Avery Gardner

Captain of the Harlaw {formerly}

Father Paulo of Collinsport; uncle-by-law

Lady Brielle of Collinsport; sister-by-law

Captain Willem Dafoe; step-brother

Captain Dennis of Fork; brother-in-arms

Lord Ander of Collinsport; husband (deceased)

Ser Edmure Gardner; elder son and heir

Ser Willas Gardner; middle son

Ser Desmond Gardner; younger son

Lady Amelia Gardner; daughter

The Rat {formerly}

The Harlaw {formerly}

House Collins (by marriage)

House Gardner of Collinsport

**Avery Gardner** is the **Lady of Gardner's Hill**, the **Founder of House Gardner**, and a loyal bannerwoman of **Houses Lorent and Ivanstar**. She is a formidable fighter and clever spokesperson. She is the daughter of a ship captain named Bill Gardner from the East Coast and the step-sister of Captain Willem Dafoe of the Harlaw.

## Background

### Origins

Birthdate unknown, named **Alia Gardner**, she was born to a ship captain named Bill Gardner. She grew up in the streets of the East Coast, one of the eight cities of the Free States of the Balkan States and on the sea with her father. Her father also traded in spice that led him to marry her step-mother "Lady Dafoe", through which had two step-brothers, Willem Gardner and **Jill Gardner**.

Alia learnt the art of spice trading from her step-brother who was fond of her and loved her, and in return she taught him the art of sailing that she learnt from her father.

### Sea Life

Sometime in 126 CE, the **East Coast** was attacked by pirate-mercenaries, where Alia was separated from her family and became slave to pirates, only to join a crew of sailors led by a privateer captain following a sea skirmish, where under the alias of "**Avery**", she took the blade first-hand and went on to kill her captors and pirate helmsman, leaving the ship off charts, giving the privateers enough time to kill the pirate crew leader, save the slaves, and sink the ship. Since then, she has sailed with the privateer crew, "**Rattails**".

In Early 128 CE, when Avery served as deckhand of the ship, the crew alongside other ships fought against pirates in a sea skirmish known as the **"East Coast Skirmish"**. During the skirmish, the **Captain of the Ship**, Captain Leto One-Eyed died and made Avery the **acting-captain of the ship** with the death of the **ship's first mate** and **quartermaster**. Avery handled the captaincy well enough and sunk two pirate ships in the skirmish.

After the skirmish, Avery was voted as the Captain of the Rat and with the Leader of the Privateer Fleet Captain Fernando, Avery met with the State of Harlaw under which she became a commissioned ship captain under the letter of marque.

For three years, **Captain Avery** sailed the Northern Coast during which she befriended other privateers, notably, Captain Fernando's nephew, Captain Leto's brother, and Aria Franco.

In 130 CE, Captain Avery parted from Harlaw and sailed to the East Coast, where she joined hands with Privateer Leaders Drake and Selim, and soon enough commandeered her own fleet consisting of The Rat, Leto's Hoop, and The Harlaw, with **The Harlaw** as the **Commanding Ship**, and her crew known as The East Coast Buccaneers under the **Letter of Marque** by the **"Duchy of Tyrinia"**.

### Voyage to Sternlands

Commandeering the East Coast under the Royal Flags, **Captain Avery** and the **East Coast Buccaneers** settled in the coastal residence of Fort Faulkner (an **Assyrian Navy-turned-Pirate Fortress**), which served as a military stronghold and shelter to the **Royal Flags**.

Sometime in the **Summer of 130 CE**, gold came to the newly founded Royal Flags and her mighty crew, when the Kingdoms across the Blue Sea required naval aid. **Captain Avery** and the **Eastern Buccaneers**, Captain Helena and The Valerie, Captain Maynard and The Bull Fighters, Captain Sanders and The Black Tooth Grins sailed to the **Eastern Shores of Sternlands** to partake in the First East Hill Revolt.

After the **Revolt** and **Execution of the Rebels**, King Dustin Easternling offered the **Eastern Buccaneers** and the **Bull Fighters** a safe haven by the **Eastern Shores** at Port Marren, where they can dock and participate in trade, and following **Captain Avery** along with her crew settled in Port Landon, as a second home. Spending more time at land than sea, Captain Avery became fond off the townsmen and lordships of the port. During one occasion, Captain Avery met with the Lordships of Collinsport, Altmore, and Yellowbrook.

### Ladyship

In 131 CE, after the Second Rebel Skirmish of Collinsport, **Captain Avery** settled in Collinsport while passing her mantle as Captain of the Harlaw and her fleet to her second-in-command and brother, Master William, who went on to become a famed privateer captain of the **East Coast**. Followingly, Captain Avery married the Lord of Collinsport, soon after which she was joined by her oldest crew, the '**Rattails**', who left her crew under command of **Captain Dafoe** and returned to her.

Sometime in 136 CE, the **Eastern Shores** came under attack by pirate-mercenaries and a revolt led by Houses Otium, Rivermont, Riverside, and Roosevelt, during which, Collinsport fell in turmoil which also became known as the "**Events of the Fallen Collinsport**". The **Lordship of Collinsport** was broken and massacred except for a few members who fled either to Estonia, South Vale, or the Free Cities seeking shelter. During this time, Lady Avery known for her nature of leadership and fighting vigor, she led her people to a last resistance until aid from Houses Ivanstar and Fossoway arrived and freed the Eastern Shore cities and towns under attack.

### Founding House Gardner

After the attack, Lady Avery rebuilt **Collinsport** with assistance to **House Ivanstar** and swearing loyalty to their new overlords, and founding a new lordship, one led by a woman as its founder, a rare case to take place in all of **Sternlands**. Lady Avery founded House Gardner in 137 CE, named after her maiden name, *"***Gardner***"*, with her heirs the children of Lord Anders of Collinsport.

Founding House Gardner, Lady Avery took hold of the '**Seat of its former Lord Bishop**' and reconstructing it, renaming Castle Anders of Collinsport, as the new seat of **House Gardner**.To Be Continued...