A Dark Winter

The Battle of Castle Black

The Old Bear

Ser Terrance the Towering

Lord Daniel Youngflower

Lord Artos Starkwood

Ser Shamus Blackwolf

Lord Vysegos Velgarys

Ser Darron Flameheart

Lord Robb Griften

Lord Jaqhaeros Maloris

Ser Tristifer Terrace

Ser Derrick Esterold

Davon Yew

Mark Platt

Ser Kyllan Norreck

Ser Musty Mormont

Visenya Henning

Ser Arthur Fulgarian

Ser Landor Longstride

Free Folk Invasion of the North

Dark Sister successfully

returned South

The Death of Ramsay Snow

Mutilation of Ser Terrance the Towering

## Overview

A Dark Winter is the name of the fateful operation to the North one of the 4 Trails of 304 AC, it required the most men and ended up with a great deal of bloodshed from the many battles it spawned.

Peace had found its way back into the lives of the Three Kingdoms. House Brightflame, now by far the largest faction in Westeros, controlled all land apart from the Vale of Arryn, and the North of King Robb Stark. The Vale, having largely refused to join in the wars of the past, now faced an enemy greater than any they could have imagined. All land beyond the Bloody Gate and south of the Neck was now coated in the blood of the once-great kingdoms of the past, and waving below the flags of the Golden Dragon. To the North lay Winterfell, where Robb Stark awaited in his hall for the raven to arrive with a letter sealed with the Three-Headed Dragon, its contents undesirable to any man who places a value on the life of his men, or his own. Yet even farther into the cold lay the Wall. The castles lining it, while most had little-to-no life left in them, awaited a different enemy. An enemy which did not arise in the sands of Essos, but one that instead died in the snow of the far north. Or so they thought.

The famed Valyrian longsword Dark Sister was one of two Valyrian Swords belonging to House Targaryen next to her brother, Blackfyre, and was once wielded by Targaryens even before Aegon's Conquest. The sword was lost after the Bloodraven, Brynden Rivers, brought the sword north after being sworn into the Night's Watch. Since his death, the sword had been lost to the winds of time, however, rumors had arisen that the sword's location had been discovered. In this time of peace, the wise council of King Daeron -- Ser Jory Redwater, Ser Shamus Blackwolf, Ser Ian "The Oculus", Lord Robin Redwater, Lord Durgeon Muiraxos, Lord Privatkanondono Kalukho, and Ser Edric Royston -- advised the king to send a detachment north to the Wall, to investigate the status of the famed "Night's Watch", and to without public notice hunt down the sword and bring it back to King's Landing. They did so but at a price...

## The Event

### White Harbour

The group arrived in White Harbour by ship. However, their arrival began arouse the suspicions of the Manderly guards causing the group to take shelter in an inn (payed for by Lord Starkwood). Once night had fallen, the group snuck out of the inn, hastily bought horses for the journey to the Wall, then set out.

### Bolton Lands

The group rode along the Kingsroad out of White Harbour, where Lord Velgarys decided separated from the group and rode north-west instead of north. The group continued to ride North into the Lonely Hills, located within the territory of House Bolton. Whilst riding through the wilderness, the group was shadowed by a Bolton scout, something they discovered as they began to approach Mole's Town.

### The Rape of Mole's Town

Upon arriving in Mole's Town, the group found the small settlement was being sacked by a Thenn band, many of its building were ablaze. The group immediately attacked the Thenns, catching them unawares as the majority were busy raping and looting. During the chaos the group were able to slaughter many of the unorganised Thenns whilst Ser Zelos began to loosely organise some of the braver villagers in defending the village. The Thenns completely broke once Styr, their Magnar, was slain and the group began to perform small cavalry charges to run down exposed Thenns. As the fighting came to an end, it became apparent that Lord Daniel Youngflower had sustained a cut across his face whilst one of the Thenns had been captured by Ser Tristifer Terrace. After a short interrogation, the Terrace Knight discovered from the captive that Mance Rayder was marching on The Wall with 100,000 men and women, much to the alarm of the rest of the group. With the skirmish over, the group camped in the village ruins overnight, where Ser Darron Flameheart encountered a dire wolf whilst Ser Zelos Wilder found Lord Velgarys nearby. After a night's rest the group once again set out, heading for Castle Black

### Preparation for the Battle of Castle Black

Once they arrived, the group found the garrison in a sorry state, a number of men had been taken from the garrison to the defend the Bridge of Skulls to the west leaving 40 men to defend the Castle. After informing the Watch of the impending attack, the group decide to stay at Castle Black to help with the defence. Whilst awaiting the Wilding attack, Lord Youngflower discovered from Castle Black's maester, Aemon, that 100 men from Eastwatch-by-Sea were on their way to reinforce the garrison, before asking about the fate of his own father, who had joined the Watch years before, learning Kieron Youngflower was long dead.

