The air in King’s Landing reeked of desperation. The Velaryon blockade, reinstated by Monterys Velaryon after his father's demise, had tightened its grip around the city, choking off the Blackwater’s lifeblood for the past six months. Grain ships no longer arrived, and what little food remained in the storehouses belonged to the nobility and the Gold Cloaks, leaving the smallfolk to fight over moldy bread and rat carcasses in the gutters. The streets echoed with wails of starving children and the dying groans of those too weak to beg.
It was in this ruin that Sulvan’s voice rose above the din.
“The Seven have abandoned you!” he cried from atop a broken cart in Flea Bottom’s main thoroughfare. His skeletal frame, draped in soot-stained robes, seemed barely held together by faith alone. His eyes—clouded, feverish—swept over the crowd that gathered like moths to his flame.
“For years, you have prayed to them, bent your knees, given them your last scraps. And what have they given you? Hunger. Suffering. A city turned to rot. But the Harbinger does not demand your prayers—only your fury!”
A starving man threw a shattered stool into the growing bonfire at Sulvan’s feet, its flames licking hungrily at the night sky. Others followed, hurling broken doors, furniture, even torn septon’s robes into the blaze. Firelight flickered against the gaunt faces of the desperate, their shadows twisting in the alleyways as Sulvan’s words consumed them.
“This famine is no punishment—it is a test! A chance to be reborn, to cast off the chains of a broken world! The weak shall fall, and the strong shall rise from the ashes!”
A woman, clutching the skeletal remains of what had once been her son, screamed in agony before tossing his burial shroud into the flames. The old gods had not saved him. Perhaps the Harbinger would.
Elsewhere in the city, septs burned. The statues of the Seven were dragged into the streets and smashed upon the cobblestones, their shattered faces trampled beneath the feet of Sulvan’s followers. The starving, the broken, the forsaken—these were the children of the Harbinger now.
Queen Vaelora Targaryen watched from the Red Keep, horror-struck. The Faith of the Seven had warned of Sulvan’s heresy, yet they had done nothing as his whispers spread through the streets like wildfire during the war. Now, the fire was real, and it would not be easily extinguished.
The famine had birthed something far worse than hunger. They had birthed false faith. And faith, once kindled, could consume a city whole.
This display forces the Queen to send ravens throughout the realm in an attempt to unite the war-torn houses against the common enemy.
To the Lords and Ladies of the Realm,
By the will of the gods and the blood of Old Valyria, I, Vaelora Targaryen, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, write to you not as an enemy, nor as a conqueror, but as a sovereign seeking to preserve the realm we all call home.
The war between kin has left our lands scarred and our people weary. With the passing of Corwyn Velaryon and the tragic fall of my late mother, Visenya Targaryen, the time for bitter rivalries must now yield to a far graver threat.
A new power rises in the shadows—Sulvan, a false prophet cloaked in fire and deceit, gathers strength among the disillusioned. He preaches the end of noble rule, whispering poison into the ears of the smallfolk and vassals alike. His movement, that follows an eighth god called The Harbinger, spreads unrest at an alarming pace, and already, entire regions stir with rebellion.
If we remain divided, we shall each fall in turn, our legacies cast into the flames of his so-called rebirth. But if we stand together, if we wield our combined strength as one, then we may yet ensure that the realm does not crumble under the weight of this heresy.
I summon you to King’s Landing with all haste. An emergency council of the Great Houses shall convene, where lands, titles, and honors will be discussed. Let it be known that those who answer this call in good faith will not find themselves enemies of the Crown, but allies in the fight to preserve the realm. Let the past be set aside so we may forge a future free from the tyranny Sulvan seeks to impose.
Come swiftly, for the flames of rebellion grow taller with each passing day. The time to choose is now—will you stand with the realm, or be consumed by the chaos that threatens to engulf us all?
The Battle of the Green Fork: Five Days of Blood and Flood
The storm broke on the second night.
What had begun as a light drizzle turned into a torrential downpour, drowning the battlefield in ankle-deep mud and swelling the Green Fork into a churning monster. The river’s banks swelled, its current thick with debris—broken wagons, corpses, and shattered lances from the previous day’s skirmishes. The clash between House Velaryon’s forces, under the Northern banner, and the loyalists of House Targaryen had begun in blood and would end in ruin.
