Voting this, since I dont think a military campaign is the answer:
[X] To Otto: Agree that something should be done, but not that exile is the right option. Daemon can plot and gather power in Runestone just as well as in Kings Landing. Maybe even easier.
[x] Father is right. They will come to accept you in time.
I'm not going to lie, I'm kinda stunned that yall decided to take a martial build to handle issues that could distinctly be solved by sufficient state craft. You do realize that if you're ever in a position where your proficiency in combat matters, like the Dance of Dragons, you would have already lost, right? You've actually given yourself a worse start then canon and made sure you were distinctly unsuited to resolving either any of the previously existing issues or the ones you introduced by going the route of the Warrior.
I guess you could technically use the build to rub a salve on your tumors and unify the realms by conquering something but...what is there to conquer aside from Essos? And if you do try to take Essos, how are you going to manage to aquire your funds, material, and sufficient shipping for a protracted campaign across the narrow sea (Stewardship), obligate your vessels to join you without making them hate you (Diplomacy/ Intrigue), study and prepare tactics and war machines to counter the known tactics of the Essosi (Martial/ Learning), and gather a large enough force to contest the whole of Essos and all their Mercenaries on both land and sea (probably everything), all while trying to manage the kingdom as your father slowly dies and your detractors "test" you in myriad ways which would be unwise to respond to with violence?
Clearly we need a new conquest of Dorne! That would serve to:
1. Unite the realm behind us against a common foe, one that large sections of the realm already dislike and war against.
2. Put us in command of a very significant host, allowing us to connect with and impress some very significant military commanders and major vassals
3. Allow us to prove ourselves (assuming we win) a capable leader and strong martial commander
4. A victory grants us an extremely large swathe of lands and titles that we can use to tide over supporters and reward loyalty
Of course, to make this work we would need to be significantly more charismatic and a more proven combatant than we are now, but both of those are goals we should be pursuing at this point already anyway. For now, maybe joining Daemon on a military campaign in the stepstones would be a good start on that path.
I'm not going to lie, I'm kinda stunned that yall decided to take a martial build to handle issues that could distinctly be solved by sufficient state craft. You do realize that if you're ever in a position where your proficiency in combat matters, like the Dance of Dragons, you would have already lost, right? You've actually given yourself a worse start then canon and made sure you were distinctly unsuited to resolving either any of the previously existing issues or the ones you introduced by going the route of the Warrior.
I mean I wasn't aiming for a quest where we're optimized for resolving the Dance and judging by the fact people made a Rhaenyra who dreams of romance and becoming a knight, neither did most of the people in this thread
Voting Closed
Adhoc vote count started by Teen Spirit on Jul 30, 2024 at 2:21 PM, finished with 88 posts and 36 votes.
[X] About the Lords: [Defiant] If you were a man, they would praise you for the very same things that they now wag their tongues about and you will not settle for their mere acceptance just to have your memory tainted by their slander like Visenya. The bards will sing of a warrior queen and your name will live long after your detractors have been forgotten. You will make sure of that.
[X] Write-In: Responsibility has not worked, nor can he truly be trusted to govern, so too will a distant posting be considered tantamount to exile. Perhaps a military campaign to settle his humors and allow him to excise his ardor. Recommend that Daemon be sent to subjugate the Valean Mountain Tribes or the Stepstones.
[X] To Otto: Agree that something should be done, but not that exile is the right option. Daemon can plot and gather power in Runestone just as well as in Kings Landing. Maybe even easier.
[X] Agree in part, but disagree with his solution. Daemon wouldn't betray your father despite how much of an immature troublemaker and a pain in the side for anyone on the court, BUT you would rather keep him at arm's length in King's Landing, where we can use a measure of control over him to minimize the trouble that his sheneigans will inevitably cause.
[X] [non-commital Write-In] You can appreciate Daemon as dangerous abstractly, in general, but not deliberately harming you, or his brother. You cannot truly imagine it, even as you increasingly cannot decide which of Daemon's audacity, his cruelty, or his fierce passion for his family rules over him, and see the potential dangers to the crown, if not the king.
[X] To Viserys: Some lieges will never be loved, but are still followed because they are respected. Request challenges that will allow Rhaenyra to prove herself, the same way male heirs might be put to the test.
