful minor house with colorful history. Examples include House Florrent and House Frey.
51–60	Maximum Lord's Status 6. A major house. Examples include House Tully and House Martell.
61–70	Maximum Lord's Status 7. A great house. Examples include House Arryn, House Stark, House Baratheon and House Lannister.

This message was last edited by the GM at 03:07, Thu 20 Nov 2014.

Caladin

GM, 1608 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Mon 10 Nov 2014
at 18:49

msg #18

Re: Influence Holding

Influence Holdings :

Your investment in heirs opens up options for players to take the roles of the house’s heirs. Each investment creates a character of a particular Status. Influence does not limit the number of children a house can have, but rather how many heirs with a significant Status you have.

Heirs

Heir’s Status*	Example	Cost
Maximum–1	First-born son (or daughter in Dorne)	20
Maximum–2	Second son (or daughter in Dorne), or first-born daughter	10
Maximum–3	Other children (not including bastards)	5

*Minimum Status 3. Status 2 does not cost an Influence investment.

Influence & Status

Resource	Maximum Status
0–10	2
11–20	3
21–40	4
41–50	5
51–60	6
61–70	7
71+	8 or higher

Caladin

GM, 1616 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 14:31

msg #19

Step Seven: Land Holding

Lands describe the terrain and extent of your actual holdings. Lands may be forests, lakes, hills, mountains, coastlines, and more, all based on where your house is situated and the terrain of your realm. Each Land investment is called a domain. Each domain is roughly a league (3 miles). Your domains reflect only those lands that are under your direct control and not under the control of your banners, sworn knights, and others in your service.

Lands
Score	Description
0	Landless, the house has been completely stripped of its holdings.
1–10	A speck of land, no larger than a single town.
11–20	A small stretch of land, about the size of a single small island or small portion of a larger island, or a large city and its immediate environs, such as House Mormont.
21–30	A modest stretch of land or medium-size island, such as House Frey.
31–40	An area of land that includes several terrain features, islands, or large groups of islands, House Greyjoy for example.
41–50	A large area of land, that spreads across a great distance. This area likely includes a variety of terrain features. House Martell’s control of Dorne is representative of this level of resource.
51–60	A huge area of land representing a considerable portion of Westeros’ geography. House Stark’s command of the North is a good example.
61–70	Most, if not all, of the Seven Kingdoms, such as the holdings of King Robert and the royal branch of House Baratheon.

Land Holdings:

Domains each have two components, features and terrain. A feature is something found on that land such as a town, river, woods, or coastline. A domain can have as many features as you’d like to invest. A domain without a feature is barren, being a desert, scrubland, or waste depending on the realm. Terrain specifically describes the lay of land, being mountainous, hilly, flat, or sunken. A domain must have terrain and may only have one type of terrain, even if it has elements of other terrain types.

Terrain & Features of the Lands

Realm	Terrain	Features
Dorne	Hills, Mountains, Plains	Coast, Community, Island, Road, Ruin, Water
The Reach	Plains	Coast, Community, Grassland, Island, Road, Ruin, Water
The Stormlands	Hills, Mountains, Plains, Wetlands	Coast, Community, Grassland, Island, Road, Ruin, Water, Woods

Terrain
There are four broad types of terrain. If you cannot afford to invest in a domain, your holdings are smaller than a league and extend out around your primary stronghold.

Terrain Costs

Terrain	Cost	Example
Hills	7	The Rills
Mountains	9	The Mountains of the Moon
Plains	5	The Reach
Wetlands	3	The Neck

Features
A feature is some descriptive element or noteworthy landmark or place that merits attention and can provide additional advantages in battle. Costs are in addition to the terrain cost.

Feature Costs

Feature		Cost	Example
Coast		+3	Stony Shore
Community	Hamlet	+10	Winter Town
	Small Town	+20	Mole Town
	Large Town	+30	Gulltown
	Small City	+40	Lannisport
	Large City	+50	King’s Landing
Grassland		+1	Much of the Reach
Island		+10	Bear Island
Road		+5	The Searoad
Ruin		+3	Oldstones
Water	Stream	+1	Much of the Riverlands
	River	+3	Tumblestone
	Pond	+5	Much of the Neck
	Lake	+7	Long Lake
Woods	Light	+3	Sunkenwood
	Dense	+5	The Wolfswood

This message was last edited by the GM at 03:25, Thu 20 Nov 2014.

Caladin

GM, 1617 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 14:31

msg #20

Step Eight: Law Holding

Unlike other resources, Law does not have holdings for investment. Instead, your Law resource describes the extent of your authority over your lands, specifically as it applies to drawing resources from your lands with minimal loss due to crime, banditry, and villainy. Maintaining a high Law resource helps reduce waste and loss, generating the full potential of Wealth and allowing your Population to grow. But if you let Law lapse, you derive less and less of your resources, and your Population growth shrinks until it can actually diminish. From the following, find your modifier to your House Fortunes roll.

Law
Score	Description
0	Lawless, uncivilized land. You have no authority here—the lands beyond the Wall.
1–10	Bandits, raiders, and other criminal bands are afoot in your lands, causing mischief and trouble.
11–20	Lawlessness and banditry are a problem along the fringes of your lands.
21–30	The typical level of Law throughout much of Westeros. Crime is common but not out of control.
31–40	You exert a great deal of control over your lands, and crime is uncommon.
41–50	Such is your influence and devotion to maintaining the peace that crime is rare.
51–60	You have almost no crime at all in your lands.
61–70	There is no crime in your lands.

Law Holdings:

Law House Fortune Mod.

Law Score	House Fortunes
0	–20
1–10	–10
11–20	–5
21–30	–2
31–40	–1
41–50	+0
51–60	+1
61–70	+2
71+	+5

This message was last edited by the GM at 03:33, Thu 20 Nov 2014.

