Organizations List

This Chapter Describes The Main Organizations and Groups Of Major and Serious Import In The History Of Any Game Of Thrones Story. The Groups Or Organizations Will Have Their Names, A Small Overview, and A Bit Of Background On Their Ranks, Purpose, Composition, and Various Other Important Facts. Please Remember That Most Of The Information Is Cannon For The Books, But A Small Portion Has Been Tweaked To Reflect The Alternative Path Through History This Story Gives and We Will Update As Required............

Small Council

A Body Of Ministers Chosen By The King To Enable His Rule Of The Realm. The Small Council is a small group of advisers which advises the king of the Seven Kingdoms on matters of policy and their areas of expertise. Aegon I Targaryen relied on councillors after being crowned, but it was not until the reign of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen that the Small Council was Formalized.

The Council is headed by the King, the only one who can make the Council's decisions into law. In his absence the role falls to the Hand of the King or the Regent if the King is too Young.

Some Council Members are called "Lords" even if not Members of Nobility. They are Appointed and Dismissed by the King as he wills once he reaches the Age of Majority. The Council May Be Divided by Faction, however Or By Region.

Traditionally the Council consists of Seven Permanent Members, after the Andal Traditions and The Faith of the Seven, with reserved positions for:

The Hand of the King, Serves As The Kings Chief Advisor and Right Hand Man.

The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Serves As Leader Of The King's Elite Guard.

The Master of Coin: Head of the Treasury and Finances of the Kingdom.

The Master of Laws: Overseer of the Law and Justice for the Kingdom.

The Master of Whisperers: The Spymaster and The Head Of Intelligence.

The Master of Ships: Overseer of the Royal Navy.

Grand Maester: The Head Adviser on Matters of Lore and Wisdom.

Although a Council seems to always have these Seven Members, it may include Additional Members as Advisors.

Kingsguard

The Seven Best Swordsmen Of The Seven Kingdoms Charged With Protecting The King and His Family. The Kingsguard, also known poetically as the White Swords or white cloaks, are the royal bodyguards of the Iron Throne. Regarded as the finest knights in the Seven Kingdoms, they are sworn to protect their king and the royal family with their own lives, to obey his commands, and to keep his secrets. The Kingsguard are sworn for life and are forbidden from owning land, taking a wife, or fathering children, although they can hold non-hereditary commands, such as being warden or Hand of the King.

Two female ruling monarchs, Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (129–130 AC) and Queen Daenerys Targaryen (300 AC-Present), have operated with a Queensguard instead of a Kingsguard.

Duties

The Kingsguard is composed of seven men, all of them Sworn Knights. A Kingsguard knight serves for life, Regardless of age or any physical or mental ailments. When an invalid Kingsguard knight is incapable of performing his duties, they are taken up by his sworn brothers. The knights of the Kingsguard are forbidden to marry, father children, and to hold land. Regardless, the White Swords may retain or be granted certain titles. Aemon Targaryen and Lewyn Martell continued to use the style of "prince", while Lord Commanders Ryam Redwyne, Criston Cole, and Marston Waters also acted as Hand of the King.

The first duty of the Kingsguard is defending the king from harm. They are sworn to obey the king's commands, to keep his secrets, to counsel him when requested and to keep silent when not, and to defend his name and honor. The king can decide to extend the protection offered by the Kingsguard to others. Some kings have chosen to extend this protection to their wives, children, and other relatives, and some have even chosen to grant this protection to their lovers, mistresses, and bastards. The Kingsguard are sworn to protect the queen, though not from anything the king might do. They are also sworn not to harm any member of the royal family.

In order to protect the king and the royal family night and day, the seven-man Kingsguard must rely to some degree on others. Sworn Shields, and other knights are trusted with the king's security when the entire Kingsguard meets in White Sword Tower. The queen may be guarded by her own sworn shield, such as Jonquil Darke for Alysanne Targaryen, or household knights.

The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard serves on the king's small council. When the small council is in session, one of the Kingsguard always stands guard outside the council chambers, while another is usually posted at the end of the bridge into Maegor's Holdfast.

Night's Watch

Once A Great and Glory-Giving Group, Now A Glorified Penal Colony, The Night's Watch Mans and Guards The Wall, Which Protects The North and The Southern Regions From The Wildlings and Other Monsters and Creatures From Beyond The Wall. The Night's Watch is a Military Order Dedicated to Holding The Wall, Defending The Realms of Men From What Lies Beyond The Wall. The Order's Foundation Dates Back To The Age Of Heroes, At The Time When The White Walkers and Their Others Were Pushed Back. The Men of Night's Watch Wear Only Black, and They Are Known as Black Brothers. Recruits Who Join The Watch are Said to Take the Black.

