Trials and Tribulations of the Oathkeeper
by DeadlyMaelstrom711 is a Game of Thrones fanfic depicting an alternate timeline where Robert Baratheon and Cersei Lannister's first and only trueborn son, Daveth, did not die of a fever in infancy, but instead lived to adulthood. Ever wondered what might have occurred if Robert and Cersei's trueborn son actually lived? What might have changed? The fanfic mostly follows the canon of Game of Thrones while also adding several elements and characters from A Song of Ice and Fire.
Trials and Tribulations of the Oathkeeper provides examples of:
- Age Lift: Certain characters are aged up a bit when Season 1 begins.
- Daveth, Jon, Robb, Theon - 17
- Joffrey - 16
- Myrcella - 15
- Tommen - 11
- Cain and Abel: Daveth and Joffrey have never gotten along. The mutual dislike between them gets worse after Daveth accedes to the throne.
- Composite Character: Randyll Tarly takes Robb Stark's role as the character who captures Jaime Lannister early in the war, since the war is mainly with the Tyrells (backing Renly).
- Death by Adaptation: Janos Slynt is executed by Daveth after he becomes aware of the massacre of King Robert's bastards.
- Dies Differently in Adaptation:
- Cersei and Littlefinger are hanged instead of being crushed by bricks and Slashed Throat respectively.
- Tywin Lannister isn't shot on the privy. Instead he is ambushed and stabbed by assassins employed by Qyburn.
- Instead of being decapitated by Brienne, Stannis Baratheon is burned alive by Daenerys.
- Disc-One Final Boss: Renly is Daveth's first opponent during his reign.
- Doorstopper: As of right now, the entire story is 180 chapters long and more than 859,173 words.
- Dragon Their Feet:
- Loras Tyrell is intent on avenging Renly and he commands the Tyrell forces at the Battle of the Blackwater.
- After Cersei's execution, Qyburn assassinates Tywin Lannister.
- Gratuitous Foreign Language: When characters speak in Valyrian, the author writes the sentence in that language - only to put right after that the translation.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Although Ned Stark doesn't get beheaded like he did in the TV series, he lives a little bit longer just enough to sacrifice himself to protect Daveth by getting stabbed repeatedly during the Battle of the Blackwater.
- In Spite of a Nail: While there are several changes, a good part of the storyline is pretty much identical to canon.
- Myrcella is sent to Dorne.
- Robb meets and marries Talisa Maegyr.
- Tommen marries Margaery Tyrell.
- The Boltons organize a rebellion, allying to the Karstarks and Smalljon Umber.
- Arya goes to Braavos to become a Faceless Man.
- All of Jon's story is essentially the same.
- Theon escapes with Jeyne Poole from the Boltons.
- Internal Reveal: Daveth discovers his siblings' true parentage in Chapter 34.
- Lazy Bum: Joffrey is given a seat on the Small Council by Daveth on Cersei's insistence, but does very little during his time there and even falls asleep during meetings.
- Let Us Never Speak of This Again: After learning his siblings' true parentage, Daveth vows to never tell anyone of what he found.
- Original Character:
- Daveth Baratheon, giving Game of Thrones another What If? scenario where King Robert and Cersei sired a trueborn son.
- Jaehaegon Velaryon
- Bodrin
- Karrem
- Vaeraleah
- Ariyana Dayne
- Lucius Blackmyre
- Duran
- Shout-Out: Daveth disinheriting Joffrey has very similar dramatic beats to Odin banishing Thor in Thor, particularly the banished party calling someone a fool and the banisher saying that someone is unworthy of those he betrayed.
- Spared by the Adaptation:
- Shae is still Tyrion's lover.
- Robb, Rickon and Catelyn Stark, Brynden "the Blackfish" Tully and Barristan Selmy make it through the series longer than they had originally.
- Loras, Margaery and Olenna Tyrell are still around.
- Oberyn "the Red Viper" Martell remained standing until the Battle of Ice and Fire; Doran Martell is still ruling Dorne and not been ousted.
- Talisa Maegyr and her unborn child also make it through the series.
- Joffrey is of the "died later than in canon variety". He takes Janos Slynt's plot of being sent to the Wall after the massacre of King Robert's bastards and ultimately losing his head thanks to disobeying a direct order from Jon.
