[hider=House Stokeworth]
[CENTER][color=olivedrab][b][h2]House Stokeworth[/h2][/b][/color]
[img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/78bc6699-2ad6-44f4-806a-cb4eaa4a595b/d3koswy-5bed3beb-1d67-4fa5-9c8c-3e6a80a7257e.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzc4YmM2Njk5LTJhZDYtNDRmNC04MDZhLWNiNGVhYTRhNTk1YlwvZDNrb3N3eS01YmVkM2JlYi0xZDY3LTRmYTUtOWM4Yy0zZTZhODBhNzI1N2UucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.bRM7QLEOQWkJJv5LOgSH7QU8K0R8XyBYS1I3XDmhDuA[/img][/CENTER][h3]House Information[/h3][hr][hider=My Hider][indent]
[b]Synopsis[/b]
[indent][color=gray]House Stokeworth is a minor noble house dating back at least to Aegon's Conquest, where they surrendered to Aegon the Conqueror's sister Visenya after Vhagar burned the roof of their castle, a scar which Castle Stokeworth bears as evidence of their continued faithfulness to the throne. House Stokeworth has always been loyal to whoever holds the throne, whether they be Targaryen or Baratheon, and their house words reflect this. House Stokeworth faced extinction during the War of Five Kings, but a marriage between Lady Lollys Stokeworth and the recently raised to nobility Ser Bronn of the Blackwater saved them. Ser Bronn was a former Sellsword whose actions at the Battle of the Blackwater against the forces of Stannis Baratheon had given him his name and coat of arms. His legacy has dominated the modern House Stokeworth, who still remain faithful, but with a sense of ambition.[/color][/indent]
[b]Head of House[/b]
[indent][color=gray]Lady Elissa Stokeworth[/color][/indent]
[b]Seat[/b]
[indent][color=gray]Castle Stokeworth[/color][/indent]
[b]Demesne[/b]
[indent][color=gray]House Stokeworth is a very minor house, owning a small domain a short ride directly north of King's Landing, consisting of Castle Stokeworth itself and a few surrounding hamlets. They have no landed vassals. 1000 levies, men at arms, and knights are sworn to Lady Elissa.[/color][/indent]
[b]Recent History[/b]
[indent][color=gray][hider=Lady Lollys Stokeworth & Lord Protector Bronn of the Blackwater, 300-324] With the ascension of Ser Bronn of the Blackwater as Lord Protector of Stokeworth, House Stokeworth shifted from a house of doormats to a house of wealth and ambition. Lord Protector Bronn swore his fealty to King Tommen, and eventually his successor in Queen Cersei Lannister, but when his banners were called to prepare for the upcoming war with the Dragon Queen Daenarys Targaryen, Bronn failed to answer. He, his new family, his levies, and a large amount of sellswords he'd hired with his growing wealth had marched north to fight the oncoming storm of the dead, or at least that's what Bronn said. In all actuality, he saw the writing on the wall. If he was to keep his new status, Bronn of the Blackwater needed to endear himself to the woman who was guaranteed to win the war.

The gold sent to him by an old dwarven friend helped too.

House Stokeworth won even further wealth as a result of Bronn's actions, and he proved a loyal bannerman, more than pleased with the vast wealth he'd won himself over his long career. He impregnated his wife Lady Lollys sometime in the year 305, and she gave birth to her second son and first trueborn child, the future lord Rhaegar Stokeworth, named to honor Queen Daenerys in much the same way that her bastard son Tyrion's name honored Lord Tyrion Lannister. They would have two more children, both daughters, who would be married to men of Houses Sunglass and Fossoway of New Barrel.

As he aged, Lord Bronn delegated more and more of the ruling of his realm to the now Castellan Tyrion Tanner, who was effective ruler of Stokeworth from 315 to 324. Lady Lollys died in the year 320, leaving Rhaegar as lord, though he didn't bear the title until Bronn followed her in 324. Both died of natural causes.[/hider]

[hider=Lord Rhaegar Stokeworth, 324-341]Named after one of the finest warriors in the history of the Seven Kingdoms, Lord Rhaegar was anything but. A rail-thin man who was constantly one step in the grave and was unable to even walk unassisted after losing toes on both feet to a sudden necrosis, Rhaegar was easily manipulated, as well as a medical marvel who often had visits from Maesters of all corners. His urine was sweet enough to attract ants, and he was nigh-infertile, only impregnating his wife once in his entire lifetime through sheer gods-given luck. Rhaegar spent most of his time locked in Castle Stokeworth, only seeing the sun through the window of his study, within which he read novels and masturbated from the crack of dawn until the sun fell below the horizon.

