Brynden Mormont

## Lord of Bear Island

Lord Brynden Mormont is the current head of House Mormont and rules from the traditional seat of the house, Mormont Keep on Bear Island. He is married to Jonelle Cerwyn and is the father to son and heir William and daughter Margot. He is a gentle and just lord to the people of Bear Island in addition to being an experienced soldier and commander of the forces who answer to House Mormont. He is a devout follower and supporter of House Stark of Winterfell and views the entirety of the North of a large, extended family.

## Personality & Beliefs

Brynden Mormont is, by all intents and purposes, a good and honourable man who is also very hardened from his life on the sometimes rough and demanding Bear Island. He is fiercely lawful and carries out all executions on Bear Island with his own blade, believing that the man who cares for the people who serve him should be the one to punish those who break their vows, whether they are tied to the law, religion or tradition.

As a commander and soldier, Brynden can be calculating and stern. He always tries to see things from the opposition's perspective and uses this when forming his judgement and opinions.

As a Mormont, Brynden is a hardened man who has no qualms in dirtying his hands in tasks usually suited to servants on the mainland. A great lover of fishing and hunting, Brynden leads his own hunting parties and fishing expeditions. The fruits of his labour go towards feeding his house with the rest being given to those outside of Mormont Keep who need it most. Brynden believes that, as the head of his house, it is his job to put food on the table. He cleans and skins all fish and animals himself that he brings back to Mormont Keep, though the cooking is still left to the resident servants.

Brynden views the entire North as a large family and believes that every Northerner should look out for one another. Though before his time, the War of the Bleeding Wall (in which Mormont matriarchs Maege, Dacey and Alysane perished) is the primary driving factor in Brynden's belief and philosophy of the North being a family.

## History

Born to Jon Mormont and Belena Bolton in 341, he was to be heir of House Mormont with his father Jon being the eldest son of grandfather Jeor Mormont (named after his great uncle, Lord Commander Jeor Mormont of the Night's Watch).

From a young age, Brynden was taught to be honourable and respectful by his father, and regularly went fishing and hunting with his father even before he was able to hold a bow or fishing pole. By accompanying his father since he was so young, Brynden quickly developed respect and understanding of the chilly, northern climate of Bear Island. As a result, Brynden developed into a knowledgeable outdoorsman even before puberty set in. Fishing and hunting became his two most beloved hobbies when he wasn't training with a practice blade in the thick woods surrounding Mormont Keep, and he grew to appreciate the values his father had been instilling upon him.

Brynden's trouble-free life was interrupted due to the War of the Burning Brand breaking out. Wishing to support Northern forces in the war, Lord Jon Mormont rallied all able-bodied men on Bear Island to venture to the mainland with him to support the House Stark-led retaliation against the wildlings and invaders from Skagos. Despite only being a young teenager, Jon wanted his son to experience life or death combat. Though he was a good man, Jon was still a Mormont and thus was a hardened warrior and wanted to make sure his son developed into one as well. Mormonts were born on a harsh island and led harsh lives, and they needed to be harsh people when necessary.

After meeting up with the Northern forces, it wasn't long until Brynden did face combat head on. Brynden fought well against the invaders, noting that they reminded him of those who lived on Bear Island. The invaders were hardy, rough people who lived under tough conditions - just like the Mormonts of Bear Island. Despite these similarities, Brynden deeply resented the wiliding and Skagos attackers, as he felt that they were waging a pointless and stupid war with the people of the North.

During his time with his father in the Northern forces, Brynden saw more bloodshed on both sides than he ever thought possible. Seeing the Northern forces been affected in such a way was a heavy burden on the young man's heart. When Brynden had reached the age of sixteen, the war was finally dying down. Brynden had changed, though. Not only had he experienced combat first hand many times throughout those two years, Brynden grew up and matured far faster than he otherwise would have if he had remained on Bear Island. He began to view all inhabitants of the North as extended family and true kin, and he wanted to do his best to protect them. He aired these thoughts to his father, which reassuring the elder Mormont that his son truly was a worthy heir to their house.

Three years later, Brynden expressed an interest in wanting to know what it was like to be in a relationship. Due to Bear Island's location, prior romances with other houses was non-existent to Brynden. His father understood his son's wishes and sent ravens to several houses asking if they had any daughters available for marriage. A response came from House Cerwyn, stating that the young Jonelle Cerwyn could be wed off to Brynden in a few years when she would come of age and reach maidenhood.

Yet again, three years passed. Brynden met Jonelle Cerwyn a few times during the period and felt that she was a pretty girl. On the third anniversary of the betrothal between himself and Jonelle, she had come of age and the two we wed before a weirwood. He was absolutely head over heels for his wife, who was eight years his junior and the two immediately enjoyed a loving relationship.

The following year, tragedy struck. Jon Mormont passed away suddenly from an unexpected heart attack. It was a somber event for the family when a man who seemed more likely to die at the hands of a large game animal or a wildling perished at the hands of his own heart. Still, Brynden wasted no time in stepping up to assume lordship of House Mormont, effectively becoming the Lord of Bear Island.

With relative prosperity reigning, Brynden worked tirelessly to better the lives of the people of Bear Island. Trees were chopped down and additional ships were constructed. These were not battleships, but rather fishing vessels. Knowing that House Mormont could almost monopolize the sub-arctic fish trade due, Brynden hastily began to organize increased fishing operations for Bear Island with the intention of selling and trading to coastal noble houses and any willing Ironborn due to their relative docility in recent generations.

Soon after, Jonelle gave birth to a son that she and Brynden named Alexander. Two years later, daughter Margot Mormont was born.

## Timeline

* **341 AC:** Born to Jon Mormont and Berena Mormont (nee Bolton).
* **355 AC:** Traveled with his father, Jon Mormont, when he set out with Mormont forces to assist in the War of the Burning Brand.
* **357 AC:** With the War of the Burning Brand concluding, Brynden and his father returned home to Bear Island.
* **360 AC:** Jonelle Cerwyn promised to Brynden when she would come of age.
* **365 AC:** With Jonelle Cerywyn finally passing into maidenhood, she is wed to Brynden before a weirwood.
* **366 AC:** Father Jon Mormont passed away. Brynden becomes Lord of Bear Island.
* **367 AC:** Brynden and Jonelle give birth to son William Mormont.
* **369 AC:** Brynden and Jonelle give birth to daughter Margot Mormont.

## Family

* Great Grandmother, Alysane Mormont (Deceased, 276 - 309)
* Unknown Great Grandfather (presumed to be random bannerman/soldier of Robb Stark)
	+ Grandfather, Jeor Mormont/Snow (Deceased, 298 - 357)
	+ Grandmother, Arya Reed (305 - Present)
		- Aunt, Joelle Mormont (325 - Present)
		- Uncle, Michael Mormont (326 - Present)
		- Uncle, Jory Mormont (328 - Present)
		- Father, Jon Mormont (Deceased, 323 - 366)
		- Mother, Berena Bolton (312 - Present)
			* Sister, Ella Mormont (343 - Present)
			* Brother, Archer Mormont (345 - Present)
			* **Brynden Mormont (341 - Present)**
			* Wife, Jonelle Cerywyn (349 - Present)
				+ Daughter, Margot Mormont (369 - Present)
				+ Son, William Mormont (367 - Present)