Vendrick Longthorpe

Name:
Ser Vendrick Longthorpe

Nickname:
The Ivory Knight (tournaments)
The Ivory Falcon (glory days)
The Ivory Fool (today)

Age:
57

Gender:
Male

Species:
Human

Allegiance to House:
House Arryn of the Vale

Role to House:
Retired Knight

Personality:
Ser Vendrick is an eccentric knight to say the least, a once great man now slowly slipping into the madness that comes with age. Still the elderly lad cares little for the loss of his mind, taking comfort that certain memories troubling him will likely fade in the coming years. His thoughts are more often in the past than in the present, to the glory days of the Ivory Falcon who stood shoulder to shoulder with Barristan the Bold in the War of the Ninepenny Kings. His mind is often adrift to the time spend in the Kingswood, chasing down the brigand bands of the Smiling Knight. Melancholy is strong in this one but the years have made his contributions to the king’s peace grow, at least according to the boastful tales of Ser Vendrick. Every story he tells is boldly exaggerated, the number of adversaries growing with each telling and the foes ever increasing in their ferocity, which in turn makes his own exploits seem more grand and heroic. Story telling today are his main source of income as the retired knight from Longsister sings his tales for ale and coin…

Before his mind slipped beyond his grasp, Vendrick was a brave man whose courage knew no limits and whose loyalties knew no bounds. Ever a sworn sword of the Vale, he spend his days performing his duties without argument or complaint. When a champion was required, his sword was the first to be offered on each occasion to fight on behalf of his king, his lord or his family; when the horns of war were sounded, Ser Vendrick ever stood in the vanguard, ready to lay his life down for the defense of his king and House though it was never for pure motivations that he embarked on such journeys. In truth Ser Vendrick yearned for the thrill of battle, for it was amidst the chaos of war one could earn the laurels he so desired. Ever he fought not for the honor or glory of his House but for the name it awarded him and the reputation that preceded him wherever he ventured next. When he arrived in taverns and was recognized as the Ivory Falcon, his heart would skip a beat and his pride would swell two fold but the true award that came with his courage were women. In his prime, Ser Vendrick was one to indulge in all earthly pleasure, food, drink and the women who’d showed him even the slightest hint of favor. When willing ladies were not at hand, the Longthorpe knight would seek his comfort in the embrace of professionals for all the brothels in the Seven Kingdoms have likely been visited by the Ivory Knight...

There was a time though when Ser Vendrick Longthorpe truly abided the knightly code and the chivalry that such title accompanied; a time when he was a happily married man fighting solely for the duty he owed his House, his Lord and His King. Once he was a wedded man, his heart belonging to a fair lady of House Cuy of Sunhouse in the Reach, yet the Seven never smiled upon their relation. The lady was truly beautiful and kind hearted with a radiant smile only outshone by the sun but faith had denied her the pleasures of motherhood. Ser Vendrick watched his dear lady grow sour as the years slipped by fruitless; her affections came less frequent and her temper ever more violent when she remained denied a child. Then after nine years the Seven blessed her with a pregnancy only to have it become her death. With his lady lost to him and his unborn child never strong enough to draw his first breath, Vendrick forfeited the thought of love and embraced lust as its replacement. From that day forth he became a wandering knight, roaming the Seven Kingdoms in pursuit of battle so he’d one day be rejoined with his family…

Physical Description:
Vendrick is a tall yet thin man, more a walking skeleton than a brawny knight and yet some of his old prestige remains. His stature is proud, chest puffed out, back straightened and head held high regardless of the burdens time has placed upon his shoulders. A man his size and figure does feature a striking resemblance to a walking skeleton as the muscles are few on his bones and the bulk of his posture has worn away with age. What remains of his once athleticism resides in those corded sinews that mark his posture but don’t mistake his slender build for weakness. There’s power remaining in those arms of his, a strength to hack apart an enemy shield and bring a foe to his knees. Some say it’s the might of that generation, the fortitude of heroes like Barristan the Bold and in another time the Ivory Falcon…

