Alvar Wagstaff

Alvar Wagstaff is Lord of House Wagstaff, a minor house in the Stormlands. After being healed by a Red Priest during Durran's Defiance, the lord lost his voice and became a devout follower of the Lord of Light. His mental state well known, he is ostracized by most lords of Westeros and rarely leaves his keep, preferring to gaze at his beloved flames.

### History

Alvar was born to Sterlan and Kyra Wagstaff in 342 A.C. Alvar was Sterlan’s firstborn son, and would be the last. Kyra would prove unable to produce more children, and would die in childbirth some years later.

Since his martial training as a boy, Alvar was an excellent duelist. Concerned more with his son being able to defend himself rather than slay any attacker, Sterlan focused his training on defense. While most Lords would send their sons off to become squires, especially ones so martially inclined as Alvar, Sterlan refused. Kyra seemed unable to give birth to anymore children after Alvar. Alvar was precious, and Sterlan kept him close.

It would prove that never leaving the small castle of Wagstaff would leave Alvar with quite a bit of alone time. His favorite were books telling of Old Valyria and Asshai, lands were it was said magic existed. If he learned enough about the mystic arts, perhaps Alvar would learn how to give himself a voice. If Alvar could give himself a voice, maybe could give himself a friend as well.

While Alvar couldn’t perform the sorceries he read about, or cast the spells in his stories, he was able to watch flames. For Alvar, fire was the closest thing to magic he had. He learned how to make it change colors, he learned how to make fires by simply combining liquids; Alvar even learned how to mix chemicals to make a fire that would spread and consume faster than any natural flame, though Alvar never used this skill with asronry to burn anything more than a small bonfire. His oddities were beginning to be noticed by his father, who only wished that his son could be more normal. During Durran’s Defiance, the Wagstaffs raised their banners for Aemond, though not before Royland Baratheon left with the bulk of the Stormlands forces. Marching to join their liege lord, Lord Sterlan’s forces were ambushed by royalists. While their mostly mounted forces manage to beat a hasty retreat, Lord Sterlan was slain and Alvar was gravely wounded. After several days of being bed-ridden, Alvar seemed to have no hope of recovery; and was wasting away

Where the Maesters had given up, a Red Priest by the name of Jorio did not. Jorio said prayers over his bedside, and gave him ointments and medicines that the Red Priest had brought with him from Essos. After two more days, Alvar's eyes fluttered open. His mouth opened to say something, but no sound came out. The price for Alvar’s life, it seemed, was his voice. Now mute, Alvar would go on to join up with Lord Baratheon and serve with him for the rest of the war, though he wouldn’t be very friendly with any of them. His new life was in service to the Lord of Light, not any mortal man.

After the war, Alvar would return to his keep and has scarcely left since. His reclusive and sometimes insane behavior well known, the Wagstaffs were shunned by most houses. None would offer them their daughters for him to marry, and Alvar did not care to press the issue. If the Lord of Light desired for him to have a wife, he would give one to him. For the time being, Alvar was content to shelter any worshiped R’hllor under his roof and send his men to find him tomes so that he might learn more of the mystical arts.

For the King’s Wedding, Alvar left Wagstaff for the first time in a decade. He did not care to stay long. His presence, while required, was unwelcome. Alvar gave the King a written oath of fealty at his feast, gifting him an old book that contained stories and tales of Old Valyria. The King, no doubt informed by his advisors who the strange lord was, quickly ushered him through the process and away. After the feast, Lord Wagstaff would quietly slip back to his keep. He wasn’t wanted anyways.

### Recent Events

Alvar Wagstaff's cousin, Brandon, made it his business to snoop around in his castle. Soon discovering his secret, Brandon was quickly executed by Lord Wagstaff to prevent his escape. Many questions have been raised as to Brandon Wagstaff's whereabouts, though nothing has been turned up as of yet.