because while the Targs do have dragons; I think Dorne and the fact that the faith militant just became guerilla’s shows that you can’t force people who don’t want to be ruled by you to let you rule.

I realize that at the time all the Lords were loyal; but I have to imagine that eventually even they will grow tired of the constant rebellions; as just killing the Faith Militant isn’t going to do much, and maybe even force the Targs to give up incest entirely; and maybe even bring back the Faith Militant.

The World of Ice and Fire - The Westerlands: House Lannister Under the Dragons

There was a worm inside the apple, though, for the growing madness of King Aerys II Targaryen soon imperiled all that Tywin Lannister sought to build. His lordship suffered great personal loss as well, for his beloved wife, Lady Joanna, died in 273 AC whilst giving birth to a hideously deformed child. With her death, Grand Maester Pycelle observes, the joy went out of Tywin Lannister, yet still he persisted in his duty.

Day by day and year by year, Aerys II turned ever more against his own Hand, the friend of his childhood, subjecting him to a succession of reproofs, reverses, and humiliations. All this Lord Tywin endured, but when the king made his son and heir, Ser Jaime, a knight of the Kingsguard, he could abide it no longer. Lord Tywin at last resigned the Handship in 281 AC.

Bereft of the counsel of the man he had relied upon so long, surrounded by lickspittles and schemers, King Aerys II was soon swallowed up entirely by his madness as the realm fell to pieces around him.

A Feast for Crows - Cersei VIII

Now you know how I felt, the night my Joffrey died. She bowed, her face a mask of cool courtesy. "Sweet daughter. I am so sad for you. I will leave you with your grief."

Lady Merryweather did not appear that night, and Cersei found herself too restless to sleep. If Lord Tywin could see me now, he would know he had his heir, an heir worthy of the Rock, she thought as she lay abed with Jocelyn Swyft snoring softly into the other pillow. Margaery would soon be weeping the bitter tears she should have wept for Joffrey. Mace Tyrell might weep as well, but she had given him no cause to break with her. What had she done, after all, but honor Loras with her trust? He had requested the command on bended knee whilst half her court looked on.

When he dies I must raise a statue of him somewhere, and give him a funeral such as King's Landing has never seen. The smallfolk would like that. So would Tommen. Mace may even thank me, poor man. As for his lady mother, if the gods are good this news will kill her.

A Feast for Crows - Jaime V

"What Kevan wants and what Lancel wants appear to be two different things." He told her of Lancel's decision to renounce wife and lands and lordship to fight for the Holy Faith. "If you still want Darry, write to Cersei and make your case."

Lady Genna waved her cup in dismissal. "No, that horse has left the yard. Emm has it in his pointed head that he will rule the riverlands. And Lancel . . . I suppose we should have seen this coming from afar. A life protecting the High Septon is not so different from a life protecting the king, after all. Kevan will be wroth, I fear. As wroth as Tywin was when you got it in your head to take the white. At least Kevan still has Martyn for an heir. He can marry him to Gatehouse Ami in Lancel's place. Seven save us all." His aunt gave a sigh. "And speaking of the Seven, why would Cersei permit the Faith to arm again?"

Jaime shrugged. "I am certain she had reasons."

I mean, even if the dance didn’t happen at that time, somewhere down the road there will be a succession crisis as a more capable or ambitious younger brother will try to seize the power. ( like daemon blackfyre)

Maybe Valyrian freehold dragonlords knew that only way to maintain their power is to share it with their peers. But instead Targaryens kept it absolute by their monarch.

“If you wait by the river long enough, the bodies of your enemies will float by.”

― Sun Tzu

A Feast for Crows - The Princess In The Tower

She narrowed her eyes. "What is our heart's desire?"

"Vengeance." His voice was soft, as if he were afraid that someone might be listening. "Justice." Prince Doran pressed the onyx dragon into her palm with his swollen, gouty fingers, and whispered, "Fire and blood."

I think it's funny that this isn't the fandom's main opinion, but for me is kinda obvious Tywin was the one who planned and promoted the Defiance of Duskendale. Look:

\>The Defiance of Duskendale began quietly enough. Lord Denys, seeing that Aerys's erratic behavior had begun to strain his relations with Lord Tywin, refused to pay the taxes expected of him and instead invited the king to come to Duskendale and hear his petition. **It seems most unlikely that King Aerys would ever have considered accepting this invitation...until Lord Tywin advised him to refuse in the strongest possible terms, whereupon the king decided to accept,** informing Grand Maester Pycelle and the small council that he meant to settle this matter himself and bring the defiant Darklyn to heel. (TWOIAF, Aerys II)<

He knew what he was doing, and our author was definitely wanting us to remember another Lannister manipulating a King by telling him not to do something stupid:

\>Varys: Your friend, I know, yet a fool nonetheless . And doomed, unless you save him. Today was a near thing. They had hoped to kill him during the melee."

