The Ghosts of Harrenhal: A Song of Ice and Fire Podcast (ASOIAF)

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Ser Barristan watches a man die before meeting with his queen’s new council to discuss both peace and war plans. He then talks with the Dornishmen to offer a get-out-of-jail card. Finally, he meets with the Green Grace. The Yunki’i have rejected his ransom offer for the hostages. To emphasize this point, the Yunkai begin launching corpses into the city. Mackelly and Simon duck and cover.

Chapter Review:
Ser Barristan Selmy scans the horizon for a sign of Queen Daenerys Targaryen’s return. Instead, he surveys the destruction the freed dragons have wreaked on the city. He hears a death rattle coming from indoors and steps into the queen’s apartments as Prince Quentyn Martell takes his final breaths. Soon after, Skahaz mo Kandaq arrives. He gives Selmy the “butcher’s tally.” The Sons of the Harpy killed 29 last night. The pair make their way to join the council Selmy has assembled to run the city until the queen returns.

The Green Grace has been sent to the Yunkai’i to offer a ransom for the queen’s remaining hostages. She hasn’t returned. Instead they discuss alternatives. If the Yunkai’i reject the offer, Barristan will respond with fire and blood. He presents war plans and the men debate strategy.

When the council is dismissed, Selmy goes to the dungeons to inform Archibald Yronwood and Gerris Drinkwater that their friend and prince is dead. He then offers them an opportunity to keep their heads on their necks. If they take a message to the Tattered Prince requesting that he free the hostages, Selmy will send the Dornishmen home with Quentyn’s bones. Arch accepts on both men’s behalf.

While waiting for the Green Grace to return, Selmy frets over his decisions. Are they what the queen would’ve wanted? His thoughts are interrupted by the return of the Green Grace. She wants King Hizdar zo Loraq freed. Only he can stop the violence within the city and save the peace with Yunkai. Selmy says the king will be freed, if he can prove he didn’t poison the queen. The Green Grace says the Yunkai’i rejected the ransom offer. Their discussion is interrupted by Skahaz, who bursts in to tell them the Yunkai have begun to fire their trebuchets. The Green Grace adds that it’s not rocks they’re launching. It’s corpses.

Characters/Places/Names/Events:
Barristan Selmy - Former Lord Commander of the Kingsguard in King’s Landing. Now Lord Commander of the Dany’s Queensguard.
Hizdahr zo Loraq - Noble of Meereen, husband to Daenerys.
Skahaz mo Kandaq (aka The Shavepate) - Ghiscari noble, loyal to Daenerys and opposed to Hizdahr.
Quentyn Martell - Oldest son of Prince Doran Martell.
Archibald Yronwood - Dornish knight and friend of Prince Quentyn Martell.
Gerris Drinkwater - Dornish knight and friend of Prince Quentyn Martell.
Green Grace - Top religious leader in the city.
Meereen - Largest city on Slaver’s Bay.
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Jon Snow tries to arrange for a rescue mission to Hardhome, but his plans are derailed by a taunting missive from Ramsay Bolton. He now decides to go south to confront his tormentor, but this is the last straw for his critics who gang up on him and stab him repeatedly. Mackelly and Simon try to find reasons for hope.

Chapter Review:
Lord Commander Jon Snow describes his plan to rescue the free folk at Hardhome to Queen Selyse. She suggests the simpler solution, of letting them all die. Her men are to marry Gerrick Kingsblood’s daughters and she wants Val for Ser Patrek.

Jon explains his plans to Bowen Marsh and Othell Yarwyck, who disagree. He sends them away and welcomes Tormund Giantsbane, who has come with 50 men to help save the trapped wildlings. While they talk,Clydas brings a letter. It is signed by Ramsay Bolton, and details that Stannis is dead, Mance and his spearwives captured, and that Reek and his bride are to be returned immediately.

Jon presents a new plan to the assembled Night’s Watch: Tormund and his men to Hardhome while Jon rides south to deal with Bolton and free Winterfell. Many join his cause. Wun Wun, protecting Val from the unwanted advances of Ser Patrek, bashes the smaller man to death. Jon tries to calm the giant, demanding that the assembled men sheathe their steel. But instead several of them turn on Jon and stab him repeatedly.

Characters/Places/Names/Events:
Jon Snow - Bastard son of Ned Stark. Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch.
Tormund Giantsbane - Leader of a large group of free folk.
Queen Selyse Baratheon - Queen to King Stannis.
Melisandre - Priestess of R’Hllor. Advisor to King Stannis Baratheon. 
Val - Sister to Mance Rayder’s wife Dalla.
Bowen Marsh - Lord Steward at Castle Black.
Othell Yarwyck - First Builder at Castle Black.
Hardhome - Once the closest thing to a town north of the Wall. Now home to thousands of Free Folk refugees.
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Quentyn Martell tries to fulfill his destiny, and his deal with the Windblown, to obtain dragons. Not much goes to plan and the chapter ends with Rhaegal setting Quentyn afire. Simon and Mackelly hope his Targaryen blood will save him.
 
Chapter Review:
Prince Quentyn Martell is determined to obtain a dragon. He cannot face the shame of returning to Dorne empty-handed. Gerris Drinkwater catches him testing his flesh against candle flame, with predictable results. Gerris thinks Quentyn needs a visit to a Red Grace. Quentyn is in no joking mood. He thinks his friends might be Dornish, but he is Dorne. He sees his future differently and is determined to make a name for himself.