While he might no longer hold those imposing looks that earned him such fame in his prime, Vendrick’s charismatic looks have not completely failed him. His hair once the color of the finest gold turned silver with age, giving him a regal look similar to the Targaryen dynasty he once served. True the hair on the top of his head has been growing thin over the years, most fail to notice it because of the more prominent features on his expression. Vendrick in his youth grew a full beard, thick and luscious the same golden shade as his hair yet today such trait had to make room for another; a comically curled goatee marks his chin moving like the rolling waves reminiscent of his homeland on Longsister in the Vale. The same curls return at the end of his silver moustache that turns upward along his cheeks…

Time has not been kind to the Ivory Knight for his face and body have become a map marked by the years. Thin and brittle like parchment his skin has become near translucent in its pale complexion that only shows a blush when Vendrick once more looked too deeply in his cup. His bones are showing through his skin, making him truly an “Ivory” man if one ignores the growing number of liver spots adding some darkness to his ghostly appearance. There are many scars to be found across his body, the gravest being the dented scar where a crossbow bolt punctured a hole in his gut. White lines like a spider’s web are traced across his flesh, old cuts inflicted in battle, mended gashes and old scratches from arrows, swords and spears alike during the many years he fought in the Vale’s armies…

Fashion wise Ser Vendrick remains the Ivory Knight, ever and always clad in the white armor of his ancestors yet not by his own choosing. The cloths on his back are all he has today, from the dusty old tabard in the noble colors of House Longthorpe (black and white with three seashells sown on his chest) to the ivory enamel plate armor battered and broken by the years. Silver main, fixed more often than he cares to admit sits between the tabard and the armor for additional protection yet it counts more holes than a block of cheese. An impressive shield is strapped to his back, today seldom used as its weight puts too much stress on the elderly lad’s tired bones. To complete the picture, Ser Vendrick carries a helmet with him, a frog-mouth helmet that fully encloses the head with but an upturned slit reserved for the eyes. It’s the Ivory’s Falcon’s tournament helmet reserved only for special occasions…

Powers and Abilities:
Like any knight in the Seven Kingdoms, Vendrick endured numerous hours of intense training in every aspect of warfare, including jousting, dueling swords and stratagem. From horseback the Ivory Knight ever proved the greatest threat for with a lance could skewer his foe in the eye whilst galloping at full speed. Polearms did hold a special place in his arsenal, but as the years went by he found his arms growing tired under their immense weight. In the days of his prime some believed his talent for the sword was only rivalled by Ser Barristan the Bold but today Vendrick no longer possesses the vigor needed to fight for hours without pause. In a duel however, if one finds a moment when his senses aren’t dulled by the drink, Ser Vendrick will still prove quite the challenge even for a man half his age. Where the years have weakened his body, they’ve honed his expertise allowing him to better understand his adversary in order to anticipate their next move. For strategy the Ivory Knight always lacked the patience, preferring to ride into battle head on rather than take the long way around for a flanking maneuver that brings the element of surprise…

While his armor is ivory in color, Ser Vendrick’s tongue is silver without a doubt as the man ever had an exceptional talent for spinning a tale. The lad can bend a story, twist the facts and alter the details in such an elegant manner that they add intrigue and spectacle to even the dullest of tales. A tavern brawl told from his lips sounds as grand as the battle on the Ruby Ford told by a maester, giving the Ivory Knight a certain renown as a bard. Over the years Vendrick boasted about his own accomplishments, turning his history into legend along with great knights he once fought beside. It’s from his tongue the heroics of Barristan the Bold became so generally known in Westeros, that so many know Ser Brynden Tully as the Blackfish and one must look far beyond the Seven Kingdoms to find a tavern and brothel that does not know of the Ivory Knight. In his glory days, the days after the fall of the Ninepenny Kings and the Kingswood Brotherhood the people sang off of the Ivory Falcon, the silver spear that followed in the wake of Barristan the Bold to cut down the enemies of the crown. Today that same story is told by the man whose hands were responsible for those deeds to keep his legend alive…

