Phoebas

Game of Thrones - A Song of Ice and Fire

(Collab Sini & Phoebas)

Westeros, The Riverlands, Riverrun

With a lot of his kinsmen off to Lord Jasper Arryn’s tourney at Gulltown, Lord Calder had left his cousin Ser Benfred in charge of the Twins as its castellan. Spring had come a few months ago, and no real issue demanded he stay at the Crossing. In fact, he had been tempted to attend the event at Gulltown, for the young Arryn was an indirect neighbour of him. Who knows if they need ever band together against the mountain clansmen. Raiding mountain men were unlikely, though, and the Crannogmen were also quiet. Those few he had caught and hung at posts along the marshes had done their jobs as a deterrent, it seemed.

Riverrun always seemed more cheerful than the Twins, the air warmer and filled with the scent of flowers instead of rotting leaves or sheep, the people smiling more. Even the food being served tasted better. Then again, Riverrun lay at the heart of the Riverlands, well-protected and cherished, amidst green pastures and gentle streams.

“My lord,” Calder said when he heard the door open and a respectable looking man entered. Lord Tully had long changed colour for grey in his beard and hair, but had maintained the astute and genial demeanour of a vibrant man. “My gratitude for the wine and cheese.” Lord Frey had genuinely enjoyed the nourishment a maid had deposited some time ago on the table in the solar.

“Frey!” boomed Janos, crossing the richly patterned carpet to clasp forearms with his guest, a white-toothed grin splitting his aged features, “Is that all they gave you? You need meat, man! Darla? Darla!” A young serving girl who hid her face behind her mass of mousy-brown hair scurried into the room, her balance a bit disturbed by her speedy curtsy.

“Yes m’lord?” she asked, the motion revealing a substantial gap between her front teeth.

“Get Lord Frey a platter of that fine roast we’ve got in the kitchens. And some fruit while you’re at it. I feel rather partial to a plum.” The girl curtsied again, this time even more sloppily, and rushed from the room to do as she was bid. Turning back to his guest, he gestured towards the finely upholstered armchairs flanking the intricately carved hardwood table about which the rest of the chamber was organized. “Please, sit! Make yourself comfortable. I will not have it said you received anything but true Tully hospitality.” He leaned towards his companion, whispering conspiratorily. “Mother would kill me.”

With a deep chuckle, Lord Janos lowered himself easily into an armchair of his own, reaching for a silver goblet, the stem a vivid representation of a leaping trout, and filling it with wine. Taking a long sip, he eyed the other man over the rim of his cup, his cobalt blue eyes twinkling in the bright light let in through the immense latticed windows. “So tell me Frey,” he teased, his tone light, “You’ve always been rather sharp. Why do you think I have called you here? Come, you must have a guess.”
The man was too jovial, too likeable. It was fitting Janos had a trout for his sigil, for he was among other men and women like a fish in water. In fact, it was thanks to Tully’s doing that the Brackens of Stone Hedge had been able to retain their lands and rights. Janos had shielded them from Bloodraven’s wrath, and successfully so.

Calder returned Janos’s playful look with is trademark stoicism. “I do not think I have given cause to offense. And the last incident between myself and Lord Darry dates from two years ago, so this is not a reprimand,” Lord Frey thought out loud. “Instead you offer me food, wine and hospitality, which means you have a proposition to make, or a favour to ask. Mayhaps even a combination of the two.” Calder followed his bannerlord’s example and lifted the silver trout cup to his lips. The wine was honeyed, since it had been made of small, tart grapes that grew on the gentle slopes of the Trident bassin. The vintages it yielded were slightly too… sharp and so honey or fruity nectar dulled it and added to the overall quality.

“Oh bravo!” cheered Janos, knocking his fist against the tabletop in approval, “You are a clever man! Darla, haven’t I always said how clever the Lord Frey can be?” Darla, who had just entered the room with a massive plate stacked high with generous slabs of steaming roast cooked to juicy perfection and a large, gilded bowl filled with fruit balanced in her tiny arms, nodded her head jerkily.

“Yes m’lord,” she confirmed, quickly placing the food on the table between them before retreating to the edge of the room to wait, lest she be called again to offer service.

“I do indeed have something to ask of you, my dear Frey,” Janos stated, his calloused fingers rooting around in the bowl until the tips located the familiar, smooth skin of his favored fruit, “But I will start off with a simple observation. You are two-and-thirty years of age, without wife, and have been for some years now. I, on the other hand, am plagued by a never-ending gaggle of girls, most of marriageable age, that their mother,” he spoke the word with acidic scorn, as if it soured his mouth, “would see wed. Quickly.” Janos took a bite of plum, chewing fully and swallowing before continuing. “Surely your masterful mind has already thought of a solution to both of our problems.” Janos’s eyes sparkled with something akin to mischief and he leaned back in his chair, waiting for Calder’s response.

Calder swirled the Riverland wine around in his mouth. It irked him slightly that Janos kept referring to him by his last name, and last name only. No title, no first name, just Frey. As if they had been best of friends for eternity. Matters of marriage always made him think of Janei Piper, his dead wife. She had died when giving birth to his youngest, and only son, in spite of having squeezed out four healthy baby girls before young Walder’s coming. Perhaps that lay at the root of why he did not like his son and heir, the fact Walder was a difficult and… well, mean toddler did not help. A single son… children died all the time, perhaps a second one could not hurt? “Ah, I see. It is only their mother who wishes to see them be given husbands then? I am sure there are many suitable suitors out there, nay?” The notion of a Tully bride was appealing, but it would not do to appear desperate or blindly accept before brokering the deal.

Janos sighed heavily, his vital strength fleeing his body for a moment, making him appear much more his age. “I will not feign having any particular fondness for my offpsring,” he stated simply, looking directly into Calder’s gray eyes, “But they are my children, and that distinction comes with certain… priviliges.” He took another bite of plum, a bit of his joviality returning as he swallowed the sweet flesh. “But I am sure you are already well aware of this, Lord Frey. Any of my daughters would be a good match.” Janos hesitated a moment, trying think of the proper way to phrase his next statement.

