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Tyrion and company are all but sunk by a fearsome storm after being becalmed for weeks. Be careful what you wish for. They’re rescued by, what even the nose-less can tell is a slave-ship. Mackelly and Simon move things from the frying pan into the fire.

Chapter Review:
Tyrion Lannister, Penny, and Jorah Mormont are still aboard the Selaesori Qhoran AKA “the Stinky Steward.” It’s been becalmed for nearly two weeks and the sailors are beginning to question if Tyrion and Penny are actually lucky. They are also eyeing Pretty Pig with hungry looks.

To distract and amuse them, Tyrion agrees to joust with Penny. He’s kind of hopeless, but she points out that that is rather the point. Afterward, he goads Mormont about his plans for Tyrion and Daenerys until the knight knocks Tyrion’s tooth out. A pyrrhic victory right there.

Finally a wind picks up, but it portends an almighty storm and Moqorro admits that the ship was never going to reach Qarth, not because it was going to redirect to Meereen, but because this storm was going to destroy it. The storm is immense and the ships is ruined. It comes through still afloat but with no mast, no Moqorro, flooded lower sections, and no hope of survival. But a ship is spotted headed their way. Unfortunately, as it nears Mormont is able to guess from the stench that it is a slave ship.

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 Targaryen.
Benerro - High priest of R’hllor in Volantis.
Moqorro - Priest of R’hllor.
Penny - Dwarf who performed at Joffrey’s wedding. Her brother Oppo was murdered.
Selaesori Qhoran - Trading cog. The ugliest ship Tyrion has ever seen. Her name means “fragrant steward.”

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Jon sends Val to Tormund Giantsbane with terms. In a shocking turn of events, Jon’s advisers disagree with the plan. Simon and Mackelly would like to remind Jon, well his advisers actually, of what befell Janos Slynt, and why.

Chapter Review:
Lord Commander Jon Snow escorts Val through the Wall. She’s headed north to find Tormund Giantsbane and offer him safe passage through the Wall if he’ll follow the expected rules - don’t kill everyone and help defend the Wall. She’s confident that she’ll find him, but less sure of how he’ll receive the message. She wants Jon to look after the baby, whom she’s dubbed Monster, as she’s certain that Melisandre has seen through the baby-swap deceit.

Back at the Wall, Jon’s breakfast is disturbed by Bowen Marsh, Othell Yarwick, and Septon Cellador. They don’t like to complain about everything, but the men are grumbling. They don’t want Leathers as the new Master-at-Arms, nor Satin as Jon’s steward. Jon doesn’t care. They don’t like Val’s mission. Jon doesn’t care. They don’t think more Wildlings should be admitted. Jon doesn’t care.

They worry about Jon’s (as yet unspoken) plans for Hardhome, a haunted town north of the Wall where it is rumored that the refugee free folk are amassing. Again Jon has to remind them that anyone who dies north of the Wall is going to come back to haunt them. They just don’t get it.

Characters/Places/Names/Events:
Jon Snow - Bastard son of Ned Stark. Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch.
Val - Sister-in-law to Mance Rayder. Wrongly perceived as a princess by Stannis.
Bowen Marsh - Lord Steward of the Night’s Watch and oft-times critic of Jon Snow’s decisions.
Othell Yarwick - First Builder of the Night’s Watch.
Septon Cellador - Septon of Castle Black.
Iron Emmet - Ranger of the Night’s Watch and Master at Arms of Castle Black.
Dolorous Edd - Brother of the Night’s Watch and friend and steward to Jon Snow.
Ghost - Jon’s direwolf.
Castle Black - Headquarters of the Night’s Watch.

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Jeyne Poole marries Ramsay Bolton at Winterfell. Theon gives her away, Wyman Manderly supplies the victuals, Abel serenades the newlyweds, and Barbrey Dustin steals Simon’s best material. Simon and Mackelly reminisce about the good old days.

Chapter Review:
Theon Greyjoy encourages Jeyne Poole to never drop her facade, she must be Arya Stark. He escorts her to the godswood where Ramsay Bolton and the gathered northern lords await. The ceremony takes only a few moments despite a last second unspoken entreaty by Jeyne, to which Theon hardens his heart. Theon hears his name from the heart tree, and hurries out of there.

The wedding feast features three enormous pies supplied by Wyman Manderly. Roose Bolton watches to see that the lord of White Harbor takes a bite before he partakes. Lady Barbrey Dustin confides her suspicions to Theon: Wyman is a craven who hates his new friends, Roose Bolton has aspirations to be King in the North, and that maesters aren’t to be trusted.

