Harlon Greyjoy

## Personality

### Personality Description

He is best described as patient, quiet, observative, and honest. As a Greyjoy or rather Ironborn in general he has no respect for the current Targaryens and their contemporaries and he is known among his men to observe others and how they act before deciding upon an action. He is also rather known to make it clear whether or not he likes someone though the way he phrases said truths often confuse others. Though unless he is directly spoken to or he has a reason to speak he often prefers to stand in the background watching how the tensions rise and fall. Another trait that is of note is that he is sadistic and whenever one betrays his trust or slights him he often ensures that they suffer the most gruesome death possible. What many of his enemies have also found out is that he has the patience to wait for an opportune moment to strike, waiting for an advantage to give maximum effect.

### Goals and Motivation

His goal is quite simply to restore the reputation of the Iron Isles as a fearsome land of raiders and sailors. He would gain the Ironborn the respect they deserve and build the largest fleet Westeros had ever seen in that pursuit. Westeros would be plunged into Steel, Fire, and Song once more if he had his way.

### Reputation

Harlon is a mixed bag when it comes to reputation. The Iron Isles praise him for his deeds in Essos and his founding of the Drowned Knights. An order of knights that rather than based on the North’s Honor or the Faith of the Seven’s Virtues are instead based on the Tenets of the Drowned God. He is also well known for a physical feature in his left eye that resembles a serpent which his family and a few Drowned Priests attributed to his descent from the Gray King and that the serpent like figure was representative of Nagga . In Essos however he is known to many as The Cursed Heathen for his acts of brutality to his enemies during his raids and also for his acts as a Sellsail.

## Backstory

Harlon Greyjoy was born on a warm night thirty two years ago in the Pyke to Lady nee Greyjoy. His childhood upon the Iron Isles was that of any other. Cold, harsh, and rough. Even the noble children of the Iron Houses while having a much better life than that of their citizens or thralls are still expected to learn much more than just proper etiquette, history, and their neighbors. They are also expected to learn how to sail, command a navy, and fight alongside their raiding parties. This was the childhood of Harlon Greyjoy but it wouldn’t always be a life of learning these things first hand from his father out on the open seas pillaging and raiding. No he would come to recognize the importance of keeping a keen eye on the state of the realm and world. He would supplement his education with the ways of a merchant and the ships of foreigners. All of which would serve him greatly in the years to come.

His teenage years would largely be the same as before though it would be during this time that he’d be given more responsibilities such as planning and directly leading raiding parties. It was during this time that he came to earn the moniker of Cursed Heathen and also were he’d gain much of his experience in fighting & leading men. Besides this he’d also make a habit of capturing Essosi Shipbuilders and various enemy ships incorporating them into the Iron Fleet. Another noteworthy event is that during his teenage years he gained his first Salt Wife and a Qohorik Ax.

However all things must end eventually and soon his father died during a naval engagement. After they had defeated the pirates and given the former Lord Greyjoy a proper Ironborn Funeral at sea they then took the ship and began sailing home so that Greyjoy could claim his birthright. And upon ascending to the position he would enact some new reforms. For one all the Ironborn Fleets were to begin building newer and bigger ships than just longships and that any existing or newly built longships were to be all equipped with a ram. The Iron Fleet would soon begin building larger warships equipped with ballistas and spitfires. He would also form the Drowned Knights. An order of knights who rather than following the North’s Honor or the Virtues of the Seven instead follow The Iron Code. He’d then lastly order the mass planting of trees upon the largest isle of the Iron Isles. Ordering that when the trees were fully grown that they be cut down and replanted so that the Iron Islands have a supply of native wood for their ships. And finally he’d establish a standing Regional Garrison for the Iron Isles of 1,000 Men. During this he’d also foster good relations with the other Iron Houses. The Iron Isles have been dead for what seemed like an eternity and now it is time for them to rise again stronger than their predecessors.