NATION

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A Song of Ice And Fire - The Bleeding Years

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Ormata
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Postby Ormata » Sat Feb 15, 2020 4:33 am

Ard al Islam wrote:What was their father's name? Lord Kaegan?


Yeah.

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Keruma
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Postby Keruma » Sat Feb 15, 2020 4:38 am

Finished editing my application.

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Dragos Bee
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Postby Dragos Bee » Sat Feb 15, 2020 4:45 am

Keruma wrote:
Vassal/Custom House
Name: House Urie
Coat Of Arms:
(Image)
this but with a blue blackground

Motto: Soar to the Light
Location: Nephilim keep and its surrounding lands (in place of Langward)
For Reference:
Vassal of: The Storm Kings of House Durrandon
Military Strength: Maximum 3,000; Currently 1,400 (1,100 Infantry 300 Cavalry)
Economic Strength: Low
History:

The history of House Urie is recorded firstly by the bard Corban the Troubadour and then by the Maesters of Mosborough. The founder of House Urie, Alran Urie, was one of the Andals who landed on the shores of the Stormlands during the late stages of the Andal Invasion of the Stormlands. Alran was well-known among the Andal ranks for his swordsmanship and even more known for his honor and compassion. When he defeated a first man he never chose to kill them; instead he congratulated them on a well-fought battle, made them swore to never take up arms against his Andal brothers, and sent them home. Alran originally had a small group of men under his command, some 50 knights he would travel around with claiming glory for the seven. Over time, the first men he defeated chose to serve under him instead of returning home, increasing the size of his forces twofold.

The most memorable moment of Alran, as recorded by Corban, was his defense of a small town south of the wendwater, at the border between The Storm Kings and The Iron Kings. The town was already previously ravaged by ironborn raiders, leaving them defenseless to the incoming Andal Invaders. Alran was deeply troubled by this situation as he knows that the group coming to the town was led by a warlord who was known for his cruelty and ruthlessness. Alran rushed to the village and informed the smallfolk that their lives were in danger. The smallfolk were initially wary of the tall Andal man ordering them around but were swayed by the hundreds of first men warriors who gave testament to the man's honor and kindness. After a few days the Andal warriors descended upon the village, defended by Alran and his rag-tag group of Andal knights, First Men warriors and village smallfolk. The fighting was intense; only because of the sheer number of Alran's forces were they able to counter the Andal knights. In the middle of the battle, a long and grueling duel between Alran and the Andal warlord ensued. Arlan's skill as well as the warlord's strength and speed was evenly matched. Alran eventually managed to tire out the warlord and behead him with a single stroke. However, a sneak attack from two of the warlord's men hit Alran by surprise. They were killed by the village smallfolk who had seen the unforeseen event. The battle was won yet Alran Urie's state remained in critical condition.

A few week's rest brought enough vitality to Alran who was conscious but will forever be bothered by attack. The two perpetrators left two vertical scars on the back as well as having affected his lungs to the point where he will no longer be able to fight for a very long time. The smallfolk celebrated the defense of the town as well as the heroism of the Andal Knight Arlan Urie. Once Arlan was able to stand on his own feet however, a group of men from House Durrandon came to the village, demanding that Arlan and all Andals with him come with them or else have the village destroyed. Arlan, not wishing to endanger the lives of the smallfolk, went willingly along with the remnants of his original core of knights. Along the way to Storm's End, Alran learned that there was a seventh attempt at taking the mystical fortress and once again, like all other attempts, failed. Suddenly, all andal lords in the region of the stormlands was invited by King Maldon IV Durrandon for an armistice.

The feast at Storm's End signaled the end of hostilities between the Storm King and the various local Andal Lords. All of them, Arlan included, swore allegiance the Storm Kings. Arlan was granted land by Maldon due to his honorable defense of the village a few weeks prior. Coincidentally, the land was the surrounding lands the village he defended was standing on, making him its lord. He also wed a first men maiden, thereby truly establishing the house of Urie. He was greeted with fanfare on his way back to the village and all the smallfolk of the village immediately swore allegiance to their new lord. The knights of Arlan intermarried with the smallfolk and they helped build the foundation of what would become Nephilim Keep.


Name: Asher Urie
Appearance:(Image) This minus the beard and with amber eyes

Asher stands at a height of 5'10". His long and thick raven hair falls down to his shoulders, giving him a broody aura. He has wide shoulders and yet has a lean musculature. He prefers colors that are predominantly black, due to currently mourning the loss of his father Lord Arlan III of Mosborough. His eyes are a shade of dark brown amber which becomes fully amber when hit by the shining sun.
Age:17
Bio: Asher was the firstborn son of Arlan "Ambersword" Urie and Miranna Massey. The Nephilim keep's location meant that everyone had to be ready for the eventual ironborn raids. Arlan, from a young age, was taught swordsmanship and archery by the castle's master-at-arms. However, Asher's interests truly lie in reading about the world and of life itself. After the combat training he so greatly resented he would run to the keep's maester and ask him to teach him how to read and write. At the age of six, Asher was sent to his mother's original house, House Massey, on Stonedance to further enhance his own skills. There Asher was given equal opportunities to hone his scholarly as well as martial pursuits. He was well-regarded because of his intelligence and skill with a bow.

It was at this point in his life that he would develop a close relationship with his father. He never felt affection to his father during his early years because Lord Arlan was always busy with defending the lands against ironborn raids. Once Asher left Nephilim keep, he and his father would send letters to one another, discussing things such as warfare, their family, the gods, their hunting dogs, even life itself. Asher came to see his father more clearly than ever and became one of his role models. He would send some gifts to his father, such as the tusks of the boar he killed in his first ever hunt. This relationship with his father became a motivation for him to do better with his swordsmanship, the one thing he and his father would disagree on.

It was agreed that Asher would return home once he reached the age of sixteen, but a local matter with pirates delayed Asher's departure by a few months. Asher was accompanied by several knights of house Massey in order to ensure the safety of young Asher. Once they arrived at the border of Nephilim, they were ambushed by several Ironborn raiders. All of the knights accompanying Asher were killed and Asher was only able to barely escape, racing back to his home to get to safety. Once he arrived, however, he saw the devastation which the ironborn brought upon his home. The village was burning and there are no guards at the castle's gates. Asher rushed inside the keep where bodies wearing his house's colors were strewn across the floor. He rallied the guards still alive and forced the raiders out of his home. He was relentless, even when the ironborn were already retreating; he would shoot all the arrows available at the fleeing islanders until he was stopped by Maester Joren, the maester who taught him how to read and write. He explained that while Asher was gone, the raiders got bolder and bolder with their attacks, but this attack was unlike anything they have ever experienced before. Maester Joren also guided Asher to his dead father, a sword stab on his chest visible, laid down on a table at the lowest levels of the keep. The death of his father hit Asher hard. He was planning on going after the raiders but the presence of his mother and his sister, a young girl born during his years away from home, took away vengeance from his mind. Instead he focused the past few months rebuilding the lands, rekindling his relationship with his remaining family, and preparing the people so that they may never face such a tragedy ever again.
Mundane Skills:
Swordsmanship
Asher is, admittedly, only an average swordsman. It is only a combination of good armor, a good sword, his guards, a good strategy and tactic, and his own skills that will keep him alive on the battlefield.

Archery
Asher is well-versed in the ways of the bow. He is able to shoot an arrow as far as 300 yards with his personal bow, an ironwood bow specially made from the North. An effect of this is that his left arm is somewhat larger than his right.

Agility
Asher was blessed with a natural agility, able to move much quicker with his body. This is the basis of his fighting style; tire out the opponent with fast strikes and dodges until an opportunity to end it arises.
Charisma
Asher is not the type of leader to inspire men in a single speech. In fact his public speaking skills are rather lackluster. His strength lies in speaking to them privately and inspiring loyalty one soldier at a time and he is able to maneuver around political dialogue deftly.
Magic (If Any):
Personality: Asher is oftentimes a quiet person, preferring to sit in the sidelines, observing as much as he can. This is the public persona Asher presents, which makes him out as a broody scholar, since his inclination for scholarly pursuits are well known. He is known to observe carefully before acting in any given situation, preferring to figure out the situation and taking action based on his observation. He can become an intimidating force as a leader when negotiating, exuding confidence and power. Between those he is close to, however, he is a lot more cheerful and possesses a dry sense of humor. He is a lot more talkative with those he is close with and will playfully tease them once in a while. He also possesses a strong sense of honor but can be forgotten when under extreme bouts of stress.
Kingdom:
Is he/she a Ruler? Yes
Heir(s): none yet


Accepted.
Sorry for my behavior, P2TM.

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Roman Imperator
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Postby Roman Imperator » Sat Feb 15, 2020 5:39 am

Really can't wait for the IC to be up and the show to get started 8)
Just here to Roleplay. Don't bother sending me regional invitational TGs. I'll know how to join if I want to.

Call me Rom/Roman or whatever floats your boat....


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Ormata
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Postby Ormata » Sat Feb 15, 2020 5:43 am

Roman Imperator wrote:Really can't wait for the IC to be up and the show to get started 8)


Well shit now it's never going to start is it, since you said that.

Good going.

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Ard al Islam
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Postby Ard al Islam » Sat Feb 15, 2020 5:49 am

Ormata wrote:
Roman Imperator wrote:Really can't wait for the IC to be up and the show to get started 8)


Well shit now it's never going to start is it, since you said that.

Good going.

Almost finished the apps, gonna proofread them once more tomorrow then post them. Get ready, there's a lot of reading.

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Roman Imperator
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Postby Roman Imperator » Sat Feb 15, 2020 6:00 am

Ormata wrote:
Roman Imperator wrote:Really can't wait for the IC to be up and the show to get started 8)


Well shit now it's never going to start is it, since you said that.

Good going.


:unsure:

I have question tho. Has the Three Thousand of Qohor event happened already? or are we still in the period before the Dothraki came and kicked butt?
Just here to Roleplay. Don't bother sending me regional invitational TGs. I'll know how to join if I want to.

Call me Rom/Roman or whatever floats your boat....


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Keruma
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Postby Keruma » Sat Feb 15, 2020 6:01 am

Dragos Bee wrote:
Keruma wrote:[box]


Accepted.

Thanks! Now to find someone willing to marry into a barely-alive house plagued with death and destruction... but we got cool eyes!

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Ormata
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Postby Ormata » Sat Feb 15, 2020 6:11 am

Makes me sad we don't have any heights / physical descriptions for many leaders.

I love seeing who Eyan would tower over.

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Keruma
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Postby Keruma » Sat Feb 15, 2020 7:28 am

Ormata wrote:Makes me sad we don't have any heights / physical descriptions for many leaders.

I love seeing who Eyan would tower over.

Maybe you could have rumors of giant's blood! It'd give be a nice flavor to your house.
On a side note, it would be interesting to see how Lord Eyan and Lord Asher interact since both tend to be quiet at public functions. It'd be even more interesting how they would fare in war as enemies(I imagine them being equal in single combat while Eyan would defeat Asher in a pitched battle)

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Ormata
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Postby Ormata » Sat Feb 15, 2020 7:33 am

Keruma wrote:
Ormata wrote:Makes me sad we don't have any heights / physical descriptions for many leaders.

