Bedevar Crakehall

(Faceclaim will still be added.)

Ser Bedevar Crakehall is a scion of a Crakehall cadet branch. He is fourth in line to inherit House Oakheart, and has been more close to House Oakheart than his own kin. For most of his years, he has lived a self-reliant life as some kind of hedge knight. Among the circles of merchants and business men, he has earned himself a good reputation and travelled the Westerlands and bordering regions like few others. He has served his House dutifully in the Bleeding, yet not distinguished himself. Nowadays, he has joined the Western army.

Appearance and Character
Bedevar stands at 6’ feet 1 and is of a muscular build. His dark hair and dark grey eyes, combined with a fair skin and a stoic, tight-lipped, enduring nature render him a fine example of the First Men blood running strong in Crakehalls’ veins. He is known to prefer simplicity and be of a humble character, earnest and frank.

Biography
Bedevar Crakehall was born to Ser Irmyn Crakehall, member of a Crakehall cadet branch, and his Oakheart wife, a sister to Lord Oakheart. Through his mother, he ranks high among potential heirs to Old Oak.

When Bedevar was six years old, his mother died, leaving him with no siblings. When his father remarried, the calm and thoughtful yet strong and strong-willed boy would get three half-siblings. Yet though his father and step-mother tried to keep him integrated in the family, Bedevar was naturally steering away. Nobody could tell why. He preferred playing with other children than with his brothers or cousins. This tendency would become stronger as he aged. And it was a relief for him when he was sent to Old Oak to become a squire.

Skilled with the blade and both obedient and industrious, a patient and polite youth, he was soon respected by his new surroundings. And he adapted to his new Oakheart peers far better than he ever had to boys of his Crakehall or Westerlander environment before. Though with his simple and humble taste he would of course stand out in the more lavish circles of the Reach. Bedevar got especially close to the Oakheart heir and their friendship would last till the latter was murdered in his twenties.

Knighted at Old Oak, Bedevar chose to stay there for still a while, but then was advised to return to Crakehall in order to not become even more alienated from his kin. However, he quickly came to realize that upon his return, he found Crakehall even less his home than it ever felt to him before. All the more with the presence of so many other young noblemen – for Crakehall was a House rich in young male offspring. And with many of them in their early and advanced squire age, it was already now that financial expenditure was cut short to constitute reserves for their future needs.

Yet it was also House Crakehall’s emphasis on the sway the elderly members of the House held that led Bedevar to soon turn away from his House again. Like only few young noblemen would, Bedevar chose a free and independent and self-reliant life from the age of 21 onwards. He became something like a hedge knight.

Facing lots of problems as such at first because of his prominent background, things got better when Bedevar’s reliability and skill became obvious to his employers – hailing mostly from the ranks of commoners – and a network of employers, friends and other helpful people started to develop.

It was during these years that he also got to know Damon Stackspear on his travels and he befriended himself with the temperamental young man.

When the Bleeding hit the realm, Bedevar would at once return to his House, to support the war efforts at Crakehall. He did so efficiently and became known for his reliability and skill even among his relatives, though the young man from a cadet branch did not distinguish himself in any glorious or outstanding way.

After the war, Bedevar returned to his life as a hedge knight. And some time was spent at Old Oak again assisting the new Lord Desmond Oakheart after the murder of his older brother.

It was not before 438 AC, when Bedevar was 29 years, that he was one of the leading figures in House Crakehall’s internal fight to end the grudge held against House Brax regarding the position of Lord Marshal. The affair saw Lord Asher and Bedevar join the ranks of the Western Army. With some of their relatives to follow.

Bedevar became a lieutenant in the City Watch of Lannisport. And he started courting Lady Roslin Brax, daughter of Lord Marshal Lyonel Brax.

All of this was put to a harsh end when war efforts broke out again. Bedevar left Lannisport and the Rock, where he had led a settled life for not even two months, and found himself on the march again – following the army round Lord Criston Lannister.

In the ranks of this army, he got promoted to provost-major first, and commander of the flying column second.