The Blackfyre series returns! This time: the life of Aegor Rivers, aka Bittersteel. Aziz also does a Grandpa Simpson impression. Our new introduction, animations, and the Bittersteel sigil were created by Michael Klarfeld (Klaradox), with the cyvasse pieces created by dutchmogul. Check out the episode on YouTube or the Acast player below to see those images, as well as art by Mike Hallstein and Ed Scheer.

The primary topics in this episode:

• Part 1 – Early Life (172 – 184)
• Part 2 – The Great Bastards at Court (184 – 196)
• Part 3 – Becoming Bittersteel
• Part 4 – At Last, Rebellion (196)
• Part 5 – Exile to Essos (197 – 211)
• Part 6 – The Second Blackfyre “Rebellion” (211)
• Outro

“Younger than Daemon Blackfyre, older than Bloodraven. Bittersteel was also a warrior, and looked the part. He was only half Targaryen, so he got the purple eyes, but his hair was black. As an adult he wore a beard, cropped very short, little more than a shadow on his face and jaws. Somewhat of a Conanesque look to him, but not the Frank Frazetta Conan and definitely not the Arnold Conan, more the Barry Windsor-Smith version, or the one described by REH (Robert E. Howard)– he is tall and well made, but lean and lithe as a panther. And angry. No smiles here. Bittersteel was pissed off all his life, and had a special loathing for Bloodraven and his mother, who had displayed his own mother as the king’s favorite.”

Serenei was the most beautiful of Aegon’s mistresses, but she was also reputed to be a sorceress. She died giving birth to the last of the king’s bastard children, a girl called Shiera Seastar who became the greatest beauty in the Seven Kingdoms, beloved of both her half brothers, Bittersteel and Bloodraven, whose rivalry would ripen to hatred.

“I should have gone with Bittersteel into exile, or died beside my sons and my sweet king. That would have been a death worthy of a chequy lion descended from so many proud lords and mighty warriors. Daeron’s mercy made me smaller.”

“I wept when Bittersteel carried him off to exile, and again when Lord Peake told me he was coming home.”

“His armor is well-made but plain, no nonsense grey-steel and black rings. His helm bears a horsehead crest with a horse’s mane flowing down behind.”

“His shield has a grey longsword displayed bendy sinister, with a black dragon’s head above and a red horse’s head below, both facing out. The field is white.”