House: Grafton of Gulltown 

[img] http://media.tumblr.com/b29bdc76484cf85f0ffb929b02a06dce/tumblr_inline_mqpf182Tv21qz4rgp.png [/img] (not my picture)

Green or Black: Black 

[u]Recent History:[/u] House Grafton is  a house that earned its enviable position as the Lords of Gulltown during the Andal invasion and have never relinquished their position. House Grafton have since had several disputes with their northern Royce rivals there is a somewhat of a family feud between the two houses although armed conflict has only once broken out between the two houses. This war was promptly won by the Royces  who imposed humiliating peace terms on House Grafton and sent all but the youngest generation of its’ men to the wall. For a while six shields bearing the blazon of house Grafton adorned the Shieldhall of Castle Black. Afterwards the lords of Gulltown were much more cautious in their dealings with house Royce. Occasionally House Grafton would discretely hire corsairs to raid ships heading in and out of the ports controlled by Runestone, alternatively they would deny their services to House Royce whenever the lords of Runestone would require a loan. As the principal moneylenders of the Vale, the Graftons would not usually deny their services to anyone and would make a hefty profit from the spendthrift attitudes of other noble houses. House Royce would not be extended this courtesy and frequently had to turn to the banks of the Free Cities who charged exorbitant interest rates. More recently House Grafton has loyally followed Lady Jeyne Arryn in support of her Kinswomans Rhaenyra Targaryen and the cause of the Blacks. Needless to say house Grafton drew great pleasure from the fact that house Royce had lost their Valyrian Steel Sword in the Storming of the Dragonpit less than a year ago.


[b]Family Members:[/b]
[hider=Lord Osgood Grafton]
Name: Lord Osgood Grafton 
Age:71
Appearance:  Lord Osgood is well past his physical prime. In his youth he had some prowess in tourneys but his  mind was always sharper than his sword. Nevertheless he had remained healthy well into his fifties, due to his personal temperance and his very cautious nature. Osgood was probably helped by the fact that he had lived throughout one of the most peaceful eras of Westerosi history and was spared the need to mount his horse and charge at younger, stronger men. By the time of ‘The Dance’ he was already too old to lead house Grafton’s men into battle and passed on his military duties to his  Son and Grandsons. Unfortunately his formerly sharp mind has also begun to feel the effects of old age and often wonders to happy memories of the past. Since his sixtieth name-day his eyes have become increasingly clouded and Lord Osgood is now completely blind.  He now finds himself incapable of performing many of the duties expected of his position and finds himself relying ever more on his councillors and family. 

Biography:
Having lived through the Reigns of Jaeherys I and Viserys I, lord Osgood has only known peace. This unprecedented period of tranquillity and the cautious and calculated rule of Lord Osgood over Gulltown	 was a blessing for the merchants who experienced the continued growth of their personal fortunes. His reign has been a comparatively easy one in relation to the experiences of many of his ancestors. Ever a cautious man Lord Osgood declined to opportunity to acquire fame and glory alongside Daemon Targeryen when the latter sought to carve himself a Kingdom out of the Stepstones;  the former was content enough to enjoy the steady wealth that came with the rule of Westeros’ fourth largest city. During his many years at the head of house Grafton Osgood dedicated himself to his coffers and his family. In his later years, before the Seven Who Are One took away his sight he welcomed his frailty with great offerings to the seven. Many took this as a sign that Osgood feared death and that he was attempting to atone for his sins by constructing  large Septs. In these septons and novices sought to emulate the diligence of The Smith through their labour. herding sheep, tending hives and maintaining bountiful orchards. In truth Osgood had sinned more than many would believe of him yet he did not build these shrines to care for his soul’s welfare but rather for his love of learning.  Lord Osgood has always had a thirst for knowledge yet never had enough books to satisfy his curiosity. By offering the common folk and opportunity to learn to write as septons Lord Osgood had effectively   procured himself dozens of scribes to transcribe the rare books that he had managed to find, buy or borrow so that he may have a copy for himself. Over time the works of these men of faith have filled so many volumes that Lord Osgood has had to expand the library of his keep and to employ  several librarians to look after and maintain his collection that has become the envy of many a learned Lord and maester. In fact many maesters have sought to study some of the rarer books transcribed into his collection and Lord Osgood was always more than willing to permit this as long as the maester would bring along a new book of his own or from from The Citadel’s own great library for his septons and Librarians to transcribe. The septries  also provided much needed foodstuffs and candles for the annual fairs  lord Osgood held in the city of Gulltown during the Summer and Autumn years.

