Fantasy Committee: Game of Thrones Study Guide 26 - 28 September 2014
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26
–
28
September
2014
Fantasy
Committee:
Game
of
Thrones
Study
Guide
1
I. Letter from SG
Most distinguished delegates of Fantasy Committee,
It is great privileged and a pleasure to welcome you to the first annual session of ITUMUN’14
with this committee.
My name is Ezgi Çetin and I am 3rd grade bachelor student in Management Engineering.
Upon graduation from Deutsche Schule Istanbul with years of MUN memories, now I am
serving as the founder and the leader of ITUMUN Society at Istanbul Technical University.
Having considered lots of various topic suggestions, we set the theme of the conference as
“the effects of advancing technology and science on life standards, international security and
peace” , however thinking about which can make a MUN conference different we came to the
idea of Fantasy Committee and set the agenda item as “ Game of Thrones”. I hope it would be
an unforgettable MUN experience in your life.
I am sure that under the guidance of our most esteemed Under Secretary General Merve
Tekgürler with the board members Seçkin Kutlu and Harun Kaygusuz, participants will not
only enhance their knowledge on the discussed topics through study guides and fruitful
debates, but also ameliorate their public speaking skills.
I owe Ms. Tekgürler gratitude for all of her great effort in preparing of this amazing work
including lots of little details, which will guide you through the whole conference.
I sincerely hope to meet you all at ITUMUN’14,
With warmest wishes,
Secretary General of ITUMUN’14
Ezgi ÇETİN
2
II. Letter from USG
Dear Delegates,
It is an honor to welcome you all to the Fantasy Committee on Game of Thrones in ITUMUN.
My name is Merve Tekgürler and I am Sociology and History Double Major student in
Boğaziçi University. During the committee, I will be serving as Under Secretary-General.
What is unique about a fantasy committee on Game of Thrones is not just the idea of being in
an alternative world and acting alongside of debating. It is the feeling that one has when one
is in the shoes of the great heroes whom s/he admired in the books. As the Academic Team,
we aimed to encourage this feeling in our participants and hope that they will enjoy it as much
as we did.
This year the Fantasy Committee is organised in form of a gathering of lords and nobles of
Westeros to find a solution for the growing tension between the House Targaryen and the
Houses Baratheon and Stark. Nicknamed the Gathering of Harrenhal, the committee aims to
resolve this potential conflict with minimal cost.
Just as any other MUN Committee, Fantasy Committee upholds the rules and values of
United Nations. However we are well aware that the setting is quite unique. Hence
approaches to topics and potential compromises for solutions might differ but the course of
debate remains within the framework of equal rights and opportunities for all participants.
If you have any questions regarding the Committee do not hesitate to email me!
Looking forward to seeing you all in ITUMUN ‘14
Merve Tekgürler,
Under Secretary General
3
III. Introduction
Unlike other committees of the
ITUMUN, the fictional committee
on Game of Thrones has an aim to
broaden the vision and the debating
opportunities of the delegates by
enabling them to act as if in a
different universe with a unique
history and rules. Although this
fiction introduces a different level
of fun to the classic concept of
MUN debating, it is not entirely
independent of the formal style and
etiquette of debate. The delegates
will represent fictional characters
with given backgrounds but they
will remain true to the values of
United Nations as much as possible
while writing the declaration.
The committee will depict a
gathering of lords and nobles of
Westeros to decide on the wisest
and most beneficial course of action
to be taken to ease the tensions that
arose after the abduction of Lyanna
Stark. In the year 282AC, the
crown prince Rheager Targaryen,
abducts Lyanna Stark who was
betrothed to Robert Baratheon.
