Watchers on the Wall: An RP of Ice and Fire
Oct 14, 2014 22:39:09 GMT -8
Post by Adlai Stevenson on Oct 14, 2014 22:39:09 GMT -8
Night gathers, and now my watch begins . . .
The Night's Watch: a History
The Night's Watch: one of the most ancient orders in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. Through the rise and fall of the First Men, the Andal Invasion, and the Targaryen War of Conquest, this eight thousand year-old brotherhood's foundation dates back to the end of the Long Night, in the legendary Age of Heroes.
Before the Watch, a strangling shroud of endless night consumed the land, lasting for a generation. Fearsome beings from beyond the Lands of Always Winter, the Others, flooded south, laying waste to much of Westeros, until a united force of Man fought back, and defeated them at what would become the stuff of folk legend and oral history as 'The Battle for the Dawn'.
With the looming scourge of the Others seemingly extinguished, pushed back to the wintry wastes of the north, the Night's Watch, with the help of Bran the Builder, erected the Wall, in order to protect the Seven Kingdoms, should the menace of the Others ever return. Today, the Wall reaches across three hundred miles of northern Westeros, standing seven hundred feet high, one of the nine Man-Made Wonders of Westeros.
Beyond the corruption of the thirteenth Lord Commander, known as the "Night's King," further attacks by the Others never came, and the once sworn enemies of all mankind soon faded into distant, hazy memory. Instead, the most frequent attacks came from the free folk, those left behind beyond the Wall after its completion, sometimes led by their wildling warlords, and their constant attempts at raiding the North. As the years came and went, the purpose of the Watch became less and less obvious, and its manpower steadily decreased, with most of civilized Westeros neglecting the Wall. Only the North, particularly House Stark of Winterfell, have memories of the old days, but even they believe the mysterious Others are no more than ghost stories, boogeymen in tall tales told to frighten children.
At the zenith of its power, the Night's Watch had seventeen manned castles, with over ten thousand men-at-arms between them. Castle Black, the largest of the lot, quartered five thousand fighting men with all of their horses, servants, and equipment. The highborn of the North traditionally considered it an honor to serve on the Wall. Many younger sons of northern houses, low in the line of succession, gladly took the black. Shields of nobles were proudly displayed in the Shieldhall at Castle Black. Today, however, only three castles remain in use, and the Night's Watch's numbers have dwindled to fewer than a thousand men. The Watch is now largely made up of the misfits of the Seven Kingdoms: peasants, debtors, poachers, rapists, thieves, murderers, and bastards. Only a few of the noble and knightly houses south of the Wall have members in the Night's Watch, and most serve because they fell afoul of political machinations or fought on the wrong side of a war.
Once, serving on the Wall was honor and a sign of selfless devotion to duty, with many knights, honorable men, and nobles taking the black voluntarily. Today, the Night’s Watch is beginning to be seen as only a way to avoid punishment; suitable less for knights now than for the dregs of Westeros, salvaged from dungeons by traveling recruiters. Disgraced nobles, bastards, and even the unwanted legitimate offspring of nobles are “encouraged” to take the black, making many of today’s Watch a surly and dissatisfied lot.
Those who come voluntarily are free to leave during any time of their training, but no man may leave after he has said his vows. Any deserters are sentenced to death. After taking the vows, the men of the Watch cannot own any land, marry, or father any children. Men are also encouraged to sever any ties left with their families, if they're lucky enough to have one. Men of the Night's Watch are garbed all in black, a tradition that earned them the nickname "crows," particularly among the wildlings, who often call them "black crows".
The Night's Watch consists of three orders: Rangers, Builders, and Stewards. All of them are subject to the Lord Commander and each of the three orders is led by its own officer, called First Ranger, First Builder, and First Steward, respectively. These officers are appointed by the Lord Commander.
Rangers
Although all brothers of the Night's Watch stand watch on the Wall, Rangers comprise the primary fighting force, tasked with scouting and patrolling the Haunted Forest and icy wasteland beyond the Wall. They actively defend the Wall and ride out to face the Watch's enemies, including the lawless wildlings as well as the mysterious, inhuman Others.
Builders
Builders are responsible for maintaining the Wall, the castles, and the equipment. They provide masons, carpenters, miners, and woodsmen, and often serve as part of the ground force at the lower levels of the Wall.
Stewards
Stewards, the largest of the three orders, are responsible for providing vital day-to-day services, such as hunting and farming, cooking, making and mending clothing, maintaining weaponry, and conducting trade with the south; most, but not all, are literate. Like all members of the Watch, Stewards must be ready to fight at a moment’s notice, and all have received at least basic combat training.
Name: (Please, keep the ASoIaF-verse conventions in mind; bastards have surnames in accordance to their region, and lowborn/free folk generally don't have them. Part of one of the Great Houses? Probably going to have to explain why we haven't heard of you.)
Age:
Home: (Where were they from, before joining the Watch?)
Order:
Appearance:
Personality:
History: (Tell me how your character got to where they are in their lives. How did they come to join the Night's Watch?)
Equipment: (What do they wield? A sword? A bow? A warhammer? Any other trinkets, beyond the black of the Watch?)
