House Staedmon

Is an ancient House located in the stormlands, sworn to House Baratheon of Storm's End. Their castle neighbours Nightsong, the ancestral seat of House Caron. Their arms depict a black dagger piercing a red heart on white de sang within an undulating red border. Further under the One-Year-Lordship of Lord Trenton Staedmon, the arms were trapped in the Heart of R'hllor.

## History

Many members claim that House Staedmon dates back to the Age of Heroes, but that seems less likely to be true. Rather, the name hints an andal origin. So it seems more true that they were part of the Andal Invasion on Westeros.

No matter the origin, House Staedmon have been strong supporters of House Durrandon, and its successor House Baratheon. They believe in the inherent power of lineage and kingsblood.

The stormlands were consolidated by the Storm Kings, and House Staedmon were strong supporters of House Durrandon of Storm's End, who were founded by Durran Godsgrief. In time, the Staedmons built their castle, “Broad Arch”. Alongside their Storm Kings, House Staedmon fought the rival River Kings for control of lands north of the Blackwater Rush, and sometimes Storm's End controlled lands as far as Maidenpool and the Bay of Crabs. The Dornish Marches were created as bulwarks against Dorne to the south and the Kingdom of the Reach to the west.

### Before Aegon's Conquest

Durran Staedmon defended the stormlands against dornishmen, while House Durrandon fought the coming of the Andals, but eventually the First Men intermarried with the Andal newcomers, except the Staedmons who refused quite long in doing so.

Stretched thin by their conquests, the power of the Storm Kings gradually declined due to pressure from House Gardener and dornishmen. Even when King Arrec Durrandon lost the riverlands to Harwyn Hardhand, who became King of the Isles and the Rivers, House Staedmon stood their ground and refused to bow. The rivermen found the ironborn to be crueler masters than the stormlanders.

Durran Staedmon's grandsons, Mavrock and Robart Staedmon, killed Lord Jarden Tyrell at Summerfield and also fought alongside Volantis during the Century of Blood.

### The Three Dragons Arrival

During Aegon's Conquest, Lord “Boulderfist” Robart Staedmon, fought against House Targaryen's host at the Wendwater and then retreated into the forests. Rhaenys Targaryen burned the woods with Meraxes, however. King Argilac Durrandon and his storm-lords confronted Orys Baratheon, the half brother of Aegon I Targaryen, near Bronzegate. Orys slew Argilac the Arrogant in the bloody battle known as the Last Storm. This didn't change Robarts position, as he went to still aid Argella Durrandon, daughter of Argilac Durrandon.

The last Storm King's lands, titles, sigil, and house words were claimed by Orys, who married Argilac's daughter, Argella. King Aegon I named Orys as Lord Paramount of the stormlands, and Orys became the first Hand of the King. Lord Robart Staedmon was pleased with that solution and bent the knee, for the sole reason that the Durrandon bloodline would continue to flow, a new province sworn to House Targaryen of King's Landing.

### **99 AC**

In the beginning of that year Trenton Staedmon, fourth son of a fourth son, succeeded his father as Lord of Broad Arch but altough he had big plans to not only spread the R'hllor fire through Westeros, he also plotted to murder the King but by the end of the year Lord Trenton was dead and his assassination plan discarded to such an extent that some claim it never existed.

### **100 AC**

The eldest son of Trenton Staedmon's son Nakario has become Lord but just in name, as his mother Lady Kaylin and her brother Ser Lyon have assumed regency. Nakario was against the plan of marching to Dorne and voiced his opinion through Maester Cullen but it rang on deaf ears, as he was just a boy and the maester old. A decision that would cut deeply House Staedmon, leaving wounds that would never close.

### **101 AC Ransacked to 103**

That year Broad Arch was burned down a fourth time and the main branch fled deep into the wombs of the castle, where Nakario commanded the guards to apprehend his mother and uncle, relieving them off their regency earlier and he also fired Maester Cullen. Some say he offered the poor maester to the fires as a sacrifice.

This event has left an impact on all members of House Staedmon and mostly the young Lord, having to face war so early on has set him on a dark path, while trying to rebuild what has been lost such as the statues of all the previous Lords. This taught them all what true fear is, as they hid from the Dornish, low on food and deserting guards. Right when they were considering to leave the castle for the wild, they heard shouts of the Dornish surrendering and fleeing. And when the dust had settled and ecery scream turned into silence, that's when Lord Nakario re-emerged with his family and was re-instated as Lord of Broad Arch.

### **The Summer of the Three Stags 116 AC**

Lord Nakario supported Devan Baratheon, considering Richard Baratheon nothing more than a Lannister puppet and did not like Ashara, but with Nakario in control of House Staedmon expenses were kept low… In the same year, Nakario's heir Daario was born.

## Recent Events

Due to the Problems the followers of R'hllor face, Lord Nakario has made efforts to secretly turn his castle into a haven for the Red Faith, which means also an influx of religious refugees from Dorne, as despite Lady Ashlynn Tolands rule and words of the good faith, they are targeted by the justiciars who enforce the law of the Crown and Lord Nakario sees this as an affront that the Crown has no religious tolerance. Nakario Staedmon has also become more and more wary of his duties, spending more time with his wife and children and birds. Much of his work is now delegated to Ser Durran Staedmon, the Castellan of Broad Arch and one of the younger brothers of Lord Nakario. That doesn't mean that Lord Nakario has turned his back on his subjects, he is just as aware of the political landscape, as when he became Lord at the age of 16.

Recently, Ser Oberon Staedmon, a sailor and the most charming of Lord Nakario's younger brothers, has gone missing in Dorne. It still is a well-kept secret, as the revelation could open old wounds between the Stormlands and Dorne. Lord Nakario knows what a powder keg that situation is and has sent out his most trustworthy servant to handle it, leaving him with nobody to trust and seemingly defenseless.

## Heartseeker, Longsword of House Staedmon

The sword may seem like valyrian steel, at first glance, but it is naught.

Heartseeker is a fairly long, thin, straight, double-edged blade made of silver, it is held by a grip wrapped in regular, red deerskin. With its two razor-sharp edges, the sword is the perfect choice for slicing and dicing while also offering a way to effectively block attacks. The blade of Heartseeker has a thin, straight cross-guard, just large enough to protect the owner's fingers. The steel layers have been folded 118 times, were inserted with alloys, and had a differential hardening of the edge. The cross-guard has a gilded heart on each side, the sword displaying clearly Azor Ahai, the important hero figure of the Long Night.

A small pommel is decorated with rubies, fine details which prove how carefully the sword was crafted, and attached to the end of the pommel is a golden tassel. To ensure that it nearly is on par, with a Valyrian blade. The silver blade itself is simple with a slight orange glamor.