Stormlands

The **Stormlands** are one of the constituent regions of the Seven Kingdoms on the continent of Westeros. The Kingdom of the Storm was a sovereign nation until Aegon's Conquest, in which the last Storm King was slain. The region is so-named for the savage and frequent autumn storms that batter the coast after beginning in the Summer Sea.

## The Stormlands

### Inhabitants

Stormlanders, Marchers

The stormlands are ruled from the castle of Storm's End by House Baratheon. Notable bannermen of the region include Buckler, Caron, Connington, Dondarrion, Errol, Estermont, Penrose, Selmy, Staedmon, Swann, Tarth, and Wylde. Noble bastards raised in the stormlands are given the surname Storm.

## Geography

The stormlands are bordered to the north by the crownlands, west by the Reach, south by Dorne and the Sea of Dorne, and east by Shipbreaker Bay and the narrow sea. They are one of the smaller regions of Westeros, a land of harsh mountains, stony shores, and verdant forests, including the kingswood and the rainwood along Cape Wrath. Major rivers include the Slayne and part of the Wendwater.

The windswept plains and grasslands of the Dornish Marches, located in the south-west in a long salient along the Red Mountains, serve as an effective buffer zone between the stormlands and their old enemies of the Reach and Dorne.

A few islands, including Tarth and Estermont, are also considered part of the stormlands. Ships coming across the narrow sea avoid the notorious Shipbreaker Bay and its storms, though the seas along the stormlands can be clear and blue. The waters around Tarth are particularly famed for their clear blue color, earning Tarth the name "Sapphire Isle".

## People and Economy

The stormlands are thinly populated compared to most of the Seven Kingdoms, and their people have a reputation for being stormy like their weather. The province is known for its fierce warriors and sailors, and for moss-covered cottages among its rainy woods and green hills. Many smallfolk in the stormlands claim descent from a promiscuous Storm King, Ronard Storm.

Although it is rainy, the region is fertile enough. There are no cities in the stormlands due to the strong martial culture of the storm lords, but larger fortresses such as Bronzegate are often supported by several small towns. The Weeping Town is a thriving port on the Sea of Dorne. The kingsroad runs north from Storm's End to King's Landing in the crownlands.

## Recent History

In the year 131 AC, Borros Baratheon is slain in the final battle of the Dance and his wife Elenda Caron assumes the regency, along with the Lords Tarth and her brother, Lord Caron. They would rule the Stormlands for the next 16 years. Two years after the establishing of the regency, Maris and Elyn Baratheon had both beien married off to different Lords and brought away, Cassandra Baratheon grew concerned. One night she is discovered with a knife in the room of Royce Baratheon, but is stopped by two guards. The crime is kept quiet by Elenda Caron, with her silently marrying her daughter of to Ser Hasty, at the urging of her brother. As the year 143 AC dawns, Royce Baratheon grows into adolescence, he soon shows that he is much of what is expected by a Baratheon. Stubborn, strong and prideful, he soon wishes for more control, though the council remained adamant that he is still too young. The following year a grand feast is held to celebrate the young Lords 14th name day. This is where he was to choose a woman to marry, with their having been many Wyldes amongst them. But he rebuked each one eventually choosing to marry the daughter of Lord Tarth.

With the Blue Dragon Revolt occuring, Lord Caron rides to negotiate with the Wyldes. The only welcome that he receives at the Rainhouse, is one of arrows. Hearing of this and being outraged, the young Royce Baratheon manages to push through against his regents and calls his banners. Only the Carons and those of House Tarth truly answer his call, many other Lords in the Stormlands do not act against the Wyldes, for many have marriage ties or some sort of agreement with them. But the Mertyns of Mistwood elect to join the Baratheons against their overlords and battle is met. It would be a clear victory for the Baratheons, with it often being  remembered as more a slaughter than anything else. The Mertyns manage to take the Rainhouse, slaughtering many of the remaining Wyldes. Lord Royce Baratheon himself would give the Mertyns the Rainhouse, with the two remaining male Wyldes being executed. The rest where given to the faith or had already married into Houses in the Stormlands. Lord Royce would forever be known as the Rainstorm and to be a great warrior and commander. The Mertyns built up the Rainhouse into a new and large port, with it soon becoming the Rainport. A port that would eventually surpass the Weeping Town in the Stormlands. But after the most recent dornish war, attacks on the Rainwood by dornishmen have increased. The many Lords of the Rainwood have found themselves discontent with the rule of the Baratheons and the new power in the Mertyns. Many of them hold the blood of House Wylde and so seek some form of vengeance against the Mertyns.

Lord Royce Baratheon would reach his 16th nameday and the regency would end. Lady Elenda would leave the Stormlands a changed woman, having seen the death of a daughter and having lost all contact with the other three. It was said the regency had marked her more than anything else. Lord Royce Baratheon would soon thereafter marry Lord Tarths daughter. Two years later, Elenda Caron, who had ruled the Stormlands in all but name for many years, passes away peacefully in her sleep. It was said that her last comfort was being able to speak to her remaining daughter once more. When Baela I Targaryen was crowned, Lord Royce Baratheon would travel to King's Landing. There the two would have a quick friendship and they healed the rift that occurred during the Dance. Royce Baratheon made an oath of eternal loyalty, with Lord Mertyns being made Master of Laws for the new queen. Eventually in 183 AC, during the war with the Stepstones, Lord Royce Baratheon dies to Alyn IIs blade. Lord Baratheon is remembered as a ruthless but well liked man. Often he was likened to Orys Baratheon, the founder of the titular House.

In the year 208 AC, as War was brewing with Dorne, something that became noticeable that the Marchers had already readied their men. The Stormlands would lose many men, with the Weeping Town being sacked horrendously. But it was unleashed hundredfold against the Dornish, with many atrocities being committed, especially by the Marcher Lords. They would find themselves heavily rewarded, with a Caron being raised to Warden of the Sands and being granted Kingsgrave, once of the now extinct House Manwoody.

The Weeping Town and the Rainport would both see an increase in Trade over the last decades, with the fall of the Pirate Kingdom in the Stepstones and the large destruction of the Dornish ports. The Marches have seen more and more small skirmishes by the Dornish, though who is funding them is unknown. Regardless, these attacks do not cease and recently, the young Aelinor Dondarrion was found butchered and mutilated. Perhaps a sign of the growing attacks.