The Second Ironborn Civil War

The Second Ironborn Civil War was a conflict that began in 101AA after a disastrous attack on the Riverlands that ended with King Gyles Goodbrother being killed. The kingsmoot was called and Dagmer the Deranged of House Goodbrother won but was contested by Murdoch of House Greyjoy.

## **Prelude**

The Kingsmoot was called following a disastrous assault by the Ironborn upon the Riverlands. Much the Ironborn’s ground forces were slaughtered in their desperate attempt to get beyond Seagard. King Gyles Goodbrother had known little of strategy, clearly believing that numerical superiority would be enough to win the day.

All the same, five claimants stepped forth, four of whom hoped to finally end Goodbrother’s reign of terror. The last was Dagmer, The Deranged, many called him (though never to his face). The claims were pressed as they always were, and the Drowned Priests retreated to determine the winner. The Priests returned and declared Dagmer the winner. A riot nearly broke out as dozens of men shouted in anger and hatred of the results.

Murdoch Greyjoy had pressed a claim, carrying the legacy of House Greyjoy under King Vickon and his descendants as his proof of rule. Murdoch was known as quiet and timid, a passive man. In this moment he spoke out, declaring  that no sane man would have voted for Dagmer. Dagmer stepped forward, calling Murdoch a coward and a greenlander, demanding the Greyjoy face him in combat. Murdoch’s sickly nature was well known throughout the Isles. This battle was stopped by the Drowned Priests, who demanded no blood be spilled on Nagga’s Hill.

Dagmer then threatened to throw Pyke back into the sea. Murdoch said nothing and returned to his boat. With him came his supporters, Carron Botley, his brother Aeron, and Sigfryd the Septon, one of his captains. He sailed from Nagga’s Hill to Pyke. He instructed his men to be raised and that Lordsport be closed to any ship sporting a Goodbrother Horn.

Unexpectedly, it was not Goodbrother who arrived at his port, but Triston Sunderly, the Lord of Saltcliffe who appeared to the Greyjoy. He shared the Greyjoy’s opinions of the new King, though had chosen not to be as vocal as Murdoch. A raven appeared soon after from Ironholt, House Wynch. Goodbrother sails were coming. Murdoch did not have long to act. He sent a rider to Lordsport, instructing Carron to delay Dagmer whilst Murdoch moved his men and those Sunderly had come with across Pyke.

## **The Kraken and the Horn**

### **The Battle of Ironholt**

King Dagmer Goodbrother made port at Lordsport and was greeted warmly by Carron Botley. Dagmer demanded to be brought straight to Pyke to ’speak’ with Lord Greyjoy. Carron, being the charming man he was, managed to delay Goodbrother over an hour by showing him around Lordsport under the guise of attempting to impress Goodbrother. Dagmer fell for this, believing Botley was ambitiously trying to be named Lord of Pyke once Greyjoy was extinct.

The distraction worked wonders, and Murdoch managed to get nearly two thousand of his soldiers across Pyke towards Ironholt. Sunderly brought an additional eight hundred. Dagmer arrived at Pyke and was informed by the castellan that Murdoch had escaped to Ironholt, pretending to give up Murdoch in exchange for his own life. Dagmer, a gullible man, fell for this and marched for Ironholt.

Triston and Murdoch were greeted warmly by Urron Wynch and his some thousand men. Murdoch devised a plan. He first penned several letters and sent them out all over The Iron Islands. He called them to arms to throw out Goodbrother as their king. Only Tawney and Stonehouse responded.

Meanwhile, Dagmer arrived at Ironholt at sunset. He called to the walls, demanding Murdoch come out and die. Murdoch stepped from the keep into the town of Ironholt, seemingly unarmed and surrendering. What Dagmer had failed to realize was that far too many men were out for it being nearly night. The narrow streets erupted in chaos and violence as Triston and Urron launched from their hiding places with nearly five hundred men. Dagmer had a few hundred of his own with him, and the first battle of the Civil War began.

Dagmer, for as much of a fool as he was, was a ferocious warrior. Urron got arrogant and faced Dagmer in single combat. He lasted less than a minute before his guts spilled out upon his own town’s streets. Dagmer took a moment to brutalize the body before calling a retreat, knowing that city fighting served no one any good.

Triston and Murdoch mourned for their fallen companion, bringing his body back inside. Urron had been the last male of his family, and his sister Marin took over as Lady of Ironholt. She promised to honor her brother’s death and sided with Murdoch in this conflict.

### Calling the Banners

Dagmer returned to Hammerhorn to the news of Murdoch’s call to arms. Dagmer was so enraged he beat the Maester to death on the spot, scaring the court into silence. He commanded them to send a message to every man and woman of the Iron Islands to know he was King. House Blacktyde, Farwynd, Drumm, and Orkwood would answer the call (though it seemed mostly out of fear).

