Episode 2 - Dark Seas
-10 Chapters
Chapter 1: Justice Proper
The Ironborn believe that the Drowned God rules over the seas that surround the world of men. Although many believe in these old ways, not since the days of Dragons has a Lord Reaper honored their god with sacrifice.
Lord Dagon Greyjoy however, is said to be "born of salt & iron". He is said to be devout, to walk the old path in all of its ancient violence.
It is his signature that adorns letters arriving at each of the great keeps of westeros, from Winterfell to Sunspear, nine letters, identical, one for each Lord Paramount & one for his grace, the King.
"Your Grace - my fellow Lords.
The contenders to my authority have set sail without my leave. The doubters of the great Iron Fleet prowl to contest my ambition. In this, they violate the King's Peace. Be sure that my wrath will know no bounds.
No banner strikes, no sail sets, no arrow looses on the Sunset Sea, without my command.
I assure the Crown & its Lords - I will dispense justice proper, justice entire for these doubting men.
- Lord Reaper of Pyke, Grand Admiral of the Iron Fleet, Emissary of the Drowned God & his Seastone Chair, Master of the Sunset Sea & Arbiter of the Crown's Justice - Lord Dagon Greyjoy"
Chapter 2: Of Septons & Maesters
His grace the king rarely leaves his study. But for an occasion such as this one, he wanders the great halls enthralled. It is neither a tourney, nor a wedding - but the 100th year of the Rogue Prince Daemon Targaryen's conquest of the Stepstones. Some, his grace surely amongst them, might have been confused at the occasion, never celebrated in this fashion before. But when Dornish coin began to flow to the capital, paying for the greatest scholars of our age to travel to the royal palace - to compare notes on old tomes & ancient histories, to philosophize & ponder - all knew that the shrewd Dornish Maester Qyle of Sunspear had his grace truly attentive for the first time in his very short rule.
The gathering began at the Great Sept of Baelor & moved to the great halls of the Red Keep. There, the murmurs of scholarly debate never ceased once. Maester Qyle was enjoying more of the King's attention in a day than his greatest vassals had in their entire tenure at court.
Those who wondered about the strange occasion, understood it on the third day - when the symposium paused for royal declaration.
As the King spoke of "matters of naval importance", many expected him to address the strange Greyjoy letter, or the appointment of a Master of Ships, perhaps alleviation for the woes of Driftmark or new trade agreements with dignitaries from Essos.
Alas, the king spoke of history. Of how Prince Daemon was crowned "King of the Narrow Sea" & how valiantly the crown's troops fought in the Stepstones. Just as the blood of the Dragon had always done, the Stepstones would be, once again, brought under the dominion of the Iron Throne.
The right of conquest was granted to House Martell of Dorne. To secure the waterways that connect the Summer Sea to the rest of Westeros. And once this task had been completed, once this dominion formed, to administer the passage for the Crown.
As the scholars began debating the historical relevance of this act, a second proclamation thundered across the room.
Furthermore - ravens have been sent & have returned. The King watches the young prince Maron Martell with a knowing smile.
Prince Maekar of Summerhall has consented that match be made, between the heir to Sunspear, the Prince Maron Martell & his daughter, Princess Daella Targaryen - to be arranged & realized upon the House's successful pacification of the Stepstones.
It is at this point that the Velaryon host storms out of the throne room, to much mumbling & whispers.
Chapter 3: No Banner Strikes
There is no seat more prosperous than Highgarden. The walled palace city is the pinnacle of westerosi splendor. At its heart, Lord Deonte Tyrell & his Daughter & heir, Lady Kaylin Tyrell welcome the Reachlords for merriment & celebration. A grande tourney, days & nights of feasting & endless revels display the vast magnanimity of the Reach, here at Highgarden.
Merchants deliver Arbor Gold & exotic riches alike as the knights of summer ride for favor & renown. Amidst the celebrations, ravens arrive. Messages of impending strife. Prayers to the Warrior, to the Father & the Smith. Confident assurances & careful goodbye's alike. The gathered lords are in uproar. But they all look home-bound, their gazes split.
Chapter 4: No Sail Sets
"One flesh, one heart, one soul" - the union under the gods is a sacred bond, blessed by septons of the faith.
In the Riverlands, much blessing has been done of late.
At Acorn Hall, Lord Layn "the Fool" - the bravest knight of Harrenhal, leaves his inheritance behind to become "Lord Consort" to his new lady wife, Lady Elna of Acorn Hall. Together, the young couple is to further the Smallwood line & name, as sanctioned by their liege lord.
At Maidenpool, not a fortnight later, Lord Florian's union to Lady Mariya Piper is celebrated amongst cheers. The bride's father proudly speaking "of unity & of choices" to the gathered crowd.