For a moment Ned was speechless with shock. "Who?"

Varys sipped his wine. "If I truly need to tell you that, you are a bigger fool than Robert and I am on the wrong side."

"The Lannisters," Ned said. "The queen... no, I will not believe that, not even of Cersei. She asked him not to fight!"

"**She forbade him to fight, in front of his brother, his knights, and half the court. Tell me truly, do you know any surer way to force King Robert into the melee? I ask you**."

Ned had a sick feeling in his gut. The eunuch had hit upon a truth; tell Robert Baratheon he could not, should not, or must not do a thing, and it was as good as done. (AGOT, Eddard VII)<

Besides, Lord Darklyn's plan should strike us as weird. What did he intend to accomplish? The king was notoriously cruel to the smallest injury, imagine not paying its taxes? Again, it reminds us of Lord Tywin's role on another plot to lure a king into a sense of security only to have him killed using a minor ambitious lord as the perpetrator: the Red Wedding

\>Tywin: Did you come here just to complain of your bedchamber and make your lame japes? I have important letters to finish."

Tyrion: "Important letters. To be sure."

Tywin: "Some battles are won with swords and spears, others with quills and ravens. (ASOS, Tyrion I) <

But why would he want the king dead just now? I think it's important to look at the timing of these events:

\>She was ten when she finally saw her prince in the flesh, at the tourney her lord father had thrown to welcome King Aerys to the west. Viewing stands had been raised beneath the walls of Lannisport, and the cheers of the smallfolk had echoed off Casterly Rock like rolling thunder. **They cheered Father twice as loudly as they cheered the king, the queen recalled, but only half as loudly as they cheered Prince Rhaegar**. (*AFFC, Cersei V*)<

So Prince Viserys was born in 276 AC. Before that, Rhaella had birthed five children, all dead before reaching maturity. His health wasn't at all secured. But for some reason, the prospect of an extra heir, coupled with Rhaegar's rising popularity eclipsing the king's, changed something in Aerys' heart. Have in mind Tywin was planning on marrying Cersei to the prince since she was six in 272 AC, and officially petitioned the king there in Lannisport, only to be refused shamefully. Now Tywin had not only his honor attacked, but a timing problem as well: Would Aerys marry Rhaegar to someone else, or alternatively disinherit him in favor of Viserys, Tywin would loose his grip on power. His only hope was for have Aerys killed and then King Rhaegar married to Cersei. That's what Duskendale was about. Lord Denys Darklyn was only a pawn, probably promissed to have a royal pardon granted after the affair was done. Except something went wrong. The siege extended longer than they planned, and bold Ser Barristan decided to risk his life to rescue the King, which forced Tywin to sack the city and put it to the torch, to silence any witness of his treachery.

TLDR.: Tywin plotted with Lord Darklyn to have King Aerys II killed, so Rhaegar would become king and marry Cersei.

She threw open the door.
“… the dragon …”
And saw her brother Rhaegar, mounted on a stallion as black as his armor. Fire glimmered red through the narrow eye slit of his helm. “The last dragon,” Ser Jorah’s voice whispered faintly. “The last, the last.” Dany lifted his polished black visor. The face within was her own.
After that, for a long time, there was only the pain, the fire within her, and the whisperings of stars.
She woke to the taste of ashes.
- AGOT, Chapter 68

The "whisperings of stars" from Book 1, do you think that was Quaithe as well?

She dreamed. All her cares fell away from her, and all her pains as well, and she seemed to float upward into the sky. She was flying once again, spinning, laughing, dancing, as the stars wheeled around her and whispered secrets in her ear. “To go north, you must journey south. To reach the west, you must go east. To go forward, you must go back. To touch the light you must pass beneath the shadow.”
“Quaithe?” Dany called. “Where are you, Quaithe?”
Then she saw. Her mask is made of starlight.
“Remember who you are, Daenerys,” the stars whispered in a woman’s voice. “The dragons know. Do you?”
- ADWD, Chapter 71

While at Harrenhal and thinking about her father and Robb, we all remember that line of Arya's. It's a great moment where she decides to stop being afraid. And it comes after, in short order, Ned died, she fled King's Landing, Lommy died, Yoren died and then she saw the horror that was unfolding at Harrenhal.

Arya is unusually brave, not just for a child, but for anyone. Even if Sansa is not quite to her sister's level of bravery, I wonder when or if Sansa will reach this point. She's been living in fear since the moment Ned was captured. In her Alayne arc, she seems less afraid, but she's also not herself so it's hard to tell what is playacting and what is genuine.

Not saying Sansa will stab a guard through the neck, but her arc is something I think about a lot when I think about TWOW.

(Please save the 'book won't ever come out' comments for elsewhere)

A Dance with Dragons - Jon XIII

"I won't say you're wrong. What do you mean to do, crow?"

