#rhoynish government

[horizon-verizon]

The mightiest river in the world, the Rhoyne’s many tributaries stretched across much of western Essos. Along their banks had arisen a civilization and culture as storied and ancient as the Old Empire of Ghis. The Rhoynar had grown rich off the bounty of their river; Mother Rhoyne, they named her. Fishers, traders, teachers, scholars, workers in wood and stone and metal, they raised their elegant towns and cities from the headwaters of the Rhoyne down to her mouth, each lovelier than the last. There was Ghoyan Drohe in the Velvet Hills, with its groves and waterfalls; Ny Sar, the city of fountains, alive with song; Ar Noy on the Qhoyne, with its halls of green marble; pale Sar Mell of the flowers; sea-girt Sarhoy with its canals and saltwater gardens; and Chroyane, greatest of all, the festival city with its great Palace of Love. Art and music flourished in the cities of the Rhoyne, and it is said their people had their own magic —a water magic very different from the sorceries of Valyria, which were woven of blood and fire. Though united by blood and culture and the river that had given them birth, the Rhoynish cities were elsewise fiercely independent, each with its own prince ... or princess, for amongst these river folk, women were regarded as the equals of men. By and large a peaceful people, the Rhoynar could be formidable when roused to wroth, as many a would-be Andal conqueror learned to his sorrow. The Rhoynish warrior with his silver-scaled armor, fish-head helm, tall spear, and turtle-shell shield was esteemed and feared by all those who faced him in battle. It was said the Mother Rhoyne herself whispered to her children of every threat, that the Rhoynar princes wielded strange, uncanny powers, that Rhoynish women fought as fiercely as Rhoynish men, and that their cities were protected by “watery walls” that would rise to drown any foe. For many centuries the Rhoynar lived in peace. Though many a savage people dwelt in the hills and forests around Mother Rhoyne, all knew better than to molest the river folk. And the Rhoynar themselves showed little interest in expansion; the river was their home, their mother, and their god, and few of them wished to dwell beyond the sound of her eternal song.

A World of Ice and Fire,  pg. 21-22

[duxbelisarius]

Dune At Home: The First Dornish War, Part Two

Welcome to installment No. 2 of "Dune At Home," my series analyzing the First Dornish War from George R.R. Martin's ASOIAF universe! I recommend reading Part One if you haven't done so already, as well as checking out AO3 where I'm uploading my works!

Having established the basics of Dorne's worldbuilding in Part One, my plan for Part Two is to discuss strategy and specifically Dornish strategy. My original plan was to discuss both sides strategies together but in the interest of brevity, and because covering Aegon's strategy requires looking at both strategy AND operations at the beginning of the war, I've decided to focus solely on the Dornish for now. As I alluded to at the end of Part One, Dorne's worldbuilding faces serious problems when viewed in the context of the First Dornish War, much of which concern the scale of the concepts and ideas George employs for the Dornish and the inability of the existing worldbuilding to accommodate them.

It first helps to define what we mean by 'strategy' since the term has undergone considerable evolution in its definition and uses. Bret Devereaux gives a solid breakdown of strategy in part 8 of his series on the Battle of Helm's Deep, which I will quote at length here:

At the strategic level of analysis, the first question is ‘what are your policy objectives?’ (although I should note that grand strategy is sometimes conceived as an analytical level above strategy, in which case policy objectives may go there). There’s a compelling argument common in realist international relations theory that the basic policy of nearly all states is to survive, with the goal of survival then suggesting a policy of maximizing security, which in turn suggests a policy of maximizing the military power of the state (which ironically leads to lower the security of other states who then must further increase their military power, a reaction known as the ‘security dilemma’ or, more colorfully, the ‘Red Queen effect’). I think it is also possible for states to have policy goals beyond this: ideological projects, good and bad. But survival comes first. From there, strategy concerns itself with the best way to achieve those policy objectives. Is peace and alliances the best way to achieve security (for a small state, the answer is often ‘yes’)? Would security be enhanced by, say, gaining a key chunk of territory that could be fortified to forestall invasion? Those, of course, are ends, but strategy also concerns itself with means: how do you acquire that defensible land? Buy it? Take it by force? And then – and only then, finally – do you come to the question of “what sort of war – and what sort of conduct in war – will achieve that objective?” You may note that this is not the same kind of thinking that animates tactics or operations. Military theorists have noticed that for quite some time, often suggesting a sharp separation between the fellows who do operations and tactics (generals) and those who do strategy (typically kings or politicians). As Clausewitz says (drink!), “The political object is the goal, war is the means of reaching it, and means can never be considered in isolation from their purpose…war should never be thought of as something autonomous, but always as an instrument of policy [emphasis mine].” In short, Clausewitz stresses – and leaders have long ignored to their peril – that of all of the factors in war, policy ought to guide action (although no part of the trinity may be neglected).

For those looking for a TL;DR answer, allow me to offer my own approximation: Strategy encompasses means and ends; the ends being the objective or policy goal of a state or similar entity, and the means being methods which can be used to achieve that end, be they diplomatic, economic or military.

Our information about Dornish decision-making and government is not great, but we do have some leads to follow. Prince Garin of Chroyanne assembled the other Rhoynish princes to form his alliance prior to the Second Spice War, so some tradition of a war council may have been brought to Dorne by Nymeria if such a custom did not already exist among the First Men and Andals living there. TWOIAF also tells us that King Cleoden I Durrandon was able to enlist the aid of three Dornish kings to defeat the Andal Drox the Corpse at the Slayne river, so collaboration even with outsiders clearly happened in the past. According to F&B, Aegon announced his conquest of Dorne at Subspear to the remaining dignitaries, indicating that a court of some kind existed for the Martells to govern through, esp. since Meria Martell negotiated with Aegon's delegates previously.

A serious issue with Dorne' strategy as well as Aegon's comes from the negotiations, which are introduced and dispensed with in a single line: "Their negotiations continued for the best part of a year, but achieved nothing." Based of Dorne's geographical, cultural and past political divisions that we've previously discussed, this description is extremely inadequate. TWOIAF acknowledges that the challenge of Aegon and his sisters loomed larger than any other Dorne had faced, but I'd argue that even this understates the point; since its unification, the major threats facing Dorne were the Durrandon and Gardener kingdoms of the Stormlands and Reach, with these conflicts largely consisting of trading blows across the Red Mountains. Neither of Dorne's neighbours seems to have presented a united front, meaning that alongside it's army and the terrain of the Red Mountains, it's very likely that Dorne would have used diplomacy to seek the aid of one kingdom against the other, potentially enlisting other neighbouring kingdoms like the Lannisters and Hoares to that same end. The Dornish certainly possessed or established sufficient contacts north of the Marches to enact an assassination campaign against Aegon's court during the war.

Post Aegon's coronation at Oldtown in 1 AC, Dorne faces what can only be described as a 'strategic revolution,': their existing means and goals have either been rendered obsolete or require a serious re-evaluation. The Gardeners, Durrandons and Hoares have been eliminated and replaced by new lords owing their loyalty and new power to the Targaryens; the remaining kingdoms have bent the knee to the Targaryens, who now have at their disposal the entire continent between the Marches and the Wall in addition to three dragons. With the kingdoms no longer at war with each other, this would either lead to a reduction in their military build up and thus a reduced burden on their populations, resulting in economic and population growth that Dorne could not match, or to a critical mass of military capacity that could be brought to bear against a single foe in the short term. The coast of the Sea of Dorne and the navigability of the Greenblood are now liabilities in the face of the numerous fleets that could be employed against Dorne, while the dragons are capable of threatening any part of Dorne. Dorne's internal divisions are extremely important in this instance, as the situation provides Meria's vassals and especially the 'Stony Dornish' ample excuse to reevaluate their relationship with the Martells.

Rejecting a diplomatic solution to the looming conflict without any meaningful dissent from House Martell's bannermen requires a firm commitment to and belief in Dorne's military strategy on the part of those bannermen. Said strategy relies on stereotypical guerilla warfare in which the Dornish armies avoid open battle and harass and ambush the Targaryen army instead, while employing a 'scorched earth' policy to deny their enemy resources. This culminates in surprise attacks after Aegon's departure which annihilate his garrisons, and the war after 7 AC settles into a series of tit-for-tat campaigns and raids across the border until peace is reached in 13 AC. The problems with this strategy are many and all tie back to a scale problem that is well-known by now in the fandom. GRRM struggles mightily when it comes to the scale of how large objects and locations are in the world of ASOIAF; I don't mean this as a dig it him, it is what it is, but the First Dornish War suffers from this in spades, trying to cram grandiose concepts into the existing worldbuilding or simply ignoring it altogether.

One area where this affects Dornish strategy is by a lack of 'strategic depth,' which can be roughly defined as the distance between the frontline in war and a country's political, economic and population centers. The Nativist Prophets of Early Islamic Iran: Rural Revolt and Local Zoroastrianism by Patricia Crone provides an excellent historical example for our purposes, highlighting the different fates of the Byzantine and Sassanid Persian Empires during the Arab invasions of the 7th and 8th centuries:

There cannot of course be much doubt that both they and the Byzantines were in a poor state after their twenty-year war, and the Sasanians, who had lost that war, were probably in the worse state of the two; but the Byzantines were equally incapable of defeating the Arabs in battle. They also suffered two decisive defeats, one at Ajnadayn in 13/634 and the other at Yarmuk in 15/636. Yet the Byzantine empire survived. The key difference is that the Byzantine capital was not located in Syria. As Ibn Khaldun explained, you can nibble at the outlying provinces of an empire without thereby causing it to collapse, but if it loses its capital it is unlikely to survive, however many of its provinces remain to be conquered. ‘When the Muslims took al-Mada'in [Ctesiphon], the whole Persian empire dissolved, and the outlying provinces which remained in Yazdegerd’s hand were of no avail to him. By contrast, the centre of the Byzantine state was in Constantinople … the loss of Syria did not harm them.’ (Nativist Prophets, 1-2)

Dorne's lack of strategic depth is demonstrated by the fact that the majority of its population, fertile land and freshwater sources are concentrated in two regions, the Red Mountains and Eastern Dorne, both of which are vulnerable to attack. The Red Mountains possess the best agricultural land in the country but also form the border region between Dorne and the Seven Kingdoms. The country's largest settlements, Sunspear and Planky Town, are located in eastern Dorne and can be reached by land through the Red Mountains and by sea via the Sea of Dorne and the Greenblood river. Nor can the Dornish army and population find refuge en masse in the western deserts as the resources there would be insufficient to support such a large population, to say nothing of the logistical challenges that would be faced moving so many people there in the first place.

The most likely explanation for how the Dornish 'melt away' and avoid Aegon's forces is that they hide underground; this is certainly implied by F&B's description of the Wyls using tunnels and caves beneath their castle to avoid the dragons, and of the second Vulture King's use of caves and passages in the Red Mountains during the so-called Third Dornish War. South of the Mountains is a different story however: underground dwellings and tunnels are fairly ubiquitous throughout Westeros, from Mole's Town to Casterly Rock to the hollow hills of the Riverlands, but at least those south of the Neck can be explained as tunnels made the Children of the Forest, the Giants, and by Weirwood roots. Unfortunately the Dornish cannot avail themselves of such tunnels as we know that the COTF avoided Dorne, calling it the empty land according to TWOIAF, while we know from the Vale that Weirwoods don't thrive in mountains and/or stony soil, which rules out the Red Mountains and eastern Dorne.

One solution that I've seen brought up is that of using Qanats to hide the population and provide water, but this is unworkable on multiple levels. For those unaware, Qanats are a water supply system that originated on the Iranian plateau c. 5000 years ago; they involve digging a well into the water table of a hill side or other elevated area followed by surveying a digging more, smaller wells in a descending fashion to make a tunnel that carries the water of the 'master well' to an intended location via gravity. Using these tunnels to hide from invaders would require keeping people, animals and supplies in the same tunnels that are supposed to provide fresh water, which would risk contaminating the water. An even greater problem is that while there are some large qanats known to exist, the overwhelming majority are large enough only to accommodate the worker doing the tunneling and a worker that might be inspecting the tunnel for repairs or upkeep; they are meant to transport water, not to house human settlements.

