Aemon of Dragonstone
Robert Baratheon gave Jon Snow Dragonstone. One day, he may wish he hadn’t.
For Ned Stark’s bastard, the island is a poisoned gift. An ancient castle, a thinly populated lordship, and responsibilities most grown men would struggle to shoulder.
But Jon has already lived a grown man’s life.
Behind the boy’s eyes are the memories of a naval veteran, an engineer, and a man who spent years studying the armies of Rome. Given a second life in Westeros, he sees possibilities in the land he has been granted. He also knows how much work it will take to make anything of them.
That work begins in the North.
Years before he leaves Winterfell, Jon starts gathering the people he will take south. Boys become the companions he grows up with and the soldiers he trains beside. Craftsmen struggle through unfamiliar designs while each successful venture pays for the next. Slowly, a household takes shape, built around a young lord whose knowledge is becoming increasingly difficult to explain.
These are the people he intends to build Dragonstone with. He will need them, because arriving with a title and a head full of ideas will only get him so far.
Beyond the island lies the Narrow Sea, the wealth of the Free Cities, and opportunities worth sailing for. Jon has plans for ships and harbours, for trade and an army of his own. As those plans grow, they will draw the interest of men who have spent their lives deciding what happens in Westeros.
And beneath everything he builds is a secret that could bring them all to his door.
His name is Aemon Targaryen.
What to expect:
~ Jon Snow self-insert with an experienced adult mind
~ Slow-paced kingdom building, beginning with an extended childhood arc in the North
~ Household development, friendships, and earned loyalty
~ Industry, trade, and the practical work of running a lordship
~ Roman-inspired military training and warfare
~ Naval exploration and an expanding journey into Essos
~ Multiple points of view, political consequences, and growing magical elements
