@Inkarnate I should probably drop by and say that I have been stalking this. Not too sure about the house and/or nation aspect (seeing as I've RPed neither style), but if you need another player, you could probably beat me with a stick or something to coerce me into joining.
So are non-canonical houses allowed? I redacted my sheet because I wasn't sure of that point. Can we make our own, or are we restricted to the cannon houses?
So are non-canonical houses allowed? I redacted my sheet because I wasn't sure of that point. Can we make our own, or are we restricted to the cannon houses?
I think there are enough canon houses to be interpreted, adapted, and adjusted to a player's palate and needs to not really need to generate custom ones.
Going to post this here for easier access. Tell me if anyone has interest in playing any of the vassal/sworn houses to House Reed, otherwise I'll leave them as is.
“Hearth, Heart, and Harvest”
House Description
House Seat
Greywater Watch
Head of House
Elrin Reed, Lord of Greywater Watch
Recent History
A synopsis/summary of your house’s relevant recent history.
House Relations
House Targaryen (Sovereign) Something something something.
House Stark (Liege) For thousands of years, House Reed had been staunch supporters of House Stark, and for now, it doesn't appear as if their loyalties will change. Whilst uncertainty lies awake in the North regarding the wildlings, House Reed struggles to remain neutral throughout the dispute, and hopes the Starks are able to maintain peace throughout the North.
House Blackmyre (Vassal) House Reed desires to maintain positive ties with their sworn vassal, and continues to do so.
House Boggs (Vassal) House Reed desires to maintain positive ties with their sworn vassal, and continues to do so.
House Cray (Vassal) House Reed desires to maintain positive ties with their sworn vassal, and continues to do so.
House Fenn (Vassal) House Reed desires to maintain positive ties with their sworn vassal, and continues to do so.
House Greengood (Vassal) House Reed desires to maintain positive ties with their sworn vassal, and continues to do so.
House Marsh (Vassal) Upon the hanging of Bowen Marsh for his betrayal of Jon "Snow" Stark during his time as Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, it seems House Marsh has faded into obscurity; their ghostly house seat twisted into a tall tale to scare children. Should their house seat be found, House Reed stands uncertain in regards to returning the crannog castle to the surviving members of House Marsh, if any live at all.
House Peat (Vassal) House Reed desires to maintain positive ties with their sworn vassal, and continues to do so.
House Quagg (Vassal) House Reed desires to maintain positive ties with their sworn vassal, and continues to do so.
Conceptualization
Your general plans and concept for your house and characters. Plot conceptualization, goals, etc. Concept abstract, as it were.
Point-of-View Characters
E l r i n R e e d
Main Title; Lord of Greywater Watch General Title; Lord/Lady/Ser/Maester/etc of Location
Age
List your character's age here.
Appearance
A physical description.
Reputation
A list of your character's known achievements, skills, talents, and perceptions. Replaces a skills/history section, so be as detailed or concise as you want to be.
Relations
A list of your character's relations with other important characters of note.
Mariela is quite pale (and not surprisingly so, considering the fact that she is from the Reach) and has thick chocolate-brown hair that falls to about halfway down her back. Her bright, lively eyes are the same warm brown shade as her hair, and they are usually filled with cheerful mirth or playful mischief. Mariela is slender and svelte, though not the tallest of people, standing at five feet and four inches. She moves with the elegance and grace characteristic of a highborn lady, and there is always a smile on her face. Mariela tends to gesture excitedly no matter what the circumstance, and there is a general air of flighty liveliness about her.
Mariela takes great pride in her appearance, and she is prone to spending an inordinate amount of time choosing a gown for the day. She favors fine silks and satins decorated with jewels and intricate embroidery. Mariela is also quite fond of lace, and she is especially partial towards anything flowery. Mariela prefers bright pinks and yellows and greens, and she secretly wishes that the colors of her house were something more vibrant than gray and white.
Reputation
At a first glance, Mariela is unnecessarily focused on small, overly specific details and unbearably...girly. She is well-mannered and polite, if a bit too talkative, and her friendly, cheerful disposition is well-liked by her peers, even if her cousins make fun of her for wearing over-the-top gowns everywhere she goes. Though Mariela can be very prissy and a bit, well, shallow, she doesn't have a single mean bone in her body. She can talk about anything and everything for hours on end. Some tend to find this incessant chatter exceedingly irritating, which Mariela is not always the most aware of (read: she is completely unaware of). She is a kind and sweet person at heart, and she refuses to say anything bad about other people as a general principle-though she will gossip about anyone and anything to her heart's content, thank you very much.
If Mariela is not always aware of how much she talks, she is aware of the feelings and thoughts of others. Mariela is naturally people-smart and is good at picking up subtle hints that indicate shifts in emotions in others. She's a very good listener and always willing to offer comfort to other people. Empathetic, understanding, and nonjudgmental (well, on anything besides someone's taste in fashion, that is), Mariela is open and accepting. She has an infernal inability to keep her mouth shut on things that don't really matter, making her an incorrigible gossip.
Despite her overly enthusiastic tendencies, Mariela is a natural-born diplomat and compromiser, capable of expertly mediating tense situations. Armed with a firm belief in common courtesy and a natural gift for "reading" people, she is able to get even the most stubborn of people to agree to things through the application of sugary treats and pure politeness. She has a breezy, brisk way of going about her business, and she is unafraid to say what has to be said, even though that does sometimes entail being horribly impolite. Oh well.
Finally, although one wouldn't guess it from Mariela's outward appearance and mannerisms, Mariela possesses a sharp intelligence and an ability to analyze all sorts of problems and situations in the blink of an eye. Mariela is perceptive and observant, despite the fact that she comes off as very oblivious.
Mariela is generally known as Lord Cordin's flighty daughter and the princess's rather, er, annoying lady-in-waiting and companion. Most people don't think much else of her.
Relations
Lord Cordin Hightower Lord Cordin Hightower is Mariela's father. As she is his only child, Lord Cordin is especially protective of her. The two of them are on good terms, and Mariela hates seeing her father so grave and solemn after her mother died. However, for once in her life, she doesn't know what to say.
Ser Jorgon Hightower Ser Jorgon Hightower is Mariela's uncle. Mariela isn't sure about how she feels towards him-on one hand, he is her uncle, and she cares very deeply about everyone in her family. But on the other-gods help her-he has no manners! Regardless, Mariela would hate to see anything bad happen to him, even if he can be a bit more brash than etiquette allows for.
Markas Hightower Markas Hightower is Mariela's cousin. Mariela is quite fond of him, as he is probably one of the few people in the world who doesn't immediately get annoyed when she opens her mouth. She worries that their uncle is pushing him too hard, sometimes, but she would never openly voice such an opinion because Ser Jorgon knows what he's doing, right?
Princess Serenei Targaryen Mariela has been Princess Serenei's lady-in-waiting and companion for four to five years (a position that she obtained due to the arrangements of her father and Queen Daenerys). Mariela has always liked Serenei-she likes almost everyone she meets, really-and thinks of the princess as one of her closest friends.