The greatest obstacle, however, is that the worldbuilding cannot accommodate the existence of qanats as we have no evidence of their use. Qanats are a boon to peoples living in arid and semi-arid environments, hence their development in Ancient Persia and spreading to Arabia, North Africa, Asia Minor, Iberia, and independent discovery in pre-Columbian America. They would be widely used in Dorne if they did exist there, and there would be physical evidence of their presence in the linear groupings of holes in the ground that signify where qanat access wells are dug, but we have no evidence that these are part of the landscape either.

There is an easy solution to this question, and it surprises me that it hasn't been brought up before: Cappadocia! The central part of Anatolia in Turkey is famous for its cave and cliff dwellings, churches and monasteries, most notably the underground city of Derinkuyu. Habitation of these formations is reliably dated to Late Antiquity and the Early Medieval Period when Asia Minor was part of the Eastern Roman/Byzantine Empire, although their origins may date back to the end of the Second Millennia BC. The cave dwellings are often located right below the above ground houses and villages of their occupants, and were used as shelters from harsh weather and against Arab and Turkish raiders during the time of the Byzantine Empire. Furthermore, Cappadocia's semi-arid climate makes it an excellent comparison for Dorne and how it's underground dwellings might function; the only drawback being that Cappadocia's caves networks are facilitated by the region's geology, being the result of millions of years of volcanic eruptions depositing ash which formed a soft rock known as tuft. That being said, limestone and sandstone are also present in the region and have been used for cave-dwellings, and these are common enough that I could believe that Dorne's geology could accommodate such structures. We also know that the Brimstone is a sulfurous river, while Dorne probably experienced volcanism in the past when the Hammer of the Waters broke the Arm of Dorne.

I have no issue believing that Dorne possesses cave networks similar to those of Cappadocia within and south of the Red Mountains, but role they play in Dornish strategy for the First Dornish War presents several issues. Their sudden in Dornish history despite the ubiquity of such structures in Westerosi history and our own, and their supply and maintenance requirements, present further problems of scale for trying to accommodate these dwellings within Dorne's worldbuilding.

The cave systems in Cappadocia and in Turkey as a whole were far from unknown: Xenophon describes cave villages in western Armenia in Book 4, Chapter 5 of his Anabasis in the 4th Century BC, while Vitruvius' De Architectura mentions the cave-houses of the Phrygians, who may have been the first to build such structures in Cappadocia, in the 1st Century BC. More importantly, J. Eric Cooper notes that the caves were referred to by both Greek and Arab sources in the Medieval period:

In the tenth century Leo the Deacon had little to say about the region except that Cappadocians lived in caves. Leo’s comment is the only surviving one, and probably as pejorative as it was indicative, from Byzantine sources, but Arab authors also mention cave settlements. The account of the ninth/ tenth- century Muslim historian al-Tabari, describing the 838 campaign of the caliph al-Mu‘tasim (833–42), reveals that the southern half of Rocky Cappadocia was known in Arabic as Matamir (underground stronghold(s)), while the ninth- century chronicler Ibn Khayyat reveals that as early as 649/50 the Muslims crossed through the Darb al-Hadat and raided as far as Matamir, whose people made a treaty with them. The word matamir evokes the observed defensibility inherent in the settlements encountered, and suggests the difficulties in dealing with them. Mas‘udi (d. 956), though, held a different notion and believed these caves were underground granaries like those familiar to the Arabs from North Africa; yet his comment accurately reflects the storage facilities mentioned above for every rock-cut habitation and the redoubts that accompanied many built villages. However, it was the Arab geographer Ibn Hauqal who may have been most correct in stating that cities were few and the most notable features were the mountain fortresses and troglodyte villages. (Life and Society in Byzantine Cappadocia, 41-42)

The Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros Phokas may well be referring to the caves in his treatise On Skirmishing, when he speaks of "very strong and secure positions high up in the mountains" where the population can shelter in case of Arab raids (On Skirmishing, Ch. 8).

While Dorne is it's own fantasy setting, given that many cave villages of Cappadocia have underground churches and there are independent churches and monasteries underground or cut into the rock, we should expect similar constructs for the Faith of the Seven in Dorne and a knowledge of such structures by members of the Faith with even cursory knowledge of the local customs. The Citadel, the Faith of the Seven, the Gardener and Durrandon kings, and the local houses of the Stormlands and Reach would possess records of their own, and we should expect at least a passing mention of these cave and tunnel networks; Arianne doesn't even bring up the Dornish caves while sheltering in a cave during her second TWOW sample. That these dwellings have gone completely unnoticed despite Dorne warring with its neighbours and interacting with them for a millennia, represents a failure to scale this concept with the existing worldbuilding.

The lack of knowledge of these dwellings and their seeming lack of a historical 'footprint' is further compounded by issues of logistics. While this seemingly new strategy clearly indicates a reevaluation of Dorne's strategic position by Meria Martell and her lords, and a departure from Dorne's previous methods of conducting war against her neighbours, the speed with which this new strategy is implemented presents serious problems. It's doubtful that much if any farming was done by the Dornish in 1 BC, as once Aegon's letter arrived and he rejected Meria's offer of alliance, the next we see or here of Dorne is when Rhaenys visits shortly before Aegon's coronation and the beginning of 1 AC. Aside from the Dornish army she finds in the Prince's Pass, Rhaenys finds the Dornish towns and fortresses all but deserted, which means that Dorne relocated it's civilians population to their hidden shelters and raised an army to defend the Prince's Pass in the span of a year, while Dornish raiders were also attacking across the Boneway. We also know that the Dornish burn their crops in the face of Aegon's invasion in 4 AC, which suggests that two harvests out of five from 1 BC to 4 AC were written off. Such loss of food production represents a tremendous problem for the Dornish strategy, as feeding the Dornish armies and the population as a whole now depends entirely on what remains in storage from before 1 BC and what could be grown in 1 through 3 AC.

Some idea of what these sources would have to yield for the Dornish can be gleaned from Jonathan Roth's excellent book The Logistics of the Roman Army at War (264 BC-AD 235), which analyzes the supply of the Roman Army from the early Republic until the Crisis of the Third Century. The Roman soldier's daily ration consisted of 1 to 1.3 kilograms (2-3 lbs) of grain and non-grain rations, and a minimum fluid requirement of 4 liters, half of which would be consumed via breathing and eating and the other half by drinking water, with another 4 liters or more required for daily operations in the form of water and alcohol (combat demands would certainly exceed 8 liters per day). Horses called for a 9.5 kg daily ration of hard and dry/green fodder, or 14 kg of pasturage, with 30 liters of water; pack animals like donkeys and mules required 7.5 kg, 11 kg and 20 liters respectively while oxen required 18 kg, 22 kg and 30 liters. To put those numbers into perspective, 1000 Dornish soldiers would need 1 tonne of food and 8 or more tonnes of water per day, with more needing to be stockpiled to support marches and combat. 100 Dornish knights with perhaps 2 horses each would need to furnish their mounts collectively with 2 tonnes of fodder and 6 tonnes of water daily.

Feeding and accommodating livestock would require further storage; the Cappadocians sheltered below ground with their livestock and the Dornish would have to do the same, as leaving them in the hands of invaders or killing them all en masse is not an option. And this is all without addressing the need to feed Dorne's civilians entirely from underground stores; Dorne's lack of strategic depth rears it's ugly head, as aside from certain parts of the marches, western desert and eastern Dorne, the rest of the country is controlled by Aegon and the population is underground. There's nowhere for farming to continue safely in order to support the needs of the hidden population and their animals; Veronica Kalas and Ali Yamac, two researchers that have studied Cappadocia's caves extensively, are very clear that Derinkuyu and other sites relied on above ground agriculture to sustain life below. Setting aside and storing food for such a scenario as the First Dornish War would require considerable and consistent surpluses and some degree of central coordination and oversight, of which we have little to no evidence or set-up for in TWOIAF, F&B, or the main ASOIAF books.

So much then for the strategy of hiding from the invaders, but there is another aspect of the Dornish anti-invasion strategy with serious problems and that is the scorched earth campaign. We've already mentioned how the destruction of crops in 4 AC was counter-productive for the Dornish, but the evidence we're given for denial of livestock and water is further proof that George has made the Dornish methods too extreme for their own good. According to F&B, Aegon's vanguard found the high passes of the Prince's Pass "barred by a wall of sheep carcasses, shorn of all wool and too rotted to eat," and this is a problem on so many levels. We've noted already that the Dornish dwellings should and must accommodate livestock as the Cappadocians did, so why are they butchering sheep? As Bret Devereaux discusses in part two of his Dothraki critique, sheep offer almost ludicrous amounts of resources and were a staple of Eurasian societies as a result, agrarian or nomads. It's bad enough that George has horse-borne nomads like the Dothraki rejecting animals that have been a staple of steppe nomad societies for thousands of years, but having the Dornish kill enough to block a mountain pass at a time when they must conserve what resources they have borders on self-sabotage.

F&B and TWOIAF make it clear that every well Aegon's forces found was poisoned to deny them water, a method that's probably as old as organized warfare; but F&B says these efforts went a step further, as when Harlan Tyrell marched on the Hellholt "every waterhole and oasis in the army's path had been poisoned." This suggests that at least in the desert between Skyreach and Hellholt, not only wells but springs and natural pools were also blighted, the most common historical practice depositing animal and human carcasses and waste in the water source. Well poisoning can be reversed by either filling in the blighted well and digging a new one in the same water table as the old, or by removing the offending material and draining the well, cleaning the well shaft thoroughly and allowing fresh water to seep in from the source. These processes are lengthy and laborious, hence why well-poisoning is used to delay enemy advances, but restoring non-man made water sources would be far more time consuming. Removing material and allowing dilution, sun-light and the passage of time to remove the poisons assuming that was possible, would force the Dornish armies and local population that relied on those water sources to go without for a significant period. This would place greater pressure on the water sources used by the hidden 'Sandy Dornish' or at least those from Hellholt, while the blanket denial of water would impede Dornish advances out of the desert as much as it impeded Tyrell's advance into the desert.

These represent the foundational issues with Dorne's strategy in the First Dornish War, but they are by no means then only ones. I will hold off on offering solutions to some of these problems for now, as a full exploration of Dorne's strategy and it's serious flaws requires an understanding of what Aegon's strategy was and how he applied it to his campaign. If you've made it this far I thank you for reading it all; stay tuned for part three, where we'll look at Westerosi strategy and Westerosi and Dornish operations!

[sebeth]

The World Of Ice and Fire: The Rhoynar Vs Valyria

Warning, Spoilers Ahead…

The Valyrians conquered their ancient rivals and proceeded to run wild on Essos. The first Valyrians to arrive near the Rhoyne were adventurers, exiles, and traders.

The Rhoynar made their first mistake by welcoming the Valyrians to their land. The Rhoynar, both the government and religious offices, believed all were welcome to the bounty of Mother Rhoyne. The Valyrians follow the “everything is mine, not yours” philosophy.

Resentment between the two groups increased as Valyrian outposts turned into towns and then into cities. The two most prominent rivalries were between Sar Mell and Volon Therys, a Valyrian town in the lower Rhoyne, and between Sarhoy (a port city) and the Free City of Volantis on the shores of the Summer Sea.

Disputes led to wars. Sar Mell and Volon Therys started the first war over the butchering of the Old Men of the River – gigantic river turtles held sacred as the consorts of Mother Rhoyne.

