Landing of the Golden Company

From A Wiki of Ice and Fire
Revision as of 23:04, 13 March 2014 by Melanie (talk | contribs)
Jump to: navigation, search
Landing of the Golden Company
350px
Aegon Targaryen, flanked by the men of the Golden Company.
© FFG
Date 300 AC
Place Stormlands and Stepstones
Result Golden Company victory
Combatants
Golden Company
House Targaryen
House Connington
House Morrigen
House Wylde
House Estermont
Commanders
Jon Connington
Harry Strickland
Tristan Rivers
Laswell Peake
Marq Mandrake
unknown
Strength
10,000 originally,
near 5,000 after landing
unknown
Casualties
unknown unknown

The Landing of the Golden Company occurs when the Golden Company invades the Stormlands with the intent to place Aegon Targaryen upon the Iron Throne and make him Aegon, the Sixth of his Name.

Background

The timing for the invasion is ideal, as the Iron Throne is massively indebted thanks to the late King Robert Baratheon's spending, which is made worse by Queen Cersei Lannister's refusal to pay back the Iron Bank of Braavos. Thus the Iron Throne is unable to afford sellswords or to try and buy off the Golden Company. The Iron Throne is also preoccupied with ironmen in the Reach, and Stannis Baratheon in the North. Additionally, nearly all the Great Houses but House Arryn in the Vale and House Martell in Dorne have suffered significant losses in the War of the Five Kings. Jon Connington hopes to win Dorne to Aegon's cause.

Invasion

The ten-thousand-strong sellsword company known as the Golden Company sails from Volon Therys with all their weapons, horses and elephants aboard Volantene ships. In King's Landing, King Tommen Baratheon's small council receives reports that sellswords have landed all over the south, including Tarth, the Stepstones, and Cape Wrath. Tommen's regent, Ser Kevan Lannister, mistakenly believes that Stannis Baratheon has hired the sellswords.[1]

In actuality, the Volantene fleet carrying the Golden Company is scattered by a great storm after Lys. Six of the ships carrying nearly half of the strength of the company arrive at a designated landing site in Cape Wrath near Griffin's Roost and the rainwood; the Volantenes tell Jon Connington the other four ships will will eventually turn up.[2]

Jon leads a quarter of the available strength in reclaiming Griffin's Roost, House Connington's ancestral seat, which he once held before being exiled.[3] Ser Tristan Rivers and Laswell Peake, each with comparable forces, take Crow's Nest[4] and Rain House,[5] respectively. The final quarter encamps at the arrival site under Gorys Edoryen to protect Aegon Targaryen and await stragglers. Marq Mandrake leads five hundred men from other ships in taking Greenstone on Estermont.[6] In order to confuse the Iron Throne, the sellsword commanders are instructed not to show their banners.

Aftermath

The company is planning on next taking Storm's End and raising Aegon's banner upon its battlements. To Jon Connington's surprise, Aegon intends to lead the attack.

Meanwhile in the Red Keep, Varys slays Kevan Lannister. He does so in order to keep the realm in the chaotic state that Cersei Lannister had brought it to - which will work in Aegon's favour. [7]

Quotes

Doubt, division, and mistrust will eat the very ground beneath your boy king, whilst Aegon raises his banner above Storm's End and the lords of the realm gather round him.

- Varys, to the dying Ser Kevan Lannister

References and Notes

  1. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 54, Cersei I.
  2. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 61, The Griffin Reborn.
  3. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 61, The Griffin Reborn, page 802.
  4. "Crow's Nest" entry in A World of Ice and Fire
  5. "Rain House" entry in A World of Ice and Fire
  6. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 61, The Griffin Reborn, page 810.
  7. A Dance with Dragons, Epilogue.