House Tyrell has long been ruled by powerful women from behind the curtain, and the time has now come for a woman to become the Lady Paramount of the Reach, a first in the history of the region. The ascension of Elinor to the position of Lady Paramount has led to little celebration however, for she rises to power in the immediate aftermath of a sailing accident on the Mander that led to the deaths of her mother, father, and elder brother. Some whisper of foul play, others of a punishment from the Seven after House Tyrell allowed worshippers of R’hillor to practice their faith within the Reach. Whatever the reason, likely nothing more than a freak accident, Elinor now finds the responsibility of the most populous and prosperous region of the Reach thrust upon her. Inexperienced and unknown on the political stage, none know what to expect from the new House Tyrell.
House Relations
House Hightower
Relations between the Houses Hightower and Tyrell look certain to strengthen in the coming days, reaching new heights. Florian Tyrell, the late Lord Paramount of House Tyrell, had been in the final stages of organizing a wedding between his eldest daughter, Elinor, and Ser Jorgon Hightower, the heir to Oldtown. While Elinor has now found herself in the position of Lady Paramount, she was aware of the arrangement, and it is broadly expected that she will continue with the plans. Together, Houses Hightower and Tyrell are expected to rule the Reach.
House Florent
Cold, at best. Relations between houses Florent and Tyrell have been on a downward spiral ever since the War of the Five Kings, in which the house openly rebelled against their then-lord, Mace Tyrell. Forbidden from stripping the Florents from Brightwater Keep by Queen Daenerys, a source of great strain on the relations with the Royal Household, the Tyrells instead implemented a series of punitive measures against the Florents. These included increased taxes, and the taking of a ward. Since, despite seventy years having passed, relations have only gotten worse.
House Greyjoy
In the War of the Five Kings, under Euron Greyjoy, the Ironborn led a brutal assault on the Shield Islands. The stories haunt the lords of the Reach, and though the Shield Isles were liberated, a series of Greyjoy raids took place on areas near the Mander. Since then, relations have been understandably poor, and the Tyrells have made no effort in mending these relations. In response - the Shield Islands were a granted slight tax relief to rebuild, strengthen defences, and replenish garrisons. With Loron currently serving as Master of Ships, the Tyrells look with a cautious eye to the improved standing of House Greyjoy, and their much-increased fleet of warships.
House Stark
A perhaps unusual friendship has been struck between Houses Tyrell and Stark. The late lord Florian, upon hearing of the struggles mounting for the northern region, made a concentrated effort to send surplus grain supply and other transportable foods and resources to the North. A kind gesture on his part, certainly, and one that had limited impact on the Reach - he received a great gratitude from House Stark. Gifts were returned, and letters exchanged, as the usually reserved wolves of the North forged a friendship with Lord Tyrell. No doubt the Red Starks, who had long had an eye on southron friendships, jumped at the chance to secure positive relations with the Lord of the Reach. Indeed, Lord Florian was even named an honoured guest of the North - and whilst he never did travel to the region, he held the status with pride, and returned it in kind. With the recent death of Lord Florian, then, it was only natural for the Starks to receive a somewhat unconventional invitation to a southron tournament to mourn his passing, and celebrate the ascension of his daughter, Lady Elinor. An important point in Tyrell-Stark relations, the meeting of the new Lady Paramount and delegation from the North will no doubt set the tone for their relationship in the years to come.
Conceptualization
House Tyrell faces an uncertain future. Shocked by tragedy, they now find themselves following a leader who never expected she would hold the position, and her goals are unknown. What is sure, however, is that her fiercely independent spirit will clash with the strictly regimented routine of a Great Lord. Furthermore, her ‘new’ outlook and inspiration from Queen Daenerys will surely lead to nervous conversations between the old, and firmly traditional houses of the Reach. For better or worse - the sleepy pastures of the Reach will soon wake to a new reality.
Point-of-View Characters
E l i n o r T y r e l l
Lady Paramount of the Reach Lady of Highgarden
Age
20
Appearance
Elinor reaches a height of roughly 5’7, shorter than most of her male counterparts. Her frame is petite and delicate, often adorned by intricate robes of soft fabric and colourful patterns. She has always had a preference for shorter clothing, however, and often opts for respectful alternatives to the long dresses worn by the many women of nobility in Westeros. Her hair, whether kept straight or allowed to flow in slight curls, is the characteristic deep brown expected of a Tyrell. Likewise, her eyes are a brilliant white contrasted with a chocolate brown.
Reputation
THE NEW LADY ▔▔▔▔▔ Succeeding her father, Elinor has become the first Lady Paramount of the Reach, albeit under unfortunate circumstances. Her father, mother, and elder brother all perished alongside several other notable lords of the Reach in a tragic boating accident on the Mander. The accident itself happened only two months ago, and Elinor is still in the process of grieving at Highgarden. To leave behind the past, and begin looking forward to the future, a grand tourney is soon to be held at Highgarden to both mourn the tragic losses, and to celebrate the beginning of Elinor’s reign. This will provide the first opportunity for the lords and ladies of Westeros to acquaint themselves with the young ruler, who was never expected to hold such a position.
A NEW REALITY ▔▔▔▔▔ Elinor was raised in a new reality for many in Westeros, one where men and women inherited on equal grounds. She has been raised to be steadfast in her belief that women are as strong as their male counterparts, and just as capable of rulership. For House Tyrell especially, a line that is no stranger to powerful women, Elinor feels as though she has a chance to act as a role model for her fellow ladies of Westeros. More than this, she recognises the increased scrutiny she will come under as the men around her doubt her judgement and look upon her with a critical eye. She is determined to succeed, and make her mark on Westeros, whatever the cost. Elinor is a capable rider, having always associated the concept of riding a horse with her own freedom. Furthermore, she is above-average with a bow, as her father allowed her to learn the skill out of pity after denying her requests to train with a blade.
A STAR-CROSSED LOVER ▔▔▔▔▔ If there is one thing that threatens the rule of Elinor Tyrell, it is her devotion and love to Ser Harrion Osgrey, her sworn shield and member of the household guard. The two are as close to soul-mates as a pair can be, and have known each other their entire lives. They dream of exploring Essos together, and seeing all Wonders Made by Man. Unfortunately, however, circumstances were destined to separate the two, and Elinor has been locked into an arrangement to be wed to Ser Jorgon of House Hightower, in a deal cemented by her late father and Lord Cordin Hightower. This would unite the Reach under the rule of House Tyrell, and whilst Elinor understands the logic behind the match, she finds herself torn. With this newfound independence over her life, she has control over matters once reserved for her father, and only time will tell if this will prove all too tempting for her to resist.
Relations
J O R G O N H I G H T O W E R Engaged to be married in all but official announcement, many expect official wedding preparations will soon begin. Elinor and Jorgon have had limited contact so far, however, only meeting at wider events they have both participated in, such as feasts of the realm or tournaments. It looks near certain that Ser Jorgon will soon become the husband of Elinor, rising to Lord Paramount of the Reach, and cementing a long-lasting alliance between the houses Hightower and Tyrell.
