Brienne's army

[voltron]

House Tarth is one of the powerful house in stormlands, they rule a big island, and the Tarth family seems wealthy enough. But the question is where were Brienne's men. As the heir of a main and powerful house of Stormlands, how can she go to war without her forces and knights behind her.

[Ramsay's Penguins]

Renly mention "Tarth arrows" in his speech of all those houses that support him. Renly exaggerates, but perhaps there were some archers from Tarth amongst the army.

They didn't exactly follow her when she ran away from the murderscene. They didn't even know she had left.

I'm pretty sure Selwyn is old, so doesn't give away many men. The stormlords are like that. Since there a three Baratheon's they are torn apart, so keeping men at home isn't likely to get as much backlash as sending them to a losing king. There is still a substantial stormlord army to be had.

[voltron]

Renly mention "Tarth arrows" in his speech of all those houses that support him. Renly exaggerates, but perhaps there were some archers from Tarth amongst the army.

They didn't exactly follow her when she ran away from the murderscene. They didn't even know she had left.

I'm pretty sure Selwyn is old, so doesn't give away many men. The stormlords are like that. Since there a three Baratheon's they are torn apart, so keeping men at home isn't likely to get as much backlash as sending them to a losing king. There is still a substantial stormlord army to be had.

I came to the same conclusion that Selwyn didn't send many men, and he probably thought with the Tyrells' support, Renly didn't need more men. Or maybe Selwyn was a Stannis supporter, but he was scared to support Stannis openly. but i wonder why he didn't send some knights with Brienne to protect her, she's the only heir he has right now.

[Light a wight tonight]

I don't recall that Tarth was especially big or that it was rich. The "thapphireth" were an invention of Jaime's.

[TheSovereignGrave]

I don't recall that Tarth was especially big or that it was rich. The "thapphireth" were an invention of Jaime's.

Looking at maps, it looks like Tarth is about the size of the Arbor and it's larger than most of the islands of the Iron Isles. So it's not a tiny little spit of land.

[voltron]

I don't recall that Tarth was especially big or that it was rich. The "thapphireth" were an invention of Jaime's.

Tarth is big as great wyk, but is more warm, with probably fertile lands, and the island is considered beautiful. Which means the population is higher than probably most unwelcome and poor lands in the stormlands. So i think Tarth can field more men than many Stormlands house, and Selwyn had offered a ransom of three hundreds gold dragons for the release of Brienne, which was considered a pretty big amount by Jamie. So Selwyn is probably richer than most of the Stormlands lord. Don't forget the Stormlands is the poorest and the least populous kingdom in the mainland.

[voltron]

Looking at maps, it looks like Tarth is about the size of the Arbor and it's larger than most of the islands of the Iron Isles. So it's not a tiny little spit of land.

Agree, i think Tarth can at least raise 2k men, and max 4 k.

[WolfgangII]

Maybe Selwyn didn't send Brienne. He never want her to become a kinght, so, maybe Brienne went to Renly's army without her father permission. Therefore, his father did'nt send anybody out of spite (yes, later he ransom her, but its not the same punish a daughter and leaving to die) or his forces were there just for Renly and not to take care of Brienne. Either way, when we meet Brienne she is battling in a melèe and then she is named one of the Renly's Rainbow Kingsguard, so, its all out of Selwyn's hands. She is now bound and vow to serve Renly.

[Jon Fossoway]

Selwyn refused to support Stannis so I'm guessing he's very cautious. He must have sent a symbolical detachment to Renly, along his heir, only to prove his allegiance but not much more.

I hope we get to see Selwyn in Winds. I'm intrigued by him.

But if Selwyn didn't send Brienne and she went on her own, it's also plausible. Brienne has been a stubborn woman since childhood and I think Selwyn has more or less learned to accept that, with resignation.

[Ramsay's Penguins]

Islands in General can't field a lot of men (besides the Iron Isles). 1000 isn't a bad guess. 2000 would be pushing it. Don't think there is many people on the stormy side, plus pirates land there from the Stepstones. There is a port though. It's a pretty big island.

Just another stormlord being indecisive.

[DreamSongs]

My perception of Selwyn is that he has been beaten down by circumstances and Brienne's determination. Tarth backing Renly was Brienne's act, not Selwyn's. I would imagine that in Westeros, Selwyn only sees two paths...Brienne getting married and giving him a grandson to name as heir or Brienne dying so he can name his next male relative heir.

