The Long Epoch: Pre-Targaryen Westeros Quest.

The Lands of Westeros have never been what one could describe as 'peaceful', indeed since its earliest days the realms of Men, Giant and Child have warred incessantly for whatever they could strive to grab. When the First Men crossed the arm of Dorne, war followed. When the Andals sailed in from across the Narrow Sea, war followed them too. And when the Rhoynar and Nymeria landed on the shores of Sandship, another bloody conquest followed them. And even now, after the dust has settled between these great migrations, the kingdoms of Westeros contest against each other in shows of force, intrigue, diplomacy, and more.

The Long Epoch had begun, and the Kings and Lords had settled in as the final great migration ended. Now, they fight over whatever they can get their hands on. Counting each other among their foes as often as they count each other among their allies. All putting their blood, wealth and legacy on the great gamble of hegemony.

You were born in this time, to one of the great kingdoms that dotted Westeros' great southern lands. But which one?

[ ] The Vale of Arryn

The Vale of Arryn is a land of fertile valleys, slow moving rivers and wide lakes. Protected by the largely impassable Mountains of the Moon, which provide more protection from foreign invasion than the mightiest castles. With the Bite to the north, the Narrow sea to the east and the Bay of Crabs to the south, the Vale's only land border with anyone else is the Riverlands, and only through the Bloody Gate can they threaten the Vale. The Kingdom also has the fealty of the surrounding islands of the Three Sisters, the Paps and the Pebble. The city of Gulltown is large, prosperous and takes in much wealth and trade from across the Narrow Sea. And the people are steadfast and pious. The Knights of the Vale can be considered among the best on the continent.

Though, protected from external dangers, it isn't without issues. Mountain Clans descended from those First Men who refused to kneel to Artys Arryn still lurk in the peaks, and descend periodically to pillage, raid and plunder the hinterland. And the harsh snowfalls of Winter make it particularly hard to travel the mountains, even during the warmer years. And long centuries of tradition and codes make the Lords of the Vale wary of change.

Benefits:
1. Reliable Populace: The people of the Vale are renowned to be reliable and pious.
2. Knights of the Vale: The first kingdom to be settled by the Andals, the tradition of Knighthood is upheld with zealous vigor. Making the Knights of the Vale some of the best in quality, even if not in quantity.
3. Links across the Narrow Sea: The large harbor city of Gulltown takes in trade and ships from across the Narrow Sea and Westeros' east coast regularly, and never lacks activity and exotic goods.
4. Rich Soil: The Vale Proper, the large valley that contains some of the most fertile and rich soil on the continent, produces some of the greatest crop harvests on Westeros. Not even in Highgarden do the pumpkins grow larger or the fruit any sweeter.

Detriments:
1. Hill Wildlings: The tribes and clans of wildlings living in the Mountains of the Moon have proven a prolonged and painful nuisance and issue to the safety of travelers, villages and even Nobles and Kings of the Vale. A plague of outlaws and bandits that descend the mountains regularly.
2. Staunch Traditionalists: The Lords and People of the Vale value tradition. They will not take well to change, outside of extreme circumstances. And not without great effort.
3. Conservative Nobles: The Lords and Knights of the Vale greatly value their traditional rights and privileges of their status, and will work to guard them fervently should they be tread on.
4. Harsh Winters: The Vale has some of the hardest winters in the continent, only the North is more affected by the cold years.

[ ] The Riverlands

The Riverlands is the crossroads of the continent, bordering every other kingdom except Dorne. It comprises forests, plains, hills and, as its name suggests, nearly endless rivers that run through it like veins in the body. Rich and fertile, the rivers direct commerce and trade leading to many market towns springing up, but none have yet attained the status of a city. Its boundaries run from Ironman's Bay and hills of the Westerlands to the west. The Neck to the north. Its eastern borders are anchored by the Mountains of the Moon, Bay of Crabs and Blackwater Bay, holding the territories north of the Blackwater Rush. And its southern border is less anchored and becomes nebulous, vied for by the Reach. The Kingdom has historically been greatly rich and populous in times of peace. Yet, that is the key.

As the crossroads of the continent, the Riverlands has suffered greatly as being the buffer zone, and even battle ground, between every other region. Be it Valeman or Westerman. Stormlander or Reachman. Or, as often it was in its tumultuous history, Riverman versus Riverman. The Riverlands often get embroiled in every little feud and war, and many dynasties have risen and fallen here more so than any other kingdom. Especially since the most recent dynasty to take power, the Teagues, have done so through use of foreign mercenaries. As a result, much of the area's wealth is sapped, and its stability is questionable, but the Rivermen endure nevertheless. As endlessly rolling as their rivers.

