Ian

Biodata

Power Progression

Background

Xia Ze creates Ian for the Ice and Fire: Survival Game, choosing the Andal bloodline to qualify for the Sellsword Knight profession and First Man ancestry in the hope that bloodline might affect access to magic. The player bodies are androids supplied by the organizers; the system gives them background memories, but native inhabitants have no prior memory of them 2 3.

Ian’s generated history begins in the Vale. His father dies in the rebellion against the Targaryens, and his mother sells the family mill to pay his equipment debt. Raised at a knight’s manor, Ian trains alongside the knight’s son, becomes a squire, and eventually earns his knighthood. A confrontation with his former young master on Ian’s wedding night ends with the young master dead, Ian’s wife dead, and Ian exiled to the Riverlands as a mercenary 3.

Abilities & Skills

Combat and training

• Swordsmanship — Reaches Master rank and continues practicing with Roar rather than relying on skill-point upgrades alone 99 138.
• Riding and lance — Starts with both at Intermediate; advances Riding but leaves Lance unchanged because he does not expect to compete in knight tournaments 3 26.
• Military instruction — Writes a Basic Officer’s Manual in the Common Tongue and Valyrian, studies Ghiscari military works, and personally trains officers for his new army 213 216.

Skinchanging

• Animal reconnaissance — Uses an eagle to fly, a falcon to observe territory, and a cat to monitor Cilia 119 161 250.
• Human possession — At Legendary rank, takes control of the NPC Corlo and sends him to investigate Meereen; Corlo does not resist the possession 249 250.
• Limits and risks — Prolonged use risks loss of control; an animal’s death can severely harm the skinchanger. Even after reaching Legendary, Ian initially cannot move his own body and Corlo’s freely at the same time without strain 118 119 250.

Other magic

• Greenseer — Gains the skill from Ironwood Seed Paste and later advances it to Master. His Willpower reaches 80 on a later character card 139 364 390.
• Red Priest — Advances from Novice to Legendary. Unlike a priest dependent on R’hllor’s presence, Ian understands his system-certified magic to remain available in a Dream Instance 249 304 354 362.

Deduction and system use

• Investigation — Exposes the supposed Blackfyre treasure as a fabrication and deduces aspects of Prince Hazan’s plan against Illyrio 64 159.
• Quest mechanics — Tests optional-quest triggers and changes the completion criteria of Illyrio’s merchant-guild task after suspecting that its supposed slave ship does not exist 45 114.

Equipment and Items

• Initial knight’s gear — Old chainmail, a hand-and-a-half sword, and a trained horse; Ian later seeks to sell them as part of a disguise 2 10.
• Valyrian steel swift sword — Purchased from the Tier 3 Points Mall 139.
• Dragonbone bow — Selected as a gift intended to help befriend Khal Drogo 155.
• System inventory and scrolls — Uses inventory space to conceal possessions and Skill Upgrade Scrolls to raise Skinchanger to Legendary 96 249.

Relationships

• Annie — Auxiliary AI who explains game rules and answers Ian’s questions about skills, quests, and rewards 26 111 188.
• Roar — Loyal knight, swordsmanship trainer, and frequent recipient of Ian’s orders; Ian buys a healing ointment to treat his wounds 45 93 99.
• Keith — Knight and protector whose confidence in Ian persists during the Gold Cloak siege 52 93.
• Cilia — Fellow player and subordinate. Ian uncovers her intended betrayal, forms an alliance with her, and later divides military and administrative work with her 157 161 216.
• Illyrio Mopatis — Pentoshi governor whom Ian cultivates as a patron while concealing his own resources and intentions; Ian later warns him of Hazan’s plot 101 112 161.
• Corlo — NPC pirate king whom Ian possesses through skinchanging and uses as a second body 188 250.
• Dorian — Leader of the Black Falcon guards who swears allegiance to Ian 72 191.
• Adam — Captured player whom Ian spares for his industrial expertise and who supplies development plans and blueprints 227 233.

Story Role and Major Arcs

• Early competition — Completes Path of Gold, builds a network of knights and mercenaries, and uses disguises while hunting other players 18 26 31.
• Pentos — Presents himself as Ian Rivers to approach Illyrio and Viserys, develops Skinchanger magic, and navigates the struggle involving Illyrio, Hazan, and Cilia 104 111 157 161.
• Slaver’s Bay — Builds an army, delegates production and logistics to Cilia, and uses Corlo as a second body to investigate Meereen 216 250.
• Imperial expansion — Is recognized as Valyrian Emperor of Volantis and turns his attention to further conquest and preparations for the Long Night 352 354.
• Westeros — Through Ian Corlo, seeks allegiance from surrendered Vale and Ironborn leaders but chooses war over a possible marriage-based settlement with Eddard Stark to establish a deterrent 395.