Joseran Botley

Qhorwyn Botley

Marlon Botley

Berena Botley

Tymor Botley (Salt Son)

Aliandra Botley (Salt Daughter)

Lucas Botley

**Lord Joseran Botley** is the Lord of Lordsport and Lord Collector of the Iron Islands. A pragmatic and forward-thinking man, Lord Joseran has to tread carefully among his more bellicose neighbours as he seeks to bring profit and prosperity to his House and home not by iron, but gold.

## Appearance & Character

Short by Ironborn standards, Joseran possesses a pale but rustic complexion, and a mess of dark brown hair above his grey eyes. Though preferring the comforts of trade over combat, scars hear and there bear witness to Joss' experience with sparring and even some minor reaving in the East, but the Lord of Lordsport avoids combat where he can.

Leaning New Way, Joseran struggles to balance his ambitions of modernizing the Ironborn with keeping his family's standing, causing him to take a more subtle stance towards promoting trade, using his influence as Lord Collector to carry out mercantile pursuits under the cover of serving the king and realm.

That said, the iron blood still runs strong in Joseran, and even he is not without his pride and belief in the Drowned God, bringing further conflict to a man that wishes to both move forward and preserve his people's traditions.

## History

Born into a recently independent Iron Islands, it seemed as though Joseran's life would be anything but predictable. House Botley had long had an almost intimate relationship with the Greenlands, having engaged in trade during the days of the black kings of Hoare, something which had brought some wealth to the Botleys of Lordsport. Indeed, Joseran's own father, Lord Bennarion, had personally sponsored such ventures - earning his family no small wealth by Ironborn standards - at the disdain of his fellow Iron Lords even when Bennarion engaged in more "appropriate" deeds of combat and sailing. It was the Lord of Lordsport's youngest brother, Quellon, that took to the so-called New Ways fully.

Growing up in such a dual-sided household, it was inevitable that both sides would imprint their ideologies upon the young Joseran, with his father and uncle Erich bringing him out into the courtyard to spar, and the sea to sail, while Quellon lectured Joseran on numbers and administration for hours on end, giving the boy little respite until he'd learned the essentials.

Said dualism continued over the years, with Joss being instructed on the Drowned God, whilst hearing of the Seven from trading captains, meeting men following the New and Old Ways alike, staunchly claiming that one was better than the other - a stark difference that ultimately culminated in the sinking of the Redwyne ship headed for the Islands at the hands of Lords Goodbrother and Drumm.

What followed was one of the bloodiest conflicts that the Iron Islands had ever seen, something which naturally advanced towards the gates of Lordsport thanks to their close proximity to the Seastone Chair of the Greyjoy Kings.

While House Botley had managed to remain relatively unscathed throughout the sporadic conflicts that plagued the Isles, Joseran was roused to the bells of war, alerting the townsfolk of Lordsport of an imminent attack. In the horizon, the sails of Goodbrother and Drumm had been sighted, and men rushed to rally, though hope was forlorn due to the tardy response to the approaching fleet. Wasting no time, Lord Bennarion plucked Joseran out of his chamber, instructing his twelve-year old heir to fetch his mother and siblings, then escort them to Pyke Castle.

The young boy was halfway out of Lordsport when his sister pointed out the arrival of yet a third party - the Harlaws of Harlaw. Despite his protests to return to his father's side, Lady Botley bid that the small gathering pressed on, which Joseran begrudgingly aceded to.

When he rode back to Lordsport the following morning, it was with wide-eyes. News had already reached of his father's successful defense, for he had managed to muster enough men to prepare for the enemy forces, but the casualties were many. Countless dead littered the harbour and the streets connecting to it, including Joseran's own uncle Erich. Prisoners had been taken and summarily executed when the Harlaws had entered the fray, giving little pleasure in the "victory" that day.

Having been bled by the Goodbrother-Drumm coalition, Lord Botley immediately answered King Torgon's call to arms when Greyjoy announced that they would pursue the rebels with the support of the Blacktyde fleet. Leaving Joseran behind to govern Lordsport under the keen eye of Quellon, Bennarion Botley departed Pyke with his king. He would never return.

Catching the enemy ships in the waters dividing Old Wyk and Orkmont, the two sides quickly entered into bloody combat. By unfortuitous winds, or perhaps even the will of the Storm God, Lord Bennarion's ship - the Lady Miser - got caught between two crimson longships. Though a tested fighter, Lord Botley soon found himself overwhelmed by the crews of both ships, reportedly taking many wounds before being cut down. Perhaps this was for the best, for House Blacktyde soon revealed their true colours when they turned cloak against the Greyjoys, prompting the royal fleet into a retreat which Bennarion was spared from.

When the ships of Pyke returned to Lordsport, it was without their lord and king, far fewer than the great fleet which had amassed not so long ago. Lord Bennarion was dead, and Joseran was lord. The forces of Drumm, Harlaw and Goodbrother soon followed, and rather than fight back, Lord Joseran ordered that his men stand down under the counsel of his remaining uncle and mother. The Lord who had lost a father and an uncle to these men who'd assailed what was now *his* town was made to bend the knee before King Lodos Drumm. It was a decision that Joseran would rue for many years, not waning until he was well into his manhood.