With his infirmity, the realm continued to be ruled by Castellan Tyrion Tanner, whose regime had quickly gone from one dedicated to the good of the realm as it had been under Lady Lollys, to one dedicated to lining Tanner's pockets. Bronn's great wealth quickly filled Tanner's coffers, and the soldiers of Stokeworth were given vast pensions in exchange for following the Castellan's orders to the letter.

Rhaegar's health continued to decline as his son Godry grew into a man. Eventually Rhaegar's leg was amputated after becoming gangrenous, and he passed not long after as a result of the wound becoming infected. He was succeeded by the aforementioned Godry.[/hider][/color]

[hider=Lord Godry Stokeworth "The Godless" 341-378]Godry Stokeworth rose to Lordship at the young age of 20, and with the influence of Tyrion Tanner still riding Castle Stokeworth, a good number of reforms needed to be made. Of course, most of Godry Stokeworth's soldiers needed to be loyal to him rather than to Tanner, and the revolt that sprung up the year of his ascension was the perfect chance to gather his troops and endear himself to them. With the loyalty of his troops assured, Godry returned to Castle Stokeworth, knowing that he would no longer allow Tanner's manipulations to dominate the castle. Within a few months, Godry had managed to uncover proof of Tanner's embezzling, which he had never had to hide before, and exiled the man from Castle Stokeworth. His son almost shared the same fate, but the younger Tanner was smart enough to be extremely and almost overbearingly loyal.

While under his father, House Stokeworth had grown isolationist and never entered politics outside their small section of the world, Godry returned to the political spectrum, becoming a well-known courtier in the Red Keep, often spending more time there than he did in Stokeworth. This didn't mean that he neglected his domain, far from it, in fact Stokeworth's population doubled under Godry's reign as a result of establishing trade relations with lords of the other Seven Kingdoms when they journeyed to King's Landing.

One of Godry's many ambitions was to assemble a navy for House Stokeworth, despite their holdings possessing no coastline. With his time in King's Landing and his holdings' growing wealth, Godry began assembling a fleet of ships, none larger than a scow. This fleet would allow Godry's men to bring a greater amount of goods back home to Stokeworth, which began entering a boom state like none other in its history. With its population growing exponentially, Godry requested more and more land from the royal domain to deal with the crowding that quickly became an issue.

Godry's nickname came from a certain incident as he grew into a grouchy old man. Rich and wildly popular, Godry's only threat came from the faith, who began seeking income from the peasantry at House Stokeworth's expense. Enraged, Godry marched on the largest sept with his household knights, demanding the bishop surrender his titles. When refused, his knights entered the building, restrained the septons, took any holy relics, then burned the building to the ground, stating that "with all of the holy things out of it, that sept only worships coin, and idolatry is the greatest of sins." Godry would die soon after, some say as a result of a curse brought on by his actions. He was succeeded by his firstborn and daughter, Elissa, as according to Dornish Law.[/hider][/indent]
[b]Realm Relations[/b]
[indent][color=gray]TBD[/color][/indent]
[b]Storyline Premise[/b]
[indent][color=gray]Loyalty is its own reward, but it's not the most lucrative reward. House Stokeworth remains loyal, now and forever, but they do so while seeking ever greater office. Lady Elissa seeks one of the Seven Kingdoms for her own, replacing a house of traitors, while her husband Lord Barristan Waters desires to forge a new Stokeworth realm against the status quo. Whatever way they go, House Stokeworth will not accept their minor status for long.[/color][/indent]
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[/hider][h3]Character Information[/h3][hr][hider=POV #1: Lady Elissa Stokeworth]
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[indent][color=878787][color=white][b]Identity[/b][/color][indent]Lady Elissa Stokeworth
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[color=white][b]Age[/b][/color][indent] 31
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[color=white][b]Role[/b][/color][indent]Lady of Castle Stokeworth
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[color=white][b]Characterization[/b][/color][indent]Masculinity, a stiff upper lip, and iron. Elissa Stokeworth is no lady socialite. Though never trained in combat, she dresses in full armor, rides with her soldiers, and always has a weapon on hand. Elissa understands that the men of Westeros only recognize power and strength, and seeks to project an image of those two things. In actuality, Elissa is clueless at arms and would much prefer a dress to a suit of armor, but she possesses a willingness to give up her own comfort for her ambitions, something successfully beat into her by her father.

Elissa is ambitious and desires greater station, but she's not evil, she's capable of being quite friendly to those she likes, and has a poisonous tongue when the time calls for snark. She's also a bit of a romantic, and enjoys performing public displays of affection with her husband as a sort of brag. Elissa can lack tact, which is either a downside when she's upset, or a bonus when she's attempting to be funny, and combined with a love for wine, this can lead to her saying rather controversial things.

Above all, Elissa values loyalty, and finds disloyalty and deceit utterly disgusting. If someone earns her loyalty or is owed her loyalty by obligation, they will find a willing and able servant. This doesn't mean she lacks fire, and she will protest plans she finds foolish, she just won't say no if overruled.

