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Home , Baelor, Battle of the Bastards, Bran Stark, Catelyn Stark, Cersei Lannister, Daario Naharis

Game of Thrones Background Guide Table of Contents

Letter from the Chair Letter from the Crisis Director Committee Logistics Introduction to the Committee Introduction to House Introduction to House Lannister Introduction to House Targaryen Questions to Consider Resources to Use Resources Used Dossiers Appendix

Staff of the Committee

Chair Azanta Thakur Vice Chair Victoria Lopez Crisis Director Sam Lyons Assistant Crisis Director Ariana Thorpe

Under Secretary General Jane Gallagher

Taylor Cowser, Secretary General Neha Iyer, Director General

Letter from the Chair Dear Delegates,

On behalf of our committee, I want to extend a warm welcome to you all to BosMUN XIX. I am so excited that you will be a part of this committee and I expect us all to have a dramatic — yet fantastic — weekend. We have a lot of exciting things in store, so get ready, binge the show, and bring your game face. My name is Azanta Thakur and I will be your Chair for the conference weekend. I’m a senior at Boston University studying Public Health and Environmental Analysis & Policy. This is my fourth BosMUN and I’m really looking forward to my final MUN conference. I’ve held every role in BosMUN; from the Secretariat, to the Dais, to the Crisis Room — I hold this conference very near and dear to my heart. For me, doing my last committee on the greatest TV show of all time was the perfect way to go out with a bang.

You have been given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to conclude this series the way you want. This is why we have decided to begin after the events of Season 6. This background guide will serve as exactly that: background for those of you who have not watched the show, whether that is recently or at all. However, I strongly recommend that you watch the show up to at least Season 6 before the committee begins if you have not already, and possibly Seasons 7 & 8 for inspiration. It is your best resource for the conference — even before this background guide. You may use information and details from the books, but this is not required.

While I’ve provided a summary and background, I still strongly recommend watching Seasons 1-6 before the of committee. It is your best resource, even before this background guide. This background guide is also a bit unconventional. Because the characters and their lives are so intertwined in the universe, while writing this background guide, I found it difficult to write two about two different topics and not be too repetitive. Instead, each House is described with a timeline of events from Seasons 1 to 6. Each House ends where Season 6 ends; your next steps will be to decide what to do next as a part of Cersei’s council.

The Dais will be representing during committee, with the delegates acting as Cersei’s advisors, deliberating on how to deal with the impending arrival of the Targaryen fleet. I want to see your most creative ideas, thoughts, and directives. This weekend is your pearl, so make the most of it! If you have any questions, I encourage you to reach out to me at [email protected].

Warmly, Azanta Thakur

Letter from the Crisis Director

Dear Delegates,

Welcome to Game of Thrones at BosMUN XIX. Your Dias has been hard at work for the past few months getting ready for committee and we are so excited for a weekend of murder, intrigue, and war. This committee is exciting because you will have the opportunity to do what and D.B Weiss could not, write a satisfying ending to the most epic TV show of our generation. Please note that we are starting at the end of Season 6 with Daenerys’s imminent arrival in Westeros. Delegates looking to be successful would be advised to take their own direction and not replicate the events of Seasons 7 and 8, especially 8.

As a CD I value creativity. The beauty of crisis is the ability to shape the arc of committee through your backroom actions, and this weekend I am hoping the direction of committee will be delegate driven. You should feel empowered to draw from any narrative arc from the show or books or come up with your own. Please keep in mind the resources you have access to when formulating your plans. Personally I am more interested in soft power focused arcs than straight military but I will go for anything as long as it is well executed.

Good luck!

Sam Lyons

Committee Logistics

Debate

This committee will be functioning in a perpetual moderated caucus. The topic of the moderated caucus, as well as any alternate caucuses and procedures, will be determined by the body. Voting on procedural matters will require a simple majority, while voting on substantive issues will require a plurality. All delegates’ votes will count the same. The chair will oversee all dilatory matters, including voting procedures, directives, and any other procedural votes. The Crisis Room, as detailed below, will be directing debate in the form of crises, presented to the committee as they arise. The chair retains the right at all times to use chair’s discretion, especially if debate has stagnated. As any other MUN committee, be respectful of other delegates in any form of communication.

Documents

Our committee will use four different types of documents. The first is a Directive, a document that orders the committee to take an official, concrete action. If we were in a regular MUN committee, this would be akin to a resolution, but more direct, less formal, and should be written and passed much more often than in a General Assembly.

The next type of document is a Press Release, a document that outlines a public statement or message that the committee wishes to express.

Committee Logistics

It may be from the committee as a whole or from a specific delegate. It may be addressed to a specific news agency, the Small Council, the Dais, or just a general press release to show to the committee and citizenry. The third document, a Communiqué, is an official communication to another organization or individual. It can be sent to another delegate. It may also be sent to another individual or organization not represented in the simulation, which will then be played out by the Crisis Room. The aforementioned three documents must be sent to the Chair and passed by a plurality of the committee. The final document type is than an Individual Action Order. Delegates should use this to secretly order something that is fully within their purview and would not require committee-wide approval in your character’s Dossier. Individual Action

Orders should be sent to the Crisis room, and may or may not be approved at the discretion of the Crisis team. You may not, however, send an individual communiqué to a member of any other committee.

Crisis Room

At BosMUN, we strive to offer an opportunity for every delegate to shape their simulated world, and so we will make the best possible attempt to implement Individual

Action Orders. When sending a note to the Crisis Room, however, delegates must be creative in who they address it to, and remain within the realistic purview of their character’s power.

Committee Logistics

Please remember to sign all notes legibly. Bear in mind that the Crisis Room will be incredibly hectic and busy all throughout the conference. While they will be fully available to you throughout BosMUN, please do not send frivolous or unimportant notes and do not expect the Crisis Room to respond immediately to your every request.

Be respectful of the Crisis room and they will be more likely to help you out.

Awards Criteria

Delegates are encouraged to promote the best possible solutions to the committee’s substantive problems. Awards will be specifically be given to the individuals who shape the debate and results of the committee the most throughout the conference. In other words, those who best influence the content of the committee’s proceedings will be considered for awards. This may be accomplished through all means available, including utilization of the Crisis Room, speaking, writing, and caucusing. The opinions of the

Crisis Director, Vice Chair, and Crisis Staff will play heavily into the Chair’s awards decisions. Therefore, please be respectful at all times to both delegates and staff, so that everyone can get the best experience possible. Attendance to all committee sessions and prompt submission of a position paper are required to be considered for awards.

Introduction to the Committee

Welcome to Westeros, post Season 6. The committee will act as a series of meetings presided over by Queen of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, Cersei Lannister between strategic members of the Small Council, various officials, representatives of the Seven Kingdoms, and trusted advisors. The timing and prior events will be confirmed by the Crisis Room prior to the start of committee before the commencement of debate in order to account for the rapid crisis updates and the progress made by the committee. The committee must maintain flexibility in the face of challenges at all times.

