Post by Lord Elyas Dryland on Apr 12, 2014 17:13:09 GMT -5
Name
Elyas Dryland
Byname
Requested of Admins
Title
Lord of Vaith
Status
Lord of Vaith, Dragonrider of Dorne
Age
37 (b. 61 AL)
Dragon
Ellarion
Weapon
Bastard Sword
Skills
Expert- Fighting (Swords)
Noteworthy- Animal Handling
Noteworthy-Land Battle
Noteworthy- Dragon Handling
Noteworthy- Dragon Handling
Apprentice- Athletics
Apprentice-Survival
Novice- Marksmanship (Bows)
Beginner- Persuasion
Beginner- Medicine
History
Elyas Sand was born in Skyreach in 61 AL to Tayna Fowler, who was captured while leading a raiding party in the Stormlands and ransomed back to house Fowler pregnant. Tayna died in childbirth, and Lord Anders assumed guardianship of the twin children of his younger sister. Anders refused to name the twins’ father, indicating only that he was a Targaryen.
For the most part, the other children at Skyreach close age to the twins, although Elyas was always closest to his twin sister. Through much of his early martial training, his twin Mya was an equal sparring partner and the two tested each other regularly, impressing Skyreach’s master at arms with their dedication to their training. Eventually as Elyas grew, he eclipsed his sister physically and she in turn devoted her attention to archery. While he was by no means an inept marksman himself, Elyas recognized that he felt most natural with his sword in hand, and began to spar with his cousin Mathis, the youngest of Lord Anders trueborn children. Mathis, two years Elyas’s senior, initially treated nine year old Elyas with derision, sparring with the boy only due to the master at arm’s instructions. Elyas, however, proved a quick learner, and he quickly began to use his greater agility to counter the strength advantage of his opponent. Finally, after sparring to the point of exhaustion without breaking through Elyas’ guard, his elder cousin favoured him with a tired nod and the words “Well fought”. From that point on, a friendship began to grow, although Elyas remained very much the dependent party as both Mathis’ social inferior and junior. The only place he enjoyed dominance over Mathis was in the sparring ring, where just as had with his sister earlier, he gradually began to eclipse his opponent. This time, however, it was not due to any physical advantage, but rather his ever improving skill with the blade.
On his fourteenth nameday, Mathis departed to squire for Lord Manwoody, and twelve year old Elyas was left alone. Determined to prove his worth in spite of his unfortunate background, Elyas vowed that he would one day become the greatest knight in Dorne. Lord Anders approached the twins at the onset of the war and instructed them to travel with the forces under Ser Alaric, his heir of nineteen. Fifteen year old Elyas fought alongside his cousin for the first year of the conflict, earning a knighthood from the elderly Rickard Wells after he saved his life in a failed ambush attempt. Ser Alaric and Ser Elyas then travelled with what remained of the Fowler men to Yronwood on the orders of Lord Anders. There they became involved in Aenar’s plot to claim the crown, and both were with Lord Yronwood’s forces in the Rainwood when Rhaella descended. There Mya became separated from the Dornish as they began to retreat and perished in the flames that consumed the battlefield. Her death, in conjunction with the fact that his mother was the victim of rape while their captive, has fueled within Elyas a deep-rooted hatred of Targaryens.
Following the failure of the plot, Ser Elyas was imprisoned in the Spear Tower along with his cousin Ser Alaric. Elyas did not remain in his cell for long, demanding that the Princess grant him a trial by combat. This she agreed to due, underestimating the marital talent of the bastard knight under her care who defeated her champion Ser Quentyn Drinkwater. Ser Elyas was released from the his confinement on the condition that he agree on his honor as a knight to never again participate in any Dornish plot without her assent. Ser Elyas made his vow before the court. Sarella, to her credit learnt from her mistake as well, refusing to grant Ser Alaric that which she had granted his cousin, justifying her position by claiming he was a guest of the Martells rather than the prisoner that his cousin had been. Ser Elyas would remain at court, initially to petition unsuccessfully for his cousin’s release, and eventually as a knight in service of the princess, who was in dire need of talented and loyal servants following the annihilation of much of Dorne’s knightly population in the battle of Sunspear. Ser Elyas served the Princess as a sworn sword until 80 AL.