On Pyke Houses Tawney and Stonehouse arrived with their fleets, Lord Dalton Tawney bringing his men as well. Stonehouse had left men behind, fearing that Drumm, their ancient rival would attempt to seize Old Wyk for the King. Murdoch devised his plan. With Harlaw neutral and Pyke and Saltcliffe firmly secured as islands against Goodbrother they simply needed to take Old Wyk and Orkmont to completely surrounded Great Wyk then work their way inwards. Lord Stonehouse offering to personally deal with taking Old Wyk for their cause. With Blacktyde not far from Orkmont, the Lords feared intervention from the Blacktyde’s fleet to keep Orkmont firmly in Orkwood’s control.

As such, the armies were divided into two groups. A majority of the navy would be dispatched to Orkmont to keep Blacktyde at bay whilst Stonehouse and his men, along with Sunderly’s, would sail to Old Wyk to put down Drumm.

Dagmer and his Lords were devising a strategy as well. Deciding Pyke was too well equipped to invade, and not wanting to fight on an island that was divided, Dagmer chose to attack Saltcliffe as retribution for Sunderly’s betrayal at Ironholt. Dagmer called upon Farwynd to dispatch and take Saltcliffe. Meanwhile, he ordered Blacktyde and Orkwood to keep the north firmly in their own power. He paid little mind to Drumm and Old Wyk, believing it being too much of a reach for Greyjoy and his allies.

## **Lord Farwynds Cruelty, and The War Continues**

### **The Battle of Saltcliff**

Whilst forces clashed not far from Orkmont, King Goodbrother executed the next part of his plan: taking Saltcliffe. Lord Sunderly had sailed off with Lord Stonehouse to take Old Wyk for the rebels, meaning Saltcliffe was only manned by a defending garrison. They were not prepared for the assault from Lord Farwynd, leading both his and King Goodbrother’s forces into battle. Soon all but the keep itself was taken, and any attempts to call for help were shot down. None of the rebels would learn of Saltcliffe’s fall until it was too late. There Lord Farwynd stayed for quite some time, even taking to calling himself Lord of Saltcliffe.

The battle had happened over night, Lord Farwynd had made a daring maneuver. He ordered every lantern on his fleet turned off. The coasted close to the dreaded cliffs that often ripped ships apart. Farwynd’s luck was in the air that night, not losing a single ship in this maneuver. Bringing themselves around the back of Saltcliffe, Lord Farwynd and his men took the island from behind. Lord Sunderly’s sister was captured and raped by Lord Farwynd it is said for everyday the occupation went on. She would take her own life before it all ended. Lord Farwynd sent word of this victory back to Dagmer. Dagmer was pleased with Lord Farwynd’s results, however, chose to keep his men on Saltcliffe instead of moving them on to another front.

### **The Long Battle for Old Wyk**

Unaware of the lost of his home and sister, Lord Triston Sunderly sailed with Lord Stonehouse to Old Wyk. Sunderly brought with him a few hundred men, not wanting to lose too many to the decades old rivalry between the two houses. Once they arrived they were greeted at Stonehouse by a letter from Drumm, demanding Lord Stonehouse’s surrender and knee.

Lord Stonehouse greeted the letter with joy, proclaiming he needed to use the privy and was about to ask for something to wipe with. Once Stonehouse finished shitting he raised his men and set out to march against Lord Drumm.

Lord Drumm, meanwhile, was marshaling his own forces, preparing to march on Stonehouse. They set out an hour after Stonehouse and Sunderly had. Less than a day of marching later and the two armies found themselves meeting in the middle of Old Wyk. Ironborn are not known for their skills in an open field. The battle quickly descended into madness and chaos, blood ran so thick it turned all the grass and dirt red. Lord Stonehouse and Lord Drumm dueled for over an hour, each taking a finger off of the other. Finally the battle broke, not because one side or the other gave, but because the sun had set and no soldier had torches. Both sides retreated back into the night. That initial battle alone cost both armies nearly half their numbers. Lord Stonehouse wanted to assault again in the morning. However, Lord Sunderly advised otherwise, and his men began digging in the dark. Come morning a large trench sat, cutting Old Wyk in half. The men slept upon the other side. Too deep to step into and too wide to go around. Lord Drumm was unsure of what to do and how to get to his enemies, as sailing would be too obvious. Soon several battles were fought over this trench. Neither side holding it for long. The battle lasted months, only ending once Goodbrother was defeated, and seeing most of both sides forces completely destroyed by the end of it.

### **The Second Battle of Nettlebank Bay**

An assault by land never came from House Orkwood, being smarter than Lord Drumm and knowing anything like that would be suicide for the Ironborn. Instead. Lord Orkwood and Lord Blacktyde devised a pincer maneuver, Blacktyde swinging in from the north and Orkwood coming in from the south. Murdoch was still recovering from his latest flaring up of his sickness.

Lord Tawney had been playing mostly on the defensive, keeping Orkwood’s scout ships at bay. Tawney was completely taken by surprise by as Orkwood and Blacktyde descended upon them. Nettlebank Bay was completely taken. The sickly Lord Murdoch was taken away as Orkwood and Blacktyde men descended upon the town.