Your Queen demands your silence, honor, and creativity. In order to defeat the

Targaryen army, the committee must be willing to sacrifice all to preserve and protect

Westeros from the Mad King’s heir. As shapers and participators of Westeros’ path towards war, you are tasked with determining the best routes and roads in setting

Westeros up to be strong in the face of conflict, as well as any internal backlash that may come throughout this weekend.

The Lannisters always pay their debts. Be ready to pay yours.

Letter from the Queen of Westeros

Cersei of House Lannister, First of Her Name, Queen of the Andals and the First Men,

Protector of the Seven Kingdoms summons the Small Council and Lords of Westeros to bend the knee to their rightful Queen or suffer the fate of all traitors. In bending the knee, the Lords of Westeros will be allowed to preserve their lives.

The Small Council must prepare for the incoming invasion by the Targaryen traitor. If

Westeros shall fall into the fateful Mad Queen’s hands, all will be surely lost. In preparation for war, we must rebuild King’s Landing to fortify the city. Bend the knee and you shall remain in the Queen’s inner circle as the future looms.

House Stark

House Stark of Winterfell is one of the Great Houses of Westeros, known for their vast rule of the Kingdom of the North. It is one of the oldest lines and houses in Westeros, stretching over eight thousand years. Prior to the War of the Five Kings, the North was a free land ruled over by House Stark as Kings. House Stark’s sigil is a grey dire wolf on a white background over a green escutcheon. They are one of the few noble Houses whose family motto is not a boast or a thread. Instead it is a warning that will always be relevant: “.”

Lord Eddard Stark headed House Stark with his wife , whom he had five children with: , , , Brandon Stark, and . He raised as his bastard, who was later revealed to be his nephew birthed by his sister Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen.

House Stark has quite the fall from the top beginning with ’s beheading for knowing the truth culprit behind ’s death and his knowledge that Cersei Lannister’s children were illegitimate. Though King Robert proclaimed Ned as the Protector of the Realm before his death, Cersei denies the claims and rips up the letter, ordering Ned’s death to protect King Joffrey’s rule. After his beheading, Sansa Stark became a political captive of House Lannister and Ned’s other daughter, Arya Stark, escaped King’s Landing with a member of the Night’s Watch to follow her own fate. Meanwhile, Sansa’s original betrothal to King Joffrey was broken to instead be married off to the youngest Lannister sibling and dwarf, .

Ned’s death set off a set of dominoes. Declaring himself King in the North, Robb leaves Winterfell to avenge his father and began a campaign against the Lannisters, taking the Riverlands, in the Westerlands at Oxcross, the Yellow Fork, and the Crag. In his absence, Robb’s childhood friend and male heir to the Iron Islands, took control of Winterfell, forcing Bran and Rickon Stark to leave. Unable to find them, Theon presented the burnt bodies of two farmer’s sons, declaring them to be Bran and Rickon Stark. Across the North, Robb is leading his army to victory, even through the Battle of the Blackwater. Ned’s death soon cascaded to his wife, eldest son, and Robb’s wife. With their deaths at the Red Wedding as a result of a betrayal by House Frey and House Bolton, House Stark’s rule in the North ended. House Believing all of the male heirs to House Stark dead, Bolton was made Warden of the North and Winterfell was given to House Bolton. Bran and Rickon begin to travel North with friends they find along the way. Bran and Rickon part ways, with Bran heading beyond the wall and Rickon headed to the Last Hearth to seek shelter from House Umber. Bran eventually comes across the weir wood tree occupies by The Children of the Forest and the Three-Eyed Raven. He begins to train with the Three-Eyed Raven, witnessing several visions of his family members, including Ned, his uncle Benjen, and his aunt Lyanna Stark where he learns the truth of Jon Snow’s lineage.

Tywin Lannister, head of House Lannister, eventually planned to return the North to Stark control through the heir of Tyrion and Sansa’s union but after Joffrey’s assassination, Tyrion and Sansa escape King’s Landing and separate. Tywin himself was killed by Tyrion before his own plan could come to fruition. Sansa and Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish secretly return to Winterfell, where Sansa is married off to to cement their control over the North. Sansa agrees, under the impression that , who is on his own quest to lay claim to the throne, will liberate Winterfell soon and declare her Wardeness of the North. Although Sansa doesn’t realize it, many in the North are already regaining hope because there is a Stark again in Winterfell. Sansa herself eventually begins to have hope for her House after she forces to admit that he killed two farm boys and not Bran and Rickon. She later flees with Theon during the battle of Winterfell.

In 302 AC, Jon Snow was stabbed to death by his own men in a mutiny, led by Alliser Thorne. In an effort to save the brotherhood of the Night’s Watch, Thorne took matters into his own hands. He lead his brothers to stab Snow multiple times, and after his death, turned on Snow’s friends. It was a shock to everyone, including . But just a few days later, the Red Woman brought him back to life at the behest of Ser Davos. It was unprecedented, yet a sign of Jon Snow’s fate: he was meant for something bigger, and it was not his time.

A sign that the game of thrones was afoot, for later it would be revealed that Jon Snow, son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen, was the rightful heir to the throne of Westeros, meant to be King of the Seven Kingdoms.

It was a sign, that winter was here. With Theon Greyjoy in tow, Sansa ran from Bolton’s hounds, barely diverting them. With the help of Brienne and Podrick, the last of Ramsay’s dogs and men are killed. Sansa is free of Ramsay — but House Stark is not. Now with Brienne and Podrick, Sansa heads to her resurrected cousin Jon at Castle Black to remain in his protection and safety. Theon decides to return to Pyke with Sansa’s blessings, knowing he could not face his former childhood best friends with his betrayals to the Stark family.

Ramsay manages to capture Osha the Wildling and Rickon Stark from Smalljon Umber to secure an alliance with House Bolton against the Free Folk, both of whom meet their demise at his hands before the year’s end. Sansa finally reunites with her brother and urges him to re-take Winterfell from the Boltons. He agrees once receiving a letter from Ramsay stating that Rickon Stark is in his possession and for his return, he must have Sansa back. On the grounds that his watch has ended through his death, Jon decides to leave the Night’s Watch and journeys back to Winterfell with an army of able-bodied Free Folk and loyal houses in tow. They are able to recruit a few hundred soldiers from Houses Mormont, Hornwood, and Mazin with no responses from Houses Cerwyn and Manderly and a rejection from House Glover. Though they both agree that they do not have enough soldiers, Jon marches on anyway to Winterfell, arguing there is no time left.

What ensues afterwards is the . Jon attacks with 2,405 men but loses Rickon to Ramsay just as the battle begins. Jon is on the verge of losing when the Knights of the Vale arrive to join the battle, lead by , summoned by Sansa. Jon and Sansa are able to reclaim Winterfell after Jon fells Ramsay in a one-to-one combat and leaves Ramsay’s fate for Sansa to decide — his death at the hand of his own dogs. Rickon is buried in the crypt next to his father and Winterfell finally returns to her rightful owners.

After the battle, the Northern lords and the Lords of the Vale meet in the Great Hall in Winterfell to discuss the future and provisions for winter. Lady Lyanna Mormont declares Jon Snow the King in the North as he has the blood of Eddard Stark. She is followed by Lord Wyman Manderly, Robert Glover, and the rest of the gathered lords.