Lyanna’s brother Brandon Stark and his companions ride to the capital city King’s Landing to
rescue Lyanna. However Rheager is not present and Mad King arrests all of them. He also
calls their fathers to court to answer for their crimes. Rickard Stark answers king’s request
and marches to South. Meanwhile Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon who are wards of Jon
4
Arryn in the Vale call upon the major houses in Westeros to gather in Harrenhal in the
Riverlands held by the Lord Whent, to decide on their next move. The invitees are not only
those houses who have pledged fealty to Starks, Baratheons and Arryns but all are welcome
since the real aim of the meeting is to legitimize the rule in Westeros and resolve the problems
that the houses have with the current reign possible without overthrowing it. In other words
this is not a gathering to decide on a rebellion, it is a gathering to ask if Robert’s Rebellion
could have been prevented with diplomatic measures. There can be representatives calling for
a revolt but they should bear in mind that a revolt has high material and human costs. The
gathering is chaired by the Measter xxxxx of Harrenhal to ensure fair and equal debate. There
are 18 representatives:
• Eddard Stark of Winterfell
• Robert Baratheon of Storm’s End
• Lord Jon Arryn of Eyrie
• Ser Brynden “Blackfish” Tully of Riverlands
• Howland Reed of Greywater Watch
• Lord Yohn Royce of Vale
• Lord Jon Connington of Griffin’s Roost
• Mace Tyrell of Highgarden
• Lord Randyll Tarly of Horn Hill
• Silveraxe Fell of Felwood
• Russell Merryweather of the Reach (son of the Hand of the King, Lord Owen
Merryweather)
• Ser Jonothor Darry of Kingsguard
• Tywin Lannister of Casterly Rock
• Lord Whent of Harrenhal
• Lord Walder Frey of the Twins
• Marq Grafton of Gulltown
• Oberyn Martell of Dorne
• Lord Balon Greyjoy of Pyke
5
IV. Timeline of events
281AC: The Tourney of Harrenhal
282AC: Abduction of Lyanna
282AC: Execution
of Brandon and Rickard
Stark
282AC: The
Gathering of Harrenhal
(aka our committee)(near
number 3)
282AC: The Battle
of Gulltown
282AC: The Battle
of Summerhall
282AC: The Battle
of Ashford - Beginning of
the Siege of Storm’s End
Overview of the war: 1 Summerhall, 2 Ashford, 3
Battle of the Bells, 4 The Trident, 5 King's Landing, 6 283AC: The Battle
Storm's End. The colors represent faction amies: of Bells
Baratheon. Stark. Tyrell. Lannister. Targaryen.
283AC: The Battle of Trident - Death of Rheager Targaryen
283AC: The Sack of King’s Landing - Death of Aerys II and Rheager’s family
283AC: The Skirmish at the Tower of Joy - Death of Lyanna Stark
• 283AC: The Assault of Dragonstone – Beginning of the exile for Viserys and Daenerys
Targaryen
V. Brief introduction of the houses involved
• Targaryen: The roots of House Targaryen can be traced to the people of Valyria who
somehow learnt to control the dragons and used them to built one of the greatest
freeholds of all time. When the Valyrian Freehold ended due to natural catastrophes,
Aegon the Conqueror and his sister-wives Rheanys and Visenya were in Dragonstone
on Westeros. Their ancestors had moved to the island having foreseen the Doom of
Valyria. In the next hundred years none of them paid attention to the West and kept
6
their connections with
the cities of the East.
In the time of Aegon,
Westeros was divided
into Seven Kingdoms
who were constantly
at war. In his youth he
had seen some of the
cities of Westeros and
in contrat to his ancestors he was interested in the West. It was only after the King of
Storm’s End rejected his offer to marry his daughter to Orys Baratheon in return for
keeping them safe from Lord Harren, Aegon gathered his war council and started his
Wars of Conquest. The place he landed first on the continent is still called the King’s
Landing and it is the capital of the united Westeros. Within the next 2 years and after
many successful battles, he was crowned King in the Stoney Sept. The House
Targaryen has since then been the ruling dynasty of Westeros and united the lands
bringing peace and prosperity. They kept their
customs of marrying sisters to brothers and although
the dragons became extinct, they remained to be
known as dragon lords. Their seat was Red Keep but
they kept Summerhall and Dragonstone. There were
some battles of succession within the Targaryen
family most notable being the Blackfrye Rebellion but
Robert’s is the real “Westeros against Targaryen rule”
revolt since the Wars of Conquest. Even in those days,
Targaryens were seen as of a different race/culture.
• Stark: Starks have been a notable house since
before the Wars of Conquest. They used to be the Kings in the North and the last king
bent the knee to Aegon and his dragons when they conquered the whole of Westeros.
Starks are not as involved with the realm politics as Southern lords are, probably
because the North is as big as the rest of the realm and it takes a lot of power and time
to rule. Also their customs and traditions are different which makes it harder for them
7
to be involved in
politics. The conflicts
between Targaryens
and Starks are due to
the abduction of
Lyanna Stark and the
later executions of
Rickard and Brandon
Stark.
