Gareth Tyrell

Ser Gareth Tyrell (born 379 AC) is Master of Laws and heir to House Tyrell of Brightwater Keep. Formerly a squire to Prince Aemon Targaryen, Gareth was knighted during The War of the Three Thieves and has continued to serve House Targaryen as a commander and military advisor.

Appearance and Character
Gareth is a lean and well-built knight standing 6'2" who displays many of the common Tyrell traits from voice to appearance. A handsome face with light brown eyes accompanies dark brown medium length hair and pale skin.

Unlike other reachmen that wear opulent outfits and intricate armors, Gareth prefers more practical clothing and can often be seen wearing more smartly fitted leathers with brocade bases or loose casual wear allowing for agile movement. His armor is primarily a combination of plate and chainmail with a verdant tabard displaying the dual roses of House Tyrell of Brightwater Keep.

Lacking some of the flamboyancy of his Tyrell relatives, Gareth has a deep, well-spoken voice that commands respect amongst his troops. In emulating the character of his ancestor, Garlan the Gallant, Gareth is outwardly chivalric in his actions and fancies himself a champion of the common folk. However, despite a gregarious and outgoing public face, Gareth maintains a very private personal life.

Early Life
Gareth was born in 379 AC to Luthor Tyrell and Leonette Rowan at his family's holdfast of Brightwater Keep which sits at the source of the Honeywine. His early childhood was fairly typical for children born into noble Reach families with days mixed between education and play. He was taught his letters, the basics of history and law, and court etiquette.

Around the age of seven, Gareth became a page to his father, Luthor Tyrell. It was under his father's tutelage that Gareth began to hear stories about his great-grandfather, Garlan the Gallant, who had founded their cadet branch of House Tyrell after being awarded the ancestral seat and holdings of House Florent after the Battle of the Blackwater. Gareth admired his ancestor and came to emulate him, believing his actions to be the conduct of a properly chivalrous and skilled knight.

The Great Famine
When The Great Famine struck in 392 AC, Gareth and his family were in attendance at a regional tourney in King's Landing. Gareth was still but a page in his father's service in the new tradition established by his great-grandfather, but Gareth was no less skilled than others his age who had already attained a squireship under a knight or lord. Much of his free time was spent on physical conditioning and developing his swordsmanship. Despite this and due to his age, he still had a lanky, boyish build that made him appear more servant than future knight.

While the various lords and knights competed in the tourney, Gareth was tending to his father's pavilion in the tournament encampment when he was approached by a group of three commoners around the same age as himself. They wore tattered rags and, despite their near starvation, appeared to be healthy enough to risk their life scavenging the baggage trains of trained warriors. A terse exchange of words was had before the group attacked Gareth with stick and fist. Despite being outnumbered 3-to-1, Gareth managed to fend off the assailants. The victory was hard fought, however, and after they had seemingly fled he fell to one knee with numerous cuts and bruises. In that moment he feared they would return to finish him off from behind once they realized he had fallen. Instead, he felt a hand arc over his shoulder and lift him up to his feet. Surprisingly, it was Aemon Targaryen who had helped the young Gareth up and upon commending his fighting spirit, took the Tyrell youth to be one of his squires.

The War of the Three Thieves
Like most of the nobility of Westeros, Gareth was a combatant in the war against the Stepstones. He accompanied his mentor, Aemon, into battle for each engagement and gradually increased his responsibilities within the army on foot while his Targaryen superior took to battle in the skies upon Rhaegal. Within the army, Gareth began to make a name for himself as both a skilled fighter and an even more skilled commander and strategist. It was during the Battle of the Broken Arm that he really shined, leading a naval detachment to overpower a pair of larger ships that were harassing Westerosi forces in one of the bloodiest battles of the war. In recognition of his skill in battle, Aemon knighted his squire who entered into the Targaryen's retinue as a commander of men.

The Scarlet Winter
Years had passed with Gareth in the service of House Targaryen. Through each conflict that Westeros and the Crown faced he served faithfully while his father maintained the lordship of Brightwater Keep and tended to the duties of the house. By 405 AC, The Scarlet Winter had resulted in the deaths of thousands across all of Westeros. However, no death was felt more heavily to Gareth than the death of Aemon who departed on The Night With No Moon. Gareth had attempted to dissuade Aemon from leaving on his mission abroad but to no avail and now his mentor and friend was dead.

Gareth's place in service to the Targaryen's was in flux for a short time before he fell into service with Aemon's wife, Visaera Targaryen, who recognized him for his skill just as her husband had. From that moment on, Gareth became Visaera's sworn shield and military adviser, offering his military expertise and strategic insight to the princess and her immediate family.

Present Day
For two years, Gareth has served within the retinue of Visaera Targaryen who has come to value his advice in matters of state and military importance. Meanwhile, in Brightwater Keep, Gareth's father Luthor continues to reign as lord of the family's holdings and deals with matters of importance in the Reach but has made it clear he expects his eldest son to return home soon to marry and take up his future duties of lord.

In 407 AC, shortly after the death of King Aenar I Targaryen, Gareth was summoned and appointed to the Small Council as Master of Laws.

Family

 * Lord Garlan Tyrell, Lord of Brightwater Keep, b. 277 A.C. d. 352 A.C.
 * m. Lady Leonette Fossoway, b. 280 A.C. d. 350 A.C.
 * Lord Mace Tyrell, Lord of Brightwater Keep, b. 308 A.C. d. 388 A.C.
 * m. Lady Janna Chester, b. 311 A.C. d. 390 A.C.
 * Lord Luthor Tyrell, Lord of Brightwater Keep, b. 355 A.C.
 * m. Lady Leonette Rowan, b. 360
 * Ser Gareth Tyrell, Heir to Brightwater Keep, b. 379 A.C.
 * Lady Jeyne Tyrell, b. 387 A.C.
 * Lady Lysa Tyrell, b. 388 A.C.
 * Lady Melara Tyrell, b. 390 A.C.
 * Matthos Tyrell, b. 392 A.C.