ASoIaF General Discussion

Never start a /general/ again pls

Someone create a thread on /qa/. The janitor is abusing his powers

Question: Have any of you actually gotten to play an ASOIAF-themed campaign? Or know of someone who did? How did it go?

There is already a bunch on there complaining about him. Nothing will be done

I didn't think you'd made it.

I mean it looks good with the stag helmets but just lifting art from other stuff and marking it with ASOIAF just feels really tacky.

Interesting take on stannis. I always thought Stannis in the show didn't have as much fury/anger as the lit made out.

Get in here lads

Alright lads, question time, that's relevant to the books, the show, and possible RPGs:

What the fuck is in the Crypts of Winterfell? It terrifies everyone who dreams about it.

Everything was great until a bunch of SJWs started arguing about sexual orientation and getting triggered by the manlet memes in the previous thread. Then Mod came and purged 90% of the posters. I don't want to get banned for being OT in an RPG thread, but shit... /tv/ is kill.

...

FROM THE DUSTY MESA

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Asked this on a different thread on here but this actually seems like a better place for it; has anyone ever done alternative version of Westeros (as in same basic concept but with different lords or timelines) as a way to get around potential metagaming from novel or tv-show familiar players?

I ended up writing a whole alternate version of Westeros just to get around it, which also let the PC's have a bit more affect on the outcome of major events. Even the good players clearly made decision at least PARTIALLY based on where they were based on future book events rather then what their characters might do or they could possibly politically predict.
They ended up having a lot more fun then other times because they felt their actions had more definite "impact" on the world I guess.

I just wanted to know if anyone else thought of doing this and what ideas they used, if any?

A simple idea would be to use the same setting just completely change the names of the characters, not the House and Family names just the first names. Have them the same sex, the same gender even, just change names completely.

Beyond that do as you wish, if you have them dealing with Lanisters they will fully expect them to betray them while the proud, noble Starks would not, have Stark betray them.

That's basically what I did.
The Houses were all identical but the Lords Paramount, the Hand, and the royal family were all very different people with different goals and agendas, some of them designed to at least mildly subvert assumed expectations of the players so that the players couldn't just assume they knew everything that was going to happen.

It also let them be a bit more flexible with character backstories and work their stuff into what I was writing.

It helped after I read the World of Ice and Fire book and it basically was chapter after chapter of pointing out each great house "stereotype" is really only as accurate as the current lord's personality and actions in politics and such.

I guess when your word is law when you die pretty much the entire character of the house can change more or less overnight.

It can be. Take the Lannisters
>Cerci is no less protective of her children than Catelyn
>Jamie was no less loyal to the people than Eddard was.
>Tywin was less ambition than Robert Baratheon and only looked to his own borders

I dislike that the tv show has portrayed people quite clearly as good and bad when the books are more ambiguous.

I type that and can't help but cringe at the bookfag-ness that comes off it.

Well with Cersei at least reading her own chapters quite clearly paints her as a narcissistic idiot who's probably somewhere on the Axis Personality Chart at least.
Cersei is WORSE in the books because she much more clearly comes off as emotionally unstable.

Her mental difficulties make a bit more sense when you realize that Twyin's wife was ALREADY a Lannister and was his first or second cousin, which is fairly par for course as in a lot of societies incest between closely related cousins wasn't considered incest yet even if it was still way too close to be sure your kid won't be born messed up.
As the Hapsburgs unfortunately found out the hard way.

Twyin was deeply ambitious actually. Likely stemming from the circumstances of his life before he became Lord Paramount and the rough times his family had fallen on.
In fact most lords ARE deeply ambitous, it's just that Tywin is a shitload better at it so he gets demonized by some.

Robert....eh, he thinks with his dick.
That's pretty much his entire thing.

I'm about to start a Feast of Crows, so I've not seen much to make her evil. Entitled as any female Lady of the nation. She provides strong leadership during the siege of Stannis, tries not to bankrupt the nation, she can not control her son, but few women can on their own.

