House Martell

Lord of the Sandship

**House Nymeros Martell of Sunspear** is one of the Great Houses of Westeros and is the ruling house of Dorne. 'Nymeros' indicates "of the line of Nymeria," but generally it is simply called House Martell. The seat of the Prince of Dorne is Sunspear in southeastern Dorne.

The Martell sigil is a gold spear piercing a red sun on an orange field. Their words are *Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken*. In appearance they are what Daeron I Targaryen considered salty Dornishmen, with dark eyes, dark hair in ringlets, and olive skin.

House Martell currently is led by Obara Martell, and is sworn to the Iron Throne.

 History

House Martell was founded by Andal adventurer Morgan Martell, and for centuries swore fealty to many of the neighboring petty kings that populated Dorne. It was not until the arrival of Nymeria and her Rhoynar that House Martell set about unifying Dorne, and after many years of hard warfare, set themselves up as Princes and Princesses of the entire peninsula.

For centuries afterward, the Dornish raided their two northern neighbors - the Reach and the Stormlands - even going as far as to take Highgarden. True war did not come to Dorne itself, however, until the arrival of Aegon I Targaryen and his sisters. Time after time would Aegon and his descendants attempt to take Dorne, and time and time again would they fail. It was not until King Daeron II that Dorne was integrated into the Kingdom of Westeros - and it was through a wedding, not a war.

### Robert's Rebellion

Although the Martells were unhappy with Rhaegar's betrayal of Elia, they still supported King Aerys II Targaryen throughout the War of the Usurper - likely because the Mad King held Elia and her children hostage in the Red Keep. The Dornish provided a quarter of the royal troops at the Battle of the Trident. The Martells lost many soldiers there, including Prince Lewyn Martell of the Kingsguard. When King's Landing fell, Princess Elia and her children were brutally murdered by two Lannister knights, Gregor Clegane and Amory Lorch. After the Martells harboured great resentment toward the Lannisters, and largely withdrew from Westerosi politics.

## Recent History

Descended from Arianne Martell and Cletus Yronwood. The Martells remained neutral through the War of the Three Stags and therefore suffered no repercussions from King Stannis Baratheon. Their confidence in the Dragons would be shaken in the time after the 1st Targaryen Rebellion, thus any hope of Doran’s plan was crushed and forgotten.

House Martell played an important role in the defence of Westeros from the Third Targaryen Rebellion.

## Timeline of Major Events

**“The Sand King 390-394 AC”**

**390 AC:**  The passing of Prince Oberyn Martell at the hands of Saan Pirates left a young Princess Obara Martell in charge of Dorne. Having been groomed to be the dutiful daughter of Oberyn she immediately set to work continuing her father’s legacy. She needless to say made many mistakes early on in those first few months wielding the power of Dorne. During the same time a bastard of Lord Vaith, Vaeron Sand became something of a smallfolk hero in Dorne due to his efforts in the Third Targaryen Rebellion. Vaeron had a naturally charisma and physical traits of a warrior king. Vaeron returned to Vaith after the rebellion only to find his appetite for battle was not satiated. He left the Castle and went into the deep sands of Dorne, ambushing merchants and building a small retinue of likeminded warriors and bandits.

**391 AC:** After many smallfolk and Lords petitioned complained or petitioned Sunspear to rid Dorne of this “Sand King” menace. The ruling Princess called her Dayne cousins of Starfall to engage the Sand King’s forces. She tasked House Allyrion to meet the Bastard’s forces as they were closer to his operating lands in the deep sands. The house of Landed Knights, Drinkwater betrayed house Martell after promises made by Vaeron Sand of promoting them to a Major house when he would become king. House Vaith not wanting to seem disloyal sent a majority of their forces to disband and kill the bastard for the Princess of Sunspear hoping to keep their name clean. They were ambushed by Drinkwater forces who wiped out more than half of the Vaith bannermen. Lord Vaith fled back to his castle wounded from the skirmish. He was however smuggled in secret to Sunspear by Obara Martells agents, making it appear that the Bastards wounded father returned to the house seat in Vaith.

**393 AC:** A battle in the sands occurs between House Drinkwater and the Sand King loyalist versus House Allyrion. House Dayne forces were still a day’s ride away from the battle even still the battle was mostly a draw. Most believe the renegade forces were not at full strength due to Vaeron Sand leaving the majority of his troops to take his father’s Castle in a surprise assault. He would find himself held up in the castle as Dayne forces, and Martell soldiers besieged the castle from both sides. The Sand King held up inside for months knowing Vaith castle quite well, knowing just the right way to fortify it against a siege.

Eventually after being half starved to death Vaeron would offer terms of surrender. The Sand King wanted a trial by combat to prove his innocence in front of the gods. It was a laughable farce, Obara accepted no such terms from a beaten dog. Her soldiers smashed in the front gate of the fortress and took on the remaining loyalists in combat. Ser Justyn sought out the Sand King, managing to catch him in a one on one duel in the chaos. The Sand King was half starved but still nearly managed to cleave the Sword of the Morning in two. With tremendous skill Ser Justyn masterfully removed the Sand King’s head from his body in a whirlwind slash from his ancestral sword. There are some accounts though scattered and rumored as they may be, that they found Lannister gold in quite some large amount in the coffers of Vaeron Sand. These rumors are unfounded say Sunspear and have not been substantiated.

**394 AC:** Ser Drinkwater was brought to Sunspear and formally executed by Prince Daeron Martell. The Drinkwater holdings have been temporarily put back into the care of house Martell until a suitable Knight can be landed by Princess Obara.

## Recent Members of House Martell

Prince Oberyn Martell 337-390 AC

Princess Obara Martell 372 AC

Daeron Martell 374 AC

Manfrey Martell 378 AC

Meria Martell 380 AC

Addam Martell 328 AC

Elana Martell 377 AC

Loreza Martell 397 AC