Lannisport, the largest city in the Westerlands and one of the five major cities on the continent of Westeros, sits on the southwest side of Casterly Rock, overlooking the sea. The city sprawls across the mountainside, with buildings stretching from the bustling seaside docks to the hilltops, reaching the very base of the imposing Casterly Rock itself.
Although it boasts a prominent port, Lannisport's harbor pales in comparison to the sprawling ports of Oldtown. The ships here are simple, mostly trading vessels carrying precious metals like gold and silver. The Westerlands are renowned throughout Westeros for their abundance of these metals. However, raw ore is seldom sold directly. Instead, most of it is crafted into exquisite jewelry and ornate utensils, while some is minted into golden dragons and silver stags.
Lannisport is home to the finest goldsmiths, silversmiths, and jewelers in Westeros. Their craftsmanship attracts not only the nobility of Westeros but also buyers from the distant continent of Essos. Nearly half of the ships docked at the port belong to Essos gold merchants eager to purchase the famed goods of Lannisport.
This vast concentration of wealth necessitates significant protection. House Lannister maintains a city garrison of 3,000 soldiers, each outfitted with top-tier leather armor and weaponry. Their uniformity and equipment surpass even the regular armies of most Westerosi lords. As a result, some jest that the Gold Cloaks of King's Landing are mere pretenders compared to Lannisport's garrison, the true "Gold Cloaks," so named for their opulent equipment.
In addition to the garrison, Lannisport has a formidable fleet dedicated to safeguarding the city and its interests. However, their reputation is far from stellar. The Lannister fleet has been destroyed twice and severely crippled on numerous occasions. Ironborn raiders have repeatedly plundered Lannisport, earning the garrison the mockery of being little more than "dolls stacked with gold."
Yet, underestimating House Lannister's true power is a grave mistake. While Lannisport has suffered attacks, Casterly Rock, situated right beside the city, remains impregnable. Carved directly into the massive rock, the castle has withstood every attempt to breach it—even dragons have failed. Its sheer strength inspires awe, often described as a miracle of the gods.
Lynd, driven by curiosity and the influence of memories inherited from the Peacekeeper, was particularly fascinated by the fortress. As his ship approached Lannisport, Casterly Rock loomed in the distance, and he couldn't help but wonder how such a stronghold could ever be penetrated. Despite scouring his mind for methods of assault, he concluded that an attack from the outside was futile; the only possibility lay in infiltrating from within.
Unwilling to abandon his pursuit, Lynd dedicated himself to studying the castle. During his time in Casterly Rock, when not enduring tedious banquets, he frequently used Glory to stealthily explore the fortress. His days were spent examining its structure and searching for weaknesses.
After spending the past few days exploring Casterly Rock, Lynd has gained a deeper understanding of its structure than even the Lannisters themselves. He has memorized every guard post and patrol route within the castle, and Glory can now move through its corridors without even needing to conceal its presence. This unrestricted access has allowed Lynd to uncover a vulnerability in the fortress—one not even considered a weakness.
Casterly Rock, originally a mine, still rests upon a labyrinth of tunnels carved into the vast rock below. For centuries, the Lannisters have mined deeper, creating a network of shafts and passages, many of which have been abandoned and forgotten. Through Glory, Lynd discovered one such hidden mine entrance. The airflow at the entrance indicates that it connects to the outside of the mountain, though the tunnel is narrow—too small for an adult to navigate, likely carved out secretly by mine robbers in the past.
Lynd suspects there are many similar tunnels scattered beneath Casterly Rock. However, exploring them is a daunting task. The maze-like structure of the mines ensures that getting lost is a near certainty, and few are willing to risk it. Glory, however, leaves behind its scent, which allows it to navigate the tunnels and return without fail. These forgotten tunnels could theoretically serve as an entry point for an assault, but any such attack would first require overcoming the soldiers and traps hidden in the mines beneath the castle.
As Lynd continued to examine Casterly Rock leisurely, searching for weak points, his subordinates grew increasingly anxious. More than ten days had passed since House Greyjoy's surrender and the return of the rebellion-suppression army to Lannisport. In the King's camp, details of the rewards for the lords and nobles who participated in the campaign were slowly leaking out. A formal announcement was expected at the upcoming celebration banquet. Yet, conspicuously, no news about Lynd's reward had surfaced.
