Our Blades Are Sharp / Characters

open/close all folders

House Stark of Winterfell

Lord Eddard Stark*

Lord Eddard Stark, the Warden of the North, Hand of the King, Protector of the Realm

Ned

Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, father of Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran and Rickon.

Badass in Distress: He became the Stark stuck as a hostage in King's Landing, until he's finally released in exchange for Jamie as part of the truce between the Crown, the Lannisters and the Starks.
Berserk Button: The young Ned seemed to have one of these over calling Northerners "savage". Robert has a memory of one of the Waynwood boys saying the North was full of savages, so Ned started a food fight.
Demoted to Extra: Ned's only had three POV chapters. Presumably, his storyline is going just as it did in the books/show, so there's no need to tell it twice.
The Dreaded: Played for Laughs when Domeric is busy fretting about Lord Stark going Boyfriend-Blocking Dad on poor little him.
A Father to His Men: While imprisoned, his first questions are about the members of his household.
Food Fight: Robert tells a story of how Ned started one during his time in the Vale. And Lord Arryn made them clean up the whole mess.
Former Teen Rebel: Apart from the aforementioned Food Fight, Ned remembers a time when he and Robert went out at night and tried to leave the Eyrie using the baskets. Lord Arryn was not pleased.
Luke, I Am Your Father: Inverted; he tells Jon he's not his father.
My Greatest Failure: The sequel indicates that his failures as Hand of the King haunt him.
Out-of-Character Alert: Myrcella notes that Ned is not a man to seek power, which makes the idea of attempting to usurp the throne ludicrous.
Parental Substitute: To Jon Snow, to the point that Jon sees him as his true father instead of Rhaegar Targaryen.
Perfectly Arranged Marriage: With Catelyn. He also hopes for one for all of his children.
Reasonable Authority Figure: While he quickly guesses Lord Bolton seeks to secure Sansa as a bride for Domeric and acknowledges the match is politically sound, he still waits to see how well Domeric and Sansa fit together. When he concludes Domeric will be a good husband to his daughter, he happily agrees to the betrothal.
Spared by the Adaptation: Sansa is able to arrange for his release.
Taking the Veil: The Lannisters want him to take the Black (go to the Night's Watch), although Robb and Sansa manage to negotiate out of this deal.

Lady Catelyn Stark

Lady Catelyn Stark (nee Tully)

Cat

Lady of Winterfell and mother to Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran and Rickon.

The Bus Came Back: Returns to Winterfell in Chapter 46.
Demoted to Extra: Robb sent Catelyn back North after meeting up at Moat Cailin. It's implied that he's unhappy with her for her treatment of Jon at the Crossroads Inn.
Kick the Dog: Arresting Tyrion, even after Jon vouched for him, deciding it's too little, too late.
"The actions of a guilty man who had a change of heart. Your repentance comes too late."
Out of Focus: Catelyn has yet to have a POV chapter.
Perfectly Arranged Marriage: With Ned.
Spotting the Thread: Notes pretty quickly that Roose Bolton has more things on his mind than just fostering when Domeric arrives at Winterfell.
"You!" Exclamation: When she sees Jon at the Crossroads Inn.

Robb Stark*

Robb Stark, Warden of the North

Eldest son and heir of Lord Eddard Stark and Lady Catelyn Tully.

Arranged Marriage: With Myrcella Baratheon. It falls through when he learns of her true parentage.
Ascended Extra: Robb was a non-POV in the books. As of Chapter 41, he has had six POV chapters.
Brother–Sister Team: Although he was hesitant to involve her at first, when he actually starts working with Sansa to outsmart or negotiate with their enemies, they make a formidable pair.
The Chains of Commanding: Robb muses on the dual roles a lord has as a leader and a father (in his case, an older brother).
It seemed in order to be the Lord of Winterfell, Robb had to put aside his role as their older brother and that hurt him more than he could say.
Cool Big Bro: To Bran and Rickon. This is another aspect that sets him as a Foil to Joffrey, who is a Big Brother Bully.
Heroic Self-Deprecation: At one point, refers to himself as the "hasty wolf", due to his habit of quickly leaving meetings.
Honor Before Reason: He's shocked when Domeric kills a wildling woman begging for mercy - as the Bolton heir thought she would try to backstab them - and lies when reporting the event in a misguided attempt to save his friend's reputation.
Something Only They Would Say: Inverted when he receives Myrcella's letter to come to King's Landing. He realizes it's not her idea because she doesn't ask about Bran.
These Hands Have Killed: After killing the wildling he fought, he drops his sword and tries not to look at it.
This Is Gonna Suck: When he hears that he and Sansa are to entertain the guests when King Robert comes to Winterfell.
Warrior Poet: Writes poetry to Myrcella (though not very good poetry).
Wouldn't Hit a Girl: Much less an unarmed, surrendering one.
You Are in Command Now: At the end of the first story, Ned passes the title of Warden of the North to him.

Sansa Stark*

Sansa Stark

Elder daughter of Lord Eddard Stark and Lady Catelyn Tully.

Adaptational Badass: Develops Silk Hiding Steel much earlier. She also wargs into Lady a couple times during the trip to White Harbor and later during Domeric's battles to protect him.
Adaptational Intelligence: This time around, she's not blind to Joffrey's cruelty or Cersei's malice and is better at navigating the Decadent Court of King's Landing. Also, she obeys her father when he tells her and Domeric to leave King's Landing.
Adaptational Nice Girl: Much less of an Alpha Bitch to Arya than she was in the books and even apologizes for it. She also apologizes to Jon for holding him at an arm's-length and becomes much closer to him as a result.
All Girls Want Bad Boys: Averted this time around; she has no interest whatsoever in Joffrey.
All Love Is Unrequited: Zig-zagged. The betrothal between Sansa and Domeric was politically based, but they love each other for who they are.
Almost Kiss: During the chapters before the equivalent of A Game of Thrones, it's a Running Gag.
Arranged Marriage: With Domeric Bolton. Although considering how much they love each other, it's more of a Perfectly Arranged Marriage.
Big Sister Mentor: Resolves to become one to Myrcella to lessen the Culture Clash from Myrcella's move northward to become Robb's wife.
Body Snatcher: Wargs into Lady, which she doesn't realize until Jon explains it to her.
Broken Pedestal: A lot of her notions about the South are broken down fairly quickly when the King comes to Winterfell.
Composite Character: Seems to be taking Bran's role as the "Stark in Winterfell" in the sequel.
Conflicting Loyalty: Sansa feels torn between wanting to treat Jon as a brother and not wanting to hurt her mother. This finally comes to a head at her wedding, where she insists that Jon is to be seated at the high table with his family, despite her mother's heavy protests.
Flower Motifs: Roses. Domeric sends her messages with blue roses attached. When he crowns her the Queen of Love and Beauty at the Hand's tourney, he gives her a crown of golden roses.
Foil: To Lyanna Stark. Both are ladies of House Stark who are betrothed to a lord who was fostered in the Vale. However, Sansa is very happy in her betrothal because of her friendship with Domeric, while Lyanna was reluctant due to Robert's checkered sexual history. Each also attracted the (unwanted in Sansa's case) attentions of a Prince (Rhaegar for Lyanna, Joffrey for Sansa).
Green Around the Gills: Poor Sansa gets a horrible case of seasickness.
I Hate Past Me: She's genuinely ashamed of the way she was enthralled by the songs and tales of brave knights and fair ladies.
In Spite of a Nail: Still winds up going to King's Landing. It's heavily implied that Joffrey is responsible.
Love Interest: To Domeric Bolton.
Manipulative Bastard: In the sequel, it's revealed she arranged for Fair Walda to be caught in a compromising position.
The Matchmaker: She's determined to find good husbands for the ladies of House Frey in her retinue so they won't have to go home again.
Politeness Judo: As Lord Bolton says: "Power tastes best when sweetened by courtesy." It's one of the things Domeric likes about her, as shown during her conversations with Queen Cersei.
Put on a Bus: With Domeric in Chapter 32, as the two head back to the North. The Bus Came Back in Chapter 40.
Silk Hiding Steel: This time, Sansa doesn't let Cersei fool her and keeps her composure even when the Queen deliberately tries to unsettle her. She also successfully bargains with Walder Frey for letting her brother cross the Twins, and handles the negotiation with the Lannisters alongside Robb.
So Beautiful, It's a Curse: A reviewer from Chapter 10 points out that no matter how good her situation is, with a betrothed who loves her, Sansa will always attract the worst kind of men (i.e. Joffrey).
World's Most Beautiful Woman: Domeric is sure she'll become this.
You Are in Command Now: After Ned gets injured, Sansa and Domeric have to take charge of the household for a week. Later, when Ned goes to the Vale to secure allies, she and Domeric are put in charge of Winterfell.

Arya Stark*

Arya Stark

Pup

Third child and second daughter of Lord Eddard Stark and Lady Catelyn Tully.

Afraid of Their Own Strength: Arya's terrified of warging, since Old Nan often tells stories of evil wargs. She's afraid of being seen as an abomination by people like her mother, Septa Mordane, Harwin, and Jeyne Poole.
Amazon Brigade: Sent to foster at Bear Island.
Arranged Marriage: To Colmar Frey. She's predictably unhappy about it.
Body Snatcher: She's already started warging into Nymeria in Chapter 29.
Damsel in Distress: In Chapter 14 of Red Reign, she's captured by Ironborn raiders at the Neck while making her way to Winterfell.
In-Series Nickname: Arya receives the nickname "Pup" from the ladies of House Mormont, just like her uncle Benjen, who was nicknamed the "Wolf Pup".
Locked Out of the Loop: Didn't know that Jon was no longer traveling with Tyrion and made it to King's Landing, so she spends quite some time worried for him as a result.
Off with His Head!: Decapitates a dummy. Also doubles as Stab the Salad.
Textile Work Is Feminine: Subverted when she learns there are more practical means to use sewing: stitches.
The Unfavorite: As far as Septa Mordane is concerned.
You Remind Me of X: Notes to Sansa that Myrcella reminds her (Arya) of Sansa.

Bran Stark

Brandon Stark

Bran

Second son of Lord Eddard Stark and Lady Catelyn Tully.

Cheerful Child: Just listen to how excited he was to go to King's Landing, to the point where he was too excited to pack.
Dream-Crushing Handicap: Gets pushed out of a tower and gets paralyzed.
Heroic BSoD: He's spent Chapters 21 and 35 in one after falling and getting paralyzed.
Out of Focus: Has yet to have a POV chapter.
Precocious Crush: Jorelle Mormont implies he has one on Meera Reed.
Put on a Bus: In the sequel, he's gone north of the Wall.

Rickon Stark

Youngest son of Lord Eddard Stark and Lady Catelyn Tully.

Out of Focus: Even more so than in the books.

Jon Snow*

Ser Jon Snow

Lord Eddard Stark's illegitimate son, raised alongside his trueborn children.

Arranged Marriage: To Dacey Mormont. Judging by their interactions in later chapters, it seems to be moving into a Perfectly Arranged Marriage.
Asleep for Days: When Chapter 47 opens, he's been unconscious for several days thanks to head injuries inflicted by the Mountain.
Animal Eye Spy: Through Ghost. It allows him to see the Mountain's army at the Mummer's Ford.
Big Brother Mentor: Begins teaching Sansa how to warg.
Body Snatcher: He's started warging into Ghost.
Composite Character: Takes Oberyn Martell's place as the character responsible for slaying The Mountain. This time, he actually gets to live past it.
Character Development: Goes from being shy, quiet and introverted to a more confident, outgoing, even snarky person. Arya notes that where her brother would have hated drawing attention to himself before, now he seems quite comfortable in it. His defeat of the Mountain and the respect it earned him, as well as his betrothal to Dacey Mormont has a lot to do with it.
Cool Sword: Longclaw, given to him by Lord Commander Jeor Mormont.
Heroic BSoD: Downplayed example, but after Ned reveals his true parentage to him, he spends a quite few days in shock.
I Have Many Names: To quote Lord Piper:
"You are now Ser Jon Snow, the Knight of the Hollow Hill, Protector of the Red Fork, Slayer of the Mountain, the White Wolf, the names might go on, I cannot recall."
Master Swordsman: Even out of practice, he can beat Domeric in sparring.
Oh, Crap!: When he runs into Lady Catelyn at the Crossroads Inn.
Shrinking Violet: When Domeric arrived, before eventually warming up to him.
Tap on the Head: Chapter 24 ends with Jon knocked out on the floor of the Crossroads Inn thanks to a Conveniently Timed Attack from Behind with the pommel of a sword.
Tempting Fate: He considers the idea of Starks with Valyrian looks laughable while discussing the Dance of the Dragons and the Pact of Ice and Fire. He eventually finds out that he is half-Targaryen.
Tranquil Fury: When he confronts Amory Lorch, his sister's murderer, his voice never raises above normal speaking volume, even when he's ordering Ghost and his pack to rip the man apart.
You Killed My Father: Averted; he bears no ill will for Robert for killing his father Rhaegar, since he can't blame a man fighting for his life. He even pities him for the state he was in.
- A variant when he kills the Mountain and Amory Lorch to avenge his siblings and step-mother.

Theon Greyjoy

Last surviving son of Balon Greyjoy, after both his elder brothers were killed in an ill-fated rebellion, and heir to the Iron Islands. Eddard Stark took him hostage in order to prevent another uprising by Balon, and Theon is a reluctant member of the Stark household when the story begins.

