House Templeton

House Templeton is one of the Houses in the Vale of Arryn. One of the most powerful knightly houses in the realm, the Templetons are known for being able to field almost as many soldiers as the more powerful lords in the realm. Their holdings are rather spread out, consisting of multiple small towers and parcels of land with one central, smaller keep. Their current ruler is Ser Lancel Templeton.

History
The history of House Templeton stretches back to the days of the Andal Invasions and beyond, indeed when the Andals first came to the Vale, it was the Templetons who helped lead the charge.

In the Battle of Seven Stars, Ser Luceon Templeton distinguished the house once more, indeed it is said that it was him who slew Robar Royce, though others have attempted to claim that honour for themselves. Since that day the sword of House Templeton has had a band of copper beaten into the hilt, running up it in a spiraling pattern.

As a gift for their service, the Templetons were allowed to choose for themselves a plot of land to claim as their own demense. Though when time came for it to be granted, Luceon Templeton requested that he not be made a lord, but remain a knight. For he would not wish for a deed done while Artys was still a knight to allow himself to be raised above that station. Thus it was that, while claiming more land than most, the Knights of Ninestars remained just that.

Since then they have remained loyal and steadfast servants of the Arryns until the present day.

The Present Day
Apart from the land granted to them by Artys Arryn, the Templetons have gained for themselves many small holdfasts and patches of land from marriages throughout the ages, many to minor knightly families. For the Templetons, being able to pass in both low and high noble society, have been able to overcome some of the predilections of their noble bretheren.

Ninestars
Ninestars is not for the most part one large keep, though the somewhat small Temple Keep serves as the largest holding and where most of their land is kept. Rather, the Templetons other holdings consist of nine small keeps about their region of the Vale, each with some small bit of land or peasant communities attached.

Being so near the border of the Vale, the Templetons have often served as one of the first lines of defense, and so many of their smaller holdings are well-stocked and garrisoned. Their location nearer the border also means that in times of winter, the Templetons may leave Temple Keep for lower ground towers further to the south, thus hopefully dulling the blow of Winter.

The tower-holdings of the Templetons are as follows: Luceon's Watch, The Mother's Hold, The Father's Keep, The Crystal Tower, The Tower of Ninestars, The Sword Watch, The Shield, Sparrow's Keep, and Royce's Folly.