Rolland Tarly

Introduction
Lord Rolland Tarly is the Lord of Horn Hill and a Marcher Lord of the Dornish Marches. Born in 384 AC. He is the firstborn son of Gareth Tarly and Lillianna Peake, who soon died after only a year of marriage during the birth of Rolland.

In the last days of Lord Gareth's life, he commanded a loyal knight, Ser Harlon Hunt to take his firstborn son to his mothers home, Starpike. That was where Rolland stayed during his childhood, until he was squired to Ser Harlon and left Starpike to travel the Seven Kingdoms.

Appearance and Character
Lord Rolland has short brown hair, a trimmed beard, and blue eyes. He stands tall at 6'4" with a strong muscular build. Rolland wastes none of his time, if he isn't out practicing his swordfighting skills in the courtyard, he would give a helping hand to his surrogate father, Ser Harlon Hunt with his work.

By age 12, Ser Harlon and Rolland moved to Oldtown to setup a Blacksmith shop. Rolland was taken on by Harlon as an apprentice, where he taught him all the tricks of the trade like Harlon's father had done for him. Rolland would spend 10 hours a day in the blacksmith shop, and 6 hours a day in the courtyard practicing. Harlon kept him on a strict schedule, it was how Lord Gareth would have wanted it.

History
After many years working in the shop, eventually Harlon was too old to continue training Rolland, his expertise was not enough, Rolland had already become stronger and faster than Harlon could ever be. It was time for Rolland to know the truth about his nobility, and for him to find a new master, someone much more skilled and wise to make this boy into a man he was meant to be.

Ser Harlon came to Ser Erron Hightower, begging him to take on this young strong boy. Rolland looked like nothing more than a blacksmiths apprentice, but five minutes in the courtyard proved his skills in swordfighting to be much better than others his age.

Ser Harlon had no choice but to tell Ser Erron the secret of Rolland's parentage, afterwards he took Rolland on as a squire. On Harlon's deathbed, he told Rolland of his parentage and the treachery of Lord Samwell Tarly. On that day Rolland promised to get revenge against Samwell for taking his home away from him.

The Siege of Horn Hill 411 AC
After the death of Maekar's rebellion, Lord Samwell Tarly breaks his betrothal with the Hightowers, he thought they were weak and no longer suitable for the heir of House Tarly. Lord Leyton believed Lord Tarly was amassing forces to fight and capture Hightower lands.

An opportunity revealed itself for Rolland. He pleaded with Ser Erron to join his cause in retaking Horn Hill, and in return he promised to marry his daughter, Cissa Hightower. Ser Erron came to Leyton with the new information. Rolland presented Leyton with a letter from Lord Horras Peake, in the letter he promised to join Rolland Tarly's cause as he was the firstborn son of Lord Gareth Tarly and Lady Lillianna Peake, and the true heir of Horn Hill.

Many smallfolk, soldiers, and lords supported Rolland Tarly's cause but the odds were stacked against them. Rolland sent out letters to all noble lords and ladies of the realm to join his cause and to put an end to Samwell's treachery. The Hightowers raised their banners to put an end to the would-be conquerors, Lord Leyton Hightower marched with Rolland to Starpike to rally with the House Peake's armies.

Samwell was arrogant enough to believe he could defeat any army from the Hightowers, they were no threat to him. Once Sam saw the sheer numbers of the combined forces of House Hightower, House Peake, and Rolland's Rebels, he fled to the safety of Horn Hill's strong walls. Samwell's forces were easily crushed, the remaining living soldiers were cornered, they laid down their weapons.

The men looked to their new lord, awaiting his command on what to do with the men. Rolland was angry and wanted revenge, he knew these men were only protecting their homes so he spared them. He stood tall over everyone and looked to the captives.

"I will not punish a man for protecting his home and family. Today, you will have a choice. Bend the knee and live to see your families, or die here in the mud as your 'Lord' cowers behind his thick walls!"

Many of the men knelt in the mud, they knew it was over. Rolland walked through the crowd of kneeling men and looked around at any man still standing with a fierce look. Those that didn't bend the knee were cut down by Rolland himself. The last man standing was Alan Tarly, the false heir of Horn Hill. Rolland stared him down. Alan stood tall staring ahead without looking at Rolland. He kept silent as Rolland circled him like a predator who has found its prey.

"Do you not recognize the line of succession, Lord Alan?" Rolland said mockingly. "You either bend the knee now, or your life will end here" Alan looked up at Rolland with shock "You would kill your own family?" Rolland tilted his head and got uncomfortably close to Alan and whispered "If that's what it takes..." Alan recomposed himself and looked to the ground in shock. "Do your duty, my lord." In that moment he recognized Rolland's right to Horn Hill but he refused to bend the knee to Rolland. Laying on the ground in front of Alan was the ancestral valyrian steel sword of House Tarly, Heartsbane.

Rolland bent down and picked the sword out from the mud, he wiped the blood from the blade with a cloth and slid his fingers over the blades edge, it sliced through his skin like nothing he had ever seen before as a blacksmiths apprentice. This was valyrian steel. "What a beautiful blade, nothing like anything I could forge. Thank you for holding it for me." Rolland raised up the blade high and with an immense force slammed it down decapitating Alan. His head fell from his shoulders and slammed into the mud. His body fell to his knees and Rolland kicked it over.

By the time Rolland marched into the castle, Lord Leyton had already defeated his forces and slain Samwell. Gormon Peake had captured all the councillors and knights who were loyal to Samwell and executed them. Their bodies hanged outside the gate of Horn Hill. Lord Rolland Tarly had taken his rightful place and imprisoned the rest of Samwell's family. Eventually they were put into house arrest and released once they had swore to obey & serve Rolland.

Now that the war had ended and Rolland became Lord Tarly, it was time to fulfill the match he made with Lady Cissa Hightower. The wedding was held in late 412 AC and after six years of marriage, they have three children born to them.

Family Tree
Lady Cissa Tarly nee Hightower - Lady of Horn Hill

Reginald Tarly - Firstborn son, age six. Heir of Horn Hill

Rowena Tarly - Secondborn daughter, age four

Randyll Tarly - Thirdborn son, age two

Household
Ser Harlon Hunt - Castellan, an elderly knight and loyal friend of Rolland

Lord Henre Hunt - Master-at-Arms, Young Lord of House Hunt.

Lady Helen - Steward

Maester Martyn