Where in the Seven Kingdoms would you live?

[Joey Crows]

On 1/11/2017 at 6:01 AM, Roose on the Loose said:

I dream of moving to Flea Bottom and opening my own pot-shop.  My stew really does make people sing.

Since I definitely didn't specify what your status would be in this question, I have to admire your capitalist spirit and commitment to providing great, local food to the masses

[Joey Crows]

On 1/9/2017 at 10:51 AM, Wrl6199 said:

Man i haven't met many people who like warm weather. I mean i have met people who tolerate it but not really like it. But white harbors good. 

Dude, who doesn't like warm weather?? Not talking about the heat of Dorne here, but a nice mostly temperate climate seems ideal to me. I could for sure deal with the cold of White Harbor because of the fact that it's a port city with all that has to offer, but ideally I like a place that never gets super cold and never gets super hot. 

[Joey Crows]

On 1/9/2017 at 11:10 AM, devilish said:

The North is poor, isolated and cold. Once winter comes most die of hunger, while their Lords are hardly rich. The Westerlands is ruled with an iron fist by the Lannisters and their henchmen (the Cleganes). The Vale is isolated, cold and with the mountain clans constantly acting like terrorists. The Riverlands look nice but they are divided, weak and every war seem to end there. Dorne is a desert and the crownlands are weak.

If I am smallfolk and I have the potential to become a good swordsman then I'd spent my youth in the region between the Reach, Dorne and the Stormlands. Some of the finest swordsmen in Westeros had developed there so hopefully I will become good with the sword. Once I am good enough I'll travel to Essos and I work myself up to some sellsword company. Once I've done enough money I'd buy a Lordship in the Reach, I'd marry a nice merchant girl or Lord's daughter and I live happily ever after for the rest of my life. 

Ah the non committal approach. Assuming you are good with a sword and lived in the region you described, you'd be (as a good fighting smallfolk) called into action during the wars. Perhaps you'd survive and gain a knighthood, or survive long enough to become a sellsword in the free cities. But that is a major if. The Vale is isolated true, but it's only cold in the Eyrie. The Vale is apparently pleasant and mostly safe. The mountain clans trouble the smallfolk outside the Gates of the Moon but not so much the Vale itself. 

The Westerlands I agree with you on. You'd have little autonomy there. The North is cold and mostly poor, but if you were a lord you'd be just fine (until the long night comes that is.)

Then again, if you could find your way to marrying a Lord's daughter or wealthy merchant's daughter you'd probably be set. Now it just comes down to where you are the safest and which climate suits your temperament best.

[Joey Crows]

On 1/9/2017 at 4:39 PM, Protagoras said:

Wherever I get the most status and money.

Assuming equal, the Reach or the Vale.

That is the real question here I guess. If you were born into money and status the South (probs the Reach) is the place to be. If you weren't, and have to make your own way, it would depend on the tactics you want to engage in. As a fighter, the Riverlands would provide you with the chance for glory and renown. If you are more into intellectual games then perhaps Dorne is a consideration. If it is all about the money for you, then Essos is the place to be. Until you reach your goal, then back to Westeros to find power in your new found wealth.

[devilish]

51 minutes ago, Joey Crows said:

Ah the non committal approach. Assuming you are good with a sword and lived in the region you described, you'd be (as a good fighting smallfolk) called into action during the wars. Perhaps you'd survive and gain a knighthood, or survive long enough to become a sellsword in the free cities. But that is a major if. The Vale is isolated true, but it's only cold in the Eyrie. The Vale is apparently pleasant and mostly safe. The mountain clans trouble the smallfolk outside the Gates of the Moon but not so much the Vale itself. 

The Westerlands I agree with you on. You'd have little autonomy there. The North is cold and mostly poor, but if you were a lord you'd be just fine (until the long night comes that is.)

Then again, if you could find your way to marrying a Lord's daughter or wealthy merchant's daughter you'd probably be set. Now it just comes down to where you are the safest and which climate suits your temperament best.

For smallfolk the non committal approach is all they got to avoid a life working in the fields and being used as cannon fodder in war.  Regarding training I was thinking the unconventional way of learning how to fight rather than that of a squire with a proper knight (ie like Bronn). That's because the best knights tend to be well sought. A great knight will probably choose a squire from nobility or a family member not smallfolk. Meanwhile learning stuff from a lousy knight is pretty useless. That means learning fighting from the streets and there's plenty of swordfighting lessons learnt in the region between the Stormlands, Dorne and the Reach.  

Once I know how to use the sword I'd move to Essos. I might leave earlier if there's a war in Westeros as I said, I'd rather avoid being used as cannon fodder. The risks are just too high and the benefits far too low. My skills in sword fighting should help me go up the ranks in a sellsword company and Id invest some of my loot in armour and more training (training with a disgraced knight like Jorah Mormont?, Bravoosi swordfighting maybe?). That will turn me into a better sellsword, increasing my part of loot and hopefully by the end of it I'd be rich enough to afford buying land and maybe a title.

Its only then when I would return to Westeros. The Reach would be my target. Its well managed, they like good swordsmen and people who are well versed in war, they have pretty ladies, they only tend to involve themselves in war that are profitable for them and their land is fertile. Who knows, maybe my martial skills will attract Tarly's attention.  

