Ramsey Bolten | |
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Vital statistics | |
Title | Official Titles
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Alias | Bastard of Bolten |
Race | Gothic German |
Status | Alive |
Allegiance | Family Loyalties |
Family | |
Father | Roose Bolten |
Mother | † Krelly Marsdrove |
Siblings | Half Siblings
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Spouse | † Bethany Ryswell |
Children | None |
Ramsey Bolten is the bastard son of Roose Bolten, and Krelly Marsdrove, making him a member of House Bolten, and the first in line to inherit the throne of the Kingdom of Bolten. Ramsey has one sibling in the form of Domeric Bolten of whome has become the standard bearer for a new movement in Bolten which leads towards the positive nature of man and become more like Lucerne then the violent kingdom that they are now.
Ramsey Bolten has few friends, but those who have become attracted to his brand of violence and the potential for future power have become known as Ramsey`s Bastards and have devolved into a cult like following around him with little control over their shared love for violence and chaos.
Ramsay is the product of rape between Roose Bolton and a miller's wife. While hunting, Roose saw the miller's wife and decided to illicitly practice the banned tradition of the 'First Night,' where a lord had the right to bed the commoner's bride. He hanged the miller under a tree (for not informing his Lord of the new marriage) and raped the mans bride beneath her husbands swaying body. A year later the woman arrived at the Dreadfort with the newborn Ramsay. Roose nearly killed her and the babe, but when he saw the child had his eyes, the taboo of kinslaying stayed his hand. The woman claimed her husband's brother stole the mill and cast her out. Roose angered by this had the man's tongue removed so he would spread no tales. Roose then gave the woman the mill along with a pig, several chicks and a bag of stars every year on condition she never reveal to Ramsay the truth about who his father was. Ramsay's mother arrived a dozen years later claiming she needed help in raising Ramsay, who grew up wild and unruly, Roose sent Ramsay a servant known as "Reek." Reek, despite taking constant washes, always smelled bad due to some "unknown birth condition" that caused his skin to reek (thus his nickname). Giving him to Ramsay was actually a cruel jest by Roose, but the two grew inseparable. Roose would later reflect on whether Ramsay had "corrupted" Reek or whether Reek had corrupted Ramsay, though Reek would follow Ramsay's orders quite faithfully; Ramsay mentioned once that Reek "knew better" than to deny him. Ramsey's rise in House Bolten would come with each threat of murder towards a member of those loyal to Roose Bolten, of whom became helpless for the first time in his life as he refused to kill his bastard son despite the danger he poised. Ramsey would be instrumental in the threatening of the Kingdom of Lucerne after he was able to persuade many of those around Roose that they were a threat to House Bolten. Leading the forces of Bolten he would change the script when he sacked Jeutenburg instead of capturing the city as he had been told to. He would lead the siege of Koenisburg, but would become frightened after meeting with the Lucernians and would order a full scale retreat despite the Bolten's outnumbering the Lucernians by a huge margin. On his retreat north he planned to sneak away and burn small hamlets all across the land in order to taunt Domeric into coming to the area where he planned to ambush and kill his brother. He was betrayed before he could do this by Jordin Bolten, and the betrayal would lead to Jamie Lannister ambusing him while he camped with his force, and in order to stay alive he would kill Reek and pretend to be his most loyal servent. Escaping back to Dreadfort he would rally his forces and spark a civil war between House Locke, and House Hornwood, which Domeric raced to stop before it could spiral out of control. Waiting for his brother Ramsey would capture Domeric and hang him from a tree before escaping back to Dreadfort.
Characteristics
Appearance
- "Ramsay was clad in black and pink— black boots, black belt and scabbard, black leather jerkin over a pink velvet doublet slashed with dark red satin. In his right ear gleamed a garnet cut in the shape of a drop of blood. Yet for all the splendor of his garb, he remained an ugly man, big-boned and slope-shouldered, with a fleshiness to him that suggested that in later life he would run to fat. His skin was pink and blotchy, his nose broad, his mouth small, his hair long and dark and dry. His lips were wide and meaty, but the thing men noticed first about him were his eyes. He had his lord father’s eyes— small, close-set, queerly pale. Ghost grey, some men called the shade, but in truth his eyes were all but colorless, like two chips of dirty ice."
- -Sansa Starke on meeting Ramsey Bolten
Personality
Ramsay is cruel, savage and wild, taking delight in torturing others. He is quite fond of the old Bolton custom of flaying their enemies. Though a capable manipulator and possessing a cold cunning, Ramsay openly enjoys abusive and sick practises such as having young women stripped naked and released into the Bolton forests, before hunting them with a pack of feral dogs. He gives a quick death to women who give him good sport (after raping them first), then flays their corpses. He likes to name his dogs after the women he enjoys most to "honor" them. The women who don't give him good sport are raped and then flayed alive. All the skins of his kills are brought back with him to the Dreadfort as gruesome trophies.
History
Early History
Ramsay is the product of rape between Roose Bolton and a miller's wife. While hunting, Roose saw the miller's wife and decided to illicitly practice the banned tradition of the 'First Night,' where a lord had the right to bed the commoner's bride. He hanged the miller under a tree (for not informing his Lord of the new marriage) and raped the mans bride beneath her husbands swaying body. A year later the woman arrived at the Dreadfort with the newborn Ramsay. Roose nearly killed her and the babe, but when he saw the child had his eyes, the taboo of kinslaying stayed his hand. The woman claimed her husband's brother stole the mill and cast her out. Roose angered by this had the man's tongue removed so he would spread no tales. Roose then gave the woman the mill along with a pig, several chicks and a bag of stars every year on condition she never reveal to Ramsay the truth about who his father was.
