Wilds Den

## **Overview**

**Wild's Den** is the primary seat of House Wilder. Currently under control of Lord Zelos Wilder, and the fourth to hold Lordship over the Castle. The Castle answers to no other House besides the Lord Paramount and the King but also has no vassals. Its Garrison is five hundred strong and its army is over two thousand soldiers while possessing no navy

## **History**

### **Pre Conquest**

Wild's Den used to belong to House Subare which at its peak possessed 3 castles, during which the Den was known as Karro's Keep after the man who created it Karro Subare. Though it was before even Aegon landed that they lost the Castle to the Kingdom of the Trident, there holdings being between them and the Kingdom of the Storm. The King of those lands would appoint House Borkos who ominously renamed it Gallows Den. It remained a castle of House Borkos from there even into the Conquest, the Subares tried a handful of times to take it back but failed due to various circumstances, and when Aegon untied both of there kingdoms together there chances were few and far between without incurring the King's rightful wrath or any king after.

### **Targaryen Era**

When King Aegon died and King Aenys was put on the throne, his indecisiveness in the rebellions that followed inspired the Subares to take action and launch an assault on the castle hoping to reclaim what was rightfully there's but infighting amongst themselves cost them at the most opportune time. The end result seeing them lose another castle as the once powerful subare's had split into two divided factions both owning one of the remaining castles and both claiming sole property of all three, but the real winner was House Borkos who even in there weakened state could survive the years to come with the Subares too scared of there other half to directly attack them. This changed when Ben Subare took in a peasant, which many heard rumors to be a bastard Subare, Norbert who during the Dance of Dragons would become knighted and befriend the young Lord Tully. House Borkos, had sworn themselves to the Greens despite the Riverlords mostly pledging Black and Lord Derrick Borkos was adamant to the end who they fought for, Even as his family was slowly killed off in the various battles and scuffles until only he was left. Derrick marched out to meet an army looking to siege his castle and though he fought valiantly The Subares finally took back there home and there castle, though they were still split on who should be the one to take it, the splintered families had come together to finally retake there home but each laid claim for various reasons, the Subare's of Trident's point had taken the castle, but the Subare's of Lighting Wick defeated the vanguard and killed the last Lord. Lord Tully ultimately was left to decide, and thinking he had come up with a fair compromise gave the castle to Ser Norbert, based off the rumor of him holding Subare blood and his friendship with both families he assumed they would see it as a fair deal.

Sadly the young Lord Tully was wrong in this assessment, While Norbert likewise expected praise, he found to his shock that both families had taken his acceptance of there castle as a personal betrayal and shunned him, something the young boy also took personally, how could he be faulted for wanting a better life for his family by making himself a lord? Any man would have done so if given the chance, or so he told himself anyway. Regardless the seeds for the friends to become enemies soon started and Gallows Deep became the castle of House Wilder, and was once again renamed, Wild's Den. Norbert would rule for several more years and give birth to a few sons before his second son would inherit (His first having died in the Dornish wars) and the new Lord Jarek would begin the transformation into the house known for producing warriors. Though they only went another two years before the Forth Blackfyre rebellion broke out, with both boys marching off to assist in the fighting, causing the death of Axel Wilder to his own hubris as he made a foolish charge to the enemy lines. With Damon now the Lord of the house he set about maintain peace and establishing alliances to keep the house strong for the remainder of his reign. Marrying with a Lady of House Charlton and eventually fathering to two boys Athos and Adin. While Damon loved them both he preferred the warrior son in Adin to the sickness prone and knowledge astute Athos and was content to let his older son rule while his younger son became an adventurer renowned knight. Adin earned his Knighthood at the War of NinePenny kings and was granted a sword his father had forged Symphony red.

### **Wilder-Subare War**

House Wilder suffered greatly in the war with the Subares when Adin Wilder and Hagen Subare tried to court Mylene Dedding, Mylene ultimately chose Adin much to Hagen's scorn and the two were married some time after, with Athos unaware of the bad blood and pining for Dilliane Subare sent the Subare's an invitation to the wedding. The Subare's lord Ben and lady Maven were furious and saw the invitation as an insult as did Hagen but the youngest son Denny saw it for what it was and despite his parents protest left to attend. He never returned nor was he ever seen again and the Subares blamed the Wilders. Hagen came to the castle sometime later demanding to know what they did to his brother and Adin and the Wilder Master-At-Arms Gogen Gano took offense and confronted them at the gate, a fight ensued that saw the Master-At-Arms killed and Hagen running off, escalting the feud.

