It had been sixty-five years since the civil war come to be known as the Dance had ended. King Daeron II, son of King Aegon the Unworthy, son of King Viserys II, son of Queen Rhaenyra, reigns in times turned turbulent once more. The lechery of the Unworthy’s rule and his son’s attempts to root out the filth has turned house against house, even family against family.
In what had otherwise been a mild spring turned to pleasant summer, Daemon Waters rallied banners of unhappy lesser lords and named himself rightful heir to the Iron Throne as Daemon Blackfyre. Daemon was seventeen years Daeron’s junior. It was the long-simmering rumors that the King had been an illegitimate child borne of the Dragonknight’s seed and not of Aegon’s that lended any credence to why Daemon should inherit over his elder brother - bastard or not.
Early in 196AC, Daemon Blackfyre and Aegor “Bittersteel” Rivers, fled King’s Landing with the aid of Quentyn “Fireball” Ball, the Red Keep’s master-at-arms. Few would have found it sudden. Lords had approached Daemon for several years following his father’s death. Some took offense at removal from their posts, others passed over in favor of the Dornish who grew in numbers.
◼ THE WESTERLANDS: Fireball’s furious campaign rendered House Lannister clawless earlier in the year with the aid of House Reyne. The red-coated cats remain poised to assert themselves as rightful rulers.
◼ THE REACH & STORMLANDS: Divided. Marcher lords drive full-heartedly to the Black Dragon. In Oldtown, House Hightower offers aid to both, maintaining a tense neutrality.
◼ THE VALE: House Arryn struggles to bring to heel House Grafton in Gulltown. Harried from within, they have no knights to spare for the Iron Throne.
◼ THE RIVERLANDS: The rivers burn. House Tully is unable to restrain the ancient blood-feud between House Blackwood and House Bracken.
◼ THE NORTH: A summit has been called at the Twins. House Stark and the Northern lords attend to meet a royal entourage, but rumors suggest the Rebels are en route to secure the North for the Black Dragon.
T H E L A W S O F W A R
_________________________________________________________ ◼ THE HIGH COMMAND: GMs are Ezekiel and Vanq.
◼ DECORUM: Advanced standards apply. You are assumed to be an adult; please act like one.
◼ ENLISTMENT: Post sheets in the OOC or via PM. Decisions may not always be made public. We will only be using Canon houses, but with flexibility to fill in gaps and create characters.
◼ SOVEREIGNTY: Players may take a Household or individuals of significance. Multiple characters are allowed.
◼ FEALTY: Great Lords may weigh in on Minor Lords applying beneath them.
◼ MOMENTUM: Key flashpoints will be chosen to maintain activity. Players are encouraged to have a PoV in each main plotline.
Use this space to describe the origins of the House. Was it founded during the Age of Heroes? Did they rise to prominence during the Andal Invasion or Aegon’s Conquest?
Where does the House stand in the current political climate? Are they staunch loyalists to the Iron Throne, or are they whispering in corners about rebellion? Describe their military strength, their current wealth , and any immediate threats or rival houses they are currently feuding with.
Describe the character's physical presence here. Consider their choice of clothing, any notable scars, the quality of their armor, or the way they carry themselves in a crowd. In Westeros, a person's appearance often speaks to their social standing or the battles they have survived.
Use this space to describe the character's journey. Where were they born, and what events shaped them into an individual of significance? Mention their education, early service, or any defining moments—such as a knightly accolade, a betrayal, or a rise from obscurity—that made them a player in the current climate.
What does this character want right now? Are they seeking to restore a lost title, claim vengeance, or simply survive the coming winter? Describe their current location, their immediate goals, and the specific people or factions they consider their greatest allies—or their most dangerous enemies.
Use this space to describe the origins of the House. Was it founded during the Age of Heroes? Did they rise to prominence during the Andal Invasion or Aegon’s Conquest?
Where does the House stand in the current political climate? Are they staunch loyalists to the Iron Throne, or are they whispering in corners about rebellion? Describe their military strength, their current wealth , and any immediate threats or rival houses they are currently feuding with.
Describe the character's physical presence here. Consider their choice of clothing, any notable scars, the quality of their armor, or the way they carry themselves in a crowd. In Westeros, a person's appearance often speaks to their social standing or the battles they have survived.
Use this space to describe the character's journey. Where were they born, and what events shaped them into an individual of significance? Mention their education, early service, or any defining moments—such as a knightly accolade, a betrayal, or a rise from obscurity—that made them a player in the current climate.
What does this character want right now? Are they seeking to restore a lost title, claim vengeance, or simply survive the coming winter? Describe their current location, their immediate goals, and the specific people or factions they consider their greatest allies—or their most dangerous enemies.
Quentyn Ball’s life has been one lead in the pursuit of uncompromising martial prowess and endless ambition. As the Master-at-Arms of the Red Keep under Aegon IV, he was promised a place in the Kingsguard, a goal so consuming he forced his wife to join the Silent Sisters in preperation of the neccesary vows. When Daeron II took the throne and passed Quentyn over for a knight of House Wylde, he created one of the greatest champions of Daemon's cause.
It was Quentyn who extracted Daemon Blackfyre from King's Landing just as the net was closing. Since the start of the war "Fireball" has see the greatest success of the generals loyal to the Black Dragon. He descended upon the Westerlands with fury, defeating Lord Damon Lannister and his son Tybolt at the gates of Lannisport. During this brutal campaign, he slew Lord Lefford and Lord Penrose's sons, sparing but one in his pursuit of victory.
Following his success in the West, Quentyn is driven by the need to maintain the rebellion's momentum before the loyalists can reorganize. He seeks to unite with the main Blackfyre host to crush the remaining Crown forces in the Reach and the Riverlands. His ultimate goal remains the Iron Throne, not for himself, but for the student who truly understands the value of a warrior's oath, or simply out of personal vengeance.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Notable Skills: Capable battlefield commander and accomplished warrior. He is more renown for his use of the mace than the more delicate and poetic weapons of knighthood.
Prince Maekar Targaryen is the fourth and youngest son of King Daeron II Targaryen and Queen Myriah Martell. Born in 174 AC, he grew up in a court increasingly defined by the integration of Dorne and the simmering resentment of the Marcher lords. Unlike his eldest brother Baelor, who inherited their mother's Dornish features, Maekar possesses the classic Targaryen look: silver-gold hair and violet eyes. All that blemishes these quintessential Targaryen looks are the pox scars which mark his cheek. He is a man of a prickly and brooding nature, although his own personal slights never overpower his true care for those close to him.
