Desmond Forrester is the eldest son of Gregor Forrester and former Lord of Ironrath.

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Appearance Edit

Plain of face and dark of eyes Desmond is not the typical Northman. He is not strong of body or the embodiment of a brave northern warrior. What he lacks in strength he makes up for in his smarts. Tall and lithe he would often find himself in the shadows, watching and learning.

History Edit

Early Years: Edit

Desmond was born during a stormy night in the the year 45 AC. His mother would always say it was the storms fault for his stormy disposition.

As he grew up it quickly became clear that Desmond was not adept at swordsmanship and battle tactics. He much rather preferred to learn his enemies personal weaknesses and exploit them before the fighting began.

When Desmond was five his father sent him to Deepwood Motte to serve as Master Glover's squire. He was told this was to help broaden his horizons, but even at his young age Desmond knew what this was. It was getting him out of the way so Desmond's younger brother, Ethan, could be groomed as the proper heir to Ironrath.

The Wildlings Invade: Edit

In the years leading up to 52 AC the rumors of a Magnar of Thenn who was declaring himself not only the God-King of Thenn but also King Beyond the Wall began to fill the taverns and inns of the North. It was said he referred to himself as the Harbinger and was convinced he was the representative of the Old Gods' will. This was not the first time news of Wildlings stirring North of the Wall had been heard and because of this they were taken lightly among the Nobles.

The night soon came when the Magnar lead a band of Wildlings south through the Bay of Ice where they eventually made landfall in the Wolfswood. It was from this point that he and his forces attacked an unsuspecting Deepwood Motte. The forces lead by Master Galbart were able to fight off the Wildlings but not before many smallfolk were killed and Lawbringer, the Glover ancestral greatsword was taken. Desmond had locked himself in Master Galbart's office during the invasion and it was when one of the Wildlings broke in he killed his first man. The act made him sick and he swore that from that day forward he would use others to do his bidding for him as he didn't have the stomach for the violence.

Finding His Place: Edit

In 53 AC Desmond attended the council meeting in Winterfell with Master Galbart. There he was reuinted with his father for the first time since being sent to Deepwood Motte. They learned the Wildlings had burned the Keep on Bear Island on their return trip North. During the council it was spoken of the lack of aid from the Crown even though it had been promised. After much debate if was decided to forgo waiting on forces from the Crown and to have the North march to the Wall to face Magnar Thenn and his forces. Desmond tried to argue with his father that North of the Wall was no place for him but his voice would never be heard.

Although it was never said, Desmond knew his father secretly hoped his eldest son would parish in the coming battles.

Battle Beyond the Wall: Edit

The battle itself was a blur, the Wildlings fought like men possessed and Desmond held onto his sword and shield with shaky hands. He stayed close to Master Galbart as he could during the initial bouts. Desmond soon saw the man who called himself the Harbinger on the field. A giant of a man he wielded Lawbringer as he carved his way through the battlefield. The Magnar found Lord Stark and the slayed him in battle. Master Galbart dropped to his knees at the shame of his Lord dying at the edge of his family's blade. Time slowed and the Magnar closed in on Master Glover and Desmond. This was his moment. This is when he would finally find the honor his father never saw in him. He would break his promise and kill the Harbinger when he was distracted by Master Galbart, he only needed an opening. The opening never came for when the wildling raised raised his sword to finish the now broken man but his strike was interrupted by Master Galbart's son's, Ethan, blade. Ethan and the Harbinger fought and through a mixture of skill and pure luck Ethan found an opening and ended the life of the Magnar of Thenn. The battle was won and Desmond would only be remembered as being present that day.

The Bloodless Rebellion: Edit

Relations with the Crown worsened after the Battle at the Wall. The newly appointed Lord Alaric Stark voiced his displeasure with how the North had been treated and the disrespect that the King had bestowed House Stark during the late Lord Stark's funeral. Lord Alaric had declared independence for the North soon after and for his council to convene once again.