Reese
Ramsay's mother arrived a dozen years later claiming she needed help in raising Ramsay, who grew up wild and unruly, Roose sent Ramsay a servant known as "Reek." Reek, despite taking constant washes, always smelled bad due to some "unknown birth condition" that caused his skin to reek (thus his nickname). Giving him to Ramsay was actually a cruel jest by Roose, but the two grew inseparable. Roose would later reflect on whether Ramsay had "corrupted" Reek or whether Reek had corrupted Ramsay, though Reek would follow Ramsay's orders quite faithfully; Ramsay mentioned once that Reek "knew better" than to deny him.
The Near War
Conflict with House Johanston and House Karstark I finally see you for what you are in this moment Ramsey. You need to see that the path you are on is wrong. I can help you. I can make you a better person. Just give me a chance. |
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The relationship between House Karstark and House Johanston had always been one of neglect as following the betrayal of House Starke by the Karstark elements the Johanstons had never really returned to the fold, and this meant that when Thomas Johanston traveled to Karhold and over several months fell in love with and eventually impregnated Sasha Karstark the two houses would explode. Following several deaths on both sides and a near invasion the King of Bolten in the form of Roose Bolten who come to the region and commanded the ending of fighting, but as a means to end further hostilities he commanded the splitting of time for the young child that had come of the union of Sasha and Thomas. The peace would all come to an end with the conflict that grew between Rickard Karstark, and Domeric Johanston of whom one time close friends became increasingly hateful towards eachother. Rickard Karstark II. would grow into a rivalry with his cousin Domeric Johanston and this rivalry would eventually end with the two dueling and Rickard being horribly scarred leading to Domeric being imprisoned in Karhold, and after Sasha Karstark attempted to flee Karhold to gain assistance from her former lover and Domeric's father she would be killed sparking the final conflict between House Karstark and House Johanston. The Capital Comes
Domeric Bolten travels alongside his father and brother to Karhold where the forces of House Karstark are near invasion of the lands of the powerful House Johanston. Arriving in Karhold the Bolten members deal with the fallout from the relationship between Sasha Karstark and Thomas Johanston of which has already ended with the murder of Sasha by Harrion Karstark. Domeric leaves with Jordin Bolten, Randal Ollendog, Landon Turdroc, and Vatef Karstark of which the last in Vatef is an extremely troubled young man of whom is sent to represent the Karstarks in Domerics meetings with the Johanstons. The Trade
Domeric returns to Karhold with Thomas Johanston and a large force of the Johanstons where they meet a mile from Karhold and the exchange is made between the two houses. Domeric recieves his son and cries bitterly with his family as his sister Metalyn goes with the Karstarks as the other element of the trade. Ramsey's Madness
Leaving Karhold with his father and the rest of the Dreadfort party he questions as to where Ramsey is and his father reveals that instead of assisting with the negotiations he went south and murdered to farmers on the Jeutenburg lands only just escaping with his life. Domeric leaves his father and goes south where he assists his brother Ramsey in negotiating a way out of the murders of the two farmers and only the promise of Domeric that Ramsey will be punished and following this Ramsey and Domeric get into a fight as Domeric is shocked as Ramsey begins laughing about what happened. |
Meeting at the Dreadfort
Main Article : Dreadfort Meeting of 5136
The Bolten Decision I thought if I supported you, then you would stop. I thought you could be bargained with Ramsey. I was so wrong. I should have never supported you. I should have supported my only true son. | ||
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Domeric Bolten would travel to Hornwood so that he could attend a tournament they were holding there, and also so that he could see Halys Hornwood and his family of whom he knew very well and loved as his own family. Arriving there Halys would tell him that he had sent some of his men to follow Ramsey Bolten around, and from this had discovered that Ramsey had a small keep north of the Dreadfort and would use it to capture, chase, and then rape and kill women. Learning this as well as the plans that Ramsey was beggining to form alongside the power he was gaining Domeric would return to the Dreadfort with Halys, and several of the Hornwood vassals. Domeric and his party would meet Rodrik Cassel a little west of Hornwood where he was awaiting more boats for transport for himself and his vassals, and from Rodrik they learned that followed Domeric leaving the Dreadfort Ramsey had called a meeting of the Kingdom of Bolten, and Rodrik was already running late.
Taking a ride with the Cassel force Domeric and the Hornwood forces would reach the Dreadfort days before they would if they had been marching, and would arrive just hours before the meetings were to begin. Domeric would have a long talk with Josh Cole of whom warns Domeric that the Karstark's and the Urnet's are solidly behind Ramsey and that he and his forces will not follow Domeric into a conflict they cannot win. Hearing of the Karstark's joining with Ramsey Domeric meets with Halys Hornwood but finds he has come with a sickness and can barely move forcing Daryn Hornwood to join the meeting as the head of House Hornwood. Arriving at the meeting Ramsey, and Mallador Locke would taunt Daryn over the sickness of his father and would carefully make it known that they were the reason behind the sickness. The arrival of Trevor Hayford would stall the argument and they all entered the Dreadfort Keep where the meeting took place.