G o r m o n T y r e l l
Lord of the Reach Ser
Age
48
Appearance
Gormon stands at slightly above the average for his gender, around 6’2. He has a bulky, somewhat muscular build from years of activity, be it riding on horse-back on sparring with a sword and shield. His hair is kept short and neatly trimmed, with well-groomed facial hair to match. He carries with him a natural warmth in his demeanor, and gives the natural impression of a man with advice worth listening to. His clothing is somewhat simplistic when compared to what may be expected from a member of House Tyrell - an indicator of his pragmatic personality.
Reputation
THE YOUNGER BROTHER ▔▔▔▔▔ Gormon is the younger, and only, brother of the late Lord Florian Tyrell. He has lived his life aiding and supporting his brother, wedding a politically important bride, and arranging similar matches for his children when they came of age. Indeed, Florian would often turn to Gormon for advice on particularly troubling or concerning matters. While he has not found himself in the spotlight often, Gormon has a politically astute mind, and has gained valuable experience in ruling. He is well-respected by the Lords of the Reach, and those who have met him. Now fulfilling the role of Elinor’s prime and most trusted advisor, it is certain that his wise counsel will go a long way to establishing her reign. So long as she heeds his advice, in any case.
STRATEGIST ▔▔▔▔▔ When the Stepstones Rebellion broke out in the year 369AC, Gormon was in King’s Landing at the time with a force of seventy household guard and accompanying knights. Upon hearing of the rebellion, he immediately rode for Storm’s End where he joined forces with the mustering forces of the Stormlands to aid in the effort to quell the rebellion. Gormon was welcomed into the camp of Lyonel Baratheon, and he assisted in developing a strategy for retaking the Stepstones. Over the course of the rebellion, he demonstrated his mind for strategy, and was a capable battlefield commander. With such a small force, however, his contributions were largely behind-the-scenes, and he has not gained the reputations now held by Loron Greyjoy and Lyonel Baratheon. Never being used to the spotlight, however, this has suited him perfectly.
Relations
E L I N O R T Y R E L L His young niece has suddenly found herself filling the most powerful position in the Reach, and one of the most influential within Westeros. For Gormon, his primary concern is helping the young girl to navigate the politics of Westeros, and to help her grow into a fine Lady Paramount. He is undoubtedly her most trusted adviser, though he has found himself often frustrated with her ideas in the opening weeks of her reign, and he struggles to reel in her free spirit and individualistic nature.
L Y O N E L B A R A T H E O N Lyonel and Gormon met during the Stepstones Rebellion. Being in King's Landing at the time, with a small force of seventy household guard and accompanying knights, Gormon rode to Storm's End after hearing the news and was hosted by Lyonel Baratheon. The two built a bond of friendship over the course of the short war, fighting alongside one-another. They keep in occasional correspondence.
House Stark of Winterfell is one of the Great Houses of Westeros and the principal noble house of the North. In days of old they ruled as Kings of Winter, but since Aegon's Conquest they have been Wardens of the North and ruled as Lords of Winterfell. Their seat, Winterfell, is an ancient castle renowned for its strength. Since the conclusion of the War of the Five Kings and the War for Dawn, House Stark now how two succinct branches within their household, The Black Starks descended from Lord Rickon Stark, and The Red Starks, descended from Lady Sansa Stark.
House Seat ________________________________________ Winterfell, The North. – The Black Starks Moat Cailin, The North. – The Red Starks
Head of House ________________________________________ Lord Rickard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, 378 AC – Current Lord Torrhen Stark, Lord of Moat Cailin, 371 AC – Current
Black Stark Line, Lords of Winterfell. Lord Rickon Stark, 305 AC – 356 AC Lord Benjen Stark, 356 AC – 378 AC
Red Stark Line, Lords of Moat Cailin Lady Sansa Stark, 310 AC – 361 AC Lord Catelyn Stark, 361 AC – 371 AC
- Rodrick Stark, Commander of the Ravenous Wolves, Sellsword Company, 41
- Married to Lady Maude Stark, formerly Karstark, 38
- Their children:
- Ryella Stark, 17
- Edwyn Stark, 15
- Lady Alys Stark, now Hornwood, married to Lord Daryn Hornwood, 39
- Her issue by Lord Daryn
-Brandon Stark, Ranger within the Night’s Watch, 36
House Members, Red Starks Lord Torrhen Stark, Guardian of the Neck, 37 -His wife, Lady Meera Stark, formerly Reed, 35 -Their children:
- Ser Harlon Stark, Heir to Moat Cailin, 18
- Lady Mara Stark, 16
- Lady Allana Stark, 14
Lady Jonnela Stark, now Haigh, married to Lord Donnel Haigh, 33 -Her issue by Lord Donnel
Ser Cregan Stark, Castellan of Moat Cailin, 24 -His wife, Lady Gella Stark, former Borell, 22 -Their children:
- Dorren Stark, 4
- Theon Stark, 2
Lady Lynara Stark, unmarried, 19
Sworn Vassals to House Stark House Manderly of White Harbor House Glover of Wolfswood House Umber of Last Hearth House Ryswell of Barrowlands House Karstark of Karhold House Reed of The Neck House Ryswell of The Rills House Flint of Flint’s Fingers House Mormont of Bear Isle House Cassel of King’s Course House Tallhart of Torrhen’s Square House Wull of Crow’s Edge House Crowl of Deepdown House Norrey of Shadowmoor House Flint of Breakstone Hill House Stane of Driftwood Hall House Knott of Arrendell House Slate of Blackpool House Fisher of Stony Shore House Magnar of Kingshouse House Flint of Widow’s Watch House Liddle of Pinesend House Hornwood of Hornwood House Mollen of Dawnforest House Cerwyn of Castle Cerwyn House Giantsbane of Queen’s Crown House Thenn of Mole’s Town
Recent History ________________________________________
300 AC to 305 AC –
House Bolton and Karstark were sworn to the Iron Throne. They ruled the North with fear and terror. These traitorous turn-cloaks fought for the Whore Queen Cersei Lannister, until their defeat by the true King, Stannis Baratheon. Sadly, this defeat of evil men was but the beginning of the chaos was the War for Dawn. Queen Daenerys and her allies, King Jon Snow, King Stannis Baratheon, and all the realms lords who realized the danger the undead presented, fought a terrible and brutal campaign across the North to once and for all end the menace of the Others. Accounts wildly vary, but what can be said with certainty, is that tens of thousands died in the decisive battle, Kings, Lords, Knights, High, and Low, the men and women of Westeros paid the price of freedom with their blood. The amount of dead that littered the battlefield, leading all the way back to the wall, took nearly five years to collect, identify, and properly bury, or in the case of the unknown, massive funeral pyres that burned for months. The War for Dawn was won, but it left a lasting effect upon the North still felt to this very day.
