Gretchel Pyke

Sellsword

Norne Volmark †

**Gretchel Pyke** is a bastard of House Volmark. Somewhat estranged from her family, she has spent the past few years as an itinerant smuggler and thief, lending her talents to a wide variety of patrons.

## Appearance and Character

Like most of her closest kin, Gretchel Pyke has dark hair, blue eyes and a comely face. Though the latter is at times a great asset, it is more often subdued, as the bastard of Volmark considers obscurity an even greater advantage. She typically sports plain and humble clothing, both for practicality and to better conceal herself among the common people. Gretchel is further aided in this regard by an average height and figure, though a closer examination of her limbs reveals the gains of a strenuous lifestyle.

Ironborn are known to be candid, assertive and bold, and Gretchel Pyke is no exception. Though her line of work calls for a great deal of tact and subtlety, she takes a more straightforward approach wherever possible.

## History

In the aftermath of the death of his wife, the ever melancholy Lord Theon Volmark found fulfilling companionship in a woman who had likewise been recently widowed. Maege Goodbrother - hailing from one of her house's cadet branches - soon found herself living at Lord Volmark's court as his wife in all but name. As neither intended for a child to come from their relationship, the two neglected to wed. Neither did an unexpected pregnancy prompt them to marry in a timely manner. Thus, despite the nobility of both her parents, Gretchel was born a bastard.

Indeed, from the day of her birth Gretchel was regarded with little more than indifference. She was privileged with an upbringing at Volmark, with both of her parents present, though neither had any interest in raising children as they appraoched middle age. It instead fell to Lord Volmark's eldest son, Dagon, to look out for Gretchel's well-being. Knowing that the status of her birth precluded the conventional path of a noble woman, Dagon instead arranged for her to learn from the same tutors and caretakers as did he and their brothers.

Seafaring and swordsmanship figured prominently into Gretchel's education, and in these pursuits she grew close to the younger two of her three brothers, Erik and Norne. She always trailed them in ability and knowhow, though never by much, and a sense of friendly competition eventually motivated Gretchel to surpass them both. By the end of her adolescence, the notion that she might some day become a great reaver and captain no longer seemed unlikely; it was beginning to appear inevitable.

Her coming of age coincided with a long-sought opportunity to prove her ironborn credentials - and to visit fascinating places along the way. Lord Greyjoy had arranged for a great reaving to the distant east, and Gretchel was eager to participate. Though her eldest brother - who had only recently succeeded their father in the past year - was reluctant to send all his siblings halfway across the world, he ultimately relented to their wishes. Along with Erik, Norne, and a few dozen other Volmark men, Gretchel traveled to Pyke to answer Lord Greyjoy's call.

The combined ironborn fleet reaved up and down the coast of the Narrow Sea, where Gretchel became enamored with the splendor and strangeness of the Free Cities. A successful year of raiding, however, came to a close when Pentos and Tyrosh intercepted the ironborn and destroyed part of their fleet. Lord Greyjoy thus led his ships back to the Iron Islands, though not all were eager to return so soon. Convinced that a more exciting and lucrative life could be found on foreign shores, Gretchel and Norne decided to stay in the Free Cities.

Though Erik Volmark yielded to their wishes, upon his return to Harlaw he found their eldest brother incensed that he had allowed them to linger in the distant east. A letter eventually reached the Free Cities to demand Norne and Gretchel's return, but their first year of misadventues only reaffirmed their decision. The two had since found stable and profitable employment with a smuggling enterprise in Braavos, though their work took them to several cities on both sides of the Narrow Sea.

As her pockets filled to the brim, Gretchel was content to enjoy all the finer things that Braavos had to offer. But Norne Volmark had greater aspirations: an enterprise of his own. Finding sellsails to be high in demand in the Free Cities, Norne was convinced that the mere branding of an "ironborn sailsail company" would be enough to guarantee high profits. But he had neither ships nor sailors at his disposal, and the small fortune he'd earned as a smuggler was not nearly enough for such an investment.

Neither could Norne find patrons willing to finance such an endeavor. With no other options, he sought a quick and easy means of earning the funds he needed: gambling. Though he initially proved skillful at games of chance, his fortunes were quick to reverse, and in a matter of weeks Norne found himself deeply indebted to a number of seedy characters.

So deep were these debts that the two Volmarks decided to flee Braavos - but Norne foolishly revealed this plan to a supposed friend over drinks, and that same night he was kidnapped by the man to whom he owed the most. Norne's pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears, and a debt was repaid with his life.

But not *all* of his debts. Even after her brother's death, Gretchel found herself at the mercy of Braavosi gangs. She was allowed to live only so long as she repaid what her brother had owed. But where Norne's attempts to turn quick profits were disastrous, Gretchel's approach proved successful. She turned to theft, daringly sneaking into city manses at night to steal valuable possessions. Over the course of a year, she accumulated enough gold to free herself from her brother's debts.

Her success, however, was not a point of pride. Gretchel quickly came to regret that she lined the pockets of the same men who put her brother to the sword. Tempted as she was by revenge, she knew that such a pursuit could just as easily lead to her own death. Thus she left Braavos and sailed for Lys, intent on starting a new life in a new city.

Instead she found little change beyond the scenery. Honest work was impossible for her to find, and so too were the more lucrative criminal pursuits. Petty theft provided little more than subsistence, compelling Gretchel to leave the Free Cities entirely. After sailing to Weeping Town, she wandered up the continent, eventually making her way back to the Iron Islands.

At Harlaw, Gretchel's lord brother met her with a mix of relief and resentment. Pleased as he was to see his sister's safe return, he was outraged by their brother's death, and held Gretchel partly accountable. While her other surviving brother was much more sympathetic, she no longer found herself welcome at home.

## Recent Events

After several idle moons at Volmark, Gretchel Pyke has left for the Westerosi mainland, where she hopes to find employment with the wealthiest lords of the realm.

## Family

* Theon Volmark, Lord of Volmark b. 71 AC d. 125 AC
* m. Jeyne Shepherd b. 78 AC d. 106 AC
	+ Dagon Volmark, Lord of Volmark b. 97 AC
	+ m. Arwyn Harlaw b. 98 AC
		- Victaria Volmark b. 118 AC
		- Alyn Volmark, Heir to Volmark b. 121 AC
		- Maron Volmark b. 123 AC
	+ Erik Volmark b. 100 AC
	+ m. Barbrey Weaver b. 107 AC
		- Raya Volmark b. 127 AC
	+ Norne Volmark b. 105 AC d. 128 AC
* w. Maege Goodbrother b. 70 AC
	+ **Gretchel Pyke** b. 109 AC

## Skills

* **Attribute:**
	+ Agile
* **Social Status:**
	+ Bannerman
* **Skills:**
	+ Weapon Proficiency
		- Daggers
		- Ranged Weapons
	+ Precision
	+ Diversion
	+ Thievery
* **Mastery:**
	+ Living Shadow