Discord Name: Lake#9538

Name and House: Lord Gunthor Penrose

Age: 44

Cultural Group: Stormlander/Andal

Appearance: A taller man with fading red hair and a messy beard, Lord Gunthor makes no secret of his experience or his disdain for a well-manicured appearance.

Gift(s): Leadership

Skill(s): Armored, Tactician (M), Intimidation, Riding

Negative Trait: N/A

Starting Title(s): Lord of the Parchments

Starting Location: Storm’s End

Alternate Characters: Lord Edwyn Tarly

Biography

In the third moon of 346 AC Gunthor Penrose was born to his parents, Lord Robin Penrose and Lady Alynne Swann, at the Parchments. His first three name days passed in a fairly idyllic way, even for those rain-lashed lands that his father ruled. His mother would bear him a sister in 349 AC, but that would be his last sibling. When Prince Vorian Martell rebelled and King Eddard Baelish raised men to put down that rebellion, his father marched to war and was returned by the silent sisters. He fell in the penultimate moment of the war, killed by a Dornish arrow.

Being a boy of three, Gunthor’s uncle Ser Alesander Penrose assumed the role of regent and ruled the lands of House Penrose while bringing up his nephew alongside his sister-by-marriage. Among one of Ser Alesander’s more impactful decisions, he paid handsomely for the best soldier he could find to provide a martial education for the young Lord of the Parchments. “Robin was never a fighter,” Ser Alesander is recorded telling Lady Alynne, “I won’t have it that Gunthor has the same vulnerabilities.”

As he came of age he was therefore tutored by his uncle Ser Alesander, their maester Cedrik, and the knight his uncle hired Ser Aubrey Blackbar. He grew into a natural leader with remarkable charisma-- at least, the sort of recklessness that only Stormlanders would call charismatic. Ser Aubrey taught him how to ride as only a knight of the Reach could, and how best to wear his armor to protect himself. Maester Cedrik taught him his letters and arithmetic, alongside the other essentials that a young lord ought to know-- the great houses, their rivalries, the history of the Stormlands and its neighbors, sigils and house words from around Westeros.

Lord Gunthor’s regency ended in 362 AC, and as his last act as regent Ser Alesander arranged a betrothal between his charge and a daughter of Lord Dondarrion, Coryanne.

In 364 AC he was married to Lady Coryanne Dondarrion in a modest ceremony at the sept in the Parchments. It would not be long before she bore him a child-- a daughter, named Mary Penrose. Lord Gunthor would dote on his firstborn daughter as any father might, and she had his own red hair.

Even so, a lord must have an heir. His second child, born in 365 AC, turned out also to be a daughter. Young Ellyn Penrose was as pretty as her elder sister, though a much quieter child. At long last in 367 AC a male heir was born to him-- Robin Penrose, named for his grandsire, was every bit as fierce as his sister Mary. There was much rejoicing in the Parchments, and Lord Gunthor threw a feast in celebration.

This chapter of Lord Gunthor’s life was arguably his happiest. Despite the looming war with the Iron Islands, all was well in the Parchments. Two years after the birth of Robin, Lady Coryanne bore another son-- Aubrey, named in honor of the knight who had in part brought Lord Gunthor up after the death of his father.

As the Crown clashed with the Iron Islands, the Stormlands had little part to play in it. Lord Gunthor kept well abreast of the situation, however, directing Maester Cedrik to communicate weekly with the Citadel in an effort to study the tactics of the war. Lord Gunthor learned some from this, but not enough to sate his thirst for knowledge.

Tragedy visited the Parchments in 371 AC. While the realm was at war, Lord Gunthor lost his wife in childbirth. She gave him a daughter before passing away, despite the efforts of Maester Cedrik. Lord Gunthor was inconsolable, and retreated from the public eye with his children for some time while they mourned. He named his third daughter for his late wife, and rightfully so-- of his children, she looked the most like her mother.

Much of the first two years of the 370s were spent searching for a new wife. In 373 AC he would marry Lady Jocelyn Peasebury, again in a more humble ceremony than one might expect. Two years into their union Lady Jocelyn bore twins, Cortnay and Cassana, who were distinct from their half-siblings for their brown hair, rather than red. Cortnay got along with his half-brothers well enough, and Cassana with her half-sisters.

The exertion of bearing twins, however, weakened Lady Jocelyn. Maester Cedrik brewed what potions and poultices he may to get her strength up, but she was far too weak to bear any more children-- something that Lord Gunthor was disappointed to learn.