Arya, in the Riverlands, personally slays Lord Walter Frey and every member in the house who participated in the Red Wedding massacre, finally avenging the North.

House Lannister

House Lannister of Casterly Rock is one of the Great Houses of Westeros, one of its richest and most powerful families and one of its oldest dynasties. Following the extinction of House Baratheon, it became the royal house of the Seven Kingdoms.

The Lannisters main area of rule is the Westerlands, with their seat in Casterly Rock. They are the wealthiest family in the realm as Casterly Rock sits atop the most productive gold mine in the Westerlands.They are the Lords Paramount of the Westerlands and Wardens of the West. When they became the new royal house, they also ruled directly over the Crownlands from their seat of the Red Keep in King’s Landing, the traditional seat of the royal family. Their heraldry consists of a golden lion on a crimson background. House Lannister’s unofficial motto is “A Lannister always pays his debts”, and their official one is “ Hear me roar.”

The Lannisters are known for their looks and arrogance. Fair-haired, tall, and handsome, the Lannisters have a long history of ruling and nobility. Since the war against Aegon the Conqueror, they served the Targaryens and then King Robert Baratheon when Cersei Lannister was wed to him. was the head of the family and had three children: Cersei, Jaime, and Tyrion Lannister. His wife Joanna died after giving birth to Tyrion, who is a dwarf. Because of his short stature and complications of his brith, Tyrion has a troubled relationship with his siblings and his father. Cersei Lannister had a longstanding incestuous relationship with her brother Jaime and had three kids with him under the disguise of Cersei’s to Robert Baratheon: Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen.

Cersei and Jaime’s relationship was discovered by and was pushed out of the tower to prevent him from revealing what he saw, rendering him permanently paralyzed from the waist down. An assassin attempts to kill Bran as he lies comatose but is protected by his direwolf. Catelyn realizes the Lannisters ordered the assassination when she discovered a blond hair in the tower and the assassin’s fine blade. When the royal party left Winterfell, Tyrion separated from the group to go further North to see the Wall, where he befriends Jon Snow. On , Joffrey is attacked by Arya Stark and her direwolf Nymeria in Arya’s attempt to defend her friend Mycah from Joffrey’s cruel bullying. But Joffrey denies anything to his mother and stepfather and Cersei demands that the Stark dire wolves be executed. She warns Joffrey that anyone who is not a member of their house is an enemy.

Petyr Baelish tells Catelyn that the assassination attempt on Bran was ordered by Tyrion. Tyrion, attempting to deliver a saddle that will allow Bran to ride a horse and simultaneously trying to recruit volunteers for the Night’s Watch, is arrested for the assassination attempt. In rebuke, Tywin Lannister calls for his banners and marches on the Riverlands, Catelyn’s ancestral home and the seat of House Tully, to punish her for Tyrion’s abduction. Jaime, who has a soft spot for his younger brother, confronts Ned Stark and kills several of his guards before dueling him personally. Jaime leaves him alive after wounding him and rides out off the capital. Ned realizes that Cersei’s children are all fathered by Jaime after a personal investigation. He warns Catelyn’s with his findings and plans to tell Robert. But Robert is gravely wounded on his hunt and is brought back to King’s Landing to die. On his deathbed, he declares Ned has the Protector of the Realm and Ned decides to hold his tongue, and instead, write to Robert’s eldest brother, Stannis Baratheon, with his findings. But Ned is betrayed by his allies and beheaded, while Cersei installs Joffrey as King and becomes Queen Regent. She also installs Jaime as Commander of the Kingsguard.

Tyrion wins his freedom in a trial by combat where he has a sell sword, Bronn, fight as his champion. Still, Tywin has gathered an army of sixty thousand men to besiege Riverrun to avenge his son. They massacre the remaining Stark retainers in King’s Landing. Sansa is captured by Arya escapes, and Cersei manipulates Sansa into writing to her brother Robb to swear fealty to Joffrey. But Robb sees through the ploy and calls his banners to march south. He sends a decoy force to fight Tywin’s in the Riverruns and Tywin wins an easy victory against Robb’s much smaller force in the Battle of the Green Fork. But Jaime is captured by Robb’s army in the Battle of the Whispering Wood. Tywin receives word that both Stannis and Renly have declared claims on the throne and are gathering armies. These battles mark the opening exchanges of the War of the Five Kings. Jaime admits to Catelyn that he pushed Bran from the tower after questioning but does not reveal why. Tywin names Tyrion Acting Hand of the King and sends him to King’s Landing and Tyrion takes his lover Shae with him despite Tywin’s orders. Tyrion arrives at King’s Landing during Joffrey’s nameday. In his kindness, he apologizes to Sansa for the loss of her father but is eventually betrothed to her in Joffrey’s idea of a joke. Joffrey also orders the purge of Robert Baratheon’s bastards. Tyrion embarks on cleaning up Joffrey and Cersei’s messes, spying, and blackmail as best as he can, as well as attempting to retrieve his brother back from Catelyn Stark in exchange for his daughters.

After mistaking Arya’s assassination of Ser Amory L’Orch as an attempt on his own life, Tywin has Ser to burn down nearby villages and farms to punish who he believes to be the perpetrators, the Brotherhood Without Banners. And so ensues the Battle of Blackwater. Stannis’s fleet sails into Blackwater Bay but is destroyed by wyldfire, destroying many of his ships and killing many of his men. Nonetheless, he and his forces are able to row to the city gates, attacking the weak Mud Gates and using ladders to climb over the battlements. As the Baratheon troops overwhelm the Lannister, retreats within the city walls and abandons his post within the Kingsguard. Joffrey leaves the battle per his mother’s wishes, leaving Tyrion to lead the attack through hidden tunnels beneath the city. They’re able to briefly flank Stannis’s forces before more Baratheon troops arrive. Tyrion is slashed across the face. Before slipping into unconsciousness, he sees reinforcements from his father and House Tyrell arrive, forcing Stannis and his remaining troops to retreat.

With Tywin’s declaration of victory, he arrives in King’s Landing, making Tyrion no longer the acting Hand of the King. Tywin is declared Savior of the City by his grandson and weds instead of Sansa Stark. Cersei realizes she is losing control of her son to Margaery, beginning a long road that eventually leads to Margaery’s death.

Tyrion is named the new Master of Coin, realizing that the Iron Throne owes a tremendous debt to the Iron Bank of Braavos. Meanwhile Jaime, released by Catelyn Stark, journeys to find . After losing to her in a duel, they are found by soldiers of House Bolton led by Locke, ’s best hunter. Jaime’s right sword hand is chopped off and taken to Harrenhal where Roose Bolton held the fortress. Though Roose apologizes for the way he was treated, he plays a mind game with Jaime, leading him to believe that Stannis has taken control of King’s Landing at the battle of the Blackwater and killed his sister before revealing the truth. He has taken to former maester Qyburn to have his wound washing but is refused Milk of the Poppy to numb the pain. He describes to Brienne how he became the Kingslayer.

In King’s Landing, Cersei meets with , Head of House Tyrell. She agreed so to have House Tyrell to pay for half the expenses of the royal wedding. Tyrion meets with his father and sister at the Tower of the Hand and Tywin plots to marry Sansa to Tyrion and Cersei to Loras Tyrell, the only son of Mace Tyrell.

