Leo Lannister

High Martial of the Westerlands

Leo Lannister is the younger brother of Lord Lucion Lannister of Castamere, and older brother of his twin, Lancel. He is the High Martial of the Westerlands and is known as the ‘Pride of Castamere’ alongside his brothers for their efforts and valor during the War of the Last Dragon.

## Appearance and Character

At the age of three and twenty, Leo is a slim and lean man of middling height, standing at 5'8. He has the characteristic golden mane of the Lannisters, though his short kept beard and facial scars from battle give him a slightly more rugged look as compared to his younger twin brother, Lancel.

Despite his short stature, Leo asserts himself with the confidence attributed to him by his blood. He is arrogant, prideful, stubborn and quick to anger. Having lived a life with little to no consequence, and with youth still on his side, he is fearless and reckless, traits which make him a formidable commander.

## History

### Childhood

Leo Lannister was born in 360 AC, alongside his brother Lancel, to Lord Lyonel Lannister and his wife, Lysa Farman. Leo was the second born son, succeeding his older brother Lucion who was born two years prior.

As the three brothers grew together, under the watchful eyes of their Lord father, each was drawn to a different facet of life. Lucion was the pride of the Maesters, taking to books like a quill, spending days hidden within the library of Castamere. Lyonel encouraged his behaviour, hiring even more Maesters to teach his eldest the intricacies of arithmetics and numbers. When it came to the twins, it took a little longer for him to learn of their talents. The two rarely separated, though neither was alike. Lancel was the scrappier of the two, always wanting to fight, and usually winning. Leo made attempts to best his younger brother at first, but when he realised it was futile, he resorted to craftier methods. Hiding in corners, jumping on him from above the bed, tackling him from behind, ambushing him and using the element of surprise. To the common eye it would just seem like two brothers fighting, but Lyonel Lannister saw something else, two warring armies of disproportionate strength, the stronger fighting through sheer force alone, while the weaker used tactics and terrain to get the upper hand. In his sons Lyonel saw the perfect traits of a commander and a warrior, and so the future of the Castamere twins was settled.

Lucion had his books, Lancel had his sword, and Leo had cyvasse. The game required a keen mind for tactics and strategy to overcome the opponents army, and Lyonel would spend many late evenings sitting down with his son and teaching him the game. From the onset, Leo approached the game like he did everything in life, full of confidence. His plays were reckless, he took unnecessary risks, but more often than not, they worked out. The boy was unpredictable, and Lyonel encouraged it. Though the three brothers had each found an area they exceeded in, Lyonel ensured their skills were well rounded, with both Lucion and Leo receiving basic sword training under the guidance of Lancel, the twins learning about statecraft from their older brother, and Leo introducing his siblings to cyvasse. This not only taught the brothers to be proud of their own achievements, but it also showed them the worth of each other. Lyonel ingrained in his sons the importance of family, alone they would be limited by their expertise, but together, they would be a force to be reckoned with.

### Adolescence

In 367 AC, Lysa Lannister would give birth to her final child, Leana. The first and only daughter of the family, the girl was coddled by her brothers and parents alike, becoming the family favourite. In the years that followed, Leo and Lancel would be sent to live with the main branch of the family, the Lannisters of Casterly Rock. Given the honour of squiring for Lord Jon Lannister, the twins would grow close to their cousins over time, though neither was too fond of the heir Jason, another twin with his sister Eleyna. The animosity between Jason and Leo grew when one night over supper, the heir to Casterly Rock ordered a bard play the ‘Rains of Castamere’ for their amusement. Though the song ridiculed the original owners of Castamere, the now extinct Reynes, Leo saw it as a threat and an insult against his own Lord father, and were it not for Lancel holding him back, no doubt the two lion cubs would have come to blows.

When they were not serving Lord Jon, the two brothers would spend their days causing mischief and mayhem within the city of Lannisport. The Lannister name provided them drink and women, along with the cretins of the port who would seek them out to earn their gold and favour. During one such night, Leo had stumbled out of a tavern with a pint of ale in one hand, and the other wrapped around the small waist of a large bosomed westerland girl. As the pair had wandered to the back side of the tavern, sharing kisses, three men rounded the corner and followed them. The head of the trio claimed to be the young wenches husband, and when Leo drunkenly turned to the girl and asked whether she needed him to step in and perform the husbandly duties instead, they fell upon him. Face bloodied and back against the wall, all Leo could remember was seeing Lancel walking towards them from a distance, unsheathing his sword. *“Fear Our Pride”* was all that he would say, knowing his brother would dispatch of the men.

