CK2AGOT - Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons

[Thaiga]

I dont know how many of them are new( newly created houses) but I really like some of the house sigils in this area. Id imagine the people of Myr are pleased that unlike their neighbors, there is a distinct lack of Ironborn prowling about their lands and they have one of their own leading them. Good to see a new chapter.

Which ones do you like? I was thinking of maybe changing some of them, but now I have doubts
The Drahars were in the game, but I don't any of that name in the books, and their sigil is made of generic in-game assets. Iranin founder was actually friends with both Narbo and Cadaros so I roleplayed as if they were with Narbo the while time and got the land like that, but they both were lowborn so granting them land created random new houses. I renamed Cadaros' house because it was something silly sounding before and made both of their sigils to reflect the sigils of the land.
Well, the Tyroshi are also technically led by their own, Daario was Tyroshi after all, but yeah, I decided to just mostly leave them be. I actually did look at the "slave owner" traits or lack thereof and those who had it did not get their land back after Dany took it all. But to my surprise, there were not that many who had it in the first place, so only a mild reorganization was needed.

Keeping up with wives half your age may not be conducive to long-life, but it requires a stonemason to remove the smile from your face. Thank you for giving us a tour of the islands.

I haven't thought about it like that! But I think you're right, at least the lords would spent their twilight happy, although I would imagine that their young wives are hoping for a quick sunset.
Well, Myr actually isn't an island, but next one is about Lys, and that one is, and what an island it is!

Thank you for reading

 

[streaker77]

Which ones do you like? I was thinking of maybe changing some of them, but now I have doubts
The Drahars were in the game, but I don't any of that name in the books, and their sigil is made of generic in-game assets. Iranin founder was actually friends with both Narbo and Cadaros so I roleplayed as if they were with Narbo the while time and got the land like that, but they both were lowborn so granting them land created random new houses. I renamed Cadaros' house because it was something silly sounding before and made both of their sigils to reflect the sigils of the land.
Well, the Tyroshi are also technically led by their own, Daario was Tyroshi after all, but yeah, I decided to just mostly leave them be. I actually did look at the "slave owner" traits or lack thereof and those who had it did not get their land back after Dany took it all. But to my surprise, there were not that many who had it in the first place, so only a mild reorganization was needed.


I haven't thought about it like that! But I think you're right, at least the lords would spent their twilight happy, although I would imagine that their young wives are hoping for a quick sunset.
Well, Myr actually isn't an island, but next one is about Lys, and that one is, and what an island it is!

Thank you for reading

I like the Cadaro, Naelor and Lornel sigils, ive always liked some of the Essosi sigils as they are very colorful, the Drahar sigil is a little duller but still nice.

 

[Thaiga]

I like the Cadaro, Naelor and Lornel sigils, ive always liked some of the Essosi sigils as they are very colorful, the Drahar sigil is a little duller but still nice.

Unfortunately Cadaros's wives are last ones of their houses, so those will probably disappear the Drahar is the one I was thinking of changing, it does indeed look much more dull than the usual essosi sigils and kinda stands out.

 

[Thaiga]

Lys​

(Picture found randomly, I suspect that the author might be Georgia Low)​

Lys is the southernmost of the Free Cities. It is located on an island in the Summer Sea and commands the sea lanes leading north to the Narrow Sea, south to the Summer Isles and east to Volantis and the Jade Sea, all of which combine to make it immensely rich. It is also well-known as the most beautiful of the Free Cities, with graceful buildings and walls. Its pleasure houses are the finest in the known world and its origins as a retreat for Valyrian nobles is well-known.

Lys is not a soft target, however. It commands a formidable fleet and its walls may be beautiful but are also strong and thick. The Lyseni are devoted to pleasure but fearful when roused to battle, and they are rich enough to hire fleets of sellsails and armies of sellswords quite quickly.

But ultimately it did not save them when the full might of the Iron Throne’s armies, well rested in the newly liberated lands of Myr, descended upon it in the year 319AC. War lasted for three years, most of the resistance met upon the main island of Lys. But it too was finally broken and on the nineteenth day of the eleventh moon in the year 322AC the last Magister of Lys, Lord Freeholder Syrion of House Ormollen, was stripped of his office and sent to the wall making him the second Black Magister in recent history, much to the historians’ despair.

