Entertaining a Notion: The Lannisters are Spaniards

Websites and the mouths of colleagues are abuzz with the latest and last series of HBOs adaption of A Song of Ice and Fire, Game of Thrones. Whilst I am familiar with the series, my interest waned sometime ago; this is a pungent and apt criticism. Besides, I do not watch much in the way of television these days.

Anyway, I might as well share this with you as a pet theory. It is of little significance really, but may provoke thought.

It is commonly known that A Song of Ice and Fire draws upon Medieval European history for much of its inspiration: the Wars of the Roses are frequently mentioned. This has spawned various articles, images, &c mapping on bit of Westeros or another to Europe - or vice versa.

Some of these have more worth than others, but I like to see folk thinking about history and how it can be applied to a certain kind of narrative. However, I'd tend to quibble with at least one of their interpretations. Dorne certainly may be thought of as Spanish: we even have authorial fiat on this. However, I should say that it rather represents a Moorish Spain - with a different faith, different mores and somewhat distinct physical features.

If we can map most of Westeros to Western Europe, what of the rest of the Iberian Peninsula? Some can be put in the Dornish Marches. But I'd like to make a case that The Westerlands, home of House Lannister can be thought of as having similarities with Northern Spain.

The mountainous terrain is perhaps one example of this - though that alone is scarcely enough. The long, ocean-facing coast line compares well to the Atlantic, with a sort of Bay of Biscay to the south. Its inhabitants are closer to the capital and court of Westeros than other regions (Dorne, the North and the Iron Islands are somewhat peripheral). The most famous castle of the region is Casterly Rock - which is almost a phonetic reading of Castille. The Lannisters have as their arms the lion: not unique to Spain, but pointing nicely to the Kingdom of Leon. The insistence on wealth and gold maps nicely onto an Early Modern Spain, reaping the rewards of Europe's discovery of the Americas.

[The notion that A Song of Ice and Fire speaks as often to the Early Modern as to the Medieval is not new; however, given Martin was willing to put a Late Medieval Venice equivalent and Pseudo-Babylon on the same continent (and stick down the Colossus of Rhodes at the entrance of the lagoon), linking it all to one time period is a fools errand.]

Said trade might also correspond nicely to the Kingdom of Aragon. We have at least one Westerlands name straight out of Spain: Jaime. Wikipedia suggests that this is simply in the style of distorted real world names, as 'Eddard' for Edward; perhaps, but I mention it anyway. House Westerling, a Westerlands house of narrative relevance bears several sea-shells on its coat of arms - which feels rather like a reference to Santiago de Compostela with its Pilgrim trail and sea-shell badge.

Is all this proof? Barely. But we construct parts of our images of fictional worlds from real places. Here is a little material to perhaps make those images richer.

Valkyries vs Vampires

My last post, tying into the Harry Clarke Project drew on (and obliquely referenced) both the Swan-Maidens of Norse myth and the image of the Vampire. Said Maidens overlap with Valkyries, to some degree or the other.

Therefore, an idea naturally occurs, spurred by the attraction of alliteration. This may hopefully be dropped in at will into a wider narrative.

Our bold heroes are travelling, when they come across the remains of a battle. Fairly recent, too - both sides have retreated, but the dead and dying litter the field. But in the midst of the carnage, figures are moving.

The shapes of armed, beauteous women descend (possibly on horses, perhaps on wolves, conceivably on giant ravens). Valkyries, choosers of the slain. They are picking the battlefield for heroes, to recruit them for the armies of the Allfather*. How can these adventurers see the psychopomps such as these? Presumably they've been around enough magic for it to have had a permanent effect.

If you are unwilling to dig up or make up a unique set of valkyrie rules, I imagine they couls be 'glossed' as high level paladins.

