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Table of Contents:

The Queen's Invitation

History & Lore

Houses & Regions

Laws of the Realm & Characters

The White Book & Current Events


A Song of Ice and Fire divergence roleplay, GMed by @Jorick and @Pahn
 
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Three hundred and eleven years have passed since Aegon the Conquerer took control over Westeros, and to this day it is still a land torn asunder by war and strife. This would come as no surprise to anyone surely, but maesters and other wise old men claim this to be the most violent and chaotic period in living memory. A long and brutal winter was not enough to calm the flames in the hearts of men, and spring came and passed with conflict building on all sides. Ravens flew forth from the Citadel less than a month ago to declare the start of what is hoped to be a long summer, though the only certain thing is that it will be a bloody one.

Roslyn Martell, the last legitimate scion of the Martell line, sits on the Iron Throne. The misleadingly named Bloodless Coup of 211 AC saw the Martells oust the Targaryens from rulership by simple declaration of the king that he was in fact a Martell rather than a Targaryen, despite his father having been a Targaryen. A conflict followed, but the Martells prevailed and retained the throne. Now, however, after many generations of tragedy, the Martell line is all but extinguished. Most recently, in 308 AC, House Yronwood rose in rebellion against the Martell rule of Dorne and slaughtered the last few living Martells, aside from Queen Roslyn, thus sparking a civil war for control of Dorne that still rages to this day.

The Tyrells of the Reach and the Baratheons of the Stormlands have found themselves recently tasked with quelling this civil war. Queen Roslyn Martell sent them missives, along with their invitations to her 90th nameday feast, ordering them to bring Dorne to peace however they see fit, after the Martell-aligned faction was beaten bloody by other factions striving for control of Dorne. Whether they support the Martell loyalists, work with another faction, or attempt to take control for themselves will most certainly change the shape of the war in drastic ways, especially if they find themselves at odds with one another.

In 297 AC, the Greyjoys led the Iron Islands on what was meant to be a grand campaign to regain their lost glory. They were crushed by the combined might of the Riverlands, the Reach, and the Westerlands. The Lannisters of the Westerlands, however, went further than simply stopping the uprising: they conquered the Iron Islands and forced their lords to swear fealty to their house for all generations to come. Many Ironborn lords resisted, but they were executed until lines were extinguished or the conquering Lannisters found one who would bend the knee to save their life. The Iron Islands have been simmering on the cusp of open rebellion for years, but with their warships mostly destroyed or stolen by the Lannisters and garrisons of Westerlands soldiers placed on their islands they sought other means to acquire their freedom. A messenger was dispatched in secret to bring the plea for aid to House Tully of the Riverlands, promising everlasting allegiance and friendship for their aid in the war to come. The fate of the Iron Islands rests in the hands of the lords of the Westerlands and the Riverlands, though doubtless the Ironborn will resist and fight no matter what aid they can find or odds they face.

The Targaryens of the Crownlands, based in their ancestral home of Dragonstone, have not been quiet over the years since the Bloodless Coup. There have been many attempts to reclaim the throne, but all have been met with failure. In recent years there have been whispers of another such conspiracy building, and those rumors have grown only stronger in the last few years since the Martell line was cut short leaving an old woman on the throne. Those rumors are strongest in the Crownlands, but in the last five years they have built in the Vale as well. House Arryn has heard many tales of secret meetings in various houses of the Vale, and perhaps some members of that esteemed house have been approached themselves. Only a fool would openly declare contact with would-be rebels for fear of being counted among their ranks, but it seems certain that there is a plot building in the Crownlands and the Vale that seeks to place a Targaryen on the throne one way or another. Only a fool would expect such a plot to end without blood, but perhaps a little bloodletting and a change of leadership is exactly what Westeros needs in these uncertain times.

That uncertainty is felt all throughout the realm, but the Starks of the North feel it perhaps moreso than any others. The recent winter hit them hard, as all savage winters do, but they have greater concerns as well. Rumors abound in the North regarding a possible war breaking out in the Iron Islands, and whispers of a Targaryen uprising to come have started spreading recently as well. The lords of the North have plenty to worry about, but none more so than the Starks. The Hand of the Queen is a Stark, and as such they have a very direct link to the potential succession crisis to come. Roslyn Martell is an old woman and has not yet named an heir, and should she die then a great burden will fall on the shoulders of the Hand to help determine the succession. With so many potential claimaints to the throne sure to come out of the woodwork if the worst should come to pass, it would certainly be a bloody and dangerous affair to say the least.

However, there is hope on the horizon. Queen Roslyn Martell had ravens sent to all the houses of Westeros, inviting the lords and ladies to come to King's Landing to celebrate her 90th nameday and a century of Martell rulership of Westeros. She has not been a particularly well-loved ruler in her 18 years on the throne, for she is known to play favorites rather than ruling with an even hand, and it's quite easy to rise her ire and get on her bad side, but all houses are expected to at least send a representative lest they earn her anger for not attending. There is however some further incentive for attendance: the Queen announced in her invitations that she will be naming her heir at the grand feast on the night of her nameday, to which only powerful and influential people of Westeros received a special invitation. The named heir might bring stability to Westeros, or they might divide it further and assure a descent into madness and violence for many years to come. The future of Westeros depends on this decision, and as such there are many who would like to influence it... or prevent the decision from being made at all.

Wars, schemes, and conspiracies abound, only the devious and ruthless will survive. This summer is not a time for the noble stags, the powerful dragons, the proud lions, the loyal wolves, the krakens or the fish or the flowers or any other symbol of hope and strength. None of them possess what it takes to survive in these dangerous times. Those lords and ladies who wish to prevail must follow the ways of a more sinister creature if they hope to live through the summer, for cunning and venom will win where bravery and strength will fall. This is A Season for Snakes, and all must beware the dangers lurking in the shadows if they hope to win the game of thrones.



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My Lord/Lay,
You are cordially invited to attend the 90th nameday festivities for Queen Roslyn Martell the First of Her Name, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lady Protector of the Realm, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and to celebrate 100 years of Martell rule of Westeros. You are also invited to attend the nameday feast on the eve of the Queen's nameday. An heir to the throne shall be named at the feast to set the succession worries to rest.
All are expected to attend. Courteous regards,
Grand Maester Harwyn



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129-131 AC ~ The Dance of the Dragons. A massive succession war occurs that drastically changes the political landscape of Westeros. It comes to the same conclusion as the canon Dance of the Dragons, with Aegon III Targaryen (son of Rhaenyra Targaryen) taking the throne and marrying Jaehaera Targaryen (daughter of Aegon II Targaryen, Rhaenyra's rival for the throne) to unite the warring factions of the house, although she died before it could be consummated. Houses Baratheon and Lannister supported the losing side of the war. Houses Arryn, Greyjoy, and Stark supported the winning side. House Tyrell had an infant lord and the house's regent chose to remain neutral, but their primary vassal houses fought on opposing sides. Dorne, not being under the rule of the Iron Throne, took no part in the war.

141-145 ~ The Reach and Stormlands go to war with Dorne. Following the Dance of the Dragons, House Baratheon sought ways to rebuild their pride and eventually turned toward fighting their longtime enemies: the Dornish. House Tyrell was faced with great conflict in the Reach due to their bannermen seeing each other as enemies, so they attempt to unify themselves against a common enemy: the Dornish. Dorne struggles to hold off their battle-tested enemies and attempts diplomacy with both to no avail. House Martell sends an envoy to King Aegon III in 143 AC asking him to call the Baratheons and Tyrells to heel, but the king refuses to aid a foreign nation at the cost of his kingdom's stability. By 144 AC many castles of Dorne are taken or under seige by their northern enemies, and House Martell takes a drastic step: they send another envoy to King Aegon III proposing an alliance via marriages that would bring Dorne under his rule to unite the kingdoms of Westeros. The king agrees and becomes betrothed to Princess Perla Martell, thus extending his protection to Dorne and forcing the Reach and the Stormlands to cease their hostilities.

145-151 ~ Unification of Houses Targaryen and Martell. Aegon III marries Princess Perla Martell near the end of the year 145 AC. Every major house is invited to celebrate the unification of the seven kingdoms and to pledge fealty to their king and queen. The line of succession is secured for the following years by the production of many offspring. Over the following years many more Martell-Targaryen marriages are arranged, plus a few other marriages between Martells and powerful houses of Westeros to firmly tie Dorne to the rest of the continent.

153 ~ The last dragon dies, leaving the once fearsome House Targaryen with only some eggs that they fail to hatch.

159 ~ King Aegon III Targaryen dies. King Viserys II Targaryen, son of Aegon III and Perla Martell, takes the throne at the age of 19. By this time the Martell influence in King's Landing has already grown dramatically, with Martells claiming 2 seats of King Viserys II's Small Council.

161-163 ~ The Black Winter. Though relatively short, this two year long winter sees vast death spread throughout Westeros. Starvation in the North and a mysterious and highly fatal illness in the warmer southern regions claim lives estimated to number in the hundreds of thousands. King Viserys II's wife, a daughter of House Lannister, died of the illness without producing children. He remarries to Laenys Targaryen.

168-172 ~ The War for Harrenhal. House Lothston of Harrenhal grows angry with House Tully after years of slights against them. They declare their vows to the Tullys null and void and swear fealty to House Lannister. Although King Viserys II says Harrenhal remains under the rule of the Lord Paramount of the Riverlands, House Lannister chooses to fight for it nonetheless. The youngest son of House Greyjoy joins the fray with a band of young and restless Ironborn at his back, aiming to take Harrenhal for himself and reclaim the glory of the Ironborn empire of old. Eventually the war ends when House Tully convinces Lord Arryn to raise the Vale to their aid, driving off the Lannisters and Greyjoys both and bringing House Lothston to heel. Lord Lothston refuses to go to the Wall and is executed for treason, and his son swears loyalty to House Tully to end the bloodshed.

177 ~ The Year of Three Kings. King Viserys II dies by choking on his food, though poison is suspected. His son, King Daemon Targaryen, is crowned and dies within a month in a jousting accident. His younger brother, King Mors Targaryen, is crowned and lives through the end of the year after being coddled and protected by worried family and advisors. He reigns over an era of peace and prosperity until dying in 184 AC by choking on his food, much the same as his father, though upon a maester's discovery of a pheasant bone lodged in his throat the questions of poison are quickly put to rest.

184 ~ Queen Rhaenys Targaryen takes the throne. King Mors had four children who survived to adulthood; Rhaenys, his only daughter, was his oldest child. He named her his heir following Dornish traditions of not passing over daughters in matters of succession. Many lords of Westeros objected to this, but the memory of the Dance of the Dragons, which had been fought over a woman being named heir to the Iron Throne, remained strong enough across the land to avert similar horrors. Queen Rhaenys ruled well for three years before dying in her sleep by unknown causes.

187 ~ King Nymor Targaryen, Queen Rhaenys's younger brother, takes the throne. He marries his cousin, Elia Martell, and causes some minor controversy and talks of incest. They are quickly quelled by the fact that the Targaryen dynasty has married cousins and siblings across the whole of their rein, thus the mere fact that this cousin has the name Martell rather than Targaryen is not of great concern.

192 ~ King Nymor exiles his brothers to the Wall for treason. A plot to murder the King was revealed by the Master of Whispers on his Small Council, which of course infuriated the king, but he chose exile over execution. His Targaryen relatives attempt to change his mind and reconcile the differences between the brothers to keep them in King's Landing, but they are unsuccessful and earn his ire, though he does not declare anyone else traitors to be sent to the Wall; instead they are simply banished to Dragonstone and warned that to return to King's Landing would earn them a trip to the headsman's block. His Martell relatives support his decisions and are brought in as advisors and to fill Small Council seats left vacant by the ousting of the Targaryens. Many raise concerns about the shifting balance of power, but none manage to fight against that tide as Martell influence grows year by year.

211-212 ~ The Bloodless Coup and The Isolated War. King Nymor dies and his son, Ronal, takes the throne. King Ronal of the Targaryen and Martell lines declares himself to be a Martell despite his father's Targaryen name, effectively transferring the power of the throne to the Martell side of his family without any bloodshed. However, the Targaryens refuse to accept this and rise up in arms to fight for the Iron Throne. Very few houses join in on the war due to the confusion raised by the issue and the fact that none could dispute the legitimacy of King Ronal's claim to the throne. The Isolated War concludes with the Martells defeating the Targaryens; rather than executing the captured traitors, King Ronal shows mercy and has them sent back to Dragonstone. Lords from around Westeros are invited to King's Landing to swear fealty to King Ronal Martell, and after it is done the Martell hold on the throne is seen as fully legitimized by most Westerosi people.

214-217 ~ The First Targaryen Rebellion. After spending a couple years gathering support in secret, the lord of House Targaryen declares himself King Aegon IV Targaryen and goes to war with King Ronal Martell. The war causes extensive damage to the Crownlands and sees King's Landing put under siege for three months, until the call for aid from House Greyjoy at the start of the siege bears fruit with the Iron Fleet finally arriving to destroy the naval blockade and sweep the ground forces away with the aid of a cavalry charge from soldiers of the Reach under the Tyrell banner. King Aegon IV dies on the battlefield. Lord Goren Greyjoy is named Hand of the King, his son is named Master of Ships, and sons of House Tyrell take the seats of Master of Coin and Master of Laws on the Small Council.

220 ~ The Martell-Greyjoy-Tyrell alliance is shattered by scandal. Lord Goren Greyjoy's wife is discovered in bed with King Ronal Martell, and shortly thereafter the Tyrell Master of Coins is discovered to be stealing vast quantities of gold from the royal coffers. Lord Greyjoy takes his son and wife and leaves King's Landing, and it is rumored that her death at sea came by his hands. Lord Tyrell manages to convince King Ronal to send his son to the Wall rather than executing him, and his other son vacates his Small Council seat to return to Highgarden.

221 ~ A King-Beyond-The-Wall rises to power. The wildling man who calls himself Wolgar Firebrand begins to unify the wildlings, starting an era of greatly increased raids and stoking fears of a full on invasion.

222-223 ~ The Second Targaryen Rebellion. Lord Goren Greyjoy sails the Iron Fleet to King's Landing five years after he saved it from the last rebellion, but this time to join forces with the Targaryens and besiege the city. King Aegon IV's son declares himself King Maelor Targaryen. Early in 223 AC the besiegers gain access to the city due to betrayal from inside: starving residents murder guards on one of the gates to let the Targaryen forces in with the hopes that this will end the conflict without much more death. The city is razed and thousands die. King Ronal Martell leads a valiant attempt to close and defend the gate, but he is slain in single combat by Lord Goren Greyjoy and the mission is unsuccessful. The Red Keep is put under siege, but shortly thereafter loyalist forces arrive to decimate the Greyjoy and Targaryen forces; King Maelor escapes, Lord Goren Greyjoy dies in the fight, and his son Torwyn who was once Master of Ships is sent to the Wall. Houses Arryn, Tully, and Lannister had rallied their bannermen to aid their king, and many houses of Dorne joined in the effort as well, though the North was too occupied with their wildling troubles to send any aid. The war ends with King Doran Martell, Ronal's eldest son, on the Iron Throne with many strong allies to ward off further attempts to rebel, although without the Greyjoys and Tyrells on their side they lack the naval force to storm Dragonstone and execute the rebel king.

229-234 ~ The King-Beyond-The-Wall leads his people to invade the North by way of ships sailed out around the island of Skagos to avoid being spotted by the Night's Watch. Torwyn Greyjoy, who had disappeared on his first ranging north of the Wall, is found to be the mastermind of the invasion by way of leading the wildlings in building large ships and teaching them to sail. The North rises to oppose the wildlings, but it is a long and bloody battle. Lord Eyron Stark finally manages to lead the Northern forces to surround the enemy in the Lonely Hills in 234 AC. None are left alive, and Lord Eyron personally beheads Wolgar Firebrand and Torwyn Greyjoy for their crimes against his land.

257 ~ King Doran Martell, known as Doran the Benevolent, dies of natural causes. After the end of the second Targaryen rebellion and the destruction of the wildling invasion in the North, he managed to use deft political maneuvering to keep peace in the realm for over twenty years. His crowning moment was a meeting with Maelor Targaryen, whom he convinced to discard notions of kingship and rebellion and reclaiming the throne. Maelor served as Hand of the King from 240 AC until his death in 251 AC and was known as the closest friend of King Doran the Benevolent. Doran is succeeded by his daughter, Queen Roslyn Martell, who was 36 years old upon taking the throne.

