The Ghosts of Harrenhal: A Song of Ice and Fire Podcast (ASOIAF)

Send us Fan Mail Sansa’s dress has arrived. It’s as beautiful as she’d hoped but there’s a rather large string attached. It’s a wedding dress and the groom is Tyrion. Sansa protests. Tyrion commiserates. Joffrey is awful. The whole thing is a fiasco, and their post-wedding bedding goes equally as poorly. Simon and Mackelly keep the receipt for their wedding gift. Chapter Review: Sansa Stark finall...

Send us Fan Mail Daenerys buys the Unsullied army that she needs but pays a huge cost. Not only the three ships and all their contents, but also her dragon Drogon. However, she has a nasty surprise in store for the slavers. Simon and Mackelly consider the economic crimes that pave Daenerys’ path to the Iron Throne. Chapter Review: Daenerys Targaryen is willing to pay any price to get her Unsullied...

Send us Fan Mail We don't have a traditional episode this week, but we've cobbled together some outtakes for your listening pleasure. So sit back and enjoy us embarrassing ourselves in various and creative ways. Support the podcast. Buy a bit of merch from our store . Or if swag is not your bag, buy us a Cup of Arbor Gold . If you like what we're doing, please consider rating and re...

Send us Fan Mail Jon Snow says a fond farewell to his best friend before meeting with the top brass on the wildling expedition. He gives up some inside information about the Night’s Watch but then gets called out when he tries to over-inflate their numbers. He meets up with Yigrette in a private cave and the pair do what they do best, twice. Mackelly and Simon can’t help but blush. Chapter Review:...

Send us Fan Mail Davos is imprisoned in the Dragonstone dungeon. He receives a visit from Melisandre, where he learns that she had no role in the disaster on the Blackwater, as well as learns that she believes Stannis is Azor Ahai reborn. Next he welcomes a new cellmate, in the form of Hand of the King Lord Alester Florent. Mackelly and Simon bake some cookies for the newbie on the block. Chapter...

Send us Fan Mail Bran, Hodor, and the Reeds make their way through mountainous terrain, where they meet an unexpected but kind fellow traveler. The traveler brings news of the unrest in the North since the fall of Winterfell. Meera then tells Bran a story of the Great Tourney at Harrenhal. Mackelly and Simon settle in and open their listening ears. Chapter Review: Bran Stark, Hodor, and the Reed s...

Send us Fan Mail Daenerys lays her eyes upon the Unsullied slave army with mixed emotion. She then takes her frustrations of the day out on Ser Jorah. She confronts Irri about a late-night tryst between the two women. Finally, she asks Jorah if buying the slave army is more of a Rhaegar or Viserys move. Simon and Mackelly hug their dogs. Chapter Review: Daenerys Targaryen has made it to Astapor in...

Send us Fan Mail Arya and the Brotherhood Without Banners trek through the Riverlands in search of Beric Dondarrion. They come up empty-handed but learn bits of information at each stop along the way. Simon and Mackelly fire-up the Bat-Signal. Chapter Review: Arya Stark and Gendry ride south with the members of the Brotherhood Without Banners. They're looking for their leader Beric Dondarrion...

Send us Fan Mail Jaime, Brienne, and Cleos run into bands of outlaws. One of the three doesn't survive. The other two aren't in much better shape, now being in the hands of the Brave Companions. Jaime urges their leader Vargo Hoat to hand him over to his father. Hoat considers it but wants to hand-deliver a message to Tywin first. Simon and Mackelly clasp hands and hope for the best. Cha...

Send us Fan Mail Catelyn watches in dismay as Robb is forced to execute Rickhard Karstark for murdering two minor Lannister captives. She also chats with her new daughter-in-law Jeyne. Simon and Mackelly watch the northern alliance crumble. Chapter Review: Catelyn Stark and the other nobles convene in the hall of Riverrun. The scene is grim. Two teen boys bodies are laid out. A storm provides an a...

Send us Fan Mail Tyrion attends a Small Council meeting chaired by his father. Much news is discussed. Afterward, Tywin announces that Cersei will marry Willas Tyrell, the heir to Highgarden, and Tyrion will marry Sansa Stark. Shae was unavailable for comment. Simon and Mackelly plan the bachelor party. Chapter Review: Tyrion Lannister attends the Small Council along with his father Tywin, uncle K...

Send us Fan Mail Sam and the remnants of the Great Ranging are high-tailing it back to the wall. They’ve been decimated by the Others and wights. Sam eventually falls behind, but with a dragonglass dagger he manages to kill a White Walker. Mackelly and Simon walk way less than a mile in his shoes. Chapter Review: Sam Tarly is sobbing with tiredness, pain, and cold. The reader, with annoyance at Sa...

