Lore of Westeros II

The Field of Fire

Viserys Targaryen's perspective

Viserys opens his narration reminding that the days of the Andals were numbered. One by one their "so-called kings" were bending the knee or facing the wrath of Aegon I Targaryen: Aegon of Old Valyria, Aegon who was blood of the dragon.

After defeating the ironmen at Harrenhal and slaying the last of the Storm Kings, Aegon and his sisters, Rhaenys and Visenya, set their sights on other prizes: the gold mines of the Rock and the fertile lands of the Reach. King Loren Lannister of the Rock and King Mern Gardener of the Reach foolishly, to Viserys' opinion, thought their combined armies could beat back the Targaryen host. They rode forth together, their proud banners flapping in the wind, and faced Aegon in a vast, golden field of wheat. The two Kings commanded a massive force of nearly sixty thousand men, and it appeared the battle would be theirs. However, Aegon unleashed all three of his dragons for the first and only time.

Each beast was named after the Valyrian gods of Aegon's forefathers. Visenya rode Vhagar, whose fiery breath could melt armor. Rhaenys rode Meraxes, whose jaws were big enough to swallow a horse whole. The greatest of all was Balerion the Black Dread, with fire "dark as night" and wings so huge whole towns were covered in shadow when he flew overhead; this magnificent creature was rode by Aegon himself.

Four thousand men were bathed in "glorious" dragonflame that day, on what came to be known as "the Field of Fire". King Mern was among the dead and House Gardener died with him. His stewards, the Tyrells, surrendered his ancestral stronghold of Highgarden to Aegon, and were appointed Lord Paramount of the Reach and Warden of the South. Meanwhile, when Loren Lannister witnessed Mern's fate, he wisely bent the knee. Aegon spared Loren's line, and the Lannisters were made Lord Paramount of the Westerlands and Wardens of the West.

After his triumph, Aegon's conquest was assured. In a short time, the so-called Seven Kingdoms were melted down in the heat of the dragons' flame and transformed into a single realm. Aegon would forever be known as "Aegon the Conqueror".

Robb Stark's perspective

Robb opens his narration assuring that the ascension of Aegon I Targaryen and the fate of the Seven Kingdoms were sealed in the Field of Fire. Kings Loren Lannister of the Rock and Mern Gardener of the Reach stood against Aegon's invasion. They commanded a united force of six hundred banners, five thousand mounted knights and fifty thousand men-at-arms.

Aegon's host was vastly outnumbered, and when the army of the two Kings charged, the invaders turned heel and ran; but Andal might was no match for dragon flame. When Aegon unleashed all three of his dragons, four thousand souls were horrendously burned alive on the battlefield, King Mern among them. Realizing all hope was lost, King Loren surrendered.

The Starks of Winterfell had no intention of surrendering to Targaryen rule. They had reigned as Kings in the North since the days of the First Men, and were determined to resist the Targaryen invaders, just as they had resisted the Andals thousands of years before.

King Torrhen Stark led his army to the Red Fork, just east of Riverrun, hoping to succeed where Loren and Mern had failed. But when he saw the size of Aegon's now mighty host along with his monstrous dragons, he knew he couldn't subject his followers to another Field of Fire. He bent the knee and swore fealty to Aegon, who allowed the Starks to maintain their lordship over the region as Lords Paramount and Wardens of the North. Without question, Torrhen Stark had saved thousands of lives that day. He was ever after known as "the King Who Knelt".

Mad King Aerys

Robert Baratheon's perspective

King Robert opens his narration explaining that Aerys II Targaryen was the last of his name to sit on the Iron Throne. Known far and wide as "the Mad King", Robert considers that his was a reign of instability and terror and that the Seven Kingdoms are well rid of him and his kind. He adds that Aerys may have appeared to be a capable ruler at first, but that was due in no small part to his councilors led by the Hand of the King, Tywin Lannister. While there may have been years of peace and prosperity during Aerys' reign, but it was Tywin who was really running the realm, as Aerys spiraled further and further into insanity.