The next day when he encountered the widow at the same tavern, she demanded he marry her, to preserve her honour. Leo laughed in her face and threw her a gold coin, claiming the matter had been settled. When she persisted, he backhanded her, threatening to give her a bastard to go alongside the bruise on her face. When the tavern keeper and barmaids interfered, Leo did not hesitate to reach for his sword, and had to once again be held at bay by Lancel. This would become a recurring instance within their relationship in the years to come, with Lancel being the only one to temper Leo’s rage.

### Adulthood

Leo’s stay at Casterly Rock came to an abrupt and tragic ending in 376 AC, when Lord Jon Lannister fell ill during the *The Shaking Sickness*, a sickness which swept through the West and took the lives of both nobles and commoners alike. The twins attended the funeral of Lord Jon, but were rushed back home as the rest of the Lannister family also fell ill. Upon their return to Castamere, now men in their own right, the brothers were given more responsibilities within the household. While Lancel was charged with training the Red Cloaks, Leo would lead a retinue of men along the eastern borders of Castamere, disposing of bandits and thieves as the smallfolk became more desperate in these testing times. In the following months, Lord Jon’s youngest son Myles, along with Leo’s mother Lysa, would both succumb to the sickness and soon pass beyond the realm of the living. Both Lannister families would bond over their mutual grief, though the loss they faced would be nothing compared to what would come in the following year.

### War of the Last Dragon

It began with murmurs from the east, talk of a Dragon Queen reigning over Pentos, another Targaryen with aspirations of retaking the Iron Throne. As a child Leo had heard the stories of Daenerys and Aegon, and their failed attempt at conquering Westeros. If two Targaryens had failed, what hope did this one have? Essos was so far away from the West, and so like the many nobles of Westeros, Leo paid little mind to the whisperings.

That was until news arrived from the south, word of House Martell and Dorne falling to an army of sellswords. Rumours spread like wildfire, with some claiming it was a foreign invasion from the east, while others said it was the Yronwoods who had deposed their liege in rebellion. Before anyone could be sure, Daena’s army pushed forward, now with a dragon at its back. When the Redwyne fleet was set alight, and the armies of the Southlands fell against the First Legion of the Golden Company, official word arrived from Oldtown. The Dragon Queen of Pentos had invaded Westeros. The Lord’s of the West turned towards Jason Lannister, waiting for his response. When none came, tensions began to rise.

Before too long, ravens arrived with word that Highgarden had also fallen. The largest military strength in Westeros, burnt to the ground without inflicting a single casualty on the enemy. Leo watched his father's face fall as he read the letter aloud, and only then did he understand the magnitude of the invasion. And yet, Lord Jason Lannister still remained quiet, hidden within the walls of Casterly Rock. When scouts on the southern borders reported movement from within the Reach, Lyonel knew it was time. With or without Casterly Rock, the lions of Castamere would not wait for the dragon to descend upon their home, they would meet it on the field. Lord Lyonel called his banners, and the men of Tully, Vikary and Westerling assembled. Two thousand men strong, ready to march south and defend their homes. It was on the eve of their departure when the Lannisters finally bared their teeth, with orders coming from Casterly Rock. The Lords of the Westerlands would assemble at Lannisport, with Lord Lyonel Lannister at its head. It seemed that Lady Eleyna had grown tired of her brothers indecisiveness and had taken matters into her own hands, signing off on the ravens herself and personally asking for Lord Lyonel’s assistance.

Leo would join his father at the head of the army as they gathered at Lannisport, along with his brothers. As the men of the West amassed, riders arrived from the south with grave news. Daena had arrived, and her armies were marching on both Cornfield and Crakehall. After some deliberation and with much regret, Lyonel decided to move in defence of Crakehall. They rode swiftly, down the Ocean Road that led them straight to the keep. Perhaps their victory over the Reachmen had made them overconfident, as the Golden Company were unprepared for an attack from the rear. The defenders in Crakehall had resisted long enough to keep Daena’s men occupied, so when the Western host fell upon them, there was little they could do but flee. Those that remained were swiftly dealt with, and Leo’s first taste of battle was one of victory, the siege had been lifted and the Westermen had handed Deana her first defeat on Westerosi soil.

