[hider=House Ball] [color=silver] [center][h2]House Ball of Cinnamont Keep[/h2] [img]https://awoiaf.westeros.org/images/thumb/4/47/House_Ball.svg/250px-House_Ball.svg.png[/img] [i][h3]”Valor and Strength Eternal”[/h3][/i][/center] [/color] [hr][hr] [color=silver][u][b]House Description:[/b][/u][/color] Set within the fertile heartland of the Reach, along the banks of the Blueburn rests the humble castle Cinnamont Keep. Surrounded there, by many acres of farmlands, orchards, and a dozen landed knights with holdfasts and towers of their own. The castle itself is a modest thing, little more than a keep and hall, with a single ringed wall of bright whitewashed stone. The fortifications are set upon a small hill, and the Blueburn acts as a half moat on its northern flank. Nearby to the castle's west lies the town of Bluewood, named for the rolling woodlands that swathe the lands of House Ball, intermingled by patchwork fields and dotted smallfolk homesteads. Sworn to the Tyrells, the Lords of Cinnamont have always proved a reserved and dutiful folk, going about their work and minding their own business with admirable dedication. If a young noble was to seek glory and adventure he wouldn’t find it here. Beneath the gentle quiet trees of the Blue Wood nothing much happens at all. The most excitement seen here in the last decade was a small tourney held in honor of Lord Owen Ball’s birth. On that day Ser Quentyn returned from his duties at the Red Keep, to ride for his infant lord nephew’s honor. The jousts were most chivalrous and competitive, yet in the end Ser Quentyn oft called Fireball unseated Ser Colin Merryweather winning the day. That was six years past, and since then only the occasional escaped horse or traveling stroyteller have been available to break the local monotony. Should their peaceful existence ever be disturbed, and all the knights and levy of the Cinnamont be called upon by their liege lord, House Ball could summon forth a dozen knights, and four hundred levied foot, including a contingent of sixty longbowmen and two dozen armored sergeants at arms. By their feudal contract six of these knights, and a hundred and fifty men are owed to the Tyrells, should their lordship call. It has been through House Ball’s long and storied service to the Tyrells and the Realm, that they are remembered. The Lords of Cinnamont can trace their line back to the First Men, and a great number of their ancestry have served with distinction since, beneath the banners of the Gardeners, Tyrells, and Targaryen’s. They have given no reason to doubt their loyalty, nor hint of unchecked ambition beyond their little corner of the world. In recent days they have been a bedrock of nobility and loyalty, and yet the foolishness of one might change that forever. [hr] [color=silver][u][b]Recent History:[/b][/u][/color] Gentle Lord Owen Ball, a man with years enough to remember seeing the last of the dragons in its pit, bore by his lady wife two sons Quinn his eldest, and Quentyn, alongside a number of beautiful daughters. His rule was long and peaceful and marred only by a plague of whooping cough that left many worried the young lordling children would perish in their beds. Both boys by many prayers to the Crone survived and Lord Quinn would take his father’s place as lord of Cinnamont Keep many years later, taking on the little Lady Gwyn Merryweather as his bride. Quentyn for his part would leave Cinnamont in his youth, to seek glory elsewhere, eventually rising by martial excellence and prestige to become master of arms at the Red Keep, and even be promised a white cloak by Daeron II should an opening become available. Lord Quinn saw no such good fortune, and struggled in his duties. His marriage to Gwyn was troubled, and despite their best efforts they could produce no living children male or female to continue the Ball line. Lord Quinn’s brother, Ser Quentyn took on no wife and bore no trueborn children, as he expected to become a member of the Kingsguard. To round up it all Quinn was a sickly man, frail and deemed to not be long lived. Should he pass without a proper heir House Ball and all its storied histories would end and the lands would be divided up between the female heir lines of surrounding noble houses. Lord Quinn did have a son however, by means of a peasant women, and the boy was named Jacob Flowers. He had been brought to Cinnamont as an infant, and was raised and recognized as Lord Quinn’s bastard. He was given all that a lordling might want, education, training, and attention from his father. There were many whispers that Jacob would be legitimized in desperation should no son be produced. In his forty-third year whilst his wife Gwyn was bearing her ninth pregnancy Lord Quinn passed away in his bed, and his final words were heard only by his illegitimate son Jacob, and his wife Gwyn of Longtable. When Jacob emerged, he declared himself a legitimized son, and Lord Ball of Cinnamont, whilst Gwyn recalled