Balassor Otherys

Balassor Otherys is the eldest son of Balerion Otherys and Talora Adarys, born during the year 419 AC in the Free City of Tyrosh. Since the death of his father in 431 AC, Balassor has resided in the island of Grey Gallows in the Stepstones under the leader of the Saan Family, Samarro Saan, earning his permanent stay upon taming the dragon Erinnon in 434 AC.

Appearance and Character
Balassor takes his appearance after that of his ancestors, his dark complexion being a clear indicator of the Otherys' ties to the Summer Islands. Truly were it not for his taming of Erinnon it would not be a leap to assume he was anything but a Summer Islander, the features of his Targaryen grandfather completely absent in full, his eyes a brown which he inherited from his mother,

Balassor often carries around himself as if he were a professional soldier, hair kept short and face without a trace of it, his demeanour stern and serious. Yet in tense moments this can be replaced with hotheadedness, Balassor's youth and inexperience bringing out his short temper and need to be right. For Balassor is not a man who is driven by duty or honour, but vengeance against those responsible for the murder of his father and the life in the Stepstones he was forced into.

He has the body of a fierce mercenary, his height driving him to train harder than most around him, and leading to his appreciation of the spear. Balassor will often be found in basic leathers or light steel, quite aware of the seemingly endless ocean around him, and what would happen should he ever fall from his dragon mount.

Childhood
Balassor was born the eldest child of Balerion Otherys and Talora Adarys in 419 AC. He spent his early childhood living within the inner walls of the city of Tyrosh, enjoying the lavish and carefree lifestyle as other children of the Magisters had before him. Money would never be a problem, he was told, thanks to his mother's business and his father's dragon Sunburst. It was a beast he'd grow to admire and become quite fond of, always asking his father to see it, and sneaking out during the night when told he could not. One day he knew he too would ride it, taking up his father's place as its defender. No other destiny would await him, or so he thought.

As he grew, Balassor would be taught with sword and spear, growing a certain affinity for the later. The spear of his father, Fate, too fascinated him. Another gift of his father's which would find its way into his hands when the time came. And he certainly showed no lack of skill in the training yard over the other children, even at such a young age. And then, under the guidance of both his mother and father, too had in education in all things to do with warfare, from the seas to land. Despite his advances in these however, Balassor was always a quiet child among his peers, focusing on his studies and training as opposed to social gatherings at the Archon's Palace.

Knives in the Darkness
Balassor was only 12 years old in 431 AC, when the grand festival for the Triarchy was held in the Free City of Lys. Balassor was initially displeased he wouldn't be able to accompany his father to the festival, seeing it as a chance to visit another one of the cities within the Triarchy, and to ride upon the back of Sunburst on the way. When he learnt his father's dragon would be remaining within Tyrosh, however, the initial disappointment he felt mostly disappeared. With a cheery enough outlook on the situation, Balassor, his sister and mother said their goodbyes to Balerion, the younger Otherys completely unaware of the political machinations at work.

It would be a fortnight later when the news came. Balassor had been busying himself in the training yard one night after another failed attempt to sneak into Sunburst's confinement. One of his mother's servants informed him she wished to see her son in Balerion's manse, nothing out of the ordinary he had figured. Naturally he agreed, only to find when he arrived most of their most important belongings were packed away. Jewels, gold, not a trace of it could be found, as his mother explained the death of his father and their immediate departure from the city. Little does Balassor remember from that day save the initial burning rage, then his desire to get to Sunburst, and finally his acceptance that should he do so he too would end with a knife in his belly.

And so under the cover of night they set sail from the port of Tyrosh, nothing but their wealth and the crew among their ship in their possession now, the Otherys' destiny awaited them in Pentos. Or so they thought.

Life Under Another
Their journey to Pentos would be cut off quiet soon, however, not even making it out of the Stepstones before corsairs were set upon the small vessel. The fight was short for their were people even capable of fighting upon it, Balassor still a child and unable to defend against fully grown men trained in killing. Yet his mother would save them all as she revealed their identities, the pirates taking them captive the moment after. Fearful for all their lives, cooperation was key, as they were escorted to the island of Grey Gallows.

Balassor wasn't entirely sure of what he was expecting upon their arrival. A brutish man, perhaps, to inform them of how cruel their captivity would be. Or, a fat balding man giving them the price for a ransom needed. He did not, however, expect the hospitality and joyous nature of Samarro Saan, the patriarch of the Saan Family and self-proclaimed Lord of the Stepstones. Samarro showered them in a lavish feast upon their arrival, scolding his men for their initial harsh treatment, and offering not a price for their lives, but a home. Balassor initially dreaded the idea, to live among so many cutthroats and lowlifes, the exact opposite environment he had grown in so far. But Talora accepted, seeking the protection and concealment from Tyrosh offered.

Life would end up not being so cruel and awful as Balassor expected, continuing his training and studies among the men in service to the Saan Family, along with a growing personal friendship of sorts with Samarro Saan, his own mother becoming an adviser to the Saan. But even still, his life of comfort and ease was over, and for that he could only blame the Archon of Tyrosh as his mother would come to tell him, the Magisters of the city betraying both his family and his father. A wrong never to be forgiven, and one Balassor swore to correct.

A Setback
Word arrived in Grey Gallows during the year 433 AC of what had happened to Balassar's father's dragon, Sunburst. The dragon had been tamed by the grandson of Moreo Sadaris, the Archon of Tyrosh. Balassor's anger boiled at the delivered news, the dragon supposed to have been his, growing determined to right yet another wrong. He'd been aware of Samarro's plans to have him tame a dragon, and, now foolishly he realised, Balassor had always thought it would be Sunburst.

Nevertheless, Samarro gave Balassor some good news as the former dragon of Aeryn Targaryen was spotted in the western Stepstones. Balassor was determined to tame the dragon, Samarro gladly giving Balassor two dozen of his best warriors and a ship for the journey. It took just over a fortnight for the group to find Stormsong's lair, Balassor boldly approached the beast with several of the men with him, already being able to imagine himself riding it as his father had ridden Sunburst. While the dragon initially appeared receptive, what seemed like an unknown force angered the beast, it lashing out in a fury he'd never witnessed before as the men around him screamed out in pain and terror.

Balassor was certain those were his final moments, yet as the smoke cleared and the screams ended, there was nothing but him and the dragon remaining, Stormsong simply returned to its interrupted meal. Slowly and carefully, Balassor exited its lair, once outside sprinting to the ship and informing the men there of what happened. As Balassor returned to Grey Gallows, Samarro was outraged, making it quite clear to the young Otherys the only reason his family had been offered so much generosity was for the possibility of having a dragon rider.

Ashamed in himself, Balassor retreated to his quarters, doing the only thing he believed would help him now. Day and night, he read. Of dragons, of their riders and abilities. The unorthodox ways which had been tried before, and the ways which were theorised to potentially work. The Saan Family's constant raids on trading vessels throughout the region had left a treasure trove of knowledge on the subject, with books ranging from the Citadel of Oldtown, to the Shadow City of Asshai being found. Balassor grew confident with each passing day, his other studies put on hold completely, knowing his host grew impatient.

It didn't take long for another to attempt the same thing Balassor had, a man from Volantis named Vyrmidon Melos successfully taming the dragon Stormsong. Many sleepless nights arrived for Samarro the moment word arrived of Bloodstone's submission, and especially when the initial demands to submit arrived. Yet the Saan remained steadfast, placing all his bets on the young boy as he began to recognise himself as the Lord of Grey Gallows, and not the Stepstones.