The battle began at dawn to the sound of a Wilding war horn. Ser Terrance the Towering took up a position in the tunnel through the Wall alongside Donal Noye and a handful of Black Brothers. Daniel Youngflower positioned himself atop the Wall with Jon Snow, Daven Yew, Visenya Henning, Zelos Wilder and a number of Black Brothers armed with bows. At the end of the tunnel through the wall, in the courtyard of Castle Black, Artos Starkwood, Derrick Esterold and the remainder of the group stood waiting behind a cart wall for the Wildings to attack.

### The Battle of Castle Black

As the battle began, the men on the walls started to hurl projectiles down at the charging Wildings, including arrows, rocks, metal and burning oil. Meanwhile, Mag the Mighty, the Giant King, began to hammer at the gate blocking the way into the tunnel through the Wall. Back on the Wall, Wildings that survived being fired at, started climbing the wall using various methods and eventually, the number climbing began to overwhelm those atop the Wall, who also began to run out of projectiles so fell back to the lift. In the tunnel, the Giant King broke through the gate and charged down the tunnel followed by a stream of Wildings. Donal Noye responded by charging the giant himself, impaling the huge creature through the eye with his sword. However, Mag's body collapsed onto Donal, killing him. Ser Terrance and the Black Brothers in the tunnel took advantage of the surprise caused by Mag's death to outrun the Wildings to the cart barricades at the end of the tunnel having the portcullis shut behind them.

Unfortunately, the Wildings called upon another giant to break down the portcullis before pushing the carts aside with ease. But as the Giant emerged from the tunnel, Ser Tristifer Terrace, mounted on his horse and armed with a lance, charged, smashing his lance on the GIant's kneecap, inspiring the terrified defenders to begin stabbing at the Giants legs, allowing Artos Starkwood to impale it through the chest. Despite the death of another giant, the Wildings continued to flood in through the gate, the battle quickly became total chaos, Black Brothers and Brightflame Knights fighting desperately side by side. Ser Terrance hurried into Castle Black, retrieving Dark Sister from Maester Aemon before helping him and Samwell Tarly escape on horseback. Following the two's escape, Terrance rejoined the fray just as the Night's Watch men began to break. Many simply fled whilst handfuls of Black Brothers stood and fought to the death, most notably Lyonel Whent, Athos Wilder and Grenn. Finally, the defenders were completely shattered, the Brightflame party mounted their horses and fled with the Valyrian Steel Sword they'd come to retrieve, but not before Rickard Greywinde was badly wounded by arrows and swords as was Artos Starkwood. The steward, Jon Snow also reluctantly joined the retreat, respecting the dying wishes of his friend Grenn to survive and continue the fight elsewhere.

### Journey Back South

The Brightflame Party initially rode with the column retreating south from the Wall, as streams of men joined the main column from Eastwatch-by-Sea and the Shadow Tower, sharing chilling stories about similar Wilding attacks on their castles. Upon reaching the tip of Long Lake, the Brightflame Party separated from the Night's Watch column who were then lead by Jon Snow to Winterfell in the south-west, whilst the Brightflame Party, joined by Maester Aemon, travelled south-east, setting up camp in the Lonely Hills. As night fell, members of the group began debating how they should proceed and the best way to deal with the Wilding threat. Their debate being stopped only by news of Maester Aemon's death from Terrance, who had been in his tent when he died. The group decided to, in accordance with Targaryen tradition, cremate Aemon, gathering firewood and building a pyre in the centre of their campsite.

After the lighting the pyre, some of the party said a few words to honour Aemon but their mourning was disrupted by the sound of horses. The camp was suddenly set upon by Bolton horsemen. Within minutes the camp had been set ablaze by flaming arrows and the group scrambled for cover and weapons. Some rallied to the pyre whilst others ducked between the tents to avoid arrow fire and the cavalry. In the midst of the carnage, Ser Terrance took numerous arrow wounds trying to defend the near-crippled Rickard Greywinde from Bolton men but ultimately, both men were captured by Bolton men. Meanwhile, various members of the group valiantly attempted to fend off their attackers, many however, were wounded, including Ser Tristifer Terrace and Robb Griften. As morning came, the remainder of the group were left in the smoking ruin of their camp, treating their wounded and formulating a plan to rescue their captured friends and retrieve Dark Sister from the Dreadfort.