Entering the meeting the assembled noblemen would hear a speach from Roose Bolten which to the shock of many inside the room was praising towards Ramsey, and slightly insulting towards Domeric. This speach did much to turn many of those who might have followed Domeric, and turned them towards listening to Ramsey instead. Following this Rickard Karstark spoke of growing attacks by Dragonoph fanatics sent by the Kingdom of Lucerne against the western border of the Karstark lands, and Domeric would stand during this and tell the assembled that these attacks were not happening. Ramsey would attack Domerics honor and call him a liar who was secretly in the pay for the Lucernians which noone believed but turned the attention away from the lie about the Lucernian attacks on the Karstarks. Daryn Hornwood did his best to speak on the side of Domeric but was shouted down by the Locke's and Urnets of whom laughed at Daryn and rediculed his lands, and his weakened father. As things broke down and it became clear that Ramsey was going to have the war he wanted, Domeric would look across at Josh Cole and saw him smiling sadly at him, and as the meeting ended Domeric went after Josh Cole and spoke with him alongside Daryn Hornwood. Josh Cole told Domeric once again that the Cole's were not willing to die for some wasted war that the insane Ramsey Bolten wanted, and that Josh Cole was not going to do it, and Domeric realizing this could mean turning to the Lucernians, or staying neutral attempted to persaude him, but despite respecting Domeric there was no agreement from Josh.
Domeric in that moment knew things were darkening in Bolten, and warned Daryn to take his father and their vassals and return to Hornwood and prepare the army because he would need them when the time came. Doing this Domeric was left alone and went to see his father of whom would be in his throne room with Rickard Karstark. Speaking with the two of them Domeric got the sence that neither agreed with Ramsey, but couldn't get them to tell him why they had sided with him, but Roose did tell Domeric that he needed to follow Ramsey this time, or else. When he resisted this Roose would command it as his king, and knowing the honor bound Domeric would follow this he left the room with the horrifying thought of having to follow Ramsey and his madness.
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First Bolten-Lucerne War
Main Article : First Bolten-Lucerne War
Fall of Jeutenburg Jeutenburg was the first act of a truly insane man. Instead of offering quarter and hoping for any kind of assistence in the Divine Lands he butchered the first city he found and expected the rest to what...give in to him peacefully. Madness, and stupidity. | ||
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Fall of JeutenburgMain Article : Bolten Capture of Jeutenburg
The city of Jeutenburg with the promise of Lucerne to defend it should the worst come stood tall as the army of Bolten came to its door, and House Banner blocked there entry. At first the Boltens sent in emissaries of whom promised peace and they simply wished to pass peacefully so they could get to Koenisburg in order to stop Lucerne from taking Koenisburg. Nikolas refused this offer as he was now aligned with Koenisburg and told the Boltens they would not peacefully be passing by the city, and when this happened to his shock the Bolten emissaries said they would do this the following day. Despite these promises during the night spies, and mercenaries scaled the walls of Jeutenburg infiltrating the main gatehouse and once they got inside the walls they showed hidden weapons and overpowered the outnumbered guards they had before occupying the gatehouse. The forces of Jeutenburg were somewhat unprepared for this sudden attack and despite attempting to resist the taking of the gatehouse the Bolten forces held out for nearly twenty minutes while the army of Bolten reached the gate. With the gatehouse in their control they filled into the city overwhelming every point of resistance with their vastly superior numbers and for nearly an hour the sacking of the city went on before Domeric Bolten, and Daryn Hornwood were able to control the palace and large enough segments of the city that they slowed the killing. One spot where the Jeutenburg defences held was the estate of House Chandyll where under the leadership of Calrin Chandyll they held the gaps between the estate buildings killing dozens and forcing a coordinated assault on the estate. This assault would be led by the Stoney Shore forces of House Haryen, and House Rurwell who led by Lucas Rurwell launched a ferocious attack on the estate which by this point was simply buying time to get there people out of the city. While after nearly a half an hour of assault the estate fell the leadership of House Chandyll retreated in good order and had bought time for there members and vassals to escape out of the city, and alongside this Daman Haryen would be badly injured during the fighting and fell into a coma due to his injuries and then died several days after.
During the sacking of the city Jeutenburg was given very little quarter with nearly half the city killed, and the survivors forced to live under the occupation of House Urnet of whom spent their time ransacking the city of its ancient wealth and history. As the army of Bolten did this their was division as the forces under the command of Domeric Bolten, and House Hornwood would protect several areas within the city, and were the main reason the entire city wasn't massacred. With conflict between this force, and the more chaotic forces of Ramsey Bolten looking likely a raven arrived from Roose Bolten who tasked them with quickly moving towards Koenisburg before the Lucernians could react. A meeting was held in the old Jeutenburg palace where Ramsey Bolten commanded the entire army leave Jeutenburg except for House Urnet of whom would hold the town alongside two companies of mercenaries. Domeric was able to trick Ramsey into allowing House Hornwood under Daryn to stay behind as well after he convinced everyone that Daryn was about to capture the Banner family. Following this meeting Ramsey would lead the army outside of Jeutenburg alongside Domeric of whom went along with him but during the first night of the march he abandoned the army and returned to Jeutenburg to meet with Daryn. Behind Enemy Lines
Daryn Hornwood would be leading his forces alongside Orsen Stout and others in his personal council, and during his searching for nobles of Jeutenburg he captured Nikolas Banner and his family bringing them back to the Hornwood quarters in Jeutenburg which were once the Banner home. Daryn Hornwood would send word of the capture but by this point Ramsey and most of the other leaders had already left for Koenisburg and thus he was sent a raven saying he should kill all members of House Banner he had before taking House Hornwood, and his vassals towards Koenisburg. While an honorable young man he was also driven by duty, and thus when he first received this command he planned on following through but Daryn would have a change of heart after he spent the night talking to Nikolas's daughter Corina Banner. Originally meeting her by mistake when he was planning on going to tell Nikolas about the execution he found her crying and without thinking consoled her. Corina would see quickly that Daryn was a good young man and someone that didn't want to do what he told her had been commanded to do by the raven sent to him from Ramsey Bolten. The two spent the entire night talking and as he prepared to leave she would steal a kiss, and from the second that happened the already conflicted Daryn Hornwood didn't know what he would do when he raised the sword to kill Nikolas.
