The Red Brotherhood

The **Red Brotherhood** was a group of outlaws and bandits that grew in power during the reign of King Aemon Targaryen, claiming to be the successors to the Brotherhood without Banners. Led by Hagrim the Black, the Red Brotherhood would scour The Riverlands for years and would be the cause of death of Maekar Targaryen, the Mad Dragon of Harrenhal. The Brotherhood would be put to rest in the year 342 AC after King Aemon rode to the Riverlands to break the strength of the outlaws in the Battle of Rushing Falls, in vengeance for his murdered brother.

## Resolution of the Brotherhood

### Founding the Brotherhood

The Riverlands were once again touched by war in the year 333 AC during the War of the Lords Scorned and in the aftermath the third son of Aegon VI Targaryen, Maekar Targaryen was granted the Lordship of Harrenhal. Maekar was the fiercest, most rugged and most ruthless of Aegon's four sons and while his appointment was met with some hesitation there was no one better to hold Harrenhal in name of the King. While many in the Riverlands thought that the lordship should have fallen to House Tully or one of the other loyal Riverlords none contested the decision after seeing how wroth King Aegon had become after the death of Rhaegar Targaryen.

Maekar's rule was a difficult one. He immedietly placed all his resources in restoring the towers of Harrenhal despite the failure of the ones before him to do the same. Proudly boasting that "It was dragonfire that rose King's Landing, now I shall do the same!" Maekar spent an unfounded amount of time and resources into the castle and was not fazed by the rumoured curse the Lordship bore at all. Maekar's work, while productive, was not without consequence as the smallfolk around the God's Eye all the way to the Red Fork of the Trident grew restless with the excessively high taxes that were being placed on them. Rumour had it that Maekar would even force the smallfolk to rebuild his tower without pay and if they refused he would make sure it was the last thing they ever did.

The detest and anger would mostly remain hidden and quiet for the first few years of construction as the smallfolk grew poorer, famished and angry. Many turned to banditry to feed their families and Maekar did not devote any of his resources to stop it. Eventually these acts of banditry turned more and more violent and a joint attack on a village to the south of the God's Eye by multiple groups of brigands would mark the day the Red Brotherhood was born.

Named after the Red Fork of the Trident where many of the outlaws came from, the Red Brotherhood was formed in 338 AC and chose Hagrim the Black as their leader, a man of fifty but one who was rumored to be as mad as the Smiling Night and as ruthless as the Mountain. Hagrim would led the Red Brotherhood for the next 3 years, pillaging, raping and torching the Riverlands without even earning a response or acknowledgement from Harrenhal. House Tully remained too concerned with the latest and last Son of the Kraken, a man named Joron Ravenspear who led raids of his own into the lands near the Red Fork.

### The Murder of Maekar Targaryen

The Red Brotherhood would grow in renown and in strength over the next three years and in 341 AC they had the numbers to threaten even the nobles who were said to be above them. Hagrim's followers had a cult like devotion to him and every attempt to stop them was quelled easily thanks to Harrenhal shutting its doors and House Tully's attention directed else where. A fateful day would come in late 341 AC when the Brotherhood caught word that the Lord of Harrenhal, Maekar Targaryen was riding to King's Landing after being summoned by his brother King Aemon Targaryen whom if the rumours are to be believed was to command his brother to put down the Brotherhood.

Hagrim quickly sent a group of his outlaws to attack Maekar on the road and he and his bandits slaughtered Maekar's retinue just as they turned onto the Kingsroad. Maekar himself was captive and brought to Rushing Falls where Hagrim made his home. This was a monumentous victory for the Red Brotherhood, capturing the man who had caused them so much hardship over the years and would surely be worth an extraordinary ransom as he was rumored to be the King's favorite brother. However this would be the beginning of the end for the Brotherhood as the next actions taken by Hagrim would earn him the wroth of both King Aemon and Maekar's son, Maegor Targaryen.

Maekar was brought to Hagrim in one piece but he would leave in many. To the anger of his followers, Hagrim elected not to offer Maekar for ransom and instead carved out his eyes, ears and belly, leaving his mangled body to be paraded around the God's Eye. By this time news had already reached King's Landing of Maekar's capture and King Aemon had already been marshaling soldiers despite believing a ransom would occur. When word reached King Aemon of the death of his brother it is said that he did not weep but instead stated "Very well, we shall march and I shall do what Maekar would have done."

Aemon marched with his Kingsguard and a thousand soldiers the next day which was the first day of 342 AC. Along the way he was joined by various Riverlords and Crownlanders who wished to earn glory like had been done years ago against the Kingswood Brotherhood. Aemon would arrive at Harrenhal where his cousin and its new Lord, Maegor Targaryen opened his gates and joined his army with the King's.

Hearing that Hagrim was at Rushing Falls, Aemon marched his forces in that direction thinking that this conflict would be over by the moon with little resistance. He was right about one thing, it was over quick but the bloodshed was far more than he expected.

### Death of Hagrim the Black

Aemon and Maegor would march their forces to Rushing Falls but would find their supply lines abused and frequent raids upon their camps as they marched. The Red Brotherhood was very knowledgeable of the lands and hid in caves and forests like the Brotherhood Without Banners had once done. By the time the Crown arrived at the Hagrim's hideout their forces were bloodied, tired, hungry, sick and nearly half of their numbers had been evaporated, negating the advantage they once had.

Despite the setback Aemon did not wish to wait for more reinforcements and quickly issued an attack. Aemon had done well to maintain his horses as they would be a key factor in the Battle of Rushing Falls where Aemon and his allies scored a decisive victory as they cut down the cornered and inexperienced bandits. Lord \_\_\_\_\_\_\_(player char) slew Hagrim the Black in single combat, earning himself renown and respect. Over fifty squires earned their knighthoods that day and the realm spoke in praise of King Aemon and his decisiveness.

### Aftermath

Aemon returned to King's Landing while Maegor returned to Harrenhal. The Red Brotherhood was ruined after Hagrim's death and the group was said to quickly dissolve without clear leadership. The Riverlands had suffered from their antics the past four years and were relieved once it was all over. Rumour had it that Maegor was just as his father was and that cruelty ran in the line, but the smallfolk had no more issue with the man despite many suspecting he still had ambitions of rebuilding Harrenhal.

The Brotherhood had been put to rest and it was not until the year 380 AC that it's name was uttered asides from stories. Another brotherhood was rumored to be setting its feet in the Riverlands and one was forced to wonder if the Riverlands would suffer the same way they had through the Brotherhood without Banners and the Red Brotherhood.

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