I love seeing who Eyan would tower over.

Maybe you could have rumors of giant's blood! It'd give be a nice flavor to your house.
On a side note, it would be interesting to see how Lord Eyan and Lord Asher interact since both tend to be quiet at public functions. It'd be even more interesting how they would fare in war as enemies(I imagine them being equal in single combat while Eyan would defeat Asher in a pitched battle)


Possibly so. Some fun little rumors may abound there.

I do think it'd be fun to see them interact, though I suspect it would mainly be terse words of underlying meaning than anything else. Asher might even ask a little about Beyond the Wall, considering his scholarly pursuits. Perhaps they've had earlier dealings, with the ironwood bow being a purchase of Lord Asher's from House Feather? In combat, I do suspect that Eyan would defeat Asher based on his combat style, considering the man is brutally quick in that realm.

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The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune
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Postby The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune » Sat Feb 15, 2020 3:31 pm

Ormata wrote:
Keruma wrote:Maybe you could have rumors of giant's blood! It'd give be a nice flavor to your house.
On a side note, it would be interesting to see how Lord Eyan and Lord Asher interact since both tend to be quiet at public functions. It'd be even more interesting how they would fare in war as enemies(I imagine them being equal in single combat while Eyan would defeat Asher in a pitched battle)


Possibly so. Some fun little rumors may abound there.

I do think it'd be fun to see them interact, though I suspect it would mainly be terse words of underlying meaning than anything else. Asher might even ask a little about Beyond the Wall, considering his scholarly pursuits. Perhaps they've had earlier dealings, with the ironwood bow being a purchase of Lord Asher's from House Feather? In combat, I do suspect that Eyan would defeat Asher based on his combat style, considering the man is brutally quick in that realm.


Meanwhile Taedor is your stereotypical Ironborn beserker, but he actually thinks when he fights.

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Union Princes
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Postby Union Princes » Sat Feb 15, 2020 3:49 pm

Would Taedor have fought Reynes before? Did he have a chance to duel Armond Reyne "The Ironbreaker"?
Last edited by Union Princes on Sat Feb 15, 2020 3:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
There is no such thing as peace, only truce between wars

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The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune
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Postby The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune » Sat Feb 15, 2020 4:04 pm

Union Princes wrote:Would Taedor have fought Reynes before? Did he have a chance to duel Armond Reyne "The Ironbreaker"?


Possibly, during his raids up and down the Western Coast. I think Armond and Taedor would be equally matched in 1 on 1 combat, Armond would win in a proper pitched battle, while Taedor would take the victory in a more skirmish style conflict.

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Dragos Bee
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Postby Dragos Bee » Sat Feb 15, 2020 4:44 pm

Roman Imperator wrote:
Ormata wrote:
Well shit now it's never going to start is it, since you said that.

Good going.


:unsure:

I have question tho. Has the Three Thousand of Qohor event happened already? or are we still in the period before the Dothraki came and kicked butt?


It hasn't happened yet. And the IC begins with an event which will either make it not happen entirely, or happen faster.
Sorry for my behavior, P2TM.

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Union Princes
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Postby Union Princes » Sat Feb 15, 2020 4:49 pm

The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune wrote:
Union Princes wrote:Would Taedor have fought Reynes before? Did he have a chance to duel Armond Reyne "The Ironbreaker"?


Possibly, during his raids up and down the Western Coast. I think Armond and Taedor would be equally matched in 1 on 1 combat, Armond would win in a proper pitched battle, while Taedor would take the victory in a more skirmish style conflict.


should we have them be friendly rivals or sworn enemies?
There is no such thing as peace, only truce between wars

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Guuj Xaat Kil
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Postby Guuj Xaat Kil » Sat Feb 15, 2020 5:43 pm

Dragos Bee wrote:
Roman Imperator wrote:
:unsure:

I have question tho. Has the Three Thousand of Qohor event happened already? or are we still in the period before the Dothraki came and kicked butt?


It hasn't happened yet. And the IC begins with an event which will either make it not happen entirely, or happen faster.

Yo what the fuck
This fucks up my lore
Former Foreign Minister of the Federation of Allies.
Formerly [REDACTED] and [REDACTED], 8000 combined what the heck.

egg

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Dragos Bee
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Postby Dragos Bee » Sat Feb 15, 2020 6:21 pm

Guuj Xaat Kil wrote:
Dragos Bee wrote:
It hasn't happened yet. And the IC begins with an event which will either make it not happen entirely, or happen faster.

Yo what the fuck
This fucks up my lore


Apologies, but I want to save Sarnor.
Sorry for my behavior, P2TM.

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Guuj Xaat Kil
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Postby Guuj Xaat Kil » Sat Feb 15, 2020 7:12 pm

Dragos Bee wrote:
Guuj Xaat Kil wrote:Yo what the fuck
This fucks up my lore


Apologies, but I want to save Sarnor.

I guess I'll be the one's breaking Sarnor.
Ok hol up gonna change my lore about, also this means Ibbish is still under Ibbenese hands and Ibben is still going strong.

Yiss
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Formerly [REDACTED] and [REDACTED], 8000 combined what the heck.

egg

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Ard al Islam
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Postby Ard al Islam » Sat Feb 15, 2020 8:36 pm

Alright, I finished the application. I just need Dragos Bee to look over it to accept it and Ormata to look over it to see if I got his character right. Be warned, though. It's a lot of reading.

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Ard al Islam
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Application for the Vale Kingdom, House Arryn, and Character

Postby Ard al Islam » Sat Feb 15, 2020 8:36 pm

Canon Name: The Kingdom of the Vale
Canon Flag/Badge:
Image

Canon Military Strength: 45,000 Vale Knights. They are 30,000 infantry and 15,000 cavalry. 10,000 of them are Arryn Knights; the other 35,000 can be mustered up from all of their vassals during war time. When not fighting, however, they likely won't maintain such a massive standing army, something like 25,000 max. But during war, they will muster up the large 45,000 force that they are capable of. They also have a strong navy with roughly 200 ships, not that well-suited for offense but perfect for defense. They have sufficient men for these ships, separate from the rest of the army.
Canon History: Many First Men established small kingdoms in this region. The most prominent was the Winged Knight, a legendary hero who flew to the top of the Giant's Lance(the tallest mountain in Westeros) to slay the Griffin King.

The Vale was where the Andals first landed, and they easily overpowered the First Men. One prominent house, that of Ser Artys Arryn, won against the First Men at the Battle of the Seven Stars, establishing House Arryn as the ruling house in the newly-named Vale of Arryn.

The Arryns would rule as Kings for 6,000 years, in which time they constructed impenetrable defenses. Their castle, the Eyrie, was impenetrable. In addition, there was one large castle on the way to get there. An important trading city was established around the port of Gulltown. Those First Men who didn't want to submit fled to the mountains and became the Mountain Clans, known for harassing Valemen.

At some point, the North invaded the Three Sisters, and the Vale retaliated by taking them back and burning Wolf's Den, in a war known as the War Across the Water. Halleck Hoare tried three times to invade the Vale, but all 3 times he was unable to penetrate the Bloody Gate(a good distance away from the Eyrie).
Headcanon History: From 47-43 BC, the amount of assaults and attacks from the Mountain Clans slowed, and eventually stopped. The Mountain Clans were preparing for a large attack. This started what became known as the Mountain Revolt, a large-scale rebellion against House Arryn. The Prince and Heir to the Sky Throne, Ser Adler Arryn, turned back a massive force at the Bloody Gate and then followed the Mountain clan, eventually defeating them and putting there rebellion to an end.

After the old king's death, Prince Adler became the King at the age of 30 in 37 BC. He married Lady Bryna of the House Feather in the North, and tried to have a son, but had 5 daughters, the oldest of which was Sharra. Adler is currently the King of the Mountain and Vale, and his aim is to cement the Vale's authority in Westerosi politics, affairs, and diplomacy, whether by making alliances, or by war.
Economic Strength: Average-The Vale has access to the best port on the East Coast, at the city of Gulltown.

Name: House Arryn
Coat Of Arms:
Image
Words: As High as Honor
Location: The Vale of Arryn, with its center at the Giant's Lance
Vassal of: None
Military Strength: 10,000 Vale Knights
Economic Strength: High
History: The Arryns are considered to come from the oldest and purest line of Andal nobility, which they say reaches back to Andalos and possibly Hugor of the Hill.

When King Robar II Royce began to unite the First Men and defeat some of the petty Andal kings during the Andal invasion, the Andals of the Vale united behind Ser Artys Arryn, the Falcon Knight, a native Valeman esteemed amongst his peers as the finest warrior of his day. Robar was slain in the Battle of the Seven Stars, possibly by Artys, and the First Men houses who remained bent the knee and swore fealty to Artys Arryn, the First of His Name, new-crowned King of Mountain and Vale. From that day, the Vale became known as the Vale of Arryn. Songs of the Vale conflate Artys with the legendary Winged Knight, who is said to have slain the Griffin King atop the Giant's Lance. The First Men who did not accept Artys as their king were forced into the Mountains of the Moon, becoming the Vale mountain clans.

The Arryns initially lived at the Gates of the Moon, but over generations they constructed the Eyrie. They often used the Eyrie as a summer pleasure palace, descending to the Gates of the Moon before winter made the Eyrie inaccessible.

The Arryn kings added Pebble, the Paps, and the Witch Isle to their realm. They battled with the Stark Kings of Winter over the Three Sisters in the War Across the Water, which featured King Osgood Arryn and his son and successor, Oswin the Talon, who burned the Wolf's Den. There were bloody battles wherein the Arryn fleet turned back slavers from Volantis, ironborn reavers, and pirates from the Stepstones and the Basilisk Isles. The legendary Lady Alyssa Arryn gave her name to Alyssa's Tears, a waterfall on the Giant's Lance, when she did not shed a tear for her murdered husband, brothers and children.

The most recent conflict was the Mountain Rebellion. Between 47-43 BC, Mountain Clan raids and attacks slowly ceased. They were preparing a large attack. In 43 BC, the old King Robert I, and his eldest son, 24-year-old Ser Adler Arryn, wondered why, and came to the conclusion that they may be planning an attack. That attack came the next year, when 3 separate armies raised by the Mountain clan began their attack. 15,000 assembled west of the Bloody Gate, taking over the High Road up to that point. 10,000 got together North of the High Road between the Bloody Gate and the Eyrie, and 5,000 to the South.

King Robert created three Corps to squash the rebellion. The first was a 5,000 strong Vale army led by his 2 elder sons, Rob and Jon. They were made of the finest knights. The objective of the First Corps was to assist the garrison at the Bloody Gate and repel the main body of the Mountain Rebels. The Second Corps was to be a 10,000 strong army led by Robert's greatest general, Ser Arrys Royce, and his youngest son, Ser Adler Arryn. Their mission was to attack the rebels up north and stop them from getting the High Road between the Bloody Gate and the Eyrie. The Third Corps was led by other bannermen fielding a 5,000 strong army, with the intent to destroy the southern rebels. A relatively small garrison stayed at the Eyrie to defend it.

