Ulrick "Ricky" Dayne
[ ⚔ ]Origin
195 AC, Starfall, an island of the Torrentine along the western Red Mountains of Dorne
[ ⚔ ]House
Dayne of Starfall, currently sworn to House Nymeros Martell
[ ⚔ ]Reputation
Little can be said about the second son of Starfall even amongst the Dornish, as the lad has only just begun entering his adulthood. Most Dornish lords knew of him purely as the diligent and dutiful squire of his brother before he abandoned Dorne.
At the age of sixteen, during a tourney at Lemonwood, Ulrick was revealed to be the mystery knight who had unhorsed his own brother in the penultimate round before ultimately being bested by a knight of the Kingsguard. Many of the lords and ladies in attendance began to call him one of the most naturally gifted lances and swordsmen of his generation, a sentiment that has seemed to spread to every corner of Dorne. Whether the notion has gained much traction in any of the other kingdoms has yet to be seen.
[ ⚔ ]Appearance
Despite his martial nature and noticeably above average height, Ulrick Dayne has been described as looking boyish by his fellow Dornishmen. His profile remains remarkably unblemished by the Dornish sun and unscathed by the lances of his contemporaries, showing either his skill at arms or his lack of experience, depending on who you asked. Like his sibling, Ulrick retains the yellow blond hair typical of his mother's house and a pair of pale lavender eyes identical to the coloring found on his house's banners. Standing at roughly 5'10" and still growing, Ulrick is a sizable boy for his age, even if more lean and compact where most knights are walking bulks of muscle. An untrained eye likely wouldn't be able to tell that Ulrick even knew how to swing a sword if he dressed himself in the common nobleman's wear of Westeros and not the light and loose fitting sandsilk of the Dornish.
[ ⚔ ]History
Born the second and final child of Lord Morgan Dayne and Jayne Fowler roughly sixteen years ago, Ulrick managed to avoid being the heir to Starfall by a whole five years thanks to his brother, Ander. As a young child, his father, grandfather and great uncle would often regale Ulrick with the tales and legends of their house, from those that ruled as Kings of the Torrentine in the time before Nymeria's War and Vorian Dayne, who fought against Mors Martell before becoming one of the six Dornish Kings of antiquity to be banished to the Wall by Nymeria, but the tales that stuck with Ulrick above the rest were the tales of the knights who wielded the Daynes' ancestral greatsword, Dawn, the Swords of the Morning.
From the time he could lift a wooden toy longsword, Ulrick dedicated himself to the principles of knighthood, wanting nothing more than to live up to the legacy left by his ancestors. For every hour he spent learning letters or house sigils, he spent three in the training yard, clashing blunted swords and riding ponies with sons of servants. Before long, Ulrick's ability and dedication caught the eye of Ser Simon, who had him train with Ander and other squires at the young age of nine when he had only just been made a page. He was almost routinely bested by his brother in mock combat during this time, who seemed to find Ulrick's unwavering determination all too hilarious.
While tradition would normally see Ulrick squire for his father after his twelfth name-day, Lord Morgan had never been one for knighthood, odd as it may seem for a Dayne. As Simon was getting rather advanced in age, Ulrick was instead squired to his older brother on the same day Ander was anointed and swore his oaths. It was around this time that Morgan would negotiate Ander's marriage to a daughter of House Blackmont. Ulrick would be one of Ander's first squires and certainly the most overworked. While he served dutifully over the course of the next three years as his brother's eldest squire and mentor to two younger boys, Ulrick never had the opportunity to ride in tourneys or participate in melees, as the Great Spring Sickness was in full effect, and the Prince of Dorne had cut off the Prince's Pass, closed the kingdom's ports, and put a halt to any mass gatherings. To say Ulrick was dejected would be an understatement. Just when he thought he'd be able to travel and see the rest of Dorne and the Seven Kingdoms, he was stuck at home waiting for the end of an epidemic.
The end of said epidemic would come in the beginning of 211 AC. To celebrate the end of the Sickness, a tourney was to be held at Lemonwood. Morgan Dayne thought it high time that Ander compete in his first tourney, and hinted at a knighthood for Ulrick upon their return. The brothers were accompanied by Ser Simon and Ander's young wife Marissa Blackmont, who, after a relatively easy birth years prior, had begun showing signs of pregnancy once more. Morgan himself chose not to attend. He would not live to see his children return home.