Caladin

GM, 1618 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 14:32

msg #21

Step Nine: Population Holding

You do not invest Population Holdings. Instead, your Population describes the density of people that live on your lands. The greater your Population, the more people occupy your lands. Population, again like Law, modifies the outcome of your House Fortunes; however, more people bring more opportunities for mishaps. Similarly, fewer people mean greater chances for trouble to brew in remote corners of your lands. From the following, find your modifier to your House Fortunes roll.

Population
Score	Description
0	Barren. No people live under your rule.
1–10	Thinly populated. Tiny settlements are scattered throughout your lands.
11–20	Small population but no single community larger than a small town.
21–30	Typical population. Most smallfolk live on farmsteads or in hamlets, but you might have a couple of small towns and a community around your primary fortification.
31–40	Modest population. At least one town and several small hamlets.
41–50	Large population. You have a large number of people in your lands; many live in a large town or spread throughout a number of smaller towns.
51–60	Immense population. An enormous number of people live under your protection.
61–70	All or nearly all of Westeros.

Population Holdings:

Population House Fortune Mod.

Population Score	House Fortunes
0	–10
1–10	–5
11–20	+0
21–30	+1
31–40	+3
41–50	+1
51–60	+0
61–70	–5
71+	–10

This message was last edited by the GM at 02:29, Fri 21 Nov 2014.

Caladin

GM, 1619 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 14:33

msg #22

Step Ten: Power Resources

From your Power resource, you derive your family’s military might, its sworn swords, knights, guardsmen, and banners that fight on your behalf. You can invest Power into banners, ships, or units. You do not have to invest all of your Power and can keep some or much of it in reserve to deal with Household Fortunes as they crop up.

Power
Score	Description
0	Powerless, you have no troops, no soldiers, and none loyal to your family.
1–10	Personal guard only, with one or two sworn swords and a cadre of smallfolk warriors at most.
11–20	Small force of soldiers largely made up of smallfolk.
21–30	A modest force of soldiers, including some trained troops.
31–40	A trained force of soldiers, including cavalry and possibly ships. You may have the service of a banner house.
41–50	A large force of diverse, trained, and competent soldiers. You probably also have the services of a small navy as well. Several banner houses are sworn to you.
51–60	You can muster a huge force of soldiers, drawn from your lands and those from your numerous banner houses.
61–70	You have the strength of most of the Seven Kingdoms behind you.

This message was last edited by the GM at 03:56, Thu 20 Nov 2014.

Caladin

GM, 1620 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 14:34

msg #23

Re: Power Holdings

Power Resources:

Banner Houses

Cost: 20 for the first house, 10 for the second, and 5 for each additional house.

Banner houses are noble families and landed knights that have sworn vows of service and loyalty to your house in exchange for your house’s protection, support, and aid in times of trouble. While promises bind the banner house to your own, such vows can be tested when personal ambitions get in the way of honor and duty. Moreover, smaller houses often come to envy the power and influence of the larger houses to whom they are sworn, and betrayals, while uncommon since the consequences can be so severe, can and do occur.

The relationship between you and your vassal is much the same as your relationship between you and your liege, meaning that as you are sworn to provide military and financial support to your lord, so, too, is your banner house. The benefit of the banner house is that it can be called to lend military assistance when in need, grant you 1 Test Die on your Status Tests for House Fortunes (for each banner house) and can even receive House Fortune results if desired. However, they are not blindly obedient, and though they are sworn to you, their interests usually come first. Furthermore, if you want to keep the loyalty of a banner house, you must also support them and their conflicts, even if doing so would interfere with your own plans.

Your banner house or houses begins loyal to your family, and their dispositions start at Friendly. As with all Narrator characters, developments in the campaign, you and your family’s choices, and reputation can improve or worsen a banner house’s disposition toward you. Should a banner’s disposition ever fall to Malicious, you lose them and the points you invested into this house.

Ultimately, the GM controls the banner house. The members of the banner house are usually Narrator characters as well; although, to reinforce the bonds of loyalty, players may play characters who are members of these smaller houses.

Player Notes:

Creating Banner Houses

You create a banner houses in the same way as you create your own house, following the same procedures with the following exceptions:

Realm: The banner house’s realm must be the same as your own.

Starting Resources: Roll 5 dice for each resource instead of 7. Your banner house’s starting Influence cannot exceed your own.

First Founding: Your banner house’s first founding must be one “era” more recent than your house’s first founding.

House Fortunes: Your banner house does not roll for House Fortunes. Instead, your House Fortunes can modify your banner houses. Alternatively, you may spend a Destiny Point to deflect a House Fortune onto any one of your banner houses instead of your own house.

Caladin

GM, 1621 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 14:35

msg #24

Re: Power Holdings

Power Resources:

Units

Cost: Varies. See Below Unit Types

Units are the most common investment for noble houses. They reflect the standing armies that support the household and can be called up to defend the family’s lands at a moment’s notice. Each unit consists of 100 men, 20 men and horses, or 5 warships.

Player Notes:

Training
A unit’s level of training determines the cost of the investment. Training reflects experience, the skill of their masters-at-arms, and their time on the battlefield. Lesser-trained units are cheap but are less reliable and lack the durability of experienced units.

Each level of training includes a base Discipline. This starting level of Discipline determines the troop type and sets the Difficulty of Warfare tests to control these troops on the battlefield. The unit’s type modifies its Discipline.

Units have all the same abilities as characters. The default for each ability is rank 2. Most of these abilities never come into play in battle, so there’s no need to record them. The unit’s training determines the amount of Experience attached to each unit to improve its abilities. To raise an ability one rank, it costs 20 Experience. The unit’s type determines which abilities can be improved with Experience.