The Third Corps was the first to set out, easily defeating the rebels in the south. The First Corps set out along the High Road to the Bloody Gate. The Second Corps went north of the High Road to defeat the rebels up north. The First Corps managed to reach the Bloody Gate, and they fought against the rebels, who were laying siege. The Third Corps continued fighting rebels down south.

Up north, Ser Arrys and Adler led the army to attack the rebels, finding them. Arrys took the center, and Adler the left. Another man commanded the right. The battle was easy for the Valemen(thanks to their mounted archers), and soon, the rebels took 1,000 casualties compared to 100 Vale casualties. Arrys' unit managed to smash through their center, causing the rebels to flee. Arrys wanted to pursue the majority who fled East, but Adler suggested to keep going West. They split, and Adler took 3,000 men west and Arrys took 7,000 men east.

Arrys' army managed to catch up to the 3,000 rebels who fled east, and engaged in battle with them. It turned out to be a trap, however, and another 3,000 rebels came and surrounded Arrys' army. They fought bravely, managing to kill 3,000 rebels before in turn being wiped out, Arrys being martyred. The 3,000 remaining rebels began to march towards the Eyrie.

Out West, Adler marched his 3,000 strong force to catch the rebels before they got to the Bloody Gate, eventually reaching them and utterly defeating them, causing a mass surrender. Adler then moved his soldiers to the Bloody Gate, were 5,000 rebels were currently assaulting it. There was already a garrison of 5,000 Vale Knights there. Adler took a secret, one-way route to get out, and moved behind the rebels. The rebels were now trapped against the gate and Adler's soldiers, while the other Valemen shot at them with arrows. It was a slaughter, and only 500 rebels managed to escape through a desperate push. After, Adler learned the terrible news that his 2 brothers perished in the fighting, making him now the heir to the Sky Throne.

Adler then took 7,000 soldiers(leaving 1,000 to guard the Gate) on a mission to defeat the remaining 10,000 rebels. They chased after them and caught up to them multiple times, defeating them 4 times in one week at the Battle of Hills, Battle of the Ditch, Battle of Rainbow Skies, and the Third Battle of the Mountains. These successive victories proved Adler's capability and made him very popular. By this point, they still had 6,000 men west of the Gate, and only 5,000 rebels remained, being pushed further west.

At the Eyrie, 3,000 rebels tried to attack it, to no avail. The defenses were impenetrable, and 1,000 of them were killed by Arryn arrows. They tried to retreat, in the rush knocking many over off the bridges. However, when they got to the bottom of the Giant's Lance, the found the Third Corps, returned and waiting for them.

Now the only threat lay West, and Adler was confident in victory. He moved his soldiers to make one final attack in the mountains, near the Riverlands-Vale border. It turned out to not be so easy, both sides being exhausted. In the end, the Vale won, taking 1,000 casualties while the rebels lost 4,500. The remaining 500 rebels fled into the North and Hoare-controlled Riverlands.

The war made Adler very popular, and he earned such titles as "Adler the Eagle" and "Defender of the High Road." He stayed in the west for a bit to visit other Valemen and provide condolences to the families of the fallen. Soon he got a message from his father asking to return to the Eyrie, and he obliged.

In 37 BC, King Robert died, and Adler succeeded him. As the Falcon Crown was placed on his head, he was proclaimed King Adler Arryn, First of His Name. His first goal was to marry so as to secure an alliance and a bloodline. Although the Vale is a historic enemy of the North, King Adler viewed them favorably, saying "Northmen are Valemen as First Men, and Valemen are Northmen as Andals." He didn't ever want to fight them, but in the event it would happen, he forbade things like plundering.

He wanted to secure a good relationship with Northerners without dissent, so he thought he should marry from a vassal house instead of house Stark. He tried to find a relatively worse-off house with strong values, and settled on House Feather. He visited them and was enchanted by Lord Kaegan's elder daughter, Bryna, for her beauty and personality. She was six years his junior. He asked for her hand in marriage, and he was accepted.

He got married to Lady Bryna Feather, now Queen Bryna Arryn. They had a marriage ceremony at Irontown, and another one at the Gates of the Moon. They had 5 daughters; Sharra, Lydia, Aemma, Bela, and Lily. Adler also made sure that his wife had everything she needed to practice her own customs and religion comfortably, such as setting up a Godswood.

Name: Adler Arryn I, King of Mountain and Vale
Image

Appearance: Adler stands at an impressive 6 feet tall. He is muscled and strong-built, as warriors usually are. He keeps his dark brown hair long, that it flows down to his neck. He also maintains a beard. Adler prefers to wear traditional Vale clothing, and usually some protective or fighting gear(not full armor, but maybe a vest). He has long hair, but he wears a hat. Usually he wears a military-style wool hat, sometimes wrapped in a scarf. If needed to, he will wear the Falcon Crown. He also wears a gauntlet on his left arm at all times for Saqruhaa.
Age: 40
Bio: Adler was born in 67 BC, the third son of King Robert Arryn. He had 2 older brothers, Rob and Jon. He learned how to speak before he could walk, and when he was 2, he rode his first horse. When he turned 4, his father made him learn the ways of the warrior. He practiced and became adept in the uses of the sword and bow. He liked to play with his brothers, but they were always too rough with him. In time, he also learned how to read and write from one of the servants at the Eyrie.

When he was 5, in 62 BC, his younger sister Sharra was born. Until now, it was only brothers. Sharra looked up to Adler. Adler felt closer to his sister than with his brothers, and he would often read stories to her. When Sharra turned 3, Adler stole a horse from a knight and brought it to her as a gift. He eventually returned it, though.

Adler would spend the next 2 years improving his fighting ability, as well as studying various subjects(his favorites being history, economy, warcraft, theology, politics/diplomacy, and medical). Various squires recall Adler as having "a book in his hand as much as he had a sword." During this time, Adler's relationship with Sharra grew stronger, and they frequently did many fun things together.

At the age of ten, it seemed that Adler lost all interest in the way of the warrior. He would often confine himself to his room, not going outside to practice sword-fighting with the smallfolk or practicing archery. He spent his time studying and writing poetry. He was only visited by his parents and his sister. Adler's mother remembered these times:
"I would come in the morning to see how he was doing, and he would be reading a book, his sword resting against the wall or on the floor. He wouldn't say much to me. Then I would go elsewhere and come back later, and then he was writing. I asked what he was writing, and he would describe the poetry or story he was currently working on. He would then take a candle and burn it, before writing something else. It was a very miserable time, and I feared the worst."

Adler would speak to his sister more than anyone else. They had very heartfelt conversations, and they knew all of each other's secrets. Sharra would bring food to Adler every day and wouldn't leave until he ate it. It hurt her very much to see Adler depressed like this. Adler never gave a reason for what caused his depression, but it's been speculated that it was a lack of confidence in his abilities as a warrior, being overshadowed by his brothers.

In 52 BC, tragedy struck. Adler, now a 15-year-old man, learned that 10-year-old Sharra had been kidnapped by one of the mountain clans. She was sadly killed. Adler blamed himself for her death, a guilt he has always lived with. From that day forward, Adler vowed to become a great warrior and avenge his sister.

Adler traveled all over the Vale to learn every combat technique. Swords, spears, pikes, staffs, axes, daggers, and bows. He kept himself sharp and well trained for fighting. One notable Knight he squired with was Ser Aquila. Aquila traveled all around the Vale with Adler, exposing him to life as a Knight. Eventually, at the age of 17, Adler was made a Knight by Ser Aquila, a fortnight before he died.

At the age of 18, Adler located the clan that had killed his sister. He went on a revenge mission, going after each of the clan leaders in an assassin type fashion. He managed to recruit small armies, and he fought numerous battles with the clan, eventually killing the men responsible for his sister's death and earning the respect of his father. King Robert placed Adler as a commander in the army. For the next few years, Adler proved his military prowess and fighting ability in numerous campaigns against Mountain clans. The greatest of these was in 42 BC(when he was 25), the Mountain Revolt(see above for complete details)

After the war, Adler set up numerous relief centers in the Western Vale to provide aid to many people whose lives were affected by the fighting. He ended up becoming very popular with the smallfolk, and Adler would often give his own money to them. He set up temporary provisional councils to control things. King Robert was getting senile, and Adler was acting on his behalf. He demanded that House Hoarre return all escaped Mountain Clan rebels, but this fell on deaf ears.

Adler knew the reality of his situation. With his brothers dead and his father growing old, it wouldn't be long before he became the King of Mountain and Vale. Eventually, he got a Raven from the Eyrie to return. Adler bade farewell to his men and rode across the High Road with a protective escort to the Eyrie.

King Robert revealed to Prince Adler that he was dying, and he needed to teach Adler how to become a great king after him. For the next 5 years, Adler studied diplomacy, politics, and administration, all the while honing his combat skills. His father also gifted him some fine weapons; an ornate sword and a Valyrian steel dagger, which he named Talon. When Adler turned 30, he was given a falcon egg, which hatched into a female falcon that Adler named Saqruhaa.

Eventually, the sad news came. In 37 BC, King Robert passed away at the age of 60. Adler was now Adler Arryn I, King of Mountain and Vale. His first aim as King was to secure a bloodline. Already infatuated with Northern culture, as well as wanting a strong presence in the North, he looked to find a good house to marry from. He learned of the House Feather, and set off to meet them.

King Adler and his entourage arrived at Irontown and met with Lord Kaegan Feather. After a brief meeting and discussion, Lord Kaegan takes the King to his residence. Their, the King meets Lord Kaegan's 19-year-old son, Eyan, and his 24-year-old daughter, Bryna. He is immediately enchanted by Bryna's compassionate disposition and her breath-taking looks. The King makes an offer of marriage on the spot.

After much discussion, Lord Feather and King Arryn work out a marriage alliance. King Arryn requests Lady Bryna's hand in marriage, and in addition, being allowed to place a garrison of 2,000 Vale knights in Irontown, who would live independently. He also demands that the Feathers turn in any mountain fugitives that they may encounter. In return, King Arryn offered a holding in Gulltown reserved exclusively for House Feather, allowing them to build a merchant fleet and mitigate the disadvantage of being landlocked. Lord Kaegan happily agrees.

King Adler and Lady Bryna are wed in a ceremony in the way of the Old Gods, in front of a Godswood tree. They then hold an elaborate feast, which King Stark himself attends. After Lady Bryna Feather, now Queen Bryna Arryn, bids farewell to her family, the couple and their entourage sale back to the Vale.

In the Eyrie, they held another elaborate ceremony, this time in the tradition of the Faith of the Seven. After the wedding, Adler has a Godswood set up for his wife so she can practice her faith. Later in the year, Bryna gives birth to their first child, a daughter. Adler names her "Sharra."