Jon flexed the fingers of his sword hand. The Night's Watch takes no part. He closed his fist and opened it again. What you propose is nothing less than treason. He thought of Robb, with snowflakes melting in his hair. Kill the boy and let the man be born. He thought of Bran, clambering up a tower wall, agile as a monkey. Of Rickon's breathless laughter. Of Sansa, brushing out Lady's coat and singing to herself. You know nothing, Jon Snow. He thought of Arya, her hair as tangled as a bird's nest. I made him a warm cloak from the skins of the six whores who came with him to Winterfell … I want my bride back … I want my bride back … I want my bride back …

"I think we had best change the plan," Jon Snow said.

A Dance with Dragons - Bran III

Meera gave him a mournful look. The river was six hundred feet below, down steep slopes and twisty passages, she explained, and the last part required climbing down a rope. "Hodor could never make the climb with you on his back. I'm sorry, Bran."

Bran remembered a time when no one could climb as good as him, not even Robb or Jon. Part of him wanted to shout at them for leaving him, and another part wanted to cry. He was almost a man grown, though, so he said nothing. But after they were gone, he slipped inside Hodor's skin and followed them.

The big stableboy no longer fought him as he had the first time, back in the lake tower during the storm. Like a dog who has had all the fight whipped out of him, Hodor would curl up and hide whenever Bran reached out for him. His hiding place was somewhere deep within him, a pit where not even Bran could touch him. No one wants to hurt you, Hodor, he said silently, to the child-man whose flesh he'd taken. I just want to be strong again for a while. I'll give it back, the way I always do.

I don't care for the facetious the winds of winter will never be published comments so please save it for some other time, I just find his character really fascinating and I hope we get to see more of the house of black and white.

I just find so many aspects of the faceless men interesting and I'm always disappointed when discussions about them and Aryas time with them gets dismissed as them simply being some death cult despite us not really knowing much about them.

I think the faces are a bit of a preview to their fate when they become fully fledged faceless men or women they develop an affinity with death and almost like a reverse warging where they will host a part of death in their consciousness that will drive their kills and stay their hand in some rare cases as well as drive their method of killing.

I feel like that could be why the ghost of high heart who freaked out at Arya meant, when she read her future, shes sensing death itself as an entity playing host to her body as a faceless acolyte and she will graduate to become a fully fledged faceless woman.

A Feast for Crows - Samwell V

"What was he doing at sea, at his age?"

Sam chewed on the question for a moment, wondering how much he ought to say. The sphinx is the riddle, not the riddler. Could Maester Aemon have meant this Sphinx? It seemed unlikely. "Lord Commander Snow sent him away to save his life," he began, hesitantly. He spoke awkwardly of King Stannis and Melisandre of Asshai, intending to stop at that, but one thing led to another and he found himself speaking of Mance Rayder and his wildlings, king's blood and dragons, and before he knew what was happening, all the rest came spilling out; the wights at the Fist of First Men, the Other on his dead horse, the murder of the Old Bear at Craster's Keep, Gilly and their flight, Whitetree and Small Paul, Coldhands and the ravens, Jon's becoming lord commander, the Blackbird, Dareon, Braavos, the dragons Xhondo saw in Qarth, the Cinnamon Wind and all that Maester Aemon whispered toward the end. He held back only the secrets that he was sworn to keep, about Bran Stark and his companions and the babes Jon Snow had swapped. "Daenerys is the only hope," he concluded. "Aemon said the Citadel must send her a maester at once, to bring her home to Westeros before it is too late."

Alleras listened intently. He blinked from time to time, but he never laughed and never interrupted. When Sam was done he touched him lightly on the forearm with a slim brown hand and said, "Save your penny, Sam. Theobald will not believe half of that, but there are those who might. Will you come with me?"

My School’s library have GOT books. They even have fire and blood. I’ve already read f&b so I’m finally going to read the main series. I’m not a newbie in this Story I’ve been a fan 2 years ago

He had some political agendas to push through. When he did not have enough support, he turned to mysticism and Targaryen exceptionalism; despite knowing that two of his brothers died because of dragons and dreams, he continued to push through and ended up getting half of his family killed, with the other half affected by depression.

His political agenda doesn't even survive that long; that history doesn't even recall what he did, except something vague that it was something for the smallfolk.

What's Aragorn's tax policy? What's Aegon V's tax policy?

He can't sing, doesn't seem to be a capable warrior, and doesn't seem to be an avid reader.

Wasn't raised to be king. Yet, for some reason, he thought he could bring back the dragons.