Strengths:
With age comes knowledge and considering Vendrick has seen more years than most in his position, one can indeed presume the Ivory Knight has extensive knowledge regarding the affairs of the Seven Kingdoms. Much like a maester dedicates his life to his studies, Vendrick devoted his time and efforts to learning all he could about the noble Houses of Westeros. He knows them by name, words, sigil and any current member in their household, from the lowly stable boys to highborn lords and ladies. His understanding of the inter-house politics is wondrous, having witnessed a significant amount of those affairs first hand. Having seen most knights earn their stripes in person, he knows the worth of each individual based on his own impressions or those from his extensive group of contacts in the Seven Kingdoms. Having frequented more brothels than anyone, with the exception of King Robert himself perhaps, Vendrick also knows the dirty secrets and preferences of certain nobles since whores have a fondness to talk to the elderly knight who pays generous during his visits. He knows the gays pretending to be happily wedded husbands, knows the deviants with sickening appetites and he even overheard dangerous rumors that might disturb the current peace…

Beside his general knowledge on the Seven Kingdoms, one often forgets that Vendrick Longthorpe was once a renowned knight who’d seen countless battles, many of which ended victoriously by his contributions to those battlefields. His skill rivalled that of Barristan the Bold, having earned him many laurels in the Vale’s heavy cavalry with lance and several tournament trophies as a swordsman in the melee. It’s true that many of his victories in battle were awarded to the might of his greatsword ‘Lily’s Blessing’ as with that brilliant sword in his hand he became a true menace on the field of battle. In the War of the Ninepenny Kings he held off the Golden Company singlehanded when Barristan Selmy was engaged in his heroic duel with Maelys the Monstrous. During the war against the Kingswood Brotherhood his shield fended off the arrows of Fletcher Dick and Ulmer, the latter he took captive to be judged for his crimes while the other died on Lily’s Blessing. True many of these great feats are far in the past but the years have not dulled the edge of his blade or his knightly prowess…

Weaknesses:
Vendrick’s greatest weakness lies in his past for the years have been most unkind for the knight of Longsister. He has seen too many horrors and endured too much sorrow to remain unaffected by the wicked kiss of the Stranger. Nightmares haunt his dreams, depriving him of desperately needed rest while memories stalk him during his every waking moment. Regrets towards the wife and unborn son he lost, poison his fortitude and drove him towards the demons that trouble him to this day. He drowns his worries with ale and wine, letting the drink ward off the ghosts of his past. He eases his agony of his broken heart with whores and courtesans, finding comfort in the sympathy women offer a man of his age. Melancholy is his greatest enemy, making him live in the past rather than the present. He’s a knight without a lord to serve, his greatest deeds all in the past with nothing more than his stories to remind folks of his accomplishments. It’s as if he needs to remind himself constantly of those years past now that his memory is starting to fail him…

A second weakness stems from the foundations of the knighthood code and is found within the heart of this elderly knight. Vendrick once was what’s considered a true knight and with that comes a strong moral code integrated in the essence of his life. When innocents are danger, this knight is honor bound to come out of retirement to intervene on their behalf, regardless of the odds he might be facing. When women are threatened, it is his solemn duty to stand champion on their behalf. And when a challenge is made, a true knight must always accept for the sake of honor and justice. Vendrick might no longer wear a cloak to signify where his alliances lie, might no longer wield a sword on command of his lord, but deep down beneath the drink and the boasts he remains a knight who made a solemn vow before the Seven and the King on the Iron Throne. He’ll bend the code however far he possibly can stretch those ancient moral laws, but when backed into corner and forced to look into a mirror he’ll always see that Ivory Falcon staring back at him…

Weapons of Choice:


