Vatef Karstark

Vatef Karstark is the son of Arnolf, and Marja Karstark making him a member of House Karstark.

Siege of Hornwood
Main Article : Siege of Hornwood




 * "The world was going to burn. I was going to burn it all down."


 * -Ramsey Bolten

Following the return of Ramsey Bolten to Dreadfort he would become obsessed with finally ending his brother and this would lead him to convinse Ondrew Locke to lay siege to Hornwood the largest city  of the east. Hornwood would come under siege without warning, but its defences were manned fully due to the fact that much of House Hornwood had already returned to Hornwood, and the scouts of the area had been skillful and had alerted the town in enough time. Now under siege they would call for assistence despite House Hornwood and its forces outnumbering the forces of House Locke quite heavily. Ramsey Bolten was by this point well dug into the area northwest of Hornwood and he alongside his cavalry force were well prepared to meet the incoming forces of Domeric Bolten of whom Ramsey knew would arrive well before the rest of his forces.

Domeric Moves

 * Ramsey_Bolten_Gif4.gif"This was still a kingdom worthy of saving. This was a land that while troubled didn`t abandon its own. If we let the Lockes do whatever the hell they wanted to do, then they would signal to the rest of the kingdom that they as well could do whatever they wanted. That was a signal I couldn`t allow to be sent. I heard the rumors that my brother was involved. That somehow he was responsible for the current situation...and despite everything...despite the fact that he was truly lost...I just...I couldn`t accept it. I refused to accept that he was past redemption. If that be the decision that dooms me then so be it. I die with a pure soul. I die happy."


 * -Domeric Bolten

Domeric Bolten would survive the retreat of the Bolten army and he would return to Dreadfort to meet with his father about the outcome of the first conflict with lucerne. Following this they would hear about the destruction and capture of the Bolten army at Green Creek. Domeric would at this point believe that his cousin had defected to the Lucernians and would be forced to accept that amongst his family he was now alone. Following this Hornwood would come under assault by House Locke and Domeric would resieve a call for aid from House Hornwood of whom was very loyal to him, and he knew he couldn't leave them to their own. Despite his father attempting desperatly to make Domeric stay in Dreadfort Domeric would travel with his personal forces towards Hornwood.


 * "What a twisted little bastard Ramsey was. In the end he was a failure the moment he was born. HIs failings were by his own making which was the worst part of looking at him. What though is a father to do when one of his sons is so twisted in his mind that he can barely even function. I should have put an axe in his head but in the end it was all too late...It was all too late...and now...it means nothing."


 * -Roose Bolten

Roose Bolten accepting that his son was heading south he attempted to locate Ramsey believing that Ramsey would be the only one capable of pulling off something of this scope. When his spies couldn`t locate Ramsey he would send Regenard Estren southward with his fastest horses in an attempt to get to Hornwood before his son Domeric. Regenard Estren was not the only other person moving towards Hornwood as Daryn Hornwood pulled the forces of House Hornwood from the army east of Karhold attempting to break the siege and also moved eastward towards Hornwood.

Arrival of Domeric

 * Death_of_Domeric.jpg"Something felt wrong the moment he came over the hill. I ordered my men to prepare the horses. I ordered everyone to be ready to charge from the walls and meet our true king. I ordered so many things that didn`t help anything."


 * -Halys Hornwood

The siege went on for nearly a month before the forces of Domeric Bolten`s vangaurd arrived on the outskirts of town, but Domeric`s party would be betrayed when their white flag was ignored and they were ambushed by a cavalry force led by Ramsey Bolten. Due to his speed he had arrived well ahead of the rest of his forces and would only be assuming that he was going to be meeting with the leaders of House Locke. As he met with them he was ambushed by Ramsey Bolten who had set this entire attack up so that he could kill his brother Domeric. A fight did break out as Domeric was able to kill several of the ambushers before he was knocked on the head, and even then he still had a chance as Regenard Estren was nearbye watching from a hill and his cavalry forces could have moved against the betrayal but instead he remained on the hill and did not help Domeric. Regenard`s cowardess would be witnessed by many from Hornwood including Halys and Larance Hornwood of whom swore to kill him alongside Ramsey for what would happen next. Now captured by his sadistic brother Domeric attempted to reason with his brother but Ramsey wouldn't hear it and would hang Domeric from a tree alongside the rest of his vangaurd.


 * My head ached from the pain of the strike I had taken, but I forced myself to raise my head anyway. As I stared out I saw my brother leaning against the Tree with the most terrifying smile on his face. As he saw that I was awake he walked towards me carrying a small knife and a brazier. Without a word he pressed the brazier to my face, and I screamed out in pain.


 * "You always thought you were so much better then me didn`t you?" I could barely think as he ran the knife across my arm digging a deep gash into the skin, and then moving the brazier to my chest. "I`m the true born heir of House Bolten, and now there isn`t a thing any of you can do to stop that." I could hear him continueing to talk but the pain was so much that as he walked away towards his horse I couldn`t quite hear him.


 * I pushed myself through all the pain and just used every ounce of strength I had to speak. "I`m your brother...Ramsey...do not...stop...you have to stop...please...please stop Ramsey..."I could hear laughter all around me and as I was able to look for a moment I could make out Mallador Locke, and Harrion and Vatef Karstark which only made things worse. These were noble born men and they were sitting prepared to kill the heir to Bolten.


 * "There are no words your silver toungue can spread that change this. Harrion tie him to the tree and lets be done with this." He was sitting on his horse as he moved towards me but now there was just nothing in his eyes. Hate perhaps but mainly I just so annoyance. I felt someone tie a rope around my kneck from behind and could only assume it was Harrion.


 * "Harrion this is treason you need to stop. Ramsey we can work this out....stop this please brother." I looked for any sign of him changing his mind, but despite my begging he was unmoved. I felt the rope now completely around my kneck and they raised me onto a stump nearbye which without any warning I was released from and I felt myself dangling. This was the end. I never thought it would end this way.

After the death of Domeric Bolten the city of Hornwood watched the siege end as the goals of the siege were achieved, and thus Hornwood was relieved. Ramsey would return north, and House Locke and their vassals retreated as well leaving the hanged body of Domeric to be retrieved by Halys Hornwood of whom was beyond enraged about the betrayal of the prince.