[b]House Lannister[/b]
[img]http://awoiaf.westeros.org/images/thumb/d/d5/House_Lannister.svg/218px-House_Lannister.svg.png[/img]
[b]Seat: Casterly Rock[/b]

History: The Lannisters are a majestic, aloof family, sure in their strength. They can arguably trace their roots back to the figure of legends, Lann the Clever, who outmaneuvered the Casterlys and stole their keep, built atop a mountain filled with gold, right out from under them. Since then, if that had ever happened, the Lannisters, as much sons of the First Men as the Starks, ruled in the Westerlands as Kings of the Rock. This continued all through the Andal invasion, with a slight hiccup involving House Lydden, and ending with the Targaryen invasion from Dragonstone.

When Aegon Targaryen and his dragons swooped in from the east, the Lannisters had the glory of defeating the Valyrian army in open battle, but was thrown back by the combined might of the three dragons. They called that tragic battle the Field of Fire, and the Lannisters, fearing retribution on their homeland, gave up the fight. They were offered by Aegon the title of Warden, to guard the west, which they accepted, and still hold that office with pride.

Now, as conflict looms over the kingdom, threatening to boil over in all-out war that would ravage the continent, the Lannisters are faced with a difficult decision. Inner conflicts have broken out between members of the family, and there has been talk of brother killing brother within the walls of Casterly Rock. The Lord Jason Lannister is the last figure trying largely to keep his family together, for the House Lannister must stand together if they are to survive the impending Dance of the Dragons.

[hider=Jason & Johanna Lannister]
Name: Jason Lannister
Age: 40

Name: Johanna Lannister
Age: 44

It was by circumstance that the two met. The Westerlings, ambitious as they were, sought to press the little advantage they had over their peers by asking for a hopeful marriage prospect to the Lannisters. The Lannisters, by sheer coincidence, were themselves looking for a marriage. Jason's elder brothers had died in a sickness that threatened the castle, leaving only the twins left. This hasty match was decided on, made, and quickly followed through.

This decision turned out to be rather fortunate. Johanna, as it turns out, was quick, determined, and unforgiving to the enemies of the house. In the early years of their marriage, when she was but sixteen and Jason was but twelve, it was she who handled the many tasks of administrating the castle and its surrounding lands. She was also the one to teach Jason much of the skills of ruling, and when he took the reigns at his own sixteenth year, the two were an inseparable team. 

It was with pride, then, that their first child was born. A healthy Lannister, who was quickly proving to become the best of his two parents. A daughter followed two years later, as bright and full of energy. In those years, business was booming all throughout Lannisport, as if the gods themselves were celebrating the young children.

Disaster would swiftly strike the family, threatening to sever the ties of familial bond. A child, born of Johanna, but quite apparently not a Lannister. This was a child of bad spirit, a bawling, aggressive creature that few septas would touch. His hair taunted the family, showing that even in the happiest households could there be wanting of those outside the marriage. The relationship between Jason and Johanna quickly grew tense, with him accusing her of siring a bastard and she refusing. It was fortunate that they did not separate, but the doubts still lingered. 

Still today, however, the family has stuck together. Jason keeps the land and the children together, and Johanna still stands close at his side. Together, and only together, would House Lannister continue to sound its roar to all corners of Westeros.
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[hider=Michel Lannister]
Age: 24

Lannisters were notorious for their pride, and Michel most of all. His hair was golden as the sun and hung low around his face, as if shouting to all his ancestry. He walked with a swagger and talked with a sneer, as if he were already Lord of the Westerlands, or even a king. However, his pride is not completely unfounded. Michel is bright, and confident in his decisions, a capable leader to rule the Westerlands. However, he tends towards stubbornness and rashness, especially when it comes to family.

When he was born, he was celebrated at every turn. He was the golden boy, the son of the Lannisters, and apple in his parents' eyes. But when his sister came, suddenly that was all gone. His parents attention, the constant lauding of the servants as he passed, it was as if a light had gone out of the castle, moving away from him and landing on the little baby girl. He resented this sudden loss of attention then, and even well into Genna's older life, he would still resent her.

Worse still was the bastard. The Brownmane, who sauntered around the castle like he owned the place. Michel would never admit it, but he saw in that younger son all the things he didn't have. Strength, agility, skill with horse and sword, those were things Michel had found little skill in, and rather disliked. Of course, everyone loved the Brownmane better. The two of them quarreled day and night, culminating in one when he up and left, vowing blood on his own family. That night would haunt Michel nightly, filling him with fear and anger.

However, his integrity as a Lannister could never be broken. The heir to Casterly Rock is one that can never be forgotten, for better or worse.
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[hider=Genna Lannister]
Age: 22

Genna could never live up to the prim and proper expectations of her mother. When she was young, she would frequently visit the city, against the wishes of the family in general, and speak to the sailors working at the docks. When she returned home, day after day, covered in dried dirt and scrapes, she would have to face the ire of both her parents and the relentless mocking of her brother. Thus, her relationship to the rest of the family is rather distant, to say the least.

When she got older, her associations became in many ways less innocent. She started frequenting taverns, drinking herself into a stupor, and spending time with radical thinking visiting merchants who always have opinions on the current situation of government. Slowly, their ideals got to her, and she would find herself thinking opposite to rulings made by her father.

Because of this, and because of her history, she spent long periods of time far away from Casterly Rock. She would make frequent tours across Westeros and Essos, anything to get away from her family. This, more often than not, included Dragonstone and the Vale, and she could count many a Black as one of her friends.

When the time comes for war, she will have to make a choice that will decide her standing with her family and her liege forever.
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[hider=Artur "Brownmane" Lannister]
Age: 17

Artur was branded from birth. He came from his mother's womb, thin wisps of hair clinging to his head. Chestnut hair. Brown, like that of his mother's. Rumors swirled about the circumstances of his birth, many that implicated Johanna's infidelity. Such was his childhood life, pushed around by his brothers and peers as much as they push around each other. Bastard child, they called him. Brownmane, or Shithead, if they were in poor spirit. But he knew that he was a lion. He knew his destiny.

Armed with these thoughts, he threw himself into squirehood, starting at an inordinately early age, and most would say he was a bit too eager with the sword. As early as fifteen, he almost daily picked fights with sailors twice his weight by the docks, and came home day after day, face swollen and purpling. This did little to silence the thoughts of his bastard heritage. However, by seventeen, nobody could deny his skill with the sword, and he finally achieved his knighthood from his father, if a bit begrudgingly. 

Then, on that very eve of his knighting, he gets into a quarrel with his elder brother Michel. Michel had approached him, and demanded he take his own surname, now that he had a knighthood. Artur had refused, saying he already possessed one. This led to shouts, curses, and threats. "You will never be heir!" Artur remembered shouting, as he stormed from Casterly Rock. "The Lannister heir will wield the ancestral sword of Brightroar! I will return and sully its edge with your blood!" That was the last the two brothers saw of each other. With the last of his money, Artur went to the docks, and pooling the paltry contents of his and his friend's purses, purchased a run-down little water glider, in the desperate hope that a ship like that would take them to Valyria. Valyria, where Artur's last hope of redemption lies.

Now Artur sails towards the ruins of Old Valyria, with a skeleton crew at his back, awaiting the challenges that will no doubt come his way.
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[hider=Myra Lannister]
Age: 12

The young one. Deathly shy, and afraid of most things. Most afraid of being married off to an older man and forgotten by her family. 
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