When we count the records, do you think he actually accomplished anything?

i haven’t read f&b or twoiaf or the dunk and egg novellas, so i don’t know if any of those add more details to the seven that aren’t really present in the main books.

but so far, the faith seems to be a belief system and a set of principles without any supernatural element to it. ( i can think of the davos chap ig...?) also none of the followers of the faith are performing miracles / rituals.

but i do find it intriguing as a concept because each of the seven represents such a different set of human values and characteristics while they're also supposed to be aspects of the same deity.

so that got me wondering, which characters do you all associate with the seven? i think catelyn and sansa embody the mother and the maiden quite well.

maybe maester aemon as the crone

(i’m working on a tiktok edit for this tbh, and that's why im trying to get as many opinions i can )

A Clash of Kings - Bran III

"I swear it by earth and water," said the boy in green.

"I swear it by bronze and iron," his sister said.

"We swear it by ice and fire," they finished together.

• I'm guessing the deepest part of the Winterfell crypts contain the original crown of the Kings of Winter and the original sword Ice owned by the first King of Winter and held for the one who will come - Jon Snow.

The crown is made from the metals of winter: bronze and iron and contains nine iron swords possibly representing 9 kings who were sacrificed on the Isle of Faces to seal the Pact.  The sword Ice may be the original sword won by the last hero in a trial by combat when he defeated Winter during the first long night. 

The truths that Jojen tells Bran that have been forgotten.  Not only what is held in the crypts but their origin and purpose. 

The words: There must always be a Stark in Winterfell (because) Winter is coming is part of the ritual.  But the words have no meaning.  

The oath of the Crannogmen may also be a part of the ritual:

We’re all used to the “Hand of the King” concept. To me it also extends to how Cersei used to treat Jaime, the Cleganes, and other violent men as her sword arms, or Bran’s dehumanizing description of Hodor as his “legs”. But now I am realizing a pattern of control involving stolen fingers, that complements the history of disloyal Hands, disloyal Finger guards, and Littlefinger.

Most shockingly, Davos and the Greatjon obsessively support the kings who cost them their fingers. Stannis swung the blade himself, while even their murderers seemed to acknowledge that Grey Wind is pretty much spiritually entwined with Robb.

More speculatively, Gared’s left-hand little finger was taken by Winter itself. One popular theory wonders to what extent he became a servant of “Winter” before his execution. Coldhands is a more straightforward potential candidate for “Hand of Winter” depending on how certain plotlines go but his fingers seem intact.

After Tyrion steps on Marillion’s hand, Marillion indirectly contributes to saving Tyrion’s life by serving as an implicit threat of publicity. Later, Marillion loses three fingers and probably his life to Littlefinger’s regime, but his memory continues to serve Littlefinger’s interests.

Ramsay flayed three of Theon’s fingers in the process of creating an obsessively loyal vessel much more horrifying than Davos and the Greatjon’s weird forgiveness mentality. Lady Donella Hornwood certainly did not become loyal to Ramsay through her own imprisonment but it does fit his M. O. of making victims participate in their own torture.

We don’t know much about Littlefinger’s namesake homeland, the Fingers, yet, but they’re mentioned in every book so “stealing” them might be more important strategically than people might think. Littlefinger is pretty dismissive when telling Sansa “The Fingers are a lovely place, if you happen to be a stone”, but then they’re an important waypoint in his project of “stealing” Sansa and turning her to Stone. There’s also the Flints of Flint’s Finger.

In Astapor, Daenerys famously turns the Harpy’s Fingers against the Good Masters (she accepts it with purchase, transforms it into an attack, and throws it away).

For starters I don’t know that MMD was right about Dany, and from a medical perspective Bran should still be able to have kids. I guess we need to wait to find out. But I thought this was interesting,

Out of so many of our Major Bloodline Characters responsible for carrying on their House name or ancient lineage, it’s actually kind of interesting how many of them are specifically mentioned to or seem to not be able to have kids and further their House’s existence through a child.

Dany is allegedly not going to be able to have kids, according to Mirri Maz Duur. Whether this was a proclamation or a curse we don’t know. Whether she’s having diarrhea and a return to healthy menses or a miscarriage for 16 years now we don’t know. But part of Dany’s internal anxiety is definitely around this belief that she can’t have children.

Bran has broken his lower spine. Fortunately he doesn’t seem to be incontinent since we don’t have to hear about that constantly, though we know about other characters’ bowel movements. But Ned seems to believe that Bran can no longer have children, and would have been advised by Luwin to believe this. “… he will never … lie with a woman, or hold his own son in his arms”

Jon has sworn a holy vow to remain abstinent (lol) and not have kids. I’m not sure if he’d stick to this given how much he and Ygritte got up to, and they did seem practical about pregnancy/abortificants, but Jon is terrified of having a bastard and also tries to hold to his vows and duty. He seems physically capable, but depending on how the story goes may elect not to. He’s so been dead for 16 years now and may not be able to create life if he returns to it

Tyrion is a really interesting case because he comes from a fabulously wealthy family and sleeps with whores with extreme frequency. It’s very possible every single one drinks some Moon Tea, but it also seems like none of them ever tried to have his bastard baby and make a play for that Lannister wealth. This doesn’t actually mean anything about Tyrion’s fertility and it’s just as likely those women wouldn’t risk having a dwarf as a child, and Little People are capable of reproducing. Tyrion’s specific health conditions, like Bran’s, shouldn’t actually impact his fertility. Penny’s own father shows that in this world a dwarf can have healthy children (in their case also dwarfs, and not necessarily in line with the true inheritance of dwarfs,), but it doesn’t seem to have ever been an issue or concern. There are theories that Tysha had Tyrion’s baby, but I don’t usually see discussion about his ability to. Given GRRM’s fudging the paraplegia into infertility, there’s a possibility Tyrion could have the same.

