@Ezekiel@Ruby@Sini
Here is House Stark. I considered making Ellard's wife, but that would probably be another two days of writing for a character that I don't envision myself writing very often, so for now she'll just be an NPC. Let me know if there's anything that needs to be fixed :)
Recent History
Long before Aegon and his sisters, the Starks of Winterfell ruled over the north as Kings of Winter, their bronze and iron crown a testament to the strength of their people, and the unyielding nature of their homeland. Then they ruled with the strength and honor that came to be synonymous with the name Stark. When Aegon landed, The North was far out of mind, but after the subjugation of Stormland as well as the Riverlands, Torrhen Stark called his banners, well aware of the time it would take to raise an army in his cold, harsh country. After the destruction of the Lannister and Gardener forces at the Field of Fire, Aegon turned his eyes toward Torrhen, having received word in advance of his march south. At the base of the Trident, Aegon Targaryen met Torrhen Stark with forty five thousand men and three full grown dragons, and there it was that, the last King in the North became the King Who Knelt.
This new subjugation was poorly received in the North, and Torrhen would spend the rest of his reign struggling to convince his vassals, as well as his sons, that kneeling before the Dragon King had been a wise decision. Despite this unrest, upon his death his eldest son, Rickon, kept the peace, and enforced the Targaryen’s rule as Warden of the North. While the passing of Aegon Targaryen after thirty seven years on the Iron Throne would see many rebellions against the throne, including one by Jonos Arryn who proclaimed himself King of Mountain and Vale after deposing his elder brother, the Starks remained staunch supporters of the Targaryens.
Relations between the Starks and the Targaryens remained positive for many years, but the reign of King Jaehaerys would see relations between the two houses turn sour. Alaric Stark would become Lord of Winterfell after the death of his brother Walton at the hands of a band of Night’s Watch deserters, made up of rebels that King Jaehaerys had exiled after taking the throne from Maegor the Cruel. Alaric notably blamed the king for his brother’s death, and so, in order to improve relations, King Jaehaerys planned a tour of the north with his wife, Queen Alysanne. When Jaehaerys fell ill, Alysanne insisted she go on the tour as planned. Alysanne’s tour brought her to the Wall, where she took great interest in the work done at the edge of the world. Upon her return to King’s Landing, she convinced her husband to grant the Night’s Watch more land, land which came from Alaric Stark’s domain. The Proud Wolf bristled at what he believed to be an unlawful seizure of land, land which would be squandered by the Watch. This slight would see Alaric Stark’s son and heir, Ellard Stark, to side against the King in the Great Council of 101 AC.
Ten years on from the Great Council, and Ellard Stark remains Lord of Winterfell, and despite his rising age, all who have treated with him in the past years insist that he remains hard as iron, and sharp as steel. Ellard’s heir, Cregan, has earned a name for himself over the years through his victories at various tourneys throughout Westeros. Current notable members of the house also include Ellard’s wife, Arrana Umber, their son, Cregan Stark, Ellard’s brother, Bennard and Bennard’s bastard daughter, Sara Snow
Members of House Stark
Appearance
In his youth, Ellard Stark was an intimidating man. His shoulders are broad, and his body sinewy with muscle. He is formidable in height as well, standing over many a man. His face holds the classic Stark features. His jaw while hard and defined, hides behind a coarse beard of dark hair flecked with grey. His eyes are steely, sullen and almost pained, their grey depths a wall of stone that halts any that might try to glean knowledge from them.. Three scars mark the right side of his face, from an encounter in the Wolfswood when he was young. The first goes right across his eye, and the next two fall just below. His hair falls to his shoulders, and has gone mostly to grey, though like his beard some dark brown remains, a reminder of his youth.Biography
Ellard Stark was born at the beginning of the winter of 59 AC, a particularly harsh one due to the surprisingly short summer and autumn that had preceded it. Famine broke out across Westeros and soon the Shivers began to ravage the land. That winter saw the death of many, highborn and low, including that of Ellard’s mother, Raya, and his sister Lyarra. Despite the cruelty the winter of his birth wrought, Ellard survived, and it was not long before he could be seen hard at work in the courtyard at Winterfell, drilling with the master of arms.
