Brandon Vance

**Brandon Vance**is the Lord of Wayfarer's Rest and head of the castle's Vances in the riverlands. An uncle to the previous lord who died without offspring, he is the son of Lord Edwyle Vance and Lady Myriame Northerner and younger brother of Lord Emmon Vance, as well as the older sibling of Roslin and Waltyr Vance.

Beginning his reign at twenty-and-four years old, Brandon developed into an angry and troubled young ruler following the deaths of his father and brother. His mother falling fatally ill some years later, among other grievous affairs facing his early reign is said to have made him into the tempered, sour and wroth man that he is.

## Appearance and Character

Brandon is easily recognized by his well over shoulder-length, light red mane. His stern and wide face is full of beard of the same colour and his eyes are light blue. A sturdy and broad man, his growing age has turned most of the muscle from his younger days into guts. The Gingerfox's sword arm still bears a large portion of its former strength, however.

Active and healthy even in his waning days, many still argue the way he spends his energy. The Lord of Wayfarer's Rest has little patience for nonsense and he expresses his frustration very vocally and loudly, more often than not cursing his inferiors, shouting at his advisers and making bold announcements when set on a decision. He doesn't shy away from the center of attention, and used to be rather notorious for his behavior at feasts and tourneys.

Many consider Brandon's wild spirit a madness. Accused of his wroth, loudness and tendency to rage and violence when solving problems, many servants at Wayfarer's Rest fear him and share stories of the wicked things he does to those in his way.

## Biography

Brandon was born a second son to Lord Edwyle Vance and his northerner wife, and was named with the common northern name to please his mother's family. He expressed his proficiency with weapons very early, especially with the axe, inspired by the ancient heirloom of his family. It was even planned that he would wield the weapon instead of his older brother when the time was right.

Those plans came to a bitter fruition, however, when Lord Edwyle fell terribly sick in his twilight years. A healthy man known for his fiery red beard and strong arm, his passing was a great tragedy and it especially moved Brandon and his brother, Emmon. Emmon was barely of age and Brandon only seven. Despite this the titles and lands were successfully inherited and Emmon Vance ruled Wayfarer's Rest. *Vantage* was still too heavy for the young fighter and not fit to be wielded by Emmon, so the axe remained hidden away until the time came.

Emmon didn't show signs of improvement physically. Though considered a clever young man by many and even managing to marry and sire a son, he grew weaker every year and eventually passed away close to twenty. Robert, his infant son inherited only the negative sides of his father, and he too passed away in his teenage years without offspring. During these difficult times it was often Brandon whom the Vance court leaned on. It was even specualted that he had poisoned his family members, which only made the already angered man even more sullen. The tragedy and the accusations combined gave him uncontrollable fits of rage that later became a part of his nature. A wroth and oft even cruel man by the time he inherited his nephew, he himself became paranoid about the possible murder of his kin and indulged in espionage to learn the truth of it. Nothing solid was ever formed, though the possibility of murder still troubles the Lord's mind.

The pressure that had built inside finally burst when the War of the Trident plunged Westeros into chaos. Brandon was an average commander, but it was his terrifying voice and wicked ways of straightening out unruly soldiers that made him efficient. Lord Vance's red hair that burned as brightly as his rage carried his authority over the rest.

During this war Brandon never shied away from foul play and many times turned to sabotage to disperse his enemies before they even reached the battlefield. Mainly protecting his own homelands from foreign raiders and bandits instead of picking sides, the Vance soldiers hid in the nearby trees, snuck into enemy camps and harassed Reachmen supply lines to wear them out and turn them away from Vance lands.

Brandon currently rules Wayfarer's Rest with an iron fist. He is known to carry out harsh punishments and use his webs of connections to get rid of his foes by covert means. Some rumors even tell that the Lord Vance keeps his dungeons filled to express his cruelty on the weak, and that he ruthlessly punishes his servants for disobedience and inefficiency.

Having united the two Vance branches by his daughter Merianne's marriage to Jon Vance of Atranta, his older daughter is married to another riverlord and his two younger sons remain unmarried. His relation to the young Lord of Atranta is a close one, the kinship sometimes even crossing the border of mere marriage. Together, the two Vance families have efficiently protected their local lands despite the shifts of power within their kingdom.

## Timeline

245: Born at Wayfarer's Rest

252: Daddy dies, brother inherits

257: Brother dies, nephew inherits

260: Masters the way of the axe, wields Vantage

268: Nephew dies, Brandon inherits

290: Successfully defends the Vance lands from foreign invaders, proves himself in the art of war in his own way

298: Travels to Harrenhal to see to some matters of state