260 ~ The great era of peace is shattered by the new Queen. Queen Roslyn earns the negative appellation "the Bitter" after spending the first few years on the throne lashing out against any who displeased her. House Lannister was the first to feel her ire with excessive taxes were levied upon them for daring to dispute a lesser tax hike she'd put in place. A complicated dispute over fishing rights in Blackwater Bay between House Targaryen and House Velaryon was ended in brutal fashion when she had the lords of both houses executed; their heads were sent back to their families with notes telling them not to bother the crown with petty disputes. House Arryn requested aid from the crown to deal with a surge of activity from the hill tribes, but they were refused because they had declined to send an Arryn to her coronation due to their lord being stricken with a grave illness and instead sent Lord Royce in their stead. In 260 AC the Grand Maester declares an end to the era of peace that King Doran had reigned over; he is sent back to the Citadel bound in his own chains with a messenger to tell the maesters to select someone less foolish to fill the position.

266 ~ The Pitiful Targaryen Rebellion. Jaecarys Targaryen, the youngest son of the lord of the house, rises in rebellion against the crown. He has a grand total of seven allies, all younger sons of noble houses of the Crownlands. Despite these pitiful numbers, or perhaps because of them, they come disturbingly close to killing Queen Roslyn Martell. They go to King's Landing under the guise of having a gift for the Queen, but when they are granted an audience they reveal a box full of weapons and use them to attack the Queen and her guards. Two members of the Kingsguard and one of the Queen's handmaidens, a daughter of House Stark, are killed before the eight are put down by the other members of the Kingsguard and some lords in the throne room who drew their swords to help in the fight.

267 ~ The Bloodpit. After the attempted regicide, Queen Roslyn Martell prepares retaliation in her own vindictive way. A special fighting pit is prepared in the decrepit Dragonpit, and the lords of those eight houses whose sons had risen against her are ordered to come to King's Landing to renew their pledges of fealty. After all are present in the Red Keep, they are seized by armed men in the night and dragged by force to the Dragonpit. Queen Roslyn has them thrown into the pit in pairs and given swords and orders them to fight to the death after telling them all that only one will live through the night. In the end, the lords of Houses Velaryon, Darklyn, Stokeworth, Massey, Hayford, Farring, and Pyne lay dead in the now aptly named Bloodpit. Lord Aerion Targaryen is the victor of the vicious event and is told to spread the word of what comes to those who dare fight against the Queen.

268 ~ The Poison Spring. Three assassination attempts are made against Queen Roslyn Martell. Her food taster dies by poison a few months after the events of the Bloodpit. Two months later a man is discovered scaling the wall outside her bedroom in the middle of the night. He consumes an unknown poison before being restrained and dies before he can be questioned. Four and a half months later, a crossbow bolt fired from a man attending a public audience in the Red Keep strikes the Queen in the left arm. The man is captured and tortured but does not give up the name of whoever hired him before perishing from the questioning methods.

269-276 ~ The Third Targaryen Rebellion. Queen Roslyn declares war on House Targaryen and calls all banners to aid her. In retaliation, the lord who lived through her sadistic Bloodpit declares himself King Aerion Targaryen and calls for all those who oppose the evils of the Queen to join him in removing her from the throne. The realm is split just as badly as it was in the Dance of the Dragons. Houses Arryn, Lannister, Greyjoy, and Tyrell join with the Targaryen rebels; Houses Stark, Tully, and Baratheon fight with the Martells; bannermen large and small of each of these great houses end up choosing the opposing side and starting fights far from King's Landing. House Yronwood declares for the Targaryens and with the help of the Tyrells manage to keep the loyalist Dornish forces mostly occupied and unable to come to their Queen's aid; many members of House Martell die on this front of the war. House Baratheon and Tully manage to get the bulk of their forces to King's Landing in time to defend it from the vast naval assault the rebels launch in 270 AC, but the fighting is horrendously bloody on both sides. House Stark and their allies remain largely occupied with dealing with the Boltons and their allies who declare for the rebels. The loyalists are on the decline until the Harrenhal Massacre in 273 AC; House Lothston had declared support for the rebels and they were invited to use the vast castle of Harrenhal as a base of operations, but for reasons never known to the public Lord Lothston turns on the rebels and has thousands of them slain in the night after a racous party during which ale was said to flow as heavily as the Blackwater Rush. The Harrenhal Massacre claims the lives of the lords of Houses Lannister and Greyjoy, as well as many of the lords of lesser houses aligned with them, and throws the rebellion into chaos. The war rages on regardless, with many segments becoming mostly separated from the war over the Iron Throne. The rebellion comes to a finish at the Battle of Brindlewood in 276 AC, when the Tully army marches on the village of Brindlewood chasing rumors of caches of rebel armaments and finds themselves horribly outnumbered by the gathered bulk of all the rebel houses due to faulty scouting reports. The Tully force is the largest remaining of the southern houses, what with those of the rebels being greatly reduced by fighting and the Baratheon army having been ruined by the spread of illness in the year prior, and its destruction would likely mean the end of the hopes of the loyalists. Unbeknownst to either the Tully or rebel forces, however, the Stark army bears down from the north and comes upon Brindlewood two hours after the battle begins and turns a lost battle for the Tully side into a resounding victory. Ravens announcing their march had not made it to Riverrun or King's Landing, but after putting down the Bolton forces in the North the Starks had gathered their forces and marched posthaste southward. Their arrival spells the end of the rebellion with the death of King Aerion Targaryen, many of his kin, a handful of Arryns, and many important persons of lesser houses on the rebel side. For his valiant efforts, Lord Stark is named Hand of the Queen after his victorious arrival in King's Landing. Since then all Hands to Queen Roslyn have been Starks without exception.

277 ~ Queen Roslyn Martell pushes for peace after the war. Lords and ladies of the rebellious houses are forced to come to King's Landing to swear fealty to the Queen. Those who refuse are summarily executed as traitors. Eventually all houses swear fealty and bring a peace of sorts back to Westeros.

279-294 ~ The Fifteen Years War. Although some remnant conflicts of the last Targaryen rebellion still flare up around Westeros, Queen Roslyn Martell turns her ire elsewhere for a long while by engaging in a trade war with the Free Cities, especially Tyrosh and Pentos for daring to raise their prices on some of her favorite luxury goods to what she considered exorbitant rates. It is mostly a war of money, though some naval battles occur now and then, but the Queen engages in it with no less ruthlessness than traditional wars. In the end, the Iron Bank of Braavos mediates between the Queen and the Free Cities to establish favorable terms for continued trade to cease the disruption of profits all around.

288-289 ~ The Green Plague. A great sickness sweeps through Westeros, named the Green Plague for the vibrant pus that oozes from sores on the bodies of the infected. King's Landing is hit particularly hard, and many in the Red Keep die, including most of the Martells living there. Queen Roslyn catches the illness but survives.

295 ~ The Endless Winter begins. The longest winter in living memory, so claimed by maesters and old men around Westeros, grips the land in its icy jaws. The North suffers the most, but even Dorne feels its chill grip. Queen Roslyn Martell is forced to take out a loan with the Iron Bank in 300 AC to purchase food from Essos to help keep her people fed, and the loans continue to pile up over the years as the winter continues unabated.

297 ~ The Greyjoy Uprising. House Greyjoy, determined to reclaim their old glory, rouses the Ironborn to war. They scour the western coast for a while, but when they attempt to assail Lannisport they are beaten soundly and sent scurrying back to their islands. The Lannisters do not simply leave it at that, however. They rally allies from the Reach and Riverlands and go on the attack with their ships laden with fighting men, and after a short but bloody campaign across the Iron Islands they are in control of them all. The Lannisters force the lords of the Iron Islands to swear fealty to their house forevermore or die; many choose to die, but eventually oaths are secured. When Queen Roslyn learns of this, she sends Lord Lannister a simple message to express her sentiments: "You did a fine job on the Iron Islands. By decree of the Queen, the Iron Islands are now under the auspices of the Warden of the West. Do be sure to keep their raiding ways in check." The Iron Islands have been considered an official territory of the Westerlands since then, though it has of course not been a pleasant or friendly arrangement.

306 ~ Another Targaryen rebellion is rumored to be in the works. Whispers begin to build in the Crownlands and Vale that another Targaryen rebellion is being formed in the shadows. None are foolish enough to openly speak of such things, but the whispers say lords and ladies of houses great and small in these regions have been sounded out or approached to gauge their interest in such a plot. None can say whether the rumors are true, they grow more and more prevalant as years pass, especially after the Martells are slain in 308 AC and leave Queen Roslyn without an heir.

308 ~ The Dornish Civil War beings. After the last Targaryen rebellion and the plague that claimed many Martell lives two decades prior, House Martell is a house on the verge of extinction. House Yronwood, the longtime rivals of Martell, decide to hurry this process along. They lead a night raid on the Sunspear and slaughter all Martells and Martell bastards within, leaving Queen Roslyn as the last living legitimate Martell. This begins a civil war between Martell loyalists and the Yronwood faction, though soon Houses Dayne and Manwoody break off from those sides and declare themselves the rightful rulers of Dorne now that House Martell is all but dead. The Queen sends support to the Martell loyalist faction, but once they begin to falter and fail in 311 AC she sends separate orders to houses Tyrell and Baratheon to quell the fighting in Dorne however they see fit.

310 ~ The Ironborn prepare to rebel against their Lannister overlords. There have been many smaller fights between various groups and the Westerlands soldiers garrisoned on their islands, but after their defeat in 297 AC their warships were destroyed or taken away and left them bereft of their greatest advantage in war. A few messengers are sent to House Tully by a few houses of the Iron Islands, for the message is too dire to trust to paper, but only the messenger from House Harlaw arrives. He lays a plea before House Tully for aid in breaking free of the Lannisters, promising eternal friendship and a portion of all the future wealth collected by the Ironborn lords should they choose to help. Whether or not House Tully chooses to aid the Ironborn, a war looms on the horizon for the Iron Islands.

310 ~ The Endless Winter ends. The grueling season proves itself to be poorly named by ending, although the common folk continue to call it endless all the same.

311 ~ Current year. All lords great and small are invited to attend the festivities for Queen Roslyn Martell's 90th nameday and to celebrate 100 years of Martell rule of Westeros. Important persons of the land are invited to attend the Queen's feast on the eve of her nameday, during which she is set to announce her chosen heir. The messages for Houses Tyrell and Baratheon also come with a directive to bring order to Dorne, but they make it quite clear that attending the events in King's Landing are of a greater priority. All houses worth naming are expected to attend, both to avoid the ire of the Queen and to take advantage of the opportunities such an event are sure to present, making for perhaps the greatest ever gathering of noble blood in the history of Westeros.
 
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NOTE: The below post is very large, and it also in large part optional reading. Please be sure to read the information for any region you choose to play, but reading everything for the other regions is not 100% necessary. It's a lot of words and it's mostly old historical info and some more tidbits about things already on the timeline, so not reading it all won't be the end of the world. Also, do note that you can absolutely play someone from a house not listed in this post: they were chosen to highlight some of the major houses of each region, not to act as a list that you must choose from.


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The Crownlands is the region surrounding King's Landing. In times past, when Targaryens held the Iron Throne, the King was treated much like the lord of Great Houses of other regions, thus being both king of Westeros as a whole and arbiter of disputes between lesser lords of the region. In current times, the Lord of House Targaryen claims the title Lord Paramount of the Crownlands, taking on those duties of a Great House rather than leaving them for the crown to handle. The Crownlands have been mostly peaceful in recent years, although whispers of insurrection grow stronger and stronger by the day. It is uncertain if the head of House Targaryen is part of this potential plot or if it is something stirred by others without their consent, and it is wholly unknown which other houses may be part of the scheming.

House Targaryen - House Targaryen claims the title of Lord Paramount of the Crownlands and possess two ancestral weapons: Blackfyre, a Valyrian steel hand-and-a-half sword, and Dark Sister, a Valyrian steel longsword. They were once the rulers of Westeros, but a century ago their claim to the throne was stolen out from under them by the Martells. Many Targaryens find this an unbearable offence to their noble line, and some in the past have tried to fight to reclaim the throne, but others have made peace with their current standing in the world. Their banner is a red three-headed dragon on black, they reside on the island of Dragonstone in Blackwater Bay, and their house words are 'Fire and Blood.'

House Velaryon - House Velaryon is a respected house from the blood of Old Valyria, just like the Targaryens. Their lord takes the titles of Lord of the Tides and Master of Driftmark. They have long been allies of House Targaryen, but they have not always risen to join rebellions in their name. During the Third Targaryen Rebellion they lacked a strong leader due to the recent death of their lord in the Bloodpit, and they chose to remain holed up on their island rather than joining that war. Their banner is a silver seahorse on sea green, they reside on the island of Driftmark in Blackwater Bay, and their house words are 'the Old, the True, the Brave.'

Other Houses of The Crownlands - Other important houses in the region include House Rosby of Rosby, House Darklyn of Duskendale, and House Stokeworth of Stokeworth.



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The North is the largest region of Westeros, making up everything from the Neck up to the Wall. Their relative isolation leads the region to be somewhat more autonomous than others that are nearer to the ruler's seat of King's Landing, but House Stark and others who take their oaths seriously tend to keep faith with the Iron Throne nonetheless. Their distance and separation from other regions has kept Northern houses mostly free of political machinations in the past, but House Stark's triumphant presence in the Third Targaryen Rebellion and the subsequent presence of a Stark as Hand of the Queen ever since have forced them to learn to deal with such political games. Some Northern lords are concerned with the situation in the Iron Islands, and others have heard whispers of rebellion from friends in the Vale and Crownlands, but only time will tell what they choose to do about it.

House Stark - House Stark claims the titles of both Lords Paramount of the North and Warden of the North, and over the last 35 years only Starks have served as Hand of the Queen. While they are descended from the First Men and their ancestors were once known as the Kings of Winter, they have bent the knee to the Iron Throne ever since the days of Aegon the Conquerer. There is always some talk here and there of going back to the old days of independence now that there are no longer dragons to worry about, but House Stark has stood by their oaths without wavering, most recently so in the Third Targaryen Rebellion. Their banner is a grey direwolf on ice-white, they reside in the castle of Winterfell, and their house words are 'Winter is Coming,' and their ancestral weapon is the Valyrian steel greatsword named Ice.

House Bolton - House Bolton has been a rival of the Starks ever since the Age of Heroes, when the Bolton Red Kings clashed with the Kings of Winter. The Boltons have a long history of cruelty and violence, though it is impossible to say from one generation to the next whether this reputation holds true or the Lord Bolton simply plays upon it to command fear and respect from his subordinates. Most recently they declared for the Targaryens in the Third Targaryen Rebellion, and while they and their allies kept the Stark loyalists busy for many years they were eventually defeated in battle and later forced to reswear fealty to Queen Roslyn Martell. Their banner is a red flayed man on pink strewn with red drops, they reside in the Dreadfort, and their house words are 'Our Blades are Sharp.'

House Manderly - House Manderly is one of the most powerful houses of the North, and certainly the most wealthy thanks to their control of the only true city and the only good port in the region. Many years ago they resided in the Reach, but they were exiled long before Aegon's Conquest and moved North. Unlike most other Northern houses, they follow the Faith of the Seven rather than the old gods. They have long been loyal bannermen to the Starks. Their banner is a merman on blue-green and they reside in White Harbor.

Other Houses of The North - Other important houses in the region include House Karstark of Karhold, House Umber of Last Hearth, House Mormont of Bear Island, and House Glover of Deepwood Motte.



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The Riverlands is the central region of Westeros, known for the great rivers of the Triden and the Blackwater Rush that give it is name and for the rich and fertile land around those rivers. The Riverlands is also known for being a primary source of conflict in the history of Westeros due to its central location and lack of mountains or other firm natural barriers to keep others out. They have been luckily free of major open conflict since the conclusion of the Third Targaryen Rebellion 35 years ago, but few expect it to last long with the volatility of the world in modern days. They have the Crownlands and plausible rebellion on one side and the Iron Islands and definite fighting to come on the other, and it will take a lot of effort and more than a little luck for the lords of the Riverlands to make it through such troubles unscathed.

House Tully - House Tully claims the title of Lord Paramount of the Riverlands. They never ruled as kings in ancient days, unlike most other Great Houses or Westeros, but they have a long history of being a powerful presence in the region from their seat of power in Riverrun. They rose to prominence during Aegon's Conquest when they sided with Aegon the Conquerer and earned their hereditary title of leadership of the Riverlands. While they sided with the Targaryens in the First Targaryen Rebellion many years ago, they later served the Iron throne more faithfully and helped to fight off their second and third attempts to retake the throne. Just recently they received a messenger from House Harlaw of the Iron Islands pleading with the Tullys to come to the aid of the Ironborn and help them break free of Lannister rule. Their banner is a silver trout on a field of blue and mud red, they reside in Riverrun, and their house words are 'Family, Duty, Honor.'

