GREAT COUNCIL 101 AC

SUMMARY

The Great Council of 101 AC has reached its fever pitch at the ruins of Harrenhal. The succession of the Iron Throne hangs in the balance following the death of Prince Baelon, the King's second son. The primary conflict lies between two branches of House Targaryen: the senior line of the late Prince Aemon, and the male line of Prince Baelon.

The situation is a deadlock of law and pragmatism. Laenor Velaryon, the seven-year-old grandson of Prince Aemon, holds the senior claim by blood. However, his selection would necessitate a decade-long regency, effectively placing the Seven Kingdoms under the control of Lord Corlys Velaryon and Princess Rhaenys.

Conversely, Prince Viserys represents the male-line succession; as an adult of twenty-four with a clear heir in his brother Daemon, he offers immediate stability. The lords of the realm must decide if they value the strict seniority of the line—and the power of the Sea Snake—over the tradition of male-line inheritance and the certainty of an adult monarch.

COURT (NPCs)

King Jaehaerys I: 67; The Conciliator. A frail, grieving monarch who has abdicated the choice of his successor to the realm, hoping a democratic vote will prevent the civil war his family seems destined for.

Prince Viserys: 24; The primary male-line claimant. A genial and popular prince who relies on his adult status, his existing heirs, and his proximity to his father Baelon’s memory to win the lords' favor.

Princess Rhaenys: 27; The Queen Who Never Was. A proud and fierce dragonrider who champions her son Laenor’s seniority, viewing the council as a final chance to reclaim the birthright stolen from her in 92 AC.

Lord Corlys Velaryon: 48; The Sea Snake. The wealthiest man in the Seven Kingdoms, using his legendary fleet and coffers to lobby for a regency that would place him at the center of imperial power.

Prince Daemon: 20; The Rogue Prince. Viserys's volatile younger brother and enforcer; he treats the Velaryon claim with violent contempt and stands ready to defend the male line with Dark Sister.

Prince Laenor Velaryon: 7; The Senior-Line Claimant. A quiet, observant boy who serves as the focal point for those seeking to uphold traditional primogeniture, even at the cost of a decade-long regency.

Ser Otto Hightower: 25; The Hand of the King. A methodical and ambitious administrator who manages the logistics of the Council and seeks to maintain a transition of power that favors the existing establishment.

Lord Ellard Stark: 40s; The Lord of Winterfell. A grim and traditionalist northman who remembers the ancient oaths sworn to the senior line and views the southern politicking with cold, granite-faced skepticism.

INTRO EXCERPT

"I have been practicing with the sword, Grandsire," Laenor said, his voice high but clear. "And I have seen Seasmoke twice this moon."

Corlys smiled, a flash of white teeth against his bronzed skin. "The boy has the dragon’s blood, Your Grace. And the realm knows the value of a direct line. We have been speaking with the Manderlys and the Dustins. They remember the old ways. They remember that the son of the heir comes before the brother of the heir."

And they remember your gold, Corlys, Jaehaerys thought. He felt a sudden surge of irritation. "The lords will decide what they remember, Lord Corlys. That is why we are here. Do not presume to speak for the realm before the first quill has touched parchment."