Free Range Stags​

In one of his unfamous outings to a pillow house, the Usurper had deflowered a young lysene girl named Myrella, who later gave birth to a strong baby boy. They both were found by Lord Eddard Stark's agents, brought to the court and generously provided by the Queen. Myriella later fell in love with Lord Maric of House Celtigar of Claw Isle, married him and died a nervous wreck that she became after her husband was forced to execute their only son. Lord Maric himself was also deeply distraught, turned to the bottle and ultimately lost to it both his liver and his life.

But Lady Miryella's first son, the one from the Usurper, fared much better. He grew up to be a skilled fighter and was knighted in recognition of his prowess in a tourney held in the Reach. Ser Ballar was married to Doreah, a lysene girl that the Queen had brought with her from Pentos, and had distinguished himself in the Lysene Liberation War. He knew their language and their customs, but he was a devout opponent of the practice of slavery and the follover of the Seven, so he was the perfect bridge between Lys’ past and the new present. Therefore there was no hesitation when it came to naming the new Lord Paramount.

Thus knelt Ser Ballar, but rose Lord Paramount Ballar of House Baarthreen, his father’s House name spelled in a lysene fashion. He had his fair share of troubles in the beginning of his rule, like the uprising in the Lysene Disputed Lands, but he came out triumphant and still rules Lys. He mourns his late wife, Lady Doreah, and shuns any and all ideas of marriage or bed-warmers.

His oldest daughter, Lady Pella, was married twice. Her first husband, Lord Belano of House Rogare, was the heir presumptive to the main branch of the Rogare family until his death after a hunting accident at the age of four-and-thirty. Lady Pella remarried to Ser Royce of House Dalt as his second wife, but he also died at the age of six-and-thirty from a heart attack. Lady Pella returned to Lys after that.

Lady Pella’s younger sister, Lady Saranella, is married to another Rogare, Lord Gyellso, her sister’s late first husband’s brother. The pair’s son tragically died at the age of just ten years, so their daughter stands to inherit. Throughout the marriage the old drunkard also openly entertains his long-time paramour, the famous lysene poetess Minelney, who is ten years senior than his wife. That pair also has two daughters, both of whom are acknowledged and considered to be in line of inheritance, much to the annoyance of both Lady Saranella and her father.

Lord Paramount Ballar’s third daughter, Lady Voraria, is married to Master Salladhor of House Saan, the grandson of the last pirate king of the Stepstones. They reside in the palace of Numys between the main sept and the Pleasure Gardens.

Lord Zoraphos is Lord Paramount Ballar’s youngest child. He, as well as all his older siblings, was born in the Red Keep before his father became the ruler of Lys. While there he became friends with a foundling that was left by an unknown mother on the steps of one of the small septs in the city and eventually brought to the keep to be raised by the washerwomen. Even though Lord Zoraphos was very young when his family relocated to Lys, he never forgot his childhood friend and while accompanying his father on one of his visits to the capital he found her and convinced her to elope. They were ordained in that same sept now Lady Leria was found at. Lord Paramount Ballar was quite upset with his son for marrying a lowborn nobody, but he could not do anything not that they were officiated before the Gods.

The pair’s daughter, Mistress Seryllei, is married to Master Alios of House Saerys. They reside in the palace of Kyzaria near the temple of Volantis.

The son, Ser Jaqario, is married to lady Daenehyrs (a lysene spelling of the Queen's name), a bastard daughter of the essarian Lord of Bajys.

Lord Fredo is Lord Paramount Ballar’s second son. He is married to Lady Zansa of House Greyjoy from Little Tyrosh.

The pair’s only daughter, Lady Firanynei, is married to Lord Konrad of House Seastag, the heir presumptive of The Stepstones.

Lord Fredo’s younger son, Ser Gyllen, is married to lady Daella from the essarian House of Vilinion.

Lord Fredo’s older son, Ser Pazenkho, took a page from his uncle’s book when on one of his patrol missions as a high-ranking member of the city guard he stumbled upon an illegal pillow-house full of enslaved girls from all over the known world. He and his fellow guardsmen took the wretched place by storm and liberated all of the poor women who then got help getting back to their families or starting a new life. But one woman Ser Pazenkho just could not let go, for he fell madly in love with the stubborn silverhead and begged her to marry him. She readily agreed and became Lady Meshaena. At this point Lord Paramount Ballar just gave up on trying to influence his family and just accepted his grandson’s decision.

