Urrigon Wynch

## Biography

Urrigon Wynch was born in 265 AA, to Lord Gormond Wynch and Lady Alannys Botley. He is the middle child of the Wynch children, yet the most renowned and respected.

Much of Urrigon's childhood was overshadowed by his elder brother, Regnar. Everything Urrigon accomplished, Regnar did before him and often better than him. In addition, Regnar often bullied and mistreated his younger brother or used him to his advantage. Urrigon grew to resent Regnar for this, and the seeds of discord were sewn. Many times their father tried to have them bond and be close, but these attempts never succeeded, and sometimes made tensions between the two boys worse. One particular event in 277 wounded their relation severely, during a sailing exercise where an argument grew into a fight, resulting in Urrigon taking a cudgel and bashing Regnar off the boat into the water. Urrigon found he liked the cudgel after that, and began training more and more with it and other blunt weapons, eventually gaining skill in the mace and war-hammer.

Both brothers however were close with their sister Ryella, a kind girl who loved her brothers and did not want to see conflict between them. Her and Regnar were... especially close, so to speak. For years, Urrigon had suspected something deeper in his siblings' relationship, even since their childhood. But whatever suspicions he had were ignored, for the sake of his sister.

In 278, his father returned to Iron Holt from a reaving in Essos with a new salt wife - and a squalling baby. This baby would become Meryn Wynch, Urrigon's younger brother. Urrigon found in Meryn what he could not find in Regnar - a loyal, kind friend, a true brother. Urrigon practically raised Meryn as a second father, teaching him how to fight, how to sail, how to hunt, and more. He was never patronizing, cruel or manipulative. He sought to be what Regnar should've been. But in 289, all of that would change. Gormond had the young Meryn sent away to another part of the Isles, for in his own mind Meryn was a bastard, not a child of his wife (who had passed in 269) and he refused to raise a wenchson amongst his own children.

Seven years passed from Meryn's birth when Lord Gormond received a raven from Hammerhorn. King Cotter Goodbrother was raising the Iron Fleet for a great reaving in the Reach. Urrigon was ecstatic at the thought. This would finally be his chance to prove himself, and to win the glory and respect he always wanted. That would not be the case, however. His father had decided he would bring Regnar with him on the great reaving, but assigned Urrigon the task of ruling Iron Holt in their absence. Urrigon was infuriated. He tried to reave on his own, but his father had taken all of House Wynch's ships with him south. With no choice but to remain in Iron Holt, Urrigon reluctantly accepted the new reality.

As it would turn out, Urrigon proved himself to be a fine leader. He made significant improvements on the keep itself, and bolstered the levies of the house greatly. He improved relations with the hated Codds, offering acceptance instead of scorn, and that little difference won their loyalty for a generation. And as it so happened, Urrigon's father had left around a quarter of his fighting men at home. Urrigon managed to win their loyalty as well. These men would form the bulk of Urrigon's loyal regiment, the Moon Reavers.

When his father and brother returned, both had differing opinions on Urrigon's short "regency". Gormond was proud, and offered a quarter of his own loot to Urrigon as a reward for his fine administration. Regnar on the other hand was bitter, and somewhat envious. Deep down, Regnar felt that Urrigon was a better ruler than he could ever be, and his major following in Iron Holt uneased him.

In the period between Cotter's War and the War of the Trident, Urrigon began to notice odd things between Regnar and Ryella. They were very close all the time, often holding hands and telling bawdy jokes to one another. To some this may not have seemed too suspicious, but Urrigon thought otherwise. He had his suspicions about them since childhood, and now he wanted to learn the truth of the matter. So he began to investigate, hiring spies and bribing Regnar's followers to report on everything he and Ryella did.

And as it turned out, Urrigon's fears were confirmed.

The two were seen heading off into the nearby woods alone, and one of Urrigon's spies began tracking them. There he found the two in a small clearing, making love behind a tree. When Urrigon finally learned the truth of it, he wanted to tell his lord father immediately, but then hesitated. Then he decided he didn't want to hurt his father with the news, and so kept it to himself. But even so, that didn't mean he wasn't going to act.