Dagmer thought his rule secured, Murdoch’s lack of presence in the town made him believe that Murdoch had died in the bay battle nearly two months ago. Dagmer settled into his rule, believing his enemies crushed. He began making plans to reinforce Drumm on Old Wyk and finally seize Pyke. Making good on his promise to raze the castle.

Lord Orkwood settled in comfortably to his position on Orkmont as the only Lord. Lord Blacktyde’s fleet took complete control of the Northern seas of the Iron Islands. Murdoch’s rebellion became a mobile state. Unwilling to return to Pyke for worry of bringing the war to his home island, and not wanting Dagmer to know he was alive. So, Murdoch decided it was time to take the battle to the one place the Ironborn knew best: the seas.

### **The Battle of Lordsport Bay and the Taking of Lonely Light**

Despite not wanting to return home, Murdoch knew his home was still in danger. Dagmer would want to make good on his threats and would not let him due so. He, Dalton Tawney, and Lady Wynch sailed off to Pyke with what remained of their fleets just as the remaining Goodbrother fleet descended upon the isle. Flying mostly Wynch sails to give off the illusion that Greyjoy was defeated, Murdoch and his fellow rebels blindsided Goodbrother’s ship, slaughtering them in the bay. Pyke was secured for now. Murdoch left Lady Wynch to defend their home and set off to find a new command post with Lords Tawney and Botley. Murdoch had an idea for this new place: Lonely Light.

At sunrise one morning, Lord Farwynd of Lonely Light was greeted by the amazing sight of a combined Tawney-Greyjoy fleet attacking his small Keep. He rallied his petty defences and attempted to stop them, but he couldn’t even prevent their landing, let alone their dominance of the isle. Within half a day, Lord Greyjoy and Lord Tawney claimed dominance over the small island. Over a week away from the rest the Ironborn, Murdoch thought it a fine place to recover, as his sickness was once again back in full force. Lord Tawney and Carron Botley departed yet again the fleets, making sure to keep all armies where they stayed until Murdoch was ready. Murdoch began to strategize in his isolation on Lonely Light. Though this isolation did not help his sickness. Realizing his strategy of taking of isles around Great Wyk had failed he devised a new one.

## The New Strategy and the End of the War

Murdoch sent word to his supporters after nearly a month of complete isolation on Lonely Light. It was time to take the assault directly to Great Wyk. Murdoch had been tracking Dagmer’s movements and had come to realize he oft left a hole in his defense to the northwest. It was from there they would strike. Carron Botley returned to Lonely Light and retrieved his old friend, who now claimed to feel the best he ever had. Lord Greyjoy, Lord Tawney, Lady Wynch soon met with Lord Sunderly, who was taking command of both his own fleet and Lord Stonehouse’s (who was still preoccupied with battling Lord Drumm in an open field). The four nobles sailed their ships up and around the Ironborn. One evening they descended down from the sunset onto Great Wyk, taking the neutral Pebbleton and moving on by land and by sea towards Hammerhorn.

Just as the sun’s light completely disappeared from the sky King Dagmer received word of what was going on. He quickly scrambled, sending word to Lord Farwynd to return from Saltcliffe with his full force and calling upon Orkwood and Blacktyde to move from Orkmont. It was too late, however. Murdoch and Botley led the ground assault whilst Taweny, Sunderly, and Wynch took the bay.

Murdoch and his men climbed over the walls of Hammerhorn, slaughtering all they found. Soon Murdoch found his way into the Great Hall of the King, finally accepting his challenge to single combat. The arrogant (and slightly drunk) king accepted. Meanwhile, Carron Botley took the rest of the castles, raping and killing King Goodbrother’s Blacktyde wife. He then put the king’s sisters, sons, Nuncle, and all other family members to death, slaughtering them all his sword until his men swore his steel was permanently stained.

In the Great Hall, Murdoch and Dagmer began their dance. Their axes clashing violently, Murdoch was not the best fighter and his sickness had begun to take hold yet again. He was coughing up blood. Dagmer’s drunkenness was not helping either, and he missed many swings. Finally their blades locked. Murdoch buckled as he felt more blood coming up. As he retched Dagmer came in swinging and the bloody mucus flew from Murdoch mouth into Dagmer’s eyes. Damger was blinded and Murdoch managed to stop coughing long enough to drive his axe into Dagmer’s skull.

The King was dead, and so was most of his family. Murdoch sailed to Old Wyk and broke the siege, presenting Dagmer’s corpse as proof of his death. Drumm was furious, but did not fight back. Murdoch spared House Drumm, infuriating Lord Stonehouse. Lord Sunderly also demanded retribution from House Farwynd for the crimes committed against his family. Lord Farwynd was put to death for his actions and his son succeeded him. Murdoch ascended the throne as the first Greyjoy king in nearly fifty years. Only seven months into his rule, his sickness finally won its battle, and he died.

## Aftermath

Murdoch Greyjoy died only seven months later, but he had not ruled for long. Following his death, Carron I Botley was selected from the Kingsmoot after Murdochs death. King Botley was known as Bloody Botley, for his growing madness as he aged.