I wanted a presence in the Targ camp, and thought Mr. Hayford would be a cool addition to the cast.


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[INDENT][COLOR=SLATEGRAY][CENTER][sup][h1][center][img]https://imgs.search.brave.com/d5ZpQBSrae_fGRbtWzRx8hCGyOcpDO2bTJdL4hPrm1Q/rs:fit:860:0:0:0/g:ce/aHR0cHM6Ly9hd29p/YWYud2VzdGVyb3Mu/b3JnL2ltYWdlcy90/aHVtYi83Lzc1L0hv/dXNlX0hheWZvcmQu/c3ZnLzI1MHB4LUhv/dXNlX0hheWZvcmQu/c3ZnLnBuZw[/img][/center][b][center]
[color=39b54a]Harold Hayford[/color][/center]
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[color=39b54a][sup][i]"I Speak with the King's Authority."[/i][/sup][/color][/CENTER][table][row][/row][row][cell][center][sub][sup][sub][h3][b]
[color=39b54a]P E R S O N A L    D E T A I L S[/color][/b][/h3][/sub][/sup][/sub][sup]_________________________________________________________[/sup]
[sub][COLOR=darkgray][b]Age:[/b] Sixty and seven
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[b]Allegiance:[/b] Loyalist [/COLOR][/sub]

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[color=39b54a]A P P E A R A N C E[/color][/b][/h3][/sub][/sup][/sub][/center][sup]_________________________________________________________[/sup]
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	A somewhat rotund older greybeard Harold Hayford gives the impression of someone who appreciates a bit of luxury in life. Nevertheless his powerful forearms, and general height and mass implies significant strength beneath the soft exterior. He carries himself boldly, and can seize command of a room by word alone, his no nonsense attitude cutting across chaos and noise with ease.

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[color=39b54a]K E Y    A S S E T S[/color][/b][/h3][/sub][/sup][/sub][/center][sup]_________________________________________________________[/sup]
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[COLOR=darkgray][b]◼ Weaponry:[/b] Although Lord Hayford is trained in lance and shield and sword he does not often carry personal armaments. In recent days, with rising tensions he has taken to carrying an unassuming arming sword at his hip for his personal security, and naught else.
[b]◼ Notable Skills:[/b] Harold is a diplomat and peacemaker first and foremost. He has a grandfatherly presence of reason and wisdom that puts others at ease, and a reputation for being fair and trustworthy. There have been many occasions when others have requested his judgment in resolving disputes. He knows when to be stern, and when to be friendly and never lets his own wants command his decisions. 
[b]◼ Valuables:[/b] The most valuable things to Harold Hayford is his reputation, and his grandson and heir Steffon, who serves as his squire and assistant in court.
[b]◼ Retinue:[/b]  Besides his grandson Steffon, Hayford travels with only his sworn shield and trusted friend Ser Mallyn Merridan and a small host of servants and attendants.

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[color=39b54a]P E R S O N A L    B A C K G R O U N D[/color][/b][/h3][/sub][/sup][/sub][/INDENT][sup]___________________________________________________________________________________[/sup]
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	The firstborn and heir to Hayford castle, and the family titles Harold began life as any noble lord would. He was betrothed in the first year of his life to a Rosby girl and spent many days riding back and forth between the keeps to give a good impression to his would be in-laws. Often he was away from home, following his lord father on many trips of state to the court in King’s Landing. The family had been important figures there for many years, and there was a motivated attempt to maintain a presence of respect and diligence after the many executions of Hayford patriarchs to irate Targaryen kings and usurpers. The Hayfords regarded the royal family with a healthy amount of suspicion, and Lord Hayford kept Harold on a short leash whenever duty demanded their attendance in the capital. They were proud to be faithful, but they were not fools. The lessons imparted here upon Harold taught him to be loyal and dutiful, but to practice caution amongst the dragons, for one never knew when they might be burned.

	When Harold came of age to squire he was trained by a Rosby knight, uncle to his betrothed, and though there were not great feats or moments of unprecedented valor Harold served dutifully and earned his knighthood at twenty and one. Harold was a common figure in Red Keep, earning his reputation as a peacemaker through several important missions for Aegon IV, and the royal family. His personal actions no doubt forestalled several minor conflicts though he was never officially recognized for the efforts. There were those in court who would take note, and remember which was enough for him. His most important and impactful act as ambassador would come later under King Daeron.

	Harold married after his dubbing, and his lady wife provided him two children, a daughter and a son. His young wife would pass during the second birth however, and Harold never remarried. He would become Lord Hayford at forty, and official ambassador for the Iron Throne shortly after. During King Daeron’s reign Lord Harold would be sent to Dorne, the initial presence representing the Targaryen’s to negotiate the official integration of the kingdom into the realm. Rumors began to rise that Harold could be blamed for being too weak spined during the negotiations and allowing the many rights and privileges granted to the Dornish to be permitted. Shortly after his success in Dorne tragedy struck his family. His only son perished during a riding accident, leaving only a young son of his own named Steffon as heir to Hayford. Harold returned to Hayford castle shortly after this loss, focusing his attention on raising his grandson. He spent years away from the Red Keep in the privacy of Hayford's walls, but a yearning to reenter the excitement and importance of the life he'd left behind weighed heavy on the aging lord. 

	During the rising Blackfyre rebellion Harold could no longer be derelict of his duty. Recognizing the realm needed his talents Lord Hayford offered his services to meet the Northerners and Riverlanders in the Twins, and do his best to calm the strife in the Riverlands.

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[color=39b54a] C U R R E N T    M O T I V A T I O N S[/color][/b][/h3][/sub][/sup][/sub][/INDENT][sup]__________________________________________________________________________________[/sup]
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	Harold is a man of duty, and understands his skills might be best put to use in the Riverlands. There is a small measure of guilt in Harold, that he was idle during the opening stages of the conflict when more could have been done to prevent the wildfire rebellion from ripping through Westeros. His fresh grief at the loss of his son blinded him to the needs of the realm. Stirred from inaction Hayford rides at all haste along the King’s Road, determined to restore his name as a trusted servant, loyal to the end.

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