This is Westeros as it stands.
My name is Argilac Durrandon, the second to bear my name and the grandson of the first; I am the King of the Stormlands.
To reflect upon and chronicle the recent history of my house is a daunting feat indeed, but in the last handful of decades the prestige of my house has become great, so great that we are likely the most powerful force in all of Westeros which is quite the claim itself.
Most would say it began with the taunting of Aegon Targaryen to the point my grandfather damned many lives, but Aegon desired my mother, the then Princess Argella Durrandon. But instead of his hand the Valyrian thought little of my father’s offer and asked for his supposed illegitimate brother to take it instead which from what I have read infuriated my grandfather to land’s end. That was when the war began, though we talk about it more like an invasion or conquest.
Looking to the rivalry with The Reach as fruitless and pointless, it was there the council around my grandfather suggested ending it with a matrilineal marriage between Argella and the unmarried youngest Gardener prince. From here the Maesters say history converges because the following events lack sense given Aegon’s talent for tactics and his holding of several dragons. My grandfather’s words were “if it bleeds, it can die.” – the records of the battles that followed are a mess, but it ended with King Harren ‘the Black’ dead in Harrenhal as Orys Baratheon marched upon The Reach and The Stormlands.
My grandfather soon would perish much like the Ironborn leader due to a battle injury by Orys Baratheon, which given the age difference many found unsurprising. The only heir to my father was my mother, Princess Argella, who declared herself Storm Queen and instead of cowering she stood clear and proud. But instead of throwing my mother to the Targaryen’s in a case for their own lives they followed her and into battle at that. Given the alliance between Lannister, Durrandon, and Gardener things looked up despite the dragons. Perhaps the gods favored us when the first dragon died or when the allied forces used military strategy to misdirect and defeat the manned forces of Aegon’s army. In the end the people of Westeros pushed Aegon Targaryen to Dragonstone where peace was soon sued for.
But, the Targaryen’s despite agreeing would still sit with eyes on Westeros… but for some reason looked to the east instead for a time.
This was where my mother’s reign with Gyles Gardener began.
The land was in chaos in The Trident with the Iron King killed there not too long before. Three Kingdoms offered protection—The Rock, The Vale, and The Stormlands. This was the time where clever expansion was considered as this sort of economic breadbasket was seen by my mother as the best way to recover for losses with The Targaryen invasions beforehand. The Stormlands took the Bay of Claws, The Claw, Southstone and a few others in this bid for vassals. In the end as a mocking gesture to the Ironborn she renamed Harrenhal as Argehal—which was probably the most curious move she made during this time of peace. The reign of the Storm Queen Argella Durrandon would be known as one where repairs and stability of the realm were sought out. During that time me and my five siblings were born, though only four of my kin made it out of infancy.
However my mother could not have expected what happened when illness took her later in life.
The King of the Reach is dead, and through my father the lands have passed to me.
How could the Gardeners be extinct? The King of the Reach lacked succession after misfortune damned his house. Cousins and Brothers and Sons died throughout this time of peace. A true tragedy, but now I hold the titles of three kingdoms and huge responsibilities. They call me the Storm King of the Reach, Trident, and Stormlands—they call me “the Handsome Stag”, and they assume I have ambitions similar to Aegon’s for I have elected no other successors. They call me greedy and say my youth lacks the wisdom I need to run the kingdoms. It is true, however, that I am only twenty—but the Vale has had children on their throne and survived well. The realm will survive me.
I am not what they say.
I may hold lands, but I am many things—strong, kind, cynical, brave, just, gregarious, and diligent. I have no such ambition or greed. I do need to build alliances and prepare for revolt however.
I am King Argilac the II, and this is where the dynasty of House Durrandon continues to live.
Original thread inspriation is this thread by @Hood
Would be told in my characters perspective of course.
So does anyone want to sort of follow me on this CK2 adventure?
If not I'll just keep posting progress.
My name is Argilac Durrandon, the second to bear my name and the grandson of the first; I am the King of the Stormlands.
