Ronnel Wylde

Ronnel Wylde is the aging Lord of House Wylde who was recently disgraced by his actions during the Year of Skulls and Daggers. He is a fierce commander of men known for ability in commanding scouts and harrying troops on the battlefield. Rumors of a decline in his mental health began to swirl about the Stormlands following his attack on Storm's End and other erratic behavior during the Year of Skulls and Daggers. It is also well known that he and his heir are feuding internally after his only daughter was given up to House Baratheon as punishment for attacking Storm's End.

## Appearance and Character

At the age of 57 the once fearsome Lord of Rain House has begun to decline in health over the past few years. Although he can still go about his duties as Lord, and even command men in battle as demonstrated by the Year of Skulls and Daggers, he is no longer the formidable fighter he once was.
He stands a six feet tall with hair bleaching a light grey from what once was a pitch black like his son. His face is a craggy mess of wrinkles and old scars from his days of battle.
Ronnel is a man that is strong in his convictions, even when he might not be in the right. This has lead to a rift between him and his heir, Willem, after recent events. Futhermore, his decisions have been more erratic, causing some around Rain House to wonder if he is fit to continue serving House Wylde as Lord.

## History

### Early Years and Lordship

Ronnel Wylde was the thirdborn child of Lady Johanna Wylde and Lord Morgan Wylde, and their firstborn son born in 41 AC. His early life was peaceful and he spent much of his leisure time in the training yard or in the war room with his father learning of tactics.
However, much of his teenage years and even into early adulthood was marred by the antics of his sister, Coryanne Wylde. Her name quickly grew into a blight on their family that Ronnel would curse frequently.
At the age of 29 he would assume the mantle of Lord of Rain House after his father finally succumbed to a long-standing illness. In the next two years he would go on to marry Raya Buckler and they would have their first son together, Willem. The pair were elated and would dote upon their firstborn frequently. Ronnel and Willem would grow quite close even as Raya bore him a second son and a daughter. It seemed that Willem was the spitting image of his father in every way, while the Lord of Rain House struggled to relate to his bookish second son, Jasper, and his daughter.

### Rosegold Rebellion

House Wylde was quick to answer Lord Raymont's call to arms at the outbreak of the Rosegold Rebellion, though this was not without some internal turmoil. Ronnel and Willem could be heard arguing day and night as the Wylde levies mustered at Rain House. Eventually his son threatened to march under the Baratheon banners instead of House Wylde's and Ronnel finally relented. The Lord and heir to House Wylde would march off to the Rosegold Rebellion side-by-side but the rift between them was larger than ever and would only continue to grow.

They would see much action during the rebellion, fighting at the Grassy Vale, Blueburn, Longtable, and finally Bitterbridge. Ronnel, feeling the years begin to weigh upon him, preferred to command from the rear while his son lead their troops into battle.

After the slaughter of Bitterbridge and the end of the rebellion, Ronnel and Willem would return home with a depleted levy filled with weary men. Ronnel fwas proud to have served the crown against rebellious lords who had eventually been cowed, but he could tell his son itched to return to the field of battle so that he might continue to test his mettle in a real fight.

### Skulls and Daggers in the Woods

With the death of Aemon Targaryen in 96 AC, many in the Stormlands felt that the last real threat the crown might pose to a secession movement had ended. Lord Ronnel was quick to denounce any who dared voice such sentiments in his presence, going so far as to challenge a traveling merchant to a duel after hearing him speak of rebellion within Rain House's walls. During this same time, House Wylde would announce the betrothal of Willem to Lynnea Horpe, and his sister Tyana to Arrec Toyne in hopes of boulstering support for the Crown and House Baratheon.

For the first few moons of 97 AC, however, it seemed that things would calm down, as they always have. But when rumors of bandits in the Kingswood began to circulate tension was quick to rise in the Stormlands. While many were perturbed by these actions, Lord Ronnel began to act erratically, ordering patrols out to remote areas and demanding that all travelers that passed through the borders of House Wylde's lands be searched upon suspicion of banditry.

It soon became clear that these so-called bandits were striking out at Houses loyal to the Crown while leaving alone those who supported sucession. In the Fifth Moon, Lord Ronnel declared that he would safeguard his allied houses from the bandits and called his levy. House Baratheon supported the measure, and began to call up a few hundred knights to support.

However, Ronnel saw enemies everywhere that he looked in the Stormlands. He began ranting and raving about traitors supporting the separatists being everywhere, from the merchants, to the smallfolk in the villages, the stormlords who hadn't been as ardent in their support as he was. The Wylde levies were not two days on the road before Lord Ronnel ordered them to begin seizing the supplies of passing merchants and raiding villages whom he deemed "supporters of secession". This angered Willem who argued that attacking defenless innocents did nothing to progress their cause, but Ronnel only saw traitors.

Things would come to a head as the two groups, almost indistinguishable from one another now as Lord Ronnel and his levies has been declared bandits for their actions by House Baratheon, clashed near Mistwood.

The fight proved to be a disaster for House Wylde as Lord Ronnel's increasingly erratic behavior caused him to lose control of his levies. The bandits under the Lord of Storm's Heart were quick to route the Wylde men, and the battle turned into a mutual pillaging of a nearby village as men broke ranks and began to flee. When Willem fled the battlefield the remaining Wylde men loyal to Ronnel had to carry him off the field as he would not stop ranting about secessionists and traitors to the Crown.

Lord Ronnel and his remaining levies would spend the next month making their way back to Rain House but continuing to raid and pillage along the way. When he finally realized the extent of his errors he ordered his men to march on Storm's End in an attempt to seize the castle and its occupants as hostages. The gambit ultimately failed and he hastened home afterwards to fortify himself at Rain House.

Instead of the triumphant return he had expected, he limped home with a fraction of his levies still entact with most having deserted him by then, and he was met with further disgust from Willem when he learned his father had gone as far to assault Storm's End itself in his madness. Ronnel raved and claimed House Baratheon was no longer loyal to the Crown and he'd only done what was necessary, but Willem would have nothing of it.

Ronnel, however, was still lord and commanded the men who remained to begin fortifying for the retribution that was sure to come from their liege lord. Two more months would pass before the Baratheon army turned up to deal with House Wylde for their treachery but a spell of normalcy had returned to Ronnel. Willem spent those months berating his father for his actions in disgracing their House, and when Roy Baratheon was on his doorstep Ronnel went to him on hands and knees to beg forgiveness for him and his House. Roy took pity on him and decided to forgive him for his actions.

### Aftermath

The Wyldes were forgiven for their actions, but not without a price to be paid in the form of a ward given up to House Baratheon. Tyana Wylde, Lord Ronnel's only daughter, was sent to Storm's End as a ward to ensure the good behavior of House Wylde for the foreseeable future. Rumor has it that since the day Tyana departed late in the year 97 that Willem and Ronnel haven't spoken a word to one another.

Additionally, House Wylde called off the engagement between Arrec Toyne and Tyana Wylde, denouncing House Toyne as common bandits and declaring that no Wylde would ever be fit to marry someone with blood so foul. Much more quietly, Willem broke off his engagement to Lynnea, sending her a letter in private letting her know that he'd seen her on the side of the Storm's Heart but that he would take that secret to the grave.

## Meta

Skills: Marshalling(MAR) Recovery(MAR) Ambuscade(STE) Reconnaissance(STE)