House of the Dragon season 2 filming underway at Harrenhal

Filming is underway on the second season of House of the Dragon, HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel series! When last we left off, Rhaenyra Targaryen was ready to go to war with her half-brother Aegon for control of the Iron Throne. Fans who have read George R.R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood know what’s coming, and it gets pretty wild.

We’ll keep spoilers to a minimum, but one of the events that should happen pretty early on next season is that Daemon Targaryen will fly his dragon Caraxes to the massive castle of Harrenhal and claim it on behalf of his wife Rhaenyra. There he’ll come into contact with a new character named Alys Rivers, who we recently learned will be played by Gayle Rankin.

We also learned that Simon Russell Beale will play Ser Simon Strong, the castellan of Harrenhal. With all this news in the air, it comes as no surprise to hear from Redanian Intelligence that the show is currently filming scenes set at Harrenhal.

The history of Harrenhal

We visited Harrenhal briefly in House of the Dragon season 1, when Lord Larys Strong conspired to burn his father Lyonel and brother Harwin to death within its walls, after which he became the lord of the castle.

The Strongs are the lords of Harrenhal during this time, although if you remember, they weren’t in charge of the place by the time of Game of Thrones 200 years later. Harrenhal is said to be cursed, so if I were Larys I’d watch my step.

Harrenhal is an important location in Westeros, and will get more play on House of the Dragon than it got on Game of Thrones. It’ll be fun to spend more time there.

Read a scene between Daemon Targaryen and Alys Rivers from House of the Dragon season 2

As I mentioned, one of the characters who lives at Harrenhal is named Alys Rivers. We got a peek into her character when an audition tape leaked online. The audition seems to be a scene between Alys and Daemon. Sometimes shows write sample scenes just for auditions, so there’s no guarantee this exchange will actually appear on the show, but it’s fun nonetheless.

Redditor jorywea78 kindly transcribed the scene:

• Alys Rivers: It’s a touch late to be stalking about putting people to the sword, hm? (laughs)
• Daemon Targaryen: Who are you?
• Alys: (Laughs) I’m called Alys Rivers.
• Daemon: A bastard.
• Alys: Oh, gosh. If you get to know me, you’ll find I’m not so bad.
• Daemon: You some kind of physician?
• Alys: Mhm. This castle’s closest approximation (inaudible). I inherited the duties after the last one fled in the night.
• Daemon: Fled, why?
• Alys: Never settled in — how are you settling in? I’ve come to know the face of tortured rest well enough. Sleep can be so thin inside these walls.
• Daemon: How would you know that?
• Alys: This place has been cursed since the first stone was laid. King Harren felled the grove of Yew trees that grew in these lands. They say they are imbued with the spirits of those who lived long before he came — you can hear them — whispers, sometimes.
• Daemon: Lil boys’ tale.
• Alys: Perhaps. Perhaps not. The very bed you sleep in was made from such a tree; experienced anything interesting?
• Daemon: (inaudible) because you’re a woman.
• Alys: No, I’m no woman at all — I’m a (inaudible) now. I was cursed and live in human form. (Laughs) Oh, you’ve squabbled again with your wife, hm?
• Daemon: Do not try me with insults, witch.
• Alys: You travel here alone to claim the castle, and yet send no message to her. I wonder do you now plan to fight in her name or your own — perhaps to prove yourself to her. I mean it is a hard thing, I imagine to give obeisance to the one who replaced you as heir. And a woman, too — a girl child you once bounced on your knee, hm?
• Daemon: My brother made his choice.
• Alys: Oh, and now he’s gone and his legacy’s contestant, here you are. With a castle, drawing an army of men. You are absolutely not good, you fancy a sleeping draft? Haha, it isn’t poison. I like my head, I’ve no desire [to see it] on a spike. This will help, I promise you.

House of the Dragon season 2 premieres in 2024 on HBO and Max.

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