The First Turtle War lasted less than a month. “Sar Mell was raided and burned” but won the war when Rhoynish water wizards flooded half of Volon Therys, resulting in half the city being washed away.

More wars followed: the War of the Three Princes, the Second Turtle War, the Fisherman’s War, the Salt War, the Third Turtle War, the War on Dagger Lake, the Spice War, and numerous others.

The name of the wars clearly describes either the cause or location of the war. I am intrigued by the “War of the Three Princes”. Is the war still only between Sar Mell and Volon Therys? If so, who is the third prince? Does Volon Therys even have a prince? Were princes rapidly dying?

Yandel notes Beldecar’s History of the Rhoynish Wars as the definitive source of the history of the Rhoynish-Valyrian conflicts.

The wars caused the destruction of cities and the death and enslavement of thousands. The Valyrians won most of the battles. The Rhoynar believed in independence and fighting your own battles.  The Valyrians believed in group effort and running home to daddy (the Valyrian Freehold) when they got into trouble. And daddy sent dragons.

The wars occurred over two and a half centuries. The conflicts reached its climax in the Second Spice War. Three Valyrians dragonlords joined the citizens of Volantis in annihilating Sarhoy – the adults were slaughtered, the children sold into slavery, and the city torched.

The destruction of Sarhoy caused the remaining Rhoynar princes to form an alliance. Finally!

Garin of Chroyane, the greatest Rhoynar warrior prince, declared: “We shall all be slaves unless we join together to end this threat.”

Princess Nymeria of Ny Sar disagreed: “This is a war we cannot hope to win”.

Because, you know, dragons!

Nymeria’s warriors wanted to fight so she joined the alliance.

Prince Garin assembled the largest army Essos had ever seen at Chroyane – 750,000 strong.

Garrin’s strategy was to keep the fighting close to the Rhoyne believing the Rhoynar water wizards would be able to combat the dragons.

Garrin divided his army into three parts: “one marched down the east bank of the Rhoyne, one along the west, whilst a huge fleet of war galleys kept pace on the waters between, sweeping the river clean of enemy ships.”

Garrin and company marched downward from Chroyane, “destroying every village, town, and outpost in his path and smashing all opposition.”

Garrin’s forces were on a winning streak: defeating a thirty thousand strong army at Sellhorys and destroying the city. Valysar suffered the same fate.

Garrin and company battled a hundred thousand foes, a hundred war elephants, and three dragons at Volon Therys. The Rhoynar won but it was a costly victory.  Thousands burned but Rhoynish archers killed two of the dragons and wounded a third. The water-wizards caused the Mother Rhoyne to “swallow” Volon Therys.

The Rhoynar proclaimed Garrin as Garrin the Great. The Volantenes retreated behind their black walls and begged the Valyrian Freehold for help.

The Freehold responded by sending dragons – 300 dragons or more. Once hundreds of dragons are sent, its game over. Tens of thousands burned. The Rhoyne itself boiled and turned to steam.

The death of the dragons had to be the cause of the Freehold’s overkill response of 300 dragons. The Rhoynar and the Valyrians had been fighting for centuries and the Freehold’s response amounted to “whatever”, but two dragons die and 300 dragons are sent in response?

Dragons are a precious resource to the Valyrians – it’s the backbone of their empire and the reason they’re able colonize everywhere. The Valyrians cannot let the death of dragons stand or allow the dragons to appear weak. There is no way the Freehold wants the death of dragons by mere archers to be widespread knowledge. Can you imagine if the numerous enemies of Valyria realized a highly skilled archer could take out a dragon? It lessens the awe and mystique of dragons. Not to mention every dragon-rider out on a pleasure ride would have to worry over a potential sniper attack from an archer.

Garrin was captured and forced to watch as his fellow Rhoynar were massacred. So many were executed that “their blood turned the great harbor of Volantis red as far as the eye could see”.

The Volantese and Valyrians followed Garrin’s route in reverse- savagely sacking Sar Mell before advancing on Chroyane. Garrin was locked into a golden cage and forced to watch the destruction of Chroyane – his home city.

 Garrin was hung in his cage from the walls of Chroyane. Garrin’s conquerors wanted him to witness the murder and enslavement of his people. Garrin called upon Mother Rhoyne to avenge her people: “That very night, the Rhoyne flooded out of season and with greater force than was known in living memory. A thick fog full of evil humors fell, and the Valyrian conquerors began to die of greyscale.”

Was this an actual divine/magical response or simply the result of masses of corpses being near a body of water? Is this the first incident/cause of greyscale?

Centuries later, Lomas Longstrider “wrote of the drowned ruins of Chroyane, its foul fogs and waters, and the fact that wayward travelers infected with greyscale now haunt the ruins – a hazard for those who travel the river beneath the broken span of the Bridge of Dreams.”

If I remember correctly, Tyrion and company travel through Chroyane in A Dance With Dragons. I believe this is where Jon Connington caught greyscale.

Nymeria, in Ny Sar, hears of the destruction of Sar Mell and Chroyane and decides now is a perfect time to leave Essos.

 Up next: Nymeria’s travels

[glamourweaver]

Here’s my theory on the deal that House Yronwood had with the Blackfyres if they won.

Yronwood would replace Martell as Lords Paramount of Dorne (I don’t know if they’d use the Rhoynish styling of princes, given that Yronwood aren’t that Rhoynish), and retract all Dornish presence from court. Dorne would be treated more as tributary than as part of the Realm, being even more self governing than previously and just paying an annual tribute to the Iron Throne.

Blackfyres get to tell their Reach and Marcher Lord supporters that Dornish influence is gone from court and the Dornish are under heel not being integrated into power.

Yronwood gets to tell the rest of Dorne they have liberated them from being integrated into the 7 Kingdoms and at the cost of an annual bribe they are a sovereign nation once again.

Blackfyres could never get away with letting Dorne go free, but the Yronwoods would all be killed by their fellow Dornish if they fought on the side of imposing forced Andalization and more direct oppression by the throne. Conversion to a tributary removed from court but more self-governing seems to thread that needle.

[westerosoliviapope]

Scandal Westeros | The Federation of the Summer Isles & Summer Isles Characters

The Federation of the Summer Isles is an archipelago in the Summer Sea that forms a democratic federation operating under central leadership. They have a traditional three-branch government (executive, judicial, legislative) with current President Donta Rho as the head of the executive branch.

Its capital city is Tall Trees Town on the island of Walano. Its largest city and commercial base is Ebonhead on Jhala.

The Isles are known for their gorgeous beaches, world-reknown Festival Season (a tradition imported to the Isles by Rhoynish immigrants who settled on the Isle of Women), and lively dance culture that has inspired musical styles all over the world.

While they mostly stay out of global conflicts, they occasionally ally with Dorne and Westeros, as they did when Volantis and its allies invaded Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh in 2005 AC.

Main Industries/Exports in the Summer Isles

Cigars and spices

Vintage rum distilleries and wine vineyards

Tourism with an emphasis on hotels and cruise ships

Shipbuilding

Weapons manufacturing (while guns are outlawed for Summer Isles citizens, the Summer Isles exports weapons all over the world with Westeros as their biggest customer)

Summer Isles Characters So Far

Sarella Sand - Owner/CEO of Sphinx Consultants in Oldtown. Daughter of Prince Oberyn Martell of Dorne & Summer Isles Supreme Court Justice Jolona Qo

Jolona Qo - Mother of Sarella Sand & Summer Isles Supreme Court Justice; from the Sweet Lotus Vale region of Jhala where her family runs the Sweet Lotus Rum Distillery.

Chataya Zo - Former proprietor of Chataya's, the most exclusive escort service in the Republic of Westeros. Recently retired and moved back to her home island of Jhala

Aliyaya Zo - Chataya's daughter; current proprietor of Chataya's. Lives bi-coastally between Oldtown and King's Landing.

(O/C) G. Zharro Zo - Secret son of Chataya Zo and Hoster Tully. An attorney living in Ebonhead (the "G" stands for "Grover")

Jalabar Xho - World-famous rapper from the Summer Isles who currently resides in King's Landing.

Tobho Mott - Half Qohorik/half Summer Isles welder and smith living in King's Landing; adoptive father of Gendry (Waters) Mott

[asongofsilks]

ASOIAF fancasting --> Dorne: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as Queen Nymeria

“When Mors Martell took Nymeria to wife, hundreds of his knights, squires, and lords bannermen also wed Rhoynish women. To celebrate these unions, and make certain her people could not again retreat to the sea, Nymeria burned the Rhoynish ships. ‘Our wanderings are at an end,’ she declared. ‘We have found a new home, and here we shall live and die.’ ”

Probably the most influential lady in the history of Westeros thus far, she established an entire system of government as well as a set of customs that grew to influence her entire kingdom. She is by far the coolest ancestor of all the ruling Houses of the Seven Kingdoms.

Fancasts of Dorne

Fancasts from the lands beyond Westeros

[strangeratthewindow]

Do you have any headcanons for minor asoiaf characters?

Boy do I.

I always saw Ashara Dayne as being something of an extrovert, but not boisterous, and that balances her out with Elia’s slightly more introverted nature. In my hc she’s a lover of history and is curious about her family’s First Men origins, so she has a better grasp of knowledge on the history of the First Men than most people in Dorne. But none of that means she’s any less proud of her Rhoynish ancestry. And that love of history is what Ned Stark falls in love with when they first meet at Harrenhal. And while the rest of Elia’s circle tease Ashara about her love of history, she gets her own back by being able to hold her drink better than the rest (she’s about on par with Oberyn). She also has a good grasp of politics and governance due to the fact that she was her brother’s heir before he had Edric.

Going farther afield, I always imagined Domeric Bolton to have the same romanticized view of the South as Sansa had, but to a relatively lesser extent. I think his time in the Vale made him want to earn a knighthood, but his father recalling him back to the Dreadfort disrupted that goal. He has a pretty good relationship with his father (or as good a relationship that can be achieved being the son of Roose Bolton), but he still sees his father’s dark streak. And the ways his father brought him up often tends to be in conflict with the lessons he learned in the Vale. He never addresses those issues with Roose, so he develops a growing feeling of isolation. And that’s what motivates him to try and connect with Ramsay, much to his misfortune.

One last one, because this is getting obscenely long, but I think Thoros of Myr had gotten to know Elia and her children while they were staying in King’s Landing. So seeing their bodies at the end of the rebellion is one of the things that really drove Thoros into drinking. And he never disclosed that fact, especially in Robert’s presence, because it would literally just be easier for him to down endless cups of wine than dwell on that memory.

[warsofasoiaf]

What status do the Orphans of the Greenblood have in dornish society? If they rejected Nymeria's embrace of a new dornish homeland for the Rhoynar do they even defer to dornish laws and lords? Given that they seemingly rule Planky Town means that they must have some degree of economic power as well

That’s a good question. They might be have certain autonomous privileges and have certain exemptions for things but pay taxes at the same rate as other people within Dorne, they might have a special itinerant feudal contract endorsed by the Martells that permits certain behaviors and disallows others (since they govern all of Dorne, they’d be the only one capable of establishing a baseline), they might have special relationships with each of the fiefs that the Greenblood runs alongside and the Orphans know what they can do and what they can’t. 

The reality on the ground might not match what’s on paper, given practical concessions and what have you. If the Orphans could slow the trade in Planky Town to a crawl if they’re unhappy, Dornish lords might not want to make them too mad. Conversely, if the Orphans believed that the Dornish lords could smash their boats into flotsam if they’re displeased, they might make sure that everything is hunky-dory even if it means not doing something that they can do on paper.

As to how they’re viewed, that would probably depend. Plenty of Dornish folks would see them as cousins following their own path. Some Dornish lords, particularly the ones who stressed assimilation in the early post-Nymeria era, might not have liked them, others might have been quite fond of them. Still others might see them as a living resource of history, with practical concessions forcing their own fief down a different path, but wanting to keep their ancient Rhoynish heritage alive. It’s a personal matter for each Dornish individual how they relate to their culture and heritage, and that would be a significant contributor to their history.