Lord Osgood relied on his memories of the books he had read as well as the advice ofhis maester who had learned to tell the signs that the seasons were turning. In fact Maester Farlin was awaiting the White Raven to arrive any week now. He was also conscious of the strain winter imposed on a city, Gulltown was not just any city it was the single largest settlement north of Lannisport and its' people would need food, fuel and safety for years. In preparation for what might be his last winter, Lord Osgood had spent much of the Dance buying up what little grain farmers were willing to part from in the Vale. The Vale had virtually been untocuhed by the Dragonfire that had burned through much of Westeros and its' fields were safe but few were farmers who would accept ready cash for their produce.Peasants sword to house Grafton were hard at work tryign to gather in one last harvest and lord Osgood had ordered the building of dozens of new fishing vessels had offered them to anyone willing to risk their harvesting the seas bounty despite the autumn storms. Ships had been sent south to buy food from warmer claimates where crops were not likely to wither and die in a few months. Lys and Tyrosh were typically safe markets but the Dance had closed their markets to Gulltown at least tempoerily. Now Merchantment were forced to sail farther to the Deep Water Port of Volantis and beyond. Osgood had also instructed his steward to oversee the salting of meat, the pickling of vegetables and the drying of fruit so that the food Gulltown did already have would last longer. If it was the last thing he would do Lod Osgood would make sure his people had enough foodto last them through the coming winter and perhaps even enough to sell to houses cursed with less bountiful lands or less prudent lords.
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[hider=Ser Gilwood Grafton]
Name:  Ser Gilwood Grafton heir to Lordship
Age:48
Appearance: A taller man than his father, Ser Gilwood is lean and relatively muscled for his age having fought alongside The Rogue Prince in the siege of Bloodstone and several later battles against the sword and sails of Myr. Ser Gilwood shares the dark hair and strong jawline of his father as well as his mothers’ green eyes. Although a serious man in his youth marriage changed him and, having grown old alongside his beloved Megyn and cherished children he now bears  laugh lines  around his mouth.
 
Biography: 
Gilwood had been one of the many Westerosi Lords who had been cautiously optimistic when the Triarchy dismantled the pirate presence in the Stepstones. Yet house Grafton's interests had also been some of the first to have been negatively affected by the extortionate fees the Kingdom imposed on those who sought to leave the Narrow Sea and sail south. At first Ser Gilwood had been incapable of doing much to oppose this use hire fast ships and sail at night to avoid detection it was Ser Gilwood's idea to provide vessels out of Gulltown with false banners and pennants to try and deceive the Myrish, Tyroshi and Lysene watchers into beleiving that the vessels passign through the Stepstones were ships in the Service of The High Council. Eventually though the 33 magisters caught on an issued a bounty for any ships caught attempting to bear false flag. This would condemn Gulltown traders to deal almost exclusively with other Westerosi ports Bravos, Pentos, Lorath and Ib. When Lord Daemon and Lord Corlys Velaryon sought to break the control of the Magisters, Ser Gilwood had been more than enthusiastic to take part in the invasion. Taking thirty vessels with him all outfitted for war Ser Gilwood Grafton joined the invasion of the Sea-Snake and the future King of the Narrow Sea.