Every knight dreams one day holding a of a Valyrian steel sword to call his own and yet Ser Vendrick Longthorpe would never trade his own blade for such a device. However sharp Valyrian steel’s edges are, their keen bite is easily rivaled by the “Lily’s Blessing” which possesses a most curious silver gleam that hints at its deathly nature. How the steel came to wield such brilliance it unknown, its secret having died with the nameless blacksmith that awarded his finest creation to the Ivory Falcon. Still the metal holds many secrets, the first being its origins, the true mystery that died with its creator yet many believe it too was crafted from the material of a fallen star like Dawn. Second comes the process that granted its stinging edge, yet Vendrick knows this blade was quenched in oil and twice tempered to award it such fine edge. Third comes its design for the Lily’s Blessing is a greatsword without equals in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. The blade reaches an impressive 36 inches while the sword’s total length exceeds 46 inches, granting a comfortable grip for both hands in battle. At the ricasso the silver metal is 47mm yet growing slender at the waist, just like its thickness varies from the guard towards the tip. A single deep fuller sits amidst the blade’s lower half, while the ricasso itself features dual thorns that add a personal touch to this grand sword. The guard was constructed out of gold heated steel that contrasts with the blue and silver wire wrap grip of the handle. On the pommel a humble orb is set, its butt marked with the fine etchings picturing a blossoming lily…

Armor of Choice:
In his glory days Ser Vendrick Longthorpe was known as the Ivory Falcon for the splendid white armor he bore and mighty greatshield he carried into battle. There’s no suit of plate armor in the Seven Kingdoms like the Longthorpe ancestral raiment, not because of its quality but for the ivory coat of enamel that grants the steel its white finish. It’s a perfect example of Maximillian armor, white armor without a surcoat in plain steel decorated with many flutings. Small fan-shaped narrow and parallel fluting, subtle bends and ridges in the plate work not only aim to deflect the points and blades of assailants, but also to strengthen the structural integrity of the armor. Most would have the natural beauty of the steel shine, simply polishing the metal yet the Longthorpe family decided to coat the cuirass, pauldrons, grieves and vambraces in a thick white enamel similar to those of the King’s Guard. It’s the most priced belonging of their House, their sole treasure yet today this grand design has lost many of its ancient laurels due to intense use in harsh conditions. Rush has found a way to creep beneath the white lacquer and the steel, leaving horrible discolorations of corrosion to be found near the joints of the armor. Some of the ivory enamel has flaked away, chips now revealing the bare metal underneath but the most substantial damage is found along the right flank of the breastplate. The plate was punctured here by a crossbow bolt, that left the metal severely bend around the big fissure in the steel. All around the gap rust and dried blood marks the white armor like a blemish on the heirloom…

While the ancestral armor of House Longthorpe once included a majestic white enamel kite shield, that particular heirloom was long lost upon an ancient battlefield. To replace this loss, each second son of the family, the son destined to become a knight commissioned a new shield made tailored to their hand. For Ser Vendrick this resulted in the Falcon Wall, a mighty greatshield of a rectangular design that slightly bends inward on the edges. The shield was made out of ironwood, which makes it incredibly heavy with a natural black color. The sides of the shield are strengthened with thick iron bands riveted to the strong wood and yet its name was earned because of the grand design featured on its surface. Standing in the ebony heart of this greatshield a proud falcon spreads its wings across the wood; constructed out of metal shards carefully assembled to portrait the proud animal of House Arryn, the falcon is an homage to the overlord his own House serves since the birth of their name…

Horse:


Most knights go through horses faster than a fire goes through kindling, having one steed after the next fall beneath them on the battlefield. Many fine destriers are lost on the tournament grounds, by an ill aimed lance or to the one successful at throwing them from the saddle. Ser Vendrick Longthorpe on that regard greatly differs from his peers for during the past thirty years he’s been loyal to the same animal bred from his home stables in Longsister. Back home, the old stable master Lusitano had purchased a young white foal to breed with but the creature proved too wild and hot tempered. In the hope to break its spirit, the lad was about to geld the poor animal and would have succeeded in doing so if not for the intervention of Vendrick. For near ten months the young knight would spend his days training the horse, trying to turn a bewildered beast into a fine stallion to ride to battle on. When its training was complete, Vendrick had the stable master gelded and named his horse in the man’s memory. Lusitano today has just seen its thirty third year in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and many of those years were spend on the many battlefields throughout the land. Its ferocity and wild spirits allowed it to survive those many dangerous years but now like his knight, Lusitano has grown old and tired. The horse has lost a lot of his glory, dark spots shown on its silver fur while its golden mane is now more ash than straw in complexion. It can no longer carry the weight of Vendrick clad in armor for more than a couple of hours, nor can it endure days of swift riding without pause. Lusitano however still has some good years left, much like its master and will continue till its final breath at Vendrick’s side for every knight in shiny armor has need of a white stallion to ride on…

