# talestold, a collection of original muses dedicated to conquesthqs, lovingly thrown together and penned by elle. recurring elements: the growing corruption of what power demands, isolation can bring only temporary comfort, childlike rage accompanying childlike loneliness, an eternal battle of being an instrument of war versus peace.
AERYS ROGARE TARGARYEN - prince of valyria, he/him.
introduction - threads - wanted
ALYS MORMONT - lady of bear island, she/they.
introduction - threads - wanted
STEFFON BARATHEON - ruling lord of summerhall, he/him.
open starter for olynna blackwood — day three; the joust
Olynna had dragged her feet to the location instructed in the invitations, half hoping to arrive so late all the seats would be taken and the maester would take pity and allow her to help after he had ordered her to enjoy the festivities and shut her out. unfortunately her seat had been saved forcing her to participate or at the very least to witness the brutality of it all. although in true, it was a good show, specially with the tyrell's dramatics. she licks her lips as she steps out to find a refreshment and shield from the sun, as another too approaches the table with the drinks she smiles with friendliness. "i had always heard of the show a tyrell knight could put on for the masses, i am not disappointed. did you enjoy it thus far."
while not yet competing in one herself, alys loves a good joust. they can be difficult to watch at times, with the occasional injury or sour loss, but she finds it impossible to look away. in an attempt to avoid the worst of the losses right off the start, they find the refreshment options a good distraction and perfect way to pass the time. alys gives a warm grin to their company, remembering the familiar face from time spent in the riverlands. " i have always admired the way knighthood is honored in the reach, " they admit with a shrug, reaching to pour a drink. " it is exciting to be able to watch in person. oh, yes, i am quite enjoying myself - are you, my lady ? "
CLOSED for mariam martell baratheon, on day one - @monarkhes
since their arrival, steffon has felt nothing but exhaustion. sleep does not come easily with the worries he has about their trip and though he has grown used to the short amount of slumber he typically receives, he knows it will weigh more heavily than ever. introductions have been a great source of the day's misery and while there are many he has yet to speak with, there is only one person who can calm his racing thoughts. as soon as he feels he has shown his presence for long enough, steffon sets back to their bedchambers in search of reprieve. he pushes open the door with a quick sigh, mood lifting at the sight of mariam. " there you are, " he greets, smiling from ear to ear. " i tried my best to appear cordial and interested in conversation, but seven hells... it was torture. how are you, my darling ? "
with the feast in progress, her crew was even more boisterous and rowdy than usual, but saga wasn't one to spoil their fun. they had travelled far, and it was only fair they enjoyed their time in the capital to the fullest as none of them would sail the open seas until this grand spectacle was done and dealt with. the greyjoy princess had found a quiet corner, a half-eaten creamed horn in one hand and an empty goblet in the other. "hand that over. there's no servant in sight with more wine." she gestured to the other person's drink. as they had insisted on disturbing her peace, she wasn't inclined to act with much decorum. "sharing is caring, as some wise twat probably once said."
she stands no longer in armor but in more casual attire, such as one of her usual riding outfits cleaned up. when the time comes for the wedding, alys will wear much more elegant garments, but has chosen to start the week out comfortable. they step away from fellow northern guards to retreat to the shadows with a cup of wine and away from all the conversation. before a sip is taken, though, nearby company demands attention. their mouth drops slightly at the boldness and though they have no reason to obey, for the sake of not causing a scene of sorts, they do. " here, be my guest, i was hardly interested anyway. " they lie, hand extending the drink as an offer. " you seem to need it much more than i do, so... there you go. "
OPEN STARTER ⋆ day one of the tyrell coronation and wedding celebrations, at the feast with any who wish to respond.
the journey from driftmark to king's landing had been a short one. how curious a feeling it was to lay one's head to rest in a keep so close to where her mother's bloodline had ruled for centuries. the red keep itself was nothing like visera's valyria. the once doomed kingdom made a beauty of its ruin, the crumbling infrastructure reshaped with molten metals to retain its original magnificent beauty. king's landing's ruin was not its beauty, according to her mother. it was its rot. watching passers by with the quiet intent innate to her being, visera places her wine goblet aside. " you don't find it too strong? " she queries, refering to the deep red wine that still fills it. her lyseni accent is obvious amongst the din of common tongue conversation, and her dark eyes glitter in the candelight — from a candle that she leans almost too close to in search of a response.