Jaime is returned to King’s Landing because of the abuses he endured from his men but Brienne is not to accompany him due to her treason. Jaime departs from Harrenhal with Bolton soldiers to protect them, as well as Qyburn. But when Qyburn tells Jaime that Locke believes he is being cheated by Selwyn Tarth given than he has not offered sapphires for his daughter’s safe return and says that Locke and the Boltons will likely hurt Brienne, prompting Jaime to force his protectors to return him to Harrenhal. He finds Brienne in a fighting pit with Locke’s bear. He jumped down to protect her, Steelshanks shooting arrows into the bear and Boltmen bring the two out of the pit. He declares that they will be departing together.

On the day of the wedding from Tyrion and Sansa, Joffrey continues to cruelly bully the both of them. Tyrion refuses to consummate their marriage but continues to bond with his wife, attempting to protect her from Joffrey after the events of the Red Wedding. Tywin informs Tyrion that he had a hand in the Red Wedding, seeking to protect their family and end the war. Again, he tells Tyrion to consummate his marriage with Sansa but Tyrion refuses. Jaime and his entourage finally arrive in King’s Landing, where he is barely recognized due to his poor condition. Tywin attempts to prompt Jaime to leave the Kingsguard to resume his place at Casterly Rock as Tywin’s heir, but Jaime refuses, enraging Tywin. Jaime is outfitted with a prosthetic golden hand by Qyburn.

Joffrey is wed to Margaery Tyrell in the Great Sept of . A wedding feast follows , where Joffrey has five dwarfs mockingly reenact the War of the Five Kings, greatly offending House Tyrell, Sansa, and Tyrion. Tyrion refuses to join in at Joffrey’s behest, prompting Joffrey to pour wine on him and name his cupbearer. Tyrion and Sansa try to leave after more humiliation, but Joffrey forces them to remain behind and tells Tyrion to pour him more wine. Joffrey drinks and suddenly begins coughing, clutching throat, collapsing on the ground and dying. Cersei accuses Tyrion of poisoning her son and has the Kingsguard arrest him while Sansa is secretly escorted away to Littlefinger.

Jaime visits Tyrion in his cell, telling him how he refused to kill his brother although Cersei had asked him to. Jaime also believes Tyrion when he tells him he had nothing to do with Joffrey’s murder and how Tyrion does not believe Sansa had anything to do it. Brienne leaves with new armor and Valyrian steel as gifts from Jaime to fulfill her vows to Catelyn Stark to protect Sansa Stark.

Joffrey’s younger brother, is appointed king. It is revealed that Olenna Tyrell and Petyr Baelish were the ones behind Joffrey’s murder. Cersei visits her father who refuses to discuss the trial with her but informs Cersei that they are in tremendous debt to the Iron Bank of Braavos due to Robert Baratheon’s outrageous and reckless spending. Tywin tells Cersei that they need the Tyrells by their side due to their wealth, nothing how their gold mines in the Westerlands have run dry.

On the day of Tyrian’s trial, King Tommen sits out as a judge with Tywin serving in his stead, along with mace Tyrell and Oberon Martell, as Tywin had previously arranged. Tyrion does not confess to the accusations placed on him by Cersei, so enemies of Tyrion acting as witnesses are called to speak out against Tyrion. During recess, Jaime controls Tywin, believing that the whole trial is a farce manipulated by Cersei. He strikes a deal with his father that he will leave the Kingsguard and assume his place at Casterly Rock if Tywin lets Tyrion live. Tywin agrees, promising to send Tyrion to join the Night’s Watch. Jaime tells Tyrion to plead guilty and for mercy, but when Tyrion’s lover Shae is brought as the final witness and made to say that Tyrion is guilty, Tyrion loses it and lashes out. He demands a trial by combat and Oberon Martell becomes his champion. Oberon and Mountain clash, during which oberon demands that Ser Gregor admits to the rape and murder of his sister, Ella, and her children that she bore with her husband, Rhaegar Targaryen, Rhaenys and Aegon. Oberon severely injures the Mountain but refuses to kill him as he has not confessed. The Mountain puts his fingers through Oberyn’s eye sockets and confesses to the rape and murders and then crushes Oberyn’s skull. The Mountain dies from the manticore venom on Oberyn’s sword but is brought back as a grotesque version of himself by Qyburn. The night before Tyrion’s final trial, Jaime has the guards knocked out and frees his little brother, telling him that he is working with , who has secured a galley in the harbor. Jaime departs but Tyrion first takes another path: to kill his lover, Shae, and his father. Varys and Tyrion board the galleys and sale off to Essos.

A funeral is held for Tywin Lannister. Myrcella, Cersei’s youngest child, is killed by the Sand Snakes in revenge over the deaths of Elia and Oberon Martell, as she embraces her father after confessing to knowing that Jaime is her real father.

Cersei attempts to undermine House Tyrell, whose influence has grown stronger and stronger over her last remaining child, King Tommen but is locked away. The urges Cersei to confess to her sins so that she may return to her son, who has fallen into a state of depression and is refusing to eat. She later decides to give in and confesses to some of her sins but denies any involvement in sleeping with her brother and conspiring to murder her late husband. Because she only confesses to some sins, Cersei must still have a trial. However, she is allowed to return to the Red Keep if she undergoes a humiliating walk of atonement. She is forced to walk naked through the streets of King’s Landing as Septa Unella rings a bell next to her, shouting, “Shame!” She finally makes it back to the Red Keep, feet bloodied and vengeful. She is delighted to reunite with her brother but mourns her youngest daughter’s death, swearing revenge.

Margaery, who has by now married Tommen, is imprisoned along with her brother. She is to have a walk of atonement and demands her release, but the High Sparrow rebukes this by claiming that the gods do not recognize his authority in such a matter. Margaery does not have a walk of atonement due to her help in cementing a new alliance between the crown and the faith. Jaime is missed from the Kingsguard and told by his son to assist House Frey in taking back Riverrun, which has been recaptured by the House Tully army. Jaime arrives in the Riverlands with 8,000 troops and Ser Bronn at his side. Brienne and Jaime reunite before parting again. Back in King’s Landing, the Mountain kills one of the Sparrows. Tommen then declares that after conferring with the High Sparrow, trial by combat has been forbidden throughout the Seven Kingdoms and trials for Loras Tyrell and Cersei are to be held on the first day of the Festival of the Mother. Cersei is shocked, realizing she will no longer be able to use the Mountain to defend her. Loras confesses to all of the sins he has been accused of on the day of his trial and agreed to spread the henceforth as Brother Loras. Cersei does not show up to her trial, instead letting the Great Sept of Baelor explode in wyldfire. Cersei has succeeded in wiping out nearly all of her primary enemies but King Tommen commits suicide after watching the Great Sept explode and hearing of the death. With his death, House Baratheon officially becomes extinct.

This leaves us with a new Queen Regent of Westeros, replacing her last surviving child, King Tommen, as ruler.

