The Stormlands

### Location

Crownlands to the north, the Reach to the west, Dorne to the south, and Shipbreaker Bay and the Narrow Sea to the east.

### Notable Location

Kingswood • Rainwood • Shipbreaker Bay • Tarth • Dornish Marches • Sea of Dorne • Wendwater • Prince's Pass

### Named For

The savage and frequent storms from the Narrow Sea battering the coast.

The Stormlands are one of the remaining constituent regions still loyal to Iron Throne Kingdom. Before Aegon's War of Conquest, the Stormlands ruled as a sovereign nation under the Storm Kings.

## Geography

The stormlands are bordered to the north by the crownlands, west by the Reach, south by Dorne and the Sea of Dorne, and east by Shipbreaker Bay and the narrow sea. They are one of the smaller regions of Westeros, a land of harsh mountains, stony shores, and verdant forests, including the kingswood and the rainwood along Cape Wrath. Major rivers include the Slayne and part of the Wendwater.

The windswept plains and grasslands of the Dornish Marches, located in the south-west in a long salient along the Red Mountains, serve as an effective buffer zone between the stormlands and their old enemies of the Reach and Dorne. A few islands, including Tarth and Estermont, are also considered part of the stormlands. Ships coming across the narrow sea avoid the notorious Shipbreaker Bay and its storms, though the seas along the stormlands can be clear and blue.

## People and Culture

The Stormlands are thinly populated compared to most of the Seven Kingdoms, and their people have a reputation for being stormy like their weather. The province is known for its fierce warriors and sailors, and for moss-covered cottages among its rainy woods and green hills. Many smallfolk in the Stormlands claim descent from a promiscuous Storm King, Ronard Storm.

## Recent History

During the long reign of Lord Raymont Baratheon, the Stormlands would enjoy great prosperity. Though the realm was at first ruled by the young lord's regents, he would come into his own and prove a capable leader. His time as a ward in the riverlands would also establish ties between House Baratheon and the Blackwoods of Raventree. During the fourth Dornish War he would prove himself a capable military leader in spite of the steep cost incurred in lives by the conflict. He accepted peace with the dornishmen without bearing any grudge or wishing for vengeance, however this sentiment was not unanimous among his lords.

Raymont would father five children, Cassandra, Roy, Serra, Devan and Richard. While the birth of these siblings had secured the Baratheon line, the death of Raymont's wife Jeyne would become a catalyst for conflict over the years as Raymont had a harder time keeping the family united without her. His eldest daughter Cassandra became the one Lord Raymont kept closest and taught personally while the younger children would go on to become squires and wards with other houses. This tutoring would prove vital in preparing Cassandra to serve as Roy's advisor.

Raymont would fall at Bitterbridge in the year 93, leading stormlander forces under the banner of King Viserys to aid in supressing the Rosegold Rebellion. The Crown's victory over the rebelling reachmen and westermen proved costly, and the death of their lord along with many young men lead some in the stormlands to talk of re-establishing themselves as an independent kingdom in a time when House Targaryen's power over the seven kingdoms appeared to be slipping rapidly. Roy Baratheon became Lord at age 15, advised by his older sister Cassandra. As a friend of the king and a former squire of Aemon Targaryen, Roy had no intention of entertaining notions of independence among his lords. The same could not be said for his younger brother Devan, who blamed the Targaryens for the loss of his father. Devan's time as a squire for Lord Lorimar Dondarrion would only exacerbate this resentment, as Dondarrion was among the more ardent opponents of The Crown. Even so, he would not be the first to act on such sentiment.

97 A.C would be known as the Year of Skulls and Daggers, when bandit activity would increase exponentially. These bandits were unusually well armed and organized, and seemed to target some houses while leaving others unscathed. This was soon traced back to Lord Toyne, a supporter of independence who had begun funding these attacks on houses loyal to The Crown. Roy's innitial hesitation to act against one of his principal bannermen caused Lord Wylde, one of the lords whose lands had been attacked to start funding his own bandit raids on the lands of Toyne and other independence supporters. Fearing that arresting either lord might galvanize one faction or the other, Roy continued to hesitate, before eventually heeding his sister's advise to strike down both decisively and assert his authority. Cassandra's fervour would backfire however, as she also advised Roy to take the lion's share of the garrison of Storm's End with him. Roy would successfully put down Lord Toyne's insurgency, defeating his bandit armies. Lord Wylde offered his support, but Roy denied him, displaying his committment to supress all banditry on both sides of the conflict. This lead Wylde to fear he would be the next to face judgement, and so he decided to March on Storm's End to take the castle hostage. Cassandra was besieged with only a handful of trained soldiers of the garrison to defend the castle, but the defensses were upheld by conscripting peasants who had fled to Storm's End to avoid the bandits to hold the walls