The Rebellion itself was not what they thought it would be. The South was facing a famine that had ravaged its supplies. This deterred the Crown from mounting against the North. Ethan Glover had marched down to Moat Cailin, as his father was to sick to do so himself. Desmond remained in Deepwood Motte with him. During this time Galbart saw his skill in writing letters and tasked him with dispatching the correspondence from Deepwood Motte. Desmonfd himself read the letter from Ethan to Master Galbart that the Crown backed down and acknowledged they did not have the resources to fight a rebellion and deal with the the other issues it faced.

Returning Home: Edit

Following the death of Master Glover in the year 60 AC Desmond returned home. He had in his possession a letter that had been written by the his old mentor stating that Desmond had served House Glover with honor and had even become one of the late Master's most trusted advisers. Upon reading the letter Desmond's father did something he, in Desmond's memory at least, had never done before. He hugged him.

The two men started a shaky relationship of working together. Desmond was appointed Sentinel of House Forrester and upon his father's order start a spy network that began to collect valuable information about other major Houses. Desmond quickly learned that he had a knack for such work and through his successes he and his father grew closer.

In the year 65 AC Desmond was married to the eldest daughter of House Woods and the two settled in Ironrath together. Maya Woods brought out the lighter side of Desmond that was buried deep inside him. His mother would joke and say she would break up his storms. In 72 AC the couple would welcome their first child into the world, a son, Torrhen. This is when Desmond made a second vow. To love his children the way he wanted to be loved and help them achieve greatness.

Winter of a Hundred Kings: Edit

At the beginning of 75, blizzards began blowing stronger and more frequently than they had in the past. Soon crops withered and died and the people of Ironrath began to starve. The North was caught unprepared for the sudden natural onslaught and thousands across the massive land froze to death in their hovels and castles. The weather cut travel and the shipping of good out completely. Ironwood fires burned many a nights during the winter.

Half way through the winter both of Desmond's parents died from sickness. This left him as the new Lord of Ironrath. Through his rule no other member of House Forrester was lost.

The Winter of a Hundred Kings may have been a mighty blow to the North, but it also saved the North from a disaster that was affecting the rest of Westeros. The Dragonblight, a devastating sickness, ravaging the other realms could not survive in the North. The maesters reported no more than a few hundred casualties were from the disease and as the waning months of the deadly winter came to pass, the North was ready and able to secure its borders to keep the southern plague away.

Winter wasn't the only thing to come that year Desmond and his wife welcomed their second child, Sansa. Soon after they had two more children a son Jorah and a daughter Sarra.

Rivalry with House Whitehill: Edit

House Forrester and House Whitehill have always had shaky relationship due to conflicts over Ironwood. This all came to a head the Year 90 AC. Lord Whitehill accused Torrhen Forrester of raping one of his daughters and impregnating her with a bastard. When word come back to Desmond he told Torrhen to tell him the truth. Torrhen said the two had been meeting in the Wolfswood a few times each moon. Torrhen had not said anything to his father due to the tension between the houses. When Torrhen told Desmond that he planned to marry the Whitehill girl even before she was pregnant he struck his son in anger. The Whitehills wanted justice for the wrong they had been wrought.

In 91 AC news came that the child, a boy, was born. Torrhen begged his father to try and end the feud between the Houses. That the child was made from love and that his marriage to the Whitehill daughter could unite the Houses. Reluctantly Desmond sent a raven to Highpoint. The answer was simple. The Whitehill girl claimed that Torrhen did rape her. That she never loved him and when she told Torrhen this he lashed out. Lord Whitehill said that no Forrester bastard would be allowed in Highpoint and the child was dealt with. Lord Whitehill did not say if the child was alive or simply sent away.

The Wolfswood Ravagers: Edit

92 AC saw the last reports of the Curse, but also was the beginning of the raids in the Wolfswood. Malmur Stane, of the Islands of Skagos, felt the Curse was caused by the northmen abandoning the old ways of worshiping the Old Gods by giving the divine the human sacrifice they need.