301 AC –
King Jon Snow’s body was among the last to be recovered from the field of battle. He is said to have been surrounded by a mountain of corpses, and the shattered icy remains of others. Whether or not these tales can be believed, only Queen Daenerys could tell, one of the last remaining survivors of that battle. King Jon was entombed with all the honors a king is due. His sword, Longclaw, was passed on to the next Lord Paramount of the North, Lord Rickon Stark. The Crown of Winter, it is said, lies atop Jon’s brow within his tomb, a reminder of how close the North came to independence, and a King worthy to wear it. A memorial was constructed at the place of King Jon’s death, with the weapons of the fallen gather around the smooth marble as a reminder for the price of freedom.
302 AC –
Lady Sansa Stark, daughter of Eddard Stark, and for the longest time, thought to be among the last surviving Starks. Much had she learned during her time in King’s Landing, a prisoner to the Whore Queen Cersei, and the foul abomination of incest, the False King Joffery the Cruel, a deranged and depraved tyrant, the vilest form of filth and travesty of the Gods divine laws. Furthermore, she learned from the manipulative and scheming master of all, Lord Petyr Baelish. All around her, Sansa had been a catspaw to others, a Cyvasse piece in a game where she had no control. And yet, a time finally came, a realization that we are either kings or pawns, emperors or fools, and for Sansa, she would no longer be someone else’s pawn, someone else’s fool. Her father was murdered, her mother murdered, her brother murdered, her aunt murdered, all because others were furthering their own sick and depraved plans. Thus, Sansa forsook her promises to Lord Baelish, forsook the schemes and plans of others, and returned to the North, to be her own decider of fate, to forge her own path and give that power to her future children as well. To give them a choice, something she never had until now.
304 AC –
Lady Sansa Stark, serving as Regent for Lord Rickon Stark, turns the gaze of House Stark inwards, to begin mending and rebuilding the North. The first order of business, is to end the decades old feud between House Forrester and House Whitehill, two houses that serve greatly in the North’s vital Ironwood resources. This feud was further exacerbated by the traitorous Leech Lord, Roose Bolton, and his insane, psychopath son, Ramsey Bolton. Both families nearly killed one another off, in their pissant feud over some perceived slight from decades ago. And thus, Lady Sansa decreed that Lord Asher Forrester and Lady Gwyn Whitehill marry, while Ser Torrhen Whitehill, heir to Highpoint, marry Mira Forrester, who had been rescued from the clutches of the scheming fingers of Lord Rickard Morgryn, who was slain by forces loyal to Queen Daenerys. Furthermore, Lady Sansa decreed that both houses would work together to rebuild the clear-cut Ironwood forests on both their lands, and regrow all that had been lost, pre and post war.
305 AC to 306 AC –
Lady Sansa Stark brings to fruition King Jon Stark’s dream of settling the wildling refugees upon the long untended lands of the Old and New Gifts. Since the conclusion of the War for Dawn, the wildlings had for the most part settled informally among the open lands of the North, and in particular, that of the Gifts. Lady Stark, with the help of Torrmund Giantsbane and a slew of other wildling leaders, created the Lordships of the Old Gift and the New Gift, along with the creation of families to rule over the large swathes of this land. House Thenn was deemed as the Highlords of the Old Gift, and with Houses Hornfoot, Nightrunner, Ice-River, and Caverns doing fealty to them. For the New Gift, House Giantsbane was made Highlords, while Houses Frostfangs, Redbeard, Freezing Boar, and Sixskins doing fealty to them. The last action of this decree, was for half of the taxes collected from the Gifts being sent to support the Night’s Watch, and the other half to House Stark of Winterfell. A small settlement of Giants was also established by Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. These giants and their mammoths primarily tend to themselves, though they do help the Night’s Watch with their endeavors to rebuild the breach in the Wall, and to gather supplies from beyond the wall.
307 AC to Present –
At first, House Targaryen, or rather, the Iron Throne, was more than willing to help with rebuilding the war-ravaged North, to repair the massive breach in the Wall, to get the people back on their feet. Work progressed quickly at first, but, it appeared that something changed in the heart of the Queen, in the plans of the Iron Throne. The North went from being able to reliably count upon crown funding to repair the region, to getting left out in the cold and being all but ignored by both the Queen and the Small Council. The last bit of kindness the Queen showed the North, before she was completely corrupted by her small council who cared only for themselves and their desire to rule, was the gift of Widow’s Wail to Lady Sansa Stark, as recompense for the theft of Ice by the Lannisters, and the losses the Stark’s incurred in the wars.
310 AC –
For nearly ten years, the Dreadfort sat empty, abandoned, having earned an ill reputation as being haunted, a grim reminder to the terror and atrocities committed by the Bolton’s over hundreds of years, only made worse by the most recent bloodshed perpetrated by the psychopath Ramsey Bolton. For years, Lady Sansa and her council debated what exactly to do with the defunct fortress and seat of the extinct House Bolton. All the North knew of the sins committed by House Bolton, having testimony from Lady Jeyne Pool, King Stannis Baratheon’s court records, testimony from Theon Greyjoy before his death, and the records of House Manderly concerning the first hand written testimony by Wex Pyke. After a long and heated debate, lasting for well over two days, the Regent Council of Lord Rickon Stark, with Lady Sansa Stark at its head, ordered the Dreadfort to be torn down, brick by brick, stone by stone, until nothing was left. No one would ever rule from the Dreadfort ever again, its lands split between Houses Whitehill and Overton. Furthermore, the materials from the demolition of the Dreadfort would be used to reconstruct Moat Cailin, and at Lord Rickon’s behest, Lady Sansa Stark would be raised to her own Lordship at Moat Cailin and named forevermore as Guardian of the Neck.
310 AC to Present –
Lord Rickon Stark, almost of age now to rule the North, decided along with the sound council of his councilors, sees the need to rebuild Moat Cailin into a functioning fortification that would be able to properly defend the North from overland invasions, and furthermore, be able to defend from attacks from the North as well. This project, Lord Rickon and his council knew, would take years to complete fully. Moat Cailin had sat in disrepair for hundreds, if not thousands of years, but the stone was strong, the towers tall, and with tons of tumbled stone all around the ancient fortress. With the fresh shipments of stone from the demolished Dreadfort, construction began immediately to modernize the ancient fortress, with the Lordship of Moat Cailin being created for Lady Sansa Stark and all her descendants to forever carry on. With oversight from both local and hired stonemasons, and the help of the insights of House Reed, Moat Cailin is slowly renovated from crumbling ruin, to a fortress to be proud of for any family.
310 AC to Present –
By decree of Lady Sansa, in one of her last acts as Regent, she and the council provide tax breaks and reductions to Northern Lords along the western coasts of the North to strengthen their keeps and shorelines, to be prepared for the next time the Ironborn decide to sail out in aggression against the North. These lords are encouraged to wisely construct new fortifications or upgrade existing ones against the ever present threat of the Ironborn, no matter if the current generation of Krakens were acting diplomatic, for history had proven time and time again, that these vile raiders, rapists, and killers would always revert to their ancestral ways.
310 AC to Present –
Practically the only money coming from the Iron Throne were funds for the maintenance and upkeep of the King’s Road. At the suggestion of Lady Sansa Stark, the road has slowly over time been upgraded from a wide dirt road into a proper paved roadway, extending from the bottom edge of the Neck, all the way to Castle Black at the Wall. Over time, help has come from the Vale in the form of high quality stone from a trade agreement brokered with House Arryn.