Background History:
When ask to seek the island of Longsister on a map, it takes many hours to find the tiny dot on the immense map of Westeros and yet it’s from this humble isle in the Bite that a legend came forth. Longsister is barely a stone rising from the sea and yet it was a well-known place to some folks, folks of a darker ambition who smuggle wares from the many alcoves on this island. Overlooking these activities was House Longthorpe, a noble family serving as vassals to House Arryn of the Vale who ruled from the safe confines of a wooden hill fort on a steep cliff. Few ever held the Longthorpe family in high regard, according to folklore they were neither noble nor knightly, merely smugglers with friends in high places and yet a new generation was about to change the House’s stigma. On a dark stormy eve the lady gave birth to sons, twins though not identical and named them Roland and Vendrick. Roland was the first to see the light and was hence considered first born and heir to House Longthorpe. Vendrick was born the second son and that entailed his destiny was the sword. Curious how a matter of seconds could determine the course of a man’s life and yet Vendrick never had any regrets from being born second to his brother. Roland became lord and Vendrick became knight, so was their duty…

Most young lads seeking knighthood go through three stages in their training, from the private practice under the tutelage of the House’s master at arms till becoming the page under a family member with knightly titles. Then comes the role of squire followed by the awarded title of Ser when they’re found fit for such station. For Vendrick things went very different as his family lacked a master at arms or relatives bearing the knightly title. He first began his training in the dungeons, where the jailor of House Longthorpe taught the young boy how to swing a sword. Evidently his training here was gravely lacking, the skills of a lowly guard ever being limited in comparison to fabled men as Duncan the Tall or Serwyn of the Mirror Shield. But the boy showed promise, his cuts clean and his thrusts strong but it would take many years before his true potential was revealed. When the boy turned nine, his father pretended to have found Vendrick a knight under whom to continue his training. The truth however was far bleaker, as his family owed a substantial debt to House Lynderly of the Vale, who’d demanded a hostage until payment was fulfilled. That hostage was Vendrick and he went willingly expecting to truly learn what it meant to be a knight. The reality was grim indeed compared the boy’s dreams for arriving in Snakewood he realized the nature of his situation…

The relationship with House Lynderly was frigid at first, Vendrick being treated like a prisoner in their drafty holdfast rather than a ward of noble birth. They made him work in the barracks, scrubbing armor and sharpening blades yet Vendrick considered it training in the world of fantasy he’d created to cope with his situation. Still favor smiled upon the Longsister’s second son. During a hunting party the Lynderly men invited their ward to accompany them, seeing fit to humiliate the boy of House Longthorpe in front of their friends in the Vale by making him carry their supplies. Vendrick reluctantly did just that and found opportunity in those dark forests around Snakewood. The riders were stalking a great elk buck for days, tracking the fierce beasts through the woods along narrow trails where briars had overgrown the paths. Young Jon Lynderly was send to flank the beast, taking Vendrick along with the extra spears from the hunting party but found a viper crossing its path instead. His horse startled and throw off the heir of Snakewood whose leg broke on impact. Then came the horns followed by the trampling thunder of elk hooves crashing through the underbrush. The mighty beast caught sight of the fallen noble’s son and charged with fierce antlers aimed to kill yet never found its intended target. Vendrick who’d ran after the startled horse, rode in full gallop through the woods, picked up a spear from his fallen pack and with one clean thrust pinned the elk to an elm tree. Jon Lynderly stared in awe at the young lad, as did the hunting party that came upon the scene. From that day forth Vendrick became part of House Lynderly where he served as a squire, just as his father had falsely promised…

