Crispian Brune

The lord of Dyre Den is gaunt, wrinkled man who looks half dead already and usually in a state of mild shock at the world around him. His grey hair is thinning and growing unkempt in recent years.

## History

Born in 227AA to Alester Brune and Jeyne Sunglass Crispian was a bold and courageous child, naturally taking Leadership of the youths and wards of Dyre Den. As he grew older he would take to the saddle like one born for it, practicing under Dyre Den’s greatest knights until he was truly adept at Riding

Crispian would become lord at the age of sixteen after his father died from complications from a wound - a blow to the head during a tourney’s melee plagued him for months until the infection killed him. It would not be an easy few years as Lord when his legitimacy was challenged by his elder half brother - Ser Marq Waters. Marq would openly defy Crispian, pushing the line but never breaking the law, insulting him behind his back to neighbouring lords on numerous occasions. This would come to a height when one year after a drought lead to an increase of banditry Crispian was forced to take to the field himself to deal with them. These bandits it turned out were bolstered by sellswords and men loyal to Marq and were set to ambush Crispain. Proving to be a natural Commander however Crispian was able to spot the ambush and shatter these men in turn. Marq fled, travelling first to the Dusklands and then Essos to avoid Crispain’s retribution and would continue to haunt the young lord for years.

With his foe laying low Crispian would enjoy some few years of peace and calm, allowing him to further secure his position by marrying Aela Celtigar, a marriage that would prove to be long, fruitful and loving, his eldest son Alyn would be born later that year. It was a calm time for the Claw and so in turn a calm time for Dyre Den, or so it would seem. Marq would return some years later at the head of a sellsword company. With a portion of his levies already afield hunting bandits Crispian was forced to face Marq with lesser numbers but their previous encounters and the years as a lord had turned Crispian into a shrewd Tactician and he was able to outmaneuver and break his brother’s host, hanging the man from a tree as a common murderer and thief.

In the following years of peace Crispian enjoyed a quiet life, attending his king and family in turn dutifully whenever they required him. Even as he aged time seemed to take no toll on the man or his family so even at the age 63 he gamely marched at the head of his troops in the war of the trident, seeming as youthful and gallant as ever despite having a grandsons who were knights themselves.

At Bitterbridge however the strain began to show. All three of his sons fell against the Reach army and in his attempt to resist the Stormlands’ subjugation of his land Crispian was wounded, an axe blow to his hand robbed him of two fingers and any strength in those remaining. Aela would die of a common sickness the next year though many said it was of grief. So much loss in such a short period of time seemed to finally break Lord Brune’s brave stand against the effects of age. He became weak both of mind and body, a insular hermetic lord who seemed to care little of his land or kingdom - if he was even truly aware of what occured around him.

## Timeline

227AA: Crispian is born

243AA: Crispian becomes Lord after the death of his father.

248AA: Crispian defeats his bastard brother for the first time.

253AA: Crispian marries Aela Celtigar.

265AA: Crispian defeats and hangs his brother.

290-292AA: Crispian takes part in the War for the Trident, losing three sons and half his hand.

293AA: Aela Celtigar dies and Crispian begins to lose his mental faculties.