He never coverted the throne though violence, he tried to marry his daughter to the Targeryns but failed. Remained quite neutral during the way and joined at the very end, thereby saving most of his people and their wealth.

Twyin was not ambition outside of his own borders, he restored a failed House that was openly mocked in to one to be feared, respected and reliable. One that has made Casterly Rock and all its lands the most enviable of the Seven Kingdoms.

She had a lot of problems to begin with, that were heavily compounded by her life. She experienced the death of her mother at a young age, lived through a turbulent, violent civil war, and was eventually married to an alcoholic adulterer who occasionally committed marital rape against her and beat her.
She's still a fucking horrible person, but some things you don't wish on anyone.

We've got a fairly long-running game going that's currently in hiatus, using the actual system for the setting.

So far it's been quite fun and interesting actually, though I chalk a lot of it up to the DM being really competent at political intrigue based game, which most of it has been.

As for us in game, fairly decently so far. Most of the characters are relatives of the same house, a westerlands one. It's been going concurrently with the main storyline and the war of the five kings is in full swing now. I could go into the characters a little, if there was interest.

I will say, I love the resolution mechanic for the game.

Yeah, her inner narration tells you a LOT about her personality, especially when you read between the lines.
Cersei is basically a narcissist and loves her children not as individuals but as physical extensions of her body, the same reason she loves Jaime.
She even self-admits that she spent years making Jaime emotionally dependent upon her with lots and lots and lots and LOTS of fucking and that's part of the reason he never seems to think for himself much at first.

>Twyin was not ambition outside of his own borders, he restored a failed House that was openly mocked in to one to be feared, respected and reliable. One that has made Casterly Rock and all its lands the most enviable of the Seven Kingdoms.

It's still ambition. It's not expansionistic ambition but he knows that that doesn't work well anyway and so he uses other methods.
And I'm not saying it's a bad thing, it's just who he is.

Honestly his biggest character flaw isn't his ambition (because he's GOOD at that), but his absolute refusal to see his family for who they really are as people.
Jaime is his noble deserving heir who will one day inherit his title willingly to him (he's actually hot-headed guy with poor self control who actively dislikes the idea of responsiblity like that), Cersei is his strong-willed and intelligent but dutiful daughter (she frequently mentally resents the control Tywin has had over her life and though she's clever her impulse control is awful) his refusal to admit to the twin's sleeping with each other when pretty much ALL of the other Lannisters knew it or highly suspected (his own brother figured it out awhile ago but never speaks of it out of respect for Twyin), and his refusal to admit Tyrion could be good for anything when Tyrion is literally his only child that inherited anything of Twyin's massive cunning.

Twyin's own sister admits that when it came to his family he had a massive blindspot, seeing only ever what he wanted to see and what fit his plans.

Making Robert the king was DEFINITELY a mistake politically.
He'd be a better person if he didn't spent eighteen-odd years with a wife who hated him that he hated back.
Something I noticed; the "good" characters in the novels (as in the ones who find morally ambiguous choices hard to swallow) are products of very healthy families, but the "evil" groups tend to have fucked-up family dynamics.

It actually says a lot that the Martells despite fully half of them being bastards from different mothers because the second in line is a horny git in an open marriage are actually a really tight-knit clan and the only real act of rebellion or familial craziness is Arianna's thing in AFFC, which is actually really low-key and is only done because her beloved uncle died.

That's now how it works, this is not a democrazy, it is a monarchy. The man who began the rebellion, who fought and killed and bled for it. He slaughtered the heir in single combat, he was in his youth a proud and charismatic man's man. One that the smallpeople loved.

If anybody was deserving, it was Robert.

He's also a shitty ruler. Self-admitted.
Who hates being King and suggested to his best friend that they bail on their responsiblities to go fuck around as mercenaries and then pretended he was joking a second later.