In the following weeks, Leo shadowed his father during the skirmishes that took place along the border. When Lancel was not by his side, he’d be fighting with the men in the vanguard, while Lucion fell back to the encampments and assisted with the logistics of war, organising the shipment of supplies to the front line along with handling the finances that were necessary to fund the campaign. Lyonel’s pride of lions had grown up into the men he had envisioned since their birth, and he said as much one evening as the men gathered for supper, naming his sons the ‘Pride of Castamere’. It was a title that would stick with Leo in the years to come. The following day, during another hard fought skirmish, Lord Lyonel Lannister would take an arrow to the chest and fall in the arms of his sons. Leo would drag his father off the battlefield with Lancel guarding their rear, but to no avail. The maesters could not stop the wound from festering, and the Lord of Castamere passed soon after.

In the aftermath of the battle, there was chaos and panic as news spread of the death of their commander. Lord Jason’s presence did little to ease the men, he had refused to leave the camp for the duration of the war, and inspired little courage and less loyalty. The Golden Company had also begun retreating, with scouts reporting that Daena’s other army from Cornfield was approaching and the two would merge into one large host. With the current route they were taking, Daena’s men would arrive at Silverhill within the moon. The Lord’s of the West gathered in the main pavilion, and arguments were made over who would lead their host going forward. Several names were called out, and in the end it was decided that three among them would share responsibility. Lord Banefort and Serrett would lead the two outer flanks, and Leo, after nominating himself to take the place of his father, would lead the center. Despite his lack of experience, the young man had been by his father's side from the beginning of the campaign, and his Lannister name carried enough weight to stifle any that would oppose his promotion.

The Western host met the First Legion of the Golden Company in a pitched battle at the foot of Silverhill. Named the Battle of the Goldvein, the two armies met on equal footing. When Leo surveyed the field and saw no sign of Daena or Drogon, he knew this would be their chance to turn the tides of war. Lord Serrett knew these lands better than anyone, and with his foresight they had already situated themselves in an advantageous position, on a raised hill flanked by woodland. When the enemy arrived, they charged without hesitation. The battle was long and fierce, and Leo was among the thick of it, surrounded by the likes of his brother Lancel and Ser Reynard, his sworn sword. Never regarded as much of a warrior, when a sellsword slipped through the lines and chanced upon Leo, there was little he could do to defend himself. As his horse reared, the Essosi’s blade came down upon him, a clean slice across Leo’s right thigh, cutting into the muscle. The heir of Castamere roared in retaliation, launching into a flurry of wild attacks of his own, mistimed and misplaced, but enough to distract his enemy while Lancel came up from behind and lopped off his head. Refusing to return to the encampments, Leo stemmed the bleeding the best he could as he retreated further behind the line and continued shouting commands to his men.

Without the Dragon Queen at their backs, the First Legion was helpless against the united strength of the Westerlands. The enemy was soon routed, and the Westermen rode them down as they tried to escape. Once again, Daena was handed a successive defeat at their hands, halting her invasion into the rest of Westeros, and giving the other regions precious time to prepare their own armies for war. After the battle, Leo’s injuries were treated, and then both he and Lancel were knighted in front of the men for their leadership and bravery in battle. The remnants of the First Legion would regroup and attempt several skirmishes in the week that followed, but to no avail. Leo remained in bed rest for the duration of that week, the wound in his leg worse than the maesters had initially thought. As he recovered, Daena, furious after learning of her loss, finally took it upon herself to take the West.

There was little warning, for not even their fastest riders could outrun a dragon. The raven from the Lefford’s of Golden Tooth arrived merely an hour before Daena herself. Men rushed as they prepared for a retreat, all the Lords would depart for their own keeps, separating and giving themselves a better chance at survival. A few brave men remained behind, hoping to distract the dragon long enough for the others to gain some distance. The Castamere’s own bannermen, including Ser Axel of House Tully of Newspring Hall, stayed behind. After the loss of his own son in a previous battle, Ser Axel was intent on joining him, and Leo made sure to take a moment to pay his respects to the man and thank him for the sacrifices his family had made. The ties between the Castamere’s and Tully’s of Newspring Hall was a close one, and Leo intended to honour it.

