House Creation Guide

7/25/2019 House Creation Guide

1/15

House Creation Guide

Family, blood, and history are of paramount importance to the people of Westeros. A

persons family often says as much or more than do the merits of the individual, shrouding the

person in the deeds, actions, and legends of his familys past. A person born to a noble family

with a history of honor, fairness, and courage often inherits those same attributes, at least in the

eyes of those they meet. Similarly, an individual born to a house noted for being corrupt, brutal,and bloodthirsty bears these stains on their person even if he is kind, innocent, and peaceful. In

many cases, the heritage of ones family is so strong that even those who have none of the

inclination attributed to their house develop them anyway, possibly in response to epectations,

necessity, or some other circumstance.

!he element that binds player characters together is the shared loyalty to a common

family, be they blood relations to that family or retainers who swear their swords to the defense

of a noble bloodline. !his common purpose is what unites the often fractious and divisive

interactions between those of powerful birth and gives the players a strong foundation from

which they can eplore the Seven "ingdoms and play the game of thrones.

!he groups noble house, though, is more than #ust a cement to keep players working

together$ it is a means of grounding the players in the setting, helping players to reali%e that

their characters are as much a part of the Seven "ingdoms as the Starks, &oltons, Freys, 'iddles,

and everyone in between. !he noble house the players control gives them a thread in the grand

tapestry of blood and relation, making their characters feel as though they have a place in the

world(and have the ability to change it.

)ltimately, the noble house is, in many ways, another character, but it is one controlled by

all the players. It has a history, a place, and a function. It has *uanti+able attributes that reect

its strengths and weakness, and it can grow and thrive or wither and die. &ut for as much as the

house is integral to the players, it also stands apart, functioning in the background as the playercharacters carve out their places in history. !he house has lived long before the players, and

unless disaster strikes, it will live long after they are all dust.

Creating the House

)nlike character creation -described in hapter /0 1ame 2ules3, house creation is a

cooperative process in which each player has e*ual say about the salient features pertaining to

the house. 4ouse creation involves making important decisions, rolling dice, and applying theresults. 5ost importantly, you and your fellow players will work together to attach stories to

mechanical developments in the house creation process. 6ou will use the broad descriptions and

details generated from these decisions and transform them into a living, breathing house with a

history, future, and interesting family to engender the same sorts of investment that players

have for their particular characters.

Ideally, your group should create their noble house before creating their characters. 7oing

so provides a good basis from which each player can build his or her personas. Some groups may

8age 1of 15


2/15

+nd that creating their characters beforehand helps guide their choices about the house and its

historical developments. !heres no wrong order, so follow whatever approach works best for

you.

Step One: The Realm

Westeros is a vast land, having nearly every type of terrain and climate imaginable. From

the fro%en mountains and frigid stretches of the 9orth to the arid plains of 7orne, people carve

out their homes in a variety of regions, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. 6our

+rst step, then, is to place your noble house in one of Westeross realms. A Westeros 8rimer goes

into etensive detail about each of these places, but their most salient features and the current

lords of each are included here for easy reference. 6ou may choose any

one :realm; or roll /0 Starting 2ealm

for a random result.

6our realm is important because it has a great deal of inuence on

other factors, including your houses starting resources, history -both

ancient and recent3, and a number of other elements that shape its +nal

form.

The Crownlands

Liege:2haegar !argaryen I, "ing of the Seven "ingdoms

!he very place where Aegon the on*ueror began his campaign to con*uer the Seven"ingdoms, "ings 'anding has become the seat of power and center of trade throughout the

Seven "ingdoms. "ings 'anding is the cultural and political heart of Westeros. It is from here

that "ing 2obert sometimes called the )surper, rules the entirety of the

Seven "ingdoms from his mighty castle, the 2ed "eep. While "ings

'anding is but a city, a number of noble houses swear fealty directly to the

crown and the capital of the land. 4ouses sworn to "ings 'anding bene+t

from a slightly higher population, improved law, and defenses due to their

proimity to the Iron !hrone. 4owever, they are almost all smaller, weaker,

and less inuential than other houses.