with as much curiosity as he has regarding their family's history in westeros, it is no wonder aerys has dreamt of how the capital appears. the magnificent red keep, however, is one that holds no flame to the regrowth of valyria. where he is usually familiar with ancient architecture beautifully reshaped once more with molten metals, he only finds the clear lack of ... devotion within the royal home. he cannot imagine his own blood residing in a place so void of inspiration and art. even with a goblet full of wine, aerys still finds himself struggling to see what everyone else does of the incredible king's landing. a familiar voice questions his taste and he gives a shrug, glancing into the near empty container. " i find it not nearly strong enough, " at least they can agree on their dislike. " let me guess... it's too strong for you ? " there is a teasing in his tone, taking another sip to finish off the rest of his wine.
despite the almost constant desire that ran through her to see more of the world, the journey to king's landing had left her restless and on the verge of recklessness. the childhood dreams she had had of travel had been far more exploratory rather than being confined to the regimented style of her fathers' plans for the journey. a glass of arbor red had been plucked from the nearest tray, sip of the sweet liquid taken as the tully surveyed her fellow guests. when one seemed to walk within earshot they were greeted with a courteous smile. "i suppose it should be little surprise that our hosts rose to the occasion." glass was raised to her lips to conceal the smirk that she struggled to keep from her features, already too entertained by her own words to resist showing signs of satisfaction. "i find myself looking forward to the next few days with budding excitement - do you find yourself feeling the same way?" brow arched, a vague challenge when she hoped for an answer that might hold her interest.
while having little to no interest in westeros, aerys would be lying to say he does not at least find their culture and regions intriguing. inferior to their progressing kingdom of valyria, yet his mother's family had been rulers in the very castle they now roamed about. he wonders how different the red keep appeared in the days of house targaryen and how much the now ruling house had downgraded. his hands are held behind his back as he patiently continues along, taking in every inch of the capital. eyes meet someone else's and though he would rather turn the other way, aerys plays along instead. " ah, i see what you did, " he grins with a click of his tongue, a slight chuckle following. " i would continue this charade if i knew anything about flowers... hm, how about... i am absolutely tickled pink about the next few days. "
if her own use of formality towards her brother - the person she had once considered the closest to her in all the world - had felt heavy and leaden on her tongue, hearing the way that he matched it caused a heaviness in her heart. it seemed proof enough that their once tight bond was frayed and strained ( she refused to accept that it could be broken entirely though she knew that after so many years it was all too real a possibility ) to the point where it was no longer recognisable. "I had thought to enter the archery, yes." there was too much that she wanted to ask, the little girl in her begging to enquire as to whether he would be at the wedding but she refrained. though she held no love for the pageantry that began to seep into her nuptials she supposed she could learn to be grateful for them when they would undoubtedly guarantee her brother's presence. "you have my best wishes if you do indeed but your name forward for that endeavour. I am sure you will prove a worthy opponent." vain hope wished to cry out that she did not wish to be his enemy nor forced to play a part in opposing him but lips pressed shut into that same benign smile, leaving words unspoken.
an ache gnaws at his chest, sneaking momentary glances at one who's resemblance is both incredibly familiar and drastically altered. he cannot bring himself to stare at all the years he has missed. there will always be a weight that rests on his shoulders for his part to play in his distance, yet steffon has grown to accept the path he's chosen. though he wishes their stances could align on the same side, even going as far as to imagine hiding rosaline within summerhall's encampment, he knows their father has always had the stronger grip. his hope has not been high for years, yet any chance for anything of the sort dwindles with each second closer to the wedding.
