The Weeks War

The Weeks War was a succession war in the Kingdom of the Claw between Dacey Brune and Tom Waters. By the end of the week, Dacey Brune was crowned Queen Dacey I Celtigar, the first Queen of the Claw. Tom Waters was subsequently executed, leading some to name Queen Dacey a kinslayer.

## Prelude

In 203AA King Valarr Celtigar, Second of His Name, passed from a Great Plague covering all of Westeros. As it cleared a Council was called. Valarr had been the last living male Celtigar following a few generations of fertility issues. Now the Lords of the Claw came together to elect a new leader. Two claimants were put forth, both old enough to take the throne without the need for regency. The first was Tom Waters, the bastard son Jon Celtigar and a Velayron scion. He was a good and honest lad, though many disliked his bastard nature. His main backers were House Hardy and Velaryon.

The second of these claimants was the Lady Dacey Brune, a Scion of House Brune of Dyre Den. A level headed and educated woman, but a woman all the same. She had the backing of her father’s house, as well as the Lords of Cracklaw Point and Lord Sunglass.

## Seven Days of War

### **Day 1:**

The Council met on the Last week of 209AA, with every Lord of the Claw attending to discuss the matter. Many rumors swirled that Lord Velaryon would be pressing his own claim upon the Kingdom, but these proved to be just that, rumors. Nevertheless, he argued heavily in favor of the bastard, who seemed himself to have little interest in being King. Once he finished, Lord Sunglass moved to speak, however, Lord Hardy overruled him. He claimed that Lord Velaryon’s speech had dragged on far too long and it was now time for the Lords to decide. Lord Sunglass would stand for this reason and demanded to be allowed to speak. Lord Hardy had the man removed. By then it was clear to the other Lords what was occuring. Demanding Lord Sunglass be let in before voting commenced a small riot came close to breaking it.

### **Day 2:**

In the end, the Lords of Crackclaw Point, along with Lords Brune and Sunglass retreated to Dyre Den after what they called a farce of a council. Ravens came that night demanding all the Lords return and swear their fealty to the King Tom Celtigar. Lord Sunglass addressed the Lords, demanding they take action.

They words were spurred on by Dacey Brune, who had arrived at the Great Hall to the sound of men squabbling. She gave a passionate plea to those who would have voted to make her queen to stand with her now. The Lords, however, did not stand, they kneeled.

### **Day 3:**

Lord Brune personally penned a letter to Lord Velaryon and this new king Celtigar calling them both traitors and bastards, reminding Lord Velaryon that the last time his family had opposed the Crackclaw Lords they had lost Dragonstone, threatening to take Driftmark from them.

Both men quickly moved to raise their men. King Tom was a brute of a man, preparing to launch an assault from Claw Isle to wipe away his competition and those who opposed him. Some say they can quote King Tom making plans to give the lands to the first man to rape the previous lord’s daughter. Truthfully, the only man with any influence over Tom was his uncle Lord Velaryon, the true power of the throne.

### **Day 4:**

Queen Dacey, still without a crown, took a ship her men to Sweetport Sound. She had decided to use the island as a staging ground for her war rather than the traditional Crackclaw point launching area that her ancestors had. Dacey would now officially going by the name Queen Dacey Celtigar, First of her name. She devised a simple strategy with her advisers that she believed would be deadly effective. Knowing her bastard cousin to be a brute and violent man, she had the ships and men prepared for attack.

Tom’s court found itself in a similar situation. Tom assumed his dear cousin would be using the classic strategy of using Crackclaw point as a staging ground, as their ancestor Crispian had done years ago in his war against Velaryon. He ordered his fleet divided in half. Some would go and besiege the Claw whilst his army blocked the land and the other half would take Sweetport Sound, leaving Dacey with nowhere to go as he sat the throne on Claw Isle.