Maekar was made the Prince of Summerhall, a newly constructed residence in the Dornish Marches. A lavish gift for a fourth son, some feel this may spite the two middle princes, but in truth Daeron granted Summerhall to Maekar not to be idle, but to keep the attention of his most hawkish son on the bellicose Marcher lords. Despite his youth, he has already established himself as a stern and capable military leader. He was married to Lady Dyanna Dayne, with whom he has already begun his own line, further anchoring his responsibilities to the realm and the defense of his father's controversial policies regarding the Dornish influence at court.
As of 196 AC, Maekar’s primary motivation is the defense of King Daeron II’s legitimacy against the uprising of his half-brother, Daemon Blackfyre. He views the rebellion not merely as a political threat, but as a personal affront to the succession and the stability of the Seven Kingdoms. Maekar is determined to prove his worth as a commander and a son of the dragon, seeking to suppress the insurrection through sheer martial discipline.
He currently operates in a command capacity alongside his brother Baelor. Maekar seeks a decisive military conclusion to the war, against which the Blackfyre forces will be crushed, ensuring that the lechery and chaos of their father Aegon IV's reign are finally purged from the realm.
Dyanna is a product of Stony Dornish blood; fair-skinned, with sandy blonde hair that falls in loose waves and dark violet eyes. When court or company demands it, she dresses the part of a prince's wife, favoring the lilac of House Dayne, though the black and red of her husband's colors have crept more and more into her wardrobe since the rebellion. Left to her own devices, however, she is far more likely to be found in something practical, plain dresses, riding leathers, or whatever allows her to move freely on horseback or with a falcon on her wrist. There is always something slightly out of place about her when she has been forced into finery; a restlessness in the way she carries herself that suggests she would rather be elsewhere and dressed for it.
The High Lord of Starfall's youngest child, Dyanna, showed an early propensity for getting herself into trouble, and then masterfully extracting herself from it. She was precocious, a quick learner but stubborn. Her father rarely denied her any wish or fancy. She learned the same lessons as her brothers, rode harder than them, and took to falconry and archery young. She often begged to see what lay beyond Starfall's walls, and yet just as frequently would be found late at night with candles burned to nubs, deep in a book. By the time she approached womanhood, her wish was granted, in the year following King Aegon IV's death, Queen Myriah Martell requested Dyanna attend her in King's Landing.
King's Landing, however, was not to her tastes. The heaving throng of the city threatened to turn her youthful optimism to despondency. The queen took her under her wing and shielded her from the worst of the words and whispers still uttered about the Dornish, but there was only so much even a queen could do. The girl who had once been so fearless, felt herself faltering.
One night, in a fit of rebellion against her family's gentle insistence that she remain at court, Dyanna slipped out of her quarters in the Red Keep through servants' passageways she was not supposed to know, and made her way to a tavern known to be frequented by young nobles. There, she challenged a boastful young man. It was bravery fueled by flowing wine; she could never have imagined that the young lordling was in fact a prince, nor that he would bend so readily to her will.
Dyanna and Maekar were married quickly in 189 AC, and seemingly just as quickly she gave the fourth son a son of his own in 191 AC. King Daeron II had gifted his son the title Prince of Summerhall following the wedding, and the pair resided there together until the rebellion pulled Maekar north and away from her. In his absence, Dyanna holds Summerhall as her domain, keeping watch over young Daeron and baby Aerion, with her cousin Ser Ulrick dedicated to the safety of the prince's family.
Whatever fears she holds for Maekar's safety, Dyanna does not let them show. She governs Summerhall with a steady hand, determined that everything her husband left behind will be waiting for him upon his return. She oversees the protection of their lands, coordinates with nearby lords, and exerts a quiet but effective influence across the region. Though never a noted host prior, she draws surrounding lords to Summerhall, working to keep them loyal to the crown or, at the least, neutral toward the pretender.
_________________________________________________________ House Seat: Starpike _________________________________________________________ Region: The Reachmarch
◼ Appearance: A small and sensible woman the Lady of Starpike is neither outspoken or bold in the slightest. In fact she is quite skittish, preferring the company of her books and children to any gathering or ball. She is terribly thin and quiet, and it is often remarked that she might blow away on the breeze and none would know of it, because she wouldn’t wish to raise her voice and bother another person to call for aid. Her long blonde hair is tied back in neat braids and kept strictly in good order. The lady would never dare to be seen in public without her cheeks powdered and hair well made.
◼ Biography: Antonie was always a bit of a romantic as a little girl. She dreamed of being swept off her feet by a noble knight, and they would recite poetry together and spend their days beneath the Reachland stars gazing longingly into each other’s eyes. Her husband to be did arrive one day, in the form of a seventeen year old squire who saved her father’s life in a battle on the Mander. He might not have been the most handsome of men, nor a poet by any stretch of the imagination. In fact he was quite sourmouthed and surly. They never once sat beneath the stars and it took much effort for the man she was betrothed to even say he loved her. Nevertheless he was strong and brave, and he did not dishonor himself or betray her trust and for that Antonie could say she was grateful.
They were married, and lived together in Antonie’s father’s hall. They traveled often to tourneys or feasts throughout the realm. Though Antonie would have much preferred to stay at home she did not offer complaint, and thankfully not much was asked of her. Only to be present when her husband Gorman Peake rode the joust or attended a lord in some distant hall. She provided her husband three beautiful children, which became Antonie’s entire world. The eldest Able was a brash and rough and tumble child often getting into mischief and causing a ruckus. The second was her daughter Ellen, a cheery little girl as bold as her older brother and all smiles and elegance. The last was Meryn, who took much after his father. Sour and brooding with little patience for nonsense, he would attend his play with a seriousness not befitting someone of his tender years. Antonie loved them all, even her husband whose surly nature grew on her after years in his company. She never could have expected everything would change so fast. First came word from Starpike that Gormon’s family had suffered a terrible loss, and that his father was on his deathbed. They traveled for the first time to Gormon’s ancestral home, where he was now heir. The comforts of her father’s hall were scarce here, and her friends could be reached only by raven. Then came the summons to war, and Gormon departed, taking Able and riding northwest at speed with his host in tow. This is how Antonie found herself, a shy little woman with no experience in such matters and no one to teach her, commanding three castles with skeleton garrisons and circling enemies on all sides. The sand vipers to the east, an irate and thorny rose to the west, and a looming dragon in the north. Antonie can only pray for son and husband’s safety, and learn swiftly to prepare Starpike for the building storm that was about to be unleashed upon it.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Name: Ser Gormon Peake ◼ Age: Thirty ◼ Appearance: Board and muscular Gorman is the very picture of a Marcher lord. He is proud as he is tall, and possesses a short temper and a terrible wrath against Dornishmen. His speech is more befitting a barracks than lordly hall which does not serve to make him many friends, save those who recognize his martial talents. His hair is dark, and his features seem crudely carved from granite. His complexion is darker than the average Reachman, touched by the sun and weatherworn. Even in his relative youth there is a slight receding of his hairline, which is accentuated by his close cropped styling of his head and beard.
