Sansa Stark

## Lady of House Stark

**Sansa Stark** is the firstborn child of Lord Rickon Stark, sister of Ser Richard Stark, and granddaughter of Lord Cregan Stark the Wild Wolf. Following her father's abdication from the line of House Stark in favour of her uncle, Sansa is without prospect. Thrice betrothed, each of her intended have met an early grave, stirring rumour that Sansa is cursed. She is 22 years of age, and accompanies the Broken Brotherhood of the North.

## Appearance

Sansa is 5’4” tall with long and messy brown curls, and brown eyes. She has a long face, and a generally stoic expression; Sansa is considered an elegant woman, but not exactly approachable. She typically wears roughspun gowns in the colours of her house, and is known to favour riding dresses. She owns a sword, but rarely if ever wears it in public.

## History

Sansa Stark was the first born child and daughter of Lord Rickon Stark to his lady, Jeyce Royce. The labour that brought her into the world was particularly stressful, lasting a day and a night and one more morning until finally Lady Royce pained no longer and brought forth Cregan Stark’s first grandchild. Though a boy was hoped for, Sansa became the family’s joy, if only for a short time, and was proclaimed to be the last light of hope for House Stark before the death of Lord Robb, the murder of Lord Torrhen, and the beginning of the Pack Wars that would define her house for generations to come.

In 351AC, following the birth of her younger brother Richard, Rickon’s family removed themselves from Winterfell and the wars that brewed around them to flee to Runestone, Lady Jeyne’s home, where their children could grow up in peace. Sansa was groomed into a good Southron lady by the time she was eight years of age, but even before then she had yearned to return to Winterfell and the North, to her ancestral home where she knew she belonged. The eldest child of Lord Rickon was terribly afraid of heights, found her mother’s kin to be abhorrent, and disdained the stories of the Andals of the Vale; Runestone became a place she thought to escape from, rather than the war-torn country in which she was born. In 358AC Lord Rickon conceded his claim to Winterfell, and though Sansa was not yet old enough to truly understand the reasons why, she never forgave her father for taking her away from her true home forever. Unlike her brother Richard, she grew to pity him instead, the Lost Wolf of Runestone who doted on his children despite their anger toward him, and did everything she could to show him her love.

In 359AC as the clan wars of the Vale began to break out, Lord Rickon’s brother Brandon insisted that his nieces and nephews find safety away from the Vale. Richard had already been taken as ward of Lord Royce, while Sansa’s other siblings were much too young for Lady Jeyne to consider sending away. It was only by Sansa’s own pleas that Lord Rickon conceded, and agreed to send his eldest child away to foster at White Harbour, where his mother and her family were willing to raise the girl. Sansa was escorted to the North by her uncle Lord Brandon, who she came to love and admire dearly, and a number of armed men. The court of New Castle was more familiar to Sansa than Runestone ever was, and she became fast friends with Lady Wyllara Manderly, Lady Perrianne Cerwyn, and Lord Walder’s son and heir, Wyllas Manderly. Lord Walder himself doted on the girl, and by the time she was 10 could deny her little. At her very persistent and convincing pleading, she was taught to ride a horse and hold a sword like a Northman, but her tutor Ser Harold convinced her to keep her skills a secret, and so only under his guardianship and Lord Walder’s careful eye did she practice.

Some months after settling into White Harbour, Lord Ryswell of the Rills made an offer to Lord Rickon and Lord Walder: the hand of Lady Sansa in marriage for his son and heir. Lord Rickon, having thought his family without prospect, was overjoyed at the offer, and immediately accepted. Unfortunately a mere few days later, Lord Ryswell’s son died in a tragic accident upon his own horse. Sansa’s second betrothal came in 364AC on her fourteenth nameday to the heir of Lord Dustin. Though Sansa was yet to meet her intended, she was overjoyed at the news, and gifted a young colt by Lord Walder whom she named Ned for her bastard uncle in Winterfell, having shared a similarly long face with her relative. In 365AC during the War of Cape Kraken, Sansa had no airs about joining the men headed to fight the invading Ironborn, knowing full well that her place was to support the Manderly family in their difficult time. Lord Walder was killed in battle, his heir Wyllas lost a hand, and on the last day on the fight, her betrothed was killed by a stray arrow; Sansa was once again without prospect.

With the North torn by yet another war the Lords of the country were focused on rebuilding, including White Harbour, where most of her friends had been married away, busy with official duties, or tending to their new families. Without husband or any prospects to tend to, she spent much of her time assisting Lady Manderly with running the household, and when she wasn’t needed, almsgiving in the city. In 368AC Sansa was performing charity along the docks of White Harbour when a fight broke out, and fell into the water. Her bootlaces were caught on a disused anchor deep in the water, and Sansa woke coughing water. She had been rescued by a lowborn boy, and since then held a deep fear of the water. The boy was named Davos, a fisherman from the White Knife, who quickly became enamoured with Lady Stark.