Alaric Stark had been a cold and proud man, harsh as the lands he presided over and he sought to instill the same values in his son. While he loved his son in his own way, his affection was hard to come by. Ellard often tells the story of his twelfth name day, when his father took him out into the wolfswood for a hunt that was meant to last a week. On the third day, as Ellard tracked a deer, his father slipped away, taking his horse and leaving the boy alone. At first frightened, Ellard began to track his father, assuming he’d only wandered off. Soon however, he lost Alaric’s trail, and he became fearful once more. The heir to Winterfell ended up so turned around, that he did not return for three nights. When he did, he carried a dead wolf across the back of his horse, and bore a fresh scratch across his face. After the maester had patched him up, his father came to see him. The man sat across from him, and took a long look at Ellard’s wound. “I watched you slay that wolf. You were strong. If you hope to rule one day, you’ll need to be just as strong as that, stronger even.” Alaric had then placed a hand on his shoulder, and offered up a soft smile, one of the few Ellard ever saw.
By the time of Alaric’s death in 82 AC, Ellard was a man of three and twenty years, and much like his father. Cold as ice and as unyielding as the stones of Winterfell, there were those who said that the winter of his birth had stayed with him, and that should you cut him, an icy river would pour out in place of blood. Ellard would prove that his nature was not a detriment. While not the warmest of men, Ellard was just and honorable, and the smallfolk came to love him, as did his bannermen.
When his father had died, Ellard had been unmarried, having refused the hands of many women. This had been a point of contention between him and his father, and his advisers would continue to insist that he take a wife, for the good of the house. Ellard refused to entertain the idea until the harvest feast at Winterfell, in 84 AC, when he laid eyes on Arrana Umber. His bannermen’s daughter, she was a maid of seven and ten, and her beauty had caught the eye of many men that night. However, when it came time to dance, it was Ellard’s hand she took. They were married soon after the feast, and many in attendance said it was the first time they’d seen the Lord of Winterfell smile.
Today, Ellard Stark is growing old. He looks out over Westeros with the eyes of a seasoned man. He’s been lucky enough to rule in a time of relative peace and prosperity, but he’s seen the turmoil brewing in the south. The North will be called upon, sooner or later, he’s sure of it. His son, Cregan, while strong and hardy, is still a green boy, arrogant and brash as young men tend to be. Ellard fears that he might die before Cregan is ready. The future of his house hangs in the balance, as Westeros moves further and further towards chaos.
Appearance
Built for strength, Cregan stands tall over his contemporaries, an intimidating brute of a man. He prefers his hair cut short, and his face kept shaved, leaving the chiseled jaw that looks so like his father’s, open to the air. One look at the young man is enough to note the resemblance between him and his father. They have the same grey eyes, Stark eyes, and while Ellard’s hair has gone to grey for the most part, the dark streaks that remain are the same shade of dark brown that color Cregan’s hair.
Born and raised a noble, Cregan walks about with a certain sense of importance that is evident in the way he swaggers through the streets of Winter Town. He is still blessed with the youthful arrogance of someone too young to know the true hardships of the world, and nowhere is that more apparent than the energy he carries with him, so full of lust, both for women and battle.
Biography
Born six years after his parent’s wedding in 84 AC, Cregan Stark was welcomed into the world with a great clangor, perhaps an indication of the life he would lead. He was the third son of Ellard and Arrana Stark, but the only one not born still. A spirited young boy, Cregan was often seen running through the courtyard after the older boys that resided within the castle, wooden sword in hand. A mischievous boy, he and what soon became his band of castle boys were responsible for more than one foolhardy trick, played on the unsuspecting denizens of Winterfell. Cregan would have invoked his father’s wrath, had it not been for his doting mother. More often than not, when he was caught causing trouble his mother would step in and sweep away any issues with her kind words. In spite of his troublemaking, Cregan’s jovial personality made him many friends. His nickname, The Summer Wolf, was given both for the season of his birth, but also for the warm blood that ran through him, so different from his father’s wintery harshness.