there is also another thought that he knows to be likely if he leaves empty handed - this could very well be the last time he ever sees rosaline. he has only traveled for discussions of alliances and seeing what last he can do to reach a better outcome for the stormlands, but once his plans go through... their house's division will be severed quite irreparably, more so than already. besides, marrying a tyrell would be the final nail in the coffin. " you should. " he remembers how much she excelled at the sport and though a conversation of memories dances on his tongue, steffon returns a smile. " thank you, the same to you with archery. i should like to be there to see if you still have what i taught you. "
with another competition she might have hesitated before entering but there had scarcely been a day since steffon had first taught her that she had not had a bow in her hand. fond memories are quick to fill her mind and moments later there is a glimpse of the lord of summerhall in her peripherals, as though the mere thought of him had summoned him. there had once been a time when the sight of her brother's face would have brought nothing but joy and caused nothing but a smile on her lips. now though she finds herself fighting to maintain the neutrality that she has clung to for so long, schooling her features so that no trace of her feelings of hurt or betrayal would show. the supposed happiest day of her life was fast approaching and while she could get away with demure smiles, looking distraught was hardly suitable for the blushing bride the baratheon should be. "lord steffon." words feel too stiff, too formal for one she should be so close to but the years had made strangers of them and she was left with nothing but inane questions. "do you intend to enter?"
time has always had a habit of being both friend and foe. it is the longevity that has granted his camp in summerhall a strength in numbers and allies. yet, the years have also brought a divide between siblings. those he used to know like the back of his hands are now no more than strangers. the sight of his sister brings flooding back a wave of memories, both ones to savor and ones he wishes were rather forgotten. he had been dreading this moment the second his presence was confirmed and the lord remains having second thoughts. the last thing steffon wants is for his attendance to harm his efforts with durran in any way or potentially ruin a joyous day for ros... even if he has considered doing so himself. he should not be surprised that their lives have continued even in his absence, though the differences in their appearances and missing monumental moments will never not sting. " lady rosaline. " his stomach sinks as he speaks, the greeting a confirmation of what he had feared. " not for archery, no, perhaps for the joust... are you participating ? "
( rogare targaryen b / archie renaux / cis man + he/him ) hear ye hear ye — king garlan tyrell welcomes PRINCE AERYS ROGARE TARGARYEN of VALYRIA ! his great majesty is glad that the twenty six year old noble appears to be adaptable while overlooking that it’s said they are also cantankerous, as long as they are glad to celebrate peace in the seven kingdoms. fortunately for them, garlan remains oblivious that they aren't happy with his reign and that their true allegiance lies with house rogare targaryen.
one - basic information.
full name: aerys rogare targaryen. preferred nickname: rys. official title: prince of valyria. monikers: the wild dragon, the son of ashes. age: twenty six. gender + pronouns: cis man + he/him. orientation: bisexual. true allegiance: house rogare targaryen. spoken languages: high valyrian / bastard valyrian & common tongue of westeros. religion: does not believe in any religion.
virtues: adaptable, educated, charming, resourceful, opportunistic. vices: cantankerous, pessimistic, scheming, facetious, profligate. weapon of choice: preferably something personal / close combat like a dagger or blunt object. moral alignment: neutral evil. hobbies: training with his dragon, sailing, sketching / painting, pickpocketing, hunting, weapons & hand to hand combat practice.
four - connections.
parents: maegelle rogare targaryen & syrio rogare. siblings: visera rogare targaryen & rogare targaryen c. birth order: middle child. relationship status: single. children: none. pets: never referred to as a pet, but aerys has a cat sized dragon - errax, hatched from a lapis egg that clued into his eventual scale coloring along with gold accents and bright yellow eyes. other relations: house sunglass ( cousins ). past relations: none atm !
five - background.
the second child born to the growing rogare targaryen line was brought into the world on the thirteen day of the third moon in the year 291 after conquest. though neither would ever admit to favoring a gender, as regardless the child would be smothered with love, to bring a son into the world was an exciting feat. their household was never anything but chaos though aerys thrived in the environment. he grew up with stories of their great ancestors and how those who came before them sat on a throne of iron swords. house targaryen became a source of pride and he grew fascinated by the history of those with valyrian blood. his parents were two of his biggest heroes and whenever aerys wasn't vanishing off elsewhere, one could usually find his younger self steps behind.