In 80 AL, while Westeros was engulfed in the War of the Three Dragons, Ser Elyas accompanied Prince Rhaegar Targaryen on his quest to slay the menace that was the Dragon Vandaras. Ser Elyas did not join Rhaegar by choice like his Fowler kin, but rather because he and Ser Aurane Dalt were ordered to by Princess Sarella. In the battle Rhaegar and Ser Olyvar Sand, Elyas' elder cousin dealt grievous to the beast, but not before Ser Aurane died saving Elyas from the dragon's flames. To this day Elyas has faint burn scars on the shoulder and upper arm that were set alight by the flames. On his return to Sunspear, Elyas was enlisted in the plot of Prince Trystane Martell to acquire a dragon for the defense of Dorne. Elyas, assisted by Lady Catelyn Vaith, Ser Olyvar Sand, and Ser Arron of Shandystone landed at Dragonstone, taking advantage of the absence of Queen Rhaena and her fleet, both of which had moved on King's Landing. The four snuck ashore, accompanied by a number of Ser Arron's sailors, and reached the Dragonmont unmolested, the Dragonstone garrison having been weakened when Rhaena seized the throne. The first dragon the group came upon was a young one, but it was still too tough a task for Elyas, who was attempting to bond a dragon without any knowledge of the process. For the second time in his life, Elyas was saved from death at the hands of a dragon, this time by Catelyn and Olyvar, who distracted the beast for long enough to allow him to escape. Four of the Dornish sailors who had accompanied them ashore lost their lives as the small Dornish group fled, using the darkness to escape their hunter. It was quite evident that the group had no hope of acquiring a living dragon, but Elyas refused to return to Dorne empty handed. The group searched for caves inhabited by the beasts, and as the sun began to light the horizon they came across the lair of Dreamfyre. Elyas entered the cave alone, and came out with three dragon eggs. It is said that the knight refused to allow his comrades to celebrate until they reached the docks of Sunspear, adamant that they remain vigilant in case of pursuit by Targaryen vessels or a a dragon proper.
The group presented the eggs to their benefactor, Prince Trystane, who in turn presented them to his mother. Princess Sarella was initially furious with the conspirators, and berated them privately. The prize, however, was too valuable for her to remain angry with them for long, and shortly after their return, the group was honoured in a public ceremony in which Elyas was presented with one of the eggs. As the ceremony preceded Lady Visenya's arrival in the capital by a matter of days, Ser Elyas was the first Dornishman sworn to Sunspear to possess a living dragon. Following the ceremony Ser Elyas and Ser Olyvar were joined by Prince Trystane and his wife Myriah Vaith in privately petitioning the Princess for the release of the eldest son of Lord Fowler, who remained under her guardianship. This request was refused, much to the consternation of Ser Olyvar. Several weeks later, however, Sarella relented, and the Fowler heir was released. This may have had to do with the arrival in Dorne of a more serious threat in the eyes of the Princess, Lady Visenya Targaryen.