Strengths: (No, you may not be good at everything. This should go without saying. Include languages spoken, special skills or knowledge, etc. Can you read and write? An expert archer? A skilled hand-to-hand fighter? Charismatic? Are you more of a scholar than a soldier? Mind you, the more strengths you list, especially for combat skills, the less relative expertise you'll be considered to have for each skill. A character listed as good with swords, axes, and other melee weapons will not be considered as good a shot as a character who specializes with a bow and arrows.)
Weaknesses: (This MUST be balanced with your strengths. Avoid clichés. If your character, for instance, has "temper" listed as a weakness, list particular things that might make him angry and specifically how this negatively impacts their decision making abilities or skills.)
This RP will take place shortly before the events of A Game of Thrones, around the time King Robert Baratheon comes north to visit Ned Stark. If you guys need any help with anything - it's a lot to digest - please feel free to consult me, or the Game of Thrones Wiki at A Wiki of Ice and Fire.
Name: Conhur Serrett
Age: 26
Home: Silverhill, the Westerlands
Order: Steward
Appearance: img.irtve.es/imagenes/anthony-knivert-the-tudors-366979-501-626/1309339376699.jpg
Personality: Arrogant and self-centered, Conhur is a man stripped of his keys to success, a lion without its claws. As the heir to a house of nobility, Conhur finds himself as far out of his element as he could possibly be, without the sleight-of-hand financial dealings and political intrigue of Casterly Rock and King's Landing to contend with. He is a man forged by the prospect of acquiring wealth and attaining influence over others, and while not unlike the rest of the noble lot back in the civilized portions of Westeros, it is what landed him on the Wall in the first place. He's not a fighter, and . . . well, he's not much of a lover, either. More of a dandy, really, making up for his lack of empathy and moral compass with a sycophantic charm and dry wit. He doesn't feel welcome, as a newly-initiated brother of the Night's Watch, and he with his haughtiness and egotistic nature, he doubts he ever will. While he's not exactly confident in his physical prowess or martial skills, Conhur is an unshakable opportunist; where one door closes, another door opens. It just so happens that his wheeling and dealing is expanding to the Wall.
History: Conhur Serrett was the heir of House Serrett of Silverhill, a noble house sworn to the Lannisters of Casterly Rock, in the Westerlands. As one of the principle vassals to the Lannisters, as the gold and silver mines of Silverhill generated a significant amount of income for the region, the Serretts were given a greater deal of power and influence over affairs in the Westerlands than most other houses, and Conhur was born with a silver spoon in either hand. Taught to read and write at a young age, as well as speaking and comprehending High Valyrian, Conhur was educated by the best tutors gold could afford, summered at beach villas across the Narrow Sea, rode horseback along the hills and valleys of the Westerlands, and rubbed shoulders with the highest orders of Westerosi royalty, even at the royal court of King's Landing. Conhur found himself well-suited for the ever-evolving cloak-and-dagger politics of Westeros, and this yielded more success for his family. With his political and financial savvy taken into account, Conhur's father placed him in charge of the administration of all of Silverhill's mining operations, overseeing all the gold changing hands - from the mines to lining the Lannisters pockets and back. For awhile, this proved to be beneficial to every party involved . . . until it was revealed, by way of Lannister spies, that Conhur was in fact embezzling a great deal of the coin garnered through the mines, effectively defrauding the Lannisters themselves by selling them short of how much product they were actually generating.
This proved to be the undoing of House Serrett, as the Lion's jaws came crashing down on the neck of the peacock. Conhur was held personally accountable for their lost revenue, the mines of Silverhill were seized, and Lord Tywin himself gave Lord Serrett an offer: put your son to the sword, or force him to take the black of the Night's Watch. Enjoying the place his head had been for his whole life, firmly attached to his neck, Conhur begrudgingly chose the latter option, and has recently joined the Night's Watch.
Equipment: Conhur doesn't deviate from the standard-issue equipment; he wields a standard arming sword and longbow, as well as a short dagger.
Strengths: Conhur's strengths come from intellectual pursuits, rather than physical. He's literate, bilingual, and knows his way around a ledger and back, being so familiar with the exchange and of coin and goods. He's also a capable rider, having ridden since he was a boy (albeit under much more hospitable conditions). He values his education as one of his strong suits.
Weaknesses: When it comes to combat, Conhur's skills are sorely lacking. He was never one for fencing or sparring back home, and beyond the basic training offered by the Watch, Conhur is, at best, a novice swordsman, and breaks easily under pressure. He's not physically strong, either, unused to the rigors of daily life on the Wall, and isn't nearly as formidable as just about any other crow around. He's also a less than adequate shot, but as of yet, he hasn't had to use his bow on anything beyond rabbits or targets back at the armory.