311 AC –
Lord Rickon Stark officially comes of age, and so ends Lady Sansa Stark’s role as regent. The North and her brother thank her for her service, and Lady Sansa departs for Moat Cailin to oversee its reconstruction herself. Lady Sansa excitedly begins her role as Guardian of the Neck.
320 AC –
Queen Daenerys issues a decree that equalizes women with men in the line of succession of all Houses within the Seven Kingdoms. House Stark accepts this decree without argument nor protest. The North stays removed from the short rebellions that follow the Queen’s reforms.
352 AC to 354 AC –
After roughly thirty years of rebuilding the North, of relative peace, outside of the occasional squabble between former Wildlings and their Northern neighbors, the Spring Famine of 352 AC ravaged the North. It started with harsh weather in the spring of 352 AC, massive rainstorms that ravaged essential food crops from the Neck to the Wall. Crop failures lasted through 353 AC till the summer harvests in 354 AC. Throughout the spring and the summer, it continued to rain, and the temperature remained cool. Under such conditions, grain could not ripen, leading to widespread crop failures. Grain was brought indoors in urns and pots to keep dry. The straw and hay for the animals could not be cured, so there was no fodder for the livestock. Stores of grain for long-term emergencies were emptied by the end of 353 AC, and with no end of the famine in sight, the Stark’s petitioned the Iron Throne for help, while the people began to harvest wild edible roots, plants, grasses, nuts and bark in the forests. To provide some measure of relief, the future was mortgaged by slaughtering the draft animals, eating the seed grain, and, among old people, voluntarily refusing food for the younger generation to survive. Relief finally came in 354 AC, but not from the Iron Throne, with the small council more concerned with their own selfish needs than that of the North, but rather from the Reach, and in particular, Lord Paramount Florian Tyrell. It was the generosity of Lord Florian Tyrell that saved the North, with food relief supplies being shipped from the Reach to both White Harbor and ports along the West Coast of the North. This famine relief saved the North from a complete economic collapse, but the damage was done. While total number of deaths attributed to this famine may never be known, maesters at the citadel and across the North estimate that at least 165,000 people were lost, with some estimates saying perhaps upwards of 200,000 died from the famine.
355 AC –
Lady Arya passed away silently in her sleep, having returned home from abroad to be with her family in her final moments. They say she shared choice words with her brother and sister, with some rumors speaking of a hidden treasure that she left to the North to help rebuild all the damage still needing to be taken care of. She was entombed within the crypts of Winterfell.
356 AC –
The North Mourns the passing of Lord Rickon Stark. His is remembered fondly and with little negativity. The North holds a local funeral for Lord Rickon, with a few outside invitations being sent to Lord Florian Tyrell and Queen Daenerys Targaryen, which she did not answer. It was 361 AC –
Lady Sansa Stark passed away quietly in her sleep. She was surrounded by family for her funeral, which was kept to a small affair for members of House Stark, and for members of House Blackwood, Sansa’s husband’s family. She is remembered as a great ruler and the progenitor of the Red Starks. A marble statue of her like from her youth was constructed in the courtyard of Moat Cailin, with the stone so generously donated by Lord Luthor Arryn. The North thanked his kindness with a shipment of Ironwood shield emblazoned with the sigil of House Arryn.
361 AC –
Even though the War for Dawn was a mere sixty years ago, a new generation of former Wildlings, having grown up with tales of the old ways, yearn for a return to raiding and fighting, to have the glory of the greatest Wildling chieftains and warriors of yesteryear. This desire ends up leading to increased hostility amongst the Hill Clans and the people of the Gifts. A small scale series of battles ensued for a number of weeks before Stark levies marched in to put down the rebel rousers and the troublemakers. Lord Benjen Stark, furious at the wasted lives, imprisons all those involved in the fighting. With the urge among the former Wildlings to return to their former lives, a solution is chosen that doesn’t require lifelong service within the Night’s Watch, nor the finality of death.
362 AC –
Lord Benjen Stark creates the Northern mercenary company the Ravenous Wolves, a sellsword company filled with the agitators of the 362 AC Summer skirmishes, and any volunteers that wish to fight for glory and riches. Lord Benjen decreed that at least 40% of what the company made was to return to the North. Furthermore, they could keep whatever loot they “earned” in their adventures over in Essos.
367 AC –
A small whaling and fishing station is established upon the Southern Coast of Skane, to serve as a safe haven for fishing fleets operating in the local area. It is the first settlement upon the island of Skane in centuries.
369 AC –
The North remained largely uninvolved in the dispute between the Stepstones and the Iron Throne. Why should the North get involved in a war that has nothing to do with them, on top of the fact that the Iron Throne had all but ignored the North for the last fifty years. By the time the North actually mustered a small force, the war was all but over. Instead of sailing for the Stepstones, the small intervention force sailed for Essos to reinforce the Ravenous Wolves, who were involved in a turf war between Myr and Tyrosh.
370 AC –
Lord Benjen, seeing that some younger male wildlings are still restless, trying to steal sheep or women, institutes a mandatory four-year minimum commitment for all males within the Gifts. This is met with a certain amount of resistance, though the young men soon see the first waves of Ravenous Wolves returning home from Essos, covered in scars, gold, and women taken from their conquests. The old ways never paid this way, so the elders said, and so the youth flocked to the snarling wolves banner of the Ravenous Wolves. For now, it seemed that Lord Benjen’s gambit had paid off.
373 AC –
A series of freezing storms strike the North off the coasts of Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, shutting down Wall repairs for the next six months.
375 AC –
After seventy years of arduous work and patience, the Ironwood forests that had for so long been absent from the Whitehill lands, had fully regrown into maturity. From barren hills to lush forests, the work of Lady Sansa Stark had paid off. Both Houses now worked together to harvest the Ironwood in a sustainable manner that would ensure that a clear-cutting event hopefully never happens again. House Forrester and House Whitehill begin to harvest Ironwood to export from the North, providing a highly needed income to the North, and providing the Iron Throne a material not seen in large quantities in decades.
379 AC –
Rumors are circulating of a sickness, a plague that is afflicting the people of the South. House Stark, under the command of Lord Rodrick, has ordered tightening of border controls, naval inspections, and that all overland travelers coming from the South to submit to health inspections.
________________________________________
House Reed – The Reeds have been an incalculable in the rebuilding of the southern portion of the North, and Moat Cailin. The Starks count the Reeds as their most loyal bannermen and have tied their families together with the marriage of Lord Torrhen Stark of Moat Cailin to Lady Meera Reed of Greywater Watch.