The book actually repeatedly highlights the chief flaw of autocratic monarchies without casting judgement upon it; basically, you could be the BEST king in the world, but literally as soon as even ONE of your descendents is a shitty person and a shitty King everything you do is undone almost overnight.
Case in point, Egg the C was a pretty lenient guy if you didn't fight him, but his successor is nicknamed "The Cruel" and was implied by the World book to have been murdered by his Hand rather then let him misrule the country even one more day.

I think Robert was made King for two reasons; one he was the only "legally" viable candidate through his ridiculously distant relation to the Targs.
Two, he wasn't married.
Jon Arryn was already married.
Ned was engaged after Caitlyn's marriage was transferred to him after his brother died.
Robert's finance was dead due to the events of the war and they NEEDED politically to secure a Lannister alliance to hold everything together.
Traditionally speaking marriages were THE way to cement an alliance.

Jon Arryn was hand of the King and was counceled against it by his timid wife, a position he continued in to Roberts reign until he discovered the plots.

Ned didn't even want to be The Hand, he wanted nothing more than be left alone. He joined the Rebellion because his sister was kidnapped, he had always hated the South and wanted it done to avenge his sister. He did his duty and married Catalyn in leiu of his brother and did his duty. Both Eddard and Catalyn did their duty.

Robert was the one to take the crown, legal or not, it was his Rebellion, him the people fought for, it was him. He had just wont the crown, his finances were pretty good, the reason for taking a Lannister as his wife was indeed political, they were the strongest House in the Seven Kingdoms and would be the only one to be able to wrestle the crown from him.

Let us not forget it was Lannisters who also delivered the crown to him, Jamie killed the King and his chief allies while Tywin and his men at secured the whole of Kings Landing, long before Eddards Vanguard had arrived.

Why the hell was Lyssa so crazy anyway?

Later books note that Littlefinger knocked her up and her father forced her to have an abortion, one which did not go well and might have actually damaged her womb a bit.
Caitlyn's rememberences kinda suggest that she was always a bit manic-depressive, but being forced to marry a man she hated and painfully abort the child of a man she loved who continued to psychologically press her buttons for years as she locked herself up and effectively isolated herself entirely was not very good for her mental health.

So basically Lyssa was probably always a bit "off", but repeated circumstances gradually unhinged her more and more. Petyr obviously favoring Sansa over her was just the last straw, though given some of her previous actions you could say that she was over the deep end long before then.

She had hoped to marry somebody like Ned Stark, much like her sister had. A brave, strong and suitable man. Instead she was wed to Jon Arryn, again for political reasons.

She was then, for whatever reasons, unable to give him a proper heir, she had many stillborn children. With the only one to survive being a weak, sickly and effiminate boy.

She then lost her husband to poison in Kings Landing and with that she packed up her household and returned to the Eyrie and basically stayed their alone and surrounded by people wanting to take advantage of her for the same reasons she was wed to Jon Arryn.

The final straw was the lies Littlefinger poured in her ear, she was jealous of Catalyn (Her sister) getting his attention and love when they all fostered together. That also ate away at her through life as she was always in her shadow, when Littlefinger offered to marry her, it was as if all her dreams had come true.

Which Westeros great families ARE stable and healthy? Doesn't seem like very many...

Wildlings, they seem pretty healthy. Not including Crastor. They are healthy, strong and robust people able to survive in the coldest of places in good numbers.

Clean limbed, strong of body, wise in lore. The Wildlings are essentially the healthiest from a mental perspective.

Not many.

>Starks
Pretty ideal nuclear family.
Jon is the only rub, and it's been made pretty clear that Ned still tried to treat him well and teach him well and that ALL of his siblings felt awkward as hell over Cat's irrational loathing of him.
>Tyrells
Big family, all very accepting and supporting of each other. Everyone knows Loras is gay, nobody cares.
Grandma is scary as hell but isn't cruel to her family and doesn't manipulate her own children at all, she just knows her grandson is kind of a thick idiot.
>Martells
Half are bastards, no one cares.
They all love and support one another and Arianne's rebellion in AFFC is the ONLY act of rebellion in the recent family history and was done mostly out of a desire to avenge her uncle and aunt.
Which isn't to say they aren't mean to OTHER people. Those Dornish guys are vindictive as fuck.