a story altogether different. She had determined she was carrying a son, and lord Quinn wished to see his trueborn heir rule Cinnamont. Should she fail in this duty, she asserted Jacob Flowers may take up the name Ball and rule in his father’s stead as to Quinn’s wishes. It was a drama not witnessed in these lands before, and the excitement was palpable as rumors ran wild. A month later, Gwyn gave birth to a boy, whom she named Owen Ball for his grandfather, Lord Quinn’s first and only living trueborn heir. Calling upon her brother, Ser Colin Merryweather, and brother-in-law Ser Quentyn Ball, she had them excise the scorned Jacob Flowers from Cinnamont and banished him from his home and all the lands of Ball. Stating her son could never be safe living under the same roof as the upstart bastard. This was six years past, and the excitement of the incident has faded. The young lord Owen is growing strong, and Jacob Flowers has vanished, out of sight and out of mind for the peaceful lands of Ball. [hr] [color=silver][b][u]Family Members:[/u][/b][/color] Lord Quinn Ball – Former lord of Cinnamont, perished in his bed from sickness. (48) Lord Owen Ball – Child Lord of Cinnamont and Lord Quinn’s only trueborn son. (6) Lady Gwyn Ball – Mother of Owen, and protector of Cinnamont until her son comes of age. (32) Ser Jacob “Ball” Flowers – Bastard son of Quinn, and the banished heir of Cinnamont. (24) Ser Andryn Nimbledown - Father to Elowyn and Patrick, and Knight of Stillstone Tower. (52) Patrick “Pat Nimble” Nimbledown – Squire to Ser Jacob Flowers, and youngest son of Ser Andryn. (13) Lady Elowyn Ball – Ser Jacob’s wife, and youngest daughter of Ser Andryn. (20) Quinn Ball – Ser Jacob’s son. (1) Ser Quentyn “Fireball” Ball – Master of Arms of the Red Keep, and fabled warrior. (47) Ser Colin Merryweather – Younger brother to Lady Gwyn, and steward of Cinnamont. (30) Ser Athelwine Bellfast - Castellan of Cinnamont (41) Maester Nathaniel – The young Maester of Cinnamont. (25) [hr] [hider=Lady Gwyn Ball] [center][color=silver][h3][b]Lady Gwyn Ball[/b][/h3][/color][/center] [color=silver][u][b]Age:[/b][/u][/color] Two and Thirty, born mid-year of 170 AC. [color=silver][b][u]Appearance:[/u][/b][/color] Regarded as a comely women, but of no outstanding beauty Lady Gwyn looks and acts the part of a noble woman. She is small, standing no higher than the average man’s shoulder, yet with a presence that demands courtesy and attention. She has a sharp, angular face with deep-set emerald eyes, and long blonde hair that she keeps neatly braided. Everything about the women is of good order, evoking a sense of regality. Her visage is marred however, by a large wart grown from the base of her nose, which on occasion draws the eyes. [color=silver][b][u]Description & biography:[/u][/b][/color] Like most summer women of the Reach, lady Gwyn enjoys the comforts of highborn life well. She is clean, precise and expects the chivalric acts of men. She was born, daughter of the Lord Merryweather, and was raised to the expectations of a young woman of a noble house. She did her duty, regarded her elders and lords well and was married to a wealthy lord of House Ball on her fifteenth nameday. Should it have been, she might lived happily ever after, but difficulties plagued her life. A husband who was not loyal to his vows of monogamy, eight stillborn children, and a bastard whose presence was a constant reminder of her troubles. It was her pride and joy to finally bring a son into the world even as she despaired it ever occurring. She cherishes him, doting and spoiling the child as a desperate mother would with the fear that a cruel world might snatch this son away as well. Her overprotectiveness has brought about a less jovial side to her, causing paranoia and suspicion. Six years of good health has eased her worries however, and Gwyn has slowly begun loosening her grip on the boy, and turning her focus on developing the wealth of the Blue Wood, and Cinnamont, so that her son might have a strong seat of power when he comes of age. [/hider] [hider=Ser Quentyn Ball] [center][color=orange][h3][b]Ser Quentyn “Fireball” Ball[/b][/h3][/color] [/center] [color=silver][u][b]Age:[/b][/u][/color] Seven and Forty, born the year’s end 155 AC. [color=silver][b][u]Appearance:[/u][/b][/color] The Fireball is an lithe man, tall and wiry like a spring coiled trap and restrained by muscle forged of experience. An amateurish gaze might consider him no more dangerous than the next man, but the wild glint in his green eyes, the half manic grin upon his lips, the cocksure manner in which he walked, all bespoke a warrior more dangerous than a half dozen men twice is size. He emblazons on his chest a personal sigil derived from House Ball, of a fiery sphere, red as the hair upon his head, burning on a field of black. He dresses in plain clothes and armor, and at his hip is the ever-present longsword, lacking garnish of any kind but bearing the weight of