Starting level:

Training	Base Power Cost	Discipline	Experience
Green	1	Challenging (9)	20
Trained	3	Routine (6)	60
Veteran	5	Easy (3)	100
Elite	7	Automatic (0)	140

Green: Green troops are soldiers with little or no experience on the battlefield and may include extremely old veterans well past their primes. Green troops are raw recruits, fresh-faced boys, smallfolk levies, or old men called out of retirement. Many clansmen in the Mountains of the Moon, wildling raiders, and smallfolk levies are green.

Trained: Being professional soldiers, trained troops have spent some time with masters-at-arms and received sufficient instruction to fight competently on the battlefield. Trained troops include household soldiers, garrisons, hedge knights, sworn swords, and the like. The gold cloaks, the Stone Crows at the start of A Clash of ings, House Stark’s garrison, and Roose Bolton’s foot soldiers are
all examples of trained units.

Veteran: Veteran units are trained units that have seen extensive action. Battle-scarred and competent, they are reliable and a valued component of any fighting force. These troops may include established mercenary companies, experienced rangers, anointed knights, and so on. The Burned Men, Drogo’s riders, Benjen Stark’s rangers, and most surviving units after the War of the Five Kings are all representative of veteran units.

Elite: Exceptionally rare and expensive, elite units have the benefit of extensive training, vast experience, and an identity that invokes fear in those who must face them. Examples include the Brave Companions, the Unsullied, and the Brotherhood without Banners.

Caladin

GM, 1622 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 14:35

msg #25

Re: Power Resources

Each unit has a broadly defined type, a role it plays in battle. Type describes how the unit operates and describes the abilities you can improve with the unit’s Experience. In addition, type also modifies a unit’s Discipline, increasing or reducing the Difficulty to control the unit in battle. After all modifications from type, the unit’s final Discipline cannot be lower than Automatic (0).

Most units have just one type, but it’s possible to build units with two or more types provided you invest the total Power to meet the cost for each unit type. When investing experience for a unit with two or more types, you may invest the experience into any Key Ability listed for all unit types the unit possesses. Discipline modifiers are cumulative. While any combination between types in any quantity is possible, too much diversification in a single unit eats up so much Power, you are unlikely to field any other units.

Starting level:

Unit Types

Archers
Key Abilities: Agility, Awareness, Marksmanship
Archers are troops armed with Marksmanship weapons. Typically lightly armored to move about quickly, archers are useful for softening up a foe, but they tend to be vulnerable in close combat.
	Power Cost: +3
	Discipline Modifier: +3
Cavalry
Key Abilities: Agility, Animal Handling, Fighting
Any unit that rides animals into battle counts as cavalry; thus, examples can include units of knights or bands of clansmen raiders mounted on garrons. Cavalry is often combined with other types. Dothraki raiders are units of cavalry raiders, while units of anointed knights are often cavalry crusaders. A cavalry unit that dismounts becomes infantry (though the cost does not change). Cavalry units use the Athletics and Endurance of their mounts in place of their own.
	Power Cost: +5
	Discipline Modifier: –3
Criminals
Key Abilities: Endurance, Fighting, Stealth
Units made up of criminals are cheap to field but are unreliable at best. Usually, such forces are dispatched to the Wall to fight the wildlings, but on occasion, desperate lords may empty their dungeons to field additional troops.
	Power Cost: +1
	Discipline Modifier: +6
Crusaders
Key Abilities: Athletics, Endurance, Fighting
Any troops formed around a political or religious cause count as crusaders. These zealots are fiercely loyal so long as they pursue their objective, but they are often undisciplined and difficult to control.
	Power Cost: +4
	Discipline Modifier: +0
Engineers
Key Abilities: Endurance, Fighting, Warfare
These specialty units exist to circumvent enemy defenses, and on the battlefield, they work to tunnel through walls, assemble and operate siege weaponry, and fashion scaling ladders, pavanes, and a variety of other useful equipment. Engineers tend to be lightly armed and armored, making them vulnerable if attacked directly.
	Power Cost: +2
	Discipline Modifier: +3
Garrison
Key Abilities: Awareness, Endurance, Fighting
A garrison is a unit of soldiers assembled to protect a community or fortification. Many garrisons perform double-duty as watchmen and enforce the lord’s peace. While often competent soldiers, garrisons are better at protecting their homes than fighting on a battlefield, a fact reflected in their poor morale when drawn into a more protracted war. When fighting on their lands, their Discipline Difficulty drops by –3. When away from their lands, their Discipline Difficulty increases by +3.
	Power Cost: +2
	Discipline Modifier: -/+3
Guerillas
Key Abilities: Athletics, Marksmanship, Stealth
Another specialized force, guerillas are trained to fight in specific terrain, exploiting the lay of the land to give them a strategic advantage on the battlefield. As one would expect, guerillas are less useful when fighting outside of their preferred terrain.
	Power Cost: +2
	Discipline Modifier: +3
Infantry
Key Abilities: Athletics, Endurance, Fighting
The most common unit, infantry consists of the common foot soldiers that form the spine of any army.
	Power Cost: +4
	Discipline Modifier: +0
Mercenaries
Key Abilities: Athletics, Endurance, Fighting
Mercenaries are soldiers hired to wage war, protect a fortification or community, or escort troops. While mercenary units are better trained, they are more expensive to field and can be unreliable in larger engagements. Mercenaries tend to fight better when they outnumber their foes. Special: Mercenaries are cheap to field in terms of Power, but they cost you in Wealth. Each unit of a particular training as shown reduces your Wealth. Green, +1; Trained, +3; Veteran, +6; Elite, +9.
	Power Cost: +1*
	Discipline Modifier: +3
Peasant Levies
Key Abilities: Animal Handling, Awareness, Survival
Peasant levies are the rabble rounded up from your hamlets and towns. Each unit of Peasant Levies you field reduces your Population resource by –2.
	Power Cost: +0*
	Discipline Modifier: +6
Personal Guards
Key Abilities: Athletics, Endurance, Fighting
One of the most expensive units in the game, a personal guard unit consists of expert warriors assembled to protect a commander, usually the noble that leads the force. A personal guard unit is disciplined and loyal and rarely breaks in battle. Special: A commander or sub-commander can attach himself to a personal guard unit and retain the ability to issue orders.
	Power Cost: +6
	Discipline Modifier: –6
Raiders
Key Abilities: Agility, Endurance, Fighting
Ironmen, wildlings, and clansman raiders are an undisciplined lot, a fighting force driven by greed and bloodlust. Designed to hit opponents fast and hard to crush their defenses and plunder their holds, they are wholly unsuited to sieges and any extended battles.
	Power Cost: +3
	Discipline Modifier: +3
Sailors
Key Abilities: Awareness, Endurance, Stealth
Whether pirates or smugglers, or members of the sea guard during the reign of the Mad King Aerys II, naval units include any force trained to fight at sea.
	Power Cost: +4
	Discipline Modifier: +0
Scouts
Key Abilities: Agility, Awareness, Fighting
Scouts serve as the forward observers, spreading out to gain intelligence about enemy positions and bringing back the information to their commanders. Typical scouts are not exceptional warriors, though when combined with other types, they can be an effective addition to any force.
	Power Cost: +2
	Discipline Modifier: +3
Special
Key Abilities: Any three
A special unit is a catchall for all other units. Special units tend to have a unique set of abilities and are formed to do a specific task, and do it well.
	Power Cost: +4
	Discipline Modifier: +0
Support
Key Abilities: Animal Handling, Endurance, Healing
A labor force is a unit that specifically works to erect fortifications and construct equipment for the larger force, including arms and armor, while also providing food, new clothes, and even working as medics. Labor units are support troops and are exceptionally vulnerable to attack. In addition to their abilities, support units are trained in caring for equipment, erecting tents, cooking, cleaning, and more.
	Power Cost: +2
	Discipline Modifier: +3
Warships
Key Abilities: Awareness, Fighting, Marksmanship
A unit of warships is a small fleet of combat vessels that can transport another unit into battle. To invest in a warship, you must have at least one domain with a coast, island, pond, lake, or river. Special: A commander or sub-commander can attach himself to a warship unit and retain the ability to issue orders.
	Power Cost: +7
	Discipline Modifier: +0