Name: Gareth
Age: 24
Home: The Gift, the North
Order: Builder
Appearance: cdn.history.com/sites/2/2014/02/vikings_s2_gallery_athelstan-AB.jpeg
Personality: Gareth is a rough and tough son of a bitch, or at least he tries to come off as one. With iron-willed defiance and unshakable determination, he is a relatively seasoned young brother of the Night's Watch, though his farmboy naivete often gets the better of him, despite himself. Masculine and quick to anger, Gareth is always looking to pick a fight (whether he wins said fights or not is another question entirely), or do anything to prove his worth and mettle to those around him. He's fervently loyal to the vows he's taken for the Watch, and his sense of morality is often black and white - while he's no fool, and knows the laws of Westeros don't necessarily apply on the Wall, he does hold himself to a set of standards often neglected, or at least not held with much importance, by his fellow brothers. No trips to Mole's Town or days out away from the Wall for him. Despite the fact that, as one who took the black of his own volition, he's rather outnumbered on the Wall, Gareth tends to look down upon the criminals and other degenerates who populate the modern Watch with contempt, and holds himself to a higher sense of Northern-bred honor than most of them.
History: Gareth was born and raised in The Gift, a fifty league stretch of land just south of the Wall that was bestowed upon the Night's Watch by the Starks of Winterfell, in order to support and aid the Watch through farming, trade, and other goods and services. A farmboy, he spent most of his days toiling in the fields of his family's meager plot, without many aspirations for much else in life; his mother and father taught him the values of honor, vigilance, and morality that the Lords Stark held so dear, and greatly respected the men of the Night's Watch, who often conducted trade with their farm for fresh crops, in exchange for other goods to last through the harsh conditions of the changing seasons.
It was on Gareth's seventeenth nameday that his life was forever changed. While hunting through the thick forests of the Gift, Gareth's horse was struck down by an arrow, pinning him beneath the heavy nag with a broken leg, by a party of wildling raiders from beyond the Wall. He was helpless, he was injured, and he was absolutely terrified. The raiders, perhaps sensing this, offered him an ultimatum: tell them where his family's homestead was and he would be spared, or refuse at the peril of his own life, and merely delay the raiders from the inevitable. Gareth quickly yielded, and told the raiders where his family's farm was. Surprisingly, they honored the agreement, and abandoned the boy in the forest, still pinned beneath his horse.
It was with a great amount of pain and struggle that Gareth managed to drag his way out from under his horse and stagger home. By then, it was too late; his home was burned to the ground, his crops razed and stolen, and his parents slaughtered. Gareth would live with the guilt of condemning his family to death for the rest of his life, and swear vengeance upon the wildlings that murdered them.
After his leg healed (though not without some difficulties; he still walks with a noticeable limp to this day), Gareth saw little reason to try and start his simple life again, and traveled to the Wall to take the black of the Night's Watch. There, he became a Builder, and has become something of a relative handyman in Castle Black.
Equipment: Gareth wields a heavy, double-handed axe - part utility tool for his work, part weapon for slaying wildlings - as his weapon of choice, as well as an arming sword and dagger as his secondaries.
Strengths: Gareth is tough, and has the strength and stamina to take a great deal of punishment without yielding all that much. Having lived as a manual laborer his entire life, he's well-versed in the tools of the trade, and can bare the load that many other experienced brothers of the Watch can't. He's a fierce combatant, and knows his way around heavy weaponry, such as swords, hammers and axes. His loyalty is infallible, and he will always stand by his brothers, no matter the odds; he's a dedicated ally, and one hell of an enemy.
Weaknesses: Physically, what primarily impedes Gareth is his leg; having not healed properly, he walks with an apparent limp, and has trouble running or doing things of the like with ease, and often leaves him vulnerable, as he's not nearly fast enough to evade attacks, as ready as he is to take them. He's a decent shot, but not nearly as good under the pressure of real, bonafide combat. He's got something of an aversion to horses, as well, and doesn't care to ride them, due to the events of what brought him to the Watch. Gareth, despite the rough-and-tumble front he tends to put on, is deeply insecure and vengeful, and despite the show of honor and integrity he might try to put on, can easily break into a furious rage if he's toyed with too much.
Name: Daemon 'Old Dae' Shawney
Age: 96
Home: The Riverlands
Order: Ranger
Appearance: www.lahiguera.net/cinemania/actores/john_hurt/fotos/7911/john_hurt.jpg
Personality: Out of the many oddities that exist on and around the Wall, Old Dae Shawney is probably one of the oddest. A man of impossible age, yet filled the zeal and vigor of a man well over half his age. For as long as most men of the Night's Watch care to remember, Daemon's been there, riling up the new recruits, drinking even the most seasoned brothers under the table, and generally making the higher-ups of the order mad as hell with him. He's certainly of the amicable sort, always willing to lend a hand where others falter, and refusing to leave any brother behind. There's a twinkle in his misty eyes, a kind of mischievous glint at times, and a wise shine at others. He's incredibly passionate about his service in the Watch, and goes to great lengths to prove his loyalty and zealousness for the brotherhood. He's fierce, and he's boisterous, and he's just a bit senile, as well. The little gems of sage advice he might have hidden in the depths of his braided gray beard tend to be concealed by layers of childish humor and vibrant tenacity.
