Criston Lannister

Criston Lannister is Lord of Castamere and head of House Lannister of Castamere. A notable knight-captain of the Golden Company, the heir-presumptive to House Lannister earned infamy and renown during the Second Hammer Rebellion.

Appearance and Character
At first glance, he is what you see. Another son of the Rock, tall, fair of hair with sea-green eyes. But a closer glance reveals something more muted. Tall, but not as tall as most of his kin. Fair, but his hair is a shade paler than the beaten gold the trickster bequeathed to his get. The eyes are cold, without the arrogant twinkle of his forefathers, something cold and imperious, almost alien. The features, chiseled by the same stonemason as his kin, have an almost skeletal bent to them, harsh and sharp and stern.

Slim and trim, the Lord of Castamere cuts a dashing figure atop the blood bay courser he favors. Often garbed in well-fitted black silks, a remnant from his time in the Company, the current Knight-Champion of the West is rarely found without the sword Oathkeeper at his side.

Birth and Education
Born to Ser Tygett Lannister and Myrcella Brax in the year 410 A.C., Criston was at first meant to be named Leyton, for his father's dear friend the Lightsteel. Cooler heads prevailed, however, given the Hightower's reduced standing in court prestige. Young Criston was not at first particularly noted as a bright child; shy, and particularly late to talk, it was feared at first that the child was simple. His mother would have reared him as a septon, but his father saw to it that he received ample attention from Casterly Rock's master-at-arms, even delving into his own purse to hire a master from Braavos, the great Orbelo Reyaan's son Denyo.

His father's pains paid off, as Criston showed particular potential at arms, standing out particularly with the sword. At eight, he attended the Great Tourney at Summerhall, where he witnessed the horrific murder of his childhood idol, the Lightsteel, at the hands of Aemon Dayne. The event much affected the young Lannister squire, as just the day before, Tygett had spent an entire afternoon in the famed knight's company with his father.

Squired at Casterly Rock, Criston developed an enmity of sorts with his cousin Tywin, heir to his lordly uncle Tybolt. Tensions were not helped when the two found themselves pursuing the same girl, the daughter of one of Lord Tybolt's household knights. An incident in the yard that left a scar running across Tywin's face brought things to a head, and the sixteen year old Criston was hastily knighted and packaged off to the Golden Company, where a place had been set aside for him to follow in the footsteps of his father.