Community Units:

Unit Types

City Guards
Key Abilities: Awareness, Endurance, Survival
A city guard is a unit of soldiers assembled to protect a community. They perform as watchmen and enforce the lord’s peace. While often competent soldiers, they are better at protecting their homes than fighting on a battlefield, a fact reflected in their poor morale when drawn into a more protracted war. When fighting on their lands, their Discipline Difficulty drops by –2. When away from their lands, their Discipline Difficulty increases by +4. Each unit of City Guards you field reduces your Population resource by –1. Requirements: Must have Land Resource of Small Town or greater. Special: each unit of City Guards receives -1 Law per level of training Green -1 Law Trained -2 Law Veteran -3 Law Elite -4 Law
	Power Cost: +2
	Discipline Modifier: -2/+4

This message was last edited by the GM at 04:49, Fri 28 Nov 2014.

Caladin

GM, 1623 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 14:36

msg #26

Step Eleven: Wealth Holding

Wealth describes your family’s soluble resources, explaining how they generate their income. You can invest Wealth into specific holdings, which grant specific benefits, or keep it free to spend in other areas as needed. It’s often best to keep some of your Wealth free for problems that might crop up during game play.

Wealth
Score	Description
0	Destitute. Your family is penniless.
1–10	Impoverished. Your family lacks essential resources and struggles to make ends meet.
11–20	Poor. Your family has little excess. While they are able to sustain themselves and their holdings, they do not live in luxury.
21–30	Common. Your family has enough to get by.
31–40	Prosperous. Your family has the funds to live in accordance with their station.
41–50	Affluent. Your family has more funds than it needs and lives in comfort.
51–60	Rich. Your family wants for nothing.
61–70	Decadent. Your family is so wealthy, they can afford to have seventy-seven course feasts.

Wealth Resources:

The following holdings represent the most common types. Others might be available with your Narrator’s permission (in which case you should all work together to come up with a workable benefit and relevant requirements). Many holdings include requirements, which you must meet before investing in the holding. Finally, all entries include a time entry for investments that occur during game play. Whenever you would invest after house creation, you allocate your resources as normal, but you must wait the allotted time before you can derive the benefits from the investment.

You must meet the requirements of each holding if it lists any. In addition, the holdings also include a time entry in case you would add the holding at a later time.

Artisan
Requirement: Hall or larger defensive structure
Your house acquires the service of a master artisan. Choose one of the following benefits each time you invest in this holding. Master Weapon Smith: All weapons forged in your house count as castle-forged. Mason: Cover benefits from fortifications increase the Defense by +1. Add +1 to the results of your House Fortunes rolls. Other benefits may be available at the Narrator’s discretion.
	Investment: 10
	Time: 2d6 Months
Godswood
Requirement: Realm (the North)
Your home has a godswood, a place sacred to the old gods. Having a godswood allows you to add 2d6–6 to the result when rolling House Fortunes.
	Investment: 5
	Time: 24+2d6 Months
Guilds
Requirement: Small town or larger community
A Guild controls manufacturing and pricing of commodities. All members of the household gain a 10% discount on any goods purchased in their own lands.
	Investment: 15
	Time: 2d6 Months
Maester
Requirement: Influence 20+
All houses can benefit from the wisdom and learning of a maester. Gain a +3 bonus on House Fortunes rolls. In addition, your family acquires the service of a maester. This character can be a player character or a Narrator character.
	Investment: 10
	Time: 1d6 Months
Marketplace
Requirement: Small town or larger community
A Marketplace facilitates trade and draws merchants from abroad. Each month, whenever your House Fortune would increase your Wealth resource, the Marketplace increases it further by +1.
	Investment: 10
	Time: 1d6 Months
Mine
Requirement: Mountains or hills
You open mines on your lands to generate additional income. Owning a mine grants a +5 bonus on House Fortunes rolls.
	Investment: 10
	Time: 24+2d6 Months
Port
Requirement: Coastline
A port enables merchant ships to come to your lands. Gain a +5 bonus on House Fortunes rolls. Also, if you have a Marketplace, whenever a House Fortune indicates you should increase your Wealth, add +1d6 instead of just +1.
	Investment: 10
	Time: 3d6 Months
Sept
Requirement: Hall or larger defensive structure or small town or larger community
You erect a sept of the Faith to show your family’s piety. Gain a +3 bonus on House Fortunes rolls. In addition, your family acquires the service of a septon or septa. This character can be a player character or a Narrator character.
	Investment: 15
	Time: 12+2d6 Months

