@Not Fishingpiratepad.net is a website people use to collab, it's really simple, it'll let us write together on a post instead of just having constant back and forth.
Alright, let's throw wizard guy into the trash... cause...
Winter is Coming.
House Stark
Seat: Winterfell The North History:
The Starks. There's hardly a house more mentioned in the tales of the North than the Starks. Brandon the Builder,founder of the House, built the Wall. Brandon the Breaker, lord commander of the Night's Watch defeated the Night's King. For millenia, the Kings of Winter have ruled the harsh unforgiving lands with an equally unforgiving resolve, conquering fellow northmen Kingdoms and repelling the invasions of Free Folk from beyond the Wall, Ironborn from the Iron Islands, and the Andal invaders from the south. However, they weren't as lucky with the Targayens. Torrhen Stark, the last King in the North, surrendered before the House of the Dragon, sparing his army of the annihilation that the dragonfires brought upon the land. For his actions, he was much resented by some, but House Stark became the Wardens of the North under the Targayen reign.
The actions the House Stark had to perform were at times like a bitter cup of medicine. Targayens have commanded the Starks in marriages of convenience with the Eyrie, as well as giving away the New Gift to the Night's Watch. And yet, the House Stark has rarely if ever been found at fault in their duty towards the Iron Throne. Starks are a pragmatic, somber lot, true to their motto. Winter is coming. And we had better be prepared for it. In recent times, the leadership under Lord Cregan Stark has allowed to enjoy a respite and fairly smooth transition between the previous Lord and Cregan himself, yet the prospect of a new Winter weighs heavily on the Warden of the North, more than perhaps the petty plots and intrigues at court...
Bio: Cregan, the only son of the previous Lord Rickon Stark, was born in a household whose time perhaps was not its best. Burdened by the decisions of his recent ancestors, who gave up the crown of Winter to serve the Targayens, the rule of Rickon, whom he passed unto his son, was fraught by internal policing and trying to maintain the brittle links that held the north together under the Stark banner, still corroded by the assumed cowardice of King Torrhen back during Aegon's Conquest. Befitting his future as the Warden of the North, Cregan grew up under a strict education, and always strived the very best to be the lord everyone needed in the North.
It was found soon enough however, that he was not without quirks. For once, his swordsmanship was such that his father entrusted the Valyrian sword, Ice, at an earlier age than expected, and it is said that few northmen are as skilled in combat as he is. However, the young lad did not fall in the trap of trying using his personal might to impress his subjects and foes alike, and instead dedicated himself into being ponderous. The North was a dangerous place, and if one was let astray by the heart, they could easily be killed. It is said that Cregan rarely, if ever smiled outside his loved ones, and only paid attention to the minimal courtesy and etiquette, leading to the rumours that he somehow has ice for blood, specially south of the Neck, which he rarely visited. He also weaned a black direwolf pup, whom he named Marrow, by himself, and raised it to be his companion.
He did not engage in the pleasures of socializing very often, and it was such as that when he was engaged with Arra Norrey, young Cregan was rumoured to have never seen the woman before his wedding. However, the rumours were soon dispelled when somehow, Arra Norrey made his husband smile and beam. Even though it was a convenience marriage, Cregan treated his wife kindly, and love seemed to flourish. She bore him a heir, whom he named after his late father.
Tragedy struck soon, however, as in the span of two years, he lost both of his parents, and then his wife died victim to an strange fever. The young lord of Winterfell was young only on the outside, as his mind became grim and melancholic. Furthermore, with the signs of a new, hard winter approaching and the rumours of struggle in the Iron Throne they have not helped his situation. He spends the days wishing that his enemies and problems were of flesh, so he could hack them to pieces and be done with it. But one cannot fight winter with a sword. His only highlight is perhaps, that his own father confirmed in his deathbed the existence of bastard half-sibling of his, a fact he had known for a while, and urged him to take her to Winterfell. Arsa, as she was named, has so far proven the only person to be able to lift the spirits of the ailing lord besides his son, Rickon.
Arsa was the result of a rather lustful craving of the late Lord Rickon Stark after a very frustrating visit to the swamp and Marshes of the Neck. After an unsuccessful hunt of several criminals who later were found out devoured by the lizard-lions, Rickon Stark got so inebriated that he took the maidenhead of one of the Lord Reed's daughters. After the incident, and full of regret, Rickon had no choice but to acknowledge her as bastard, and spared no funds in her education and welfaring. Lord Reed allowed Arsa to live and grow up alongside his family and the crannogmen, while at the same time, employed the stipend that Lord Stark gave into giving her a proper education. Arsa Snow, or Stoat, as she was known to the crannogmen, grew as an exotic beauty among the swamps, someone who could look good in a dress and at the same time, catch her prey even in the most confusing swamp or snowfield.