All Men Are Perverts: Manages to turn House Cerwyn's words into a bawdy joke.
Attention Whore: Tries to offer his own toast at the feast to announce the betrothal between Cley Cerwyn and Jorelle Mormont after Robb makes a toast.
"And to the whores I fu-" [Robb gives him a Death Glare]
Beauty Is Never Tarnished: Getting his nose broken has done nothing to lessen his appeal.
Bond One-Liner: After shooting dead three wildlings in an ambush that he accidentally led Robb, Jon and Domeric into.
"You're welcome."
The Casanova: Theon's a hedonistic skirt-chaser.
Foil: To Domeric Bolton. Both are the heirs to houses with cold, cruel Lords, fostered at Winterfell. However, Balon grudgingly relinquished Theon, while Roose gave Domeric for fostering with a plan in mind. Theon is a hedonistic skirt-chaser, Domeric is a virgin and doesn't intend on sleeping with anyone but Sansa.
Jerkass: Quick to make a jape at Domeric's expense, such as calling him the "Little Leech Lord". At one point, Domeric asks how Robb and Theon are friends.
Really Gets Around: Theon is infamous for his love of brothels. It's one of the reasons why Robb thought better of a betrothal between Theon and Sansa.
The Rival: To Domeric, as they're both wards of Ned Stark. Theon makes japes about House Bolton and Roose's habit of leeching, while Domeric is more sneaky: breaking Theon's nose by sabotaging his bow, sarcastically complimenting Theon shooting down a raven with a birthday message from Walder Frey, and suggesting that Theon's wife will be a Frey, who aren't known for their looks.
The Resenter: Towards Domeric, for finding acceptance among the Starks so quickly despite how many years Theon spent with them, and for being seen as a better match for Sansa despite Theon being the heir to a Great House.
Wrecked Weapon: Domeric sabotaged Theon's bow, breaking his nose.

The Direwolves

Six direwolf pups found close by their dead mother that were adopted by the Stark children.

Badass Family: Grey Wind, Lady, and Ghost have all seen battle.
Bond Creature: With the Stark siblings. So far, the only one not seen on page warging with their wolf is Robb, and it's implied that he's a late bloomer.
Canis Major: Massive wolves that are always close to their masters.
Evil-Detecting Dog: Lady gets uppity when Sansa reaches King's Landing. For one, Lady is not fooled by Petyr Baelish. When Ned gets attacked, Lady and Ghost get restless and aggressive and have to be locked up temporarily by Sansa.
Go Through Me: Played for Laughs. At Sansa and Domeric's wedding, the direwolves serve as a rather formidable barrier between the bride and groom, and the people who want to commence with the bedding ceremony. Needless to say, no one was willing to test them.
Fluffy the Terrible: Bitter Robard considers Lady a jape of a name.
Jump Scare: Lady does one in Chapter 27 while Myrcella and Tommen are in the Red Keep's godswood.
No Name Given: Bran's direwolf in Chapter 12 until later. This becomes a problem when he's packing and the direwolf is lying on a set of pants and too comfortable to move.
Spared by the Adaptation: Since there is no incident at the Trident, Lady makes it all the way to King's Landing and back.
Straight Man: Grey Wind to Shaggydog.
Uncatty Resemblance: Behavioral rather than physical. For example, Grey Wind is the alpha male and the only one that can calm Shaggydog down, and Lady is gentler than her siblings but still proves to be very dangerous.

House Stark Household

Break the Cutie: Not as much as in canon, but Jeyne Poole is definitely much changed since her ordeal in King's Landing.
Butt-Monkey: Septa Mordane, who winds up being a Moment Killer numerous times and on the receiving end of an Insult Backfire.
Childhood Friend: Jeyne Poole and Beth Cassel to Sansa.
Doomed by Canon:
- Jory Cassel is killed in the ambush where Jaime wounds Ned. It's not stated on-page, but since Ned's storyline cleaves pretty close to the text...
- Most of the House Stark Household is killed during Chapter 33.
Girl Posse: Jeyne Poole and Beth Cassel. Sansa winds up having to put them in their places after they make some unkind comments about Domeric, namely about his house's reputation and lack of good looks.
Insult Backfire: Septa Mordane's conversation with Sansa at the Hand's tourney puts her on the receiving end.
Jeyne: Sansa, people are staring.
Sansa: Let them.
Septa Mordane: Now, now Lady Sansa, a noble lady is expected to retain their etiquette. You're acting as wild as Ar ya.
Sansa: I could think of no finer compliment, Septa. (Septa Mordane and Jeyne are left speechless)
Precocious Crush: Jeyne has one on Beric Dondarrion.
Stern Nun: Septa Mordane, even more so than in the books since Sansa also starts acting more spirited.
Stern Teacher: Ser Rodrik Cassel to Domeric about jousting. Chapter 5 begins with a lecture after Domeric wound up getting unseated during practice.
Throw the Dog a Bone: Kevan arranges for Jeyne to be put under his custody, which is hopefully better than what Littlefinger did to her in the books.
Uncertain Doom: Jeyne Poole is not mentioned in the mention of the massacre of the Stark household. But considering that there's no missing Arya Stark to impersonate...
- Subverted. Kevan says he would keep Jeyne safe and healthy, no matter how negotiations go.

House Bolton of the Dreadfort and Retainers

Lord Roose Bolton

The Leech Lord

Lord of the Dreadfort and head of House Bolton.

All According to Plan: Discussed when asked why Ramsay isn't dead yet; whatever Roose is planning, he's waiting until Domeric marries Sansa and gets her pregnant.
Arranged Marriage: Has Maester Uthor arrange a match between himself and Jonelle Cerwyn. Why? So he can have another spare now that Ramsay is dead.
Bad Boss: Bitter Robard constantly has the fear of winding up in a cell at the Dreadfort where the only visitor is Lord Bolton. And every time he comes, he takes a piece of skin...
Bait the Dog: Plays a similar game that Ramsay plays with Theon in the books/show where he appears to be releasing him, only to put him somewhere more nightmarish, in this case a flaying cross.
Berserk Button: Don't insult Domeric. Grunt lost his tongue over that.
The Chessmaster: He plans to establish a power base in the North and stake a claim to Winterfell through Domeric's marriage to Sansa.
Crazy-Prepared: At the very least, he thinks he is in regards to succession. It remains to be seen if he actually qualifies.
Dissonant Serenity: Just listen to him calmly describe Flaying Alive, among other torture methods implemented at the Dreadfort.
Droit du Seigneur: Ned has heard disquieting rumors that Roose conducts First Night. This turns out to be more than just a rumor, if Ramsay Snow is any indication.
Even Evil Has Loved Ones: He actually seems to care for Domeric, considering him more than just a pawn.
Even Evil Has Standards: Refuses to engage in kinslaying, which is the reason why Ramsay has been running wild in the Weeping Water and Lonely Hills for a few years. This might have factored into his decision to deal with Ramsay once and for all after Ramsay murders his mother.
Evil Parents Want Good Kids: Roose hasn't shown any inclination towards teaching Domeric some of his more sadistic behaviors, and concentrates on telling him what he needs to do to survive.
Evil Plan: Take over the North via a claim to Winterfell by the female line through his son Domeric's marriage to Sansa Stark.
Fantasy-Forbidding Father: Downplayed; Roose didn't want Domeric to learn how to play the harp, but his wife did, and Roose consented.
Flaying Alive: Wouldn't be a Bolton without this. There's a fairly disturbing scene where Roose is playing Mr. Exposition to Bitter Robard and there's a freshly flayed body in the room. It's still alive.
Foil: To King Aegon IV Targaryen, also known as Aegon "the Unworthy". Both are men who abuse their position of power to bed women (Aegon because he was the king while Roose invokes Droit du Seigneur). Each sired a legitimate son who was bookish and a bastard son who was more martial, though Roose preferred Domeric to Ramsay while Aegon threatened to disown Daeron whenever they had arguments. Finally, Aegon was infamous for his hedonistic habits (such as eating) while Roose is the closest thing Westeros has to a health nut with his leechings and hippocras.
Good Old Ways: Roose is very proud of being of First Men heritage, and keeps to quite a few of their traditions, such as flaying and Droit du Seigneur. He also believes in "The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword" pretty strongly, as evidenced when he had Domeric execute a man when he was a boy.
Human Resources: Uses arm bones to hold torches. Bitter Robard wonders if his arm will be used to hold a torch when his time comes.
Icy Blue Eyes: Sansa in particular is disturbed by his pale eyes and is happy that Domeric doesn't have them.
Jerkass Has a Point: He has a very good reason for keeping Domeric well away from Ramsay, as Ramsay would murder Domeric if he ever set eyes on him.
Living Lie Detector: He can easily tell if someone is lying, such as whether or not Domeric is ashamed of his ancestry. Or if Robb Stark left out a few details about a skirmish with wildlings.
Loophole Abuse: Kinslaying is a very serious crime, and a sin under the Old Gods, which is why Roose does not have Ramsay killed. Roose points out that this does not prevent him from having Ramsay tortured, as long as he is kept alive.
Papa Wolf: He won't broker any disrespect or harm toward Domeric in his presence.
Pay Evil unto Evil: Has Ramsay Snow tortured after he kills his mother and it becomes obvious he is becoming too much of a danger to Domeric.
Shipper with an Agenda: By marrying his son and heir to Lord Stark's daughter, he ensures his bloodline will be preserved and have a claim on Winterfell by the female line.
Sitcom Arch-Nemesis: He's always trying to pull one over on the Umbers and/or Karstarks and gets a kick out of the two fighting over one of the towers at Moat Cailin because Domeric claimed one for the Boltons and the Starks claimed the other.
The Stoic: Roose shows an open disdain for emotion and/or sentiment.
Troll: On two levels regarding Domeric's tourney armor. First off, he just wants to show that the North can play the Conspicuous Consumption game like anyone else. Second, the armor gives Domeric a passing resemblance to Rhaegar Targaryen, as if he's rubbing it in Robert Baratheon's face that he didn't get a Stark bride for his son.

Lady Bethany Bolton

Lady Bethany Bolton, née Ryswell

Older daughter of Lord Rodrik and sister of Lady Barbrey. She was the second wife of Roose Bolton. They had one son, Domeric.

Alliterative Name: After marrying Roose.
Posthumous Character: She's been dead for more than ten years.
Silk Hiding Steel: Domeric knows his parents had no love for one another, but she made such an impression on Roose that he allowed Domeric to play the harp.

Domeric Bolton*

Domeric Bolton

Dom, Dread Knight, Little Leech Lord

The only trueborn child of Lord Roose Bolton, Domeric returns from fostering in the Vale with Lord Redfort and is sent to foster at Winterfell.