I asked for great families.
But you are correct though we see very, very few Wildling families in detail at all.
Likely their devotion to one another comes from sheer necessity as much as anything else; why worry about family spats when tomorrow you could literally die of starvation if you don't get enough food?

as someone who doesnt really browse other boards...what did they do?

I'd say House Tyrell, despite never getting a proper PoV from them in the books. Margaery and Loras seem like the closest of siblings, very protective of another while Garlan is kind and charming to everyone and makes the Tyrell name proud together with Loras as famously prestigious knights. Willas of course is the sweetest, giving Garlan the nickname "the Gallant" by himself to make sure his little brother doesn't get a shitty nickname like their uncle. And Margaery and Olenna seem to be very loving of Willas, even though he has a disability, they're trying to secure for him one of the finest brides around in Sansa Stark (of course it's done as well for political advantages to House Tyrell but I also like to see it as a favour to Willas).

We don't see Mace interact with his children too much if I recall correctly, so I'm going to assume that either he was a very caring father in earlier years to rause his children well then turned more to focusing on politics in later years, or he was never that close so the Tyrell children had to rely on themselves for emotional support and compassion and together they had a happy upbringing. Margaery seems to be very fond of her cousins, and these are likely her closest or only real friends. And of course Olenna watches over the entire family and is more or less their family matriarch.

Either way, I think House Tyrell is the strongest case of a Great Family actually supporting each other than working against each other

>She had hoped to marry somebody like Ned Stark, much like her sister had.

But she didn't.
She was into the sneaky little kid.
More specifically Petyr.

The Martells in the show are all dead though.

>I'll avenge Oberyn by murdering his entire family.

>Making the cripple stand for the portrait.

>/RADMURE/ POSTERS REPORTING IN

THIS IS OFFICIALLY NOW A TULLY THREAD

LANNISTER AND FREY FAGS GTFO

STARK BROS STAY

>tfw Edmure could have prevented thousands of deaths by not being a dick to Petyr growing up and cursing him with an embarrassing name

this is all HIS fault

Technically it was Jon Arryn who was the first to rebel, the rebellion was only named roberts rebellion after it ended

Jon was the first lord to raise his banners against the king, but it was all tied to Robert.

The Stormlands were raised by Robert, Robert was the common ground for the North (And through the north the riverlands) and the Vale,
He was also clearly one of the front figures of the war, while Jon Arryn was comfortable with playing a secondary role.

It may as well have been named Eddard's rebellion though.
Seeing as he won the Bells, secured the Trident, secured the red keep, ended the siege of Towns end, brought the Tully's into the mix, and his family's conflict was the initial spark of the rebellion.

How did Storm's end become "Towns end"?

Anyway, you know what I meant.

Eh, it fits surprisingly well.

Also kinda makes me want to get back into gw2.

Tully is a cuck tier house

So why can't you play a Red Priest in this crummy system?

You can, there's a supplement called Chronicle of Sorcery that adds all of that.

>*Teleports behind you* the house

Naw thanks.

Euron may have surpassed Bolton edginess with his Valyrian Steel Armor by now

Euron Greyjoy has Valyrian Steel Armor? How'd I miss that? Is this in one of the teaser chapters?

According to an interview with a Danish newspaper, Pilou Asbæk's main inspiration for the character is Donald Trump.

Take that as you will.

The horn?
Not many artifact are around.

It's from the only part of the canon that's advancing.
The show.

Mad Mikkelsen as Victarion when

New chapter released at Balticon. It's pretty fucking twisted, everyone loved it

angrygotfan.com/2016/05/29/the-winds-of-winter-the-forsaken/

It picks up with Aeron Greyjoy

Of course the Martells are dead in the show.
Why wouldn't they be?
It's not like the show has a legitimately complicated or nuanced plot or anything.

In the RPG you can take both the massive trait and the dwarf trait.

What would you imagine that looks like?

A red flag.