House Targaryen

House Targaryen of Dragonstone is an exiled Great House of Westeros and the former royal house of the Seven Kingdoms. House Targaryen conquered and unified the realm before it was deposed during Robert’s Rebellion and House Baratheon replaced it as the new royal House. The two surviving Targaryens, Viserys and Daenerys, field into exile to the Free Cities of Essos across the Narrow Sea.

House Targaryen’s sigil is a three-headed red dragon on a black background, and their house words are “Fire and Blood.”

Once a noble family of the vast Valyrian Freehold, an empire spanning most of the eastern continent, the Targaryens were given control of the island of Dragonstone in the Narrow Sea some centuries ago. After the obliteration of Valyria in the Doom, the Targaryens launched a devastating invasion of Westeros using three dragons to spearhead their attack. In a short period of time, six of the seven formerly independent kingdoms had surrendered to the Targaryen leader, King Aegon I, unifying the continent under his rule. The last hold-out, Dorne, joined the kingdom through a political and marriage alliance some two centuries later.

During the increasingly erratic reign of King Aerys II, his son Rhaegar was said to have kidnapped Lyanna Stark of Winterfell for unknown reasons. When Lyanna's brother Brandon protested, Aerys responded by having both him and his father Rickard Stark arrested and executed. This sparked a massive uprising led by Eddard Stark, Robert Baratheon, and Jon Arryn. At the end of this war, Aerys and Rhaegar were dead and the Targaryen power-base in Westeros destroyed. Aerys's youngest children, Viserys and Daenerys, were taken by Targaryen loyalists into exile in the Free Cities of the East. Unknown to most, however, Rhaegar had his marriage with Elia Martell annulled and remarried Lyanna, with whom he also had a son, Jon Snow. As Lyanna lay dying after giving birth to her son, she pleaded with her brother Eddard to keep her baby safe from Robert, who surely would want her baby dead due to Robert's immense hatred for Rhaegar and promise to wipe out the Targaryen bloodline. She reveals her son's name is Aegon Targaryen. To protect his sister's son from Robert, Eddard takes his infant nephew back with him to Winterfell, names him Jon, and claims him as his illegitimate son, raising Jon as his own child alongside his trueborn children. The child would become Jon Snow and grows up with the maternal side of his family. Generations of compound inbreeding have preserved in the Targaryen bloodline the classic Valyrian features of silver-white (platinum blonde) hair, and very fair, pale skin. Allegedly, this also preserved in their bloodline the ability to successfully bond with and ride dragons. They also seem to be somewhat more tolerant of extreme heat and high temperatures than other people, though they are by no means invulnerable to fire – or at least, not all of them. Unfortunately, some believe that this practice of inbreeding has also caused the trait of insanity to plague House Targaryen; though some members are known to be perfectly normal psychologically-speaking, other Targaryens throughout history have displayed bizarre, erratic and sometimes violent behavior, succumbing to the so-called 'Targaryen madness'.

Daenerys’ brother, Viserys, arranged for his sister’s marriage to the powerful Dothraki Khal Drogo in exchange for a promise that Drogo will help him reclaim his crown. Viserys treats Daenerys with contempt, telling her he would even let the horses have her if it meant he could regain his crown. Daenerys becomes pregnant with Drogo’s son, whom she names Raego, and he is prophesied to be the “stallion that mounts the world.” Drogo kills Viserys by pouring molten gold over his head for his jealousy and arrogance. Their marriage was short however; when Drogo invades villages to enslave their inhabitants, intending to use them to barter passage across the Narrow Sea, he is wounded. Daenerys turns to a captive Miri Maz Duur to treat him. She is a maegi and deliberately infects the wound, causing Drogo’s life to become endangered. Daenerys allows her to use magic to treat Drogo and one of his blood riders violently disagrees, injuring Daenerys and triggering premature labor. Duur’s spell leaves Drogo catatonic and Daenerys’s son stillborn. After a loving farewell speech, Daenerys smothers Drogo with a cushion. She has Duur burned alive on his funeral pyre, also placing her dragon eggs among the flames. Daenerys steps into the fire, but the next morning she is rereleased to be unharmed and holding her dragon hatchlings in her hands: Rhaegal, Viserion, and Drogon.

Daenerys's advisor Ser warns that rival khals will target her and advises that she flee into the Red Waste. Her crossing is harrowing and she loses the majority of her horses (namely her own, Drogo's first gift to her) and some of her people.

Upon arriving in Qarth she is allowed into the city under the protection of the wealthy merchant Xaro Xhoan Daxos. Xaro makes a pragmatic marriage proposal, promising to fund Daenerys's return to Westeros in exchange for becoming her husband. Jorah counsels against entering Xaro's debt and reveals his own feelings for Daenerys. After retrieving them, Daenerys locks Xaro in his own vault along with one of her handmaidens, who was sleeping with Xaro. With her dragons once more by her side, she and the remnants of her khalasar raid Xaro's wealthy home.

Having seized as much of Xaro's wealth as she and the remnants of her khalasar could carry, Daenerys and her retainers flee Qarth by ship. Daenerys reluctantly takes Jorah's advice to make for Astapor, a city in Slaver's Bay known for its warrior-slaves. Jorah feels that using their wealth to purchase an army is her best course of action. Shortly after their arrival, Daenerys is nearly assassinated by one of the remaining Warlocks, but is rescued by Ser Barristan Selmy, who has tracked her down to pledge fealty to House Targaryen once again.

House Targaryen's fortunes take a dramatic turn when Daenerys double-crosses the Good Masters of Astapor, seizing their elite Unsullied and burning the slave-owning elite with the dragon she pretended to sell to him. Daenerys thus becomes the first Targaryen in generations to march at the head of her own conquering army. Daenerys turns her attention to Yunkai, where she manages to win over the and liberate that city from the Wise Masters.

The now-sizable Targaryen army moves on the largest slaver city, Meereen. The city is taken with the aid of a slave revolt organized by the Unsullied, with its navy being commandeered by the Second Sons a few days later. Upon learning how poorly Astapor and Yunkai have fared since she left, Daenerys decides to remain in Meereen and rule as queen until the slaves are truly free and she has enough force to take all of Westeros.

However, Daenerys finds she can no longer control her dragons - which are growing rapidly - and is forced to chain Viserion and Rhaegal in the catacombs after the dragons kill a young child while Drogon escapes, his whereabouts unknown. Daenerys also banishes Jorah after discovering he had spied on her for Westeros, which almost resulted in her being assassinated.

Daenerys continues to try to control Meereen but faces major opposition from a clandestine organization calling themselves the , who have recently begun assassinating lone Unsullied. Yunkai's return to the Targaryen fold is organized by Hizdahr zo Loraq, with a council of former slaveholders and freedmen ruling the city and all major decisions being submitted to Daenerys for approval. But Daenerys, reluctant to allow the Wise Masters to reopen the fighting pits, jeopardizes the deal. Meanwhile, in Pentos, Varys works to convert a new asset to the Targaryen cause: the fugitive Tyrion Lannister. At the Wall, Aemon Targaryen, maester of Castle Black and the only other remaining Targaryen succumbs to his old age and dies.