Daryn returned to the top level of the castle to find Lorant, Jonas and Ser Rafford talking to Gunthor Urnet of whom was accompanied by many of his men including several Karstark men led by Atolf Karstark. Gunthor revealed he knew they had not killed the Lord of Jeutenburg yet and was here to make sure the deed was done to the satisfaction of those above and heavily threatened death to the Hornwood hostages in the Dreadfort if the task was not done to their satisfaction as well. Daryn to the surprise of his council would tell Gunthor that they were fine to do it now, and that he would summon the family right away, and Gunthor could witness it himself. Rafford, and Lorant went to gather the Banner family, and while they did this Atolf Karstark begin bragging about the number of young girls he had been with during the sacking of Jeutenburg to the point that Jonas nearly attacked him before Daryn commanded him to stand down.
When Rafford, and Lorant returned with the Banner family Nikolas kneeled before Daryn and closed his eyes as Daryn prepared to execute the man. Daryn would raise the sword once before putting it down briefly when Atolf Karstark begin rubbing the hair of Corina's younger sister Cersei and taunted Nikolas about what he was going to do to the young before she died too. Gunthor Urnet would then taunt Daryn calling him a coward and this led him to raise his sword once more, but this time as he did he felt Corina's presence behind him, and as he turned to look at her she gave him a sad smile before closing her eyes. Daryn knew in that moment that he couldn't do it and smashed his sword against a block of wood nearby. Gunthor would push his way past Jonas screaming about the commands of the Boltens and calling Daryn a coward and a traitor. As Gunther Urnet stepped forward to try and kill Nikolas it was Jonas Intris that stepped forward and slit the throat of Gunther before he could kill Nikolas.
The several Urnet, and Karstark men in the room tried to fight back, but were overwhelmed by the more numerous Hornwood forces and killed leaving only Atolf Karstark of whom begged for mercy, but without a word Daryn dragged him out of the courtyard and away from the Banners and once out of sight decapitated Atolf. Nikolas was set free from his bonds along with his family and Daryn would assist him in locating the loyalist members of his vassals along with his sister and her family. Following this he would set his men to helping Nikolas in exiting the city and as they left he stole his own kiss from Corina Banner before she was rushed from the burning town. Nikolas would thus be able to escape with much of his family and a significant force of his most loyal banner men. Staying behind under orders from Nikolas was his step-brother Otto Dragoon the bastard husband of his sister of whom led the rebels within the city while Nikolas rallied the Divine Lands to retake Jeutenburg. Daryn Hornwood would leave behind his knightly house in House Intris in order to better assist Nikolas Banner, and to make sure that his actions were not discovered by House Karstarke and Urnet who remained in the town with several influential family members. |
Siege of Koenisburg If they take Koenisburg it will prolong with this war for so much longer then it needs to be. Hold the city and we can break them now. Hold the city and we can end this before it begins. | ||||
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Siege of KoenisburgMain Article : Siege of Koenisburg
When Jeutenburg came under siege this was a huge indicator that the diplomatic message wasn't going to be enough so William ordered House Starke under Jon Snow, House Lannister under Tyrion Lannister, as well as House Clegane under Hedrik Clegane III. to send their forces to assist in the defense of Koenisburg as the city was now completely under threat. Word was sent to Koenisburg that this was happening and Britt Lancave would prepare herself for the ultimate defense of the city she loved so dearly. Word was also sent northward to Kul Tiras of whom was to send a large force of ships to Fairmaket in order to send the forces incoming to the Divine Lands. Kul Tiras would send two ships to Koenisburg under different purposes led by Wilheim Caellin, Dilon Borrell, and Tandred Proudmoore of whom would land in Koenisburg planting there house flags on two of the towers of the city making it appear once more there were more forces present then there would actually be. At the same time as this was going to happen William sent one of his greatest generals in Jamie Lannister to the small town of Grandlen where if the Boltens besieged the city of Koenisburg Jamie was to move southwards from Grandlen and hit them from behind and destroy the Boltens before this got out of hand. Jamie Lannister joined heavily by forces of House Reyne, House Brax, and other vassals of Castamere would arrive two weeks after leaving in Grandlen alongside a force of some two thousand cavalry, and they would make camp a days march east of Grandlen and await word from Koenisburg.
Jon Snow would arrive alongside Tyrion Lannister and a small force of House Starke and House Baratheon into Koenisburg, and were met with great applause by the scared locals of Koenisburg. Jon Snow and Tyrion were shown to rooms by Britt Lancave and when they were both situated Britt met with them to discuss what was happening in the theater. She told them that the Boltens appeared led by Ramsey Bolten, and were massing a large army outside of Karhold in a direct threat to Jeutenburg, and while the armies of the Divine Lands were large they were not even close to capable of defeating the amassed army of Bolten. The three would talk some more before Tyrion left leaving just Britt and Jon Snow alone, and she would ask him about how his situation in the north was going. Shocked that she remembered from briefly telling her years ago he told her about the letters and told her that it was taking all of his strength to stay himself from leaving for the north. Britt would explain to him the way Bastards worked in the Divine Lands, and told him how sad she was for him feeling so unloved just because of the manner in which he was born. Feeling comforted by this he was shocked when Britt suggested they marry, and despite finding her very attractive he still longed to see Ygritte again, and was forced to reject her offer. Things continued in a spin mode for many days until as they were meeting in the keep news reached them that Hedrik Clegane III. had arrived in Koenisburg and they went to the docks to meet him. Meeting with Hedrik Clegane III. he would give Jon Snow a letter passed onto him from a Maester from Stormwind, and labelled from Jeor Mormont he excused himself to read it, and digest what it would mean.