To reflect upon and chronicle the recent history of my house is a daunting feat indeed, but in the last handful of decades the prestige of my house has become great, so great that we are likely the most powerful force in all of Westeros which is quite the claim itself.
Most would say it began with the taunting of Aegon Targaryen to the point my grandfather damned many lives, but Aegon desired my mother, the then Princess Argella Durrandon. But instead of his hand the Valyrian thought little of my father’s offer and asked for his supposed illegitimate brother to take it instead which from what I have read infuriated my grandfather to land’s end. That was when the war began, though we talk about it more like an invasion or conquest.
Looking to the rivalry with The Reach as fruitless and pointless, it was there the council around my grandfather suggested ending it with a matrilineal marriage between Argella and the unmarried youngest Gardener prince. From here the Maesters say history converges because the following events lack sense given Aegon’s talent for tactics and his holding of several dragons. My grandfather’s words were “if it bleeds, it can die.” – the records of the battles that followed are a mess, but it ended with King Harren ‘the Black’ dead in Harrenhal as Orys Baratheon marched upon The Reach and The Stormlands.
My grandfather soon would perish much like the Ironborn leader due to a battle injury by Orys Baratheon, which given the age difference many found unsurprising. The only heir to my father was my mother, Princess Argella, who declared herself Storm Queen and instead of cowering she stood clear and proud. But instead of throwing my mother to the Targaryen’s in a case for their own lives they followed her and into battle at that. Given the alliance between Lannister, Durrandon, and Gardener things looked up despite the dragons. Perhaps the gods favored us when the first dragon died or when the allied forces used military strategy to misdirect and defeat the manned forces of Aegon’s army. In the end the people of Westeros pushed Aegon Targaryen to Dragonstone where peace was soon sued for.
But, the Targaryen’s despite agreeing would still sit with eyes on Westeros… but for some reason looked to the east instead for a time.
This was where my mother’s reign with Gyles Gardener began.
The land was in chaos in The Trident with the Iron King killed there not too long before. Three Kingdoms offered protection—The Rock, The Vale, and The Stormlands. This was the time where clever expansion was considered as this sort of economic breadbasket was seen by my mother as the best way to recover for losses with The Targaryen invasions beforehand. The Stormlands took the Bay of Claws, The Claw, Southstone and a few others in this bid for vassals. In the end as a mocking gesture to the Ironborn she renamed Harrenhal as Argehal—which was probably the most curious move she made during this time of peace. The reign of the Storm Queen Argella Durrandon would be known as one where repairs and stability of the realm were sought out. During that time me and my five siblings were born, though only four of my kin made it out of infancy.
However my mother could not have expected what happened when illness took her later in life.
The King of the Reach is dead, and through my father the lands have passed to me.
How could the Gardeners be extinct? The King of the Reach lacked succession after misfortune damned his house. Cousins and Brothers and Sons died throughout this time of peace. A true tragedy, but now I hold the titles of three kingdoms and huge responsibilities. They call me the Storm King of the Reach, Trident, and Stormlands—they call me “the Handsome Stag”, and they assume I have ambitions similar to Aegon’s for I have elected no other successors. They call me greedy and say my youth lacks the wisdom I need to run the kingdoms. It is true, however, that I am only twenty—but the Vale has had children on their throne and survived well. The realm will survive me.
I am not what they say.
I may hold lands, but I am many things—strong, kind, cynical, brave, just, gregarious, and diligent. I have no such ambition or greed. I do need to build alliances and prepare for revolt however.
I am King Argilac the II, and this is where the dynasty of House Durrandon continues to live.
Original thread inspriation is this thread by @Hood
Choose your empire wisely, spammers, and I shall track your kingdom's progress as it grows or declines. Personally, my recommendation would be to take one of the more relevant domains, those of the Irish petty kings and counts as shown below. You will be featured prominently over the course of this tragic tale as I carve out a kingdom on this wretched island.
Would be told in my characters perspective of course.
So does anyone want to sort of follow me on this CK2 adventure?
If not I'll just keep posting progress.
