Post by Ser Zaric Blackmont on May 18, 2008 18:40:33 GMT -5
Name: Aeron Velaryon
Age: 26
Nationality: Dragonstone
Byname: The Black Bard and Whispers
Appearance
Aeron has always been short and diminutively slender for a man his age, barely standing five and a half feet in height and weighing little more than one hundred pounds. A thick and lustrous mane of raven hair frames his handsome face. His high cheekbones, thin lips, and button nose are aristocratic but effeminate, only the masculine chin of his father brings it all together into an undeniable comeliness. No amount of sunlight will darken his fair skin, the paleness of which highlights his eyes, the vibrant lilac unique to the blood of ancient Valyria.
Personality
Aeron is obsessive and passionate about everything he does, forgetting to eat or sleep until he can finish the last stanza of a poem or daring the waters surrounding Eastwatch at midnight on a moonless night if it will give him a few more minutes peace at Sea. The chatty and charming lothario of old has mellowed into a more introspective artisan, which has helped infuse his writings with even more tragedy and inspiration. A smile is never far from Aeron’s face these days, especially not with the deck of a rolling ship beneath him, or his gentle prodding of his brothers for their life stories. The Black Bard has found a niche and a warm welcome in the Night’s Watch.
History
Aeron was born the second son of Lord Arys Velaryon of Driftmark and his wife, Lady Rhaelle (nee Selmy). Born almost two months premature, Aeron barely survived his entrance into the world and he remained perpetually small for his age growing up. His delicate build precluded him from the martial training his father, a fearsome warrior in his own right, demanded of his sons. But there was no mistaking his precocity and so to make his son more useful to the house, Lord Arys placed Aeron under the tutelage of his Maester and Steward to educate and develop his talents. For the first eight years of his life, Aeron had very little contact with his father, spending most of his days devouring books and learning all that he could of the world. Although he had an orderly and analytical mind well-suited to the running of a household or business enterprise, it was during these formative years that he developed his passion for literature ripe with epic poems, ballads, and great flights of fantasy, that would influence him heavily as he grew and matured.
The green waters surrounding Driftmark had always held a fascinating and captivating beauty for Aeron, but he could never find a way to express his feelings until he first stood at the helm of a ship shortly after his ninth birthday. The natural high he was infused with while using the knowledge of the heavens, the whimsical blessings of the winds, and mastery over the vessel to conquer even the mighty Sea was overwhelming, and Aeron felt as passionate a love for sailing as he had ever felt for his poems and stories. This was something his father could well understand, and it was the one thing that had brought them together. Aeron was always with him to speak with the master shipwrights, to take a new ship out onto the Sea to consecrate it, and when they sailed just for the sheer pleasure of it.
There were few musicians that called at Driftmark, but as a favor to his wife, those that came always received a warm welcome. These were some of the best times for Lady Rhaelle and she was especially pleased that Aeron shared in her respect for music. For his part, Aeron liked music for the most part, but he did not come to truly embrace it until he was eleven and an extremely popular singer, Boram the Songsmith, stopped over on his way to tour the Free Cities. Boram was a former blacksmith with a truly thunderous and impressive bass voice and the emotions he could evince entranced the youth, who promptly included music to complete the triangle of passions that consumed him, for he could do nothing with anything less than all of his heart. Aeron begged the Songsmith to stay with them, but when he left, it gave the boy the courage to try his own hand at crafting music, blending his love of epic storytelling with the heartbreakingly beautiful tenor he found within himself. Dubbed the Bard of Driftmark by his one of his uncles, Aeron began to compose lyrical poetry that could elicit tears from the gruffest of sailors, inspire men to acts of courage, and as he refined his talents and grew a little older, absolutely charm and seduce women.
By age fourteen, Aeron was the captain of his own ship, Wavesong and when he wasn’t taking it out on pleasure cruises or patrolling the waters near his home, he was engrossed in composing music and writing poetry. These were happy days for the young man as his skills grew greater each day and his appreciation for beauty in all things paved the way for him to experiment and sate the sexual desires running rampant through his body. He was quite the charmer with his talents, noble birth, and delicate good looks. Life didn’t seem like it could get any better and the dark storm looming on the horizon was impossible to imagine. After riding the crest of life for so long, the trough was due to take him, and it came in the form of his mother’s death, which was a painful affair as she was much-loved by her family and all of Driftmark.
The black days of Driftmark hung like a storm cloud over the family for almost a year, Aeron buried himself in wine, women, and sailing. Even his father, a strong and typically unemotional man, wept openly when he saw his wife’s things. Aeron could not tolerate the island any longer and so he sailed for King’s Landing. Almost instantly he fell in love with the pageantry of the royal court and was resurrected into his old ways. The Bard of Driftmark was quickly accepted by his peers and within very little time became one of the most popular personages among the young nobility. There was no shortage of singers to cavort with, women to be had, and ships to sail. Life was easily as good, if not better, than it had ever been on the dreary island. Those days were almost forgotten during the daytime, but still lived on in his subconscious and guided much of his artistic expression.