History: Daemon Shawney was the son and heir of House Shawney, a noble family of the Riverlands, nearly a century ago; named after Daemon Blackfyre, the 'Black Dragon' who led the insurgent opposition against the Targaryen dynasty in the great Blackfyre Rebellion, in which House Shawney served under the Blackfyres. After the death of Blackfyre at the bloody Battle of Redgrass Field and the dissolution of his rebel forces, the Targaryens gracefully allowed many of the houses who once defied the rightful rulers of Westeros to live on. House Shawney was once such house, and, in honor of their fallen leader and in spite of the royal Targaryens, named their son after the Black Dragon himself.
House Shawney was one of the select few noble houses of Westeros who still pledged fealty to the remnants of the Blackfyre family, and in secret, forged the conspiracy that would bring Daemon Blackfyre the Second to power on the Iron Throne, which would eventually culminate during the Whitewalls Tourney and subsequent siege. The Second Blackfyre Rebellion was ended rather abruptly, despite the decades of planning that went into it, and most of the conspirators were killed in the short battle or executed for treason against the king. Lord Shawney, while spared by the Targaryens, was stripped of his lands and titles, and exiled from Westeros, making young Daemon, at the age of eleven, the Lord of House Shawney. With fervent loyalty to the Blackfyre cause still in his brain from his father's example, those around the boy quickly realized that his fiery temper and ties to such a lost cause would only prove to be problematic. So, disapproving of the 'unrightful Targaryen usurpers' and all of those who supported them in Westeros, Daemon traveled north, and chose to take the black of the Night's Watch.
Daemon has been on the Wall ever since, serving as a Ranger, garnering a great deal of experience in many a ranging and battle beyond the Wall. Due to his controversial behavior and disrespect for authority, however, he never advanced far up the ranks of the Watch, and remained a lowly Ranger for the rest of his days on the Wall, even to his supremely advanced age. Even his superiors are surprised; despite every assignment he's ventured off upon, he's returned to the Wall, relatively unscathed, clamoring for more.
Equipment: Daemon wields a rare, Valyrian steel longsword, which he came to the Wall with as a boy, and claims is the legendary blade Blackfyre, wielded by Daemon Blackfyre himself during the Blackfyre Rebellion. This claim cannot be confirmed, however; the blade is in such poor condition that its distinguishing features aren't entirely similar to the sword of legend.
Strengths: Daemon is an eighty-five year veteran of the Night's Watch, and as an experienced Ranger, knows his way around the art of ranging and combat. His field experience is unparalleled by just about anyone in the Watch, and the fact that he hasn't died yet - beyond the Wall or of old age - is impressive in and of itself. He's an excellent swordsman, and despite his advanced age, can take on several opponents at once with little ado.
Weaknesses: Daemon is old. No, really, Daemon is old. Ninety-six is an impressive feat for anyone in the known world, much less Westeros, but it comes with its limitations. His eyesight, his hearing, even some other bodily faculties are beginning to fail him, and not to mention his mind. He was pretty crazy before, but with senility setting in, there's no telling of what use he'll be. Given his eyesight has become much poorer over the years, the use of a bow is practically out of the question, and while he is a skilled swordsman, he can't hold out for that long a time, with less strength and stamina than the rest of the young men of the Watch.
Name: Kyrnan Waters
Age: 17
Home: Duskendale, The Crownlands
Order: Steward
Appearance: assets.whatsontv.co.uk/whatsontv/live/styles/media_gallery_large/s3/Media%20Gallery/4%20d%E2%80%99Artagnan_Luke%20Pasqualino.jpg
Personality: Kyrnan is very quiet, preferring the company of horses to humans, and after his betrayal by his half sister, is even less open and willing to trust others. However he is quite honest and a hardworker, and is a man of action instead of words.
History: Kyrnan Waters, is the bastard son of Lord Renfred Rykker and a lowborn servant girl who died shortly after Kyrnan's birth. Lord Rykker took pity on the child and acknowledged him as his bastard, and allowed him in his home, though as a servant himself, ultimately working in the stables.
Kyrnan had little contact with his paternal family, except for one member, shortly after Robert's Rebellion, Rykker fathered a daughter named Syndia, who despite protests, was always around Kyrnan, and considered him her closest friend. Syndia in contrast to her quiet half brother, was extremely mischievious and at her urging, the two constantly got in trouble...or more accurately Kyrnan was always assumed to be the troublemaker, but he enjoyed her company so much, he didn't mind.
After having lost his heir Jaremy to the Wall after Jaremy sided with the Targaryens during the Rebellion, Lord Rykker was eager to regain the favor their house lost, and Syndia was betrothed to an heir to a more influential house. Syndia however hated the man she was betrothed to, constantly complaining about him to her half brother. She also found herself falling in love with another man, and unknown to everyone, began a relationship with him, and then eventually fell pregnant. When it became impossible to hide, Syndia did the only thing she could think of to save face, she claimed Kyrnan raped her.
Kyrnan found himself unable to defend himself from the accusations, and nobody was shocked by them, Syndia had been told her entire life not to spend time with the bastard, because of something like this. Lord Rykker sent the boy to the Wall for defiling his daughter, where he continues to work with horses.
Equipment: Decent with a bow
Strengths: Is somewhat literate, having been taught by his half-sister, though he needs to "chunk" complicated words, his greatest talent is his ability to ride, as if its as natural as walking, and can easily ride bareback, or with no hands on the reins, meaning he can use a bow while doing so.