 

 

 

 

[Joey Crows]

14 minutes ago, devilish said:

For smallfolk the non committal approach is all they got to avoid a life working in the fields and being used as cannon fodder in war.  Regarding training I was thinking the unconventional way of learning how to fight rather than that of a squire with a proper knight (ie like Bronn). That's because the best knights tend to be well sought. A great knight will probably choose a squire from nobility or a family member not smallfolk. Meanwhile learning stuff from a lousy knight is pretty useless. That means learning fighting from the streets and there's plenty of swordfighting lessons learnt in the region between the Stormlands, Dorne and the Reach.  

Once I know how to use the sword I'd move to Essos. I might leave earlier if there's a war in Westeros as I said, I'd rather avoid being used as cannon fodder. The risks are just too high and the benefits far too low. My skills in sword fighting should help me go up the ranks in a sellsword company and Id invest some of my loot in armour and more training (training with a disgraced knight like Jorah Mormont?, Bravoosi swordfighting maybe?). That will turn me into a better sellsword, increasing my part of loot and hopefully by the end of it I'd be rich enough to afford buying land and maybe a title.

Its only then when I would return to Westeros. The Reach would be my target. Its well managed, they like good swordsmen and people who are well versed in war, they have pretty ladies, they only tend to involve themselves in war that are profitable for them and their land is fertile. Who knows, maybe my martial skills will attract Tarly's attention.  

 

 

 

 

Fair points indeed. Unless of course you are of the ilk of Ser Duncan the Tall. In which case, size, honor, determination, and lots of freaking luck will set you on a path to greatness.

I admire your strategy, but are there many cases of sellswords in the the Free Cities who have made their way back to Westeros and gained land, titles, and acceptance?

You should probably perfect those sword skills and stay in Braavos. Swagger, kill all comers, and buy the finest cloaks in the city. Then just chill out with your money, respect, and classy "ladies of the night."

[devilish]

1 hour ago, Joey Crows said:

Fair points indeed. Unless of course you are of the ilk of Ser Duncan the Tall. In which case, size, honor, determination, and lots of freaking luck will set you on a path to greatness.

I admire your strategy, but are there many cases of sellswords in the the Free Cities who have made their way back to Westeros and gained land, titles, and acceptance?

You should probably perfect those sword skills and stay in Braavos. Swagger, kill all comers, and buy the finest cloaks in the city. Then just chill out with your money, respect, and classy "ladies of the night."

I think that Duncan achieved very little in his training. He lived a life serving some average knight and ended with some lousy training, no idea of how nobility or the world works and no knighthood. If he wasn't extremely lucky (ie finding a Targ prince along the way and having a crown prince dying for him etc), he would have ended up killed or severly maimed by the age of 20ish.

If I was his size I would have invested my time better. Flea bottom is a place were you live or die by the sword, so I should leave there knowing exactly what a sword is and having enough knowledge to wield it. Once I am of a decent age I'd move away to improve my skills further. The land between the Stormlands, the Reach and Dorne is pelted with excellent swordmen and they wouldn't mind having a giant watching their back in exchange of food, training and a bit of gold. Who knows, maybe some Lord would be interested in turning me into the new Gregor Clegane, by giving me, adequate training, lands and a title in exchange of me doing the dirty work for him. If I hit that jackpot then I'll remain there but unlike Gregor I would make sure to increase my skill. Surely there would be an excellent old swordsman around whose willing to give lessons in exchange of food and a warm bed.

Irrespective whether I hit the jack pot or not by age 20ish I should be able to become quite good with the sword. I'm not saying Id have to be a Selmy or an Arthur Dayne but I should be able to go toe to toe against any knight without making myself look silly. If I don't hit the jackpot then Id move to Essos and I'll should be  skilled enough to take a job with the Golden company. The GC loves tall people who know how to wield a sword so I'd probably raise up the ranks quickly there. That means more money, which would translate in better training and armour which in turn would translate into more money. 

If I meet Oberyn Martell along the way then I'll probably join him. There's so much to learn from a person like him and sure as hell he's got some good connections. Dorne has lost so many men during the war so they surely would appreciate somebody who is battle hardened and would know how to wield the sword. Its also a land were baseborn aren't look too much down to and a land filled with reckless men whose quick to go to the sword and therefore quick to lose their title. Lands need lords, Dorne need swordsmen and Dorran loves cautious people who knows how to wield the sword. 

If I don't hit that jackpot then I'll stay in Essos for enough time to be able to recoup enough money to buy some land and a title in the Reach. Don't take me wrong I am not aiming to become the new Hightower. No baseborn irrespective of how good he's with the sword could achieve that in just 1 generation. In my circumstances I would aim to become the new Cleganes with my kids given the best military training I can possibly afford. In 4-5 generations time, I hope that my family would build enough reputation to become the new Tarlys

 

 

 

[The Hoare]

Probably the Vale, since they're unotouched by war and have a mountain range to keep the valemen safe.

 

Iron Islands are also considerable, since social mobility seens more commom there than any other place.

[LIVIA]

In the North, of course. I am from Tyumen, currently studying in Moscow and can't stop missing normal winter...