House Targaryen – At one time, House Stark and House Targaryen were great and friendly. Yet, as the years progressed from King Jon’s death, Queen Daenerys turned away from the North. This rift between the North and the Iron Throne was further deepened with the attitude of the Small Council regarding the North, from their abandonment of reconstructing the Wall, rebuilding the damages caused by the War for Dawn, to the ignoring of aid during the famines that ravaged the North from 352 AC to 354 AC. The North acknowledges the Queen’s claim to the Iron Throne, but outside of that, they have no intentions to get involved in matters outside of the North. A matter of contention for several years, was the North’s refusal to allow the Crown Tax Collectors to travel any farther north than Moat Cailin. Instead, the Stark’s always met the Taxmen at the great hall of Moat Cailin with the full years taxes and hosted them for three days to allow them to rest, before bidding them farewell.
House Tyrell – For years, House Stark did little more than acknowledge that House Tyrell were the rulers of the Reach. This was in part due to House Tyrell’s support of the Lannister’s during the War of the Five Kings, and their insistence at trying to marry Sansa off to a Tyrell when she was a captive of the bastard monstrosity, False King Joffrey. This all changed during the famines of 352 AC to 354 AC. It was House Tyrell, and House Tyrell alone, that saved the North from complete and utter collapse. Lord Florian Tyrell has ever since been held in high regard in the North and seen as a truly honorable and kind man. Lord Rickard Stark went so far as to decree Lord Florian as an honored guest of the North for as long as he may live, welcome in any home, great and small. Lord Rickard also sent an entire shipment of Ironwood shields with the arms of House Tyrell upon them to Lord Florian, as thanks for his endless kindness, for he would not accept monetary recompenses for the relief aid supplies he had sent.
House Baratheon – At one time, the Starks and the Baratheons were very close, counted as friends in some circles. King Robert Baratheon and Lord Eddard Stark were more than friends, they were family, until fate decided otherwise. As the years passed, another Baratheon would arise to help protect and defend the North. King Stannis Baratheon, the true successor after the Lannisters murdered King Robert, rode to the aid and defense of the North, defeating the Wildling army besieging the Wall, crushing Roose Bolton and Ramsay Boltons traitorous army, killing a vast number of the turn cloaks, before paying the ultimate price defending the realm during the War for Dawn. The sight of King Stannis’s death has been turned into a memorial, in honor for the ultimate price he paid in protecting the Seven Kingdoms, and the North still holds him in high regard.
However, that was long ago, and for a time, the two Great Houses had fallen out of favor with one another. Until, in 350 AC, Lord Davos Baratheon brokered a deal with Lord Benjen Stark of Winterfell, a marriage alliance between the two Houses, with Lord Benjen’s heir, Rickard Stark, marrying Lord Davos’ daughter, Lady Serina Baratheon. Furthermore, due to this alliance, House Baratheon was the second largest supporter of aid to the North when famine hit the region hard from 352 to 354 AC. House Baratheon is counted among one of House Stark’s closet allies, due to their marriage alliance and non-aggression pact. Last, the Starks acknowledge that the Baratheon’s rule the Stormlands, and that they are a great house worthy of respect.
House Arryn – House Stark has for the most part kept little correspondence and contact with the Lord’s Paramount of the Vale, in part due to the loss of family marriage ties and for House Stark’s isolationist politics. They hold no ill will towards the Arryn’s of the Eryie and the Vale.
House Payne – House Stark acknowledges that House Payne are the Lord’s Paramount of the Westerlands, outside of this, they keep no formal contact except for matters of state.
House Martell – House Stark acknowledges that House Martell are the Lord’s Paramount of Dorne, outside of this, they keep no formal contact except for matters of state.
House Mallister – It is the greatest tragedy that House Tully was snuffed out during the War of the Five Kings, and to be replaced by a House that now not only treats with the Iron Island diplomatically but allows the cursed filth to spread their blight upon the Riverlands proper. House Mallister was counted as a friend of the North, even though they had no direct blood relations. The Mallisters, unlike the Iron Throne, did what they could to help the North when it was within their means to do so, which mainly resorted to food shipments. Much like the Tullys, the Mallisters seemed to be smart, intelligent, and working to rebuild the Riverlands to their former. That all changed when the Mallister’s, in the eyes of Lord Benjen Stark, became the whores and footstools of the Greyjoys. Only a blind fool invites a murderous beast into his home and expects it not to rip him to shreds. House Stark looks down on the Mallisters now with serious reservations, with the trepidation that once again, the Riverlands will belong to the Ironborn, and the people of this great region will have only the Greyjoy’s whore, the Mallisters, to blame.
House Greyjoy – Murderers and thieves, rapists and pirates. The Ironborn have always been traitorous filth, and always will be. You can dress a kraken in silks and finery, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is still a kraken. History is on the side of House Stark, and the rest of Westeros. House Stark holds a special place in their collective consciousness’s for the filth that is House Greyjoy. Lord Rickard Stark stands always watchful and ready for the eventual day when the Greyjoy’s reave, rape, and kill again. The only good kraken is a dead kraken, and the waiting maw of the wolf licks its chops hungrily for the day when the scum of the Iron Islands comes again to the North.
Conceptualization ________________________________________ House Stark stands at a crossroads. For decades, the main line of House Stark, the Black Wolves, have advocated for isolation from the greater realm. They fear another event which could lead to the deaths of Starks, and the people of the North. This view is further exasperated by the rift that has grown between the members of House Stark, and that of House Targaryen. On the other hand, the cadet branch of House Stark, the Red Wolves, wish to bring the Northern Wolves out of their dens, to reenter the politics of the Seven Kingdoms, and the making of friendships and alliances.
Point-of-View Characters
Rickard Stark
Main Title; Lord Paramount of the North, Lord of Winterfell General Title; Lord Stark of Winterfell
Age ________________________________________ 44
Appearance ________________________________________ Refer to picture
Relations/ Reputation ________________________________________ What needs to be said other than Lord Rickard Stark is as cold and icy as the Wall. He cares little for the world outside of the North. His father and grandfather told him of the evil and dishonor of the realm south of the Neck, of the betrayals and back stabbings, and that the only person one could trust was family. His only relations are that to his family, and to House Tyrell, for their help in staving off the famines that had once ravaged the North. Rickard cares little for the Targaryen Queen, for her self-serving small council, and the petty boot-licking and betrayals of politics. If one word could only be used to describe Lord Rickard, stern fits to him perfectly.
Torrhen Stark
Main Title; Lord Torrhen Stark of Moat Cailin
Age ________________________________________ 37
Appearance ________________________________________ Refer to picture
Reputation ________________________________________ Lord Torrhen Stark of Moat Cailin has earned himself a reputation of being outwardly thinking and looking. He has carried on the wishes and dreams of his Grandmother, Lady Sansa Stark. The current Lord of the Red Starks, Lord Torrhen is an anointed knight, as was his father. He worships the Seven, while still respecting the Old Gods. For those that have treated with him at Moat Cailin, he is described as honorable, kind, and diligent. Lord Torrhen enjoys meeting with the outside world, and he serves as the intermediary for House Stark and the rest of the Seven Kingdoms. If anyone needs to speak with Lord Rickard Stark, they first must meet with Lord Torrhen Stark. Relations ________________________________________ Lord Torrhen maintains warm relations with the main branch of the family, with him and Lord Rickard enjoying jesting between one another about their respective outlooks on the realm. He is loyal to his liege lord, and hope that one day, he can convince Lord Rickard to not be so icy.