Benefits:
1. Highways of Water: The namesake of the region, its rivers, provide wonderful means of wealth and movement in the region. In times of peace, pole boats carry goods and grain up and down its currents to market. In times of war, they're effective means of gathering and moving large quantities of troops.
2. Enduring People: The Rivermen, more so than many other peoples of Westeros, have learned to endure and continue on despite poor circumstances. Seemingly always finding a way to continue with life.
3. Fertile Lands: The Riverlands have impressive harvests when allowed to sow its fields, and the rivers that make its name are the fuel for continued productivity. Allowing the fields to remain arable.
4. Plentiful Towns: The region is rife with towns and large markets where raw materials are turned into refined goods, then sold downriver. These hubs, such as Fairmarket, Saltpans, Harroway's Town, Maidenpool and Stoney Sept, teeming with skilled artisans and wealthy merchants.

Detriments:
1. Quarrelling Riverlords: The Lords of the Riverlands are among the most rowdy, rebellious and uncontrollable on the entire continent. Due to eras of near independence as Petty Kings, and often lieges not too much stronger than they, the Riverlords often feud and quarrel, and no one has that much more of an advantage over another.
2. Battlefield of Westeros: Because of its central position, most of the Riverland's surrounding neighbors try to campaign and conquer bits and pieces, or use the Riverlands as the chessboard upon which they fight their rivals. Armies are never too far from thought, and blood runs like the rivers.
3. Ironborn Raids: Unlike many other regions, who dealt with the Ironborn decisively after a great house consolidated power, the Riverlands have yet to keep the longships from raiding their shores and rivers. Sapping wealth and destabilizing the area.
4. Illegitimate Kings: House Teague are the Kings of the Trident, but that doesn't mean they are beloved rulers. Having conquered the region through force at the head of a foreigner army of mercenaries, and its founder of uncertain birth, the Teagues are perceived as illegitimate, and struggle to keep their vassals in line because of it.

[ ] The Westerlands

The Kingdom of the Rock, ruling the westernmost of the Southron Kingdoms. It's a land of rolling hills, broadleaf forests, plains, and rivers. Though it's soil is fertile enough, the real wealth isn't found in what is grown from the soil, rather it's found from what can be pried from beneath it. Home to the largest deposits of gold, silver and iron on the continent, many houses found their wealth by owning the mines which pull these precious metals from the earth. Lying on the coast of the Sunset Sea, its borders are anchored to the east and south by large hills. Not as impressive as the Vale's mountains, but large enough to form several passes which need to be bypassed to enter the Westerlands. The east borders the Riverlands, and the south borders the Reach. The city of Lannisport is second only to Oldtown, taking in the great amounts of raw materials of precious metals, and refining them into wonderful works of art renowned throughout the world over. This wealth and plenty has also allowed the region's monarchs the ability to firmly stabilize their rule through generous gift-giving, keen diplomacy and smart investments in their armies and fleets.

The problems of the Westerlands begin namely with internal ones. The Lannisters hold a firm grip on its power and wealth, and many houses have benefitted from the Lannister's rule. However, still, many vie for the Lannister's favor. And the ability to influence Casterly Rock is highly coveted amongst the houses that call the King of the Rock their liege. Paired with the fact that the Lannisters are avid players of the Great Game, the competition between each realm and lord plays with the goal being dominion of the southern realms. Leading to many occasions where the Westerlands gambles greatly, and ends up sinking it's great wealth for little gains.

Benefits:
1. Bounty of the Earth: The Westerlands have the richest veins of Gold and Silver in Westeros, making those who own them among the richest houses in Westeros. Wealth is never short at hand, truly, for even in times of great crises, there is always more to pull from the earth.
2. City of Gold: Lannisport is the second most city on the entire continent, behind only Oldtown. Yet, still many flock to the city, following the trail of gold that's built up the vast center of art and trade. Artisans, Jewelers, Silversmiths and more turn the vast quantities of precious metals into the pride and envy of the wealthy, and styles of the noble.
3. Hill Passes: The mountains of the Westerlands are miniscule compared to those of the Vale, yet still they provide the Westerlands with defenses greater than many castles, and the handful of passes into the kingdom's heartland are defended by keeps and leal lords.
4. Quality Troops: The Wealth of the Westerlands means its armies, and fleets, are always paid well and equipped well. And always has funds left over for mercenaries should they ever find need for them. This does not mean they are invincible, however.