• Baratheon: After the
beginning of the War
of Conquest, Aegon orders one of his allies and a childhood friend, Orys Baratheon
warlord to conquer the Strom’s End from the Storm King and marry his daughter. Thus
Baratheons become one of the major lords of Seven Kingdoms. Since that they
Baratheons and Targaryens kept close ties through marriage which strengthens
Robert’s claim for the throne. Baratheons only start fighting against Targaryens after
the abduction of Lyanna Stark, beloved and betrothed of Robert. The conflict over
Lyanna was also visible before in the Tourney of Harrenhal when Rheager Targaryen
crowned Lyanna instead of his wife the Queen of Love and Beauty.
• Arryn: The Arryns had long been the kings of the mountain but when Aegon and his
sisters arrive, they conquer Vale and Arryns become lords of the Vale and Wardens of
the East. Arryns are
involved with the
rebellion on
Robert’s side
because Robert and
Ned have been
fostered by Jon
Arryn and he
refuses to turn them
in to Aerys so that they can be executed unjustly. He actively takes part in the war and
later becomes the Hand of the King.
8
• Tully: Tullys have always ruled in Riverrun but when Aegon and his sisters destroyed
the House Harren they gained dominion over all the Riverlands. During Robert’s
Rebellion they side with the Starks because Hoster Tully had his daughter Catelyn
betrothed to Brandon Stark. After the execution of Brandon, she married Eddard
instead.
• Lannister: Lannisters have been ruled in the Casterly Rock even before the arrival of
Aegon and his sisters but once they see that the battle will be lost, they bend the knee
and keep their rule becoming the Wardens of the West. Tywin Lannister was the Hand
of Aerys Targaryen and he was seen as the one who actually ruled the Seven
Kingdoms. Aerys felt threatened by this situation and when Tywin came with the offer
of marrying his daughter Cersei to Rheager, Aerys rejected it implying that Lannisters
are beneath the level for Targaryens. This enraged Tywin who resigned and left for
Casterly Rock. Meanwhile Aerys chose Jaime Lannister for the King’s Guard,
depriving him from his heir since members of the Guard cannot marry or hold lands.
Due to this conflict, Tywin did not respond to Aerys’ call at the beginning of the
rebellion and came only to sack King’s Landing when the outcome of the war was
obvious.
• Martell: The royal family of Dorne in the South end of Westeros are involved through
blood ties with the Targaryens. Aside from being the only kingdom that joined through
marriage and not through conquest in Aegon’s time, Elia Martell the sister of Prince
Doran Martell is the wife of Rheager Targaryen. When King’s Landing falls and Elia is
raped and murdered along with her children by Lannister men, Dornish men became
furious as revealed later by Oberyn Martell. However during the rebellion, they side
with the royal forces, sending troops to Trident. They keep the title Prince of Dorne
although they are bound to the king on the Iron Throne.
• Tyrell: House Gardener of the Reach dies out in the War of Conquest while fighting
against Aegon and his sisters. Aegon grants Tyrells who surrender the castle of
Gardeners to Aegon, lordship over the whole of the Reach and makes them the
Wardens of the South. Tyrells basically owe their privileged position to Targaryens and
remain loyalists throughout the rebellion. They have the only victory over the rebel
armies in Ashford and Mace Tyrell lays siege against the Baratheon stronghold Storm’s
End for over a year.
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• Frey: Tullys are the liege lords of the Freys and when Hoster Tully calls for his
bannermen to fight, Freys are were late in joining the rebel side. They do not declare
loyalty to either side until the Battle of Trident and Walder Frey arrives to the
battlefield late towards the end of the fight when victory is obvious. Hence he gets the
nickname Late Walder Frey.
• Greyjoy: The Ironborn are on their Islands of Pyke and they are not much involved in
the rebellion. However a decade after the end of Targaryen dynasty, Lord Balon
Greyjoy leads his own rebellion and is crushed by the armies of Stark and Baratheon.
All of Balon’s sons but Theon is killed and his youngest son Theon is taken as a
ward/prisoner of Ned.