“And yet…?” Calder ventured. He enjoyed seeing Janos wriggle like this, as more comparisons with fish came to mind.

“Cheeky,” muttered Janos with a laugh, placing the stone of his plum on the silver plate before him, “And yet, my honorable Lord Calder Frey, I ask you here not to take any of my daughters to wife, but one daughter in particular. Joan,” he paused again, his eyes gauging his companion’s reaction, “My… eldest.”

Lord Calder placed his goblet of wine back on the table, purposefully slowly, then proceeded to fold his hands together in his lap and merely look at his liege lord. Silence stretched out between the two men, as he contemplated the proposal. He pursed his lips before breaking it. “What makes you think I will be able to… breach the castle where so many have failed? Is it because I have two?”

The Lord of Riverrun blinked a couple of times before his laughter rent the silence in the room asunder. “Clever and funny,” chuckled Janos when he had calmed down a bit, “I always knew I liked you, Frey.” Wiping one last mirthful tear from his eye, Janos sombered a bit as he thought of his daughter. So stubborn, so willful, so wild. His mother often said that she was the child that took the most after him, but frankly he simply didn’t see it. “Joan requires a firm hand,” he said finally, “Even the stormiest seas break against the rocks. And I most highly doubt that you, Black Calder, will have too much difficulty in that arena.” Lord Tully didn’t bother to mention the ultimatum he would attach to the engagement: Joan would marry Calder Frey without complaint or never again would she be welcome in the house of her father.

“I will be frank with you, Calder,” Janos said, crossing his arms about his burly chest, “Joan is hardly the comeliest of my offspring, but by all accounts she is the most… tolerable. Her age is of course an issue, but the chambermaids tell me her monthly cycle is still strong. You will get a few child-bearing years out of the girl yet, and if her mother is any sort of example they could prove to be rather fruitful. Such an alliance would be of benefit, to both of us. Do you not think so?”

So, Calder it was suddenly. It probably suited better for a son-in-law. “That is beside the point, my lord. As your bannerman, I already owe you my allegiance. Have I given you a reason to doubt my loyalty?” The question hung in the air, unignorable like a bloated corpse. Calder Frey waved his hand. “A bad joke,” he said apologetically. Nevertheless it was a genuine test to see if Janos Tully had not laid a trap he was walking into. “I would gladly wed Joan Tully, for I am convinced that bonds of blood with your House brings with it a lot of… generosity.”

Janos breathed in deeply, righting himself in his chair so that he showed his full stature before regarding his companion seriously. By the Seven, he just needed to get some of these bloody girls off of his hand. “Yes,” he said finally, “I thought you would come to that sooner rather than later.” He lifted his goblet and took a steady swig of wine, using the fork in his other hand to serve Calder and himself some of the roast. “I like you, Calder,” he said when he had drained the last dregs from his cup, “Therefore I will let you name a price. If it is within my means, I swear I will do my best to grant it.”

“I have a thing for bridges, and some experience with them too,” he said. Particularly with making money off of them. “I want Fairmarket as Joan’s dowry.” Calder looked his liege lord dead in the eye, not insolently, but patiently. The town and its bridge were a high price, but not beyond reason. Control of the town and its bridge would make him master of the Blue and Green Fork, capable to project his influence and power from the Twins down to the Red Fork and Riverrun. Not even the Mallisters in Seagard would be his immediate contender any longer.

Lord Tully chuckled darkly. “You do not pull your punches, do you Lord Frey?” No, this man was sharp. Possibly too sharp for his own good, but only time would tell. Janos laced his fingers together, leaning forward to meet Calder’s gaze. It was a gamble, giving that amount of political power to a man as intelligent (and therefore dangerous) as Calder Frey, but Janos trusted him, as he had trusted his predecessor, and when he wed Joan the two houses would be bonded by blood. Yes, thought Janos, he would grant him this favor, see how things played out and simply hope for the best. “Very well,” he said finally, taking a bite of roast and winking at the younger man, “It seems we have an accord.”

Calder lifted his cup ceremoniously. “To bridges and brides.”

Game of Thrones - A Song of Ice and Fire

House Tully is (miraculously) complete :)

Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters

Guys! Gals! We have a troll!!! Can we keep it?! I've always wanted a pet. :D

Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters

Xtreme said
Ah yes but there's plenty of Duncan to go around ;)

Daisy would kill him. XD

Game of Thrones - A Song of Ice and Fire

Sworn Houses

House Blackwood of Raventree Hall
House Bracken of Stone Hedge
House Darry of Darry
House Frey of the Crossing
House Mallister of Seagard
House Mooton of Maidenpool
House Piper of Pinkmaiden
House Ryger of Willow Wood
House Vance of Atranta
House Vance of Wayfarer's Rest
House Lothston of Harrenhal

The Seat: Riverrun



The Family

Lord Tully

Name: Lord Janos Tully of Riverrun, Lord of the Riverlands

Age: 60

Appearance:



Janos is still an impressive man, despite his advancing age. Tall of stature and strong of arm, his form remains largely untouched by the telltale signs of aging and luxurious living that plague so many lords, no doubt do the hours of training he commits himself to every morning. Though now gray, his hair was once a deep auburn color, closer in nature to that of his firstborn Joan than any of the other children.

Personality:

Janos is a refined man, but not a particularly well-educated one. Though well versed in court manners and chivalry, he never did take a particular liking to his teachers growing up, or to books in general for that matter.

Lord Tully is widely respected in Westeros for the fairness of his character and for his bravery during the recent war. He distinguished himself several times on the battlefield, both in matters of combat and strategy, and his deeds are not easily forgotten. He is not one for verbose speeches, but when he does speak, it is with directness and clarity.