In 381 AC the Triarchy invaded Dorne in tandem with Brynden’s Rebellion, and Lord Baratheon marshalled his men to march south and relieve Dorne. Though he was too young to remember, he knew what happened when his father marched south to war. His eldest son, Robin, squired for his cousin Ser Ormund Swann, and his second son Aubrey squired for Ser Royland Fell. Three Penroses would thus be involved in the war to some extent, though his sons never drew a blade in anger.

The war with the Triarchy was immensely educational for Lord Gunthor. In several engagements he utilized Ser Aubrey Blackbar’s lessons and knowledge he gleaned from the notes and dispatches from the Iron Islands fighting to lead his men to victory in the Stormlands. He won several engagements due to superior tactical knowledge and his name soon came to intimidate the men of the Triarchy who knew his reputation.

Timeline

346 AC: Born to Robin Penrose and Alynne Swann.

349 AC: Robin Penrose dies in the Hand’s War.

362 AC: Regency of his uncle Ser Alesander ends.

364 AC: Marries Lady Coryanne Dondarrion.

364 AC: Mary Penrose, his first daughter, is born.

365 AC: Ellyn Penrose, his second daughter, is born.

367 AC: Robin Penrose, his first son, is born.

369 AC: Aubrey Penrose, his second son, is born.

371 AC: Coryanne Penrose, his third daughter, is born-- but at the cost of his wife’s life.

373 AC: Marries Lady Jocelyn Peasbury.

375 AC: The fraternal twins Cortnay and Cassana Penrose are born.

381 AC: Fought in the Dornish-Triarchy War, alongside his sons Robin and Aubrey.

385 AC: His uncle Ser Alesander is taken captive by the Triarchy and spends the war in Lys.

385 AC: The war ends in the Stormlands’ favor.

390 AC: Ventures on to King’s Landing for King Edmund’s farewell feast.

391 AC: Marches the men of the Parchments alongside his sons Ser Aubrey and Ser Cortnay to Storm’s End at the behest of Lord Baratheon.

Family Tree

(Immediate Family)

• Lord Gunthor Penrose (b. 346 AC)

• Lady Coryanne Dondarrion (b. 348 AC, d. 371 AC)

  • Lady Mary Penrose (b. 364 AC) (Ser Jaremy Wendwater, 2 daughters)
  • Lady Ellyn Penrose (b. 365 AC) ( Lord Abelar Grandison)
  • Ser Robin Penrose (b. 367 AC) ( Lady Victaria Wylde, 1 male child)
  • Ser Aubrey Penrose (b. 369 AC)
  • Lady Coryanne Penrose (b. 371 AC) (Betrothed with Lord Roland Selmy)

• Lady Jocelyn Peasebury (b. 360 AC)

  • Cortnay Penrose (b. 375 AC) (Betrothed with Argella Staedmon)
  • Cassana Penrose (b. 375 AC) (Betrothed with Garon Seaworth)

(Extended Family)

• Ser Alesander Penrose - Uncle (b. 325 AC)

• Lady Marya Fell (b. 330 AC, d. 349 AC)

  • Baby Penrose (b. 348 AC, d. 348 AC)
  • Baby Penrose (b. 349 AC, d. 349 AC)

• Lady Lucinda Rogers (b. 335 AC)

  • Ser Morton Penrose (b. 336 AC) ( Lady Laenor Errol, 1 daughter, 1 son)
  • Ser Willis Penrose (b. 337 AC) ( Lady Mylenda Gower, 1 sickly son)

• Ser Byron Penrose - Uncle (b. 328 AC)

• Lady Elenda Swygert (b. 330 AC)

  • Ser Harrold Penrose (b. 350 AC) ( Lady Joy Buckler, 4 girls [1 mute], 1 boy [crippled])
  • Lady Aelinor Penrose (b. 353 AC)

Supporting Characters

Maester Cedrik (Scholar): Though much older than when he delivered Lord Gunthor, Maester Cedric remains an important part in the household.

Ser Robin Penrose (Cavalry General): Lord Gunthor’s heir takes after his father, most comfortable in the saddle and in the midst of a fight.

Ser Jon Fell (Warrior - Swords): Lord Gunthor’s former squire and sworn sword, Ser Jon is a skilled swordsman. Having grown up at the Parchments, he is close with the Penrose household and like another son to his liege.

Ser Aubrey Penrose (Warrior - Swords): Ser Aubrey takes after his namesake more than his father, having taken to swordsmanship foremost of anything. He can often be found with his childhood friend, Ser Jon Fell.

Ser Sebastion Rogers (Navigator): A retainer of Lord Gunthor’s skilled in the art of reading maps and who knows the Rainwood better than most men, Ser Sebastion was an important part of Lord Gunthor’s victories in the Dornish-Triarchy War and remains a close advisor.