Albar Vance

Albar Vance (50 years) is currently expected to inherit the title Lord of Wayfarer's Rest in 98 AC. It was an inheritance very unexpected as Albar had ranked low in the line of inheritance. After having made a name for himself as an able officer and sworn sword to House Tully, he left the Riverlands after the death of his wife. In Essos, he started a new life based on his skills in the realm of warfare. Over the years, he has become a sought-after military advisor and commander. With his three sons, he returned to Westeros in the 9th moon of 98 AC.

## Appearance and Character

Albar Vance has always been known for his obedient, dilligent, pragmatic and reliable services. While he has become a reputable advisor and commander among the mercenaries of Essos, having served many different contractors over the years, his reputation in the Riverlands remains unclear. Having once been a respected knight, the life crisis following his wife's death entailed a shift in character, rising instability first, following aggression second and apathy later. Tendency to alcoholism and "too many other mistakes", as he calls it himself, made in this critical time of his life, caused him to consider his reputation and trustworthiness shattered. While over the years, Albar was able to cure and make a name for himself anew across the Narrow Sea, it remains unclear to him what people back home in the Riverlands still think of him, 23 years later.

Physically, Albar has retained a muscular build from his youth and has a vigorous presence even at age 50. So far, he suffers from few problems related to aging. For a mercenary, he puts a lot of emphasis on a well-groomed appearance, though will always appear modest and down-to-earth in choice of armour and clothes. Though, mainly urged by his sons, he had to add some accessories of gold or other limited luxury items to it to be considered successful by Essos' plutocracy. It is a habit, however, not displayed home in the Riverlands.

## Biography

Albar Vance was born in 48 AC as a nephew of Lord Vance. Ranking low, down in the line of inheritance, Albar saw to it to aim at self-reliance and independence from a young age onwards. He became a sworn sword for House Tully, acting as a kind of mentor to Tommard Tully and taking over general, mostly military duties. Due to his diligence, devotion and pragmatic ambition, Albar rose through the ranks quickly. He married Jeyne Strong at age 30 and both lived at Riverrun. They had a son the same year. Three years later however, Jeyne died after half a year of illness. Albar, though trying with all his might, was overwhelmed by the loss of the woman he loved, and was finally found inable to deal with it. His ambition had collapsed, his strength gone, he had started drinking and was found increasingly aggressive and unable to fulfill his daily tasks and duties.

Finally, the crisis became a turning point in his life. Realizing he was suffering heavily from being confronted with an environment on a daily basis that reminded him so much of his late wife, he decided to leave. First, he considered going to another realm in Westeros. But something about it did not feel right. It was then, by coincidence, he heard of an interesting position to build a city watch in Braavos. He applied for the position by letter and got it. So, leaving everything behind, he sailed to new shores. Alone at first.

After a few months, settling in, and missing his son, hearing that the boy suffered from now having lost both parents, he asked for his son to be accompanied to Braavos as well. Now being reunited with his child, having found a foster mother for the boy, everything seemed to be alright again. Albar was happy with his new position that he could delve into, forgetting about everything that had happened in far away lands.

It was half a year later, that Braavos had realized they miscalculated their city guard staff, and Albar was dismissed. Having already anticipated this situation, he had already seen to find an alternative. And thus began his life as a mercenary, following the call of contractors all across the Western part of the continent. Based on his broad and highly qualified experience, Albar was soon again and again hired for highly-skilled tasks like logistics, drafting concepts, consulting and commanding, based on his expertise and personality.

He thought about returning to the Riverlands again and again, keeping in contact with his family. But realizing that he liked his new life, seeing that his son had settled in well, and being in love with a new woman, Albar saw no real reason to give up on what he had. He had another daughter with a Bravoosi business woman, but the daughter died and the couple finally split up again. A few years later, aged 33, he had a son with a run-away slave and now camp follower, allegedly of wildling blood. They called him Gareth. A few weeks after she had given birth, the woman disappeared without a word, leaving her baby son behind her.

While normally staying away from slaves and prostitutes due to his still upheld Westerosi knightly values, at age 46, the veteran commander partook in the lavish celebrations and excesses following a major military victory after months of strenuous warfare and sieges. There, a befriended mercenary captain introduced him to his young Lyseni slave. Drunk and mentally exhausted, Albar fell for her and that night sired his third son with her. Learning about her real age, far younger than he had expected, and being shocked to have gotten her pregnant, Albar found himself in distress. He saw it his duty, to not only pay for the boy but also raise him, not wanting his son to become a slave. While the mother was sold off by her owner, Albar kept his son and named him Rosmyn.

The incident led to a rift with his two older sons, though Accalon, stationed someplace else, finally took heart and returned, knowing that finding trustworthy foster mothers amidst constantly moving armies had already been a problem with Gareth. Above that, lucrative offers in the company his father was recently serving also played a role in his decision.

## Recent Events

Following the unexpected message that following a series of tragedies that hit House Vance over and over again during the last years, Albar is now next in line to inherit House and lands, he completed his tasks and withdrew from remaining contracts. Now, he has sailed back to Westeros' shores with his three sons. His plan is to ask to be officially appointed as Lord of his home lands. But after many years spent in self-chosen exile, with his sons completely alienated from Westerosi every day life and culture, things remain unclear.

## Family

http://www.familyecho.com/?p=W7WFF&c=1wa8oqkset&f=920491435763749587