Ian

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Ian
Alias(es)	Ser Ian Hill; Ser Lucian; Ian Rivers; Ian Dary / Ian Dare; Ian Corlo 16 77 99 191 384
Species/Race	Player-controlled android body with a system-generated Westerosi identity and inherited background memories 3 4
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Black Falcon Mercenaries; Ghis Alliance; Valyrian Empire of Volantis; followers of R'hllor 72 290 354 337
Occupation/Role	Player, sellsword knight, political schemer, military commander, Hand of the King, and Valyrian Emperor of Volantis 4 138 293 354
Status	Active; nearing the game's 10,000-point victory threshold 412
First Appearance	3

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Initial knight profile	3	Strength 21, Agility 19, Willpower 1; began with Intermediate Swordsmanship, Riding, and Lance skills.
Advanced Swordsmanship and Riding	26	Reached Strength 26, Agility 22, and Willpower 2 after allocating rewards; Ian learns that skill upgrades provide training memories rather than immediate practical mastery.
Skinchanger Basic	111	Selects Skinchanging from the Old Gods magic system, gaining the ability to invade and control animal or human consciousness.
Skinchanger Novice	118	Allocates six Attribute Points to Willpower and upgrades Skinchanging; receives warnings about animal resistance, backlash, and the danger of a possessed creature dying.
Swordsmanship Master; Skinchanger Intermediate (reported)	138	Uses achievement rewards to raise Swordsmanship to Master. The settlement report also describes a Skinchanger upgrade to Intermediate, though the following status panel still lists Novice.
Greenseer Basics	139	Consumes Ironwood Seed Paste, raising Willpower to 19 and unlocking the prerequisite Greenseer skill.
Skinchanger Intermediate	155	Raises Willpower to 21 and upgrades Skinchanging by one level.
Skinchanger Advanced	198	Reaches Willpower 30; can control three animals at once, counting his own body among the limit.
Skinchanger Legendary; Greenseer Novice; Red Priest Novice	249	Reaches Willpower 40 and gains the capacity to use human vessels for long-distance operations.
Greenseer Advanced; Red Priest Legend	354	Profile records Willpower 58, Legendary Skinchanging, Advanced Greenseer ability, and Legendary Red Priest magic.
Greenseer Master	365	Uses rewards from a Nightmare Dream Instance to reach Willpower 76 and upgrade Greenseer to Master.
Current documented profile	412	Strength 43, Agility 40, Willpower 83; Swordsmanship Master, Skinchanger Legendary, Greenseer Master, and Red Priest Legend.

Background

Ian's generated identity begins as the son of a farmer in the Vale. His father dies during the rebellion against the Targaryens, after which Ian grows up in a knight's manor, serves as a squire, and eventually becomes a knight. On his wedding night, he kills his former young master in a conflict over the right of first night; his wife dies in the aftermath, and he is exiled to the Riverlands as a mercenary. 3

Although he possesses a body supplied by the organizers, the system provides Ian with a credible history and knowledge-based memories. These include Vale heraldry, knightly vigil procedures, riding techniques, and swordsmanship training, allowing him to pass as a genuine sellsword knight despite lacking lived experience. 3 4

A flaw in that generated history becomes Ian's first clue that the planners intend players to identify one another: despite being knighted, he has no surname. He later exploits bastard and noble identities, including Ser Ian Hill, Ser Lucian, and Ian Rivers, to move through Westerosi and Essosi society. 8 16 77 99

Personality

Ian is analytical, opportunistic, and highly attentive to systems. He identifies how starting equipment exposes players, selects vulnerable Traveling Merchant players as targets, and repeatedly uses false identities, staged stories, and controlled information to gain positional advantages. 8 9 10 103

He is not naturally fearless. His first life-or-death confrontation leaves him tense and uncertain whether he fears killing or dying, while his first battle exposes the gap between inherited skill memories and real muscle memory. Rather than relying on his status panel, he subjects himself to sustained training under Roar. 15 23 99

