House Starkart

Winter's Bite, Winter's Might.

> **Winter's Bite, Winter's Might**
>
>

**House Starkart** was once a small and noble house, with a history intertwined with the unforgiving cold and stark beauty of the Lands of Winter. Their motto, "**Winter's Bite, Winter's Might**" spoke of their unwavering determination and resilience in the face of the harshest of conditions. Zara Starkart was a proud member of this house, known for their deep connection to the frigid realm they called home.

## Background

For one generation, **House Starkart** ruled from their small and humble castle, aptly named Castle Starkart, which stood as a symbol of their law and humanity in the region. The castle's snow-covered tower from which the priest could care of the injured, and it's walls were constructed to withstand the most brutal of winters. From this seat of humbleness, they oversaw their farms, which covered the land around the walls, desolate expanse of the Lands of Winter.

However, **House Starkart's** prosperity would not last. They were forced to flee by a rival house to the uncivilized lands, a house with ambitions of their own. Faced with overwhelming forces and betrayal, **House Starkart** had no choice but to flee their ancestral home and seek refuge in the very wilderness they had long called their own. Their exile was a bitter blow to Erron Starkart, who was Zara's father, and his fellow men and women. They found themselves cast adrift in the harsh, unrelenting landscape that had once been their source of strength. With their nobility and power stripped away, they had no choice but to adapt to the brutal conditions of the Lands of Winter. The family was forced to rely on their deep-seated knowledge of the terrain and the survival skills passed down through generations.

During their exile, **House Starkart** sought to rebuild, establishing a hidden stronghold deep within the harsh wilderness. With Castle Starkart in ruins and their family name tarnished, they operated from the shadows, plotting to one day reclaim their lost honor and lands, yet, fate had another cruel twist in store for **House Starkart**. The Night of Winter, a fateful and dark night, would become etched into their history. A horde of wildlings, driven by the relentless cold and seeking to claim the Lands of Winter for themselves, descended upon the hidden stronghold. The Starkarts fought valiantly to defend their last bastion, but the horde proved too overwhelming.

By dawn's light, Castle Starkart lay in ruins once again, and the remnants of **House Starkart** were scattered, with many perishing in the brutal conflict. Zara Starkart, driven by a fierce determination to continue his family's legacy, survived the devastating attack and, with a heavy heart, took up the mantle of a man paladin to march back into the mainland for his new devotion, the God of Light. Now, **House Starkart** exists as little more than a memory, a once-proud noble house reduced to whispers in the biting wind of the Lands of Winter. Zara Starkart, bearing the weight of his house's legacy and the motto "**Winter's Bite, Winter's Might**" in his heart, is determined to one day rebuild his family's name and honor, even in the face of the unforgiving and unending winter that surrounds him.