House: House Harlaw
Region: Iron Islands
Liege: House Greyjoy
Holding: Harlaw Island – Ten Towers, Tower of Glimmering, Greygarden, Harlaw Hall and Harridan Hill
Recent History:
The House of Harlaw had been split down the middle originally back in the war 25 years ago. Some sided with Asha, some sided with Euron and the crown. The most notable of names like Lord Rodrick, Ser Harras the Knight as well as Hotho Humpback sided with Euron when he went to join Cersei and the crown, this wasn’t out of any type of loyalty really, but out of necessity, out of the need to survive. Some of the lesser members of the family sailed with Asha on her ships when she sailed to join Daenerys. This was mostly out of choice and loyalty to the idea of those who didn’t commit fratricide.
It was a house torn in two for awhile. Members of other houses notably Victarion Greyjoy would say it was a sad thing to see. That such a powerful, rich and ancient family like the Harlaws would be at war with each other.
A lot of this changed though of course, when the White Walkers brought down part of the wall and marched south. The two sides came together, the family was once again brought together. And they held the coasts properly. Raging up and down the east and west coasts making sure none of the white walkers could use the frozen waters to flank the main battle.
When the battle was over the family returned to their home. As one again. The rebellious younger generation back in the fold with the elder generation. And they returned to Harlaw island to continue their mining and funding of reaving expedition around the south of Dorne and up into Essos.
At some point during the wars and raids. Harras Harlaw the Knight of Harlaw, had planted his standard below Greyston on Grayshield, defeated seven men, slaying five of them in combat and took the castle and the Island. Atleast for a time. Later, after the White Walker defeat, and the start of the time of peace, there was a variety of Crown brokered land returns and attempts to placate old family feuds, one of those deals was that Harras Harlaw, reluctantly, is to return Greyshield to the Grimm. To this day Harras's side of the family still believe Greyshield belongs to them, and have never stopped introducing themselves as "Lord of Greyshield". likely much to the displeasure of the Grimms who took the island and the castle back.
Everyone needs rich friends after all. And being one of the richest families and houses in the Iron Islands makes them pretty much indispensable.
Family Members:
Name: Leyton “Redbrand” Harlaw
Age: 43
Affliation: Firstly The Temple of the Lord of Light in Braavos, secondly House Harlaw of Harlaw
Appearance:
ikammya.deviantart.com/art/Red-Priest…Role: The first son, of Harras “the Knight” Harlaw, was to take over the position of Lord of Greygarden on Harlaw Island.
Equipment: A long slim, one handed rapier, vials of flammable oil, iconography of the worship of R'hllor
Skills: Accomplished Water Dancer training under the First Sword of Braavos herself for at time, Fully Ordained Red Priest having trained at the Temple of the Lord of Light in Braavos, average ability in R’hllorian pyromancy for an example he can summon the flaming sword effect, but he cannot call forth fire from nothing without atleast some type of flammable medium. Besides this he’s highly educated in both survival as well as doctrine and theory of a variety of topics like wayfaring, math and various substances.
Biography: Leyton was born into the rich and powerful Ironborn family of the Harlaws. Rich, strong, powerful, rivaling the Greyjoys in power really. Able to field about a quarter of the Iron Fleet in the old days all by their lonesome. They hosted one of the few knights of the Iron Islands, being Harras Harlaw. In fact Leyton has the honor of being one of two sons of the famous Harras “the Knight” Harlaw. He was born some time ago before the whole war began, and was alive along with his brother to see the war begin, the return of dragons, the war against the white walkers, and the forming of a new kingdom, and peace coming to the Seven Kingdoms.
Leyton started as your prime Ironborn man, learned to sail, reave, he learned the art of fishing properly, and learned the arts of axe and sword. He probably would have become a proper member of the Ironborn way and continued reaving and sailing on into the 25 years of peace.
