VEIL OF FIRE
GAME OF THRONES INSPIRED ROLEPLAY
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COMMON ISSUES FACING
GAME OF THRONES ROLEPLAY:
What we’re offering here is a different angle. We are hoping to present a new take that still honors the tone and lore of George R.R. Martin’s world, but steps away from the same exhausted settings and assumptions. t an alternate-history subgenre of Game of Thrones Role Play, with new power structures, locations, and a fresh chance to build something sustainable.
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SIM LORE VS. CANON:
Lore, as a gatekeeping complaint, is one of the most commonly cited pain points in Game of Thrones roleplay. The sheer density of G.R.R. Martin's world-crafting can often be daunting to new players.
While we can commiserate with the amount of knowledge and information that a player is expected to know, we also believe that very same richness is what helps to make the genre so compelling. The complex web of cultures, social structures, and histories, woven together with various red herrings, half-truths, and layered mythologies or religions, is what draws us into the world. These are the cultural aspects that give shape and definition to the richness of our character crafting, and it is often these sorts of narrative elements that fuel creativity, that lead us to ask some fairly meaningful "what if" questions.
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We truly believe that the challenge of the lore is part of what makes the genre so rewarding.
However, things often become problematic when lore writers make adjustments to established canon lore points and introduce certain types of roles to become more appealing to the player base. These additions or changes are often used to entice players without giving due consideration to the manner in which they contradict or reshape canon norms. Even sims that give an honest attempt to align their lore with canonical events often overlook how their modifications affect the broader social and cultural fabric of the world. And without addressing these effects, the result is often an inconsistent framework for players to navigate and difficulty to fully invest in both characters and shared storylines.
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THE AGE OF MODERNITY VS. PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY:
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We understand the natural disconnect between the basic understanding of Westeros as a patriarchal society and the reality of having to roleplay a life within those confines. Players naturally grapple with the modernity of their thoughts, which often contradicts the rigid structure of patriarchal values and thinking. And while we aim to immerse ourselves in the world of the genre, we often apply contemporary values to examine concepts such as character building, lore interpretation, social hierarchy, and the roleplay environment itself.
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One of the largest points of contention (both IC and OOC) is the imbalance of power, regarding gender dynamics, which is generally played out behind the scenes: during the design of characters, over debates of lore, and/or how players consider the type of power their characters can or do hold.
Our observation, after years in the community, is this: Many players gravitate toward portrayals of women who wield "hard power" (force, command, rulership), often overlooking the nuanced and equally potent "soft power" that defines many of the most influential women in George R. R. Martin’s works. Those women who do rise to visible hard power, such as Cersei or Daenerys, are written as exceptions defined by trauma, sacrifice, and eventually, tragedy. Their power rarely lasts.
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This is not to say women held no power in Westeros, only that in a society defined by patriarchal traditions, most power accessible to women came through family relationships or marriage; it was rarely, if ever, inherited.
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FEUDALISM AND FAILURE:
Feudalism was a medieval system of land ownership and reciprocal obligations between lords and vassals. It often involved political favoritism, as lords used their power to grant land and privileges, creating a structure based on patronage and loyalty rather than merit. While this system provided stability, it also entrenched hierarchies and concentrated power in the hands of the elite. These elites frequently favored their loyal supporters, even when it conflicted with broader principles of fairness or governance.
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In the feudal order, power and privilege were not earned through ability or merit but distributed according to social status and personal relationships. This allowed favoritism to become a central mechanism for gaining and maintaining influence. Ruling figures would often reward their allies with land, titles, or political advantage, even when such rewards undermined the broader good.
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Hear us out. At its core, feudalism is favoritism. And favoritism is one of the most common complaints voiced by both players and admins in the roleplay community. When you examine player-to-player interactions, especially where one player's character outranks another, the behavior we often label as favoritism is, by definition, the reproduction of feudal norms.​​
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WESTEROS, THE WONDERBREAD OF THE WORLD:
The near-total absence of People of Color within Westerosi society is both frustrating and deeply limiting. While understandable, given the historical analogs George R.R. Martin draws from, it does little to create an inclusive experience for players who want to explore characters outside of the default lily-white standard. (We acknowledge that some roleplay sims offer limited diversity through the Dornish or the HBO adaptation of House Velaryon.)
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Though there are occasional roles for PoC characters within King's Landing, often as merchants, travelers, or commoners, nobility and political power remain largely inaccessible. Canon offers sparse detail on the cultures beyond Westeros, which leads to players improvising drastically different and often contradictory cultural frameworks. While diversity of interpretation is natural, it becomes difficult to find consistency or cohesion when shared cultural expectations are not clearly defined.
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Even when sims allow noble characters from outside Westeros, there is rarely a system in place for how those figures should be treated. Are they offered diplomatic immunity or cultural respect? What honors or forms of address are they granted? Do their titles carry weight in Westerosi courts? Without clear rules or social norms, these characters are often sidelined or mishandled in ways that make their inclusion feel token at best and alienating at worst. (See slide: Sim Lore vs. Canon.)
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