Day One: The Northern Gambit
House Stark’s forces, bolstered by their Riverland traitor allies, launched their first strike under the cover of darkness. Bracken and Frey infiltrators crossed the Twins unchallenged, using back roads and hidden fords to flank the enemy. By dawn, Northern archers and skirmishers launched a blistering assault, pelting the Lannister lines with longbows from the dense thickets along the river.
But the lions held firm. Tully archers, entrenched in hastily erected palisades along the riverbanks, returned fire. The Lannisters, clad in their impenetrable plate, formed disciplined shield walls, resisting Northern cavalry charges with ruthless efficiency. The first attempt to push the Targaryen loyalists into the river met a wall of steel and wildfire—Lannister sappers ignited bridges and wooden fortifications, forcing the Northerners back.
The Green Fork was not so easily taken.
Day Two: The Storm Breaks
As the battle waged on, dark clouds gathered overhead. A violent wind howled through the valley, lashing at banners and filling the air with the scent of rain and blood. Northern scouts reported the river rising, but the battle did not stop.
The Velaryon-led forces launched a second, more aggressive push, with heavy infantry wading through the flooded shallows of the river, shields raised against the Tully archers. The Frey and Bracken cavalry, now in position behind the enemy, surged forth, cutting into the Lannister rear.
The lions began to break.
Yet, just as victory seemed within reach, the storm unleashed its fury. Thunder shook the battlefield, and rain poured in sheets so thick that archers could no longer see their marks. The Green Fork, already treacherous, spilled over its banks. The flooding reached Green Fort, where Velaryon’s troops had attempted to seize a key crossing. What had been a tactical stronghold turned into a death trap as the river swallowed the land whole.
Corwyn Velaryon, at the head of his vanguard, was caught in the deluge. Trapped in his armor, he was swept away, his silver hair vanishing beneath the churning waters.
The Northern advance stalled.
Day Three: The Field of Corpses
By dawn, the battlefield was a morass of mud and bodies. The dead drifted down the river, their bloated corpses washing against the banks like discarded driftwood. Those who had survived the flood now faced a new horror—starvation.
The Lannisters, though battered, still stood. House Tully, suffering lesser losses than their allies, held their ground along the river. The Northern forces, demoralized by the loss of Velaryon and the drowning of so many warriors, hesitated. The Riverlanders under Bracken and Frey had been nearly wiped out in the chaos.
A grim stalemate loomed.
Day Four: The Butcher’s Day
Desperation fueled the bloodshed. With no end in sight, both sides threw what remained of their strength into the fray. The Northerners, burning with vengeance for Velaryon’s death, pressed forward once more. The Lannisters, knowing retreat meant disgrace, met them in kind.
The battlefield became a charnel house. Northern cavalry, their horses struggling in the knee-deep mud, crashed into the Lannister flanks. The Tully archers, though weary, rained death from behind makeshift barricades. The sellswords, seeing their paymasters falter, abandoned the fight, scattering into the hills.
By nightfall, the Lannisters were spent—almost all of their forces dead or dying. Tully forces, having lost almost half of their forces, began their withdrawal toward Riverrun. The Northerners had suffered brutal losses as well—almost a fourth of their warriors gone, but their spirit remained unbroken.
Day Five: The Yield
The storm finally passed. The sun rose over a battlefield littered with the fallen, their armor rusting in pools of blood and rainwater. The Green Fork, once a mighty river, was now a graveyard.
Neither side could claim victory.
The Northerners, unable to press forward without reinforcements, halted their advance. The Targaryen loyalists, shattered beyond recovery, began their retreat. House Stark had won the ground, but at such a cost that no army remained to march further south.
The battle ended not with a sword, but with silence.
The Green Fork would run red for weeks, but the war was far from over.