His behavior is less favorable with regards to his family. The death of his first wife and only true love, Faedra Piper of Pinkmaiden, left Janos fundamentally broken. Though he married Alysanne Lannister, daughter of Martyn Lannister and cousin to the current Lord of Casterly Rock, his heart remains full with memories of Faedra, leaving no room for his beautiful wife. Similarly, he has not invested emotionally in their children whatsoever, viewing them only in their political capacity. The only child he truly cares for is Simon, his heir and the only surviving remnant of his union with Faedra, but even this relationship is tense due to Simon’s terribly frail existence.

He now focuses most of his time on the realm and the Riverlands, taking his pleasure from the company of friends, peers, and whores rather than the arms of his family.

Biography:

Janos is the eldest of four sons born to the Lord Wilmer “The Trusty Trout” Tully (now deceased) and Lady Sara (Stark) Tully in the year 149 AL. His brothers Rickard and Robyn followed in quick succession (151 and 157 AL), and the trio became inseparable.

The boys were strong, healthy, and rambunctious, choosing to dedicate their time to practicing swordplay, riding, and avoiding their expensive private tutors. When he was fourteen, he left Riverrun to squire for Ser Stannis Celtigar in the Capitol, though he kept in close contact with his brothers and mother, of whom he was exceedingly fond.

In 168 AL (the same year his youngest brother Robert was born) at the age of nineteen, Janos was knighted. A year later, Lord Wilmer began to fall ill, and it was decided that it would be best for Janos to return home to help with the running of the Riverlands.

Janos took to the position like a fish to water, ruling with a fair hand and a listening ear, assuaging any fears the lesser lords or the common folk may have had for the future. Later that year, he reconnected with Faedra of Pinkmaiden, the youngest daughter of Lord Piper of Pinkmaiden and a paramour from Janos’s childhood. It became immediately clear that the passion they held for one another had not faded despite their years apart, and in 170 AL they were wed.

Their seven years of marriage were the happiest and hardest of Janos’s life. He thanked the Seven to be able to spend every day with a woman who so easily occupied the entirety of his heart, but their lack of success with children cast a sorrowful shadow on the House of Tully. Their first son Markus was stillborn, their daughter Ophelia lived only two years before succumbing to fever, and their third son Piper was lost in a miscarriage. The birth of their only surviving son Simon in 177 AL was an event to celebrate and mourn, for as Simon came into the world, his mother left it in the arms of the Stranger. It did not help that Lord Wilmer’s condition worsened around this time, and he too slipped away shortly after.

Janos was heartbroken, plunging into a depression so deep he refused to leave his chamber. Rickard, now Ser Rickard, served as regent while his brother struggled with despair, but it became quickly apparent that Rickard was no Janos, and the Riverlands began to grow impatient for the return of their liege lord. As soon as he started to show the slightest improvement, about 2 years after his wife’s passing, his anxious family introduced him to Alysanne Lannister, a woman of reknowned beauty and daughter of Martyn Lannister.

Janos had no real interest in the lovely young lioness, but his family pushed the union, and in 180 AL they were wed, Alysanne giving birth later that same year to a healthy girl (and his namesake) Joan. Their marriage was a fruitful one, resulting in 7 children, a holy number as Alysanne liked to say. In 183 AL, a son was born to the pair, the birth made less significant by the fact that Simon, though horribly sickly, still lived and was heir. To make things worse, Janos named the boy Faedric, an obvious slight against his young Lannister wife.

The tensions between the pair did not stop them from fulfilling their marital duties, however. In 186 AL their daughter Marlena was born, in 190 Wylla followed, and in 193 the twins Adelaide and Aela drew their first screaming breaths. While his new children were strong, vibrant, and undeniably beautiful, Janos felt nothing but disdain for his brood, proving to be a distant and cold father to all except Simon.

In 195 AL war broke out, giving Janos a much-needed respite from the confining walls of Riverrun and his hateful wife. The Tully’s allegiances were torn, as Bloodraven was a Blackwood bastard and Aegor was a Bracken bastard, so Janos focused instead on quelling the violence in the Riverlands, protecting his people and preventing the horrifying bloodshed and destruction that happened elsewhere. Though he himself fought, Janos was lucky enough not to suffer any truly serious injuries. His youngest brother Robert was not so lucky, perishing in the Battle of Redgrass Field in 196AC.

Janos returned to Riverrun a hero to his people, respected by those sworn to him. The Riverlands had suffered far less than had been expected, thanks to Janos’s efforts, and the man enjoyed wild popularity, beloved by all. He celebrated the marriage of his heir Simon Tully to the young and beautiful Helena Bracken shortly after the end of the war, but after that threw himself into his work, no warmer to the rest of his brood than he had been before the war.

In 204 AC, his youngest daughter Sharine was born, leaving him with six girls to deal with. Of the five who are of marriageable age, four are beautiful, possessing the signature Lannister sophistication like their mother. The eldest, Joan, takes more after her father and is nearing her 30th birthday. Janos hopes to have her wed by then, and is growing rather desperate to do so.

Lady Tully

Name: Lady Alysanne (Lannister) Tully

Age: 47

Appearance:



Alysanne possesses a classic Lannister beauty. Curly hair like spun gold falls perfectly down her shapely back, honeyed skin accentuates the rich emerald green of her stunning eyes. Despite her age, she is still known as one of the most beautiful women in Westeros, and takes care that things stay that way. She is always perfectly presented, even her daughters have never seen her looking anything short of regal and flawless.

Personality:

The lioness was eighteen when she married Janos, young, full of hope, and cheerful of spirit. Years locked in a cold and loveless marriage have hardened her, leaving her once kind soul embittered and selfish.