In Slaver's Bay, Daenerys attempts to resolve the situation in Meereen by agreeing to marry Hizdahr and reopen the fighting pits. It is whilst she is attending a fight that she meets Jorah again, who has brought the captive Tyrion Lannister to her. Daenerys orders Jorah to leave, still having not forgiven him, but she allows Tyrion to live and takes him on as her advisor.

Whilst attending the games at Daznak's Pit, Daenerys is almost assassinated by a Son of the Harpy, but is saved by Jorah. Dozens of the Sons of the Harpy are revealed to be hiding in the stands and begin killing former slaves and masters alike, including Hizdahr. Daenerys is surrounded and believes she is going to die, but at the last moment, Drogon returns and attacks the Sons, saving Daenerys. When the Sons attempt to kill Drogon, Daenerys climbs onto his back and tells him to fly. Drogon takes off, carrying Daenerys away from Meereen into the Dothraki Sea and making her the first Targaryen dragon rider in centuries. However, she cannot yet fully command him, as Drogon refuses to fly Daenerys back to Meereen. Shortly after, she is surrounded by a Dothraki khalasar.

Daenerys's advisors manage to restore order in Meereen, with Tyrion ruling in her absence, whilst Jorah and Daenerys's lover search for their missing queen. Meanwhile, Daenerys has been captured and brought before Khal Moro, who expresses interest in bedding her. He is unintimidated by Daenerys's naming of her titles, until she reveals she is the widow of Khal Drogo. Moro immediately desists from his intentions to bed her, as it is forbidden to lay with a khal's widow. However, he refuses to take her back to Meereen, saying that, as a former khaleesi, Daenerys's place is with the dosh khaleen.

Moro escorts Daenerys to the temple of the dosh khaleen in Vaes Dothrak. There, the Head Priestess reveals that because Daenerys broke Dothraki law by not coming to the dosh khaleen immediately after Drogo's death, the khals are meeting to discuss what should be done with her. Jorah and Daario manage to track Daenerys down, but rather than attempt to escape Vaes Dothrak, Daenerys come up with her own plan and asks her would-be rescuers to assist her. When Daenerys is brought before the khalar vezhven, she boldly declares none of them are fit to lead the Dothraki. When Moro threatens to have Daenerys killed for her insolence, Daenerys overturns the braziers, starting a fire in the temple. The khals are unable to escape due to Daario and Jorah barring the doors and are all killed, whilst Daenerys, due to her Targaryen blood, is unharmed by the flames. The Dothraki run towards the burning temple and see Daenerys emerge unburnt from the ruins. Awed, the Dothraki immediately show their allegiance to Daenerys by bowing before her, thus making Daenerys the leader of all the Dothraki present, including at least 100,000 Dothraki warriors. The next day, Daenerys heads back towards Meereen, accompanied by the Dothraki. Upon learning that Jorah has greyscale, a disease that eventually kills its victims, Daenerys orders him to leave and find a cure, which he agrees to, once again leaving her service though this time on more amicable grounds. On her way to Meereen, Daenerys finds Drogon and rides him in front of the Dothraki. She tells them they all are her bloodriders and asks them to cross the Narrow Sea on ships and help her take the Seven Kingdoms.

In Meereen, Tyrion, in an effort to gain more support for Daenerys, arranges for the Red Priestesses to preach about her merits in the city. The Priestesses are happy to oblige, as many believe she is 'the One who was promised', sent by the Lord of Light to end slavery. Varys leaves to return to Westeros and secure more allies for Daenerys. Meereen is attacked by the navy of Astapor, Volantis, and Yunkai, who are determined to reclaim Meereen and restart the slave trade. Just as the siege begins, Daenerys returns on Drogon. At Tyrion's urging, Daenerys meets with the Wise Masters to negotiate. However, she refuses their offer to surrender. Daenerys rides Drogon out to the bay, accompanied by Rhaegal and Viserion, and burns the Slavers' ships, whilst Daario leads her Dothraki warriors to subdue the Sons of the Harpy.

Following the defeat of the Slavers and the Sons, Daenerys is met by Theon and Yara Greyjoy, who have arrived to pledge their fleet of one hundred manned ships to the Targaryen cause, if Daenerys will help them deal with Euron Greyjoy and support their claim to the Iron Islands. Daenerys agrees to these terms, though requests that the ironborn cease their acts of piracy, thus gaining House Targaryen the support of House Greyjoy. Daenerys then orders that preparations for the invasion to begin in earnest: the slaver ships are to be outfitted with Targaryen colors and figureheads, and her Dothraki are to be trained as sailors and shown how to safely transport their horses. Back in Westeros, Varys secures the assistance of Dorne – now led by and her Sand Snakes – and House Tyrell, both factions left largely untouched by the previous conflicts and eager for vengeance against the crimes of House Lannister. Daenerys, realizing that she needs to be romantically unattached to play the game of Westerosi politics, instructs Daario Naharis and his Second Sons to keep the peace in Meereen until the city decides on a permanent new method of government. Her affairs in order, Daenerys brings the renewed strength of House Targaryen to bear on the Narrow Sea. D. Questions to Consider

1. .Will Westeros accept Cersei? 2. How will the committee recover from the wyldfire explosions? 3. How will the committee deal with the unrest throughout the Lords and Ladies of Westeros? 4. How will the committee deal with the religious blowback of the destruction of the sept? 5. How will the Lannisters pay back their debts? 6. What will the council do about the encroachment of the Iron Fleet and Daenerys? 7. How will the committee prepare for war? 8. How will the committee ensure that the Lords of Westeros remain loyal to the Iron Throne and not defect to Daenerys? 9. How will the council prevent the large amounts of deaths and famines that have historically accompanied war? 10. Where will the money come from to fund this war?

E. Resources to Use and Works Cited

1. HBO Television Series Game of Thrones 2. by George R. R. Martin 3. Game of Thrones Fandom Wiki 4. TV Line Season 6 Recap 5. Vanity Fair Season 6 Recap 6. Game of Thrones Family Tree 7. Map of Westeros 8. Map of the Seven Kingdoms

A Note on Characters

Some liberties have been taken as to who is at this Small Council meeting for the sake of filling committee. Reasonable assumptions should be taken as to how and why a character is present, and while some characters listed may be deceased at this point in the show, it should be assumed they are not for the sake of committee. The Small Council

Qyburn - Hand of the Queen Until he was appointed hand of the queen Qyburn was a rejected Maester. After being thrown out of the Citadel for his unethical human experimentation, Qyburn gained the favor of the then Queen Mother and became the Lord of Whispers. During this time, he created Cersei’s champion from the body of Ser Gregor Clegane (The Mountain) using the same experimentation methods that got him kicked out of the citadel. Once Cersei became queen, he remained fiercely loyal to her and she made him the Hand of the Queen. As the Queen’s Hand, he is her closest advisor. Though he is no longer the Lord of Whispers, he has ears across the whole of King’s Landing and maintains the loyalty of some of his spies and continues to serve Cersei by continuing various experiments in his laboratory.