During all of this, the younger Baratheon sister, Serra, had been a ward in King's Landing. While there, she would grow close to Daeron Targaryen, the King's brother and Prince of Dragonstone. Over time, both the Targaryens and Baratheons came to view them as a favourable match. During the funeral of Balerion, the two houses would meet to discuss the betrothal. What caught Roy by surprise was that the king also wished to name him his Hand. Roy accepted, despite Cassandra's objections to the king. While in the capital, Devan Baratheon came into conflict with Ysilla Arryn, leading her father, Gunthor Arryn, the lord of the Vale, to send a bloody pig's head to Devan as a threat. In response to Arryn hostility, Roy made an alliance with Loreon Lannister, betrothing his youngest brother Richard to a daughter of the lord of Casterly Rock. Devan would be named Roy's regent of Storm's End while he served as Hand of The King in the capital

Roy's tenure as hand would be defined by the abortive attempt by House Tyrell to rebell against the crown once more. While Lord Gwayne was quickly captured, an army had to be sent to The Reach in order to pacify those of his vassals and kinsmen that continued to revolt. While forces from the Crownlands and Northmarch assembled quickly, Roy requested Devan to send a Stormlander army to assist the royal forces. This force never arrived in time, as Devan had little desire to support a King he despised, and by the time he was convinced to send the forces in the right direction, the rebellion had been effectively supressed. Roy would strip Devan of his regency and disinherit him when he learned that Devan had disobeyed orders from the Crown, potentially jeapordizing House Baratheon. Cassandra, who had been in charge of Storm's End while Devan was on campaign, took over the regency, though it would not last long.

During his time in the capital, Roy had witnessed a marriage dispute between his friend King Viserys and House Blackwood. Viserys had started an affair with Raya, deciding to bed her first, then wed her. A marriage was arranged, but a dispute between the King and Raya's older sister lead to the dissolution of the betrothal. To save Raya's honour, Roy married her, obtaining the betrothal through his past relationship with house blackwood. She would give birth to their daughter, Ashara, shortly before Roy returned to Storm's End after being rplaced as Hand by the King's cousin, Prince Aegon. Roy would return home with Serra, whose wedding to Daeron Targaryen would be celebrated with a grand tourney at Storm's End shortly thereafter.

Not long after the festivities, tensions flared up with Dorne, as the unexpected death of Nymor Martell made his widow Teora, the Princess Regent for the couple's young son suspicious of the Seven Kingdoms. Responding to what she percieved as preparations for an invasion, the Princess mobilized the armies of Dorne. Roy offered parlay, hoping to avoid conflict. He established a council headed by his sister Cassandra to administer the Stormlands while he travelled south to meet the Princess at Nightsong. Before either could arrive, a raid by Dondarrion forces on Wyl Lands near the border lead to the outbreak of war in the early weeks of the year 100 A.C

In contrast to the Dornish, the Stormlanders were not yet prepared for war, and so Dornish forces swept into the Marches while there was no force large enough to oppose them in the area. Broad Arch, Nightsong and Blackhaven were all besieged within two weeks. When the Baratheon army did arrive, it did not face much success at first. A two-pronged assault failed when the Dornish lured half of the Stormlander soldiers deeper into the marches with a splinter force while using the bulk of their forces to corner the Stormlanders in what became known as the battle of Butcher's Bay. Only by virtue of Devan Baratheon holding the right flank during the retreat did the Stormlanders avoid being backed into the sea and having an entire army destroyed. The brutal victory galvanized the Dornish, who soon captured the castles they had besieged and tried to push further into the Stormlands. However by now Roy's best general, Lord Edric Connington had returned from The Reach after helping royal forces recapture the Arbor from the Ironborn. Roy and Edric halted the Dornish advance near Crow's Nest and began pushing them back into the marches. The Stormlander forces besieged their lost castles, all of which fell within a couple of months. The dornish garrisons soon surrendered, cut off from their main armies, however Devan Baratheon insisted on taking Blackhaven by storm even as the castle was close to surrendering on its own, wanting to liberate the home of his betrothed, Jena Dondarrion, faster. This assault cost many lives, resulting in a ictory that was seen by most as needlessly bloody for the winning side.