Weaknesses: While on foot, he is far from the best at fighting. Also his personality makes him unable to communicate or interact with others well, and easily folds under pressure
Name: Edwyle
Age: 19
Home: Highgarden, The Reach
Order: Builder
Appearance: Edwyle is a rather handsome man, with a prominent jawline and nose, dimples, and good hygiene (at least relatively for those in this area). He has brown eyes, blonde hair kept cut short, and is fair-skinned, standing at 5'9 and of average weight.
Personality: Edwyle is, when sober, a rather gentle, charming man, able to 'swoon any woman' (his own statement) with just a few words. He doesn't seem to be too harmless most of the time, busy with his work, but annoy him, get him drunk, or Heaven forbid be a lady around him, and his docile demeanor turns icy and vile.
History: Edwyle is the son of a smithy. He wasn't close with his mother, who died when he was very young, but spent days on end in the shop with his father and his uncle, a woodcarver, and took to learning both of their trades, becoming a valuable asset and quite familiar with the Tyrells, particularly Ser Loras. He is now on the Watch because of a stint a few months previous - he was working drunk, as he did somewhat often, and when an impatient nobleman entered the shop, he was unable to control his anger and smashed him against a burning iron. He was sent off to escape full prosecution for his actions (and hopefully to sober up some).
Equipment: A bow and arrow; carries with him a small pendant of his father's.
Strengths: Very charismatic and charming; skills in wood carving and in steelworking/smithing; He can read and write a few words (mostly his name); in fighting, mostly an archer, though he isn't that skilled at any weapon and is just relatively 'average' at all.
Weaknesses: He's a drinker, treats women and inferiors horribly and is emotionally abusive, violent, he is also extremely possessive and jealous, and has quite a bit of pent-up rage.
Name: Fiske "Littleboot."
Age: 33.
Home: Beyond-The-Wall.
Order: Ranger.
Appearance: 38.media.tumblr.com/7915ef6d1d63044b119e1284b7e7e0d8/tumblr_mlsdptdWAu1qknep5o2_250.gif
Personality: The best way to describe him is he's a loving asshole. Once you look past the bullshit and tall tales, he's a genuine, caring individual with a lot of respect for his Brothers. He takes his vows seriously, sans his very reoccurring trips to Mole's Town. He's boisterous, loud, albeit intimidated in the presence of women, with a professional edge unseen anywhere else unless he's out Ranging.
History: Fiske was born to be a Night's Watchmen, a son of a Mole's Town whore carried off in a Wildling raid Beyond-The-Wall, where he was picked up by Crows when his 'family' was slaughtered in a raid. However, if you ask him, he was delivered as the prodigal son to the Night's Watch by an Ice Dragon, that he's the Bastard of Eddard Stark or that he fled the North after he, in his words, "right fucking ruined all the Wildling cunt from the Thenns to the daughter's of the Hardhome."
Whatever the case, Fiske grew up in Castle Black, where-in he was the personal errand boy of many Rangers, Stewards and Builders, often affectionately referred to as "Littleboot", a name now used in condescending terms by the more veteran members of the Watch. Although he'll never tell anyone, he was responsible at the age of twelve for the 'disappearance' of a Ranger, after he had been molesting him as he grew into his teenage years.
They assumed that particular Ranger had deserted or died Beyond-The-Wall, not that he had been pushed from the top and buried under a pile of snow and craggy rocks in a blizzard.
By the time of his vows, he was assigned to be a Ranger, with a particular knack for the bow, with one of his few true brags of having taken out a Wildling horsemen from two hundred yards away. That was until he had his eye cleaved out in a skirmish with one of the Mountain Men and his depth perception was thrown off to the point that he no longer walks along the Wall for fear of falling off.
Recently, he's been training with a sword, shield and an axe, albeit these skills will never be up to par with what his marksmanship once was.
Equipment: He carries a chipped steel sword, as well as a circular shield along his back, painted in shades of blue and yellow, the paint peeling off from wear. He also carries a bronze axe, taken from a Wildling, more as a utilitarian tool than as any major weapon. On his person, he wears a much more insulated cloak of a skinned animal, fur turned inwards, so that the skin protects him from the cold.
Although he never tells anyone, for fear they'd take them from him, he keeps a bundled up pair of used underwear from one of the Mole's Town whores, his favorite, least-diseased one, in the interior of his jacket for his 'lonely nights.' He also has a few bits and pieces from the board-game Cyvasse, crafted from scrap, wood, bone, rocks, chunks of leather, so forth, so forth...
Strengths: Rare, even for a member of the Night's Watch, Fiske can adapt and survive Beyond-The-Wall like no other. He is likable, well-known and respected among his peers and not much can frighten him. He is only above an amateur in terms of swordsmanship, where his depth perception isn't thrown off over long distances. Fiske is also capable on a horse. He has a high tolerance for the cold, pain, alcohol and his own bullshit and doesn't seem to complain much. He can write his own name. He can still craft a bow in record time, whittle arrows and has experience from all over the Orders from his youth, able to do some minor building, attend to the crows and kitchens, albeit his main stay is ranging, still able to track an animal for the hunt or a Wildling Raider. He can play Cyvasse, his world's equivalent of Chess, and often does so to make extra rations, a game he often teaches to the younger generation of Crows for his own amusement.