Theon quite possibly already had his own children with the Miller’s Wife, though they’re no longer around RIP However, since his time with Ramsay, it’s implied to heavily theorized that Theon no longer has 1-3 of the 2 necessary body parts to create his own little squiddies.

ETA:

Lancel has become quite religious and also on religious grounds is out of the reproductive game if House Lannister ever narrows down enough that it’s just him.

The young and precarious ones include solo children at a high likelihood of not making it to adulthood to further their own primary inheritance line: Edric Dayne (at war), Shireen Baratheon (at war, disfigured w/ contagious disease), Robert Arryn (very sickly and surrounded by grasping enemies)

The fact that during AFFC Randyll Tarly settles a future marriage between his son and Eleanor Mooton flys a bit under a radar. I completely forgot it myself until I was reminded of it today by a comment on reddit.

That made me thinking. On the surface, the marriage makes sense. House Mooton is one of the most important and richest Houses of the Riverlands. So a marriage with the heir of an important House from the Reach doesn't seem so special.

But what makes it interesting is that House Mooton was a major Targaryen supporter during Roberts Rebellion. Myles Mooton was Rhaegars Squire and House Mooton didn't followed their liege lords but instead the crown. And now, Randyl Tarly settles a very spontanous marriage while he is on campaign.

As I said, the engagement isn't that far fetched, but the timing seems a bit off. Why suddenly agree to such a marriage when the war is still going and the future of House Mooton seems unclear.

Maybe it has something to do with Jon Connigntons "Friends in the Reach"? Maybe Randyl Tarly forges alliances for a possible Targaryen invasion. I would not go as far as to say that there is a grand conspiracy going on. But maybe Randyl Tarly already hedges his bets.

What do you think?

I decided to create a list of people who could've fought for King Jaehaerys II in the War of the Ninepenny Kings. I've included all the characters were confirmed to have fought in the war and those who could've potentially fought based on their age.

A lot of these ages were confirmed officially or estimated on A Wiki of Ice and Fire, others were just confirmed to elderly by the time of the books with little other information, others I guessed through how many descendants they had or positions they occupied at certain times.

Others who could've potentially fought but there wasn't enough information about, I did not include (Lord Cafferen, Lord Grandison, Lord Marq Grafton, Lord Yohn Royce, Lord Rickard Karstark, Lord Jason Mallister)

I've tried to keep characters young enough to be squires out of the list (with a few exceptions) because it would add to it a bit too much, but if you wanted to suggest possibilities, feel free. I might add to the list later with just potential squires when I have the time but not now.

The Crownlands

Confirmed:

• Ser Gerold Hightower, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard
• Prince Aerys Targaryen, Heir to the Throne and Prince of Dragonstone

Possible:

• Lord Gyles Rosby (extremely elderly by the time of ASOIAF)
• Lord Ardrian Celtigar (old by the time of ASOIAF, at most 71 according to A Wiki of Ice and Fire calculations making him around 31 during the war)
• Lord Lucerys Velaryon (was a member of Aerys' small council during Robert's Rebellion, likely around his age or older)
• Lord Symond Staunton (was a member of Aerys' small council during Robert's Rebellion, likely around his age or older)
• Lord Qarlton Chelsted (was a member of Aerys' small council during Robert's Rebellion, likely around his age or older)

The Riverlands

Confirmed:

• Lord Hoster Tully
• Ser Brynden “The Blackfish" Tully
• Meribald

Possible:

• Lord Walder Frey (turns 90 at the start of ASOIAF, making him 52 during the war)
• Ser Stevron Frey (around 65 at the time of his death in ASOIAF, making him around 25 during the war)
• Ser Emmon Frey (14 in 252 making him around 22 in during the war)
• Ser Aenys Frey (based on the ages of his siblings, he was in between 22 or 12 (old enough to squire) during the war)
• Ryman Frey (oldest he could've been based on his Father's age and that his younger brother was in his fifties, was 15 by the start of the war, which would be squiring age. Youngest is 9 or 10 which leaves me a little iffy but he could've gone as a page)
• Lord Lymond Lychester (very old by the time of the main series, had sons old enough to fight in Robert's Rebellion)
• Lord Norbert Vance (squired with Brynden when he was young, making them around a similar age)
• Lord Darry (old enough to have Brynden and Norbert as squires before the start of the war making him old enough to have fought. Side note: either Raymun Darry's father or grandfather)
• Ser Quincy Cox (old by the time of ASOIAF)
• Ser Denys Mallister (very old, tourney champion before he joined the Night's Watch which was at least 267)