The current heir of Lys is Lord Paramount Ballar’s first son, Lord Haric. He is married to Lady Narrya of House Seastag of the Stepstones.

Their older daughter, Lady Mellario, is married to Lord Esyrno of House Mopatis, the heir of Pentos. The younger, Lady Mellianna, is a girl of nine and she is betrothed to the heir of the heir of Volantis.

Ser Esodos is Lord Haric’s youngest son. In his recent tour to Westeros he visited the Vale and stayed the night at the Stonyhead castle on his way to the Bloody Gate. There he met a beautiful lady Eddyne, a distant kin of his host. He then abducted the girl, disguised her as a boy to look like she’s his servant and fled to Lys, a deed for which his grandfather had to pay a hefty reparation. Lady Eddyne though does not seem to mind her ordeal in the slightest and is often seen playfully sparring with her husband who sometimes affectionately calls her his squire.

Ser Donelos is Lord Haric’s third son. He is married to lady Izembara of House Otherys of the Dark Den.

Ser Beleqor is Lord Haric’s second son. He is married to Lady Jorylla of House Saerystos of Volantis.

The current heir’s heir is Lord Haric’s firstborn, the first member of the Baarthreen family to follow the Lysene pantheon rather than the Seven. He is named after his grandfather and his wife is lady Yaranei, also from the House of Saerystos. A cruel man, he reportedly has often been heard to voice his hopes that “the Stranger would stop being such a stranger to his grandsire already, and maybe get his father while he's here”. Fortunately he is also a known sluggard, so at least he probably would be too lazy to act his wishes out himself.

Notable Vassals​

Lysene Spring​

After the fall of the House of Ormollen and the Lysene Dispute, the Lysene Disputed Lands were all taken from their rulers and given to the Rogare family for their support of the Baarthreens in the Dispute.

On the death of Lord Byan, his lands were divided between his sons.

The major chunk of the land was given to his older son, Lord Gyleno, while the lands around the Dyreno Hill went to his younger son, Lord Tybaro.

Because Lord Gyleno’s firstborn son and heir died before him, Lord Gyleno’s lands upon his own death were further divided between his grandson, Lord Harlano, and his second son, Lord Gyellso, who got the lands of Morghos.

Lord Harlano is the current Lord of the Lysene Disputed Lands. In his marriage life he seems to have been heavily inspired by his neighbour, Lord Paramount Conos of Myr, for he had taken the two Ormollen twin sisters as his wives, although one of them can technically only be his consort. Despite that both women have a daughter and a son by their shared lover and all of the children are considered legitimate.

They sure have much more open notions of love and marriage in the East, and farther the east, more open the notions…

 

[Midnite Duke]

The first visual is breath-taking. Thank you

 

[streaker77]

The bastard son of the usurper holding power in a Targaryen regime is a little surprising, but stranger things have happened. Is Ballar a child that happened naturally or one of Roberts bastards that are scattered around the map durng the begining of the game, ive heard of that feauture but never really explored it.

 

[Thaiga]

The bastard son of the usurper holding power in a Targaryen regime is a little surprising, but stranger things have happened. Is Ballar a child that happened naturally or one of Roberts bastards that are scattered around the map durng the begining of the game, ive heard of that feauture but never really explored it.

He's not the first one, most of the sons have lands around the realm, the Stepstones for example. This run is all about "the children not being held accountable for the sins of the fathers" and all that Ballar is one of the scattered ones, I think he was the last one at that point in time.

 

[Thaiga]

Volantis​

The Tourists by Vincent Joyal
The following paragraph was taken in its entirety (with relevant adjustments) from the Atlas of Ice and Fire (referred throughout this work as Atlas)​

Volantis is the oldest, largest and most populous of the Free Cities, and some say the most corrupt and decadent. Located at one of the several mouths of the River Rhoyne on the far south coast of Essos, the city is an immense metropolis, one of the biggest cities in the known world. Its vast, crescent-shaped harbour extends for many miles and the entire city of Braavos could fit within its confines with room to spare. Its population may exceed one million, certainly when the surrounding farms, villages and towns are included.

