Who are these people?

[soulsinging]

So I'm tearing through Storm of Swords and finally well and hooked on this series. However, I'm sure I can't be the only person who sometimes struggles to keep all these characters straight. So I thought I'd use this thread as kind of a way for those like me to get quick answers with respect to characters that pop up and I know I've read about before but can't seem to place.

This was sparked by reading the non-main character thread and realizing there are about 4-5 people that I know I've read about but for the life of me cannot place. So anyone want to help me out? Or if you've got questions, about characters you can't keep straight, add them here.

spoilers may follow here if you've not gotten to page 200 of SoS.

Barristan Selmy-
He's Barristan the Bold right? of the Kingsguard? I remember him being banished in book one but I don't think he's been mentioned since. Have I missed something or does he really go MIA for a full book and a half?

Balon Swann-
He's just a Lannister guardsman made Kingsgaurd I think... the one that used to beat Sansa for Joff? I don't know why, but I always think there's something I'm forgetting when I see his name. Maybe I'm just confusing him with the guy above though.

Beric Dondarrion-
I remember a Lord Beric, but cannot for the life of me place him anymore.

Kettleblacks-
They're just Lannister bannermen or something right? They appeared in Clash of Kings, but I'm not sure I ever figured out where they came from.

Boros Blount-
I've read the index/family tree stuff and it says he was dismissed for cowardice... why? I'm having trouble recalling this guy.

I think those are it for now. I'm having a lot of trouble keeping the revolving door of the Kingsgaurd straight it seems.

Oh, if the Royces are pledged to the Vale, what was one of them doing in Renly's Rainbow Guard?

 

[viZion]

You're right about Barristan and the Kettleblacks.

Lord Beric leads the Brotherhood without Banners. We first see him at the tournament in honor of Ned. Sansa practically falls in love with him (and every other knight, too).

Boros Blount was dismissed for cowardice when he gave up Tommen without a fight after Cersei tried to smuggle him out of the city.

Right now I'm drawing a blank on Balon Swann's story. I hope I didn't get any of this wrong. Btw, a great place to find out about characters without spoilers is Tower of the Hand. You can look up characters individually and by book. I.e. if you haven't read a book then it won't show any information about a character that's revealed in the book(s) you haven't read. Excellent site with easy to look at colors and an easy to navigate interface (*ahem* westeros.org).

 

[C Of K]

(SPOILERS?) .

Actually Boros Blount was dismissed after he failed to protect Tommen.

Ser Osmund was a former sellsword in his prime.

All I know about Balon Swann is that he's quite the jouster, and of course he's high born.

 

[soulsinging]

Ah, that site is very helpful! Thanks for the help!

 

[Ghost of Harrenhal]

Barristan Selmy was the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard under Robert Barathon's reign. When Joffrey took the throne Selmy was dismissed and his cloak given to the Hound. Guards are sent after him and he kills them and escapes King's Landing. I don't know if he has resurfaced for you yet in ASOS but he will.. Somewhere..

Balon Swann is the only knight of the kingsguard during ASOS that has actually any right to wear the white cloak. He is a brilliant knight and is very loyal.. House Swann is a Stormland house sworn to the Baratheons and their seat is Stonehelm I believe.

Beric Dondarrion was given the command of the men sent by Ned Stark in the first book to ride into the riverlands and bring Gregor Clegane to justice. Arya's story throughout ACOK and ASOS is pretty interwoven with Beric's. He now leads the Brotherhood Without Banners, a group of vigilante knights that protect the smallfolk affected by the war. He is one of my favourite non main characters.

The Kettleblacks were never Lanniser bannermen, they were just hedge knight brothers who saw battles on the eastern continent in cities like Lys and Myr and stuff like that. I think Ser Osmund might of mentioned being knighted after a battle on the Stepstones? Not sure about that..

Boros Blount is a big fat failure of a knight.. I don't know much more than that, like where he came from or anything. I just know he was dismissed for something to do with Tommen which was mentioned earlier.

 

[Bayou Boy]

Oh, if the Royces are pledged to the Vale, what was one of them doing in Renly's Rainbow Guard?

Ser Robar explained it to Catelyn in Book 2:



Catelyn: I know what brought me here, but why have you come? This is not your battle, no more than it is mine.
Robar:I made it my battle when I made Renly my king.
Catelyn: The Royces are bannermen to House Arryn.
Robar: My lord father owes Lady Lysa fealty, as does his heir. A second son must find glory where he can. . . . A man grows weary of tourneys.

 

[Koopa]

Barristan Selmy is indeed the former Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, dismissed by the throne.

Balon Swann wasn't a former Lannister guardsman, you are mistaken him with the Hound, wich was the younger brother of Grgeor Clegane, a bannerman of house lannister, and sandor was never really just a guardsman. He (Balon) was given his cloak after Greenfield died in the riots where joffrey got dung on his face. He proved his valor in combat (the blackwater) and (possible spoiler) tried to tell the truth about Tyrion during his trial.

Beric Dondarrion was i think first mentioned in the Hand's tournament when Jeyne Poole fell in love with him. He was i think a renowed tourney knight, after hearing about the raids conducted by ser Gregor, Beric Dondarrion is set forth by Eddard stark under the king's banner to bring ser Gregor to justice. He fell into the trap Tywin set up for lord Eddard (they hoped he would come forth himself, wich he couldn't because of his broken leg). After that he formed the brotherhood wich supposedly continues to hold up the king's justice, fighting under the Robert Baratheon banner more or less.

The Kettleblacks: One of them told Jaime they had fought as mercenaries in the Free Cities, i think this to be a lie, though it can be true. Truth is they are (and this may be a spoiler) Littlefinger pawns, they are the sons of a father who lives on the fingers in Littlefingers keep, meaning he is their liege lord. He used his manipulations to get Cersei to trust them, thus making one of them part of the Kingsguard, and so on.

Boros Blount was sent with tommen (when Tommen was sent outside King's Landing to Rosby i think for safety measures) as his ward/guard, gave him up without a fight to his uncle tyrion, dismissed for his cowardly actions by Cersei, reinstated by her father tywin, given i think the task by lord commander Jaime to be Tommen's food taster, known to be fat and cowardly.