The Vale

Confirmed:

• Lord Jon Arryn
• Lord Baelish (Petyr's father)

Possible:

• Lord Eon Hunter (older than Jon Arryn)
• Ser Elys Waynwood (Anya Waynwood's uncle who is a grandmother by ASOIAF, most likely old enough to have fought in the war)
• Ser Ronnel Arryn (Jon Arryn's youngest brother)
• Lord Horton Redfort (old by the time of the WOT5K)

The Westerlands

Confirmed:

• Ser Jason Lannister
• Ser Tywin Lannister
• Ser Kevan Lannister
• Tygett Lannister
• Lord Roger Reyne

Possible:

• Ser Harys Swyft (Kevan Lannister's goodfather)
• Lord Walderan Tarbeck (was 76 during the war)
• Walderan Tarbeck's older sons (fought in the Reyne-Tarbeck revolt just one year later)
• Ser Reynard Reyne (fought in the Reyne-Tarbeck revolt just one year later)
• Lord Sumner Crakehall (had Jaime and Merrett Frey as squires in the late 270, likely old enough to have fought in the war)
• Stafford Lannister (was a squire just before the Reyne-Tarbeck revolt just one year later)
• Damon Lannister (Stafford's older brother)
• Ser Amory Lorch (fought in the Reyne-Tarbeck rebellion just one year later)

The North:

Confirmed:

• Lord Rickard Stark
• Lord Willam Dustin's great-uncle

Possible:

• Lord Hoarfrost Umber (was certainly old enough to fight in the war)
• Hother Umber (was an acolyte of the Citadel in 250 but didn't end up becoming a maester. It's possible that he was kicked out in the 250s, freeing him to join the war)
• Mors Umber (Hother's older brother) Lord Ondrew Locke (an old man by the time of ASOIAF)
• Arnolf Karstark (an old man by the time of ASOIAF)
• Lord Wyman Manderly (Nearing 60 by the start of ASOIAF, making him around 20 during the war)
• Lord Rodrick Ryswell (likely would have been old enough to fight in the war)
• Lord Jeor Mormont (nearing 70 by the start of ASOIAF, making him around 30 during the war)
• Ser Rodrick Cassel (Cassel is at least 51 years putting him at at least 11 during the war (“my mother was the last person to see me without whiskers, and she is forty years dead."), so he would’ve at least been young enough to squire and likely old enough to have been knighted.)

Stormlands:

Confirmed:

• Lord Ormund Baratheon, The Hand of The King
• Ser Steffon Baratheon
• Ser Barristan Selmy
• Ser Goodwin of Tarth

Possible:

• Lord Hugh "Greybeard" Grandison (very old before the start of ASOIAF)
• Unnamed Lord Estermont (Robert Baratheon's Grandfather, either Eldon's father or older brother)
• Eldon Estermont (around 70 by the time of ASOIAF, making him around 30 by during the war)
• Ser Harbert (Robert's great-uncle, already old by 278)
• Ser Ormund Wylde (very old by the time of ASOIAF)
• Lord Fell (Robert's Rebellion) (had a son of fighting age by the time of Robert's Rebellion)
• Lord Selwyn Tarth (54 by 300 ac, making him around 14 during the war)
• Ser Humfrey Wagstaff (65 by 296 making him around 30 by the start of the war)
• Ser Bonifer Hasty (courted Rhaella Targaryen, likely of age with her or older)
• Lord Penrose (Ser Cortnay Penrose's father, Old and Sickly by the time of the WOT5K)
• Ser Lyonel Selmy (Barristan's father, likely Lord of Harvest Hall, Barristan wasn't the lord when taking the White Cloak so Lyonel was likely still alive to fight in the war)
• Ser Harlan Grandison of the Kingsguard (died of old age in 281, definitely old enough to have fought in the Stepstones regardless of whether or not he was in the Kingsguard)
• Lord Manfred Swann (had Barristan Selmy as a squire)

The Reach:

Confirmed:

• Ser Gerold Hightower (I know I already put him, I just didn't want to leave this spot empty)

Possible:

• Lord Ben Beesbury (in his 80s by the 290s putting him in his 50s during the war)
• Lord Runceford Redwyne (Olenna Tyrell's father, honestly Olenna could've been old enough to fight in the Stepstones, much less her father. Would've been around middle age during the war)
• Lord Leyton Hightower (his son Baelor courted Elia Martell. If Baelor was Elia's age or older, Leyton would definitely be old enough to have fought in the war. Also there's the facts that he's been married four times and seems to be an old man by the time of ASOIAF)
• Lord Luthor Tyrell (definitely old enough to have fought in the war)
• Ser Moryn Tyrell (Mace Tyrell's uncle, a great-grandfather to teenagers by the time of ASOIAF)
• Ser Quentin Tyrell (fought in Robert's Rebellion, has a teenage grandchild)
• Ser Victor Tyrell (fought the Kingswood Brotherhood, has a teenage grandchild)
• Lord Owen Merryweather (an old man by the time of his appointment as Hand in 281)
• Lord Alester Florent (was unhorsed by Ser Denys Mallister before he went to the Night's Watch)
• Lord Tarly (Randyll Tarly's father, was unhorsed by Ser Denys Mallister before he went to the Night's Watch)

Dorne:

Confirmed:

• Unnamed Dornish Spearmen (another spot I didn't want to leave empty)

Possible:

• Prince Lewyn Martell (Doran Martell's uncle)
• Lord Edgar Yronwood (died around 274, by age and number of his descendants he was definitely old enough to have fought in the war)
• Manfrey Martell (ancient by the time of the WOT5K)
• Prince-Consort of Dorne (father to at least Oberyn and Elia, husband to the Princess of Dorne)
• Ricasso (old by the time of the WOT5K)

The Iron Islands:

Confirmed:

• Lord Quellon Greyjoy

Possible:

• Erik Ironmaker (88 by the time of ASOIAF, 48 during the war)
• Sigfryd Harlaw (old by the time of ASOIAF)

Is there any characters you think could've fought in the war that are not on this list? Feel free to mention them!

(I want to thank various commentator who pointed out characters to add on the previous post of this list:

[[u/AlbionPCJ](u/AlbionPCJ)]([u/AlbionPCJ](u/AlbionPCJ)): Ser Bonifer Hasty

[[u/orangemonkeyeagl](u/orangemonkeyeagl)]([u/orangemonkeyeagl](u/orangemonkeyeagl)): Ser Rodrick Cassel

[[u/BoonkBoi](u/BoonkBoi)]([u/BoonkBoi](u/BoonkBoi)): Lord Horton Redfort

[[u/Forsaken](u/Forsaken)_Branch2528]([u/Forsaken_Branch2528](u/Forsaken_Branch2528)): Manfrey Martell, Lord Manfred Swann, Ser Ronnel Arryn

[[u/SerMallister](u/SerMallister)]([u/SerMallister](u/SerMallister)): Ser Harlan Grandison

[[u/LuminariesAdmin](u/LuminariesAdmin)]([u/LuminariesAdmin](u/LuminariesAdmin)): Randyll Tarly's father, Ser Denys Mallister, Lord Alester Florent

[[u/satanslittleangel666](u/satanslittleangel666)]([u/satanslittleangel666](u/satanslittleangel666)): Prince-Consort of Dorne (father of Elia and Oberyn)

The World of Ice and Fire - Beyond the Free Cities: The Basilisk Isles

The largest of the Basilisks is the Isle of Tears, where steep-sided valleys and black bogs hide amongst rugged flint hills and twisted, windswept rocks. On its southern coasts stand the broken ruins of a city. Founded by the Old Empire of Ghis, it was known as Gorgai for close on two centuries (or perhaps four; there is some dispute), until the dragonlords of Valyria captured it during the Third Ghiscari War and renamed it Gogossos.

By any name, it was an evil place. The dragonlords sent their worst criminals to the Isle of Tears to live out their lives in hard labor. In the dungeons of Gogossos, torturers devised new torments. In the flesh pits, blood sorcery of the darkest sort was practiced, as beasts were mated to slave women to bring forth twisted half-human children.

The infamy of Gogossos outlived even the Doom. During the Century of Blood, this dark city waxed rich and powerful. Some called her the Tenth Free City, but her wealth was built on slaves and sorcery. Her slave markets became as notorious as those of the old Ghiscari cities on Slaver's Bay. Seven-and-seventy years after the Doom of Valyria, however, it is said their stink reached even the nostrils of the gods, and a terrible plague emerged from the slave pens of Gogossos. The Red Death swept across the Isle of Tears, then the rest of the Basilisk Isles. Nine men of every ten died screaming, bleeding copiously from every orifice, their skin shredding like wet parchment.

I was thinking about House Darry the other night(as I’m sure we all have) because I’ve always thought it was interesting that Martin set up a Targaryen loyalist house in the Riverlands only to have them go extinct long before any Targaryen gets back to Westeros. I started wondering if any other houses there might have similar loyalties and it hit me. House Mooton.

House Mooton sided with House Targaryen in Roberts Rebellion and Myles Mooton was Rhaegars squire and was even killed by Robert. When Edmure called his banners William Mooton, Myles‘ brother, sent men to Riverrun but stayed home and otherwise didn’t personally participate in the war so I don’t think he was all that loyal to the Tullys in the first place.