Rodrick Stark
Main Title; Commander, The Ravenous Wolves General Title; N/A
Appearance ________________________________________ Refer to picture
Reputation ________________________________________ Rodrick Stark, when he is actually visiting the North, is seen as a fighter, a warrior in every sense of the word. He has earned the reputation as being a fierce and competent wolf, keenly leading the Ravenous Wolves over in Essos in their campaigns and contracts with the ever-warring free cities. He is all the North epitomizes in its austere and spartan style of living and fighting. Rodrick is an outspoken critic of the North being reabsorbed back into the Seven Kingdoms.
He sees King’s Landing as a den of liars and thieves, pathetic lawmakers squawking in endless debates that have historical led to the realm’s ruin. These men, if he could call them that, wouldn’t kill people themselves. They wouldn’t dirty their hands, but they’ll damn everyone who isn’t licking their boots to exile for eternity. King Jon was right to have succeeded, that all the snakes in King’s Landing are a pack of fools, every last one of them. Perhaps this is why Lord Rickard had chosen Rodrick to lead the Ravenous Wolves, to get him away from the North, to distract him with war, bloodshed, with the glory of combat.
To his closest allies, a select group, he sees that King’s Landing is nothing but squalor, a hellish mockery of what the North is forced to do fealty to. He wants nothing more than to build a new Kingdom of the North, to choose the North over the spineless kneelers of the South. His personal drive is the sole purpose to protect the North, and every action he takes, no matter how violent or how cruel, was for the greater good of the North. Old Gods forbid, should the day come when his family is attacked again, when the North calls out for war, he will make all the enemies of the North pay, they shall answer to him, and him alone.
Relations ________________________________________ Rodrick Stark has a duty to the North, and he will not allow anything to get in the way of that duty. Relations are reserved for the North, for his immediate family, and the Ravenous Wolves.
Luthor Arryn, Lord of the Eyrie, Defender of The Vale, and Warden of The East
Recent History
To understand the current rule of a hunchback sitting on the weirwood throne of Arryn, one must understand the untimely deaths of its past three lords, starting with Robert Arryn. Born a sickly and frail child, "Lord Sweetrobin" ultimately died at twelve before producing an heir, passing the lordship to his older cousin with little outcry. Throughout the realm, Valemen seemed content to immortalize Robert as an eternal boy-king untouched by old age or war and move past his short-lived rule immediately. Harold Hardyng, who would then become legitimized as Lord Harold Arryn, went on to marry Cara Templeton, fathering a son and a daughter before marching North for the Night's War. Whereas some lords returned home with tales of glory or relics of war, Lord Harold returned home scarred and broken, frozen into a pale imitation of his former self by the horrors he had been unprepared to witness. Harry the Heir was a shattered man after the Night's War, spending hours walking the halls of the Eyrie in the silence of the night, drinking alone, and locking himself in his chambers for days. He was not a father to his children, much less a lord to his people, and passed zero laws or decrees during his rule. Though Harold Arryn escaped the Stranger on the fields of the North, he would ultimately meet him again at the edge of the Moon Door at twenty-nine years old.
The morning Harold Arryn's death was discovered, lordship was passed to Harold's only heir, Mandon Arryn, on his tenth nameday. The young lord inherited a Vale driven to poverty by his father's shiftless reign as an absentee ruler, and was subesquently locked in his study for the better part of three years, training in economics and legislation while his mother, Lady Cara, maintained a shaky control of the realm. Lord Mandon would flourish under this pressured responsibility and become the most economically productive lord the Vale had ever seen. Mandon sold mountains of stone to the North, who required a great deal of it after many of its castles had been destroyed during the Night's War, as well as for efforts paving the King's Road in the North. Mandon purchased miles of seaside property in the Free Cities, which had been reeling from a plague and scattered civil wars. Mandon taxed gold from the lesser landowners on these lands as often as he could, creating a scattered array of slums and shantytowns in Essos, but stimulating the Vale's economy all the same.
By the time Mandon was eighteen, the stress of his work had made him half-bald. By the time he was thirty, he was twice as bald, but five times as wealthy. He had been given the monicker "Mandon the Miser" by a smallfolk rebel leader who was hanged two days after his rebellion had started, though the nickname stayed with Mandon forever. During Lord Mandon's rule, he had raised taxes two and a half times as high, implemented arbitrary taxes for things such as windows, covered wagons, or mules, and purchased prisoners of other realms to be sent to the Vale's salt mines to "work for their freedom", unpaid, until they had died of exhaustion. Aside from these nefarious ventures, Mandon invested in the creation of many Northern and Riverlands businesses, and it was said that he owned at least a plank of every ship and inn from Gulltown to Bear Island. By his fourtieth nameday, Mandon owned what would have been a small kingdom within Essos, had all of his properties been connected. By his calculations, the Arryns could have been the richest family in Westeros by his eightieth nameday, looking down from their mountains at the golden lions and crimson dragons who held power over them for centuries.
Ultimately, Mandon would not realize his goals of transcontinental dominance, or even his humbler goals of living to eighty. By the time he was fourty-one, he had fathered eight hardworking children -- all as business savvy as their economist father, with small ventures of their own -- and one soft-spoken, simpering hunchback. Taking the birth of this cripple as a sign from the gods to cease his procreation and focus on business, Mandon put his youngest son into the Eyrie's sept for training night and day, continuing to focus on ventures and fathering his non-deformed children. This exclusion of his youngest son would ultimately keep the line of Arryn from going extinct; Days after lord Mandon's fourty-first birthday, the second tallest tower in the Eyrie collapsed. Lord Mandon was killed in the disaster, along with his wife, eight of his children, and several of his cousins, who had gathered in the relatively small tower to view a solar eclipse.
At the time, his youngest son had been sailing around the shores of Essos, visiting his father's foreign holdings in celebration of the septon's vows he would take upon his return. After returning home, he found his entire family had been killed in an accident and that he, a boy of sixteen trained in nothing more than the Faith of the Seven, would become the lord paramount of the Vale. Naturally, this caused the timid and bookish young lord a great deal of stress, though not as much as his father had inherited. After selling all of his family's investments, Luthor Arryn would go on to find that the Vale was not as difficult to run given his father's devotion to the post-war kingdom. Luthor lowered taxes to what they had been before his father's rule,, spent coffers of gold building and refurnishing septs, and began throwing tourneys worthy of song. Aside from his extravagantly expensive, exclusive "parties", Luthor has a model lord in many ways, brokering small trade alliances between neighboring kingdoms and sending frequent gifts to Great Houses of Westeros. He has maintained a small presence in King's Landing through his frequent visits to his boyhood friend Lyonel, and is unquestioningly favored in the Western half of the Vale.