House Frey - House Frey is a young house by most standards, dating back only about six hundred years, but they are a powerful and wealthy house all the same. Their ancestors built a bridge across one fork of the Trident and made great sums of money through collecting fees for allowing people to cross. At times they have clashed with the other major houses of the Riverlands, especially due to those other houses insulting them as upjumped peasants, but it has been a long time since it came to open conflict. Their banner is two blue towers united by a bridge on a silver-grey field and they reside in the Twins.

House Lothston - House Lothston is another young but powerful house of the Riverlands. They reside in the imposing castle of Harrenhal, though they are the sixth house to hold it. House Strong, the previous owners, was brought to extinction by fighting on the wrong side of the Dance of the Dragons, and a knight named Lothston was granted the lands for showing great valor in battle and saving King Aegon III Targaryen's life on one occasion. Since then they have grown quite powerful due to the wealth that comes with the vast lands attached to Harrenhal. Recently they have acquired a reputation for betrayal and villainy after the Harrenhal Massacre during the Third Targaryen Rebellion. Their banner is a black bat on a silver and gold field and they reside in Harrenhal.

Other Houses of The Riverlands - Other important houses in the region include House Blackwood of Raventree Hall, House Smallwood of Acorn Hall, House Mooton of Maidenpool, and house Mallister of Seagard.



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The Westerlands make up a large portion of the western coast of the continent, resting southwest of the Riverlands and north of the Reach. Where other regions are larger or more fertile or more populous, none can match the sheer wealth of the Westerlands. Many of the noble houses in this region were founded on mines of gold and silver. The Westerlands are not simple merchants though, and their military skill is highly regarded. Fourteen years ago, with the help of the Riverlands and the Reach, the soldiers of the Westerlands conquered the Iron Islands and forced them to kneel to the Lannisters as their Lords Paramount, and their new position as a realm of the Westerlands was affirmed by Queen Roslyn Martell. This has not been a pleasant arrangement for the Ironborn, but garrisons of soldiers around the islands have kept them in check.

House Lannister - House Lannister claims the titles of Lord Paramount of the Westerlands, Warden of the West, and most recently Lord Paramount of the Iron Islands. Their ancestry descends from the Kings of the Rock, but after facing Aegon the Conquerer at the Field of Fire and facing horrendous defeat they bent the knee and became part of the new order of power in Westeros. Since then they have not been particularly loyal to the Iron Throne, and most recently they fought against the Martells until their lord was slain at the Harrenhal Massacre, but since then they have resumed their position as presumably loyal subjects of the crown. Their conquest of the Iron Islands was given royal approval, so most assume they are on good terms with Queen Roslyn these days. Their banner is a golden lion on crimson, they reside in Casterly Rock, and their house words are 'Hear Me Roar!'

House Reyne - House Reyne is a longtime rival and ally to House Lannister. Their home of Castamere is rich with silver and gold, making them second in wealth only to the Lannisters. Over the generations they have been both ally and enemy to the Lannisters, and most recently in the Third Targaryen Rebellion they kept the faith with the Martells and fought against the Targaryen-backing Lannisters. The recent conquest of the Iron Islands has given them a new foe to focus on, though only the Reynes themselves can say whether or not they hold a grudge against their liege lords for the war that ended 35 years ago. Their banner is a red lion on silver and they reside in Castamere.

House Greyjoy - House Greyjoy is a relatively new addition to the Westerlands, though it has a fairly long history of its own. They are still considered one of the Great Houses of Westeros despite being forced to swear fealty to House Lannister. The Greyjoys were at times Kings of the Iron Islands in years long past, though other houses produced more kings than they did through the Kingsmoot. At the time of Aegon's Conquest, the Ironborn were ruled by House Hoare and ruled much of what is now the Riverlands, but after Harrenhal fell and the Ironborn were chased to their islands and defeated there as well, they chose a Greyjoy to be their new leader. That choice stuck and the Greyjoys were named Lords Paramount of the Iron Islands, but that title has been stripped from them recently via conquest. They are currently the unwilling vassals of House Lannister, though few expect them to quietly accept this arrangement in the long term. Their banner is a golden kraken on sable, they reside in Pyke, and their house words are 'We Do Not Sow.'

Other Houses of the Westerlands - Other important houses in the region include House Crakehall of Crakehall, House Clegane of Clegane's Keep, and House Tarbeck of Tarbeck Hall. Important houses on the Iron Islands include House Harlaw, House Goodbrother of the Hammerhorn, and House Botley of Lordsport.



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The Vale is an eastern region of Westeros, sitting east of the Riverlands and north of the Crownlands. Its borders are protected by mountains and the sea, making it nearly as isolated from the other regions of Westeros as the North, and it shares that region's harsh winters to some degree. The Vale was fraught with war in the Third Targaryen Rebellion, with the Arryns joining the rebels and House Royce leading the loyalist faction of the region. The area has remained somewhat volatile since then, with a few open fights between houses that had joined the opposing side of that war. Recently there have been rumors of a new Targaryen rebellion forming, and with so many former Targaryen-aligned houses in such an isolated area of Westeros it ought to come as no surprise that these would-be rebels have made moves in the Vale.

House Arryn - House Arryn claims the titles of Lord Paramount of The Vale and Warden of the East. They are descendants of the Andals who invaded Westeros thousands of years ago, claiming to trace their lineage all the way back to the first King of the Andals. The Arryns took control in the Vale by defeating the First Men in the area, led by House Royce, and forcing them to either bend the knee or be exiled into the mountains. House Arryn in modern days has a rather poor relationship with the Iron Throne due to their support for the rebels in the Third Targaryen Rebellion, and some say only the sheer annoyance of trying to invade the Vale kept Queen Roslyn Martell from marching on them rather than engaging herself with a trade war with the Free Cities. With this pall of treason hanging over their heads, many are certain the Arryns have been approached by the rumored rebels-in-the-making, but of course no one is foolish enough to admit such a contact in public. Their banner is a sky-blue falcon soaring against a white moon on sky-blue, they reside in the Eyrie in the summer and the Gates of the Moon in the winter, and their house words are 'As High as Honor.'

House Royce - House Royce is an ancient and powerful house that is now sworn to House Arryn. Their ancestors were kings, known as the Bronze Kings, and they proved formidable foes for the Andal invasion. They eventually were defeated and bent the knee to then-King Arryn. For many years they were constant and stalwart allies of the Arryns, but in the Third Targaryen Rebellion they found themselves on opposite sides of the war. That rift remains, and there are some in the Vale who say that Royce would make a better house to hold the titles of Lord Paramount and Warden of the West. Their banner is black iron studs on bronze bordered with runes, they reside in Runestone, and their house words are 'We Remember.'

Other Houses of the Vale - Other important houses in the region include House Corbray of Heart's Home, House Waynwood of Ironoaks, and House Templeton of Ninestars.



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The Reach is the southwestern region of Westeros. It is the second largest region, beaten only by the North, but it is the most heavily-populated and fertile region by a fair margin. While the Reach is primarily known for its abundant food, it is also regarded as the heart of chivalry in Westeros. Knighthood is regarded with great reverence in the Reach, and their tournaments are known for having the most strictly enforced rules. Aside from a few notable exceptions, the Reach largely sided with the rebels in the Third Targaryen Rebellion, though they focused on fighting the Dornish and largely managed to avoid the intra-region violence that plagued the rest of Westeros. Their eyes have turned toward Dorne once more with the order given by the Queen to the Tyrells to quell the civil war that has been raging in Dorne for three years.

House Tyrell - House Tyrell claims the title of Lord Paramount of the Reach; they used to also hold the title of Warden of the South, but it was stripped from them after the conclusion of the Third Targaryen Rebellion and granted to House Baratheon. House Tyrell is vastly wealthy, outshined only by the likes of the Lannisters and Reynes, and can accurately boast that it can call on the largest army and navy of Westeros by calling all its bannermen to war. The Tyrells never ruled as kings, but rather were the stewards to the old Kings of the Reach of House Gardener. When the last Gardener King died facing Aegon the Conqueror at the Field of Fire, the Tyrell steward surrendered the castle and was in turn granted lordship over it and the Reach as a whole. They have a long history of warring with the Dornish, both before and after Dorne bent the knee to the Iron Throne, and the future looks to hold even more Dornish blood for House Tyrell. Their banner is a golden rose on green, they reside in Highgarden, and their house words are 'Growing Strong.'

House Hightower - House Hightower has been one of the most powerful houses of the Reach for countless generations, and despite being sworn to Tyrell they are considered a Great House in their own right. The Hightowers were once kings before marrying into the Gardener line and setting aside their crowns. House Hightower has a long history of focusing on trade and avoiding wars and they were integral to the founding of the Citadel and thus the scholarly order of the maesters. In the Third Targaryen Rebellion, however, they marched with the Tyrells to support the rebels and keep the Dornish from lending much useful support to their Queen. After the war was lost, though before the Tyrells were finished fighting with Dorne, the Hightowers returned home to focus once more on less bloody pursuits, though it is always possible they might rise to war again in the near future. Their banner is a white tower crowned with flames on smoke grey, they reside in the Hightower in the city of Oldtown, their house words are 'We Light The Way,' and their ancestral weapon is a Valyrian steel longsword named Vigilance.

House Tarly - House Tarly is another of the strongest houses sworn to House Tyrell, and their ancestral weapon is the Valyrian steel greatsword Heartsbane. They have a reputation of being both fine warriors and excellent strategists, making for invaluable commanders in many battles throughout the ages. House Tarly often goes its own way in wars, choosing the side they feel has the right side of the conflict regardless of which side their liege lords fight for. In the Third Targaryen Rebellion, this lead them to fight for Queen Roslyn Martell while the Tyrells and most of their bannermen marched south to fight her Dornish allies. House Tarly marched its men north rather than fighting their own kin, and they acquitted themselves well in battle and earned the lasting favor of the Queen. Their banner is a red huntsman with a bow on green, they reside in Horn Hill, and their house words are 'First in Battle.'

Other Houses of The Reach - Other important houses in the region include House Redwyne of the Arbor, House Florent of Brightwater Keep, and house Ashford of Ashford.



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The Stormlands is a southeastern region of Westeros, sitting south of the Crownlands and north of Dorne. Its name comes from the savage and frequent storms that batter its coast. The Stormlands has a very martial culture compared to other regions of Westeros, thanks to its long history of frequent wars with the Reach and Dorne. There are no proper cities in the area, but there are many large fortresses that are supported by several small towns each. The Stormlands as a whole has been given rather favorable treatment by the Queen thanks to their support for her in the Third Targaryen Rebellion. Recently House Baratheon has been given the order to end the ongoing civil war in Dorne, and it is likely they will return to their old pastime of killing Dornishmen with gusto.

House Baratheon - House Baratheon claims the titles of Lord Paramount of the Stormlands and warden of the South (though they've only had it for a few decades now). They are the newest of the Great Houses, descended from one of Aegon the Conqueror's generals and supposed bastard brother, Orys. Orys killed the last of the Storm Kings, married his daughter, and took the sigil and words of his new wife's bloodline to found House Baratheon. In more recent times, House Baratheon stood in support for Queen Roslyn Martell against the Targaryens in their third rebellion, thus for the first time ever going against their old ties to House Targaryen. Along with an invitation to attend her nameday feast, Queen Roslyn ordered House Baratheon to see to putting an end to the civil war in Dorne. Their banner is a black stag on gold, they reside in Storm's End, and their house words are 'Ours is the Fury.'

House Tarth - House Tarth is one of the principle bannermen to House Baratheon. Their ancestors were once kings, with the head of their family taking the title "the Evenstar," and came under the rule of the Storm Kings by way of marriage. The island of Tarth is regarded as one of the most beautiful places in Westeros. The Tarths are known for their loyalty and sense of duty, and as such it came as a surprise to nobody at all when they joined the Baratheons in the Third Targaryen Rebellion. Their banner is quartered with yellow suns on rose pink and white crescents on blue and they reside in Evenfall Hall.

Other Houses of The Stormlands - Other important houses in the region include House Connington of Griffin's Roose, House Selmy of Harvest Hall, and House Swann of Stonehelm.



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Dorne is southernmost region of Westeros, sitting south of both the Reach and the Stormlands. Dorne is the least populous of the Westerosi regions, and their culture is markedly different from those other regions; where the rest of Westeros is influenced by their ancestral First Men or Andals, the Rhoynish people immigrated en masse to Dorne and remained largely isolated there, thus making their long term cultural impact quite localized. The Dornish people are viewed as hotblooded and sexually immoral by other regions of Westeros. Dorne is the most recent addition to the lands ruled by the Iron Throne. Where all other regions were ruled by Aegon the Conqueror, Dorne held out until the Martells married into the Targaryens 145 years after Aegon's Conquest. This history of independence included many wars with the Reach and Stormlands, and a terrible war on two fronts with both of them was the cause for their desperate choice to join the rest of Westeros under the rule of the Iron Throne. Over the years, however, the Martell line declined and was eventually snuffed out by murder. Dorne is now in the middle of a civil war between houses looking to take control of the region for themselves.

House Yronwood - House Yronwood is the most powerful house in Dorne now that the Martells are out of the way. They were kings of half of Dorne before the Rhoynar arrived and eventually aided the Martells in taking power aware from them and forcing the Yronwoods to kneel before the Martells. They have a very long history of warring with the Stormlands in large part due to being on the Dornish end of the Boneway, the passage through the Red Mountains that connects Dorne and the Stormlands. Three years ago, the Yronwoods decided they did not wish to wait for the Martells to die off in their own time. They stormed Sunspear in the night and killed everyone with a drop of Martell blood inside, thus sparking the civil war. What was hoped to be a quick and dirty coup turned into a battle for control of Dorne, and Yronwood is one of those contending for that power. Their banner is a black portcullis grill on sand, they reside in Yronwood, and their house words are 'We Guard the Way.'

House Dayne - House Dayne are one of the oldest houses in Westeros, claiming ancestry dating back ten thousand years. Their ancestors were kings of the Torrentine River, and it is unclear when they gave up their crowns and knelt before the Martells. House Dayne has been part of countless wars against the Reach over the years, and in the Third Targaryen Rebellion they fought against the Tyrells in a failed effort to go north to aid Queen Roslyn Martell in King's Landing. After House Yronwood murdered the remaining Martells in Dorne, House Dayne rose up against them to fight with the loyalists, but after it became clear that new leadership was needed for Dorne they broke off into their own faction to fight to take control of the region; they maintain an unsteady alliance with the Martell loyalists and focus on fighting the other two factions. Their ancestral weapon is Dawn, a greatsword said to be forged from the heart of a fallen star, and the wielder of this weapon traditionally takes the title Sword of the Morning. Unlike other ancestral weapons, House Dayne does not pass the sword from lord to lord; Dawn is granted only to knights of House Dayne who are deemed worthy to wield it. Their banner is a white sword and falling star crossed on lilac, they reside in Starfall.

House Manwoody - House Manwoody is an old and influential house that once ruled over the Red Mountains as kings, before the Rhoynish migration allowed the Martells to conquer the assorted kings of Dorne and take the whole region for their own. The house was founded by a man who slew a King of the Reach many years ago, thus the name of their ancestral home and their chosen sigil. The Manwoody seat of Kingsgrave guards access to Dorne via the Prince's Pass, thus they have had many years of conflict with both the Reach and the Stormlands over the years. Recently, House Manwoody supported House Yronwood in the civil war that broke out after the Martells of Sunspear were murdered. After disagreements between their houses, the Manwoodys broke off into their own faction and declared themselves the best choice for Lords Paramount of Dorne. Their banner is a crowned skull on black and they reside in Kingsgrave.

Other Houses of Dorne - Other important houses in the region include House Fowler of Skyreach, House Allyrion of Godsgrace, and House Santagar of Spottswood.



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Essos is the continent to the east of Westeros, separated by the Narrow Sea. It is home to a vastly diverse array of civilizations including the Free Cities, the wandering Dothraki, the cities of Slaver's Bay, the ancient city of Qarth, and much more. It is rare for a native of Essos to travel to Westeros and attain great political influence, but it is indeed possible for those with the determination and ambition to make it so. However, rising above the individual level there are groups and institutions which have had strong impacts on Westeros over the years that all but the most ignorant lords are aware of.

The Iron Bank of Braavos - Although all the Free Cities are of some importance to Westerosi lords concerned with trade, the Iron Bank located in Braavos is of great importance to all lords who need gold, and as it so happens most lords need more gold from time to time. The Iron Bank is one of the wealthiest banks in the world and is willing to make loans to outsiders, including the King or Queen of Westeros and sometimes to lesser lords and ladies of Westeros. They are known for being quite ruthless in making sure they either get what gold they are owed or making an example of those who fail to pay their debts.