Detriments:
1. Lion's Pride: The Lannisters rule, undisputed, anyone who wishes to exert influence on the kingdom must first learn to influence the Lannisters, and Casterly Rock. A difficult thing to manage when everyone else is trying to do the same.
2. When Everyone's Rich: - No one is. The wealth of many Western Lords, particularly those who have managed to discover gold on their land. Wealth and obvious affluence means less here, when there are just as many who can display the same.
3. Dreams of the Avaricious: The vast amounts of wealth found in the Westerlands is as much a boon as a burden, for everyone, Lord or King, with a hunger for gold will think, at least once, to try and take a slice of the Westerlands for themselves.

[ ] The Reach

The Reach, the most fertile and populated of any of the Kingdoms, even its villages are larger than their contemporaries in places like the Stormlands and Westerlands. Centered around the Mander River and its tributaries, as well as the Honeywine River. The Reach borders the Summer Sea to the south, and Sunset Sea to the west. The Westerlands and Riverlands border their rather nebulous northern border, and to the east another nebulous border exists with the Stormlands. The Red Mountains form the only anchored border with any neighboring polity, the Principality of Dorne. The vast plains, fields and farmlands of the Reach produce the most crops of any other kingdom, and then some. Indeed, the fertility of the soil, and abundance of food, has allowed the Reach to maintain truly high populations, and not even in winter do they go hungry. In fact, they trade the food to other regions for hefty profits, making the Reach the second wealthiest kingdom in Westeros. Knighthood and Chivalry found a home here, too, as the ideals took the nobility like a storm, and they've been reverent of them ever since… So too, is it a center of science and learning, from Oldtown and Maester Citadel and Starry Sept sit, housing the High Septon. Art and Culture are likewise promoted at Highgarden, which is almost as much an art project as it is a castle.

However, this doesn't mean the Reach is a paradise on earth, as much as it might sound so. The open fields and plains of the Reach make for poor borders, and without natural obstacles to anchor the boundaries, other powers can march their armies in without issue. The region's large populations and massive tracts of land, also means plenty of lords and knights who've got their own interests. And the hefty romanticization of monarchs like Garth Goldenhand, who won a war against both the Lannisters and Durrandons at the same time, that leasts the glory hungry Reachman knights and lords to, sometimes, great disasters, in their attempts to emulate these figures. Like the wars of Gyles III.

Benefits:
1. Breadbasket of the Continent: Food is abundant in the Reach, whose fields produce more crops than the rest of the kingdoms over. And this abundance of food means high populations to pull soldiery and taxes from.
2. Home of the Faith: Oldtown is the home of the High Septon, who is the leader of the Faith of the Seven, elected by a Divine Conclave. Giving Oldtown, and by extension the Reach, a great deal of prestige.
3. Heart of Chivalry: The Reach wasn't the first kingdom the ideals of knighthood have come to, but none of them have made it as core to their identity as the Reach. Knighthood is greatly admired in the Reach, and no other kingdom has as many of them.
4. Center of Art: The picturesque landscape, wealth, abundance and admiration for knighthood and chivalry have made the Reach subject to many artists, bards and singers the continent over who've come here to do their arts. Be it decorating a castle, recording the tale of a lord, or recalling the likes of Garth Greenhand and his many children, each of whom have founded houses in the Reach.

Detriments:
1. Nebulous Borders: Due to a lack of natural obstacles to define the borders with, other kingdoms often try to expand their borders by exploiting this relative weakness of the Reach.
2. Envy of All: As if the lack of border obstacles wasn't enough, every king or Lord has a reason to want the Reaches' fertile, high crop yielding and populous lands. Which provides food for the granaries, and smallfolk to provide soldiers and fill the coffers.
3. Many People, Many Lords: The Reach doesn't just have the most people living in it, it's also got the most lords and knights. Many of whom have their own interests in mind, and wish to further their own goals. Competition for influence is fierce in a field that houses many families, great and small.
4. For the Glory: The Lords of the Reach, looking back with nostalgia to the reigns of Garth the Great, Garland II, Garth Goldenhand and Garth the Painter, attempt to emulate the greatest glories of their times, and make sometimes reckless actions. Thinking that they'll be the ones to bring back a golden age, most end up like Gyles III.
5. Dornish Marches: Having a large border with Dorne means needing to defend a great deal of raids, pillaging and skirmishing. The Lords who rule over the affected territories are thus named Marcher Lords, and tend to lean toward more martial mindsets.