As much as Cregan may have preferred it, his life was not filled with endless play. His father was adamant that Cregan learn to fight, and trained the boy himself. He was a harsh teacher, but an effective one. The song of steel is a familiar one to Cregan, a sweet tune that he seems to chase. As soon as he could properly hold a sword, the boy was challenging whoever would listen to him to a duel. Many defeats followed, but soon he began to win. Now, Cregan’s skill with a sword has surpassed even his father, and he is known throughout the North for his prowess in their brutal melees.
Ellard Stark would not be content with a son who simply knew how to hold a sword however. Shortly after his eighth name day, Ellard took Cregan into the Great Hall with him, and had him sit by his side while he held court, listening to the troubles of the peasants and noble lords alike. He taught Cregan about justice and honor, about the weight of his family name. The word of a Stark meant something, Ellard would say, and it was Cregan’s duty to uphold that meaning.
Cregan, for the most part, has done his best to live by his father’s teachings. He does his best to be honorable, and courageous, just and kind. Despite that, Cregan is not his father, and he answers to impulse more often than not. He finds it difficult to resist the tempting curves of the young women who work the inns in Winter Town, and he is a green boy in truth. He is brash, and quick to draw steel, but he has yet to be in a true fight, having spent the majority of his life in Winterfell, aside from traveling to the keeps of his father’s bannermen. His thirst for glory has brought him to King’s Landing, where he will compete for the honor of House Stark at the upcoming tourney.
Appearance
While Bennard shares the dark hair and grey, steely eyes of the Starks, that is where the resemblance stops. His father and brother were both large, imposing men, but Bennard has no such qualities. He is not particularly tall, though he’s not short either. His frame is slim, lacking the bulging muscles built by years of training with sword and shield. His face is long, somber, and since returning to Winterfell he’s let a beard grow out that covers his mouth and makes his almost gaunt face seem fuller, and more lively.
Biography
The second son of Lord Alaric Stark is a far cry from the first. Where as Ellard is a fierce warrior and a firm ruler, Bennard is bookish, preferring the biting wit of his words to the cold bruteness of steel. Born to the second wife of Alaric Stark, Bennard was born in 65 AC, Bennard was always in the shadow of his elder brother. His father had loved his first wife, but his second had been a marriage of duty, and Alaric came to resent Bennard’s mother. That resentment seemed to extend to Bennard as well, at some point. Bennard was not made of cold iron like his brother, and he often failed and shortly after his eighth nameday, Bennard was sent to foster with his father’s bannerman, Lord Harys Umber.
At Last Hearth, Bennard was treated as his brother had been at Winterfell. He was respected, and while Lord Harys pushed him to learn to wield a sword, the maester of the keep taught him all he could of numbers, the great houses and the relations between them, as well as the history of Westeros. It was at Last Hearth that Bennard grew up, and it was there that he met his first, and some say only, love. Arrana Umber, two years younger than him and the daughter of his foster father, became his closest friend at Last Hearth. Friendship became desire, and it became apparent to all at Last Hearth that Bennard lusted after the girl. It’s said even, that he asked for her hand in marriage, twice, but her father refused him both times, thus resulting in his sudden return to Winterfell when he was seventeen.
Shortly after Bennard’s return to Winterfell, his father died and his brother became Lord of Winterfell, and Warden of the North. The rift between the two brothers was already growing by this point, but the final straw would come at the harvest feast of 84 AC when Ellard danced with a young Arrana Umber, spiriting her away from Bennard. The younger brother took the insult to heart, and left Winterfell before the wedding. Furious with his brother and unsure of his place in the world, he took a ship from White Harbour to Oldtown, and began studying to become a maester.
Bennard’s time at the Citadel proved fruitful. He served as a novice for a short time, before he began forging his chain. He was set to take perform his ritual and become a maester, sometime in 87 AC but his success proved short lived. While studying, a serving wench had caught his eye and they soon became enamored with one another. He’d taken the girls maidenhead and put a baby in her belly instead. When the archmaesters learned of the illicit relationship, they reminded Bennard that one of a maester’s vows is celibacy. They gave him a choice; forsake the woman, and the child she bore, or leave the Citadel. Bennard chose the serving girl, not that it would matter in the end. She died giving birth to their daughter, Sara.