Throughout their time traveling to the seat of House Dalt, the Daynes heard news that a sworn brother of the Kingsguard would be in attendance and perhaps even enter the lists. When they arrived at Lemonwood, the rumor was proven correct. Excited at the news and unable to help himself, Ulrick managed to sneak away from his relatives and enter the competition as a mystery knight wearing a fine suit of scale armor, a spiked helm, and a veil of silver fabric to conceal his face.
Ulrick, announced as the Knight of the Silver Veil, performed remarkably in the tourney, unhorsing a number of his contemporaries in the lists. The most notable of these would be none other than his own brother, Ander. The match lasted only a single tilt, as Ander was flung from his horse with only a single lance. Those amongst the crowd could hardly believe that a Dayne of Starfall could be unseated so soon. Ander demanded that his opponent show his face, but Ulrick refused. Laughter rang throughout the lists, and Ander stormed off, embarrassed and ashamed.
In the final tilt, the Knight of the Silver Veil went against the Laughing Leopard himself, the first Dornishman to don the white cloak of the Kingsguard; Carles Santagar. The round ran long, with both competitors breaking nearly a handful of lances before the final clash, when Ser Carles' lance struck true and Ulrick was unhorsed. Bested, Ulrick was helped to his feet by Carles, who asked him to reveal his identity on a match well fought. Ulrick complied, and was met with a round of applause. He chose not to seek out his brother's face amongst the onlookers.
When the family returned to Starfall, they found their mother in mourning, as Morgan had passed a fortnight prior. While the household prepared for the funeral of their father, Ander was named the new Lord of Starfall. What followed for several fortnights was the monotony of routine in Starfall. Appointments, a changing of administration, a birth of a second daughter, so on. Though one thing was for certain: Ander was not going to name Ulrick a knight any time soon, still embarrassed at his defeat in the lists at Lemonwood, and so, Ulrick's life seemed to come to an abrupt halt.
That is, until, a raven arrived from Sunspear. Addressed not to Ander, but Ulrick. The younger of the Daynes had been summoned to the capital of Dorne, and he has not returned to Starfall since. He has not felt obligated to send correspondence to his family as to his whereabouts or goings on.
[ ⚔ ]Family Tree
Orland Dayne, 144 AC - 198 AC, grandfather to the current generation of Starfall
Athelyna Manwoody, 146 AC - 202 AC
- Morgan Dayne, previous Lord of Starfall, 165 AC - 211 AC
- Lady Jayne Fowler, 163 AC, widow to Lord Morgan, chief adviser to Ander
-- Ander Dayne, 190 AC, anointed knight and newly made Lord of Starfall
-- Marissa Blackmont, 190 AC
--- Anrea Dayne, 207 AC, Ander and Marissa's first daughter
--- Alora Dayne, 211 AC, daughter born only months after Morgan's death
-- Ulrick Dayne, 195 AC, left Starfall in 211 AC to travel with a company of noble youths led by Prince Willam Martell
- Ser Davos Dayne, 170 AC - 196 AC, slain during the Battle of Redgrass Field, a noted knight and battle commander (Potentially worked with Maekar during the Blackfyre Rebellion? Who knows.)
- Isobel Ladybright, 169 AC, childhood lover and paramour of Ser Davos, who gave him three bastard children
-- Grayce Sand, 185 AC
-- Elyana Sand, 188 AC
-- Ser Arron Sand, 192 AC
- Dyanna Dayne, 173 AC - 205 AC, former wife of Maekar Targaryen (Though apparently she might be wiped from existence? IDFK someone tell Inkarnate to just play House Dayne or something.)
-- Daeron Targaryen, 190?? AC
-- Aerion Targaryen, 194?? AC
-- Aemon Targaryen, 198?? AC
-- Daella Targaryen, 199?? AC
-- Aegon Targaryen, 200?? AC
-- Rhae Targaryen, 202?? AC
(Thalina Dayne if she exists?)
Ser Simon Dayne, 148 AC, Great Uncle to the Dayne brothers and Starfall's Master of Arms, Unmarried as he claims celibacy[ ⚔ ]OOC Notes
Since leaving Starfall, Ulrick has begun training himself in the use of greatswords. Though his true talent still lies with the everyday longsword, his ability will surely improve.