growing up in valyria was a bit challenging but aerys has always had a habit of demanding satisfaction wherever he lands. as he got older he began to help with the rebuilding, helping himself once a scrawny young prince grew muscles after some training. while it would be nice to be somewhere spending most of his days relaxing with a plate of the finest fruits, he knows it is pointless to ignore the reality of the situation. perhaps one day he can have that too. he is as hospitable as he can be to those who join their growing kingdom, though is quick to remind those who wish them anything but success that there will be consequences for treason. his family means a great deal to him and he would do anything for them.
he has wanted nothing more than to have his own dragon. aerys has always been incredibly fixated on shrykos, his mother's dragon, wishing there were more of their kind in the realm. even if shrykos did not warm to the boy at first, earning many burns from the attempts at friendship, aerys did not stop until their familiarity was enough to earn him a closer look. imagine his excitement when three eggs are hatched, perfectly paired up for the amount of children in the family. there is no chance he will not bond to his dragon and the moment he spots his egg, a jewel toned blue that shimmers beautifully in the light, aerys knows the dragon will earn more attention from him than shrykos ever had. it is a good thing that when the egg hatches and aerys greets errax, a combination of his own name and those before him, the dragon warms almost instantly.
though he has traveled much in his life, both for the sake of adventure and running errands for loved ones, he has never thought to visit westeros. he has found comfort in the isolation of valyria from the rest of the world and enjoys the anonymity in essos, having multiple contacts in different cities for visiting. from what he has heard of the west, like the ending of house targaryen and his mother fleeing, he doesn't see the interest but would never deny helping make connections if that's the task asked of them. he thinks valyria could be the power of the realm with its full reconstruction and doesn't agree with wasting time trying to retake the iron throne. however, he knows that visera cannot be in two places at once and thinks that could potentially leave valyria to him. regardless of what happens, he is trying to help them all succeed, even if he has his own desires to go after too.
a charming prince who knows of his impact, he is never one to turn down the opportunity for even a slice of power. he looks forward to the day when house rogare targaryen makes themselves known to the world and begins to strike terror in hearts again with the growth of their dragons. king garlan tyrell, the usurper, will see the death and destruction of his house if it is the last thing aerys ever does. he would rather watch westeros burn to the ground than allow anyone to ever disrespect his house again. aerys is spoiled, loves to provoke enemies and is not familiar with hearing the word " no ". he has no issues hurting others or lying to get what he wants, but usually only when it benefits him or his house. can be a helpful alliance or an irritating enemy !
more headcanons :
due to his father's family's influence, as they had a large presence in aerys' upbringing, his natural accent is lyseni. he has traveled to most of essos, though, and can easily mask with a different region's dialect. valyrian is preferred over the westerosi tongue.
the wild dragon is a nickname earned from his childhood. aerys was always on the go, running around and never in the same place for too long. this continued as he got older, venturing out beyond and growing to love exploring. a wild prince, known for his exploration and mischievous behavior, also referred to as the son of ashes for the kingdom of valyria. fire cannot kill a dragon, he's told, but which is he more - targaryen or rogare ? will the distinction matter when the flames grow brighter ?
uses art as a means to relax. he has a sketchbook on him most of the time and keeps an easel in the bedchambers of wherever he's staying. his skill is quite good, even if he refuses to let anyone besides family see.
six - wanted.
pen pals - people aerys met at one point in time and has kept in contact with since ! they could be good pals by now or maybe not, maybe they're still writing because of a beneficial trade / alliance, who knows !
traveling companions - probably one or two people that aerys has traveled with a good amount or went on a trip / multiple trips with ! they would had to have traveled somewhere in essos as aerys is just now traveling to westeros for the first time.
friends, enemies, drinking buddies, aerys being a bad influence, i am down for anything !