At Raventree Hall however, a son of Riverrun is given to Lady Elena Blackwood, to live at & reside over the hold with his lady wife, carrying the duties of his new home over those of his old.
As great hosts gather at Raventree & Maidenpool, Acorn Hall & all the Riverroads in between, moving in time, from wedding to wedding, ravens begin to follow each caravan.
Ravens from the one lord, not in attendance, as all realize their absence, ravens that carry ill tidings for the future of the Trident.
To some, the celebrations seem to be idle nobility. To others, these are the bonds forged to carry the Riverlords through the fires ahead.
Chapter 5: No Arrow Looses
The halls of Castamere alight with the rumbling of guests as the ancient keep of the Red Lion welcomes Lords Farman & Marbrand, Tarbeck & Lefford - & Lord Lucius Lannister of Casterly Rock. The gathering is to be organized in the utmost splendor. Lord Reyne has announced several great contests & feasts. Bards & singers line the marble halls of the mountainside stronghold.
As travelers arrive, the first week of festivities is to serve as merriment for the gathered western lords.
Then matters of grave importance are to be discussed, a council to determine the lords preparations for strife yet to come.
And on the latter week of celebrations, Lord Reyne proclaims to hold a large wedding feast. He plans to marry a daughter of Castamere to a suitor who has proven themselves valiant - Ser Dommen of House Piper, the heir to Pinkmaiden.
The announcement draws great cheers from the
attending lords.
Ravens fly out to corners of the realm, inviting
whomever would like to attend, to his daughters
wedding.
But as ravens fly out, ravens fly in as well. The
western lords in attendance are grim with ill
tidings as Lord Reyne presents the news.
One House among them leaves the gathering
at once, the others send ravens out to worried
kin.
Ill tidings indeed, for Ser Dommen as much as
Ser Lucius & all the Westermen.
Chapter 6: The Mystery Knight
Of all the Ravens that arrive across the realm, this one bears a strange reminder. Lord Ambrose Butterwell was Master of Coin under Aegon "the Unworthy" & the Hand of the King under his son Daeron "the Good". Such a powerful man was cast aside, into obscurity, when he failed, both in stopping the Blackfyre rebellion & supporting his king when it ravaged the realm. Forgotten, the childless, widowed Lord Butterwell announces a wedding tourney in his honor, where he intends to marry a daughter of House Frey.
He presents however, the grandest prize of them all, to the champion of the joust. A gift bestowed upon him by the late Aegon IV. - a Dragon Egg. Since petrified like all others, suspended in eternal beauty, a treasure of immeasurable dimension.
A bewildering offer from the Old Milkblood, but one that Knights will travel far & wide to witness. Castle Whitewalls begins to balloon into a merchant town as the meadows are blanketed by tents. Two months are of avail to those who must travel. Then the tourney begins. The realm expects lists without equal in history.
Chapter 7: A Banner Strikes
They say nothing good ever comes of the sound of a horn. As the horns sound at Old Oak, men sit ready by the shore. They have been tracking these ships. Anabes kneels beside Lord Emerick & Lord Mandon. They know the route the ships will trail. They know the most likely shore. And nonetheless, men will die. The nearest force is further than a weeks march away. But if they can pin the attackers by the shore, if they can make them pay dearly enough, the town must not suffer.
Ironborn are not known to siege. Or to fight with
much patience. If this force can hold them, there
need not be bloodshed in the streets of Old Oak.
One by one, the ships appear on the horizon.
Sails of red, the Hammerhorn & the white bony
hand. They loom larger & larger.
The garrison realizes too late. They've spread out
farther than expected. This shore is clear. But
soon, they will land further apart as well, able
to encircle the men hiding at the mouth of the
isthmus.
The three commanders watch each other intently,
looking for signs of wavering.
"I feared we'd have the day before landfall"
Then, horns again.
As fire rises over Old Oak, the smoke carries silence after hours of steel. They say the fighting was thickest right at the shore. As men waded through the shallows & spears faced them in the rock banks, arrows whizzing overhead, finally the left flank disembarked. Iron Men flowing from the high ground downward to the shore & pinning the garrison. All hope was lost as the right flank disembarked, an entirely fresh force, ready to encircle them & drown the Oakheart defenders in the salty brine.
But then, the men of House Drumm, the entire column, began
pulling back inland instead of crashing in the right rear.
The raiders of House Goodbrother waited for their Drumm
reinforcements for hours, fighting in the thicket, trying to
disembark enough men for the pincer to grasp the garrison.
But the Drumm's never came. Instead, they counted the fighting
men ashore & moved on to the undefended town.
Old Oak was raided, but not destroyed. The Ironborn entered
the town, ransacked & looted whatever they could from the
septs & mills but did not try to scale the packed keep.