Caraxes had made short work of the initial naval forces the Triarchy had dispatched to defend the Stepstones leaving many galleys flaming or ripped to shreds as the Essosi desperatedly sought to pierce his eyes as their Dornish allies had advised them. For the better part of three years, it was the turn of Ser Gilwood and his vessels to intercept the vessels of the Kingdom of the Three Daughters and for three years Ser Gilwood effectively lived as a reaver, assaulting one holdfast after another. King Daemon had been generous to his allies, bestowing many captured heirlooms belonging to old Valyrian families that had settled in the three daughters to Lord Velaryon and Lord Grafton for he knew that he ruled over a Kingdom that overtly resented his rule and that his forces were few and spread out. Although this war meant Ser Gilwood amassed a great personal fortune in prizes, ransoms and treasure it also meant that he was never short of enemies who sought to drive a blade through his heart. By 108 AC Ser Gilwood had come to realise that despite the successive chain of Victories he had achieved with his allies their triumph seemed just as distant as it had ever been.  The holdfast that he was occupying and ruling from was little more than a ruin after the siege and what little wealth that had remained on the Stepstones after the first two years of war  had either been claimed by King Daemon or burnt by Caraxes, there was little more to keep Gilwood there beyond a largely hollow title as Lord of Torturer's Deep. Nevertheless Lord Gilwood stayed another year leading raids on shipping from his island fort until a Basilisk islander Corsair Captain Yarathi the Butcher, who under the employ of the Triarchy, defeated the few ships that had remained to Gilwood before besieging him in his keep. Fortunately for Gilwood, Lord Corlys's fleet appeared and engaged the Corsairs from behind,just as the they were pouring over the hastily rebuilt defences of  Torturer's Deep. Corlys had effectively saved lord Gilwood from a humiliating defeat and an even more disgraceful capture and detention at the hands of the corsair Lord. Nevertheless it had become clear that it was time to leave the Stepstones and return home whilst he still could.

Ser Gilwood is restless and does not share  what he sees as his fathers’ lack of ambition.  Although hot-tempered and impatient he remains sensible. Ser Gilwood wisely chose to abandon the Stepstones after Daemon and Caraxes left the islands to their own devices. He has yet to inherit the Lordship of Gulltown and has grown old remaining merely a knight but has never shown any signs of wishing to act against his father, seemingly satisfied with his knighthood. This is perhaps best explained by the  abrupt conclusion of his short-lived Lordship  of Torturer's Deep. His true love was sailing and travelling and Ser Gilwood Grafton was a close friend of Corlys Velaryon accompanying him on several of his journeys to the east before the birth of his firstborn. An able seaman and a better merchant, Ser Gillwood helped contribute to his father’s great library by bringing back rare books  and charts from as far away as Qarth and Morosh.

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[hider=lader Megyn]

Name: Lady Megyn Grafton (Nee Hunter)
Age:41
Appearance: Ser Gilwood’s wife is no longer the beauty she had been  in her youth yet  in the eyes of her husband she still has the same  delicate frame and bright eyes that he fell in love with over twenty five years ago.

Biography: Lady Megyn is the daughter of the former Lord Hunter who wished to solidify his friendship with House Grafton when his debts grew insurmountable. To in echange for more lenient terms on their loans, Lord Hunter gave away his daughter to a man she had never met and only knew of by reputation. Fortunately this marriage was  a happy and fruitful one.  

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[hider=Ser Fabian]
Name:  Ser Fabian Grafton (Younger Brother of  Ser Gillwood) 
Age:42
Appearance: Despite being the younger brother, Ser Fabian is the taller of the two. However, he does not have his mother’s green eyes but rather has inherited his father’s dark brown ones. 

Biography:
Not being in any real position to inherit the title of Lord of Gulltown Ser Fabian has always been less constrained by responsibilities than his brother, being the second son of a man who has not yet inherited his title. This has left him looking many years younger than the mere four that separate him from Gilwood. His extra freedom has allowed him to participate in more tourneys, hunts and feasts. As a result of this he has become a most accomplished jouster and bowman; traits which he has endeavoured to pass on to his sons.

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[hider=Alayne]

Name: Alayne Grafton (nee Shett) Wife of Ser Fabian
Age:38
Appearance: Alayne has fair hair and bright blue eyes is youthful of body if her spirit has  long been broken. She has taken to wearing black and her husband and children are concerned about her behaviour.