The armada arrived at Sweetport Sound at dusked and were shocked to find Queen Dacey and her fleet awaiting their arrival. A short naval battle ensued which saw the death of Lord Sunglass’ son. Word soon reached King Tom of his defeat at Sweetport Sound. Realizing his cousin now had a direct path to Claw Isle he sent his fastest ship to catch his fleet and turn them around, to bring them back for his own defense.

### **Day 5:**

Queen Dacey and her advisors began forming strategy to take Claw Isle in a simple and swift move. Knowing that much of King Tom’s navy was gone thanks to his foolish attack on Sweetport Sound the day before they needn’t worry about taking the bay. What they feared was their lack of knowledge on the enemies’ numbers Lord Velaryon on his own could raise more soldiers than any other Lord of the Claw, and Tom most likely had the loyalty of the Celtigar army. Should the assault turn to siege it could be a lengthy one. And with the sickness still running its course, it could turn deadly for both sides.

At Claw Isle the fleet dispatched to blockade The Point returned midday, annoyed with the king’s flip-flopping strategy. The commander of the fleet, Lord Hardy’s brother, came close to telling off the King before Lord Velaryon stopped him. The men turned inside to concote strategy of how to defeat these ‘rebels’. King Tom proposed many foolish ideas, such as throwing the second half of the fleet against them, or assaulting The Point to make the Lords rush home to defend. All the ideas were shot down, and in the end, it was decided they would hold a defensive position for now.

Meanwhile, On Sweetport Sound, the Lords and Queen attempted to come up with a plan to avoid a length siege of Claw Isle. They all seemed stuck until Lord Brune devised a strategy to lure out the soldiers before their armada even arrived. The night he struck out with a small strike force upon a ship, hoping to find some scouts of the King Celtigar flying Velaryon banners. As luck would have it, he happened upon on such ship. He and his men snuck aboard and took the ship. Lord Brune searched the ship all over and found what he most desired: A sealing stamp with the Velaryon sigil upon it. He spent the better part of a night forging a letter from the Lord Velaryon’s brother claiming that Queen Dacey and her men had seized Driftmark.

### **Day 6:**

Lord Brune returned to his allies on Sweetport Sound and presented the letter and explained his idea. It was controversial, but many decided the worst it could do was not work. The letter was sent off and the ships and men were prepared.

The letter arrived, and whilst Lord Velaryon was skeptical of its contents, King Tom believed it must be true, this false belief spurred on by Captain Hardy. King Tom demanded Captain Hardy take their forces and sail off to liberate Driftmark from his cousin, despite Lord Velaryon preaching caution. Captain Hardy (now fully against the bastard king) agreed to do so and departed with a great portion of the fleet and many of the soldiers. Lord Velaryon, meanwhile, penned a letter to his brother, demanding an update upon the castle.

That night, Queen Dacey and her fleet swept into Claw Isle’s port like ghosts, they quickly overran the port and town below, making quick work of the now undermanned guard that awaited them. Lord Sunglass praising Lord Brune for his genius strategy in distracting the simple minded king. Lord Velaryon and King Celtigar witnessed the advancing rebels. Lord Velaryon demanded they shut the gates

### **Day 7:**

When dawn broke on the last day of the war, Claw Isle was besieged. Lord Sunglass, Lord Brune, and Queen Celtigar all demande that Lord Velaryon, Lord Hardy, and King Celtigar come outside and surrender. King Celtigar demanded his lords marshall their forces and prepare to sally forth. His council, however, had other plans.

Queen Dacey was present with her cousin in chains, Lord Velaryon and Lord Hardy surrendering themselves fully. Queen Dacey pardoned both the men for their actions (demanding a ward from both in the process). She then sentenced her cousin be put to death. Later that day, King Tom Celtigar lost his head to Queen Dacey, using the ancestral Valyrian Steel axe of the house. With that, the Week’s War ended, and Dacey Celtigar sat the throne of Claw Isle as the first Queen of the Claw.