In response to her husband’s coldness towards her, she seeks to punish him in any way she can, the easiest of which being to spend exorbitant amounts of silver on luxury goods. She has become petty, and enjoys the fights her expenditures create betwixt herself and Lord Tully, using her education and sharp tongue as a weapon against the man.

Towards the world at large, she is coy and coquettish, not ashamed to flirt with men and women even in the presence of her husband. Towards her people she is aloof, unapproachable, an unreachable golden light, an image which no doubt feeds her vanity. Towards her children, especially her daughters, she is hypercritical. She expects perfection from all of them in all aspects of their lives, and she especially expects her daughters to marry into well-established families, preferably Great Houses.

History:

Alysanne was born in 162 AL to Martyn Lannister, Uncle of the current Lord Tybolt Lannister. Raised in Casterly Rock, Alysanne grew up to be the very essence of sophistication, beauty, and grace. Understandably her marriage prospects were very good, but it still came as a wonderful surprise to her when a union was brokered between herself and the recently widowed Lord of Riverrun.

In 180 AL, she married, her head and heart filled with fantasies of the blissful life of luxury, love, and status she had before her. Instead, she found herself locked in loveless marriage with a man who wanted nothing more to do with her than to occasionally share her bed.

Though she fulfilled her wifely duties perfectly, it seemed there was no way to please her new husband. He openly took whores and mistresses to his bed, and even had the gall to name their son after his dead wife.

Alysanne’s pride could not bear these affronts, and she too began to act out. She flirted, she overspent, she even gave the order for a few of Janos’s favorite whores to “disappear”. Any opportunity she had to annoy or hurt her husband, she took, and she took without mercy.

Her only distraction was in the raising of her children. She raised them in the Lannister way, summoning the finest teachers and tutors from Casterly Rock so that her brood would grow to be civilized. She has been successful with six of the seven children. Faedric, her son, is the perfect example of regal aristocracy, and five of her daughters are not only stunningly beautiful, but also refined and delicate as highborn ladies should be. Only Joan, her eldest, has managed to slip through her controlling grasp, going in a direction she does not approve of at all.

The war has ended, and Alysanne mostly resigns herself to petty quarrels with her husband. She often travels to the Red Keep or Casterly Rock to spend fashionable summers in sophisticated company rather than in that of her boorish Lord husband. She prays, rather openly though not in Janos’s earshot, for the Stranger to take the sickly Simon from this world, making Faedric heir, as well as for him to take the Old Trout himself. The sooner the better, as far as Alysanne is concerned.

The Heir of Riverrun

Name: Simon Tully, Heir to Riverrun

Age: 32

Appearance:



Simon is, and has always been, slight and sickly. As tall as his father but barely a third of his bulk, Simon is a shrunken, skeletal man. Often bedridden, his cheeks are sallow, his skin pale and almost translucent in quality, and he is most often found hunched over, as he doesn’t have the strength to sit up. Even his eyes, once bright blue and sparkling with intelligence, have started to dim as his condition steadily worsens.

Personality:

If there is one word to embody the man that is Simon Tully, it is kindness. A life of constantly battling with his own untrustworthy body and frequently near misses with the Stranger have made him appreciate every second he remains breathing. He is endlessly forgiving, genial, generous, and empathetic. He loves with the entirety of his heart, a boon since he does not know how much longer it will keep beating.

Soft spoken and intelligent, he takes pleasure from books, conversation, and afternoons whiled away in the godswood, which for most serves more as a beautiful garden than anything else. He cares for his entire family, but cherishes none more than his lovely wife Helena. A romantic like his father, Simon’s wife is his entire world and he wants nothing more than to see her happy. Nearing the end of his days, he has begun to worry and as a result make preparations to provide for her when he eventually does pass on.

History:

Simon was born in 177 AL, the only surviving child of Lord Janos Tully and Lady Faedra (Piper) Tully. As his mother passed away due to complications during childbirth, Simon was largely cared for by his grandmother, Lady Sara, his father too grief-stricken by the loss of his wife and shortly thereafter his father to care for the wee babe.

It did not take long for it to become completely clear that Simon was not a healthy child. His youth was a series of ailments, injuries and afflictions, one right after the other. Many times his death was predicted, many times the predictors were proven wrong, though it was always a very close call.

Simon’s loneliness did not ebb, even after his father’s remarriage and the birth of this half-siblings. He was incapable of many of the pleasure healthy children enjoyed, and was often stuck inside while the others played or had riding lessons. He found a bit of a kindred spirit in Joan, who had a voracious appetite for knowledge and often debated with him for hours on end on topics ranging from theology and morality to politics, but even she had always had a restless spirit and often went on adventures where the frail Simon could not follow.

Naturally, squiring was out of the question, as was fighting when war broke out in 195 AL. Simon was left in charge of Riverrun while his father and uncles fought, proving himself to be an astoundingly capable leader. Things in the keep ran smoothly, even more smoothly some said than when Janos himself sat the High Chair of Tully, and his impressive performance further earned him the esteem of his father and the hatred of his stepmother.

During a large feast, hosted by the Tullies to celebrate the return of peace to the Westeros and the Riverlands, Simon happened by chance to meet the young Helena Bracken, not thirteen years old. Despite their age difference, the two made an instant connection, and Simon immediately proposed. As far as Lord Tully was concerned, Simon had proven himself a man the moment he took control of the keep, and with the permission of Lord Bracken, the pair was joined in a whirlwind wedding before the festivities ended.

Helena proved to be the companion Simon had always wanted. She was loyal, intelligent, caring, and never left his side, her presence carrying him through many a dark time. In return he tried to be the perfect husband. He knew he would never be able to provide her with everything other men could, but she wanted for nothing. He cherished her, protected her from the mean words of his stepmother and half-siblings, ensured her happiness to the best of his ability. He even insisted she visit her familial home every once in a while for her to reconnect with her father, with whom she was very close, and to get a break from what he knew to be the exhausting task of caring for him.

