Bowen Stark

**Bowen Stark** was the younger brother of Osric Stark, the Lord of Winterfell. Born to Theodan Stark and Sansa Stark in 97 AC, he was the third child produced of that union. After the death of their father, he served as his lord brother's chief advisor on all matters related to the integrity of the North and its relations with the other regions of the Seven Kingdoms.

He was well known for a tirade at a commemoration of his father's life wherein the former prince blamed House Targaryen for the misfortunes of the north and indeed for Theodan's death.

## Appearance and Character

Bowen was a man of an unremarkable appearance - neither ugly nor particularly handsome, most people like as not would hardly give him a second glance if not for his name. His brown hair and grey eyes cast him in the mold of a typical northman. He maintained a carefully groomed beard and mustache with a closely cropped head of hair and stood at an average height of 5 feet and 11 inches.

Although he worked to project himself as possessing a calm and collected demeanor, Bowen was not remotely afraid to speak his mind and at times could do so in blunt or even belligerent manners. His was a cunning and at times deceitful intelligence, which he used to the benefit of his house and in what he viewed as the best interests of the North.

*Artwork used for face claim by nikafargos2iris.*

## History

### Youth, 97 AC - 106 AC

Born in 97 AC to King Theodan Stark and Queen Sansa Stark, Bowen was the third child of their union. He was preceded by one sister Wylla and his only brother Osric Stark and succeeded by another sister named Raya.

The northern monarchs instilled a keen sense of loyalty and kinship in their children, which the young prince internalized with ease. In a world with enemies to the north and south, what other choice was there but to rely upon one's family?

While his older brother served Lord Medrick Manderly, Bowen remained under the tutelage of the castle's maester. Though only five years of age, the oncoming drought of the following years would leave him with indelible memories - men and women arguing, commoners begging for food and assistance, the grim resolve of his father as the king realized there was naught that he could do to provide for his subjects.

### Barrowton, 106 AC - 110 AC

In 106 AC Bowen was sent to Barrowton to foster with House Dustin. Due to the drought that ravaged the north, it was deemed important to ensure House Stark's bannermen that they would not simply sit behind their walls to wait it out.

Now nine years of age, the second son formed a friendship with another second son - Rodrik Dustin, the secondborn son of Lord Warren Dustin and the lord's trueborn heir. Where Rodrik was brash and aggressive, however, Bowen was quiet and wily; he preferred to be unnoticed so that he could observe others rather than be observed himself.

Barrowton was the young Stark's first true exposure to a larger world outside his family's ancient seat. During his four years residing in Barrow Hall and its town, he grew fascinated by the peoples that came to trade. He learned in short order that a few simple questions could easily lead to strangers opening up and sharing details of their lives or the sights they'd seen elsewhere, the rumors heard in far-flung locales.

### The Troubles, 109 AC - 117 AC

Shortly after the Battle of Lone Tower in the third moon of 110 AC wherein his kingly father won an important battle against wildling invaders, Bowen took his leave of Barrowton. While there he had developed a fondness for the town and the Dustins, but he felt he was needed back at home alongside his brother and sisters and mother whilst his father was away at war.

King Theodan would not return to Winterfell until 112 AC after driving the savages back beyond the Wall and finally vanquishing their hosts at Thenn Valley. A hero's welcome did not await the king, for there had been too many good northern lives lost for anyone to feel it appropriate to celebrate. Instead the Starks reunited with somber attitudes and quiet reflection in the godswood of their faith.

More tragedy was swift to come and arrived a year later in the form of dragonblight. A new outbreak of that old disease occurred in White Harbor and House Manderly acted without haste to close their gates and port lest it spread outward into the north at large. By sacrificing lives within their walls and their own prosperity, the Manderlys ensured that other northern houses and settlements would not suffer the same affliction to the same degree.

Out of respect for this act and in solidarity over the pirate raids that started on the eastern coast soon after the last winds of winter were departed, Bowen approached his father with an idea - their stalwart bannermen deserved to have a Stark fostering amongst their own numbers and it should be he. Now seven-and-ten King Theodan's second son was self-assured; though he was no great swordsman and certainly no sailor, he could well see the value in showing one of the house's most significant families that they were not forgotten and so he rode to the white city to take up residence in the New Castle.

Once again Winterfell's second son found himself close to another second son, this time Marlon Manderly, son of Lord Warrick Manderly. Bowen did not allow his deficiencies on the water nor his mere competence with an axe to keep him solely on land; when the Manderlys set sail to fight, Stark insisted that he accompany them. How could he stay behind safe within the city and castle walls when his father's subjects risked their lives?

When the idea was proposed to attempt luring the foreign pirates into a trap at the city's harbor, Bowen naturally volunteered to aid the mission. Using contacts he had fostered at Barrowton and within the white city too, Stark helped to spread through the tongues of merchants and traders and others on the waves that the city was being abandoned. He was present during the final fight when Houses Manderly, Karstark, and Locke smashed the pirate fleet and put an end to the threat once and for all.