The North

Liege:?dderrion Stark, 'ord of Winterfell, Warden of the 9orth

8age 2of 15


3/15

)ntil Aegon the on*ueror, the "ings of the 9orth ruled this realm. Faced with annihilation,

the last king knelt before the !argaryen warlord and swore fealty to their line. ?asily the largest

of Westeros realms, it also cleaves closest to the ways and customs of the First 5en. !hinly

populated, much of the 9orth is an untamed wilderness punctuated by the occasional castle or

keep and littered with the ruins of another age. 4ouses in the 9orth have greater holdings than

do their southron counterparts, and because 'ord Stark is the Warden of the 9orth, those sworn

to him have slightly more inuence than their rivals. !he 9orth, though, is a poor land, sparsely

populated and fre*uently plagued by wildlings that come over the Wall. When "ing @orey took

'ord ?ddard Stark and threw him in the black cells under the 2ed "eep, his

heir 2ob called all the &anners of the 9orth and invaded the south to

rescue his father. When the bastard "ing took 9ed Starks head and the

9orthern 'ords proclaimed 2ob "ing of the 9orth the war of the B kings

began. !he 9orthern "ings reign was soon ended with betrayal at what has

been called the 2ed Wedding. With the 9orthern "ing dead and the news

of the demise of the last two remaining male Starks at the hand of !heon

1rey#oy, 'ord 2oose &olton was rewarded the title of Warden of the 9orth

for the part he played in the betrayal of the :9orthern; "ing and once again

claimed the 9orth for 4ouse &olton with his bastard legitimi%ed. 4is rein

was not long for at the battle of Winterfell he and his heir were killed by "ing Stannis and hisarmy. When young 2ickon Stark was found alive, the loyal Stark bannermen raised the 7ire wolf

over Winterfell.

The Iron Islands

Liege:Fallon 1rey#oy :!he Sly "raken;, 'ord 2eaper of 8yke

onsisting of seven islands spread throughout Ironmans &ay, the Iron Isles are home to a

+erce people who, for generations, subsisted by raiding and pillaging. While others may view

such activities with revulsion, the ironborn celebrate them as their way of life and custom. Cnly

through superior numbers of the rest of the Seven "ingdoms have the ironmen been brought to

heel, but such a hold over them is tenuous at best. 'ike vicious dogs, they attack if they sense a

weakness, and should the Seven "ingdoms falter, there can be no doubt that 'ord &alon 1rey#oy

and his ironborn will once again take to the seas, bent on rapine and plunder. It is, after all, their

way. !he Iron Islands are strong and defensible, but defeat during 1rey#oys 2ebellion has

diminished this realms inuence in the Seven "ingdoms. 7uring the war of the B kings his

sudden death the Iron Islands went in a state of chaos with a failed invasion of the Westerlandsand many deaths for the !hrone of 8yke. &ut when the new lord bent the knee to the Iron !hrone

a period of stability and prosperity has eisted. !hough the Ironborn are 'eary of the new

attitude of its 'ord.

The Rierlands

8age !of 15


4/15

Liege:1yles &aelish, 'ord of 4arrenhal

!his area was originally held by the 2iverlords of old, defeated long ago during the Andal

invasion and later by the ironmen. A fertile realm, the riverlands form the

heartlands of Westeros, from the edge of the 2ed !rident to the 5ountains of

the 5oon, from the swamps of the 9eck to the shores of the 1ods ?ye.

2olling farmlands, the waters of the !rident, and numerous other creeks and

streams characteri%e this region. Derdant lands with countless streams and

rivers, the riverlands en#oy an abundant population, and houses here have

slightly larger holdings. 4owever, the lay of the land makes defense diEcult.

4ouse !ully who ruled the 2iverlands since Aegon the on*ueror took the

kingdoms but lost their family home of 2iverun in the war of the B "ings.

"ing @orey I awarded 'ordship of the 2iverlands to 'ord 8etyr &aelish for his contributions that

lead to the wars end. Since that time 4ouse &aelish has rebuilt the ancient ruined capital of the

2iverlands and rules from 4arrenhal. !he present 'ord of the 2iverlands is 'ord 1yles &aelish.

The "ale

Liege:2oyce, Warden of the ?ast

!he 5ountains of the 5oon spread through the eastern corner of

Westeros, scratching the sky with their high, windswept peaks. Infested

with savage and violent clans of mountain men, it is a wild place, scarcely

kept under the control of its putative lord. Cne region shines brightest,

however, and thats the Dale of Arryn. Wrested from the old 5ountain

"ings of the First 5en, the Dale of Arryn is now the seat of power for one of

the purest Andal lines in Westeros and features the lands and holdings of

4ouse Arryn and those banners sworn to him. &anner houses sworn to 4ouse Arryn en#oy thebene+ts of the security the 5ountains of the 5oon provide, but there is little available land for

new lords within the con+nes of the Dale. Furthermore, the mountain clans cause endless trouble

for the people living here. With the lack of a heir after the death of 'ord 2obert Arryn. !he net

4eir was 4arrold 4ardyng, a recently knighted s*uire and the greatGnephew of the late 'ord @on

Arryn after his death during the 7ragons return unwed and without children it fell to house 2oyce

of the moon gate to rule the vale.

