Beric Toyne

Beric Toyne is the Heir to the Rainwood, and a member of House Toyne. He acts as the representative to Storm's End of the Warden of the Cape, his uncle Lord Damon Toyne. A proud warrior and knight, Beric is always in search of new opportunities to heap glory upon himself.

### Appearance

Beric stands at 5’10”, so while he is not the tallest man in the world, he is not the shortest either. His eyes are blue, like the waters of Shipbreaker Bay, and his hair is brown like the trees of his home. His jaw is prominent but covered by a dark, bushy beard. Above his lips is a thin mustache, only barely connecting to the rest of his facial hair.

### Early Life

Beric Toyne was born to Edric and Arianne Toyne (formerly of House Estermont) on the third day of the fifth Moon in 276 AA. Born to the second son, in normal circumstances, the boy would never lead the House Toyne as its lord, so his father took great pains to see that his son was being raised as a warrior and knight. Growing up, the virtues of chivalry were instilled in the boy, and he wanted nothing more than to follow in his father’s footsteps.

This changed early in 281 AA. In the Second Moon, his mother gave birth to a healthy girl, Tarah Toyne. However, the labor had taken its toll on her, and she passed into the arms of the Seven not a week later. Beric was too young to remember her, but the sensation he felt while she was among the living is one that he desperately wishes to feel once more.

His father did his best to be there for his children, but ultimately could not deal with the death of his wife. Not willing to end his life himself, he provoked a fight with a hedge knight and was slain in 285 AA. Beric and Tarah were left alone.

At the age of ten, only a year later, his Lord Uncle Damon sent him to be squired to Durran, the Crown Prince of the Stormlands, hoping that a change of scenery would be good for his nephew. Not much younger than the boy he served, the two got along well and the younger boy picked up many of the traits of his liege. Two years later, he would attend the coronation of his friend, and see him rise as Storm King.

### War of the Trident

His squireship continued uninterrupted until 290 AA, when the War of the Trident broke out. His cousins Kyle and Janos were given vanguard commands, and together they fought to bring the Dusklands and Claw to heel. All seemed well for Toyne and its glory.

In the final battle against House Gardener, Kyle and Janos were slain, fighting in the Durrandon cavalry. As Beric, alongside the Durrandon heavy infantry came upon their bodies he snapped. Picking up the Toyne banner, as well as Kyle’s sword to replace his own, he took the remaining Toyne cavalry and crashed against a hastily formed shieldwall, breaking it and sending the Reachmen fleeing.

For his actions on the battlefield, Beric was knighted at the age of six and ten for his heroism. He went home to Rainheart, the Toyne’s keep in the Rainwood, bearing the bodies of his cousins. He perhaps did not expect a hero’s welcome with the two sons of his uncle slain, but he did not expect to have been treated as his uncle did him. Refusing to honor his nephew, he instead coldly told him that he would have preferred he died in their place.

### The Storm War

In 296 AA, the Storm War broke out with the Kingdom of the Greenbelt. Leading House Toyne’s forces, Beric was part of the vanguard racing into Dorne. Performing more than adequately, late in the war Beric slew Cletus Yronwood, winning some acclaim. In truth, he didn’t know at first he slew the royal- Beric’s image of a royal was Durran, one of the most powerful warriors in his time. Cletus was average at best. His brother, Beric found, was much more skilled in combat. Seeing his brother die enraged Anders Yronwood, and the two fought an inconclusive duel until Beric realized that he must sound a retreat or fall to the Dornishmen.

In the end they were pushed back and the Stormlander forces retreated back into the Dornish Marches to lick their wounds. However, tragedy struck House Toyne once more. His last cousin, heir to the Rainwood, died in childbirth. Mylessa Toyne had been seduced by a “brave knight”, and gave birth to his bastard Rolland Storm in 297 AA.

### Heir to the Rainwood

The world turned, and changed for Beric. He was no longer merely a knight of House Toyne, nephew to the lord- he was the heir. Despite this, however, his uncle refused to acknowledge him as anything besides a waste of space and Toyne blood, sending him off to Storm’s End to act as his representative as Warden of the Cape. Lord Damon’s own feelings towards his royal liege were cold- if it were not for “King Durran’s War”, as he likes to call the War of the Trident, his sons would still be living.

Despite their disagreements, Beric wants nothing more than for his uncle to recognize him and his value as an heir. He will stop at nothing to see this happen, fomenting a competitive drive and overconfidence that will be hard to shake. With chaos on all sides, one can only wonder if his words and want for war and glory will influence those around him.