As his power grows, Ian becomes increasingly ruthless and controlling. He eliminates witnesses to preserve his cover, facilitates Ser Aris's apparent suicide, monitors Cilia through a skinchanged cat, and considers whether allies could be more useful alive or dead. 18 65 161 354

Ian recognizes that frequent use of raptors can make him arrogant. To counter this tendency, he deliberately adopts a slower method of evaluating worst-case scenarios and refusing to leave possibilities unchecked. 273

Abilities & Skills

Swordsmanship and Mounted Combat

Ian is a Master swordsman with Advanced Riding and Intermediate Lance proficiency. His initial combat data is strong, but he learns that system-granted memories must be reinforced through practice before they become reliable in battle. 3 23 138 412

• Trained in sword use, riding, knightly etiquette, and the procedures expected of an Andal knight. 4
• Completes a basic swordsmanship retraining regimen in four days under Roar, then continues full-contact blunt-sword practice. 99
• Can exploit his high Willpower and focus to read opponents' movements more effectively, as demonstrated while fighting through Volantis with an injured right hand. 339
• His martial ability is constrained by physical condition, equipment, and practical experience; during an early fight, he finds his acquired swordsmanship memories poorly coordinated with his body. 23

Skinchanging

Ian's principal magical discipline is Skinchanging, which permits him to invade another consciousness and control an animal or person. He develops it from Basic to Legendary through Willpower investment and skill upgrades. 110 118 198 249

• Uses sparrows, peregrine falcons, golden eagles, and other birds for reconnaissance, message delivery, and battlefield planning. 152 273 293
• Keeps expensive raptors as animal companions and deliberately cultivates familiarity with them to improve control. 273
• Uses a skinchanged cat to monitor Cilia continuously. 161
• At Advanced level, can control three animals simultaneously, including his own body. 198
• At Legendary level, can enter a human vessel; he uses the S-Class pirate Corlo as a second body for operations in Meereen, Westeros, Volantis, and Qarth. 249 250 384
• Human possession can damage both minds unless Ian's Willpower greatly exceeds the target's; a possessed animal's death causes severe damage to Ian. 118
• Sustained use strains his Willpower. When operating Corlo, he must leave his main body idle, and overexertion can cause collapse or unconsciousness. 250 338

Greenseer Ability

Ian unlocks Greenseer Basics through Ironwood Seed Paste and later raises the discipline to Master. The ability is tied to prophetic dreams, weirwood vision, and investigating the past, though it requires advanced Skinchanging to develop fully. 110 139 365

• Gains intuition of approaching danger, which he associates with his Greenseer talent. 271
• Uses dream-based operations to investigate threats beyond ordinary reconnaissance. 194 362
• Holds a major advantage in Dream Instances: system-certified player magic remains functional even where a deity's direct influence cannot reach. 362
• Reaches Greenseer Master after completing a Nightmare Dream Instance. 365

Red Priest Magic

Ian possesses Red Priest magic certified by the system and ultimately reaches the Legendary tier. R'hllor can grant him power, but Ian discovers that system certification prevents the god from withdrawing it afterward. 338 354

• Uses sacrificial curses against Prince Doran Martell and several players while operating in Qarth. 384
• Trains Red Priest missionaries and promotes R'hllor's faith across Slaver's Bay as part of his political program. 337
• Consults Red Priests including Machiro and Benero on magical and political matters. 354 342

Military Strategy and Statecraft

Ian combines reconnaissance, political manipulation, military study, and logistical planning to turn small personal advantages into state power. 213 293 354

• Writes a bilingual Basic Officer's Manual after studying Ghiscari military texts and observing Unsullied training. 213
• Uses falcon reconnaissance to chart rivers, select ambush sites, and direct army movements. 293
• Commands a force of 33,000 combat troops during preparations against Khal Drogo's khalasar. 293
• Uses scripted interactions and carefully chosen public displays to cultivate legitimacy among soldiers and slaves. 294
• Is recognized as Valyrian Emperor of Volantis by a Great Council. 354

