Lord Birchard Python (Father of Berwick Python)

**Lord Birchard Python** was the father of Lord Berwick Python and his younger brothers Torrence and Jorgon, as well as the older brother of Lady Tulisa Python, the wife of Lord Richard Koopa. He was an important lord of the Koopa Kingdom and the eldest of Lord Birchard Python’s children with Lady Joanna Phoenix as well as the former earl of Bristlewood Bay. He played a large role in shaping the Python family's power and wealth prior to the events of *Wars of Frozen Flames*.

Lord Birchard Jr. is based on Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury.

## History

### Early Life

Birchard was the eldest son of Lord Birchard Python and his second wife Lady Joanna Phoenix, herself a half-sibling of King John Koopa IV. He had several full-blooded siblings as well as a few older half-siblings by his father's first wife, Lady Hariah Sylver. Hariah had died however, and Birchard's father quarrelled with Lord Symon Blackfoot, grandfather of the current Lord Symon Blackfoot, for Birchard's mother's hand in marriage. John IV eventually agreed to this, and Birchard's father became one of his strongest advisors as a result of the match.

### Split in House Python

Birchard and his siblings had become much more powerful than their older half-siblings. Not only were they more closely connected to the Koopa Family, they looked more like Koopa Princes, having horns and being able to breathe fire. Because of this, Birchard's father highly favored Birchard himself and his full-blooded siblings, and granted Birchard specifically many of his lands and possesions, including House Python's main castle in Twinsy Tropics. He even gifted Birchard with his own sword, which traditionally passed to the head of the house. To make matters worse, Birchard's oldest half-brother Jorgon, the heir to his father, had died before his father did, and many of what was intended for him passed to Birchard rather than Jorgon's three sons. The eldest of these three, another Birchard, had grown to greatly resent his half-Uncle.

### Marriage

While Birchard did not inherit his father's title, Earl of Sparkling Waters, he was married by his father to Lady Allyson Montageau, who's father, Lord Torrence Montageau, had died in the Bohnenkraut Kingdom after having been abandoned by Lord Sigmund Phoenix. This allowed Birchard to inherit the title Earl of Bristlewood Bay, which gave Birchard access to many ships and lands on the coast of Ocean Side, angering his half-cousin even more. Together Birchard and Allyson had several children, including three sons, Berwick, Torrence & Jorgon, as well as several daughters.

### Later Life

Little else is known about Lord Birchard's life, though it can be assumed he was behind arranging the marriage of his eldest son and heir Berwick to Lady Winona Windwaker, daughter and heiress of Lord Edrick Windwaker, allowing Berwick to claim the title Earl of Skyward Stalk upon the death of Winona's father. It can be assumed that Birchard was previously apart of John VI's council at some point, possibly alongside his eldest son Berwick, and that his second son Torrence was brought in to replace him after his own death. Birchard died after he was pulled from his Mustie during an ambush by a mob, and executed due to harsh taxes he was imposing on the people of Ocean Side. This may have been apart of the leadup to the major anarchist revolt going on at the start of "The Feeble King". His eldest son and heir Berwick inherited Birchard's lands and titles after his death.

## Trivia

* Birchard's counterpart was alive during Wars of the Roses and also took part in it. This was not the case Birchard himself however as he has been established as dead prior to the miniseries. This is to put more emphasis on his son Berwick.