Adler continued to rule after that, ten years so far. His reign was marked by an era of social reform, changing policies to work better, making him popular with the population. He also works to end the "threat" of the mountain clans. The King's main goal is to strengthen the Vale as a power in international affairs, and King Arryn does so with control over Gulltown and a garrison in the North. His reign is secured, and so is his kingdom.

However, King Arryn has had trouble producing an heir. Over the years, he has had 5 daughters with Lady Bryna; Sharra(37 BC), Lydia(35 BC), Aemma(33 BC), Bela(31 BC), and Lily(29 BC), but he has no sons. The future of his kingdom may be at risk, but he feels that his daughter could become the ruler. Still, he would prefer that one of his daughters has a son who can become King.
Mundane Skills:
Combat: He is regarded as the greatest warrior in the Vale of Arryn, with great skill in many weapons.

Leadership: King Adler has proven himself to be an excellent leader, both politically and militarily.

Falconry: Is very skilled at hunting with his falcon, Saqruhaa.
Magic (If Any): N/A
Personality: A very wise and compassionate person, Adler loves to uphold the chivalrous values of the Andals. He is very proud of the Vale and its history as an unconquerable nation. He has the personality of a warlord if needed. He can be very cold. He is very stern with his enemies, and very loving with his friends. As one man puts it, "an Eagle outside, a sparrow in the house." When needed, he can be very aggressive. He is able to keep his emotions in check, for the most part. Adler has an absolute love for his family(mother, wife, and daughters), and he considers himself blessed to have so many women in his life.
Kingdom: The Vale of Arryn
Is he/she a Ruler? Yes
Heir(s): Sharra Arryn(10), Lydia Arryn(8), Aemma Arryn(6), Bela Arryn(4), and Lily Arryn(2), in that order. It does not bother Adler that he has only daughters, but he hopes that one of them will have a son who can become King.

------------------------------------------

Name: Sharra Arryn, Princess of Mountain and Vale
Appearance:
Image
Sharra is a fair-sized young woman, known to be one of, if not the most, beautiful girl in the Vale, being known as the Flower of the Mountain. Despite being only 10, she has had countless marriage proposals, all of which her father rejected. She has light brown hair, and her mother's eyes.

Sharra's style of clothing is a blend between her parents. Like her mother, she prefers to wear plain dresses, but she will wear elaborate overcoats over them in traditional Vale style. She keeps her hair braided, and she either wears nothing on her head or a crown(her's, or more usually, her father's). She also takes to wearing a gauntlet on her left arm for birds.
Age: 10
Bio: Born in 37 BC to King and Queen Arryn, she has lived her life in the Eyrie and the Gates of the Moon. Sharra knew from a young age the enormous responsibility she would have as future Queen. When she was 2, her younger sister Lydia was born. By this point she could speak. When Sharra was 3, she would begin to accompany her father on his journeys, after she learned how to read. She would often ride on the same horse with her father, who loved her dearly. One witness states:
"[Adler's] host had set off from the Gates of the Moon. We were heading towards Gulltown for an economic assessment and meeting. As the King mounted his horse, the Queen watched from the doorway, her infant in her arms, and she tried to hold Sharra back from running to her father. The little girl tried to run as best she could towards the King, who, evidently, really loved her. Although she could speak, she was shy, and the King took her up in his arms and kissed her head. He then tried to put her down on the ground, but she resisted, grabbing his beard. The King relented, and he lifted his daughter up on the horse in front of him, removed his elaborate Falcon Crown, and placed it on her head."

When Sharra was 4, she learned to write, and she became less shy, openly talking to others. Another sister, Aemma, was born. Adler had left to assess a situation regarding mountain clans, a dangerous mission, so Sharra had to stay behind. She was home with her 2 sisters and her mother, Queen Bryna. Sharra and her mother would spend their time riding horses and practicing archery, sparking Sharra's passion and skill for them. When her father returned, Sharra surprised him with her archery ability, better than usual for a beginner.

By the time Sharra turned 5, she had began reading books in the library. She learned a variety of subjects, but her favorite things to read about were history, politics, and falconry. At this time, the King was organizing a visit to see his father-in-law, for he was unable to before and Lord Kaegan was soon to pass away. The Royal Family sailed to the North, Sharra's first time on a ship. It scared her, but eventually they made it to Irontown. The King was glad to see his father-in-law, the Queen was glad to see her father, and Sharra was glad to see her grandfather. Lydia and Aemma were too young at this time to know what was happening.

It is said that Sharra greatly impressed her grandfather with her knowledge and skill in falconry, showing no fear when Adler's falcon perched on her arm. Her uncle Eyan helped her with her archery. After a week-long stay, the Royal Family headed back to the Vale.

For the next 5 years, Sharra would spend her time learning, practicing archery, horse-riding, playing with her sisters, or practicing falconry. On one occasion, Adler and Sharra were hunting in the woods near the Giant's Lance, and Saqruhaa captured a rabbit. Both of them called her back, but Saqruhaa flew right past her owner and instead perched on Sharra's arm.

Sharra would either be traveling with her father on his journeys, or staying at home with her mother. She didn't mind either. She respected and admired her mother for sacrificing her life to start a new one here. Sharra would soon join Adler's entourage, always accompanying him on stately matters and even speaking at them, impressing many with her wisdom. It is said that Princess Sharra wore the Falcon Crown more than King Adler.

In one journey when she was six, Sharra rode her own horse instead of sharing one with her father. At the meeting, various bannermen were debating where to build a new military outpost to monitor the mountain clans. Sharra spoke up, silencing them. When the bannermen asked where to build the installation, Sharra took put her bow and shot the map that one of the bannermen was holding, right at where she intended. "There," she said. Adler was reportedly so impressed by this that he lifted Sharra up, placed his crown on her head, and then placed her on his shoulder.

Another time, when she was nine, she was at home with her mother. A man slipped into their room with a dagger, intent on killing Queen Bryna in her sleep. Sharra, who was awake, shot the man in the knee. Saqruhaa then swooped down and grabed the dagger from his hands.

Now, at 10 years old, Sharra is continuing to learn how to be a good ruler for the Kingdom.
Mundane Skills:
Archery-Sharra has been doing archery for a few years, a skill she learned from her mother. They like to go hunting together.

Horse-riding-Another skill she learned from her mother is riding horses. One of her favorite things to do is go on rides with her mother.

Politics-Sharra has a great presence in Vale politics.

Falconry-She seems to have a natural talent with it.
Magic (If Any): She has some sort of psychic connection with birds, especially falcons. She often talks to them, and they appear to listen.
Personality: Similar to her father and mother. Calm and cool in most situations, trying to always see what's going on. She makes observations and then rational decisions. Sharra thinks before she does things. She understands her responsibility, knowing full well that she will be the one to inherit the throne. As such, she was forced to age much faster(Adler learned he would be King when he was 25). Sharra is also very compassionate towards the people she loves, especially her parents. She likes to help the smallfolk also.
Kingdom: The Vale of Arryn
Is he/she a Ruler? No
Heir(s): N/A
Last edited by Ard al Islam on Sat Feb 15, 2020 8:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune
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Posts: 3522
Founded: Feb 01, 2017
Inoffensive Centrist Democracy

Postby The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune » Sat Feb 15, 2020 8:49 pm

Union Princes wrote:
The Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune wrote:
Possibly, during his raids up and down the Western Coast. I think Armond and Taedor would be equally matched in 1 on 1 combat, Armond would win in a proper pitched battle, while Taedor would take the victory in a more skirmish style conflict.


should we have them be friendly rivals or sworn enemies?


With Taedor, they're definetly sworn enemies, if he really cares about the Reyne's at all. Taedor doesn't really have respect for the mainland Westerosi in general, that's usually reserved for stronger Ironborn or Essosi.

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Union Princes
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Founded: Nov 02, 2017
Corrupt Dictatorship

Postby Union Princes » Sat Feb 15, 2020 8:53 pm

I see. This will get interesting then.
There is no such thing as peace, only truce between wars

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Dragos Bee
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Founded: Jul 17, 2017
Liberal Democratic Socialists

Postby Dragos Bee » Sat Feb 15, 2020 9:24 pm

Ard al Islam wrote:
Canon Name: The Kingdom of the Vale
Canon Flag/Badge:
(Image)

Canon Military Strength: 45,000 Vale Knights. They are 30,000 infantry and 15,000 cavalry. 10,000 of them are Arryn Knights; the other 35,000 can be mustered up from all of their vassals during war time. When not fighting, however, they likely won't maintain such a massive standing army, something like 25,000 max. But during war, they will muster up the large 45,000 force that they are capable of. They also have a strong navy with roughly 200 ships, not that well-suited for offense but perfect for defense. They have sufficient men for these ships, separate from the rest of the army.
Canon History: Many First Men established small kingdoms in this region. The most prominent was the Winged Knight, a legendary hero who flew to the top of the Giant's Lance(the tallest mountain in Westeros) to slay the Griffin King.

The Vale was where the Andals first landed, and they easily overpowered the First Men. One prominent house, that of Ser Artys Arryn, won against the First Men at the Battle of the Seven Stars, establishing House Arryn as the ruling house in the newly-named Vale of Arryn.

The Arryns would rule as Kings for 6,000 years, in which time they constructed impenetrable defenses. Their castle, the Eyrie, was impenetrable. In addition, there was one large castle on the way to get there. An important trading city was established around the port of Gulltown. Those First Men who didn't want to submit fled to the mountains and became the Mountain Clans, known for harassing Valemen.

At some point, the North invaded the Three Sisters, and the Vale retaliated by taking them back and burning Wolf's Den, in a war known as the War Across the Water. Halleck Hoare tried three times to invade the Vale, but all 3 times he was unable to penetrate the Bloody Gate(a good distance away from the Eyrie).
Headcanon History: From 47-43 BC, the amount of assaults and attacks from the Mountain Clans slowed, and eventually stopped. The Mountain Clans were preparing for a large attack. This started what became known as the Mountain Revolt, a large-scale rebellion against House Arryn. The Prince and Heir to the Sky Throne, Ser Adler Arryn, turned back a massive force at the Bloody Gate and then followed the Mountain clan, eventually defeating them and putting there rebellion to an end.

After the old king's death, Prince Adler became the King at the age of 30 in 37 BC. He married Lady Bryna of the House Feather in the North, and tried to have a son, but had 5 daughters, the oldest of which was Sharra. Adler is currently the King of the Mountain and Vale, and his aim is to cement the Vale's authority in Westerosi politics, affairs, and diplomacy, whether by making alliances, or by war.
Economic Strength: Average-The Vale has access to the best port on the East Coast, at the city of Gulltown.

Name: House Arryn
Coat Of Arms:
(Image)
Words: As High as Honor
Location: The Vale of Arryn, with its center at the Giant's Lance
Vassal of: None
Military Strength: 10,000 Vale Knights
Economic Strength: High
History: The Arryns are considered to come from the oldest and purest line of Andal nobility, which they say reaches back to Andalos and possibly Hugor of the Hill.