The Lannisters retreated up the Ocean Road, more than once hearing the heavy beating of leathery wings and the roars of Drogon at their rear. However it seemed Daena knew she lacked the manpower to lead a full assault on Lannisport and Casterly Rock, and after a few hours the men were no longer looking at their backs with fear. Unfortunately, they would later learn that their southern bannermen were not as lucky, and many keeps were charred and burnt black under Daena’s fury.

Though their campaign had ended with a retreat, there was no doubt in anyone's mind that this had been a victory for Westeros. Dorne, the Southlands and the Reach had all fallen in quick succession, but the lions of the West had halted Daena’s advance and defeated the First Legion of the Golden Company. Leo awaited their return home, expecting to be welcomed back as heroes, with the streets of Lannisport full of cheer and merriment for the returning victors. He looked forward to reuniting with Lucion and Leana, as well as his cousins in Casterly Rock. No doubt Eleyna would have prepared a great feast for them, and perhaps the celebrations would allow them a few moments of respite from the war, to share some time together and grieve for those they had lost.

Leo knew something was amiss as they neared the city port, when no riders came to greet them. The Lannisters quickened their pace, and soon enough they came to witness the full and utter destruction of their precious city. It lay barren, not a living soul in sight. The Lannister fleet was nowhere to be seen, all that remained was rubble, embers and smoke. The Targaryen sigil lay draped along one of the city walls, with dead Red Cloaks littered beneath. Leo’s throat tightened as he surveyed the desvestation, all the sacrifices they had made for their homes had been in vain.

Upon his arrival at Casterly Rock, Leo would meet with Lady Eleyna and Theodora, who would announce to the limping war veteran that it was the Ironborn who had attacked, raiding and pillaging the West during the months the Lord’s had been at war. The few able-bodied men who had stayed behind to defend the city had been lost, and the Lannister fleet destroyed. Women and children had been taken and enslaved, and there was nothing they could do to seek justice. While they had been fighting to protect their homeland, the Ironborn had once again shown their true colours, they were savage animals and Leo would take it upon himself to see them answer for their crimes.

For the next year, the Castamere’s would regain their strength alongside the other Western Houses, preparing themselves for the final assault. When word came, Leo once again marched his armies to fight beside King Garlan, arriving at the Stoney Sept alongside the other forces. At the Battle of Dragonfall, Leo stood beside Lancel and his men outside the walled city, and when the horns blew, he charged with them. Drogon dived from above, and Leo witnessed a hundred men disappear before his very eyes, as the flames engulfed them and left nothing but ashes. Never had Leo felt such fear, and for just a moment, he subconsciously reached out for Lancel, wanting to pull his brother away from the fiery death that awaited them. That was until the scorpions fired, and his eyes trailed their ascent, his mouth opening with a roar of victory as two of the steel spears found their mark. Drogon let out a cry so chilling that the hairs on the back of his neck stood, and men all around him looked up in awe as the last dragon fell from the sky. The longest war ever fought on Westerosi land was over.

Upon Leo’s return from the war, he was honoured by the Lannisters for his actions and betrothed to his cousin, Lady Eleyna. Though he had never seen her in that light before, Leo was silently pleased with the choice he had been given, knowing that it was Eleyna who held the real grasp of power over the West. He was promptly named High Martial of the Westerlands as well, following in the footsteps of his late father. Leo would return to Castamere soon after, continuing to serve his older brother, now Lord Lucion, as his castellan.

### Recent Events

Leo joins Lady Eleyna and the Lannister host at the tourney of King’s Landing to celebrate the 100th year of King Robert's ascension.

Leo takes part in the joust at King's Landing, unseating the Dragon Slayer, Lord Seaworth, in his first tilt. He would however go on to lose his second tilt to Dayne of House Hermitage, and is gravely injured when Dayne dishonourably struck his right leg, leaving Leo a cripple.