( marina moschen / demi woman + she/they ) hear ye hear ye — king garlan tyrell welcomes ALYS MORMONT of BEAR ISLAND ! his great majesty is glad that the twenty three year old noble appears to be gallant while overlooking that it’s said they are also insecure, as long as they are glad to celebrate peace in the seven kingdoms. fortunately for them, garlan remains oblivious that they are happy with his reign and that their true allegiance lies with the north.
one - basic information.
full name: alys mormont. preferred nickname: al / alys. official title: lady of bear island. monikers: little bear / she bear. age: twenty three. gender + pronouns: demi woman + she/they. orientation: lesbian. true allegiances: house mormont, house stark & the north. spoken languages: common tongue. religion: the old gods.
virtues: gallant, incorruptible, adroit, honorable, compassionate. vices: insecure, overwrought, naive, vulnerable, cautious. weapon of choice: longsword or their dagger. moral alignment: lawful good. hobbies: weapons training / watching others train, horseback riding, exploring, horseshoes, climbing trees.
four - connections.
parents: liege utp mormont & liege utp mormont. siblings: mormont c & mormont d. birth order: youngest. relationship status: single. children: none. pets: though not considered a pet but more of a companion, alys' trusted steed is a brown thoroughbred named bear. other relations: none atm, would love cousins for house mormont ! past relations: none atm !
five - background.
born on the twentieth day of the seventh moon in the year 275 after conquest, alys mormont was the last child to grace the ruling couple of bear island. even as a child, she never displayed the same fierceness that house mormont was known for yet still found a way to hold her own. muscles did not appear nor did the impressive strength those around them seemed to possess, leading to insecurities about their stature and where they lack in battle. some lords were cruel in their victories and they managed to make alys' confidence waver, wondering if she could ever be a historic knight or warrior one day. they have always dreamed of looking different and shedding many of their feminine features but are proud of their identity. as alys got older, she learned how to turn her appearance into a likely opportunity to be underestimated - which sometimes works in her favor.
while she can bite if provoked ( do not poke the bear vibes ), there isn't much bark to alys. her idealism can be faulty when harsh reality rolls in, but she's always dreaming of being the best version of herself she can be. her heart has always belonged with the north, raised on stories of heroic northerners and the honor of what that meant. alys was thankful the women of house mormont were not forced to partake in ladylike hobbies as they had never been good at them. their talents remained in being one of the faster children, off in a blink and always on the move. curiosity helped propel them and they were always interested in learning what others were doing.
though bear island was home, there became a feeling of suffocation the longer alys stayed. they loved to travel and explore, seeing the beauty of the north, feeling as if there was nothing for them on bear island. family means a great deal to them but alys has always been driven by purpose, their purpose becoming duty as they got older. in her teens, she was a squire for a northern lord, collecting achievements such as winning horse races, foot races, duels, and never failing to be there when they were needed. knighthood has always been a dream and they still seek it now, even if plans have changed quite a bit. if there is anything to be learned from being a mormont, it is that anything is possible.
for the past year, alys has been working in the service of house stark as a guard in winterfell. after an incident while traveling, alys decided to stay within familiar surroundings for a while and after spending a bit of time in winterfell, they figured that working for house stark would be quite the honor. she spends most of her days training in the yard and up top the winterfell towers, though occasionally does errands for the house as she is now as trusted as the others. there are talks of them becoming a sworn sword for someone, as alys has become a favorable companion, though they would go wherever they're instructed.
anyone who knows alys knows they will always lend a helping hand. sometimes they will go above and beyond to do the right thing even if it is at the cost of their own happiness. an extrovert 100% yet needs quiet time after a while. loves to joke around and find the good side of every situation, much to the annoyance of those around her. has absolutely no interest in politics or anything really going on in westeros and kind of prefers that the trifecta is thriving in their own lil bubble. just wants to do good and honorable things.
more headcanons :
before she had turned double digits, alys had been gifted not toys nor dolls but a custom dagger with her house's sigil burned into the handle. it is their most prized possession and alys never goes anywhere without it. she keeps it hidden in her boot most often, yet sometimes has the dagger on her belt along with her sword.
is incredibly sentimental with trinkets and gifts. alys has never discarded a gift and keeps many trinkets in both their bedchambers and on their person. one is a piece of wood that has been whittled into a bear standing up and roaring - which reminds her of house mormont's words every time she looks at the object. they keep a coin purse full of differently colored stones tied to their belt and twice now someone has tried to steal it thinking it's full of coins... both times they've opened the contents to only throw the pouch back at alys with cruel words.
can do cartwheels and back flips but will probably only say yes if she's a little drunk.
six - wanted.
