Rickard Stark
Rickard Stark {Born 239} was the son of Edwyle Stark and Marna Locke, the former head of House Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North. Rickard married his cousin {Once Removed} Lyarra Stark, and together they spawned four children, Brandon, Eddard, Lyanna & Benjen Stark. After the death of Lyarra, Rickard never opted to remarry or take a paramour. Instead, he devoted most of his time to the preoccupation of his children. Lord Rodrik Ryswell once offered his daughter's hand in marriage to Rickard's heir, Brandon Stark. Rickard preferably chose another route, opting to betroth his son to Lady Catelyn Tully of Riverrun, under the advise of Maester Walys.
Rickard then followed suit with another Southern marriage as he betroth his daughter, Lyanna, to Lord Robert Baratheon of Storm's End. Rickard admits he would have matched Barbrey Ryswell to his liberal second son, Eddard Stark, with gratis. Be it as it may, Barbrey had already married Willam Dustin at the time. Rickard allowed all four of his children to attend the tourney at Harrenhal, but exceedingly doubted it's prestige. Several months later, Before any of Rickard's planned marriages could take place, Lyanna disappeared. Brandon held Rhaegar Targaryen, the crown prince, responsible and went with a small company of young nobles to King's Landing in an endeavor to challenge Rhaegar. When the outburst occurred, Aerys II had them all imprisoned on charges of conspiring to kill the crown prince and summoned their fathers, including Rickard, to answer for the crimes of their sons. The nobles compliantly agreed, but were abruptly executed with their sons by Aerys' command. As was his right, Rickard demanded a trial by combat. King Aerys II granted Rickard's request, but to Aerys, the Targaryen champion was fire. Rickard was set alight and burned, by the pyromancer lighting a fire beneath him while Rickard was hung to the sealing, dressed in his armor. |
Lyarra Stark
Lyarra Stark {Born 241AC} was the daughter of Rodrik Stark [the Wandering Wolf] and Arya Flint. She is the deceased wife of Lord Rickard Stark and mother of Brandon, Eddard, Lyanna & Benjen. Despite Lyarra's genealogy originating from the Starks, she was betrothed to her cousin {Once removed} Rickard Stark. Rickard is noted for presenting Lyarra with a Sapphire necklace of rare eminence and gentry as a wedding gift. As a child, Eddard would constantly plead with his mother to escort him inside the Winterfell Godswood, in which she would aglow a smile. When Rickard sent her eldest children Brandon & Eddard to be fostered elsewhere, Lyarra constantly wept for the longing to see her sons again. Unfortunately, that never came to fruition as Lady Stark soon passed away, a year after the birth of her youngest child Benjen. Brandon & Eddard returned home for the burial, leaving Brandon distraught as he refused to let go of her corpse. Before the inevitable occurred, Brandon snatched Lyarra's sapphire necklace from her body to keep it in memory of his beloved mother. Lady Stark was dearly missed by Rickard, Brandon and Eddard, but remain a distant memory to Lyanna and Benjen who vaguely remember her due to their infancy. Rickard insists his Lyarra would have been more better suited to raising Lyanna, whom turned out not ladylike. After the death of Lyarra Stark, Lord Rickard did not take another wife or paramour. He instead focused on the future endeavors of his children, something he might have promised his wife on her death bed. Some believe it was the grief that took her.
|
Brandon Stark
Brandon Stark {Born 261 AC} is the eldest child of Rickard and Lyarra Stark. His siblings are Eddard, Lyanna and Benjen. Brandon is truly gifted with a sword even from a young age and like his sister Lyanna, Brandon loves to ride, especially in the Rills. Barbrey Ryswell compared them to "a couple of centaurs" In his youth, Brandon was fostered in Barrowton, where he befriended Willam Dustin, under Anolf Dustin {Willam's Father}. Charm comes easy to Brandon Stark, some would label it his specialty. Most likely from the time he took the maidenhood of Barbrey Ryswell, who had a deep infatuation with him, in the Barrowlands.