VI. The Real History of Robert’s Rebellion
Robert’s Rebellion takes place between 282-283AC, 16 years before the beginning of the
series, A Song of Ice and Fire. To some it is the event that brought back peace and prosperity
to Westeros, to others it is a usurper’s revolt that took the reign from its true leaders, the
Targaryens. In the following part, I will briefly go over the main events of the Rebellion but
the delegates must keep in mind that the events are slightly different in the story line of the
committee. Committee simply introduces a gathering that did not exist and in order to do so, it
shifts events around. The actual event that leads Robert Baratheon and Eddard Stark out of the
Eyrie is the execution of Rickard and Brandon Stark followed by Mad King’s demand that
Jon Arryn sends Robert and Ned to the capital for execution. In reality, the Rebellion begins
when Jon Arryn’s refuses to turn Ned and Robert in and calls upon his lords of the Vale to
take up arms against the Targaryens. In the time frame of the committee, Brandon and
Rickard are still prisoners and no one has yet declared war. Hence for the sake of continuity
the Battle of Gulltown takes place later than it actually did and a small space is created for
this meeting.
The Rebellion is called Robert’s Rebellion because the problem can be traced back to the
abduction of his fiancée and after the Battle of Trident, Robert declares his claim on the Iron
Throne because he is powerful enough to kill Rheager Targaryen in single combat and also
because his maternal grandmother is a Targaryen which makes him next in line after the
Aerys’ children and grandchildren.
a. Events that lead to the Rebellion
10
In the year 281AC, Lord Whent of Harrenhal organizes a tourney out of benevolence and
happiness that the winter is over. (The year 281AC is known as the year of False Spring) In
all tourneys of Westeros the winner of the joisting competition is given the right to choose the
Queen of Love and Beauty. He does so by giving a rose to one of the ladies watching the
games. He usually picks the girl he loves or is betrothed/married to. However, when Rheager
Targaryen wines the Tourney of 281AC, he chooses Lyanna over his own wife Elia Martell,
even though Lyanna is betrothed to Robert Baratheon. This leaves a bitter feeling between
Robert and Rheagar. A while after the tourney Rheager abducts Lyanna. It is not yet revealed
whether Lyanna went willingly or not. According to Robert, they were very much in love and
Lyanna was taken forcefully. But Barristan Semly claims that Rheagar loved Lyanna and
implies that the love was mutual. Since Lyanna dies shortly after Rheagar and has only
spoken to Eddard Stark and Howland Reed before she died, it cannot be known for sure
before Howland Reed appears in the books and explains it or before a book on the history of
Westeros is published. Ned dies before revealing anything of importance to the night Lyanna
passed away.
One of the other factors that led to the Rebellion was the actions of the King Aerys and his
almost delirious yet certainly paranoid behavior. He is morbidly afraid of someone killing and
dethroning him to the level that he allows no swords in his presence save for those of his
King’s Guard. Some claim this has been due to his family’s tradition of intermarriage others
say that he turned mad after he was kept imprisoned by the Lord of Dunkendale. Sometime
between 276AC and 279AC, the Lord of Dunkendale revolts against the crown for lower
taxes and a town charter that guarantees certain rights for its citizens. It is not aimed to
dethrone the King. Being young and a bit vain, Aerys marches on Dunkendale with only one
member of the King’s Guard and a small group of soldiers. This proves to be his undoing.
Lord of Dunkendale kills the King’s Guard and holds Aerys in the dungeons. Twyin Lannister
who was the Hand of the King at the time, besieges the castle but waits there to ensure that no
harm is done to the King. Later Barristan Semly sneeks into the castle and rescues the King.
The defiance ends with Dunkendale being torn to pieces. However its impact is much higher
on the King who never leaves Red Keep thereafter and becomes extremely suspicious of
everybody around him. This event is seen as the first step in his becoming delusional. Also,
after the defiance Aerys and Tywin rift apart because Aerys believes that Tywin would have
left him there to die. Soon after Tywin resigns as the Hand. The severing of bounds with
Aerys is also due to the fact that Aerys refuses Tywin’s offer of marrying Rheager and Cersei.
He implies that Cersei is beneath the level of the dragon.
11
b. The Actual Events of the Rebellion
When Rhaeger abducts Lyanna Stark,
Brandon rides to the Red Keep, royal
quarters in King’s Landing to challenge
Rhaeger. Aerys has him and his companions
arrested for threatening the life of the crown
prince who is not present. Later it turns out
that he has ridden South to Dorne to hide
with Lyanna. Aerys imprisons Brandon and
his company and orders their fathers to court
for trial. Once their fathers arrive, he holds
all of them captive.
Delegates should be aware that the committee takes place exactly in this point in time. The
events hereafter are not the topic of the meeting and are only recalled to ensure that the
delegates know their roles in the rebellion and actually realize how difficult it is to attempt
and win a revolt.