besties - could be northern, could be someone they met through travels, could be anyone really ! just a couple ppl alys is besties with, meaning they definitely trust each other and probably either spend the most time together or talk to each other / send ravens incredibly frequently.
idols they aspire after - probably older, more experienced swordsmen / knights who alys has been inspired by and looks up to quite a bit !
the eventual sworn shield position - ( this will be a wc at some point ) alys is a trusted guard in winterfell and is about to be promoted ( you have been promoted !! you are now one of my elite employees !! ) to be someone's sworn shield ! it's most likely this would be a house stark member or someone from a wealthy northern house as she is still apart of the winterfell guard !
unlikely friends, past flings, a bad influence on alys, frenemies, i am down for anything !!
( theo james / cis man + he/him ) hear ye hear ye — king garlan tyrell welcomes RULING LORD STEFFON BARATHEON of SUMMERHALL ! his great majesty is glad that the thirty six year old noble appears to be ambitious while overlooking that it’s said they are also aloof, as long as they are glad to celebrate peace in the seven kingdoms. fortunately for them, garlan remains oblivious that they aren’t happy with his reign and that their true allegiance lies with house baratheon of summerhall.
one - basic information.
full name: steffon baratheon. preferred nickname: steff. official title: ruling lord of summerhall. monikers: the warbringer, the black stag. age: thirty six. gender + pronouns: cis man + he/him. orientation: heterosexual. true allegiances: house baratheon of summerhall & house martell. spoken languages: common tongue. religion: faith of the seven.
two - exterior.
looks like: theo james. eye color: brown. hair color: dark brown. dominant hand: right. height: 6'0" build: athletic and toned.
three - interior.
virtues: ambitious, empathetic, headstrong, protective, strategic. vices: aloof, impatient, arrogant, selfish, rigid. weapon of choice: utilizes the sword and mace combo. moral alignment: chaotic good. hobbies: spending time with his wife and children, horseback riding, hunting, falconry, chess, thinking of ways to send his father to an early grave.
four - connections.
parents: durran baratheon & rosamund baratheon nee beesbury. siblings: davos baratheon & rosaline baratheon. birth order: first born. relationship status: happily married to mariam martell baratheon. children: ellaria baratheon & arrec baratheon. pets: a lanner falcon named thunder. other relations: house baratheon of storm's end ( original branch ) & house martell ( in laws ). past relations: none atm !
five - background.
on the nineteenth day of the fifth moon in the year 280 after conquest, rosamund baratheon gives birth to her first child - a son that the ruling couple name steffon. the heir to house baratheon, he is raised with a weight on his shoulders that crushes him throughout the years, never entirely lifting. this feeling forms a part of him, a part that hardens to the outside world yet teaches him how to prioritize family and the stormlands alike. referred to as the white stag in his youth for the inevitable pride and golden age his eventual ruling would bring, steffon never wanted to be anywhere but home in storm's end. he learned to keep in contact with house baratheon's vassals as a teen, most of his father's duties becoming partially his own when durran would ignore them. when steffon would proudly show a written letter to his father, durran would ignore him too. it was always steffon taking the brunt of responsibilities where the stormlands were concerned... durran's attention never drifted from house tyrell and for that, steffon grew to hate them too.
it always frustrated steff that he felt as if he was the only one who ever saw the utter desperation in his father's eyes. durran cared not one bit about his children and his siblings knew nothing of the sort - poor rosaline too young and naive while davos seemed too quickly following in the fool's footsteps. steffon has never understood his father's love for the crown and opposes anything royal in response. he thinks his father is an incredible loser who has wasted years kissing ass with hardly a damn thing to show for it, all at the cost of neglecting people of his own region. those who grew exhausted at the lack of support from durran began buzzing in steffon's ear as he grew into a man, first asking then demanding something be done. he was embarrassed to be the son of such a poor excuse for a man and the shame built up until it burst.