When King Robar II Royce began to unite the First Men and defeat some of the petty Andal kings during the Andal invasion, the Andals of the Vale united behind Ser Artys Arryn, the Falcon Knight, a native Valeman esteemed amongst his peers as the finest warrior of his day. Robar was slain in the Battle of the Seven Stars, possibly by Artys, and the First Men houses who remained bent the knee and swore fealty to Artys Arryn, the First of His Name, new-crowned King of Mountain and Vale. From that day, the Vale became known as the Vale of Arryn. Songs of the Vale conflate Artys with the legendary Winged Knight, who is said to have slain the Griffin King atop the Giant's Lance. The First Men who did not accept Artys as their king were forced into the Mountains of the Moon, becoming the Vale mountain clans.

The Arryns initially lived at the Gates of the Moon, but over generations they constructed the Eyrie. They often used the Eyrie as a summer pleasure palace, descending to the Gates of the Moon before winter made the Eyrie inaccessible.

The Arryn kings added Pebble, the Paps, and the Witch Isle to their realm. They battled with the Stark Kings of Winter over the Three Sisters in the War Across the Water, which featured King Osgood Arryn and his son and successor, Oswin the Talon, who burned the Wolf's Den. There were bloody battles wherein the Arryn fleet turned back slavers from Volantis, ironborn reavers, and pirates from the Stepstones and the Basilisk Isles. The legendary Lady Alyssa Arryn gave her name to Alyssa's Tears, a waterfall on the Giant's Lance, when she did not shed a tear for her murdered husband, brothers and children.

The most recent conflict was the Mountain Rebellion. Between 47-43 BC, Mountain Clan raids and attacks slowly ceased. They were preparing a large attack. In 43 BC, the old King Robert I, and his eldest son, 24-year-old Ser Adler Arryn, wondered why, and came to the conclusion that they may be planning an attack. That attack came the next year, when 3 separate armies raised by the Mountain clan began their attack. 15,000 assembled west of the Bloody Gate, taking over the High Road up to that point. 10,000 got together North of the High Road between the Bloody Gate and the Eyrie, and 5,000 to the South.

King Robert created three Corps to squash the rebellion. The first was a 5,000 strong Vale army led by his 2 elder sons, Rob and Jon. They were made of the finest knights. The objective of the First Corps was to assist the garrison at the Bloody Gate and repel the main body of the Mountain Rebels. The Second Corps was to be a 10,000 strong army led by Robert's greatest general, Ser Arrys Royce, and his youngest son, Ser Adler Arryn. Their mission was to attack the rebels up north and stop them from getting the High Road between the Bloody Gate and the Eyrie. The Third Corps was led by other bannermen fielding a 5,000 strong army, with the intent to destroy the southern rebels. A relatively small garrison stayed at the Eyrie to defend it.

The Third Corps was the first to set out, easily defeating the rebels in the south. The First Corps set out along the High Road to the Bloody Gate. The Second Corps went north of the High Road to defeat the rebels up north. The First Corps managed to reach the Bloody Gate, and they fought against the rebels, who were laying siege. The Third Corps continued fighting rebels down south.

Up north, Ser Arrys and Adler led the army to attack the rebels, finding them. Arrys took the center, and Adler the left. Another man commanded the right. The battle was easy for the Valemen(thanks to their mounted archers), and soon, the rebels took 1,000 casualties compared to 100 Vale casualties. Arrys' unit managed to smash through their center, causing the rebels to flee. Arrys wanted to pursue the majority who fled East, but Adler suggested to keep going West. They split, and Adler took 3,000 men west and Arrys took 7,000 men east.

Arrys' army managed to catch up to the 3,000 rebels who fled east, and engaged in battle with them. It turned out to be a trap, however, and another 3,000 rebels came and surrounded Arrys' army. They fought bravely, managing to kill 3,000 rebels before in turn being wiped out, Arrys being martyred. The 3,000 remaining rebels began to march towards the Eyrie.

Out West, Adler marched his 3,000 strong force to catch the rebels before they got to the Bloody Gate, eventually reaching them and utterly defeating them, causing a mass surrender. Adler then moved his soldiers to the Bloody Gate, were 5,000 rebels were currently assaulting it. There was already a garrison of 5,000 Vale Knights there. Adler took a secret, one-way route to get out, and moved behind the rebels. The rebels were now trapped against the gate and Adler's soldiers, while the other Valemen shot at them with arrows. It was a slaughter, and only 500 rebels managed to escape through a desperate push. After, Adler learned the terrible news that his 2 brothers perished in the fighting, making him now the heir to the Sky Throne.

Adler then took 7,000 soldiers(leaving 1,000 to guard the Gate) on a mission to defeat the remaining 10,000 rebels. They chased after them and caught up to them multiple times, defeating them 4 times in one week at the Battle of Hills, Battle of the Ditch, Battle of Rainbow Skies, and the Third Battle of the Mountains. These successive victories proved Adler's capability and made him very popular. By this point, they still had 6,000 men west of the Gate, and only 5,000 rebels remained, being pushed further west.

At the Eyrie, 3,000 rebels tried to attack it, to no avail. The defenses were impenetrable, and 1,000 of them were killed by Arryn arrows. They tried to retreat, in the rush knocking many over off the bridges. However, when they got to the bottom of the Giant's Lance, the found the Third Corps, returned and waiting for them.

Now the only threat lay West, and Adler was confident in victory. He moved his soldiers to make one final attack in the mountains, near the Riverlands-Vale border. It turned out to not be so easy, both sides being exhausted. In the end, the Vale won, taking 1,000 casualties while the rebels lost 4,500. The remaining 500 rebels fled into the North and Hoare-controlled Riverlands.

The war made Adler very popular, and he earned such titles as "Adler the Eagle" and "Defender of the High Road." He stayed in the west for a bit to visit other Valemen and provide condolences to the families of the fallen. Soon he got a message from his father asking to return to the Eyrie, and he obliged.

In 37 BC, King Robert died, and Adler succeeded him. As the Falcon Crown was placed on his head, he was proclaimed King Adler Arryn, First of His Name. His first goal was to marry so as to secure an alliance and a bloodline. Although the Vale is a historic enemy of the North, King Adler viewed them favorably, saying "Northmen are Valemen as First Men, and Valemen are Northmen as Andals." He didn't ever want to fight them, but in the event it would happen, he forbade things like plundering.

He wanted to secure a good relationship with Northerners without dissent, so he thought he should marry from a vassal house instead of house Stark. He tried to find a relatively worse-off house with strong values, and settled on House Feather. He visited them and was enchanted by Lord Kaegan's elder daughter, Bryna, for her beauty and personality. She was six years his junior. He asked for her hand in marriage, and he was accepted.

He got married to Lady Bryna Feather, now Queen Bryna Arryn. They had a marriage ceremony at Irontown, and another one at the Gates of the Moon. They had 5 daughters; Sharra, Lydia, Aemma, Bela, and Lily. Adler also made sure that his wife had everything she needed to practice her own customs and religion comfortably, such as setting up a Godswood.

Name: Adler Arryn I, King of Mountain and Vale

Appearance: Adler stands at an impressive 6 feet tall. He is muscled and strong-built, as warriors usually are. He keeps his dark brown hair long, that it flows down to his neck. He also maintains a beard. Adler prefers to wear traditional Vale clothing, and usually some protective or fighting gear(not full armor, but maybe a vest). He has long hair, but he wears a hat. Usually he wears a military-style wool hat, sometimes wrapped in a scarf. If needed to, he will wear the Falcon Crown. He also wears a gauntlet on his left arm at all times for Saqruhaa.
Age: 40
Bio: Adler was born in 67 BC, the third son of King Robert Arryn. He had 2 older brothers, Rob and Jon. He learned how to speak before he could walk, and when he was 2, he rode his first horse. When he turned 4, his father made him learn the ways of the warrior. He practiced and became adept in the uses of the sword and bow. He liked to play with his brothers, but they were always too rough with him. In time, he also learned how to read and write from one of the servants at the Eyrie.

When he was 5, in 62 BC, his younger sister Sharra was born. Until now, it was only brothers. Sharra looked up to Adler. Adler felt closer to his sister than with his brothers, and he would often read stories to her. When Sharra turned 3, Adler stole a horse from a knight and brought it to her as a gift. He eventually returned it, though.

Adler would spend the next 2 years improving his fighting ability, as well as studying various subjects(his favorites being history, economy, warcraft, theology, politics/diplomacy, and medical). Various squires recall Adler as having "a book in his hand as much as he had a sword." During this time, Adler's relationship with Sharra grew stronger, and they frequently did many fun things together.

At the age of ten, it seemed that Adler lost all interest in the way of the warrior. He would often confine himself to his room, not going outside to practice sword-fighting with the smallfolk or practicing archery. He spent his time studying and writing poetry. He was only visited by his parents and his sister. Adler's mother remembered these times:
"I would come in the morning to see how he was doing, and he would be reading a book, his sword resting against the wall or on the floor. He wouldn't say much to me. Then I would go elsewhere and come back later, and then he was writing. I asked what he was writing, and he would describe the poetry or story he was currently working on. He would then take a candle and burn it, before writing something else. It was a very miserable time, and I feared the worst."

Adler would speak to his sister more than anyone else. They had very heartfelt conversations, and they knew all of each other's secrets. Sharra would bring food to Adler every day and wouldn't leave until he ate it. It hurt her very much to see Adler depressed like this. Adler never gave a reason for what caused his depression, but it's been speculated that it was a lack of confidence in his abilities as a warrior, being overshadowed by his brothers.

In 52 BC, tragedy struck. Adler, now a 15-year-old man, learned that 10-year-old Sharra had been kidnapped by one of the mountain clans. She was sadly killed. Adler blamed himself for her death, a guilt he has always lived with. From that day forward, Adler vowed to become a great warrior and avenge his sister.

Adler traveled all over the Vale to learn every combat technique. Swords, spears, pikes, staffs, axes, daggers, and bows. He kept himself sharp and well trained for fighting. One notable Knight he squired with was Ser Aquila. Aquila traveled all around the Vale with Adler, exposing him to life as a Knight. Eventually, at the age of 17, Adler was made a Knight by Ser Aquila, a fortnight before he died.

At the age of 18, Adler located the clan that had killed his sister. He went on a revenge mission, going after each of the clan leaders in an assassin type fashion. He managed to recruit small armies, and he fought numerous battles with the clan, eventually killing the men responsible for his sister's death and earning the respect of his father. King Robert placed Adler as a commander in the army. For the next few years, Adler proved his military prowess and fighting ability in numerous campaigns against Mountain clans. The greatest of these was in 42 BC(when he was 25), the Mountain Revolt(see above for complete details)

After the war, Adler set up numerous relief centers in the Western Vale to provide aid to many people whose lives were affected by the fighting. He ended up becoming very popular with the smallfolk, and Adler would often give his own money to them. He set up temporary provisional councils to control things. King Robert was getting senile, and Adler was acting on his behalf. He demanded that House Hoarre return all escaped Mountain Clan rebels, but this fell on deaf ears.

