Ardan Storm

The Stormlands

Lady Cassandra's Bane

Half-Brother - Arrec Baratheon

Half-Sister - Oraella Baratheon

**Ardan Storm**, also known as the '**Bastard of Storm's End**' and '**Lady Cassandra's Bane**', is the illegitimate son of Arlan Baratheon, the Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. From infancy, Ardan was raised at Storm's End, alongside Arlan's trueborn children.

Unlike the rest of his half-siblings, Ardan is left in a limbo between the hierarchy, and sets his sights on becoming a knight so he can find service and status outside of Storm's End. As his father's health grows worse, Ardan begins to long to head south and prove himself in the Invasion of Dorne.

## Appearance

> *"The whore had left nothing but her iniquity in the lad. Though it may have been but a drop, he had a whore's blood. He was her husband's son, but he would never be a Baratheon.*"
> - Cassandra Baratheon's thoughts.
>
>

Ardan possesses the quintessential Baratheon features: Tall and powerfully built, black hair and blue eyes, as well as a square jaw. He is said to resemble Arlan in his youth, although he is slightly shorter. Unlike his half-siblings, Ardan's clothes are made of cheaper materials, leading him to wear more layers to provide protection from the weather in the Stormlands.

## Biography

### Background

Possibly because of his fosterage in Sunspear, Arlan openly acknowledged Ardan at birth in the end of the Ironborn Rebellion and the start of the Short Winter, named the boy after himself, and raised him at Storm's End, despite already having a pregnant wife and son there.

#### Life at Storm's End

As an infant, Ardan's wet nurse was a woman named Gwin, who told him stories about Nagga the Sea-Dragon and the Grey King. As he grew, Ardan enjoyed more freedom than his half-brothers and half-sister, due to having little responsibility. This led to him spending most of his time playing tricks on those at his father's court. While most sons are encouraged to be courtly, Arlan enjoyed his bastard's mischievous antics, and sought never to dampen his spirit. His wife, however, did not share his attitude.

Cassandra Baratheon was appalled by his misadventures, often blaming him when her son, Arrec, was involved, naming him as the bad influence. She often spoke of how the boy needed discipline, and asked quite frequently if Arlan would send his baseborn son away to Griffin's Roost or Blackhaven. However, nothing she said could sway the man - he was adamant that all his children would be raised together. Though his older brother was generally pugnacious to Ardan, Arrec and he were very good friends from a young age. Taught and trained together, the boys grew close, and even began to pursue more mischievous antics together. Ardan would convince Arrec to help him steal the clothes of Maester Rickard when he was bathing or place buckets of water atop ajar doors while Arrec took watch, the two would traverse down the cliffside of Shipbreaker Bay to look at the wreckages dashed upon the rocks after a great storm. It was during one of these adventures into the shipwrecks when Ardan was injured in 144 A.C., hitting his head against the hull of one of the wrecks. Arrec swum Ardan back to shore. Unconscious for two days, Ardan dreamt about a woman he believed to be his mother.

At some point, Ardan found all his clothes has been dyed black - presumably by his father's wife. However, it was after this that his half-brother, Arrec, began to favour the colour black, as a show of solidarity to his brother.

Very aware of the realm's laws on inheritance, Ardan began his education as a page at the age of seven in his father's court, quickly progressing to become a squire at the age of eleven to Edric Bolling, an old knight renowned for his prowess in matters of war.

#### Time as a Squire

Ardan progressed well as a squire. He learnt how to swim, how to saddle a horse and tilt a lance, how to draw a bow and heft an axe. Sword, mace, spear, fists, Ardan prided himself on his martial skills. Sadly, he found courtly etiquette hard, as there was very little to be experienced in the Stormlands. He heaved rocks, rode horses and hunted wild game. His education consisted primarily of battles fought, wars won and lands lost throughout history, studying the various tactics and stratagems employed.

## Personality

Ardan is shown from the start to have a thirst for adventure and heroics, which has coloured his opinion of what the Invasion of Dorne will entail. From a young age, Ardan had to forge thick skin and a strong will, as he was commonly excluded from dinners and feasts when his father was away. He has grown up feeling incredibly criticised, yet also disregarded, due to his harsh treatment and lack of discipline. He is shown to be adventurous and undaunted, such as when he delves into the wrecks again, despite having been injured once before.

Considered by Durran and Cassandra to be arrogant, self-important and impetuous, Ardan is stoic and guarded to most, which is intrinsically linked to his treatment as the bastard of a commoner. His illegitimacy and mother are very sensitive subjects for Ardan, as he is shown to grow quiet as soon as either one is brought up. Ardan has inherited the Baratheon traits of stubbornness and a mercurial temper, though he tries to keep a firmer grasp upon it than others in his family and is committed to never losing his temper where they can see or hear, due to a constant fear of being banished from Storm's End.

Ardan is shown to be very non-confrontational, always suppressing his own emotions and trying not to respond or retaliate when confronted by Cassandra and Durran. Growing up as a bastard, Ardan is very sensitive about his origins, particularly his mother, due to common rumours about who she may have been. Arrec is acutely aware of this, shown by how he always shied from calling Ardan a bastard. Though the two have an incredibly strong friendship and loyalty to one another, Ardan is nonetheless slightly jealous of his brother, who not only has a true name, but also a mother.