INJURIES AND DEATHS
added injury examples to the worldbuilding tab to help when deciding on your character's injuries
Maric Baratheon sustained major injuries
Jorah Bolton sustained mild injuries
Nymeria Martell sustained minor injuries
Ynys Yronwood sustained mild injuries
Kesara sustained minor injuries
Martyn Hightower sustained major injuries
Daemon Greyjoy sustained minor injuries
Jaehaerys Targaryen sustained near fatal injuries
Lorent Tyrell sustained mild injuries
Soryn Celtigar sustained near fatal injuries
Edwyn Tarth sustained major injuries
Varyn Lannister sustained mild injuries
Lyanna Stark sustained minor injuries
Elia Martell sustained near fatal injuries
Edrik Stark sustained mild injuries
Rohan Bracken sustained major injuries
Caitriona Karstark sustained major injuries
Cerion Lannister sustained minor injuries
Sheira Blackwood sustained fatal injuries
Ricasso Sand sustained fatal injuries
Corwyn Velaryon sustained fatal injuries
TLDR; The Battle of the Green Fork raged for five brutal days as Northern and Riverland forces, bolstered by Frey and Bracken treachery, launched a daring assault against the Targaryen loyalists. The initial ambushes and cavalry charges devastated the Lannister vanguard, but the loyalists' disciplined heavy infantry and wildfire tactics turned the riverbanks into a blood-soaked hellscape. A violent storm struck on the second day, causing the Green Fork to flood, sweeping away bodies and drowning wounded soldiers. By the final day, both sides were exhausted and bleeding, forced into an uneasy yield as neither could claim a decisive victory. Corwyn Velaryon met his end in the chaos, cut down in the storm-ravaged waters, his body lost to the raging river—marking a crushing blow to the Northern offensive and altering the course of the war.
The dawn over Blackwater Bay was anything but serene, its rippling waters reflecting a crimson hue as the first rays of sunlight clashed with the shadows of warships and banners. House Velaryon, backed by the fierce Greyjoy raiders, descended upon Rook’s Rest with ruthless determination. Corwyn Velaryon’s ambitions for the Iron Throne fueled the onslaught, his forces hell-bent on seizing the stronghold to cement their foothold in the Crownlands. On the side of Claw Isle, the defenders of House Targaryen stood ready, a formidable force of Crownland bannermen and a seasoned fleet eager to protect their queen’s domain.
The battle began with an ominous silence, broken only by the rhythmic pounding of Greyjoy drums echoing across the water. The first day saw chaos erupt as the Velaryon fleet, augmented by Greyjoy longships, advanced in a fierce naval assault on the Targaryen galleys patrolling the Gullet. War cries pierced the salty air as arrows darkened the sky, tearing through sails and flesh alike. The Velaryon blockade, initially strong, buckled against the overwhelming numbers and discipline of the Celtigar fleet. Blood spilled into the bay as shattered ships burned, their dying crews screaming amidst the wreckage.
On the second day, the battle moved to land, where the walls of Rook’s Rest loomed like a grim sentinel over the battlefield. Velaryon infantry surged forward in relentless waves, their banners whipping in the wind as Greyjoy reavers sowed fear with their brutal tactics. The defenders met them with a rain of arrows, the walls of the keep turning slick with blood as ladders were pushed back and siege engines failed to breach the defenses. Both sides suffered grievous losses, and the earth grew sodden with mud and gore. The cries of the wounded and dying filled the air as the field turned into a grotesque tapestry of broken bodies and shattered steel.
The night brought no reprieve. Fires burned unchecked, their flickering light casting eerie shadows over the carnage. Soldiers fought by torchlight in vicious skirmishes, their faces twisted in desperation and fury. Amidst the chaos, Targaryen commanders rallied their troops, determined to hold their ground. The Velaryons, battered but unyielding, pressed their assault with renewed ferocity.
By the third day, exhaustion and despair gripped both armies. The battlefield had become a vision of hell, with the dead piled high and the living stumbling over their remains. The Velaryons launched a final, desperate charge, led by Corwyn Velaryon himself, in an attempt to breach the walls. It was a spectacle of raw brutality and heroism as knights clashed with desperate ferocity, their blades gleaming in the rising sun. Blood coated the banners of both houses, the cries of victory and anguish blending into a cacophony of war.
Ultimately, the Targaryens prevailed. Their fleet shattered the blockade, and their forces held the walls of Rook’s Rest against all odds. The Velaryons, though valiant, suffered devastating losses, with their forces retreating in disarray. Greyjoy longships fled the bay, leaving behind their dead and dying.
The victory was a grim one for the Targaryens. Thousands lay dead, their lifeless bodies scattered across the shore and floating in the bay. Yet, amidst the horror, their banners still flew over Rook’s Rest, a testament to their resilience. The battle was as empowering as it was horrific, a stark reminder of the cost of war and the strength required to endure it.