Volantis controls a significant swathe of surrounding territory and, almost uniquely among the Free Cities, commands the authority of several settlements also large enough to be called cities: Volon Therys, located 75 miles upriver; Valysar, located a further 80 miles or so the north; and Selhorys, located about 120 miles even further north. Each of these cities exceeds Oldtown in population and maybe King’s Landing, putting their population at around 300,000-450,000 each. Volantis’s influence also runs approximately 225 miles to the east, where the so-called “demon road” reaches the top of the Valyrian Peninsula, and 300 miles to the west, along the so-called Orange Coast where some Volantene families have coastal retreats when they wish to avoid the city.

The city itself is divided into two halves by the River Rhoyne. The western half is newer and of more recent construction. The docks and ports for foreign visitors are located along the coast here and markets, taverns and housing extend for many miles inland. To the east of the Rhoyne lies the older and more up-market part of the city, with sprawling noble estates and higher-quality housing. Dominating the eastern district are the 200-foot-tall Black Walls, a large, circular construction extending for miles and including the most ancient parts of the city. Only those of noble Volantene blood may set foot inside the Black Walls.

Many places of worship can be found around the city, most notable among them is the massive temple to the Lord of Light, the largest outside Asshai. Thrice the size of the Great Sept of Baelor, the temple is seen as the centre of R’hllor worship in western Essos and commands tremendous loyalty from both freedmen and new nobility in the city, to the growing disquiet of the old bloods.

Although it is still the largest and most populous of the Free Cities, Volantis’s population is much reduced from what it once was; entire districts of the city have fallen into ruin and disrepair and are currently undergoing a grand renovation. Part of the reason for Volantis’s decline may be its reputation for corruption, but also its uncomfortable climate (the city was once a swamp, and outbreaks of disease make that clear) and its remoteness from the other Free Cities. However, Volantis’s position athwart the main shipping land east to the Jade Sea and its prime location as a resting stop on the ever more busy road to Valyria will ensure its continued prosperity for centuries to come.

Saera's Sons​

The following paragraph was taken in its entirety (with relevant adjustments) from
Archmaester Gyldayn’s Fire & Blood, Being a History of the Targaryen Kings of Westeros and Maester Yandel’s The World of Ice and Fire.​

Before we speak about the current events in and around Volantis however, we must look upon the days long past and a certain disgraced Targaryen princess.

Princess Saera was born in 67 AC as the ninth child and fifth daughter of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen and Queen Alysanne Targaryen. She was a difficult child given to mischief and pranks. After her flowering, Saera took to the men at the royal court. When she was fourteen years old, Saera told her father that she wanted to become a queen like her mother, by wedding the Prince of Dorne or the King-Beyond-the-Wall. When she saw a trader from the Summer Islands, she declared that she might wanted to marry him as well. By the time she was fifteen, however, she had come to entertain other fantasies. She quickly had three favorites of all the men who attended her, and two girls her own age became Saera's closest friends. For more than a year, the three girls and young lordlings did everything together.

In 84 AC, two men of the City Watch of King's Landing rescued the court fool from the whorehouse, where Saera’s three young favorites were amongst the drunken patrons laughing at the fool. When one of them admitted the joke had been Saera's idea, the three lordlings and Saera's two friends were brought before King Jaehaerys and the whole thing unravelled (for more details on that scandal look for the works of Maester Yandel and especially Archmaester Gyldayn).

Jaehaerys might have been willing to forgive Saera, had she done as she had been told. Instead, Saera escaped her confinement that night and attempted to enter the Dragonpit, only to be caught by the Dragonkeepers. Enraged by this attempt of stealing a dragon, Jaehaerys had her confined to a tower cell and a fortnight later sent to Oldtown to be given to the Faith.

In 85 AC Saera fled from the motherhouse during the night, knocking down an older silent sister during her escape. Instead of hiding within the Seven Kingdoms, however, Saera had found passage on a ship at Oldtown, which had brought her to Lys. There, she took service at a pleasure garden, still clad as a novice of the Faith, pretending to be a godsworn maiden for the patrons to despoil.

A few years before 99 AC Saera, infamous but wealthy, left Lys for Volantis. There she became the proprietor of a famous pleasure house.