When Brandon turned 15, it was announced that he was betrothed to Catelyn Tully of Riverrun, a decision he was secretly not compliant with. Brandon had a falling out with Barbrey Ryswell during the latter stages of their affair. It all had unraveled once Barbrey declined his ultimatum to marry his younger brother Ned, in hope that both lovers would see each other regularly and continue their love affair. Things did not sit too well for the young Lord of Winterfell in his ongoing debacle with Lady Barbrey, making him unsettled and enraged. Brandon reluctantly left, thus ending a long running affair. Brandon admits he might have done something regretful to Barbrey had it not been for Willam Dustin's intervention, but denies ever attempting to rape or beat her senselessly. Once his time was complete in Barrowton, Brandon returned to Winterfell whilst Willam Dustin took over the main seat of Barrowhall. As time passed, Brandon turned his attention to his future bride, Lady Catelyn Tully, who also seemed to fall under Brandon's charm despite him only visiting her for a scarce amount of time. During his visit to Riverrun he found her rather appealing and often sees her as a sexpot though he finds her personality too constrict and polite. In a maneuver to convince Catelyn of his gallant persona, Brandon gifted her with his deceased mother's sapphire necklace, proving successful in his attempt. Brandon attended the Tourney at Harrenhal with the rest of his siblings, spending time with his future wife Catelyn in the process. At the tourney, an overprotective Catelyn soon found out of an affair between Willam Dustin and her own sister Lysa Tully. Be it that Willam was one of Brandon's own Bannermen, Catelyn turned to his aid to resolve the matter. Brandon assured Catelyn that he would find a way to keep Willam distanced from Lysa, However, he could not intervene due to Willam's collateral of the incident in the Rills. Instead, he decided to confront Lysa Tully and threaten to reveal her secret affair in the eyes of all at the Tourney in which she complied. Brandon defeated Jorah Mormont in the first round of Jousts, but later lost to the crown Prince, Rhaegar Targaryen, after coming down with an unexpected illness. Many months passed, and Brandon was days away from marrying Catelyn Tully, when word reached him of Lyanna's abduction by Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. Brandon, along with his squires Ethan Glover and Dacey Mormont, Kyle Royce, Elbert Arryn, and Jeffory Mallister, rode to King's Landing immediately. Hoster Tully became incensed at such a rash action and labeled Brandon a "gallant fool". Upon entering the Red Keep, Brandon shouted for Rhaegar to accept a duel and die. Rhaegar was not there to answer the challenge; they were arrested by King Aerys II and charged with plotting to murder the crown prince. Rickard Stark and the other fathers were called to court to answer the charges, but it went brutally wrong. He was forced to watch as his father was strung up by rope and burned alive in his own armor. Brandon was bound by a leather cord around his neck and a longsword just out of reach. He supposedly strangled himself trying to get to the sword to save his father. Later, it was discovered by Ashara Dayne that Brandon was alive. She concealed him in the safest place possible, the fourth and darkest level of the dungeon. Ashara tended to him when she could, providing comestibles and drink. When Brandon was stable enough, Ashara confessed she had been carrying his child, a product from the their night at Harrenhal. Before Ashara left the Red Keep to travel Dorne in preparation of her child's birth, she entrusted Queen Rhaella with harboring Brandon. The Queen accepted in order to spite Aerys after he had raped her the night of the executions. Brandon now remains a shadow of his former self, losing his sanity with each passing day being trapped in the dungeon. |
Eddard Stark
Eddard Stark {Born 263AC} is the second child of Rickard Stark & Lyarra Stark. His siblings are Brandon, Lyanna & Benjen Stark, whom refer to him by his affectionate name "Ned". From all three of his siblings Eddard has a more empathetic relationship with his sister Lyanna Stark, whom he shares most of his secrets too. Eddard's characteristics are in contrasts to that of his elder brother Brandon, though he still loves Brandon and considers him to be the sword of the family. Eddard has a silent nature and cold persona to mystifying and eccentric people, thus having many bestow the nickname "The Quiet Wolf" upon him.