Aerys executes Brandon’s companions and their father. When Rickard Stark, Brandon’s
father demands trial by combat, Aerys chooses fire to be the champion of House Targaryen.
In other words he orders Rickard to be burnt and Brandon to be strangled. Then Aerys calls
upon Jon Arryn,
the ward of Robert
Baratheon and
Eddard Stark to
execute them in the
capital. Jon Arryn
refuses this request
and joins Ned and
Robert in their
revolt against the Mad King.
The first battle of Robert’s Rebellion is the Battle of Gulltown which takes place between the
loyalist lords and the rebel lords of Vale who join Jon Arryn when he raises his banners.
During this battle, Ned secretly takes a ship out of Fingers to North and once there he, now as
the Lord of Winterfell, raises his banners and starts marching South. Meanwhile Robert and
12
Jon Arryn win the Battle of Gulltown and defeat the loyalist forces amongst which Marq
Grafton of Gulltown was the most prominent.
Having left the Vale, Robert marches to his own stronghold, Storm’s End and calls upon his
bannermen. The Battle of Summerhall, a similar battle to that of Gulltown between loyalist
and rebel lords is fought and Robert wins. Meanwhile the Tyrells and Tarlys of the Reach are
marching from the South. They meet Baratheon forces at Ashford where the Battle of Ashford
takes place. An indecisive victory goes to Mace Tyrell mostly due to the success of Randyll
Tarly. Separating the rebel Baratheon forces from Robert and the battle fields in Riverlands,
Tyrells march to Storm’s End and lay a siege there. With them holding all the routes of supply
from the land and the sea, Stannis Baratheon holding the castle in the name of Robert has to
survive for the duration of the Rebellion (close to a year) with minimal food and supplies.
Luckily he is saved by Davos Seaworth who smuggles onions into the castle unnoticed. As
Robert is fighting his way back up to King’s Landing, Ned reaches Riverrun and marries
Catelyn Tully to unite the House Tully with the House Stark and increases forces for
Rebellion. Meanwhile believing that his Hand Owen Merryweather was ineffectual and
possible treacherous, Aerys replaces him with a close friend of Rhaegar’s, Jon Connington
who chases Robert all the way to Stony Sept where Robert is forced to hide. As he and his
men search the town looking for Robert the armies of Stark, Tully and Arryn attack the city.
Afterward this is called the Battle of Bells
because townspeople were notified by the
ringing of the bells to stay inside when the
battle began. Jon Corrington, upon losing the
battle retreats and goes on exile in Essos. Ned
and Robert having reunited, march to Trident
where most of the royal army is grouped under
the command of Rhaeger Targaryen who
reappears after almost a year long absence.
The Battle of Trident is fought on the Green
Fork crossing on the River Trident. It later
became known as the Ruby Fort. This was the
most decisive battle of the Rebellion.
Dornishmen side with the royal forces in this
battle, making up much of the new soldiers in
the fight. Most Baratheon forces are left below the Reach since they cannot pass through the
13
Tyrell forces. Although the royal army is bigger and seemingly stronger, rebels win a grand
victory. Robert kills Rhaeger in single combat by crushing his chest with his war hammer,
spilling all the rubies into the river. Two members of the King’s Guard Lewyn Martell and
Jonothor Darry are also killed in this battle. Ser Barristan Semly is severely wounded but so is
also Robert. At the end of the battle, Robert finally declares his true intentions of taking the
Iron Throne and justifies his position by his Targaryen lineage and his war hammer. Unable to
ride due to his wounds, he sends Ned to take King’s Landing. Having heard of the outcome of
the battle, Aerys sends his pregnant wife and his son Viserys to Dragonstone, the original seat
of Targaryens. There his wife gives birth to Daenerys Targaryen. Meanwhile a storm sinks the
whole armada of Targaryens and Stannis finally out of the siege marches to Dragonstone.
Viserys and Daenerys are taken to Essos and start a life on the run from the “usurper”.
