As the time of the war against Dorne approaches, we thought we’d provide a general sense of what players would ICly understand of how it’s being organized and why it’s being done in a certain way. A Tidings post will sort of hint and nod at it all in a more general, Tidings-style sense, but this is a sufficiently big and complex event that putting things out OOCly in a plainer sense makes… well, sense.
This is what players will have gathered, as word of the king’s plans have filtered down from on high to important lords and courtiers, wardens, etc. First, the thrust of the king’s plan appears straightforward, and inspired (with one key difference) by the Young Dragon’s invasion of Dorne. Where Daeron’s attack was three-pronged (two land armies crossing the passes through the Red Mountains, and Oakenfist leading the royal fleet to eventually drive for the Planky Town), Aegon has called on forces to gather at King’s Landing, and indeed over the last month and half encampments have begun to swell outside the walls of King’s Landing, with the largest across the river at the beginnings of the Kingswood. There are two exceptions to this gathering. One is in the Reach. While lords and knights of the eastern part of the Reach have largely traveled to King’s Landing, the Tyrells are overseeing the reinforcement of the Prince’s Pass, and indeed a tourney has taken place at Horn Hill where the young Lord of Highgarden has won his spurs after winning the tournament and defeating some noted champions who have come to join that reinforcing force. The other exception is the stormlands, where the marcher lords and many stormlords besides are raising their banners at their seats and are waiting for the king’s host to join theirs, or (in the case of marchers like the Dondarrions and other relevant houses) are even now reinforcing the Boneway and preparing depots and encampments to supply the host on its march.
Besides this huge army, growing by the day, there are also the terrifying “dragons” that the Guild of Alchemists is constructing for the king. These are in fact being built across the water, with parts of the Kingswood felled for the timber to make them. Rumor has it that the wildfire that these great engines will spout has yet to be transported out of the depths of the Guildhall, but when it is it’ll be a very delicate operation.
Finally, the other segment of things is the fleet: just as an army is gathering, the royal fleet is gathering. Most of it is in Dragonstone and its vassal isles, but a large segment is now at King’s Landing, with ships being overhauled and refitted, sailors and oarsmen being recruited, etc. Some substantial portion of the total military force will be travelling on those ships, although the king’s plans for the role of the fleet is not yet generally clear. Most bet they’ll try the same gambit, trying to seize the Planky Town and then as much of the Greenblood as possible to prevent forces in the west of Dorne from easily crossing over to the east.
Finally, what role will characters have in this whole thing? If you’re a knight or a squire, it’s likely that you’re expecting to be part of the war! Whether you’re with the land army marching south or with the fleet sailing down is mostly up to players, and as we get closer to the marching/sailing date—it’s still several weeks away—we’ll maybe have some specific events for the groups in each “arm” of the campaign. If players decide they would all like to be on the fleet or with the army, we can do that, and will just focus on that part of the conflict for events and scenes. And if you’re not a knight or squire? You’re likely staying in King’s Landing, perhaps supporting (or deploring!) the effort in your own way.