Loras Tyrell

Defender of the Marches

High Marshal of the Reach

Willas Tyrell, b. 347 AC

Loras Tyrell is the current Lord of Highgarden, Lord Paramount of the Mander, Defender of the Marches and High Marshall of the Reach. He is head of House Tyrell of Highgarden, the most prestigious cadet branch of House Tyrell. He is sometimes known as the White Rose, for the sigil of his House.

## Appearance and Character

A well built martial man of around six foot, heavy salt and pepper stubble and short hair. Loras eschews the grandiose and ornate in favour of the practical, though his wealth does shine through in most of what he wears.

## History

Lord Loras of House Tyrell of Highgarden is the first born of Lord Raymun of Highgarden; of the line of Garlan the Gallant. Though born as heir to the Lordship his family held on the Shield Isles, fate would see him rule as Lord of Highgarden. Since 363AC Loras has held the Lord Paramountcy following his father's untimely demise.

Born of Raymun and his wife the Lady Ellyn of House Caron in 338 AC, Loras was a bold and brash child. In his early adolescence, Loras was fostered at Crakehall; carrying on his tutelage at arms under the watchful eyes of Lord Harlan and Ser Tybolt of House Crakehall. During this period, he was witness and party to the attacks on the Westerlands by the men of the Iron Isles; developing a deep dislike of the Ironborn that he would carry through into his adulthood.

Returning home to the Shield Isles not long following his twentieth name day, it was expected that Loras might have gone on to wed the daughter of Lord Harlan; however this was not to be. With the situation in the Reach hitting boiling point, Lord Harlan of House Crakehall saw fit to send Loras home and away from any politicking that might arise.

As the War of the White and Gold enveloped the Reach, setting kin against kin and seeing the West pit it's swords against the Crown Prince at Highgarden; House Tyrell of the Shield Islands remained neutral and took no part. In later years, Loras oft remarked that he agreed with Lyonel Tyrell in so much as the Reach should have been returned to it's proper state, but found it extremely distasteful to wield swords against kin. Indeed, Loras has spoken publicly that he believes Lyonel had poisoned whispered into his ears by grasping lords and sycophants. His own families neutrality rankled against the martial young Loras, but with the Shield Isles steadied against all eventualities there was to be no leaving for one side or the other.

The death of Lyonel Tyrell arrived unexpectedly, even if such a fate was not so, and Loras accompanied his father to the mainland once more at the summon's of the King. Peace had been built on the corpse of the White Rose, and House Tyrell of the Shields passed from one brother to another as Raymun assumed the mantle at Highgarden. The tremendous honour bestowed upon his father, and to him, had a profound effect on Loras, who saw it as destiny manifesting before his eyes. The lineage of a Lord Paramount was not all that Loras gained in the coming weeks. In order to heal the very raw wounds between the regions of Westeros, the new heir to Highgarden was quickly married to the Lady Jocasta of House Lannister. Similar matches awaited his siblings, including his youngest sister Helicent to the Hightowers of Oldtown. The partitioning of the Reach was a grave insult, seen by Loras as nothing more than scheming by the uppity House Hightower and a punishment that House Tyrell did not deserve even from it's royal namesake.

The Reach took time to heal from it's schism, with broken men and banditry rife among the displaced smallfolk and it was during this time that Loras would come to be knighted by his former foster father Lord Crakehall. Even as he fought to secure his knighthood, fate would slip the knife in once more. His lord father Raymun took a grievous wound fighting broken men near Tumbleton, a wound that would fester and never truly heal before claiming his life a scant few years later. The military pacification of rogue elements had long since fallen to Loras, who proved himself an able commander and stern authoritarian.

In the year 363 AC, Raymun finally passed and Loras assumed his father's new mantle. The Reach prospered once more under his leadership, with nigh on twenty years of relative peace and stability as the new line of Highgarden secured it's claim and the loyalty of it's new vassals. Then came the Last Dragon.

Whispers of the situation in Dorne had reached Loras not long before Oldtown fell to the forces of the Dragon Queen, and he was quick to call the banners to Highgarden and accumulate his forces. There would be no aid to Oldtown, Loras had decided, a decision he felt vindicated with as word spread that they had capitulated without a fight. With a dragon abroad in the greater Reach, Loras was faced with what he considered a no-win situation. With his forces already assembled, to march was to die; perhaps more so than it would have been to remain.

As such, the decision was taken to make a stand at Highgarden. The legendary garden-castle of the Tyrell's was rendered unrecognisable at the hands of the Lord Paramount's engineers; with earth works, trenches, fox holes and traps galore dug into the verdant greenland surrounding the castle and the castle gardens themselves. Dozens of dragon-killing bolt throwers, known as scorpions and throwbacks from his grandfathers time were dug into emplacements throughout. By remaining at Highgarden, he sought to buy the realm time at best; or die a hero at worst.

When the Dragon finally came, it was not quite so glorious as Loras might have hoped. The aged Drogon proved impervious to a veritable deluge of ordinance and even the intricate earthworks offered minimal protection from the fire he dispensed. The battle was a rout, subsequently named the Pyre of Highgarden as the already desecrated castle was burnt asunder. Thousands died, but in testimony to his defences; many escaped. There was no glorious fighting retreat, a brutal and slow rout followed as the dragon continued to circle.

Loras himself escaped to the north east, running with a considerable force into the hills near Tumbleton. The proud Tyrell was rendered into a furious rage at his defeat, cursing the Seven and their cruel humours as well as anybody else worthy of his wrath. For nearly a moon's turn, Loras refused to return to the field and attempt to bring order to his routed men. Only at the pleading of some his closest friends was the decision taken to finally take action.

A shadow war ensued, with the men of the Rose attacking the Dragon Queen's men whenever the situation presented itself. This carried on at great expense through nearly a year of the war, before Loras caught word of the gathering at Ashford. Joining his men with those of the Stormlands, this sizeable force represented a turning point in the recovery of the Reach. Subsequently, Loras would lead his army into rejoining the other Reachermen in the push towards a conclusion of the war.

Following the war, the reconstruction of Highgarden and the reestablishment of his families place in the sun has dominated Loras’ time.