The Rebellion ends with Lannisters, hitherto undeclared, entering King’s Landing unharmed
by Aerys who thought Tywin was coming to his aid and sacking the city. Tywin Lannister
who had been the Hand of the King appears at the gates and declares that he has arrived to
help Aerys. Mad King lets them in and Lannistermen sack the city for three days. Meanwhile
in the Red Keep Aerys is holding Jamie Lannister of the King’s Guard close to himself as
leverage against his father Tywin. When he hears of Tywin’s treason, he orders Jaime to kill
his father. Instead Jamie stabs Aerys and kills him, thereby ending the war and earning the
title Kingslayer. Later Gregor Clegane enters the Red Keep and kills Rhaeger’s daughter and
baby son. Then he rapes Rhaeger’s wife Elia Martell and kills her too. After Ned arrives in the
city he despises Lannisters for their war crimes and when Robert refuses to punish them for it,
Ned and Robert have their first big fight. Later they forgive each other when they unite
around the loss of Lyanna.
The last fight of the Rebellion is the skirmish at the Tower of Joy where Lyanna is kept with
three men of the King’s Guard. Ned, Howland Reed and his other companions march to the
Tower and kill all the members of the King’s Guard. However they fail in their mission when
Lyanna having been sick for a while dies after only few moments with Ned. Howland Reed
and Ned Stark, only survivors of this showdown return to Winterfell to bury their dead and
restore order.
A slight risk of a rebellion arises in the Dorne as a response to the death of Elia Martell but it
is resolved when Jon Arryn, now the Hand the King, travels to Dorne and convinces the
Prince Doran not to wage anymore wars. Later Jon Arryn arranges a marriage between Robert
and Cersei Lannister to strengthen the bound between the two houses. Robert also forgives all
14
of those who revolt against him but bent the knee at the end, including Mace Tyrell and
Barristan Semly. It seems like the peace has been restored and the realm is at summer.
In conclusion, the aim of the committee is to see if similar results of peace and prosperity
could have been reached without all the battles and death and sieges and sackings in between.
Hence the gathering takes place before the executions of Brandon and Rickard which is
considered as a point of no returns.
VII. Important Figures of the Time
• Eddard Stark of Winterfell:
Ned is the second son of
Rickard Stark, the Lord of
Winterfell and the Warden of
the North. Starks are one of
the oldest dynasties and used
to be the Kings in the North.
They still uphold the values
of North and follow the Old Gods. Rickard Stark has three other children, from oldest
to youngest, Brandon Lyanna and Benjen. He sent Ned to be fostered by Jon Arryn
along with Robert Baratheon as it was customary of the time. He also had his eldest
son Brandon betrothed to Catelyn Tully, the daughter of Lord Huster Tully. When
Brandon dies, Ned marries Catelyn instead. Ned is known for his honorable nature and
strong belief in justice. However, one should bear in mind that Ned has not yet proven
himself to be the Lord that he was in A Game of Thrones. He has had a great education
in diplomacy and in warfare but he needs more experience than he has had so far.
• Robert Baratheon of Storm’s End: Robert has two other brothers Stannis and Renly.
Baratheons rule the Storm’s
End since the Wars of
Conquest and they have been
allies to Targaryens, even to
the extent that they have
Targaryen blood through
marriage. Robert grew up with
Ned under the protection of
15
Jon Arryn and felt like Ned was his true brother. He was even engaged to his sister
Lyanna. Robert is known for his strength and hot-headedness. He is not as great in
diplomacy as he is in wielding his war hammer. One should bear in mind that Robert is
not the Hero of Trident yet, nor the King Robert of A Game Of Thrones. Although he
is well educated, has attended tourneys and has become the Lord of Storm’s End after
his father death, he is yet to prove himself.
• Lord Jon Arryn of Eyrie: A childless lord and the Warden of the East, Jon Arryn raised
Ned and Robert as if they were his own blood. Teaching them the ways of ruling and
warfare, he prepared them for a life of a honorable noble in Westeros. Jon Arryn
himself is a man of his word and he proves this by not sending Ned and Robert to
King’s Landing for execution when Aerys asks for their heads. He rather protects those
who were entrusted upon him. Towards the end of the rebellion he ends up heirless as
all those of the next generation Arryns die. In the end he marries Lysa Tully and
becomes the Hand of the King Robert.
• Ser Brynden “Blackfish” Tully of Riverlands: Brynden is the only brother of Hoster
Tully, Lord of Riverrun
and an ally of Robert and
Ned. He proves himself a
worthy warrior at the War
of Ninepenny Kings,
having fought gallantly on
Essos. He is well known,
well respected and admired
by many including Jaime. He is named among Barristan Selmy as one of the greatest
warriors of his time. However he and his brother are not as close as the duty of a Tully
would require. Having rejected to marry a woman of Hoster’s choise, Brynden defies
his family tradition of upholding family and duty over personal wishes. When Hoster,
out of anger, calls him a black goat, he takes up the name Blackfish since the sigil of
Tullys is a fish. Although his activities during the rebellion are not known, he receives
the high honour of becoming the Knight of the Gate in Eyrie.