As the Stormlands tried to push into Dorne, the land war ground to a standstill, and there were no major victories beyond the capture of Wyl early in the campaign. This convinced Roy that the war needed to be won at sea. As such, he decided to make an alliance with the Hightowers of Oldtown, betrothing Cassandra to Lord Lucas Hightower in 102 A.C. The following year would see a naval campaign against Dorne. While victorious in battle, the Stormlanders had a long way to go if they were to threaten Sunspear by sea. However the war came to an abrupt halt after three agonizing years when the Tolands betrayed House Martell, collapsing the Dornish war effort by attacking their Liege. Dorne was subjugated by the Iron Throne after a century of failed attempts. The end of the war was marked with a wedding feast for Cassandra Baratheon and Lucas Hightower at Storm's End, however the spirit of celebration did not last long afterwards

The war had cost the Stormlands dearly in young lives. Roy and Devan both, despite heroic victories at some stages of the war, drew a great deal of ire from former soldiers for their bloody failiures elsewhere. Between the loss at Butcher's Bay and the phyrric assault on Blackhaven, both were maligned in taverns all across the Stormlands. Tensions grew between Roy and Devan as a result. However in terms of grievances, these would prove to be merely the tip of the iceberg. Early in 104 A.C, less than a year after the end of the war, Ser Guyard Cafferen, a former retainer of House Dondarrion, came forward accusing Lorimar Dondarrion of instigating the war through an unprovoked raid. Lorimar was summoned to Storm's End to give his testimony, but refused at first, declaring Ser Guyard's words slander and refusing to give them any creedence by showing up. As a result Roy launched an inquiry, which lasted a month and ended abruptly when Ser Guyard Cafferen was found dead, presumed to have been murdered. Lord Lorimar Dondarrion was called to a trial, in which he defended himself with a series of furious attacks on his liege, his judges and the witnesses speaking against him, several of which were his former soldiers or their friends. Those who spoke in his defense were mainly fellow marcher lords. Some believed he was innocent while others argued that even if Dondarrion was in fact guilty, the dornish would no doubt have attacked regardless of his raid. Devan also spoke in Lorimar's defense as his son-in-law, however the court at large were not convinced. Sensing the greater amount of lords turning against him, Lorimar demanded trial by combat, which his judges refused him, citing the weight of evidence and testimonies against him. When given the choice between death and the wall, he only took the black after Jena and Devan pleaded with him to do so. The trial had brought to the surface a rift between the Baratheon brothers and between the marches and the northern stormlands

The following years would nonetheless be peaceful, as few could stomach the thought of war after so much recent bloodshed with Dorne. The next few years were marked by stable harvests and a thriving trade. Through lady Cassandra's marriage, the Stormlands gained a strengthened connection to Oldtown, and many Stormlanders would spend time at her court there while she served as regent of the city on behalf of her young son. While his reign was successful, Roy's home life was beset by tragedy, as he and Raya would have no more children other than Ashara who would live past adulthood. Two sons would die in infancy in 106 and 108, and a daughter was stillborn in 109. Roy and Raya were in distress, wondering why the gods had seen fit to punish them, As such, the new High Septon would evoke the fury of the Baratheons with his words.

The one they called the Righteous One had spent a long time as septon in King's Landing, and he soon turned out to be privy to many of the capital's secrets. The High Septon would reveal the reason behind Raya's marriage to Roy, and how she had come to him as the former lover of the king. He declared their marriage cursed and their only living daughter Ashara illegitimate. Roy retained the support of the Targaryens however, as the King was also aggrieved by the High Septon's words. While wanting to retalliate by force, Roy was swayed by Raya, who was herself a convert to the faith of the seven, to choose a more temperate path. Roy would raise taxes on septries and give his lords leave to do the same. When the Cobbler's revolt broke out a few years later, these taxes became popular with many lords of the stormlands who viewed the High Septon as a supporter of the fanatical peasant rebels. The stormlands would avoid the revolt by taxing septons more and peasants less, resulting in a more content and full peasantry who were not so easily swayed by the radical message of the Cobblers