Yet, the taint of bastardry was there. Arsa was thought to be two-faced and treacherous, and it did not certainly helped that sometimes, rumours of her carrying the strange powers and being able to see through the eyes of beasts. However, the rumours were cut short, when she was called to live with Winterfell. Here she found a father she had barely known dead, and a sulking half-brother as Lord. It is said that Marrow, the direwolf of Lord Stark greeted Arsa immediately, as if she had always been part of the family. True or not, the teenager Snow bonded with her brother almost immediately, helping him in her own ways. Either using her skill as ranger, tending to his half-nephew or being a cup-bearer in feasts, she tries to paint the walls of Winterfell with the optimism that is sorely needed.
His son, Rickon Stark.
His Uncle Bennad Stark
His wife Margaret Karstark
Benjen, Brandon and Elric Stark, cousins of Lord Cregan
@AtomicNut sheet is accepted. Ship to characters please.
Whilst there has been a dearth of posts lately, rest assured some major work is going on in the background. Take heart. If you don't have our discord link and would like it; PM me.
Still happily accepting players who wish to join us.
@kingkonrad Nope, nobody has taken control of the Lannisters. One of them showed up as a NPC, but that was just a GM puppet to help move the plot along, and they are one of the big players of this conflict. I'd love to see your seat.
You can feel free to take control of additional characters as well, whether or not it's a house. There are multiple single characters that are important to the story but have no players. But thats up to you.
History: The Lannisters are a majestic, aloof family, sure in their strength. They can arguably trace their roots back to the figure of legends, Lann the Clever, who outmaneuvered the Casterlys and stole their keep, built atop a mountain filled with gold, right out from under them. Since then, if that had ever happened, the Lannisters, as much sons of the First Men as the Starks, ruled in the Westerlands as Kings of the Rock. This continued all through the Andal invasion, with a slight hiccup involving House Lydden, and ending with the Targaryen invasion from Dragonstone.
When Aegon Targaryen and his dragons swooped in from the east, the Lannisters had the glory of defeating the Valyrian army in open battle, but was thrown back by the combined might of the three dragons. They called that tragic battle the Field of Fire, and the Lannisters, fearing retribution on their homeland, gave up the fight. They were offered by Aegon the title of Warden, to guard the west, which they accepted, and still hold that office with pride.
Now, as conflict looms over the kingdom, threatening to boil over in all-out war that would ravage the continent, the Lannisters are faced with a difficult decision. Inner conflicts have broken out between members of the family, and there has been talk of brother killing brother within the walls of Casterly Rock. The Lord Jason Lannister is the last figure trying largely to keep his family together, for the House Lannister must stand together if they are to survive the impending Dance of the Dragons.
Name: Jason Lannister Age: 40
Name: Johanna Lannister Age: 44
It was by circumstance that the two met. The Westerlings, ambitious as they were, sought to press the little advantage they had over their peers by asking for a hopeful marriage prospect to the Lannisters. The Lannisters, by sheer coincidence, were themselves looking for a marriage. Jason's elder brothers had died in a sickness that threatened the castle, leaving only the twins left. This hasty match was decided on, made, and quickly followed through.
This decision turned out to be rather fortunate. Johanna, as it turns out, was quick, determined, and unforgiving to the enemies of the house. In the early years of their marriage, when she was but sixteen and Jason was but twelve, it was she who handled the many tasks of administrating the castle and its surrounding lands. She was also the one to teach Jason much of the skills of ruling, and when he took the reigns at his own sixteenth year, the two were an inseparable team.
It was with pride, then, that their first child was born. A healthy Lannister, who was quickly proving to become the best of his two parents. A daughter followed two years later, as bright and full of energy. In those years, business was booming all throughout Lannisport, as if the gods themselves were celebrating the young children.
Disaster would swiftly strike the family, threatening to sever the ties of familial bond. A child, born of Johanna, but quite apparently not a Lannister. This was a child of bad spirit, a bawling, aggressive creature that few septas would touch. His hair taunted the family, showing that even in the happiest households could there be wanting of those outside the marriage. The relationship between Jason and Johanna quickly grew tense, with him accusing her of siring a bastard and she refusing. It was fortunate that they did not separate, but the doubts still lingered.
Still today, however, the family has stuck together. Jason keeps the land and the children together, and Johanna still stands close at his side. Together, and only together, would House Lannister continue to sound its roar to all corners of Westeros.
Age: 24
Lannisters were notorious for their pride, and Michel most of all. His hair was golden as the sun and hung low around his face, as if shouting to all his ancestry. He walked with a swagger and talked with a sneer, as if he were already Lord of the Westerlands, or even a king. However, his pride is not completely unfounded. Michel is bright, and confident in his decisions, a capable leader to rule the Westerlands. However, he tends towards stubbornness and rashness, especially when it comes to family.
