Vorian Dayne

Vorian Dayne, Lord of Starfall
Vorian Dayne is the Lord of Starfall and Master of Coin to king Aegon VII. He is the eldest son of the notorious Aemon Dayne

Appearance and Character
Having inherited the features of the houses Dayne and Lannister respectively, Vorian's appearance is rather striking, with bright blonde hair and eyes the shade of amethyst. He is lightly built and slender, raised for life at court rather than battle. He is a reserved man who rarely smiles. Though bright, his eyes also display a certain weariness.

His parents notoriety and early deaths have stuck with him for most of his life as it shapes how people have viewed him over the years. It is in part because of this that he has chosen to lock the ancestral blade of Dawn away, seing no worthy figure to inherit it in this generation of his house

Early life
Born in 414 A.C, Vorian would spend his first years at his ancestral home of Starfall. His early childhood with his parents was peaceful, but this would not last. In 418 he would wave farewell to his father and mother as Lord Aemon departed for the Tourney of Summerhall. He would never see them again. For the murder of Leyton Hightower, both were deemed outlaws, Lady Ellyn would be executed and lord Aemon would narrowly escape the same fate by going into exile across the narrow sea. All that returned the blade Dawn. For the remainder of his time at Starfall, his upbringing would fall to his aunt and grandmother, who would keep the full truth of their father's deeds from the three siblings

Eventually these deeds would catch up to them, as Elyana and Vorian were sent as wards to the capital by royal decree.

At the dragon's court
Especially in the early days, the life in the capital proved equal parts difficult and frightening. As children of branded traitors, the Dayne children found themselves under strict scrutiny, and to make matters worse, the son of the murdered lord Hightower was there along with them, serving as a constant reminder of the sins of the father. However things would change for the better when the young boy was taken on as a page for the Master of Coin, Lucerys Velaryon, at the incentive of his wife, Princess Gael Targaryen. It proved a good fit, as Vorian, unlike many other boys, took more easily to sums than swordplay. Lucerys was hardly the most enthusiastic teacher, but through silent observation the boy learned how commerce was conducted and how diplomacy was carried out, while also delivering important documents and waiting upon important envoys and dignitaries. Growing up alongside the princes and princesses of the Iron Throne, he would in time find acceptance at court, even forming a friendship with the young lord Hightower in spite of the troubled past of their houses Originally it had been planned for Vorian to continue as Lucerys's squire once he reached the appropriate age, but with Lucerys's death in 426 he was instead recomended to lord Renfred Hayford, the new master of coin. This would conclude with his knighting in 432, which was mostly due to his good service as an aide in official business rather than any extensive training at arms, and was somewhat hastened by the instability which began to break out in the early days of The Bleeding, forcing many young noblemen back to their homes. He returned to Starfall in early 433, taking up direct rule of his castle for the first time in his life

The war of Stone and Sky

A year after returning, religious tension in the red mountains would force Vorian to call the first council of Starfall in an attempt to avoid conflict. Though he did not follow his father's God, both the court of King's Landing and Starfall had courtiers of the red faith, and so he had learned to understand it even if he would never believe in it himself. As such he was frustrated when the Great Synod of Lannisport resolved to outlaw the faith of the Red God in Westeros. Upon hearing that the red temple had been razed, he could no longer remain silent on the issue. At the council he argued the case for the red god's faithful, but ultimately his pleas fell on deaf ears, and so as the lords of the red mountains departed, he was forced ot begin preparations for war. It would come, but not in the way he had expected. Not only were the warsmiths growing in number, but the other houses of the mountains began to raise their armies, and as the days passed it became clear they were marching for Starfall under the banner of a new Vulture King. Unprepared for a battle of this scale, Vorian and Ulrick scrambled to assemble as many men as possible, and so spared little time for second thoughts when their cousins from High Heremitage arrived offering assistance. They were betrayed and jailed in their own castle, as even the followers of the seven at court were growing tired of a policy of toleration. Vorian sat powerless in a tower cell while his court purged itself of R’hllorists. After the Battle of Godsgrace he would be freed by his brother-in-law, prince Aerion, however while he had taken little physical harm, much damage was done to the relations between houses in the Red Mountains. Vorian found himself beginning to loathe his homeland and did not stay long after the war, sealing away Dawn before departing for the capital. In the aftermath of the Hammer uprising justice was to be meted out, to loyal men and traitors alike. Vorian would witness the trials carried out by the new king. The trials of the Swann children was particularly hard for him to watch, and so it came naturally to him to support queen Visenya in her defence of lady Ravella's youngest son. With the end of The Bleeding, the new heads of House Targaryen sought to consolidate power, and required loyal men to serve them. So it was that Vorian was named keeper of the books, a position serving the Master of Coin in official capacity, whereas before his tutilage had been informal. This would make him the natural successor when this prestigious post on the Small council became available in the early months of 438

A star of gold
Ever since his appointment, Vorian has been faced with the task of rebuilding the finances of the realm in the aftermath of The Bleeding. He has strived to open new avenues of trade and create construction projects to stimulate the economy out of its disrupted state. He, like everyone else, is confronted with the factionalized nature of the court in the aftermath of the war, and though he tries to walk the middle line, serving the king rather than the interests of one group, he too may eventually find himself forced into one camp or the other. More than anything he hopes to make his own name, distinct from the past of his house, both great and terrible