Game of Thrones: The Road to Pirate King

Chapter 113 Harrenburg Tournament - Golden Dragon Frenzy

280AC, autumn.

When the ravens of Harrenhal carried messages across the mountains and rivers of Westeros, spreading the news to every corner of the Seven Kingdoms, the entire continent was shaken.

The House of Hean of Harrenhal will hold a tournament in the spring of 281 AC in Harrenhal—that vast and gloomy cursed city—to celebrate the name day of the Duke of Hean's daughter.

The martial arts tournament lasted for ten days from opening to closing. The highlight of the tournament was naturally the spear fighting, which was also held according to ancient customs. Other events included archery, axe throwing, horse racing, and individual combat.

Tournaments were not unusual; the lords and nobles of Westeros used them for their children's name days, successful marriages, the birth of their firstborn sons, and so on.

They are held on important holidays and other special occasions, though some are large and some are small.

What truly astonished all the lords, knights, and even commoners was the dizzyingly high reward explicitly stated in the official announcement: the prize money for the champion of the tournament!

The prize money for the champion of the spear competition is 8 gold dragons!

Yes, you read that right, it's just the prize money for the spear fighting champion, not the total prize money for all champions.

Yes, you read that right, it's 8, not 8 or 8.

Yes, you read that right, it's a gold dragon, not a silver coin or a bronze star.

The prize money for a single spear duel championship far exceeds the annual income of many noble families! This does not include the "Queen of Love and Beauty" laurel wreath awarded to the winner, a symbol of supreme glory, which is made of pure gold and countless jewels and is priceless.

In addition to the eight gold dragons for the spear fighting champion, there are also seven gold dragons for the team fighting champion (60,000 gold dragons), one gold dragon for the individual fighting champion (40,000 gold dragons), one gold dragon for the archery champion (20,000 gold dragons), one gold dragon for the axe throwing champion (10,000 gold dragons), and one gold dragon for the horse racing champion (10,000 gold dragons).

The total prize money for all the champions is a whopping 22 gold dragons!!!

The amount was so staggering that the news was initially dismissed by many as an absurd rumor.

It wasn't until lords, nobles, and scholars from all over the land confirmed the offer that people realized this was a truly extravagant undertaking. This enormous sum was enough to buy an entire fleet or build a formidable castle, yet it was now being used as the prize for a tournament.

What's even more unusual is that the information was sent out a full six months in advance.

Messengers galloped swiftly, and ravens fluttered their wings, delivering this lavish invitation to every eligible noble territory throughout the Seven Kingdoms, as if fearing no one might miss this grand event. Plenty of time allowed even the most distant northern lords to leisurely journey south, for knights to meticulously forge their armor and train their warhorses, for noblewomen to sew their most exquisite gowns, and for countless schemes to unfold...

Alliances and conspiracies quietly brewed during the six-month-long period of preparation.

The whole of Westeros was in an uproar.

The dazzling light of the golden dragon temporarily dispelled the terrifying shadows of the Harrenhal legend. People discussed the unprecedented generosity of the Hean family, speculated about the true purpose behind this grand event, and couldn't wait to witness this golden gathering destined to be recorded in history.

In the council chamber of the Seastone Palace in Park City, filled with the scent of sea salt and soot, this document, bearing the official seal and originating from Holenberg, lay quietly on King Coron's black oak table. The atmosphere in the room was heavy and subtle, as if the numbers on the document had choked their breath.

The document passed silently between Coron, Baron, Euron, and Balf. When Baron Greyjoy's thick fingers gripped the parchment for the third time, his eyes wide as he scrutinized each word, he finally let out a low growl, like a wounded sea monster:

"Two hundred and twenty thousand! Two hundred and twenty thousand gold dragons?!" Baron suddenly looked up, his face filled with pure, incomprehensible shock. His gaze swept back and forth between his father and brothers. "Has the He'an family completely gone mad?! Or do they have so much gold that their warehouses are about to burst, that they need to throw it into the sea like this?!"

His shock was not unfounded; just recently, the Ironborn had looted the renownedly wealthy Green Pavilion Island. The Harlow family was in charge of tallying the loot, ultimately determining the total amount of cash plundered from the Redwin family and all the noble residences on the island.

Including the gold dragon, silver deer, bronze star, and easily convertible jewels, the total value was only around 600,000 gold dragons. This enormous sum was to be distributed among all the participating families and warriors of the Iron Islands according to ancient tradition and merit!

Of course, this doesn't even include the wine, warships, weapons, armor, and antiques.

"Many people believe the purpose of holding this tournament is to compete with House Lannister, to showcase House River's wealth and glory, and to let everyone in Westeros know who the richest family is," Captain Balf added in a deep, incredulous voice. "I don't believe it's for such a foolish reason that House River would spend almost the entire Green Pavilion Island just for the championship of a tournament? And that doesn't even include the ten days of travel, the hospitality expenses, the drinks, the food, and the venue—it must have cost tens of thousands of gold dragons!"

Even Euron, who already knew the Harrenhal Tournament prize would be unprecedented, was moved. His deep eyes were fixed on the number, his mind racing with calculations. He clearly remembered that the enormous compensation paid by the "Thorn Queen" Olenna Redwin after the war to ransom her son and avoid further conflict was "merely" two golden dragons.

Two hundred and twenty thousand gold dragons—that means you could buy the lives of eleven Earls Redwin in one go!

This figure has transcended generosity and entered a realm of almost absurd, power-driven luxury.

It was no longer just a prize; it was more like a dazzling declaration thrown at the seven kingdoms.

King Coron remained silent, his weathered face revealing little expression, except for the slow, heavy tapping of his fingers on the table, as if weighing the true weight behind the number and the turmoil it might unleash throughout Westeros.

When the ravens of the Citadel and the messengers of King's Landing delivered invitations to the Tournament of Harrenhal to every corner of the Seven Kingdoms, they did not overlook the two farthest reaches of Westeros.

In Dorne, the scorching sun baked the sandstone walls of Sunspear. Invitations were respectfully presented by servants to Prince Oberyn Martell, the "Red Viper," and perhaps also to Prince Doran. For the fiery Martell family, this grand gathering of the elites of the Seven Kingdoms, brimming with passion and adventure, was an irresistible allure. The long six months were ample time for them to leisurely pass through Prince's Pass and head north to the bustling center.

Meanwhile, in the far North, the news arrived at Winterfell with a chill befitting the local climate. An excessively ornate invitation was placed before Lord Rickard Stark. For the Warden of the North, who valued honor but was also pragmatic and steady, the intentions behind House Horn's grand gesture were perhaps more worthy of consideration than the astonishing bounty of 220,000 gold dragons.

A six-month preparation period is more than enough, even for Winterfell, located in the far north. It allows the Stark representatives to travel south at their leisure along the Kingsroad, across the Neck.

The invitation to this tournament was so wide and the preparation time so ample that it had already exceeded the boundaries of Westeros. As people said, even a noble or wealthy person on the continent of Essos, far across the Narrow Sea, would have enough time in the next six months to arrange everything and leisurely sail west to test their skills.

The entire known world seemed to be stirred up by this unprecedented gold bounty.

Harrenhal, that colossal cursed city, is opening its shadowy embrace, preparing to welcome a world-shaking frenzy ignited by gold.