Adler knew the reality of his situation. With his brothers dead and his father growing old, it wouldn't be long before he became the King of Mountain and Vale. Eventually, he got a Raven from the Eyrie to return. Adler bade farewell to his men and rode across the High Road with a protective escort to the Eyrie.

King Robert revealed to Prince Adler that he was dying, and he needed to teach Adler how to become a great king after him. For the next 5 years, Adler studied diplomacy, politics, and administration, all the while honing his combat skills. His father also gifted him some fine weapons; an ornate sword and a Valyrian steel dagger, which he named Talon. When Adler turned 30, he was given a falcon egg, which hatched into a female falcon that Adler named Saqruhaa.

Eventually, the sad news came. In 37 BC, King Robert passed away at the age of 60. Adler was now Adler Arryn I, King of Mountain and Vale. His first aim as King was to secure a bloodline. Already infatuated with Northern culture, as well as wanting a strong presence in the North, he looked to find a good house to marry from. He learned of the House Feather, and set off to meet them.

King Adler and his entourage arrived at Irontown and met with Lord Kaegan Feather. After a brief meeting and discussion, Lord Kaegan takes the King to his residence. Their, the King meets Lord Kaegan's 19-year-old son, Eyan, and his 24-year-old daughter, Bryna. He is immediately enchanted by Bryna's compassionate disposition and her breath-taking looks. The King makes an offer of marriage on the spot.

After much discussion, Lord Feather and King Arryn work out a marriage alliance. King Arryn requests Lady Bryna's hand in marriage, and in addition, being allowed to place a garrison of 2,000 Vale knights in Irontown, who would live independently. He also demands that the Feathers turn in any mountain fugitives that they may encounter. In return, King Arryn offered a holding in Gulltown reserved exclusively for House Feather, allowing them to build a merchant fleet and mitigate the disadvantage of being landlocked. Lord Kaegan happily agrees.

King Adler and Lady Bryna are wed in a ceremony in the way of the Old Gods, in front of a Godswood tree. They then hold an elaborate feast, which King Stark himself attends. After Lady Bryna Feather, now Queen Bryna Arryn, bids farewell to her family, the couple and their entourage sale back to the Vale.

In the Eyrie, they held another elaborate ceremony, this time in the tradition of the Faith of the Seven. After the wedding, Adler has a Godswood set up for his wife so she can practice her faith. Later in the year, Bryna gives birth to their first child, a daughter. Adler names her "Sharra."

Adler continued to rule after that, ten years so far. His reign was marked by an era of social reform, changing policies to work better, making him popular with the population. He also works to end the "threat" of the mountain clans. The King's main goal is to strengthen the Vale as a power in international affairs, and King Arryn does so with control over Gulltown and a garrison in the North. His reign is secured, and so is his kingdom.

However, King Arryn has had trouble producing an heir. Over the years, he has had 5 daughters with Lady Bryna; Sharra(37 BC), Lydia(35 BC), Aemma(33 BC), Bela(31 BC), and Lily(29 BC), but he has no sons. The future of his kingdom may be at risk, but he feels that his daughter could become the ruler. Still, he would prefer that one of his daughters has a son who can become King.
Mundane Skills:
Combat: He is regarded as the greatest warrior in the Vale of Arryn, with great skill in many weapons.

Leadership: King Adler has proven himself to be an excellent leader, both politically and militarily.

Falconry: Is very skilled at hunting with his falcon, Saqruhaa.
Magic (If Any): N/A
Personality: A very wise and compassionate person, Adler loves to uphold the chivalrous values of the Andals. He is very proud of the Vale and its history as an unconquerable nation. He has the personality of a warlord if needed. He can be very cold. He is very stern with his enemies, and very loving with his friends. As one man puts it, "an Eagle outside, a sparrow in the house." When needed, he can be very aggressive. He is able to keep his emotions in check, for the most part. Adler has an absolute love for his family(mother, wife, and daughters), and he considers himself blessed to have so many women in his life.
Kingdom: The Vale of Arryn
Is he/she a Ruler? Yes
Heir(s): Sharra Arryn(10), Lydia Arryn(8), Aemma Arryn(6), Bela Arryn(4), and Lily Arryn(2), in that order. It does not bother Adler that he has only daughters, but he hopes that one of them will have a son who can become King.

------------------------------------------

Name: Sharra Arryn, Princess of Mountain and Vale
Appearance:
Sharra is a fair-sized young woman, known to be one of, if not the most, beautiful girl in the Vale, being known as the Flower of the Mountain. Despite being only 10, she has had countless marriage proposals, all of which her father rejected. She has light brown hair, and her mother's eyes.

Sharra's style of clothing is a blend between her parents. Like her mother, she prefers to wear plain dresses, but she will wear elaborate overcoats over them in traditional Vale style. She keeps her hair braided, and she either wears nothing on her head or a crown(her's, or more usually, her father's). She also takes to wearing a gauntlet on her left arm for birds.
Age: 10
Bio: Born in 37 BC to King and Queen Arryn, she has lived her life in the Eyrie and the Gates of the Moon. Sharra knew from a young age the enormous responsibility she would have as future Queen. When she was 2, her younger sister Lydia was born. By this point she could speak. When Sharra was 3, she would begin to accompany her father on his journeys, after she learned how to read. She would often ride on the same horse with her father, who loved her dearly. One witness states:
"[Adler's] host had set off from the Gates of the Moon. We were heading towards Gulltown for an economic assessment and meeting. As the King mounted his horse, the Queen watched from the doorway, her infant in her arms, and she tried to hold Sharra back from running to her father. The little girl tried to run as best she could towards the King, who, evidently, really loved her. Although she could speak, she was shy, and the King took her up in his arms and kissed her head. He then tried to put her down on the ground, but she resisted, grabbing his beard. The King relented, and he lifted his daughter up on the horse in front of him, removed his elaborate Falcon Crown, and placed it on her head."

When Sharra was 4, she learned to write, and she became less shy, openly talking to others. Another sister, Aemma, was born. Adler had left to assess a situation regarding mountain clans, a dangerous mission, so Sharra had to stay behind. She was home with her 2 sisters and her mother, Queen Bryna. Sharra and her mother would spend their time riding horses and practicing archery, sparking Sharra's passion and skill for them. When her father returned, Sharra surprised him with her archery ability, better than usual for a beginner.

By the time Sharra turned 5, she had began reading books in the library. She learned a variety of subjects, but her favorite things to read about were history, politics, and falconry. At this time, the King was organizing a visit to see his father-in-law, for he was unable to before and Lord Kaegan was soon to pass away. The Royal Family sailed to the North, Sharra's first time on a ship. It scared her, but eventually they made it to Irontown. The King was glad to see his father-in-law, the Queen was glad to see her father, and Sharra was glad to see her grandfather. Lydia and Aemma were too young at this time to know what was happening.

It is said that Sharra greatly impressed her grandfather with her knowledge and skill in falconry, showing no fear when Adler's falcon perched on her arm. Her uncle Eyan helped her with her archery. After a week-long stay, the Royal Family headed back to the Vale.

For the next 5 years, Sharra would spend her time learning, practicing archery, horse-riding, playing with her sisters, or practicing falconry. On one occasion, Adler and Sharra were hunting in the woods near the Giant's Lance, and Saqruhaa captured a rabbit. Both of them called her back, but Saqruhaa flew right past her owner and instead perched on Sharra's arm.

Sharra would either be traveling with her father on his journeys, or staying at home with her mother. She didn't mind either. She respected and admired her mother for sacrificing her life to start a new one here. Sharra would soon join Adler's entourage, always accompanying him on stately matters and even speaking at them, impressing many with her wisdom. It is said that Princess Sharra wore the Falcon Crown more than King Adler.

In one journey when she was six, Sharra rode her own horse instead of sharing one with her father. At the meeting, various bannermen were debating where to build a new military outpost to monitor the mountain clans. Sharra spoke up, silencing them. When the bannermen asked where to build the installation, Sharra took put her bow and shot the map that one of the bannermen was holding, right at where she intended. "There," she said. Adler was reportedly so impressed by this that he lifted Sharra up, placed his crown on her head, and then placed her on his shoulder.

Another time, when she was nine, she was at home with her mother. A man slipped into their room with a dagger, intent on killing Queen Bryna in her sleep. Sharra, who was awake, shot the man in the knee. Saqruhaa then swooped down and grabed the dagger from his hands.

Now, at 10 years old, Sharra is continuing to learn how to be a good ruler for the Kingdom.
Mundane Skills:
Archery-Sharra has been doing archery for a few years, a skill she learned from her mother. They like to go hunting together.

Horse-riding-Another skill she learned from her mother is riding horses. One of her favorite things to do is go on rides with her mother.

Politics-Sharra has a great presence in Vale politics.

Falconry-She seems to have a natural talent with it.
Magic (If Any): She has some sort of psychic connection with birds, especially falcons. She often talks to them, and they appear to listen.
Personality: Similar to her father and mother. Calm and cool in most situations, trying to always see what's going on. She makes observations and then rational decisions. Sharra thinks before she does things. She understands her responsibility, knowing full well that she will be the one to inherit the throne. As such, she was forced to age much faster(Adler learned he would be King when he was 25). Sharra is also very compassionate towards the people she loves, especially her parents. She likes to help the smallfolk also.
Kingdom: The Vale of Arryn
Is he/she a Ruler? No
Heir(s): N/A


Accepted. And yes, I read most of it in just a minute or less. I loved it.
Sorry for my behavior, P2TM.

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Ard al Islam
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Founded: Apr 14, 2019
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Postby Ard al Islam » Sat Feb 15, 2020 9:35 pm

Dragos Bee wrote:
Ard al Islam wrote:
Canon Name: The Kingdom of the Vale
Canon Flag/Badge:
(Image)

Canon Military Strength: 45,000 Vale Knights. They are 30,000 infantry and 15,000 cavalry. 10,000 of them are Arryn Knights; the other 35,000 can be mustered up from all of their vassals during war time. When not fighting, however, they likely won't maintain such a massive standing army, something like 25,000 max. But during war, they will muster up the large 45,000 force that they are capable of. They also have a strong navy with roughly 200 ships, not that well-suited for offense but perfect for defense. They have sufficient men for these ships, separate from the rest of the army.
Canon History: Many First Men established small kingdoms in this region. The most prominent was the Winged Knight, a legendary hero who flew to the top of the Giant's Lance(the tallest mountain in Westeros) to slay the Griffin King.

The Vale was where the Andals first landed, and they easily overpowered the First Men. One prominent house, that of Ser Artys Arryn, won against the First Men at the Battle of the Seven Stars, establishing House Arryn as the ruling house in the newly-named Vale of Arryn.

The Arryns would rule as Kings for 6,000 years, in which time they constructed impenetrable defenses. Their castle, the Eyrie, was impenetrable. In addition, there was one large castle on the way to get there. An important trading city was established around the port of Gulltown. Those First Men who didn't want to submit fled to the mountains and became the Mountain Clans, known for harassing Valemen.