When he turned eight, Eddard was sent to be fostered by Lord Jon Arryn at the Eyrie, alongside Robert Baratheon. Eddard befriended the Lord of Storm's End, whom would soon become the betroth of his younger sister, Lyanna Stark. When Lyarra Stark passed away, He & Brandon returned home for the burial, which caused him to wonder if his mother had actually died from grief. Eddard considers Lord Arryn a second father, procuring every opportunity to learn from the wise lord. He gained a lot of intel on how to be a successful diplomat by sitting in on various counsel meetings at the Eyrie whilst Robert concerned himself with other issues such as women, drinking and attending the warrior's guild. When he temporarily returned to Winterfell at ten and seven, Eddard founded a confiding relationship with the beautiful and rakish Lady Barbrey Ryswell, despite her secret ongoing affairs with that of Brandon Stark. Some do not view Barbrey Ryswell in a good light, but Eddard sees differently, conceding that she is misunderstood and describing her as having an "intriguing, debonair quality in which he has never seen before in a woman". Eddard attended the Tourney at Harrenhal in which he and his siblings befriended Lord Howland Reed. After seeing the ravishing and courteous Ashara Dayne, Eddard developed a crush on the young lady and behaved in aberration. Months passed, and the news of the alleged abduction of Lyanna by Prince Rhaegar was received unlawfully. Ned's father Rickard and his brother Brandon were executed at the command of King Aerys II, who further demanded that Jon Arryn send him the heads of his wards. Jon Arryn refused and instead launched a rebellion. With his father and brother dead, Ned was now Lord of Winterfell. To raise his banners in the North and join the rebellion, Ned had to cross the mountains to the Fingers and hire a fisherman to bring him to White Harbor with a boat. They were caught by a storm on the Bite and the fisherman drowned. However, his daughter managed to bring Ned to the Three Sisters. Once he finally returned to Winterfell, Ned summoned all the Northern houses to his cause, including Houses Dustin, Bolton and Reed. After calling his banners, Ned marched to join Robert's warring in the south, arriving in time to turn the tide at the Battle of the Bells. Afterward, he transposed to Riverrun to marry Catelyn Tully by custom decree, who had been betrothed to his brother Brandon before his death. He spent a fortnight with Catelyn to solidify the marriage. During that time, he secretly having a deep liking to her aromatic scented auburn hair. |
Lyanna Stark
Lyanna Stark {Born 267AC} is the third child of Lord Rickard and Lyarra Stark. Lyanna is known to be an extremely gifted rider which is somewhat comparable with that of her eldest brother, Brandon. Barbrey Ryswell went as far as to call them a "pair of centaurs" Lyanna shows the characteristics of a headstrong, willful, courageous and hot-tempered young woman though she has a deep fondness of blue winter roses and an even deeper connection with that of melodious songs. As children, Lyanna and Benjen often dueled with broken branches, using them as swords.
On one occasion, she slashed Benjen across the thigh which caused him to lose balance and falls into the pool of water by the heart tree. She kept it discrete by pulling her younger brother from the pool, before Old Nan could see and notify their father. At the age of 14, Lyanna was betrothed to Robert Baratheon, a man who has the utmost infatuation about her. She has mixed feelings about the handsome Lord with some concerns pointing to Robert's bastard daughter, Mya Stone, whom he had conceived at his time spent at the Eyrie. Lyanna has a close relationship with all her siblings, but shares a more empathetic relationship with Eddard. Lyanna attended the Tourney at Harrenhal where she had rescued Howland Reed from being bullied by 3 young squires. After scurrying the perpetrators away, she tended to Howland's wounds in her tent. Eventually, she introduced the guest to all her brothers. During the feast Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, a noted musician, performed a sad and beautiful song that made Lyanna weep. When Benjen teased her for crying, she poured wine over his head. After Rhaegar went on to win the tournament, he shocked all present by passing over his wife to crown Lyanna as queen of love and beauty. At some time after the tournament, Lyanna was reportedly abducted by Rhaegar with the help of Arthur Dayne and Oswell Whent. This led to the eventual deaths of Rickard and Brandon, whom were executed for treason whilst trying to retrieve her. Rhaegar concealed Lyanna in the Tower of Joy amidst the war, with Ser Arthur Dayne, Ser Oswell Whent and Ser Gerald Hightower on sentry duty. |
Benjen Stark
Benjen Stark {Born 269AC} is the fourth child of Rickard and Lyarra Stark. He is the youngest sibling to Brandon, Eddard and Lyanna. Benjen often likes to tease his sister, Lyanna, but is soon found on the receiving end of her bullish ways. As children, Lyanna and Benjen often dueled with broken branches, using them as swords. On one occasion, Lyanna slashed him across the thigh which caused him to lose balance and falls into the pool of water by the heart tree. His sister kept it discrete by pulling him from the pool, before Old Nan could see and notify their father. Benjen sticks to his father's morales in life, unfortunately, he never truly got to know his mother, Lady Lyarra Stark, as she passed away whilst he was still an infant. Benjen's future is abstruse. Lord Rickard did not disclose information on the matter, leaving Benjen imponderable. He attended the Tourney at Harrenhal with the rest of siblings, where they all befriended Howland Reed. When Lyanna wept for Rhaegar's sad melody song, he teased her for crying. This triggered Lyanna to pour wine over his head. When the war of the Usurper began, Benjen remained in Winterfell by order of the new Warden of the North, his brother Eddard, whom felt Benjen was too young to venture into battle and reminded him that a Stark must always be in Winterfell.
|