[ ] The Stormlands

The Stormlands, aptly named because of its tumultuous weather, which has given their inhabitants a hardy and gruff nature. They survive despite non-stellar weather, in the vast and wild forests of the Rainswood and Kingswood. Making them hardy woodmen as well. Indeed, the Stormlands isn't the richest, nor is it the most populated, but one could argue there isn't a more martial people on the continent's mainland. Bordered by Shipbreaker Bay to the east, Blackwater Bay, and the Rush, to the north. The Red Mountains and Dorne to the south, and the Reach to the west. Their people make a good living between farming the lands and taking whatever else from the abundant woodlands that cover great portions of the kingdom. And frequent conflict amongst themselves and their neighbors have led the Lords of the Stormlands to develop great castles to defend themselves.

Indeed. The region sees plenty of warfare, for the Durrandons are keeping together a kingdom made of particularly pronounced regions. The Rainwood and Cape Wrath are more isolated due to the verdant forests, and rule with more autonomy because of it. The Dornish Marcher Lords have more in common with each than someone from Storm's End, or one from Massey's Hook. And the lords bordering Blackwater Bay, or Blackwater Rush, find more in common with the island lords or riverlords than they do Stormlanders. It's everything the Durrandons can do to keep it all together, with words or, as often, with the sword. Alongside their either nebulous or tumultuous borders, conflict isn't too far from the periphery of the minds of the Stormlanders.

Benefits:
1. Weathering the Storm: The castles of the Stormlands are among the best on the continent, and have been tested and honed by their centuries of experience warring with their neighbors or amongst themselves.
2. Ours Is The Fury: It's said that Stormlanders are much like the weather their kingdom is named after, and make some of the best warriors and sailors the continent has to offer due to the hardy nature one needs to survive their homeland.
3. The Marcher Lords: Although the Dornish Marches spread across to the Reach as well, it's the Stormlands who hold most of the plains that're raided by Dornishmen. The Lords and Smallfolk who live here are especially martial in their tendencies, and are acclaimed for their bowmen.
4. Great Woods: The Stormlands has great verdant forests, which might not generate as much wealth as the gold mines of the Westerlands, or the fertile fields of the Reach. They do produce a great number of other goods, such as leather and meat from hunting, berries and herbs from foraging. And most importantly, stout woodsmen who know how to survive in the wild.

Detriments:
1. Dornish Border: The Dornish often participate in a seasonal game of Raid and Counter-raid with the people of the Dornish Marches, but nevertheless they cause damage and death to the smallfolk of the Marches, and skirmish often with their Lords.
2. Regionalism: The Stormlands has an issue of their constituent regions often ignoring royal authority, or enjoying greater autonomy than the Durrandons would like… Sometimes, they openly rebel. Be it the Lords along Blackwater Bay and in Massey's Hook. Or the lords of Cape Wrath and the Rainwood. Or even the Dornish Marches or isles of Estermont and Tarth.
3. Shipbreaker Bay: The storms that ravage the bay and other coastlines of the Stormlands offers very little room for sea trade to come into the area, outside the Gullet and Blackwater Bay, or the Sea of Dorne, of which the Stormlands doesn't own a particularly active or large port in either.
4. Small Population: The Stormlands is, by comparison to it's immediate neighbors, sparsely peopled. With all the implications it has of limited soldiers to recruit, or a smaller tax base to pull from.

[ ] Dorne

Dorne, the southernmost realm, is unique in that it's the sole realm to have a third mass migration of peoples into it. The Rhoynar intermixed with the Andal and First Men of the area, and radically changed the culture of those living in the area. Creating a unique realm, ruled not by a King, but by a Prine. Or Princess, as the Dornish do not distinguish between gender in regards to succession and ruling. They're more open to extramarital relationships, with Paramours, and don't frown at bastards who're born from such relations. These are but a few of the radical changes the region's undergone since Nymeria's Reign. They even have different martial traditions, preferring different weapons and ways of fighting. The region also produces a lot of, otherwise, exotic goods. Dragon Peppers, Lemons, Pomegranates, Spices, Cloth, Oranges, Plums and Olives. Producing their own wines. Breeding their own breed of horse. And having close ties with trade from Essos due to the short distance to travel. The Dornish are also believed to be as hot blooded as their food would suggest, and are prone to feuds and passionate quarrels.