### The Dreadfort

Artos Starkwood and Davon Yew immediately rode North to Starkwood lands in the Wolfswood to gather forces there. Meanwhile, Zelos Wilder left camp with Tristifer Terrace to scout out the Dreadfort, leaving the rest of the group in the camp where Lord Darron Flameheart sent a letter to the Rills, to ask House Ryswell for help as Ser Rickard's betrothed was Alys Ryswell, daughter of Lord Rodrick Ryswell.

Upon arriving at the Dreadfort, Zelos and Tristifer found the fortress strangely undermanned, only noticing a few watchmen. The two then proceeded to scale the wall and sneak in, whilst Daniel Youngflower arrived later disguised as a Bolton soldier, followed by Mark Platt and Ser Kyllan Norreck with the horses they planned to use for the escape. Whilst Zelos and Tristifer made there way down into the dungeons of the Dreadfort, back at the camp The Lost Legion, who served House Starkwood, arrived along with a small force of short men or 'Dwarves' from the previously unknown House Mountainblood.

Upon entering the dungeon and freeing Ser Terrance and Ser Rickard, who had both been brutally tortured by Ramsay Snow, Zelos and Tristifer realised it was a trap, causing Trisitfer to attempt to leave to inform their allies. Outside the Dreadfort, the majority of the garrison, who had hidden in the forest, moved out of their hiding places marching back into the Dreadfort. The disguised Daniel Youngflower also entered the Dreadfort, finding Zelos, Terrance and Rickard confronted by Ramsay Snow in the dungeon.

### The Battle of the Dreadfort

As another allied force arrives, this time from Houses Blackwolf and Starkwood, the army of the allies, now numbering about 600 soon also being joined by Roger Ryswell ahead of his own force, assembled before the gates of the Dreadfort. Having given orders to the disguised Daniel Youngflower and two other guards, Ramsay Snow, marched out 500 of the men in the garrison, leaving 200 inside the castle. The Boltons formed a wall of shields, spears, swords and pikes outside the main gate of the Dreadfort whilst Ramsay rode out to parlay with the leaders of the allied force: Artos Starkwod, Shamus Blackwolf and a few others. The commanders traded threats and insults whilst Ser Tristifer was seized trying to escape. As negotiations broke down completely Ramsay returned to his men whilst dozens of ravens flew from the Dreadfort for Winterfell, one of which carried a letter from Ramsay to King Robb Stark detailing his version of events, framing House Brightflame men for burning Bolton lands (when he himself had done so) and claiming that Houses loyal to the Brightflames attacked the Dreadfort unprovoked.

The battle itself opened with arrow volleys as Ramsay fell back behind his own line of pike men. Meanwhile, having escaped the dungeons and killed two guards, Daniel, Terrance, Rickard and Zelos made their way to the stables discovering that all the horses were gone, with only a handful of mules remaining. The small group of knights decided to mount the mules, draw their swords and charge into the rear of the Bolton force outside the open gate. The charge that caused confusion among the Bolton ranks would late be jokingly referred to by some as "The Charge of the Wilting Rose", named for the battered and bloodied Daniel Youngflower that headed it.

Taking advantage of the confusion, the allied army charge the Bolton line, colliding with the shield wall. The ferocity of the Starkwood and Wolf soldiers began to gradually push bolton line back meanwhile Daniel Youngflower and Terrance the Towering engaged Ramsay and his servant Reek respectively. As both knights gained the upper hand on their opponents, the Boltons deployed men in surcoats bearing the sigils of Houses friendly to the Allied Houses causing confusion in the ranks. Then, the Bolton cavalry arrived on the battlefield charging at the Allied flank, only to be intercepted by the Ryswell cavalry, who arrived around the same time.

Despite the tricks and dirty tactics the Boltons employed, their cavalry were overwhelmed by the Ryswells, who had superior numbers. As the Bolton cavalry broke, Reek fled from Terrance calling for a retreat, finally shattering the morale of the Boltons who either all fled back into the Dreadfort or stood and fought to the death. Finally as the gates of the Dreadfort closed, only Ramsay was left of the Bolton men outside the walls. The Brightflame Party decided to execute the Bolton with Rickard Greywinde being chosen to carry it out, with Dark Sister, that they had retrieved from Ramsay's belt. After executing Ramsay, the Brightflame party hastily made their way south to White Harbour using Darron's relations with House Manderly to obtain a ship and leave for King's Landing.

## Aftermath

Following the events of *A Dark Winter, T*he Free Folk invaded south of The Wall, seizing Last Hearth before attacking elsewhere. Furthermore, war soon broke out between Houses Brightflame and Stark due to the fact Ramsay Snow had burnt much of Bolton lands, blaming it on the armies of House Brightflame loyalists whilst also calling the attack on the Dreadfort "unprovoked". Meanwhile, King Daeron was angered by the attack on his bannermen by Northmen, so gladly began his invasion of the North.