[EastTymor]

There may have been oodles of Tarth knights with Brienne, or there may have been none.

Either way, she fled Renly's camp in the middle of the night under suspicion of regicide, so stopping to collect her Tarth buddies wasn't really in the plans.

[Ser Charles of Rosehaven]

When i read the title I thought it Was some crackpot theory about a weird army involving pod, Ser Hyle, Nymeria And Hot Pie.

Now speaking of Lord Selwyn. His last Heir went to war. He must have sent at least a couple of knights to protect her.

[Light a wight tonight]

Looking at maps, it looks like Tarth is about the size of the Arbor and it's larger than most of the islands of the Iron Isles. So it's not a tiny little spit of land.

Not tiny doesn't mean large. The Arbor's strength is in its fleet, not an army. No reason the same wouldn't apply to Tarth.

[StannisForKing299AL]

Tarth is big as great wyk, but is more warm, with probably fertile lands, and the island is considered beautiful. Which means the population is higher than probably most unwelcome and poor lands in the stormlands.

"with its mountains and waterfalls, its high meadows and shadowed vales." - This is one of the few quotes on Tarth. It seems to have partly hospitable/non hospitable land. I doubt Tarth is very populous. Beauty doesn't imply fertility. A mountain is incredible, but isn't great at supporting people. I'd say Tarth is rather populous, though I imagine there is land just as good on the Stormlander mainlands.

Don't forget the Stormlands is the poorest and the least populous kingdom in the mainland.

???

They have fertile lands, a supportable economy and an army of around 30,000 men (estimate from the wiki). They are about as powerful as the North or maybe the Iron Islands. Definitely more powerful than Dorne.

I don't know where your estimate came from, but Dorne is definitely the weakest Kingdom.

[Poodle Pup From Astapor]

Tarth is big as great wyk, but is more warm, with probably fertile lands, and the island is considered beautiful. Which means the population is higher than probably most unwelcome and poor lands in the stormlands. So i think Tarth can field more men than many Stormlands house, and Selwyn had offered a ransom of three hundreds gold dragons for the release of Brienne, which was considered a pretty big amount by Jamie. So Selwyn is probably richer than most of the Stormlands lord. Don't forget the Stormlands is the poorest and the least populous kingdom in the mainland.

I wouldn't bet on Tarth having high population, I think more likely it's one of the least populated areas in the Stormlands. I guess it probably has some well populated valleys here and there, but it's a very mountainous island, vast majority of it is wilderness, it probably even has big glaciers (something has to feed all the waterfalls). Beautiful, yes, but it's wild beauty, waterfalls, lakes, grasslands with beautiful wildflowers high up in the mountains. The eastern shore is also very stormy, and those storms break into mountains. So conditions on the eastern side are probably very cloudy, windy, rainy.

I'd guess some of the valleys are hospitable, especially on the western side, and seas on that side are safer too, so there are probably some well populated farming parcels and fishing villages, but that's a small % of the island. You could also probably raise sheep in the grasslands up in the mountains.

[James Steller]

I've wondered where the hell this Stormlands army is regarding fAegon. I mean, most of the Stormlords with Renly went home, only the cavalry went to Stannis and that was comprised of many Reachmen. And a large part of Stannis' army surrendered rather than died. So where is this Stormlands army from Tarth, Dondarrion, and whoever else to fight the numerically middling forces of the Golden Company? Do the storm lords take no initiative when under attack?

[StannisForKing299AL]

I've wondered where the hell this Stormlands army is regarding fAegon. I mean, most of the Stormlords with Renly went home, only the cavalry went to Stannis and that was comprised of many Reachmen. And a large part of Stannis' army surrendered rather than died. So where is this Stormlands army from Tarth, Dondarrion, and whoever else to fight the numerically middling forces of the Golden Company? Do the storm lords take no initiative when under attack?

The Stormlords with armies are likely keeping them close to home. Their neighbours are been invaded, yes. So that means they could be next. The Gold Company was swift and thorough, likely they didn't have the time or numbers (seeing as how some men are still up north in the Riverlands) to mobilise.

That and we have no real leader of the Stormlands to organise them. The only Baratheon lord left is Stannis, up in the North, and Tommen, the supposed lord of the house is in no position to send aid.

Besides we don't know they aren't out to counter Aegon. The invasion has just began. Still, the Lords who stayed home (namely the Tarths and Swanns) didn't respond to their lieges call. They likely won't react to the gold company until the threat is directed at them. And even then, fealty seems a safer bet.