The World of Ice & Fire Read online

  Most sinister of all the sorcerers of Asshai are the shadowbinders, whose lacquered masks hide their faces from the eyes of gods and men. They alone dare to go upriver past the walls of Asshai, into the heart of darkness.

  On its way from the Mountains of the Morn to the sea, the Ash runs howling through a narrow cleft in the mountains, between towering cliffs so steep and close that the river is perpetually in shadow, save for a few moments at midday when the sun is at its zenith. In the caves that pockmark the cliffs, demons and dragons and worse make their lairs. The farther from the city one goes, the more hideous and twisted these creatures become … until at last one stands before the doors of the Stygai, the corpse city at the Shadow’s heart, where even the shadowbinders fear to tread. Or so the stories say.

  Is there any truth to these grim fables brought back from the end of the earth by singers and sailors and dabblers in sorcery? Who can say? Lomas Longstrider never saw Asshai-by-the-Shadow. Even the Sea Snake never sailed so far. Those who did have not returned to tell us their tales.

  Until they do, Asshai and the Shadow Lands and whatever lands and seas might lie beyond them must remain a closed book to wise men and kings alike. There is always more to know, more to see, more to learn. The world is vast and wondrous strange, and there are more things beneath the stars than even the archmaesters of the Citadel can dream.

  Asshai-by-the-Shadow. (illustration credit 188)

  Dragons reborn? (illustration credit 189)

  In the years since I first set pen to parchment, much has changed both in Westeros and beyond. Readers must understand that such a work as this is not the labor of a mere few weeks … or even years. I first set the framework for this history during the peaceful years at the height of good King Robert’s reign, intending to dedicate the volume to Robert and his heirs as a history of the land and the world that they had inherited.

  But such was not to be. The death of the noble Hand, Jon Arryn, has unleashed a madness on the land, a madness of pride and violence. The madness has robbed the realm of Robert, and of his fair son and heir Joffrey. Pretenders strive to steal the Iron Throne, and disturbing rumors of dragons reborn trickle in from the east.

  In such times of trouble, we must all pray that good King Tommen shall see a long reign, and a just one, to usher us again out of the darkness and into the light.

  Double-tap or pinch to zoom in on the image.

  illustration credit 190

  Double-tap or pinch to zoom in on the image.

  illustration credit 191

  Double-tap or pinch to zoom in on the image.

  illustration credit 192

  illustration credit 193

  illustration credit 194

  The Twins. (illustration credit 195)

  Jon Snow and Ghost. (illustration credit 196)

  Dragonstone. (illustration credit 197)

  Rhaegar Targaryen and Lord Robert Baratheon meeting at the Ruby Ford during the Battle of the Trident. (illustration credit 198)

  ART CREDITS

  RENÉ AIGNER: ill.120, ill.184, ill.188

  RYAN BARGER (Fantasy Flight): ill.31

  ARTHUR BOZONNET (Studio Hive): ill.12, ill.19, ill.20, ill.22, ill.57, ill.64, ill.65, ill.77, ill.86, ill.94, ill.116, ill.143, ill.163, ill.172, ill.174, ill.178

  JOSÉ DANIEL CABRERA PEÑA: ill.60, ill.75, ill.80, ill.100, ill.150

  JENNIFER SOL CAI (Velvet Engine): ill.6, ill.38, ill.55, ill.62, ill.69, ill.121, ill.93, ill.104, ill.112, ill.121, ill.126, ill.138, ill.144, ill.151, ill.190, ill.191, ill.192, ill.194

  THOMAS DENMARK (Fantasy Flight): ill.92

  JENNIFER DRUMMOND: ill.23, ill.81

  JORDI GONZÁLEZ ESCAMILLA: ill.1, ill.2, ill.7, ill.14, ill.25, ill.40, ill.53–ill.54, ill.117, ill.142, ill.147, ill.161, ill.165, ill.170, ill.185