Stane traveled from the Isle of Skagos to the Wolfswood, bringing with him a small band of followers who felt similar to the Skaggosi. Malmur’s group swelled to numbers of 50 to 60 followers while in the Wolfswood. Reports of kidnappings happening at all hours of the day and night and finding strange totems with disgusting and terrible shrines with human remains and body parts soon found their way to Desmond through his networks. King Alaric and other Lords of the North were asked for help but the Houses of the Wolfswood found themselves alone in the fight against this fanatical group: the other Lords simply couldn’t spare the men to fight another battle, all still recovering from the Curse.

Widespread panic began crossing the region beyond the Wolfswood. Malmur’s group never stayed in any one spot for long, evading the attempt to detain the group and before long the common people began spreading rumors that the fanatics numbered in the hundreds.Aid was finally sent when the current Winter’s Shepherd, was killed in an ambush. The Winter's Shepherd was the religious leader of the North and was hoping to calm those in the area affected by the Ravagers. Instead he was mutilated and Malmur spread the former Winter’s Shepherd’s body parts across highly-visible areas, showing, in his mind, that his way is the correct way in the eyes of the Old Gods.

Theodan Stark, heir to the King, called what men he could to Winterfell and he formed his own party in response, most among them were Manderlys, Glovers, and Karstarks, with even the Lord Bolton himself along with Ethan's sons Jason and Brandon joining the militia. Desmond sent his own son to join them. The group totaled in 60 to 70 in manpower and were determined to end this evil and allow the North to finally feel at peace. They scoured the Wolfswood for weeks, only finding a few number of Malmur’s group at any one time.

In the beginning months of 93 AC, Malmur Stane himself was found in the woods just north of Winterfell. The Stark host crashed upon Malmur’s group and slaughtered nearly every last one of them to the man. Malmur Stane’s neck met Ice, and the fanatics were no more.

Weddings and Wars: Edit

Desmond's finest moment came during these years as he saw his daughter Sansa marry Prince Theodan Stark. She would one day rule beside him as Queen of the North and bring House Forrester much respect and honor among the other houses. His son on the other hand was not as forthright. He had constantly turned away the best women the North could offer and instead chose to find the nearest fight. On more than one occasion this caused him to go missing for moons at a time. Desmond saw a lot of himself in Torrhen.

Desmond and his family attended the Tourney of White Harbor and was present when King Alaric abstained the throne to his son. Upon learning of the attack on Karstark lands he ordered his son, Torrhen, to march of to help their allies. Desmond returned home with the rest of his family and ordered Ironrath men to march with Master Glover's forces to help battle the pirate invaders. King Theodan called upon Houses Manderly and Karstark to supply ships to hunt down the pirates and Houses Glover, Hornwood, Bolton, Manderly, and Umber to provide soldiers. The fleet departed Karhold early in the 8th month of 98 AC but was met with storms not long after leaving the harbor. The fleet arrived off the coast of Skagos battered and bruised, however the storm proved to be a blessing in disguise as the pirate fleet sheltered in that same harbor. The battle was quick and decisive with the North winning a naval victory under the leadership Warrick Manderly and then a fight on land under the leadership of Jon Bolton, leading to the capture of Blackvein.

The North Invaded: Edit

The North once again gathered for the wedding of Warren Dustin and Gwin Goodbrother. During the wedding Desmond was able to secure a marriage of his own for his son, Jorah, with House Mormont. Through this connection Desmond also gained a close friendship with Lady Meage Mormont. Peace would not last. The North learned of a plot by Edmyn Tully, using the help of a Dornish mercenary, to blackmail the North for the kidnapping of Lady Agnes Tully. King Stark called his banners to Barrowton to act as a staging point if war was called. The North tried to avoid this by sending word south to the Dragon King. Word would not be sent fast enough as the Riverland forces invaded and captured the Keep of Flint's Finger. Desmond learned that their own realm was not the only in crisis. The Iron Islands, under the command of Lady Blacktyde had been fighting the Royal Fleet and seemed to be winning.