◼ Biography: Born the third son of a lesser lord, Gormon Peake always considered the path of war and service to be his only way forward in life. Raised in the martial and spartan upbringing in the small yet proud keep of Starpike he worked diligently to ingratiate himself to a demanding father in competition with three capable brothers. During his squiring years he served a Ser Tarly, joining the Reachknight in several campaigns against the Dornish, and one combative dispute against fellow Reachmen. Gormon became knighted at the age of seventeen for his courage and skill in the Battle by the Mander. Witnessed in his dubbing by several important lords including Lord Florent and Lord Amborse amongst multiple other knights from noble houses. His actions on the Mander earned him a betrothal with a daughter from the line of Ambrose by the name of Lady Antonie, and he wed her when she came of age two years later. Gormon remained in the service of House Ambrose for seven years, living in their hall. His good lady bore him three children. Two sons, named Able and Meryn, and his daughter named Ellen. His eldest son is of squiring age, and is in service to Ser Unwin Peake, Gormon’s younger brother. Gormon attended several tourneys in these days, earning notoriety in the melee at Lannisport, and the joust at Longtable for his spectacular performances at arms. He became famed for his duel against a Northern knight Ser Manderly, in which he slew the offending man for a grievous insult against his lady’s honor. His actions during his journeys to different tournaments and conflicts brought him into contact with the fearsome Great Bastard Aegor Rivers, with whom Gormon found much in common and became a good acquaintance.
Gormon’s entire world changed, whether for the better or the worse during the plague of Dornish Pox. His mother, and two elder brothers and their families were taken in total by the gods, and his father became stricken and bedridden. Thus elevated to heir of Starpike, Dunstonburry, and Whitegrove Gormon returned home after more than a decade away to bring order to the disease scarred lands. He served as regent well, scraping out a measure of prosperity for the people and administrating in a severe manner against all would-be troublemakers. In recent days his father passed, having never fully recovered from the pox, making Gormon the Lord of Starpike, just as the rebellion began. The new Lord Peake was swift to take action on behalf of the Blackfyres. He summoned his yeomen archers and household knights to Starpike alongside his fellow Marcher lords and their hosts. Disregarding the demand from High Garden to stand down Lord Gormon led his men to rendezvous with the fearsome “Fireball”, joining forces and scattering the Westerlanders with all the fury of the Marchermen.
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◼ Name: Ser Unwin Peake
◼ Age: Four and Twenty
◼ Appearance: The Fourth Little Keep, that is what they call the wily little Unwin, and that is what he is. In stark contrast to all his kin Unwin is lithe and wiry like a fox amongst boarhounds. His hair is a lighter brown taking after his Fossoway mother, and grown long in a clear break of Marcher custom. He is good natured and likeable, wearing an easy smile on his youthful features. He wears a unique coat of arms, similar to the traditional orange field and three black castles, except a smaller fourth castle is emblazoned below the rest and positioned off to the left hand side. As if tossed in as an afterthought.
◼ Biography: “The best things come in sets of three.” It was a line Unwin heard many times during his youth in the halls of Starpike. His father never showed him favor or scorn, only dismissive offhanded comments and little more. To be practically ignored by one’s dear father might have embittered most, but Unwin always saw the good in life and never once faltered in his loyalty to his blood. Never did a sour word escape him of his kin, nor a complaint about his lot in life. He felt fortunate really, to be set a standard so low, and yet to reach so far above it. He far outstripped his brothers in logic and wits, and though he could not match them in brawn he was quick on his feet and could keep up in their play. During his squiring years he was given to a landed knight in the Peake’s service named Ser Derrium Daring. It was meant to be a dismissal, to be squired to so low a knight when his brothers were trained amongst great families of the Reach, yet a more apt appointment there could not have been. Ser Daring was true to his name, and taught Unwin a great deal in the arts of chivalry. They fought together at the pass of Hell’s Grip in the Dornish mountains, and though he was a lad of mere fifteen when Ser Daring was wounded Unwin stood over him and guarded his knight against four Dornish warriors. “Though they were four, none could break the guard of the Fourth Little Keep.” Were the words of an impressed Lord Mullendore who bore witness to the display of courage and prowess. Unwin was knighted on the spot and offered a place amongst Mullendore’s household knights.
Unwin accepted this offer, proving himself a noble warrior, and a fearsome foe. He took no wife of his own, claiming there were many years left to find a worthy bribe, but he wooed many a lady thanks to his quick wit and handsome features. In the opening hours of the rebellion Unwin rode at all haste to join his brother in Starpike, bringing with him a small force of friends to put challenge to his brother’s foes.
House Peake is proud to trace its origins to the First Men and Florys the Fox, and they have not been idle since those storied days. Though they lack wealth, and their land is dry and rocky, the men of Peake have shown great ambition throughout the years. They are famous for the three mighty keeps, which stand in key positions at the border to the Dornish Marches. The first, and historical seat of House Peake is the keep of Starpike. Although smaller than the other two Starpike was the first, and stood in defiance of Dornish raids and armies guarding the Hellgrip pass against marauding riders for centuries. The second is Whitegrove, which was conquered from an extinct Dornish house, and secures the origins of the tributary leading down to the Torentine river. Whitegrove has found itself besieged and its lands raided many times during its possession by House Peake, but has defied all attempts to take her whitewashed walls. Finally, the long standing rivals of Peake, house Manderly was driven from their ancestral hall at Dunstonburry, during a bitter war between the feuding lordships. Dunstonburry is the largest of the Peake holdings, and the wealthiest thanks to its position on the shores of the Mander and the fertile land it inhabits. It provides significant incomes from taxes, though the Peakes consider the men at arms raised for her towns and villages to be subpar compared to the hardy Marchermen of Starpike and Whitegrove.
The Peakes saw themselves grow in prominence during the reign of Lord Unwin, who became hand to the king and brought many of his kin and friends into positions of power at the capital during the regency of Aegon III. Unwin grasped for more than he could hold and was unable to maintain his grip on power, and found himself forced to resign. Since then the importance of House Peake has faltered, even more so thanks to the waning hostilities with the Dornish. The customary position of the Marchers in being the shield against Dorne had been one of great honor and importance. The idea of a lasting peace, and a resignation of conflict seemed a bitter draught to swallow when blood still ran hot, even amongst the Marcher yeomen and landed knights whose memories were long and grudges deep.
