[b]House Hightower[/b]
[b]Seat: [/b]
[b]The Hightower - Oldtown[/b]

[img]http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/e37fc93c6a40f460c199b2e6c697c118.jpg[/img]

The family is ancient, existing since the dawn of days when they were petty-kings. While most scholars believe they descend from the First Men, Maester Yandel posits they descend from the seafarers and traders that settled at the top of the Whispering Sound in an earlier time, men who came to Westeros before the First Men and seem to have founded the original incarnation of Oldtown. Whatever the truth, the Hightowers resided in the ancient black stone fortress of Battle Isle at the mouth of the Honeywine before the "Hightower" of stone was built.

The Hightowers built four successive wooden beacon towers atop the fortress. The legendary King Uthor of the High Tower is said to have commissioned Bran the Builder or his son Brandon to design the fifth tower, one built entirely of stone. Uthor's sons, King Urrigon and Prince Peremore the Twisted, were integral in the foundation of the Citadel.

During these early days Oldtown was threatened and sacked many times, including by ironborn raiders, Dornishmen, and the armies of the Kings of the Reach, House Gardener of Highgarden. The Kings of the High Tower raised strong walls and higher towers to keep any further invaders out. Oldtown was not brought into the realm of the Gardeners by conquest, but by marriage, during the reigns of King Lymond Hightower and King Garland II Gardener. Lymond the Sea Lion wed the daughter of Garland, while Garland put aside his own wives to marry Lymond's daughter.

During the Andal invasion, the Hightowers and the Gardeners allied with the newcomers. Thus they were able to keep their wealth, lands and privileges. Protected by the might of Highgarden, the lords of [url=https://cdnb3.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/003/227/899/large/karakter-design-studio-got6-old-town-fd-01.jpg?1471353062]Oldtown[/url] turned their eyes to trade and commerce and grew with every generation to become one of the richest and most powerful noble families in Westeros. The Hightowers were also one of the first great lords to accept the Faith of the Seven and thus gave their patronage to the establishment of the office of High Septon and the building of the Starry Sept as the center of the Faith. 

[img]http://pa1.narvii.com/6150/26fc73fd9d35615750c7589a7a3aad5d629d8886_hq.gif[/img]

Members of the House:
[url=https://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/gotmp/images/7/7e/2jbw58i.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20150622172637]Ser Otto Hightower[/url]- Hand of the King - Aegon II's Grandfather - 65
The Queen Mother [url=http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/hieloyfuego/images/f/f6/Alicent_Hightower_by_Enife%C2%A9.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140206053416]Alicent Targaryen[/url]- 40 (Viserys’ Widow)
[url=http://www.heyuguys.com/images/2014/03/UK-Pub-52-MG-7123Prod-IC2.jpg]Gwayne Hightower [/url]– Second in Command of City Guard - 38 - Queen's brother
[url=https://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/gameofthrones/images/4/4f/Screen_Shot_2016-05-09_at_12.39.51_AM.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/180?cb=20160509054348]Lord Ormund Hightower[/url] – Commander of Hightower Army in the Reach - 45
[url=http://orig03.deviantart.net/b3da/f/2013/340/7/0/game_of_thrones__ascent_character_artwork__knight_by_dashinvaine-d6wxiac.jpg]Ser Brynden Hightower[/url] – A Knight in Lord Ormund's service – 17
[url=http://pm1.narvii.com/6056/324a6207b4ac28d642748140490906e02810e0a0_hq.jpg]Ser Hobert Hightower[/url] – A Knight in Lord Ormund's service – 29


[b]Character Sheets:[/b]
[hider= Hightower, Ser Otto] 
[b]History[/b]

Younger brother to Lord Hightower, Ser Otto was famed for his intellect, learning and wise counsel. In Aegon II, Ser Otto begins to serve as Hand to his third king, having served Jaehaerys and Viserys previously. Serving loyally at court, Otto was called into the role when Jaehaerys' wife and son (Baelon- who was serving as Hand to his father) died, leaving the King grief-stricken, ill and bedridden. Ser Otto brought his daughter, Alicent to Court to nurse the ailing King. Otto effectively ran the Kingdom until Jay-Hay finally gave up the ghost and passed into eternal sleep. Viserys kept him in the office and he became an ever prized member of the small council during his reign. 

Viserys and the Queen already had a daughter, Rhaenyra who Otto loved as though she were his own. Alicent also remained at court and she too got on well with the little princess. Ever a thorn in his side was Viserys' younger brother, Prince Daemon. More often than not, Otto's average week would involve cleaning up evidence of one of the Prince's indiscretions down in King's Landing. Once he even put a live snail up a tavern wench's bumhole and it fell to Otto to reach in the old cookie jar. Grimmer and grimmer. He quarreled with Viserys at length about Daemon and urged the King to recognise little Rhaenyra as his true heir. Daemon, Otto was certain, would make a dreadful king whereas the Princess was well-loved. 