Velaryon Forces
Primary Goal: Seize Rook’s Rest
The Velaryons began their assault on Rook’s Rest with high hopes of quickly overwhelming the defenders. However, a series of missteps plagued their efforts. Corwyn Velaryon’s forces underestimated the Targaryen defenders’ preparedness and resolve. As their infantry advanced toward the stronghold, they faced devastating volleys of arrows from the well-manned walls.
The Greyjoy longships attempted to blockade reinforcements from the Gullet, but Targaryen and Celtigar war galleys breached their lines with coordinated strikes, forcing them to scatter.
A disastrous attempt to breach the gates with siege engines was repelled by boiling oil and heavy stones hurled from the battlements. Without significant progress, the Velaryon forces suffered heavy losses, with 2,560 soldiers killed in the failed assault.
Secondary Goal: Establish a foothold in the Crownlands and compel fealty
Despite the disastrous assault on Rook’s Rest itself, Corwyn Velaryon’s commanders managed to salvage some success. Velaryon riders fanned out into nearby Crownlands villages, coercing smaller houses to bend the knee through a combination of intimidation and promises of protection. These minor victories helped bolster their claim, even as their main force faltered.
Tertiary Goal: Pressure Crownland bannermen to join the rebellion
Velaryon forces launched an aggressive campaign of raids against nearby Crownland estates. Though not as effective as planned, the Greyjoy raiders, infamous for their savagery, sowed enough chaos to strain the Targaryen bannermen’s morale. Some smaller households wavered in their allegiance, though the larger ones remained steadfast under Targaryen protection.
Primary Goal: Defend Rook’s Rest and break the Velaryon blockade
The Targaryen forces achieved a decisive victory in defending Rook’s Rest. The fort’s defenders, outnumbered on the ground but bolstered by their superior position and reinforcements from Celtigar war galleys, inflicted massive casualties on the Velaryon attackers. The Targaryen fleet engaged the Greyjoy longships with surgical precision, using their heavier war galleys to crush the blockade and secure supply lines.
After hours of fierce combat, the Velaryon forces were forced to retreat from the walls of Rook’s Rest, leaving their dead behind.
The Targaryens successfully lifted the blockade, though at the cost of 17 war galleys lost to Greyjoy boarding tactics.
Secondary Goal: Crush Velaryon and Greyjoy forces
The Targaryens dealt a devastating blow to the rebellion. Their overwhelming numbers and superior coordination crushed the Velaryon infantry, leaving Driftmark’s forces in disarray. Greyjoy raiders, renowned for their ferocity, could not overcome the disciplined Targaryen soldiers and were pushed back to their ships.
This decisive victory effectively weakened the rebellion’s military capabilities, though it did not end the threat entirely.
Targaryen losses were significant but manageable: 1,480 soldiers killed, a testament to the ferocity of the Velaryon and Greyjoy attackers.
Tertiary Goal: Protect Crownland bannermen
Despite the victory, the Targaryens failed to fully shield their bannermen from Velaryon pressure. Smaller houses near Rook’s Rest suffered raids and coercion, leading to fractures in loyalty. Though the larger houses stood firm, the damage to the Crownlands’ unity would prove a lingering problem for the Iron Throne.
The battle was a resounding victory for the Targaryens, who retained Rook’s Rest and shattered the Velaryon blockade, allowing trade lines to King’s Landing to return to normal operations for the moment. Corwyn Velaryon’s ambitions to seize the stronghold were thwarted, though his efforts to sow dissent in the Crownlands bore some fruit. The Greyjoys, bloodied but not broken, retreated to their ships, leaving Driftmark’s forces weakened and isolated.
For House Targaryen, the cost of victory was high, but their hold over the Crownlands remained unbroken. The war, however, was far from over, with factions across Westeros rallying to one side or the other, and the flames of rebellion continuing to smolder.
Character Injuries
Rhea Greyjoy: Struck by an arrow in the leg, Rhea is immobilized and will require several weeks of recovery before she can walk again.
Jaehaerys Targaryen: Escapes the battle with grace, gaining only a few scars to serve as reminders of his bravery.
Helenys Celtigar: Suffered a grievous sword wound to the abdomen but was swiftly retrieved from the battlefield. She loses significant blood and remains unconscious for days.
Daemon Greyjoy: Emerges unscathed, untouched by the chaos of battle.
Varyn Lannister: Endures minor injuries, walking away with little more than bruises and superficial scratches.