Good answer.

I take it you don't approva of massive dwarfs doing summersaults while duel wielding heavy crossbows?

Because as far as I can tell, character creation allows for it.

That explains why he'd be so ballsy as to wear plate while fighting on a boat.

If you came to my house, to my game with that sort of thing I would force you to leave. There is a time, a place and a game for having a laugh and creating silly things.

The enitre Song of Ice and Fire setting is geared towards good roleplay and realism. Dwarfs, bastards, cripples are all welcome and encouraged but the second you start being lolrandumb you can step outside and tell your tortured, unoriginal jokes to the cold night.

Goddamn, I know Euron was crazy but holy shit he's FUCKING CRAZY.

For your game, did you go with a pre-established house or create your own? What time period were you set in?

Our game went with House Florent during the events of the series, primarily because a shit-ton goes on with them despite being mostly a background house.

I usually try out all kinds of retarded shit to figure out what kind of dumb directions and extremes I can take a system to.

Then I go ahead and make regular characters that actually fit in, sometimes by taking a retarded concept and then watering it down.

Tell me about your House guys.
>What is the name of your Noble House?
>Who makes up your house-hold?
>Where in the seven kingdoms are you located?
>What makes up your land?
>How strong are your forces?
>What is the history behind your house?
>What allegiance does/did your house claim?

Did GRRM steal the world from L5R?

>What is the name of your Noble House?
Žižek/Sisseck
>Where in the seven kingdoms are you located?
Somewhere around Hungary or some shit
>What makes up your land?
Fuck all
>What is the history behind your house?
Made the wrong enemies 800 years ago, had to flee and not really noble anymore, now all that's left of note is a commie philosopher who talks about dicks or whatever and a wine brand.
>What allegiance does/did your house claim?
The wrong one
>Crest
Mess of towers, shields, lances, helmet with antlers, and spears.
>Words
Aufrecht und Treu

He stole it from British history.

Can not complain about that, go fucking nuts. Do as you wish when creating a test character to explore a system, some systems and gams will actively encourage it.

Just do not bring it to the table.

>>What is the name of your Noble House?
The Grubmen

>>Who makes up your house-hold?
Me and my large wife

>>Where in the seven kingdoms are you located?
Near the kitchen

>>What makes up your land?
Largely chicken bones

>>How strong are your forces?
Depends on we fed them

>>What is the history behind your house?
Diabetus, heart disease and obesity.

>>What allegiance does/did your house claim?
We'll stay until 7:00pm, but if the food is not our, we'll leave.

>10/10 would campaign with across Westeros.
How long do you think a group made of houses like this would last before the eventual knife in the back?

We Grubmen aren't crossing anything, and knives are used for butter, why waste good butter on somebody's back?

>and knives are used for butter
Well you Grubmen use a knife to "cut" into the meat you eat, right? Just picture yourself stabbing someone in the back as splittting a fine Venison and the dagger as a steak knife.
Also, please tell me House Grubmen owns a Valyrian steel fork.

>Valyrian Fork?
What are you, one of those fair-haired light-weights from across the Narrow Sea? Nothing need beat a good castle-forged spork.

Also, will I have to stand?

>Nothing need beat a good castle-forged spork.
Hear hear!
>Also, will I have to stand?
Well, you can sit a top a horse. So long as you can find one that can support your, uh, tremendous girth.

Why does he never lose weight?

>Why does he never lose weight?
He's George RR Martin's self insert?
And because the group always needs a meat-shield to soak up the damage.

Nobody in my whole fucking Country even knows GoT rpgs are a thing.

I'm dying to play an aging bitter Greyjoy who wants to set thongs straight with his axe

Wasn't it Lysa that poisoned Jon Arryn?

Wildlings rape and kidnap their wives.

It is Olennas son whom is the current head of the house that may not be very bright.

>thongs

Some father their wives

>What do we say to the god of pruning?
Not today

Jesus fuck, this is some Lovecraft shit right here

He has the same condition Samwell Tarly has

>those hair colours