Game of Thrones: The Frozen Throne

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In the study, architect Downs enthusiastically presented his new castle plans to Edd and Klar.

"With the Kingsroad outside Winterfell as the center, we can build three castles, which I've already named: Springhold, Summerhold, and Goldautumn. Lord Edd, as long as you provide me with enough manpower, wood, and stone, these castles will be as grand as Winterfell."

Edd smiled awkwardly. "Downs, Winterfell is more than enough for my family and can also accommodate my vassals when they come for feasts. I intend to expand Winter Town, not build castles."

Downs replied seriously, "Lord Edd, what is the motto of House Stark? 'Winter is Coming'! In other words, life is short. We should leave behind some wonders for future generations. What's the point of just building small wooden houses in Winter Town?"

Finance advisor Klar chuckled. "Do you even know how much your plan would cost? Where would Duke Edd get that kind of money?"

Downs said, "I'm just an architect. I want to leave behind grand castles and structures. Money is not my concern."

Edd replied, "But you must consider it. If 'Brandon the Builder' had ignored costs, he could never have left behind the Wall and Winterfell as the wonders they are. If costs didn't matter, the Arryns' Eyrie might have been abandoned halfway through construction, and the Baratheons' Storm's End might have only been half-built."

"Downs, I can see that you are a talented young man with big dreams and wild imagination. But you lack a practical, down-to-earth spirit. The North is a harsh land. If you wish to serve me, you must be realistic. I will not approve of wasteful and costly projects. Do you have any plans that would benefit the economy?"

"I do. My talents aren't limited to castle-building."

Downs rolled up his castle blueprints and pulled out another one from his sleeve. When he spread it open, Edd saw a map of the Seven Kingdoms, with several roads planned in the North.

"Lord Edd, the North is vast yet poor. Why? Because there are too few roads—only the Kingsroad running north to south. Look at the Westerlands under House Lannister: they have the Goldroad. The Reach under House Tyrell has the Ocean Road and the Rose Road. The Riverlands have the River Road. Because of these, their trade flourishes, and their economies thrive."

"If we build roads in the North—one along the eastern coast and one along the western coast—we can change everything. The western road would start at Deepwood Motte, connect with Torrhen's Square, pass through the Rills, and merge with the Kingsroad at Barrowton. The eastern road would start at Karhold, pass through the Dreadfort, Ramsgate, and Oldcastle, reaching White Harbor. Another road would connect White Harbor to Winterfell."

Klar scoffed, "Downs, have you ever seen the Northern snow? When winter comes and the land freezes, what use are roads?"

Downs coldly retorted, "When the land freezes, Northern farmland is abandoned. But does that mean people don't farm in other seasons? Once my roads are built, they will link Barrowton, White Harbor, and Winterfell, benefiting the entire North."

Edd noticed that, though Downs' plan seemed overly ambitious and unrealistic for now, it might become feasible in the future.

"Downs, your road plan is much better than your castle idea. This is exactly the kind of project that enriches the people and brings profit. Do you have any other suggestions?"

Downs pointed at the long stretch of western coastline on the map.

"Lord Edd, have you noticed? The North has no proper ports on the western coast—not a single one. How can Deepwood Motte, Bear Island, and the Rills trade with the South?"

Edd looked at the map. "The Rills mostly rely on the Kingsroad. House Ryswell has plenty of horses. As for Deepwood Motte, their timber is transported to Winterfell and then sent to White Harbor for trade. Bear Island ships its furs and wood to Ice Bay and then to White Harbor."

Downs said, "The North relies too heavily on White Harbor. Why not transport goods directly from Deepwood Motte or the Rills to the South? The Riverlands have many densely populated towns, Lannisport in the Westerlands is rich with gold and wealth, and Oldtown in the Reach is full of fine wines and fruits."

Edd sighed, "The North has attempted to open western trade routes several times, but those damned Ironborn stand in the way. They are born pirates and frequently raid Northern fishing villages. Our fishermen don't even dare to sail too far from shore."

Some Ironborn longships did trade at Deepwood Motte and the coastal villages of the Stony Shore, buying Northern timber since the Iron Islands needed large amounts of wood for shipbuilding. However, because there were no customs officials on the western coast, this trade was mostly smuggling. The Ironborn captains would pay local lords for permission to trade, but Winterfell collected no taxes from it.

Downs said, "Pirates exist everywhere. At least the Ironborn have sworn fealty. The real lawless menace is the Stepstones blocking the Narrow Sea. Yet ships from the Summer Islands, Ibbenese whaling ships, Braavosi merchants, Oldtown traders, and ships from King's Landing still sail through daily, taking the risk."

"Lord Edd, forgive me for saying this, but Northerners fear the sea too much. You are the descendants of the First Men. When the First Men arrived in Westeros, they crossed the Arm of Dorne. Now, that arm has long been shattered by earthquakes, leaving behind the Broken Arm and the Stepstones. Yet Northern fear of the sea remains unchanged."

"Abandoning western trade just because of a few Ironborn pirates is like refusing to eat for fear of choking. When I was in Gulltown and King's Landing, I often talked with ship captains and sailors. They told me that when they trade in the Reach or the Westerlands, they rarely sail north past Fair Isle and the Iron Islands because there are no proper ports further north."

Downs studied the map carefully and stopped at Barrowton.

"I believe this is the best location. The Barrow River flows from the hills of Barrowton down to the Bay of Ice. Barrowton is one of the most populated areas in the North. If we build docks and shipyards at the river mouth, goods from Winter Town, Barrowton, and even White Harbor can sail directly south to Lannisport and Oldtown for trade."

"Of course, the First Men's River in the Rills also flows into the Bay of Ice. That river mouth has potential as well. I've never been there, but Lord Edd, look at the map—so many tributaries flow into the First Men's River. The value of this river for trade cannot be underestimated."

Normally, Northern goods like wool, furs, and timber were shipped down the White Knife to White Harbor. From there, Northern ships would have to sail out of Bite Bay, down past the treacherous Shipbreaker Bay, around the arid Dornish coast, through the Redwyne Strait, past Oldtown, and then all the way up to Lannisport.

If Downs' proposed port town developed, Northern ships could sail straight down the Bay of Ice to Lannisport, cutting the journey by 90%. Moreover, his plan would significantly strengthen coastal defenses.

The North had two great fortresses: the Wall in the north and Moat Cailin in the south. Moat Cailin had never been breached by southern invaders.

However, to the west, the Torrentine River emptied into the sea. If an enemy fleet used the long, narrow bay to sail up the river, they could threaten Moat Cailin from the west.

Currently, Lord Edd had watchtowers at the river mouths, but only a few fishing villages scattered the coast. If these ports were developed, the Northern economy would thrive, and defenses would improve significantly.

Downs rolled up the map. "Lord Edd, if I were you, I would immediately discuss developing these river ports with the lords of Barrowton and the Rills."

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