Skyrim System In Westeros

Soon after, Robert led his army to the ruins of Summerhall, where he decisively defeated three pro-loyalist families in his territory, significantly boosting morale. Instead of executing the defeated traitors, Robert brought them back to Storm's End, where he celebrated with wine and revelry. As the eldest brother, Robert's leadership shone, and from that moment on, the Stormlands were united as one.

A raven from the Reach had already returned, bearing only the words "Ashford" written on it. Robert immediately understood that House Tyrell had agreed to the terms. He quickly led his main army into action, leaving a thousand men to defend Storm's End. To be cautious, Robert sent out scouts and discovered that the forces of the Reach had gathered at the Cider Hall. Even the most battle-hardened troops, led by the capable Randyl Tarly, were stationed only near the Cider Hall, with the forces stationed at Ashford being solely composed of soldiers from the local lord's house, the Senford family.

Robert sent a small force to engage House Ashford in battle, with both sides exchanging blows. As soon as reinforcements from the Reach arrived, Robert's army feigned retreat, abandoning some flags, weapons, and armor as they fled, and quickly led the main force northward.

The Reach army, led by Lord Randyl Tarly, bypassed other towns in the Stormlands and advanced directly toward Storm's End, the stronghold of the rebel leader Robert. Faced with the seemingly impregnable walls of Storm's End, Lord Tarly ordered a siege. His soldiers set up camp outside the castle, cooking and preparing food, while the nobles were well-fed with wine and meat. A raven was sent to King Aerys II, reporting that Robert had been defeated and was fleeing north, while they laid siege to Storm's End. The king was overjoyed and sent generous rewards of wine to the troops.

Meanwhile, Dorne's raven had also returned. Prince Doran Martell replied that House Martell would join forces with the Reach, but the other Dornish lords and their vassals were beyond his control. The Martell's, like the Tyrels, have a loose control over theirs vassals.

Doran also expressed his wish for Renly and Wright to visit Sunspear. After a discussion among the Baratheon brothers, Wright assured them that even if Dorne turned against them, he and Renly would have the means to escape. With that, Robert agreed to Dorne's request and sent twenty loyal guards to escort Wright and Renlt by ship to Sunspear.

Each of the Baratheons had their own duties to attend to.

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Dorne, with its unique desert landscape, was very different from the rest of Westeros. While the majority of Dornish people lived in the southwestern, wetter regions near rivers and coastal areas, Dorne also had several cities and fortresses. The capital, Sunspear, was a city built on a small peninsula, with several tall towers rising above the sea, a striking sight from afar.

The Iron Throne had never fully conquered Dorne. Over two hundred years ago, the Targaryens, riding dragons, burned nearly every major city in Dorne. Despite heavy losses, the Dornish refused to yield, and this defiance had become a point of pride for them. Following this, peace was achieved through marriage alliances. Dorne had nominally submitted to the Iron Throne, but in practice, it retained autonomy. As a result, Martell's were titled princes rather than Lords, unlike the leaders of other regions.

Because Dorne was separated from the rest of Westeros by a vast desert, Dornish people had less interaction with other regions, which allowed them to preserve many traditions from their ancestors, the Rhoynar people of the eastern continent. For example, both men and women in Dorne were known for their fiery and open personalities. Women trained in combat and fought alongside men on the battlefield, and both genders had equal inheritance rights.

The ship slowly approached the port of Sunspear. Sunspear, perched on a small rocky peninsula, had its castle surrounded by the sea on three sides. The tall towers of the castle could be seen from a great distance. Like Storm's End, Sunspear was primarily a military stronghold rather than a commercial hub, and the port was small, adequate only for daily life and transportation needs.

After Renly, Wright and their guards disembarked, the prince's guards were already waiting at the port to welcome them. They passed through the Shadow City, a district outside the city walls where commoners ran shops, similar to the markets of Storm's End. However, Sunspear's walls were unlike those of any other city. They consisted of three layers, each winding and curving through the residential areas, making the city feel like a labyrinth.