• Howland Reed of Greywater Watch: Howland Reed is a close friend of Ned since the
Tourney of Harrenhal. He is a loyal Stark bannerman and accompanies Ned to retrieve
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Lyanna at the Tower of Joy after the end of the rebellion. He is the only one alive who
knows the truth of Lyanna’s death and he keeps this secret to himself for over a decade.
• Lord Yohn Royce of Vale: Yohn Royce also known as Bronze Yohn is the Lord of
Runestone and a loyal Arryn bannerman. His ancestral seat is close in location to that
of Marq Grafton whom he fights against in the Battle of Gulltown. He is also an
accomplished tourney knight and has participated in the Tourney of Harrenhal. He is a
knowledgeable man with a strong sense of duty. His character is revealed later in the
series when he objects the rule of Petyr Bealish after the death of Lysa Arryn.
• Lord Jon Connington of Griffin’s Roost: A close friend of Rhaeger Targaryen and a
powerful warrior, Jon Connington is true to the Targaryen family. After Aerys names
him the Hand of the King he does everything in his power to find and kill Robert in the
Stoney Sept but he fails. Afterwards he is exiled but he always remains loyal to
Targaryens which is revealed much later in the series when it turns out that he was
protecting and educating Rheagar’s son as if he was his own.
• Mace Tyrell of Highgarden: Tyrells are a family very close to Targaryens because they
have risen to power only after the Conquest. Mace Tyrell is not very politically savvy
or a very distinguished but as the Lord of the Reach, he is very influential. With the
help of Tarly, he besieges Storm’s End during the rebellion. Yet he calculates the risks
of storming the castle when it is uncertain whether or not Aerys will remain on the
throne. Hence a passive tactic proves to be more useful and enables Tyrells to at least
keep their titles and lands after the end of the rebellion. This indicates his nature of
binding his time to achieve success. Later in the books he becomes the Hand of the
King Tommen. He is also a very ambitious man who wants to see his daughter
Margeary’s line on the Throne at all cost but he is wise enough to jump ship when
Renly dies and join the powerful side, Lannisters.
• Lord Randyll Tarly of Horn Hill: Tarlys are loyal Tyrell bannerman. Randyll Tarly
wins the only victory (of Ashford) for the loyalist forces. He is a strong man with little
or no mercy who values power and strength. His character is mostly revealed by his
son Samwell whom he sends off to Night’s Watch because he is not man enough. Later
in the books when Mace Tyrell becomes the Hand of the Hand of the King and Kevan
Lannister is the Regent to Tommen, Tarly is given a seat on the small council which
indicates how close he was to Mace Tyrell.
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• Silveraxe Fell of Felwood: Fells are bannermen of Baratheons but they oppose Robert
when he calls his banners for revolt. Silveraxe’s father Lord Fell is slain by Robert in
single combat at the Battle of Summerhall but later Silveraxe is persuaded to join
Robert’s side. There is not much known about his character but he remains loyal to
Baratheons which can be guessed from his family’s siding with Stannis Baratheon even
after the Blackwater Bay.
• Russell Merryweather of the Reach (son of the Hand of the King, Lord Owen
Merryweather): Although the real identity of the son of Owen Merryweather is not
known, he is named here Russell like his grandson who appears in the books alongside
of her mother Teana of Myr who is a close friend of Cersei. Russell is sent to this
gathering by his father to witness the discussions and support the Targaryen side. At
the time Owen Merryweather is serving as the Hand of the King Aerys and he is not a
very successful Hand. He does not participate in the battles and Aerys having grown
suspicious of him, sends him to exile naming Jon Connington the Hand.
• Ser Jonothor Darry of Kingsguard: Ser Jonothor is an earnest man with a strong sense
of duty and serves Aerys in his King’s Guard. He is sent to the Gathering by Aerys to
support his cause and to remind the attendees of their duty to their king. He is later
slain in the Battle of Trident.