Joseran was two-and-twenty when King Lodos finally perished, so close to the site where Joseran's own father had joined the Drowned God in his watery halls. Having been raised by uncle Quellon, he had grown into a man far less combative than his fellow Ironborn, so perhaps Lodos' death was a sign, or even a blessing, for it meant the accession of Urragon Drumm, a man of progress and reforms that saw much-needed trade return to Lordsport.

Perhaps the greatest factor in abating Lord Botley's concerns for the Drumm dynasty was his appointment to the newly established Salt Council as its Lord Collector. Now responsible for the fiscal matters of the Iron Islands, Joseran was in a position to not only improve his own family's prosperity, but perhaps also show the stubborn adherents to the Old Ways that riches need not always be acquired through the most difficult means. Still, he was not ignorant of how resistant to change his people were, in particular keeping an eye on the Drowned Priests who had been the enemy of progress for centuries, so rather than openly advocate replacing reaving with trade, he decided that actions would speak louder than words.

So he began his duties, making good use of the economical experience that he had accrued thanks to his uncle and ruling over the largest settlement in the Isles, advising trading connections between the various Islands, and instructing sailors to report back on the prices and availability of various goods across the Sunset Kingdoms, while in Lordsport local guilds were established, to help control the trade of specific goods. From there, deals could be struck, with the North and Dorne, and even some sporadic connections with independent traders and captains from more distant lands. Personally overseeing several of the resultant trading fleets, the Lord Collector sailed to Dorne, engaging with the guildmasters while making sure that no goods or coin went missing.

The voyages weren't all business, either. Joseran had quickly taken a liking to the likes of Sunspear and Planky Town, finding the sun near unbearable, but finding great pleasure in the local customs and people. Some returned the sentiment, and one woman in particular drew the lord's attention. A bastard to one of the local minor nobility, Myriah Sand and Joseran had initially met during a dinner when he'd arrived in the Shadow City to retrieve goods bound for the Iron Islands. The two took to one another's interest in the other's home and culture, and from there, things simply progressed. For two years, he was simply content with keeping her as his lover, having already taken a rock wife back home, but the expectations of the "Ironborn way" had some men on the Isles look at Joseran's singular wife, lack of beard, infrequent attendance with reavings to the East, and gold trade as weak, if not downright heretical. So looking to preserve his image, he returned to Sunspear to invite Myriah to return home with him as his salt-wife. Initially hesitant - the Isles were cold and damp, and far away from the warm south - the Dornishwoman eventually relented under the stipulation that they would continue making frequent trips back to Dorne, and that she might bring some of her companions back with her.

Thus he agreed, and a chamber of the Botley Keep was refurbished with Dornish textiles and other decorations to better accommodate his new bride. While dissenting voices objected against it, others remembered the days of trading just decades before, and many more accepted the arrival of spices, grains and other crucial supplies with open arms, even if few would openly admit it.

## Family

~~Lord Bennarion Botley~~, b. 43 AC, 2nd Moon, d. 79 AC

m. Marla Sunderly, b. 45 AC

* Alannys Botley, b. 64 AC, 1st Moon - Sister
* **Lord Joseran Botley, b. 67 AC, 4th Moon**

* m. Lady Lyra Stonehouse, b. 67 AC, 7th Moon
	+ Tristifer Botley, b. 85 AC, 3rd Moon, heir
	+ Helya Botley, b. 85 AC, 3rd Moon
	+ Qhorwyn Botley, b. 87 AC, 11th Moon
	+ Marlon Botley, b. 88 AC, 12th Moon
	+ Berena Botley, b. 91 AC, 4th Moon

* m. Myriah Sand, b. 75 AC, 3rd Moon - Salt-wife
	+ Tymor Botley, b. 93 AC, 6th Moon
	+ Aliandra Botley, b. 96 AC, 10th Moon

* Alannys Botley, b. 64 AC, 1st Moon

* Lucas Botley, b. 70 AC, 3rd Moon

* Torgon Pyke, b. 69 AC, 8th Moon

Erich Botley, b. 46 AC, 9th month, d. 79 AC

Quellon Botley, b. 49 AC, 2nd month

Family echo

## Household retainers/NPCs

**Court of Lordsport**

* Lady-mother of Lordsport: Marla Sunderly
* Castellan: Urrigon Breakiron
* Steward: Quellon Botley
* Captain of the Guard: Hooknose Harridan
* Master-at-Arms: Dagmer Breakiron
* Drowned Priest: Rognar Thrice-Drowned
* Stablemaster: Big Nute
* Kennelmaster: Donnel Dogscowl
* Blacksmith: Erryk Broadhammer
* Chief Gaoler: Mychel
* Court fool: Fluttercloth

**Town of Lordsport**

* Captain of the Town watch: Slackjawed Jack
* Master of the Port: Tristifer Tormark
* Shipwright: Emmett