Shortly after Sara’s birth, Bennard left Oldtown on a ship bound for Volantis. His time there is largely a mystery. When asked, Bennard claims he stayed in the manse of a wealthy noblewoman, but that is as much as he has ever been willing to share. All the people of Winterfell know for certain is that eight years after he’d left for the Citadel, Bennard returned, seeking a home to raise his daughter, offering an apology and his service. Ellard received his brother as warmly as he knew how, and granted him the position of castellan, a position he holds to this day. Bennard has become one of Ellard’s closest advisors. Rumors of Bennard’s lingering resentment are not uncommon, but Bennard dismisses them as simply that; rumors, made up by smallfolk who have become bored with their dreary lives.
Appearance
Dark hair frames Sara’s heart shaped face, and along with her cold, grey eyes, remind everyone that despite her birth, Stark blood runs through her veins. Hers is a somber face, her mouth drawn into an ever present frown. When she smiles however, it lights up her face, and remind everyone that beneath the boiled leather and mail, a beautiful woman resides. Her body is slender, but toned after years of working with a sword. Her face is scarred, a silvery line of flesh that cuts across her upper lip, the unfortunate result of a fight with a Dornishman. She walks with the swagger of someone who does not fear death, and is anything but dainty. Her ferocity is evident in her stare, harsh and cold, looking for blood.
Biography
Born beneath the Citadel, in a musty room meant for servants, Sara took her mother’s life as she came into the world. She has never forgotten that, no matter how hard she tried.
The early years of her childhood are a blur of sights and sounds. She was raised amidst the household of a Volantene noble, and she remembers the bustling city with a fondness, though she can hardly picture it now. Then, she remembers her father coming, and telling her that she’d be getting on a boat with him, to go home. She’d been confused then. As far as she knew, Volantis had always been her home. Nevertheless, she and her father boarded a ship, bound for White Harbour, and made their way to a place he called, Winterfell.
Winterfell was different from Volantis in many ways. It was cold for one, too cold for Sara’s liking. Volantis had been much nicer, always warm, and nobody gave her the strange looks that the people of Winterfell did. Her father explained to her that in Winterfell she’d be Sara Snow, not Sara Stark, which was strange, even after he explained to her that she was a bastard, and thus couldn’t carry the family name like her cousin could. In Volantis, she hadn’t been a bastard, at least not in the eyes of their hosts
Despite that, Sara soon became at home in the great castle. The strange looks ceased to bother her, especially after she and her cousin Cregan became close, wreaking havoc throughout Winterfell. The little lordling’s seal of approval meant that she was part of the castle, whether people liked it or not. She didn’t understand why Cregan got to train with the men outside, while she was forced to sew inside with the women. They always bothered her, gossiping about this and that, never anything important. Thankfully, Cregan would give her lessons in the godswood secretly, and as they grew up, their lessons continued until one day, after finding the duo sparring, her uncle relented. “If you’re going to insist on getting into trouble, I’ll see that you know how to get yourself out of it as well,” he’d said in his gruff voice. From that day on, Sara spent her days learning how to fight rather than. The strange looks came back again, but nevertheless she persisted.
Sara came to appreciate the freedom of her bastardy. Cregan would be forced to take up the Lordship of Winterfell, marry some woman his father chose for him, and ultimately, live a life that is not his own. After her seventeenth nameday, Sara decided that she would live her life on her terms, and hers alone. She gathered men, from the castle as well as Winters Town, and made for White Harbour. There, her and the men she’d gathered sailed for Braavos, where they became known as the Pack From Across the Sea. They made their names as sellswords, and Sara became known as the Bloody Wolf. When Daemon Targaryen came to conquer the Stepstones, the Pack From Across the Sea fought for him, after a considerable amount of payment that is. Today, Sara’s whereabouts are mostly unknown, though rumors say she’s remained in the Stepstones with her Pack, aiding Daemon Targaryen in holding his kingdom.
Really nice sheet my guy, feel free to drop that in the Character Tab. Particularly appreciate the Bastard giving you a PoV for the Narrow Sea conflict :)
1x Thank