Alson Snow: An arrow lodges in the back of her shoulder, almost piercing the chest cavity, rendering her non-dominant arm useless for the foreseeable future.
Kyra Bracken: Her horse is slain beneath her, causing a brutal fall and a deep sword gash to her leg.
Daeryssa Greyjoy: Sustained a few gashes but nothing that won’t heal in the coming weeks.
Monterys Velaryon: Struck by a sword in the chest, narrowly avoiding his heart, the blade plunges into his shoulder. He quickly loses blood but is rushed from the field to a ship for emergency care. He will need weeks to recover.
Nymor Dayne: Impaled in the thigh by an arrow after pledging fealty to Vaelora Targaryen, Nymor is rescued by her orders and carried to safety. The recovery will be long.
Maric Baratheon: Walks away unscathed, untouched by the perils of battle.
Mellara Bracken: A near-fatal slice through her bicep almost claims her arm, but she is rushed to Velaryon triage for immediate attention. The recovery will be long.
Jaenara Velaryon: Emerges from the ships without so much as a scratch.
Vaelora Targaryen: Sustains several deep gashes to extremities but remains standing, leaving the battlefield on her own two feet.
Erren Stark: Fights well, dies honorably defending House Velaryon and the death of friend, Xaerys Velaryon.
A letter from the Queen to the Realm.
A Royal Declaration from Queen Visenya Targaryen,
To the Noble Lords and Ladies of the Realm, and All Who Serve the Iron Throne,
Let it be known that on this day, House Targaryen stands triumphant at Rook’s Rest. Against the forces of rebellion, led by Corwyn Velaryon and his Greyjoy allies, the strength of the dragon proved unyielding. Under the command of my beloved children, Princess Vaelora Targaryen and Prince Jaehaerys Targaryen, the might of the Crownlands stood firm, and the banners of our house still fly proudly above the walls of Rook’s Rest.
The victory is not ours alone but a testament to the unwavering loyalty of our bannermen and the enduring strength of the dragons, whose fire has always been the shield of the realm. To those who might harbor treasonous thoughts: take heed of the fate of those who dared rise against the rightful queen. Let this serve as a reminder that House Targaryen will not falter, and our reign is as enduring as the flame of the dragon itself.
I dare any house, bold or foolish, to challenge our supremacy. The Iron Throne is not to be usurped by ambition or rebellion. For those who remain loyal, your faith will be rewarded. For those who do not, there is only fire and blood.
A Statement to the Traitors of the Realm
It grieves me to address the matter of treachery, yet the preservation of the realm demands it. In light of the events at Rook’s Rest and the rebellion of Corwyn Velaryon, I hereby declare the following traitors to be stripped of their lands, titles, and all claims to honor:
House Velaryon, for waging war against the Iron Throne and sowing chaos among the Crownlands.
House Greyjoy, for aiding this rebellion through piracy and the slaughter of loyal men and women. for taking prisoner a princess.
House Bracken, for breaking their oaths of fealty and seeking to seize what is not theirs by right.
House Stark, for faltering centuries of alliance to the crown to aid in a baseless rebellion.
House Karstark, for following the betrayal of House Stark.
Rhaena, Sheira, and Aethan Blackwood: for betraying their Targaryen blood and siding with those who seek to dismantle the crown.
Thorian Karstark, a vile traitor, for sitting my council for years only to seek opportunities elsewhere as soon as he could.
Lorent & Florence Tyrell, for betraying their own house and residing on Driftmark in Velaryon company.
Joanna Blackwood, for betraying her house and leaving King's Landing to treat with the traitors. Joanna's betrayal leaves control of House Blackwood to now Ruling Lady Elyana Blackwood, for her unwavering loyalty to House Targaryen.
These traitors, their lands and titles are forfeit to the Crown, to be bestowed upon those who prove their loyalty and valor in service to the Iron Throne. Let all who would follow their example know that treason is met with no mercy.
The dragons are watching, and their fire burns brightly. Let the realm see this victory not as an end but as a beginning—a reaffirmation of House Targaryen’s unassailable rule. The Iron Throne is eternal, forged in fire and unyielding to treachery.
Join us in restoring order to the realm and the crown will repay all handsomely.