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Starting knight equipment — Full chainmail, a hand-and-a-half sword, and a trained horse; Ian considers the set essential to his early combat viability before selling it to support a disguise. 9 10
• Valyrian steel greatsword — Acquired by the early game period and later wielded by Keith during the Gold Cloak battle. 91 96
• Valyrian steel swift sword — Purchased from the Tier 3 Points Mall. 139
• Valyrian steel scale armor and sword — His best equipment accompanies his main body within a Dream Instance. 361 362
• Blessing of the Supreme Shepherd — Healing ointment purchased to treat Roar's wounds. 93
• Ironwood Seed Paste — One-use item that raises Ian's Willpower and grants Greenseer Basics. 139
• Dragon's Horn — Recovered among the spoils of Euron's surrendered ship, Silence. 259
• Shell of the Old Man of the River — Palm-sized turtle-shell fragment obtained from a Nightmare Dream Instance; its function is not explained. 365

Relationships

• Annie — Auxiliary AI who explains the game's kill mechanics, stat allocation, skills, quests, and Dream Instance rules. 4 26 194
• Roar — Powerful religious-zealot subordinate, trainer, bodyguard, and frequent optional-quest recipient; Ian trusts him with critical assignments. 45 99 139
• Keith — Mute elite knight and religious zealot who defends Ian during the Gold Cloak siege and retains confidence in Ian even when the group is trapped. 52 91 93
• Dorian — Ian's adopted son and leader of the Black Falcon Mercenaries after pledging allegiance to him. 40 72
• Bronn — Sellsword who saves Ian from a Gold Cloak, later formally knighted by him as Ser Bronn. 91 191
• Illyrio Mopatis — Political patron and manipulative mentor in Pentos; Ian seeks access to Illyrio's intelligence network while later warning him of Hazan's coup plot. 112 114 161
• Cilia — Associate, administrator, and fellow player whose loyalty Ian distrusts enough to monitor through a skinchanged cat. 161 213
• Corlo — S-Class pirate king selected as Ian's human Skinchanging vessel because of his Tyroshi-Dornish heritage and seafaring expertise. 188 250
• Adam — Allied player and technical contributor; Ian spares a Faceless Man partly to deter further attempts on Adam's life. 233
• Machiro — Red Priest consulted by Ian and deployed alongside Roar to secure Qohor and Norvos. 354 412

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Early player hunt — Ian awakens in Harrenhal shortly before the main events of the original story, identifies the planners' effort to expose players, and hunts Traveling Merchant players through false identities and ambushes. Within five days, he eliminates four players. 4 8 16 59
• Black Falcon and noble-identity scheme — He builds influence around the Black Falcon Mercenaries, secures Dorian's loyalty, and replaces the “Legion” main quest with a plan to become a lord by posing as a House Darry bastard. 45 66 72
• Pentos political maneuvering — Operating as Ian Rivers, he enters Illyrio's circle, pursues recognition from Viserys Targaryen, becomes Hand of the King, and uses Pentos's power struggle to undermine rivals. 99 112 138 161
• Rise in Slaver's Bay — Ian develops military doctrine, organizes alliances with Lhazar, commands a 33,000-man campaign force, and uses surveillance and staged politics to consolidate his authority in the Ghiscari cities. 213 290 293 331
• Volantis and imperial expansion — After gaining system-certified Red Priest power, Ian uses Corlo to intervene in Volantis, is recognized as Valyrian Emperor, and begins pursuing larger conquest-based main-mission requirements. 338 354
• Qarth, Westeros, and the White Walker threat — Corlo-Ian subordinates Qarth's Warlocks and treasury, seeks deterrence through war rather than marriage in Westeros, and deploys scouting teams and raptors against the White Walkers north of the Wall. 384 395 412

Trivia

• Ian's player body was set to the minimum selectable age of sixteen because age did not affect his starting stats. 10
• His lack of a surname despite being a knight is the inconsistency that first alerts him to the planners' player-identification scheme. 8
• Ian initially dismisses lance advancement partly because he does not expect to participate in knightly tournaments. 26
• He considers the Common Tongue equivalent to English from his previous life and relies on that familiarity despite the system listing only basic proficiency later on. 188