Thanks for the question, Anon.

SomethingLikeALawyer, Hand of the King

[kbf-rp]

HOUSE TARGARYEN

House Targaryen remain rulers of the Seven Kingdoms though challenges to their power still permeate.

RHAEGAR TARGARYEN

King of the Seven Kingdoms, Rhaegar has been spending the last decades trying to keep the peace. The older he gets the more restless he becomes with ensuring his reign is one remembered fondly for years to come. He is between a rock and a hard place when it comes to naming his heir. Aegon is his oldest son but with his head injuries there are doubts if he will be capable to lead. Jon would be next but with the animosity over his existence and the persistent views that he is a bastard Rhaegar thinks its best to avoid him altogether. Rhaego seems the perfect candidate, for he looks the most Targaryen and is a beloved prince yet can he really dismiss his two older sons because of certain circumstances? Do not even get him started on who any of his children should marry. Matters grow ever complicated on the subject.

LYANNA TARGARYEN

Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, Lyanna deeply regrets the selfish actions she took that caused so much devastation during Robert´s Rebellion. Though she is happy to be by the side of her one true love she has spent these decades trying to keep Westeros at peace and unified. It has not been easy. Matters over ascension rarely are but she feels that they are heading towards a brighter more secure future. Lyanna is not the kind of Queen to sit there and look pretty. She takes an active role in governing and sometimes (depending on what kingdom you are from) she is more highly regarded than even the King himself.

RHAENYS TARGARYEN

Two when mom died saving her and Aegon with a burst of magic. Obsessed with unlocking the Rhoynish water potential in herself. Believes that it is best if she marries her brother Aegon so they can rule together (though it is clear to her she will be doing most of the ruling). This is not a matter of attraction but survival for her. She is not obsessed with being someone's little wife and lover, only in consolidation power and bringing stability to Westeros.

AEGON TARGARYEN

When Aegon was an infant he was tossed across a room and his head had hit the wall. Everyone had thought he was dead but he survived the brutal ordeal. He did not come out completely unscathed though. Aegon´s mind wanders into lunacy at times. Sometimes his mind is so jumbled that he cannot do simple tasks like getting from one place to the other or dressing himself. Other times he can recite an entire tome to you without stumbling over any of the words. He does not dream of control or liberty. Only of finding someone that perhaps might understand him.

JON TARGARYEN

His father and mother got married with no witnesses but the septon who also was responsible for “annulling” his father´s previous marriage. That septon died during the war caused by their elopement. It is not lost on Jon that many people feel that though his parents are certainly recognized as being married now that his father´s first wife is dead, people feel that he was born a bastard. He does not even doubt it himself for he knows the kind of people his parents are. Whether they got swept away on an affair or legitimately tried to bring him into this world he is a proper prince now. He hopes that he can pull away from talks of being his father's heir for he has no interest in such matters.

RHAEGO TARGARYEN

Considered the most beloved of the princes of House Targaryen, Rhaego cannot help but shine and shine bright. He has a sharp wit, a loving personality, and a vivaciousness that people are charmed by. He does not believe in dimming his shine so others can have a chance to be noticed. He is interested in the legends of old like his father and does wonder if his family is truly destined for more greatness. He wants to make his mark of history though he is wary that he may need to be king one day. He would consider it the right path if so many people did not expect him to marry his twin sister for it. He, like the other of Lyanna´s children, was not raised to see his siblings as anything other than that.

ELAENA TARGARYEN

As a princess of House Targaryen, Eleana had two parallel lives. On one side, she was expected to grow and marry her twin brother Rhaego, a thought that brings such vile disgust to her mind that she rather throw herself off a tower. Apparently all she had to learn in life was to be her brother´s dainty little obedient wife. That did not take very well. Then there is Eleana´s other life. She dreams of going North and living in the cold and serene nature there. She feels she is more Stark than Targaryen despite her looks. Quietly she studies the Old Gods and feels she hears them whispering to her whenever she gets lucky enough to visit her family in the North. What they ask of her though she is yet to find out.

VISENYA TARGARYEN

Youngest of the Targaryen-Stark brood, Visenya was clearly named with expected greatness. Her father remains obsessed with the idea that Her two eldest siblings, Aegon and Rhaenys, are supposed to join her in some great sweeping epic. Visenya does not care to live her life waiting for stories. She lives in the here and now of the world. Something to note about Visenya is that though she identifies as a woman for propriety's sake she feels very ambiguous about her gender. She made up an entire ruse of having something ruin her hair so she could get away with cutting it short. She feels different now, relieved of some expectation, and hopes she will not be made to have gender roles forced down her throat soon.

DAENERYS TARGARYEN

Sister to Rhaegar and Viserys, Dany has spent all her life in the care of her brothers. She did not get to meet her parents for they both died while she was barely a few weeks old so the “parents” she has known all her life are her brother Rhaegar and his lady wife Lyanna. She was told when young that if Aegon was not fit to rule that Jon would rule and she would have to marry him to rule beside him. At this point in life though she is tired of waiting to see what will happen. Unlike the others in her family, she is not morally against the idea of marrying inward but a part of her knows her fate is tied to something more ancient than House Targaryen as it stands.

[moonlitgleek]

@solareclairart reblogged this post and added:

I disagree strongly with a lot of this criticism. In book dorne, marriage was not a necessity. All the sand snakes are considered true daughters under dorne law.  Targaryans also married multiple wives often. It was northern law that forbade unmarried women and bastard born. I think Rhaegar never abandoned Elia. I think she believed the prophecy as well. I truly believe that he married Lyanna to pacify northern lords. Elia is a daughter of the sun. Lyanna was a winter wolf. Together, they created ice and fire. I believe now it will be Targaryen, Stark, and Lannister. The gold lion standing in as sun, snow for ice, and all three with varying amounts of dragon blood. This is also true of Elia who had weaker Targaryen lineage. I think the prophecy didn’t fulfill before because there wasn’t strong enough dragon blood in Elia. If Joanna Lannister was impregnated with the mad king, all three would have a dragon father and lineage to the first men and children of the forest in the men.

Oh boy. There is a lot to unpack here. I’m gonna break it down because this is a rather stunning mix of outright incorrect information, some breathtaking stereotyping and racist misconceptions, and wrong theories. No, really, they are wrong. Tyrion is not a Targ.

Let’s take this from the top.

In book dorne, marriage was not a necessity. All the sand snakes are considered true daughters under dorne law.  

What do you think Dornish law is exactly? Because literally the only difference between Dorne and the rest of Westeros is that Dorne employs absolute primogeniture (and a couple of rights like the right to keep their princely title.) That’s it. Law in Dorne is not at all different from other regions in Westeros, especially when we’re talking about matters of marriage and heirs because that stuff affects the line of succession which is crucial in a feudal society.

The context you’re looking for wrt the treatment of bastards is cultural (and social), not legal. Dorne is very different in the way they treat bastards, that’s true, but they are still not giving them the same legal rights as the trueborn. I have no idea where you got the idea that the Sand Snakes are "considered true daughters under dorne law”. Yeaaah, no. That’s patently not true. The Sand Snakes might have gotten raised akin to trueborn children, but so have Jon Snow, and no one is arguing that he was considered a true son under the law. The Sand Snakes are bastards, hence the Sand part. They are not considered trueborn. They are acknowledged as Oberyn’s daughters and treated with respect as the daughters of a prince of House Martell, and as Dorne generally does not stigmatize bastards, but they do not have the same legal rights as trueborn children: they do not bear their father’s name, they are not considered princesses of House Martell, they do not have the right to inherit, etc. There is nothing in Dornish law that says otherwise, or that gives illegitimate offspring any legal rights.

More importantly, the idea that marriage isn’t a necessity in Dorne is ludicrous. Whatever on earth gave you that impression? No, let me guess: Oberyn Martell. Fandom just loves to take the example of Oberyn and stereotype the entire Dornish culture based on him. Oberyn wasn’t married so no one had to get married in Dorne. Oberyn made a casual comment about sleeping with others while he was in a committed relationship with Ellaria so all the Dornish are accustomed to cheating on their significant others and don’t care if they have paramours on the side (not that Oberyn was cheating. Some are just fond of ignoring the fact that he repeatedly made comments about “sharing” with Ellaria. Ellaria consented. Ellaria participated. They invited people to their bed.) Gee, I wonder why people act as if Oberyn is the representative of the entire Dornish culture, even going to unprecedented measures to ignore the actual text because “well, Oberyn did X” fit their racist stereotypes better. Stop treating a person of color as the sole representative of his culture, and stop treating the only non-white culture that actually has a proper presence in the series as a monolith society.

(Grumbles at GRRM and his skewered presentation of the Dornish and heavy use of the exotic-erotic trope. You haven’t helped matters any, George. Good lord.)

But let’s talk about Dorne and about Oberyn. Dorne has a positive attitude towards sex, culturally permits having paramours and does not frown upon children born out of wedlock, but that does not mean that having paramours is the rule of the land in Dorne, or that it’s the baseline convention. It’s just allowed without derision or scorn. Dorne is a feudal principality, they adhere to the Faith of the Seven just like the majority of Westeros, they are governed by only slightly different inheritance laws, and the difference has nothing to do with the status of trueborn vs bastard children. Legitimacy is crucial to the integrity of line of succession and to the laws of inheritance, but you just randomly decided that nah, marriage is optional there? Okay, care to explain this:

Arianne Martell had grown up expecting that one day she would wed some great lord of her father's choosing. That was what princesses were for, she had been taught . . . though, admittedly, her uncle Oberyn had taken a different view of matters. "If you would wed, wed," the Red Viper had told his own daughters. "If not, take your pleasure where you find it. There's little enough of it in this world. Choose well, though. If you saddle yourself with a fool or a brute, don't look to me to rid you of him. I gave you the tools to do that for yourself."

Or how the text disproves the idea that there is absolutely no difference between the Sand Snakes and trueborn Martells, or generally between bastards and trueborn in Dorne.

The freedom that Prince Oberyn allowed his bastard daughters had never been shared by Prince Doran's lawful heir. Arianne must wed; she had accepted that. Drey had wanted her, she knew; so had his brother Deziel, the Knight of Lemonwood. Daemon Sand had gone so far as to ask for her hand. Daemon was bastard-born, however, and Prince Doran did not mean for her to wed a Dornishman.

Oberyn took a different approach with his own life and his own daughters. He made a decision concerning his life and he encouraged his daughters to do the same. He gave them the freedom to wed if they wished to but not the expectation that they would. But Oberyn was presented by the text as somewhat of a maverick, a nonconformist even within Dorne itself. He could afford to do that because he was not heir to Dorne and there was little chance that he’d ever inherit. He did not have a responsibility to provide trueborn heirs for House Nymeros Martell, and so he had significant freedom due to that fact. But heirs have a responsibility to marry and produce lawful heirs. Plus, Oberyn is one person, why is his example the one people are laser-focused on but they ignore Doran and Elia, the Unnamed Princess of Dorne and Nymeria of Ny Sar, Mariah and Maron Martell, Arianne, Quentyn and Trystane, and the countless trueborn Dornish characters we met over the course of the story? Why did all these people marry if marriage was not a necessity?

Marriage is as important in Dorne as in the other regions in Westeros with both religious and legal weight. Dorne is just another region in Westeros that is still governed by Westerosi convention, customs and religion, they just have some of their own inspired by the Rhoynish. The social treatment of bastards is infinitely better in Dorne than outside it, but their legal and political standing remains the same, the distinction between bastards and trueborn through surnames remains the same, even some restrictions remain the same. Daemon Sand can be a lover to Arianne but he can never be her husband. His social and political standing would never allow it. Likewise, I suspect the reason Oberyn did not marry Ellaria, his lover of 14 years that he evidently loved very much, was because of her bastard-birth, because even princes can only bend the rules so much. 

