Grey Spring

Following the resolution of the conflict with the Bastards of the Tide, greyscale began spreading amongst the poor districts of Weeping Town. In 350 AC,

Lady Shireen Baratheon died and spring began, which was accompanied by the rapid expansion of greyscale amongst the inhabitants of Cape Wrath and claimed thousands of lives. Lord Davos instituted a complete blockade of Cape Wrath on land and sea, and negotiated with House Martell for the infected to be sent to live out their lives on Ghaston Grey.

## **Winter Fades, 346 - 350 AC**

Following Ser Davos Baratheon’s final victory over the Bastards of the Tides, hope spread throughout the Stormlands that they would be able to enjoy a return to peace, prosperity, and quiet. For the first few years after the end of the threat from the Stepstones it appeared that the region would indeed enjoy a respite from hardship, but even from those early days there were signs that something else was forthcoming.

Whispers coming from the poor districts of Weeping Town spoke of isolated cases of greyscale claiming the lives of children and the infirm, particularly the relatives of sailors that manned the town’s navy. These whispers went unheeded initially as the knight charged with temporary administration over the territory failed to take them credibly. Despite this lack of action to contain the disease, relatively few died as the conditions that greyscale thrives in did not exist. Additionally, the arrival of the newly appointed Lord Seaworth in 347 meant that there were finally active attempts to limit the spread of the disease whenever it did manifest in a more significant way. Unfortunately the best efforts of Lord Seaworth and learned maesters were not sufficient to fully remove the disease’s grip on the impoverished of the town.

## **The Grey Spring, 350 AC**

The dry winter gave way to spring and much changed for the Stormlands. The spring of 350 AC was a particularly wet and storm-filled time even for a kingdom notorious for such weather, which left the Rainwood humid, damp, and cold. These conditions created a perfect environment for a greater spread of the affliction. Very rapidly greyscale began spreading through the peninsula of Cape Wrath, infecting highborn and lowborn alike. The first casualty in each new location where it arrived was always the maester, who would contract the disease after attempting to help the infected, though it would never stop there. All would suffer, from the lords of ancient keeps to farmers and fishermen, including Lord Raymun Wylde. Trading ships departing from Weeping Town carried the disease to nearby ports in the Tor, Ghost Hill, and Greenstone before the Seaworths were able to close their own harbor.

This was not the only problem that faced the region. Near the beginning of the year, Lady Shireen Baratheon died. The beloved lady was mourned in the northern and western parts of the kingdom, but in the Rainwood angry, grief-stricken survivors began to have treasonous thoughts. Behind closed doors the smallfolk began to believe that it was Lady Shireen herself that brought this terrible affliction to their shores. The beliefs spread as far as a distant cousin of the Lord of Amberly, though the incident was quickly covered up and the relative sent to take the black.

After coming into his own and dealing with the issues that a new lord must, Davos Baratheon turned his attention to his southern realm. He ordered Lords Connington and Swann to establish barricades in the passes of the Cascading Ridge (mountain range cutting off the peninsula with the Rainwood) that would prevent anyone from departing the area. Lord Tarth was instructed to blockade all ports on the peninsula to prevent travelers from spreading the affliction further.

## **The Suns and the Rats, 351 AC**

Thousands contracted the illness throughout the Rainwood while Lord Baratheon entered into negotiations with Prince Martell. Knowing that there was no cure for the disease, Davos decided that the best course of action would be to find somewhere that he could send the infected to prevent further spread and loss of life. After a period of talks with the Prince of Dorne, an arrangement was made for the penal colony of Ghaston Grey to be used as a place where the stonemen could be sent to isolate them from the rest of Westeros.

Lord Baratheon also began a correspondence with the Citadel to inform the order of scholars that he would require a large number of maesters to replace those lost on Cape Wrath, and more besides to aid in the process of sorting those that would need to be sent to Ghaston Grey as well as those that would be able to survive on the continent without continuing to spread the plague. During this correspondence the maesters informed Lord Baratheon that the next year would see the end of spring, which would alleviate the conditions that allowed greyscale to spread so rapidly and over such distances.

## **The Final End, 352 AC**

With deals finalized with the Citadel and Sunspear, Lord Baratheon began the process of organizing the establishment of the Westerosi Bridge of Dream. Lords Swann and Seaworth were ordered to construct makeshift boats to transport the infected and all those in the Rainwood were ordered to find the infected and carefully bring them to Weeping Town. Most that were brought were lowborn, but some nobles were too far gone to remain as well. Lord Davos appointed one of them to lead the survivors in their efforts to survive on Ghaston Grey and they were forced out of port by Lord Seaworth to be escorted to Ghaston Grey by ships of Lord Tarth. Once arrived on the island, the boats that were constructed were burned so as to prevent the infected from being able to leave and cause a renewed resurgence of the disease.