Hours after the arrival of Hedrik Clegane III. the city was alerted to the sudden arrival of more Lucernians as they were further joined by Sawyer Shephard of whom brought nearly a hundred Order of the Red Dragon men and flags with him as well in order to help. Using these flags and honor guard they mounted themselves all along the walls of Koenisburg, and alongside the earlier arrival of the Kul Tiras forces the walls were arrayed with different sigils and gave a very clear impression that House Starke, House Clegane, the Kul Tirasi Houses, and House Lannister had arrived in force. Tandred Proudmoore would also have his highly trained Kul Tirasi marines captain nearly every ship in Koenisburg to the point that the port looked filled to the brim furthering the idea that there was large force present. By this point the Lucernians, and Divine Lands had learned the extent of the destruction of Jeutenburg of which pushed basically the entire Divine Lands into the Lucernian camp including Grandlens large forces. Devision and Failure
The moment the flags went up on the walls of Koenisburg their was a severe amount of panic among the leadership of House Bolten after Ramsey Bolten went on a screaming spree as he believed his commanders had failed him and brought them all into a trap. Following his ranting Ramsey Bolten would call the commanders together and go on another mad rant inside the command tent about the need for the army to retreat before they were overwhelmed by what he believed was a massive Lucernian army. In this moment Domeric would step forward and heavily push that they should attack the city right away as he argued their was no way that the Lucernians could have massed enough troops in the city to stop them. As he was almost finished talking Ramsey would take a knife out and lunge at Domeric attempting to kill him. Domeric was the more skilled warrior and dodged the knife before wrestling Ramsey to the ground, and only the interference of the other commanders stopped Ramsey from being killed right there. With Ramsey losing his mind in the tent it was Rickard Karstark that would suggest that they meet with the Lucernians and at least gauge the forces of the Lucernians from the meeting. Ramsey would reluctantly agree to this plan, and with that a messenger was sent to the wall making it known that they wanted a meeting.
The two forces would meet with Ramsey and Domeric Bolten followed by Rickard Karstark, and John Cole on the Bolten side and on the Lucernian side it was Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, and Hedrik Clegane III. alongside Britt Lancave. As the two forces rode out it was a quiet moment for both sides as both believed the other side was going to break the honorable truce of a white flag meeting. Meeting together they would barely be starting to discuss the issues when Ramsey Bolten would intervene and begin insulting Tyrion Lannister for being a dwarf, and Jon Snow for his bastardy birth.
With these insults the meeting begin to fall apart and it nearly came to violence when Ramsey took out a knife from his side and only the quick movement of Domeric Bolten stopped the situation from completely falling apart. Despite this Ramsey and Domeric would nearly come to blows but only Ramsey's knowledge that he couldn't defeat Domeric stopped him from attacking him right there. Ramsey would spit in his face before leaving with everyone else in the party outside of Domeric who remained behind. Britt Lancave would attempt to convinse him to come back with them, but he was loyal to a fault and returned to the Bolten lines. The Retreat
Following the fight between Domeric and Ramsey Bolten and the collapse of the meeting with the Lucernians it was Ramsey's hatred and madness that led him him to decide to put nearly the entire Bolten army into a full retreat back to Karhold. Ramsey was at this point beyond any sort of rational thought and noone dared resist him despite the fact that many believed that Koenisburg was there's for the taking and Roose Bolten wanted the city taken at all costs. While he planned to have nearly the entire army do this he would force his brother Domeric to return to Karhold from a different direction with only House Hornwood and its loyal vassals. As the armies made their retreat back to Karkhold, it was Ramsey that put into work his real plan when he split from the main army and moved north with a large force of cavalry and planned to burn the town of Pomlet to the ground and thus force Domeric to come to its aid, where he would then say he was responsible for the act and ambush his brother's force. After hearing Ramsey talking about his plan to Reek it was Jordin Bolten that snuck into the force of Ramsey as it split off from the main army, and he would send a Raven to Grandlen telling Jamie Lannister of the change.
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Battle of Green Creek The fool camped for an entire day on the words of a man he hated. He deserved what came on him that night. My only regret was the fact that I wasn't the one that got to kill the Bastard of Bolten myself. |
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Tyrek Lannister and Jamie Lannister land at the Port of Grandlen where they meet with Lord Ancel Grandlen and Nicoli Machiavelli but as they are unloading their Lannister force they can see that the Grandlen troops have already rallied and are prepared to move. Jamie becomes the leader of the Grandlen/Lannister force and places Hanzal Reyne, and Dale Grandlen as his top generals and with this in place they begin marching towards the north east where information they have says that Ramsey Bolten has retreated towards. Battle of Green CreekMain Article : Battle of Green Creek
What Ramsey did not anticipate was the fact that the moment that Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, Britt Lancave and Hedrik Clegane returned to Koenisburg they sent a raven to Jamie Lannister telling him to move against the Boltens. Ramsey had not realized that Jordin Bolten had joined his army but discovered his presence and begin to plot to kill Jordin. Jordin would at this point follow the commands of his cousin Domeric and begin to attempt to feed the mind of Ramsey with increasing amounts of lies. Jordin would tell Ramsey that he and Domeric had gotten into a fight and he was done with Domeric, and wanted to be close to the real leadership of Bolten in the form of Ramsey. So as Jordin gained slight influence he begin to say how under Domeric he had founded a scouting force which was the main reason Domeric had always been so succesful, and from this he knew all the comings and goings of the Divine Lands. So as they moved further northward and prepared to attack the town of Pomlet Jordin slowed them by saying he knew the location of scouts for Pomlet and took them on a massive route that delayed them significantly from where they would have been. As the delays continued Jordin knew that Jamie Lannister was close when a lucernian scout entered the Bolten camp and met with Jordin.