Enough with fanon myths that bastardize the information we have about Dorne and turn it into these weird arguments that are always used to justify Rhaegar’s actions. Not that I can see how "marriage was not a necessity in Dorne” explains anything because Elia was Rhaegar’s wife and the mother of his two children, the Iron Throne was her children’s inheritance, or do the Dornish not care about inheritance as well? And if you mean to imply the old “Elia was okay with it because she is Dornish” argument, fuck that noise.

Targaryans also married multiple wives often. 

Yes, that is correct, though often is not the word I’d use for two recorded polygamous marriages. Nevertheless, that means there is a precedent to a Targaryen taking multiple wives, which I think is probably what Rhaegar proposed to Lyanna to get her to go with him willingly (as much as the action can be described as willing because there are still consent issues at play here). I think that Rhaegar and Lyanna probably wed in front of a heart tree on the Isle of Faces. That, however, does not mean that the marriage is either valid or legal.

We need to look at the historical context of Targaryen polygamy before we discuss Rhaegar’s ability to take another wife to understand the chances that the realm would accept that marriage. The first thing to note about this subject is that polygamy was unconventional even when Aegon the Conqueror did it, before he started his conquest of Westeros.

It had long been the custom amongst the dragonlords of Valyria to wed brother to sister, to keep the bloodlines pure, but Aegon took both his sisters to bride. By tradition, he was expected to wed only his older sister, Visenya; the inclusion of Rhaenys as a second wife was unusual, though not without precedent. 

Both polygamy and incest are sins in the eyes of the Faith of the Seven, the majority religion in Westeros. The Faith tolerated both in the case of Aegon on account of his dragons whose prowess was just recently demonstrated in the Conquest. As GRRM says:

... the extent to which the Targaryen kings could defy convention, the Faith, and the opinions of the other lords decreased markedly after they no longer had dragons. If you have a dragon, you can have as many wives as you want, and people are less likely to object.      

Aegon had converted to the Faith of the Seven and taken measures to assimilate to Westerosi culture, winning him the support of the Starry Sept. However, upon Aegon’s death, the Faith showed that they would not tolerate the same practices from his son(s). 

Maegor shocked the realm in 39 AC by announcing that he had taken a second wife—Alys of House Harroway—in secret. He had wed her in a Valyrian ceremony officiated by Queen Visenya for want of a septon willing to wed them. The public outcry was such that Aenys was finally forced to exile his brother.

Maegor’s bigamous marriage to Alys Harroway was the start of the rift between the Faith and the crown, one that did not heal despite Aenys’ attempts, and was later compounded by Aenys himself marrying his two eldest to each other, ultimately leading to the Faith denouncing the Targaryens. The Faith Militant uprising during Maegor’s reign followed as his continuing polygamous marriages raised the tension and Maegor escalated the situation (because he is Maegor) by blatant tyranny and brutal burning of thousands of Warrior’s Sons and Poor Fellows.

So the history tied to Targaryen polygamy is dark and bloody. Maegor was the last recorded Targaryen polygamists, bar some rumors that Daemon Blackfyre meant to take his half-sister Daenerys as a second wife after his planned seizing of the throne from Daeron II, but the truth of the matter died with Daemon himself on the Redgrass field. While Jaehaerys I’s conciliatory efforts succeeded in defanging the Faith after the bloody conflict with Maegor, and won the Targaryens the exemption that permitted them their incestuous marriages, polygamy was never practiced again. Which means that the precedent that Rhaegar may have intended to invoke 1) happened over 200 years ago when the Targaryens had the undeniable advantage of dragons on their side, and 2) sparked a rebellion that resulted in the death of thousands, and thus got heavily entwined in the minds of the Westerosi with the tyranny of Maegor. Which utterly complicates any attempt to get a marriage to Lyanna recognized.

Now, we can argue that Rhaegar planned to convince, pressure and\or bribe the High Septon to declare a second marriage valid (though we have no evidence to suggest so, and though getting the High Septon to approve a post-fact marriage done in front of a heart tree would be extremely unlikely indeed), but in the absence of such a legalization, Rhaegar and Lyanna’s “marriage” would remain illegal and invalid in the eyes of the Faith. And no, that crap on the show where the High Septon was able to Apparate to Dorne and back before anyone noticed his absence, and where he approved something that would bring significant consequences to both himself and the realm so damn easily, is not happening. That’s preposterous.

It was northern law that forbade unmarried women and bastard born.

You seem to think that the cultural divide that separates the North and Dorne from the rest of the realm means that the North and Dorne are governed by alien laws that are completely removed from the rest of Westeros when the truth is that the differences are not that grand or that many, and most of them are cultural with no legal bearing.

Anyways.

This is not something that is unique to the North. Bastards are stigmatized everywhere in Westeros, with the exception of Dorne; they are perceived as treacherous and untrustworthy and a perpetual danger to their trueborn siblings’ inheritance, the girls are assumed to be lusty and wanton and easy. This ain’t a mark of those “Northern savages”, literally every region in Westeros, bar Dorne, thinks that way. The patriarchy, naturally, absolves the men, chalking it up to them “having needs” while literally teaching women to expect their husbands to father bastards. However, a noblewoman who loses her maidenhead before marriage or, god forbid, bears a bastard is swiftly punished, looked down upon and often has to marry so far beneath her station because the scandal of bearing a bastard tanked her hand’s worth. Delena Florent had to marry a household knight after bearing a bastard son to Robert Baratheon. Lollys Stokeworth fell pregnant after being gang-raped but in a rather remarkable pout of victim-blaming, she was derided for it, and was married off to the lowborn sellsword Bronn. Hoster Tully forcibly aborted Lysa to prevent the news about her lost maidenhead and her pregnancy from getting out. Jon Arryn’s niece, the daughter of Alys Arryn and Elys Waynwood, joined the Silent Sisters after she was seduced by a sellsword and her bastard died in infancy. None of these women are Northern.

As for bastards, the prevailing social convention for them is to be sent away, if they are even acknowledged in first place. Jon Snow and the Sand Snakes are the exception, not the rule. This is a story where Mya Stone, the king’s bastard, spends her time guiding mules in the Vale in service to House Royce of the Gates of the Moon. Her half-brother Edric Storm had a much better fate being raised as a ward of Renly in Storm’s End but that’s because his mother is a noblewoman (the aforementioned Delena Florent) and because his conception was a public affair since Robert deflowered Delena in Stannis’ marriage bed. Falia Flowers, bastard daughter of Lord Humfrey Hewett of Oakenshield, was made a servant to her half-sisters and her father’s wife. Even when the bastards are relatively treated well or belong to Great Houses, we still see the prevailing social stigma in how Sybelle Spicer, herself derided for descending from upjumped merchants as she is the granddaughter of a spice trader and an Essosi maegi, was thoroughly disgusted at the idea of marrying her son to Joy Hill, bastard daughter of Gerion Lannister. And these are all noble bastards, claimed or at least acknowledged by their noble parent. 

The prejudice against bastards is institutional in Westeros, supported by holy scripture and widely spread. The nobility frowns upon bastards and regards them with suspicion, and the Faith preaches about their ill-make. Here’s what the Faith of the Seven, the majority religion in Westeros, says about bastardy and even legitimized bastards as told by the would-be King Aegon V Targaryen:

"The old High Septon told my father that king's laws are one thing, and the laws of the gods another," [Egg] said stubbornly. "Trueborn children are made in a marriage bed and blessed by the Father and the Mother, but bastards are born of lust and weakness, he said. King Aegon decreed that his bastards were not bastards, but he could not change their nature. The High Septon said all bastards are born to betrayal . . . Daemon Blackfyre, Bittersteel, even Bloodraven. Lord Rivers was more cunning than the other two, he said, but in the end he would prove himself a traitor, too. The High Septon counseled my father never to put any trust in him, nor in any other bastards, great or small." 

Tell me again how it’s Northern law that bans bastards.

I think Rhaegar never abandoned Elia. I think she believed the prophecy as well. 

Rhaegar left Elia in her sickbed, shortly after she nearly died birthing Aegon, to go pursue Lyanna, and that’s after publicly humiliating her and dealing a hit to her political worth in the eyes of the biggest possible gathering of lords. I don’t think he considered that Aerys could recall her and the children to King’s Landing but that’s, at best, a terrible oversight on his part since he knew fully well that his father was paranoid and fearful of what he, Rhaegar, might do. Rhaegar drew Aerys’ eyes to the Starks at Harrenhal then went and caused a political crisis by disappearing with Lyanna. It was a given that Aerys would be quick to seek an insurance against his wayward son who disappeared to who-knows-where doing who-knows-what and conveniently left his wife and children behind on Dragonstone within the Mad King’s reach, the same Mad King who already disdained Elia and her “Dornish-smelling” daughter, and regarded Dorne with suspicion for the heck of it. Perfect plan. Two thumbs up, Rhaegar.

I continue to be bewildered as to where the belief that Elia believed in the prophecy comes from. She knew of the prophecy but we have no indication that she believed it or was willing to risk her own children for it. Why on earth would she do that? What shred of evidence do we have to suggest this? I mean, if Elia really did believe the prophecy, shouldn’t Oberyn have at least heard about it? Oberyn and Elia were as close as twins and she trusted him implicitly. He was present at Harrenhal and bristled at the public insult to his sister. He was still (rightfully) bristling at Rhaegar 15 years later. But if Elia knew, wouldn’t she have tried to convince Oberyn of the validity of the prophecy, or at the very least indicated that she was alright with what Rhaegar had done? Wouldn’t she cite the prophecy to convince her brother to let it go? Wouldn’t she have tried to use her connections to find Rhaegar a more appropriate place for Lyanna than the Tower of Joy, considering this was her own kingdom he was taking Lyanna to? Wouldn’t she, at the very least, know fully well that Aegon was the Prince who was Promised and thus needn’t ask Rhaegar for a song for him?

I hate that argument, that unfounded assumption that of course Elia believed in the prophecy just because Rhaegar did. People generally do not buy into legends about a zombie apocalypse and prophetic figures and dragons returning that easily, especially since the entire Targaryen dynasty was nearly wiped out chasing that dream. No one was going to put stock in long lost lore and prophetic dreams and obscure scrolls after that, not without compelling evidence. Why would Elia be okay with being publicly humiliated and put, along with her children, on the line for a prophecy? Why would she be cool with Rhaegar carrying off a teenager to use as an incubator for a savior? Why does that argument even exists? ffs.

 I truly believe that he married Lyanna to pacify northern lords. 

This has got to be a joke! Please tell me this is a joke!

Dude, Rhaegar vanished with Lyanna for months. He made a mess and left the Starks to deal with the fallout, left them with no choice but to go to Aerys, then returned after Aerys killed over half a dozen nobles, including the Lord Paramount of the North and his heir, only to take up arms against Northern lords. How did you arrive at “pacify the Northern lords” from that? The guy carried off a daughter of House Stark to the other side of the continent to impregnate her. He defied convention and every chivalric rule and publicly besmirched her honor and that of House Stark by pretty much framing her as a royal mistress at Harrnehal. He created a political crisis and fled without sparing two thoughts to the consequences. He declared for his father and took up arms against the rebels knowing fully well that his father committed a crime, and being more than willing to kill the people who were injured by his and his father’s actions so he could retain his crown. What part of that even hints at an attempt for conciliation?

I believe now it will be Targaryen, Stark, and Lannister. The gold lion standing in as sun, snow for ice, and all three with varying amounts of dragon blood. This is also true of Elia who had weaker Targaryen lineage. I think the prophecy didn’t fulfill before because there wasn’t strong enough dragon blood in Elia. If Joanna Lannister was impregnated with the mad king, all three would have a dragon father and lineage to the first men and children of the forest in the men.

