This blog is for my family and friends only. We are having a hard time following the TV series. This is a compendium of information to help us better understand where the series is at before we begin watching the 4th season. This is not original material. I have copied from a variety of sources.
The Known World
The Known World is composed of three continents: Westeros, Essos and Sothoryos. Most of the action takes place in Westeros and Essos, the new home of the ousted rulers of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
The seasons vary unpredictably in length. At the time the series starts, the World has been experiencing a summer that has lasted nine years. Predictions are made that the summer is ending and that since the summer has been so long, there will also be a long winter.
Westeros
Westeros is a continent in the far west of the known world. It is separated from the continent of Essos by a strip of water known as the Narrow Sea. It is composed of the Seven Kingdoms and the Lands Beyond the Wall.
Westero's climate shifts from a subarctic wasteland in the furthest north, beyond the Wall, to a desert climate in the furthest south, along the peninsula of Dorne. In the normal course of events, the furthest north still has light snowfalls even in the longest of summers whilst Dorne almost never sees snow, even in the most severe winters.
The Seven Kingdoms
The Seven Kingdoms is the name given to the realm that controls most of the continent of Westoros (except the lands beyond the wall) and numerous offshore islands. It is ruled by the King of the Andals and the First Men from the Red Keep in the city of King's Landing, capital of the Seven Kingdoms.
The Seven Kingdoms were unified by the Targaryens (Aegon the Conqueror) from their seat of Dragonstone. That unification took place hundreds of years before the events we are now seeing on Game of Thrones.
The Seven Kingdoms were unified by the Targaryens (Aegon the Conqueror) from their seat of Dragonstone. That unification took place hundreds of years before the events we are now seeing on Game of Thrones.
Essos
Essos is located East of Westoros. Nine city-states called the Free Cities are located on the north-western coastline of Essos: Braavos, Lorath, Lys, Myr, Norvos, Pentos, Qohor, Tyrosh and Volantis. These city-states trade with Westoros.
In the continental interior, east of the Free Cities is the Dothraki Sea, a vast landscape of steppes and plains covered in green grass. Vaes Dothrak is the only city. The Dothraki people are horse-mounted warriors who migrate across the plains in hordes (called khalasars) to plunder neighbouring lands.
The City of Slaver's Bay, the hub of international slave trade, is on the south coast. The Jade Sea is a large bay on which major ports are located including Qarth (a great trading city), Yi Ti and Asshai. Qarth is separated from the Dothraki Sea by the Red Waste, a giant desert.
The Action
The action takes place on multiple fronts. The three key plot lines occur in the following locations:
- In the Seven Kingdoms, where the War of the Five Kings is raging. This is a war about how the Seven Kingdoms are governed.
- In Essos, where the former rulers of the Seven Kingdoms are plotting to return to power.
- Beyond the Wall, where the Night's Watch attempts to defend the Seven Kingdoms from the wildlings and the White Walkers.
[1]
Title given to the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms.
[2]
Name of the castle in King’s Landing.
No comments:
Post a Comment