8age #of 15


5/15

The $esterlands

Liege:!ybalt 'annister, 'ord of asterly 2ock, Warden of the West

'ocated west of the riverlands, the Westerlands a hilly region is noted

for its great wealth and power. 4aving numerous ports and countless mines, it

wields a great deal of power and inuence in the Seven "ingdoms. 4ouse

'annister, who governs these lands, is easily one of the greatest houses in

Westeros and is strengthened all the more by its ties to the Iron !hrone.

The Rea%h

Liege:5ace !yrell, 'ord of 4ighgarden, Warden of the South

'ike the riverlands, the 2each is an area of fertile country, but it is

south of the Westerlands. A place of fre*uent conicts with the 7ornishmen

to the south, this realm serves as a border between the somewhat

independent 7orne and the rest of Westeros. !he most notable place in the

2each is Cldtown, which is known to be the oldest community in the Seven "ingdoms$ it onceserved as the seat of the Faith, and it still houses the 5aesters itadel.

The Stormlands

8age 5of 15


6/15

Liege:Crys &aratheon, 'ord of Storms ?nd

!he stormlands are a stretch of land bounded by the 2each to the west, "ings 'anding to

the north, and 7orne to the south. Facing Shipbreaker &ay, it is a place of sometimes savage

weather, hence the name. !he stormlands were held in olden times by the Storm "ings, who

were eventually defeated by a !argaryen bastard who was raised up and made lord of all those

lands. After the &aratheon defeat by Aegon !argaryen the new 7ragon "ing allowed the last ofthe &aratheon line to keep its ancestral lordship and lands.

&orne

Liege:Ayrias 9ymeros 5artell, 'ord of Sunspear

!he lands of 7orne spread south of the 7ornish 5arches, a people far dierent from thoseof the rest of Westeros, diering in custom, blood, and heritage. Forged from the 2hoynar

invasion long ago, 7orne maintained its independence and even resisted the !argaryen

con*uest. It wasnt until a century later that this realm #oined with the rest of the Seven

"ingdoms, their loyalties ensured through marriage and alliance. ?ven though they swear fealty

to the Iron !hrone, they are very much a people apart from the rest of Westeros.

Step 2: Starting Resour%es

-HHH F6I, 5ost ma#or or notable houses have been preGrolledcreated by the Sta HHH3

As much as a house is de+ned by its place in the Seven "ingdoms, its history, deeds, and

alliances, a house is essentially a collection of seven resources. ?ach resource, like a characters

abilities, describes aspects of your familys holdings, such as the si%e of your 'ands, your houses

Status, Wealth, and so on. ?ach resource has a rating that varies greatly depending on the power

of the 4ouse, with the higher number representing greater resources and smaller number

representing fewer resources. !hese values will uctuate during house creation and more during

game play, rising and falling depending on how well you play the game of

thrones.

Since resources are very much a part of the lands where your house

resides, your starting kingdom determines your starting values. )nlike a

characters abilities, your resources are not purchased with ?perience$

rather, they are generated randomly to reect the deeds of those who have

come before you and the circumstances surrounding your familys founding.

8age 'of 15


7/15

For each resource, roll d= and sum the results. !hen +nd your realm on !able B>J0

Starting Attributes, and apply the modi+ers as shown to each of your resources. For eplanations

for each resource and their values, see their respective entries. 5odi+ers cannot reduce your

resources below /.

&e(ense

7efense describes forti+cations, castles, keeps, towers, and other structures that serve to

protect your holdings. 7efense also describes the presence and *uality of roads, representing the

ability to move troops and supplies to threatened areas.

In)uen%e

Inuence describes your presence in the Seven "ingdoms, how other houses see you, and

the notoriety attached to your name. A high Inuence resource typically describes one of the

great houses or the royal family, while a low Inuence resource would describe a house of little

conse*uence, small and largely unknown beyond the lands of their liege. Inuence is also

important in determining your characters maimum Status, as shown under Inuence 4oldings.

8age *of 15


8/15

It should be noted that holding the titles of "ing, Kueen, rown 8rince -or being part of the

2oyal Family3, "ings 4and or Warden of the ?ast, 9orth, South or West confers Status in addition

to that of being 'ord of whatever house the one so titled is granted. !he maimum Status of

heirs and others in the 4ouse is still based on the maimum Status of the 'ord based on the

4ouses Inuence rating, not on their Status ad#usted for title.