Tyrion is not a secret Targaryen. Tyrion is not a secret Targaryen. TYRION IS NOT A SECRET TARGARYEN. GRRM himself said that third head of the dragon needn’t have Targaryen blood. Kill that theory with wildfire and throw the ashes from the Hightower. The narrative is not going to make Tywin Lannister correct in his rejection of Tyrion as his son, neither is it validating his ableism and abuse or handing him his heart’s desire posthumously. Tywin wanted nothing more than for Tyrion to not be his blood, and the narrative isn’t giving it to him. The point of the story is that Tyrion is Tywin’s son and how he has to struggle to define who he is outside of his father’s brutal legacy, how he has to reject the Lannister ideology and legacy of blood and revenge to turn his attention to the true fight in the North. Tyrion being a Targaryen undermines his story, just as Jon being legitimate undermines his.

And enough with the stuff about Elia. She didn’t have enough Targaryen blood! She couldn’t have a third child for the prophecy! The only thing I see in these arguments is an insistence to imply that Elia was somehow lacking and that it was her that prevented the fulfillment of the prophecy. What a load of crap. You do realize that you’re buying into Cersei’s and Jon Connington’s rhetoric about Elia, correct? That you’re adopting their ableist and racist view of her and treating it as a fact, building a theory on the implication that Elia simply was not enough. Don’t be Cersei, don’t be Jon Connington. Be better.

It does not matter how “strong” Elia’s Targaryen blood was or wasn’t, the prophecy wasn’t going to come true with her children anyway..... because Rhaegar got it wrong. That’s the whole point; Rhaegar understood everything about this prophecy wrong. Aegon was not the Prince who was Promised. Rhaenys wasn’t one of the heads of the dragons. The three heads of the dragon aren’t even siblings, and not all of them are Targaryens. This has nothing with the potency of Elia’s Targaryen blood (and fyi, not even the current Targaryens have that much Valyrian blood anyway). The fact of the matter is that Aegon and Rhaenys couldn’t fulfill the prophecy no more than Rhaegar or Viserys could, simply because they weren’t the figures described in it. It had nothing to do with how much Targaryen blood they had, or how strong it was. I mean, Rhaegar and Viserys had as much Targ blood as Dany, why weren’t they two of the heads of the dragon?

Oh, and just for the record, Rhaenys and Aegon did have First Men blood, through Betha Blackwood and Dyanna Dayne , Rhaegar’s great grandmother, and great great grandmother respectively. That magical genetic makeup of Targaryen\First Men blood you’re talking about? Yup, they had it too. They also had more Targaryen blood than Jon.  

[horizon-verizon]

Though united by blood and culture and the river that had given them birth, the Rhoynish cities were elsewise fiercely independent, each with its own prince … or princess, for amongst these river folk, women were regarded as the equals of men.

A World of Ice and Fire,  pg. 21

[vaedar]

Headcanons: Valyrian Civilization

       This will be a general description of my headcanon for the Valyrian Freehold as a civilization, including ( but not limited to ) culture, politics, military, and so forth. It is important to remember that the details and descriptions given here apply only to interactions in this blog for RP purposes and references, they are not official nor canon unless stated otherwise. Also important to remark that some of the descriptions may not fit the laws of reality because this is fantasy and GRRM himself has stated so when people try to give logical, realistic and scientific explanations to how the ASOIAF world works. This post is VERY long but I opted for doing just one organized post rather than separate ones so it's easier to find things by having them in one place.

More of my headcanons on Valyria can be found over here.

To begin, I want to remark that I take inspiration for my headcanons of the Valyrian Freehold mainly from the histories of Ancient Rome and the mythical Atlantis, and merge them with what is canonly known of the valyrian civilization in the ASOIAF world.

From Atlantis, the similarities lie in a couple of details. The most obvious one is probably how Atlantis was said to be an advanced and powerful civilization that disappeared and/or was destroyed in a single day and night by a cataclysmic natural event ( like Valyria ), believing it a punishment by the gods for their greed ( also like some believe of Valyria ). Atlantis was also said to be 'composed' mainly by ten 'territories’ or it was divided in ten territories in the island-continent, one major or leading territory by the name of Atlas ( which would be Valyria ) and other nine self ruling territories ( the Free Cities, instead of current Braavos though, it would be Essaria ). Atlantis was said to be a mountainous area in its majority but with rich soil that was enough to sustain atlanteans ( as how the Lands of the Long Summer were in the valyrian peninsula ), as well as provide precious minerals and metals ( as Valyria was famous for ).

Another very important similarity is how Atlantis was said to have a unique metal known as Orichalcum, just as valyrians have their valyrian steel. Last but not least, in my research of Atlantis, there was an excerpt on how by the end of this mythical civilization, factions struggled for dominance and when one of these overpowered the others, they misused magic in ways that ushered the cataclysmic events that destroyed Atlantis; which is very, very similar to another of the main beliefs of how the Doom of Valyria came to be.

From Ancient Rome ( specifically the Roman Republic era of ancient Rome ), the similarities lie in the military power, politics, language and religious matters. First, the roman republic was neither an empire nor state as the Valyrian Freehold was neither a kingdom nor an empire. It was during the republican era of Rome that most of its conquests and wars expanding its power took place, including the Punic Wars from which is believed the wars between the Valyrian Freehold and Old Ghis are inspired from. Governance was in the hands of elected consuls, similar to how Valyria elected archons to rule over valyrian colonies and cities, though the senate had a say in governance matters ( if mainly in a manner of advice ); as freeholders had a say in governance as well back in Valyria ( even though noble dragonlord families in practice held the most power ). In Valyria, the term ‘archon’ is the same as the greek term of the same name that means ‘ruler’. It’s important to remark that Rome and Greece influenced one another greatly, creating the term ‘Greco-Roman’ used in historical matters, so Greece will also be used as influence as well for the inspiration of my headcanons for Valyria and its civilization.

In ancient Rome, the language spoken and written was Latin and the spoken Vulgar Latin then developed into the current romance languages ( as the Valyrian Freehold had High Valyrian which was later 'bastardized' through out the cities and colonies ). It is still used as a scholarly language around the world, including the catholic clergy as a liturgical language ( as maesters in the ASOIAF world and as how some highborn are taught High Valyrian to some extent ). On religious terms in the roman republic, though romans had their own deities and religion ( polytheists as well ), they did not impose them on those peoples they conquered but rather absorbed other religions, supporting and promoting the religious diversity in order to maintain social stability. This is very similar to how valyrians supported and tolerated the different religious beliefs so that the peoples could not stand unified behind one single and powerful religion, which was a way of keeping social stability ( or control it, in what is belief the valyrians actually did by promoting religious tolerance ).

I wanted to expose these similarities I've found with what is canonly known or believed of the Valyrian Freehold before hand, so that maybe it helps explaining my reasoning behind the headcanons that are to follow now a bit better.

Expansion and Military

Have in mind that the majority of the following headcanon is actually canon but a few of the more detailed parts are what I added as headcanons.      

      The key to the valyrian expansion was their military power or more specifically, how they came to tame and use dragons as weapons of war. Before finding dragons living in the Fourteen Flames, valyrians were peaceful sheep herding people but once they acquired dragons and learned to ride them into battle, the valyrian expansion was a rather swift one. As they bonded with dragons, so did their magic grow greatly which enabled them to exploit the riches in the Fourteen Flames and build the city of Valyria, which would be the capital of the Valyrian Freehold as they continued to expand. After founding the city, others in the peninsula followed, such as Tyria and Oros ( canonly known valyrian locations ) along with Draconys to the south, Rhyos to the west and Aquos Dhaen to the east.

Of course, the more the rising power flourished, the more attention it drew until inevitably, a conflict for dominance ensued. A century or two after the rise of Valyria began ( over 5,000 years ago ), the first out of the five Ghiscari wars took place, all of which ended with a valyrian victory. The fifth and last ghiscari war took place around 4,700 B.C., where the valyrian army, ships and dragons incinerated and destroyed the city of Ghis ( later to be called Old Ghis ), effectively ending the conflicts with the now ruined empire once and for all. The Valyrian Freehold took over the empire, colonizing the remaining ghiscari cities ( others were already taken during the prior wars ) and taking their people as slaves to mine the riches of the Fourteen Flames.

For the next three and a half or so thousands of years, the Freehold opted for consolidating its power through out Essos. There were those in the capital that believed they ought to conquer the rest of the known world, knowing that it was a very possible feat to accomplish, as none could truly stand a chance against the fires of their dragons. However, they were already the greatest power in the world. The majority saw little use or necessity for conquest since the Freehold was already growing exponentially rich on the backs of slaves mining the Fourteen Flames, and thanks to the successful trading with the kingdom of Sarnor, the Rhoynar and the lands beyond the Jade Sea. Trading cities were founded.

Many dragonlords would also fly over to the lands beyond the Summer and Narrow Seas, reaching places like Casterly Rock, The Reach and Oldtown for trading purposes. Not even the riches of these lands persuaded the valyrians to invade for they already had far more in the peninsula ( both in crops and food as well as gold ). Using their magical prowess, it granted them the ability to build vast network of roads which facilitated trade and travel through out the continent. Valyrian soldiers provided safety to the peoples traveling on these roads and valyrian fleet guarded the waters from pirates and when situations escalated to dangerous ones, dragon riders would be called upon to destroy the threats. During these years, the Valyrian Freehold was not in essence an expansionist power, opting for acquiring riches through vast trading with civilizations around the known world, rather than using the power of their dragons to rouse battles and wars of conquest. This all changed though when tensions began to grow with one of these trading partners, and afterwards, it caused the rest of the world to grow all the more wary of the valyrians.

After a rather strong relation with the Rhoynar, it was against them that the next wars occurred and the rhoynish civilization proved to be a formidable one with their water wizards and armies. Losses of people and cities on both sides were heavy in several clashes, both major and minor, that spanned over a period of two hundred and fifty years. It was in the Second Spice War that the conflict came to an end, when a fearful Volantis called for help from the capital city of Valyria through the instant communication the valyrian glass candles granted. The Rhoynar had a powerful army marching onto the city but the Freehold responded by sending an army over three hundred dragons strong, their fires obliterating the rhoynish forces. One by one, the remaining cities were destroyed but the valyrians were soon afflicted ( or cursed, as many believed ) with greyscale when the river Rhoyne flooded and a foul fog fell on the city; causing the remaining valyrians to retreat, and instead come upon the remaining cities from inland. This allowed Princess Nymeria and her ships to slip unnoticed and flee.

The need ( or the greed ) for more wealth rose, and slaves were taken from across the world on any pretense, earning the Freehold a reputation of arrogance and cruelty. Interest in the west grew and so the westernmost outpost named Dragonstone was founded to trade with westerosi kingdoms, as these kings lusted for the special and expensive valyrian steel for themselves. However, the abrupt collapse of the Valyrian Freehold halted any possible western expansion.

Economy

     Undoubtedly, the Valyrian Freehold was as rich as it was powerful. In the beginning of the rising civilization, it was the discovery of dragons and the work of their growing magic that enabled valyrians to mine the riches of the Fourteen Flames. But the lands north to the volcanic chain were one of the most fertile in the known world and as they farmed them, the peoples could be fed and the rest was to be invested in trade. Whatever neighboring cities existed before, joined the flourishing valyrian civilization, adding more still to its growing territories. It was after the victories in the ghiscari wars that both the power and economy exploded, acquiring ghiscari cities and slaves to work the mines in the Fourteen Flames. Precious minerals and metals mined were worked into stone and steel for buildings, bridges, roads, palaces and entire cities; and gold, obsidian, garnet, silver and the like were sold.