They remain happily wed, though Simon grows nervous about the future. Despite fourteen years of matrimony, the pair remains childless. To make matters worse, Simon’s condition has begun to worsen and his strength to fade. Anxious to provide for her after he death, Simon has begun to plan, doing everything in his power to make sure Helena is cared for when the Stranger comes for him at last.

The Wife

Name: Helena (Bracken) Tully

Age: 27

Appearance:



Helena is of average height, otherwise possessing a body of almost absurd proportions. Endowed with a more than generous bust and hips, complimented by a slender waist, Helena is a living tribute to her Bracken heritage. Many a man has coveted Helena for her voluptuous figure, though never within Simon Tully’s hearing and never with success.

Personality:

To most, Helena is a sweet, soft-spoken woman dedicated solely to her husband and role as wife. While she has come, at least in part, to care for Simon, her true self, known only to her immediate family, is a far cry from the well-behaved noblewoman she portrays herself to be.

In truth, Helena is ruthless. Cunning, resourceful, and obsessed from a very young age with returning the House of Bracken to its past glory, her motives are hardly as pure as they would seem. Helena is very careful, always making sure that whatever move she makes, it is the wisest for her and for the furthering of her cause.

She is very close with her father Lord Raymund Bracken of Stonehedge and, while she hardly approves of her brother’s methods, there is a mutual respect between the Bracken siblings.

Biography:

Helena was born in 183 AL to Ser Luthor Bracken of Stonehedge, brother to Lord Raymund Bracken. Growing up, raised in the company of her uncle, she was practically spoon-fed stories of her family’s former glory, stories that took root in young Helena’s mind, turning into dangerous dreams.

While her brother took to the sword, Helena threw herself into books, mastering everything from history to economics and tactics in addition to womanly arts, anything she thought would better position her for the future.

The end of the war offered Helena an opportunity to pursue her ambition. Whether by chance or Helena’s own conniving she crossed paths with the sickly Simon Tully, heir to Riverrun. Though barely 13 at the time, Helena overpowered Simon, the young lordling no match for Helena’s beauty and attentions. The pair was wed shortly after and Helena immediately set about zealously trying to produce and heir, thereby securing the Bracken bloodline in the ruling house of the Riverlands.

But her efforts, as extensive as they were, have proved fruitless, and Simon’s condition is quickly declining. Helena can almost see her dream slipping between her fingers like sand, and the woman has started to become quite desperate, willing to go through any means to secure her future and that of her family.

The Fishermaiden

Name: Joan Tully, The Fishermaiden

Age: 29, quickly approaching 30

Appearance:



Joan is tall and slender, her body elegant in its proportions from her graceful neck and clavicle to her willowy wrists and fingers. The exceptions to her slimness are her hips and rump, which are notable for their pleasing size and lovely roundness. While not a stunning beauty like the rest of her sisters, Joan is comely in a humble sort of way, her dark auburn hair and cobalt blue eyes marking her most unmistakably as a daughter of Janos Tully.

Personality:

Joan’s personality is more reminiscent of her Stark heritage, the blood of the North flowing more powerfully within her than in the rest of her siblings. She is strong of temperament and stoic with a clear sense of right and wrong, holding fast to her views and not easily bending to the wills of those who presume to hold sway over her. She cares for others deeply, regardless of status or rank, and her empathy and desire to help those less fortunate have made her wildly popular amongst the common folk of the Riverlands, possibly as popular as, or more so than, her father Janos Tully.

Independently minded and intelligent, she is not afraid to voice her opinions, a trait which has scared off many a young lord from taking her to wife. She cherishes her freedom, and views marriage as a cage. She is far better suited to sitting in the High Chair of Tully than bearing some lords brats, and she dreads the inevitability of her fate.

Joan is, while by no means zealous, firm in her belief of the Old Gods. It is something she rarely talks about, choosing to keep it close to her chest, but it is very important to her and connects her with her Stark roots. She and her grandmother are the only two Tullies who use the Godswood at Riverrun for its intended purpose.

Biography:

Joan was born in 180 AL, the eldest child of Lord Janos and Lady Alysanne Tully. With a father entirely uninterested in her existence, a mother too busy with petty quarreling and her five other children to care, and an independent spirit, Joan spent the majority of her childhood outside of her childhood home, mingling with the common folk and exploring the rivers and lands around Riverrun.

She became a skilled sailor, piloting her own tiny skiff up and down the Tumblestone and the Redfork Rivers, sometimes gone for hours at a time. The good people of Riverrun, fascinated by the fiercely independent little lady, took a liking to the child, and taught her how to fish, to make nets, to forage, to cook and to haggle.

But her voracious appetite for learning was not satisfied. By the time she was twelve she had devoured the entire Tully library and wrung her various teachers and tutors dry of every morsel of information they possessed. Lady Sara Tully, recognizing her granddaughter’s potential and realizing that the tutors her daughter-in-law hired would not be nearly challenging enough for the girl, wrote personally to her contacts throughout Westeros, requesting books and tutors for the bright girl. Through the process, Joan recognized a kindred spirit in her grandmother, and the two became nigh inseparable.

Though Joan was passionate about all knowledge, she soon revealed herself to be particularly gifted in the art of healing. She memorized thousands of herbs and their properties, hundreds of various salves, potions, pills, and poisons. It wasn’t long before she started to experiment herself with practical medicine, and soon she was heading out alone into Riverrun, treating the sick and the wounded free of charge. She even made medicines for her half-brother Simon to help ease his pain and ailments. The common folk began laud and adore her, naming her the Fishermaiden, the Daughter of the Riverlands.

When war broke out, Joan disobeyed her parent’s wishes and snuck out of Riverrun to the battlefields, trying to establish some order in the wake of such violent chaos. She treated injured soldiers, regardless of allegiance, and her healing and popularity with the people continued to grow.