Adaptational Intelligence: Unlike his book counterpart who tried to get to know Ramsay and paid for it with his life, Domeric manages to concoct an escape plan for himself, Sansa, Lady, and 100 men on a ship on short notice and lay down a False Flag Operation from King's Landing to Maidenpool to cover his tracks.
Affectionate Nickname: Sansa calls him "Dom".
Alliterative Name: Theon calls him the “Little Leech Lord”, as a play on his father's nickname "the Leech Lord".
Animal Motifs: Horses. It's talked about a few times about how well he rides a horse, his mother's house has a horse head for its sigil, and Domeric wears a horse head-shaped helmet for the Hand's tourney. Theon had once suggested that Domeric make his own sigil: a flayed centaur.
Anti-Hero: A Pragmatic Hero. Domeric loves Sansa and will do anything for her, but he is shown to be ruthless in combat and isn't above being sneaky if someone pisses him off.
Arranged Marriage: With Sansa. Right now, it's heading toward a Perfectly Arranged Marriage, which Domeric sometimes feels guilty about as following his father's agenda.
Ascended Extra: In the books, Domeric was a Posthumous Character who was only mentioned in A Dance with Dragons and Adapted Out of Game of Thrones. Here, he's a central character.
Atrocious Alias: Joffrey tried to give him one by calling him the "Flayed Knight."
Badass Bookworm: A well-read individual and deadly fighter.
Batman Gambit: Poisons Joffrey for a few days with a spiked glass of wine. How he got it to him? By trusting Joffrey would steal it.
Best Served Cold: Domeric doesn't believe in getting angry, so he gets revenge on the quiet.
Beware the Nice Ones: He's always well-mannered and a genuine Nice Guy. He's still Roose Bolton's offspring and it shows - more subtly than for Ramsay, but he won't let anyone trample on his name or what's his without exacting revenge. Even if the offender is the Prince himself.
Black Knight: Participates in the Hand's tourney wearing black plate armor adorned with rubies.
The Bus Came Back: He and Sansa reach White Harbor in Chapter 40.
Children Forced to Kill: Before Domeric left for the Vale, Roose had him conduct an execution.
Combat Pragmatist: Won't hesitate to kill an unarmed person if he doesn't trust them or hit someone in the head in a joust.
Conflicting Loyalty: Between his duties to his father and his love for Sansa. So far, the two goals are aligned, but when they're not...
Curtains Match the Window: Contrasting with his pale-eyed father and half-brother, Domeric has brown eyes that match his dark hair.
Cynicism Catalyst: Domeric had a hard lesson in the Vale when a Vale tribeswoman pulled an I Surrender, Suckers and Domeric had to kill her to save Creighton Redfort. Honor doesn't matter in a fight to the death, living and dying does.
Domeric [thinking]: Honor and chivalry make a poor shield when your enemy doesn't heed to your sort of character.
Deadpan Snarker: Domeric has a rather acidic sense of humor.
- When he finds Arya rummaging through his trunk:
"I keep my flayed skins in my other trunk."
- And to Septa Mordane when he and Sansa Almost Kiss:
"Fear not, for my virtue is still intact."
The Dragon: Domeric is the main instrument of his father's plans to gain power in the North. He fits this better than the canon versions of Ramsay, since he isn't as vicious or thuggish and can be counted on not to screw up Lord Bolton's plans too much.
Evil Counterpart: If Roose Bolton is Ned Stark's Evil Counterpart and Ramsay Snow is Jon Snow's, Domeric is Robb's. A little subverted in that Domeric isn't evil, but there are a couple things that Robb wouldn't do that Domeric has done, like stab a woman who was begging for mercy.
False Flag Operation: Lays down a false trail or two to throw royal spies off the scent when he and Sansa escape King’s Landing for White Harbor.
Foil:
- To Robb Stark. Both are the heirs to powerful Northern houses and have bastard half-brothers, but while Robb is Honor Before Reason, Domeric is a Combat Pragmatist, more experienced and more accustomed to killing.
- To Sandor "The Hound" Clegane. Both are Black Knights that wear animal-themed Rage Helms, look down on the institution of knighthood, and the Abels in a Cain and Abel relationship. However, Domeric has never met his bastard brother, while Sandor actively hates The Mountain; plus, Domeric may be cynical, but has nothing on the Hound.
- To Rhaegar Targaryen. Both are Academic Athletes able to play the harp and in a relationship with a Stark girl. Still, Domeric is arranged to lawfully wed Sansa and both their families support the match, which was very much not the case with Rhaegar abducting/eloping with Lyanna.
- To Robert Baratheon. Both were fostered in the Vale and betrothed to a lady of House Stark. However, Domeric saw the iron beneath Sansa's beauty and loved her all the more for it, while Robert never saw Lyanna's steely side. Also, Robert was a Proud Warrior Race Guy who had no love for music besides bawdy drinking songs, while Domeric is a Badass Bookworm and accomplished harpist.
Graceful Loser: Has no problem with losing to a superior opponent.
Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Robb and Jon.
Hypocrite: Domeric shows open disdain for the South's cultural practices, conveniently forgetting that he was fostered in the Vale (part of the South) and his mother-in-law to be follows the Faith of the Seven.
Identical Stranger: Wearing his tourney armor, he bears a passing resemblance to Rhaegar Targaryen with his black plate armor and rubies. The difference is that instead of a three-headed dragon, the rubies on Domeric's armor form a flayed man.
Inadequate Inheritor: Ramsay certainly thinks so.
Large Ham: In-universe, he takes a turn at this in Chapter 11 as he, Sansa, Arya and Jon watch Joffrey and Robb spar in the courtyard, with Domeric speaking with a dramatically exaggerated delivery.
"Lords and Ladies, we present to you, his Shittiness, Joffrey Baratheon."
Like Father, Like Son: Said to have inherited his mother's kind heart and his father's calculating mind. Overlaps with Like Father, Unlike Son because he isn't as cruel as Roose.
Like Parent, Like Spouse: Played with. Domeric has a similar personality and background to Ned Stark. A Northern highborn raised in the Vale? Check. Balances kindness to his friends and family with a reserved personality that gives the appearance of coldness and disdain? Check. However, Domeric lacks Ned's strict adherence to honor and is on occasion a ruthless killer.
Locked Out of the Loop: Has no idea that his half-brother is an Ax-Crazy Serial Killer who wants to murder Domeric and steal his inheritance.
Manipulative Bastard: Chapters 3-5 have him trying to figure out the Stark family dynamics and how to get them to like him, such as treating Jon with respect despite being a bastard, playing his harp while Sansa sings, and encouraging Arya's interest in non-ladylike pursuits.
Meaningful Appearance: In contrast with his father and half-brother's Icy Blue Eyes, his brown eyes indicate his warmer, kinder nature - Sansa always feels safe and happy when she looks at them while Lord Bolton's gaze chills and frightens her.
Missing Mom: She died years ago.
Nice to the Waiter: A trueborn son of a noble house isn't under obligation to be friendly with a bastard, yet Domeric genuinely enjoys Jon's company. Since he has a bastard brother of his own, it's easy to see he's projecting his desire of a brotherly bond with Ramsay on Jon.
The Nondescript: Domeric's often described as plain.
Noodle Incident:
- What did Domeric do to sabotage Theon's bow, causing him to break his nose?
- Did Domeric poison Joffrey?
Not So Stoic: Domeric only really lets his stoic demeanor lighten up around the Starks, particularly Sansa.
Odd Friendship: With Tyrion Lannister, alongside Jon. The two bond over their love of reading and their stern, pragmatic fathers.
Pay Evil unto Evil: Inflicts this wholesale on the Brave Companions.
Put on a Bus: As of Chapter 32, he and Sansa are on their way back to the North.
Rage Helm: His helmet for the Hand's tourney is a snarling horse head.
Red Baron: "Dread Knight", which he gains in King's Landing due to his prowess in jousting, status as Heir to the Dreadfort, and his helmet of a snarling horse.
Shadow Archetype: An inverted one to Samwell Tarly. Both are the first-born sons of powerful bannermen to Wardens, who are similar in demeanor, and both are very bookish. However, Domeric has managed to balance being a fighter and a scholar, while Sam... has not.
So Was X: A confrontation between Domeric and Joffrey has Domeric compare Joffrey to Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, as a Mythology Gag to the episode "Garden of Bones".
Joffrey: I'm the prince! I can do what I want!
Domeric: There was another prince who thought he could take what was not his. Mayhaps you should ask your father what happened to him.
Spared by the Adaptation: It's the premise.
The Stoic: Myrcella describes him as having impassive facial features and dark eyes that don't betray emotions.
Sugar-and-Ice Personality: Very much an Ice King and The Stoic when interacting with people he doesn't like or know very well. He defrosts with Sansa and his friends and family.
Tampering with Food and Drink: It's heavily implied that he poisoned Joffrey by spiking a glass of wine that Joffrey subsequently stole from him, leaving Joffrey bedridden for a few days.
Token Good Teammate: Compared with his cold-hearted father and psychopathic half-brother, Domeric is the Bolton you'd prefer to deal with.
Too Clever by Half: Possibly. He's able to coordinate an escape plan on short notice with 100 men, but is somewhat naive about Ramsay Snow.
Troll: Not as much as his father, but he has his moments. Case in point dropping hints about the fact that he might have gotten Joffrey sick on purpose.
Understanding Boyfriend: Though obviously shocked at first, he manages to accept that his betrothed is a warg, even considering the potential benefits. He's more put off by the knowledge that she lied to him than anything.
What Does She See in Him?: Since she only knows his Ice King persona, Princess Myrcella is quite bemused by Sansa's happiness and eagerness for her upcoming nuptials with him.
Would Hit a Girl: Kills a wildling woman after a one-on-one fight.
Wrong Genre Savvy: After meeting Robb and Jon, he thinks he can have the same relationship with Ramsay and happily makes plans to get to know him, such as inviting him to his wedding with Sansa. He's so wrong it's almost horrific.

Rylen

Captain Rylen

The captain of the Bolton men sent to King's Landing with Domeric.

Junior Counterpart: An inverted one for Jory Cassel.
Older Sidekick: To Domeric in King's Landing. He acts as a squire for Domeric during the Hand's tourney.
Old Soldier: An aging man who is the leader of the Bolton men sent to King's Landing with Domeric.
Only One Name: Only ever known as Captain Rylen.
Undying Loyalty: To House Bolton and the Dreadfort.
(in response to Ser Meryn Trant saying "this is the Crown Prince you're speaking to")"I'm aware. But our oaths are to Lord Bolton and our loyalty is to the Dreadfort."

Maester Uthor*

Maester Uthor

The Maester of the Dreadfort.

An Arm and a Leg: After his death, his arms are cut off to use in some other way, most likely to hold torches.
Arranged Marriage: Betrothing Sansa to Domeric was his idea.
Big Fun: He's a big, plump, kindhearted man.
Culture Clash: Uthor hopes to teach the next maester how to live in the North, since the North is much different from the rest of the Seven Kingdoms and other maesters tend to be arrogant and indifferent.
A Day in the Limelight: Chapter 36 delves into his life at the Dreadfort.
Defector from Decadence: Robert's Rebellion served as a catalyst from an idle acolyte to a determined maester.
Don't Call Me "Sir": Asks Will not to call him "Lord".
The Medic: His chain includes a silver link for his knowledge in healing, medicine and the ways of the human body.
The Mentor:
- To Will, an eleven-year-old boy at the Dreadfort who wants to become a man-at-arms for House Bolton.
- To Maester Wolkan, sent to succeed him as the Dreadfort’s maester.
My Nayme Is: Uthor instead of Uther.
Phrase Catcher: Since Lady Barbrey Dustin spends a lot of time at the Dreadfort, where he serves, he's typically on the receiving end of her nickname for Maesters: Grey rats.
Sympathy for the Hero: He pities the Barrowton maester, considering he serves a lady who has a strong dislike for maesters.
Your Days Are Numbered: He is dying of a mysterious stomach ailment, similar to the disease that afflicted Hoster Tully. He does indeed pass on a fortnight after Domeric's wedding.

Maester Wolkan

A maester sent from the citadel to replace Maester Uthor.

The Apprentice: Sent to learn how to be part of a Northern household under Maester Uthor before the latter dies.
Canon Foreigner: Wolkan was the maester for the Dreadfort, later Winterfell from Season 5 onward.
The Medic: As far as his duties as a maester are concerned. He can handle the leeching just fine, but still needs a grasp on the politics of the North.

Bitter Robard*

Robard

Bitter

A common man from the Bite who committed a murder and was sent by Lord Roose Bolton to befriend and spy on his bastard Ramsay Snow.

Carry a Big Stick: Apparently has enough skill with a mace to train Domeric.
False Friend: To Ramsay, spying on the bastard on Lord Bolton's orders.
Fate Worse than Death: Been stuck in this since joining Ramsay on Lord Bolton's orders. More than once, he thinks that he should have let Lord Bolton take his head.
In-Series Nickname: Known to the Bastard Boys as "Bitter", because he hails from the Bite. Robard believes it could be worse, like being called "Yellow Dick".
Mook Lieutenant: Put in charge of Bolton men alongside Damon to get rid of Ramsay.
The Nondescript: His physical appearance is never described.
Noodle Incident: How exactly he wound up on the floor of an inn with someone else's blood on his hands is never explained.
Punch-Clock Villain: Very much so. He considers himself two people: his true identity (Robard) and his persona among the Bastard Boys (Bitter).
Rank Up: After taking down Ramsay, he appears to be promoted to master-at-arms.
Those Two Guys: With Damon.
Token Good Teammate: For the Bastard Boys. It seems he was written with this trope in mind.
Too Dumb to Fool: Since Robard has no real understanding of aristocratic bloodlines, he isn't concerned with legacy and thinks that Ramsay should be killed.
What Happened to the Mouse?: Hasn't been seen since Chapter 49.
Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?: Robard's idea of keeping Ramsay at the farthest distance from Domeric is to put Ramsay six feet under. Unfortunately, Lord Bolton hasn't given his say-so.

Damon

Another one of the Bastard Boys who is an ally of Bitter Robard.

Adaptational Heroism: He lacks the sadism of his book counterpart. Here, he's just Damon.
Adaptational Personality Change: Instead of being a Sadist, Damon is The Stoic.
Dissonant Serenity: Looks almost bored waiting for Ramsay to finish with his latest "conquest".
False Friend: To Ramsay. Unlike Bitter Robard, Damon gets paid.
Mook Lieutenant: Alongside Robard, Damon is put in charge of Bolton men sent to put down Ramsay.
Perpetual Frowner: He'd be considered handsome if not for the ever-present scowl he has.
Punch-Clock Villain: Only as evil as he needs to be for his cover.
Those Two Guys: With Bitter Robard.
What Happened to the Mouse?: Hasn't been heard of since he and Robard took down the Bastard's Boys.

Gaoler

A man who is in charge of prisoners at the Dreadfort.

Ax-Crazy: He's silently excited about using a set of pincers to rip out a tongue.
Deadly Doctor: Not by title, but he has some medical knowledge that enables him to treat a man without needing a maester.
Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": Only known by his position.
Foil: To Mord, the turnkey at the Eyrie. Mord is fat and stupid, the Gaelor is a thin man with medical expertise.
The Nondescript: Described as unassuming with plain features.
Tongue Trauma: Rips out Ramsay Snow’s tongue.

House Cerwyn of Cerwyn

Lord Medger Cerwyn

Lord of Castle Cerwyn and father of Jonelle and Cley.

Death by Adaptation: Instead of getting captured at the Battle of the Green Fork and dying in captivity, he is killed in that battle.

Jonelle Cerwyn

Daughter of Lord Medger Cerwyn.

All Love Is Unrequited: She's shown making eyes at Theon, which he doesn't notice. Then her father pawns her off to Roose Bolton.
Arranged Marriage: To Roose Bolton.
Composite Character: With Walda "Fat Walda" Frey as Roose Bolton's new wife.

Cley Cerwyn

Lord Cley Cerwyn

Only son and heir of Lord Medger Cerwyn.

Alliterative Name: Cley Cerwyn.
Arranged Marriage: To Jorelle Mormont.
What Does She See in Him?: Jorelle's sisters are quite bemused by the fact she seems to like him.
You Are in Command Now: With his father's death, Cley is now the lord of House Cerwyn.

House Dustin of Barrowton

Lady Barbrey Dustin

Lady Barbrey Dustin, née Ryswell

Sister of Bethany Ryswell, Roose Bolton's deceased wife.

Berserk Button: She holds a strong dislike of Maesters. And Tullys. Roose gets annoyed with her opposition to his plans over Sansa's parentage.
Brutal Honesty: Blunt and opinionated, Lady Dustin never hesitates to speak her mind.
Cool Aunt: To Domeric. She gave him his harp and they've only disagreed on one topic: Sansa. It's worth telling that Domeric identifies with being Ryswell just as much as he is a Bolton, as he pays homage to her house with his horse-shaped tourney helm.
Foil:
- To Genna Frey, nee Lannister. Despite having vastly different physical appearances (Barbrey is tall and thin with dark hair while Genna is large and blonde), both are blunt and sarcastic, and they took a maternal role to their nephews after their mothers died.
- Lysa Arryn, nee Tully. Like Lysa, she fell in love with a lord that she gave her virginity to, only to have their crushes wind up separated from them by the ambitions of a Lord Paramount and grew very bitter. However, Barbrey never resented Bethany like Lysa did Catelyn and became a surrogate mother to Bethany's son Domeric after Bethany died.
Get A Hold Of Yourself Man: She bluntly asks Sansa what she could have done had she stayed at King's Landing.
The One Thing I Don't Hate About You: She grudgingly concedes Sansa has good hips and will bear Domeric sons aplenty since Catelyn Tully proved her fertility by giving five children - whose three are boys - to her husband.
Parental Substitute: She's acted as a surrogate mother to Domeric ever since his mother died.
Slasher Smile: Gives a feral smile when she hears of Ramsay's death.
Virgin-Shaming: Jokingly asks Domeric if he bedded any girls during his time in the Vale.
You Remind Me of X: Tells Domeric he reminds her of his mother. This makes it difficult to lie to her.