As more riches were amassed, a main bank was built in the capital city but eventually others were raised in trading cities and colonies. The valyrians were ambitious and did not shy from exploiting the riches the valyrian peninsula offered and using them to expand trading relations with far off lands such as YiTi, so much so that a valyrian noble woman married an emperor and a dragon once used to live in the imperial palace. Slavery was also a practice they did benefit from economically but it was the famous valyrian steel that many wanted and were willing to pay high amounts of coin to acquire.

The currency for the valyrians was known as 'gelebo' ( literally 'coin' because I have no mind to make up currencies and I really suck when it comes to economical things, so this is just a very general description ).

Culture and Society

Have in mind that the following sections are a big mix of canon and headcanons. Pretty much all that can't be found or detailed in the ASOIAF wiki are headcanons.

Social Structure

   || To be applied to interactions before the Doom ||

        The valyrian hierarchy was ( generally ) organized in the following:

Noble Freeholders, Dragonlords and Archons

    These were noble freeholders or freeborn landholder families or Lords Freeholder. Though there were many nobles, there are forty noble dragonlord families, and it's on them that the highest power resides. In court at the capital of the Freehold ( the city of Valyria ), they elected and appointed archons to govern over other valyrian cities and colonies ( did not apply to the Free Cities who were self ruling to an extent ). In the capital itself, the archon functioned as a spokesman for the entirety of the council of Lords Freeholder. This position was not hereditary. Dragonlords, other than ruling or governing and having lands and property through out the Freehold, also fill military and safety roles both in wars and in a daily basis. These families were also strong in magic and often sorcerers hailed from them. Noble freeholders were those with lands and properties, as well as their own businesses in trade and others from where they received vast incomes. The higher ranking soldiers would also often come from these families though they were still below the command of dragonlords.  

Freeborn

    These are the families that have no land to their name ( other than their homes though there were those who lived in the lands of their employers ) but have jobs and roles in the society ( such as cooks, entertainers, physicians, artists, farmers, fishers, carpenters, scribes, etc. ), and were in the service of freeholders in their lands and properties. In almost the totality, these peoples served as soldiers in valyrian armies in times of war though many made a career out of their military service, aiding in safety on a daily basis ( as guards, escorts, etc. ) through out the Freehold.

Slaves

     Valyrians adopted the practice of slavery from their ghiscari enemies, and the ghiscari themselves were taken as slaves to be used in the mines of the Fourteen Flames, after the five ghiscari wars took place. Though there are domestic slaves ( these are considered 'lucky' when compared to the other option ), the majority ( in the several thousands and then millions ) were forced to work in mines, where they die from the hazardous conditions. Valyrians took slaves in mass numbers from their conquests but in times of peace, slaves were bred.

Origins

       The valyrians evolved from peaceful sheep herding people to powerful dragonlords in just a few centuries, and established a civilization that endured for five thousand years. Though it was ruled neither by a king nor emperor, it's expansion could only be compared to that of an empire but it's not only the vast lands that came under valyrian governance that made this civilization so grand; it was the society itself as well. There were characteristics and practices unique to the valyrians, from their physical appearance to religious beliefs and special bond to dragons.

Many are the theories on how the peoples acquired the unique coloring and features that depict them from the rest of the ethnic characteristics in the known world. Pale and fair skin, silver-gold and platinum white hair along with eyes of differing violet hues ( purple, lilac, indigo and clear blue ), and their innate resistance to heat are said to be a direct effect of the magic that runs in valyrians or the so called 'blood of the dragon'. Others say it may be a literal result of some form of magical fusion between humans and dragons. A far less known belief is that valyrians are descended from peoples of the Great Empire of the Dawn, who were said to have very similar characteristics. The valyrians themselves think they are descended from dragons and gods and it's because they share the same blood that their special bond with these creatures exists. Regardless of where the truth resides, the facts remain that the valyrians are unlike other men and women with their peculiar traits, not only physical but magical ( as they were also stronger in magic than others ).

Religion and Traditions

    Through out the social structure of the valyrian civilization, beliefs and practices differ slightly. For example, though dragonlords generally follow the polytheist religion of the Valyrian Freehold, they are not particularly devout as those freeborn peoples beneath them in the social structure. Though dragonlords and sorcerers do practice certain rituals ( mostly involving blood rituals and magic ), they scarcely gather for religious worship ( thinking this to be a primitive thing that only serves to control the masses and promoting religious diversity served to appease them, and prevent from one religion rising in unified power over the others ), unlike the lower freeborn folk. This was because dragonlords think themselves to share the blood of dragons, creatures that are believed to be divine and magical beings and therefore, they are above the rest of the common folk and religious cult. It's important however to remark that there was no official religion in the Valyrian Freehold and that the capital itself did not promote any over the other, so there were many temples and structures built to worship or pay tribute to different gods and religions.

To those who do follow the valyrian gods, it's customary to have some small altar or figures representing these gods at their homes or rooms. If one was to worship or pray to one specific deity, one would need to have something representative of this god as well ( ex. a source of fire such as candles or a hearth for the god of the fire mountains—Fourteen Flames—which was the principal deity ).

There were countless gods, and more than one could be synonymous to the same thing. Balerion ( the name given to Aegon Targaryen's mount ) was the name of a god of night or more specifically, the god who was believed responsible for the night that shadows the sun in mid day; an eclipse ( a symbolism of how the Black Dread's wings were said to shadow over entire towns, was the best I could come up with ). Azaes, Vaedar's dragon, was named after one of the gods of war, particularly the one responsible for the strife in wars. But there are other gods related to war and the causes and effects of it ( such as discord, lies, chaos, grief, anger, etc. ) so it was not uncommon for people's to relate any of these gods to war. The same principal applies to deities such as the gods of the sun, fire, light, and so forth.

The naming of dragons after valyrian gods was a common custom and it served to symbolize the relation that these creatures ( and their riders ) shared with the gods. It's because they wanted to maintain this purity of blood that incest was practiced amongst the dragonlord families, marrying brother to sister or aunt to nephew as well as cousins, and so was polygamy practiced ( a little less common ). Although it didn't mean they exclusively married family members, as some nobles did marry outside of their families and the valyrians themselves ( ex. the noblewoman that married a YiTish emperor ).

Magic would also sometimes be a factor in these unions, as a strong sorcerer could take a skilled sorceress for a wife in hopes to have children with even stronger magical prowess. Unlike some other civilizations, magic was not prohibited nor looked down upon but it was freely practiced by priestesses, witches, sorcerers and all others with the skill, including blood magic. This being said, valyrians ( or most of them ) did believe in prophecies or at least the power that they have, as dragonlords aside from their unusual characteristics, also experienced prophetic dreams. It's a common belief that the first valyrians ventured to the Fourteen Flames as a result of the visions received in these dreams.

Rights and Law Enforcement

    The council of Lords Freeholder were responsible for creating, approving and implementing laws. The valyrians were aware of how important trading relations were and so they were rather welcoming of foreigners, allowing others to visit or come and go as they please in and out of the valyrian cities. However, this was mostly possible because their laws and regulations for public safety were simple but strict, and were effectively implemented and executed. After all, it was hard for any criminal to stand up against a dragon and it was sometimes in fear of these creatures and the punishment their riders may bring if caught, that delinquents abstained from criminal activity ( or at least tried to be more careful when doing so ). Though there were well trained guards to guarantee safety and make certain the laws are followed, there was no hesitance to call upon and use dragons to enforce and dissuade whatever conflicts that can't be resolved through the usual ways.

Every freeborn valyrian citizen was entitled to basic rights, such as those which allow them to participate in trades, own property, and ( for the nobility ) have a say in governance. There was little discrimination over gender in the roles of valyrian society. Soldiers, teachers, physicians, cooks and the like could either be male or female, as well as dragon riders. However, it was most common for the male children to inherit positions as household heads ( as it was through males that the family name continues though there were special cases, depending on who holds the most power in a marriage between nobles ), even though there was no law forcing this upon noble families. It was rather a matter of personal preference on the current household head to choose which of his or her children would succeed them.

Bastard children with only one noble parent did not have the right to inherit the position of household heads nor were they bestowed any dragons or dragon eggs but they could marry their noble true born half siblings. Other than this, they virtually had the same rights as their noble family if they were taken and raised into said noble family as another member, though this did not spare them of the social discrimination or taint of not having 'pure dragon blood'. Divorces and annulments weren't allowed ( one of the reasons as to why polygamy was allowed ) but a widow could remarry, as virginity was not a requirement for marriage and neither was the consummation ( as long as the wedding was performed under the valyrian gods ).

Slaves are considered property with no rights, and children born to slaves are meant to live the life of their parents. The mothers of newborns are allowed two years of reduced simple labor so that they may feed and care for their babes, after which the one year old is taken from her to begin receiving a very simplistic education with a few dozens of other children ( think of it as orphanages ). They are taught high valyrian and are raised to obey their valyrian masters. When they are deemed ready, the young children join their parents in the mines and are forced into labor. At least, that's how it usually was in times of peace, for once the thirst for more riches and slaves grew after the rhoynish wars, their valyrian masters stopped caring if whether the children survived or not—they simply enslaved more people from wherever they could to replace the ones who died. Revolts were common but they were dealt with rather easily though it’s in the mines of the Fourteen Flames that the religion of the Many-Faced God originated, but valyrian masters did nothing to stop this, since they didn’t really care ( nor thought of it as a threat ).

Whenever laws were broken, the punishments were enforced regardless of social standing or power, they were the same for a noble freeholder as for a freeborn individual. This was both good and not so good, as many times special circumstances that would thought to require special consideration and approaches ( more specifically, injustices ) were treated as any other crime of its kind and punished accordingly. In other words, if someone was forced into something by someone else for example, the law dictated the victim to be punished as well. With time, as the influence of certain dragonlord families grew, so did these laws waived and with the wavering, corruption amongst the more powerful nobles began to grow in frequency; but this was at a later time near the collapse of the valyrian civilization.

The punishments ( often decided in public audiences by Lords Freeholder or dragonlords ) ranged from monetary or proprietary compensations and/or confiscation, imprisonment, forced labor for periods of time, exile and death ( be it burned by dragon fire, hanged, or beheaded; the severity was determined by the type of crime ). Dragons usually fed on the dead if a dragon lord enforced the execution. Though valyrians were pretty welcoming to foreigners, they also expected visitors to abide by their laws and if broken by visitors, they were subjected to the same punishments.

Education and Language

     From a young age, valyrians received a basic level of education in a vast variety of subjects, though it was depending on the individual's resources if they received a more specialized and/or focused education. The general population with moderate or low resources usually attended schools from the ages of six to sixteen, being instructed on subjects like grammar, language, history and mathematics. Every girl and boy received instruction on how to wield weapons and a basic training for battle, which qualified them all to serve in the valyrian army in times of war. It was once they came of age ( sixteen ) that they could decide whether to pursue a military career or any other of their choosing. Once the decision was made, depending on the choice, individuals either became apprentices in their fields to other experienced professionals, or acquired their own experience and honed their knowledge independently if possible.

As for noble families, either they employed private instructors or have their children attend smaller and more exclusive schools where renowned teachers would instruct the young. It was more common for dragonlords ( those with the most resources and riches ) to employ private instructors for different subjects although sometimes the dragonlord parents would personally instruct their children as well. For both noble freeholders and freeborn citizens, certain skills like sowing, sculpting, embroidery, art and music were taught either by parents possessing these talents or ( in the case of the nobles mostly ) instructors were also employed for these specific subjects.

The language valyrians spoke is known as High Valyrian, and it was imposed on all the peoples they colonized, believing that successful communication was very important for the Freehold ( and this could only be achieved through using the same language ). However, the Common Tongue was taught in schools ( even if on a more basic and general level ) but nobles were fluent in the language too. Through out the colonies and cities, High Valyrian was bastardized into dialects.