unlike his father, steffon has always valued family. though he spent many years as a happy bachelor, never quite expecting to fall in love but eventually marry for duty, many of his plans changed drastically when he met mariam. the two had met as representatives discussing political matters for their houses and potential alliances. immediately taken by her beauty and intrigued greatly by her snide remarks, it was no surprise that steff was quick to fall in love. he found it incredibly easy to open up about his ambitions for his region and when both found familiar footing, steffon was blunt about his affections as well as getting to know mariam more personally. after a while of having mariam by his side, he knew he wanted something more permanent.
when he proposed, he angered many of his allies within his vassal houses who had been told for years that his bride would eventually be one of their own daughters. steffon had to face their wrath, though, as a marriage with mariam would not only be one of love but grant him needed advantages. their wedding was small with few in attendance as his allies were still upset and so was his father, whose absence was not a surprise but a breaking point. on the night of his wedding, he decided the next step had to be winning back his alliances - which brought a decision months later to stand up to his father about neglecting his own people. seeking a compromise or his father stepping down as ruling lord altogether, steffon put a sword to durran's throat and demanded something be done. with the intention of ending his father's life, the scene played out differently - he instead fled with his family to summerhall to prove how serious he was about demanding change. they have been there ever since, the war camp growing in size every year, even with his own children.
steffon took a large amount of coin when he fled from storm's end, knowing enough about house baratheon's finances to know that while his father was piss poor at managing money, they could spare enough to still be fine. apart from his deposit, house martell has fitted the bill for the rebuilding of summerhall which is to be completed in the following months. he is excited to finally have a roof over their heads and hopes more people will see his cause as one to join before his next steps. steffon is incredibly personable with his men, often giving them leave of absences to return to their families when the colder months roll around and treating them like family when they are residing in camp. small skirmishes with durran's men have kept them busy over the years and steff has recently given them a pep talk about how their restless days are numbered.
the best of intentions does not always mean the best of results, yet steffon does as much as he can. he has a good heart and genuinely fights for the betterment of the people around him, even if he misses the mark quite a bit. his thirst for power has grown significantly and he has been entirely blind to this, seeing only one option for how their war ends. he believes that the end justifies the means and though at one point there was a line he wouldn't cross, there is little he wouldn't do now to achieve victory. not the most friendly to meet but he won't throw you to the wolves either. his feelings regarding his extended family are complicated, though his anger has been reignited more than ever after hearing news of davos' betrothal to a tyrell - the heir to the iron throne, to be exact. he doubts his brother would be a good king and knows if he does reach the throne, the stormlands will surely suffer for it. steffon hopes with his home now being one of rich history, that house baratheon will get no closer to royalty status - or that summerhall will not see history reflected in the end.
more headcanons :
he holds immense guilt for abandoning his siblings when breaking apart from his father but sent them both name day gifts ( and letters to rosaline ) throughout the years until their rare appearances stopped altogether.
thought initially referred to as the white stag, once he broke from his original baratheon branch, many who opposed or disliked him began to call him the black stag ( in a black sheep / bad omen way ). steff has since claimed it bc he thinks it makes him sound scary and cool <3
has a mind for military battlefield tactics and tends to plan before attacking. steffon prefers to see the bigger picture, even if he can easily grow impatient. when the war camp was first constructed and their numbers were frighteningly low, his father sent more men than they could fight. the only thing that saved them the first few weeks before reinforcements arrived was a defensive strategy that involved setting up traps and precautions before anyone even arrived. that was the first time people began to realize steffon would put up one hell of a fight.
still fights with the sword his mother gifted him on his fourteen name day.
six - wanted.
the boysTM - a couple guy friends who meet every fortnight at a different inn than the last to play cards, drink, and be messy !! would consist of at least one or two people that steff has known since either his childhood or his teens and probably one or two recently added pals to the group that steffon met who passed the vibe check for boys night ! ** might put up as a wc at some point !
failed betrothal - someone from a stormlands vassal who he promised to marry and make his ruling lady when he eventually become ruling lord but then shit happened and oops he married mariam :/
sworn vassals / sworn shields - the summerhall camp is made up of supporters from the stormlands vassal houses who support steffon ( they make up a majority of the camp ), mercenaries / allies from house martell and those who just wish to see a change in leadership for the stormlands. would love to see them around !! ** this will be a wc eventually !
friends, enemies, past flings, past / current squire, spies, i am down to clown !!