The scout was a man of Lannister named Toren of Castamere of whom told Jordin that the Lannister/Grandlen army was very close, and that they needed Jordin to move the Bolten army to a riverbed which would allow them to trap them, and destroy the army. Jordin would give the man a list of names, and banners of which he would pain with red on their tents and these men should be spared by any means necessary, and also he told Toren that Ramsey specifically could not survive. Following the departure of the scout Jordin would wake Ramsey in the middle of the night of whom was torturing some poor village girl in his tent, and would tell Ramsey that his scouts had discovered a lucernian force nearby and they needed to move quickly in the morning to a riverbed of which they would be able to hide and perhaps even ambush the lucernians.
The following morning the forces of Lucerne would move at full speed towards the riverbed where they knew Jordin would move them, and at the same point Jordin would have moved the entire Bolten army to the riverbed where he then told them the Lucernians had passed by them but they needed to remain where they were so that they could ambush the Lucernians from behind. Jordin would be commanded by Ramsey to have all the men sleep, so that when they attacked the Lucernians they would be at full strength, and Jordin silently laughed as Ramsey collapsed any chance of defence for the Boltens. The Massacre
Jamie Lannister and his three thousand cavalry would smash into the camp of Ramsey Bolten and in less then twenty minutes nearly the entire force was massacred. The four thousand infantry from Grandlen reached the camp midway through the battle and complete the massacre, and also make sure that they took control of the remaining noblemen that had been marked with red tents by Jordin during the night. It was as everything was falling apart that Ramsey Bolten would switch clothes with his servent Reek of whom he would smash the face of beyond any recegnition so that he could not be found to be not him. Reek had been known for being constantly covered in human refuse, and other garbage and thus to make himself look more like Reek so that he could get away with the swap. When Jamie entered the tent of Ramsey attempting to kill Ramsey or take him prisoner he found nothing but the supposed Reek standing over the destroyed body of "Ramsey Bolten". In that moment Jamie went to kill Reek but was stopped by Jordin Bolten who said to let Reek go as he was nothing but a slave they had captured from the Greyjoy's years past. Trusting Jordin Jamie would let "Reek" go and thus Ramsey Bolten escape the battle and made his way back to the Dreadfort.
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The Siege of Hornwood
Main Article : Siege of Hornwood
The Siege of Hornwood There was a time father when we were good people. We don't have to keep hostages to stay in power. We don't have to murder children. We can do what is right. We can be strong, and just and not lose our souls. Let me start our redemption. Let me make the first shot. | ||
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Following the return of Ramsey Bolten to Karhold following his disastrous defeat the Battle of Green Creek he would become obsessed with finally ending his brother of whom he believed had commanded Jordin to betray him. This hate and feeling of betrayal would lead him summon Ondrew Locke to his living quarters where he would tell lies to Ondrew about Domeric's part in the death of Ondrew's nephew, and brother during the Battle of Green Creek. Using this lie he would be able to convince Ondrew Locke to lay siege to Hornwood the largest city of the east in order to eventually draw in Domeric Bolten where they would kill him. Following Ondrew returning to his lands and marshalling his forces he would put Hornwood under siege without warning, but its defenses 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 assistance from the Dreadfort 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 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.
With Roose Bolten accepting that his son was heading south to relieve Hornwood he would be contacted by raven by Rickard Karstarke of whom told him that Ramsey was alive and had briefly been in Karhold before leaving the city taking with him a sizeable military force. Immediatly realizing what might be happening Roose 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
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 for fear of his own death. 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.
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. |
Deal with the Devil
- “They thought they had won. They believed in their heart that trouble had just disapeared as their victory was all but assured. I would burn my enemies at the gates by whatever means neccessary. I didn`t work all this time just to fall at the moment before I had all the power I needed.”
- — Ramsey Bolten
As the armies of Bolten were crushed on the field, and they fell back castle by castle it wasn`t until the Lannisters captured the castle of Hayford which opened the way onto the Dreadfort Peninsula that they begin to actually fear destruction. Fearing this Ramsey would go to his father and tell him he was leaving to get reinforcements, and when asked from whom he told his father he would be travelling to the Iron Islands. As he left he discussed with his Bastards that he actually planned to travel to the Iron Islands and make an agreement with them that they would not interfere in his actual plans of getting reinforcements from Mordor. Travelling to the Iron Islands his ship would be boarded by Euron Greyjoy of whom had silently reentered the Iron Islands without the knowledge of his family. Euron and Ramsey would come to an agreement where in the Iron Islands was able to reave up and down the lands outside of Dreadfort, and for this they would not only enable Mordor to enter the lands but would also join in the assault. Euron promised that by the time Ramsey returned if he did return from Mordor that Euron would be the new Iron King of the Iron Islands. Departing on their ship they travlled north east before then travelling directly south where they eventually arrived in the Kingdom of Taraban where they would meet with the leadership there in order to arrange an alliance with Mordor.