On the contrary, rumors about Lynd began to spread among the nobility. Accusations emerged, claiming that he had pocketed all the valuables looted by the Ironborn during their raids on the Westerlands. Others alleged that, during the battle of Fair Isle, Lynd had failed to assist the royal fleet, and after their departure to the North, he had seized the spoils of war without royal authorization.
If proven, these accusations could completely erase Lynd's merit in suppressing the rebellion, and he might even face punishment. However, lesser rumors, such as the private recruitment of Ironborn prisoners or forcing lords to send troops, were largely dismissed. The nobility focused instead on the supposed wealth Lynd had gained, with speculation suggesting his spoils could amount to millions of golden dragons.
Jealousy swept through the ranks of the nobles. In the Westerlands, some went as far as to gather outside Lynd's camp, demanding the return of what they claimed was their looted property. Lynd, however, offered no response to the rumors. He attended every banquet he was invited to, maintaining an air of indifference.
At these gatherings, opinions on him were divided. A few sought to befriend him, but most kept their distance. Though they slandered him behind his back, none dared show disrespect to his face. Lynd's ability to single-handedly turn the tide of battle had cemented his status as a chosen one of the Seven Gods. To insult him openly would be to insult the Seven themselves, a line even powerful lords dared not cross.
This deference gave rise to another rumor—that no matter how excessive Lynd's alleged actions might be, he would never face severe punishment. The Iron Throne, some said, would never risk alienating the Faith of the Seven by humiliating one of its champions.
The claim wasn't baseless. Observers noted that even influential figures like Tywin Lannister, Warden of the West, and Eddard Stark, Warden of the North, treated Lynd with subtle respect, appearing more interested in cultivating his favor than in ostracizing him.
However, no matter the rumors, the most critical factor was King Robert's attitude. Thus far, King Robert had neither responded to the whispers about Lynd nor mentioned anything regarding Lynd's reward.
What no one realized, however, was that Lynd already knew what kind of reward awaited him. Several days earlier, during a discussion between King Robert and his advisers about military honors for noble knights, the king had finalized Lynd's reward. He informed the Small Council and several lords of his decision. Although the process faced opposition due to the sheer generosity of the reward, King Robert forced it through.
Lynd had learned about the entire discussion from Tywin Lannister, though it wasn't Lord Tywin himself who divulged the details. Instead, it was Glory—who had slipped into Casterly Rock and eavesdropped on Tywin's conversation with his brother, Kevan Lannister, on the roof of Lord Tywin's study.
Having discovered the location of Tywin's study, Lynd frequently sent Glory to spy on Tywin's discussions with the advisers of the Westerlands. This strategy allowed him to uncover some of the Westerlands' future plans as well as several little-known secrets.
For instance, Lynd now knew the true reason behind Lord Tywin's determination to claim Fair Isle. Contrary to what most assumed, Tywin wasn't particularly interested in the island itself. His true objective was the navigation map left behind by Elissa Farman, which was reportedly hidden on Fair Isle.
Though Lynd found the name Elissa Farman unfamiliar, the existence of the navigation map suggested she had been a navigator of considerable renown—renowned enough to attract the Lannisters' interest.
While Lynd didn't know much about sailing, he was aware of prominent navigators such as Corlys Velaryon and Euron Greyjoy, the latter currently imprisoned by the Iron Throne and awaiting banishment from the Iron Islands. Elissa Farman, however, was a name he had never encountered before. He resolved to investigate her when the opportunity arose, hoping to uncover why she was so significant to Lord Tywin.
"My lord, Lord Tyrion is here. Do you wish to see him?" Jon's voice interrupted Lynd's thoughts just as he was about to resume eavesdropping on Tywin and Kevan's conversation.
Lynd withdrew from the shared vision with Glory and gestured for Jon to bring Tyrion Lannister in.