The Dragon King did order for the Riverlands to stand down and return to their own lands. It is unknown if the order fell on deaf ears or if Edmyn Tully truly was acting alone. The North struck a quick counter when the Northern Fleet, led by Lord Dustin and help from his new bride's family, found and completely routed the ships the Riverlanders had brought leaving them stranded in Flint's Finger. In the Third Moon of 99 A.C Tully left Flint's Finger in disguise to scout on the Northern forces in Barrowton. He may have been successful had Desmond's spies in the Riverland army not reported this allowing for a trap to be set. Tully was discovered when he entered Barrowton but was able to escape into the wilderness around the city. King Stark sent me out to find him, which they did, but before Edmyn could be brought in for questioning he committed suicide.

Making Alliances: Edit

With the death of Edmyn the Riverlanders left the lands of the North and once again there was peace. Desmond used this time to work on improving his status with the King and the North. Partnering with Lady Mormont they approached the King about allying themselves with the other realms who at the time were creating unrest with the Dragon Kings. To aid them in their endeavors without entering the conflict with force. They felt that by doing so they could prosper when other faltered. The King agreed with some of their ideas choosing to meet with the newly crowned Queen of the Iron Islands, Sigrun Blacktyde.

With their forces combining Desmond sent Torrhen to accompany, Lady Gysella Goodbrother the Iron Fleet. Desmond would return to Winterfell with his King to discuss the North's plans for the future.

Losing Faith: Edit

Upon returning to Winterfell though his King seemed to distance himself. Word flooded in that Lady Tully had declared herself, Queen of the Trident. The Dragon King was marching his forces to Riverrun to tend to that matter. At the same time Torrhen had sent word that the Iron Island and Northern forces were sailing to meet the Royal Fleet. The windows of opportunity was closing for the North, and yet the King did nothing. He spoke of a system of roads that would be constructed and only of that, which would have been fine had Desmond saw progress in that project.

After a few moons in Winterfell, Desmond grew angry. It seemed his King had lost the fire and determination Desmond had learned to respect. After a final meeting with Lady Mormont Desmond left for Ironrath.

In the sixth moon Torrhen once against sent word of the Iron Fleet's progress. It seemed that Lady Sigrun finally had her battle with the Royal Fleet and although close she was defeated. Torrhen told his father that although unaccounted for he believed she had survived the battle. He would be returning to the North with the help of Lady Goodbrother. The following moon brought more news of the Dragon's successes. The siege of Riverrun was over and self proclaimed Queen was defeated. More news of the Dragon's enemies being defeated continued to trickle in. Desmond could see the writing between the lines. The Dragon King was growing in strength.

Conflict with Whitehill: Edit

Upon Torrhen's return to Ironrath, Desmond learned that he and Lady Goodbrother had agreed to marry. While she returned to her home to gather her belongings Torrhen informed his father that it was time for all of their family to come home. A small group of men left Ironrath for Highpoint and soon found themselves outside of the Keep's walls. Desmond watched as his son spoke to Lord Whitehill, listened as he told him that he would never be able to win his daughter back, but that didn't mean he was leaving without his son. At first Lord Whitehill argued against it but Desmond assured him that the matter would not be settled until the boy returned to Ironrath with Torrhen and that Desmond didn't want to bring the matter to the King's attention but if that is what Whitehill wanted he couldn't avoid it. Lord Whitehill finally gave in and despite the pleas from his daughter sent Jason Snow out to the party.

The boy was now eight years old and a striking resemblance of his father. Desmond put his arm around the boy as Torrhen turned to Gwyn Whitehill. He told her that he was not taking him from her for good. That he was not like the Lord Whitehill. Gwyn could come and see their son whenever she wanted. And when the boy was six and ten that he would be old enough to decide for himself where he wanted to be. With that the Forresters left and returned to Ironrath.

Beginning of the End: Edit

The coming of 100 A.C brought sickness to Desmond. Before long his strength began to leave him but for the first time in his life Desmond was not plotting. He got to see his eldest son marry and legitimize his grandson Jason. The North was at peace and House Forrester was well connected.

On the fifth morning of 2nd Moon of 100 A.C. Desmond Forrester died.

Family Tree Edit

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