- “You walked into Taraban and while you could see the humans it just had an aura of madness to the land. Controlled by Mordor for generations I`m surprised any resemblance remained of their ancient traditions, but I saw the capital and was shocked at the civilization. These were not the monsters surrounded by demons we had always been told they were. How much of legends, and stories are lies like the lies we were told of the Taraban.”
- — Mallador Locke
The King of Taraban met with them briefly before saying that he had been commanded by the Dark Lord himself to have the Bolten men prepared for the arrival of the Witch King of whom would discuss terms. Waiting for days they were barely allowed to leave the keep and watching from the windows they watched as the land during the night was haunted by the shreaking of monsters, and the shadows themselves appeared to move with the haunting of some dark spirits. When finally the Witch King arrived he was accompanied by three other Nazgul in the form of Mahud, The Dark Marshal, and the former king of Lucerne in John Lovie. Believing they would have all of their requests easily accepted Ramsey and the others were shocked when they were roundly rejected for assistence from Mordor as they demanded more consessions from Bolten then just a foothold in Westros. As talks deterioated Ramsey would become so enraged that he promised them the entirety of the land outside of Dreadfort and its peninsula in return for their assistence. With this off the Witch gave them assurances that John Lovie, Mahud, and The Dark Marshal would lead a large force from Mordor and land in the Dreadfort to begin the counter assault against Lucerne.
- “I wonder if he knew what he was giving away in that moment. The madness in his eyes told me he didn't care, but I still wonder. What little humanity existed in him once, would it have given him pause he fully understood the arrangement he was making. Or was he as lost as so many touched by evil become.”
- — Anora Theirin
Preparing to leave Anora Theirin would meet with Mallador Locke, and using her extreme intelligence she was able to get a lot of information from him, and during the days preceding the arrival of the Witch King was able to more fully understand the situation through the lies Ramsey was telling them. Anora learned how lost the military situation was, and the fact that the Lucernians were going to be aware of the meeting with Mordor, and would dig their forces into the castles, and forts they had taken from the Boltens. Anora used this information withholding it from everyone including even her beloved brother Cailin of whom she planned to have stay behind and thus protect him from the death that would surely await anyone that went to the Dreadfort peninsula.
Return to Bolten
- “Returning I couldn`t but feel like we had just doomed ourself. I knew that Anora was lying to me, and that hurt me more then Ramsey's punches, or kicks ever did. She knew we would fail. She knew we would all die, and yet despite my love for her, she was prepared to let me die.”
- — Mallador Locke
The Bolten`s would depart Taraban to their ships now accompanied by men of Taraban of whom returned under the command of Mordor to prepare for the eventual landing of Mordor which would take place some two months perhaps from that since they needed to mass an army and then deliver the forces as well. Amongst these men was Teyrn Theirin the heir to Taraban and a small group of elite Black Numenorians of whom were handpicked from the most wealthy and elite families in all of Taraban. As they returned they were met by Euron Greyjoy once more, and this time he wore the crown of the Iron Islands and told them that he was now the Iron Reaver of the Iron Islands, and that the Iron Islands would join with Bolten in pushing back the Lucernians. Ramsey Bolten now realizing that he had the affairs in order for his next series of plans, he returned himself in secret to Dreadfort during the night and prepared for his next plans.
Death of Roose Bolten
- “It was the final move for Ramsey. He had always wanted to be alone in this family, and he would finally have his wish.”
- — Roose Bolten
Following his succesful trip to the Iron Islands and then Mordor Ramsey would return to the port of Dreadfort with the knowledge that he had won the power of two massive armies, and the survival of his rule might now be possible. Deciding that his father was no longer worthy of living he would brag nearly the last few days of the trip that he was going to murder his father, and since most of "Ramsey's Bastards" were loyal to Roose they would send a raven ahead of the ship which told Roose that Ramsey planned to kill him, and asking Roose what they should do. Realizing that he could easily stop the assasination he would instead send no word back, and ordered House Marsh and their vassals to not resist his landing.
- “Everyone in this entire kingdom knew exactly the person that Ramsey was. So while some may be just hateful towards Roose it is a clear distinction. Roose while twisted in the mind wants a genuinly peaceful realm. Ramsey while twisted in the mind cares nothing for the kingdom and just wants to see things burn for no reason more then watching everything die.”
- — Daryn Hornwood
At this point with Ramsey entering the port, and along with his men making their way towards the Dreadfort it was Roose that begin to plot the final moments of what he knew to be his life. Roose firstly met with his kingsgard and one by one moved them away from him so that they would not die trying to protect him when Ramsey arrived. Three of the five kingsgard he placted this way by sending them southward to Castle Horgut where they would defend the castle alongside the commanders there. The other two in the form of Sandor Dregane, and Urren Sliten he would send to find Misha Bolten in order to get her out of the city. Wondering where they would go after that Roose told them that they were to go to Hayford and surrender themselves to the Lucernians, and from their swear oaths to Lucerne as protectors of Misha. It was around this point that Ramsey was within a few hours of the city, and thus Roose visited several nobles in the city, and commanded them to leave as well sending many on specific routes that would lead them to be captured by the Lucernian forces. In his final hours waiting for Roose to get to the city he would do these things before he finally sat alone in his throne room having dismissed all of his gaurds and sent away everyone loyal to him.
The Act
- “What he did in his final moments cannot make good what he had done before he came to his moral understanding but...but atleast he attempted to make his life somewhat less of a travesty.”
