Maron Sunderland

Swords

Maron Sunderland is a member of House Sunderland from the Vale and the current heir of his family's seat of the Three Sisters.

## Biography

The Vale’s grasp on the Three Sisters has been described as tenuous at the best of times, something that has become more and more apparent in the last half century following the Culling of the Clansmen. The rise in renown of House Royce and subsequent rivalry between them and the Arryns with their Grafton allies pushed the attention of the Vale south. Alliances formed and broke apart, culminating in the civil war during Brynden’s Rebellion. A rebellion that the Three Sisters took heavy casualties for little gain. Now, feeling alone and neglected, House Sunderland looks to their “new” lords in House Royce for aid and reassurance, or if necessary abroad.

Firstborn in 363 to Aaron Sunderland and Lyra Flint, Maron’s life would be a series of voyages with brief interludes in between, the longest of which formed his childhood. House Sunderland had swelled in size following the Long Night, the descendants of seven sons of Triston Sunderland filled the halls of Sisterton. His youth was never lonely with the endless hordes of cousins that made up his entourage. Afterall, if a child could become a companion of a future lord in their youth of then their branch could receive favor in the future. His life would follow this monotony of learning from a service playing on the shores of Sweetsister until an opportunity arose in 370 AC, war.

Maron had grown up on stories of admiral kings of the Three Sisters. Fierce raiders that ruled the Bite and the Shivering Sea. They were stories of adventure, conquest and warfare. These ideals shaped his dreams for one day he hoped to rule like the kings of old as a legend. Thus, when the king called his banners for war against the Iron Islands, Maron leapt at the opportunity. His father and a large portion of his houses navy would be deployed to the iron isles and he would not miss this opportunity for adventure. Sneaking aboard his father's ship, *The Lady of the Waves*, he got his first experience what it was like to be aboard a ship for a long voyage and fell in love. At first his father was furious. A war in the Iron Islands was no place for a boy of seven names days, but he could understand the allure of a voyage. Afterall, how could the craggy shores and rigid mountains of the Three Sisters compare to endless waves reach out towards a broad horizon. So instead of sending him home, he was put to work by cleaning the deck and shadowing the crew of *The Lady of the Waves* to give him a basic understanding of sailing. If he was to be the Lord of the Three Sisters one day, it would be expected that he ruled the Bite as well as he could rule the islands.

Upon his return to Sisterton in 371 AC, his grandfather Lord Godric Sunderland was considerably less amiable than his father. As punishment, Maron was restricted to Sisterton and the surrounding village for two years, twice the time that he had abandoned his home and his studies. His education in sailing would not suffer, however, as a major piece of it would be focused on astronomy. A basic understanding of the stars would be important for any lord, but Maron dove headfirst into his studies and quickly became an adept navigator. A skill that he would have a chance to put to use as his punishment ended and he was sent off to White Harbor to act as a squire for Duncan Manderly. Lord Duncan was putting together an expedition to the Free Cities and House Sunderland was looking for friends across the Bite, a match made in heaven. For three years Maron would sail across the Narrow Sea with the Northerners and by the end of the journey he had experienced what most men would not see in their lifetimes.

His time in White Harbor would end in 382 AC when the Arryns called their banners and Maron found himself on the other side of a war from the house he had lived with for the better part of a decade. Lord Godric, ever the ambitious man, had arranged for a marriage between Maron and Clarissa Mooton, claiming to wish to secure loyalty and trade for after the war. A war which would kill 3 of his sons during the bloody battle at the Twins, Aaron dying first to an arrow through the helmet while his brothers Triston and Godwin fell to Northern axes. It was brutal and horrifying, but it followed the unspoken rules of a war unlike the absolute slaughter that followed. From old men to green boys, the Faith murdered anyone they deemed a *heathen*. This simply was too much, but there wasn’t anyone could do to stop them at the time. That would be treason. While Maron was neither foolish enough to attempt to stop the faith or influential enough to sway their actions, he could do one thing, leave. Now, following half a decade of self-imposed exile, Maron returns to King’s Landing to witness the strength of House Royce and if they can finally be the ones to bring the Three Sisters to prosperity.

*Suffer No Others*

## Timeline

* 363 AC - Firstborn to Aaron Sunderland and Lyra Flint
* 370 AC - Sunk aboard his father’s flag ship Lady of the Waves as he set sail for the Iron Islands
* 371 AC - Returns to Sisterton and is punished for abandoning his family
* 374 AC - Sent to squire for Lord Duncan Manderly, spends three years traveling with him
* 382 AC - Marries Clarissa Mooton to secure a port and loyalties in the Riverlands during the war
* 383 AC - Returns to the Three Sisters after the deaths of his father and uncles at The Twins
* 384 AC - Spends the next five years patrolling the Shivering Sea and *”liberating”* a few ships of their cargo
* 390 AC - Travels to the King’s Tourney

## Supporting Characters

* Clarissa Mooton - Negotiator
* Tristifer Sunderland - Ship Captain
* Rodrik “the Fair” Pyke - Reaver
* Daenys of Lys - Medic
* Waymar Snow - Ship Captain