Lord Kevan Lannister - Master of War Lord Kevan Lannister is the younger brother of Tywin Lannister making him the uncle of both Queen Cersei and Ser Jaime. He refused Cersei’s initial invitation to be Master of War but has since come around, accepting the call to service and recognizing the value of a Lannister on the throne. Lord Kevan is a serious individual who often defers leadership to others, but will take charge if the situation demands it. Lord Kevan served as Hand of the King under King Tommen while Queen Cersei was kept prisoner by the Faith Militant, resulting in him having a lot of connections in the government. As Master of War he commands the troops of Westeros, however most troops are loyal to a regional lord first, and Westeros second. He was supposed to be at the Sept of Baelor when it exploded, but he was sick and stayed home, so he survived.

Lord Petyr Baelish - Master of Coin Petyr “Little Finger” Baelish was always underestimated. Never much of a fighter, Little Finger only had his smarts to get by. He was clever with his words and by the time he made it into King Robert’s Small Council, he had enough resources and leverage to stay there through the death of three kings as the Master of Coin. With his words and connections in King’s Landing, Lord Baelish manipulated Eddard Stark to death (literally), tricked Sansa into marrying Ramsay Bolton, and has kept King’s Landing wrapped around his finger. His business in King’s Landing draws in a variety of nobles across Westeros, fuelling his wallet and his intel. Any and all connections he has created in the Seven Kingdoms have been for his own interests. Like Lord Varys he has eyes and ears all over the Esos and Westeros but his multiple “allegiances” are growing increasingly suspicious of his manipulative ways. With Sansa back in Winterfell as Lady of the North, combined with the threat of another Targaryen war, everyone is wary of Little Finger’s desire to better himself no matter who he allies with. The Small Council

Lord Varys - Master of Whispers Coming to King’s Landing, Lord Varys had nothing. He slowly worked his way up to becoming Lord of Whispers by through the network of information he created. Lasting through the death of many Kings of the Seven Kingdoms, Varys kept his position because of the loyalty of his spies in and out of King's Landing. Varys is a skilled manipulator and while has dubious loyalties when it comes to who is in power, he holds a vast amount of intelligence which has allowed him to stay so close to the various Kings and Queens. With the chaos that has happened between the death of Robert Boratheon and the ascension of Queen Cersei, Varys only wants to use his skills and information to help the people in King's Landing instead of gaining more power with his position.

Lord Leyton Hightower - Master of Laws and Lord of Oldtown Lord Leyton Hightower, also known as the Old Man of Oldtown, is an old and respected lord of the Reach. As lord of Oldtown he has access to a treasure trove of knowledge, wealth, and troops. Lord Hightower is a scholar first and foremost and it is said that he studies magic when in the privacy of the Hightower. Lord Hightower has not left his keep in a decade prior to his arrival at King’s Landing, but has come to further the interests of the Reach and Oldtown. Lord Hightower has little love for the Lannisters and would likely turn on them if a better opportunity came along. As Master of Laws he is in charge of the interpretation and implementation of the Queen’s edicts, though would likely notice if he were to make up a few of his own.

Lord Euron Greyjoy - Master of Ships After coming back from the dead, Euron Greyjoy resumed his rightful place as King of the Iron Islands, taking the throne from his niece, Yara Greyjoy. As king, he controls one of the most skilled and powerful fleets in the Seven Kingdoms. With this in mind, Cersei sought the Iron Fleet when she became Queen. Eager to get more power and please the Queen, Euron agreed to the offer and pledged his fealty to the Queen, becoming Cersei’s Master of Ships and combining the skill of the Ironborn with the numbers of her fleet. The Small Council

Ser Jaime Lannister - Lord Commander of the Queensgaurd Jaime Lannister was the golden Lannister child. The complete opposite of his brother Tyrion, Jamie is a natural born fighter and leader. Knowing he had more than enough skill, he became part of the Kingsguard. He was always devoted to his family and maintaining the Lannister’s high status in the Seven Kingdoms. Before his sister, Cersi, became queen he served on the Kingsguard for the Mad King, Aerys II Targaryen, before killing him, earning him the reputation across the Seven Kingdoms as the ‘King Slayer’. After losing a hand when he was a prisoner of war in the battle for Northern independence, Jaime returned to King’s Landing a more humble person and leader. Despite being a weaker fighter than he once was, he is still a brilliant Lord Commander, leading the biggest army in the Seven Kingdoms. Though he remains loyal to his sister, he has started to look beyond his own interests and keeping his family and King’s Landing safe united with the threat of coming to Westeros for the throne.

Septon Brenden - High Septon Septon Brenden is the newly appointed High Septon of Westeros after the demise of the High Sparrow. Septon Brenden is a devout man and has been a servant of the seven for as long as he can remember. Septon Brenden has assumed his position at a tumultuous time for the Faith as many question whether the Seven still watch over them with the destruction of the Sept of Baelor. As faith dwindles Septon Brenden has to work harder than ever to keep his faith alive. Septon Brenden’s motivating force if the furtherance of the faith, and he will ally with whoever seems poised to help him achieve that goal. The Lords and Ladies of the Seven Kingdoms

Jon Snow - Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North Born the illegitimate son of Lord Eddard Stark, Jon Snow was sentenced to life at Castle Black to join the Night’s Watch. As a skilled fighter and natural leader, he worked his way up from the Lord Commanders squire to Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. Isolated from the war that was started in the South, Jon was occupied beyond the wall, fighting with the Wildlings that he later made allies. After reuniting with his sister Sansa Stark, Jon returned to the North to fight to free Winterfell from Ramsay Bolton’s tyrannical rule. With (some) peace restored in Winterfell, Jon Snow became the Lord of Winterfell. He has stayed loyal to his family and people, ruling alongside Sansa and fighting to keep Winterfell independent from Cersi’s rule. Knowing what exists beyond the wall, Jon deals with the more militaristic aspects of maintaining peace in Winterfell. With Daenerys Targaryen rising to power in Esos and becoming a threat to the Seven (now Six) kingdoms, Jon Snow is now faced with another potential enemy to the North. What he must decide now is who will he choose: the Lannisters that killed his father or a new, mad Targaryen.

Lord Devan Lannister - Castellan of Casterly Rock and Lord Regent of the Westerlands Daven Lannister is a distant relative of Jaime and Cersei, but was the only Lannister available to manage Casterly Rock at the time of this committee. He is a formidable knight and has access to the Lannister treasury. As castellan of the Rock he has a sizeable number of troops under his command and the respect and ear of the Lords of the Westerlands. He has come to King’s Landing to promote the interests of the Westerlands and support his kinfolk.

Lord Willas Tyrell - Lord of Highgarden, Lord Paramount of the Reach, and Warden of the West Lord Willas is the older brother of Margery and Loras Tyrell and since the death of their father, Lord of Highgarden. He is highly educated and a master of falconry. He suspects Cersei is responsible for the death of his family members and opposes her rule. As Lord of Highgarden, all lords of the Reach are his bannermen and he controls ample farmland, filling his coffers. Willas is not much of a fighter due to his bad leg, and prefers to be the strategist acting behind the scenes. He is gentle in nature like most people from the Reach. The Lords and Ladies of the Seven Kingdoms

Lord Robin Aryyn - Lord of the Eyrie, Defender of the Vale, and Warden of the East Following the death of his father Jon Arryn, Robin grew up with only his mother in the Vale until he became of age to become Lord of the Eyrie. His mother, Lysa Aryyn, sheltered him from everything happening outside of the Vale. Until his cousin Sansa came with Lord Peytr Baelish seeking safety, he and his mother were never separated. Once his mother died, Robin was the only remaining son to become Lord of the Eyrie and began learning how to be the Defender of the Vale with the help of his new stepfather, Lord Baelish. With Lord Baelish back in King's Landing, Robin became the young lord of the Vale. As a lord, Robin is now in charge of the armies of the Vale that had once helped his cousins, Jon and Sansa free Winterfell.