Eventually, war would come once more. Old King Cotter would fall ill on the Seastone Chair, and the great lords of the Iron Islands would set out to prove themselves to be the future king. Lord Gormond would sail with Torgon Goodbrother north, to reave and raid the western shores of the North. Urrigon would join his father in the reaving. But in a sudden ambush by Lord Stark's children, Gormond would be slain along with the prince of the Iron Islands, despite Urrigon's desperate defense. Urrigon would escape by the skin of his teeth, and sailed back to Iron Holt with the few men he had left. The death of his father tore at Urrigon, and overwhelmed with grief, he began to mourn for the entire journey home.

News of their father's death would reach Regnar quicker than Urrigon had anticipated, and Regnar began making his moves to cement his new rule. As he suspected Urrigon had died along with their father, he made no effort in purging his brother's loyalist Moon Reavers from House Wynch's ranks. To say Regnar was surprised to see Urrigon's iron galley docking at Iron Holt's port would be an understatement. Meeting him at the docks, Regnar invited Urrigon into his ranks and offered him to be his right hand man, but Urrigon refused, and instead accused Regnar of his incestuous relationship with Ryella. He gave all the evidence he built up over time, and had several of his spies stand as witnesses. Urrigon demanded that Regnar step down from his position as lord, and in return he would not incarcerate or banish him, and would allow him to live in Iron Holt, albeit seperate from Ryella. Regnar only laughed, and refused Urrigon's demand completely. Instead, he brandished his blade, and threatened Urrigon with death if he did not leave.

In that moment, Ryella burst into tears. She had been hiding and watching the whole time, and began to step out in clear view. Right there and then, she confessed the entire relationship was true, and begged her brothers not to kill each other over this. Feeling betrayed, Regnar had her dragged away into the keep. He still refused to relent, and ordered his men to drive Urrigon into the sea. Thus a battle commenced, and Iron Holt was bathed with the blood of comrades. In the feasting hall was where the majority of the battle was fought, and on top of the great table the two brothers dueled. Urrigon struck with his spiked iron mace, while Regnar swung with his sharpened steel axe. Regnar would then knock Urrigon flat on the table, and was poised to kill him when both brothers found the Moon Reavers attacking Regnar's men, who were rapidly falling and losing heart. Regnar suddenly realized the battle was lost, and quickly took Ryella and fled, taking one of Urrigon's ships along with what remained of his followers.

With the battle won, Urrigon was proclaimed the new Lord of Iron Holt. He ordered his ships to sail out and catch his siblings, but they were lost in a sudden haze of fog. Urrigon did not celebrate his new lordship, however. Somehow he felt regret for what he had done, and doubt began to cloud his mind.

Nonetheless, Urrigon began his lordship over House Wynch, though lonesome and without any major kin to fall back on anymore, besides his distant uncle and cousin halfway across Pyke. But that would change, for in 277 he heard one of his men tell him that a man claiming to be his brother had returned. Urrigon immediately ordered defenses to be prepared, but then he learned it was not Regnar. The man had arrived at the docks, and Urrigon went to meet him. It was not Regnar, no - it was Meryn.

It is 278, and King Cotter has sunken into Nagga's watery halls. Urrigon and his newly returned brother Meryn have arrived at Nagga's Hill, where they, and many other ironborn will proclaim a new King of Salt and Rock. And it is likely there won't be just two Wynch brothers there.

## Timeline

265 AA - Urrigon Wynch is born

277 AA - Urrigon wacks Regnar with a cudgel

278 AA - Lord Gormond returns from a reaving; Meryn Wynch is born

285 AA - Gormond leaves Urrigon as regent of Iron Holt

288 AA - Urrigon learns of Regnar and Ryella's incestuous relationship

289 AA - Meryn is banished from Iron Holt

Early 291 AA - Gormond and Urrigon sail with Torgon Goodbrother to the North; Gormond is slain, while Urrigon escapes back to the Iron Islands

Mid 291 AA - Urrigon usurps Iron Holt from Regnar; Regnar and Ryella flee elsewhere in the Isles

297 AA - Meryn returns to Iron Holt

## Family Tree

http://www.familyecho.com/?p=START&c=8odbwc4iku&f=542275879356462064

## Supporting Characters

Meryn Wynch, 20, brother of Urrigon - Ship Captain

Regnar Wynch, 40, elder brother of Urrigon, in exile

Ryella, 38, sister of Urrigon, in exile

Jorl, 38, captain of the Moon Reavers and the *Iron Holt* - Reaver

Maester Androw, 53 - Maester