Gerold Dayne

Ser Gerold

His signature look, armoured and carrying his greatsword

Daemon Dayne

Wylla Dayne

Gerold Dayne was the firstborn son of Symon Dayne and his wife Yna Dayne née Yronwood. He was the older brother of Gwyneth and Tanselle, and father to Visenya Sand. Gerold was a knight and eventually the Lord of Starfall. He would go on to have three children - Daeron, Daemon and Wylla.

## Appearance and Character

In his mid-twenties, Gerold is a handsome man with a clean-shaven face, deep violet eyes, and a strong jaw. He has thick silver-white hair which flows down past his shoulders. Standing at 6'4", Gerold is a head above most of his peers. Along with his broad shoulders, he has a strong well-built body, maintained over the years through discipline, training and fighting.

Gerold has a quiet demeanor, yet can be quick to anger and rarely hesitates when reaching for his sword. A troubled childhood, that consisted of regular beatings and abuse from his father, has led him to develop a hard exterior which he struggles to break through. The only person to catch a glimpse of the man beneath is his daughter.

Gerold is a man of his word and has his own skewed sense of honour, there are many lines he is willing to cross while following his morally questionable code. According to his father, he is held back from reaching his true potential due to his pride, ambition and arrogance.

## History

### Early Life

Gerold was born during the 6th Moon in 73 A.C to Symon and Yna Dayne. He would be their first, and only child, for close to a decade. From a young age, Gerold struggled with meeting the expectations of his father. His use of his left hand left Symon baffled, and when Maester Joer showed the Lord of Starfall the smudged parchments Gerold had been instructed to scribe upon, his father tied up his left hand behind his back and forced him to use his right. Likewise, in the training yard, Gerold received a beating whenever he went to reach for a sword with his left hand. Struggling to adapt, the boy soon gave up on learning how to use a shield, and instead used both hands to grip his sword.

Outside of his stewardship and martial training, Gerold had an amicable relationship with his father, though he was much closer to his mother. Yna would often take her son to Yronwood during her visits back home, and it was there he met and befriended Vorian. Gerold also formed a close relationship with his fathers ward, Nymella Martell, and on the rare occasion, he would travel with her to Sunspear. It was there where he learnt the intricacies of court, along with the game of cyvasse, which he soon mastered.

Seven years after his birth, his mother would again have a child, this time a girl. Gwyneth was born in 80 A.C, and the attention Gerold had garnered over the years as the only child was lost. This caused some resentment between Gerold and his younger sister, and would remain over the years to come.

### Coming of Age

As Gerold neared his tenth nameday, Symon Dayne thought it time for his son to take his first steps towards knighthood and become a squire. After much deliberation, Lord Dayne sent his heir to the House of his wife, and Gerold was named the squire of Lord Yorick Yronwood. Yorick was a hard man to please, even harder than his father, and Gerold was pushed to his limits as he trained under a Lord known for his violent temper and ruthlessness. However under Yorick's tutelage, Gerold became more disciplined as he also refined his swordplay and began learning the arts of war. Gerold was present when Yorick ordered his men to engage in skirmishes on the Dornish border, and he witnessed first hand how the taste of victory drove Lord Yronwood to commence an all out war.

### Fourth Dornish War

Gerold joined the Yronwood forces as they marched through the Stoneway and besieged Blackhaven. He was tasked with carrying Lord Yorick's shield and banner, and when the castle was assaulted, Gerold was given a crossbow and told to stay back with the archers. It was his first taste of battle, yet Gerold remained largely untouched by the atrocities of war as he was so far back from the frontlines.

However this changed after their victory at Blackhaven, as Lord Yorick pushed onwards to meet Lord Baratheon outside the gates of Stonehelm. This time the boy could not escape the horrors of battle, as he charged beside Lord Yorick in a brutal encounter against the Stormlanders which handed the Dornish their first defeat. Even at his young age, Gerold showed signs of inheriting his father's title of 'Sword of the Morning', distinguishing himself in the fight and coming to Lord Yorick's aid when the tides of battle turned against them. Following a hasty retreat and the news of his wife's tragic death, Lord Yorick was finally persuaded to halt his armies after the arrival of Prince Nymor Martell, who sued for peace.

### Adulthood

Gerold remained in Yronwood for the next four years, continuing his squire duties under a very bitter and resentful Yorick. After being forced to halt his campaign, and with his wife no longer around to douse his fires, Lord Yronwood became even more harsh and abusive towards Gerold. However, despite the chores and beatings, Gerold still gained much from the insight of the experienced war veteran, and his patience was rewarded when he was finally granted knighthood in the year 88 A.C. Upon his return to Starfall, Gerold learnt of his mother's death, which had been kept hidden from him. Enraged, he faced his father in a spar of words, and the relationship between the two further deteriorated to the point where Symon named Gwyneth, his eldest daughter, as his new heir.

Becoming increasingly detached from his remaining family, Gerold ventured out of Starfall and traveled around Dorne, routinely visiting by both Sunspear and Yronwood to maintain a close relationship with his friends. His travels eventually led him further North, into the Crownlands, where he would see the Capital for the first time. On a ship heading to Driftmark, he met a girl who claimed to be of House Velaryon, and the two spent the night together. A year later he would hear from her again, learning that their moment of passion had led to a bastard child. Being driven out by her family, the mother resorted to ending her life, and Gerold returned to claim his daughter. He eventually returned to Starfall several years later with his child, finding Gwyneth firmly in place to inherit the titles of his father. Upon his return, he also learnt of his fathers intent to marry his ward and Gerold's childhood friend, Nymella Martell.

## Recent Events

After learning of Prince Nymor's death, Gerold confronts his father, demanding that he be allowed to represent House Dayne at the funeral. After learning that Symon intends to replace Gerold as heir of Starfall with his younger sister, the Dayne son pushes his father out of the Palestone Tower and gains Lordship upon his death.

At the funeral for Prince Nymor, Gerold makes an unlikely alliance with the widow, Princess Teora, the new regent of Dorne until her son comes of age.

In the following years, Gerold arranges for the marriage of Prince Doran Martell to his younger sister, Lady Gwyneth Dayne.

Gerold himself is married to Gwynesse Tyrell, and together the pair have three children.

In the year 129 AC, following his son Daemon's induction to the Kingsguard, Gerold succumbs to an illness.

## Family

Father: Symon Dayne, Mother: Yna Yronwood, Siblings: Gwyneth, Tanselle, Children: Visenya Sand, Daeron Dayne, Daemon Dayne, Wylla Dayne

## Skills

Skills: Leadership(CHA) Footwork(COM) Two Handed Weapons(COM) Warcraft(MAR) War Tech(MAR)

Attributes: Tough Strong

Aptitude: Duelist's Grace(COM)

Combat stats: 70/5/10%