- — Daryn Hornwood
Ramsey entered the city to no celebration, and besides the opening of gates, and the stomping of his men beside him the entire city was filled with the sounds of nothing but fear and silence. Ramsey would enter the keep where he found all the gates, and doors ungarded and was in this moment discusted by what he believed was the complete failure in his father. Entering the throne room of his father he would confront him, and make it very clear from the first moment he entered that Roose was going to die. Roose begged him to make him understand why Domeric had to die, and that infuriated Ramsey who couldn't take that Domeric was till being mentioned while in his own mind he had just went on a trip that would save Bolten. Warning his father to stop speaking of Domeric unless he wished to die sooner, his father would move closer grap him by the shoulders and say that his time was over and now he was ready to see his true son again. Upon hearing that Ramsey would murder him, and so filled with rage was he that he obliterated much of his body leaving nothing but tattered remains. Ramsey from this point would crown himself and parade throughout the Dreadfort with his Bastards controlling the resistence that might have been created in the city. As this was going on Sandor Dregane, and Urren Sliten would be forced to hide as they had yet to find Misha Bolten, and because of this they were nearly caught by brigands now swarming to join Ramsey's court. Ramsey at this point attempted to find the Roose loyalists in the city, but discovered that the day he was arriving his father had sent away hundreds of nobles, while sending away his own kingsgard. Naming five of his bastards to the kingsgard he would return to the throne room, and begin ruling over the kingdom he had now stolen from his brother, and then his father.
Conversation Incoming Fairmarket. The Riverlands. Lorderon, and Kul Tiras. Westbridge. All had fallen to our might. All had sworn the sword to the Valley of Lucerne. All that power, and yet I looked north and saw a great demon the likes of which I could not hope to resist. The Empire was the reason for growth. The Empire was the reason for everything we did. The Empire was the land that should have done great things for the world, but instead of this they did nothing. They allowed chaos to breed amongst them, and in that weakeness and failing they threatened to ruin the entire continent. |
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I jumped from rooftop to rooftop following him along his path. An archer carrying the pink flayed man of House Bolten turned and looked down, and I threw a dagger into his head before he knew what had happened. Picking his body up, and pulling him away from sight, I followed the path of the caravan as it made its way to the keep. Pulling themselves through the gatehouse it closed behind them, and I stabbed a gaurdsmen in his chest as I climbed up the wall to keep up. There was no time to cover this man, but I did my best to hide him behind some bags. He had entered the keep before I was able to catch up, and I walked past the few gaurds that noticed me and my flayed one sigil. Climbing onto the roof I crawled my way behind the only archer standing this high up and slit his throat before leaving him lieing on the roof. I climbed the tower and made my way inside the keep. Once inside I found a window and watched as Ramsey entered the room. Roose was standing with his back turned as Ramsey entered and the look on Ramsey's face was one of unmistakeable pride. He believed he had won, and the fallen shoulders of Roose told me he was right. "Father it has been some time since I have last seen you." "Your presence at court has been missed. Though fewer of my blood has died while you were away." The bitterness and anger in Roose's voice was so clear it was shocking. For a man who had been defined by everyone I had ever met as a man with little emotion, that was a poignent moment of regret for him. "Did you expect me to leave him alive?" Roose finally turned towards his bastard son, and stared at him with blank eyes. "I expected you would kill your brother but I....I though you..." He remained looking at him for a moment before turning away again and walking towards the book shelf. "Speak Lord Leaches." The manner in which he spoke made me want to pull the dagger from my shirt and throw them at his head. I could do it without question, but then I would have to kill Roose and I would never make it past all the gaurds once those two were dead. "I expected you were atleast intelligent enough to try when we were not fighting a losing war." Pulling out a book of which I couldn't make out Roose stared at it longingly before holding it to his chest. "We are losing because of him." Roose laughed out loud. It was the first time I had heard him laugh, and it was a high pitched near scream as it came from his throat. "Do you honestly believe that?" Roose turned around again and looked at Ramsey of whom shrinked for a moment behind the cold stare of Roose. "It is the truth. He led us into a trap at Koenisburg and even my brilliant retreat was not enough to save us." He spoke with confidence and if you didn't know how the actual battle had went you would have believed his words. I though did know that he had been massacred by the Lannisters at Green Creek, and he had long seperated from Domeric of whom had managed to pull back his entire force, and survived in full strength. "Brilliant retreat was it? My last reports of that battle are still finding bodies. How many nobles did we lose in that battle." "Less then you butchered no further then one hundred steps from the doorway." "I did that to keep the peace. You left me no choice." Roose put the back down and walked towards his throne, and sat himself down looking across at Ramsey. "Niether did Domeric." Roose looke up from the table, and his face was not emotionless in that moment. For a moment, maybe less there was pure hate in his eyes. I saw his hand clench against the table and it looked to be all he could do to not charge at Ramsey. "Do not speak his name." Ramsey laughed breifly before noticing the hate in his eyes and stopped. "You shall hear no argument from me. The failed Bolten is dead and gone, and now I am king." As he said it he puffed out his chest, and I felt embaressed for him. He stood there looking like an idiot, and he had no idea just how big a moron he truly was. "Your king now?" "You know how this ends father." The second after he said it he pulled his cloak up revealing his dagger from his hip belt and walked towards Roose at his desk. "I knew it the moment you came to stay here." Ramsey stopped after he said it standing in front of his desk. "You knew I would kill you?" "I knew you were insane." Ramsey moved forward his hand now growing nearer to the dagger that clenched to his hip. If Roose knew that he didn't care, and between that and not noticing it looked to me like he had given up. "Now is not the time to be insulting me. Live out your final moments in peace father." |