When King Jaehaerys called a Great Council in 101 AC to settle the matter of his succession, three bastard sons of Saera, each fathered by a different man, came to press their claims. Saera herself, though only thirty-four, decided not to press her own claim, boasting she had "her own kingdom" in Volantis.

She peacefully died in her mansion at the age of seven-and-fifty, ever independent and surrounded by her wealth.

Legend of the Cryptids - Caella reg. by anotherwanderer

After the rejection in the Great Council of 101AC, all sons returned to Volantis and lived there in relative luxury, all forming their own Houses. In the years since Saera’s scandal the Houses of her sons became somewhat odd, but definitely respected and integral parts of political and economical life of Volantis. They followed a peculiar mix of old Targaryen tradition of sibling-marriages and at the same time worshipped the Red God R’hllor instead of the Old Valyrian religious traditions of more ancient Volantene families.

In this Chapter we will not need to concern ourselves with the first son and will go straight to the two younger ones.

 

[Thaiga]

The Elephants​

Contemporary reports on the Great Council of 101 AC all claim that one of Saera’s bastards (the second one) looked like the very image of King Jaehaerys in his youth. It is rather ironic then that the son’s name was Jaecerys, a clear volantene bastardization (no pun intended on the part of your humble author, but a clear attempt at one from Saera’s side) of the King’s name.

Jaecerys was a son of Archon Colloquo, an elephant party’s Triarch of Volantis from the Vhassar noble family.

His descendants formed the House of Saerystos. One such descendant, Vaemond of House Saerystos, was present at the somewhat “history repeats itself” moment when Queen Daenerys decided to hold the Great Council of Volantis after finally liberating the city and its surrounding countryside in a conflict now known as the Volantis Liberation War of 323-330AC.

The Queen and King met with their long-lost cadet cousins and the other Volantene noble families that were permitted to hold onto their lands and after many days of discussions, deliberations and a couple of heated arguments the remaining Volantene nobility finally narrowed their choice down to two candidates, both conveniently claiming their descend from the Targaryens. The voting was a draw however so the final decision was made by a game of cyvasse. The aforementioned Vaemond won and became the first Lord Paramount of Volantis. His rule was mostly fair with an acceptable amount of questionable decisions here and there. The first Lord Paramount of Volantis died at the age of two-and-sixty, some say from a broken heart, some from a broken hip.

His youngest daughter, Lady Jorylla, is married to Ser Beleqor of House Baarthreen of Lys.

The third daughter, Lady Loreah, is technically still married to her younger brother, Lord Agelardo, but as soon as their daughter was born he ran away from court and joined The Bright Banners.

Their only daughter Aena unfortunately started to exhibit the signs of a very disturbed mind when she was just a little girl and Lady Loreah decided to give her to the Red Priests in hope that they might be able to ease her suffering. They could not and although Aena was able to somehow undergo the training and become a priestess she still suffers from outbursts of violent and erratic behaviour. After the her fellow priestesses made a gruesome discovery of a bloody foetus diligently hidden in a pillow and tucked under the mattress, Aena was accused of adultery, becoming pregnant while under an oath and (most importantly) infanticide. She did not name the father, but he is rumoured to be a fellow red priest Caezar, the Bastard of Great Plaza, himself a child of a fornicating red priest.

Until the investigation is complete, Aena is confined to the temple in Volon Therys, a rather questionable decision given the fact that the temple’s High Priest Hasporio is widely known as the Wicked for his lack of morals.

Lady Larissa is Lord Paramount Vaemond’s second daughter. She was married to Lord Thoronno of House Maegyr, Lord of Little Valyria. Interestingly enough, Lord Thoronno managed to become a knight in a Westerosi fashion despite being the follower of the Red God. He unfortunately died young, eaten away by a horrible bone cancer that even the amputation of his most afflicted limb could not stall. The pair’s son, Lord Asporio, is the current Lord of Little Valyria. Later in life Lady Larissa fell in love with her son’s master of whispers and quietly married him before their household’s priest.

Lady Daena is Lord Paramount Vaemond firstborn child. She was married to Lord Ulmer of House Saerys, another House that traces its descent from the infamous princess Saera. Their son later became the new Lord Paramount, but that will be discussed later in this Chapter.

Life of Lord Paramount Vaemond’s youngest son, Lord Agelardo, and his marriage to his sister, Lady Loreah, was already discussed previously in this Chapter, so let us move on to the other sons.