When he was born, he was celebrated at every turn. He was the golden boy, the son of the Lannisters, and apple in his parents' eyes. But when his sister came, suddenly that was all gone. His parents attention, the constant lauding of the servants as he passed, it was as if a light had gone out of the castle, moving away from him and landing on the little baby girl. He resented this sudden loss of attention then, and even well into Genna's older life, he would still resent her.
Worse still was the bastard. The Brownmane, who sauntered around the castle like he owned the place. Michel would never admit it, but he saw in that younger son all the things he didn't have. Strength, agility, skill with horse and sword, those were things Michel had found little skill in, and rather disliked. Of course, everyone loved the Brownmane better. The two of them quarreled day and night, culminating in one when he up and left, vowing blood on his own family. That night would haunt Michel nightly, filling him with fear and anger.
However, his integrity as a Lannister could never be broken. The heir to Casterly Rock is one that can never be forgotten, for better or worse.
Age: 22
Genna could never live up to the prim and proper expectations of her mother. When she was young, she would frequently visit the city, against the wishes of the family in general, and speak to the sailors working at the docks. When she returned home, day after day, covered in dried dirt and scrapes, she would have to face the ire of both her parents and the relentless mocking of her brother. Thus, her relationship to the rest of the family is rather distant, to say the least.
When she got older, her associations became in many ways less innocent. She started frequenting taverns, drinking herself into a stupor, and spending time with radical thinking visiting merchants who always have opinions on the current situation of government. Slowly, their ideals got to her, and she would find herself thinking opposite to rulings made by her father.
Because of this, and because of her history, she spent long periods of time far away from Casterly Rock. She would make frequent tours across Westeros and Essos, anything to get away from her family. This, more often than not, included Dragonstone and the Vale, and she could count many a Black as one of her friends.
When the time comes for war, she will have to make a choice that will decide her standing with her family and her liege forever.
Age: 17
Artur was branded from birth. He came from his mother's womb, thin wisps of hair clinging to his head. Chestnut hair. Brown, like that of his mother's. Rumors swirled about the circumstances of his birth, many that implicated Johanna's infidelity. Such was his childhood life, pushed around by his brothers and peers as much as they push around each other. Bastard child, they called him. Brownmane, or Shithead, if they were in poor spirit. But he knew that he was a lion. He knew his destiny.
Armed with these thoughts, he threw himself into squirehood, starting at an inordinately early age, and most would say he was a bit too eager with the sword. As early as fifteen, he almost daily picked fights with sailors twice his weight by the docks, and came home day after day, face swollen and purpling. This did little to silence the thoughts of his bastard heritage. However, by seventeen, nobody could deny his skill with the sword, and he finally achieved his knighthood from his father, if a bit begrudgingly.
Then, on that very eve of his knighting, he gets into a quarrel with his elder brother Michel. Michel had approached him, and demanded he take his own surname, now that he had a knighthood. Artur had refused, saying he already possessed one. This led to shouts, curses, and threats. "You will never be heir!" Artur remembered shouting, as he stormed from Casterly Rock. "The Lannister heir will wield the ancestral sword of Brightroar! I will return and sully its edge with your blood!" That was the last the two brothers saw of each other. With the last of his money, Artur went to the docks, and pooling the paltry contents of his and his friend's purses, purchased a run-down little water glider, in the desperate hope that a ship like that would take them to Valyria. Valyria, where Artur's last hope of redemption lies.
Now Artur sails towards the ruins of Old Valyria, with a skeleton crew at his back, awaiting the challenges that will no doubt come his way.
Age: 12
The young one. Deathly shy, and afraid of most things. Most afraid of being married off to an older man and forgotten by her family.
Elmoras 'Elmo' Tully, Lord of Riverrun, Lord Paramount of the Trident
History: Elmo is the heir of Riverrun and the Paramount of the Riverlands. Having made his worth, namely fighting in the Stepstones alongside Daemon Targaryen. While being a simple soldier back then, he learned to respect Daemon' skill and swordmanship in fighting for what he thought was right.
Returning home, he later assumed duties that his father Glover couldn't manage. While his father had supported male heritage over that of the female line, they were split in-secret over whom would be more upto ruling after the death of the King. Elmoras supports Rhaenyra - both due to the authority of the previous King and because, he has respect for Daemon Targaryen.
Over the hundred of years, since Aegon' Conquest - the Riverlands have steadily and surely regained their strength and power, able to match and rival the other kingdoms of the South. While they are still troubled by the Ironborn over the years - they have managed to keep them, off their coastal regions for the past five years.