The somber smoke of Xaerys Velaryon’s funeral pyre had barely faded into the sea air before the tides began to shift in Westeros. Dreggon’s cries heard from across blackwater bay. Corwyn Velaryon, cloaked in grief and consumed by simmering anger, stood stoic on Driftmark’s shores, his gaze fixed on the horizon. Though no evidence pointed directly to House Targaryen, his resolve was steeled by decades of mistrust, resentment, and now the loss of his son under suspicious circumstances.
Within the Great Hall of High Tide, Corwyn convened his most trusted confidants. Among them stood emissaries from House Greyjoy, whose bond with House Velaryon had grown strong through shared dominion of the seas. Also present were the commanders of the mighty Velaryon fleet, whose loyalty to their Lord of the Tides remained steadfast.
There, under the flickering torchlight, Corwyn issued his decree: the fleets of House Velaryon would form a blockade of Blackwater Bay. The harbors of King’s Landing would be cut off, its lifeblood of trade and resources strangled until justice was served for Xaerys. It was a bold move—a calculated strike disguised as grief-driven retribution—but beneath the surface, it was an undeniable act of rebellion against the Iron Throne.
Word of the blockade spread swiftly, whispers carried on the waves. Within the day, merchants flooded the Red Keep, pleading for Queen Visenya’s intervention as their ships were intercepted, their goods confiscated or turned back to Driftmark. The Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, already under intense scrutiny after the festival’s dark turn, stood unyielding before her court.
“This is an act of treason,” Visenya declared, her voice cutting through the murmurs of gathered nobles like Valyrian steel. Her eyes, fierce and unrelenting, swept over the room as she continued. “House Velaryon has challenged the crown itself, and such insolence will not go unanswered.”
With the air in the throne room heavy with tension, Visenya called forth the lords and ladies who still lingered in King’s Landing after the festivities. Their banners were summoned, their loyalties demanded.
“Let it be known,” the Queen declared, her voice echoing through the halls, “that those who stand with House Targaryen shall be remembered as protectors of the realm. And those who do not…” Her words trailed off, the implied consequences hanging ominously in the silence.
Even as alliances were drawn and swords sharpened, the realm remained perched on the edge of uncertainty. The blockade was not just a challenge to the crown but a signal to the realm’s houses—old grievances and rivalries were stirring, threatening to unravel the fragile peace.
The question loomed heavy in the air: who would bend the knee to the dragon, and who would cast their lot with the sea?
ONGOING SUBPLOTS & ISSUES:
The Mystery of Xaerys Velaryon’s Death
The question that echoes throughout the realm: who killed Xaerys Velaryon? Despite the Queen's knights being tasked with finding the perpetrators, the killers remain elusive, shrouded in secrecy. Whispers from the smallfolk hold truths and lies alike, and characters with connections to the streets or those who thrive in the shadows may hold critical information—information they may choose to withhold or trade for power. Will they share what they know, or will they play both sides? Such plays must be cleared with the admins before action.
Drawing the Lines of Allegiance - see character task, this is mandatory. In the wake of the blockade by House Velaryon, Visenya has demanded that the houses of the realm swear fealty to House Targaryen, pledging their bannermen to the Iron Throne. But where do your allegiances lie? Do you bend the knee to the fiery dragon and remain in King’s Landing, or do you cross the Blackwater to support the Velaryons and their growing defiance? Perhaps you take the neutral route, returning to your homesteads and watching from the sidelines. As it stands, only House Greyjoy and House Lannister have formally pledged their support.
War Councils in the Making
House Targaryen and House Velaryon are both preparing to call their war councils, though no action will be taken until the lines of allegiance are firmly drawn. Who will sit at the table for each house? As alliances form, the key figures from both sides will need to be chosen—characters with military acumen, influence, and those who are willing to make tough decisions. The stage is set, and every choice will shape the outcome of the coming conflict.
Famine Strikes the Realm
A deadly famine has begun to sweep across the Seven Kingdoms, and House Targaryen has turned to House Lannister for coin to bolster their efforts, while also calling upon House Tyrell to help ramp up food production. The Velaryon blockade only worsens the situation, leaving the capital increasingly vulnerable. As the realm faces hunger, unrest brews. Soon, the desperate will begin to revolt. Characters from these houses can collaborate with House Targaryen to strategize a solution, but time is running out, and every moment spent negotiating could lead to more suffering in the streets.