Tyrion was one of the rare few who had taken the initiative to befriend Lynd, rumors notwithstanding. One thing was certain: Tyrion had not learned from Lord Tywin about Lynd's reward, so his friendship wasn't motivated by ambition or power.
Though Tyrion had been present in King's Landing during the tournament, Lynd suspected he had been so shocked by the events that he avoided both the competition and the banquet afterward. As a result, the two had not crossed paths at the time. This meeting, however, was purely by chance.
After returning to Casterly Rock, Tyrion had been assigned by his father to oversee the sewers of both Lannisport and Casterly Rock. This role involved leading teams to clear blockages and repair the ancient tunnels, which doubled as mine shafts beneath Casterly Rock.
It was ten days ago, during one of Lynd's explorations of the underground tunnels through Glory, that he had encountered Tyrion by chance. At the time, Tyrion had been inspecting a sewer valve. The sight of Glory startled him so much that he had momentarily believed he was about to die.
As a result of his initial terror, Tyrion had prepared himself for death—only to realize that Glory had walked away without harming him. Surviving the encounter, he was naturally curious and began investigating the origin of the "sewer monster." After some digging, he determined that the terrifying beast he had encountered was indeed Glory.
The very next day, Tyrion sought out Lynd. This marked the beginning of their friendship. Interestingly, Tyrion never informed Lord Tywin about what he had seen in the sewers of Casterly Rock. Perhaps he thought Glory had wandered into the mines by chance, or perhaps he deemed it pointless to report the matter, given how little weight his words carried with his father.
"Is that big guy not here again?" Tyrion asked as he entered Lynd's tent with small, deliberate steps, a faint trace of disappointment on his face.
Though Tyrion was naturally intrigued by Lynd's legendary exploits and extraordinary combat prowess, his fascination with Glory always seemed to take precedence. Whether it was a lingering post-traumatic response or a genuine curiosity, Tyrion had developed a keen interest in large creatures. During his visits to Lynd, their conversations often veered toward mythical and historical monsters, such as giants and dragons.
"It's gone outside to play," Lynd replied with a smile, observing Tyrion's clear disappointment. "Want to talk about some new giant creature?"
Tyrion made himself comfortable without ceremony, settling into a chair as though it were his own. "No, nothing like that. I just saw your cavalry captain—Dacey from House Mormont—beat Lord Royce Coldwater of Coldwater Burn of the Vale to a pulp. It was a pretty nasty scene. I heard his leg is broken."
Lynd froze momentarily, the gravity of the news sinking in. He immediately summoned Jon. "Didn't I order that no one was allowed to leave the camp without my permission? How did Dacey end up in the castle?"
Jon stood at attention and replied, "Someone came to tell Captain Dacey that her mother, Lady Maege, had arrived in Lannisport. She wanted to go see her."
Lynd's voice sharpened. "Send Balin and Lothor to find out what caused the conflict, and bring Dacey back."
"Yes, my lord," Jon replied.
As Jon turned to leave the tent, Lynd added, "And take plenty of men with you."
"Yes, my lord," Jon repeated before striding briskly toward the soldiers' camp.
After Jon left, Tyrion casually grabbed a handful of snacks from the table, stuffing them into his mouth. Between bites, he said, "Aren't you worried about your men? When I arrived, I saw the port's garrison already rushing over."
Lynd shook his head. "If this were before the Ironborn rebellion, I might have been concerned. But after the attack, so many veterans of the Lannisport garrison were killed that the current force is mostly new recruits. Their combat effectiveness is barely better than that of farmhands. What is there for me to worry about?"
Tyrion raised an eyebrow in mock indignation. "Hey, hey! I'm a Lannister, and you're insulting the Lannister garrison right in front of me. I thought we were friends." He reached for a cup, poured himself a glass of water, and downed it to wash down the snacks. Then, wrinkling his nose, he added, "I don't understand you. You've got access to fine wine, yet you insist on drinking this bland, tasteless water."
Lynd looked directly at him and cut to the point. "You might as well tell me the truth. What do you want from me? You said we're friends—there's no need to beat around the bush."
Tyrion shrugged, fell silent for a moment, and then said, "I hope that when you leave Casterly Rock, you'll take me with you."