Viserys was only moved to heed Ser Otto after moving Daemon from Master of Coin to Master of Laws to Captain of the Gold Cloaks. He seemed better suited to life on the streets but when Viserys' wife, Queen Aemma (an Arryn) died birthing the King a son and male heir and the baby died a day later, Daemon was heard mocking the boy as "Heir for a day!" on the Street of Sisters. Daemon's infernal presence at Court was finally at an end, a furious and bereaved Viserys declaring Rhaenyra his preferred heiress and not his reckless younger brother. 
[img]http://fashionablygeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/hand-of-the-king-pin.jpg[/img]

Daemon left to war on the Stepstones and a time of peace and plenty followed in Kings Landing. Alicent and Viserys grew close as she helped him through his misery. Turns out she helped him through it ALL NIGHT LONG and when he declared his intention to marry Otto's daughter, everyone was generally pleased. Rhaenyra was coming into her womanhood but liked Alicent well and was grateful for her comforting Viserys through some difficult years. 

When the King and Alicent had a healthy son of their own, Aegon. Ser Otto insisted the King set Rhaenyra aside as heir and recognise Aegon in accordance with the Great Council of 101AC. Viserys reminded him that it was HE who had insisted Rhaenyra inherit rather than Daemon and after cross words, Otto was dismissed from his office as Hand and returned to Hightower in Oldtown where his brother was losing his battle against a bloody flux. 

Five years into the marriage, Daemon returned during a queer tourney that saw the beginnings of what would grow into a great schism within House Targaryen. Alicent had already borne the King three children; four year old Aegon, Two Year old Helaena and the baby Aemond. Alicent dressed in a deep green dress whilst Rhaenyra, thirteen by now and a stunning beauty, was seen to wear Targaryen black with red embellishments. This was noted because the Tourney was in honour of the King and Alicent's fifth wedding anniversary. The day would be Rhaenyra's, however, as Ser Criston Cole- wearing her favour- unhorsed every opponent, including Gwayne- Otto's youngest son and the Queen's brother in the final. From this point onward the Queen's supporters were known as Greens and the Princess' known as Blacks.

Otto was recalled to serve as Hand once more in 120AC. Alicent had borne Viserys a third son, Daeron and there had been much grief for both Green and Black factions during a tumultuous year. Lyonel Strong (who had replaced Otto as Hand) burned to death along with his son in a fire at Harrenhal. He would spend the next nine years plotting with his daughter to strengthen the Hightower position after Viserys' death. When it finally came for him in 129AC, Ser Otto and the Queen moved swiftly, not publishing any word of Viserys' demise until the High Septon had crowned Aegon as Aegon II Targaryen. No doubt Rhaenyra and her latest husband Prince Daemon (her own uncle and Otto's nemesis) would be livid. 

The Greens would be ready. 


[b]Personality[/b]

Patient, clever and if needs be, calculating. Ser Otto always felt he had the better mental faculties to rule but being a second son it was his older brother who would inherit. Ser Otto likes order. He likes things to run smoothly and cannot abide the sort of chaos in which Prince Daemon seems to revel. War is a last resort but in his mind Aegon II is the rightful heir to the throne. He acknowledges the hypocrisy in this; it was he who urged Viserys to favour Rhaenyra in the first place. That was borne out of spite, all Daemon had a talent for was making enemies and as King? It didn't bear thinking about. 

He's proud of how high the House has risen through the industry and opportunism of himself and latterly his daughter. His Lord father and brother had to look up to him and now his nephew the newest Lord Hightower is a long ways beneath his office and that of his daughter, the Queen Mother. 

He loved Rhaenyra as a child but the day she chose to wear black to a Wedding Anniversary was the day she changed for him. She let that scumbag Daemon take her maidenhead and then set aside her Lord Husband to spawn bastards with Harwin Strong. And her latest marriage? Daemon. The man would do anything to get his hands on the Iron Throne and evidently if he can't be the King, he'll marry the future Queen. Well. Ser Otto has thwarted his old rival once again. 

 [/hider]
[hider=The Queen Mother] Alicent Targaryen (nee Hightower)
[b]History[/b]
A fourth child of a second son, Alicent was scarce earmarked for greatness from birth. Yes she's highborn and yes House Hightower is rich, ancient and renowned but Queen of the Seven Kingdoms? Behave yourself!

"All you got's yer cunny girl!" a travelling crone told her at an Oldtown fair in her youth. The wizened old hag had told Alicent that men had their honour and their valour whereas women only had the wet heat between their legs that could get them anywhere if used correctly. Mayhaps that's why this old bitch was whispering filth to little girls in some backstreet sideshow for a copper a day. As bad as the advice sounds, Alicent remembered it and in a queer sort of way it's worked out splendidly. 

