Daemon Greyjoy

Daemon "Pyke" is the bastard born son of Lord Paramount Theon Greyjoy and the Targaryen princess Eleana. While he was conceived in King's Landing, Aerys III Targaryen commanded the child taken back to Pyke shortly after his birth. Theon obliged, and has raised the son as his own, the boy's mother absent from his life. Many years later, Daemon is an older man, an accomplished warrior, and a successful captain and reaver. He has recently been legitimized as a Greyjoy, and received with it the title of Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet, the highest military rank within the Iron Islands.

## Appearance

Daemon Greyjoy is an amalgamation of his father and mother's traits. He has his father's size and muscular physique, but his mother's fair Valyrian skin. His Greyjoy blood appears dominant as he lacks silver hair, instead sporting a long mane dark colored hair that falls past his shoulders. Daemon's face has a rugged look to it, marked by several visible scars from battle. As a result he wears his facial hair in a long beard to conceal the worst of it. Daemon's eyes are his most telling feature, he has neither his mother's lilac eyes or his father's seastone blue. Instead his eyes are a haunting shade of grey.

## History

Daemon Pyke was conceived on the day of Princess Eleana Targaryen's wedding to the Lord Stark's heir. A full day of celebration with every lord and lady in the realm in attendance, including the normally reclusive Ironborn Lord Reapers. It is said Theon Greyjoy was able to slip unnoticed into Eleana's chambers and seduce the young princess, taking her maidenhood. Eleana reportedly broke down in tears during the bedding ceremony and confessed the day's events. King Aerys was furious, but the Greyjoys had already long since left for home. Theon's father Torwyn paid a hefty compensation to the crown including ten of his finest warships for the transgression, straining his relationship with his son until the day he died.

King Aerys refused to terminate the pregnancy with Moon Tea, not wanting to risk the health of the young princess, instead commanding Theon to come to court and take the child back to Pyke. Greyjoy obliged, leaving never to speak to the King again. The infant Daemon was taken back to Pyke where he was to be given a proper Ironborn upbringing. It fell to the staff of castle Pyke to raise the child, as his Grandfather and Grandmother could only look upon him with disdain. Young Daemon was humbled by his status as a bastard, learning quickly his place in the world. Nevertheless he enjoyed the luxuries afforded to him as a highborn child, learning combat from the castle master-at-arms, reading, writing, and histories from the maesters, and of the Drowned God from the Drowned Priests.

Where the stain of being bastard born discourages many, it filled Daemon with ambition. He grew stronger each day, honing his skills at arms. When his father returned to court Daemon was ten years old and already aspiring to be a captain some day. His father saw the drive within him and committed to finish the raising of his son while he ascended to the Seastone Chair. Daemon spent the next five years under the watchful eyes of his father and stepmother. By the time his half brother Dagon Greyjoy entered the world Daemon was almost a man. Daemon was drowned on the shores of Lordsport at the age of five and ten, serving on his first longship that same year.

Over the next two decades Daemon would continue to prove himself time and time again in his kinsmen's eyes, becoming a deadly melee combatant, a fearsome captain, and a talented naval commander. None could question his skill or ability, and he consistently outperformed his peers. Early in the year 450AC Daemon took a portion of the Iron Fleet without his father or his Lord Captain's approval. Against steep odds they were able to smash through the Shield Isle's defensive fleet, pushing east up the Mander sacking every town and village in their path. It was the largest haul of food and dry goods the Ironborn had seen in years, and a public embarrassment to the Reach, whose Shield Islanders had believed themselves untouchable.

Hearing word of his bastard son's raids, Theon Greyjoy summoned the current Lord Captain to Pyke and had him summarily executed, citing his continued failures over the past six months before personally cutting him down. In his place Theon chose Daemon, because of his great natural ability in the face of adversity, but also because his status as his son. In an unexpected move to all but his close family he also legitimized Daemon as a Greyjoy, stripping his surname of Pyke once and for all. Daemon Greyjoy now stands as Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet, and captain of her flagship the *Iron Victory*, one of the largest warships of its type.