A list of Valkyries might include:
Brünnhilde(soprano)
Waltraute (mezzo-soprano)
Helmwige (soprano)
Gerhilde (soprano)
Siegrune (mezzo-soprano)
Schwertleite (contralto)
Ortlinde (soprano)
Grimgerde (contralto)
Rossweisse (mezzo-soprano)

But amongst the corpses, others lurk. Vampires are preying on the dead (or more likely, the dying) of the battlefield. They are not just here for blood, however. Skilled (if defeated) warriors could be of use as thralls, risen from the dead and under their master's spell.

The Vampires are accompanied by various undead and human minions- the latter very much in the Renfield vein. Among other things, said minions can assist their masters in picking over the battlefield or holding parasols.

A list of Vampires might include:

Graf von Orlock

Sir Francis Varney

Lord Ruthven

Count Alucard

Prince Mamuwalde

(None of the above are known for their vocal work.)

Why might Vampires and Valkyries fight? The main source of conflict here is over resources. Even if it is the spirit of a fallen warrior that gets taken up by a Valkyrie to Asgard, the source of a vampires nourishment is not purely in bodily fluids. Even a lightly touched soul is 'locked down' by vampiric influence.

Why might our heroes back one side or the other? 

Do you want to be a vampire? Wouldn't that be cool?

Are any of your party half-giants? Have they grown up with tales of the wickedness of the Aesir?**

Does the cleric belong to some Pseudo-Christian faith that despises the pagan gods?

How might said cleric feel about vampires?

Does an eternity of battle really sound that good an afterlife?
Presumably, the long-lived earthbound vampires have deeper pockets than valkyries....
...but the valkyries are better suited to return favours - and more likely to keep their promises.



*Probably Odin, or an ersatz version. Though the use of Tyr could be appropriate.
** There are people writing about just this sort of thing. I can't find it, but I do recall some article pointing out that Ragnarok is revenge for the death of Ymir - entirely to be expected, and perhaps even praised by Norse standards.

Harry Clarke Project: The Hawk-Dandy

Armour Class: as leather

Hit Dice: 4

Movement: twice that of a human, but they can fly.

Attacks: two elegant ritual blades, kept hidden under the robe. Charm spells, at the GM's discretion.

Damage: 2d6

No. Appearing: 1

Morale: 8

Treasure: rather little. The robe becomes rather less magnificent upon a Hawk-Dandy's death, the blades less sharp. Some Hawk-Dandies do keep trophies.

Alignment: Neutral

The Hawk-Dandy or Ornifopter appears as a comely young man stepping through thin air. He wears unfamiliar clothing, loose and robe-like, somewhat resembling feathers. Though it is largely unfamiliar, it nonetheless generally strikes the observer as being rather fine and costly. 

Hawk-Dandies dwell in the most impressive locations possible. If the Ornifopter is not poising artistically, or regarding others, or dropping a bon mot into a conversation, they will absent themselves. They dare not eat, groom or complete other personal tasks in the presence of others.They will in fact attempt to kill those that observe them bathing or dining. Pressing them for details of the same is foolish. 

This has meant that some see them as semi-divine, the equivalent of the Swan-Maidens that attend upon some in the Divine Realm. To intrude upon them would be an offence. To inquire after them would be fruitless. 

There is another account of the Hawk-Dandy. A Hawk-Dandy was once human - albeit a magically gifted one. Naturally, they attended one of the prestigious academies of magic. In such schools, there are those pupils that begin to focus less on their studies and more on the social scene and the possibilities fine clothes and delicate conversation can offer. More magic is focused on the self, upon image - and prestigious image at that. In time, a secret of magic becomes clear: your image can override the world around you. 

However, if you spend all your time looking cool, looking cool is about all your magic will offer to you: and you dare not stop looking cool. The student withdraws into the image and is consumed by it, becoming something of elegance and power - under narrow conditions. A Hawk-Dandy's former tutors regard them with pity and resignation, the way a chemistry teacher might regard a bright pupil now working for a notoriously vicious drug cartel.

The meeting of Hawk-Dandy with Hawk-Dandy often results in a duel. 

This has been a post for the Harry Clarke Project, started over at Cavegirl's Game Stuff. It is submitted under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/