Small Council Repositioning
With House Velaryon now openly opposed to the throne and the Greyjoys siding with them, House Targaryen faces a critical vulnerability—an unprotected sea. The Iron Throne is without a strong naval fleet, and those with ideas on how to solve this crisis must step forward. Who among you has the vision to restore Targaryen dominance at sea? The seat for the Master of Ships is vacant, and its next occupant could tip the balance of power.
The Trade Routes Dilemma
The Velaryon blockade has left House Targaryen at the mercy of other houses for trade routes. With supplies growing scarce, the capital’s needs grow urgent. Who will come to their aid? Allies will need to step in, and some may have their own agendas. Characters from allied houses may offer assistance, but there is always the potential for double-crossing. Those secretly aligned with House Velaryon may offer to help secure trade routes to King’s Landing, only to divert them to their own cause, strengthening House Velaryon’s position. The choices made here could either stabilize the capital or spell its doom.
On the eve of the grand feast and the re-crowning of Queen Visenya Targaryen II, Xaerys Velaryon and Vaegon Targaryen, cousins bound by an unlikely friendship due to their families' strained ties, ventured into the heart of King’s Landing. The city, still reeling from the hardships of a long winter, was a dangerous place, filled with hungry smallfolk and simmering unrest. The pair sought to escape the weight of their noble obligations, but the streets were rife with treachery.
Xaerys, whose once-adventurous spirit had been tempered by frailty, struggled to keep pace as Vaegon led them into the shadowy alleys near the brothels. Vaegon went inside the brothel, leaving Xaerys to aid himself with some milk of the poppy. It was here that Xaerys, left vulnerable, drew the attention of desperate thieves. Their eyes fell upon his richly adorned cane, its Valyrian steel rod topped with a sea-dragon carving—a symbol of wealth and status. Seeing an opportunity, they ambushed him, their greed driving them to violence.
As Vaegon indulged in the distractions of the brothel, the thieves struck, killing Xaerys and leaving his body to the vultures as they fled with their prize. The chaos of a brewing riot engulfed the streets, forcing Vaegon to abandon any thought of retrieving his cousin. Guilt-ridden and unsure of what actions to take, he fled back to the keep and brought the night’s events to his sister, Princess Vaelora Targaryen.
Vaelora recognized the delicate implications of such news spreading within the keep. She acted swiftly, sending for Alson, a trusted agent, to retrieve Xaerys’ body from the streets of Flea Bottom. She deliberately withheld the information from the Velaryons, knowing the storm it would unleash.
As the day unfolded, Xaerys, always one to fade into the background, was not immediately noticed for his absence. However, as the hours crept closer to the feast, the Velaryons became alarmed when the second eldest son was nowhere to be found. News of his disappearance reached Queen Visenya, who quickly summoned the City Watch and the Queensguard to form a search party. The queen assured her cousins that Xaerys would be found, even as the festivities began under a veil of unease.
The shadow of Xaerys’ disappearance loomed over the celebration, threatening to disrupt the fragile unity of the court and exposing the cracks within the Targaryen and Velaryon alliance. With secrets buried in the cobbled streets of King’s Landing, the search for Xaerys promised to unravel more than just his tragic fate.
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tdlr: the night before the final feast, vaegon took xaerys out for a night of fun and mischief in fleabottom. when they arrive at a brothel, xaerys takes a moment alone outside to ready himself and is attacked by thugs who want to steal his ornate cane. a mob forms and over takes him. vaegon, distraught, runs back to the keep to find vaelora, the only one he trusts with this. vaelora knows they need to stay on top of this and tasks alson to retrieve xaerys’ body and bring him back to the keep. no one will know what has happened, but xaerys’ absence will be noted as the day goes on
The only muses that are privy to any information regarding Xaery’s disappearance are those that were randomly chosen to participate in the plot drop and those that were key players for the narrative such as Vaegon, Vaelora, and Alson, all played by your friendly admins. As it stands now, no one except the three muses, played by the admins, know the actual truth. The rest are to do freely with what bits of information their characters have and the roles they have been chosen to play. Ideally, we would like these to be fleshed out and accomplished during the discord event.
Cersha was with Vaelora when Vaegon sought his sister out.
Cedric saw Vaegon in the brothel in flea bottom.
Telessa saw Xaerys leave the keep shortly after the prince.
Helaena heard Vaegon crying in hushed voices to his sister.
Tybalt mentions to Jaenara that the Targaryens could’ve killed her brother.