But something shifted one day. A week before he was to be named Lord Heir of Greygarden after his father. He ran away, took a one man sloop, water, food and sailed around the Dornish coast. Headed for the Free Cities in the East. He set down first in Tyrosh, then made his way north up to Myr, and spent some time in Pentos. Perhaps it was his way of doing an internal search before taking responsibility. But he never returned to Harlaw Island to take up the mantle of Lord Heir of Greygarden. Because he made it to Braavos, and that’s where he stopped. He settled down, becoming a fishermen, selling his catch in the market. Until one day while mending his nets, he heard the bells of the Temple of the Lord of Light, got up and decided to go visit. The first visit turned his life in a different way. He abandoned the way of the Drowned God and embraced the worship of R’hllor. Joined the church, petitioned to join the ranks of the Red Priesthood, and submerged himself in Essosian life. Even going so far as to abandon the axe, and somehow managed to catch the eye of then current First Sword of Braavos, a beautiful woman, and an extremely accomplished Water Dancer.
It’d be hard for his family to recognize Leyton Harlaw, who unofficially renamed himself Leyton “Redbrand”. He had cast aside his Iron Islands regalia and had put on the robes of the Red Priest. Subsuming himself in the teachings of the Lord of Light totally.
Notes: His personal emblem is the quartered shield, with black and silver Harlaw, the cream of his father, though the peacock has been replaced with the sun resplendent of the Lord of Light.
Name: Danas “The Sable Mantled Kraken” Harlaw
Age: 37
Affiliation: House Harlaw of Harlaw, through them to House Greyjoy of Pyke
Appearance:
deviantart.com/art/Sverting-47511185Role: Lord Captain of the Harlaw Raiding Fleet, Captain of the Sable Saber, an Iron Ship made in the old style with dragon head prow and catapults and scorpion launchers at the fore and aft, Second son of Harras “The Knight” Hawlaw
Equipment: A curved hand and a half style saber, with silver gilt etching along the hilt, with a basket hilt, little to no ornamentation on it as it’s a warriors weapon not a pretty piece. A round shield, decorated with the black and sable of Harlaw colors. Comfortable and functional leather and chain armor, maps and other items used to sail and wayfare. In possession of a relatively new Sunstone, used to spot the sun when it’s too cloudy.
Skills: Expert wayfarer, able to tell the speed and direction of travel on a ship or boat with extreme ease. Accomplished combatant, using curved sword and shield on land and ship. An accomplished Finger Dancer as well, having won several Finger Dances without losing a finger or toe yet.
Biography: Sometimes the second sons are unlucky. They are overshadowed by a man or a boy who’s the first son who can do no wrong, who can do it all. That’s how thing started between Danas and Leyton at first. Danas was relegated to the lesser position because of the fact that Leyton did so many things so much better then him.
Danas did his best to be his own man though. He took up the saber, and the shield. Learned how to sail and wayfare on a ship. He learned how to fight and fish and reave and fuck like an Ironborn. As he was the second son, he could get away with signing onto this or that ship and going out for days, weeks even months at a time without anyone noticing him being gone. So he cut his teeth on early raids to Essos. Hitting small town on Raider ships. It was coming back from one of those trips, with a rucksack full of loot, and a brand new long saber, that he was met on the dock by his father, and his aging grand father. They had some pretty heavy words for him chewing him out for vanishing and not being around to do his duty. They were very surprised when who they thought was a meek second son suddenly bit right back at them, he hurled his well earned booty at their feet to show them what he’d been doing. He had gathered up his loot and was about to push by his father and grandfather when Harras had grabbed his arm. Telling him the story of how Leyton had ran away, and no Ironborn could tell where he had gone. He apologized, as he honestly thought that Danas had known.
Danas was pretty much shocked to learn that in a matter of days he had gone from second string to first place. He was encouraged to continue his adventures, but his education was expanded when he was on Harlaw Island. Economics, warfare, leadership. He’d suddenly been placed in the position to become the heir when his father stepped down. To take Greygarden and Greyshield as lord of both. When he was named Heir Apparent on his 25th birthday he was gifted an Ironship by a shipwright, christened the Sable Saber. And he took his place as the Lord Captain of the Harlaw Raiding fleet, cementing his place of power.
Thus he waited for his turn when his father stepped aside or died. He also quietly wondered where his big brother had vanished off too.
Notes: Donas standard takes the form of the black and silver of Harlaw, black on the base, with silver around the edge of the shield. Two scythes cross upon it in sea green.