Finally, facing the fact that Ashara would in all likelihood be their only child, Roy and Raya decided to secure the succession of their daughter. They were careful not to act too assertively, keenly aware that the lords of the Stormlands might not take kindly to the prospect of a woman as heir. This was not without support however, as Lord Caron among others had a daughter as an heir themselves. Knowing they would never have the support of The Faith, Roy and Raya turned to the crown, In 116 A.C Roy went to King's Landing, planning to secure an agreement with the King before returning home to write a will. On this final journey however, he would die in a shipwreck. His sudden death left the immediate succession an insecure matter in the Stormlands. As people kept waiting for Roy's return, a tension grew in the air. Once the news of his death broke, the following days would lead to the events known as The Summer of Three Stags. As soon as word reached Ashara and her mother, they knew Devan would try to press his claim. As soon as word reached him, he did so.

Devan began travelling the Marches and sending ravens from Blackhaven, trying to rally as many lords as he could to his side, prioritizing those marcher lords he was most certain would support him. His plan was to force Ashara to yield Storm's End to him and marry his oldest son. Ashara countered by innitiating a similar process in the northern stormlands. Along with her mother and her aunt Cassandra she would rally lords to her side as best she could. One of her most fervent supporters was Davos Penrose, the young lord of Parchments. The third stag remained a quiet but looming figure. Richard Baratheon was the son-in-law of the late Lord Loreon Lannister of Casterly Rock. Roy's lack of sons had prompted Loreon to suggest Richard as a potential heir in the past, but Roy had rebuffed him each time, straining their alliance. Although Loreon was now dead, his ambition lived on, and the Lannisters urged a conflicted and hesitant Richard to press his claim.

In the end Richard could not bring himself to march against his niece in the immediate aftermath of his brother's death. Instead he tried a more subtle diplomacy, travelling to Storm's End under cover in the hopes of making an agreement with Ashara. While nearly imprisoned upon his arrival as a result of his disguise, Richard was recognized by Cassandra and let in. He entered talks with Ashara to get her to agree not to marry or have children, making him and his sons the heirs presumptive to Storm's End. Ashara was hesitant to make such a comittment, but as she already feared that one army would march to depose her, she did not rebuff her uncle, instead making her commitments vageue and ensuring no treaty was signed. Before the talks could conclude naturally however, the crown intervened on Ashara's behalf, making Roy's treaty with the King known and settling the dispute. As the royal envoy was accompanied by ships and fighting men, Devan chose to stand down rather than fight a battle he had not prepared for

In the years that followed, Ashara would solidify her rule. Through prudent stewardship she upheld the prosperity of her father's late reign and enhanced it through wise investment. All the while, her distrust of the Lannisters grew, as she suspected them of wanting Richard's line to inherit sooner rather than later. Five years after ascending as Lady Paramount, she broke the informal agreement, marrying Davos Penrose in early 122 A.C and giving birth to her first son, Lewyn Baratheon, by the end of the year. Though many had noticed Ashara and Davos's courtship beforehand, Richard was shocked. This event turned him decisively against Ashara, and he became much more open to the suggestions of his Lannister in-laws, however his lack of action during the Summer of Three Stags had cost him stormlander support, and there were those that now suspected him of being a pawn of The West. Though the might of Casterly Rock stood behind him, Richard knew he needed more support. Taking advantage of Ashara's feud with the High Septon and Devan's impious nature, Richard would approach The Righteous one for support. Not only did he claim he agreed that Roy's marriage had been illegitimate, he also accused Devan of having kept Jena Dondarrion as a mistress for months before their marriage to convince the High Septon to uphold Devan's official disinheritance and to deem his marriage and line likewise illegitimate

Ever since the Fifth Dornish war, peace in the Stormlands has always been accompanied by tension, sometimes underlying, some times emerging to the surface. Now the three stags stand in a corner each to their own, planning their moves while anticipating those of their opponents. Only one thing is certain, that each one can rightfully that theirs is the fury

## Prominent Houses

House Baratheon of Storm's End

House Buckler of Bronzegate

House Caron of Nightsong

House Connington of Griffin's Roost

House Dondarrion of Blackhaven

House Estermont of Greenstone

House Grandison of Grandview

House Penrose of Parchments

House Selmy of Harvest Hall

House Swann of Stonehelm

House Tarth of Evenfall Hall

House Wylde of Rain House

House Staedmon of Broad Arch