The region's largest problems are, otherwise, glaring. The Dornish are not yet used to this new status quo, and many chafe under the rule of the third of the so-called Red Princes. Rebellion is rife, and tensions high. Dorne holds the only natural desert, and is the least fertile region because of it. Water is worth more than gold in some parts of Dorne. Warfare is common and constant in the Red Mountains. Relations are especially poor with Dorne's two other neighbors, who now view them as foreigners and interlopers who shouldn't be in Westeros. Along with other things, making it more strenuous due to different customs and beliefs.

Benefits:
1. Diverse and Tolerant People: Around the coasts near the Stepstones, you encounter those with heavy Rhoynish ancestry. It peters out the further west or inland you go, eventually coming across those who dwell in the Red Mountains who're mostly of Andal and First Men Stock. Not only has the diversity been in ancestry and culture, but also in religion, some believers of other faiths making the crossing with the Rhoynar, seeing opportunity.
2. Exotic Goods: Dorne produces many goods that are rare and exotic in other regions of Westeros. Be it different breeds of horses, crafts of art inspired by Rhoynish custom, or foods and fruits that do not grow in the colder climates northward.
3. Ties to Essos: Being the nearest region to Essos geographically, much trade from the east comes to Dorne before heading to elsewhere. Allowing for even more exotic goods and peoples to visit the region, sometimes staying there.
4. Different Warfare: The Rhoynar brought over with them different thoughts of how war is waged, and the equipment they used for war as well. Leading to a unique advantage of having tactics and strategies that are unfamiliar to their regional enemies.

Detriments:
1. Diplomatically Isolated: Both of Dorne's immediate neighbors are hostile to the Principality and Lords both, and the Marcher Lords of both the Reach and Stormlands have fostered deep rivalries with the Dornish of the Red Mountains. Making it hard to shake off their reputation as interlopers and foreigners.
2. Rebellious Lords: The Dornish Houses have only sworn fealty to Nymeros-Martell for a century, and many still remember their times as independent, petty kings, and have tested Nymeria's descendents ability to keep the principality together. Until the tensions ease, they shall continue to do so.
3. Low population: The deserts of Dorne do not make for good farmland. Dorne's harsh climate and scarcity of water has always made the region's populations capped on the lower end in comparison to the more temperate regions.
4. Hot Running Blood: The Dornish temperament isn't usually described as 'calm'. And this has effects, as feuds are often very passionate, long standing and heated among the Dornishmen of the south.

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Hello! First time quester here, but I discovered Sufficient Velocity and Questing several months ago, and have been inspired to do a bit of it myself. The biggest internal struggle I had was setting and universe. It was between ASOIAF or a SW Mandalorian Quest. With House of the Dragon's second season coming out, inspiration struck, and I decided I'd go for the ASOIAF idea I had. I hope for patience as I learn the ropes.

Heres a bit of minutiae! This quest is a Pre-Aegon's Conquest quest, and this quest in particular, encompasses the years roughly 100 years after Nymeria's conquest, finishing the unification of each of the regions we know and love. This namely being around 600 BC by many timelines. Focusing namely on the Southron mainland, due to various reasons, foremost among them being that it was the most active and chaotic areas during this time, and thus allows the most room for content. Lots of things that are the standard in the times of the Targaryen Dynasty are not the case here. There are no dragons on Westeros, because the Targaryens haven't moved to Dragonstone yet, and might never. The hills that would become King's Landing have nothing more than a hillfort on it. Houses that are extinct by the time of the dragons are around in full force, like the Hoares, Reynes, Gardeners, Teagues and some others. Other Houses who are in power under the Targaryens, are mere minor houses here, like the Tyrells and Tullys. That is not to say they do not have influence, merely that they are not ruling entire kingdoms as Lords Paramount from the get go, and must earn their power and influence. Or, notably, the absence of an entire region of Westeros, as the Crownlands wouldn't be established until Aegon's Conquest.

This Quest will be done in the CKIII format that's quite popular, kudos go to all the questmasters who've done this before me.

Your choice of region will affect what Houses you can be a part of, or other background options. A Valeman might grow up skirmishing with the Mountain Clans, and obtain attributes or traits because of that experience. A Stormlander from the Marches will be particularly skilled with a Longbow. Or a Dornishman might have the opportunity to start off with a exotic faith. Etc. Etc. Those interested in the Crownlands Region will still have the opportunity to play Crownlands Houses, they are split between the Stormlands and Riverlands during this period, politically and culturally.

I hope you all have fun! I'll try my best.