Weaknesses: Due to his recent injury, he cannot throw, catch or shoot for shit anymore and is often disoriented at extreme heights, such as atop the wall. He cannot read fluently, only bits and pieces and can only write his name. He is easily intimidated by women, nervous in their presence due to lack of social interaction having been raised at the Wall and is quick on the defensive when his stories are made fun of. Fiske is also incredibly homophobic, is prone to drinking to much and often takes to breaking rank when he sees an opportunity to attack or go on the offensive. He also suffers from frequent bouts of nausea and tunnel vision and has to have his eye disinfected and checked by the Maester often.
The Night's Watch: a History
The Night's Watch: one of the most ancient orders in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. Through the rise and fall of the First Men, the Andal Invasion, and the Targaryen War of Conquest, this eight thousand year-old brotherhood's foundation dates back to the end of the Long Night, in the legendary Age of Heroes.
Before the Watch, a strangling shroud of endless night consumed the land, lasting for a generation. Fearsome beings from beyond the Lands of Always Winter, the Others, flooded south, laying waste to much of Westeros, until a united force of Man fought back, and defeated them at what would become the stuff of folk legend and oral history as 'The Battle for the Dawn'.
With the looming scourge of the Others seemingly extinguished, pushed back to the wintry wastes of the north, the Night's Watch, with the help of Bran the Builder, erected the Wall, in order to protect the Seven Kingdoms, should the menace of the Others ever return. Today, the Wall reaches across three hundred miles of northern Westeros, standing seven hundred feet high, one of the nine Man-Made Wonders of Westeros.
Beyond the corruption of the thirteenth Lord Commander, known as the "Night's King," further attacks by the Others never came, and the once sworn enemies of all mankind soon faded into distant, hazy memory. Instead, the most frequent attacks came from the free folk, those left behind beyond the Wall after its completion, sometimes led by their wildling warlords, and their constant attempts at raiding the North. As the years came and went, the purpose of the Watch became less and less obvious, and its manpower steadily decreased, with most of civilized Westeros neglecting the Wall. Only the North, particularly House Stark of Winterfell, have memories of the old days, but even they believe the mysterious Others are no more than ghost stories, boogeymen in tall tales told to frighten children.
At the zenith of its power, the Night's Watch had seventeen manned castles, with over ten thousand men-at-arms between them. Castle Black, the largest of the lot, quartered five thousand fighting men with all of their horses, servants, and equipment. The highborn of the North traditionally considered it an honor to serve on the Wall. Many younger sons of northern houses, low in the line of succession, gladly took the black. Shields of nobles were proudly displayed in the Shieldhall at Castle Black. Today, however, only three castles remain in use, and the Night's Watch's numbers have dwindled to fewer than a thousand men. The Watch is now largely made up of the misfits of the Seven Kingdoms: peasants, debtors, poachers, rapists, thieves, murderers, and bastards. Only a few of the noble and knightly houses south of the Wall have members in the Night's Watch, and most serve because they fell afoul of political machinations or fought on the wrong side of a war.
Once, serving on the Wall was honor and a sign of selfless devotion to duty, with many knights, honorable men, and nobles taking the black voluntarily. Today, the Night’s Watch is beginning to be seen as only a way to avoid punishment; suitable less for knights now than for the dregs of Westeros, salvaged from dungeons by traveling recruiters. Disgraced nobles, bastards, and even the unwanted legitimate offspring of nobles are “encouraged” to take the black, making many of today’s Watch a surly and dissatisfied lot.
Those who come voluntarily are free to leave during any time of their training, but no man may leave after he has said his vows. Any deserters are sentenced to death. After taking the vows, the men of the Watch cannot own any land, marry, or father any children. Men are also encouraged to sever any ties left with their families, if they're lucky enough to have one. Men of the Night's Watch are garbed all in black, a tradition that earned them the nickname "crows," particularly among the wildlings, who often call them "black crows".
Orders of the Watch
The Night's Watch consists of three orders: Rangers, Builders, and Stewards. All of them are subject to the Lord Commander and each of the three orders is led by its own officer, called First Ranger, First Builder, and First Steward, respectively. These officers are appointed by the Lord Commander.
Rangers
Although all brothers of the Night's Watch stand watch on the Wall, Rangers comprise the primary fighting force, tasked with scouting and patrolling the Haunted Forest and icy wasteland beyond the Wall. They actively defend the Wall and ride out to face the Watch's enemies, including the lawless wildlings as well as the mysterious, inhuman Others.
Builders
Builders are responsible for maintaining the Wall, the castles, and the equipment. They provide masons, carpenters, miners, and woodsmen, and often serve as part of the ground force at the lower levels of the Wall.
Stewards
Stewards, the largest of the three orders, are responsible for providing vital day-to-day services, such as hunting and farming, cooking, making and mending clothing, maintaining weaponry, and conducting trade with the south; most, but not all, are literate. Like all members of the Watch, Stewards must be ready to fight at a moment’s notice, and all have received at least basic combat training.