Damon and Ben were ordered by the Mootons to meet them at Maidenpool to discuss the matter peacefully and both accepted but on the way there Damon and his carriage was attacked by well trained and equipped outlaws who attempted to kill them. Though Damon survived his beloved wife was killed and when word reached his home Adin and Athos were furious. Marching out with 200 men the attacked the Subare keep the Trident's pass. Though Hagen anticipated this and simply opted to wait for the Mootons to aid them for the attack his older brother Nikos didn't want to risk them harming there small folk and assembled a force of his own to meet them. The battle saw both sides loose a good portion of there numbers but Nikos was killed and the Wilders retreated when Hagen came with reinforcements.

With no chance for recourse and with the Tullys getting ready to step in the peace meeting simply saw both Ben and Damon refuse any blame and fall back to there keeps. Lord Ben and Hagen lead most of his men to one final attack on Wilds Den which had less men and arguably weaker defenses but the Wilders counterattacked and were successful in killing him and routing his remaining forces. Finally seeing the war was lost Lady Maven sued for peace and offered her daughters hand in marriage to Athos which was accepted. The matrimony gave birth to Lief Wilder while Adin and Mylene would eventually have Zelos and Seles Wilder.

### **Roberts Rebellion**

At the tourney of Harrenhall Adin Wilder got drunk and ended up fighting and killing two loyal men of House Mooton, fleeing rather then accept any punishment matters were only made worse by his father refusing to allow any harm to come to him lying that Adin had left Westeros while keeping him hidden in the castle. Even when House Tully attempted to appeal to him he wouldn't falter and instead kidnapped one of the Mootons kids to demand they drop there charges. This was halted when Roberts Rebellion broke out and both the Mootons nd the Wilders remained loyal to the Crown where Damon was ordered to return the son to the Mootons in exchange for forgivness. The Wilders fought valiantly but were pushed back and betrayed by the Mootons who left them to be sieged by the Riverland lords who rebelled. Defending there home the siege took the life of Mylene, and with her death Adin lost his will to fight and took his kids, fleeing through a secret passage and leaving Westeros never to return. Wild's den fell and Damon was killed in the fighting leaving just Athos to take the punishment. He agreed to go to the Nights watch as long as no harm came to his family and Dillane and Lief were also cast out of the 7 Kingdoms while there castle was burned down and the land redistributed.

### **Return**

Many years later Zelos and Seles returned with the Golden Company of which Zelos was a soldier for and a member of Aegon's Kingsguard. Fighting alongside the king on hw war with the Stormlands participated in the Second Dance of Dragons fighting for King Aegon's army and first fighting House Brightflame at the battle of Griffin's Roost and again at the defense of Stonehelm where he was unable to win the battle for his king and too wounded to continue was left to heal in a city. When the war ended King Baelor showed him mercy and offered him to join his kingdom which Zelos accepted. Eventually he earned his new allies trust and was given the land his house lost years ago and reconstructing the castle back to its glory and hopefully to even more then ever had before.

### **Household**

- Lord Zelos Wilder: Lord of Wild's Den and Soon to be Ex-Commander of the Gold Cloaks.
- Lady Gillaine Wilder: Lady of Wild's Den and former lady of Starkwood Keep. Zelos' wife
- Lady Seles Wilder: Sister of Zelos Wilder and the organizer of the reconstruction of Wild's Den
- Athos Wilder: Son of Zelos and Gillaine. Named after Zelos' beloved uncle who died at Castle Black and bares a striking resemblance to his father.
- Maya Wilder: Daughter of Zelos and Gillaine and twin to Athos. Has her fathers hair but her moms eyes and face. Was named after an old friend of Zelos and Seles' in Essos
- Caiden Rivers: Bastard son of Seles Wilder and the Black Knight Aegon.
- Ser Zeto Aros: Master-at-Arms of Wild's Den. Former knight to the Master of Laws before being given to House Wilder.
- Ser Roy Riverwall: Castellan of Wild's Denn. Former Hedge knight welcomed into Wild's Den at Lady Gillane's insistence
- Maester Daud: Maester of Wild's Den.