[X] To Otto: Agree that something should be done, but not that exile is the right option. Daemon can plot and gather power in Runestone just as well as in Kings Landing. Maybe even easier.
[X] About the Lords: [Defiant] If you were a man, they would praise you for the very same things that they now wag their tongues about and you will not settle for their mere acceptance just to have your memory tainted by their slander like Visenya. The bards will sing of a warrior queen and your name will live long after your detractors have been forgotten. You will make sure of that.
This isn't an optimization problem, it's a "use the rope to hang yourself instead of using it to climb out of a pit" problem. You had the canon choice, which would have its issues but ultimately be manageable, AU 1 which would have made you uniquely suited to not plunging the kingdoms into ruin, and AU 2, where you're a muscle head who's main appeal seems to be "can crash and burn even more spectacularly then canon, by being Daemon but better!"
I mean I wasn't aiming for a quest where we're optimized for resolving the Dance and judging by the fact people made a Rhaenyra who dreams of romance and becoming a knight, neither did most of the people in this thread
...did we have to choose between avoiding a massive disaster that will result in the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives, with after effects that would be felt for literally the rest of the world's history, and being a Romantic with a lovely dream?
I'm not saying we should metagame now that we have a character, but that was an explicitly Meta Vote and I'm just not understanding why people chose the start that seems near certain to have a bad ending.
[X] To Otto: Agree that something should be done, but not that exile is the right option. Daemon can plot and gather power in Runestone just as well as in Kings Landing. Maybe even easier.
[X] About the Lords: [Defiant] If you were a man, they would praise you for the very same things that they now wag their tongues about and you will not settle for their mere acceptance just to have your memory tainted by their slander like Visenya. The bards will sing of a warrior queen and your name will live long after your detractors have been forgotten. You will make sure of that.
This isn't an optimization problem, it's a "use the rope to hang yourself instead of using it to climb out of a pit" problem. You had the canon choice, which would have its issues but ultimately be manageable, AU 1 which would have made you uniquely suited to not plunging the kingdoms into ruin, and AU 2, where you're a muscle head who's main appeal seems to be "can crash and burn even more spectacularly then canon, by being Daemon but better!"
...did we have to choose between avoiding a massive disaster that will result in the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives, with after effects that would be felt for literally the rest of the world's history, and being a Romantic with a lovely dream?
I'm not saying we should metagame now that we have a character, but that was an explicitly Meta Vote and I'm just not understanding why people chose the start that seems near certain to have a bad ending.
You're too late to vote, it closed just a handful of minutes before you posted.
You're still treating this an an optimalization problem.
Character creation is not a metavote where you pick the best optimized character for a given scenario. The QM has given a list of options for characters that people would like to play, and the vote is about that, not about what would be best.
Though, TBH, I'm kinda struggling to explain the basic idea that not everyone crafts a roleplaying character for optimal tactical advantage, as that would, severely, miss the point.
You're still treating this an an optimalization problem.
Character creation is not a metavote where you pick the best optimized character for a given scenario. The QM has given a list of options for characters that people would like to play, and the vote is about that, not about what would be best.
Though, TBH, I'm kinda struggling to explain the basic idea that not everyone crafts a roleplaying character for optimal tactical advantage, as that would, severely, miss the point.
Like, I legit just went with the current option because "Gay Princess Knight"
I have been transparent about playing Rhaenyra Girlkisser
And sure, while we could've done that with the other plans (I was initially for Valyria Reborn), I decided to go with this because I'm not about optimisation, I'm about having fun and being extraordinarily gay.
This isn't an optimization problem, it's a "use the rope to hang yourself instead of using it to climb out of a pit" problem. You had the canon choice, which would have its issues but ultimately be manageable, AU 1 which would have made you uniquely suited to not plunging the kingdoms into ruin, and AU 2, where you're a muscle head who's main appeal seems to be "can crash and burn even more spectacularly then canon, by being Daemon but better!"
Aside from other people's comments re optimization vs cool story to read, gotta say you seem to have an incredibly rosey view of the Scholar option. Approximately none of the nobility would be impressed by a technocrat Rhaenyra (see how they treat the Freys for being based on trade and tolls or the Gulltown Arryns for being traders) no matter how amazing her crop rotation schedule is. Unimpressed nobles are prone to troublesome behavior, such as a civil war to put a cool warrior relative on the throne.