Biography:The Graftons have had an understanding, dating back to Andal invasion to frequently marry their youngest sons to the daughters of House Shett.  For House Grafton this was to prevent any further bloodshed between the two houses that both shared Gulltown. Few have forgotten that King Robar Royce convinced the Shetts to rise against house Grafton and open the gates of the city to his first men forces.  Therefore this tradition has served to bind the loyalty of house Shett to the lords of the city. Lady Alayne has unfortunately had a tragic life, in the first few years following her marriage to Ser Fabian she was captured by clansmen of the Painted Dogs after her escort taking her to visit her sister in Snakewood was overpowered. For many years she was believed by all  to have been killed and Ser Fabian dreaded having to raise their young son and daughter motherless. However, most unexpectedly The Mother above showed mercy to him after he accidentally discovered, during a hunt, the location of a clansman village tucked away in a forest. When he returned with his men at arms to wipe out the village that had been preying upon the nearby villagers he very narrowly avoided slaying his wife… and her young bastard son that her captor had forced on her years before. Fabian buried a mace in the rapists’ chest.  So overwhelmed by joy to have recovered his wife, he consented to spare her son, for, despite being the son of a rapist he was also his wife’s child. The boy had not been guilty  of any crimes and his real father had  already paid for his. The son would grow among the children  of House Grafton but not a part  of them, the dishonour of his birth would be known by all by his name: Blackstone , to reveal that he was not only a bastard but one born of rape.
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[hider=Rickard Grafton]

Name: Rickard Grafton
Age: 25
Appearance: Rickard has an imposing frame; being tall and broad of shoulder. His muscles have developed during his years at sea. His hair is the same dark brown of his father and grandfather and he has the green eyes of his Grandmother.  He he has suffered many injuries over his body and some, particularly on his face that have failed to heal completely and have left behind small but noticeable scars. Despite his age he seems incapable of growing a full beard so often remains clean shaven.

Biography: Rickard has led a very busy life serving as a page to Lord Belmore of Strongsong from the age of 7 until his thirteenth year where he befriended the son and particularly the daughter of the Lord of the Belltower. His father had considered giving into the request of his mother  Megyn to keep him closer to home and have his serve as a page to Gilwood’s brother instead. In the end  Rickard’s father had decided it was for the best that Rickard should not grow up spoiled in a castle where he would be coddled by servants eager to not offend the future Lord of Gulltown. Lord Belmore was a good choice for he had sons almost of an age with Rickard and his family had the reputation of being the second most martial house in the Vale after the Royces of Runestone. Gilwood did not deal with the Royces of Runestone. Upon returning to Gulltown Rickard spent four years squiring for two household knights in service to Lord Grafton who protected family trade vessels whilst teaching young Rickard about the skills and responsibilities of a knight. These four years sailing from trade port to trade port also provided Rickard with the  a worldly education on the habits of sailors, the tricks of merchants and the geography of the world.  Tradition usually required that a squire be knighted by the knight to whom he served upon the completion of his fourth year of service. However, the regrettably-timed death of Ser Martyn at the hand of a Tolosi slinger meant that Rickard was never knighted until he returned from the expedition to Andalos, three years later.This holy expedition saw pitted the flower of the Vale's youth against the elements and the savage violence of the local threats. In the end Ser Rickard was one of the last survivors of the expedition alongside Artys Arryn ( who too was knighted upon his return) and became one of the three founding members of the Knights of Andalos. Shortly after his anointment he was married to Alys Sunderland the only daughter of the lord of Sisterton, a political move designed to  bring house Sunderland’s interests in line with those of house Grafton two of the most influential maritime families of the east coast of Westeros.  As was the case with many arranged marriages the initial unease of the couple eventually gave way to love. After only two years of marriage Lady Jeyne called her banners and Rickard left to lead house Grafton’s men into war following Ser Artys and the Black forces of the Vale. He distinguished himself on several occasions but particularly when he led his forces on foot ( his mount having been killed ) to breach through a line of Swyft infantrymen before cutting down a dozen archers who had thought themselves safe behind their  own men at arms. It was in this battle where he earned his sobriquet Rickard ‘Stomhunter’ regrettabl y it was also in this battle were where he sustained the injuries that would mark his face forever.  Towards the end of the Dance he received welcome news from home of the birth of his  son Malcolm.