House Mormont of Bear Island

Maege Mormont

Lady Maege Mormont

The She-bear

Current Lady of Bear Island and Head of House Mormont, inheriting the position from her nephew Jorah. She has five daughters: Dacey, Alysane, Lyra, Jorelle, and Lyanna.

24-Hour Armor: Always wears ringmail.
Alliterative Name: Maege Mormont.
Carry a Big Stick: Her main weapon is a mace. She's threatened the maester at least once.
Covered with Scars: As shown when she explains the use of stitches to Arya.
Love Hurts: A familial example regarding Jorah.
"I loved my nephew, Maester. That is why the shame he brought to our house hurts so much."

Dacey Mormont

Maege's oldest daughter and heir.

Adaptational Personality Change: Instead of being cheerful and snarky, Dacey is introduced as the stoic one. When it comes to the topic of marriages, Dacey can be downright dour. Subverted in Chapter 53, where Jon notes how her mouth seems made for smiles or smirks.
Arranged Marriage: The Mormont's maester Mathis is always trying to arrange a marriage for Dacey. Possible suitors have ranged from Theon Greyjoy to Jon Snow. In Chapter 53, she’s betrothed to Jon.
Insecure Love Interest: For a brief moment after Jon reveals his parentage to her, she worries that a Mormont isn't good enough for a prince. Jon puts those fears to rest by telling her that he would choose her over any crown.
Out of Focus: Hasn't been talked about as much as the other siblings, although she starts coming back into focus as part of Robb's army and Jon's betrothed.
Single Woman Seeks Good Man: Though they are tied because of an Arranged Marriage, she starts falling for Jon when he proves himself as a loyal, kind and honorable man.
Secret-Keeper: Becomes one of very few number of people to know the truth of Jon's parentage.
Understanding Girlfriend: Takes the news that Jon is Rhaegar's son relatively calmly, doesn't hold his parentage against him and reassures him when he starts feeling insecure about his relationship to his siblings.

Alysane Mormont

Maege's second eldest daughter.

Action Mom: Has two children and just as tough as any of her sisters. Her first scene has her balancing her two-year-old son on her lap while arm-wrestling.
Adaptational Personality Change: The Stoic and taciturn in the books, a Boisterous Bruiser here. Perhaps justified, due to the War of the Five Kings and the resulting tragedies not having happened yet.
Boisterous Bruiser: Her first scene has her laughing while arm-wrestling.
The Mentor: To Arya for warging.

Lyra Mormont

The third daughter of Maege Mormont. Between Robb and Sansa in age.

Army Scout: Lyra serves as a scout, patrolling the woods and coast for Ironborn and wildlings.
Dual Wielding: Typically wields two axes.
Pint-Sized Powerhouse: Described as short, but fast.

Jorelle Mormont

Jory

The fourth daughter of Maege Mormont. Between Sansa and Arya in age.

Arranged Marriage: With Cley Cerwyn.
Ascended Extra: In the books, Jorelle is Put on a Bus to the Neck with her mother and sister Lyra. Here, she plays a larger role in the story due to having a skillset, a betrothal and being a Heterosexual life partner to Arya alongside Lyanna.
Chastity Dagger: Keeps a dagger in her dress.
Foil: Sansa Stark. Like Sansa, Jorelle is tall, pretty, and has more lady-like tastes than her Tomboy younger sister. However, Jorelle managed to find her own niche in her mostly martial family, while Sansa is still working at it.
In-Series Nickname: "Jory".
Kicking Ass in All Her Finery: Unlike the other Mormont sisters, Jorelle prefers to wear a dress.
Statuesque Stunner: Described as being tall for her age and very pretty.
Tomboy and Girly Girl: The Girly Girl to Lyanna's Tomboy. Really she's this to all the other Mormont sisters, but since Arya interacts with Jorelle and Lyanna the most, it's more noticeable between the two of them.
You Remind Me of X: Jorelle's fretting about what to write to Cley reminds Arya of Jeyne Poole and Beth Cassel's gossiping about songs, men and dreams about their future husbands.

Lyanna Mormont

The fifth and youngest daughter of Maege Mormont.

Annoying Younger Sibling: Likes to tease Jorelle about her fondness for dresses and fretting about Cley Cerwyn.
Berserk Button: All the Mormonts share a dislike of the Ironborn, but Lyanna is downright furious at the idea of Dacey marrying an Ironborn like Theon Greyjoy.
Birds of a Feather: A friends example with Arya Stark.
Dead Guy Junior: Named for Lyanna Stark, the deceased sister of Lord Eddard Stark.
Deadpan Snarker: When Jorelle is fretting about what to write to Cley Cerwyn, Lyanna remarks that she might finish the letter... in time for the wedding. Then she won't need a raven to deliver it.
Death by Adaptation: In Chapter 14 of Red Reign, she's killed by the Ironborn raiders while traveling to Winterfell with Arya.
Foil: Like Elia Sand, Lyanna is the fifth of her siblings, a Tomboy, and a Dead Guy Junior.
Tomboy and Girly Girl: The Tomboy to Jorelle's Girly Girl.

Ser Jorah Mormont

Ser (formally Lord) Jorah Mormont

Son of Jeor Mormont, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch and nephew of Maege Mormont. Exiled.

The Ghost: Thanks to being across the Narrow Sea.
You Should Have Died Instead: Maege thinks he should have died in the Siege of Pyke before his knighthood and his disastrous marriage to Lynesse Hightower.

Maester Mathis

The Maester at Bear Island.

Arranged Marriage: He's always trying to set up a match for Dacey, to the point that it's a Running Gag.
Butt-Monkey: He's a target of scorn from Jorelle and Lyanna Mormont and gets threatened by Maege Mormont whenever he brings up a possibility for an Arranged Marriage for Dacey.
Oh, Crap!: Whenever Maege pulls out her axe or "offers" to introduce him to her mace.
Stay in the Kitchen: Seems to have this philosophy. Which gets him nowhere on Bear Island, where women are trained for combat just as much as men.
Maege: You must forgive my maester, Pup. He thinks women are only for babes and betrothals. He forgets that we too have hands and can use them for blades.

House Reed of Greywater Watch

Meera Reed

Daughter of Howland Reed.

Action Girl: Which the Mormont girls approve of.
Put on a Bus: She, Bran, Jojen, Hodor, Osha, and Summer go north of the Wall.

Jojen Reed

Howland's son and heir.

Arranged Marriage: In the sequel, Sansa is considering a betrothal between him and Marissa Frey as a means of alleviating tensions between House Frey and the crannogmen.
Creepy Child: Greatly unnerves Arya.
Psychic Children: He has the Greensight, and describes some of his visions to Arya.
Runaway Bride: Male version. He's betrothed to Marissa Frey, but he, Bran, Meera, Hodor, Osha, and Summer skip town, heading north for Beyond the Wall.
Thousand-Yard Stare: Prone to giving these, which chill and frighten Arya.

House Ryswell

Lord Rodrik Ryswell

Lord of the Rills and head of House Ryswell, father of Roger, Rickard, Roose, Bethany and Barbrey.

Alliterative Name: Rodrik Ryswell.
Cool Old Guy: Described as being spry despite his age.
The Man Behind the Man: He's the brains behind the alliance linking Houses Ryswell, Dustin, Bolton and Stark.
Massive Numbered Siblings: Sired three sons and two daughters.

Bastard Boys

A group of brigands harassing the locals in the lands around the Dreadfort. They are led by Ramsay Snow, the bastard son of Lord Roose Bolton.

Ramsay Snow

The Bastard of Bolton

Roose's bastard son, Ramsay is a sadistic man who takes great pleasure in the suffering of others.

Adaptational Villainy: Not that Ramsay isn't a vile murderer, torturer and rapist in the novels and TV series, but in the books, he still speaks highly of his mother and the "relationship" she had with Lord Bolton. Here, he murders her in cold blood.
Ambition Is Evil: Plans to murder Domeric and take all he has.
And There Was Much Rejoicing: The Bolton household doesn't bother to hide their relief and satisfaction when news about his demise are made public. His own father's reaction is "welp, now I need to find another spare". Still, this is Ramsay and he's not a stranger to Faking the Dead...
Asshole Victim: Nobody mourns his fate. This includes Robard, who feels no pity for what Ramsay is going through on account of his crimes.
Ax-Crazy: Ramsay is sadistic, capricious, and thinks nothing of killing on a whim. One time, he took a whole week out of his schedule... just to murder people.
Bastard Bastard: As in the books and TV series, Ramsay is the personification of several negative stereotypes of bastards in Westeros. Born of lust and weakness? Check. Wanton and treacherous? Double-check. Power-hungry? Big ol' check.
Be Careful What You Wish For: Most of his life, he has wanted to have a place in the Dreadfort, his father's keep. Roose grants him a place - as a torture victim.
Beauty Equals Goodness: Inverted; he's an ugly man whose actions are even uglier.
Berserk Button: Any of these will send him into a murderous rage.
- Calling him a Snow.
- Mentioning his trueborn brother. Or anything good happening to him.
Big Bad Wannabe: All his raping and murdering with an end goal of being Lord of the Dreadfort wound up being a big hunk of nothing when his death is reported in Chapter 36 - and revealed to be real in Chapter 39.
Cain and Abel: Very much the Cain to Domeric's Abel, though they've never met.
Can't Kill You, Still Need You: Lord Bolton admits that Ramsay causes him nothing but headaches, but feels obligated to keep him alive because of the law against kinslaying and he needs another heir in case Domeric does something stupid and dies.
Child by Rape: Thanks to Droit du Seigneur not being a legend in the North.
Depraved Bisexual: Bitter Robard mentions that he rapes young boys and girls.
Driven by Envy: Ramsay's character is almost completely built around his resentment of Domeric's position as heir to the Dreadfort, because Ramsay sees himself as the true heir to Lord Bolton for his practices of raping, flaying and abusing power.
Dropped a Bridge on Him: Built up to be a major threat when Domeric returns to the North, only to be Killed Offscreen.
The Evil Prince: Tried his hardest to be one of these, but got cut off at the knees before he could get too far.
Faking the Dead: Attempted to fake his death as part of his plan to displace Domeric as heir to the Dreadfort. Sadly for him, two of his men were his father's moles and warned Roose Bolton about what happened.
Fat Bastard: Ramsay is a fat man and a violent, depraved psychopath.
Fate Worse than Death: His fate is to be tortured in the depths of the Dreadfort.
Flaying Alive: And hang the skins at the mill the Bastard Boys call base.
Foil:
- Jon Snow. Both are bastards raised in the North but under different circumstances; Jon was raised alongside Ned Stark’s children and never knew his mother while Ramsay never met his father and only knew his mother. Both attracted the attention of Domeric Bolton for this reason and Domeric treats Jon the way he would want to treat Ramsay. However, Jon chose a life of duty and justice in facing the Mountain and won honor and praise, while Ramsay tried to live through depravity and crime and paid the price.
- Tyrion Lannister. Both are from parts of society that make them undesirable (Tyrion is a dwarf, Ramsay is a bastard) and are extremely ugly. Their fathers are cold, pragmatic men and have another son who cares for them (Jaime for Tyrion, Domeric for Ramsay). However while Tyrion loves his brother, Ramsay seeks to murder his. Both are accused of killing their mothers; Tyrion by being born, while Ramsay murdered his mother.
The Fundamentalist: As far as Ramsay is concerned, there is only one way to be a Bolton: his way.
Hate Sink: Ramsay is quite possibly the most despicable character in this fanfic, as a violent, depraved psychopath who hates his brother Domeric for not fitting into his idea of what it means to be a Bolton. He even trumps Joffrey since Joffrey most likely wouldn't have the guts to murder his mother as part of a power grab.
Hidden Backup Prince: Just in case Domeric dies. His status as the Spare to the Lordship is the only reason why he's still alive.
Iconic Item: A ring with the Bolton flayed man on it. Roose shows it to the Bolton household as proof of Ramsay's demise.
Icy Blue Eyes: Just like his father.
Impaled Palm: Nailed by his hands to a flaying cross.
Killed Offscreen: Roose reports his death in Chapter 36. Though Roose isn't the most reliable source of information...
- Averted. Chapter 39 shows him being brutally tortured under the Dreadfort.
Knight of Cerebus: The chapters with him are much darker than the rest of the work with no moments of levity, unlike his counterpart in Game of Thrones.
Lower-Class Lout: Unlike the books and TV series, Ramsay isn't exposed to the aristocratic world of his father. He's still a violent and cruel bully who preys on the smallfolk who inhabit the lands administered by House Bolton.
Matricide: Murders his mother in order to fake his death as part of his plot to become Heir of the Dreadfort.
Psychopathic Manchild: His entire mindset is a temper tantrum because he doesn't get what he thinks he deserves as a "true" son of Lord Bolton, surrounds himself with a Gang of Bullies and generally enjoys sadistic behavior.
Rape, Pillage, and Burn: Conducting these type of raids on the lands of the Weeping Water and the Lonely Hills.
The Resenter: Very much so towards Domeric because he considers him unworthy of the title Lord Bolton.
Screw the Rules, I Have Connections!: He thinks being a bastard son of Lord Bolton gives him carte blanche to... certain forms of entertainment.
Ramsay: The laws applied to the people, not to me.
Serial Killer: And serial mass-murderer. He murders several peasants to fake his death.
Serial Rapist: Part of the story takes place while Ramsay rapes and murders one of his victims.
Small Name, Big Ego: Fancies himself the true heir to Lord Bolton, with his trophy skins "proof of his heritage", and has the audacity to wear the Bolton sigil. Except that Lord Bolton already has an heir. It's more pronounced here than in the books or TV series, since he doesn't even have the status of "temporary" heir tacked on to him.
Smug Snake: Really thought himself cleverer and more skilled than he really was.
Tantrum Throwing: Went on a week-long killing spree when he heard of Domeric and Sansa's betrothal.
Too Clever by Half: Roose refers to him as such while reporting his death.
"He saw himself a smart and cunning man. But he was a fool, and no man can defy their nature."
Villainous Breakdown: When he realizes that he's going to be tortured.
Would Hurt a Child: According to Robard, Ramsay rapes young girls and young boys alike.

