I have almost completed the journey all must take; the read through of the ASOIAF books. My current read is A Feast For Crows which has some great detail for the Iron Islands. However, just like the Bran chapters of the first few books, the Cersei chapters irritate me, except for one chapter. There is a chapter about midway through the book where Cersei due to paranoia and delusion has assembled a new Small Council of incompetent lords. This gave me an idea for a future Heroes Box for the Lannisters filled with characters people would just outright hate.
Cersei’s Small Council
The luxury of the Cersei chapters in the books in comparison to the show stems down to the fact we can hear Cersei’s thoughts. From this we know she is paranoid but sees enemies in people when they are not her enemy or thinks she has solved entire plots and acts prideful in reacting to them. Spurning away any loyalists to the Tyrells, and through pride rejecting help from the competent Lannisters, we are left with these fools.
Harys Swyft – Hand of the King – Attachment/NCU
Harys is a hostage. Noted to be a weak man that can hold Kevan Lannister in check by threatening Harys’ safety. He is often confused at the Small Council meetings. Harys is not a capable warrior as in battle he would have died if not for his squire saving his life from Harys’ horse falling on him. Harys often criticises people’s competency and then is immediately proven wrong. NCU Harys would be 4pts and have an ability called Questioning Tactics, this gives Harys two order tokens, when an opponent uses an order, you may expend an order token from Harys to cancel the order. Attachment will be 1pts with Reckless Defence, an order where you can have block D3 Hits, but you become Weakened after the attack.
Orton Merryweather – Justiciar – Attachment/NCU
Along with Cersei’s paranoia, is her insecurity of status. She does not want the Small Council members to have the title of Master as it gives them too much power, and thus gives the positions new names. Master of laws becomes Justiciar. Lord Merryweather is added to the council likely because of Taena’s moves to get closer to Cersei. Orton does very little but council Cersei to side with the Ironborn for their fleet to invade Dragonstone. This is a bad idea due to them being at war with the Boltons in the North. This is the only thing of note Orton has ever done as his wife is more of the player for the Merryweathers. However, when Harys is demoted to Treasurer, Orton is promoted to Hand of the King, this is again due to Taena’s relationship with Cersei. Orton’s 1pts Attachment would just have Improved Defences. His NCU would be 4pts and allow him to replace the zone he claims with the effect of the Coins Zone.
Taena of Myr – NCU
The one true friend of Cersei Lannister. Taena is obviously setting up a friendship so that she can claim power, I do believe this is to reclaim the lands and riches the house once had after the Mad King stripped them from Orton’s grandfather. It is hard to tell if she truly cares for Cersei or if she was just playing her own game either way, she plays it well and seems to get out unscathed. Taena was used to manipulate Margery and her cousins by leaking information between the Tyrells and Lannisters. Thus, a NCU designed around meddling with the opponents Tactics Cards would be perfect. Perhaps Pyatt Pree is a great example of what she should be.
Gyles Rosby – Lord Treasurer – Commander/NCU
Now don’t write me off on this one, I know it is basically a meme to make this guy a Commander, but I have some points that might say otherwise. Gyles is sickly, he coughs constantly preventing a coherent sentence from being said and when put on the council he is coughing up blood in addition. He does eventually die which makes Cersei’s paranoia alarm go off thinking Tyrell’s did it. So why should this guy be a Commander?
Well, the lands of the Rosbys’ were untouched by the war, and thus King’s Landing is supplied mainly by the Rosby lands. After the King’s Landing riots, Rosby is entrusted with the safety of Tommen as Cersei fears for her son’s safety during the second book. He did a few things through loyalty to House Lannister like lie here and put up a statue there. He also tried (and failed) to deal with an angry Iron Bank envoy. I do think this is enough to make a NCU Commander out of Rosby based around hefty supplies and protection of the crown.
I would also offer a NCU for 3pts with an ability that forces you to replace any zone he takes with ‘Heal one wound to one unit’ – this would represent his incompetence once on the council.
Aurane Waters – Grand Admiral – Attachment
House Velaryon is great, but Aurane Waters is not. He fought, lost and then was captured after fighting for Stannis in the War of the Five Kings and was only pardoned because Cersei believes he has the hots for her. Aurane is charming and is cunning, he used this pride of Cersei to set himself in a good position. He is given funds to build a Royal Fleet, he hires young but loyal men to himself rather than to the city or crown, then commands these ships himself. It is heavily hinted that in one of the pre-released chapters of the Winds of Winter he is the new pirate king taking over the Stepstones. If this is true, then Cersei’s foolishness for giving power to someone who battered their eyeglasses at her has caused a massive economic issue for Westeros. 2pts Attachment with Swift Retreat and Enhanced Mobility. I was debating making him a NCU who could remove the abilities of another NCU to represent how he disarmed Cersei with charm, but this box already has so many NCUs. What do you guys think?
Jaime Lannister – Lord Commander of the Kingsguard – Commander/Attachment
We have three Jaime Lannister rules, five different models, but none of them are his Lord Commander version. I do think we will see Lord Commander Jaime as well as a Goldhand Jaime in the future. This one would be focused on Jaime’s time in King’s Landing after his return. Whereas Cersei believes she is Tywin reborn and is far from it, I do get a sense that Jaime is starting to show signs of Tywin in how he acts in the books. Commander Jaime will not be good at combat due to his hand being cut off, this could lead to a very differently designed Jaime. Perhaps a pure defensive version that can stand guard for a week’s vigil just like he did at Tywin’s funeral, or maybe one that dismisses Tactics Cards, Influences, NCU abilities etc due to him refusing to do anything that others tell him he should do. A standard Attachment Jaime as Lord Commander might be the perfect place to finally put Relentless into the Lannister roster, I do think it should come with Stalwart or a new ability called Oathkeeper which helps with Morale.
High Septon – Enemy Attachment
There have been three High Septons in the ASOIAF books. The first was known as the Fat High Septon and was killed during the King’s Landing Riot. The second was appointed by Tyrion and weds Joffrey to Margery. He is then murdered, and the High Sparrow is put in the position. I am speaking of the second High Septon here who does know of the Cersei’s infidelity and murder of Robert Baratheon thanks to praying with Lancel Lannister on his death bed. Cersei suspects this to be true and dispatches Osney Kettleblack to kill him quietly which he succeeds in doing. Therefore, I would make the High Septon an Attachment that goes in an enemy’s unit with the ability Valuable Captive for +1 to Morale Test rolls and an extra VP for when the Septon is destroyed. He will also have an ability called Forgiveness which will decrease the Attack Dice of the unit he is in by 1 if the opponent controls the Crown Zone. This is to represent that the High Septon intended to do nothing about the revelations of Cersei as he must forgive her.
Do you think the rules match these characters? Should they have worse rules for how incapable most of them are? Is there a worse set of characters that could make up a Heroes Box more horrifying than this one? Do let us know.
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I would play Harys Swift for sure