That morning they dress as Brazen Beasts and, armed with a password (“dog”) obtained by the Windblown, they try to make their way to the dragons. They get through one door but at the dragon’s lair they are forced to fight the guards.

Within, the dragons have both broken their chains. While they take a brief interest in Pretty Meris, they quickly become unruly. Quentyn tries to act as Daenerys did, but his use of the whip only enrages the dragons. As he tries to subdue Viserion, Rheagal lights him on fire.    

Characters/Places/Names/Events:
Quentyn Martell - Eldest son, and second child of Prince Doran Martell of Dorne.
Gerris Drinkwater “Drink” - Quentyn’s companion.
Archibald Yronwood “Arch” - Final member of the trio.
Windblown - Sellsword company that has entered the fight against Daenerys Targaryen.
Tattered Prince - Captain of the Windblown.
Daenerys Targaryen - Last remaining descendent of the royal Targaryen line, Stormborn, Mother of Dragons, claimant to the Iron Throne of Westeros, Queen of Meereen.
Meereen - Largest of the major slaver cities of Slaver’s Bay.
Brazen Beasts - City watch company in Meereen. Made up of freedmen.

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All Music credits to Ross Bugden:
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Ser Barristan Selmy commits to the plan to oust King Hizdhar. He’s not thrilled about it, and extracts promises from Skahaz that blood would only be shed as a last resort. His capture of Hizdahr is interrupted - the dragons are loose. Jenny and Mackelly fetch buckets of sand.

Chapter Review:
Ser Barristan Selmy plots with Skahaz mo Kandaq to dethrone King Hizdahr zo Loraq and to establish a council to rule Meereen until Queen Daenerys Targaryen returns. If all goes well, they’ll treat with the besiegers for the return of the hostages. Selmy knows that Daenerys would be heartbroken if Daario Naharis were to be lost, but he considers how often the realm has suffered when rulers are led by their hearts rather than their heads.

He advises Missandei to stay in the Queen’s chambers that evening, as he fears his actions may precipitate further bloodshed. He’s armored but helmless. With several loyal Brazen Beasts in tow, he gains access to the king’s chambers with fake news from Daenerys. He confronts Hizdahr with having tried to poison the queen and kill her dragons. The king denies it.

Instead, he calls for his bodyguard Khrazz. The former pit fighter doesn’t know how to fight an armored opponent and Selmy defeats the larger, younger man. As Selmy moves to arrest Hizdar, news arrives that the dragons have been loosed.

Characters/Places/Names/Events:
Barristan Selmy - Former Lord Commander of the Kingsguard in King’s Landing. Now Lord Commander of Daenerys' Queensguard.
Hizdahr zo Loraq - Noble of Meereen, husband to Daenerys. Now King of Meereen.
Skahaz mo Kandaq (aka The Shavepate) - Ghiscari noble, loyal to Daenerys and opposed to Hizdahr.
Reznak mo Reznak - Ghiscari seneschal. Advisor to Daenerys and Hizdahr.
Khrazz - Pit fighter turned Kingsguard for King Hizdar.
Meereen - Largest city on Slaver’s Bay.
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All Music credits to Ross Bugden:
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Tyrion makes a deal with the Second Sons which gives him, Penny, and Jorah a second chance. Mackelly and Simon weigh up the deal that he’s struck.

Chapter Review:
Tyrion Lannister signs a stack of parchments, each gifting an increasing tranche of gold to the senior members of the Second Sons. He feigns anguish at the amounts but knows that he’s good for it if he comes into his inheritance and dead anyway if he doesn’t…so it’s all an act. After the bookkeeping he formally signs up to the Second Sons in blood.

He wakes Penny and they visit the armor wagons. He wants her protected if battle should come. He gives her his usual dose of tough love. But her feelings for him remain undimmed. They encounter Ser Jorah Mormont who is freshly bedecked in armor of his own. And he’s showing signs of coming back to life after suffering miserably as a slave. 

Jorah agrees that there is real danger. He thinks the Yunkai’i have lost the war. Between the Pale Mare, the unsullied, and the dragons the Meereenese have nothing to fear. The two men reckon that their salvation lies in convincing Brown Ben Plum and the Second Sons to turn their cloak one more time and fight for Queen Daenerys.   

Characters/Places/Names/Events:
Tyrion Lannister - Youngest son of Tywin Lannister, whom he murdered. Brother to queen Cersei and Jamie Lannister. Former Hand of the King.
Ser Jorah Mormont - Twice-disgraced knight of the Seven Kingdoms. In love with Daenerys.
Penny - Dwarf who performed at Joffrey’s wedding. Her brother Oppo was murdered.
Brown Ben Plum - Westerosi sellsword who claims Targaryen blood, but has betrayed Daenerys.
Meereen - Major city on Slaver’s Bay.
Support the show
Support us:
Buy us a Cup of Arbor Gold, or become a sustainer and receive cool perks
Donate to our cause
Use our exclusive URL for a free 30-day trial of Audible
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Rate and review us at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, podchaser.com, and elsewhere.

Find us on social media:
Discord
Twitter @GhostsHarrenhal
Facebook
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All Music credits to Ross Bugden:
INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) 
TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) 
YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/wa...