Artisan by Trade:

Unit Types

Master Shipbuilder
Requirement: Wealth Holding: Coast or River (Shipyard)
Your house acquires the service of a master shipbuilder. Choose one of the following benefits each time you invest in this holding. War Galley Merchant Vessal Fisherman Boats
	Investment: 5
	Time: 1d6 Months
Master Builders
Requirement: Defense Holding: Hall or larger defensive structure
Your house acquires the service of a master builder. Choose one of the following benefits each time you invest in this holding.
	Investment: 5
	Time: 1d6 Months
Metal Workers
Requirement: Wealth Holding: Mine
Your house acquires the service of a master metal worker. A master artisan in decorative objects, made of metal. Choose one type for worker each time you invest in a mine holding. Jeweler Fine Metals Casting
	Investment: 5
	Time: 1d6 Months

Estate Wealth Holding:

Unit Types

Animal Husbandry
Requirement: Grassland or Water
Your house acquires the service of a Family estate. Choose one type for worker each time you invest in this Wealth Holding. Breeder (select an animal) Herder (select a livestock)
	Investment: 5
	Time: 6+1d6 Months
Food Agriculture
Requirement: Hills or Plains
Your house has acquired the service of a family estate. Choose one type for worker each time you invest in this Wealth Holding. Food Agriculture Estates grants a +2 to House Fortune rolls. Farmers: Rich fertail lands yielding large amounts of food product which can be sold for additional income. Possessing Farmers grants a +1 to Population Vineyard: Vineyards yield wine that can generate additional income. Owning a vineyard grants a +1 to Status. Brewery: Bewery yield a malt liquor that can generate additional income. Owning a brewery grants a +1 to Wealth.
	Investment: 6
	Time: 24+2d6 Months
Religious Settlements
Requirement: Any Community
Your house has acquired the service of a religious estate, an abbey, monastery, etc.. Choose one type for settlement each time you invest in this Wealth Holding. Gain a +2 bonus on House Fortunes rolls. Abbey: is a building or buildings occupied by a community of religious persons Monastery: a building or buildings occupied by a community of monks living under religious vows Motherhouse: a founding house of a religious order, sisterhood or brother hood dedicated to a service
	Investment: 6
	Time: 12+1d6 Months

This message was last edited by the GM at 21:14, Thu 06 Aug 2015.

Caladin

GM, 1624 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 14:37

msg #27

Step Twelve: Motto & Arms

All noble families have mottos and arms, and your noble house should be no different. Both of these devices are purely descriptive and do not affect game play in any way at all; instead, they help to unify your group and define your house’s place and purpose in the world.

Motto:

Mottos, or “words,” are formal phrases and declarations that speak to a family’s values, reflect on a significant moment of their history, or encapsulate their vision of the future. A motto is important to a family as it functions as a sort of rallying point, a mantra, so to speak, that can remind players of their characters’ loyalties as they navigate the perilous waters of the game of thrones. You should work together to come up with something that reflects your group’s objectives in the game or to describe a historical event that shaped your house’s current form.

Coat of Arms:

Your house’s coat of arms stands as a symbol of your family, your lineage, and your place in the Seven Kingdoms. Every noble house in Westeros, every landed knight, and even hedge knights all bear coats of arms to be recognized. The colors, patterns, and symbols may recount great moments in your family’s past, or they could represent aspects of your holdings. Most, though, speak of the virtues or vices attributed to the house, often incorporating some historical component that speaks to the circumstances of their founding. Thus, your coat of arms is a significant component of your house’s identity, and you should take care when creating it.

Heraldry is a complex study in history and symbolism, and the art of heraldry involves innumerable rules and strictures. After exploring the minutia of heraldry, this guide link to a message in this game and the information below serves to help you create your house’s colors quickly and easily while providing a wide range of choices that have meaning, and it offers the option to generate coats of arms quickly and easily.

This message was last edited by the GM at 00:06, Fri 21 Nov 2014.

Caladin

GM, 1625 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 14:38

msg #28

Re: Coat of Arms

Creating a Coat of Arms

Creating your house’s heraldry can be a daunting proposition. Choice of color, symbol, partitions, and more, along with complex terminology can all make a person just choose a blue shield and be done with it. To make the process easier, follow these simple steps.