The death of his father, attested to grief and drink, took Aeron by surprise and even the worst tales he heard from visitors from Dragonstone did not suggest he was flirting with the Stranger. The new Lord Velaryon, Aeron’s elder brother Robar, was shattered by his father’s passing and recalled his brother to the island. Aeron helped him rule for half a year before he realized how disastrous Robar’s reign would be on Driftmark. He hatched a plot to have his brother suffer a mishap at seat and himself install as Regent until his young nephew came of age. But the assassination attempt was foiled and his lordly brother knew of it and had been prepared. Robar gave his brother the option of suicide or the black, and Aeron chose life in exile. But he would not leave unscathed. Lord Robar called for the Maester, who brewed an acidic concoction that was forced down Aeron’s throat, tearing at his vocal chords and leaving him unable to sing again and barely able to speak above a pained whisper.
Exiled and taken to the Wall on his own crew and ship, Wavesong, Aeron arrived by sea at Eastwatch and was forwarded on to Castle Black for training, during which he was nicknamed Whispers by his peers. In desperation, Aeron tried to take his own life three times during the course of his training, but each time he was foiled again and left to suffer. After the last attempt, the one that nearly did the trick, the Maester at Castle Black took him aside and told him there were always opportunities if one looked hard enough. Hope was not dead, even here at the end of the world. Aeron resolved to live and trained in earnest, graduating from training and becoming a Steward of the Night’s Watch. With his knowledge of sailing, he was a commodity and Aeron was sent back to Eastwatch and given a ship of his own to command.
Aeron has not lost his love for stories and having heard of the White Book chronicling the lives and heroic deeds of the Kingsguard, has started to collect the biographies and stories of his brothers and is constantly seeking information for his Black Book, an annals of the lives and heroics of the Night’s Watch. In addition to his penchant for recording the factual deeds of the men surrounding him, he has also written several epics preserving their feats and humorous encounters forever. A lot of men come to him willingly, especially those of noble birth or who are knights, but Aeron has had to work very hard to get many of the criminals and commoners to open up. His brothers have started calling him the Black Bard along with the usual moniker of Whispers. Aeron has also kept up his skill with the lyre and plays to entertain his crew and brothers whenever possible. With his newfound passions and access to the Sea, Aeron is almost to the point where he can say with all honesty that he is happy again.
After a year and a half at the Wall, Aeron was given his first opportunity to travel on his own away from Eastwatch and he leaped at the chance. While on the trip, he hopes to have the time to stop at the manned forts on his way home to meet more of his Brothers and record their tales.
Age: 26
Nationality: Dragonstone
Byname: The Black Bard and Whispers
Appearance
Aeron has always been short and diminutively slender for a man his age, barely standing five and a half feet in height and weighing little more than one hundred pounds. A thick and lustrous mane of raven hair frames his handsome face. His high cheekbones, thin lips, and button nose are aristocratic but effeminate, only the masculine chin of his father brings it all together into an undeniable comeliness. No amount of sunlight will darken his fair skin, the paleness of which highlights his eyes, the vibrant lilac unique to the blood of ancient Valyria.
Personality
Aeron is obsessive and passionate about everything he does, forgetting to eat or sleep until he can finish the last stanza of a poem or daring the waters surrounding Eastwatch at midnight on a moonless night if it will give him a few more minutes peace at Sea. The chatty and charming lothario of old has mellowed into a more introspective artisan, which has helped infuse his writings with even more tragedy and inspiration. A smile is never far from Aeron’s face these days, especially not with the deck of a rolling ship beneath him, or his gentle prodding of his brothers for their life stories. The Black Bard has found a niche and a warm welcome in the Night’s Watch.
History
Aeron was born the second son of Lord Arys Velaryon of Driftmark and his wife, Lady Rhaelle (nee Selmy). Born almost two months premature, Aeron barely survived his entrance into the world and he remained perpetually small for his age growing up. His delicate build precluded him from the martial training his father, a fearsome warrior in his own right, demanded of his sons. But there was no mistaking his precocity and so to make his son more useful to the house, Lord Arys placed Aeron under the tutelage of his Maester and Steward to educate and develop his talents. For the first eight years of his life, Aeron had very little contact with his father, spending most of his days devouring books and learning all that he could of the world. Although he had an orderly and analytical mind well-suited to the running of a household or business enterprise, it was during these formative years that he developed his passion for literature ripe with epic poems, ballads, and great flights of fantasy, that would influence him heavily as he grew and matured.
The green waters surrounding Driftmark had always held a fascinating and captivating beauty for Aeron, but he could never find a way to express his feelings until he first stood at the helm of a ship shortly after his ninth birthday. The natural high he was infused with while using the knowledge of the heavens, the whimsical blessings of the winds, and mastery over the vessel to conquer even the mighty Sea was overwhelming, and Aeron felt as passionate a love for sailing as he had ever felt for his poems and stories. This was something his father could well understand, and it was the one thing that had brought them together. Aeron was always with him to speak with the master shipwrights, to take a new ship out onto the Sea to consecrate it, and when they sailed just for the sheer pleasure of it.