For two years Vendrick served as squire to Lord Lynderly yet with the man’s proper training, the ambitious boy quickly outranked even the most able swordsman in the entire household. So the boy was send forth to Heart’s Home, taking the place of the Lord’s own son to squire for Lord Lyonel Corbray. Against a fabled swordsman wielding a Valyrian steel greatsword, Vendrick discovered his true calling and was well on his way to becoming a knight whose name would be noted in the annals of time. Every day he’d train and every day he’d make progress yet the true test of his skill would take place on a battlefield far away from Heart’s Home. When King Jaehaerys II Targaryen called his banners to send forth an army to meet the Blackfyre Pretenders, Lord Corbray complied and brought along his seventeen year old squire. To the Stepstones they traveled where Vendrick’s first true challenge awaited. The odds were not in their favor that day for the Blackfyre Pretenders under command of Maelys Blackfyre had brought along near half the Golden Company. Lord Corbray send forth his bannermen but found strong resistance from the sellswords, but in the chaos of battle lord and squire got separate. Vendrick found himself amidst the mercenary ranks, deep in the heart of the Golden Company when several brave knights forced a wedge in the sellsword ranks. Barristan Selmy led the charge, bravery personified as he hacked and cut himself a path to the last Blackfyre pretender. Vendrick followed this charge closely and found one knight after the next falling till only Barristan remained at the head of the wedge and himself to cover the rear. Fear faded in that moment and found within him the strength that makes heroes. Vendrick turned his horse around, drew his blade and stood in the gap the king’s knights had cut through the Golden Company. Barristan Selmy faced the Blackfyre Pretender whilst Vendrick held the foes from his back. With glorious blade he’d been given by Lord Corbray, the Lily’s Blessing and the white enameled armor of his House, Vendrick Longthorpe became the Ivory Falcon for atop his horse he rode through those ranks with the ease of a falcon crossing the skies, picking off one assailant after the other with the sharp sting of his sword. He held that line, took many hits in the process yet refused to abandon his post until Barristan Selmy claimed victory over Maelys. The Golden Company retreated when their client had fallen and standing amongst the death many heroes were born. Ser Brynden Tully who’d fought valiant on the vanguard, Ser Barristan Selmy that day becoming Barristan the Bold and Vendrick Longthorpe who became Ser Vendrick Longthorpe, the Ivory Falcon…

After his impressive feat on the Stepstones, Ser Vendrick Longthorpe returned home to the isle of Longsister when news had come of his father’s passing. Roland Longthorpe inherited all his father’s lands and titles yet in this time of mourning he had need of brother. Vendrick returned and found a warm welcome awaiting him. For a moment it seemed more a feast for the Ivory Knight’s return than a wake for a lord’s passing yet if not for the second son’s deeds on the Stepstones their House would have remained an unremarkable spot on the maps of Westeros. Vendrick did not know however what his brother had arranged and found himself greeted by a number of curious banners that he could not place. A blue banner with six yellow flowers, argent with an eagle head between two crossed tridents, three candles on a grey field bordered with black, all banners he was unfamiliar with greeted him on the docks of Longsister along with his brother smiling. Their father’s death wasn’t truly a mournful occasion, the man ever having been a hated individual and it seemed his funeral merely served as an excuse for a bigger event. Roland had redecorated the hill fort, the place seemed bigger and cleaner than ever before but most noticeable of all were the heirlooms being on display. When entering the great hall Vendrick knew what his brother intended for three ladies stood there waiting for him. Lady Lilyana Cuy of Sunhouse, Lady Minerva Waxley of Wickenden and Lady Tasha Condon, these were the three ladies his brother had selected for him to take as his bride. One from the Vale, elegant and wealthy; one from the North, strong and confident but it was the one from the Reach, beautiful and kind hearted that stole his heart when their eyes met. Beauty does strange things to a man, leaving them speechless and more nervous than the threat of death ever could, or so it felt for the Ivory Knight when he first greeted Lady Lilyana. The next day the two other ladies returned homeward and the next week Vendrick and Lilyana were wedded in the wooden sept of Longsister. True love some called it yet true love in the stories is told to overcome everything but not in their case…