Anatomy of the Shield

When constructing your coat of arms, you should be aware of the various parts that make up the shield’s design. All directions indicated are always from the shield-bearers perspective, so right would be left for those looking at the shield. The components of a heraldic shield are as follows:

Chief: The chief is the uppermost third of the shield.
Fess: The middle third of the shield is called the fess.
Base: The bottom third of the shield is the base.
Dexter: Dexter indicates the right side of the shield.
Sinister: The left side of the shield is called the sinister.
Field: The field describes the shield’s background, and it is always in a single color or metal.
Charge: A charge is any distinctive or decorative element placed on top of the field. It can be a simple geometric design, in which case it is called an ordinary, or a creature or object. While the field’s color denotes a virtue, the charge is the most important element, as it is the component by which the wielder is best known and is usually the part that best reflects the origins, deeds, and homeland of the individual wielding it.
Partitions: Many shields incorporate partitions to divide a single field into smaller fields. This division is often achieved by using wide or thin lines, either crossing the shield diagonally, vertically, or horizontally. For most common knights, a partition of a single color is all that’s used, but some incorporate animals and objects in smaller fields, usually to reflect lineage.

Step A Colors:

The easiest way to distinguish a shield is by color, though there are specific rules about how colors can be used. There are three broad kinds of colors used in heraldry: tinctures, metals, and furs. When designing your coat of arms, just remember these two guidelines: you should never place a tincture over top of another tincture, and you can never place a metal over top another metal. Thus, you shouldn’t have a green field with a red bar. Nor could you have a silver shield with a golden bar. You could, however, have a green field with a golden bar, or a silver shield with a red bar.

Player Notes:

Tinctures include everything from black to maroon. The color choice is significant because they usually represent something about the house.

There are only two Metals used in Westeros, silver and gold. Charges may incorporate other metallic colors such as brass, bronze, iron, and so on.

Furs are patterns that can be incorporated into the shield. Furs ignore the rules of metals on metals and tinctures on tinctures and can be used alongside any tincture and any metal. The presence of furs in a heraldic device signifies dignity and is usually reserved for houses that have distinguished themselves in some way.

Caladin

GM, 1626 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 14:38

msg #29

Re: Coat of Arms

Tinctures, Metals, & Furs :

Tincture	Common Meanings
Black (Sable)	Constancy, Grief
Blue (Azure)	Loyalty, Truth, Service
Purple (Purpure)	Justice, Sovereignty, Dominion
Red (Gules)	Military Strength, Magnanimity, Noble Sacrifice, Warriors
Green (Vert)	Hope, Joy, Devout, and Loyal in Love
Orange (Tawny)	Worthy Ambition
Maroon (Sanguine)	Patience and Victory in Battle

Metal	Common Meanings
White or silver (Argent)	Peace or Sincerity
Yellow or gold (Or)	Generosity

Fur	Description
None	Your coat of arms does not have a fur
Ermine	White with black spots
Counter-ermine	Black with white spots
Pean	Black with gold spots
Erminois	Gold with black spots

Caladin

GM, 1627 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 14:39

msg #30

Re: Coat of Arms

Step B Field:

The background, or field, may be solid or divided. If you’re using a solid field, assign your tincture, metal, or fur to it, and proceed with the next step. Divided or partitioned shields may incorporate any of the colors you picked or may introduce additional ones into your shield. When it comes to the field, you can have two tinctures or two metals side by side. The restriction applies to the charge.

Player Notes:

Partitions presents the most common partitions in Westeros but is by no means comprehensive.

Caladin

GM, 1628 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 14:39

msg #31

Re: Coat of Arms

Partitions:

Field	Description
per Bend	The shield is divided by a diagonal line from the dexter chief to sinister base.
per Bend Sinister	The shield is divided by a diagonal line from the sinister chief to the dexter base/
per Fess	The shield is divided across the middle.
Chape	Similar to a chevron, except the point reaches the chief.
Chape-ploye	As chape, but the lines curve inward toward the center of the shield.
Chausse	Reverse of the chape.
Chausse-ploye	Reverse of the chape-ploye.
per Chevron	The field is split by a thick upside-down V shape. The point reaches the center of the shield.
Solid	There are no partitions.
per Chevron Inverted	As chevron, but upside-down.
per Pale	The shield is divided down the center from the chief to the base.
per Pall	The field is divided by three lines to form a Y.
per Pall Inverted	As per Pall but upside down.
per Pile	Two diagonal lines descend from the chief, coming together just above the base and forming a wedge shape.
Quartered	The field is partitioned into four sections. Usually, diagonal sections match.
Quartery of Six	The field is partitioned into six sections, three at the top and three at the bottom.
per Saltire	The field is divided by two diagonal lines forming an X.

Caladin

GM, 1629 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 14:40

msg #32

Re: Coat of Arms

Step C Charges:

A charge is the principle design or device featured on the coat of arms. Simple charges, geometric patterns, lines, and the like are called ordinaries. Within each ordinary are a number of variations called subordinaries. In addition to ordinaries and subordinaries, devices can also be objects, animals, plants, and people or parts of people.

Charge Types:

Heraldic
Plants
Animals and Mythological Creatures
Ordinaries
Subordinaries
Objects

Caladin

GM, 1633 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 17:08

msg #33

Heraldic

A heraldic line is a patterned line used in a partition or an ordinary. Such a line often conveys a special significance. When applied to an ordinary, it can affect just one side, in which case it is signified as chief, base, dexter, or sinister, as appropriate, or both sides, in which it is said to be countered.

Player Notes:

Dancette: One or both sides are zigzagged, signifying water
Embattled: One or both sides appear as though they have crenellations, thus denoting battlements, or in some cases, fire.
Engrailed: The line features semicircular indents along its length. This heraldic line suggests land or earth.
Invected: The reverse of engrailed. It has the same meaning.
Indented: The line features small wedge-shaped indentations; it represents fire.
Nebuly: The side or sides curve in and out sharply along its length, suggesting clouds, air, and sometimes the sea
Raguly: Slashes formed along the line give it a ragged appearance. Such a line suggests difficulties encountered.
Rayonne: Wavy lines emerge from the charge or partition, suggesting the rays of the sun.
Wavy: The line or charge curves back and forth or up and down at regular intervals, usually signifying water and waves.

