海角大神

The number of characters that die in the 鈥淪ong of Ice and Fire鈥� series by George R.R. Martin is both a continuing source of angst for 鈥淕ame of Thrones鈥� fans and almost a running cultural joke at this point.

So when Martin offered the chance to two lucky fans to have a character named after them in the 鈥淔ire鈥� series and have those characters die in the books, many 鈥淔ire鈥� devotees jumped at the chance.

According to Prizeo, the website that runs the contest, Martin鈥檚 offer to name the characters after two people who paid $20,000 to charity (the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary and The Food Depot of Santa Fe, N.M. are Martin's charities of choice) was one of the top prizes in Martin鈥檚 contest (in a category named 鈥淢artyr鈥�). Contestants can also qualify to be a 鈥渓ord of Winterfell鈥� and receive a signed map of 鈥淔ire鈥� locale Westeros by donating $500 or be a 鈥渉and at the table鈥� and have breakfast with Martin by donating $15,000. (While the opportunity to be killed off in the 鈥淔ire鈥� series is gone, many other offers are still available.)

In addition, those who donate qualify for the chance to have dinner with Martin and take a helicopter ride to the Wolf Sanctuary.

As for that opportunity to have your alter ego killed in the 鈥淔ire鈥� books, the description on the contest site reads, 鈥淭here is one male character and one female character available. You can choose your character's station in the world (lordling, knight, peasant, whore, lady, maester, septon, anything) and you will certainly meet a grisly death!鈥�

The offer to die in the 鈥淭hrones鈥� series was taken up within hours, according to the Hollywood Reporter, and so far the campaign as a whole has raised more than $350,000.聽

鈥淭he outpouring of love and support has been far greater than I could ever anticipate, and has left me astonished and at a loss for words,鈥� Martin said of the funds raised in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter.

Eight people are currently on the waiting list for the offer to be killed off in the 鈥淔ire鈥� books.

In addition, Martin insists that those who picture him gleefully contemplating which characters will meet their end next are misinformed.

鈥淒espite my sinister repute, I actually find it hard to kill off characters that I've been writing about for some time. Good guys or bad guys, they're all my children," he told the Hollywood Reporter. "But this time the slaughter should be easy, since the victims will be laying down their lives in a聽good聽cause. I will do my best to make their ends memorable.鈥