Set against the backdrop of 'Game of Thrones: Kingsroad', we find ourselves in the midst of Season 4, precisely when the tumultuous 'War of the Five Kings' is in full swing. It's easy to assume the common folk bear the brunt of such conflicts, but the nobility, striving to protect their own demesnes amidst the chaos, carry a heavy burden indeed. As allegiances shifted like sand, regional lords pledged fealty to one of the five kings, and the fortunes of war dictated whether they found hope or despair. This naturally plunged the southern regions into disarray, and we, the protagonists, are caught in the ensuing turmoil. Let's delve into the circumstances.

The 'Florent family,' paying the price for choosing the wrong side.

The acting head of the family, struck down by illness.

The southern noble house, 'Florent,' had pledged allegiance to 'Stannis Baratheon,' one of the five kings, known as the King of the Narrow Sea. Consequently, they found themselves on the wrong side of King 'Joffrey Baratheon' and House 'Lannister.' However, Stannis's decisive defeat at the 'Battle of the Blackwater' left him on the brink of ruin, prompting Queen Regent 'Cersei Lannister' and other nobles to bare their fangs at House Florent.

First to act was 'Olenna Tyrell' of House 'Tyrell,' a southern house that, unlike Florent, supported the Iron Throne. Backed by 'Tommen Baratheon,' Joffrey's successor, she informed the Florent family that their ancestral seat, 'Brightwater Keep,' would be granted to her banner house, 'Russell Blackwood.' It was a unilateral declaration: the victor takes the spoils of the vanquished.

Naturally, the Florent family, the rightful owners, protested vehemently and began preparing for an inevitable armed conflict. However, House Florent was in a precarious state for several reasons. The head of the house, 'Alester Florent,' was with Stannis, leaving his younger brother, 'Colin Florent' (hereafter referred to as Colin), to act as regent. If Colin had been a robust and resolute figure, there might not have been significant issues, but unfortunately, that was not his disposition.

Bearing the heavy responsibility of defending the castle in Stannis's name since the war's inception, coupled with the impending threat of the Tyrells from the Reach, Colin's mind and body were utterly depleted. With such dire circumstances both inside and out, it was a most vexing predicament. To compound matters, the villagers began exhibiting bizarre behaviour, prompting an urgent plea for assistance from the Citadel.

Thus, Colin, receiving the protagonist who had arrived at Brightwater Keep as a messenger from the Citadel, greeted him half-reclining on his bed. Afflicted by illness and exacerbated by stress, his condition was precarious, much like a father figure to the protagonist. Subsequently, based on testimony from Colin's wife, 'Sylvie Florent,' and Archmaester 'Carver,' the protagonist identified Archmaester 'Colben' as the likely mastermind behind these events and set out to confirm it.

Following leads, the protagonist arrived at a vineyard after hearing reports of Colben's presence. There, he was attacked by villagers seemingly under a spell and a peculiar group known as the 'Disciples of Truth.' Having weathered many storms, the protagonist repelled them. However, during the fight, he was poisoned and experienced hallucinations of being surrounded by 'Wights.' Startled and panicked, the protagonist was then rescued by 'Nymeria Sand,' a notable figure from Dorne. We'll delve into Nymeria Sand's story on another occasion.

As it turned out, Nymeria Sand was investigating a spreading poison at Colben's request. She administered an antidote given by Colben to the protagonist. Hearing Colben's name from a stranger they'd just met, she asked for guidance. Upon meeting Colben, the protagonist found him to be a sincere scholar, contrary to the accounts of Carver and Sylvie Florent. Colben stated he had heard about Colin's situation from the Citadel while researching 'herbs for mental stability.'

He had voluntarily come to Brightwater Keep to treat Colin. During this time, Carver sent a message, claiming a remarkable discovery, and that was all Colben had shared. When the villagers suddenly began acting strangely, he had ventured outside the castle to investigate. By this point, a sharp-witted protagonist would have already deduced the true culprit.

A deviation born from good intentions.

Returning to Brightwater Keep after a suspiciously conducted investigation, the protagonist stumbled upon a rather compromising scene. Sylvie Florent was locked in a passionate embrace with Carver. In the world of Game of Thrones, Archmaesters vow to live celibate lives, forsaking their families and castles, and remaining childless. Yet, here was the wife of the acting lord, embracing someone else – it was utterly preposterous.

Despite being caught red-handed, Sylvie Florent tried to cover her tracks, urging the protagonist to state his business. The protagonist reported that Colben had been framed and was creating an army of mind-controlled soldiers. Sylvie Florent, apologizing for her suspicion, expressed her gratitude and promised to dispatch soldiers to search the area immediately.