Lands

'and resources describe the si%e of your 4ouses holdings and the etent of their inuence

over their region. A high score describes a house that controls an enormous stretch of terrain,

such as ?ddard Stark and the 9orth, while a small score might represent control over a small

town.

Law

'aw encompasses two things0 the etent to which the smallfolk respect and fear you and

the threat of bandits, brigands, raiders, and other eternal and internal threats. 'aw is something

your family must maintain, and if you dont invest in keeping your realm safe, it could fall into

chaos.

8age +of 15


9/15

,opulation

8opulation addresses the sheer number of people living in the lands you control. !he more

people there are, the more mouths you have to feed. 4owever, the more people there are, the

more your lands produce. !his abstract value describes the *uantity of folks that live under your

rule.

,ower

8ower describes your houses military strength, the ability to muster troops and rouse

banners sworn to you. 4ouses with low scores have few soldiers and no banners, while those

with high scores may have a do%en or more banners and can rouse an entire region.

8age -of 15


10/15

$ealth

Wealth covers everything from coin to cattle and everything in between. It represents your

involvement and success in trade, your ability to fund improvements in your domain, hire

mercenaries, and more.

Initial .odi/%ations

Cnce the starting values for each resource are determined, each player gets to modify the

values by rolling /d= and adding it to a resource of their choice. !he immediate result is that

larger groups of players have slightly more powerful houses because they have the bene+t of

more signature characters. 8layers may modify any resource they like, but no resource can

bene+t from more than two etra rolls.

Step Three: House Histor0

8age 1of 15


11/15

!he net step is to determine your houses historical events, which is done by choosing or rolling

for your First Founding as shown on !able0 First Founding. When your house was founded

determines the number of historical events that can inuence the +nal shape your house takes at

the start of the game. Clder houses have more historical events, while younger houses have

fewer.

Histori%al ents

?ach house has a history, a chronicle of deeds and crimes that shape its identity. 1reat

deeds might elevate a house to greater heights, while scandal and tragedy can shatter a houses

foundation, forcing it to fall into obscurity. 4istorical events provide important developments in

your familys history, either adding to your fortunes or diminishing them. ?ach event modi+es

your resources, increasing or decreasing them by the indicated value. 2oll


12/15

Ascent

An advantageous marriage, a great deed for a liege lord, or heroism in a decisive battle

can all improve the fortunes of a noble house. If this is your +rst historical event, it indicates that

your house was raised from the smallfolk by marriage or through some great act that warranted

your elevation to a noble house. Ctherwise, ascent indicates that your house participated in

some key historical event that improved their fortunes.

Catastrophe

A result of catastrophe usually indicates a natural disaster, such as an outbreak of plague,

blight, or drought, any of which can diminish your population and ability to control your lands. If

catastrophe is your +rst historical event, it means your family may have gained their status

through dubious or tragic means, perhaps replacing the previous lords who were wiped out

during the catastrophe or were a lesser branch that rose in station as they inherited the holdings

of their kin.

Conquest

6our family fought and defeated an enemy, anneing their lands and holdings to their own.

With such a victory comes the trouble of old loyalties, weakening your houses hold and inuence

over the smallfolk. If con*uest is your +rst historical event, you gained your noble status by

defeating another lord or landed knight.

Defeat

6our family fought a war or smaller conict but was defeated, losing status, precious

resources, and inuence. If defeat is your +rst roll, your family might have been swallowed up by

another house and forced to marry into a lesser branch until your original bloodline became all

but etinct.

Descent

Whether from a poor marriage, a downturn in trade, or a series of tragic losses in a

conict, your house entered a period of decline. If descent is your +rst roll, your house was

probably born from a poor marriage(a desperate lord wedding his daughter to a merchant

prince(or of a ma#or branch becoming etinct, leaving the holdings to a lesser branch to rule.

Doom

?asily the worst possible result, your house suered a terrible series of mishaps, disasters,

and tragedies that nearly erased your family. 7epending on the era, doom might be of a

supernatural origin(a dreadful curse or an attack by horrors from beyond the Wall. In more

recent eras, doom would be purely natural, combining the results of several downturns into one

catastrophic setback. For a +rst historical event, your family might have clawed their way out of

the ashes of a destroyed house, maybe being loyal retainers or even #ust smallfolk that sei%ed

the old lords holdings.