Aside from other people's comments re optimization vs cool story to read, gotta say you seem to have an incredibly rosey view of the Scholar option. Approximately none of the nobility would be impressed by a technocrat Rhaenyra (see how they treat the Freys for being based on trade and tolls or the Gulltown Arryns for being traders) no matter how amazing her crop rotation schedule is. Unimpressed nobles are prone to troublesome behavior, such as a civil war to put a cool warrior relative on the throne.
Westerosi nobles prefer a warrior monarch, mostly because they assume that said warrior monarch is dim-witted. Which is what Kufufu is also assuming.
But aside from that, Westerosi nobles aren't exactly in the market for "A smart king" because those are sometimes harder to mess with. There's a reason why most Westersoi are either warriors or diplomats, with the nerds being relegated to the Citadel and occasionally, the Wall.
Not to also mention, if we went scholar, our dragon would be quite skittish, which doesn't exactly work with the whole Targaryen dragon dominance. While warrior Nyra has a fairly strong dragon. Sure, it's not a hard fix for our problems, but "I have a big fuck off dragon" is a surprisingly good argument.
And an even better one when our dragon isn't a small skittish creature.
Im looking for a Weird dance with our fvorite bisexual dragonriding princess knight, not o solve every issue before it appears, and also playing Visenya reborn just seems cool.
besides none of the other options provide us with the opportunity of having a cool moment where we cut our hair short with a weapon of war to represent us overcoming some internalized problem, which is my favorite trope in media and something I will be encouraging at the most dramatic opportunity possible
Aside from other people's comments re optimization vs cool story to read, gotta say you seem to have an incredibly rosey view of the Scholar option. Approximately none of the nobility would be impressed by a technocrat Rhaenyra (see how they treat the Freys for being based on trade and tolls or the Gulltown Arryns for being traders) no matter how amazing her crop rotation schedule is. Unimpressed nobles are prone to troublesome behavior, such as a civil war to put a cool warrior relative on the throne.
I do fundmentally think Warrior!Rhaenyra is probably the middle of the two in terms diffculty, though each would have had their own challenges. With Scholar basically being trying to be Daeron II and a Woman. Definitely the harder route but perhaps with more radical outcomes.
Adhoc vote count started by Teen Spirit on Jul 30, 2024 at 2:21 PM, finished with 88 posts and 36 votes.
[X] About the Lords: [Defiant] If you were a man, they would praise you for the very same things that they now wag their tongues about and you will not settle for their mere acceptance just to have your memory tainted by their slander like Visenya. The bards will sing of a warrior queen and your name will live long after your detractors have been forgotten. You will make sure of that.
[X] Write-In: Responsibility has not worked, nor can he truly be trusted to govern, so too will a distant posting be considered tantamount to exile. Perhaps a military campaign to settle his humors and allow him to excise his ardor. Recommend that Daemon be sent to subjugate the Valean Mountain Tribes or the Stepstones.
[X] To Otto: Agree that something should be done, but not that exile is the right option. Daemon can plot and gather power in Runestone just as well as in Kings Landing. Maybe even easier.
[X] Agree in part, but disagree with his solution. Daemon wouldn't betray your father despite how much of an immature troublemaker and a pain in the side for anyone on the court, BUT you would rather keep him at arm's length in King's Landing, where we can use a measure of control over him to minimize the trouble that his sheneigans will inevitably cause.
[X] [non-commital Write-In] You can appreciate Daemon as dangerous abstractly, in general, but not deliberately harming you, or his brother. You cannot truly imagine it, even as you increasingly cannot decide which of Daemon's audacity, his cruelty, or his fierce passion for his family rules over him, and see the potential dangers to the crown, if not the king.
[X] To Viserys: Some lieges will never be loved, but are still followed because they are respected. Request challenges that will allow Rhaenyra to prove herself, the same way male heirs might be put to the test.