In 369AC Sansa was betrothed to Lord Jon Umber, Lord of Last Hearth. The match was a boon for the Starks of Cregan’s line, in spite of Lord Umber’s reputation, and Sansa was quickly overjoyed at the news. The week she was due to travel to the Last Hearth, the township was attacked by a number of wildlings; Lord Jon died protecting his brothers.

The news of Lord Jon’s death was quickly followed by rumour that Lady Sansa Stark was not only to be a spinster, but a cursed one at that, whose intended never lived long enough to wed. Though a good match for any lord of the North or Vale, no more offers of marriage came, as it was evident the Old Gods were spinning their wrath against Sansa for the misdeeds of her ancestors; even Lord Jon’s unmarried younger brother spurred the idea of taking his brother’s intended, unwilling to bring the curse back to Last Hearth. Sansa was heartbroken, and some months later in 370AC, Lord Rickon Stark passed away. Her reunion with her family was awkward, having been raised away from them for most of her adult life. When Sansa proposed she return to Winterfell with her father’s bones, to be interred where they ought to, her siblings refused.

Following her father’s death, Sansa remained without prospect, and unwilling to stay with her siblings in the Vale. She returned to White Harbour, where the company of Ragnor Shaggypants caught her attention. Shaggypants and his men were veterans of the Pack Wars, and had spent the better half of the year travelling the North offering their skills and tools where they could. Knowing it was unlikely she would make a better match anytime soon, Sansa offered her services to the Broken Brotherhood as a tutor, and as a noble companion whose status legitimised the good work of the veterans. It was only with the sworn service of Ser Harold Snow and the boy Davos that Lord Wyllas and Ser Richard allowed their charge to leave White Harbour.

Travelling with the Broken Brotherhood offered Sansa an insight to the North that her sheltered upbringing had otherwise shielded her from; the result of the Pack Wars was a once noble and proud region shattered by the arguments of a few men. Homes and farmsteads remained ruins, and lands that should have been producing before the next long winter remained barren. The Brotherhood repaired what they could, and offered their services in arms, trades, healing and education in return for supplies and shelter. Beginning along the White Knife, Sansa has since travelled west through the Barrows, the Rills, North through the Wolfswood, and along the Bay of Ice. News travels slow in the remote regions of the North, and only in recent weeks has Rickon Stark’s daughter heard news of King Maekar’s demise.

## Timeline

* 350AC: Sansa is born in Winterfell to Rickon Stark and Jeyne Royce.
* 351AC: Rickon Stark’s family leave Winterfell for Runestone, where they live with Lady Jeyne’s family. She is groomed into a proper young lady by her mother’s Southron court.
* 359AC: Fearing for their safety, Brandon Stark urges his brother Rickon to send his children away from the Vale to foster. The Manderlys of White Harbour and cousins of Lord Rickon gladly accept to raise Sansa; she is escorted to her new home by Brandon and a number of armed men. Later that year, Lord Ryswell makes an offer to Lord Rickon and the Manderlys for Sansa’s hand in marriage to his heir. Lord Rickon accepts, but some days later Lord Ryswell’s son dies in a tragic accident.
* 360AC: Sansa grows into Lord Walder’s favoured guest who cannot deny her anything, including lessons at the sword, and she is trained by Ser Harold Snow.
* 364AC: Sansa is betrothed to Lord Dustin’s son and heir. She is gifted a horse from Lord Manderly for the event.
* 365AC: The War of Cape Kraken sees the death of Lord Walder, and the crippling of her friend Lord Wyllas. Her betrothed dies the day the war ends.
* 369AC: Sansa is betrothed to Lord Jon Umber. He dies in a wildling raid.
* 370AC: Rickon Stark passes away; Sansa goes to Runestone to attend his funeral, and unsuccessfully attempts to leave with his bones so he may be interred at Winterfell. She returns to White Harbour, and joins the company of the Broken Brotherhood.
* 372AC: Sansa has spent the last year and a half with the Broken Brotherhood; their travels have taken her to the Mountain Clans of the North.

## Family Tree

Cregan Stark (b. 306AC, d. 358AC), Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, and his wife, Wyllara Manderly (c. 310AC)

* Rickon Stark (b. 321AC, d. 370AC), and his wife, Jeyne Royce (b. 324AC, d. 356AC)
	+ **Sansa Stark** (b. 350AC)
	+ Richard Stark (b. 351AC)
	+ Rodrik Stark (b. 353AC)
	+ Berena Stark (b. 355AC)
	+ Theo Stark (b. 356AC)
* Brandon Stark (b. 323AC)
* Eddard Stark (b. 350AC), Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North