The Peakes did not hesitate to declare their loyalty to the Blackfyre cause and summon the hosts of Starpike, Whitegrove, and Dunstonburry. Alongside their fellow Reachmarch lords, and a few others such as their allies in Ambrose, they gathered in force armed and chanting for war. Raising the orange banner beneath Starpike, Gorman has deployed multiple companies under trusted commanders to the heights of the border mountains, securing holdfasts along the numerous passes and sending forays to raid Dornish lands and scatter their smallfolk and delay their retaliation while the Marcher lords prepare. House Peake alone can summon five hundred men from Whitegrove, fifteen hundred from Starpike, and nearly two thousand from Dunstonburry, alongside fifty landed knights who swear their fealty to the Peakes. Half the levied soldiers are yeomen from the Marches. Well practiced in longbows, and experienced in knocking Dornish riders from their mounts in swift, deadly volleys.
The incomes from Gormon’s holdings have never been great, and the terrible plague that ravaged their lands in recent days has only worsened the situation. Meager though their wealth might be in comparison to their neighbors Gorman emptied his coffers and managed to acquire the services of some hundred and fifty hedge knights, bringing his total heavy cavalry to nearly two hundred. Thus formed and his own lands secured, Gorman marched northwest, joining Fireball in his campaign against the Lannisters, paying and feeding his troops off the fat of Westerlander wealth.
@EzekielThis is what I have for House Martell. @Vanq Since House Dayne is part of Dorne, I included Dayanna's name in the list of "Bannermen" which also includes her father and brothers. If you would like me to alter their names/ages, that's fine. I made Dayanna's older brother the Castellan of Sunspear, responsible for the city's defense. Just click on the "Click to Expand Family" tab. their names are highlighted. If you want to use those names/ages, by all means. we can collaborate.
M A R T E L L
"Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken"
H O U S E D E T A I L S
_________________________________________________________ House Seat: Sunspear _________________________________________________________ Region: Dorne
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Name: Prince Maron Martell, Lord of Sunspear ◼ Age: Thirty and Eight ◼ Appearance: Maron is every bit the visage of a Dornish Warrior Prince. His bold and dashing appearance would cause a young woman to swoon in his presence. The scars on display exhibit a man not shy to battle, but having thrived well in its embrace. ◼ Biography: Bold and gregarious in his nature, Prince Maron is quick to make a friend to others if they are willing to get past the stereotypes of Dorne. He and his brother in law, the king hold a very close friendship having worked together diligently to come to a peaceful settlement between the two houses. After marrying each other’s sisters, the Targaryens and Martells were finally at a cross roads in their relationship that should have brought peace to Westeros if it wasn’t for the traitorous ideas of others in the lands.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Name: Daenarys Targaryen ◼ Age: Twenty and Four ◼ Appearance: Daenarys is a very beautiful young woman with classic Valyrian features; long silver-gold hair, violet-purple eyes, and pale skin. Daenarys is slender, small-breasted and often described as too skinny. ◼ Biography: As a girl in her early teens it was believed she had a love affair with her half-brother Daemon. Regardless of her relationship with Daemon, neither her father or her brother Daeron would allow this to interfere with their attempts to improve relations with Tyrosh and Dorne. Her use as a political pawn was far more important. Daenarys eventually grew to understand this and acquired admiration for her husband Prince Maron. Daenarys is not to be distracted by an emotion like love. It is within her best interest to remain loyal to the family. For her, in her situation, she needs to remain loyal to Prince Maron. It is believed that whatever intimate feelings she may have once held for her half-brother have long disappeared.
CHILDREN
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Name: Prince Ronas Martell, 8 ◼ Name: Prince Dayron Martell, 7 ◼ Name: Prince Edam Martell, 5 ◼ Name: Princess Mariela Martell, 3 ◼ Name: Princess Tiyana Martell, 2
Members of Court in Sunspear
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Name: Ser Jami Dayne, 26, Castellan of Sunspear ◼ Name: Maester Dontin Blackmont, 63 ◼ Name: Ser Juron Santagar, 54 Lord Treasurer ◼ Name: Septa Catryn
Prince Maron's Bannermen
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Name: Ser Trevas Yronwood, Lord of Yronwood, Warden of the Stone Way, 47 ◼ Name: Ser Daltis Yronwood, son of Trevas, 19 ◼ Name: Ser Harrin Yronwood, son of Trevas, 17 ◼ Name: Ser Dorrin Uller, Lord of Hellholt, 50 ◼ Name: Ser Darris Uller, son of Dorrin, 24 ◼ Name: Lady Hayley Uller, daughter of Dorrin, 20 ◼ Name: Lady Eleana Allyrion, Lady of Godsgrace, 30 ◼ Name: Lady Glorina Manwoody, Lady of Kingsgrave, 44 ◼ Name: Ser Rohar Blackmont, Lord of Blackmont, 59 ◼ Name: Ser Richard Blackmont, son of Rohar, 30 ◼ Name: Ser Branton Toland, Lord of Ghost Hill, 25 ◼ Name: Ser Lawsen Qorgyle, Lord of Sandstone, 35 ◼ Name: Ser Jaran Fowler, Lord of Skyreach, 33 ◼ Name: Ser Jorah Dayne, High Lord of Starfall, 51 ◼ Name: Lady Dyanna Dayne, 24 (King's Landing) ◼ Name: Ser Tavion Dayne, 22 ◼ Name: Ser Elden Jordayne, Lord of the Tor, 61 ◼ Name: Ser Eddard Jordayne, son of Elden, 39 ◼ Name: Ser Darick Jordayne, son of Elden, 35 ◼ Name: Lady Elna Vaid, Lady of the Red Dunes, 49
“That is Nymeria’s star, burning bright, and that milky band behind her, those are the ten thousand ships. She burns bright as any man. And so shall I.” --Arianne Martell’s thoughts
The Martells of old used a spear as their emblem, while Nymeria and her Rhoynar used the sun as theirs. When Nymeria wed Lord Mors Martell around 700 BC, the symbols were combined into a golden spear piercing a red sun on an orange field. This joined symbol came to represent the now conjoined houses as Nymeria Martell. Many years later, the house would simply be referred to as House Martell.
Long before the wedding that joined the Martells with Nymeria, the Rhoynish battle queen from Essos, Morgan Martell arrived in Dorne. He and members of the Martell family attacked lands loosely held by House Wade and House Shell, descendants of the first men and the Andals who inhabited these lands for millennia. The Martells defeated the defenders in battle, seized their villages, burned their castles, and established dominion over a strip of coastland a hundred and fifty miles long by thirty miles wide.