Sensing the awkward atmosphere and recalling the scene he had witnessed, the protagonist left the castle and joined forces with Colben and Nymeria Sand to continue the investigation. They finally pinpointed the culprit's location and stormed their stronghold, only to find Archmaester Carver waiting. When asked why he had done it, Carver revealed that it was all Sylvie Florent's doing, a confession that shocked Colben, who had believed Carver was merely influencing him. Regardless of the testimony, a wrongdoer is a wrongdoer, and the protagonist and his companions apprehended Carver and returned him to Brightwater Keep.

The protagonist brought Carver before Colin and recounted all that had transpired. Sylvie Florent attempted to defend Carver, dismissing the protagonist's account as nonsense. However, under Carver's accusation and Colin's questioning – who already knew of their affair – Sylvie Florent confessed everything. After House Tyrell's unilateral declaration, she had urged Colin to fight back, but he had refused. Thus, despite being merely his wife, she felt compelled to do whatever it took to protect the Florent lands and its commoners. With her husband fallen ill, and effectively leading the estate, Carver appeared and she began to rely on his counsel, leading to this disastrous situation.

While the intention may have started with good faith, the execution was flawed. The abduction and brainwashing of innocent people through poison, coupled with human experimentation, was problematic. Furthermore, she betrayed her husband and engaged in an affair with an Archmaester. Sylvie Florent was then taken away by the guards, leaving only Colin's quiet lament in her wake.

'Olenna Tyrell,' the quintessential sharp-tongued character from Game of Thrones.

Upon completing his errand, the protagonist returned to the Citadel for a brief respite before heading to Highgarden, the Tyrell ancestral seat. Once again, he was acting as an agent of the Citadel, embarking on yet another task. As fate would have it, he found himself entangled in another incident. A directive found on a bandit he had previously defeated indicated a plan to assassinate someone at a feast hosted by Olenna Tyrell. Seizing the opportunity, the protagonist, who was seeking aid for the Northern Wall and trying to resolve his bastardy issue, decided to pursue this lead.

Olenna Tyrell hosted the feast to celebrate the marriage of her granddaughter, 'Margaery Tyrell,' to Tommen Baratheon. It was only natural to hold a celebratory feast upon becoming the royal in-laws. However, if an assassination were to occur during this feast, House Tyrell's reputation would be severely tarnished.

As he worked to resolve this emerging issue, evidence surfaced of an assassin already having infiltrated the banquet hall. While searching for suspicious outsiders, the protagonist once again encountered and defeated members of the 'Disciples of Truth.' What kind of organisation are they? It feels like we'll be encountering them frequently across Westeros.

Through his inquiries, the protagonist obtained information about a servant named 'Oswald,' bearing a scar as if struck by lightning, exhibiting suspicious behaviour. He also learned that the assassination target was none other than Russell Blackwood. This incident appeared to be a continuation of the events involving Sylvie Florent, whom they thought they had dealt with. It was intended as an attack and a warning against the Tyrells, who dared to seize their lands.

Initially dismissive of the protagonist, Russell Blackwood expressed profound gratitude upon witnessing the protagonist apprehend Oswald before his eyes. In return for his help, Russell Blackwood offered to grant any favour the protagonist requested. Naturally, the protagonist requested a private audience with Olenna Tyrell, and the arrangements proceeded without a hitch.

Meeting Olenna Tyrell, the protagonist felt a sense of trepidation. His adversary was renowned as one of Westeros's sharpest tongues and a formidable political player. As the protagonist explained the attempted assassination, Olenna Tyrell simply stated she was already aware and urged him to get to the point.

Hearing this, Olenna Tyrell outright refused. Her reasoning was that in the current climate of the Game of Thrones, she could not afford to incur the Iron Throne's displeasure. Firstly, the protagonist's bastardy issue could endanger his granddaughter, the King's wife. Secondly, due to 'Robb Stark's' rebellion, House Tyrell was already in disfavour, making it impossible to offer support to the Northern Wall.

Nevertheless, perhaps out of a sliver of gratitude, she proposed a secondary option: the provision of Tyrell weaponry. Grateful for any assistance, the protagonist was also advised by Olenna to seek out 'Casterly Rock' regarding the bastardy issue, with the information that 'Tywin Lannister,' the King's maternal grandfather, would be there.

Thus, the story in the south seemed to reach a temporary conclusion. However, the protagonist's journey is slated to continue to the 'Stormlands' following the update on June 10th. Along with 'Samwell Tarly,' they had confirmed at the Citadel that 'Obsidian,' the weakness of the White Walkers and Wights, is abundant in the Stormlands.

Furthermore, an epidemic is sweeping through 'Storm's End,' and intel suggests that obsidian was used to combat a similar plague in the past. The Citadel scholars believe that informing Stannis Baratheon, the King of the Narrow Sea, of this information could yield the desired amount of obsidian. Let's find out more in the Stormlands.