At some point, the North invaded the Three Sisters, and the Vale retaliated by taking them back and burning Wolf's Den, in a war known as the War Across the Water. Halleck Hoare tried three times to invade the Vale, but all 3 times he was unable to penetrate the Bloody Gate(a good distance away from the Eyrie).
Headcanon History: From 47-43 BC, the amount of assaults and attacks from the Mountain Clans slowed, and eventually stopped. The Mountain Clans were preparing for a large attack. This started what became known as the Mountain Revolt, a large-scale rebellion against House Arryn. The Prince and Heir to the Sky Throne, Ser Adler Arryn, turned back a massive force at the Bloody Gate and then followed the Mountain clan, eventually defeating them and putting there rebellion to an end.

After the old king's death, Prince Adler became the King at the age of 30 in 37 BC. He married Lady Bryna of the House Feather in the North, and tried to have a son, but had 5 daughters, the oldest of which was Sharra. Adler is currently the King of the Mountain and Vale, and his aim is to cement the Vale's authority in Westerosi politics, affairs, and diplomacy, whether by making alliances, or by war.
Economic Strength: Average-The Vale has access to the best port on the East Coast, at the city of Gulltown.

Name: House Arryn
Coat Of Arms:
(Image)
Words: As High as Honor
Location: The Vale of Arryn, with its center at the Giant's Lance
Vassal of: None
Military Strength: 10,000 Vale Knights
Economic Strength: High
History: The Arryns are considered to come from the oldest and purest line of Andal nobility, which they say reaches back to Andalos and possibly Hugor of the Hill.

When King Robar II Royce began to unite the First Men and defeat some of the petty Andal kings during the Andal invasion, the Andals of the Vale united behind Ser Artys Arryn, the Falcon Knight, a native Valeman esteemed amongst his peers as the finest warrior of his day. Robar was slain in the Battle of the Seven Stars, possibly by Artys, and the First Men houses who remained bent the knee and swore fealty to Artys Arryn, the First of His Name, new-crowned King of Mountain and Vale. From that day, the Vale became known as the Vale of Arryn. Songs of the Vale conflate Artys with the legendary Winged Knight, who is said to have slain the Griffin King atop the Giant's Lance. The First Men who did not accept Artys as their king were forced into the Mountains of the Moon, becoming the Vale mountain clans.

The Arryns initially lived at the Gates of the Moon, but over generations they constructed the Eyrie. They often used the Eyrie as a summer pleasure palace, descending to the Gates of the Moon before winter made the Eyrie inaccessible.

The Arryn kings added Pebble, the Paps, and the Witch Isle to their realm. They battled with the Stark Kings of Winter over the Three Sisters in the War Across the Water, which featured King Osgood Arryn and his son and successor, Oswin the Talon, who burned the Wolf's Den. There were bloody battles wherein the Arryn fleet turned back slavers from Volantis, ironborn reavers, and pirates from the Stepstones and the Basilisk Isles. The legendary Lady Alyssa Arryn gave her name to Alyssa's Tears, a waterfall on the Giant's Lance, when she did not shed a tear for her murdered husband, brothers and children.

The most recent conflict was the Mountain Rebellion. Between 47-43 BC, Mountain Clan raids and attacks slowly ceased. They were preparing a large attack. In 43 BC, the old King Robert I, and his eldest son, 24-year-old Ser Adler Arryn, wondered why, and came to the conclusion that they may be planning an attack. That attack came the next year, when 3 separate armies raised by the Mountain clan began their attack. 15,000 assembled west of the Bloody Gate, taking over the High Road up to that point. 10,000 got together North of the High Road between the Bloody Gate and the Eyrie, and 5,000 to the South.

King Robert created three Corps to squash the rebellion. The first was a 5,000 strong Vale army led by his 2 elder sons, Rob and Jon. They were made of the finest knights. The objective of the First Corps was to assist the garrison at the Bloody Gate and repel the main body of the Mountain Rebels. The Second Corps was to be a 10,000 strong army led by Robert's greatest general, Ser Arrys Royce, and his youngest son, Ser Adler Arryn. Their mission was to attack the rebels up north and stop them from getting the High Road between the Bloody Gate and the Eyrie. The Third Corps was led by other bannermen fielding a 5,000 strong army, with the intent to destroy the southern rebels. A relatively small garrison stayed at the Eyrie to defend it.

The Third Corps was the first to set out, easily defeating the rebels in the south. The First Corps set out along the High Road to the Bloody Gate. The Second Corps went north of the High Road to defeat the rebels up north. The First Corps managed to reach the Bloody Gate, and they fought against the rebels, who were laying siege. The Third Corps continued fighting rebels down south.

Up north, Ser Arrys and Adler led the army to attack the rebels, finding them. Arrys took the center, and Adler the left. Another man commanded the right. The battle was easy for the Valemen(thanks to their mounted archers), and soon, the rebels took 1,000 casualties compared to 100 Vale casualties. Arrys' unit managed to smash through their center, causing the rebels to flee. Arrys wanted to pursue the majority who fled East, but Adler suggested to keep going West. They split, and Adler took 3,000 men west and Arrys took 7,000 men east.

Arrys' army managed to catch up to the 3,000 rebels who fled east, and engaged in battle with them. It turned out to be a trap, however, and another 3,000 rebels came and surrounded Arrys' army. They fought bravely, managing to kill 3,000 rebels before in turn being wiped out, Arrys being martyred. The 3,000 remaining rebels began to march towards the Eyrie.

Out West, Adler marched his 3,000 strong force to catch the rebels before they got to the Bloody Gate, eventually reaching them and utterly defeating them, causing a mass surrender. Adler then moved his soldiers to the Bloody Gate, were 5,000 rebels were currently assaulting it. There was already a garrison of 5,000 Vale Knights there. Adler took a secret, one-way route to get out, and moved behind the rebels. The rebels were now trapped against the gate and Adler's soldiers, while the other Valemen shot at them with arrows. It was a slaughter, and only 500 rebels managed to escape through a desperate push. After, Adler learned the terrible news that his 2 brothers perished in the fighting, making him now the heir to the Sky Throne.

Adler then took 7,000 soldiers(leaving 1,000 to guard the Gate) on a mission to defeat the remaining 10,000 rebels. They chased after them and caught up to them multiple times, defeating them 4 times in one week at the Battle of Hills, Battle of the Ditch, Battle of Rainbow Skies, and the Third Battle of the Mountains. These successive victories proved Adler's capability and made him very popular. By this point, they still had 6,000 men west of the Gate, and only 5,000 rebels remained, being pushed further west.

At the Eyrie, 3,000 rebels tried to attack it, to no avail. The defenses were impenetrable, and 1,000 of them were killed by Arryn arrows. They tried to retreat, in the rush knocking many over off the bridges. However, when they got to the bottom of the Giant's Lance, the found the Third Corps, returned and waiting for them.

Now the only threat lay West, and Adler was confident in victory. He moved his soldiers to make one final attack in the mountains, near the Riverlands-Vale border. It turned out to not be so easy, both sides being exhausted. In the end, the Vale won, taking 1,000 casualties while the rebels lost 4,500. The remaining 500 rebels fled into the North and Hoare-controlled Riverlands.

The war made Adler very popular, and he earned such titles as "Adler the Eagle" and "Defender of the High Road." He stayed in the west for a bit to visit other Valemen and provide condolences to the families of the fallen. Soon he got a message from his father asking to return to the Eyrie, and he obliged.

In 37 BC, King Robert died, and Adler succeeded him. As the Falcon Crown was placed on his head, he was proclaimed King Adler Arryn, First of His Name. His first goal was to marry so as to secure an alliance and a bloodline. Although the Vale is a historic enemy of the North, King Adler viewed them favorably, saying "Northmen are Valemen as First Men, and Valemen are Northmen as Andals." He didn't ever want to fight them, but in the event it would happen, he forbade things like plundering.

He wanted to secure a good relationship with Northerners without dissent, so he thought he should marry from a vassal house instead of house Stark. He tried to find a relatively worse-off house with strong values, and settled on House Feather. He visited them and was enchanted by Lord Kaegan's elder daughter, Bryna, for her beauty and personality. She was six years his junior. He asked for her hand in marriage, and he was accepted.

He got married to Lady Bryna Feather, now Queen Bryna Arryn. They had a marriage ceremony at Irontown, and another one at the Gates of the Moon. They had 5 daughters; Sharra, Lydia, Aemma, Bela, and Lily. Adler also made sure that his wife had everything she needed to practice her own customs and religion comfortably, such as setting up a Godswood.

Name: Adler Arryn I, King of Mountain and Vale

Appearance: Adler stands at an impressive 6 feet tall. He is muscled and strong-built, as warriors usually are. He keeps his dark brown hair long, that it flows down to his neck. He also maintains a beard. Adler prefers to wear traditional Vale clothing, and usually some protective or fighting gear(not full armor, but maybe a vest). He has long hair, but he wears a hat. Usually he wears a military-style wool hat, sometimes wrapped in a scarf. If needed to, he will wear the Falcon Crown. He also wears a gauntlet on his left arm at all times for Saqruhaa.
Age: 40
Bio: Adler was born in 67 BC, the third son of King Robert Arryn. He had 2 older brothers, Rob and Jon. He learned how to speak before he could walk, and when he was 2, he rode his first horse. When he turned 4, his father made him learn the ways of the warrior. He practiced and became adept in the uses of the sword and bow. He liked to play with his brothers, but they were always too rough with him. In time, he also learned how to read and write from one of the servants at the Eyrie.

When he was 5, in 62 BC, his younger sister Sharra was born. Until now, it was only brothers. Sharra looked up to Adler. Adler felt closer to his sister than with his brothers, and he would often read stories to her. When Sharra turned 3, Adler stole a horse from a knight and brought it to her as a gift. He eventually returned it, though.

Adler would spend the next 2 years improving his fighting ability, as well as studying various subjects(his favorites being history, economy, warcraft, theology, politics/diplomacy, and medical). Various squires recall Adler as having "a book in his hand as much as he had a sword." During this time, Adler's relationship with Sharra grew stronger, and they frequently did many fun things together.

At the age of ten, it seemed that Adler lost all interest in the way of the warrior. He would often confine himself to his room, not going outside to practice sword-fighting with the smallfolk or practicing archery. He spent his time studying and writing poetry. He was only visited by his parents and his sister. Adler's mother remembered these times:
"I would come in the morning to see how he was doing, and he would be reading a book, his sword resting against the wall or on the floor. He wouldn't say much to me. Then I would go elsewhere and come back later, and then he was writing. I asked what he was writing, and he would describe the poetry or story he was currently working on. He would then take a candle and burn it, before writing something else. It was a very miserable time, and I feared the worst."

Adler would speak to his sister more than anyone else. They had very heartfelt conversations, and they knew all of each other's secrets. Sharra would bring food to Adler every day and wouldn't leave until he ate it. It hurt her very much to see Adler depressed like this. Adler never gave a reason for what caused his depression, but it's been speculated that it was a lack of confidence in his abilities as a warrior, being overshadowed by his brothers.