Reek

A serving man of House Bolton, he'd go on to become Ramsay's childhood friend and future partner-in-crime. He was afflicted with a disease that caused him to smell terribly, hence his nickname.

Character Death: Killed in the attack on the Bastard Boys.
Evil Smells Bad: Robard remarks that his sick cruelty radiates from him just as much as the foul stench that clings to him.
I Love the Dead: Rapes corpses after Ramsay kills them.
Toxic Friend Influence: Robard believes that Reek, along with Ramsay's mother, has been filling his head with thoughts of who should be Lord of the Dreadfort.

Other Bastard Boys

Adaptational Villainy: In the books, most of the Bastard Boys are spying on Ramsay for Lord Bolton. Here, with the exception of Bitter Robard and Damon, they're loyal only to Ramsay and are all monstrous in their own right; they just serve someone worse like Ramsay.
Adapted Out: Ben Bones isn't a member of the Bastard Boys, most likely because Ramsay doesn't even get close to the Dreadfort.
A Dick in Name: Yellow Dick (possibly). Bitter Robard considers it Unfortunate Names.
Enemy Mine: Grunt hates Domeric just as much as Ramsay and his hate deepened after losing his tongue.
The Ghost: Skinner and Locke have yet to appear. The latter provides girls for Ramsay to rape and murder and Reek to rape again.
In the Back: Grunt and Yellow Dick are killed when they are stabbed in the back by Robard and Damon.
Laser-Guided Karma: The Bastard Boys prey on the small folk of the Bolton lands and rely on speed and savagery. When confronted with men-at-arms who know what they’re doing, things quickly go downhill.
Meaningful Name:
- Skinner likes to flay the victims just as much as Ramsay does.
- Grunt can only vocalize via grunts.
Mooks: For Ramsay. Due to his status as an unrecognized bastard, they haven't reached the status of elite.
Psycho for Hire: "They were all monsters. They just served the worst of them in the form of Ramsay Snow."
Serial Rapist: Yellow Dick prefers to rape the victims.
Sycophantic Servant: Yellow Dick, who is shown bowing to Ramsay as a sign of respect that has to be done since Ramsay styles himself as a lord.
Tongue Trauma: Grunt lost his tongue thanks to an insult he gave about Domeric. This serves as Foreshadowing for what happens to Ramsay...

House Baratheon of Storm's End and King's Landing

King Robert Baratheon

King Robert Baratheon, the First of His Name

The King of Westeros when the story begins, he was the victor of the first civil war, known variously as "The War of the Usurper" or "Robert's Rebellion." A brave and unstoppable warrior in his youth, the death of the woman King Robert loved has caused him to degenerate over the years into a fat drunk man whose only interests are eating, drinking, hunting and whoring.

Adipose Rex: Just like in the books.
Berserk Button: Seeing anyone in black armor with rubies seems to set him off. When he sees Domeric adorned as such, he nearly charges the field in a rage, looking around for his hammer, until Ned calms him down by pointing out the differences in the shape of the rubies.
Doomed by Canon: Killed by a boar while hunting.
Mood-Swinger: Might have to do with the alcohol. In said scene at the tourney, he goes from stunned shock to Unstoppable Rage to despondent. By the same token, he goes from cursing about Ned's stubbornness to praising it and telling Myrcella that there are no better people than Starks.
Nostalgia Filter: About his memories during the war and particularly during his time in the Vale. His sense of loss over Lyanna factored in his attempting to push a betrothal between Sansa and Joffrey.
Parents as People: He has to be reminded that his kids exist, but when he does, he's rather nice to them as shown when he talks with Myrcella about fostering Tommen at Winterfell. He even apologizes to Myrcella on his deathbed for not being as good a father as he should have been.

Prince Joffrey Baratheon

Prince/King Joffrey Baratheon

The Privy Prince

Eldest son and heir of King Robert Baratheon and Queen Cersei Lannister.

Abhorrent Admirer: Towards Sansa.
Adaptational Villainy: Of a kind, as he's more overtly cruel earlier than in the novels or TV series.
Arc Villain: For Domeric's chapters in King's Landing.
Bastard Bastard: He's a bastard son born out of the incestuous relationship between his mother and her brother, and he's one of the biggest jerkasses in Westeros.
Beauty Is Bad: His attractiveness is noted by noblewomen and servants alike and as in the novels and TV series, he's a loathsome human being. Also counts as Inbred and Evil.
Big Brother Bully: To Myrcella and Tommen. He forces Myrcella to write to Robb and Tommen has nightmares of Joffrey throwing him in the Black Cells.
Bullying a Dragon: Spends a lot of time taunting Domeric, who is the heir to a house that is infamous for Flaying Alive.
The Dandy: To the point that Dude Looks Like a Lady. He even uses perfume.
Demoted to Extra: He hasn't even appeared in the sequel.
Dirty Coward: Rather than stay and inspire his forces when Renly attacks King's Landing, he puts on a dress and tries to flee from the city.
Drunk with Power: One day as king and Myrcella can already tell that he enjoys power a little too much.
Embarrassing Nickname: His bowel troubles earn him the nickname "the Privy Prince".
Fantastic Racism: Makes insulting remarks about Northmen, in their presence.
Foil: To Robb Stark. Both are the heirs to great houses, but Robb is a Cool Big Bro and protective of his younger siblings while Joffrey is a Big Brother Bully who frightens his brother Tommen and bullies his sister Myrcella.
He-Man Woman Hater: Comments about the "softness" of women to Myrcella when he refuses to release Ned.
"A woman's heart is too soft. It is why men lead and women follow."
- In Chapter 51, he is quick to blame the Lannisters' recent losses on the fact that his sister Myrcella is privy to the Small Council meetings.
"Now it makes sense our current predicament. Grandfather cannot defeat a boy. Uncle Jaime got captured, and you my uncle, and my Hand, find my sister worthy of your time?"
History Repeats: Keeping with being "Aerys III", a reviewer for Chapter 23 compared his behavior around Sansa with Aerys II's unwanted attentions toward Joanna Lannister, betrothed (and later wife) of Tywin Lannister.
Jerkass: No kidding. Joffrey can't go one scene without being a jerk. One particular exchange between him and Domeric begins with Joffrey insulting him.
Karma Houdini:
- Double-subverted. He got poisoned in Chapter 27, but four chapters later, he’s back on his feet and resumed his usual antics.
Karma Houdini Warranty: In the sequel, Cersei sends him from the city for his safety before Renly attacks. He gets caught by Renly's forces and thrown in the Black Cells.
Kick the Dog:
- Breaking Domeric's harp.
- Forcing Myrcella to write to Robb to get him to come to King's Landing. He even has the gall to threaten Tommen so she won't think of fleeing.
Laser-Guided Karma: He put on a dress and pretended to be a woman to escape from King's Landing. Some soldiers looking for some "fun" nearly raped him before they realized the truth. He was brought before Renly in disgrace, and thrown in the Black Cells.
Nightmare Fuel: In-universe. Tommen has nightmares of Joffrey throwing him in the Black Cells.
Not Good with Rejection: Hoo boy. Interestingly, Joffrey wasn't interested in Sansa until she rejected him, considering her the "daughter of a savage". This also makes him a Yandere.
Not Helping Your Case: Joffrey often describes himself as a Lannister, which does little to hide the fact that he's not actually a Baratheon.
"[Sansa] needs a lion, not a flayed man."
The Rival: Towards Domeric.
Royal Brat: Shows his true colors as one of these on more occasions than in the books and show, where Sansa was blind to him. It's implied he asked for her presence in King's Landing so he could make passes at her.
Tyrion: My nephew will one day be king. And he is not used to being told no. Thanks to my sweet sister.
Screw the Rules, I Have Money!: Has The Hound tell different knights that he will pay them if they unhorse, injure or kill Domeric during the Hand's tourney.
Shame If Something Happened: "...it would be such a shame for you if you leave the capital. Tommen would miss you terribly. [cackles] But don't worry, I'll make sure he doesn't get lonely."
Spared by the Adaptation: His sword Lion's Tooth didn't get tossed into the Trident River this time around; he still has it in Chapter 33, which corresponds to the episode "The Pointy End."
Tantrum Throwing: Threw a filled privy at Grand Maester Pycelle in a rage while ill.
Yandere: Rejection makes him even more determined to pursue Sansa.

Princess Myrcella Baratheon*

Princess Myrcella Baratheon

Second child and only daughter of King Robert Baratheon and Queen Cersei Lannister.

Arranged Marriage: With Robb Stark. Joffrey threatens to break off the betrothal to force her to write to Robb. It ends up broken anyway when the truth of her parentage comes out.
Ascended Extra: In the books, Myrcella is a background character compared to Joffrey and Tommen and winds up being Back for the Dead in the TV series. So far, she's had five POV chapters.
Beauty Equals Goodness: Unlike her brother Joffrey, Myrcella is very pretty and has a kind heart.
Big Sister Instinct: Very much towards Tommen. She suggests to her father that Tommen be fostered at Winterfell to get him away from Joffrey.
Blackmail: How she is able to get past Varys to visit Lord Stark by threatening to reveal Varys' disguise as Rugen the turnkey.
Break the Cutie: Learning her true parentage and returning to King's Landing where she's bullied by her older brother and mother does a number on her. For her there's plenty of days where she wanted to sit in her room and brood.
Calling the Old Man Out: Gives an epic "The Reason You Suck" Speech to Cersei and Jamie.
Color Motif: Yellow. She's blonde-haired, and is typically seen wearing yellow dresses because it's a color that is common to both Houses Baratheon and Lannister, making it easier to hide her ancestry.
Composite Character: Takes Sansa's place as the one who is forced to write to Robb to make him come to King's Landing.
Flaw Exploitation: Attempts to use her "father" King Robert's Nostalgia Filter to her advantage by suggesting that Tommen be fostered with the Starks. It might have worked... if Robert didn't get killed.
Foil:
- To Daenerys Targaryen. Like Daenerys, Myrcella is the product of Brother–Sister Incest and has an abusive elder brother. Each are promised to a lord who is considered less cultured (Khal Drogo for Daenerys, Robb for Myrcella) but also treats them better than their family. However, Daenerys never had a younger brother to look after, while Myrcella's actions are primarily based on Big Sister Instinct. Daenerys prefers to be in the forefront, while Myrcella is more of a manipulator.
- Tyrion Lannister. Though Myrcella is beautiful and Tyrion is not, they possess quite a few similarities. Both have a respect for Northern culture that other members of their family lack. Each has an abusive elder sibling of the opposite gender (Cersei for Tyrion, Joffrey for Myrcella) and a sibling they are close to (Jaime for Tyrion, Tommen for Myrcella) and are often overlooked for different reasons by a parent of the same sex (Myrcella because she's a girl, Tyrion because he's a dwarf) despite promising manipulative skills.
- Stannis Baratheon. Myrcella may not be an actual Baratheon, but she shares some similarities with her "uncle": both are the middle child of three, with a hedonistic and bloodthirsty older brother who they have to help hold up, and actively assist a Hand of the King that is decades older than they are. Robert outright compares her to Stannis, saying that she's stubborn like Stannis, but more charming.
Godzilla Threshold: As of Chapter 38, she's summoning someone to King's Landing to rein her mother and brother in. Chapter 44 reveals this to be Tywin, who promptly sends Kevan to deal with the current problems.
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Myrcella is golden-haired and sweet-tempered.
Heroic Bastard: She's the bastard child of her mother and her brother, and she's one of the nicest people you can find in King's Landing.
Like Mother, Unlike Daughter: Many people have noted that, while she looks a lot like Cersei at her age, Myrcella is gentle and careful.
Kevan: [thinking] She is as lovely as her mother with none of the poison that lurks beneath.
Modest Royalty: Not interested in shoving her position in other people's faces, unlike Joffrey.
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: In the sequel, Myrcella appropriates some food, paying for it with her own coin, and distributes it amongst the smallfolk in King's Landing. Someone in the crowd shouts "Bastard!" and the rest start heckling her.
Parental Favoritism: Robert seems to like her best.
Politically-Active Princess: Myrcella is much more proactive than she is in canon. First, she suggests to her father that Tommen be sent to Winterfell to get him away from Joffrey, and make friends with Lord Stark's children. When that fails due to Ned's arrest, Myrcella summons her grandfather Tywin to rein in Cersei and Joffrey, who sends Kevan in his place.
Precocious Crush: On Ser Loras Tyrell. Sansa's not too keen on this, since the last thing she wants is for Myrcella to not be faithful to Robb.
Put on the Bus: In the sequel, she's set to join the Faith as part of King Stannis' terms of surrender for the Lannisters.
Straight Man: She's more competent than Joffrey and less easily swayed than Tommen, mainly occupied with making sure the Lannisters and Starks don't kill each other.
Your Approval Fills Me with Shame: After she and Robb sleep together in chapter 16 of The Red Reign, she imagines her (now dead) mother approving of her and suggesting she keep any potential baby they might have conceived and use it to manipulate Robb into marrying her. She drinks moon tea afterwards and refuses to do what her mother would.
You Remind Me of X: King Robert notes she's stubborn like Stannis, but more charming.

Prince Tommen Baratheon

Youngest child of King Robert Baratheon and Queen Cersei Lannister.