Structure

The Night's Watch consists of Three Orders: Rangers, Builders, and Stewards. All are subject to the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, and each of The Three Orders is led by its Own Officer, The First Ranger, The First Builder, and The Lord Steward, respectively. These officers are appointed by the lord commander.

Stewards are responsible for an assortment of Critical Functions, providing vital day-to-day services. They Hunt and Farm, Tend Horses, Gather Firewood, Cook Meals, Make Clothing, Maintain Weapons, and bring supplies needed by the Night's Watch from the South. Like other members of the Watch, The Stewards must be ready to fight at a moment's notice, and all have received at least basic combat training. Bowen Marsh serves as the Lord Steward or First Steward.

Builders are responsible for tending to and Maintaining the Wall and its Castles. The Order provides Masons, Carpenters, Miners, and Woodsmen to this End. Othell Yarwyck leads them as the First Builder.

Rangers are the Main Fighting , Adept At Surviving in the Wilderness and Tasked with Scouting and Patrolling the Haunted Forest Beyond the Wall. They Actively Defend The Wall and Ride Out To Face The Watch's Enemies, Including Wildlings and Legendary White Walkers and The Others. The Current First Ranger is Benjen Stark.

Recruiters for the Night's Watch are called Wandering Crows. The organization also includes Septons, Maesters, and, at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, Sailors. Because Brothers come from throughout the Seven Kingdoms or even Essos, there is an Unspoken Pact To Not Discuss Politics or Former Loyalties.

One Blast of a Sentry's Horn Represents Returning Rangers, While Two are Used for Wildlings and Three For The White Walkers and The Others. Two Long Blasts Followed By A Short One Are Used As A Call To Mount Horses.

Leadership

The Lord Commander of the Night's Watch is the final authority and oversees the entire order. Any man of the Night's Watch can be nominated to be the Lord Commander. A Lord Commander serves in office until the day he dies, when a replacement is elected by the men of the Watch.

At Castle Black, Lord Commander Jeor Mormont is advised by First Ranger Benjen Stark, First Builder Othell Yarwyck, and Lord Steward Bowen Marsh. He also entrusts leadership to Ser Jarman Buckwell, Ser Mallador Locke, Ser Jaremy Rykker, Thoren Smallwood, Ser Mors Westford, and Ser Ottyn Wythers. Ser Denys Mallister is the commander at the Shadow Tower, while Cotter Pyke has command at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. Maesters advising the senior leadership are Aemon at Castle Black, Mullin at the Shadow Tower, and Harmune at Eastwatch.

An honorable opportunity to command, rise in rank, and enjoy hunting north of the Wall are reasons why men join the Night's Watch voluntarily. The Majority of the Officers and leadership of the Watch are pulled from the upper crust of Westerosi society. A Noble or Knighted man is almost guaranteed a position as an officer in the Watch, but there are several powerful and influential brothers that are of common blood as well, such as the senior rangers Qhorin Halfhand, Blane, and Cotter Pyke, a bastard-born pirate. The Watch, as a meritocracy, is one of the few places in feudal Westeros where a common man can rise high and even gain command over knights and lords, rising as far as Lord Commander of the Night's Watch.

Castles Of The Watch

The Night's Watch raised nineteen castles to guard the hundred leagues of the Wall, although they have never manned more than seventeen at one time. Today only three of them are maintained by an ever dwindling . The castles themselves are closer to garrisons, composed mostly of barracks, stables, storehouses, towers and out-buildings, as they have no walls of their own (other than the Wall itself). They were purposefully built this way so the Watch could man only the Wall itself and focus on threats from the north. The Night's Watch feared no attack from the south because of their vow not to take part in the wars of the Seven Kingdoms.

Due to manpower shortages, the Watch only mans the Shadow Tower, Icemark, Long Barrow, Castle Black, and Eastwatch. Patrols between the castles used to be more regular, but as the manpower of the Night's Watch diminished, so did the number of patrols. Now the Watch uses mules to ride atop the Wall, as the paths have not been graveled between the older castles in many years. The mules are bred at Eastwatch and are specially trained for their duties.

Castles along the Wall and the surrounding area

The castles are listed from west to east:

Westwatch-by-the-Bridge

Shadow Tower, the most western castle still currently in use. By 298 AC, it is garrisoned by two hundred men.

Sentinel Stand

Greyguard

Stonedoor

Hoarfrost Hill

Icemark, Manned By One Hundred and Fifty Men, Commanded By Ser Mors Westford.