When Nymeria led the Rhoynar refugees to Dorne in southern Westeros, the lands of the Martells paled in comparison to those of House Yronwood. The marriage of Lord Mors to Nymeria gave the Martells the manpower to conquer the rest of Dorne and gave the Rhoynar a new homeland. The Dornish rulers have since styled themselves "Prince" in the Rhoynish fashion rather than "King".
At the time of Nymeria's arrival, Dorne was a poor land where a score of lords and petty kings quarreled over rivers, wells, and fertile water. Many viewed the Rhoynar as unwelcome invaders who should be driven back into the sea. However, Lord Mors Martell of the Sandship saw an opportunity in the Rhoynar, and singers claim that Lord Martell also lost his heart to the beautiful princess. With many trained in warfare, the Rhoynar added their strength to Lord Martell's own, increasing his host tenfold. Mors married Nymeria, and hundreds of his knights, squires, and bannermen wed Rhoynish women, uniting the two people by blood. The Rhoynar also brought considerable wealth with them, and their artisans and armorers' skills were far more advanced than those of their Westerosi counterparts.
To celebrate these unions and to ensure that her people could not retreat to the sea again, Nymeria burned her fleet, declaring her wanderings to be at an end, though some of her people mourned the loss of their ships. Nymeria named her husband Mors Martell "the Prince of Dorne", declaring his dominion over all of Dorne. However, such supremacy was not easy to achieve, and years of war followed, known as Nymeria's War. The Rhoynar and the Martells subdued one petty king after another, and no fewer than six kings were sent to the Wall to join the Night's Watch by Nymeria and her husband. Soon, only King Yorick V Yronwood remained, the greatest of the Dornish kings.
For nine years, Nymeria and the Martells battled against Yronwood and his bannermen. When Mors Martell fell to Yronwood's sword in the Third Battle of the Boneway, Nymeria assumed sole command of the Martell armies. Two more years of battle followed, but Nymeria eventually defeated Yorick V, and he bent the knee to her, ensuring Martell supremacy. Nymeria ruled thereafter from Sunspear, the new seat of House Martell, built around Sandship.
As the Princess of Dorne, Nymeria remained the unquestioned ruler of Dorne for almost twenty-seven years. Dorne was established as a principality, not a kingdom, for Nymeria preferred the Rhoynish style of prince and princess. Though she remarried twice to Lord Uller of Hellholt and Ser Davos Dayne of Starfall, her husbands served only as counselors and consorts.
Over the course of her long reign, Nymeria survived a dozen assassination attempts, quelled two rebellions, and threw back two invasions by the Storm King, Durran the Third, and one by King Greydon Gardener of the Reach. As Nymeria grew aged and infirm, the armies of House Martell were commanded by her heirs. When she at last died, Nymeria was succeeded as Princess of Dorne by her eldest daughter with Lord Mors, not by her only son by Ser Davos, for Dorne had come to adopt many of the laws and customs of the Rhoynar.
During Aegon's Conquest, Queen Rhaenys Targaryen confronted the aged Princess of Dorne, Meria Martell, at Sunspear. When Meria refused to submit to the Targaryens, Rhaenys departed Dorne. The Targaryens returned in 4 AC, starting the First Dornish War. When their forces arrived at Sunspear, Meria had vanished. King Aegon I and Queen Rhaenys Targaryen declared themselves victorious and left Lord Jon Rosby as Castellan of Sunspear as they returned to King's Landing. However, the Dornishmen quickly came out of hiding, retaking Sunspear. Lord Rosby was captured and thrown from a window atop the Spear Tower by Princess Meria herself. In later phases of the war, the Targaryens burned every Dornish stronghold at least once, except Sunspear and its shadow city. According to the Dornishmen, the Targaryens did not dare to attack Sunspear as they feared that Princess Meria might have purchased a device from Lys to slay their dragons. In his Conjectures, Archmaester Timotty suggests that Aegon hoped to turn the Dornish against the Martells by leaving them the only ones unharmed, and letters have been discovered in which marcher lords claimed to the Dornish that the Martells had bought their safety. However, the tactics did not work.
After nine years, the First Dornish War came to an end in 13 AC. When the elderly Princess Meria died, her son Nymor assumed rule over Dorne. Desiring peace, he sent his daughter Deria to King's Landing with an escort as a peace envoy. She brought with her the skull of Rhaenys's dragon Meraxes and a letter from Prince Nymor. Although at first determined to refuse the peace offer, Aegon agreed to it after reading Nymor's letter. During the remainder of King Aegon I's reign, the Martells and Targaryens remained on good terms. In 23 AC, King Aegon I and his son Aenys visited Sunspear for a "feast of friendship" celebrating the tenth anniversary of the peace accord with Princess Deria, now the Princess of Dorne. In 37 AC, as the Vulture King troubled the lands surrounding the border between Dorne and the Iron Throne, Princess Deria insisted to King Aenys I Targaryen that she was doing what she could to end the rebellion; many suspected that she was secretly giving the rebels her support.
In 110 AC, Prince Qoren Martell gave his support to the Triarchy in the war against Prince Daemon Targaryen and Lord Corlys Velaryon in the Stepstones. Daemon's brother, King Viserys I Targaryen, spoke of wedding his daughter Rhaenyra to the Prince of Dorne as a way of finally uniting the Seven Kingdoms, though ultimately this did not occur. During the Dance of the Dragons, Prince Qoren was contacted by Hand of the King, Otto Hightower, but refused the alliance, claiming he'd "sooner sleep with scorpions". In 132 AC, the small council of King Aegon III Targaryen considered a younger brother of Princess Aliandra as a potential husband to Lady Baela Targaryen, but ultimately decided on another match.
King Daeron I Targaryen conquered Dorne in 158 AC when the Prince of Dorne bent the knee at the Submission of Sunspear. Rebellion continued until Daeron died in 161 AC, after which his brother, King Baelor I, travelled to Sunspear and agreed to a peace with House Martell. This included a betrothal between Myriah Martell and Prince Daeron Targaryen. Myriah's brother Maron was Daeron's most important supporter, and upon Daeron's ascension, he agreed to join Dorne under Targaryen rule. This became official in 187 AC, when Maron married Daeron's sister Daenerys.
During Daeron II's reign, Dornish influence at court increased, while Daeron's other lords began to grow dissatisfied with the concessions Maron had won during the negotiations. These complaints, among others, were reasons causing several lords to oppose Daeron II's rule during what would become known as “the First Blackfyre Rebellion.”
Prince Maron Nymeros Martell was the younger child of the previous Prince of Dorne. Due to the conditions of a treaty signed by his father and King Baelor I Targaryen, Maron’s sister Myriah married Prince Daeron Targaryen in King’s Landing. With Myriah living in King’s Landing with her husband, crown prince of Westeros, this left Maron to succeed his father as Prince of Dorne.