Lord Edmure Tully - Lord of Riverrun and Lord Paramount of the Trident Edmure is the older brother of the late Catelyn Stark of Winterfell and the late Lysa Aryyn of the Vale. He tends to act first and think later, but is skilled in battle and has won many victories. He is a prideful man but acts out of duty. With the death of his father he is free to pursue his own interests and raise the power of the historically war ravaged Riverlands. As Lord of Riverrun he has modest troops at his command and a moderate treasury, but not as much compared to his Lannister and Tyrell counterparts. Fearing war, Lord Edmure would like to see peace brought to Westeros.

Lady Ellaria Sand - Lady of Sunspear and Princess of Dorne After the death of her love , Ellaria Sand set her rage on Cersei and her personal Frankenstein, The Mountain. If losing Oberyn wasn’t enough, she returned to Dorne to see his traitor brother allying with the Lannisters and marrying his son to Cersei’s daughter despite his brother’s demise at her command. Seeing his brother’s betrayal, Sand called upon her and Oberyn’s three daughters to kill him and the Lannister girl her nephew was going to marry. Dorne has always had tension with the Lannister family, and with the death of her lover, the new Lord Paramount of Dorne is looking for any opportunity to destroy the new Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Other Notables Summoned by Cersei

Lady Olena Tyrell - The Queen of Thorns The Queen of Thorns wanted her granddaughter Margaery to be a queen, little did she know that once that came true, she would lose both her grandchildren. Lady Tyrell never liked the Lannisters but had Highgarden ally with the Lannisters in the civil war against the North to secure Margaery’s chance at a crown. Once Sansa was no longer married to Joffery due to suspicions of her being a traitor, Margaery married Joffrey and became the queen. Once the Sept of Baelor exploded with Margeary and her brother inside, Olena had no reason to cooperate with the Lannisters. The Lannister’s already owed Highgarden massive amounts of gold because of the money that was lent during the civil war and knowing it was Cersei who had some involvement in the plan, Olena only wants to get revenge.

Kinvara - The Red Priestess As one of the Red Priestesses Kinvara serves the Lord of Light. She and the other Red Priestesses spread the word across Westeros. With the rising numbers for the new religion, their presence has been established in essos and has expanded into Westeros. As the religion spreads through the Seven Kingdoms, Kinvara and others like her search for the “one who is promised”. Chosen to be one of the leaders of the faith, Kinvara has become prevalent in Westeros because of her abilities gifted from the Lord of Light. The Red Priestesses are the primary vessels for the new religion and can summon fire for rituals. They have other magical abilities such as visions and have even resurrected those believed to be valuable by the Lord of Light.

Lady Sansa Stark - The Lady of Winterfell After the death of her father Ned Stark, Sansa Stark’s life took several unexpected turns. She had been married to her intended husband, Joffrey Borathean, until she was named a traitor because of her father. She was then held prisoner in Kingslanding by Cersi and Joffrey, and ridiculed daily by her former husband and the Queen Regent who was convinced Sansa was trying to sabotage King’s Landing in the civil war her brother started. She was able to escape with the help of Lord Baelish who reunited her with her cousin Robin Aryn in the Vale. Her time at the Vale was short-lived as her aunt, Robin Arryn’s mother, held resentment towards her and she was then taken back to her home in Winterfell and married off to another horrible husband, Ramsay Bolton. After escaping Winterfell she was reunited with her brother Jon at Castle Black. Using her connection to Lord Baelish and the Vale, she helped Jon win the battle against Ramsay and free Winterfell. Now the Lady of Winterfell, she only wants what is best for the North. As the more diplomatic counterpart to her brother and she is committed to the Winterfell’s people and their needs. Experiencing Cersi’s wrath first hand, Sansa wants the North independent from King’s Landing and the Lannisters. Other Notables Summoned by Cersei

Monet Bags - Representative of the Iron Bank of Braavos Monet has always been in love with money, and seeing as he was born to a rich merchant family in Braavos he has always had a lot of it. Monet always excelled in math and was hired as an accountant for the Iron Bank when he was 16. He quickly rose up the ranks to become a senior executive of the Bank. The Iron Bank has sent him to Westeros to ensure they are paid back what they are owed, but it is at his discretion how the Westerosi throne’s debts will be collected. As a senior executive of the Iron Bank he has great say in what projects get funded on the Banks coin, and access to large amounts of wealth to do with as he will.

Wisdom Hallyne - Head of the Alchemists’ Guild The Alchemists’ Guild is an ancient guild founded in King’s Landing that is said to have onced practiced pyromancy, alchemy, and other magical arts. Magic faded from the land with the death of the last Targaryen dragon and for a while so did the alchemists. The alchemists found new life under the reign of Aerys II as the producers of wildfire. With the birth of Daenerys's dragons their ancient magics are beginning to work once again, and Cersei seems to be a fan of wildfire. It’s a good time to be an alchemist.

Harry Strickland - Captain-General of The Golden Company The Golden Company is regarded as the best group in Essos, and they and their elephants have been contracted by Cersei to fight against the upcoming invasion. The Golden Company’s motto is “our word is good as gold” and they are known for never breaking a contract. Because of this they are loyal to Cersei and Cersei only as she is the one who paid their fee. Harry is a fine knight and competent leader, ready to lead the Golden Company wherever Cersei wishes. Other Notables Summoned by Cersei

Eddison Tollet - Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch Eddison was left in charge by Jon after his resurrection, and is doing his best to ready a dwindling Night’s Watch against the coming White Walkers. Eddison is characteristically pessimistic, but is also a loyal brother of the Night’s Watch. The other brothers accept him as their leader and are ready to follow his commands. He has journeyed to south to King’s Landing to urge the Lords of Westeros to put aside their squables and face the real threat, the White Walkers. The Starks always say “winter is coming” but these days it seems like the Night’s Watch are the only ones heeding that warning.

Po Verty - Special Representative of the Common People Po was born in Flea Bottom, King’s Landing to unknown parents who abandoned him at a very young age. He grew up as a beggar and was lucky if he ate on any given day. Po is extremely charismatic and was able to befriend many of the city’s poorer population, and quickly found they could hide unnoticed and watching the comings and goings of King’s Landing’s elite. There are many secrets Po could tell if anyone would take the time to listen. One day Po was walking outside the Red Keep when he caught the eye of Cersei, who decided that giving the commoners a seat in the small council might quell their anger after she destroyed the Sept of Baelor. It didn’t. Appendix and Resources Appendix and Resources Appendix and Resources