Sand and Fire: Casting Call & Background
The year is 185 A.C. For twenty-three years, Daeron I Targaryen, called the Young Dragon in his youth, ruled over a united Westeros.
During the First Dornish Rebellion, Daeron was betrayed under a banner of peace. However, fate took a turn, and his cousin Prince Aemon jumped in front of an arrow meant to slay him. Aemon, and three other knights of the Kingsguard, would die, but King Daeron would escape with his life.
Over the next year, Dorne was pacified, largely due to the defection of House Yronwood to the royal host. King Daeron, wroth at the bloodshed and mourning Prince Aemon, took his vengeance on House Martell, executing the Prince and Princess of Dorne, their heir, and other close relatives. King Daeron spared only their young twins as mercy.
The King reshaped Dorne as one of the Seven Kingdoms at last. He set aside Dornish law with primogeniture, built and settled new towns and castles with Andal smallfolk, and lowered House Martell's status to Stewards. To ensure that Dorne would be ruled well, he installed his uncle, Prince Viserys, as governor, establishing House Targaryen of Sunspear.
King Daeron married his sister Daena upon returning from war. With the exception of periodic minor Dornish revolts, King Daeron's reign would be peaceful. His brother and sister Baelor and Rhaena joined the faith, with Baelor being named High Septon in 173 A.C. He reformed common laws and royal bureaucracy, and bolstered the economy after an expensive conquest.
King Daeron faced an issue with the North during his early reign. The heir to Winterfell, Rickon Stark, died under the walls of Sunspear, and Cregan Stark followed him shortly after Dorne's pacification. A succession crisis ensued, with Jonnel Stark marrying Rickon's daughter Sansa to solve it. The North bemoaned Rickon's death, and relations between House Stark and the Crown grew cold. To bring the North back into the fold, King Daeron promised his first born son to Jonnel and Sansa's daughter. They married in 180 A.C. Northmen were named to the small council and kingsguard, and northern lords and ladies became courtiers, bringing their austere fashion to court.
Tragedy struck in 184 A.C. An avid jouster, King Daeron competed at the Tourney of Maidenpool, where an errant lance shard pierced his eye. King Daeron's last act was to forgive his inadvertent murderer before he died. Ser Emory Florent, the knight in question, fled to Essos. The throne fell to his eldest son.
King Aemon, named after the Dragonknight who died defending his father in Dorne, had ruled the past year alongside the Stark Queen. He is mercurial and passionate, prone to flights of fancy and lavish foods and clothing. His court patrons poets, musicians, and artisans. He has many ambitious ideas, but often forgets them as quickly as he becomes infatuated with new ones. He isn't much of a warrior- his father granted him Blackfyre and a knighthood when he came of age, which most at court saw as a foolish decision. He cycles between episodes of fiery intensity and deep melancholy, often interfering with his ruling. Opinion is split on the young king, with many seeing him as weak, but others won over by his generosity and kindness. The lack of children in his marriage has been noted.
Elsewhere, trouble brews. High Septon Baelor, from the Starry Sept in Oldtown, shockingly spoke against the royal family, decrying the northern presence in the capital. He has called for the reformation of the Faith Militant, and for a crusade against the Old Gods and the Drowned God and other heretics.
In Dorne, House Targaryen of Sunspear faces an unruly populace. Prince Aegon, unworthy of his position, rules tyrannically. He has grown fat while many Dornish have starved, and fathered many bastards. The Young Dragon was able to bring Dorne to heel, but with his death, rumors of rebellion flourish. Many believe it's only a matter of time before the Dornish rise against the crown once more.
The story will mainly follow three locations: King's Landing, Oldtown, and Dorne. Below is a casting call. Characters will be accepted by PM only. To submit a character, send a PM titled {Character Name}-{House}-{Age} and give a little pitch- a few backstory, personality, and appearance details. Once we work something out we both agree on, I'll send you the character form! Every user is able to submit up to three characters.
KING'S LANDING
House Targaryen:
The house of the dragon has a tenuous hold over the Seven Kingdoms. Without their dragons, they must rely on diplomacy and cunning to survive.