Nightfort, the oldest and largest castle of the Night's Watch, which was abandoned during the reign of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen due to the high costs needed to maintain it. It houses the Black Gate, a secret way through the Wall sealed by a magical ancient door fashioned from Weirwood, which only opens to a sworn brother of the Night's Watch.

Deep Lake, located seven miles east of the Nightfort. Originally meant as a replacement to the Nightfort. It was paid for by Queen Alysanne Targaryen, and built by men sent to the Wall by King Jaehaerys I Targaryen.

Queensgate, originally called Snowgate. The castle was renamed after Queen Alysanne Targaryen visited.

Castle Black, one of the three castles currently still in use. Castle Black is located at the northern end of the Kingsroad, and an eastern road leads toward Eastwatch. By 298 AC, it is held by six hundred brothers.

Oakenshield

Woodswatch-by-the-Pool

Sable Hall

Rimegate

Long Barrow, Manned By A Hundred and Fifty Men, Commanded By Ser Alliser Thorne.

Torches

Greenguard

Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, also called Eastwatch for short, is the third of the three castles currently in use by the Night's Watch. Eastwatch is a port, and has the smallest standing garrison, being garrisoned by less than two hundred men.

Order Of Maesters

Men Who Train At The Citadel Of Old Town To Serve Lords and Kings Alike Throughout Westeros, The Order Of Maesters are an Order of Scholars, Healers, Messengers, and Scientists. They educate new Students at the Citadel, which is located in Oldtown, a city in the Reach. House Hightower was integral in the Citadel's foundation, and continues to patronize the order. As advisers to the Westerosi Nobility, the Maesters have largely supplanted the Alchemists' Guild.[1] They are sometimes called "The Knights Of The Mind." Among The Ranks Of The Maesters Are From Lowest To Highest: Novices and Acolytes, Maesters, Archmaesters, Grand Maesters, and Seneschals.

Novices and Acolytes

Students who start their education at the Citadel are known as Novices. Once they have earned a link, they become Acolytes. Most Acolytes treat Novices as if they are Slow-Witted. Acolytes Train at Letters at the Scribe's Hearth, and can be Hired by Oldtowners To Read Their Letters or Write Their Wills.] When an Acolyte is prepared to take his Vows and Become a Maester, He is placed in a Completely Dark room with one of the Citadel's Glass Candles, Made of Razor-Sharp Obsidian. He must stay in that room for the entire night in darkness, unless he is able to light the candle. The tradition serves as a lesson about truth and learning.

Students who violate the rules of the Citadel can be ordered confined to their rooms by the Maesters. They can also receive More Physical Punishments. For example, for stealing from the kitchens, Rectors might place them in stocks at the Seneschal's Court, where Acolytes may throw rotten vegetables at them.

Maesters

Maesters are scholars and healers who have completed their training at the Citadel. They can be sent by the Citadel to serve at the holding of a lord throughout the Seven Kingdoms. Maesters are only found in castles; if a lord does not have a Maester in his service, he is seen as unimportant. Aegon I Targaryen and his Sister Wives each had a Maester during the Conquest, and as King Aegon had as many as Six Serving him, Separate from the Grand Maester. A Lord has to pay the Citadel for a Maester's Service, and Smallfolk believe that Maesters are unwilling to help them.

Maesters wear a collar, which is supposed to remind him of the Realm he serves. When He Completes his Education and takes his Vows, a Maester puts aside his House Name. Although he is supposed to be Loyal to the seat to which he is assigned, regardless of the changes in control of that holding, Old Allegiances or Loyalties might continue Linger.

Archmaesters

Archmaesters are Maesters who have Demonstrated Mastery of a Particular Subject. They Receive a Mask, Ring, and Rod in the Metal Corresponding to the Link of the Maester's Chain Which Signifies Their Expertise on the topic. Archmaesters teach the Students at the Citadel in their Subject of Expertise, and They Judge Whether a Novice or an Acolyte has shown enough Knowledge on their subject to receive a Link for their Chain.

Archmaesters have the right to sit on the Conclave, a Council which Elects the Grand Maester and Determines when the Seasons Change. The meetings of the Conclave are Conducted Behind Closed Doors at the Citadel.

Each Archmaester is said to carry a Heavy, Black Iron Key that will Open most of the doors in the Citadel. They keep them close on their Person, or hide them well.

