Auster Raore

Auster Raore is a member of the Kingsguard. He is the first born son of the late Lord Ronald Raore of Westhaven. He currently resides in Vakar in the Black Tower of the Kingsguard.

## Appearance and Character

Auster is of average height with an athletic, knightly build from years of training and fighting. He takes after his mother more than his father, not having the common rudded brown hair of House Raore but rather dark brown. He has a number of scars on his body as evidence of his many fights, tourneys and battles.

Auster was born as the first child of Ronald and Selys Raore in 1,310 AC in Westhaven. He was followed by two sisters some years later. From his birth Auster was groomed to be a leader among men as well as a warrior like his father. Ronald took great pride in presiding over Auster and his brother’s training and education, shaping them into warriors and leaders.

Auster took to his training quickly, he seemed to be naturally martially adept from a young age and swiftly displayed prowess in the use of swords. In addition to his martial training he was also trained extensively in riding and showed skill in this. It was instilled in Auster from a young age that these skill were necessary for him to fulfil his duty as a Lord and a Knight. He acknowledged this but the main reason he worked so hard in training was that he enjoyed it immensely.

Part of his education that he did not take to as much as physical training was the lessons delivered on history, heraldry, geography and the other more scholarly subjects that his mother insisted he pursue. Auster would do all he could to escape the books and scrolls that his tutors brought him so he could ride or practice with sword or lance. His mother despaired at his lack of interest in his own education and did all she could to try and find a tutor that would capture her son’s attention, to no avail.

On his twelfth name day Auster was taken as a squire by his father and his education began in earnest. His father was a hard task master and there was little comfort for Auster during this time, he trained every day and followed his father’s every order to the letter. By the time his eighteenth name day came, any softness he had when he began squiring for his father had long since been lost.

It was around this time that an organised band of outlaws began operating on his father’s land, harassing and robbing travellers and peasants alike. Auster’s father assembled his household knights and footmen and led them to deal with the bandits. As an opportunity to prove himself Auster was given command of a group of footmen, his father would attack the force head on while Auster would flank around them to cut off their retreat.

While leading his force around the bandit encampment he was ambushed by their main force and almost surrounded. What followed was a desperate fight where the Raore force were outnumbered two to one. Thanks to his training and his force being better trained and organized than the bandits Auster managed to get the upper hand in the battle and killed two of the leaders of the outlaw band in single combat. When his father’s force finally reached the battle they trapped the bandits between them and slaughtered them to a man. Auster’s father was proud of his son and knighted him for his actions.

During the War of Three Dragons Auster took part in all the major battles and skirmishes that their liege lords the Runeri forces engaged in. The fighting was fierce and it was the first time that Auster had truly been tested as a warrior. His real test however came at the Battle of Wheat Hill when his father was given command of a force of Marches cavalry. During the battle Lord Ronald Raore was wounded by a stray arrow and was rendered unable to ride without doing himself potentially mortal damage. Lord Ronald entrusted the command to Auster and bade him lead the men as Lord Runeri commanded.

When the time came Auster led the cavalry charge against the royal forces and trapped them against the walls of Wheat Hill and cut them down. It was a moment of glory for Auster and he gained recognition from his fellow lords and knights for the act. He set of with the army headed towards Vakar in high spirit, bolstered by the recent victory. Auster was given permanent command of his father’s forces while Lord Ronald returned to Westhaven to recover from his wound. During this time Auster became a skilled tactician.

The remainder of the war was spent with the Runeri forces and he remained in Vakar for a time after a few major battles, allowing himself to accept the accolades he had won through his cavalry charge at Wheat Hill . When he returned home he discovered that his father had died from a stroke. It had happened only a week before he had arrived home.

Auster was heartbroken, he was filled with guilt at having stayed in Vakar for so long. He knew that if he had left as soon as the war was won he could have been at home and seen his father one last time. He blamed himself for not being there and the guilt ate away at him. The once outgoing and brash warrior became introverted and brooding, rarely speaking or leaving his chambers except to go on long rides which took him far and wide, often lasting for several weeks during which time nobody would hear from him. During this time he completely withdrew from life at court, he no longer attended tourneys or sat in his father’s council.

During the war Auster had gained further glory in battles that he led even through his melancholy, led to Vaenarr Vakerian offering one of the now vacant places in the Kingsguard to him. Auster considered for some time, knowing that his father would of been disappointed as he was heir to Westhaven. Eventually he agreed to the ask due to his belief that he can't rule well, and returned to tell his sister Jenny that she is now the Lady of Westhaven, wearing his white cloak. While Jenny was shocked that she was now the lady of Westhaven she acknowledged that it was a great honor and told him he would be an amazing Kingsguard.

Auster returned to Vakar and took up his place as a brother of the Kingsguard.