-King Aemon Targaryen (22)
-His younger sister, wielder of Dark Sister, a talented duelist (19-21): Open
-His youngest sister (17-19): Open
-His younger brother, acting Prince of Dragonstone (15-17): Open
-Dowager Queen Daena the Defiant (40)
-High Septon Baelor, residing in the Starry Sept at Oldtown (41)
-Princess Elaena Targaryen, married to the Sealord of Braavos (35)
House Stark:
House Stark has seen an elevated status with the royal marriage. However, with recent calls for crusades, many at court disdain their influence. This matter has not been helped by the King and Queen's relationship, which is frosty at best and argumentative at worst. Some say Starks melt when they travel below the Neck, and the two siblings must rely on each other in an unfamiliar environment where they have more enemies than allies.
-Queen of the Seven Kingdom (19-22): Open
-Her younger brother and most ardent defender, who went with her to the capital (16-18): Open
Lords and Ladies:
Enterprising nobles from across the Seven Kingdoms spend time at the King's Court, seeking royal favor and excitement. Characters under this category could be handmaidens and friends to the Queen, pages or companions to the King, second sons and daughters of the north looking for influence, lords and knights from across Westeros, scions of the Great Houses, or even singers and artists seeking the King's patronage.
-Ser Tristifer "Tris" Massey, a favorite of the King (21)
The Small Council:
The Small Council assists King Aemon in governing the realm, especially given his frequent mood swings. They often have agendas of their own and ruthlessly plot against the court, and often, each other.
Hand of the King: Open. Daeron's man, who has a shaky relationship with King Aemon.
Grand Maester: Open
Master of Laws: Open
Master of Coin: Open
Master of Ships: Open. A Lord of House Manderly.
Master of Whisperers: Open
Lord Commander of the Kingsguard: Open
The Kingsguard:
1. Lord Commander: Open
2. A knight hailing from the North: Open
3. Open
4. Open
5. Open
6. Open
7. Open
OLDTOWN
The oldest and grandest city in the Seven Kingdoms, ruled from the Hightower. Recently, High Septon Baelor has flexed his power, forcing Lord Hightower to banish the city's whores. Oldtown is aflame with religious fervor an intellectual commerce.
HOUSE HIGHTOWER
House Hightower is torn between the Crown and the Faith as tensions between the two fester.
-Lord Hightower, whose father passed when he was in his teens (27): Open
-Desmera Beesbury, Lady of the Hightower(25)
-Gunthor Hightower, their son and heir (3)
-Ser Hightower, the lord's brother, wielder of Vigilance (23-26): Open
-Lady Hightower, the lord's younger sister, who wishes she could be a maester (20-24): Open
CITY-FOLK
Oldtown is home to many, seeking knowledge, faith, or fortune. Characters from Oldtown could be pilgrims, septons and septas, rogues, Reach-lords, traveling traders, and/or maesters of he Citadel.
-Maester Panarin, an eccentric student of the Higher Mysteries (37)
-The Eel, a mysterious crime lord (44)
-Vonna, owner of the Quill and Tankard (34)
-Garret Pyke, a sellsword with debts to pay (29)
DORNE
HOUSE TARGARYEN OF SUNSPEAR
Prince Viserys died in 172 A.C., leaving his narcissistic son Aegon to inherit his position. Under the Targaryens, the Shadow City has grown from a dusty town to a proper city, if smaller than others in the Seven Kingdoms. It has a large Andal population, who often clash with the native Dornish. Prince Aegon's heir is betrothed to Lady Martell, though she has delayed their arrangement.
-Prince Aegon Targaryen, Governor of Dorne and Prince of Sunspear (50)
-Princess Naerys, his meek and pious sister-wife (47)
-His eldest son, heir to Sunspear, who strives to be a better person than his father and has largely taken charge of ruling(23-25): Open
-A bastard daughter, fathered from a Lady of House Fowler (20): Open
-A bastard son, fathered from a Lady of House Dayne, current squire to the Sword of the Morning (16): Open
HOUSE MARTELL
-Lady Alvira Martell, an ambitious and rebellious woman with no love for House Targaryen (24)
-Her twin brother, Steward of Sunspear, advisor to House Targaryen of Sunspear, married to Lady Cedra Dalt (24): Open
LORDS AND LADIES
Dorne is home to gallant knights, rebellious nobles, vicious assassins, and daring bastards. A character hailing from here could be any of those. Most Dornish seek their independence, but some are loyal to the Crown.
-Ser Gavriel Dayne, the Sword of the Morning (35)
-Ulrick Allyrion, Lord of Godsgrace, maternal uncle of the Martell twins (47)
If you made it this far, thank you! I look forward to seeing your character(s). Feel free to reach out with any questions/ideas!
-Wax