When Aegon died in 184 AC, King Daeron II Targaryen replaced his father on the Iron Throne, and he immediately began negotiations with Prince Maron Martell. Since King Daeron had married Maron’s sister, Myriah, who was elevated to the pinnacle of politics in Westeros. Daeron II wanted to continue improving relations with Dorne through peaceful means. These discussions lasted two years and culminated with a treaty including a marriage proposal to Daeron’s sister Daenarys Targaryen once she was of age. With the two wed, the inclusion of Dorne under Targaryen rule was complete in 187 AC. Following the wedding, Prince Maron bent the knee to his brother-in-law and friend, King Daeron II at King’s Landing.
The treaty between the Targaryens and Martells gave significant rights and privileges that other houses in Westeros were not entitled to. The Martells retained the ability to use their royal title, which chafed many in the other houses of Westeros. The ability on the part of the Lord of Sunspear to levy taxes for the use by Dorne was another item that the great houses thought inappropriate. King Daeron brought many Dornishmen to court in King’s Landing which lead to many nobles thinking there was an excess of Dornish influences in King’s landing.
Happy to collaborate on the members of House Dayne with your Martells. Aiming to have them done and posted up tomorrow. I will have a Lady Dayne of Starfall, Dyanna's eldest sister married to a more distant Yronwood man. There will be some political drama that comes with that, a thorn in the side for Starfall and for Sunspear as well, I'm sure.
I have at least two older brothers in her rough family tree and certainly one of them can be Jami as castellan.
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.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Weaponry: 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. ◼ Notable Skills: 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. ◼ Valuables: 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. ◼ Retinue: 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.
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.
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.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Name: Lady Ysabel Dayne ◼ Age: 32 (b. 164 AC) ◼ Appearance: Tall and broad, she was always stated to take after her lordly father rather than her mother. Her dark blonde hair, full and wavy, she keeps in functional plaits. Her face often shows exhaustion - more so now - as she grows heavy with her fourth child expected before the year is done. She shares her sister's purple eyes, though Ysabel's verge on the darkest of blues except when the sunlight reflects just so. ◼ Biography: Eldest child, no matter that she was a daughter, Dorne's inheritance practices ensured she was never considered anything but the heir to Starfall. She was raised as such from the time she could walk, with training from the maester and tutors in history and politics. The little girl had a shrewd enough mind for it, and while she never took to martial training as Dyanna one day would, she attended it all the same with the boys of similar age. Unlikely it was that she would ever lead them in battle, she demanded to be among them and earn their respect all the same.
Her father negotiated marriage with House Yronwood, to put an end - or at least a longer peace - after years of increasing tensions and scuffles between the houses. Though they disagree on much, Ysabel has found managing her husband not entirely unpleasant or without its joys. She finds her trust in him faltering the past few months as the rebellion drags on and Daemon's coinage has been found within her demesne.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Name: Ser Russell "Rusty" Yronwood ◼ Age: 41 (b. 155 AC) ◼ Appearance: Lanky and angular, he has not gained the softness many men do as they age. He hides of the sharpness of his face behind a well sculpted beard, now spotted white, but little can be done to mitigate the harsh lines of his cheekbones or nose. His eyes are pale brown, like the sun-bleached mud in a dry riverbed. He dresses regally, his clothes overstating his power within Starfall. ◼ Biography: A younger son, never likely to inherit Yronwood or titles, he was oft described as wayward. He earned the nickname that would follow him a lifetime, when as a young squire he left his knight's mail to rust. The knight, in part, punished the lad by making him wear it for training an entire fortnight.
His marriage to Starfall's heir was nearly missed when men wearing his family's colors attacked the party on their way from his family's seat to hers. Were it not for the actions of a young knight, Ser Rusty would have been returned home a widower. Rumors followed him for some time, and while he has not lost his hatred for House Martell nor the men of the Reach and Stormlands, he has been a steady man at Ysabel's side. In public, at least, he does not undermine her nor her rule. What he does in private, his communications and causes supported, has always been under scrutiny. Ser Rusty's caution has served him well so far, something that he can only test for so long.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Name: Quentyn Dayne ◼ Age: 11 (b. 185 AC) ◼ Appearance: Sandy haired boy that takes after Ysabel but with brown eyes. He is at an age where his training and growth spurts exceed each other in turns. ◼ Biography: Currently the boy serves as a squire to House Dalt of Lemonwood, much as his famed cousin did. While Ysabel would prefer to have her heir home, she preferred a stronger influence from her liege-lord's supporters, and the safety in comparison.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Name: Mychel Dayne ◼ Age: 9 (b. 187 AC) ◼ Appearance: Much more like his father, Mychel still retains the softness of youth, but he is slighter still than his peers. Light brown hair and brown eyes, he's often found dirty from adventures in the gardens. ◼ Biography: At home in Starfall, he prefers studies with the maester over time with their master-at-arms.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Name: Cassella Dayne ◼ Age: 4 (b. 192 AC) ◼ Appearance: Some say she reminds of them Dyanna at the same age, though much could be said of any little girl with blonde hair and purple eyes. ◼ Biography: At home in Starfall
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Name: Ryon Dayne ◼ Age: 29 (b. 167 AC) ◼ Appearance: Average and unassuming, with darker blonde hair and dark eyes. Were it not for the finery he wears, he could be easily mistaken for just another courtier. ◼ Biography: Recently married to Gwyneth Fowler, serves as advisor to his sister. He has no children of his own yet, though there are rumors he fathered a bastard. He is often said to act more Rhoynish than his blood would allow for. Few would say to his face - or his lady sister's. He's a cunning man, but less astute in matters than his sister. He has a great propensity to making friends and ferreting out information.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Name: Edyth Dayne ◼ Age: 27 (b. 169 AC) ◼ Biography: At Sandstone, married to a Qorgyle
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Name: Jami Dayne ◼ Age: 26 (b. 170 AC) ◼ Appearance: ◼ Biography: Castellan of Sunspear
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Name: Dyanna Dayne --see full sheet--
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Name: Ser Ulrick Dayne of High Hermitage (SotM) --see full sheet--
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ Name: Squire Anders Sand ◼ Age: 14 (b. 182 AC) ◼ Appearance: Pale and boney with dark brown hair he wears to his shoulders. He has begun the effort of growing a beard, though one has to squint to find it. ◼ Biography: There are rumors, uttered carefully, that he is Ser Rusty's bastard from before his marriage to Ysabel. Russell Yronwood has never claimed as such, in fact, one of his cousin's from a lesser branch has claimed the boy as his own. Yet the boy's arrival with Russell and continued interest the Lady's husband has shown in him has done much to cement the idea that the boy is in fact his. Anders, for his part, does not accept this, though he finds the Dayne's view of things troublesome with his own views and preferences aligning with House Yronwood's.