In 52 BC, tragedy struck. Adler, now a 15-year-old man, learned that 10-year-old Sharra had been kidnapped by one of the mountain clans. She was sadly killed. Adler blamed himself for her death, a guilt he has always lived with. From that day forward, Adler vowed to become a great warrior and avenge his sister.

Adler traveled all over the Vale to learn every combat technique. Swords, spears, pikes, staffs, axes, daggers, and bows. He kept himself sharp and well trained for fighting. One notable Knight he squired with was Ser Aquila. Aquila traveled all around the Vale with Adler, exposing him to life as a Knight. Eventually, at the age of 17, Adler was made a Knight by Ser Aquila, a fortnight before he died.

At the age of 18, Adler located the clan that had killed his sister. He went on a revenge mission, going after each of the clan leaders in an assassin type fashion. He managed to recruit small armies, and he fought numerous battles with the clan, eventually killing the men responsible for his sister's death and earning the respect of his father. King Robert placed Adler as a commander in the army. For the next few years, Adler proved his military prowess and fighting ability in numerous campaigns against Mountain clans. The greatest of these was in 42 BC(when he was 25), the Mountain Revolt(see above for complete details)

After the war, Adler set up numerous relief centers in the Western Vale to provide aid to many people whose lives were affected by the fighting. He ended up becoming very popular with the smallfolk, and Adler would often give his own money to them. He set up temporary provisional councils to control things. King Robert was getting senile, and Adler was acting on his behalf. He demanded that House Hoarre return all escaped Mountain Clan rebels, but this fell on deaf ears.

Adler knew the reality of his situation. With his brothers dead and his father growing old, it wouldn't be long before he became the King of Mountain and Vale. Eventually, he got a Raven from the Eyrie to return. Adler bade farewell to his men and rode across the High Road with a protective escort to the Eyrie.

King Robert revealed to Prince Adler that he was dying, and he needed to teach Adler how to become a great king after him. For the next 5 years, Adler studied diplomacy, politics, and administration, all the while honing his combat skills. His father also gifted him some fine weapons; an ornate sword and a Valyrian steel dagger, which he named Talon. When Adler turned 30, he was given a falcon egg, which hatched into a female falcon that Adler named Saqruhaa.

Eventually, the sad news came. In 37 BC, King Robert passed away at the age of 60. Adler was now Adler Arryn I, King of Mountain and Vale. His first aim as King was to secure a bloodline. Already infatuated with Northern culture, as well as wanting a strong presence in the North, he looked to find a good house to marry from. He learned of the House Feather, and set off to meet them.

King Adler and his entourage arrived at Irontown and met with Lord Kaegan Feather. After a brief meeting and discussion, Lord Kaegan takes the King to his residence. Their, the King meets Lord Kaegan's 19-year-old son, Eyan, and his 24-year-old daughter, Bryna. He is immediately enchanted by Bryna's compassionate disposition and her breath-taking looks. The King makes an offer of marriage on the spot.

After much discussion, Lord Feather and King Arryn work out a marriage alliance. King Arryn requests Lady Bryna's hand in marriage, and in addition, being allowed to place a garrison of 2,000 Vale knights in Irontown, who would live independently. He also demands that the Feathers turn in any mountain fugitives that they may encounter. In return, King Arryn offered a holding in Gulltown reserved exclusively for House Feather, allowing them to build a merchant fleet and mitigate the disadvantage of being landlocked. Lord Kaegan happily agrees.

King Adler and Lady Bryna are wed in a ceremony in the way of the Old Gods, in front of a Godswood tree. They then hold an elaborate feast, which King Stark himself attends. After Lady Bryna Feather, now Queen Bryna Arryn, bids farewell to her family, the couple and their entourage sale back to the Vale.

In the Eyrie, they held another elaborate ceremony, this time in the tradition of the Faith of the Seven. After the wedding, Adler has a Godswood set up for his wife so she can practice her faith. Later in the year, Bryna gives birth to their first child, a daughter. Adler names her "Sharra."

Adler continued to rule after that, ten years so far. His reign was marked by an era of social reform, changing policies to work better, making him popular with the population. He also works to end the "threat" of the mountain clans. The King's main goal is to strengthen the Vale as a power in international affairs, and King Arryn does so with control over Gulltown and a garrison in the North. His reign is secured, and so is his kingdom.

However, King Arryn has had trouble producing an heir. Over the years, he has had 5 daughters with Lady Bryna; Sharra(37 BC), Lydia(35 BC), Aemma(33 BC), Bela(31 BC), and Lily(29 BC), but he has no sons. The future of his kingdom may be at risk, but he feels that his daughter could become the ruler. Still, he would prefer that one of his daughters has a son who can become King.
Mundane Skills:
Combat: He is regarded as the greatest warrior in the Vale of Arryn, with great skill in many weapons.

Leadership: King Adler has proven himself to be an excellent leader, both politically and militarily.

Falconry: Is very skilled at hunting with his falcon, Saqruhaa.
Magic (If Any): N/A
Personality: A very wise and compassionate person, Adler loves to uphold the chivalrous values of the Andals. He is very proud of the Vale and its history as an unconquerable nation. He has the personality of a warlord if needed. He can be very cold. He is very stern with his enemies, and very loving with his friends. As one man puts it, "an Eagle outside, a sparrow in the house." When needed, he can be very aggressive. He is able to keep his emotions in check, for the most part. Adler has an absolute love for his family(mother, wife, and daughters), and he considers himself blessed to have so many women in his life.
Kingdom: The Vale of Arryn
Is he/she a Ruler? Yes
Heir(s): Sharra Arryn(10), Lydia Arryn(8), Aemma Arryn(6), Bela Arryn(4), and Lily Arryn(2), in that order. It does not bother Adler that he has only daughters, but he hopes that one of them will have a son who can become King.

------------------------------------------

Name: Sharra Arryn, Princess of Mountain and Vale
Appearance:
Sharra is a fair-sized young woman, known to be one of, if not the most, beautiful girl in the Vale, being known as the Flower of the Mountain. Despite being only 10, she has had countless marriage proposals, all of which her father rejected. She has light brown hair, and her mother's eyes.

Sharra's style of clothing is a blend between her parents. Like her mother, she prefers to wear plain dresses, but she will wear elaborate overcoats over them in traditional Vale style. She keeps her hair braided, and she either wears nothing on her head or a crown(her's, or more usually, her father's). She also takes to wearing a gauntlet on her left arm for birds.
Age: 10
Bio: Born in 37 BC to King and Queen Arryn, she has lived her life in the Eyrie and the Gates of the Moon. Sharra knew from a young age the enormous responsibility she would have as future Queen. When she was 2, her younger sister Lydia was born. By this point she could speak. When Sharra was 3, she would begin to accompany her father on his journeys, after she learned how to read. She would often ride on the same horse with her father, who loved her dearly. One witness states:
"[Adler's] host had set off from the Gates of the Moon. We were heading towards Gulltown for an economic assessment and meeting. As the King mounted his horse, the Queen watched from the doorway, her infant in her arms, and she tried to hold Sharra back from running to her father. The little girl tried to run as best she could towards the King, who, evidently, really loved her. Although she could speak, she was shy, and the King took her up in his arms and kissed her head. He then tried to put her down on the ground, but she resisted, grabbing his beard. The King relented, and he lifted his daughter up on the horse in front of him, removed his elaborate Falcon Crown, and placed it on her head."

When Sharra was 4, she learned to write, and she became less shy, openly talking to others. Another sister, Aemma, was born. Adler had left to assess a situation regarding mountain clans, a dangerous mission, so Sharra had to stay behind. She was home with her 2 sisters and her mother, Queen Bryna. Sharra and her mother would spend their time riding horses and practicing archery, sparking Sharra's passion and skill for them. When her father returned, Sharra surprised him with her archery ability, better than usual for a beginner.

By the time Sharra turned 5, she had began reading books in the library. She learned a variety of subjects, but her favorite things to read about were history, politics, and falconry. At this time, the King was organizing a visit to see his father-in-law, for he was unable to before and Lord Kaegan was soon to pass away. The Royal Family sailed to the North, Sharra's first time on a ship. It scared her, but eventually they made it to Irontown. The King was glad to see his father-in-law, the Queen was glad to see her father, and Sharra was glad to see her grandfather. Lydia and Aemma were too young at this time to know what was happening.

It is said that Sharra greatly impressed her grandfather with her knowledge and skill in falconry, showing no fear when Adler's falcon perched on her arm. Her uncle Eyan helped her with her archery. After a week-long stay, the Royal Family headed back to the Vale.

For the next 5 years, Sharra would spend her time learning, practicing archery, horse-riding, playing with her sisters, or practicing falconry. On one occasion, Adler and Sharra were hunting in the woods near the Giant's Lance, and Saqruhaa captured a rabbit. Both of them called her back, but Saqruhaa flew right past her owner and instead perched on Sharra's arm.

Sharra would either be traveling with her father on his journeys, or staying at home with her mother. She didn't mind either. She respected and admired her mother for sacrificing her life to start a new one here. Sharra would soon join Adler's entourage, always accompanying him on stately matters and even speaking at them, impressing many with her wisdom. It is said that Princess Sharra wore the Falcon Crown more than King Adler.

In one journey when she was six, Sharra rode her own horse instead of sharing one with her father. At the meeting, various bannermen were debating where to build a new military outpost to monitor the mountain clans. Sharra spoke up, silencing them. When the bannermen asked where to build the installation, Sharra took put her bow and shot the map that one of the bannermen was holding, right at where she intended. "There," she said. Adler was reportedly so impressed by this that he lifted Sharra up, placed his crown on her head, and then placed her on his shoulder.

Another time, when she was nine, she was at home with her mother. A man slipped into their room with a dagger, intent on killing Queen Bryna in her sleep. Sharra, who was awake, shot the man in the knee. Saqruhaa then swooped down and grabed the dagger from his hands.

Now, at 10 years old, Sharra is continuing to learn how to be a good ruler for the Kingdom.
Mundane Skills:
Archery-Sharra has been doing archery for a few years, a skill she learned from her mother. They like to go hunting together.

Horse-riding-Another skill she learned from her mother is riding horses. One of her favorite things to do is go on rides with her mother.

Politics-Sharra has a great presence in Vale politics.

Falconry-She seems to have a natural talent with it.
Magic (If Any): She has some sort of psychic connection with birds, especially falcons. She often talks to them, and they appear to listen.
Personality: Similar to her father and mother. Calm and cool in most situations, trying to always see what's going on. She makes observations and then rational decisions. Sharra thinks before she does things. She understands her responsibility, knowing full well that she will be the one to inherit the throne. As such, she was forced to age much faster(Adler learned he would be King when he was 25). Sharra is also very compassionate towards the people she loves, especially her parents. She likes to help the smallfolk also.
Kingdom: The Vale of Arryn
Is he/she a Ruler? No
Heir(s): N/A


Accepted. And yes, I read most of it in just a minute or less. I loved it.

Thank you and thank you.

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