Aelor Sand

Aelor Sand was born in 381 to Lady Yssila Dayne and a Father she refused to name for the first few months of young Aelor’s life. Her father, the Lord of Starfall, threatened to have the child thrown to the sands before the boy’s Father, Maegor Waters, the bastard of Dragonstone, returned to give his child a name and ensured several promises from Lord Dayne that Aelor would be treated with kindness and respect.

 

Maegor’s bastard grew in contentment in Starfall, his Mother doted on him as his Grandfather resented his existence. In time he began to question who his Father was, why people would whisper when he walked by, why the other children had different names. Not wishing to lie to her son, Yssila told Aelor that his Father was Maegor Waters. Tales of the Black Dragon had begun spreading across the land, his victories in tournaments, his heroic nature, kindness, honour, everything a King should be, Aelor thought. He grew up admiring and idolising his absent Father, determined to one day live up to his heritage. His desire to live up to his Father drew him further and further from the rest of House Dayne, who did not view Maegor in the same light. As Aelor grew and learned more of what had happened to his Father, the distance grew, eventually he would only speak to his mother, and only rarely.

 

At the age of 15, Aelor left Starfall in a party to deal with a group of bandits that had been raiding around the Red Mountains, denying trade and free passage. The party found itself caught in an ambush and only a handful of men survived, including Aelor. When all hope seemed lost a roar was heard echoing through the hills. The Black Dragon had been rumoured to be in the area, and it turned out the rumours were true. Flames cleared the valley of the bandits, and a few of the surviving men at arms from Starfall, but the blood of the Dragon kept Aelor strong against the heat.

 

His first meeting with his Father in 15 years was a brief affair, but it was the single most important moment of Aelor’s life. In that moment he knew that if he wished to honour his heritage,, if he wished to earn the respect of men as his Father had done, and if he wished to be something, he would have to do as his Father has done. After a brief return to Starfall, Aelor left his birthplace and traveled North through the Prince’s Pass. For the next 11 years Aelor competed in tournaments and travelled the land, gaining some notoriety, though nothing of much note.

He travels as a poor man, a life that’s written on his face, many would call Aelor a Hedge Knight, the few tourneys he was able to win rarely paid well, and he learned to live on a shoestring, sleeping outside when he couldn’t convince the owner of an inn to let him stay in exchange for stories about his Father, though few believed them, and fewer still that he was the bastard of the bastard. Despite Aelor’s profession to adhere knightly customs and traditions, he has never been knighted, often stating when asked that he is waiting for his Father’s blade.

For most of his life Aelor has searched for a place by his Father’s side, now with sightings of the Black Dragon and whispers turning to rumours, Aelor heads towards Harrenhal. After all, if there was ever a chance to find Maegor and prove his worth, it would be at the largest tourney the realm had seen in decades.