Game of Thrones: George RR Martin to kill off Facebook employee in 'grisly' book death

Martin will name two new characters after fans who bid in a charity auction

A Song of Ice and Fire author George RR Martin

George RR Martin will be killing off a Facebook employee in his next A Song of Ice and Fire book after Dave Goldblatt bid $20,000 for the privilege.

The Game of Thrones mastermind had offered fans the chance to join the ever-growing cohert of axed characters by setting up an online charity auction.

The two people who forked out the most for the opportunity will see a character named after them “meet a grisly death” in The Winds of Winter.

Part of the prize means the fans can choose their status in the world of Westeros – “lording, knight, peasant, whore, lady, maester, septon, anything”.

The prices were taken within hours of the announcement a few weeks ago and eight people are on a waiting list. Goldblatt decided to part with his money after just ten minutes.

“I’m fortunate enough to be in a position to do this cool thing and it’s going toward a good cause. I don’t think I’m doing anything extrordinary,” Goldblatt told the Hollywood Reporter.

“I want to be a Valyrian if at all possible, but he figures it out himself. I wouldn’t want to impinge upon his creative process.”

Martin has spoken about his reputation for imagining violent deaths, insisting that he actually finds it hard to kill off characters he has come to know.

“Good guys or bad guys, they’re all my children,” he said. “But this time the slaughter should be easy since the victims will be laying down their lives in a good cause. I will do my best to make their ends memorable.”

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Funds raised by the campaign (more than $350,000) will go towards a New Mexico food bank and a wolf sanctuary.

For followers of the series without thousands of pounds to give, any donator offering over £10 will be entered into a draw to meet Martin in Sante Fé, before being taking on a helicopter ride with him to the wolf sanctuary for a guided tour.