• Tywin Lannister of Casterly Rock: As
the former Hand of the King before Owen
Merryweather, Tywin has played a significant
role in making Aerys’ reign a successful and
plentiful one. He is seen by Aerys as a threat to
his rule since there are rumours about Tywin
doing the actual ruling instead of Aerys. When
his offer to unite Targaryen and Lannister
Houses by marriage is rejected, he considers this an insult and resigns. Tywin is the
lord of a very powerful and a very rich house. He is capable of ruling and asserting his
will and domination. He is also a mastermind who is actually behind many of the
important events in Westeros. During the rebellion he sides with no one until the Battle
of Trident when it becomes obvious the Robert has won. He then moves on to the
King’s Landing and sacks the city. Aerys who had considered Tywin an ally opens the
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gates and welcomes him. Once he realizes this was a plot, he tries to use Jaime against
him but that also fails when Jaime stabs Aerys instead of turning against his family.
• Lord Whent of Harrenhal: Lord Whent is a bannerman of Tullys and the host of the
gathering. He is known to be a rich and lavish man who spent a small fortune on the
Tourney of Harrenhal which was attended even by the King Aerys.
• Lord Walder Frey of the Twins: Walder Frey is a bannerman of Tullys and has his
stronghold in a very strategic position, right at the crossing between the North and
Riverlands. He is a vain and untrustworthy man who even though his old age prefers to
rule. When Hoster Tully calls for his banners, he arrives only after the Battle of Trident
is won. After that Hoster Tully calls him Late Walder Frey and Walder despises him
for it.
• Marq Grafton of Gulltown: Graftons are actually bannermen of Arryns. Yet Marq
Grafton decides to side with loyalists when Jon Arryn calls for his banners. This results
in the Battle of Gulltown and the death of Marq.
• Oberyn Martell of Dorne: The Prince of Dorne sends his brother Oberyn to attend to
the gathering because
Martells are closely linked
with Targaryens through
the marriage of Rheager to
Elia Martell, their sister. It
is not known what Elia and
Oberyn thought of the
abduction of Lyanna Stark
or whether or not they have
seen this as an insult to Dorne but it appears that they remained loyalist since they send
troops to Trident. Oberyn is a hot-headed man but a very skilled warrior and his tends
to make swift judgments when it would be better for him to think twice. His brother
Prince Doran is the opposite of him. Martells are also related to Lannisters through
marriage.
• Lord Balon Greyjoy of Pyke: Balon Greyjoy attends this gathering to have a say in the
issues of the realm. People of Iron Islands have different traditions and are not as
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closely united with the people of the continent. They have a long standing custom of
raiding villages and towns but after the Conquest they are forced to discontinue this
tradition in Westeros. Balon is a powerful sailor and a strong willed lord who may have
had the idea to revolt after this gathering.
VIII. Conclusion
All in all, the fantasy committee on Game of Thrones is actually a historical committee set in
a different world. Although the delegates know how events ended this does not mean that they
have to decide accordingly. Just like any good historical committee delegates are free to
convince the house and change the course of events. The point where the committee begins is
crucial and open for massive change. There may be no rebellion or the outcome of the
rebellion may change. Even best friends can turn against each other and enemies can unite for
a cause greater than themselves. Role-playing enables these opportunities and many more
depending on the willingness of the participants. Delegates are strongly urged to read quotes
and excepts of their characters if they have not finished reading the series.
However as it is with all MUN Committees a resolution must be written and a war must be
avoided at all costs. Therefore the delegates are strongly urged to consider the following
questions:
• Can Lynanna Stark be returned to safely of her family with minimal conflict? How? What
would be the roles of Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon?
• What is the next possible step for Rhaegar Targaryen?
• Is it legitimate for the Mad King to hold Brandon and Rickard Stark along with many of
Brandon’s company hostage at the Red Keep? Why? What could be done the resolve their
trials?
• What justifies someone’s reign? Is bloodline enough to rule or should there be other
requirements such as talent and intellect or decision-making capacities?
• What should the lords of Westeros ask of their King to ensure that no further tensions of
this sort take place?
• How can Aerys II know that the loyalty of his lords is restored? What are the measures to
reassure him?
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• How should each of the houses position themselves in a possible conflict? Which side is
the most beneficial for them?
• Should there be any punishment for Rhaeger’s action? Can he be brought to justice?
IX. Sources
• The series “A Song of Ice and Fire” and the short novellas “Hedge Knight” of the
same universe
• The TV series “A Game of Thrones”
• “History and Lore”, Bonus Content of the TV Series
• http://www.westeros.org/
• http://www.youtube.com/user/GameofThrones
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