Florian Mallister

Celia Mallister, b. 362 AC

 Ser Florian Mallister is the thirdborn son of Lord Alton Mallister and a Knight of the Queensguard. He wields the Valyrian steel longsword *Talon* in service to Queen Myrcella II Tyrell.

## **Appearance and Character**

Florian is a soft and lithe man, not muscled and delicate in stature. He is short, standing at five feet and five inches. He has dark black hair, with soft whiskers that are curled up. While not ugly, he is not considered the most handsome of men. He is deeply in love with Queen Myrcella, but is in the process of squashing his unrequited feelings. Florian has panic and anxiety attacks sometimes, causing him to drink a tad more than he should. His preferred armor is scale and plate.

## History

Florian Mallister was born the youngest of three sons of Lord Alton Mallister in 360 AC. A sickly child, it was not expected he would survive past his third nameday, but he did. Growing up Florian was close to his middle brother Perwyn, much more so than his eldest brother Damon who wanted nothing to do with the runt of the family.

Damon himself was a bully, consistently cruel to Florian and their sister Celia whenever Perwyn was not around. Their father, a man who spent most of his reign a fighter, believed this would toughen his weakest son up. Damon however was afraid of Perwyn, the strongest of the three brothers and the eventual wielder of Talon, the Valyrian steel longsword of House Mallister. Unlike his brothers, Florian did not grow strong, but preferred to follow Perwyn around or play with his sister Celia. He enjoyed reading and light exercise, but a reckoning eventually came.

His father ordered his youngest son to learn how to fight and Florian turned to the only friend he had other than Celia. Perwyn.

Being smaller than both his brothers, Florian was of course uninclined to the martial arts, yet served as his brother's page and later squire. Because of his light stature, he learned to be quick on his feet, often surprising servants and Mallister scions alike by sneaking up on them. His quick footedness served him well in the yards, though his learning was slow and stunted. Still, he tried his best and that was what Perwyn encouraged him to do so. His training was interrupted by the War of the Last Dragon. Still fairly weak compared to his peers, Florian followed his brother to battle as his squire and saw combat in several engagements.

### The Great Lie

The War of the Last Dragon was the conflict that earned Florian his spurs and his fraudulent white cloak.

Florian was knighted by his brother during the early morning hours of the Battle of Stoney Sept, knowing it might be their last. Despite being horribly lacking in skill at arms compared to others, Florian Mallister had become Ser Florian.

During the battle that ended Daena’s life, Florian followed his brother in a daring attack to try and end the war. With Talon in hand and in their isolation, Ser Perwyn cut a bloody path through dozens of Golden Company, trying to cut his way to the Last Dragon after Drogon went down

Ser Perwyn took wounds all along the way however and a fatal blow took his life via a dagger in the neck. Falling faceforward in a pool of his own blood, Perwyn died. In a rage, Florian took up Talon and struck down the man who slew his brother, splattering his own armor with blood.

They found Florian with the body of his brother and the countless bodies of dead Essosi in his attempt to reach Daena and slay her. They were nowhere near her in the end. They had asked him if he had slain the men while trying to reach Daena, and in a nervous panic he accidentally took credit for his brothers deeds. The evidence seemed in his favor.

Florian and Perwyn looked extremely alike, and men had last seen a man that looked like Florian fighting off three men at once with a Valyrian blade.

And there Florian was, covered in blood, holding Talon and surrounded by dead foes.

He was made a Kingsguard that evening, having no choice but to follow through with the lie all the while suffering from a nervous breakdown and dealing with the grief of losing his brother.

### The Weakest Brother of Them All

It was evident at once that Ser Florian Mallister was not like his other white brothers. Kingsguard, now Queensguard, were the finest warriors of the realm.

Florian was little better than a squire. He was poor with Talon and misliked spending time in the yards. As he’d been all his life, he was a soft, sweet man forced into a role he had gained through fraud.

This tore him apart. As each lie was given another, his very soul was being ripped asunder. Knowing he did not belong among such great knights and his sin was unbearable. Already an anxious man, Florian found himself occasionally suffering from excessive anxiety attacks that often ended with heavy drinking.

It didn’t help that in his self perceived weakness, drilled into him by family, society and everyone around him, he continues to fail to see his strengths.

His quick eye, nimble feet and ability to stealthily move from place to place made him an excellent Queensguard in his own way, yet one he never accepted as anything but failure.

Florian had stopped agents from infiltrating the Red Keep time after time, always catching them without them even knowing he was there. Ser Florian Mallister was the bane of every would be spy and catspaw and he didn’t even know it.

Florian’s internal struggle was intensified tenfold when King Garlan died and his sister took the throne.

Myrcella.

Was there ever a woman more beautiful? A name more sweet?

Not to Florian. Added onto his struggle was his growing feelings for his ward. Often he served as not just a guardsman, but a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen, a softness among the hard men of the Queensguard.

And he accepted that was all he would be. Florian knew he had swore a vow and he wouldn’t break it. Yet he simply cannot let his beating heart go. So he just lets it be, never acting on it. His brother and his younger sister has taught him a true knight never expects reciprocity of affections, nor must they force it upon a fair lady.

So Ser Florian serves, in his own way without ever believing in himself. Torn apart by his great lie and his feelings.

Now as the Tourney of 383 AC comes, Florian will be present to guard His Queen and her sister from all foes, seen and unseen both.

## Meta

Attribute: Agile

Skill Points: 20

Skills: Counter-Intelligence, Savoir-Faire, Diversion, Evasion.

Mastery: Sleuth