House Brune of Dyre Den

House Brune of the Dyre Den is a noble house from the Crownlands, situated on Cracklaw Point. Founded in the Age of Heroes by the legendary Brothers Brune, a pair of warriors who united Cracklaw Point, House Brune is foremost among the Clawman houses.

House Brune of Brownhollow is a cadet branch of landed knights that are cousins to the Brune's of Dyre Den.

## History

### Aegon's Conquest

As with all the Clawmen of Cracklaw Point, House Brune came willingly to the cause of House Targaryen despite it's fractious history with the Celtigars of Claw Isle. The destruction of the House Hoare at Harrenhal was enough to convince the Clawmen to the side of the Valyrians, and they grew to be staunchly loyal in the ensuing years. Brune men fought at a good number of the critical battles of the Conquest, keen to earn their place on the right side of history.

With the conquest complete following the capitulation of the North, Cracklaw Point once more retired into the usual state of small bush-wars and inter-house fighting that the Clawmen are so famous for.

Bernarr Brune, a lesser scion of Dyre Den, grew to fame following King Aegon's passing. In the turmoil following King Aenys' coronation, Bernarr was squiring for Lord Alyn Stokeworth, Hand of the King. When the royal forces were dispatched to the Riverands, Alyn Stokeworth fell to the outlaw Harren the Red. Bernarr killed the outlaw in turn and was knighted in recompense.

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### King Maegor's reign

During the strife with the Faith Militant, House Brune remained loyal to King Maegor. They fought several minor conflicts with rival Clawmen who sought to make gains from the chaos. Bernarr Brune, slayer of Harren the Red, was one of the first men to volunteer his sword to King Maegor ahead of the Trial of Seven with the Faith. Though he would not survive the combat, Bernarr was often hailed as a hero by his kin in the Dyre Den.

The onset of the Dragonblight led to the Brune's withdrawing from high society and back into Cracklaw Point, this was a blow to the ambitions of Lord Brune. Clawmen were often ostracised before the Conquest, but had been more forthcoming since being unified with the rest of the realm.

### Jaeherys & Rhaegar

The ravages of the Dragonblight ensured the Brunes remained largely absent throughout the tribulations of Rhaegar Targaryen's regency, remaining impassive on many of the larger decisions eked out during this time. The introduction of Justiciars seemed to do little to quell the internal strife of Cracklaw Point and the usual Clawmen conflicts persisted in the shadows of the many hills and forests that litter Cracklaw Point. Notably in this period, House Brune clashed with House Crabb in several high profile skirmishes.

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### The Hook Uprising

*Main Article; Hook Uprising*

In early 78AC, Cracklaw Point suffered heavily thanks to the combined effort of a bitter winter and new taxes levied by King Rhaegar. With many forced to increasingly desperate measures to survive, Cracklaw became a swamp of criminality. No reprieve proved forthcoming from King's Landing, and Lord Eustace had to extend his own resources almost to breaking point in order to quell the trouble.

When word reached Dyre Den of the situation on Massey's Hook, the proud and wroth Lord Eustace raised his own banners in defiance. The Brune's influence on Cracklaw Point saw the overwhelming majority of Clawmen join them, with the exception of the ever belligerent Crabbs, and soon the Point was broiling with anti-Targaryen sentiment.

When Dyre Den's defiance became known, Velaryon warships blockaded Dyre Den and House Celtigar joined with House Crabb at the Whispers; seeking to end the threat posed by Eustace Brune and his swelling army. The loyalists proceeded to Brownhollow, home of the cadet branch of House Brune, but were ambushed en route by the Lord of Dyre Den and his allies. The fighting was fierce, as it always was when Clawmen came to blows, but the loyalist host had to withdraw lest it be totally destroyed. It was in this battle that both of Lord Eustace's elder sons fell, which served only to consolidate his resolve against the Crown.

With Lord Eustace in the field, Dyre Den was besieged by Prince Aemon Targaryen. Though he knew not the full raiment of the forces posed against him, and his besieging army was soon driven from the field by the organised and returning forces of House's Brune, Pyne and Thorne. Combined with the sallying forces from within Dyre Den, Aemon's army was forced back to the Whispers to gather with the battered remnants of House's Celtigar and Crabb.

The insurrection on Cracklaw Point finally came to an end following the Battle at Alric Bluff, which saw the deaths of many prominent Clawmen. Shortly following, Lord Eustace Brune was taken into custody and promptly executed for his part in the war.

## Post-War

With House Brune taking heavy losses in the ultimately futile uprising, the Lordship of Dyre Den ended up in the hands of the third born son Thoren Brune. Though far younger than his peers, the lordling was of a calmer disposition than his father and worked quickly following the end of his short regency to try and heal the wounds opened by the war, proving popular with his fellow Clawmen and smallfolk alike. Unlike his predecessors, Thoren presided over a pacified Cracklaw Point, enabling him to focus his efforts in the wider kingdom.

Such was his drive to fix the mistakes of the past that Lord Thoren took no wife and had no issue, often saying he had all the time in the world to procreate. In the end, this negligence would see him taken by Dragonblight and the Lordship handed over to his younger brother Daemon in 93AC. One of Thoren's last acts as Lord was to arrange the fostering of Pia Brune to House Tully in the Riverlands.

### Present

Lord Daemon's tenure as Lord of the Dyre Den has not been without controversy. A rebellious youth who was mostly neglected by his father and siblings, Daemon had taken cause with a renowned smuggler and robber knight known to the smallfolk as Black Pate. By the time the Lordship became his own, Black Pate was dead and Daemon had taken the smuggling network as his own.

Thanks to the machinations of the new lord, the Dyre Den became a focal point for criminality in the east of Westeros and Daemon only maintained his legitimacy by the rights of his Lordship.

### Current members of House Brune

Daemon Brune - The Lord of Dyre Den, a twenty-something unwed rogue.

Pia Brune - Cousin to the main branch and current ward of House Tully of Riverrun

Qarl Brune - Cousin to the main branch and sibling to Pia, resides at Dyre Den.

Sarra Brune - Aunt to the main branch, wed to a Manning.