The Barrow Princes

**The Barrow Princes** were a series of pretenders to the Winter Throne of House Stark. Descended through bastardry from King Brandon XV Stark and Prince-Consort Jorge Dustin, the Barrow Princes were the instigators of three civil wars in the North from 184 AA to 223 AA.

## The Barrow Princes

* **Syrus Snow**(184 AA - 186 AA)
* **Glendon Snow** (194 AA - 194 AA)
* **Vayon Snow** (194 AA - 194 AA)
* **Uthor Snow** (194 AA - 194 AA)
* **Donnel Snow**(220 AA - 223 AA)

## The First Barrow Prince Rebellion

**184AA - 186AA:**Following the long and rather peaceful reign of Queen Dacey I Stark and Prince Jorge Dustin, their eldest son and heir - who would rule as Brandon XV - fathered multiple bastards with his own cousin from his father's side. It was widely rumoured that the King favoured his bastards more than his legitimate children, and his sudden demise following word that he intended to legitimise these bastards received mixed responses from the Northern Lords.

Brandon XV's legitimate son, Brandon XVI, ruled for a short period of time whilst tensions slowly bubbled away. Things came to boiling point in 184 AA when Syrus Snow, the King's half-brother, murdered the King in Winterfell's great hall and claimed both Ice and the Winter Crown for himself. What followed was a bloody civil war, as the North turned upon itself once more.

The forces of Syrus Snow, who since proclaimed himself 'the Barrow Prince', are eventually defeated after two long years of open warfare. Syrus falls in battle to the loyalist Lord Umber's blade, and two of his bastard brothers are captured and hanged at Winterfell. The remaining 'barrow bastards' disappear as their support collapses. The regent to the new Winter King, Benjen XIV, is lenient towards houses that supported the rebels and very few heads roll after the war is done.

## The Second Barrow Prince Rebellion

**194AA:**A decade after Syrus Snow proclaimed himself 'the Barrow Prince', his surviving brothers return to continue what he started. Unlike Syrus, who had the support of several key northern houses, they struggle to muster together even an army of dissenters and disgruntled minor nobles and are forced to rush to Winterfell to avenge their kin.

Benjen XIV, fresh from his regency, leads a hastily assembled host to dismantle the poorly equipped rebels before they can solidify their position. Benjen, however, proves his military incompetence and manages to lose to the ragtag rebels and is forced to retreat inside the walls. What had once been total support for the Stark King wavers and it seems as if the North could plunge into a true civil war again, but loyal Lord Umber arrives to save the day again and smashes the rebels against the walls of Winterfell.

The 'Barrow Bastards' are believed to all be dead, and peace returns to the North. No houses were brazen enough to support the rebels, though faith in Benjen's reign was shaken by his crushing defeat against an inferior foe.

## The Third Barrow Prince Rebellion

**220AA - 223AA:**In the aftermath of the Bloody Wolf's War, Rickard VII Stark isolated himself from many of his vassals with his surprise peace treaty. Chief amongst these dissenters was Donnel Snow, the Hero of Seagard and in possession of *Ice*. When Rickard's brother, Edderion, arrived to see the weapon returned to its rightful owner and the army disbanded he was not met with a warm reception. After he demanded the blade from Donnel, he was cut down by the bastard in cold blood. Donnel proclaimed himself as the son of Syrus Snow, though this lineage was never confirmed, and therefore the rightful King of Winter and the Barrow Prince.

For three long years, the North fought itself, and brother fought brother as Lords swapped sides like it was the new fashion at court. Desperate for aid, Rickard wrote to the one person who could help and then led his men into the field for one final offensive.

Lord Reed, who had long served as a staunch supporter of the Barrow Prince, had tired of the war after his heir had fallen in battle. Unbeknownst to Donnel, he broke bread with the Winter King and an agreement was made. Rickard lured Donnel and his forces deep into the Neck, where Donnel thought the Crannogmen would come to his aid, and they fought a terrible battle at Hell's Myre. For three days the armies fought in the swamp until horns blared and fresh soldiers arrived from the south. Thinking it the Crannogmen, Donnel rallied his army to break the loyalist's line but he had been deceived. At the army's head was King Quentyn III Fletcher, and behind him were thousands of angry Riverlanders.

The rebels were crushed, and Donnel lay dead at Quentyn's feet when the King of the Trident took up *Ice*as King Rickard approached. For a moment that was said to have lasted an eternity it seemed the Northmen might turn on their newfound allies, then the two Kings embraced as brothers and all rejoiced. The last Barrow Prince's corpse was lost in the marshland and with his death came a long peace, but his tale is still sung of in many seedier taverns across the North and beyond.