Their marriage started out happily, the love between Lilyana and Vendrick practically tangible as they embarked on their live together in a modest tower on Longsister. Vendrick was given command of House Longthorpe’s guard, a minor task for a man of his renown yet one happily embraced with the support of his loving wife. Their love suffered a painful blow however when their need for children remained a fruitless effort. Lady Lilyana desired a child above all other things and for nine years they tried desperately for blessing of parenthood but with the years slipping by their love began to crack under the stress of this obstacle. Lilyana grew frustrated and distant, ill-tempered and vindictive and this resulted in Vendrick’s visits to the marital bed becoming less frequent. The years went by and when Lilyana finally received the Mother’s blessing that brought her the pleasures of motherhood. King Aerys II Targaryen at that time struggled with outlaws in the Kingswood, renegades and brigands lurking in the forests and robbing nobles and merchants of their coin and treasures. With his renown Vendrick was summoned to King’s Landing to aid in the task of dealing with the Kingswood Brotherhood and set forth on this journey whilst leaving his wife heavy with child in the care of his brother. A decision that the Ivory Knight came to regret, from that day forth and till the end of his days…

Two months the journey took from Longsister to King’s Landing as the sea proved a cruel mistress indeed to the battered ship that carried him towards the capital. It was good to be away from that tiny isle however, out in the fresh air with adventure once more on the horizon. The thrill of battle ever present, fear hanging in the air as death remains the sole constant in those days to come. Once more he walked upon the open road towards certain doom, clad in the white enameled armor of his House, the glamorous sword Lily’s Blessing strung to his belt with that heavy shield swung onto his back. Once more he stood beside Ser Barristan the Bold who now bore a white cloak. Ser Arthur Dayne led this mission into the shadows of the Kingswood were the Brotherhood resided. For months they ventured in those woods, seeking out the men that moved like ghosts amongst those trees, ever a step ahead of the envoy King Aerys sent. The smallfolk were aiding them, Ser Arthur knew and so the course of their mission was altered. Arthur traveled to the villages and gained their trust while Barristan patrolled the roads. Vendrick himself moved from one tavern to the next trying to find the Kingswood Brotherhood spies lurking in their shadows. When word came for the attack, Vendrick once more found himself lost, not directionally this time but caught between the crossfire of two deathly archers feathering him with arrows from all sides; Dick and Ulmer were their names according to the whispers and their aim was perfect even in these dense woods, finding Vendrick wherever he tried to hide. The sole reason he endured the onslaught of these shrouded archers was the Falcon Wall, the stout shield Vendrick carried with him that deflected each of the Brotherhood’s deathly projectiles. In truth Barristan and Arthur had used the Longthorpe knight as a diversion, draw the eyes towards him whilst the King’s guard snuck up behind the outlaws. Still Vendrick held his position, slowly pushing forward towards the position of Ulmer and Dick, the latter getting caught beneath the sharp edge of the Lily’s Blessing while the first surrender on the sight of his teacher’s death. Vendrick once more earned his laurels in battle but this time the reward was no knighthood. No upon his return to King’s Landing dark words arrived on dark wings telling him of the death of his wife and unborn son. Grief struck the Ivory Knight, a knife twisted in his gut that led him onto a dark path. Vendrick moved from tavern to tavern in the capital drowning his sorrows whilst he looked for answers at the bottom of each cup. The moments his mind wasn’t marinated in spiced wines, he sought comfort in the arms of whores and courtesans who gained every coin he ever earned. The Ivory Knight became an Ivory Fool, a man of such renown having fallen so low, trading honor for a kiss and stories for mead to cleanse his mind from the price he paid for upholding his knightly vows and obeying his king’s command…

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