House Relations
House Baratheon: The Arryns and Baratheons are arguably the two currently closest-linked Great Houses of Westeros. Lord Baratheon has been a close friend to Lord Arryn since boyhood, which has lead to Lord Arryn's frequent visits to the capital to visit the Master of Laws. Accordingly, the Vale and Stormlands has lead to a level of trade almost unnecessary, with sanctions and routes designed to mutually boost their economies as opposed to lending this trade to King's Landing, White Harbor, or Dorne. This trade union, officiated with the signing of The Western Union of the Stag and Falcon in 364 AC shortly after Lyonel's coronation, has lead to a greater number of Essosi goods available in the Stormlands.
House Stark: The North has maintained a close trade relationship with the Vale for generations, starting with Lord Stark selling Mandon Arryn the Valyrian dagger of Peter Baelish for its worth in stone. This gesture would rebuild nearly three quarters of Moat Cailin, and spark a long-standing trade relationship with the Vale, rebuilding the North after the Night's War with mountains of Vale stone. Now, although the trade relationship with the North is as healthy as ever, Lord Luthor has never actually met the Starks. With his best friend's sister having married to their lord, it is likely that the Vale would side with the North in the coming wars.
Conceptualization
Lord Arryn has lived well for some time -- Not even the Queen has lived in the excess he has for the past three decades. Now, at a historical turning point, Lord Arryn will either double his opulence as Hand of the King or lose everything he has worked to hide. Father to a naive fop of a son and a renowned maiden of a daughter, Lord Arryn will be forced to maneuver through the already tight crevasses he has created within the Vale by alienating his political enemies and upjumping those he owes debts to.
Point-of-View Characters
Luthor Arryn
Lord of The Eyrie, Defender of The Vale, and Warden of The East
Age
42
Appearance
For all his notable disfigurement, it would be nothing short of a lie to describe the Lord of The Vale as anything less than handsome. Typical of the Arryns, his nose is strong and straight, coming to a slight hook at the end above a set of full, ever-smiling lips. Luthor's eyes are an indistinguishable shade of blue or green, inviting those who speak with him to try and ascertain by staring at them, with high cheekbones and a jaw that comes to a sharp point by his neck. He has a mane of dark brown hair, carefully combed down the sides of his gaunt face.
This is all, of course, offest by Lord Luthor's hump, a malformed source of scorn and pain. There exists a muscular mass of flesh above Luthor Arryn's left shoulder that makes Luthor appear as if his left shoulder is always raised and that his right shoulder is always lowered. As a result of this disfigurement, Luthor's left arm is withered and crooked, bent across his chest as if it were held in a sling. Accordingly, he typically hides this by leaning on his left arm, or covering his hump and arm with a half-cloak. On the rare occasions Lord Arryn has had to don armor for war, his armor has a custom-tailored harness for his arm that nearly hides his lame arm.
Reputation
Luthor Arryn is one of the most famous nobles of his generation, with tales and rumors concerning his supposed dealings from Mole's Town to Sunspear. Some of them, in fairness, are true -- For instance, Luthor does host a lavish orgy at the Gates of the Moon at the end of each lunar quarter, and he did appoint two smallfolk sellswords to his personal guard at a knight's tourney instead of any Valeman. While he did inherit the Vale after the sudden death of his family, it was not an accident he caused (As those in any tavern would have you believe), nor did he conspire to cause the disaster with Essosi blood magic. Other rumors, such as his belief in R'hllor or other foreign, pagan faiths, are equally untrue. Luthor Arryn does not eat the children of smallfolk in the Reach who misbehave, nor does his hump whisper the secrets of his enemies to him, nor does he pretend to be crippled to feign weakness.
Fortunately for Luthor, the wide variety and nonsensical nature of many rumors surrounding him act as a shield for those rumors which are true. When low lords whisper amongst themselves that Lord Luthor's hump is a shielded pair of leathery wings, or that his daughter was conceived by himself and Queen Daenerys, the whispers about the men he brings to bed and his involvement in the upper echelons of the Faith go unnoticed more easily. Aside from the scandalous nature of stories surrounding him, Luthor has done everything in his power to maintain relations with some of the most powerful people in the realm, and warm relations at that. When a storm shattered Lord Greyjoy's flagship, Luthor donated his own, with a Lysian whore in her captain's quarters. When the youngest Dornish princess fell ill, Luthor sent a small circus to Sunspear to lift her spirits. Even without his extravagant gifts, Lord Arryn's presence in King's Landing and Oldtown have given him a retinue of friends as far south as the Starry Sept, lending a strange duality to his reputation.
Relations
Vale Bannermen: Luthor Arryn has extremely strong support in the Vale's Western half as well as in the Sisters, but is quietly hated by the low lords of the Vale's port-towns. Lord Arryn keeps his favor with most of the Western half of the Vale through invitations to his exclusive, secretive "parties" and through trade dealings with their houses, subsequently giving them occasional gifts and visits from their ruling Lord. Further from the Eyrie, in the seaside towns where the tumultuous tax changes of the past half-century have affected low lords the most, Lord Arryn's charitable visits are rarer, and his beneficial trade relations are nearly non-existent. His father's frequent dealings with Essos has lead to a small Essosi population on the Vale's coast, a demographic that chafes the bannermen who rule them. Additionally, unbeknownst to Luthor Arryn, one of his banner houses has been siring a forgotten Arryn cousin, grooming him for a rule that can only come through usurpation.
Lyonel Baratheon: Lord Lyonel has been Luthor's closest friend and longstanding confidant since Lord Arryn's boyhood. It was Lyonel's initial gift of friendship that brought Luthor out of his shell in his adolescence, magnified further after a life-changing trip to Essos the two shared. When Luthor was nearly assassinated some twenty years ago, it was Lyonel who he bequeathed the upbringing of his only son and heir to, and when hill tribes threatened his rule, it was Lyonel who led the forces that smashed them into the mountainside. In turn, Luthor allowed Lyonel the use of The Eyrie not only to personally marry him to Rylene Redfort, but for the two to stay until the birth of his first son, Axel Baratheon.
House Hightower: After the Red Keep, Luthor's second-most visited destination is Oldtown. A pious man through and through, Lord Arryn has donated coffers of gold to the Starry Sept for repairs, renovations, and the construction of new statues, wings, gardens, and Septs. He frequently prays at the Starry Sept upon his visits to Oldtown, and has by now created a friendship between himself and the Most Devout. Accordingly, he has encountered the Hightowers many times and has been hosted in their ancestral keep -- as opposed to an inn -- on several occasions.
House Tyrell: While the two kingdoms share only paltry trade relations, Lord Luthor's trips to Oldtown have meant encounters with the Tyrells on multiple occasions. Luthor enjoys the lifestyle found in the Reach, and has often considered marrying on of his children to the Tyrells in order to retire in Highgarden. His visits with the Tyrells, while frequently brief and courtly, have all been respectful encounters.
Ignore all posts dated one year old (sans the GM posts, obviously). Figured we'd just use the thread since it never really went anywhere. I think one of you guys suggested this is better than a fresh thread. Will have more information up throughout the next few weeks. Maybe sooner.
- given up my interest in the riverlands due to @Syn's personal vested interest - various people have switched houses (outside of @Sloth who is the MVP) - changing the history a bit, gonna be less touch and go - we are currently invite only but i might open it up once we get the fundamental players ready