The Faceless Men - Another ruthless institution of Braavos is the assassin society known as the Faceless Men. It is said that for the right price, the Faceless Men will kill any person in the known world. Many deaths of lords and ladies of Westeros have been blamed on these assassins for hire, although it is always uncertain whether such killings were their work or the work of some other killer who managed to escape being discovered. Those who wish to purchase the services of the Faceless Men know to seek out the House of Black and White in Braavos, and they are wise to remember the haunting words of their order: valar morghulis, "all men must die."

Mercenary Companies - Unlike Westerosi lords, with their knights and bannermen and the like, the powerful people of Essos have a strong history of making use of mercenary companies to fight their battles or supplement their standing armies. A few are more widely known, with their reputations reaching Westerosi ears as well, than others. The Golden Company, founded by Aegor Targeryen in 196 AC after he grew to despise King Nymor Targaryen and travelled to Essos to find something to do with his life, is the largest, most famous, and of course most expensive group of sellswords in Essos. The Second Sons have a longer history than the Golden Company, but they are not so large or so well equipped, and they come at a slightly lower price. For those with no care for honor among mercenaries, the Brave Companions are a cheap and brutal alternative to the Golden Company and the Second Sons; they are made of the dregs of society, criminals and outcasts, and they are renowned for being despicable through and through, but they do come rather cheaply.

The Slave Trade - Although slavery is outlawed in Westeros and many cities of Essos, the slave trade is alive and well, centered on the ancient cities of Slaver's Bay. Anyone in Westeros being found to own a slave or sell someone into slavery earns a death sentence if they are found out, but this has not stopped some unscrupulous lords from attempting to make some money in this devious way. Slaver ships from the Free City of Tyrosh are known to travel the coasts of Westeros, and some may find their services very useful in getting rid of troublesome mistresses and bastards and enemies, so long as they are willing to risk the punishment of course.





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The Hand of the Queen - The Hand is the ruling monarch's most trusted advisor. They manage the day-to-day running of the kingdom and at times engage in duties such as drafting laws, dispensing justice, and commanding armies. The Hand is the second-in-command and will run the Small Council when their King or Queen is not present, and they may act on the monarch's behalf when they are ill or otherwise indisposed. For the last 35 years, since the end of the Third Targaryen Rebellion, the Hand has always been a Stark. THIS ROLE IS RESERVED FOR HOUSE STARK.

Lord Commander of the Kingsguard - The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard is the leader of the ruling monarch's sworn order of knights. The Kingsguard lives to protect their King or Queen and their family. On the Small Council the Lord Commander serves predominantly as a military advisor. Despite the longstanding rule of a Queen and the altering of the name of the Hand's position, the Kingsguard has retained its name due in large part to the stubborn pride of its members. The current Lord Commander of the Kingsguard is Ser Borros Connington, a man of fifty-three years who has served on the Kingsguard since he was a lad of twenty. THIS IS A GM RESERVED ROLE.

Master of Coin - The Master of Coin is in charge of the treasury and finances of the kingdom. They oversee a rather large bureaucracy that includes everything from the operators of the royal mints to tax collectors. Their role on the Small Council is to advice on financial matters and to assess the cost of proposed plans and laws. THIS ROLE IS OPEN TO PLAYERS.

Master of Laws - The Master of Laws is in charge of maintaining law and justice in Westeros. Their day-to-day duties include overseeing the running of the Red Keep's dungeons and the City Watch of King's Landing. They have also been known to go out of their way to ensure that lords of Westeros are enforcing the King or Queen's justice with a fair and even hand. Their role on the Small Council is to advise on existing law and to aid in drafting new laws. THIS ROLE IS OPEN TO PLAYERS. (TAKEN)

Master of Whisperers - The Master of Whisperers is the spymaster of the kingdom. Their one duty is at once simple and vastly complex: to gather information from King's Landing, Westeros, and beyond and to relay that information as needed to the King or Queen and the rest of the Small Council. The means and methods of this position vary wildly between different officeholders, though there is a fairly well established network of paid informants that can easily be inherited by new holders of the position. Although this is a historically very powerful position, it is also a dangerous one as some monarchs have been known to be very distrusting of their own spymasters. THIS ROLE IS OPEN TO PLAYERS.

Master of Ships - The Master of Ships is the commander of the royal navy. Their regular duties include building and maintaining warships for the royal fleet, obtaining and training crews for those ships, and commanding naval military operations. Their role on the Small Council is largely as a military advisor, though many in the past have come from colorful backgrounds and acted as advisors on matters in lands beyond Westeros as well. THIS ROLE IS OPEN TO PLAYERS.

Grand Maester - The Grand Maester is the chosen representative of the maesters of the Citadel to the ruler of Westeros. He sits on the Small Council and provides guidance in all matters, but especially on issues of lore and scholarly pursuits. Grand Maester Harwyn has held this position for nearly ten years and is still a relatively young man to hold such a distinction. THIS IS A GM RESERVED ROLE.



Art sources: here, here, & here.
 
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Characters

-Players can have a maximum of 3 main characters. Side characters and NPCs can be made as desired and needed.

-Players may only have one main character per house and per region (see Houses & Regions for details of the regions available). This is meant to encourage diversity of characters and interactions between player characters by making sure they've got non-GM neighbors and rivals.

-For the sake of diversity once again, there can only be one player per house. For example only one player can play from House Stark, but they cannot also play House Bolton; a different player can play House Bolton if they wish. Marriage can act as a sort of loophole to this: if, for example, the main character for House Tully were to marry into House Stark, they would still be counted as a Tully and their player would still make choices for House Tully's leadership.

-Main characters must be of some political importance in Westeros. I.e. a random peasant has no business being part of the plot, but a powerful lord's bastard could still have lots of political influence. The basic metric for deciding political importance for the sake of this roleplay is that main characters have to be important enough to be invited to the Queen's nameday feast.

-So long as the above requirement is met, main characters can be from any house big or small or no house at all. It is possible for commoners or foreigners to rise to great influence in Westeros, and such persons are welcome as characters in this game so long as you explain their rise to status in their biography.

-All characters must be Original Characters. No canon or carbon-copies of a character from the show / books.

-Players cannot play maesters or members of the Night's Watch. The game will be focusing on political scheming, and those who have sworn to serve the realm over their interests won't be getting tied up in that mess. Knights of the Kingsguard make similar vows, but their status as bodyguards of the ruler of Westeros make them a political entity by nature, so they're viable as main characters.


General

-This game is invite-only. If you are reading this and are not one of the invited players but would like to participate, you may send a private message to @Jorick and @Pahn with an application. Please do not post in this thread unless we have approved your application. We reserve the right to refuse anyone.

-The current setting is an alternate universe that has diverged a lot from the canon world. Please view the TIMELINE section. None of the show/books characters exist in this world, and canon historical characters that lived past the point of divergence may be radically different from their canon versions.

-Everything happens in Westeros. If a player character goes to Essos for any reason they will be considered outside of the window of the story and shall not appear in the IC thread again until they're returning to Westeros.

-Dragons are extinct and there is absolutely no work-around about this.

-Valyrian steel is extremely rare. Houses known to have owned one in the past may have one now, but other Valyrian steel weapons will need to be approved by the GMs.

-Posting expectations are once every two weeks, one paragraph minimum. If you fail to post for two rounds we will start to consider booting you from the roleplay. This will be a case by case thing rather than a hard and fast rule, and if there's a good reason for your inability to post let us know and we'll obviously take it into consideration.

-Players are encouraged to forge alliances between their characters or scheme against one another, though please keep the GMs in the loop so your plots can be worked into the overall story in a natural way.

-This is a political intrigue roleplay. Shenanigans are welcome and characters will die. No one is safe.

-If a player only has one character and they die, they will be able to make a new character.


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The Crownlands
Lord Xandor Targaryen, Lord of Dragonstone
Lord Landon Massey, Master of Laws, The Retching Lord


The North
Lady Haylana Forrester
Lady Eister Stark née Farwynd, Lady Stark of Winterfell
Lord Steffin Stark, Lord of Winterfell, Warden of the North, Hand of the Queen


The Riverlands
Lord Simon Frey, the Dallier
Lady Meredyth Tully, Lady of Riverrun

The Westerlands
Lady Avicea Reyne

Lord Valravn Greyjoy, The Stormwracked Lord

The Vale
Lady Jeyne Lannister née Arryn, of House Lannister

Lady Lacie Baelish

The Reach
Ser Gaheris Tyrell
Lady Tamsyn Grimm, Lady of the Greyshield, The Grey Maiden
Lady Lucasta Tarly née Hightower, of House Tarly


The Stormlands
Lady Taria Baratheon

Lord Grayven Caron, Lord of the Marches, The Grim Widower

Dorne
Kyne Sand, of House Manwoody
Lord Seban Dalt, Lord of Lemonwood


Others
Queen Roslyn Martell, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lady Protector of the Realm, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms
Grand Maester Harwyn
Ser Borros Connington, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, The Mourning Knight
Lady Amber Bolton, Handmaiden of the Queen







Character Sheet

HOUSE: (Refer to HOUSES section)
NAME: (Full name)
TITLE(S): (Lord, Warden, prince, etc)

AGE:
GENDER:


APPEARANCE: (Written or image, or both. NO anime images, realistic art OR real people only)

HOUSE MEMBERS: (Optional: House members, player NPCS. Mandatory: Anyone coming with your character to King's Landing)

BIOGRAPHY: (1 paragraph minimum. You can add as much as you want in terms of personality, skills, etc. General background is the minimal requirement.)

CLAIM: (Who your character thinks ought to take the throne)

HEX: (As collab posts and multi-character posts will probably be frequent, please assign a colour for your characters' dialogue using the colour guide)

GM ONLY
(Please send this info by PM to @Jorick and @Pahn)

HOUSE SECRET: (Dirty secret about your character's house or a very important member of it. Minimum 1)

PERSONAL SECRET: (Dirty secret about your main character only. Minimum 2)
 
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Character Accomplishments

To be added as the story progresses.




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The story so far...

To be added as the story progresses.
 
[dash=#d22]
Queen Roslyn the Bitter

HOUSE: Martell
NAME: Roslyn Alara Martell, first of her name
TITLE(S): Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lady Protector of the Realm, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms

AGE: 89, born in 221
GENDER: Female

APPEARANCE: Roslyn did not inherit the Martell's natural seductive looks. Even as a kid, her features were angular, with a hawk-like nose and squinting eyes. She rarely smiles and her wrinkles have taken the shape of a permanent scowl. Roslyn has quite the stature however, standing at 5'10 with wide shoulders and even wider hips.

HOUSE MEMBERS:

King-Consort Elston Tully. Husband, deceased in 288 at age 65.
Ella Martell. Daughter, deceased in 252 at age 12.
Doran Martell. Son, deceased in 288 at age 40.
Romeron Martell. Son, deceased in 289 at age 48.
Perla Martell. Daughter, deceased in 308 at age 63.
Elsta Martell. Daughter, deceased in 308 at age 65.
Many more grandchildren, though most died early in childhood and those who survived were killed during the Dornish Civil War in 308.


BIOGRAPHY: As a child, Roslyn was a quiet student. She listened carefully to the grand maester and the septa who was in charge of her other more lady-like lessons such as embroidery. As the eldest child of the King of Westeros, she was groomed early on as the successor of the throne, even though it had not been mentioned to the lords and ladies of the court yet. Her three younger brothers were always assumed to be the ones next in line, and it might have been true if not for their complete lack of leadership.

As the relationships with many of the greater houses of Westeros were strained with betrayal and rebellion, the Martells turned to one of their remaining allies: the Tullys of Riverrun. The Lord of Riverrun had no daughters, only sons. At fifteen, Roslyn is betrothed to the second son, Elston. They meet throughout the years in King's Landing, until the untimely passing of the Lord of Riverrun. Deciding it was time to unite their houses, their marriage celebrations are held ing King's Landing in 238, when Roslyn is 18 and Elston is 16. It was a rather reserved feast with only the Martells and the Tullys. Their marriage is consummated the same night, and her first daughter Ella is born the following year.

Even as their marriage is purely political, Roslyn develops affection for Elston, and it was said he was one of the only persons in King's Landing to make her laugh and smile. The following decade is filled with pregnancy after pregnancy, something of a miracle as none of her children die in infancy and herself comes out healthy after each delivery. Her sons Doran and Romeron are groomed early on in politics, having inherited their mother's skills in leadership and social finesse, while her daughters Perla and Elsta are sent to live in Dorne. Ella, the eldest, dies at only thirteen after a tragic fall down a stone staircase in the Red Keep. Roslyn is heartbroken and even if she would still be of age to have more children, closes herself off most of the political scene for a few years. When her father falls sick in 256, she comes out of hiding and begins handling his affairs, taking an iron grip on things while her brothers are called back to their home - but they never make it.

Upon her crowning in 257, her brothers had passed due to various reasons and she was left the sole child of King Doran Martell. Much to the shock of the high lords and ladies of the land, she becomes Queen and Elston is made King-Consort. She attempts to bring her daughters back from Dorne, but they refuse with good reason: things aren't going so well in their home kingdom, and a Martell presence is needed to keep the spirits up.

Roslyn leads the Seven Kingdoms into a turmoil of vengeance, finding anything worthy of her wrath and punishing those that wronged her in the past. Elston often tries to reason with her, convince her that a peaceful resolution is much more in her advantage, but his words never quite reach her. Chagrin over a multitude of things render her cold and heartless in just the first few years of her reign. She rules through fear and sheer ruthlessness.

Every assassination attempt, every rebellion, every message of discontent fuel her anger and soon it feels like the entire kingdom but the North and the Riverlands have a taste of her wrath. When once her husband could make her smile and laugh even in the most dire of situations, no one sees Roslyn smile for decades. It is only in 277 that he convinces her to make a call for peace, as the latest rebellion has cost them so much already and their owe a small fortune to the Iron Bank. Leading the peace talks in her own way, she nonetheless executes those who dare refuse to swear fealty to her.

Restlessness drives her again to turn to conflict with the fifteen year war with the Free Cities, and this time it takes the Bank of Braavos to mediate between the two parties before an agreement is reached. Just as things seem to calm down and Roslyn feels old age creeping through her bones, the Green Plague hits the Red Keep and all those whom she held dear die while she is left a survivor despite having caught the plague as well. She curses the old gods and the new, and her husband's death hits her much more than anyone could know. For years she puts on a good face and continues to hold the peace in the kingdom, almost as an homage to Elston and his countless efforts to reason with her. With her two sons and heirs to the crown also dead, Roslyn sends secret emissaries to Dorne to convince her grandsons to come to King's Landing but the Endless Winter has made the starving Westerosi peasants violent and those emissaries are never heard of again.

The Queen is left utterly alone and without any heir when whispers of another Targaryen rebellion are reported to her, and before she can make a move to kill it in its nest, the remaining of her family is killed. Not only her grandsons who would have been heirs to the throne, but also her daughters, Perla aged 63 and Elsta aged 65. Their husbands are slain along with their children and grandchildren, leaving absolutely no one with an Martell blood alive. Even babes were killed in their beds. Gripped by grief rather than rage, she sends help to Dorne but it makes no difference.

Now with a civil war waging in Dorne and the Tyrells and Baratheon sent to quell the fighting, Roslyn lives alone in the Red Keep with only her handmaids and making public appearances only to receive official convoys from the Realm. The winter finally ends but the chill never quite leaves her aging body. Now at 89, Roslyn orders her grand maester Harwyn to call upon all the lords and ladies of Westeros, as she has finally decided who the heir to the throne would be. The small council presses her for more information, because even though no one says anything they feel like their Queen's days are counted. But she does not reveal anything and promises everyone that the great announcement will be made at her nameday feast.

CLAIM: Roslyn will be announcing her successor on her nameday feast, after the festivities.

Hexcode: #D22[/dash]
 
(Mentions of House Smallwood may be replaced with any Reach/Riverlands House, should the need/conflicts arise!)



Lord Landon Massey, Master of Laws

HOUSE: Massey of Stonedance
NAME: Landon Massey
TITLE(S): Lord of Stonedance, Master of Laws (Moniker: The Retching Lord)

AGE: 37 (b. 274 AC)
GENDER: Male

APPEARANCE: Landon Massey was born small and slight of frame, traits that even a lifetime of Knighthood and drinking have found difficult to overcome. Still, middle-age has finally made headway. A lithe, tall body has begun to give way to the soft, flabby curse of wine-gut, and true strength has been cast aside in favor of drunken, belligerent imitations of it. Jowls have begun to develop on what was once a sharp, penetrating visage, and rat-like whiskers left behind due to inattentiveness plague the once clean-shaven man. Graying hair and soft, dispassionate eyes complete the countenance of a man perhaps past his prime.

