Editing Swords of the Stormlands (section)

= History and Geography =


[[File:Graystone.jpg]]<br>

During the Blackfyre Rebellion, Ser Stefan Styrian was a household knight for house Baratheon. After his vital role in one of the engagements with the Blackfyre pretenders, he was elevated to the nobility by the King, Daeron Targaryen himself, and granted the lands and holdings of one of the Blackfyres bannerhouses, House Toryn.

The next few years Ser Stefan spent building up his base of power, and immediately invested heavily in creating a stable trading port. A town, Tempest Bay, soon rose up around the harbor as trade flourished. The wealth gained from his wise investments was spent on securing his position, soon a great castle, Graystone Keep, had been raised around what had originally been a lighthouse-tower called the Gray Eye. When Ser Stefan died in the year 221 AL, he left plans for an even greater Castle, which he called the Graystones. Areas around the keep are still kept clear and no buildings are permitted there, in anticipation of the greater castle. He also placed emphasis on a capable fleet, able to protect the surrounding trade routes.

His son, William Styrian, did not share his fascination with creating ever greater defenses. He built up a sizable warfleet, ostensibly to maintain peace for trading vessels, but ultimately took his forces to war against several smaller houses in the vicinity that he suspected of harboring or supporting pirates or raiders. Under his rule, house Styrian made a great many enemies, or enemies they already had were forced into the open, depending on who you ask.

William had three legitimate sons, the eldest of which, Byron, eventually took over the day to day running of their holdings, though William himself was a hard, uncompromising man, and refused to give over offical lordship even into great infirmity and some say, senility.

Byron was in his youth a capable warrior, captain of the Harrier, he and his brothers would take their forces and lead the way in eradicating piracy, raiders and any other threats to their houses fortunes. In those days he was happy to leave the ruling to his father and spend his days fighting pirates or rival houses, while enjoying the gratitude of rescued widows and daughters.

In time, he realized that his father was becoming a tyrant, and eventually took it upon himself to give up his youthful ways and start at first contributing, then finally taking over the running of their lands.

Today, House Styrian is a minor house in the Stormlands of Westeros. Their seat of power is Greystone Keep, a good sized castle sited atop a rocky headland promontory jutting into the stormy waters where Shipbreaker Bay opens into the Narrow Sea (Possibly looking something like [http://www.google.com/search?q=Bamburgh+Castle&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=ivnsm&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=X_nMTY7yNY2yhAed2qyADQ&ved=0CF0QsAQ&biw=1151&bih=955 this])

[[Location]]

Recent years have seen catastrophe befall Styrian: a great storm rolled in across the Narrow Sea, catching the merchant and fishing fleets at sea. Lord Byron Styrian dispatched the modest warfleet to escort the hapless vessels back to safe harbor, but despite their brave efforts four fishers and two merchantmen were lost. Worse still, the very ships sent out to rescue were also caught in the heavy seas - and three of the Styrian warships were smashed against the rocks with the loss of all hands. This has been a heavy blow to Styrian's naval power. The storm blew ashore, bringing heavy flooding inland, and destroying several buildings, and even damaging the castle itself.