Following the guards into the inner city, they reached the Throne Hall. Inside, stained-glass windows filled the space with vibrant colors. At the far end of the hall, on a raised platform, stood two thrones: one with the golden spear emblem of House Martell and the other with the red sun emblem, symbolizing the union of the two houses. The golden spear had once been the Martell family's sigil, while the red sun was the emblem of Queen Nymeria of the Rhoynar, who had fled from the Valyrian conquest over a thousand years ago. She had led her people to Dorne and married into House Martell. Many of Dorne's customs were brought by her people, including the tradition of women warriors proudly bearing the red sun emblem. In the future, the daughter of House Stark would have a direwolf named Nymeria.

"Your Highness, good afternoon. I came to Dorne for travel, and thus asked my brother Robert to arrange this," Renly said, delivering the prepared words. After the greeting, Renly's guards handed over the letter sealed with Robert's seal and gifts sent by Robert to the prince's guards.

On the surface, Wright and Renly were in Dorne for a visit, and to ensure their stay was well managed, Robert had also sent a gift of several thousand gold dragons. Since the war's end was uncertain, and to avoid future complications, Robert hoped the gifts would help temper any potential anger should things take an unexpected turn.

After reading the letter, Prince Doran Martell glanced at Wright and Renly. He had little to say to the two young boys, knowing the real situation between them. Without further discussion, he instructed his steward, Licaso, to show Wright and Renly to their rooms and ordered the guards to prevent the boys and their attendants from leaving the castle grounds.

The castle was vast, and the steward assigned five guest rooms in the guest wing. Wright and Renly shared a large room, which had a breeze flowing through it from both the north and south, with a curtain of beads separating the space. The ceiling was adorned with intricate glass carvings, and the furniture and carpets displayed traditional Dornish patterns. The large garden outside featured palm and coconut trees, giving the space an exotic feel.

As the guards arranged their belongings, the two boys wandered through the garden. Wright told Renly that the coconuts on the trees, as big as their heads, were delicious. This was Renly's first time seeing such large fruits. Tempted by the sight, he couldn't resist. Seeing no one around, he picked up a small stone from the garden and threw it at one of the coconuts.

"You two are already smashing my coconuts?" came a voice from nearby. Three young girls approached. The oldest appeared to be around ten, while the younger two seemed to be about Renly and Wright's age.

Renly quickly bowed and said, "Good afternoon, ladies." It was a bit awkward being caught trying to smash coconuts in someone else's garden, especially as a noble.

Wright, with his thick skin, immediately changed the subject, "This coconut looks great, but why hasn't it made it to Storm's End?"

The oldest girl responded in a tone that suggested she was speaking to someone guilty, "We Dorne folk can barely feed ourselves, let alone have extra to sell."

"May I ask your names?" Renly inquired, realizing the hostility in the air but not daring to speak further. Wright, on the other hand, wasn't fazed by the girls attitude and took the lead.

"I'm Obara Sand," the oldest girl said, "This is my sister Nymeria Sand, and this is Tyene Sand. Our father is Prince Oberyn."

Wright's memory kicked in—these were the future Sand Snakes, Oberyn Martell's infamous bastard daughters. As the brother of Dorne's ruler, Oberyn had money and freedom. He spent his life traveling, fighting, and indulging in many lovers without ever marrying. His numerous bastard daughters, raised like his legitimate children, were known as the Sand Snakes, infamous for their deadly skills in poison and stealth. But for now, they were just young girls.

Wright smiled at them, "I'm Wright, and this is my twin brother Renly."

The girls had overheard their uncle, Prince Doran, discussing the two hostages from Storm's End and had come to take a look at the twins. While twins were not rare in many parts of the world, they were uncommon in Dorne, making this a curious sight.

The three girls exchanged glances, trying to spot any differences between the two brothers. Wright, in turn, took the opportunity to observe them.

The eldest, Obara, had brown hair, close-set eyes, and a strong build.

Nymeria, the second, had black hair and eyes, and already, at such a young age, her beauty was evident. She was named after the legendary warrior-queen Nymeria, reflecting the high regard Dorne held for her.

The youngest, Tyene, had blonde hair, blue eyes, and a sweet appearance.

For Wright, even though the girls were older, they were still just children, and given his experiences across two lifetimes, he had little trouble connecting with them. With a few stories, jokes, and an easy-going attitude, he broke the tension, making Renly and the girls laugh together, easing the awkwardness.