Character Creation
Name: (Please, keep the ASoIaF-verse conventions in mind; bastards have surnames in accordance to their region, and lowborn/free folk generally don't have them. Part of one of the Great Houses? Probably going to have to explain why we haven't heard of you.)
Age:
Home: (Where were they from, before joining the Watch?)
Order:
Appearance:
Personality:
History: (Tell me how your character got to where they are in their lives. How did they come to join the Night's Watch?)
Equipment: (What do they wield? A sword? A bow? A warhammer? Any other trinkets, beyond the black of the Watch?)
Strengths: (No, you may not be good at everything. This should go without saying. Include languages spoken, special skills or knowledge, etc. Can you read and write? An expert archer? A skilled hand-to-hand fighter? Charismatic? Are you more of a scholar than a soldier? Mind you, the more strengths you list, especially for combat skills, the less relative expertise you'll be considered to have for each skill. A character listed as good with swords, axes, and other melee weapons will not be considered as good a shot as a character who specializes with a bow and arrows.)
Weaknesses: (This MUST be balanced with your strengths. Avoid clichés. If your character, for instance, has "temper" listed as a weakness, list particular things that might make him angry and specifically how this negatively impacts their decision making abilities or skills.)
This RP will take place shortly before the events of A Game of Thrones, around the time King Robert Baratheon comes north to visit Ned Stark. If you guys need any help with anything - it's a lot to digest - please feel free to consult me, or the Game of Thrones Wiki at A Wiki of Ice and Fire.
Accepted Characters
Name: Conhur Serrett
Age: 26
Home: Silverhill, the Westerlands
Order: Steward
Appearance: img.irtve.es/imagenes/anthony-knivert-the-tudors-366979-501-626/1309339376699.jpg
Personality: Arrogant and self-centered, Conhur is a man stripped of his keys to success, a lion without its claws. As the heir to a house of nobility, Conhur finds himself as far out of his element as he could possibly be, without the sleight-of-hand financial dealings and political intrigue of Casterly Rock and King's Landing to contend with. He is a man forged by the prospect of acquiring wealth and attaining influence over others, and while not unlike the rest of the noble lot back in the civilized portions of Westeros, it is what landed him on the Wall in the first place. He's not a fighter, and . . . well, he's not much of a lover, either. More of a dandy, really, making up for his lack of empathy and moral compass with a sycophantic charm and dry wit. He doesn't feel welcome, as a newly-initiated brother of the Night's Watch, and he with his haughtiness and egotistic nature, he doubts he ever will. While he's not exactly confident in his physical prowess or martial skills, Conhur is an unshakable opportunist; where one door closes, another door opens. It just so happens that his wheeling and dealing is expanding to the Wall.
History: Conhur Serrett was the heir of House Serrett of Silverhill, a noble house sworn to the Lannisters of Casterly Rock, in the Westerlands. As one of the principle vassals to the Lannisters, as the gold and silver mines of Silverhill generated a significant amount of income for the region, the Serretts were given a greater deal of power and influence over affairs in the Westerlands than most other houses, and Conhur was born with a silver spoon in either hand. Taught to read and write at a young age, as well as speaking and comprehending High Valyrian, Conhur was educated by the best tutors gold could afford, summered at beach villas across the Narrow Sea, rode horseback along the hills and valleys of the Westerlands, and rubbed shoulders with the highest orders of Westerosi royalty, even at the royal court of King's Landing. Conhur found himself well-suited for the ever-evolving cloak-and-dagger politics of Westeros, and this yielded more success for his family. With his political and financial savvy taken into account, Conhur's father placed him in charge of the administration of all of Silverhill's mining operations, overseeing all the gold changing hands - from the mines to lining the Lannisters pockets and back. For awhile, this proved to be beneficial to every party involved . . . until it was revealed, by way of Lannister spies, that Conhur was in fact embezzling a great deal of the coin garnered through the mines, effectively defrauding the Lannisters themselves by selling them short of how much product they were actually generating.
This proved to be the undoing of House Serrett, as the Lion's jaws came crashing down on the neck of the peacock. Conhur was held personally accountable for their lost revenue, the mines of Silverhill were seized, and Lord Tywin himself gave Lord Serrett an offer: put your son to the sword, or force him to take the black of the Night's Watch. Enjoying the place his head had been for his whole life, firmly attached to his neck, Conhur begrudgingly chose the latter option, and has recently joined the Night's Watch.
Equipment: Conhur doesn't deviate from the standard-issue equipment; he wields a standard arming sword and longbow, as well as a short dagger.
Strengths: Conhur's strengths come from intellectual pursuits, rather than physical. He's literate, bilingual, and knows his way around a ledger and back, being so familiar with the exchange and of coin and goods. He's also a capable rider, having ridden since he was a boy (albeit under much more hospitable conditions). He values his education as one of his strong suits.