This message was last updated by the GM at 17:08, Tue 11 Nov 2014.

Caladin

GM, 1634 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 17:08

msg #34

Plants

Player Notes:

Berries: strawberries, raspberries
Blasted: A withered tree, no leaves, often uprooted
Flower: Carnation, lily, rose
Fruit: Apple, grapes, lemons, pears
Nuts: Acorns, almonds, walnuts
Plant: Cotton, shrubs, wheat
Tree: Maple, oak, sentinel, weirwood

Caladin

GM, 1635 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 17:09

msg #35

Animals & Mythological Creatures

Player Notes:

Charge

Ant	Cockatrice	Fox	Mammoth	Spider
Antlers	Crane	Goat	Mermaid	Squirrel
Aurochs	Crow	Goose	Otter	Swallow
Bat	Dog	Griffon	Owl	Stag
Beaver	Dog	Harpy	Ox	Swan
Bear	Deer	Hart	Pig	Tiger
Bee	Dolphin	Hawk	Ram	Tortoise
Boar	Dragon	Horse	Raven	Unicorn
Buck	Duck	Leopard	Salamander	Vulture
Bull	Eagle	Lion	Sea Horse	Wolf
Butterfly	Falcon	Manticore	Scorpion	Wyvern
Cat	Fish	Mastiff	Serpent

A charge is any object or figure placed on a heraldic shield or on any other object of an armorial composition. Any object found in nature may appear as a heraldic charge in armory. Charges can be animals, or objects. Apart from the ordinaries, the most frequent charges are the seven pointed star of 'The Seven' – with its many variations – and the lion and eagle. Other common animals are stags, Wild Boars, martlets, and fish. Dragons, bats, unicorns, griffins, and more exotic monsters appear as charges and are not use as often and relate to specific lands and houses.

Players may also check and use the Beastiary link to a message in another game for ideas on other types of possible charges that can be used. Charges that are also known to be used are the head, feet, claws, of animals and two headed beast types as well as the wings of animals or beasts.

Attitude

Usually, animal charges face dexter.

Rampant: The body is raised and standing on its rear left leg, its rear right raised. The left foreleg is next, followed by its right foreleg.
Salient: The body is raised and standing on its two hind legs, its right foreleg raised slightly above its left.
Sejant: The animal sits on its haunches and its forelegs support its head and upper body.
Statant: The animal stands on all four legs.
Passant: The animal appears in the act of walking, its right foreleg raised and the other three on the ground. When applied to a hoofed animal, the term is trippant.
Dormant: The animal’s body is reclined, its head down and eyes closed.
Affronte: The animal faces out from the shield.
Displayed: (Bird or Winged Only) The wings spread out to either side with the body facing forward.
Guardant: The animal’s head is turned and facing out from the shield. Use this attitude with another attitude.
Reguardant: The animal’s head is turned backward and facing the sinister side of the shield. Use this attitude with another attitude.

Caladin

GM, 1636 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 17:10

msg #36

Ordinaries

Ordinary	Description
Annulet	As a roundel but hollow in the center.
Bar	A thin horizontal strip across the shield.
Bend	A thick diagonal stripe that runs from dexter chief to sinister base.
Bend Sinister	As bend, but it runs from sinister chief to dexter base.
Bendlet	As bend but with a thin stripe.
Bordure	A band of color around the edges of the field, often containing other charges.
Canton	A square charge, usually in the dexter chief region. Some cantons feature an additional charge inside.
Checky	The entire field is a checkerboard pattern.
Chevron	A thick, upside-down V shape, where the point ends at the center of the field.
Chevronel	As chevron but with a thin line.
Chief	A thick horizontal band that runs along the chief of the shield.
Cross	Two thick stripes that converge in the center to form a cross.
Escutcheon	A shield-shaped charge
Fusil	A lozenge shape.
Gyron	A wedge-shaped charge, the point ends at the center of the field and has a side common to the side of the shield.
Lozenge	A diamond-shaped charge.
Mascle	As fusil but with a hollow center.
Pale	A thick band that runs through the center of the shield.
Pall	Three thick stripes that converge in the center of the field to create a Y-shaped design.
Pallet	As pale but with a thin vertical stripe.
Pile	A wedge-shaped charge issuing from the chief.
Pile inverted	As pile but issuing from the base.
Roundel	A solid circle.

Caladin

GM, 1637 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 17:11

msg #37

Subordinaries

Subordinary	Description
Bendy of X	The field is composed exclusively of 2 to 7 diagonal stripes.
Bendy Sinister of X	The field is composed exclusively of 2 to 7 diagonal stripes.
Barry of X	The field is composed exclusively of 2 to 7 horizontal stripes.
Chevronny of X	The field is composed exclusively of 2 to 7 chevrons.
Fusily	The field is made up exclusively of fusils.
Gyronny of Six or Eight	The field is entirely made up of gyrons of two colors.
Lozengy	The field is entirely made up of lozenges.
Pilly of X	The field is composed exclusively of 2 to 7 piles.
Paly Bendy	The entire field is composed of vertical lines and diagonal stripe, giving the appearance of being woven.
Paly of X	The field is composed exclusively of 2 to 7 vertical stripes.