Favor

8age 12of 15


13/15

6our family gained the favor of the king, their lord, the Faith, or from some other powerful

body. As a result, their fortunes improved, and they climbed in standing. !his favor might also

result from the naming of a family member to the ranks of the "ingsguard or attaining the rank

of 1rand 5aester or 1reat Septon. Should favor be your +rst historical result, the king likely

raised your family to nobility.

Glory

A family wins glory through a military victory, personal achievement, or by a great act of

heroism. 1lory is similar to ascent, but it focuses on one +gure in your familys past. !he result of

this individuals deeds advances your familys standing in the eyes of its peers. 1enerally, glory

as a +rst historical event should imply that your house was formed as a reward for the great acts

of their founder.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure describes a period of peace and prosperity, a moment in your houses

history remembered for growth and epansion. Whenever you get this result, choose two

dierent resources and increase each by /d=. If infrastructure is your +rst result, your house was

born during a period of epansion under your lord or kings rule.

Invasion/Revolt

An invasion or revolt marks a period of collapse, destruction, and ruin. 5ost of these

results come from an eternal invasion, either from ironmen, clansman, or wildling raiders, or

from an enemy house, but it can also stem from a period of inept rule that led to a widespread

smallfolk revolt. Invasionrevolt as a +rst historical event means your house was born from the

strife and came to power in the aftermath.

Madness

Inbreeding, fell secrets, disease, or mental defects can produce derangement and

madness among any people of Westeros, including its rulers. A madness historical event

indicates that a particular +gure suered from some insanity, producing unpredictable results,

with positive or negative outcomes. ?ach resource increases by M= and then decreases by >Jd=,

producing a range of MN to >=. If this was your +rst result, your family was instead raised by an

insane lord or king as appropriate to the period of your +rst founding.

Scandal

6our family was involved in some disaster, a scandal that haunts them still. 1ood optionsinclude spawning a bastard, incest, failed conspiracies, and so on. In the case of your +rst roll,

the scandal created your family as a way of covering up the crime.

Treachery

?ither you suered the results of treachery or you were involved in committing a

treacherous act. In either case, the historical event stains your familys name. Should treachery

8age 1!of 15


14/15

be your +rst result, you gained your house by means of some dark deed, possibly betraying

another lord or noble.

Victory

6ou family achieved an important victory over their enemies. Foes could include ironmen

reavers, a "ingGbeyondGtheGWall, or a rival house. In any event, your family rose in prominence

and power because of their victory. As an initial historical event roll, this victory was so great that

your family was raised to nobility.

Villain

6our family produced a character of unspeakable cruelty and wickedness, a villain whose

name is still whispered with dread. Such a character might have committed terrible crimes in his

home, killed guests under his roof, or was simply #ust a bad person. A villain as a +rst roll usually

wins this position by dint of his evil, possibly murdering a rival and sei%ing his lands or birthright.

indfall

A windfall is a boon, a blessing that catapults your family into fame -or infamy3. 8ossible

results could be an advantageous marriage, a gift from the king, discovery of new resources on

ones lands, and more. If windfall is your +rst historical event, you won your lands by attaining a

victory at a tournament, performing a great act, or something else of the like.

,utting it Together

As mentioned, these events are broad and loosely de+ned to allow you and your fellow

players the greatest latitude in building your house. Its up to you and the 9arrator to determinethe particular details of each event, though suggestions are present under each entry. ome up

with particular instances that can help you make your house as interesting and as detailed as the

houses in the novels. 7oing so binds your characters to the setting and helps to shape your own

characters ambitions and personality. 8ay special attention to the +rst historical event, for it

should inform your decisions about your familys motto and heraldry.

Step #: Holdings

With your resources generated, its time to de+ne your holdings. In a way, holdings are like

investments in that you use your resources to select speci+c elements in the form of castles,

towers, cities, towns, soldiers, mines, and more. When you de+ne your holdings, you do not

reduce the resource$ instead, allocate those points to a speci+c epression of that resource. 6ou

dont need to allocate all of your resources and may keep some in reserve to make other

investments as your resources grow from 1lory or oin earned by the player characters or from

4ouse Fortunes.

8age 1#of 15


15/15

If your resources are later reduced, such as by a blight sweeping through your crops or

losing a battle, you may lose your investment. Similarly, if an investment is destroyed, such as

having an enemy burn your castle to the ground, you lose the resources you invested in that

particular holding. All of the following holdings include how much of your resources you need to

invest to gain the holding and a time factor, epressed in months. Whenever you would invest

after house creation, you allocate your resources as normal, but you must wait the allotted time

before you can derive the bene+ts from the investment.

8age 15of 15

House Creation Guide

Documents

Transcript of House Creation Guide