a blade tempered in blood. For Fireball has seen his share of battle, and his body shows the signs of conflict in a patchwork of scars, from a great gash running through his red muttonchops to his four fingered left hand. [color=silver][b][u]Description & biography:[/u][/b][/color] “He shall not suffer the faint of heart, nor the weak of mind and body. Fireball will show no pity but the mercy of a quick death.” A man of action and excitement, Fireball has dedicated his life to the art of war. He is an aggressive, and confident general boldly going where no others dared. He has a reputation for leading wild charges, and then calling prudent retreats. He is not overconfident his enemies and allies often say, but knows exactly of what he is capable. Fireball has served for the Targaryens since his youth, first squiring for a household knight, before proving himself and earning a knighthood by King Aegon IV himself, seen by a thousand witnesses. He was named Fireball by his foes for his aggressive nature, and shining red hair which he took in stride, adopting it as his personal sigil and wearing it proudly as any man should. On his thirtieth year he was made the Master of Arms at the Red Keep, and trained many a worthy warrior from the Royal House, including the young Daemon Blackfyre, and Ageor Rivers. His actions in battle, and selfless service for many decades has earned him a place amongst the Kingsguard, it was promised. King Daeron vowed he would raise Fireball to the sworn brotherhood once an opening was made available. With this goal in mind Fireball never took a wife, nor bore trueborn children, all in anticipation of his chance to wear the white, with a warrior’s patience. [/hider] [hider=Ser Jacob Ball] [center][color=silver][h3][b]Ser Jacob “Ball” Flowers[/b][/h3][/color][/center] [color=silver][u][b]Age:[/b][/u][/color] Four and Twenty, born the year’s beginning 178 AC. [color=silver][b][u]Appearance:[/u][/b][/color] In recent years Jacob Flowers has grown into his own, filling out in muscle and with a full beard of red like his father and uncle. Gone are the days where he was a lanky adolescent, all remnants of the baby fat that lingered as a sign of his easy life within a Reach castle have fled. Replaced by the grimy, battle-hardened appearance of a Hedge Knight who has earned his spurs more than once. [color=silver][b][u]Description & biography:[/u][/b][/color] There are many things in life that might turn a man sour, entrapped by one’s own desire for vindication. Lies, unfairness, and all the dark deeds of men and women that might snare one into a life of bitterness. It is a path that tempts Jacob Flowers, and yet he struggles on to remain true to himself, and the legacy of his father and ancestors. When he was but a boy, Jacob did not concern himself with worrying about inheritance, for it was made clear to him from a young age that such things would never be within his purview. After all, his father would have plenty of trueborn heirs. Yet, as the years lengthened, and Jacob grew into adolescence his father began spending ever more time with his illegitimate son. Educating him as a lord would need be taught. He instilled a sense of responsibility, and charged him to be noble, brave, loyal and true. Jacob wanted nothing more than to please his father, and took his words to heart. Only, for his heart to break with his father’s passing. He was a Ball then at least, it was his father’s wishes that it be so. It should have been so, but then his half brother was born the woman he called mother for so many years scorned him. Throwing him from his father’s castle, his castle. With nowhere to go, no family to take him in he wandered across the seven kingdoms, furious at the injustice of it all, but with not a soul who cared for his plight. He had no evidence but his word, and what was that against the word of Lord Quinn’s wife? He might have wallowed in self-pity thereon, and become a beggar, or a robber knight but his father’s teachings rang true. He could never lower himself to such deeds, even when the hunger clawed at his belly. Instead he stayed steady upon the straight and narrow, clinging to the belief of his own self worth. Thus dedicated to what is right, he made a name for himself as a hedge knight, swearing his sword to whomever might take it. His services took him far and wide, until he came into the service of a Landed Knight, by the name of Ser Andryn Nimbledown in the Stormlands. It was in this good man’s service that Jacob found a home, and a wife, a son and squire. Ser Andryn saw the dutiful chivalry of a young man determined to earn his way through a cruel world, and despite initial resistance eventually allowed the blossoming romance between his daughter and Jacob to result in marriage. After all, Jacob insisted he was legitimized, a Ball through and through, so who knew what might happen. Stranger things had occurred before, chances slim though they were. [/hider] [/hider]