When her Uncle, Lord Hightower found her thighs wrapped around his squire's face on the night of her fourteeth nameday, she'd been packaged off to King's landing and the Squire had lost his tongue... shame, he'd used it well. King's Landing saw he back in the custody of her father, Hand of the King Ser Otto Hightower. Ser Otto made no mention of her indiscretions but swiftly urged her to serve for the King who was ailing having lost his son and wife of late. 

She soon became a welcome sight around court; favoured by many for her diligent and dutiful care of the Old King in his darkest hours. Indeed, after a great feast to honour what would turn out to be Jaehaerys I's last nameday, the dashing Prince Daemon took her to bed and mounted her harder than Caraxes. She'd cried out so many times she prayed her father didn't hear along with half the City. Small mercy he didn't get her with child. "All you got's yer cunny, girl!" The crone had promised. Worked for her! 

In the final months of Jaehaerys' life, it was his eldest living son, the kind and gentle Prince Viserys who came to spend more time with her. Viserys was all courtesy- a family man, wed to Aemma Arryn with a beautiful little daughter, Princess Rhaenyra who was forever in the presence of her dragon Syrax. Though Alicent noted how his sad eyes would often trail after her. [i]All in good time[/i] She thought.

After the death of Jaehaerys, Alicent was kept on at court, she was close to her father and the Targaryen family were grateful for her care for him towards the end. When new King, Viserys lost his wife and son within a day of one another, Alicent was of great comfort as she'd been for Viserys' father. She'd soon taken the King between her legs but was coy enough to persuade him to make an honest woman of her, for the love he bore her father as Hand of the King. Sure enough, within a few years her lover wed her and took Alicent Hightower for his new Queen. She used her "cunny" to great effect, bearing Viserys two strong boys and, in between, a beautiful daughter in time for the fateful 5 year wedding festivities. A Tourney in Kings Landing in which she was bedecked in a rich green garment, as were her infant children and supporters. 

It was noticed that Rhaenyra, Viserys' thirteen year old daughter from his marriage to Queen Aemma, wore black of House Targaryen. The Princess of Dragonstone had clearly drawn the battlelines. Alicent was hurt, as Criston Cole dumped her little brother, Gwayne on his arse in the final tilt and Alicent was glad the day was at an end. Daemon had returned to pledge loyalty to his brother once more but the love was to be short-lived. Alicent couldn't have Daemon back on the scene; one word of their night of passion could threaten her position severely and she wouldn't put it past him to brag of his conquest just to one-up Viserys. She went to speak with Rhaenyra...

After impressing upon the Princess that women had one weapon men could never brag of, everything fell perfectly into place; with Alicent's urging still fresh in her ears all it took was a tip-off to Criston Cole and the sordid tryst between Daemon and the Princess was discovered. Viserys banished Daemon from Westeros and Rhaenyra went back to Dragonstone and was promptly married off to Laenor Velaryon once she was of age. Pleased with her work, she tried to press upon Viserys that Aegon should be rightful heir, rather than Rhaenyra. Her father Ser Otto had said as much to the King two years previous and lost his office for it. Still, stubbornly, Viserys maintained he had made his decision and that should be an end to it. 

He tried his best to foster love between his children with Alicent and Rhaenyra's brood with Laenor, though it was almost common knowledge Harwin Strong- the Captain of her personal guard was the boys' true father. Viserys abhorred this talk and had dragon eggs placed in each of Rhaenyra's boys' cribs - to many people's surprise they all hatched dragons. It was enough for the King but whispers continued ever after. Even in 120AC when Laenor, his sister, Harwin Strong and his father all perished in unrelated incidents in what came to be known as the 'Red Spring'. One benefit was that Alicent's father was recalled to resume his office as hand of the King. Any talk of heirs and heiresses was strictly off limits so for nine years, her and her father privately discussed how best to move once Viserys passed on. They kept manouvering Greens into the small council piece by piece until they were sure every key player at court was their own catspaw. 

In 129AC, the reign of Viserys Targaryen, the First of his name was at an end. Alicent locked their chamber door and moved swiftly, summoning her Father and the High Septon. Aegon was crowned before any Ravens were permitted to leave Kings Landing and here we are. 

[b]Personality[/b]
History might paint her as grasping and scheming but she only ever acted in the interests of her family; first Hightower and later Targaryen, but her own branch of it. The Great Council of 101AC decreed that her firstborn son, Aegon should inherit ahead of his older half-sister. Male primogenesis was what had been agreed. 

Alicent loves her children and was very fond of her husband. Was it ever love? Perhaps, there were moments but the final years became a desperate wait to put into action her grand play for the crown to pass to Aegon. When Rhaenyra married Daemon she lost her final shred of respect for the Princess. That she was heavy with her and Daemon's third child at the point of Viserys' death was ideal. One fewer dragon and rider out of the game.

[/hider]