When the war ended, Joan celebrated her sixteenth birthday. Her mother, anxious to have her daughter marry, began to search for suitors. Dozens of perfectly respectable young men visited Riverrun to ask after her hand, and dozens of young men found themselves intimidated by her sharp tongue and firm refusals. It nearly drove her mother mad, but Joan chose instead to focus on her studies and her people, opening an open clinic that she ran right in the heart of Riverrun.

Time passed, and as Joan grew older, her skill and renown increased, but her marriageable value began to plummet. Her mother began to panic that she would die a spinster and began to harass Lord Janos to find a suitable husband for his eldest girl. Joan was, as usual, resistant, always finding ways to subvert potential unions.

In 204 AC Sharine, her youngest sister, was born. The girl displayed intelligence early, something that baffled and scared Lady Alysanne. Knowing the damage her mother could cause, Joan intervened, practically raising the young Tully girl as her own. She continues this life currently, caring for Sharine and for the people of Riverrun. But as she grows closer and closer to 30 years of age, Joan knows her freedom is fast dwindling, and it is only a matter of time before her father forces her into the gilded cage of matrimony.

The Lionfish

Name: Ser Faedric Tully, the Lionfish

Age: 26

Appearance:



Faedric is tall and lean, his lithe form always displayed to its best advantage through elegant dress (Faedric, like his mother, has a taste for the finer things in life). Handsome and never without a confident (some would say smug) smile, Faedric is the Tully child who most prominently displays his Lannister blood. Even his bright eyes are closer to an emerald green than a true Tully blue.

Personality:

Gentile and sophisticated, Faedric conducts himself with the suave grace of the upperclass. He would never deign to appear uncouth in any way, and shuns any activity that he deems to be too menial for his blood. While his arrogance sometimes gets the best of him, resulting in a sharp tongue, Faedric for the most part maintains a flawlessly cool mask, making it difficult for others to read his true thoughts and intentions.

Inside, Faedric is vain, spoilt, and ruthlessly ambitious. He intends to sit the High Chair of Tully and is willing to remove all obstacles in his path by any means necessary. He is calculated, methodical, and altogether a rather dangerous man.

He does have a certain weakness for lovely things however. He is enamored by beauty in both sexes, and has built up a rather infamous reputation as a playboy. Tales of his romantic conquests have tamed a bit since his marriage to Marsella Arryn of the Vale, but only time will tell if he has truly beaten his insatiable lust.

Biography:

Faedric was born in 183 AL to Lord Janos and Lady Alysanne Tully. While his birth should have been a happy occasion for his mother, as she had just produced a son who would more than likely one day inherit the Tully title, it turned out to be one of pain. Janos, who realized that Simon was unlikely to survive very long, named the boy child Faedric after Faedra Piper, his true wife. The boy that should have brought his mother happiness was instead condemned to be an instrument of her torture, a living, breathing, reminder that she was not welcome in Riverrun and never would be.

The boy quickly became aware of his rocky position in Riverrun. His complicated relationship with his mother and his nonexistent relationship with his father shaped an independent but cold youth obsessed with securing his place in the world. Though he interacted with his sisters, he found them to be on the whole vapid, and his closest companions ended up being those he could purchase with his wealth.

When he turned fourteen, he was sent to squire for Ser Jeremy Swyft. Though he went through the motions in order to receive Knighthood, his disdain for physical labor and combat (as he believes them to be below his station), make his title more honorary than anything else.

For a time he jumped around from court to court, making contacts, honing his social and perceptive skills to a deadly point. He also indulged his carnal desires, quite frequently, leaving a sea of broken hearts in his wake (he usually paid someone to ‘deal’ with the bastards, not wanting to leave any loose ends.)

In 207 AC he married Lady Marsella Arryn of the Vale, a largely political alliance, though Faedric has come to be rather fond of his bride, or his “little bird” as he likes to call her. In 208, they welcomed Martyn Tully to the world, a son and Faedric’s heir. Now Faedric only needs for Simon to pass on in order to complete his ambition, but the invalid has proven to be a rather resilient little bastard, and the Lionfish is quickly growing impatient to take what he views as his rightful place in the world.

The Pearl

Name: Marlena Tully, the Pearl of the Riverlands

Age: 23

Appearance:



Marlena is pretty, but has to work harder at being pretty than her sisters (Joan is the homeliest, but also cares the least), a fact that has given her a major chip on her shoulder. She is obsessed with her image, and is never satisfied with her appearance. This obsession often leads her to be thinner than is really healthy.

Personality:

Marlena is elegant, choosing the persona of the benevolent noblewoman. She has worked so hard to keep this perfect façade, that there really isn’t that much of her real personality or soul left within her. She has become a shell, an archetype of the woman she once was, and she was never particularly interesting or dynamic to begin with.

That said she is an excellent court lady. She hosts teas and luncheons, and attends them, providing vapid, light conversation suitable for young ladies of her station. She has a decent amount of popularity, and would be an easy tool for her future husband to use, should he desire to take advantage of her social influence.

Biography:

Marlena was born in 186 AL to Lord Janos Tully and Lady Lysanne Tully. From a young age she dedicated her entire being into becoming the ideal picture of womanhood, and now there is nothing real left of her.

She was trained to be a society woman first in the court at Casterly Rock, and has since moved to the Red Keep, entertaining the Queen and other noble ladies while on a search for a suitable husband.

The Devout Trout

Name: Adelaide Tully, the Devout Trout

Age: 16

Appearance:



Adelaide is the identical twin of Aela, making up one half of a stunning matching set. She is enticingly figured and buxom like her sister, though she tends to dress much more modestly. Burnished red-gold locks fall in waves to her waist, contrasting against her fair skin and pale blue eyes, making her a young woman of striking beauty.

Personality:

Adelaide is, while extremely well-mannered and gentile, not particularly smart. What some might take as shyness or modesty in truth amounts to her having nothing of particular interest or importance to say.

