Harrold Darry

Lord Harrold "Harry" Darry is the current lord of Darry and associated lands. He was born to Lord Davos Darry and Lady Melissa Tully in 366 AC, the third child and first boy of his parents. He inherited Darry after his father's death during the winter of 405 AC, and is married to Lady Rhea Royce, with four children.

Appearance and Character
Harry Darry is short and slight, standing at just five foot five. He has short brown hair with a widow's peak, and deep brown eyes. He has the standard Darry appearance, with a common, but handsome look, bordering on looking common. While he isn't unfit, he is no soldier; at the age of ten he had a horse land on his leg, and it healed at an angle.

He is a brilliant statesman, although he focuses far more on increasing Darry's soft power; as a large town a defence is difficult no matter the size of the military. Increasing reputation is also important to him; as the first Lord Darry without any family members from before the Second Conquest, the low reputation that previous lords and ladies took for granted is seen by him as a slight upon his House, and he seeks to improve it.

His relationship to both his wife and children is distant. His marriage was an alliance to a powerful house, and while Lady Rhea is dutiful, the marriage has never blossomed into true love. He had little involvement in his children's education, and while he loves them up to a point, he sees them as a way for his House to survive, not as his own children. In particular he has problems with Amerei and Alyssa, the former for being too kind to effectively rule and the latter for being very crude and sexual. Despite being distant and often cold to his children, he does care for them as far as he is able, but his House will usually come first.

Recent Events
Harrold Darry was born in 366 AC to much acclaim. After several years of trying, the family finally had a male, healthy heir to carry on their name. At the time House Darry had a healthy line, but Harry's father, grandfather and great-grandmother were all the only surviving, legitimate children, and as such an abundance of children secured the lineage, as well as providing opportunities for alliances. Harry spent his young years being trained as befitted a heir to a noble house, with a standard noble education in addition to training as a knight. At that age, he dreamed of becoming a knight and winning renown, like most of his peers.

In 377 AC, two things that happened that would change the trajectory of Harry's life. Firstly, during a routine training session, his horse fell hard on his leg, and the leg set at an angle, meaning he would never fight, never win tourneys and would require a cane to walk. In the same year, his great-grandmother, Lady Mariya Darry died at the age of seventy. This changed the direction of the house dramatically; Mariya was her mother's daughter, and almost entirely continued the political trajectory of gaining power without gaining reputation. However, her son Lord Raymun was different, favouring the soft power approach that continues to this day. Raymun took his grandson to council, as Harry and his father were distant, most of his family were married off and no-one was allowed near Lady Melissa's experiment building.

Lord Raymun was his chief political inspiration with his attitude that the Darry name should be respected by all and that relations outside the Riverlands were also critical. As such, Harry would soon be betrothed to Lady Rhea Royce, a maiden three years younger, from the Vale. Throughout the 380's he was given several minor tasks to manage, such as doing much of the justice that a Lord was required to do, as well as several (failed) attempts to marry off his mysterious sister Shiera to suitors. He grew closer and closer to his mother, joining her in more and more dangerous experiments, even against his father's wishes

In 388 AC, Raymun died when a castle collapsed on him, and Harry became heir to Darry, after his father the new Lord Davos. On the same day his eldest daughter Amerei was born, amidst sorrow, after years of trying. Despite the outwardly healthy family, within a year Harry was ostracized in court, with he and his father having a tumultuous relationship. This was only amplified by Lady Melissa's death when her lab exploded, during a rumoured experiment to create a kind of wildfire cannon. The young couple were expelled from the castle following the row over this death, and it is said that Harry never forgave his father for the act; Rhea almost died giving birth to Alyssa as a result, in a tavern on the way to Lord Royce's stronghold.

Within three weeks Harry and his family were allowed to return, but the damage was done. The court split into two, with the conservative Davos heading one faction and Harry another. This situation continued over a decade, neither side willing to give ground. By the Scarlet Winter the rift healed enough for the two to formally reconcile and start to educate Amerei as second in line to Darry. During this period though Davos took a cold and suddenly died, leaving Harry as the new Lord Darry, in the middle of the harshest winter in generations. He showed skill in maneuvering the House through this winter, although his policy of harsh rationing was considerered harsh by much of the smallfolk, and many died of hunger.

Harry's Parents and older

 * Lady Mariya Darry, (307-377). Lady of Darry during Harry's childhood.  A wizened old woman, died of a wasting sickness.
 * Lord Raymun Darry (329-388). Lord Darry during Harry's adolescence, and his main tutor.  A strong, harsh man, died of a building collapse.
 * Lord Davos Darry, (347-405). Harry's father and previous Lord Darry.  Portly, but shrewd and strong.  Died of a winter chill.


 * Lady Melissa Tully, (347-389). Harry's mother, and his closest relative.  Middling height, with red hair and blue eyes.  Died during an experiment gone wrong.

Harry's Relatives

 * Marissa Darry (362-404), married Benarr Bracken, with children. Died during the Scarlet Winter.
 * Shiera Darry (363-), unmarried and childless. Albino, with an interest in the higher mysteries, particularly the Old Gods.
 * Ser Addam Darry (371-), married Bellena Blackwood. A knight of some small renown.

Immediate Family

 * Harrold "Harry" Darry, (366-), Lord of Darry 405-
 * Lady Rhea Royce, (369-). Devoted to her children, but in a loveless marriage.  Tall with short black hair.
 * Lady Amerei Darry. (388-) Heir to Darry. Tall and shy, with a thin build.
 * Alyssa Darry, (389-). An amorous teenager, medium height and curvy.
 * Mina Darry, (394-). A champion archer.
 * Eleyna Darry (397-)

Household
None yet.