Commander Daenar of The Black Wall is Lord Paramount Vaemond’s second son. He is married to Lady Hessa of House Saerys, daughter of the Mad Master Pyrio of Kyzaria, who was a life-long nemesis of Commander Daenar.

This is where the many, many intermarriages of Houses Saerystos and Saerys first become very problematic and rather muddy, so let your humble author try and ease you, dear reader, into this cesspool of debauchery.

Lady Hessa, Commander Daenar’s wife, was born to Master Pyrio of House Saerys, master of Kyzaria palace, and his sister-wife, lady Tanda. Together they had four daughters and one son, but the boy suddenly and mysteriously died when he was just one year old. Then his daughter disobeyed him and married Commander Daenar, the very same man whose position as Commander of The Black Wall Mastery Pyrio was coveting.

Years went by, Master Pyrio cheered the news that his rival was having problems with having a child with his ungrateful daughter and he readily made it as much of a public knowledge as he could.

At some point after that his rather estranged sister-wife, lady Tanda, who loved all of her daughters very much and lived her whole life with a broken heart, rebelled against her husband and snuck away to go visit her daughter. She was in her mid-forties at that time, which makes the following even more unusual. What exactly happened there and why is not known as all the parties staunchly refuse to ever speak about it, but the result was seen as one of the Great Scandals of Volantis.

The result was a daughter, Onalella, who was readily and openly acknowledged by her father, Commander Daenar.

She was quickly followed by lady Hessa’s legitimate son Vaemond, Onalella’s half-brother and nephew at the same time. The boy was later gifted with a palace of his own and is the current master of Voltys.

Life and death of lady Tanda will be covered in more detail later in this Chapter when we will be talking about the House Saerys. For now however let us turn our gazes back upon the House Saerystos.


Lord Haerys was Lord Paramount Vaemond’s first son and heir. He was married to Lady Weninei of House Lohar, a former lyseni House that became the vassal of Volantis under Lady Weninei’s grandfather. Unfortunately their marriage wasn’t long and tragically ended with Lord Haerys’ death during the bloody flux outbreak. Lady Weninei later remarried.

Lord Haerys’ older daughter, lady Jaerya, is married to lord Relidos of House Maegyr.

Her younger sister, lady Yaranei, is married to lord Ballar of House Baarthreen of Lys.

Due to Lord Haerys’ death, his son Carios, who was born the same year that his father died, became the new heir of Volantis. He succeeded his grandfather in the year 342AC as the new Lord Paramount, but due to his tender age he was deemed unfit to rule by the regency council. He was peacefully stripped of his title in favour of his regent and, ironically, future father-in-law, Lord Davo of House Saerys, the current Lord Paramount of Volantis. Lord Carios grew up to appreciate this turn of events as he still can enjoy all the privileges of being a high nobility without worrying about the obligations. He and his wife, Lady Alerie of House Saerys, reportedly are deeply in love with each other and prefer to spend their days snuggly secluded in their mansion.

 

[Thaiga]

The Tigers​

Saera’s third son Aegon was born from her affair with another triarch, from the tigers party this time.

Aegon’s descendants eventually became known as the House of Saerys. Their representative in the Great Council of 330AC was the honourable Lord Maekar of House Saerys. He lost the game for the position of Lord Paramount, but gracefully accepted his defeat and lived out his life in a drunken idleness.

Two of his youngest daughters are successfully married into local Houses of prominence.

Marriage of his two oldest children though is another matter entirely.

Lord Maekar had a lover (some sources claim her to be a slave) who gave him a son. As she lay dying in her birthing bed, Lord Maekar proclaimed the child his trueborn son, thus making Pyrio his legitimate heir (a decision he later deeply regretted). After his mistress’ passing Lord Maekar married properly, but due to his new wife’s common birth she is not named in any archive.

Lady Tanda was the first child of this marriage. As per House Saerys’ claim of descent from the Targaryens of Old Valyria, Lord Maekar then arranged for his two children to be married, further strengthening his firstborn’s claim on his titles.

The only child of this cursed marriage to not be involved in any kind of drama is lady Melala, the fourth daughter. She is married to Ser Rycas of House Treboros, heir to the newly-resettled lordship of Ar Noy on the shore of the Rhoynish Dagger Lake and eventually to the whole Rhoyne valley.