House Dayne claims to be one of the oldest of not just Dorne but of all the Seven Kingdoms, claiming First Men ancestry and not that of the eventual Rhoynish invaders. Their mythos asserts that Starfall was raised where their ancestors tracked a falling star and found a stone of magical powers. They ruled as kings, with Dawn, the great sword forged of the fallen star, passed to men of some generations. With Nymeria's invasion, House Dayne bent the knee and found a new ally against their ancient competition in House Yronwood. As much as there is long history of conflict with House Yronwood, they were often at war with the Kingdom of the Reach as well. One of their ancient kings, King Samwell called the Starfire, burned Oldtown. Engrained feuds die slowly, even in more modern times.
House Dayne remains a staunch ally of their liege-lord, House Martell, and as such, strong supporters of House Targaryen and King Daeron II. The current lady's youngest sister being married into House Targaryen has further cemented that bond. Some of Starfall's neighbors view it with great suspicion. A love match, perhaps, but one greatly advantageous given the fourth son's outsized influence as Prince of Summerhall.
Lady Ysabel remains a steadfast supporter of House Martell's efforts and has made strategic placements of her siblings and children; taking in several squires, pages, and wards from other Houses that border their northern neighbors. She has been cautious about overly engaging with Summerhall directly, but it has not gone unnoticed that the Sword of the Morning protects Summerhall and not Starfall. So far, it has been only whispered about rather than direct action taken, given the close brotherly relationship he was known to have for his cousin, Dyanna.
All is not well within Starfall, however. In the decade before Lady Ysabel inherited from her father, tension between Dayne and Yronwood spilled over into bloodshed. Peace was restored through marriage of Starfall's heir to an Yronwood son, wards were exchanged, and the uneasy truce settled to barbed words and courtly slights. While Ysabel and Russell found they were otherwise well suited for one another and raised a new generation of Daynes, family ties and ancient beliefs threaten to bring the war in the north home to Starfall.
Dyanna is a product of Stony Dornish blood; fair-skinned, with sandy blonde hair that falls in loose waves and dark violet eyes. When court or company demands it, she dresses the part of a prince's wife, favoring the lilac of House Dayne, though the black and red of her husband's colors have crept more and more into her wardrobe since the rebellion. Left to her own devices, however, she is far more likely to be found in something practical, plain dresses, riding leathers, or whatever allows her to move freely on horseback or with a falcon on her wrist. There is always something slightly out of place about her when she has been forced into finery; a restlessness in the way she carries herself that suggests she would rather be elsewhere and dressed for it.
The High Lord of Starfall's youngest child, Dyanna, showed an early propensity for getting herself into trouble, and then masterfully extracting herself from it. She was precocious, a quick learner but stubborn. Her father rarely denied her any wish or fancy. She learned the same lessons as her brothers, rode harder than them, and took to falconry and archery young. She often begged to see what lay beyond Starfall's walls, and yet just as frequently would be found late at night with candles burned to nubs, deep in a book. By the time she approached womanhood, her wish was granted, in the year following King Aegon IV's death, Queen Myriah Martell requested Dyanna attend her in King's Landing.
King's Landing, however, was not to her tastes. The heaving throng of the city threatened to turn her youthful optimism to despondency. The queen took her under her wing and shielded her from the worst of the words and whispers still uttered about the Dornish, but there was only so much even a queen could do. The girl who had once been so fearless, felt herself faltering.
One night, in a fit of rebellion against her family's gentle insistence that she remain at court, Dyanna slipped out of her quarters in the Red Keep through servants' passageways she was not supposed to know, and made her way to a tavern known to be frequented by young nobles. There, she challenged a boastful young man. It was bravery fueled by flowing wine; she could never have imagined that the young lordling was in fact a prince, nor that he would bend so readily to her will.
Dyanna and Maekar were married quickly in 189 AC, and seemingly just as quickly she gave the fourth son a son of his own in 191 AC. King Daeron II had gifted his son the title Prince of Summerhall following the wedding, and the pair resided there together until the rebellion pulled Maekar north and away from her. In his absence, Dyanna holds Summerhall as her domain, keeping watch over young Daeron and baby Aerion, with her cousin Ser Ulrick dedicated to the safety of the prince's family.
Whatever fears she holds for Maekar's safety, Dyanna does not let them show. She governs Summerhall with a steady hand, determined that everything her husband left behind will be waiting for him upon his return. She oversees the protection of their lands, coordinates with nearby lords, and exerts a quiet but effective influence across the region. Though never a noted host prior, she draws surrounding lords to Summerhall, working to keep them loyal to the crown or, at the least, neutral toward the pretender.
Dark brown hair is not unheard of amongst those born to House Dayne, though Ulrick inherited his stony complexion from his mother, a lady of the knightly House Dalt. He keeps his hair long, past his shoulders, but his beard neat and cropped close. Tall and broad both, his physique leaves little to be desired. His skin bears a fair share of scars, old and new alike, and it is not uncommon for him to discover fresh bruises without any memory of which sparring partner gifted them.
He dresses well for a knight of a cadet branch, his position as Sword of the Morning affords him finely crafted armour. A shooting star adorns his pauldron, arcing front to back. Ostentatious or not, he favours a lilac cape; when attending court, he dons one embroidered with silver thread, the shooting star crossed with a sword. Ulrick has a taste for fine clothing more broadly, and has been content to borrow his cousin's tailors and seamstresses for his own purposes whenever she leaves them short of inspiration.
Ulrick was destined for a mediocre life. Born a cousin to the cadet branch at High Hermitage, his prospects were limited. It became clear from a young age that a life of scholarship or faith was not his calling. He was, however, remarkably good at swinging a sword.
Destined perhaps to serve as a knight for House Dayne, he first began service as a page for House Dalt, in the shadow of Sunspear. From page to squire, he began to make a name for himself. Always a head taller than his peers, he had an instinct and talent that caught the eye of House Martell's master-at-arms. From Lemonwood to Sunspear, Ulrick grew, and grew more confident.
Knighted at a tourney, he was not truly tested until a return home to High Hermitage. Called up as part of the retinue to guide Lady Ysabel's return from Yronwood to Starfall, a bloody skirmish in the Boneway measured his training and natural aptitude and found both anything but lacking.
Ser Ulrick, a man who had yet to see twenty namedays, against all odds, overwhelmed the larger rogue band and returned Lady Ysabel untouched to Starfall. Some months later, after much deliberation and further trials left unspoken, Dawn was bestowed upon him and he claimed the title Sword of the Morning.
