Lord Roose Ryswell

**Biography**

If war is diplomacy my other means-and visa versa, then Lord Roose Ryswell must b accounted a superb diplomat and a good solder, despite utterly lacking in any martial qualities. Indeed, as a boy young Roose despised even the hint of violence, shirking and whimpering when forced to train and when hit. Thus men thought him weak, and his father dismissed him as a heir. It was to prove a foolish midjudgement.

Whilst his siblings Joss and Edwyn thus engaged in hunting and martial persuits, poor fat Roose as he was known was relegated to taverns, and to managing the families accounts. In these who finally excelled; finding smallfolks and their underhanded tricksy ways more appealing than so called "highborns" he soon fell in with unsavory types, learning how to lie, deceive, eavesdrop, spy and deceive. Whilst his father and kin thought he was in his chambers reading-for Roose was a true Bookwyrm and a skilled scribe-more oft than not Roose was in fact slipping thrpugh hidden passages, bribing servants and tracking their every movement.

"Ah, what to do with my wastrel, useless son Roose?" his father had said to his maester..little realising that Roose was watching. His father hatched a plan with his younger sons to kidnap Roose and send him to the nights watch-an honorable profession, that would toughen him up and disinherit him.

Roose did not like that. Not, one bit. And so, whilst acting innocent and unknowing, he plotted his families downfall. First, he found out his brothers where planning on ambush him on a hunt in the great Rills hills. And Roose agreed to join them in this hunting expedition..but when he arrived at the ambush site his brother Edwyle did not see his brother bound, gagged and sent north. Instead, his own mercenaries killed him, for Roose had used his espionage skills to infiltrate, confuse and turn them. Thus messily died Edwyle..but not before Roose had his own fun first. One down.

Joss was easier. All it took was Roose to find out which brothel he went to and then bribe one of the "workers" (one of his agents too) to..slip something into his drink during intercourse.

And finally his father. When he realised his son was secretly turning his house against him, the old Lord Ryswell met with lord Slate and planned to marry his Slates daughter Arya to beget a new heir. For extra security, the wedding was to take place on a barge of the coast, with tightly guarded access. But Roose was not so easily put off. That night, as the guests partied, the boat took water, and weirdly started to list. Those who where not drowned arrived at shore..only to be slaughtered by the waiting Lord Roose. His sabotage skills had worked well, and even made a killing, splitting insurance payout money with the boat owner.

Ruthless, kinslaying (although nothing was ever proved) and ambitious, Roose surprisingly proved a good and popular lord with the smallfolk, and soon advanced his families riches. His marriage to Arya Slate-who mysteriously vanished from the boat before it sank-proved a happy one, and he had 4 children-his beloved Roose, Ryon, Anarra and Barth, whom he gave all the love he never had..though also did not hesitate to show them just how cruel the world could be.

This softer side did not last. . At the battle of the Green fork Rooses eldest son Roose the younger was slain during Royces attack, his body trampled and thoroughly abused after death. Swearing revenge, the elder Roose was soon dissapointed- for peace fell soon after, and all Roose's sacrifice was worth was a few measly islands. More recently, his wife Arya died of a foreign plague, and with her died Roose's smile

Some northerners desire peace with the Vale. Others wasn't isolation, and call honor a virtue. But Roose knows better. Honor is something only Valemen hide behind, and that peace can only reign when Royce, Brus Arryn and all his vile Valemen ilk are destroyed. And unlike some northmen, Roose will use any techniques, no matter how cruel or ruthless, to achieve him aims. For peace. For vengeance. For the North.

Timeline:

230 AC: Born, the eldest of 3 sons.

245: a Virtual exile, he slums it up with smallfolk and begins to learn their underhanded-and oddly noble-ways.

249: Upon, learning his fathers plot to send him to the nights watch, Roose takes...drastic action. Becomes lord

250: Facing war after rumors of assassinating his father and members of house Slate, Roose marries Arya Slate.

252: Roose the younger born

255: Ryon born (current heir)

256: Anarra born

260: Barthogan (Barth) born

270: Durrans defiance. At the battle of Greenfork, his eldest son Roose his slain, along with countless levies and Ryswell kin. The elder Roose quietly swears vengeance

280: His wife Arya dies. With nothing now holding back his wrath, Roose now finalises his plans for vengeance.

Family

Lord Rickard Ryswell (d 249)

-His eldest son Lord Roose Ryswell (b 230) M [Arya Slate] (d 280)

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  -Rooses eldest son [Roose]  (d 270)

  -his eldest surviving son and heir Ryon

  -His daughter, Annarra

  -His son, Barth

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-Rickards other sons [Edwyle and Joss] (d 249)