Break the Cutie: According to Myrcella, Joffrey's bullying has left lasting psychological damage.
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Like his sister Myrcella, Tommen is sweet tempered and golden-haired.
Innocently Insensitive: He has an unfortunate tendency to parrot his mother's opinions about the North, primarily to gain her respect.
Mr. Exposition: Shown quizzing Myrcella on the Northern houses, similar to how Maester Luwin was instructing Bran in "The Wolf and the Lion."
Oh, Crap!: When he comes face to face with Lady in the Red Keep's godswood.
Put on a Bus: As of Chapter 51, he’s on his way to Casterly Rock to learn how to rule under his great-aunt Genna. In the sequel, he's to be fostered in Riverrun then sent to either the Faith or the Wall as per King Satnnis' terms of surrender for the Lannisters.
"Well Done, Son" Guy: Yearns for his mother's approval, which leads into the Innocently Insensitive comments.
Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: He's terrified of the Starks' direwolves.

Lord Renly Baratheon

Youngest brother of King Robert Baratheon and Lord of Storm's End, serves as Master of Laws on Robert’s Small Council. Secures an alliance with the Reach by marrying Margaery Tyrell.

Blatant Lies: Renly says that he did not marry Margaery for her counsel but to bear him children, but everyone knows that he won't follow through.
Cool Uncle: How Myrcella remembers him. He was always bringing gifts or trying to make her laugh when Joffrey bullied her.
Et Tu, Brute?: When he declares himself King, Myrcella has this reaction.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: He's the smooth-talking blue to Loras' brash, Jerk Jock red.
Stepford Smiler: Sansa notes his smile isn't entirely genuine.
Those Two Guys: With Ser Loras Tyrell.

Stannis' Inner Circle

Lord Stannis Baratheon

Middle brother between Robert and Renly and Lord of Dragonstone, serves as Master of Ships on Robert’s Small Council. Married to Selyse Florent and father of Shireen.

The Ghost: Has yet to appear outside of mentions, though he appears in the sequel.
Modest Royalty: Robb notes that he doesn't dress like a king, with less fine jewels like garnets and topaz.
Reasonable Authority Figure: He's willing to hear out both Robb and Ser Axell's plans before proceeding with a strategy.
Screw This, I'm Outta Here: He left King's Landing in the wake of Jon Arryn's death.
Small Role, Big Impact: He sends Davos Seaworth to Riverrun, where Robb, Jon and Sansa learn of the parentage of King Robert's children.
Unseen No More: After being absent for the first story, he appears in the sequel.

Ser Davos Seaworth

An upjumped smuggler sponsored by Stannis Baratheon.

Birds of a Feather: He and the Starks get along pretty well, to the point that Robb actively misses him while he has to deal with Axell Florent and Melisandre.
Fingore: Lost the finger-joints on one of his hands as a punishment for smuggling.

Melisandre

A sorceress and Shadowbinder who serves as an advisor to Stannis.

Adaptational Wimp: Since the North was brought into Stannis' fold, Stannis is less desperate and her position is less stable. However, the author mentions that her position is rising.
The Comically Serious: Downplayed. Robb wants to scoff at her seeing him in her flames, but can't bring himself to do so.
Foil: To Thoros of Myr. Contrast the way they say they see people in flames; Thoros uses it as a pickup line, while Melisandre seems to genuinely believe in what she says.

Ser Axell Florent

Lord Alester's brother, uncle of Queen Selyse, and castellan of Dragonstone.

Beauty Equals Goodness: Inverted as he's an ugly man with an unpleasant attitude.
Foil: To Robb, of all people. Robb does not want Melisandre's attentions while Axell craves her attention but does not receive it.
Jerkass: Insists on calling Robb a boy even though Robb has (to quote Stannis) "won more battles in a year than [Axell] has in 20".
Smug Snake: He's arrogant, dismissive, and thinks he's more worth than he really is.
Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: With the Starks, but particularly Robb as they argue over battle plans.

House Lannister of Casterly Rock and Associates

Lord Tywin Lannister

Lord Tywin Lannister, Lord of Casterly Rock and the Westerlands, Warden of the West and Shield of Lannisport

The Lion of Lannister, The Old Lion, The Great Lion of the Rock

Lord of Casterly Rock and the Westerlands and one of the most powerful men in the Seven Kingdoms.

The Dreaded: Infamous for his destruction of Houses Reyne and Tarbeck.
Jon: [thinking] Jon remembered what Lord Tywin had done to his rebellious bannermen who had disrespected his family's house. Houses Reyne and Tarbeck were only remembered in songs to serve as a warning to those who roused the fury of the Warden of the West and Lord of Casterly Rock. He shuddered thinking about how Lord Tywin would react to the news that his son had been abducted.
Even Evil Has Standards: Kevan remembers that he was irate at Barristan Selmy's dismissal from the Kingsguard.
Foil: To Roose Bolton. Roose knows his son Domeric is different and doesn't pressure him to be otherwise, while Tywin is dead-set on controlling his children's lives through their conduct and marriages. Plus, Roose hasn't done anything that Domeric has considered unforgivable.
The Ghost: He has yet to appear on-page, though his presence is felt in The Mountain's rampage through the Riverlands and Tyrion's conversations with Domeric.
Greater-Scope Villain: Tywin Lannister hasn't appeared in the flesh yet, but as the force behind such actions as Joffrey's rule and the Mountain's atrocities in the Riverlands, his shadow looms over much of the Seven Kingdoms.
Killed Offscreen: Jaime reports his death to Cersei during the battle with Renly's forces in the sequel.
Pragmatic Villainy: He believes in treating prisoners well, if only to make sure they can be useful.
"What good is a prisoner who dies before judgment? What good is a hostage who cannot be used?"

Queen Cersei Lannister

Daughter of Tywin Lannister, wife and Queen of King Robert Baratheon.

A Death in the Limelight: She gets one of the two POVs in Chapter 10 as the Lannisters lose the battle for King's Landing.
Battle Ballgown: One of her outfits in the sequel is described as having just as much metal as cloth, with crimson vambraces and rubies and emeralds encrusting the dress and sewn into it.
Brother–Sister Incest: With her twin brother Jaime.
Death by Falling Over: When she stabs Jaime, the latter hits her, causing her to fall off the Iron Throne, with her body being found with her neck broken and head smashed.
Evil Is Petty: Despite her uncle agreeing to a truce with the Starks with the stipulation that they leave the Riverlands, she sends Amory Lorch to waylay the party of Night's Watch recruits to try and kill Gendry.
Evil Niece: Kevan considers her a complete waste of space as she constantly impedes his efforts to keep the realm more or less intact and goes out of her way to antagonize him.
Fantastic Racism: Won't miss a chance to say something disdainful about the North.
Faux Affably Evil: Towards Sansa.
Go to Your Room!: In the sequel, Kevan decides he's had enough of her Stupid Evil antics and has her confined to her room.
I Warned You:
- Cersei told Kevan that Ned would be hard to persuade to confess to treason. She turns out to be right.
- In the sequel, she doesn't react with surprise when the Small Council learns about Stannis taking Antlers, claiming that the Starks couldn't be trusted. This one is subverted because she broke the truce between the Lannisters and the Starks, meaning that she's responsible for this problem.
Kick the Dog: Yells at Myrcella just because the latter chooses to wear a dress in Baratheon colours.
My Beloved Smother: She doesn't see any problems with Joffrey hiding himself behind her skirts and tries to shoo Myrcella away from a Council meeting in spite of her future being discussed. In the sequel, she tries to keep Myrcella in King's Landing despite the impending threat of two armies closing in on the city.
Never My Fault: When confronted about her attempt to have Amory Lorch kill Gendry in her purge of King Robert's bastards, Cersei blames it on Lorch’s incompetence.
Not Helping Your Case: Cersei's insistence on her children being Lannisters is in hindsight rather stupid, since she's supposed to be disguising the fact that her children are products of incest.
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Halfway. While she doesn't outlive her children, the valonqar portion of the prophecy winds up coming true. Unwilling to flee King's Landing as it falls on Jaime's advice, she stabs him when she says they can be together. Jaime retaliates by hitting her, causing her to fall off the Iron Throne and be killed when she hits the floor.
Sex for Services: She promised sex for Amory Lorch if he succeeded in killing Gendry.
Smug Snake: To quote Kevan when he gives her a dressing-down: "Thinking you are clever is not the same as actually being clever."
Spanner in the Works: To Roose Bolton, Myrcella, and her uncle Kevan.
- Cersei's insistence on Sansa going to King's Landing means that Roose's plans to get a claim on Winterfell through the female line get stalled because Domeric accompanies Sansa to King's Landing.
- Myrcella's plan to get Tommen out of King's Landing via fostering gets scarpered when King Robert gets killed by the boar thanks to Cersei having Lancel give Robert strongwine.
- The truce brokered by Myrcella and Kevan had the Starks and the Lannisters agree to not fight each other and focus on Renly for six months, with the stipulation that the Lannisters had to clear out of the Riverlands. And Stannis was willing to uphold his end of the deal as an ally of the Starks. How does Cersei respond? She breaks the truce by sending Amory Lorch into the Riverlands to kill Gendry, meaning that the Starks would have no reason to keep the truce if Cersei was willing to break it.
Stealth Insult: Does a lot of these, particularly towards the North.
Stupid Evil: The above mentioned Evil Is Petty moment fails to work, and in breaking the truce means their opponents have no reason to keep it either.
Too Much Information: Uses this tactic to intimidate Sansa by going into uncomfortable detail about the executions of Sansa's grandfather and uncle. It doesn't work.
Villainous Breakdown: Never a paragon of sanity, she's clearly lost what little wits she has left when it becomes apparent the Lannisters have lost the Battle of King's Landing.

Ser Jaime Lannister

The Kingslayer

Twin brother of Queen Cersei Lannister and elder brother of Tyrion, currently serving as a Kingsguard to Robert Baratheon. Infamous for his killing of King Aerys II Targaryen.

Abusive Parents: His callous attitude towards the end of Myrcella’s betrothal to Robb marks him as such, despite not "officially" being her father.
Adaptational Wimp: Gets out-jousted by Domeric in the Tourney of the Hand.
Big Brother Instinct: As in the books and TV series, why he attacked Ned in the streets of King's Landing.
Brother–Sister Incest: With Cersei. All of King Robert's legal children are Jaime and Cersei's biological children.
Boyfriend-Blocking Dad: He's described as glaring at Robb as Robb and Myrcella walk together in Chapter 13.
Demoted to Extra: Has only appeared twice and hasn't said anything in either scene.
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: He doesn't understand why Myrcella is so unhappy about her betrothal to Robb Stark being broken.
Fighting Fingerprint: Jaime has a particular way of shifting in his saddle just before he reaches his opponent in jousting.
Irony: During the Sack of King's Landing, Jaime was found sitting on the Iron Throne, waiting for the next person to claim it. The next time there's an invading army, Jaime is found dead, sitting on the Iron Throne again.

Tyrion Lannister

Tyrion Lannister, acting Hand of the King, Master of Laws

The Imp, Half-man

The last and least son of Tywin and Joanna Lannister, Tyrion is a deformed dwarf nicknamed "the Imp." Many scorn him for his hideous appearance and his father Tywin considers him an embarrassment to the perfectionist Lannisters.

Big Brother Mentor: Gives Domeric some advice about surviving King's Landing and even playing the Game of Thrones.
Brutal Honesty: Tells Domeric quite clearly about the sort of environment King's Landing is.
The Bus Came Back: Tyrion reappears in Chapter 5 of the sequel.
Cool Uncle: To Myrcella and Tommen; he provides them with a list of books on the Northern houses. Later on when Myrcella has to return to King’s Landing he helps cheer her up.
Deadpan Snarker: Wouldn't be Tyrion Lannister with a sarcastic streak a mile wide. When the maester of Deep Den asks if Tyrion intends to face Robb Stark, Tyrion mutters "I thought those chains were forged through intelligence."
Foil: To Domeric Bolton. Both are the heirs to powerful, cold, ruthless lords, and bond over their love of reading and each possesses a sharp wit. The difference is that Domeric is in a position to meet his father's expectations, while Tyrion, as a dwarf, is not.
Humans Are Bastards: He definitely has a more pessimistic view of the smallfolk, which is proven correct when Myrcella purveys food for the people of King's Landing and a mob jeers at her.
"The smallfolk will praise you with one side of their mouth and curse you with the other."
Know When to Fold 'Em: Kevan urges him to surrender at the opportune moment to ensure the Lannisters survive.
Odd Friendship: With Jon Snow and Domeric Bolton.
Out of Focus: Hasn't had a POV chapter yet, unlike his fairly prolific book counterpart.
Put on a Bus: Hasn't been seen since Chapter 24 when Catelyn seized him at the Crossroads Inn. As of Chapter 51, he’s made it back from the Eyrie and is headed to King’s Landing to serve as Hand of the King as he did in canon.
Small Role, Big Impact: Tyrion only appears in five chapters (of a 66-chapter story) and hasn't been seen since Chapter 24, but his advice to Domeric enabled him and Sansa to escape King's Landing unscathed and persuaded Jon to not join the Night's Watch, leading to Jon killing The Mountain in combat. It goes even further: because Jon killed The Mountain, he puts a big dent in Doran Martell's plans, prompting him to send his brother Oberyn and son Quentyn to seek out Daenerys Targaryen.
You Are in Command Now: Due to the deaths of his father, uncle, and two siblings, Tyrion is left in command of House Lannister by Chapter 11 of the sequel.
You Shall Not Pass!: He intends to intercept Robb Stark's army to negotiate terms before his uncle Stafford's army reaches them.

Ser Kevan Lannister*

Ser Kevan Lannister, Hand of the King

Lord Tywin Lannister's younger brother. Married to Dorna Swyft, with whom he has four children: Lancel, Willem, Martyn and Janei.