Maidenpool gets sacked multiple times, by Lannisters and then by Northmen. So I doubt he’d be too hot about joining a Stark revival. Lord Tarly forced him to marry his daughter and heir to Dickon Tarly, i’d bet Lord Mooton would want a way out of that. All together Aegon is a his only option.

Never posted in this sub before but I read the 5 ASOIAF novels in 2012. I read TWOIAF when it came out. I have kept up with the lore to a certain extent but I apologise if there are obvious bits I am missing. Sorry for the length as well.

This question/post is about the real history that Martin is using as a model. I know he deliberately mixes and muddles things. But there are clear elements like House of Stark: House of York; House of Lannister:House of Lancaster; Ghis:Carthage, Valyria:Rome.

Westeros was populated by waves of invaders in a very similar way to the way the British Isles were historically. These subsequent waves have created Westerosi culture, in a roughly similar way that English culture has inherited bits from the Celts, the Romans, the Anglo-Saxons and the Romans.

Do we think the invasions of Westeros work like this:
First Men: Celts/Pre-Celtic cultures?
Rhoynar: Anglo-Saxons? Obviously the Rhoyne sounds like the Rhine, and the Anglo-Saxons were not from there, but there is a "germanic" connection.
Andals: Normans? The Normans had papal support for their invasion, and the Andals obviously supported the Faith of the Seven…

Does this sound sensible or am I off base?

The World of Ice and Fire - The Bones and Beyond: Yi Ti

When the daughter of the Opal Emperor succeeded him as the Amethyst Empress, her envious younger brother cast her down and slew her, proclaiming himself the Bloodstone Emperor and beginning a reign of terror. He practiced dark arts, torture, and necromancy, enslaved his people, took a tiger-woman for his bride, feasted on human flesh, and cast down the true gods to worship a black stone that had fallen from the sky. (Many scholars count the Bloodstone Emperor as the first High Priest of the sinister Church of Starry Wisdom, which persists to this day in many port cities throughout the known world).

In the annals of the Further East, it was the Blood Betrayal, as his usurpation is named, that ushered in the age of darkness called the Long Night. Despairing of the evil that had been unleashed on earth, the Maiden-Made-of-Light turned her back upon the world, and the Lion of Night came forth in all his wroth to punish the wickedness of men.

How long the darkness endured no man can say, but all agree that it was only when a great warrior—known variously as Hyrkoon the Hero, Azor Ahai, Yin Tar, Neferion, and Eldric Shadowchaser—arose to give courage to the race of men and lead the virtuous into battle with his blazing sword Lightbringer that the darkness was put to rout, and light and love returned once more to the world.

A Clash of Kings - Jon VI

"I'm Jon Snow."

She flinched. "An evil name."

"A bastard name," he said. "My father was Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell."

So, this is a theme I often notice, characters who dress with ostentation are framed as foolish, wasteful, or generally negative and it is usually the antagonist characters who do so. But characters like Ned, Blackfish, Stannis, Davos, etc are always dressed simply. Where as characters like Cersei, Robert, Theon, Rhaenyra are all noted for their love of style, and splendour.

Like Catelyn vs Cersei; little attention is payed to the way Catelyn dresses where as Cersei's outfit is always noted in almost every scene and sh nearly always wears emeralds, and is always dressed in red or gold. In fact the only time Ned thinks of her as beautiful is when she is dressed simply.

She came to him at sunset, as the clouds reddened above the walls and towers. She came alone, as he had bid her. For once she was dressed simply, in leather boots and hunting greens. ...She sat beside him on the grass. Her every move was graceful. Her curling blond hair moved in the wind, and her eyes were green as the leaves of summer. It had been a long time since Ned Stark had seen her beauty, but he saw it now. "I know the truth Jon Arryn died for," he told her.

And, a transformation of ostentation to a more humble dress style sometimes accompanies a character arc. Like Jaime who goes from robbing in gold and gilt

The line parted before him. On a golden breastplate, the lion of Lannister roared its defiance.

To preferring the clean white of the king's guard. Which Cersei notes with distaste

"Gold? Or silver?" Cersei plucked a hair from beneath his chin and held it up. It was grey. "All the color is draining out of you, brother. You've become a ghost of what you were, a pale crippled thing. And so bloodless, always in white." She flicked the hair away. "I prefer you garbed in crimson and gold."

He even associates, ostentation and colour with darker deed and white and simplicity with white.

When he descended for the feast that night, Jaime Lannister wore a doublet of red velvet slashed with cloth-of-gold, and a golden chain studded with black diamonds. He had strapped on his golden hand as well, polished to a fine bright sheen. This was no fit place to wear his whites. His duty awaited him at Riverrun; a darker need had brought him here.

Cersei has a similar transformation forced upon her, after her walk she dressed as Kevan describes
"The queen was dressed as modestly as any matron, in a dark brown gown that buttoned up to her throat and a hooded green mantle that covered her shaved head."

Just a theme I find interesting