All the others are a disaster.

We have already covered the bizarre story about Lady Tanda’s daughter with her husband’s rival, but unfortunately the list of scandals surrounding this family is far from over.

Lady Hessa’s sisters, Ladies Nilde and Cyeana, have their own Great Scandal, but first we must take a step back and look at yet another Scandal, this one surprisingly not originating in the House of Saerys.

Lord Parios briefly was the newly-appointed Lord of Anyria, the lands on the Volantene-Myrish border, after the previous owner was driven out of his lands by his disgruntled subordinates. Lord Parios was one-and-thirty years of age when he married Lady Triannolla, who was ten-and-five at the time of their marriage. Lord Parios was dead within a year, without an heir and only his wife as his sole successor who oddly enough had a beautifully written document stating that “in an unlikely event of his passing without an issue of his body her generous husband wills to leave all his worldly possessions to his beloved wife”. Lady Triannolla then proceeded to don the mourning attire and delegate the administration of her newly acquired lands to a score of older men swarming around her like a drooling hive of drones. She also started to pop out children, claiming that all of them were actually her late husband’s issue conceived with the help of powerful shadow magic.

Surprisingly she did not have slaves, so after the Liberation she was permitted to keep her lands, but eventually her shenanigans became more and more cruel and her subordinates had finally had enough. There was a minor rebellion stirred by the same house that ousted their previous overlord and Lady Triannolla was killed. Her killer openly boasts about it and still lives at the court of his benefactor. Strangely enough, Lady Triannolla’s son succeeded her without any opposition from his vassal and had not made any attempts at retribution for the death of his mother.

And this brings us back to the troubles of the House Saerys.

Poor Lady Cyeana is married to Lady Triannolla’s son, Lord Belicho of House Syndor, Lord of Anyria. Although a kind and humble man, Lord Belicho however clearly suffers from the tainted blood of his mother (more on her later), as it seems to be utterly unexpected to see this usually shy, easily spooked man having not even one, but two affairs, both disturbingly problematic.

The first one was with his own sister-in-law, Lady Nilde, Lady Cyeana’s older sister. It resulted in a daughter, Meralyia.

The second one was even more inexplicable, as it was and is with his own daughter-in-law, lady Yohan, the wife of Lord Belicho’s own son and heir, Ser Adaros. What makes it utterly despicable is that Lord Belicho actually exiled his own son and openly took his wife as his official mistress. This affair also resulted in a daughter, Ermesande.

All this drama had driven Master Pyrio’s already unstable mind to a breaking point where he quietly sat down with his priest and his steward and in their presence wrote a document declaring all of his daughters disowned and disinherited, even his youngest, thus making his half-brother, Lord Ulmer, his de-facto heir.

But Lord Ulmer was not ready to wait that long, he had his own grand scheme to unravel, so when the honourable Lord Maekar drank himself to death in the year 347AC, Lord Ulmer took matters into his own hands. He and his cohort of loyalists rode to Master Pyrio’s mansion and took him into custody on the pretence of his alleged insanity. Lord Ulmer claims that his poor brother was confined to his room with guards posted outside his doors and windows. This then begs the question on why Master Pyrio’s body was rumoured to be missing a leg, a hand and an eye by the time the priests were called to see to him after his passing, an event that his half-brother claimed to be self-inflicted and happen solely due to Master Pyrio’s state of mind.

Despite the allegations and whispers of foul play, Lord Ulmer was never challenged as the head of House Saerys, probably due to the fact that he was the son-in-law of the Lord Paramount himself or because his half-brother actually was an insane unpredictable narcissist and no one wanted him as their liege.

But Lord Ulmer had a couple of quirks to his character as well. Most importantly, he was fanatically devoted to his Red God. He was also fascinated by the history of House Targaryen, some say to the point of obsession. He meticulously studied any and all works on this topic that he could find, being especially interested in that peculiar idea of “the prince that was promised” that he was convinced equals the asshaii legend of Azor Ahai. He for some reason also believed that the woods witch that came to court with Jenny of Oldstones made a mistake and that the promised prince is supposed to be born into the line of first Jaehaerys, not the second, and the notion of the dragon having three heads is crucial to this prophecy. In short, Lord Ulmer was obsessed with the idea that it was the three sons of Saera that were in fact the heads of the dragon and of their line must Azor Ahai be born. So he ventured to achieve just that.