[/hider]

[hider=Lucille Grafton]
Name: Lucille Daughter of Gilwood Grafton as of yet husbandless 
Age:19
Appearance: Lucille bears the brown hair and green eyes of house Grafton but where her father and brothers care little of their appearance, Lucille has heeded the lessons of her mother, her Septa and her maids. She has taken great care  in making herself as presentable as possible.  The wealth of her father has meant she has grown up a little spoiled having been treated to every perfume, scent and fashion that took her fancy, but Lucille was wise enough to not appear greedy or boastful publicly.

Biography: By 16 she had acquired a trail of friends and followers, girls from House Shett, House Arryn of Gulltown and the daughters of minor nobles and houssehold who sought to bask in her influence. Many a young merchant girl idolized Lucille for her beauty but it was her knowledge her father most prized from her for she shared her Grandfathers’ love of books and was almost a scholar herself,  even the maester  said so. Ser Gilwood took pride in boasting that where other girls read they often read poetry and  the silly tales of romance and magic whereas his daughter had a passion for languages, histories and cultures. She did not take to mathematics as readily but she was diligent and persevered when she began to appreciate the connections the subject bore with cartography and travel. Despite her large female entourage many a bold knight and lordling have sought to court her, however if the rumour mill is to be  believed  Lucille has already found a companion that she sees in secret.
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[hider=Mors Grafton]
Name:Mors Grafton
Age:17
Appearance: A younger and more cheerful version of his older brother Mors is quick to sport a smile and crack a joke. His age at the start of the Dance meant that he was spared  many of the injuries that have scarred his brother’s face and body.

Biography: The Youngest of Lord Gilwood’s three children, Mors spent his early years in service as a page to house Waxley. Much as his elder brother did he  currently serves as a squire to a knight in service to House Grafton  aboard ‘the Mermaid’. Unfortunately for him, his final two years abroad the cog coincided with the entry of the Three Sisters  on the side of the Greens which meant that despite the best precautions of the  ship’s captain Mors found himself frequently fending off attacks by Myrmen and Tyroshi; intent on procuring the foodstuffs, spices, instruments and Ivory that could be found  in The Mermaid’s hold. Mors has 

He has yet to return from his fourth year of service.
[/hider]

[hider=Royce Grafton]

Name:Royce Grafton ( trueborn son of Ser  Fabian) 
Age:18
Appearance: One of the few Graftons to be fair of hair, he takes after his mother Alayne in appearance.  

Biography: Unlike his mother Royce is joyful,and relishes spending time in the company of others; both young knights and ladies alike, being very popular at court.  Much like his father he is aware that he has been born into great wealth whilst being far removed from responsibility, as the heir to a cadet branch. Thus despite sharing his mothers’  appearance and fair traits he shares much of his fathers’ personality and interests. Royce Grafton is an able hunter and the best rider of Lord Osgood’s household; frequently racing his cousins on horseback. This skill is most likely due to the fact that unlike his cousins from the main branch of house Grafton, Royce did not squire for household knights guarding merchant ships but took the more common route of squiring for Lord Shett his mothers’ brother which meant spending much more time on horseback.
 He is also a jouster of some repute in the Vale having most recently won the tourney at Ironoaks triumphing over Josten Royce in the final round much to the satisfaction of his family. His decision to declare Ser Josten’s young sister to be the queen of beauty in this tournament added insult to injury for the humiliated son of House Royce.

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[hider=Alyn Blackstone]
Name: Alyn Blackstone (bastard son of Ser Fabian) 
Age:16
Appearance: It is said bastards grow up faster than trueborn heirs. This is doubly so for Alyn who has the weathered appearance of a man almost twice his age despite barely being a squire himself. He has a hard face with a pointed chin and very visible cheekbones which he presumably inherited from his father ( though Lady Alayne never discusses her captor). He keeps his brown hair short. Alyn is shorter than most boys his age despite having been adequately fed his entire life, his stature has fooled many an overbold stranger into underestimating him.