Composite Character: Seems to have taken Tyrion's plotline of getting sent to King's Landing to act as Hand in Tywin's place. He also takes Varys' role of trying to get Ned to back down. This is subverted when Kevan is summoned back into the field and Tyrion takes his place as acting Hand of the King as he did in the books/show, then double-subverted when they both wind up back in King's Landing.
Cool Uncle: Well, cool great-uncle to Myrcella and Tommen.

Death by Adaptation: Killed by Baratheon soldiers during the battle with Renly's forces.
The Dragon: To his brother Tywin, as his chief lieutenant for almost 40 years. As Acting Hand of the King he's a Dragon-in-Chief to his niece Queen Cersei; when he loses his patience with Cersei over her incompetence and calls for guards to escort her to her chambers, they listen to him, not the Queen Regent.
Everyone Has Standards: He's really put off by Jaime's callous attitude towards Myrcella's broken betrothal and the allegations that Jaime and Cersei committed incest; he's physically sickened by the thought.
- In the sequel, he was disgusted by Cersei’s massacre of Robert's bastards through Janos Slynt and had him sent to the Wall.
I Have Your Wife: Kevan's first order of business after making sure Ned won't die is to try and secure hostages to make sure they'll have less enemies. He planned on having Robb come to King's Landing, marry Myrcella, and get a seat in the Small Council, Theon transferred to King's Landing to be used to quell Balon Greyjoy, and they can put down the rebellions led by Stannis and Renly. This is used again in the sequel when he has Horas and Hobber Redwyne transferred to Casterly Rock alongside Tyrion and Myrcella to stave off an attack.
Kick the Dog: Rubs Ned's powerlessness and his ruined political career in his face.
Misblamed: In-universe, Cersei blames him for losing the battle of King's Landing, even believing that he was the valonqar in her prophecy.
Number Two: As Joffrey's Hand of the King.
Off with His Head!: Garlan mentions that he was decapitated and his head put on a spike.
Pet the Dog: Assures Ned that Jeyne Poole will be kept safe and healthy, no matter how negotiations proceed.
Pragmatic Villainy: Has Ned taken out of the Black Cells and has Pycelle heal his leg because they need a hostage to negotiate peace with the North. He also encourages Myrcella's interactions with Ned, to show that his statements about the Baratheon children's parentage hurts her and Tommen just as much as it does Joffrey.
Take Care of the Kids: Before sending Tyrion away to Casterly Rock, he tells Tyrion that he's putting their family's fate in his hands.
This Is Gonna Suck: Chapter 5 of the sequel is a long exercise in this as he hears of Stannis' movements in the Crownlands and Cersei's attempt to kill Gendry, meaning that she broke the truce between the Starks and the Lannisters, so that they're being squeezed between Renly's forces on one side and Stannis's on the other.

Willem Lannister

One of Kevan's twin sons.

Distressed Dude: Got captured in the Battle of the Whispering Wood but was since released from captivity.

Ser Stafford Lannister

Oldest son of Jason Lannister and Marla Prester, brother of Joanna Lannister and uncle of Cersei, Jaime and Tyrion. Married to Myranda Lefford and father of Daven, Cerenna, and Myrielle.

The Ghost: Hasn't appeared on page as of yet.
Leeroy Jenkins: Once Tyrion learns that Robb's army is in the Westerlands, he knows that Stafford's first instinct will be to attack it. So Tyrion opts to intercept Robb before Stafford can get there.
We Need a Distraction: Kevan sent Stafford's army into the Reach to delay or split Renly's army via raid, pillage, and plunder.

Ser Gregor Clegane

The Mountain that Rides

Nicknamed “The Mountain that Rides”, Ser Gregor Clegane is the biggest man in Westeros, with a reputation for savagery and brutality.

Annoying Arrows: He gets shot full of arrows and despite only wearing chainmail, this only slightly inconveniences him.
Asshole Victim: As a violent Sociopathic Soldier and rapist, nobody mourns his demise at the hands of Jon Snow.
Ax-Crazy: Killed his own horse before attacking Loras Tyrell at the tourney of the Hand.
The Brute: An enormous knight who does intimidation and strong-arming for the Lannisters.
Death by Adaptation: Killed by Jon near Pinkmaiden.
Decapitation Presentation: Jon sends his skull to Dorne. Chapter 65 reveals that it's being used as a table decoration, in this case a knife stand.
Dissonant Serenity: Jon, via Ghost, sees him watching a burning village with disinterest.
The Dreaded: Myrcella and Jeyne Poole are absolutely terrified of him. Cersei on the other hand uses the possibility of Domeric facing him as an attempt to intimidate Sansa. Jon feels trepidation about possibly confronting The Mountain though he's the one to kill him in the end.
Foil: To Joffrey Baratheon. Both are two of the biggest sociopaths in the setting, descended from houses in the Westerlands, have two younger siblings whom they abuse, and were doted on by a parent who refused to see anything wrong with them. The difference between them is while both are bullies who like hurting others, Gregor isn't a coward and resisting him makes him more eager to kill that person.
Hero Killer: Kills Beric Donarrion and Thoros of Myr and gives Jon severe injuries during their duel, leaving him unconscious for several days.
Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: Falls into a spike pit, then speared three times: once through the torso, once through the throat, and once through the head by Jon. It takes the last one to actually kill him.
Implacable Man: Even half-dressed (that is, only clad in mail), The Mountain is near-impossible to bring down. He gets shot a whole bunch, endures several sword slashes, is still alive from falling into a spike pit, and has to be speared through the head to finally be killed.
Karmic Death: He killed Elia Martell and her infant son Aegon. He's killed by Jon Snow, Aegon's half-brother and Elia's step-son.
Oh, Crap!: Has a split-second one when he realizes he’s going to fall into a Pit Trap full of spikes.
Rape, Pillage, and Burn: Right now, he's going on raids to pacify the Riverlands. This includes burning towns, raping children, ripping babies from mother's breasts and wombs.
The Voiceless: He never actually says anything on-page.

Sandor Clegane

The Hound

Younger brother of Ser Gregor Clegane and sworn shield to Prince Joffrey Baratheon.

Cain and Abel: The Abel to his brother Gregor's Cain.
Demoted to Extra: Only appeared twice so far. The sequel takes this further by not having him be mentioned at all.
Everyone Has Standards: He's the only Lannister man not laughing at Domeric.
Foil: To Myrcella Baratheon. Despite the Hound being a large, Two-Faced warrior and Myrcella a pretty young lady getting into politics, they share similar backgrounds. Both are descended from Westerland houses, with an abusive elder brother, a parent who spoils said elder brother (the former Ser Clegane for Sandor, Queen Cersei for Myrcella), and a younger sibling of the opposite sex that they fear for (formerly in Sandor’s case because his sister died, most likely at the hands of the elder brother).
Offscreen Moment of Awesome: Saving Ser Loras Tyrell from the Mountain.
The Quiet One: Only had one line of two words so far.
Rage Helm: His snarling dog helmet.
Two-Faced: Thanks to his elder brother Gregor shoving his face into a lit brazier.
What Happened to the Mouse?: His fate is not mentioned in the aftermath of Renly's takeover of the capital.

Ser Amory Lorch*

Ser Amory Lorch

Another knight in service to House Lannister.

An Arm and a Leg: Ghost bites off his hand. And that's the first part of his death.
Asshole Victim: A child-killing Sociopathic Soldier who meets a gruesome end from a pack of wolves.
Bad Habits: He and his men disguise themselves as pilgrims to attack Yoren's party of recruits.
The Brute: He's a big, dumb Sociopathic Soldier like The Mountain, only smaller.
Death by Secret Identity: Invoked. Jon Snow tells Lorch his true parentage just to let him know that what he thought was his biggest achievement (snuffing out the Targaryens) was all a lie before having him torn apart.
Eaten Alive: Torn apart by a pack of wolves.
He Knows Too Much: When his men are ambushed by Jon Snow's men, he resolves to kill his own men so they won't blab about what they were sent to do.
I Regret Nothing: He has no regrets about killing the young Tarbeck boy and Rhaenys Targaryen.

Villain Protagonist: The viewpoint character for the sequel's opening chapter. He doesn't last beyond that.
Would Hurt a Child: He threw the Tarbeck boy down a well, killed Rhaenys Targaryen by stabbing her multiple times, and was sent to kill Gendry.

House Tully of Riverrun

Lord Hoster Tully

Lord of Riverrun and Lord Paramount of the Riverlands, father of Lady Catelyn Stark, Lady Lysa Arryn and Edmure.

Amazingly Embarrassing Parents: Tells Sansa stories of Catelyn's childhood, stories that Sansa's sure would make her mother blush.

Ser Edmure Tully

Youngest child and only son of Lord Hoster Tully and younger brother of Catelyn and Lysa.

In Spite of a Nail: He marries Roslin Frey as in canon.
I Owe You My Life: Sincerely thanks Jon for killing the Mountain, who had been plaguing his lands, and for helping to free Riverrun from the Lannister army beseiging it.
Pet the Dog: He insists on Jon receiving lodgings in Riverrun despite Jon's past as Ned Stark's illegitimate son and a stain on Catelyn's honor.

House Frey of the Crossing

Lord Walder Frey

The Late Lord Frey

Current Lord of the Crossing, a man of ninety.

Dirty Old Man: Creepily tries to hit on Sansa, who is many, many years younger than he is.
"Here I thought my young wife had the sweetest honey, heh. Your betrothal won't help you here, girl. Mayhaps, you'll allow me a taste and then I'd consider letting your soldiers pass."
Really Gets Around: Eight wives, more than 20 children, and an unknown but likely high number of bastards.

Lord Walder's Sons

Colmar Frey*

Colmar Frey

Twentieth son of Walder Frey by his seventh wife Annara Faring.

Arranged Marriage: Sansa’s set up the arrangements for a betrothal to Arya, but she’s waiting for her father’s say-so.
Ascended Extra: Only described in appendices, but makes a full appearance here. And in the sequel, he gets part of a POV.
Composite Character: Takes his brother Elmar's role as Arya's betrothed.
I Need a Freaking Drink: Half of his POV involves trying to drink a pint of ale. He doesn't like ale, but he'd rather drink than listen to Little Walder.
Like Father, Unlike Son: Unlike his father Walder, Colmar is shown as competent and better-looking than his father.
Ship Tease: He's attracted to Jeyne Poole. This is taken advantage of by Sansa, who wishes to push them into a relationship to free Arya from her betrothal.
The Squire: To Domeric.

Lord Walder's Grandsons

"Little" Walder Frey

Walder Frey

Only son of Merrett Frey. Accompanies the Frey retinue to the North.

Abhorrent Admirer: He has a crush on Jeyne Poole.
Age Lift: Raised up to his teenage years.
Enfant Terrible: An older example than most. Despite not being taken under Ramsay's wing, he has a disturbing amount of enthusiasm for Domeric's punishment of the Bloody Mummers, showing disappointment at not being there to witness it.
Ironic Nickname: "Little" Walder is anything but little.

Lord Walder's Daughters

Roslin Frey

Fifth daughter of Walder Frey by his sixth wife Bethany Rosby. Accompanies Sansa Stark from the Twins.

In Spite of a Nail: She still marries Edmure Tully in this timeline.

Nice Girl: She's the gentlest of the Freys that accompany Sansa, and Sansa believes that she'd have the easiest time of securing a match.

Arwyn Frey

Sixth Daughter of Walder Frey by his seventh wife Annara Faring and older sister of Colmar and Shirei. Accompanies Sansa Stark from The Twins.

Ambiguously Gay: In the sequel, Colmar notes that she has peculiar tastes and he strongly suspects that no man could please her. This is given more possible hints after her father dies where she asks to put off marriage until her sister is old enough to wed. Her sister is not yet 6 and wouldn't marry for over a decade, meaning Arwyn would likely never marry..
Ascended Extra: She only makes a brief appearance in the third book shortly before the Red Wedding, but here she's the most prominent of the Freys who accompany Sansa.

Pillow Pistol: Arwyn tells Sansa that every Frey girl finds it wise to sleep with a knife.
Promotion to Parent: She's been like a mother to her sister Shirei after her mother Annara Faring died.
The Ugly Guy's Hot Daughter: Unlike most of Walder Frey's descendants, Arwyn is described as being quite pretty.

Lord Walder's Granddaughters

Walda Frey

Fat Walda Frey

Second daughter of Merrett Frey and Mariya Darry. Accompanies Sansa Stark from The Twins.

Arranged Marriage: She's betrothed to Smalljon Umber.
Decomposite Character: Her role of Roose Bolton's newest wife is given to Jonelle Cerwyn.
Jumped at the Call: She is the one who explains that the Freys who accompanied Sansa that they volunteered and they don't want to go back home.
Lost in Imitation: Fat Walda's personality better matches the demure and amenable show version rather than the Big Fun book version.

The Kingsguard

Lord Commander Barristan Selmy

Ser Barristan Selmy, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard

Barristan the Bold

Lord Commander of King Robert Baratheon's Kingsguard.

Cool Old Guy: An older knight who is still one of the best fighters in the realm.
Embarrassing Nickname: Remarks that the other Kingsguard sometimes call him "Barristan the Old."
It's All My Fault: Blames himself for not attacking fast enough when King Robert got killed by the boar.
The Magnificent: Barristan "the Bold."
The Mentor: To Myrcella and Tommen.
Put on a Bus: After being dismissed from the Kingsguard in Chapter 38. Presumably he's gone east to seek out Daenerys Targaryen as he did in the books/show.
Reluctant Retiree: Just like in the books/show.
What the Hell, Hero?: Gently scolds Tommen for his unkind words about Northerners.
"My prince, I've known many men from the north and they are honorable and worthy of respect. You mustn't say such things about the north especially in front of Lord Stark, and the other men who have traveled with him."

Ser Meryn Trant

Cool Helmet: A golden helm with a sunburst crest. It winds up getting dented when Domeric unhorses him.
Jerkass: Laughs along with the Lannister guardsmen at Domeric when Joffrey insults Ned, Jon and Domeric all in one swoop.
Who Dares?: When Domeric makes a remark about the fate of Prince Rhaegar.
"You threaten the prince in front of his Kingsguard?"