Ramsay forces Theon to take part in the rape of Jeyne. Her future looks awfully bleak.

Characters/Places/Names/Events:
Reek - Broken shell of Theon Greyjoy.
Ramsay Bolton - Newly legitimized son of Roose Bolton. Nasty piece of work.
Roose Bolton - Lord of the Dreadfort and Warden of the North.
Arya Stark - Youngest daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark. Princess of Winterfell.
Jeyne Poole - Married to Ramsay Bolton masquerading as Arya Stark.
Barbrey Dustin - Lady of House Dustin.
Wyman Manderly - Lord of White Harbor.

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Daenerys continues her struggle to balance compassion with pragmatism, facing the horrors outside Meereen’s walls, the humiliations of marriage politics, and stunning betrayals. With Darrio's return, the queen gives into her desires. Simon and Mackelly ponder whether such lust will make her stronger, or break her reign.

Chapter Review:
Daenerys Targaryen rides out to witness the Astapori refugees beyond the gates of Meereen. The misery is staggering: starving families, corpses crawling with flies, and the sick defecating where they lie. She orders food distributed and bodies burned, but even as she tries to act mercifully, Ser Barristan warns that resources must be held for the siege to come. Grey Worm requests leave to bathe in the sea after the burning, revealing a religious rite of the Unsullied.

Back in the city, Daenerys is reminded of her impending marriage to Hizdahr zo Loraq. The Green Grace and Reznak mo Reznak press her to endure the demeaning rituals required, including an intimate inspection by her groom’s kin. She relents to some, knowing her legitimacy in the eyes of Meereen’s nobles depends on it. She refuses once more to reopen the fighting pits herself but allows Hizdahr to do so after the wedding. Over dinner, Hizdahr reassures her that such traditions are relics of the past they can sweep aside together.

Their talk is interrupted by Daario Naharis’ arrival. He is wounded but full of swagger, bringing word that Astapor has fallen and Yunkai gathers a formidable host with new allies. Worse, the Second Sons and Brown Ben Plumm have gone over to the enemy. Daenerys feels betrayed, wondering if this is one of the foretold three treasons. She orders Meereen’s gates shut and the defenses readied. Finally, she clears the room and tends to Daario’s wounds. After getting a pledge of undying support from the sellsword, Dany succumbs to her lust.

Characters/Places/Names/Events:
Daenerys Targaryen - Last remaining descendent of the royal Targaryen line, Stormborn, Mother of Dragons, claimant to the Iron Throne of Westeros.
Barristan Selmy - Former Lord Commander of the Kingsguard in King’s Landing. Now Lord Commander of Dany's Queensguard.
Reznak mo Reznak - Ghiscari seneschal of Meereen.
Hizdahr zo Loraq - Noble of Meereen, betrothed to Daenerys.
Daario

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Jon takes the new Night's Watch recruits north of the Wall to say their vows before the weirwood trees. Jon returns with swollen ranks to find a letter from Stannis. Simon and Mackelly second guess every decision.

Chapter Review:
Lord Commander Jon Snow takes a group of new recruits north of the Wall to say their words before the grove of weirwoods where he said his own vows. The usual naysayers say nay, but Jon is adamant and takes Ghost along for added protection. They find a grove of weirwoods occupied by a sorry gang of refugee wildlings and a giant. Jon avoids bloodshed and the people (and giant) are invited to return to the Wall under their protection. They do - they don’t have much choice. Even with a 14ft giant in their ranks they would have been slaughtered, and they’d die of cold and starvation if they didn’t.

The recruits say their vows, reminding Jon that the words promise to protect the realms of men - nothing about whether those people be born north or south of the Wall.
Back at the Wall, a letter from Stannis reports his success at Deepwood Motte and his commitment to face down the Boltons, liberate Winterfell and, if at all possible, save Arya.

Characters/Places/Names/Events:
Jon Snow - Bastard son of Ned Stark. Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch.
Bowen Marsh - Lord Steward of the Night’s Watch and oft-times critic of Jon Snow’s decisions.
Iron Emmet - Ranger of the Night’s Watch
Dolorous Edd - Brother of the Night’s Watch and friend to Jon Snow.
Ramsay Bolton - Son of Roose Bolton, the lord of the Dreadfort.
Ghost - Jon’s direwolf.
Castle Black - Headquarters of the Night’s Watch.

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Bran begins his training with the three-eyed crow. It’s disconcerting, slightly dangerous, but he begins to glimpse that it might give him a life far beyond what he could have expected. Simon and Mackelly are rooting for him.

