Orys Baratheon

> "*My shield, my stalwart, my strong right hand.*"
> ― Aegon I Targaryen
>
>

Lord **Orys Baratheon**, also known as **Orys One-Hand**, was the founder of House Baratheon, the first Hand of the King, and the first Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. He slew King Argilac Durrandon at the Last Storm during the War of Conquest, then shortly after, married Argilac's daughter, Queen Argella Durrandon. He is believed by most to have been the paternal bastard half-brother of Aegon the Conqueror.

## Appearance

Lord Orys had similar looks to the Durrandons of Storm's End, despite being half-Valyrian. His hair was black, likewise his eyes.

## History

### Early life

Orys was born at Dragonstone. It is widely accepted that he was born of bastardy to Aegon the Conqueror's father, Aerion.

Growing up at Dragonstone, he was Aegon Targaryen's best friend. From childhood to adulthood, Aegon considered Orys his only true friend.

### Retinue to House Targaryen

When Aegon Targaryen became the Lord of Dragonstone after Lord Aerion's death, Orys rose to be his most trusted advisor and right-hand-man. He also took part in commanding the Dragonstone garrison.

### Prelude to the Conquest

When Argilac Durrandon sought to use House Targaryen as a shield against the fierce House Hoare by attempting to marry his daughter Argella to Lord Aegon, he declined and instead suggested that Argella should be wed to Orys. Argilac grew furious and sent back the hands of Aegon's envoy in a box. This sparked Aegon's intentions to conquer Westeros.

### The Targaryen Conquest

When Aegon and his sister-wives Rhaenys and Visenya landed at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush and began the construction of the Aegonfort, Orys Baratheon was named Hand of the King at Aegon's coronation as "King of All Westeros and Shield of His People".

At the first engagement of Aegon's conquest against houses Darklyn and Mooton, known as Aegon's First Test, Orys assumed command of the ground forces. After the successful battle, Lord Hand Orys and Queen Rhaenys were ordered to seize Storm's End while Aegon and Visenya flew for Harrenhal. King Argilac the Arrogant was terrified to hear about the Burning of Harrenhal. He decided that Storm's End was not good enough to protect him from Aegon's dragons, and rode out of his castle to meet the Targaryen host. The battle that followed was known as the Last Storm, because of the large storm that occurred during the battle. Orys struck down Argilac.

After her father's death, Argella Durrandon rose as the new Storm Queen. She ordered the garrison of Storm's End to stand and fight, but they rose up and arrested her, fearing to be burnt alive by the dragonfire of Meraxes. Argella's own men delivered her to Orys's war-camp, gagged, naked, and in chains. Orys cloaked her and treated her well, however, telling her of her father's courage in death. Aegon would name Orys the Lord of Storm's End and Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. Orys married Argella, and took the black stag as his sigil, and *Ours is the Fury* as his words.

### The First Dornish War

Orys went with King Aegon to the First Dornish War. Orys commanded an engagement on the Boneway, though it was a pyrrhic assault. The Dornishmen fought back hard and true. Orys was imprisoned by the Wyl of Wyl along with his surviving men. They ransomed the honorable lord with the terms: *his weight in gold, and he will return with his sword hand missing*. Aegon accepted, and the great and honorable Lord Baratheon became the crabbed and bitter *Orys One-Hand*. He resigned as Hand of the King upon returning to the Aegonfort, and stayed in Storm's End until Aegon's death.

### The Vulture Hunt

During the reign of King Aenys I Targaryen, Aegon's son, Orys was eager for vengeance against the Dornishmen. He called his banners and led them against the Vulture King. This move became known as the Vulture Hunt.

At the Battle of Stonehelm, Orys obliterated the Vulture King's army. He managed to capture Walter Wyl, the son of the Wyl of Wyl, now a lord. Orys was still enranged at what the Wyls had done to him, so he cut off Lord Walter's sword hand. When Walter thought it was over, he lost his other hand, then his feet. Orys was filled with joy and adrenaline at the sight of the Dornishman's dismembered limbs. While returning to Storm's End, Orys succumbed to his wounds.