If you’re anything like us, your Westerosi geography might be a little rusty. House of the Dragon has immediately called our knowledge of Game of Thrones’ world into question, bringing in locations both familiar and unfamiliar such as Harrenhal, Dragonstone, the Stepstones, and the Free Cities.
With how often geopolitics factors into major events in this world, a little homework might be in order.
Thankfully, there are now a couple of handy tools to help make a little more sense of House of the Dragon. There’s HBO’s new House of the Dragon map, highlighting the major locations from the first two episodes. There’s also an old favorite – Quartermaster.info – which is a more detailed overview of Westeros and Essos – from a Game of Thrones perspective.
A quick clickthrough and, immediately, things become much clearer. You can see how the Stepstones to the south – which has drawn the attention of the Crabfeeder and Corlys – is such a key pawn in political manoeuvring, covering a major trade route between Westeros and Essos.
Daemon’s time in Dragonstone, too, is pulled into starker relief. The close proximity to King’s Landing and, crucially, the Free Cities (via the Narrow Sea) hammers home the thematic tension between Matt Smith’s glowering Targaryen and his brother, King Viserys I (Paddy Considine).
So, keep both maps handy in the coming weeks. The House of the Dragon episode 3 trailer already teases a potentially fresh battlefield for some of its key players – while the opening credits, itself filled with nods to Westerosi locations, includes an intriguing Rhaenyra Easter egg.
Don’t miss out on any future episodes. Check our House of the Dragon release schedule for when you can watch the next entry in the Game of Thrones prequel.