  MICHAEL GELLATLY: ill.9, ill.91, ill.101, ill.110, ill.115, ill.124, ill.130, ill.140, ill.148, ill.193

  TOMASZ JEDRUSZEK (Fantasy Flight): ill.118, ill.122, ill.146, ill.157, ill.182

  MICHAEL KOMARCK: ill.36, ill.42, ill.82 (Fantasy Flight), ill.83, ill.105, ill.154, ill.156

  JOHN MCCAMBRIDGE: ill.30, ill.111, ill.134, ill.162, ill.179

  MOGRI (Velvet Engine): ill.6, ill.93, ill.112, ill.144, ill.151, ill.191

  TED NASMITH: ill.3, ill.18, ill.26, ill.37, ill.89, ill.90, ill.96, ill.97, ill.106, ill.109, ill.113, ill.123, ill.129, ill.135, ill.139, ill.158, ill.195

  KARLA ORTIZ: ill.47, ill.62, ill.78, ill.87, ill.153

  RAHEDIE YUDHA PRADITO (Velvet Engine): ill.38, ill.55, ill.63, ill.69

  DHIAN PRASETYA: ill.60, ill.75, ill.80, ill.100, ill.150

  PAOLO PUGGIONI: ill.56, ill.85, ill.114, ill.141, ill.171, ill.181

  JONATHAN ROBERTS: ill.98, ill.173, ill.175

  THOMAS SIAGIAN (Velvet Engine): ill.6, ill.104, ill.121, ill.126, ill.190, ill.192, ill.194

  MARC SIMONETTI: ill.15, ill.17, ill.24, ill.29, ill.35, ill.41, ill.44, ill.45, ill.48, ill.67 (Fantasy Flight), ill.70, ill.74, ill.76, ill.79, ill.84, ill.103, 183, ill.168, ill.176, ill.177, ill.186

  CHASE STONE: ill.8, ill.21, ill.33, ill.49, ill.52, ill.145, ill.155

  PHILIP STRAUB: ill.197, ill.159

  JUSTIN SWEET: ill.61, ill.189, ill.196, ill.198

  NUTCHAPOL THITINUNTHAKORN (Studio Hive): ill.125, ill.133, ill.149, ill.160, ill.180

  MAGALI VILLENEUVE: ill.13, ill.16, ill.27, ill.34, ill.39, ill.43, ill.46, 70, ill.59, ill.66, ill.68, ill.71–ill.72, ill.73, ill.88, ill.102, ill.107, ill.108, ill.127, ill.128, ill.132, ill.164, ill.166, ill.167

  DOUGLAS WHEATLEY: ill.4, ill.5, ill.10, ill.11, ill.28, ill.32, ill.51, ill.58, ill.95, ill.99, ill.131, ill.169, ill.187

  FANTASY FLIGHT GAMES (FFG) IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S LEADING PUBLISHERS OF HOBBY GAMES. KNOWN FOR THE QUALITY OF ITS COMPONENTS AND ITS INNOVATIVE GAMEPLAY, FFG IMMERSES PLAYERS IN THE WORLD OF GEORGE R.R. MARTIN’S A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE WITH SUCH TITLES AS A GAME OF THRONES: THE BOARD GAME SECOND EDITION AND A GAME OF THRONES: THE CARD GAME.

  WWW.FANTASYFLIGHTGAMES.COM

  FACEBOOK: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/FANTASYFLIGHTGAMES

  FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @FFGAMES

  GEORGE R. R. MARTIN’S A WORLD OF ICE & FIRE—A GAME OF THRONES GUIDE

  GET THE ONLY OFFICIAL A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE APP FROM GEORGE R.R. MARTIN WITH HUNDREDS OF DETAILED CHARACTER BIOS, PLACE PROFILES, HOUSE LISTINGS, INTERACTIVE MAPS, AND ANTI-SPOILER PROTECTION. SEARCH FOR “WORLD OF ICE AND FIRE” ON YOUR APP STORE.

  Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.