You couldn't quite put it into words for your Father. You knew, no matter how sympathetic he was, he would not be able to fully grasp why you were so frustrated with the lords. If he had been this inclined with the sword and lance at your age, the lords of the realm would have loved him, praised him. The Great Council might have been even more of an overwhelming victory for him than it had already been. If you had been born Baelon Targaryen, the lords of the realm would be singing of your glory, encouraging their daughters to give you their favors at any tourney you entered, and perhaps even naming their own sons after you.
But since you had been born Rhaenyra, the same skills that would have won you praise now earn you scorn and mockery.
Visenya proved that a Targaryen woman could become a warrior, but she also proved that once they were gone the men of the realm would work to diminish and tarnish their legacy.
You needed to be more than a warrior. You needed to be a knight. The kind of knight bards would sing about for generations. A figure of legend like Symeon Star-Eyes, that girls would look up to long after the lords mocking you behind your back were dead and forgotten.
For that to happen, you needed to do more than just train. You needed to prove yourself to the kingdoms. Show that you were a warrior and that you demanded their respect.
New Actions Unlocked
"Responsibility has not worked, nor can Daemon truly be trusted to govern, and exile would only make him worse, even if we somehow convinced my father to go along with such a thing," you declared. "But perhaps there is a way to make use of his aggression."
Otto Hightower stared at you with a skeptical expression.
"Few can deny Daemon's skills as a warrior. I think they would be better put to work fighting against the enemies of the Throne," you explained. "Send Daemon and those loyal to him on a military campaign in the mountains of the Vale, or against the pirates in the Stepstones. A few years of bloodshed might exhaust my uncle of his worst impulses."
Otto let out a humorless chuckle. "If you think giving a man command of his own war will cool his blood, Princess, you are very much-"
He trailed off for a moment, a thoughtful look in his eyes.
"Then again, Lord Corlys has been pushing more and more for the Crown to take action against the Triarchy," Otto remarked. "If we sent Daemon and his men against the Stepstones, that will keep Daemon out of our hair for several years and appease the Master of Ships with minimal cost to the Crown."
Otto looked at you, his gaze growing more intent for a moment, as though he were appraising you somehow. For what and why you could not say.
"I think this idea of yours is rather clever, Princess," Otto replied. There was a tiny smile on his face though he almost seemed to be hiding it as he turned his head away.
"Of course there is little we could until Daemon grows bored of brooding on Dragonstone," Otto went on. "And if he's successful, if, then when he returns, his victories might give him even more sway at court and with his Grace. Still, I can't deny the utility of sending Daemon to fight the Sea Snake's wars. I will keep this in mind the next time Lord Corlys brings up the issue."
"I am glad to hear it, Lord Hand," you replied politely.
You weren't sure if much or anything were come of this conversation, but you did notice a small change in Otto's gaze as you left. It was small, barely more than a hint, but you could swear you could almost see approval in his eyes.
Relationship with Otto Hightower Improved
Lord Commander Ryam Redwyne of the Kingsguard was dead. His death was about as far removed from your mothers as you could get. He was an older man, had been sick for a while, and he had been able to pass away peacefully in his sleep. It was strange. A man who had dedicated himself to the life of a warrior and knight was able to live a long and peaceful life, whereas a woman who had never once held a sword died when she was far too young, blood staining much of her bed.
The choice for new Lord Commander was obvious to everyone at court. Your sworn shield, Ser Harrold Westerling. He had served both your father and Jaehaerys faithful and you knew he had the right temperament to be a leader. You still couldn't help but feel sad. He had been protecting you for over a decade now, he was a kind man and your friend. He would still be around of course, but things wouldn't be the same. He had a duty to your father and the whole Kingsguard now.
Of course, with the Kingsguard down to six , it was time to select someone new to wear the white cloak. Someone new to be your sworn shield. To protect you against assassins and other threats. Fittingly, Lord Commander Westerling and Ser Otto Hightower have seen fit to have you make the final decision on who should be your new shield.
You look down at them now, seven knights standing before you. Six with banners from various notable houses across the seven kingdoms and one with barely more than his armor.
Westerling stood at your side as you assessed the men. Otto pacing behind you as your cousin Rhaenys chose to watch everything from a balcony above you for reasons you could only guess at.
"Ser Desmond Caryon has shown great valor and skill in various tourneys across the realm," Ser Westerling explained as you gazed down at the knight in yellow. "On his way here through the Kingswood he was able to bring a would be poacher to justice."