Entertainment and Fashion

    With many resources and riches, come more lavish ways of entertainment and the valyrians were not shy in amusing themselves. From tournaments of all kinds to pleasure houses, they did like to have fun in their own ways. Sorcerers, other than taming the fires of the Fourteen Flames, would also offer beautiful spectacles of magic in important celebrations of nobility. Tournaments had battles between warriors but dragons were never to take any part, though their riders who were skilled with the sword ( and others ) could participate. However, the battles would not be to the death, unless it was an accidental occurrence ( more so if dragon riders were the participants, as they were too valuable ). As ruthless, greedy and even cruel valyrians can be in wars, to kill for entertainment was not a common nor generally accepted practice on a social level ( thinking it too primitive and unnecessary for just entertainment purposes ).

Musical talents were highly praised too so musicians were quite on demand for parties and even just to spend some leisure time after dinner or supper entertaining guests. Art was also something valyrians admired and had a like for, and it was considered an entertaining activity both to do art and admire it in exhibitions during balls or other festivities. During all of these social gatherings, all varieties of food were abundant and so was valyrian wine, considered to be one of the best in the known world. Valyrians did not know any modesty and lacked restraint when it came to entertainment, and it was so also portrayed in the fashion they clad themselves in for these social events ( that were pretty often ).

Though their climate did not allow for layers of tunics and dresses to be worn ( unless they wanted to drown in sweat ), the clothes were elegant and elaborate, with complicated patterns and high quality fabrics. Jewelry was an important part of the attires, either worn on the clothes and/or skin and/or hair. Gold was the usual choice for decorative wear whilst other metals infused with the famous magical alloy of valyrian steel for armor with details in other precious metals, was ideal for those who were off to battle. There were extravagant ceremonial attires but as for every day wear, common folk would opt for simply light tunics or togas tied by their waists and shoulders. Nobility would use more sophisticated versions of these and/or tunics mostly for males, with jewelry ( both men and women used jewelry though female did tend to use more ).

Dragonlords were mostly the ones who wore more covering fabrics whenever they were to ride their mounts to protect themselves better from the strong winds on dragon back. Their attires would usually consist of ( long or short sleeved ) tunics with leather belts by their waists for their weapons, and on their arms over their gloved hands ( to protect the skin of their palms from the rough scales of their dragons ). It was not uncommon to also have some form of light weight armor ( often valyrian steel ). Though it was not as important on freeborn folk, for workers and nobility, clothes were a symbol of status or it served to show and even promote their status or profession. This also applied to pleasure workers and other peoples associated to this business.

Pleasure houses were available though not all of them were open to everybody. The more exclusive ones were available for noble freeholders, and those were elegantly furnished, almost as well as palaces of nobility ought to be. To be a pleasure worker was not as looked down upon in Valyria as it could be in other places. From all this entertainment, valyrians did earn much income as well since foreigners were actually the ones to seek these pleasure houses more than valyrians themselves, due to how famously beautiful the females ( and males ) were.

Valyria After the Doom

    || To be applied to all interactions taking place in the verses for Path of the Last Embers ||

    After the Doom took place, few were the survivors that managed to remain safe within the magically protected buildings that endured the cataclysmic event. Had sorcerers not been amongst these survivors, the valyrians would've surely died out but through sorcery, cunning and determination, the few peoples did survive and adjusted.

Immediately after the Doom happened, the devastation left behind rendered the shattered peninsula uninhabitable and the volcanic ash and fog covered almost the entirety of the land, effectively protecting and concealing the location where the refugees remained. The dragonlord Aurion and his host that ventured into the peninsula perished intoxicated from the fumes before they could even think of returning or fleeing, and similar fates befell all others who tried to claim whatever riches remained in Valyria. The survivors were able to live through out the upcoming centuries thanks to both magical and natural protection from the Doom itself.

With the passing of the years, the valyrians learned to adjust, feeding on whatever still remained until the years allowed for them to venture further away in search for more resources. New fauna inhabited the peninsula, mostly those that move by land and/or sea so they hunted them. It was a good thing that so few families survived ( less than twenty ), and dragons were no more, so not much was needed to live. After the first century passed, the toxic fog retreated more to the north, closer to where the remaining peaks of the once Fourteen Flames still actively stood. But the presence of these toxins did affect a few of the surviving valyrians even though magic helped to protect them from ultimately dying. Some of the babes born had deformities and defects, and though the occurrence did lessen in the later years, it is still happening.

There were conflicts amongst the survivors to let the rest of the known world be aware of their existence but in the end, it was decided against it. Where once the grand civilization had been welcoming of strangers, now they would go to any lengths to protect themselves from them. In the later parts of centuries, there have been more adventurers and few did manage to reach the veiled location but never left. Valyrians took whatever riches they could from lost voyages that washed ashore and the peoples that offered no benefit, were executed. No valyrian could get out of the peninsula either and if they did, they were never to return.

This was not much of a problem since the majority knew there was nothing worth their revelation in the outside world. Though the valyrians in the shattered peninsula were isolated, it was possible to learn of the events taking place in other places through the magic of their obsidian glass candles scattered through out the world. However, once the rebirth of dragons came to be, a change began to occur not only in the valyrians but the rest of the world—the magic of Valyria itself seemed to be reawakening to its full potential ( until then, it was dependent on the skilled sorcerers and even they struggled to access or maintain whatever magic remained, and instead needed to channel the fiery power of the remaining Fourteen Flames ). It was then that Vaedar realized his time had come, and that if no one else was courageous ( or foolish ) enough to respond to these changes, then he would do so himself.

General Conclusion

    To sum it all up as best as I can, the valyrian civilization was rather unique from their way of governance, to their dragons and to their people and traditions. These headcanons try to describe in a general way a few of the things I have in mind, as much as I can manage since my knowledge on many of these matters is limited ( and not even research suddenly makes me knowledgeable enough to come up with things ). In canon, they were the 'greatest civilization' so I simply try to add a 'why' to that, other than what is canonly known, that will be applied to give some background to interactions with Vaedar, and can serve as a reference for my partners. But as always, all these things can be changed or adapted to meet RP needs.

All art and images used can be found on my Valyria pinterest board.

[sebeth]

A World Of Ice And Fire: The Rhoynar Vs Valyria

Warning, Spoilers Ahead...

The Valyrians conquered their ancient rivals and proceeded to run wild on Essos. The first Valyrians to arrive in Westeros were adventurers, exiles, and traders.

The Rhoynar made their first mistake by welcoming their Valyrians to their land. The Rhoynar, both the government and religious offices, believed all were welcome to the bounty of Mother Rhoyne. The Valyrians follow the “evyerthing is mine, not yours” philosophy.

Resentment between the two groups increased as Valyrian outposts turned into towns and then into cities. The two most prominent rivalries were between Sar Mell and Volon Therys, a Volyrian town in the lower Rhoyne, and between Sarhoy (a port city) and the Free City of Volantis on the shores of the Summer Sea.

Disputes led to wars. Sar Mell and Volon Therys started the first war over the butchering of the Old Men of the River – gigantic river turtles held sacred as the consorts of Mother Rhoyne.

The First Turtle War lasted less than a month. “Sar Mell was raided and burned” but won the war when Rhoynish water wizards flooded half of Volon Therys.

More wars followed: the War of the Three Princes, the Second Turtle War, the Fisherman’s War, the Salt War, the Third Turtle War, the War on Dagger Lake, the Spice War, and numerous others.

The name of the wars clearly describes either the cause or location of the war. I am intrigued by the “War of the Three Princes”. Is the war still only between Sar Mell and Volon Therys? If so, who is the third prince? Does Volon Therys even have a prince? Were princes rapidly dying?

Yandel notes Beldecar’s History of the Rhoynish Wars as the definitive source of the history of the Rhoynish-Valyrian conflicts.

The wars caused the destruction of cities and the death and enslavement of thousands. The Valyrians won the majority of the battles. The Rhoynar believed in independence and fighting your own battles.  The Valyrians believed in group effort and running home to daddy (the Valyrian Freehold) when they got into trouble. And daddy sent dragons.

The wars occurred over two and a half centuries. The conflicts reached its climax in the Second Spice War. Three Valyrians dragonlords joined the citizens of Volantis in annihilating Sarhoy – the adults were slaughtered, the children sold into slavery, and the city torched.

The destruction of Sarhoy caused the remaining Rhoynar princes to form an alliance. Finally!

Garin of Chroyane, the greatest Rhoynar warrior prince, declared: “We shall all be slaves unless we join together to end this threat.”

Princess Nymeria of Ny Sar disagreed: “This is a war we cannot hope to win”.

Because, you know, dragons!

Nymeria’s warriors wanted to fight so she joined the alliance.

Prince Garin assembled the largest army Essos had ever seen at Chroyane – 750,000 strong.

Garrin’s strategy was to keep the fighting close to the Rhoyne believing the Rhoynar water wizards would be able to combat the dragons.

Garrin divided his army into three parts: “one marched down the east bank of the Rhoyne, one along the west, whilst a huge fleet of war galleys kept pace on the waters between, sweeping the river clean of enemy ships.”

Garrin and company marched downward from Chroyane, “destroying every village, town, and outpost in his path and smashing all opposition.”

Garrin’s forces were on a winning streak: defeating a thirty thousand strong army at Sellhorys and destroying the city. Valysar suffered the same fate.

Garrin and company battled a hundred thousand foes, a hundred war elephants, and three dragons at Volon Therys. Garrin won but it was a costly victory.  Thousands burned but Rhoynish archers killed two of the dragons and wounded a third. The water-wizards caused the Mother Rhoyne to “swallow” Volon Therys.

The Rhoynar proclaimed Garrin as Garrin the Great. The Volantenes retreated behind their black walls and begged the Valyrian Freehold for help.

The Freehold responded by sending dragons – 300 dragons or more. Once hundreds of dragons are sent, its game over. Tens of thousands burned. The Rhoyne itself boiled and turned to steam.

The death of the dragons had to be the cause of the Freehold’s overkill response of 300 dragons. The Rhoynar and the Valyrians had been fighting for centuries and the Freehold’s response amounted to “whatever” but two dragons die and 300 dragons are sent in response?

Dragons are a precious resource to the Valyrians – its the backbone of their empire and the reason they’re able colonize everywhere. The Valyrians cannot let the death of dragons stand or allow the dragons to appear weak. There is now way the Freehold wants the death of dragons by mere archers to be widespread knowledge. Can you imagine if the numerous enemies of Valyria realized a highly skilled archer could take out a dragon? It lessens the awe and mystique of dragons. Not to mention every dragon-rider out on a pleasure ride would have to worry over a potential sniper attack from an archer.

Garrin was captured and forced to watch as his fellow Rhoynar were massacred. So many were executed that “their blood turned the great harbor of Volantis red as far as the eye could see”.

The Volantese and Valyrians followed Garrin’s route in reverse- savagely sacking Sar Mell before advancing on Chroyane. Garrin was locked into a golden cage and forced to watch the destruction of Chroyane – his home city.

Garrin was hung in his cage from the walls of Chroyane. Garrin’s conquerors wanted him to witness the murder and enslavement of his people. Garrin called upon Mother Rhoyne to avenge her people: “That very night, the Rhoyne flooded out of season and with greater force than was known in living memory. A thick fog full of evil humors fell, and the Valyrian conquerors began to die of greyscale.”

Was this an actual divine/magical response or simply the result of masses of corpses being near a body of water? Is this the first incident/cause of greyscale?

Centuries later, Lomas Longstrider “wrote of the drowned ruins of Chroyane, its foul fogs and waters, and the fact that wayward travelers infected with greyscale no haunt the ruins – a hazard for those who travel the river beneath the broken span of the Bridge of Dreams.”

If I remember correctly, Tyrion and company travel through Chroyane in A Dance With Dragons. I believe this is where Jon Connington caught greyscale.

Nymeria, in Ny Sar, hears of the destruction of Sar Mell and Chroyane and decides now is a perfect time to leave Essos.

Up next: Nymeria’s travels