Grand Maesters

The Office of Grand Maester was created in 5 AC by Aegon I Targaryen, who asked for an Archmaester To Advise him on Governing the Seven Kingdoms. Sworn to Serve the Whole Realm, The Grand Maester sits on the King's Small Council and Acts As One of the Royal Advisers. As the Citadel's Representative at the Royal Court of the King on the Iron Throne The Grand Maester is Elected by the Conclave, and only the Conclave can unmake him again, although several Grand Maesters have died violently. King Maegor I Targaryen executed Three Grand Maesters during his Reign—Gawen, Myros, and Desmond—while Aegon II Targaryen had Grand Maester Gerardys fed to his dragon Sunfyre. Grand Maester Hareth was executed as well, on grounds of Treason.

Although the Conclave puts effort into demonstrating their consideration of ability before birth, this is only a pretense as is not usually the case in its final Choice for Grand Maester.

Grand Maesters are Generally Older Men. Kaeth was chosen as Grand Maester at the age of eighty, Ellendor at almost ninety, and Merion at the age of sixty-six. After all three died within a short time span, King Aegon V Targaryen suggested to the Conclave that a younger man might be better. As such, Pycelle, aged forty-two, was raised to the office.

Seneschal

The Governance of the Citadel is held by the Seneschal, who is chosen from among the Archmaesters. A new Seneschal is appointed annually. Because the Archmaesters tend to see the office as a thankless task, as it takes them away from their true work, the Seneschal is selected by lot, with the one who draws the black stone taking on the office. When the Archmaester who draws the black stone is not capable of fulfilling his duties as Seneschal, another Archmaester might volunteer to serve his term instead.

Education Of A Student and Prospective Maester

Boys and Young Men from all over Westeros come to Study, Learn, and Forge Their Chains At The Citadel. There is No Age Requirement, and Despite the Prejudice of the Archmaesters to Status of Birth, Males of Every Social Status are Allowed to Forge Their Chain. As such, Baseborns (e.g., Pate), Bastards (e.g., Walys), Younger Children of Lords, and Even Royalty (e.g., Prince Oberyn Martell, King Aegon VI, and Princes Aemon and Vaegon Targaryen) can study together at the Citadel.

Novices and acolytes are educated together. Archmaesters give open lectures, which the students can attend at will. Once a student believes he has sufficient knowledge on a particular subject, he can go before an Archmaester to demonstrate his knowledge. If the Archmaester Judges the Student’s Knowledge to be Proficient, He awards him with a Link of a Metal Reflecting the Topic.

Not all who start their Studies will Complete their chain. Oldtown is full of Aging Novices and Acolytes Who Have Never Started Their Chains, or Never Finished Forging Them. Others Leave The Citadel before Completing Their Chain on Purpose. Gunthor Hightower Studied for Several Years at the Citadel, Although it is not known whether he earned any Links while there. Both Lord Lyonel Strong, and Prince Oberyn Martell Left the Citadel after Forging Six Links, While Oberyn's Nephew King Aegon VI Earned Nine Links Before Returning To The Crownlands. Some Students Learn Only Something about Healing, and May become Barbers, serving Smallfolk with Leeches, Setting Broken Bones, and Shaving and Cutting their hair.

It is not known how long a Student Generally Takes To Forge a Chain. Maester Yandel Earned his First Link in 285 AC and Completed his Chain in 292 AC, at the Age of Twenty, while Aemon, who took several more Years to Forge his Chain, took his Maester's Vows at the age of Nineteen. The speed at which a student Earns his Links Differs between each Student. While some might take a year per Link (e.g., Armen), Exceptional Students Might earn as Many As Three Links Within A Year (e.g., Alleras and King Aegon VI), possibly even more.

Chain

A Maester can be Recognized by the Chain he wears around his neck. The Collar is intended to remind A Maester of the Greater Realm he serves. The Links of the Chain can be made of Every Metal Known to man. By Earning Their Links, Students "Forge" Their Chain. This term is metaphorical; Though they do Study Metals at the Citadel, Maesters do not Necessarily Train as Blacksmiths. Maesters never remove their Chain, not even when sleeping, and it is Considered a Great Shame for A Maester to Surrender his Chain. The Citadel can decide to Strip A Maester of his Chain, Thereby Exiling him from the Citadel. This is done as a Punishment for, for example, Cutting Open Living People, or Practicing Necromancy.

The metals of which a student can earn links for their chain include:

Black iron - Ravenry

Bronze - Astronomy

Copper - History

Electrum - Astrology

Yellow Gold - Economics

Iron - Warcraft

Pale steel - Poisons

Silver - Medicine and Healing

Valyrian Steel - Magic

Brass - Geography

Lead - Agriculture

Pewter - Household Management

Platinum - Foreign Cultures & Languages

Red Gold - Midwifery & Animal Husbandry

Steel - Smithing

Tin - Philosophy and Religions