Send us Fan Mail Arya and Gendry are not taken to Riverrun, rather they are escorted south to meet with Beric Dondarrion and Thoros of Myr. En route Arya tries to escape, but Harwin - a Stark bannerman, no less - chases her and captures her. Oh perfidy! Mackelly and Simon discuss the origin story of the Brotherhood Without Banners. Chapter Review: Hot Pie has elected to stay and become head baker...

Send us Fan Mail Sansa gets fitted for a new dress and Ser Dontos warns her that her new friends the Tyrells are as bad as the Lannisters. Simon and Mackelly get their haute-couture on. Chapter Review: Sansa Stark gets measured for a new dress. The seamstress has been sent by Queen Cersei Lannister. Sansa doesn’t trust the motives for this largesse, but she does need a new frock. She’s grown since...

Send us Fan Mail Jon Snow has a busy day. He discovers that the wildling host contains giants, and lots of them. He and Tormund discuss the pros and cons of Jon bedding Yigrette. Jon gets attacked by an eagle. Finally, he gets called out on his lie about how many of the Night’s Watch were north of the Wall. His day seems to be heading toward wrapping up with a tryst with Yigrette. Simon and Mackel...

Send us Fan Mail Robb returns to Riverrun, where he exchanges forgiveness of transgressions with his mother. Cat for freeing Jamie. Robb for marrying a non-Frey. Robb also scolds his uncle Edmure for preventing Tywin and his army from reaching the Westerlands, where Robb's force laid in wait. All consider ways to appease House Frey's wounded ego.  Simon and Mackelly peruse belated weddin...

Send us Fan Mail Arya, Hot Pie, and Gendry run into another trio on the road to Riverrun, whose motives are hard to read. Ultimately, the starving kids decide to trust them and accompany the men for promised food and shelter. They get the food, but lose their horses. Right when Arya thinks all is lost, she sees a friendly face, but has her secret revealed to all. Mackelly gets goosebumps. Simon’s...

Send us Fan Mail Tyrion visits Lord Varys in his chambers. He learns about changes on the small council and the kingsguard, and about the long list of people spying on him for his family. He coordinates a rendezvous with Shea, where he plans to break it off with her. Instead, he reaffirms that he’ll keep and protect her. Simon and Mackelly slowly shake their heads. Chapter Review: Tyrion Lannister...

Send us Fan Mail Jaime and Brienne switch to horseback as they travel to King’s Landing. This gives them time to discuss who is the bigger Kingslayer. Jaime dreams of his infamous act. Mackelly and Simon try to interpret.  Chapter Review: Jaime Lannister spots an inn and Brienne brings the boat to shore so they can sleep under a roof. However, the proprietor is a bit dodgy and after dinner they de...

Send us Fan Mail Davos gets back to Dragonstone where Salladhor Saan tries to dissuade him from attempting to murder Melisandre. Davos is determined, but is arrested before he even gets close. Simon and Mackelly apply the aloe. Chapter Review: Davos Seaworth returns to a much changed Dragonstone. The harbor is only sparsely populated with Lysene ships and there are very few people around. He meets...

Send us Fan Mail Bran and company have to decide where to next. They are safe for now, but Bran is in danger of losing himself to warging with Summer and Jojen doesn’t feel he can teach everything that Bran needs to learn. North is the answer. Simon and Mackelly get out the snow shoes. Chapter Review: Bran Stark, in the mind of Summer, is enjoying being the prince of the Wolfswood. His smaller wol...

Send us Fan Mail Daenerys is sailing the Summer Sea watching her dragons grow. She receives ambiguous reports of the kind of men her father and eldest brother were, advice from Ser Jorah as to her next move, and possibly unwanted advances from Mormont. Simon and Mackelly weigh up the suitors and their suits. Chapter Review: Daenerys Targaryen watches her dragons play above the three ships that bea...

Send us Fan Mail The next phase of Qhorin Halfhand’s plan begins, as Jon is marched through the enormous wildling encampment and meets Mance Rayder. They bond over not really belonging. Mackelly and Simon wonder if the old crow might be a bit too trusting. Chapter Review: Jon Snow and Ghost are escorted through the wildling encampment on the banks of the Milkwater. Jon cannot count the cookfires....

Send us Fan Mail Sansa chats with various Tyrells, who are making a positive impression in King’s Landing. She’s lured into being honest about King Joffrey, but the Tyrell women don’t seem mad, indeed they offer her a way out of King’s Landing. Simon and Mackelly consider the proposal. Chapter Review: Sansa Stark mulls whether to accept an invitation to dine with her future queen, Margaery Tyrell....

Send us Fan Mail Davos survived. He’s been clinging to a rock in Blackwater Bay for two weeks. A ship rescues him. Simon and Mackelly consider the wreckage. Chapter Review: Davos Seaworth, the Onion Knight, is marooned on a rock in the Blackwater Bay. He’s eked out an existence for a couple of weeks, but his fresh water is gone, and he’s delerious. He recalls the battle and the almost certain deat...