He married Lady Daena of House Saerystos and had a son by her. He also sought out the descendants of the very first son, the one conceived in the pillow house in Lys, and seduced Lady Alerie. She quickly became disillusioned with his wild ideas and left for Valyria, (but that will be talked about in more details in the appropriate future Chapter), but not before Lord Ulmer had what he wanted from her - a daughter.

He then married them while they were young in an official ceremony witnessed by numerous priests of different faiths in hopes to solidify the union and make it so much harder for them to break it if they ever wished to do so. He must not have worried as the pair grew very close both in friendship and in love.

Lord Ulmer also instilled in both of them the same bizarre notion of them being the chosen line, so it was not much of a surprise that when the opportunity presented itself, Lord Davo, who succeeded his father in the year 353AC, seized it with both hands despite his rather timid nature. He then sought to reconcile with his deposed ward, Lord Carios, and arranged for him the marriage with his daughter, Lady Alerie, which seems like a great success.

Lord Paramount Davo’s second son, Lord Alios, is married to Lady Seryllei of House Baarthreen of Lys. The pair’s wedding gift was the mansion of Kyzaria, the same that belonged to the Mad Master Pyrio.

Lord Essalos in Lord Paramount Davo’s firstborn son and heir. He is married to Lady Arenela of House Vhassar of the Orange Shore.

It is unclear if he is the prince that Lord Ulmer was hoping for or if it’s one of his sons or his future sons’ sons, but Lord Essalos is noted to cite his esteemed bloodline as his justification and grounds for authority.

 

[streaker77]

I really enjoyed that piece about Saera, had never heard that story before, also good to see another Vaemond. Lord Belicho certainly has a lot to be paranoid about, he has the quiet trait but one misstep and one of his enemies will make him go silent forever. Also, a bit random but what is the state of the Basillisk isles?

 

[Midnite Duke]

Only nobles inside Black Walls? Did nobles do all the cooking, cleaning, repairing, etc.?

 

[Thaiga]

I really enjoyed that piece about Saera, had never heard that story before, also good to see another Vaemond. Lord Belicho certainly has a lot to be paranoid about, he has the quiet trait but one misstep and one of his enemies will make him go silent forever. Also, a bit random but what is the state of the Basillisk isles?

Glad you liked it! I stumbled upon this story in the World of Ice and Fire, I think, and was fascinated with the depraved princess ever since, so when I saw that she has descendants in the mod I knew I had to do something with them. And oh boy, did they deliver! Truly Saera's blood, all this juicy drama!
The "author" of this chronicle is also Vaemond btw
I wonder who will eventually end Lord Belicho. Nilde's husband is cruel and brave, but he's also just and content. The son is ruthless, but just. It will probably be his wife though, sometimes enough is enough.
Oooh, that hellhole is swarming with Euron's spawn. I think right now all of the islands are theirs and they raid and multiply like crazy. I will probably have to do something about them, if I can.

Only nobles inside Black Walls? Did nobles do all the cooking, cleaning, repairing, etc.?

I also found the wording a bit odd, as I understood the situation as if only the nobles are allowed to own property there, not go in, especially when traditionally Volantis relied heavily on its slaves. But I was citing another source and left it as is to play around the idea of nobility being so distant from the serving people, especially slaves, that they literally don't see them or take them into account.

 

[lone_wolf7660]

Amazing Update on Esso! Love every detail you do.

 

[Midnite Duke]

That was a lot of bloodlines. Beautiful picture at the beginning of the visit to the island where what is considered risqué elsewhere is considered tame. Thank you for being our guide and protector.

 

[lone_wolf7660]

Hello, sorry to ask may we get house update on house redwyne

 

[BatesytheDragon]

What sub-mods ae you using for this??

 

[lone_wolf7660]

What sub-mods ae you using for this??

This the mods list

 

[BatesytheDragon]

And sorry know i'm asking another question but how did you reveal Robert's bastards with the MB submod like that? I've only been able to find Gendry and Ronnal Darkhart myself

 

[Warlord Skorr]

This the mods list View attachment 862119

Legalized Gay Marriage? Is that bugged or only for the player? I don't recall you mentioning any gay couples before in this AAR.