Ser Elyas remained in Sunspear. Half a year after the Dragonstone mission, he and Catelyn made their intent to marry one another public. They married near the beginning of the year 82 AL, and shortly after, Elyas finally managed to hatch his egg, naming the blue dragon with gold markings Ellarion. For the next seven years, Elyas lived in Sunspear with Catelyn, riding Ellarion on various scouting missions for the Dornish. Catelyn suffered a stillbirth in 83 AL, and in 85 AL a daughter was born to the couple, and was named Mya, after Elyas' deceased twin. It was agreed with House Vaith that the child would be allowed to bear the Vaith name. Initially Elyas was a clumsy dragonrider, and his flights were largely dominated by his mount's will. This was quite evident when Elyas, who was supposed to be scouting the Stormlands border following reports of suspicious activity by Stormlanders was instead carried due west by his mount, passing over Hellholt before their flight turned North-West toward the Reach. Elyas was finally able to coax Ellarion to the ground, but they were well west of Blackmont before he was able to do so. By the time, Elyas was able to direct his mount East, Wyl was already under siege. He returned to Sunspear as fast as he was able, but Wyl had already fallen and he and Visenya were unable to prevent the sack of Yronwood.
Following his failure to protect Dornish possessions, Elyas devoted himself tirelessly to mastering the art of dragon riding. His success became apparent in a series of minor but irritating raids on the now Stormlander territories, in which a not insignificant amount of damage was done to Stormlander forces. Ellarion received a number of minor wounds from arrows during these attacks, but all of these healed over time. Elyas and Catelyn had another child in 87 AL, the same year that Catelyn's father died and her elder sister became Lady of Vaith. Elyas had been ennobled by Princess Sarella that year for his continued dedication to the service of House Martell, so his first son, Zachery Dryland, bore the name of his father's unlanded house. Elyas had hoped to receive a minor title from House Martell, but never expected to receive Vaith itself, as he did in 89 AL, when Myriah and her children all fell victim to the plague. Elyas' family was not unspared either, with both Catelyn and young Zachery falling victim to the plague. It is said that the Dornish dragonrider refused to leave the chambers of his wife, ignoring the advice of the healers present to keep separate from the infected. While Catelyn survived the blight that annhilated her family, Zachery was not as fortunate, passing to the gods three days after falling ill. Catelyn went on to recover fully, and inherited her family holdings. So it was that Elyas, the bastard nephew of the Lord of Skyreach, became the Lord of Vaith.
For the past decade Elyas and Catelyn have managed the affairs of Vaith, neither being an expert Steward, but doing their best with a holding they never expected to possess. Elyas continues to fly scouting missions and raids with Visenya, although these are less common than they were before the plague. It is said that Dorne's two dragonriders are not overly fond of one another, and tend to keep their distance from one another except when drawn together by formal functions. Elyas spends some time at Sunspear, but vastly prefers the company of his wife at Vaith to courtly life, with most of his former friends either dead or having moved on in their lives. Catelyn had two more children, Myriah in 90 AL and Lucyen in 93 AL. Elyas cares greatly for his children, but does not spoil them, training each for the day that they will no doubt be called upon to resist the next incursion into Dorne.
Reputation
Known to be a fierce patriot, and a knight of honor and virtue. His intense dislike for the Targaryens is well known amongst the Dornish. Those in the higher echelons of the Dornish nobility are aware that Elyas at fault for the Dornish unreadiness against Lord Boros Baratheon's invasion of Wyl and Yronwood.
Appearance
Elyas inherited the height and complexion of his father, Maegor, but did not inherit his imposing build. Instead, Elyas is of the same wiry build that his shorter mother possessed. Elyas has black hair, which he keeps cut short. He is always fastidiously clean shaven. His head is of standard size, and is ovular in shape. Deep blue eyes sit above his sharp and narrow nose. He has faint burn marks that run from his shoulder halfway down his upper arm from his wounding by the Dragon Vandaras. The laugh lines on Elyas' face are very faint.
House Dryland:
-Lord Elyas Dryland, of Vaith. B.61 AL.
-Catelyn Vaith, his wife. Lady of Vaith. B.62 AL
--Mya Vaith, their daughter. B.83 AL
--Zachery Dryland, their son. Died of the plague. B.87 AL D.89 AL
--Myriah Dryland, their daughter. B.90 AL
--Lucyen Dryland, their son. B.93 AL
all alone and also really bored 
Hopefully going to kickstart the festival too