Gallard Storm

Gallard Storm is the bastard son of Ser Richard Toyne, and is known as the Bastard of the Rainwood

## **Biography**

Gallard Storm was born to Ser Richard Toyne, a member of a lesser branch of House Toyne, and Lanna, a peasant girl in a Rainwood town. Ser Richard was a knight, married to Lady Myra of the House Dondarrion. The two had a child, Gawen, but the resulting birth left Myra unable to produce any more children. This led Richard to grow dissatisfied with the marriage, seeing it as a falsehood, for no more children could be born of it. In order to find what he had lost in that birthing bed, Richard sought it in other's beds, which Lanna provided. She was the daughter of a mill owner and eight years the younger of Richard, despite this, she fell in love with the man.

One night of their dalliances resulted in child, which Lanna informed Richard of. Richard, shocked, sent her away to her father's mill, to raise the child alone. Nine months later, the baby returned to the castle of the Rainwood, but the mother did not. Carried in the arms of the miller, all Richard had was guilt. He could not raise the child in the castle but made sure that the miller was well-paid and protected. Richard would visit the boy, but only occasionally, as he had to take care of the Rainwood as castellan.

With the assistance of a hedge knight, Ser Andrew Strong, Gallard was trained in literacy, swordsmanship, riding, hunting, and all the skills a knight would require. Throughout his young life, Gallard was utterly fit, showing a rare vitality that few possessed. He fought off sickness and injury easily. From his youth to his sixteenth birthday, Gallard was a dark little secret of House Toyne. Finally, he was acknowledged by Ser Richard in a, barely, public display, something that Gallard took almost as an insult. He squired for Ser Andrew for another two years, before they both went off to the War of the Trident.

Gallard fought gallantly in the War of the Trident, despite being looked down upon by his noble commanders, and earned a battlefield knighthood from the campaigns of the Stormlands. He battled in the Claw and in the Dusklands, having served on an expeditionary force in the region, before the betrayal of the two kingdoms. Though he saw the invasion as unjust, Gallard made no questions to his commands. Ser Andrew, however, did. He fled the camp in the night, never to be seen again. Gallard, meanwhile, battled through the region, earning commendation after commendation. The knight served in dozens of battles and earned a few scars for his trouble. On the battlefield, Gallard would fall into a dissonant serenity of focus, seeing through the chaos of battle and into the weaknesses of men. He would be called a berserker, but this natural ability of his made him calmer and more resolute than the average soldier, not angered or bloodthirsty.

He returned home, with a host of honors and war stories, but still found that lords would walk by him without care. In the halls, handmaidens would snicker, knights would turn their noses up, and nobleman would mock. For all that he had done for the kingdom, the honor he had sacrificed, he was still a bastard. It was flung at him like a curse and the once-optimistic Gallard fell to the wayside, as a cynic was born. Gallard would fight in the wars of the Stormlands and lead troops into battle, but no fame or lands came to him. He would sacrifice limbs for his kingdom, but they would not take a scratch for him. Gallard grew self-reliant and infamous in battle. It is said, that in the Storm War, he slew two dozen for every wound he took and was carried off the battlefield still fighting, unyielding and alive, even as the soldiers beside him faltered and died.

Gallard traveled to Harrentown and joined a group of knights, ruffians, and other such scoundrels seeking to make a fortune by questing towards the Isle of Faces. However, all his group found was a key and death. The sole survivor of the group to continue on the quest, Gallard helped defeat the skinchanger at the heart of the island and found himself believing the myths of old. He acquired a tome with ancient writing upon it, kept closely guarded by the skinchanger and his white bear. Gallard, after fighting in skirmishes for either side of the new War for the Trident, began a quest to the Citadel to translate the tome.

## **Timeline**

272 AA: Gallard is born and brought to Ser Richard.

277 AA: Gallard's training with Ser Strong begins.

288 AA: Gallard is acknowledged by Ser Richard.

290 AA: Gallard fights in the War of the Trident.

292 AA: Gallard returns home, still looked down upon as a bastard.

296 AA: Gallard leaves to fight in the Storm War, eventually being injured in his third battle and carried off the battlefield, still fighting. He would not see another battle before the war ended.

298 AA: Present day.