Caladin

GM, 1638 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 17:11

msg #38

Objects

Player Motes:

Objects

Anchor	Column	Heart, Flaming	Saddle
Anvil	Comet	Helmet	Scales
Arm or Hand in Armor	Cornucopia	Horseshoe	Scourge
Arm, Naked	Crescent	Hourglass	Ship
Axe	Crossed Thighbones	Hunting Horn	Ship, Dismasted
Banner	Crown	Jewels	Skull
Baton	Dagger	Keys	Spear
Beacon	Dice	Knight	Spear-heads
Bells	Drops	Ladder	Seven Pointed Star
Bones	Drum	Lance	Sun in Splendor
Bow	Escallop	Leg	Sword
Bow and Arrow	Eye	Level	Torch
Bridge	Fetters	Lightning Bolt	Tower
Buckle	Finger, Pointing	Man	Trident
Caltrop	Fire	Moon	Trumpet
Candle	Gauntlet	Mountain	Wheel
Castle	Gem	Pillar	Wings
Chains	Hammer	Portcullis	Woman
Clouds	Hand, Dexter or Sinister	Rock
Coin	Harp

Caladin

GM, 1639 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 17:12

msg #39

Final Step: The Household

The final step in house creation is describing the household, those individuals who constitute the most important family members and retainers that make up the noble house. Most important are the lord and lady, but there are also the heirs, the maester and septon (if you have them), master-at-arms, castellan, steward, and anyone else who is more than just a common servant. Some of the characters may be player characters under your group’s control, while the rest are Narrator characters (NCs).

When defining these characters, the most important thing to worry about is their names, how they fit in with the rest of the family, what function they fulfill, and the most salient parts of their personal histories to shape their identities. Their statistics and abilities are relatively unimportant, and the GM may fill them in later as needed. Instead, focus on the narrative elements for these individuals, concocting a story that’s both appropriate for the house’s history and its current state.

Caladin

GM, 1640 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 17:12

msg #40

Household

Player Character

In addition, part of this process is also the generation of your specific characters. Once you sketch out the family and servants, each player should build their own characters using the information presented in Character Creation link to a message in another game. Generally, your choices about role and function within your group depend a great deal on your character’s Status. Players who staked out their territory early to play scions of the house must invest their own starting Experience in Status and put Destiny Points in specific benefits to meet the requirements of their birth. Other characters have more flexibility, being able to tailor their characters in whatever way they wish, keeping in mind the sort of retainer they wish to play: lady in waiting, ward, master of the hunt, guardsman, and so on.

Caladin

GM, 1641 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 17:13

msg #41

Re: Household

Lord, Lady & Heirs

The lord:

The lord (or lady if you like) is the most important character your group
will define. As this is your house, the particulars of the lord’s life and
his deeds are up to you. When defining this character, carefully consider
your house’s history and the political developments on the broader
scale. Some questions you should answer follow:

How old is the lord?
Did he participate in any wars or battles
If so, for whom did he fight?
Did he distinguish himself in these wars or battles?
What is his relationship with his liege?
Does he have any extended family?
What was his relationship with his father or extended family?
Does your lord have any rivals or enemies?
Any strong allies?
Did he have bastards?
Did he have any moments of failure or shame?
Did he have any moments of glory or greatness?
How is he perceived in his realm?
How is he perceived at court?
What does he look like?
Name one ambition.
Describe one mannerism.
Describe one virtue and one flaw.

The Lady:

The lady, the wife and mother, is often an equally important part of the household. While she must defer to the lord in much of the Seven Kingdoms (with Dorne being a shining exception), she is still a valued advisor, instructor, and agent on behalf of the house. When creating the lady, consider the following questions:

Is she still alive?
How old is she?
From what house does she hail?
Does she have any siblings?
What is her relationship with her kin?
Did she have any moments of failure or shame?
Did she have any moments of greatness or glory?
How is she perceived in the realm?
What does she look like.
Name one ambition.
Describe one mannerism.
Describe one virtue and one flaw.

The Heirs:

Most houses have at least one offspring, one heir to carry the line forward. If you invested your Influence in at least one heir, this character must be defined. In most cases, players take the roles of the house’s heirs but not always—and usually not all of the heirs, either. For those siblings not played by the players, consider the following questions for each heir:

Is he or she alive?
What is his or her birth order?
How old is he or she?
Did he or she have any moments of failure or shame?
Did he or she have any moments of greatness or glory?
How is he or she perceived in the realm?
What does he or she look like?
Name one ambition.
Describe one mannerism.
Describe one virtue and one flaw.

Caladin

GM, 1642 posts

"Live Free Die Well"

Tue 11 Nov 2014
at 17:14

msg #42

Re: Household

Retainers, Servants, & Household Knights

The remaining characters in your house can be defined, or they can be left vague for the GM & Co-GMs to establish in the unfolding story. You should at least name the most important servants in your house, answering many of the same questions and filling in the details as with the other characters. Again, some of these characters may be played by the players, and so more detail arises during the standard methods of character creation.

Common Retainers:

Castellan
An individual who oversees the defense of the house. Generally, a castellan only serves when the lord is away or otherwise unable to see to this task himself.

Steward
An individual who cares for the family’s financial concerns. Often, a maester handles this business.

Maester
Instructor, advisor, and healer, the maester is a valued member of the lord’s court. You only have a maester if you invest in one.

Septon
A priest of the Faith, septons act as spiritual advisors and mentors. You only have a septon if you invested in a sept.

Master-at-Arms
The individual who oversees the household guard. Generally, this role exists
only if your family invested in a Garrison. The master commands any household
guards and your garrison. A master-at-arms also often instructs the
boys and young men of the household in fighting and leads weapons drills.

Master-of-Horse
The individual in charge of the care, training, and acquisition of steeds.
This master commands a number of stableboys and grooms.

Master-of-the-Hunt
An individual who oversees hunting expeditions. Sometimes filled by
the same individual who maintains the hounds.

Kennelmaster
The person who trains, cares for, and feeds the hounds.

Vassal Knights
Swords sworn to the lord. These may be hedge knights, but they can also be landed knights who have come to serve the lord and advance their own renown. See link to a message in another game for more information.

Others
Servants, blacksmiths, heralds, pages, squires, cooks, scullions, messengers, scouts, wards, children of servants, and more round out your household. Most of these characters are “invisible” and work behind the scenes to ensure your household functions.

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