“Game of Thrones” author George R.R. Martin doesn’t shy away from killing off his followers’ favorite characters. Now he wants to slay his biggest fans.
Two lucky (or unlucky, depending on how you look at it) fans of “Game of Thrones” will meet a gruesome demise in the next book in Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” series. It’s all part of a charity fundraiser for the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary and the Food Depot of Santa Fe, N.M., where Martin resides with his wife.
ABC News said two fans have already claimed the grand prize – the chance to have a character named after them in the next GOT book. In exchange for a $20,000 donation, the prize winners can choose what station their character will hold in Westeros, including knight, lordling, whore, lady, peasant, septon and more.
But Martin decides how that character will meet its gory demise. And he’s usually quite creative with gruesome endings – from beheadings and poisonings to being incinerated by a dragon.
Although the big prizes, including breakfast with Martin, and a pair of tickets to the Season 5 GOT premiere, have already been snatched up and more than $330,000 has been raised, smaller prizes – like a T-shirt, thank-you video and a handwritten note from Martin, are still available.
In addition, anyone who donates to the campaign will be entered into a drawing for a helicopter ride with Martin to the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary. On the contest website, Martin says wolves are near and dear to him.
I’ve always been fond of wolves … direwolves in Westeros, and real wolves in the real world. U.S. wolf populations hit critical lows during the 20th century, and finding a way for humans to co-exist with these majestic creatures is an important part of the conservation movement.
When will the top winners see their characters? Today offers this warning: “Martin is something of a slow writer — so it may take a while before the winners are given their rightful place in the history books.”
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