Chapter Review:
Bran Stark starts his training in green-seeing and skin-changing with the three-eyed crow, who we learn is former Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch Bryden Rivers. Jojen Reed’s health has recovered but he seems resigned to a fate that he won’t share with his increasingly concerned sister Meera.

Bran continues to use Hodor to explore the cavern system, the big man has taken to curling up in a mental ball when Bran intrudes. Bran successfully wargs into a relatively willing raven and enjoys the experience of flying.

He’s also introduced to the skill of greenseeing. The immortal weirwoods have no conception of time, and so by becoming one with them Bran can see events that are remote in both distance and time. His first forays take him to the Winterfell godswood where he sees his relatives, and then in a cinematic montage a collection of his ancestors. Brynden has explained that he cannot interact or change the past, but Bran seems to be able to catch their attention.

Characters/Places/Names/Events:
Brandon Stark - Prince (now king?) of Winterfell. Paralyzed when pushed from a tower by Jamie Lannister.
Hodor - Enormous but simple-minded helper of Bran.
Meera Reed - Daughter of Howland Reed.
Jojen Reed - Son of Howland Reed. Has green dreams that invariably come true.
Summer - Bran’s direwolf.
Brynden Rivers - Given name of the last greenseer.
Children of the Forest - Humanoid original inhabitants of Westeros.
Greenseer - Leader of the Children of the Forest. Known to have special abilities.

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Tyrion, Jorah, and Penny are at sea. Tyrion and Penny make peace, Jorah broods. The priest Moqorro wants them to make haste, he’s seen nasty shadows headed towards Daenerys and wants to be there to protect her. Mackelly and Simon take their Dramamine.

Chapter Review:
Tyrion Lannister is aboard the Selaesori Qhoran AKA “the Stinky Steward,” captained by a sour-faced man, but he’s not commanding this journey, that would be the priest of R’Hllor Moqorro. Penny is keeping to herself, and Ser Jorah is brusque and unpleasant as always.

Tyrion slowly ingratiates himself with Penny, and they start a friendship. She still blames him for her brother’s death and the fact that she no longer has an act. He is confident that Daenerys will take Penny into her service. It takes coming through a tumultuous storm to make the young girl realize that she wants to live.
They sail close to the ruins of Valyria, closer than the crew would like. Moqorro is insisting on haste though, because he’s seen a vision of shadows closing on the young Queen in Meereen and wants to be with her as soon as possible.

Characters/Places/Names/Events:
Tyrion Lannister - Youngest son of Tywin Lannister whom he recently 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.
Benerro - High priest of R’hllor in Volantis.
Moqorro - Priest of R’hllor.
Penny - Dwarf who performed at Joffrey’s wedding. Her brother Oppo was murdered.
Selaesori Qhoran - Trading cog, the ugliest ship Tyrion has ever seen. Her name means “fragrant steward.”
Valyria - Fabled city in the south of Essos. Destroyed in the Doom, the fires of which continue to burn hundreds of years later.

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Reek/Theon is taken aside by Roose Bolton, to Ramsay’s dismay. Roose gives Ramsay some fatherly advice and takes Reek to meet w Lady Dustin, she is unimpressed. Simon and Mackelly speculate as to what Bolton senior is plotting.

Chapter Review:
Reek watches as Ramsay Bolton returns empty-handed from a hunt to find three missing Freys. Only the Bolton’s need to keep the Dustins and Ryswells on-board is keeping Ramsay’s anger in check. As Ramsay and company feast, they’re interrupted by Lord Roose Bolton, who orders everyone out except Ramsay and Reek.

He’s decided that Ramsay should marry “Arya” at Winterfell. Strong symbolism for the northern lords. In the meantime, he needs to borrow Reek. Ramsay warns his captive not to blab his secrets and remember every word his father utters.

As they ride to Barrow Hall, Roose admits to Reek that he believes Ramsay murdered his trueborn son Domeric, and a similar fate awaits any issue from his new marriage to Walda Frey. He takes Reek to Lady Barbrey Dustin, who thinks that Theon has lost his mind. Roose assures her that it won’t matter.

Characters/Places/Names/Events:
Reek - Broken shell of Theon Greyjoy.
Ramsay Bolton - Newly legitimized son of Roose Bolton. Nasty piece of work.
Roose Bolton - Lord of the Dreadfort and Warden of the North.
Arya Stark - Youngest daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark. Princess of Winterfell.
Jeyne Poole - Daughter of the former steward of Winterfell Vayon Poole. Captured by the Lannisters and now being paraded as Arya Stark.
Barbrey Dustin - Lady of House Dustin
Barrow Hall - Seat of House Dustin.

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