### Royalty No More, 118 AC - 119 AC

The worst was yet to come, so far as the young prince was concerned.

At several points throughout 116, 117, and 118, the Targaryen realm sent a representative of their throne to negotiate the disbursement of aid to the beleaguered Kingdom of Winter. As those talks continued and the assistance was forthcoming, additional conversations were held - if the Iron Throne were to continue supporting the north, then King Theodan ought to remove his crown and swear fealty. In exchange the Targaryens promised continued aid, a marriage, and House Stark's prior position as Wardens of the North.

Osric argued in favor. Bowen argued against. In the end King Theodan indeed relinquished his crown and royal titles out of a belief that the past two decades had proven the north could not stand alone and that securing his people's' future meant surrendering his own pride.

Incensed, Bowen stormed out of Winterfell. It was only Osric's intervention that kept the former prince from challenging the Targaryens - Prince Aegon, Hand of the King, and Prince Baelor, Prince of Dragonstone - to a duel that his brother was certain that he would lose. For a time Bowen disappeared from his family's keep; upon his return some time later, he was taciturn as to his whereabouts.

When his brother married Prince Aegon's daughter a year later to seal the pact of ice and fire, Bowen of course attended the wedding - even if he despised the woman at first sight simply on the basis of what she represented, rather than for who she was as a person in her own right.

### Marriage, 125 AC

In 125 AC, Bowen too joined the ranks of wedded couples when he took Lysara Manderly to wife. Eight years his junior, the woman had been but a slip of a girl during his time at White Harbor. In the years since she was grown into a beautiful young woman, dark of hair and brown of eye. While there was no disputing that his old friend Marlon's sister was a fine match, Bowen did not particularly take to married life in an affectionate and loving manner.

Berena Stark, their first child, was born two years later in 127 AC.

### Rebellion, 125 AC - 127 AC

When House Glover refused to pay taxes in 125 AC, Bowen's voice was amongst those urging his father not to let the issue slide and to demand of their bannermen that which was due. He insisted that refusal was a sign of disrespect that House Stark could not tolerate and that the Glovers ought to have come to Winterfell to discuss their concerns over lack of gold if the claims were indeed honest. Disrespect could all too easily escalate, he pointed out. To his chagrin the second son's words went unheeded and his lordly father opted to accept the Glovers at their word.

A year later, however, the masters of Deepwood Motte once more refused. This time Theodan took a more firm stance and demanded wards from several problematic houses.

Meanwhile Bowen continued the work begun a few years earlier during his retreat from Winterfell: To quietly and surreptitiously stoke the embers of discontent with Targaryen rule wherever he could in the north. It was his hope that pressure from his father's bannermen would over time lead to Theodan again taking up the iron crown of their ancestors.

Alas, quite the opposite occurred. Late in 127 AC whispers came to Bowen that House Glover was calling its banners and preparing for war. The truth of this came out soon enough when Master Glover publicly denounced Lord Theodan and insisted that he was a false ruler. Rather than uniting the north under his father and against the Iron Throne, Bowen's surreptitious actions led to rebellion against his own house.

It was guilt and the knowledge of his certain responsibility that put Bowen Stark on horseback when his father rode off to war. His lady mother's house was the first to Deepwood, the Glovers' own vassal sieging the motte and bailey castle by the time the Stark host arrived.

Guilt and responsibility became ashes in Bowen's mouth once the fighting was done as he cradled his father's lifeless body in his arms. If Glover and his heir had not also fallen in the battle, the second son of Theodan Stark would have killed them himself, prisoners or not. In time he came to blame not himself but the foreigners on the southern throne for his father's demise, convincing himself that it would never have come to pass like this at the hands of other northmen if not for subjugation by the Targaryens.

### Counselor, 127 AC - 130 AC

With the loss of their father the newly ascended Lord Osric turned to his brother for advice and counsel. Bowen quickly assumed a position as an ardent and fierce supporter of his brother. He learned the lesson of the Glovers: If discontent against your own rule was suspected, strike fast and hard. Meanwhile he continued to cultivate sources and contacts wherever he could, for who knew from where a warning or morsel of useful information might come?

Halfway through 128 AC a grand tourney was held to commemorate Lord Theodan, the second King Who Knelt. Nobles from across the realm were invited to Winterfell to celebrate the late ruler's accomplishments in life. The festival was heralded as a great success by all until the closing feast. There was a great confrontation between Bowen Stark and the Crown's representatives wherein Bowen publicly laid the blame for his father's death and all the North's misfortunes at the feet of House Targaryen. Once again Osric intervened before the exchange could come to blows, but there was little doubt remaining afterwards about how the younger Stark felt towards House Targaryen.

The exchange only further solidified Bowen's cold fury and wholehearted desire to see the Kingdom of Winter reborn once more.

## Meta

### Character Build

**Social Status**: Great House

**Attribute**: Sly

 4

**Skills**:

* Deception (CHA)
* Networking (STA)
* Sabotage (INT)
* Counterfeit (INT)

**Mastery**: Cloak & Dagger (INT)

**Skills Learning**: Forthcoming in active play