Lord Drumm was aware of the time constraints. So as the
Goodbrothers saw no victory worth the Iron Price & began
retreating to reembark, the Drumm ships were long out to sea,
laden with treasure & no injured.
_edited.png){kind=small}
_edited.png){kind=small}
_edited.png){kind=small}
_edited.png){kind=small}
_edited.png){kind=small}
Lady Anabes Stone
Lady of the Reach
Ser Emerick Oakheart
Lord of Old Oak
Ser Mandon Grimm
Lord of Greyshield
Old Oak
Chapter 8: A Sail Sets
The waters across Seagard & its bay are quiet at dusk. No merchant cog setting out toward the night, fishing cutters returning as the daylight fades. A fog lays over the quiet water - only the Mallister fleet patrolling the bay. Nothing lurks in the fog, nothing ever breaks the quiet.
As Ser Merwyn watches from the highest seatower, he understands why they call him the "old dog". When the evening winds start whipping like this, he feels it in his joints. He watches the lights of the Mallister Fleet in the distance. His son has proven his valor on many occasions. Maybe his daughter's new husband will grow to resemble him.
Then the wind shifts - the fog is illuminated by torches - sails. Bells. Horns. Chaos.
The black sails of House Harlaw disappear as fast as they've struck.
The reavers sink what they cannot capture, ambushing them out in the open.
Few make it to shore. There is no spectacle, no grand effort, only death for House Mallister.
The heir to Seagard is nowhere to be found.
Chapter 9: An Arrow Looses
Lord Farman looks upon his commander once again. Vincent is young, but proven. A hothead, yet his courage makes up for much.
As Lord & Lady Farman ride for Castamere, they entrust Fair Isle to Ser Vincent Brax. He wishes to be called "the Seahorse" one day, for his great inspiration the House of Velaryon & his families sigil of the Unicorn. One day...
One day comes quickly for the Farman Fleet. One day comes quickly for young Vincent. In the morning hours, a few vessels are spotted off the Fairisle's coast - small raiding vessels heading for Feastfires or Kayce. This is what the guardian fleet is there for.
He commands the Flagship himself - following the longboats south.
As Vincent's fleet rounds the southern cape of Fair Isle toward open waters, the longboats begin to turn. He picks up speed as he approaches volley distance, the strait carrying him south. Then, a line of Galleys enter the strait.
Vincent hears horns blare in his rear. A second squadron has sailed past Faircastle to catch up.
He watches the shore of Fair Isle to his right - signal fires burn, warning him of the now
inescapable hammer heading for him.
His ships are quickly swarmed by smaller vessels, struggling to escape. As the Galleys close in
from the south, the Farman fleet tries to turn. Surely the following squadron does not hold such
large vessels, maybe, he could break through a line of longships, maybe he could escape with
some of the fleet back to port.
As the hammer hits the anvil, the second line crashes into his rear - sails as large as castle walls
block out the sun as giant rams grind his hulls into driftwood & deliver his crew into the cold
halls of the Drowned God.
%20(12)_edited_edited_edit.jpg)
Chapter 10: Justice Entire
Ravens fly to King's Landing. They report of
bloodshed. Of raiders upon the Sunset Coasts.
The King's subjects in peril, the throne's peace
shattered. Rumors spread of hostages.
All look toward the scholar King for a ruling.
Ships prowl & the King deliberates.
Eventually a whisper reaches the Houses, their
emissaries unsure of the news.
"So these are the outlaws Lord Greyjoy seeks
to bring to heel" - his grace is heard to have
pondered. "Let him".
As his grace, occupied with personal affairs,
presents a decree to mend the realms qualms,
speakers & scribes are ushered at the feet of an
empty throne to satisfy the petitioning lords.
"It is thus decreed, by his grace, Aerys Targaryen, the first of his name, the King of the Andals, the Rhoynar & the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms & Protector of the Realm - regarding the incidents that befell the realm upon these last weeks, that all whom wish to remedy their losses, to join the Lord Reaper Dalton Greyjoy in his justice for his mutineers. He is charged by his grace & the crown to bring justice at once to the affected lords of the realm by ways of delivering the crowns justice upon these rogue captains & lowly raiders. Futhermore, all Lords Paramount & Wardens of his grace's kingdoms are encouraged to protect their vassals with greater care & attention, not to invite the wrath of these lawless men."
An uproar so loud was rarely heard amongst the lords of the realm. If his grace were to ever occupy the throne room, it would have been a well earned task of the Kingsguard to halt the enflamed crowd from treasonous disrespect.
One young son of Driftmark is heard calling his grace "Aerys the Complacent" - an offense quickly chastised by the boys father.