Disloyalty or betrayal triggers a red rage in Elissa, and her words go from slightly barbed to stabbing. It takes extreme measures to bring Elissa to strike anyone, but she will if she feels suitably offended. Other things that enrage her are insulting her husband or other members of her immediate family, or bringing up her lowborn heritage.
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[color=white][b]Attributes & Talents[/b][/color][indent]Elissa is a skilled speaker, both diplomatically, where she excells at befriending other lords, and in speechcraft. She has a talent for using her words to inspire loyalty from her colleagues and subjects, and is capable of establishing goodwill with even the least diplomatic lord. Elissa is not a commander of men, but as a commander of ships, she's surprisingly talented, a talent inspired by her father's attempts to build their clan a navy. Elissa is a capable enough administrator as well, but she struggles with impulse control when it comes to spending money.
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[color=white][b]Immediate Family[/b][/color]
[indent][list][*]Barristan Waters, called "Badwaters", bastard of House Rykker. Lord Consort of Stokeworth. Five and thirty.
[*]Harys Stokeworth, eldest child of Elissa and Barristan. Four and ten. Once betrothed, now a widower without being married.
[*]Brynden, Gyles, and Tytos Stokeworth, Elissa and Barristan's three younger sons. Two and ten, six, and four respectively.
[*]Jeyne and Verra, Elissa and Barristan's youngest children, twin girls. Two.

[*]Ser Bronn Stokeworth, younger brother of Lady Elissa, a knight and member of the City Watch of King's Landing. Nine and twenty. Widower.
[*]Rohanne Waters, bastard daughter of Ser Bronn brought to Castle Stokeworth on the day of his wedding. Six and ten. Unmarried.
[*](Ros Bar Emmon), wife of Ser Bronn, died of a bowel illness at the age of five and twenty.
[*]Genna Hill, bastard daughter of Ser Bronn sired on a serving maid during a trip to Casterly Rock, Two and ten.[/list][/indent]
[color=white][b]Personal Relations[/b][/color]
[indent]TBA[/indent]
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[hider=POV #2: Ser Bronn Stokeworth]
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[indent][color=878787][color=white][b]Identity[/b][/color][indent]Ser Bronn Stokeworth
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[color=white][b]Role[/b][/color][indent] Member of the City Watch of King's Landing
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[color=white][b]Age[/b][/color][indent]29
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[color=white][b]Characterization[/b][/color][indent]For a massive, often drunk beast of a man, Bronn Stokeworth is a sorry sight. A depressed, often in tears mess, the man has mourned his wife for the past three years, and doesn't seem to be looking to stop anytime soon. Once a boisterous and rowdy man, hated by many for crimes committed while drunk, Bronn travelled the Seven Kingdoms, whoring and fighting. He even took his ancestor Bronn of the Blackwater's personal arms as he own to demonstrate his separation from his family. Bronn now wanders King's Landing in a gold cloak, drinking his sorrows away.

Bronn is no simple drunk, however. Well, he is simple, but he's still a lordling, and has the sense of entitlement that all lordlings possess. He turns red and furious when denied, and can be extremely cruel to those he thinks has wronged him. For all his rage and entitlement, Bronn is still a loyal man, much like most others in his house. In fact, he's probably more loyal than the rest of them, as a result of contentedness with simply drinking himself into a grave rather than seeking higher station. Blindly and stupidly loyal, Bronn is an excellent henchman, but for all his stupidity and inability to look into the future, he is no dog, and will bite back if pushed too far.

Bronn despises cowards, he also despises abusers, hell, anyone who takes their family for granted. He believes in honor and justice, and with a lack of desire to take part in intrigue or politics, will often take justice into his own hands despite the wishes of his betters unless ordered otherwise explicitly, and even then his loyalty only extends so far. With all of this, it's no wonder why his sister sees him as a dangerous wild card who could derail any of her plans accidentally, and is perfectly fine with leaving him to drink.
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[color=white][b]Attributes & Talents[/b][/color][indent]Bronn's name is rather fitting, as he is a paragon of brawn. A massive bear of a man, halfway past six feet, Bronn is capable of tossing a grown man like a doll, and on the battlefield he wears a massive suit of heavy steel armor, with a two handed sword taller than he is. Ironically, he's not an especially skilled swordsman, relying on brute strength and a willingness to toss chivalry to the wind. Bronn is a mediocre tactician, but is surprisingly perceptive, and has often defeated opponents trying to outwit him just by noticing what they were doing before they had started doing it. This perceptiveness also allows him to notice when someone is attempting to play games of intrigue. Bronn is also shockingly well read on the laws of the realm, and this may be the one intellectual pursuit in which he can be said to excel.
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