While extremely devout, she does not have particularly deep or innovative thoughts on the subject of theology, simply regurgitating the teachings of the Seven that have been spoon-fed to her from a young age.

Few are aware of her ditzy nature, as she is mostly able to avoid answering questions with a dazzling smile and a toss of her pretty head. But if one was too actually bully her into offering an opinion they would find her to be shallow, vain, and rather dim.

Biography:

Adelaide was born in 193 AL along with her twin Aela to Lord Janos and Lady Alysanne Tully. While not a very bright girl, Adelaide has always been obedient, behaving exactly as Lady Alysanne dictates a noble lady should.

As she grew, Adelaide became a very devout follower of the Seven, at one point even planning to become a Septa. While Lady Alysanne quickly dashed this ridiculous fantasy from her daughter’s mind, religion remains an immensely important part of Adelaide’s life, and she can often be found praying in the Sept.

As she has now come of age, Adelaide has begun the hunt for a husband. Armed with all of the techniques of her mother and tutors, she has set about casting her net for a suitable father for her future children. She only hopes she can find someone as devout and good-looking as herself.

The Teasing Trout

Name: Aela Tully, the Tempting Trout

Age: 16

Appearance:



Aela is the identical twin of Adelaide, making up one half of a stunning matching set. She is enticingly figured and buxom like her sister, with no qualms flaunting the bounty her parents bestowed upon her. Burnished red-gold locks fall in waves to her waist, contrasting against her fair skin and pale blue eyes, making her a young woman of striking beauty.

Personality:

Aela, like her sister, while gentile, is of average intelligence and not particularly intellectual. Her greatest asset is her beauty and she knows it, going through great lengths to make sure she is always looking her best.

Bolder and more ambitious than her sister (perhaps inheriting her strong will from her Stark heritage), Aela is determined to land a husband of rank, and is basically willing to do anything to do so. She is a master tease, a temptress, and has led many a young man down a lengthy fruitless path, cutting them loose at the end because either there status isn’t sufficient or their purse isn’t fat enough.

Biography:

Aela was born in 193 AL along with her twin Adelaide to Lord Janos and Lady Alysanne Tully. While not particularly gifted, Aela learned her lessons well, especially when they pertained to nabbing a husband. Her mother instilled the importance of the task in her from a young age, and it quickly became Aela’s life’s zeal.

Aela has developed into a master tease and temptress. While she has been known to grant men “favors” she remains a technical virgin, saving her purity for the man she eventually weds. Coy, seductive, and bursting with sexual energy, Aela does not find it hard to get the attention of every single man in any given room. She simply has to figure out which one she wants for the long run, and also manage to not get into too much trouble before then.

The Minnow

Name: Sharine Tully, The Minnow

Age: 5 years, or almost 5 years

Appearance:



Sharine is small, as one would expect of a girl her age, and delicate. Her porcelain features, bright red-gold hair, and giant blue eyes make her an extremely lovely child, one promising to surpass her sisters and possibly even her mother in beauty when she blossoms into an adult.

Personality:

Despite her young age, there is a certain gravitas and regality about the young girl that dazzles some and makes others extremely uncomfortable. Peculiarly observant and clever, Sharine is prone to making very shrewd comments, comments one would hardly expect from the mouth of a babe. On the other hand, she enjoys her toys, pets, and all of the other things other noble children enjoy. It will be interesting to see in which directions the girl develops as she comes into her own.

Biography:

Sharine was born in 204, eight years after the end of the war. She is the youngest child, and in all likelihood, last child of Lord Janos Tully and Lady Alysanne Tully.

At barely five years of age, Sharine has already proven herself of particularly sharp mind, almost unsettlingly so. (Far more intelligent than Marlena, Wylla, or the Twins, and she doesn’t even have her adult teeth yet.)

She is engaged to be wed to Benfred Lothston, Heir to Harrenhal, when she comes of age. She has a pony, Aberforth, of whom she is extremely fond, and is extremely close with her eldest sister Joan, who has practically raised the tot and functions as a mother figure where Alysanne falls short.

The Scaled Knight

Name: Ser Robyn Tully, The Scaled Knight, The Silver Shark, Member of the Kingsguard

Age: 52

Appearance:



Robyn is as broad as his brothers, a gift from their mother’s Stark blood, and taller, making him a formidably sized man in any company. He is heavily muscled, hardly an ounce of unnecessary fat to be found anywhere on the body he has honed into a deadly weapon through a life of dedication to the martial arts. His hair is grayer than pictured here, but he has aged well, and is still considered a handsome if somber man.

Personality:

Robyn was in his youth known for his ready, deep laugh, and wide dimpled smile. He was, and continues to be, a well-tempered and genial man, but war has changed him. The things he saw, and the things he did during the war left a permanent mark on the man, changing his view of humanity and of the world in general.

While generally well dispositioned, Robyn is now more reserved, often prone to losing himself in dark thoughts, his face crumpled with concentration. While on duty, however, he is ever vigilant. He performs his job flawlessly, and places the welfare of the King and the Royal Family before all other things, even his own kin. He is a vicious fighter, earning him the nickname the Silver Shark, and offers no mercy to enemies of the crown.

He is however an inherently good man, and will often go out of his way to help innocents when the opportunity presents itself. He will never leave someone in danger if it is within his power to get them out of it. He also will speak against things he considers to be wrong or immoral, which can sometimes lead to conflict.

Biography:

Robyn was born in 157 AL, the third son of Lord Wilmer and Lady Sara Tully. Like his brothers, he resisted traditional schooling, choosing instead to focus on his martial abilities. Though all of the boys were talented, Robyn was particularly gifted. It was often remarked that he must have been born on horse-back with a sword in his hand. (Or both hands, as it turned out, as Robyn is ambidextrous).