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The Lord’s choice style of dress is nondescript and atypically plain, although he prefers the bulk of armor to conceal his burgeoning midsection. Curiously, he very rarely displays the triple-spiral sigil of House Massey, sporting a single spiral of azure as his coat of arms.

HOUSE MEMBERS:
(Not all-inclusive, NPCs in King’s Landing are bolded.)

Lady Brandis (Smallwood) Massey: Thirty-four. Wife, visiting King’s Landing.
Karson Massey: Ten. Son, lives in King’s Landing.
Lord Langford Massey: Deceased. Brother, former Lord of Stonedance. Executed for the crime of slavering.
Lady Janei Massey: Twenty-nine. Sister, widowed.
Ser Linden Massey: Cousin. Head of Stonedance while Landon is in King’s Landing.
Ser Emmon Massey: Cousin. Brother of Linden.

BIOGRAPHY: Born in 274 AC, Landon Massey is the son of the Late Lord Jon Massey, who inherited the seat following the events of the Bloodpit, and Lady Celes of House Blount. At the time of his birth, House Massey - who had raised up arms in rebellion - found their ancestral home of Stonedance under siege. While their strategically advantageous position across from the ample food supplies of Pentos made the siege difficult, the house’s coffers began to run dry from their arrangement with the Pentoshi. Furthermore, Lord Jon Massey found himself horrifically unsuited for times of war, and withered away as stress feasted upon his body.

Lord Jon Massey succumbed to a feeble, sickly demise a year before Aerion Targaryen’s death, leaving Langford Massey, the eight years young elder brother of Landon, Lord of Stonedance. Landon would vividly remember his brother trembling as he prepared to begin the trek towards King’s Landing, fearing what retribution Queen Roslyn might deliver. In the end, Langford had simply bent the knee and returned to Stonedance, a home made hollow and near destitute by war and Pentoshi price mongering.

When Landon’s brother returned, he had grown petulant and moody. Perhaps he had always been as such. Perhaps it was the death of the promise, one of a magnificent seat and bountiful wealth, that made it so. No matter the truth, Langford was... unkind to Landon, in ways he would carry with him. Despite such hardships, Landon found that he excelled in other aspects of his childhood; he was a likable sort, and his mind was pliable to the teachings of Stonedance’s maester.

While Maester Briden preached studiousness, Landon was drawn to more fanciful flights of imagination, of stories imbibed, told, or experienced, of adventure. Quickly, the ever curious and wandering Landon had an intimate understanding of all of Stonedance’s various nooks and crannies. This talent lead to him uncovering a secret meeting between young Langford and a Pentoshi emissary in the midst of Queen Roslyn’s Fifteen Year War, and a discussion that defied the Queen’s instruction of House Massey. It was then that Landon learned what Langford’s fallen fortunes had caused him to become: a slaver.

Still, he remained silent, even amidst Langford’s continued abuse. When he came of age, Landon left Stonedance - as well as Langford’s grasp - to squire for Ser Myles of House Smallwood. A competent sort, he acquitted himself well in his service, primarily menial doings and the odd skirmish against untrained brigands. A modest hand with a blade, and an exceptional one with a morningstar, he was deemed fit for Knighthood when he turned eighteen, and received such an honor.

Ser Landon Massey’s true trial by fire, however, came during the Greyjoy Uprising, when the Lannisters roused various allies from the Riverlands in order to quell the rebellion. Still a guest of House Smallwood, he partook in the war effort against the Iron Islands. He served with distinction, noted in particular for his ability to maintain discipline within camps or aboard ship, and a talent for sniffing out wrongdoers. He gained a fascination of sorts with the low cunning of thieves, even becoming enthralled by their brand of ‘genius’. Some even noted that he would almost seem apologetic when they were dragged away to their deaths or maiming.

He was also known, unfortunately, for his bouts with seasickness. Ser Landon Massey thrashing about with morningstar in hand, vomit flying to and fro was a storied sight amongst soldiers, even earning him the moniker of ‘the Retching Knight’. That he was among the first across the breach in the attacks on both Old Wyk and Saltcliffe, however, lent the mocking title some measure of esteem.

It was a frantic, captivating sort of life that he had been entrenched in while serving alongside the Riverlanders. That, and the wine, had helped him forget the greying, decrepit, failing House from whence he had came. The time did come, eventually, for him to return to Stonedance. What greeted him was the ancestral seat, having decayed even further than he remembered, and the pitiful brother who held it. Langford Massey, a wiry, ratlike man just past his thirtieth nameday, remained a bitter child at heart, mockingly greeting his brother, ‘the Riverlander’.

Worse yet, Langford had continued his part in the slave trade, using the earnings to sustain what few pleasures he could afford, to the persistent detriment of the House. Shaken - angered, perhaps - by the state of affairs, Landon broke over ten years of silence, and reported the crimes of his brother to King’s Landing. Langford, to his credit, maintained a veneer of calm before his execution.

“Someday, brother,” He had said, “When you feel as small as the rest of us, you will understand what I did.”

His actions earned him further repute across the Crownlands. Many regarded the newly instated Lord of Stonedance as a lawful sort, a dutiful man who could unerringly uphold the laws of man. Others, still, regarded the transpirings suspiciously, wondering if Landon had returned for the sole purpose of condemning his own flesh and blood to the block. Members of his own house, too, regarded him with varying degrees of suspicion and scorn, particularly those who saw his actions as pandering to the same Queen responsible for the Bloodpit.

All the same, he was the Lord of Stonedance, and with his lordship came a period of rebirth for his House. Though perhaps an unexpected choice, he was invited to King’s Landing to serve as Commander of the City Watch. He performed his duties with faith, diligence, and distinction for many years. His elevation into the Small Council as Master of Laws, then, serves as the pinnacle of his impressive rise.

Currently, and - in truth - for many years, Lord Landon has lived in a state of numb. Having left for King’s Landing two years after his return to his ancestral home, and one year after his marriage, he is as if a stranger to much of his House and family, visiting rarely. Noted, to this day, for his fondness of personally partaking in City Watch patrols, Landon Massey drowns himself within his duties. Somewhat unfortunately, he has also acquired a fondness for alcohol in excess, thus elevating him from ‘Retching Knight’ to ‘Retching Lord’.

Timeline
274AC: Born as the second son of House Massey, diminished by war.
280AC: Sent to the Riverlands to serve as a page and squire to House Smallwood.
292AC: Knighted by Ser Myles Smallwood.
297AC: Fights with distinction during the Greyjoy Uprising, serving as part of the vanguard in attacks on Old Wyk and Saltcliffe.
298AC: Returns to Stonedance in the Crownlands, and eventually reports Lord Langford Massey’s crimes of slavering. Becomes Lord of Stonedance following Langford’s execution.
299AC: Weds Lady Brandis of House Smallwood.
300AC: Rides to King’s Landing, having accepted his post as Commander of the City Watch. Leaves his wife behind, although not before the consummation of their marriage.
300-310AC: His tenure as Commander of the City Watch is regarded reasonably well. While the safety and overall occurrence of crime in King’s Landing under his tenure verges between middling and undesirable, he is noted for his outstanding proficiency in bringing culprits to justice.
301AC: Karson Massey, first son of Landon Massey, is born in Stonedance. Per Landon’s request, is sent to King’s Landing upon his sixth nameday.
310AC: Becomes part of the Small Council as Master of Laws.

CLAIM: In the interest of stability and continuity during tense times, the Hand of the Queen.

HEX:: #07C
 
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HOUSE: The Kingsguard. Formerly House Connington.
NAME: Ser Borros Connington
TITLE(S): Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, also known as The Mourning Knight

AGE: 41
GENDER:
Male

APPEARANCE:
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HOUSE MEMBERS: Fellow knights of the Kingsguard (to be filled in later after players have been given time to take Kingsguard spots).
Members of House Connington (to be filled in after players have been given a chance to claim House Connington).

BIOGRAPHY: Ser Borros Connington was born as the third son and fourth child overall to Lord Rolas Connington and Lady Sella Connington née Tarth in 270 AC. The Third Targaryen Rebellion was in full swing at that time, and Lord Connington was off fighting with under the Baratheon banner in support of Queen Roslyn Martell. Lord Rolas returned near the end of the war to find his third son a healthy and very active child. Borros grew up training in the art of war, for as the third son he was fully expected to seek a life of knighthood. He did not disappoint his father's expectations in the slightest.

Borros was squire to a son of House Baratheon until he turned sixteen and was knighted after a fight with bandits in which he distinguished himself and slew three men. He spent a few years traveling and living as a hedge knight rather than pledging his sword to any given house. During this time he made a bit of a name for himself by making it to the top four of the joust at a tourney at Highgarden, unseating a knight of the Kingsguard to get there but being defeated by the eldest son of House Tyrell in turn. In 289 AC, at another tournament, he became enamored with one of Lady Ashford's handmaidens and offered his service as a knight to Lord Ashford to pursue this affection. Lord Ashford accepted and took the young knight into his household. He spent a lot of time with the handmaiden, but eventually she ended the illicit relationship and wed a lord of a lowly house. Over the years he proved his performance at Highgarden to be far from a fluke and ranked highly in many tourneys thereafter.

In 297 AC the Greyjoy Uprising gave Borros a chance to rise high in the world. The Westerlands called for aid from the Reach to suppress the damned raiders of the Iron Islands, and House Ashford answered the call. Borros was brought along and, in his first experience with proper war rather than clashes with bandits and thugs, he proved to be a terribly effective swordsman after his many years of training and vast experience with tourneys. He slew a fair number in each battle, and in the nights after the battles he stood a death vigil over any lords or sons of noble houses that he had slain. It was a custom of the Faith of the Seven, which was generally not practiced by the Ironborn, but he insisted that honor demanded he stand the vigil over those he had slain. This practice, repeated after the end of every major battle he was involved in, earned Borros the moniker of The Mourning Knight.

In 299 AC, Ser Borros Connington attended a tourney in King's Landing. He participated in the melee and won, earning himself a hefty purse of gold and much renown. He also rode in the joust and was defeated in the round of eight by a knight of the Kingsguard, though before he was knocked from his mount he shattered two lances on the man's right arm. In the Kingsguard's next joust it was clear from the start that something was wrong with him, and as he wobbled on his horse his opponent's lance glanced upward at an odd angle and pierced his throat, killing him in a couple minutes despite frantic assistance from maesters present. It was discovered that the knight had tried to fight through the pain of a large shard of wood embedded between his ribs, a bit of Borros' lance that managed to slip between the plates, but it had cost him his life instead. When the knight was laid out in the sept in the Red Keep for a death vigil to be held by his sworn brothers, Borros managed to sneak his way in and join the Kingsguard on duty: Ser Gawyn Tarly, the Lord Commander. He explained that he felt responsible for the death and felt honorbound to stand the vigil as well. Ser Gawyn was impressed by the younger knight's determination to do what he felt was right, and he suggested the lad to Queen Roslyn Martell as a replacement for the tragically empty position. She accepted the suggestion and Ser Borros became a member of the Kingsguard on the last day of the tourney, when he was called forth by the Queen to receive the honor in front of the gathered crowd.

Borros served in the Kingsguard with pride and honor for many years, doing the Queen's bidding without complaint. He performed quite well in later tournaments as well, now wearing white and representing the Iron Throne rather than himself. Whenever his brothers died, he always volunteered to stand their death vigil. In 308 AC, Ser Gawyn Tarly was as Sunspear, having been sent there with messengers from Queen Roslyn to try to coax some of her family to come to King's Landing to prepare to inherit the throne. He was slain along with the Martells in Sunspear. Though Borros was not the longest serving brother of the Kingsguard at that time, Queen Roslyn chose him to become the new Lord Commander, for he had always been a faithful servant to the Iron Throne. In recent years he has tried to temper the Queen's rage and desire for vengeance with sound battle strategy, and he even managed to succeed sometimes. Through it all, even when she berated him as a foolish coward, Ser Borros Connington has stood at his Queen's side without ever flinching from his loyal duty, and he shall remain there so long as he wears the white cloak of the Kingsguard.

CLAIM: Whoever Queen Roslyn names as heir.

HEX: #977

POORLY KEPT SECRETS: It is well known around King's Landing that Ser Borros has a lover, though her identity is not common knowledge and is a matter of much speculation.

Ser Borros is also said to be in debt to the Iron Bank of Braavos, though the story varies between gambling and his secret lover being the cause of his need for gold.
 

Xandor Targaryen

HOUSE: Targaryen
NAME: Xandor Targaryen
TITLE(S): Lord Paramount of the Crownlands

AGE: 29 (born 282)
GENDER: Male

APPEARANCE: Xandor is slim and tall, standing at 6'1". His features are defined, his face narrow and his eyes are a piercing shade of emerald green. His long platinum hair, the trademark of House Targaryen, reaches just above his hips.

HOUSE MEMBERS:
Helenah Targaryen, 24, wife and sister. Twin of Derrick Targaryen. (Coming to King's Landing)
Daiman Targaryen, 8, son
Liliyana Targaryen, 6, daughter
Derrick Targaryen, 24, brother
Braeden Targaryen, 22, brother
Marcel Targaryen, 49, uncle
Ariah Targaryen, 45, aunt
Caden Targaryen, 52, father, deceased
Narsisa Targaryen, 30, mother, deceased (passed during childbirth)

BIOGRAPHY: Xandor is the first born of Caden and Narsisa Targaryen. His childhood was a relatively happy one. He was raised on all the various stories of his ancestors and the accomplishments of his house. Even as a young boy, his heart swelled with pride upon hearing the stories of Aegon the Conqueror and the dragons, fierce beasts that could only be tamed by a Targaryen. Xandor often dreamed of being a dragon rider and ordering the dragon to breathe fire. It was a true shame they were driven to extinction, mostly due to improper care.

The maester of Dragonstone insured all the children were well versed on Targaryen history. They learned everything from Aegon the Conqueror to the three Targaryen rebellions fought over the past century.

In fact, the rebellions were constantly on their minds. Xandor had many memories of his father and uncle discussing the events and what they would have changed or done differently. The two men mostly spoke of the third rebellion and Queen Roslyn's war on their house. "It was the massacre at Harrenhal, Marcel!", Xandor's father would yell. "Had the soldiers been sober, we would not have lost the numbers we did and the rebellion would not have been thrown into chaos."

"We should have sent men to assist the Boltons!" Marcel, his uncle, would retort. "Had the Starks remained in the North where they belonged, a Targaryen would be on the throne now and that usurper, Roslyn, would be dead."

As Xandor continued to grow, these discussions grew more and more frequent. "Our family is the only surviving kin of Aerion. We are meant to rule the seven kingdoms." The two brothers discussed their opinions openly amongst the family though they never dared speak of such things outside the castle walls. Though they actively discussed the prior rebellions, they did not dare speak of launching a fourth.

At 20, Xandor married his sister Helenah, then 15, at the behest of his father. The Targaryen line had to be kept pure. Though it was Targaryen tradition, Xandor was apprehensive for various reasons. He never voiced any of them however and married his sister as his family instructed. At 21, Xandor and Helenah's son, Daiman was born and two years later, their daughter, Liliyana was born.

As his children grew and he watched them play and learn the same histories he had when he was a child, Xandor came to a realization. These stories would always be history, they would always be about what once was and not about what is. The thought festered in his mind for some time until he approached his father Caden. It was time the Targaryens took back the iron throne. He had been hearing his father discuss the rebellions for years with his uncle. They knew what they would have done differently. It was time to take action.

Caden's reaction however, was unexpected. Though Xandor's father had spent years discussing the rebellions, he did not wish to lay the ground work to begin another. He was content with being Lord Paramount of the Crownlands and admitted a certain amount of fear regarding Queen Roslyn and her forces. The revelation came as a shock to Xandor and he was appalled at his father's cowardice but his hands were tied. As long as Caden was Lord of the Crownlands, there was little Xandor could do.

One year after their conversation, Caden Targaryen grew ill. His health declined rapidly and within a few days passed away. Xandor was named Lord Paramount, at age 26, in his place. He immediately sent word to his bannermen of the change in leadership. Xandor governed the Crownlands justly but with an iron fist. He would not be denied in his requests and expected swift action. He demanded respect and did not tolerate insolence. All the while, the rebellion remained on his mind. He contemplated the possibilities and strategies incessantly. A Targaryen belonged on the throne. He belonged on the throne.