Starfall remained his home, the growing tensions between Dorne and their northern neighbours keeping the young knight well occupied. When his cousin Lady Dyanna wed Prince Maekar and they took residence at the Stormland castle of Summerhall, Ser Ulrick began travelling there with increasing frequency, extending his normal patrol along the Boneway to visit his cousin. When rebellion broke out, he disregarded requests to return to Starfall, instead swearing an oath to Prince Maekar that he would keep his wife safe when duty called the prince away to battles far to the north.
Ser Ulrick's oath to Prince Maekar remains his primary motivation, though the role of glorified guardsman wears on him as time passes and news arrives of bloodier battles creeping ever closer. He spends his days offering counsel to Lady Dyanna when asked, indulging in sibling banter even when she doesn't, and directing threatening scowls at visiting lords he suspects of wavering in their loyalties. He sees, too, to training Summerhall's men that Maekar left behind as a protective force, alongside the castle's master-at-arms.
With news of Prince Baelor leading victory after victory, Ulrick has argued that their defensive posture is no longer sufficient — that their numbers should join the heir's forces and crush the pretender's support more decisively. Dyanna has been receptive, but Ulrick is not certain Maekar would share that reading of his oath.
@VanqUpdated my sheet with your Daynes and Yronwoods. Rusty Yronwood is quite a humorous touch. Should I lose Ser Jorah Dayne, High Lord of Starfall, 51? Since Lady Ysabel inherited Starfall from her father.
Danelle has a long mane of fiery red hair, contrasted against the eerily pale hue of her skin. She boasts a curvaceous build, toughened by a not inconsiderable amount of hard muscle. A thick white scar lurches across the young woman’s neck, resembling a bolt of pale lightning.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ Blade of the Black Goat: An esoteric knife, gifted to Danelle by Naessanara. This unholy blade bears the likeness of the Black Goat of Qohor.
Armour and Sword: Unusually for a woman of this era, Danelle has been trained in the basics of combat and can wield a sword competently. Wherever Danelle travels, she brings with her a suit of tight-fitting black armour and a bejewelled blade, which she has nicknamed “Visenya’s Fury”, after Visenya Targaryen, a woman from legend that she greatly admires.
Ravella Rivers: Danelle’s secret lover and partner-in-crime. Ravella masquerades as Danelle’s lady-in-waiting. Ravella is perhaps one of the only people that Danelle harbours a genuine fondness for.
Danelle Lothston was the niece of Lucas Lothston, the Lord of Harrenhal. Danelle grew up in Nighthold, a small, modest settlement in the Riverlands that had been the seat of House Lothston in the days before Harrenhal was granted to Lucas by Aegon the Unworthy.
When Lucas and his immediate family moved to Harrenhal, Danelle’s family remained in Nighthold.
Danelle was one of two children, growing up alongside her brother Edmure. Both were the offspring of Lord Dalton Lothston and Florence Lothston, née Frey.
Edmure was Danelle’s elder, and irrefutably his father’s favourite child. Where Danelle was neglected, Edmure was showered in love and praise. This twisted Edmure into a vicious and arrogant young man, with a fondness for tormenting his younger sister.
Dalton and Florence Lothston did nothing to shield their daughter from Edmure’s sadistic games, which grew more and more depraved as he matured.
Danelle became an outcast in her own home, with her only friend being a strange old woman from Essoss called “Naessanara” who lived in a hut on the fringes of Lothston land.
As Danelle grew closer to the peculiar crone, Naessanara would enthral the young girl with fantastical stories of her supposed adventures in Asshai and the Free Cities. This was the origin of Danelle’s fascination with black magic and esoteric mysteries. The old woman gifted Danelle with a strange knife whose handle was wrought from black wood and carved into the likeness of a monstrous goat. Naessanara claimed to have brought the knife from a sorcerer in Qohor, many years prior.
Edmure, whose favoured pastime was harassing his sister, became jealous that Danelle was spending so much time with Naessanara.
One evening, Edmure followed his sister to the cottage, stalking stealthily through the darkness to ensure that she didn’t know she was being followed. When Naessanara opened her door to greet Danelle, Edmure shot her through the eye with his longbow, killing his sister’s sole friend.
Edmure then attacked Danelle, forcing himself on her as he attempted to rape her. As Danelle thrashed and struggled beneath him, Edmure pressed his blade into his sister’s neck.
Danelle retaliated, killing her brother with the exotic knife that Naessanara had gifted her. Knowing that her parents would never side with her over Edmure, Danelle dragged Edmure’s corpse into the cottage before setting it ablaze with both the bodies of Naessanara and her brother inside.
Danelle told her parents that the old woman had kidnapped her and Edmure, wishing to sacrifice them to some foreign god. She claimed that Naessanara had killed Edmure and came perilously close to killing her, using the bloody wound on her neck to substantiate the story.
The loss of their cherished son devastated Dalton and Florence. They became hollow, despairing shells of their former selves, who grew more and more reclusive as time passed.
Danelle came to resent her parents, growing bitter over years of mistreatment and neglect. Her hatred reached a zenith when Danelle butchered her parents in their bed, wielding the eldritch knife which Naessanara had gifted her.
The young woman once again used fire to cover her tracks, starting a blaze which would reduce Nighthold to a blackened ruin.
After what the realm viewed as a horrific accident, Danelle was sent to Harrenhall to live with her uncle Lucas and his son Manfryd.
Danelle had a far more amicable relationship with Manfryd than she had with her brother. The two were equally unusual and fascinated with mysticism, which formed a strong bond between them.
Manfryd introduced Danelle to Ravella Rivers, a young bastard girl who alleged that she was a witch. Whilst the triad bonded over their mutual obsession with secrets and sorcery, Danelle and Ravella were smitten with each other, becoming lovers in secret.
Danelle and Ravella took their dark hungers a step further, preying upon outcasts and unfortunates that were too unimportant to be missed. They would enact eldritch rituals upon their helpless quarry, eating human flesh and bathing in blood.
When the reignited feud between House Blackwood and House Bracken surged across the Riverlands, Danelle had been a guest at Raventree Hall, with Ravella attending as her “lady in waiting”.
Enthralled by all things sinister and macabre, Lady Danelle pledged to lend her strength to Raventree Hall under the guise of repaying the kindness of her hosts.
In reality, Danelle and Ravella are delighted at the opportunity to experiment with a delightful new host of fresh victims.
Danelle’s primary motivation is to learn more about dark magics and forbidden practices. Beyond her lust for magical power, Danelle is fiercely loyal to Ravella, whilst also hoping to accumulate wealth and political influence.