In 170 AL, at the age of 13, Robyn began to squire for Ser Loras Reyne. It was almost immediately apparent to Robyn that Ser Loras was not quite the caliber of knight that he himself intended to be, but the young Tully simply gritted his teeth and did his time. He did not have to wait very long at all, distinguishing himself at a tourney and earning his knighthood at barely the tender age of seventeen years.

He continued to be the scourge of tourneys, much to his family’s pleasure. No one wanted to fight the Silver Shark, as it meant almost certain defeat and humiliation. In 180 AL Ser Robyn was offered a place in the Kingsguard as recognition for his impeccable martial prowess. After attending the second wedding of his eldest brother Janos, Ser Robyn agreed, donning the white cloak he promised to wear until his death.

His family thought he was a little crazy. He was a handsome man, didn’t he want a wife? But Ser Robyn had never been particularly attracted to the fairer sex, nor to the sex of which he belonged. Instead, the only time he truly felt whole and at peace was with a sword in his hand and the clash of steel ringing in his ears. In Robyn’s mind, he was marrying his sword, and that was just fine by him.

When war broke out in 195 AL, Ser Robyn proved once again to be a master swordsman loyal to his king. He killed often and witnessed the atrocities that walk hand in hand with battle, sometimes committed by those men who had once possessed his utmost respect. The brutal death of his youngest brother Robert in the battle of Redgrass Field, of whom Robyn was extremely fond, was the last straw for the White Cloak.

As peace resurfaced, there was a marked change in Robyn, as if a permanent shadow had been cast over his soul. He remains loyal to the crown and fantastically good at his job, but there is now a sad darkness lurking within the knight, threatening to consume him from the inside out.

The Old Trout

Name: Lady Sara (Stark) Tully, The Old Trout

Age: 81

Appearance:



Though significantly aged, there is still strength left in the old woman yet. Elegant and strong of will, her presence is not easily ignored, even by the youths who think they know better. She walks with the aid of a cane, the handle of which is a solid silver trout with sapphires for eyes and a ruby tongue.

Personality:

Sara has lived a very long time and seen many things. She has lost a son, a husband, friends, and very little surprises or scares her any more. She is supremely practical, earnest, and strong of will, like many Northern folk, and is not easily swayed or manipulated.

She cares deeply for her family, and though she loves her son Janos, she believes him to be misguided with regards to his treatment of Lysanne and their offspring. She often acts as a mediator between the squabbling lord and lady, and is probably the only person in the entirety of Riverrun who is on good terms with everyone.

Sara is closest with her granddaughter Joan, in whom she sees much of herself, in addition to sharing a faith in the old gods. She is also very fond of Simon, whom she had a large hand in raising, and the knowledge that he will doubtlessly pass away quite soon causes her constant pain.

Biography:

Sara was born in 128 AL, the middle child of the then Lord and Lady Stark. She was always a sensible child, not bothering with childish fancies, instead focusing on her family and her duty.

In 148 AL she was wed to Ser Wilmer Tully, the eldest son and heir of Lord Manfred Tully of Riverrun. At the turn of the next year they welcomed to the world Janos, the first of four sons Sara would bear the Trusty Trout.

Her brood was strong and rambunctious, and Sara loved them dearly, taking an unusual route and doing a substantial amount of their rearing herself. She and her sons have a remarkably tight bond as a result of this, even to this day.

When her husband fell ill and Janos took up the reigns of Riverrun, Sara was there to guide him until he found his footing. Through the death of her husband and of Lady Faedra Tully, she was the family’s rock, remaining strong while the rest of the house fell into mourning. It was under her influence that Lysanne married Janos, something she feels guilt for to this day, though she still believes it is what allowed Janos to bounce back from his depression.

Where Janos wanted nothing to do with the children he whelped, Sara is very fond of all of her grandchildren. As they grew, she was always there to lend a listening ear, a warm hug, or a stern scolding. All of her grandchildren, even Faedric, respect the Old Trout, and though Janos is Lord of Riverrun, Sara’s word is generally law.

Sara knows she is getting old. She worries about the future of the Tully house and fervently hopes that the old gods will bless Simon and Helena with a boy child, thereby producing an heir and securing the somewhat rocky destiny of Riverrun.

Notable NPCs:

Ser Rickard Tully - The Merry Trout, younger brother of Lord Janos Tully and the father of many bastards, 58 years of age.
Lady Lorena (Mallister) Tully, his wife, 50 years of age.
Ser Sam Tully, his son, 27 years of age. Married with one daughter.
Maester Markus Tully, his son 24 years of age.
Ser Benjen Tully, his son 21 years of age.
Elena Tully, his daughter 17 years of age.

Lady Emma (Vance) Tully, Widow of Ser Robert Tully (Brother to Janos), 35 years of age
Squire Alec Tully, her son, 17 years of age
Squire Merdoc Tully, her son 16 years of age

Maester Aerik Tully - The Grumpy Guppy, younger brother to the late Lord Wilmer Tully, Maester of Riverrun, 85 years of age.
Lady Cara (Tully) Mooton, sister of the Late Wilmer Tully, 76 years of age, and her descendants.
Lady Sharine (Tully) Blackwood, sister to Wimer, deceased, but her descendants still live.

Ser Leopold Greenbriar, a knight in Lord Tully's service, 45 years of age
Ser Marric Vance, a knight in Lord Tully's service, 37 years of age,
Kip Swyft, his squire, 12 years of age.

Game of Thrones - A Song of Ice and Fire

I don't think I can resist :P

Game of Thrones - A Song of Ice and Fire

Oh Sini, why do you tempt me so....

Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters

So much luvvvvvvvvvvv

Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters

That happens to me whenever I don't sleep enough.

Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters

Nallore said
Very very tired lol been up since 5AM and gotta do it again tomorrow.

:( Make sure you get some rest at some point. Otherwise you might get sick :(