Now he had received an invitation to Queen Roslyn's name day celebration. It was perfect. All the heads of the various Houses in Westeros would be there. Xandor knew exactly what to do once he arrived.

CLAIM: Himself. The iron throne belongs to the Targaryens and Xandor intends to take it back, no matter the cost.

HEX: #D40
 
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HOUSE: Forrester
NAME: Haylana
TITLE: Lady

AGE: 21
GENDER: Female

APPEARANCE
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Haylana is quite small for her age, no more than 5’1 in height. She has sable brown hair which she usually keeps tied back or in a braid, away from her dark brown eyes. Her mouth has a slightly pouty look which makes her seem even younger than she already looks, though her strong decisive eyebrows as well as the look in her eyes show she is someone to be taken seriously.

She has a sheathed sword at her waist at all times permitted.

HOUSE MEMBERS:
  • Rolyn Forrester, age 45, Lord of Ironrath, father
  • Mira Forrester, age 42, Lady of Ironrath, mother
  • Hastley Forrester, age 21, twin brother, NPC who is heading to King’s Landing, betrothed to Lady Theresa Grimm
  • Eddard Forrester, age 18, brother
  • Yolayne Forrester, age 17, sister
  • Robyn Forrester, age 1, brother

BIOGRAPHY:
Haylana was born to Rolyn and Mira Forrester, the second of five children, the eldest being her twin Hastley who had been born merely half an hour before his sister. The other three children were Eddard, who was three years younger than Haylana, Yolayne, a year younger than Eddard, and finally Robyn, who was born only a couple of months before Haylana’s twentieth birthday.

Growing up her life had been quite calm and quiet despite the goings on in the world in the down south. Though they were a smaller house, they had made their own mark in the world with their Ironwood, and this was something all the Forresters had in mind; their forests were to be protected if they were to remain an important family in the North. Ironwood did not just grow at random, it had to be taken care of with help from experienced hands, and likewise it needed someone with knowledge to craft shields, ships and more from its wood.

As such, both Haylana and Hastley were taught about their forests as well as overseeing and taking care of their exporting business from a young age. The twins, whilst close, could not have been more different from one another, and though it had been Rolyn’s wish that his eldest son learned to be a warrior while his daughter handled the Ironwood, the fact was that the opposite happened. Hastley had little interest in wielding weapons, preferring to sharpen his skills with his mind rather than his sword.

Haylana on the other hand found herself quite skilled with weapons ranging from blades to bows to pole arms. She was by no means less intelligent than her brother; she simply had no interest in business matters or in being a proper lady, much to her mother's frustration. As for Rolyn, he was much more concerned with his eldest son and heir. Knowing that Hastley would be safe due to Haylana's skills with weapons was enough for him to indulge her in her unladylike pursuits. These decisions caused a little strife between the Lord and the Lady of the house for a good while. However, as production began to increase, they decided that perhaps staying with the status quo was good for the house.

Haylana took this positivity with stride, enjoying the freedom it gave her. She would accompany Hastley during his business meetings, considering herself much more competent than the guards their father would send. As such, she came to meet or at least see many faces from around Westeros, including those from higher houses. Everybody wished for Ironwood, after all. While her brother was a trusting fellow, Haylana was much more realistic, even if it caused her to be paranoid and doubt the promises business partners gave their brother.

Alas, the Forresters lost a small but significant profit during Haylana’s nineteenth year. She had spent most of the time at Ironrath due to sickness and was therefore unable to accompany her brother. Eddard had gone in her stead but unfortunately he wasn’t able to keep Hastley from making a couple of deals that dissolved into false promises.

Due to her sickness as well as continued realization that Haylana in her own way helped the family business, Lord Rolyn and Lady Mira were willing to agree that she would not marry, at least not until the Forrester heir Hastley had. Whilst there were quite a few proposals, Hastley decided he was going to marry one of the daughters of House Grimm after falling in love with her. Haylana wasn’t too sure about the prospect though she didn’t oppose to it much. It did however make her wary that her turn to wed may come soon.

It was her luck that any such talks would have to wait a while. A letter had arrived from Queen Roslyn, an invitation for her nameday. Lord Rolyn decided to send the twins to the wedding. The Forresters were already in favour with the Queen but an heir could change this; this was a good opportunity to scout out the next heir and make sure they had favour with whoever would be sitting on the Iron Throne as well as with the other members of their house.

CLAIM: House Stark- The North is different than the rest of Westeros, and who better to know this than someone from the North? No Southern leader would care much for their pleas and needs.

HEXCODE: #077
 
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HOUSE: The Maesters, sworn to serve the realm. Formerly House Volmark.
NAME: Harwyn. When a maester takes his vows, he sets aside the name of his House.
TITLE(S): Grand Maester

AGE: 58 (born 253 AC)
GENDER:
Male

APPEARANCE:
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HOUSE MEMBERS: Any maesters brought along by the lord or lady they serve. Grand Maester Harwyn has distanced himself from his blood kin of House Volmark such that they might as well be strangers.

BIOGRAPHY: Harwyn Volmark was born the sixth son of a very fertile lord and lady in the time of peace under King Doran the Benevolent. Peace, however, was never really something the Ironborn cared to take part in, nor did it last for long for the rest of Westeros. The Ironborn partook in plenty of fighting and piracy over those years of supposed peace, and once Harwyn turned 13 he was pushed to join a raiding ship's crew. It was not something he truly cared to do, but it was what his father demanded, so he became the newest member of the crew of the Grey Dawn. He was treated as little more than a slave for his first two years, made to work himself ragged cleaning up behind the actual fighters, but that was fairly normal for boys who joined a ship without first having some proof of their fighting abilities. When Harwyn was 15 he got his chance to prove his mettle when a Tyroshi slaver ship decided to try their luck and acquire some strong men for the fighting pits. The battle in the middle of the Narrow Sea was over in less than an hour, and Harwyn had killed three of the slavers himself.

From then on he was accepted as a blooded man of the Grey Dawn. After dealing with the slavers they sailed through the Summer Sea preying on merchant ships from more exotic eastern locales to raid. When they returned home early in 269 AC, ship laden with silks and spices and women taken by force, they found that Queen Roslyn Martell had brought Westeros to the brink of war. While the ship remained home on the Iron Islands, the captain of the Grey Dawn died at the hands of another member of the crew in a dispute over one of the women they'd taken, and that started a cascade of fighting that saw most of the crew leave and seek prospects on other ships.

War finally broke out after Harwyn had been home from his excursion in the Summer Sea for only a few months. The Targaryens reached out to allies old and new to aid their cause, the Greyjoys high among them as cohorts from their previous rebellion, and the Iron Islands were raised to join the fight against the Queen. The Iron Fleet sailed out to fight, and Harwyn was recruited to join The Kraken's Beak, one of the large warships that belonged to House Greyjoy. He was part of the assault on King's Landing in 270 AC that was repelled by the Tully and Baratheon armies, a damned bloody fight that left hundreds dead on both sides. The Iron Fleet then took to raiding island and coastal allies of the Iron Throne. In 271 AC, Harwyn was one of the men who raided Greenstone, the seat of House Estermont. It was a failed attack and Harwyn was thought to have died in it. He took a grievous wound to the face and some lesser wounds to his chest and arms, and he lived only by the kindness of a stranger: Maester Alyn, the maester assigned to Greenstone.

It was not until after he was recovered that Harwyn learned the maester had gone against his lord's wishes to rescue the Ironborn warrior and nurse him back to health. The maester had seen it as his duty to do what he could to help the injured young man, no matter the politics involved. Over the course of most of a year, while Harwyn healed and regained his strength, the maester told him about many things. He spoke of the arts of healing learned in the Citadel, and the small but important pieces of history that most had forgotten, and the ways words were often more powerful than swords, and so much more. Maester Alyn was clearly very proud of his order of scholars and lived to serve their noble mission, to serve the good of the realm rather than seeking personal gain. Harwyn was moved by this elderly man's dedication. All his life he had been simply following along with what was expected of him, fighting and killing and stealing to get whatever he could for himself, but none of it had evoked in him the passion he saw in Maester Alyn. It did not take him long to decide he would rather make a difference in the world than live as a beast and seek only selfish personal gratification.

When he had fully recovered, Harwyn surprised the maester by refusing the return of his weapons. He asked instead for assistance in joining the Citadel to become a maester himself. Maester Alyn was happy to write him a letter of recommendation plus some advice for how to proceed in his early days as a novice. Harwyn thanked him and went on his way, first back home to Volmark to gather what little he cared about and to tell his family what he had decided to do with his life. Only his mother and one sister were home since the war was still going on, and they disapproved immensely and made it quite clear no war-fleeing coward would be welcome back in Volmark. He did not bother to explain to them that he felt it was far from cowardly to seek knowledge rather than killing other men for the sake of someone you've never met keeping hold of power. He used what little coin he had to buy passage on a merchant ship to Oldtown and left his life as an Ironborn raider behind.

Harwyn became a novice in the Citadel in 272 AC, just before he turned 19 years old. He was older than most novices, but he avoided much of the hazing that other newcomers received thanks to his intimidating size and his no nonsense demeanor, and the scar across his face probably helped as well. It took him only half a year to forge the first link of his maester's chain and become an acolyte, and from there on he proved a capable student despite looking like a violent thug. The subjects of warcraft and astronomy were fairly easy for him to learn enough to forge a link of his chain for each area of study, thanks to his personal experience with fighting and war and his years on a ship learning to use the stars to navigate. Harwyn, like many others, dabbled in the books of supposed magic in the initial pursuit of a Valyrian steel link for his chain, and like most he gave it up after deciding it was a useless subject. He did not particularly excel in learning of healing, economics, or how to handle ravens, but he was proficient enough to take less than a year to earn the links of his chain in those subjects. Where he truly excelled, however, was in the study of history and politics. In the two years in which he focused heavily on those subjects he forged a total of seven links of his chain, and given that three in a year was considered exceptional it came as no surprise to anyone when the Archmaester of history took a special interest in Harwyn.

The former Ironborn raider took his maester vows in 279 AC and remained in the Citadel rather than being assigned to a noble house, which was not uncommon but would likely not have happened without the Archmaester pulling some strings for Harwyn. Over the following few years he wrote many books, including a few that became acclaimed amongst his fellow scholars as the new definitive works on particular subjects: The Iron Choice told of the Ironborn tradition of the Kingsmoot and how their history of choosing their own rulers had shaped the people of the Iron Islands, Ravenry in Westeros acted as a combination and update of a few previous tellings of the history of the use of ravens as messenger birds, and A History of Blood and Fire in Rebellion chronicled the Targaryen rebellions up to and including the recent third attempt in which Harwyn himself had fought. These and other works raised his profile quite high in the Citadel to the point that his lectures on history were attended by some interested maesters as well as novices and acolytes.

In 290 AC, after the Green Plague had worn itself out, Harwyn was one of the top two candidates to become the new Archmaester of history when the old and ailing man who held that position finally died. He was sent to King's Landing along with a delegation of other maesters to try to help end the trade war with the Free Cities using their various historical and economic expertise. The effort failed, but Harwyn impressed the Grand Maester with his knowledge of the histories of the Free Cities and apparently earned the favor of the Queen for being blunt and to the point rather than trying to speak in circles. His prime competitor for the Archmaester position had made a poor showing at the capitol by being a nervous wreck due to the pressures of the situation, and that was enough to clinch the spot for Harwyn when it became open in 292 AC.

During the Greyjoy Uprising of 297 AC, Harwyn remained wholly devoid of the homeland bias that many maesters struggled with. When the Archmaesters gathered in the wake of the Iron Islands being conquered, to discuss the ramifications and what they ought to send to the Grand Maester as the proper suggestions to be made to the Queen on the issue, Harwyn earned a lot of respect from his peers for taking a firm stand against the Ironborn. He argued persuasively that they were a violent and disruptive force that did far more harm than good for the people of Westeros, and as such it was a good thing that they were being suppressed. He wrote the letter to the Grand Maester himself, and although some suggest the advice then passed along to the Queen helped her to make up her mind on letting the Lannisters retain control of the conquered territory, Harwyn himself dismissed these claims because it was likely what Queen Roslyn would have done without any outside influence anyway.

The Grand Maester died suddenly of age-related illness in 301 AC, leaving the Archmaesters to elect one of their number to fill that position. Harwyn expressed no interest, but he was quickly suggested by peers. The previous Grand Maester had frequently written back to the Citadel with complaints that Queen Roslyn Martell was far too hardheaded to listen to reasonable advice. The council of Archmaesters felt that Harwyn was the one among them most likely to be able to handle the horrid woman, and they eventually voted unanimously to elect him as Grand Maester. It was not an honor he wanted, but he accepted it as a burden of duty that he needed to shoulder for the good of the realm.

Grand Maester Harwyn arrived in King's Landing to find the Queen just as atrociously stubborn as expected. It took him years to earn some measure of her trust, after which he became one of the few advisors she actually bothered to consult sometimes before making decisions. He aided her in writing entreaties to the Martell brood in Sunspear to come to King's Landing, but it proved ineffective and in 308 AC they were slaughtered by House Yronwood. Harwyn counseled caution and waiting to be able to strike a decisive blow to handle the problem, but the Queen did not listen. The situation in Dorne evolved into a multi-sided civil war before long, and whispers of other problems on the horizon cropped up around the realm.

The future looks very bleak, but as Grand Maester Harwyn once told Queen Roslyn, history is made by bold men and women working to change the future. The feast and the naming of the heir promise to offer grand opportunities for the bold to work for change, and Harwyn will be looking on with great interest to see who prevails and who falls in the end.

CLAIM: The Grand Maester has fervently avoided ever voicing an opinion on this divisive subject, but there are rumors that he has quietly suggested a member of House Jordayne might have more Martell blood than any other living person except the Queen herself.

HEX: #6B2

POORLY KEPT SECRETS: The Grand Maester is known to make moon tea to prevent or abort unwanted pregnancies. Normally such medicine is used only for health and emergency reasons, but it is known that he will provide it to any lady who asks, for the small fee of a few gold pieces to pay the cost of replacing the ingredients.

Grand Maester Harwyn is known to have a monstrous temper when roused, but he works to hide it and it takes a lot to make him show it. A rumor commonly accepted as fact in the Red Keep says that he once used a heavy book to beat a lord bloody for irritating him with repeated demands for milk of the poppy to sooth a minor ache, after which he declared the man was now in enough pain to require the medicine and finally gave the lord what he wanted.
 

Eister Farwynd
GENERAL INFO

House: House Farwynd of the Lonely Light
Name: Eister Farwynd (ess-tare, like "guess" or "best" or "chest" and "stare" or "bare" or "care" or "bear")
Title: Lady Stark
Age: 14
Gender: Female

Appearance: Eister has coarse, dark hair that's kept short, but relatively well-maintained. Her skin has a slightly burnished, sun-weathered look, but not as noticeably as her parents and siblings, because she is still fairly young. Though not ugly, it would be a long stretch to call Eister a beauty by any accounts. Her narrow face has a nose just a little too big to fit quite right with it, and the tan of her skin contrasts with her thin, pale lips. The most striking of her features are her wide, intense grey eyes that seem to look right through you. She has a lean form, and is relatively short, standing only a little over 5'.

Eister_Banner_small.png

FAMILY & HISTORY

House Members:
  • Ygran Farwynd - Lord of House Farwynd of the Lonely Light, Father, 67 y/o, b. 244, m. 266 (age 22), w. 274 (age 30), m. 295 (age 51) [Coming to the Nameday Feast]
  • †Drysell Harlaw - Father's 1st Wife, 26 years, 248-274, m. 266 (age 18), c.o.d. childbirth
  • Oletha Weaver - Lady of House Farwynd of the Lonely Light, Mother, 30 y/o, b. 281, m. 295 (age 14)
  • †Stern Farwynd - Half-brother, 4 months, 267-267, c.o.d. unknown
  • Levina Farwynd - Half-sister, 42 y/o, b. 269, m. 287 (age 18), (has a daughter and a son)
  • †Derrin Farwynd - Half-brother, 24 years, 273-297, m. 296 (age 23), c.o.d. killed in Greyjoy Uprising)
  • Aldus Farwynd - Half-brother, 37 y/o, b. 274, m. 300 (age 26), (has three sons)

Timeline (for own reference):
244 - birth of Ygran
248 - birth of Drysell (Y 4)
266 - marriage of Ygran (22) and Drysell (18)
267 - birth of Stern (Y 23 D 19)
269 - birth of Levina (Y 25 D 21)
273 - birth of Derrin (Y 29 D 25 L 4)
274 - birth of Aldus and death of Drysell (Y 30 D 26 L 5 D 1)
281 - birth of Oletha (Y 37 L 12 D 8 A 7)
287 - marriage of Levina (Y 43 L 18 D 14 A 13 O 6)
295 - marriage of Ygran (51) and Oletha (14) (L 26 D 22 A 21)
296 - marriage of Derrin (23) (Y 52 L 27 A 22 O 15)
297 - death of Derrin (24) and birth of Eister (Y 53 L 28 A 23 O 16)
300 - marriage of Aldus (26) (Y 56 L 31 O 19 E 3)
311 - marriage of Eister (14) and Steffin Stark (17) (Y 67 L 42 A 37 O 30)

Biography: Eister was born during a rather inauspicious year. The Endless Winter had already been two years begun. Her young mother nearly died during the childbirth, and worst of all, she arrived on the day the Greyjoy Uprising began to go terribly wrong - the day the assault at Lannisport failed. That same day, her brother Derrin was mortally wounded, wounds which they were told he died from after another two days of agony. She was the first and last child of her father's second wife, who was never able to bear another child, much less another son, and she was not in possession of the striking beauty that had drawn her father to her mother so late in his age. Young, useless, and without any special wit or extraordinary talent, Eister grew up being reminded of the ill-omens that had surrounded her. The only one who really seemed to care about her was her father, and the only one who talked to her often was her mother.