Ser Arys Oakheart

My God, What Have I Done?: He is absolutely disgusted with himself after laughing during Ser Barristan Selmy's dismissal.
Nice Guy: Offers Myrcella a handkerchief after her argument with her mother over the dress she chose. He also allowed her to leave the argument by not stopping her.
Satellite Character: Only appears in chapters with Myrcella.
Undying Loyalty: Assures Myrcella that he will stand with the Royal Family no matter where his family's allegiance turns.

Ser Boros Blount

Alliterative Name: Boros Blount.
Dirty Coward: Not keen on a fight with the Bolton men at arms.
Sycophantic Servant: Described as "one of the Queen's creatures".

House Martell of Sunspear

Prince Doran Martell

Prince Doran Nymeros Martell, Prince of Dorne

Elder brother of Elia and Oberyn and ruling Prince of Dorne. Married to Mellario of Norvos and father of Arianne, Quentyn and Trystane.

The Chessmaster: Deconstructed; like his book counterpart he has been planning House Martell's revenge against the Lannisters via the Targaryens, but didn't take spanners into account, like The Mountain pissing the Crown off enough for Jon Snow to kill him, or Viserys Targaryen pissing off Khal Drogo enough to kill him.
The Ghost: He doesn't actually appear on-page, as the one scene in Dorne takes place after he reveals his plans.

Prince Oberyn Martell

Prince Oberyn Nymeros Martell

The Red Viper

The younger brother of the ruling Prince of Dorne, Doran Martell.

Always Someone Better: For Quentyn. He's everything Quentyn is not, and whenever they're in the same room, he always feels lacking compared to his uncle's strength, composure, looks, and brains.
Animal Motifs: Snakes, as his moniker is the Red Viper. When he loses his temper upon hearing of The Mountain's demise, Quentyn describes his movements like a snake poised to strike.
Human Resources: Fashioned a hole in the top of The Mountain's skull that serves as a place to sheath knives.
The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Suffice it to say, he is most displeased to receive word of The Mountain's demise because he wanted to kill him to avenge the rape and murder of his sister Elia.
"By what right does this Jon Snow have to kill him?" Oberyn had seethed, "Elia and Aegon are nothing to him. They were my blood! They were mine to avenge!"
The Quest: He and Quentyn are headed to Essos to seek out Daenerys Targaryen.
Red Baron: The "Red Viper".

Princess Arianne Martell

Princess Arianne Nymeros Martell

Prince Doran's eldest child and heir.

Adaptational Personality Change: She appears to be more confrontational and less conniving than in the books. While in the books she attempted a coup because she suspected that her father was seeking to use Quentyn to supplant her, here she barged into her father's chambers and outright accused him of the same thing, only for Doran to reveal his plans.
Arranged Marriage: She was betrothed to Viserys Targaryen, but that fell through when Viserys got molten gold poured on his head.
Hot-Blooded: Her hot temper is one of the few traits Quentyn is not envious of.

Prince Quentyn Martell*

Prince Quentyn Nymeros Martell

Prince Doran's second child and eldest son.

Arranged Marriage: His father reveals that he was betrothed to Daenerys Targaryen as a backup plan in case Viserys died. Quentyn, believing himself not deserving of the match, amends it so that Daenerys has a choice between him, his uncle Oberyn, and his younger brother Trystane.
The Quest: He appears to be headed to Essos with his uncle Oberyn to find Daenerys Targaryen.
Virgin-Shaming: Quentyn is aware of his lack of experience when it comes to women and feels shame at the possibility of not satisfying Daenerys.

House Tyrell of Highgarden

Ser Garlan Tyrell*

Ser Garlan Tyrell

The Gallant

Second son of Lord Mace Tyrell and Lady Alerie Hightower. Married to Leonette Fossoway.

Ascended Extra: Originally a side character in the books, he's one of the POV characters for Chapter 65 and the main protagonist in Renly's camp.
Big Brother Instinct: Garlan is greatly concerned for Margaery's well-being, during campaign and with what'll happen if they take King's Landing. He'll even chew out his other younger sibling Loras for not keeping that in mind.
Chekhov's Gunman: First mentioned in Chapter 31 before making a POV in Chapter 65.
Everyone Has Standards: He really doesn't like the fact that Renly isn't interested in Margaery, especially because she would be blamed if Renly doesn't have children with her.
Happily Married: To Leonette. While on campaign he constantly feels her absence.
Love Ruins the Realm: Warns Loras that he might have to keep his distance from Renly so that he may attend to Margaery.
"...you need to remember that the more [Renly] is in your bed the less chance our sister has in having his babe. If she is not pregnant, who will the court and people blame, Renly or Margaery?"
Master Swordsman: Loras says that he is the best swordsman in the Reach.

Ser Loras Tyrell

The Knight of Flowers

Third son of Lord Mace Tyrell and Lady Alerie Hightower. As in the books, Loras is already a celebrity in Westeros due to his good looks and exceptional skill at swordsmanship and jousting.

Agent Peacock: A dandy and an excellent jouster.
Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy: As in the books, Loras is extremely prideful of his skills and tends to dismiss other opinions. Consider his first conversation with Domeric, which echoes the conversation Ned has with Jaime in "Winter is Coming":
Loras: As a third son, I've had to make my own way. I suppose we won't see you out there, Bolton, these sorts of tournaments are no place for amateurs.
Domeric: Indeed, most tournaments seem a bit too amateurish for my tastes. Maybe it's the North in me, but when I draw my sword it isn't for the praise of a fickle crowd, but in the roar of battle. And my sword isn't a tool to entertain, but a weapon to kill. [Stunned Silence from Loras]
Bling of War: Wears shiny plate armor with sapphires. The armor gets grass stains on it after the Mountain attacks him and the helmet gets dented when Domeric hits his helmet in their joust, unseating Loras.
Jerk Jock: Excellent jouster and quite arrogant.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He may be arrogant and snobbish, but he does care about his father Mace, brothers Willas and Garlan, as well as his sister Margaery.
Made of Iron:
- He seems to be perfectly fine after getting hit in the head at high speed with a lance, with enough force to dent his helmet.
- In the sequel, he is nearly blown up by the wildfire trap and merely suffers a broken arm and burned face.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: The brash, Jerk Jock red to Renly's blue. Also the arrogant and boastful red to Domeric's quiet, understated blue. Interestingly, the two swap colors in the jewels in their tourney armor when they face each other; Loras with blue sapphires and Domeric with red rubies.
The Rival: To Domeric in the field of jousting. The two butt heads in Loras' first scene.
Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: A mare isn't going to be as fast as a destrier, as Loras finds out the hard way during his joust with Domeric.
Those Two Guys: With Lord Renly Baratheon.

Queen Margaery Tyrell

Youngest child and only daughter of Lord Mace Tyrell and Lady Alerie Hightower. Married to "King" Renly Baratheon.

The Ace: According to Garlan, she's the Queen the Seven Kingdoms needs.
And Then What?: Discusses this trope with Garlan regarding the outcome of the war, arguing that the Starks could be brought to heel with the offer of a harvest when winter comes.
Deadpan Snarker: When Garlan discusses the truce between the Lannisters and the Starks and hoping that Renly will take action, Margaery responds wryly that her husband is more likely to throw another tournament.
The Scapegoat: Garlan worries that when Renly takes King's Landing, he won't visit her and Margaery's position will be in doubt until she bears children; if she doesn't she'll be held to blame.
Tough Leader Façade: She has a more stern demeanor as Queen, something that Garlan is disappointed at because she has it even with her relatives.

Small Council

Lord Petyr Baelish

Littlefinger

Master of Coin on King Robert Baratheon's Small Council.

Badass Boast: When discussing his personal crest, the mockingbird.
"I'm the only man in the city who wears it, but that doesn't mean I'm not without friends."
Demoted to Extra: Only appears a few times; presumably, his role is the same as it was in the books and TV series.
Every Man Has His Price: In the sequel, he is able to leave King's Landing by bribing the City Watch and offers to bribe them again on Renly's behalf. After all, he's responsible for paying them on a regular basis, why not offer them a bit more for a special job?
The Mole: He's the traitor who arranged for the City Watch to betray the Lannisters.
Mundane Wish: A downplayed, non-magical example. He offers information on the Starks and the City Watch to help Renly take King's Landing. What he wants in return? Retaining his job as Master of Coin. At least that what he’s willing to request at the moment; the rest he'll reveal later.
Obfuscating Stupidity: Puts up a Smug Snake front with Sansa and Domeric. It's all an act, since he manipulated Ned into getting himself arrested, as it happened in the books and TV series. On the other hand, he can't fool Lady.
Snark-to-Snark Combat: Gets into a round with Lord Renly about betting on Domeric. Littlefinger wins, in the snark debate and the bet.
Littlefinger: Will you allow me to win my coin back, Lord Renly? My gold dragons on the northern lord.
Renly: The same northerner you bet against all tournament?
Littlefinger: Yes, but I have a feeling that you'll not bet against your friend, Ser Loras.
Renly: [voice strained] Very well, you have your wager.
Stepford Smiler: Domeric describes his smile not reaching his green-gray eyes.
Troll: Likes to get under people's skin.
Unlucky Childhood Friend: To Catelyn Stark, née Tully. Domeric remembers hearing stories of his one-sided duel with Brandon Stark while in the Vale.

Lord Varys

Lord Varys, Master of Whisperers

The Spider

An eunuch and Master of Whisperers of (supposedly) Lysene origin, no one really knows who Varys is. Although he is one of the King's advisors, he is the most mysterious member of the Westerosi government - and in some cases, he is the government.

Demoted to Extra: Gets it even worse than Littlefinger since Varys goes nearly unmentioned until Chapter 32 and doesn't appear until Chapter 38.
Groin Attack: Goes with being a eunuch.
Master of Disguise: Myrcella meets him in his Rugen the turnkey disguise when she visits Lord Stark in the Black Cells.
Vocal Dissonance: Hearing him talk in his normal, airy tone is jarring when used with his Rugen the turnkey disguise.

Grand Maester Pycelle

A Grand Maester of the Citadel at the Red Keep.

The Bore: Kevan has interacted enough with Pycelle to know when he's going to be doing long-winded babbling, and cuts him off before he can get too far.
Dirty Old Man: Sort of. Pycelle's canonical disregard for his Maester's oath of chastity is not mentioned, but he is literally dirty with long, dirty nails and a smell of cabbage.
The Medic: Appears to be his main role as he attends to Joffrey's sickness (getting a filled privy thrown at him) and to the injuries suffered by King Robert and Lord Stark.
Obfuscating Disability: When Kevan orders everyone out of the Small Council chambers after hearing word of Cersei breaking the truce, Pycelle takes the longest time to leave, pretending to be more disabled than he is so Kevan will allow him to stay and listen.
Politically Incorrect Villain: Refers to Stannis and his allies as savages and heretics.

Other Characters

Ser Beric Dondarrion

The Leader of the men sent by Lord Stark to arrest Ser Gregor Clegane.

And Then What?: How he manages to stop Jon's departure for King's Landing, pointing the boy will end up in the Black Cells with Ned or killed by the Lannister mooks.
Chekhov's Gunman: First appears at the Hand's Tourney, before being sent to take down the Mountain.
Death by Adaptation: Killed by the Mountain near Pinkmaiden. This time, it's for real.
I Gave My Word: He swore he would get Jon home to Winterfell.
Mentor Occupational Hazard: While Jon's his squire, Beric is killed in a duel with the Mountain.
Only Sane Man: Beric has to play mediator between the Stark guardsmen and the southern men when the latter insult the Old Gods and the Stark guardsmen get angry. He also has to talk down Jon when he thinks of returning to King's Landing to free Ned, which is a bad idea since the Lannisters are also looking for Jon just as much as they're looking for Domeric and Sansa.
Pit Trap: He's using some of these in a plan to take down the Mountain.
Talking Down the Suicidal: Talks Jon out of trying to free Ned, which could get him killed or make him a hostage.

Prince Rhaegar Targaryen

Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, the Prince of Dragonstone

The Last Dragon, The Silver Prince

Rhaegar was the eldest child of Aerys II and Rhaella and his father's heir. He is a Posthumous Character, and everything the readers know about him is filtered through Second-Hand Storytelling. Robert Baratheon considers him an Arch-Enemy, due to Rhaegar's (supposed) kidnapping and rape of his betrothed Lyanna Stark.

Arch-Enemy: To Robert Baratheon, as the man who stole his betrothed and fought to the death in battle. Even years later Robert still refers to him with hatred.
Black Knight: He wore black plate armor, with rubies that formed the three-headed dragon of House Targaryen.
Like Father, Unlike Son: According to Jaime Lannister, "Rhaegar was many things, but he was not his father".
Luke, I Am Your Father: This time, Ned gets to tell Jon that Rhaegar is Jon's father.
Posthumous Character: He's been dead for years since the story began, though his presence is keenly felt by characters like Ned and Robert, who keep having flashbacks to the Tourney at Harrenhal due to Domeric's black armor with rubies.

Miller's Wife

An unnamed miller's wife who is the mother of Ramsay Snow.

Death by Adaptation: Her fate is not mentioned in the novels.
Droit du Seigneur: Roose Bolton raped her shortly after her wedding and Ramsay Snow is the result.
Foil: To Cersei Lannister. Both are beautiful, greedy and power-hungry women and each has a vicious bastard son which they believe is the rightful heir to their father's legacy.
The Ghost: She's only mentioned and seen in a posthumous flashback.
The Mentally Disturbed: Robard outright describes her as unhinged.
No Name Given: Only referred to as "mother".
Team Mom: An evil version for the Bastard Boys. They use her mill as a base of operations.
Ungrateful Bastard: Lord Bolton set her up quite nicely with a mill, livestock, and a servant. She repays him by persuading Ramsay to try murdering his half-brother.

Characters / Our Blades Are Sharp

Edit Locked