Biography: Alyn has always been resentful of his situation, feeling unjustly constrained by the manner of his birth. The old master of arms has described him as a natural born fighter which is perhaps a poor choice of words for a bastard. He received a general education but was always more focused on fighting than on thinking  knowing that most lowborns and bastards distinguish themselves through their prowess at arms than through counting coppers. Having been born the product of rape he has shunned his sexual side seemingly uninterested in this pleasure in particular despite having a general disinterest in the niceties of life. He  when he was younger he would spend weeks at a time hunting alone dressed in leather, armed with nothing but his longbow and a blade. Recently having made some friends among other bastards born to nobles as well as some commonfolk Alyn has began spending ever more time way from home and the maesters' lessons. Rumours imply that he and his friends have made rough homes for themselves in the wild and practice the basic arts of war such as sword fighting, archery as well as some simple strategies that Alyn can recall from his lessons. Ser Fabian has twice ventured outwith his men at arms to find his bastard son concerned that one days Alyn's playing might result in him and his band of friends being caught out by Clansmen. On neither occasion had he been successful in finding them, and took come comfort in the knowledge that if he and his brothers' best trackers and huntsmen couldn't find them, it would be unlikely that clansmen might do so. Since then Alyn has been accorded ever more freedom although Fabian has insisted that he spend more time practicing with the master at arms when he did dwell i nthe city.
 Several servants and squires have suggested that his ability to live rough and disdain for  the gentler aspects of life stems from his roots as a Painted Dog; clansmen who infamously have shunned the comforts of modern life and the light of The Seven to live in squalor in  tribal communities. Despite his crude and cynical approach to life he remains grateful to his adoptive father for having spared his life and instead has turned his hate against  the clansmen who violated his mother and cursed him to live out his days with both the stain of bastardy and rape being affixed to his name. 

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[hider=Thea Grafton]

Name: Thea Grafton (daughter of Fabian Grafton)
Age:17
Appearance:  Thea is as tall as her bastard brother making her tall for a girl. Like her trueborn brother she has the fair hair of her mother and is considered quite beautiful.  All agree that her most endearing trait is the scarlet shade her face turns when she blushes. 

Biography: Thea Grafton also has a passion for literature but she shares some of her bastard brothers’ cynicism regarding the tales of warrior women of old. Thea  has on more than one occasion announced that she felt ladies need not strap on armour and fight men with heavy metal poles to be worthy of esteem.  Nor did she conform to the belief that a woman’s role was in the pantry, kitchen or bedroom. Most girls dreamt of becoming Jonquil to some gallant Florian, fewer dreamed of becoming Visenya and waging war, Thea dreamed of being Nymeria and leading people wisely and justly surrounding herself with people of talent.  Thea is currently betrothed to an Arryn of Gulltown and is due to be married by the years’ end.

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[hider=Alys Grafton]

Name:Alys Grafton ( nee Sunderland) Wife of Rickard Grafton
Age:20
Appearance: Alys has auburn hair and blue eyes and is of average height. She was considered one of the most beautiful women of the Sisters but on the mainland she is about as attractive as most noble ladies. She was fortunate enough to be spared  being born with The Mark  that occasionally manifests itself in Sistermen.

Biography: The only daughter to lord and lady Sunderland Alys was raised in a family with more sense than honour. Sistermen were infamous for being pirates, rogues and smugglers. Nonetheless this family of rogue-lords had been able to muster a surprising dowry  and the marriage of their daughter brought trade  more trade to Gulltown at  the expense of White Harbour.
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[hider=Malcolm]
Name: Malcolm Grafton (son of Rickard Grafton)
Age:3
Appearance: a baby. Malcolm has brown hair and green eyes and a prodigious voice for someone so young. 

Biography: A noisy child.

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