Her mother, Oletha Weaver, came from a House so small and young that even in the Iron Islands few had heard its name. She had her beauty, though, and that was just enough to secure her a place in a better-known noble house. To her unfortunate only child, she taught relentlessly three key lessons. The first: there should be nothing beneath her in the pursuit of her own self-interest. The second: as a girl, her only value was in getting married and the power she could then exert on her husband. And the third: that she, Eister, possessed nothing of value to offer. Eister took these lessons to heart, probably in more ways than her mother could've anticipated. One thing she never lost, though, was the pride she had in being a strong Ironborn, capable of defending herself and unwilling to submit without a fight on her hands or a plan up her sleeve.

When the news arrived that there was a young new Lord of House Stark and Hand of the Queen, she saw it as her chance to marry well. He was not another Ironborn, but his rank was one of the highest in Westeros and he was younger than most of the others looking for wives. Not only did this make him closer in age to her and less likely to overpower her in the course of their marriage, it also meant, she hoped, that her chances were a little better. His House had long supported the Queen, who had endorsed the Lannisters' subjugation of Eister's people, and she provided him with no useful alliance or other skills. All she had was her charm to recommend her, and little enough of that as her father had not seen fit to insist perfect comportment from her. Perhaps, as a younger man, he could more easily excuse these objections, somehow. It was almost to her surprise that she succeeded in securing the marriage (for make no mistake, it was she who had secured it). Now, she only had to ensure that the power of her husband, and subsequently herself, was not damaged by whatever the strange Queen thought up next.

CHARACTER, ETC

General Personality: Though Eister likes to think of herself most of all as a calm, patient individual, in actuality she could probably be best described as stubborn and proud. She is unlikely to take another's advice, since she tends to insist she knows better, and is quick to anger at the slightest hint of an insult. She tries to keep ahold of her temper, and since getting married has somehow avoided hitting anybody, but has a great deal of difficulty mastering her language. She refuses to show fear or be intimidated by anyone, sometimes even when she should, and despises being controlled or ordered around. She is a generally serious child who delights in very few activities beyond dancing and swimming; being "charming" or lively takes considerable force of will for her. All the same, Eister is very sincere in her love, and loyal to those she has decided to affiliate with even if no love is involved.

Education: Reading, writing, horseback riding, embroidery, use of a spear and sword, some sailing (especially astronavigation), fishing, swimming, dancing, and a little of the basics of running a household.

Important Relationships:
Ygran Farwynd - Ygran is the one person Eister would do anything for. Old enough to be her grandfather (and in some families, great-grandfather), he always doted on her. He paid little attention to the background of her birth, and was the one who taught her to be proud of her blood. Acting somewhat as if he never expected her to get married at all, he taught her some of the things he had taught his sons and let her mostly roam free, taking no interest in her courtship prospects. It was she who brought up the marriage with him, something only possible because of the freedom with which he allowed her to speak with him. Eister loves her father dearly, but also sometimes finds herself annoyed at the way he coddles her, when she understands her responsibilities and is perfectly capable of taking care of herself. (She also suspects Ygran has been looking for an excuse to kill her husband, and she's not about to let that happen any time soon.)

Oletha Weaver - Most people say she might be just a little bit crazy, but Eister knows better. She may respect her mother a great deal, but Oletha is most definitely very crazy. Dissatisfied with her daughter, her husband, and the prestige of the house she married into, Oletha has been muttering to herself for years about everything from running away to bearing another man's son and passing it off as Ygran's, all within the hearing of little Eister. She grew up understanding there was something not quite right about her mother, but has gotten used to it and discovered that it doesn't really matter to her WHAT her mother is or does. She does, however, respect her mother's counsel, when it is offered. Being crazy doesn't make her an idiot, and the two of them are alike in ambition. Eister is very well aware that her marriage to the Stark is pretty much the only thing about her her mother has ever approved of. No surprise, really, since it was Oletha who taught her how to please and flatter a man.

Steffin Stark - Having done her damnedest to seduce the man through the courtship, Eister still has no idea what kind of person he actually is, and although she'd never admit it, that scares her more than a little. She quite enjoys bedding him, but for sure she doesn't love him, and at the moment isn't sure if she's even ever going to like him. It's much more important that he like her, and she's fairly certain he does, but that doesn't prevent the slight apprehension of one day waking up and discovering that she cannot stand her husband and is utterly miserable. She married for power, make no mistake, but the prospect of an unhappy future stuck to a man whom she hates is still a real worry. She is cautious around him, and much more schooled in her behavior than she would be otherwise, but is definitely very loyal to him. The fate of House Stark now affects her and any offspring she might have with him, she can't really afford to scheme against him.

Claim: Hand of the Queen(/hubbywubby) or House Greyjoy

HEX: #5ab
 
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Kyne Sand

Kyne - pronounced Kine like "kind" without the "d" | 24 | Male | 3rd Son of Lord of House Manwoody | Bastard​

House Members:
Barlay Manwoody - Father, 51 [Coming to King's Landing] [spoili]Barlay is not exactly an ambitious man. Of average stature and generally mild manners, the only trait he appears to share with Kyne (beyond some physical features) is a great love of women (and sex in general). Despite his less than leaderly demeanor, he has proven himself to be a competent and observant Lord of House Manwoody, tempering his accepting nature with a quiet shrewdness that only comes into play when it absolutely must. Unfortunately, this shrewd nature does not apply to his own family, and he remains sublimely oblivious to the tense relationships between his children, wife, and paramour - something Kyne has never fully forgiven him for.[/spoili]
Jeanette Fowler - Father's wife, 48 [spoili]Just as quiet and gentle a person as Barlay, Jeanette and Barlay were fond enough of each other before they got married, but that never turned to love, sexual or otherwise. Though by nature not antagonistic, her husband's frequent and uncontested infidelity to her after the birth of her first two sons has caused her much trouble and pain. She has never fully accepted her bastard step-children, and has encouraged her sons subtly to look down on them somewhat. She is slender and has more reddish skin than Barlay.[/spoili]
Bettany - Father's paramour, 56 [Coming to King's Landing] [spoili]A seductive and busty, but barren cougar bitch who loves torturing Jeanette and Barlay's bastards through her. 'Nuff said.[/spoili]
Axton Manwoody - Half-brother, 28 [Coming to King's Landing] [spoili]Axton is a rather stocky man, though built nowhere near as tall and sure of his body as Kyne. The most that need be known about him is that he is an arrogant asshole who likes women just as much as his father, but is significantly less successful with them, mostly because he also makes it no secret that he likes hurting them more than he likes sleeping with them. He's pretty good-looking, as are most of the Manwoody children. He has rounder features and naturally darker-tinted skin than most of the other children, but combines that with strong facial lines, though in a very different fashion from Kyne. He hates all of his half-siblings, but has a special place in the recesses of his hatred just for Kyne.[/spoili]
Dallin Manwoody - Half-brother, 25 [spoili]Much more like his parents than Axton, Dallin is a quiet, but shrewd man. He is slender and dark-skinned like his mother, and takes little interest in things outside of the military. Despite there being no love lost between him and his half-siblings (or any of his siblings, really), Dallin takes an aloof approach and prefers to avoid them or even flat-out ignore their existence.[/spoili]
Sara Sand - Half-sister, 24 [spoili](M: Chessie Brynn) Sara, born only a couple hours before Cara, is a gentle-looking girl, with sparkling brown eyes and sandy blonde hair. She has a light, airy voice and tends to act innocent, but is actually a bit of a vengeful, yet motherishly fussy harpy with a love of pranks and a desire to see the world, rather than be coddled from it.[/spoili]
Cara Sand - Half-sister, 24 [spoili]Though she looks similar to Sara, Cara is a fraternal twin who has dark, coarse hair and narrower features. She also stands a few inches shorter than her sister. Outwardly, she is much more reticent than her sister, though is also more honest and blunt. Other than that, however, they are rather similar in personality. Both troublemakers.[/spoili]
Nell Sand - Half-brother, 21 [Coming to King's Landing] [spoili](M: Chessie Brynn) Nell is older than Twell by a few minutes, but in truth it is often Twell who acts like the older brother. Nell is rather similar to Cara in that he tends to be more reticent, but with his wide eyes and curly brown hair, he does also carry Sara's air of light innocence, though he's a bit too tall and lanky to pull it off the way she does. He's got his head on straight, but can be a little wistful, and is just as much of a troublesome prankster as his sisters.[/spoili]
Twell Sand - Half-brother, 21 [Coming to King's Landing] [spoili]Twell, while younger, is also a bit more serious, down-to-earth, and of a mischievous prankster type. He generally has a poker face, but when he smiles, it spells trouble. He is a bit more meticulous and careful than Nell, though. He is absolutely identical to Nell, and they can pass off as one another if they feel like it.[/spoili]
Haddon Sand - Half-brother, 9 [Coming to King's Landing] [spoili](M: Irrelevant)[/spoili]
Chetwin Sand - Half-brother, 9 [Coming to King's Landing]
Fane Sand - Half-brother, 8 [Coming to King's Landing] [spoili](M: Fiall Sand) By far the most timid of the Manwoody's, Fane[/spoili]
Breckon Sand - Half-brother, 7 [Coming to King's Landing]
Firth Sand - Half-brother, 6 [Coming to King's Landing]
Gresh Sand - Half-brother, 6 [Coming to King's Landing]
Tilford Sand - Half-brother, 6 [Coming to King's Landing]
Parren Manwoody - Half-brother, 3

People his father has had lots of sex with:
Chessie Brynn - 39
Tarkor Brynn - Chessie's twin brother, 39 (the empty space between Twell and Haddon is when Barlay was obsessed with Tarkor)
Fiall Sand - 21
Kina - 19
Miralla Norn - 18
(Marenne - Mother, 42, a barmaid [spoili]Going through all of Barlay's various lovers and people he's slept with would be a total and utter pain and the butt, but Kyne's mother is worth a little more exploration for a couple of reasons. Marenne is uniquely a one-night stand. She wasn't the first person with which Barlay slept outside of marriage, but she was the first affair to bear him a child. At the time of Kyne's birth she was unmarried and had not been sleeping with enough men for there to be any doubt of his birth. It is likely she who Kyne takes after, though he doesn't know. Though he has never met her, she is a tall and strong woman, with very much a wanderer's spirit and fire in her soul. Unlike him, however, she does not like children, and was quick to give him away to Barlay as soon as he was born. It is unbeknownst to Kyne that being able to take him in was what inspired Barlay to insist all of his bastards be allowed in the house from then on.[/spoili])

Biography:
Kyne was born of a one night stand between a random woman he has never met and the Lord of House Manwoody. He is the first of the man's illegitimate children, but not the last by a long shot. He was raised in his father's household, as his father insisted on taking in every single child he has given birth to. He and the other bastards were never treated any differently from his two legitimate brothers, as his father has a great love for all of his children, but his step-mother, Lady Manwoody, never really liked any of them, seeing them, perhaps rightly so, as a threat to her children and her status, as Lord Manwoody no longer visited her once she'd given birth to her two sons.

Long story short, his family situation has always been tense. The two legitimate sons were always unkind to the bastards, and by age 8, Kyne had decided that it was his job to protect his younger siblings, since his father was too blind to do so. With the recent unrest in Dorne, he is determined to protect himself and them the best he can.

Kyne is not exactly the most quiet or temperate man in the room. He is flirtatious, quick to anger, and impulsive, but more cunning and well-meaning than he seems at first. He dislikes his father and hates his "step-mom," but his father's paramour even more. The only things he appears to really care about are his half-siblings and bedding women, though it's fairly clear he is also fond of drinking, fighting, and tending to horses. Back in Dorne he has something of a reputation for wandering Dorne and sometimes the Stormlands for long stretches of time, racing horses and sleeping around.

Appearance: Kyne has dark, golden hair and blue-grey eyes. He has something of a resting bitch face, and although his features are sharp and strong, they tend to look a little disdainful. His face is covered with strong freckles not featured in the picture. He is the tallest of his siblings at a bulky 6'5".

Claim: Whoever the Queen chooses, as long as it's not a Yronwood. She's a Martell.

HEX: #F00
 
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[dash=#66c]
Lord Simon Frey, the Dallier


HOUSE: Frey
NAME: Simon
TITLE(S): Lord, the Dallier

AGE: 21, born in 290
GENDER: Male

APPEARANCE: The Freys have always been known to look somewhat ordinary, dull eyes and dull hair, no particular features that distinguished them from peasants. It all changed his grandfather Frey (who wasn't heir to the house until his brothers died at war) married a noble lady from Volantis. Even as Simon is two generations later, he has the same olive skin, lush brown hair, and piercing green eyes. He is also quite tall at 6'3, towering over most of the men from the Twins.

HOUSE MEMBERS:
Lord Wilner Frey of the Twins. Father, born 263 (48).
Lady Dana Frey, née Smallwood. Mother, born 265 (46).
Derryn Frey. Brother, heir to House Frey of the Twins, born 282 (29).
Ser Maldor Frey. Brother, knight, born 285 (26).
Janys Frey. Sister, born 295 (16). (Joining him in King's Landing)
Catelyn Frey, Sister, born 295 (16). (Joining him in King's Landing)

BIOGRAPHY:
Ever since he was a boy, Simon was always more interested in the arts and literature, building a quick fascination with the tales of historical wars and heroes. His two older brothers were groomed for more political purposes, while he was left with the Maester to go through as many lessons as the old man could possibly sustain daily. His grandmother, a noble lady originally from Volantis, would also tell him stories of Valyria and other old cities from Essos, filling his imagination with magic and dragons. When she passed, Lord Frey found his son had become too obsessed with dragons and heroes, so he sent him to spent what was supposed to be a few months with the Smallwoods of Acorn Hall.

While he was there, Simon had little to no time to read. Every day was more boring and exhausting the previous one, with lessons of swordfighting, hunting, riding, and even archery. He wasn't particularly skilled at it, and most attributed that to the fact that he had not held a sword from a very young age. Years passed and he grew to be very tall and had inherited the svelte figure of his Volantis ancestry, which helped him become decently good at wielding a sword. At 14, he was finally sent back home, completely changed -- or almost. Not even a month passed until he went back to his old habits of reading, but this time he also took some time to practice in the yard with his brothers. The old Maester of his youth had passed, but the younger one that replaced him was as avid about history as himself.

Simon formed a close friendship with Maester Tymor. He was encouraged to write his own stories, and so he did. It was all pretend, not actual historical stories, but his prose was eloquent and even his father had to recognize that his third son had talent. One of his parents' Braavosi servants taught him how to play the lute, much to nearly everyone's annoyance, but once again he surprised them all when just a few months later, he performed for them at a family dinner one of his own songs. Lady Dana suggested he become a performing bard to travel Westeros, but Simon had no wish of leaving the Riverlands. Instead, ravens flew to various houses of the Riverlands, including Smallwood and Tully, offering his services as a performing bard for special occasions. This is when he first met Lady Meredyth Tully of Riverrun.

As soon as he set his eyes upon her, Simon thought that this could only be described as love. He wrote more songs than one can count about her. She was the most beautiful lady he had ever seen, and he made sure to remind her every time he was in Riverrun. Between his trips, Simon played in taverns and would tell the story of a redhead siren, a gorgeous creature roaming the waters across the Riverlands. Everyone knew he was talking about the Tully girl, but he never mentioned her name. He began courting her more officially in the last couple of years, sending her gifts and seeking her company with chaperones when he's in Riverrun. This is one particular project his father strongly encourages, thinking that a marriage between the Freys and the Tullys would benefit them both, but especially the Freys; finally, they might be regarded as a legitimate house in the Riverlands.

