Look, let's be honest, the 'Riddles' in Game of Thrones: Kingsroad were previously little more than mild distractions involving markers and notes, offering barely any meaningful ties to the original lore. However, things have taken a delightfully dark turn in the new 'Casterly Rock' region. This time, the Riddle drags you into the ghosts of the past, letting you peer directly into the hidden narrative of key canon figure Tyrion Lannister (hereafter Tyrion), ramping up the immersion quite brilliantly.

Complete the sub-quest to kick off the Riddle

To dive into the Casterly Rock Riddle, you first need to wrap up the sub-quest 'Savior'. Once that tick is marked off, Riddle icons will generously splatter across your map, and visiting the area gets the ball rolling naturally.

Unlike previous Riddles, there is no tedious deduction work required here. Just follow the NPC chit-chat and map markers, and focus on soaking in the hidden tale. We have tucked away a tidy summary of the original lore at the bottom of the article for your viewing pleasure. Fair warning, though: there are spoilers ahead, so if you'd rather skip the crying, just follow the path below to claim your rewards.

Spoilers: Who on earth is Tysha?

As you puzzle your way through the Casterly Rock Riddle, you will stumble upon a tragic name: 'Tysha'. In the original novels, Tysha pops up in Tyrion's nostalgic flashbacks as a former wife, eventually serving as the absolute catalyst for Tyrion murdering his father, Tywin Lannister (hereafter Tywin). That said, the television adaptation brutally trimmed her screen time, reducing her presence to practically nothing.

Let's dig into the details.Back when Tyrion and Jaime Lannister (hereafter Jaime) were mere lads, the brothers stumbled across a young maiden being harassed by outlaws while traveling. While big brother Jaime chased off the scoundrels, Tyrion tenderly comforted the terrified girl. That girl was none other than Tysha.

Tyrion and Tysha fell head over heels in love in a flash, bribing a sloshed septon to tie the knot in secret. They carved out a cozy new nest in a small cottage overlooking the sea, basking in blissful newlywed life. But of course, the patriarch Tywin caught wind of it, and tragedy came knocking.

Refusing to stomach his own blood marrying a lowly commoner, Tywin twisted Jaime's arm. In the end, Jaime fed Tyrion a devastating lie: that Tysha was merely a hired whore meant for Tyrion's first rodeo, and the whole outlaw ambush was a staged sham. Tywin then unleashed the family guards to carry out unspeakable horrors. Because of this grim incident, Tysha vanished into the ether, utterly forgotten by history.

The sorrowful finale of the tale

Though her name was swept under the rug by history, Tysha remained an everlasting scar on Tyrion's psyche. Even as he wriggled in agony over feeling betrayed, he could never shake those fleeting memories of genuine happiness. Later, when he was slung into the black cells framed for Joffrey Baratheon's murder, Jaime dropped the earth-shattering truth straight into his lap.

Tysha was no hooker; she was a woman who genuinely adored Tyrion. The only reason Jaime lied back then was because he swallowed Tywin's slimy rhetoric that 'a commoner only approached for family wealth, making her no better than a prostitute.' Confronted with this brutal reality, Tyrion lashed out, punching Jaime square in the jaw and unleashing a torrent of furious abuse. In the game, you receive Tysha's pendant from Varys, though it remains delightfully ambiguous whether this scene occurs before or after that truth bomb.

Having successfully busted out of prison, Tyrion hunted down his father to demand answers about Tysha's whereabouts. But Tywin just kept right on mocking him to the bitter end, ultimately paying for his insolence with a crossbow bolt courtesy of a thoroughly enraged Tyrion.

Now, the other unfortunate soul snuffed out in that bedchamber is none other than 'Shae'. In the novels, Shae is a mercenary through and through, conspiring with Tywin and Cersei Lannister strictly for cold hard cash. On the flip side, the TV show painted her as a much more complex character who genuinely loved Tyrion before a cocktail of jealousy and betrayal soured things. Many fans reckon this shift means Tysha's traits were partially blended into the show's version of Shae.