Robert reminds how the "dragon spawn" were famous for losing their minds; it was the price they paid for centuries of keeping the bloodlines pure. He then sarcastically adds that Aerys was more than happy of keeping the "noble sister-fucking tradition of his forefathers. As the years passed, Aerys' behavior became increasingly erratic. He cut himself so often on his Iron Throne, that many referred to him as "King Scab", though never to his face. It was also rumored he had developed an obsession with wildfire, and was known to inflict horrific punishments on those he considered enemies, including burning them alive.

As Aerys' paranoia and bloodlust grew, he had a bitter falling-out with Lord Tywin, who had served the Crown faithfully for twenty years. Robert jokes that at least Tywin was able to leave the job with his life and fortunes intact because subsequent Hands of the King to Aerys weren't so fortunate.

Then the Targaryens went too far, in Robert's opinion. The Crown Prince Rhaegar Targaryen abducted Lyanna Stark, daughter of Rickard Stark, the Lord of Winterfell. Lyanna was Robert's betrothed and beloved, a beautiful and spirited woman whom Robert loved more than life itself. Rhaegar went south

with Lyanna, hiding her away in Dorne. Robert muses that only the gods know what harm Rhaegar inflicted on the poor girl.

Brandon Stark, Lyanna's eldest brother, was outraged. He rode to King's Landing to confront the King and demand his sister's safe return. Instead, Aerys had him executed. His father, Lord Rickard, was executed as well. There wasn't much to discuss after that, as Aerys feared their loved ones would seek revenge for what he did. Robert concludes he was right to be afraid. Aerys wasted no time in calling for the heads of Brandon's younger brother, Robert's friend Eddard Stark, and for the head of Robert, too. Robert jokes that he's "sorry" Aerys didn't come looking for it himself.

Alongside Jon Arryn of the Vale, who had fostered Eddard and Robert as children, Baratheons, Starks, and Tullys all called their banners. Once their rebellion began, the Mad King's days were numbered.

Luwin's perspective

Luwin opens reminding that as word of King Aerys' erratic and troubling behavior spread throughout the Seven Kingdoms, Lord Rickard Stark continued to serve his King faithfully as Warden of the North. The proud father of four children, his daughter Lyanna was engaged to Robert Baratheon, the young Lord of Storm's End.

Centuries of peace between the North and the Iron Throne, however, ended the day Rhaegar Targaryen, Prince of Dragonstone, abducted Lyanna. Enraged, Brandon Stark rode to King's Landing demanding the release of his sister and the death of Rhaegar. Aerys arrested him for treason and called his father to come to the capital to ransom him. When Lord Rickard complied, Aerys, now utterly mad, arrested him for treason as well.

Lord Rickard demanded a trial by combat. Aerys declared fire the champion of House Targaryen and had Lord Rickard suspended from the rafters of the throne room while pyromancers lit a blaze beneath him. As he burned, Brandon was brought into the throne room, a leather cord attached to a strangulation device was wrapped around his neck. Aerys told Brandon his father was a dead man but there was a chance to save him. A longsword was placed on the floor just out of Brandon's reach. And the more he struggled to reach it, the more the cord tightened around his throat. Brandon Stark strangled himself trying to free his father, who was roasted alive in his own armor. The entire court stood and watched this atrocity take place, Ser Jaime Lannister and the Kingsguard among them. The Mad King was reported to have laughed hysterically as these "two noble men", as Luwin calls them, were tortured and brutally killed before him.

Seeking to rid the world of all his supposed enemies, Aerys called for the head of Rickard's younger son, Eddard Stark, as well as that of Robert Baratheon. He sent word to Lord Jon Arryn, who had fostered both young men at the Eyrie, to apprehend them. Instead, Lord Arryn joined Houses Stark and Baratheon in rebellion. Robert vowed to kill Rhaegar Targaryen and get his beloved Lyanna back.