CLAIM: Simon doesn't preoccupy himself with courtly politics, but in his opinion someone with experience should be the heir to the throne. He disapproves of the little lord Stark being Hand to the Queen in the first place, but he never would dare mention this out loud.

HEX: #66c

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HOUSE: Baratheon
NAME: Taria
TITLE(S): Lady, Heir of House Baratheon

AGE: 23
GENDER: Female

APPEARANCE:
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HOUSE MEMBERS:
  • Rodrik Baratheon, age 26, father, deceased
  • Seline Baratheon, age 32, mother, deceased
  • Lord Gerrant Baratheon, age 47, uncle and adopted father, current Lord of House Baratheon
  • Lady Merianne Baratheon, age 45, aunt and adopted mother
BIOGRAPHY: Taria was born the daughter of the former Lord of the House, Rodrik Baratheon and his wife Seline. However, her father had passed away when she was but five years old in a skirmish against Dornishmen, and her mother had succumbed to death when Taria was but thirteen years of age, attacked and wounded by a Dornish assassin.

As such, her uncle who was now Lord of the house and his wife decided to adopt their niece, raising her as their own daughter, which to a degree they had been doing since she was a small child. Lady Merianne couldn’t have children of her own due to health reasons, having tried for years and even seeking the aid of maesters both in the Stormlands as well as King’s Landing on their visits there. As Taria had been the heir to House Baratheon before her father died, it made sense to Gerrant to give her that position once more. He also loved his wife too much to put her aside for a new one or to sire a bastard son and legitimize him.

Whilst Taria grew up in a loving household, Lord Gerrant was very strict with how she was raised. She learned to use weapons from a young age so that she would be proficient with them by the time she reached her teenage years. She was also made to read quite a bit and learn the history of her house as well as Westeros in general, though the latter did not interest her as much.

All of her rigid training and studying left her quite serious, though she did have a soft side to her. Often in her free time she would visit different towns and meet with the orphans as well as the less fortunate folk; whilst this was to show House Baratheon was with them in their time of need, it was also something Taria did from her own self. During these times she would tell of stories of warriors she had read or invented off the top of her head, or she would head out to pick flowers with the little girls, or sometimes just have a quiet time watching the waves from the fortress walls.

It was during her twentieth year when she met Ser Harlan, a fourth son born to House Dondarrion. Taria found herself falling in love and often sent letters to the knight. He was a good man and was soon betrothed to Taria, Gerrant having approved of him as a good son-in-law and future Lord of the house after his passing. Alas the love story was not meant to be as Harlan was killed in battle. Although Taria took this news to heart for quite a while, she knew it was to be expected, especially with Blackhaven being located in the Dornish Marshes.

At present, having received the missives from Queen Roslyn, Lord Gerrant has decided to send Taria as a representative for House Baratheon to the queen’s nameday celebrations whilst he looks into taking care of more military matters. Although Taria does not really enjoy socializing at King's Landing from previous visits there, she knows her duty and is happy to do as her uncle has decided.

CLAIM: Whoever the Queen chooses.

HEX: #760
 
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HOUSE: Dalt of Lemonwood
NAME: Seban
TITLE: Lord of House Dalt

AGE: 26
GENDER: Male

APPEARANCE:
OESEUrB.jpg
Seban is around 6 feet tall and is a bit on the wiry side. He dresses in simpler clothes than most of his family, preferring darker coloured tunics and trousers as well as boots. He carries a sword at his waist, though it is rarely used. He also has a dagger on his belt and this is his main weapon when needed.

HOUSE MEMBERS:
  • Allyria Dalt, 73, grandmother, NPC coming to King’s Landing
    Trystane Dalt, 35 father, deceased
  • Ysilla Dalt, age 45, mother,deceased
  • Deziel Dalt, age 26, brother, deceased
  • Doran Sand, age 19, half brother
  • Amaria Sand, age 19, half sister
  • Oberyn Dalt, age 16, brother
  • Obara Sand, age 15, half sister, NPC coming to King’s Landing

BIOGRAPHY: Seban was born the second son of House Dalt, only two years younger than his older brother, Deziel. Being from a smaller house in Dorne that lived by the coast, he was saved from dreariness for most of his life. His father made sure he studied books and learned swordmanship, but even at at a young age Seban felt that more could be learned from actually experiencing the world. As Planky Town was quite near Lemonwood, there was no shortage of trading ships to watch come and leave the docks along with sailors to interact with. Lord Trystane Dalt himself had a trading ship so he wasn’t too averse to his second son spending time there with a servant, if only to make sure their cargo was taken care of; he had his older son Deziel to groom, after all.

Seban was nearing eleven years of age when tragedy hit the family, his father unfortunately passing away. He had been hit hard with sickness during the green plague, and though he had recovered it had left him weak and less immune to other more common illnesses. A cold had evolved into something stronger, and after a few months Lord Trystane passed away. Deziel, now thirteen years of age was the new Lord of the House. He had been the more studious and stern of the two older brothers, and though Lady Ysilla and the Maester of the house were there to help him, he hardly needed them around.

As the Lord of the House, Deziel wasn’t as kindly towards his father’s bastards as even his mother was, something Seban noticed right away with the way his older brother acted towards his younger siblings; the Lord favoured Oberyn quite openly in comparison to his father’s bastard twins Doran and Amaria. It was only worsened when a baby Sand was brought to Lemonwood, the grandfather of the child claiming it was the late Trystane’s daughter. Ysilla was more than willing to take in the bastard, just as she had with Doran and Amaria. However Deziel wasn’t pleased and it took both Ysilla and Seban's persuasion to finally allow the baby to stay.

With things rather icy between the young lord and the bastards of the house, Seban took it upon himself to keep things friendly and civil in the house. He grew quite close to his youngest half sister, Obara, enough that he would take her with him wherever he went. While affection was his main reason why, as a young teenager he had also been worried that his brother would back out of his agreement to keep her in the house and send little Obara to live with her mother.

During his teen years and even into adulthood, Seban continued to visit the docks and would even set off on small sea voyages, though never for more than a week a week at a time. As he was next in line and the heir of the house seeing his brother hadn’t married nor (strangely enough) had any bastards, his role in the house was much more important now. It was stifling at first, but the young man found ways to have fun, besides the usual trysts and drinking. With the maester’s guiding eyes and hands, he found he had an affinity with making both potions and poisons, and as such started selling to those who were willing to pay. It was a rather poorly kept secret, but as it brought coin, it seemed Deziel paid a blind eye to it.

Seban’s twenty-third and twenty-fourth years were tragic. First his mother passed away from a sickness, and then a year later his brother was assassinated by a spy among their own servants. It was with a heavy heart that he became the new Lord Dalt of Lemonwood.

Two years later, Seban is headed to King’s Landing for the Queen’s nameday celebration, mostly because he wants to be a good example and didn’t quite think sending his bastard brother Doran in his stead or the younger Oberyn would be taken well. His grandmother insisted on coming, wishing to see King’s Landing once more before she passed away, and as for Obara, Seban was going to bring her along anyway.

CLAIM: House Yronwood

HEXCODE: #B04
 
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Announcement!

The IC is officially up :D The link is at the top of the page, under the banner.

Reminder that the character sheets are due at the latest September 30.

You will have approximately two weeks to reply to the IC. You can post in collabs if you want, have fun! If you like to make your posts fancy, remember to keep them mobile-friendly.


When you see this banner:

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it means that the post is a GM post. Either Jorick or I will be using it. Since I have characters that are NOT GMPCs (Simon Frey), we felt it was important to make the distinction.


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The Third Son, Unblemished

HOUSE: Tyrell
NAME: Gaheris Tyrell
TITLE(S): Ser

AGE: 32 (b. 279AC)
GENDER: Male

APPEARANCE:


HOUSE MEMBERS:
(Not all-inclusive, NPCs in King’s Landing are bolded.)

Lord Gawain Tyrell: Older brother, first of four, Lord Paramount of the Reach. 37.
Ser Pellas Tyrell: Older brother, second of four, member of the Kingsguard. 34.
Ser Lewyn Tyrell: Younger brother, fourth of four. 30.
Lady Denys (Redwyne) Tyrell: Wife of Gawain Tyrell, attending King’s Landing to represent Gawain alongside Gaheris. 31.
Tristan Florent: Squire, 14.

BIOGRAPHY:

Four sons were born to the late Lord Tyrell. Gawain, contemplative and steadfast. Pellas, stalwart and dutiful. Lewyn, courageous and headstrong. The third of the four sons was Gaheris, who preferred no description to bind him and no expectations to dictate his way in life. Still, he was of the House Tyrell, and there were expectations - a Knighthood, as well as demeanor and deed alike to inspire tales of gallantry - the perfect knight. Yet he could never be the perfect knight, for Pellas, the second son, was bolder, stronger, more handsome, far better with blade and taller; tall enough to cast an insurmountable shadow.

Indeed, convincing Gaheris to embark upon the path of squiredom and knighthood had been an immense struggle, and his Lord-Father’s victory had come with a condition attached; Gaheris demanded that he be sent away to serve, shockingly, a Dornish house. The late Lord Tyrell eventually relented when an accord was reached with House Dayne, their reputation serving to counteract his apprehension. Gaheris found no small amount of satisfaction from the colorful, lively culture that Dorne had to offer, although the nobles left much to be desired. He was a Tyrell, after all, in a den of Martells and Martell supporters.

Yet he was adaptable, opportunistic, and valorous enough when not held side by side with his brothers Pellas and Lewyn. Still a squire, he earned some measure of renown when he saved the Late Lord Blackmont from bandits on the road from Blackmont to Starfall. As the Lord had told it, Gaheris had rode like the storm, the swinging of his blade as if lightning. Hyperbole, to be certain, but Gaheris had earned the grudging respect of certain Dornishmen, and a knighthood at the impressive age of sixteen.

Ser Gaheris Tyrell, Knighthood achieved, opted not to return to Highgarden, but stayed a few years more in Dorne, before deciding that he needed yet another change of scenery, this time outside Westeros entirely. Taking responsibility for trade between the cities of Essos and Highgarden unto himself, the next decade of his life was spent in various parts of the exotic continent, navigating foreign lands and trade relations in the wake of the Fifteen Year War. Ever the learner, he negotiated with mercantile groups and procured luxury goods such as Myrish lenses, Norvoshi axes, Volantene wines for the Reach at more than acceptable prices. Gaheris owed much to the Free Cities - the gift of languages, foods, music, and fine women.

The third son’s infamous facial scars, then, were owed to Tyrosh. Gaheris Tyrell had been negotiating with a reputable trader of Tyroshi pear brandy, when the meeting committee was set upon by assailants. The merchant had been the target, as he was engaged in a feud with his primary competitor, but knives nonetheless found their mark upon Gaheris. The merchant perished, and the third son of House Tyrell lay screaming in unbearable pain, face ruined.

What transpired then is rumor and hearsay, but Gaheris remained in Tyrosh for some time, returning to Westeros after three years, a mere week after the vicious murder of the rumored mastermind and with copious amounts of pear brandy in tow. What is known for a certainty, however, is that the pain and trauma twisted the Tyrell boy, perhaps even rendering him half-mad.

He arrives in King’s Landing to serve as House Tyrell’s representative, for Lord Gawain - a crippled survivor of the Green Plague - has long been too feeble to travel.

CLAIM: For the time being, will defer to Queen Martell’s selection.

HEX: #7A8
 
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[fieldbox="Tamsyn Grimm, #070, solid"]

HOUSE: Grimm of Greyshield

TITLE(S): Lady of Greyshield, The Grey Maiden, That bloody woman.

AGE: Twenty-six. Born 285 AC.

GENDER: Female

APPEARANCE: Tamsyn stands at five foot, ten inches tall. She has bottle green eyes, fair skin with freckles brought out by the sun and auburn hair that reaches the middle of her back, though it is normally wound into a tight plait.

Typically she wears more practical garb than most ladies of the realm, favoring sturdy trouser, a shirt and a hard wearing leather jacket. Around her neck an eight inch marlinspike is her only normal concession to wearing jewelry. She does own a very modest collection of dresses and jewels befitting of a lady that she keeps for formal occasions.

HOUSE MEMBERS
  • Liola Serry née Grimm: Sister. Twenty-five. Born 286 AC. Married to the eldest son of the lord of South Shield. Currently living in Grimston keep.
  • Theresa Grimm: Sister. Twenty-three. Born 288 AC. Betrothed to Hastley Forrester. Accompanying Tamsyn to King’s Landing.
  • Astrid Grimm: Sister. Nineteen. Born 292 AC. Accompanying Tamsyn to King’s Landing.
  • Talia Grimm: Sister: Fifteen. Born 296 AC.
  • Olena Grimm: Sister: Eleven. Born 300 AC.
  • Mira Grimm: Sister: Seven. Born 304 AC.
  • Gerren Grimm: Brother. Four. Born 307 AC. Heir of Greyshield. Lord of Greyshield, Commander of the Grey fleet, Lord of Snot.
Deceased
  • Lady Bethany Grimm née Redwyne: Mother of Tamsyn, Liola and Theresa. Died from the Green Plague. Died 289 AC.
  • Ethan Grimm: Stillborn. Died 299 AC.
  • Lady Alyce Grimm née Ambrose: Mother of Astrid, Talia, Ethan, Olena, Mira and Gerren. Died from complications after giving birth to Gerren. Died 307 AC.
  • Lord Nicholas Grimm: Drowned at Sea. Died 309 AC.
BIOGRAPHY: Tamsyn was the first child of the Lord Nicholas Grimm and from the moment of her birth, a near constant source of disappointment for her father. The Grimm line had come dangerously close to extinction with many members of the house lost to war and illness and Nicholas saw it as his solemn duty to have as many heirs as possible to preserve and strengthen the family. This was a goal in which a daughter, or as it would turn out daughters, could only ever play a very minor role and because of this Grimston wasn’t a warm or nurturing environment for the young Tamsyn even before her mother died. Between her father's total disinterest and the younger siblings that demanded so much more of their mother’s attention Tamsyn was often left to her own devices.

When the green plague swept across Westeros even small and remote Greyshield wasn’t spared, although it was hit far more lightly than many parts of the kingdom. The only victim of note on the island was the Lady Bethany Grimm who despite the maester best efforts passed away from the disease, robbing the Grimm sisters of anyone who truly cared for them. The death of of his wife caused Lord Grimm to become more distant than ever from his daughters as he set about searching for a new wife. The girls were taken care of by the house septa but the women was about as warm and comforting as the floor of the great hall and Tamsyn increasingly became the person her young sisters turned to for support. One of the few advantages of her father's lack of presence in their lives was that Tamsyn was able to persuade the maester to teach her subjects of more importance to an heir than needle work. She also tried to persuade the castle's master of arms to teach her how to swing a sword but the man refused although after Tamsyn had worn down his resolve some he did agree to teach her how to use a bow.

Only when Tamsyn and her sisters began to reach adulthood did her father begin to take taking an interest in his daughters; although not out of fatherly concern, but rather with the aim of strengthening the family. Tamsyn had inherited the more striking aspects of both her parents and for the next few years she was repeatedly shipped off to castles around the reach to to be a handmaiden for any rich or powerful family Lord Grimm could persuade to take her on. Her father hoped that these positions would allow him to negotiate an advantageous marriage for Tamsyn or that a suitable lordling might make advances on her. Unfortunately for the Lord Grimm’s plans Tamsyn saw herself as the heir of Greyshield and always schemed and contrived to get herself sent home. That's not to say that Tamsyn lived the life of a puritanical septa for all those years; she had romances, dalliances and flings, but she always went into them knowing that her rightful place was on Greyshield.

Tamsyn’s insistence on staying at home turned out to be well founded when her father was lost at sea. While the Nicholas Grimm had produced a male heir, the boy was only two years old and his mother had passed soon after giving birth to him. With no one else left to lead the family and before anyone had a chance to think of an alternative plan Tamsyn stepped into what she saw as her rightful role as the head of the household.

CLAIM: Whoever the Tyrell support to take the throne. House Grimm has kept faith with the rulers of The Reach since the Gardeners created the house and Grimston is a long way from King’s Landing. Whose ass polishes the Iron throne is not quite so important for Greyshield as the continued favour of the one sitting in Highgarden. In the years since the Greyjoy rebellion the Tyrells have been actively supporting the expansion of the Grey Fleet to guard against the Lannisters increased naval presence and Tamsyn has no intention of making them question this arrangement.

Hexcode: #070
[/fieldbox]
 
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