"Fine work," You say with a hint of warmth in your voice. "A true knight should always strive to serve the realm, no matter their current task."
Westerling nodded in approval at your sentiment.
The Knight Commander had already put all of the candidates through trials, so the man must be a skilled knight, but it seemed he seen little action beyond tourneys. Though bringing the would be poacher to justice does speak to some sense of duty.
You could feel Rhaenys gaze upon you as the next knight stepped forward.
"Ser Rymun Mallister, son of Lymond Mallister of Seaguard," Ser Westerling introduced a knight in blue. "Winner of the Melee at Cidar Hall. Ser Rymun was knighted at the age of eight and ten."
Again, their experince was little more than tourneys, but you've seen your share of melees. They were fairly brutal knock down affairs, arguably more dangerous than a joust. Winning a melee proved this man was decent with a sword at least. And being knighted so young means the man must have shown a decent amount of talent.
"It's important to remember these men come from powerful houses," Otto advised. "Important allies of the crown, allies who would be greatly honored by one of their own joining the Kingsguard."
It was clear that the actual skills of the men before you mattered little to Otto Hightower. He was more concerned about the political gain for the crown.
Next was the only one without any heraldry behind him. His armor was dented and scratched in many places, a few pieces looking rather mismatched. Everything about this man said he was a man of meager mans, barely a noble if that. And yet this man, Ser Criston Cole, had defeated your uncle at the tourney.
"Ser Criston Cole, son of the steward of the Lord of Blackhaven," the Knight Commander said. "Knighted for his efforts against the Dornish incursions."
"You fought in the Dornish marches?" You asked with a disarming smile.
This was an interesting surprise. Someone with actual experince in combat. Ser Criston cut quite the striking figure as well. Younger than the other knights, and a mostly shaven face with striking dornish features. And his smile alone was proof the man had more charm then the others before her.
"I fought for two years as foot soldier," Cole explained. "Ser Arlan Dondarrion knighted me after we razed two watchtowers along the Boneway."
Next up was a Tarly knight dressed in Green.
"Ser Raylon Tarly, cousin to Lord Donald Tarly. He has served his house valiantly for many years," Ser Westerling explained. "And has won great honor in several tourneys."
Another with no actual experience in combat and he looked older than the rest, silver coloring much of his hair. But Tarlys were Marcher lords, proud ones at that. If nothing else this man was trained by people who knew how to fight.
The others would do little to grab your attention, few tourney wins among them and none had combat experience like Ser Criston. This narrowed it down to four options for you. Tarly, Cole, Mallister, or Caryon. Cole was the only one with actual experince in combat, but his low birth meant you would not be winning any allies by choosing him. The Mallister and Tarly knights may not have had combat experince but their training and tourney showings were something to be considered. And Caryon did seem to have a sense of duty to the crown.
A fifth option struck you suddenly. Instead of simply choosing one of these knights you could challenge each of these men to one on one fights, making whoever defeated you the fastest your new sworn shield. You didn't think you had much chance of beating any of these knights, and if you did they really had no business protecting you in the first place, but a duel would give you a chance to figure out what kind of men these knights truly were. And perhaps more importantly, it might show you if these men would be more premissive with your pursuits then most. After all, if they're willing to fight you, that surely must mean they're at least willing to consider taking you seriously as warrior. Mayhaps even agreeing to train you.
Doing this would naturally upset Otto of course, maybe even Ser Westerling as well, but when has that stopped you?
Who will you appoint to the Kingsguard?
[] Ser Desmond Caryon
[] Ser Rymun Mallister
[] Ser Criston Cole
[] Ser Raylon Tarly
[] [Strong] Demand a duel with each man, declaring whoever does best will be your new Sworn Shield (Dice Rolls Involved)
QM's Note: While I generally try to keep to show canon, I will be changing the timing of various events early on to better fit the turn format, otherwise we'd have a quite a bit happening all during Turn 2. Also, the Tarly is an OC. I just felt like it would be remiss to not have the Tarly knight as an option considering their general lore reputation as strong warriors.
Yeah admittedly I figured as much but there was always the chance someone would pick a firm option to avoid the small chance of both Criston Cole agreeing to duel, and winning.
