Conflict in Oldtown

Factions| * **Iron Throne**/House Baratheon of King's Landing
* House Hightower

The **Conflict in Oldtown** was a series of minor but significant skirmishes between House Baratheon and it's allies, and a group of politically motivated outlaws known as the Whispering Knights. The conflict notably resulted in the death of King Gendry I Baratheon, and accession of his son, King Robert II Baratheon, to the Iron Throne.

It is the central conflict in the epilogue of *A Dream of Spring*.

## History

### Prelude

During the early years of their reign, King Gendry Baratheon and Queen Arya Stark passed a series of laws affecting succession. Notably, one such law abolished male-preference primogeniture across the Seven Kingdoms, meaning elder daughters would no longer be passed over for titles in favor of younger brothers.

These laws, while generally, if begrudgingly, accepted by most, were fiercely resented and rejected by others. Notably by men and boys who had been expected to inherit lands and titles, now placed behind their elder sisters in the line for the succession.

Some of these men eventually banded together in Oldtown to form the Whispering Knights. By 325 AC, the group were led by Loras Redwyne, who had joined after being deprived of his status as heir to the Arbor in favor of his elder sister.

In King's Landing, King Gendry Baratheon had grown quiet and reclusive since the death of his wife, Arya Stark, during the War of the Narrow Sea a decade prior. After years of convincing, Gendry decided to embark on a royal progress of the realm with his two children, Robert and Lyanna Baratheon. It was the hope of his Small Council, that Gendry would find a new woman to marry whilst on his progress.

### The conflict

When the royal party arrived in Oldtown, the Whispering Knights leapt into action, abducting Princess Lyanna Baratheon and taking her into the forests surrounding Oldtown. Upon realising that Lyanna was missing, King Gendry Baratheon and Lord Baelor Hightower sent half the men in Oldtown out looking for her.

Eventually, Gendry alone tracked Lyanna down, succeeded in allowing Lyanna free, but not before the Whispering Knights noticed their presence. The two successfully fought their way out, but Gendry was mortally wounded in the the fighting, and eventually succumbed to his injuries before Lyanna could return with help. Upon Gendry's death, his eldest child, Prince Robert Baratheon, ascended the Iron Throne as Robert II Baratheon.

Loras Redwyne fled the scene of Lyanna's rescue too, returning to Oldtown to ignite a coded message from the top of the Hightower. Lyanna followed him, and confronted him just before he could light the beacon. The two dueled each other on top of the Hightower, before Lyanna killed Loras by stabbing him with Needle, sending him falling from the Hightower.

### Aftermath

Without leadership, the Whispering Knights promptly disbanded and scattered, although many of their former members were tracked down and executed. King Robert eventually returned to King's Landing for his formal coronation, while Lyanna grew increasingly violent and angry, distraught over her father's death. Lyanna's quest for revenge eventually culminated in her helping arrest Noho Dimittis, a key architect of the War of the Narrow Sea.