There were few musicians that called at Driftmark, but as a favor to his wife, those that came always received a warm welcome. These were some of the best times for Lady Rhaelle and she was especially pleased that Aeron shared in her respect for music. For his part, Aeron liked music for the most part, but he did not come to truly embrace it until he was eleven and an extremely popular singer, Boram the Songsmith, stopped over on his way to tour the Free Cities. Boram was a former blacksmith with a truly thunderous and impressive bass voice and the emotions he could evince entranced the youth, who promptly included music to complete the triangle of passions that consumed him, for he could do nothing with anything less than all of his heart. Aeron begged the Songsmith to stay with them, but when he left, it gave the boy the courage to try his own hand at crafting music, blending his love of epic storytelling with the heartbreakingly beautiful tenor he found within himself. Dubbed the Bard of Driftmark by his one of his uncles, Aeron began to compose lyrical poetry that could elicit tears from the gruffest of sailors, inspire men to acts of courage, and as he refined his talents and grew a little older, absolutely charm and seduce women.
By age fourteen, Aeron was the captain of his own ship, Wavesong and when he wasn’t taking it out on pleasure cruises or patrolling the waters near his home, he was engrossed in composing music and writing poetry. These were happy days for the young man as his skills grew greater each day and his appreciation for beauty in all things paved the way for him to experiment and sate the sexual desires running rampant through his body. He was quite the charmer with his talents, noble birth, and delicate good looks. Life didn’t seem like it could get any better and the dark storm looming on the horizon was impossible to imagine. After riding the crest of life for so long, the trough was due to take him, and it came in the form of his mother’s death, which was a painful affair as she was much-loved by her family and all of Driftmark.
The black days of Driftmark hung like a storm cloud over the family for almost a year, Aeron buried himself in wine, women, and sailing. Even his father, a strong and typically unemotional man, wept openly when he saw his wife’s things. Aeron could not tolerate the island any longer and so he sailed for King’s Landing. Almost instantly he fell in love with the pageantry of the royal court and was resurrected into his old ways. The Bard of Driftmark was quickly accepted by his peers and within very little time became one of the most popular personages among the young nobility. There was no shortage of singers to cavort with, women to be had, and ships to sail. Life was easily as good, if not better, than it had ever been on the dreary island. Those days were almost forgotten during the daytime, but still lived on in his subconscious and guided much of his artistic expression.
The death of his father, attested to grief and drink, took Aeron by surprise and even the worst tales he heard from visitors from Dragonstone did not suggest he was flirting with the Stranger. The new Lord Velaryon, Aeron’s elder brother Robar, was shattered by his father’s passing and recalled his brother to the island. Aeron helped him rule for half a year before he realized how disastrous Robar’s reign would be on Driftmark. He hatched a plot to have his brother suffer a mishap at seat and himself install as Regent until his young nephew came of age. But the assassination attempt was foiled and his lordly brother knew of it and had been prepared. Robar gave his brother the option of suicide or the black, and Aeron chose life in exile. But he would not leave unscathed. Lord Robar called for the Maester, who brewed an acidic concoction that was forced down Aeron’s throat, tearing at his vocal chords and leaving him unable to sing again and barely able to speak above a pained whisper.
Exiled and taken to the Wall on his own crew and ship, Wavesong, Aeron arrived by sea at Eastwatch and was forwarded on to Castle Black for training, during which he was nicknamed Whispers by his peers. In desperation, Aeron tried to take his own life three times during the course of his training, but each time he was foiled again and left to suffer. After the last attempt, the one that nearly did the trick, the Maester at Castle Black took him aside and told him there were always opportunities if one looked hard enough. Hope was not dead, even here at the end of the world. Aeron resolved to live and trained in earnest, graduating from training and becoming a Steward of the Night’s Watch. With his knowledge of sailing, he was a commodity and Aeron was sent back to Eastwatch and given a ship of his own to command.
Aeron has not lost his love for stories and having heard of the White Book chronicling the lives and heroic deeds of the Kingsguard, has started to collect the biographies and stories of his brothers and is constantly seeking information for his Black Book, an annals of the lives and heroics of the Night’s Watch. In addition to his penchant for recording the factual deeds of the men surrounding him, he has also written several epics preserving their feats and humorous encounters forever. A lot of men come to him willingly, especially those of noble birth or who are knights, but Aeron has had to work very hard to get many of the criminals and commoners to open up. His brothers have started calling him the Black Bard along with the usual moniker of Whispers. Aeron has also kept up his skill with the lyre and plays to entertain his crew and brothers whenever possible. With his newfound passions and access to the Sea, Aeron is almost to the point where he can say with all honesty that he is happy again.
After a year and a half at the Wall, Aeron was given his first opportunity to travel on his own away from Eastwatch and he leaped at the chance. While on the trip, he hopes to have the time to stop at the manned forts on his way home to meet more of his Brothers and record their tales.