Weaknesses: When it comes to combat, Conhur's skills are sorely lacking. He was never one for fencing or sparring back home, and beyond the basic training offered by the Watch, Conhur is, at best, a novice swordsman, and breaks easily under pressure. He's not physically strong, either, unused to the rigors of daily life on the Wall, and isn't nearly as formidable as just about any other crow around. He's also a less than adequate shot, but as of yet, he hasn't had to use his bow on anything beyond rabbits or targets back at the armory.
Name: Gareth
Age: 24
Home: The Gift, the North
Order: Builder
Appearance: cdn.history.com/sites/2/2014/02/vikings_s2_gallery_athelstan-AB.jpeg
Personality: Gareth is a rough and tough son of a bitch, or at least he tries to come off as one. With iron-willed defiance and unshakable determination, he is a relatively seasoned young brother of the Night's Watch, though his farmboy naivete often gets the better of him, despite himself. Masculine and quick to anger, Gareth is always looking to pick a fight (whether he wins said fights or not is another question entirely), or do anything to prove his worth and mettle to those around him. He's fervently loyal to the vows he's taken for the Watch, and his sense of morality is often black and white - while he's no fool, and knows the laws of Westeros don't necessarily apply on the Wall, he does hold himself to a set of standards often neglected, or at least not held with much importance, by his fellow brothers. No trips to Mole's Town or days out away from the Wall for him. Despite the fact that, as one who took the black of his own volition, he's rather outnumbered on the Wall, Gareth tends to look down upon the criminals and other degenerates who populate the modern Watch with contempt, and holds himself to a higher sense of Northern-bred honor than most of them.
History: Gareth was born and raised in The Gift, a fifty league stretch of land just south of the Wall that was bestowed upon the Night's Watch by the Starks of Winterfell, in order to support and aid the Watch through farming, trade, and other goods and services. A farmboy, he spent most of his days toiling in the fields of his family's meager plot, without many aspirations for much else in life; his mother and father taught him the values of honor, vigilance, and morality that the Lords Stark held so dear, and greatly respected the men of the Night's Watch, who often conducted trade with their farm for fresh crops, in exchange for other goods to last through the harsh conditions of the changing seasons.
It was on Gareth's seventeenth nameday that his life was forever changed. While hunting through the thick forests of the Gift, Gareth's horse was struck down by an arrow, pinning him beneath the heavy nag with a broken leg, by a party of wildling raiders from beyond the Wall. He was helpless, he was injured, and he was absolutely terrified. The raiders, perhaps sensing this, offered him an ultimatum: tell them where his family's homestead was and he would be spared, or refuse at the peril of his own life, and merely delay the raiders from the inevitable. Gareth quickly yielded, and told the raiders where his family's farm was. Surprisingly, they honored the agreement, and abandoned the boy in the forest, still pinned beneath his horse.
It was with a great amount of pain and struggle that Gareth managed to drag his way out from under his horse and stagger home. By then, it was too late; his home was burned to the ground, his crops razed and stolen, and his parents slaughtered. Gareth would live with the guilt of condemning his family to death for the rest of his life, and swear vengeance upon the wildlings that murdered them.
After his leg healed (though not without some difficulties; he still walks with a noticeable limp to this day), Gareth saw little reason to try and start his simple life again, and traveled to the Wall to take the black of the Night's Watch. There, he became a Builder, and has become something of a relative handyman in Castle Black.
Equipment: Gareth wields a heavy, double-handed axe - part utility tool for his work, part weapon for slaying wildlings - as his weapon of choice, as well as an arming sword and dagger as his secondaries.
Strengths: Gareth is tough, and has the strength and stamina to take a great deal of punishment without yielding all that much. Having lived as a manual laborer his entire life, he's well-versed in the tools of the trade, and can bare the load that many other experienced brothers of the Watch can't. He's a fierce combatant, and knows his way around heavy weaponry, such as swords, hammers and axes. His loyalty is infallible, and he will always stand by his brothers, no matter the odds; he's a dedicated ally, and one hell of an enemy.
Weaknesses: Physically, what primarily impedes Gareth is his leg; having not healed properly, he walks with an apparent limp, and has trouble running or doing things of the like with ease, and often leaves him vulnerable, as he's not nearly fast enough to evade attacks, as ready as he is to take them. He's a decent shot, but not nearly as good under the pressure of real, bonafide combat. He's got something of an aversion to horses, as well, and doesn't care to ride them, due to the events of what brought him to the Watch. Gareth, despite the rough-and-tumble front he tends to put on, is deeply insecure and vengeful, and despite the show of honor and integrity he might try to put on, can easily break into a furious rage if he's toyed with too much.
Name: Daemon 'Old Dae' Shawney
Age: 96
Home: The Riverlands
Order: Ranger
Appearance: www.lahiguera.net/cinemania/actores/john_hurt/fotos/7911/john_hurt.jpg
Personality: Out of the many oddities that exist on and around the Wall, Old Dae Shawney is probably one of the oddest. A man of impossible age, yet filled the zeal and vigor of a man well over half his age. For as long as most men of the Night's Watch care to remember, Daemon's been there, riling up the new recruits, drinking even the most seasoned brothers under the table, and generally making the higher-ups of the order mad as hell with him. He's certainly of the amicable sort, always willing to lend a hand where others falter, and refusing to leave any brother behind. There's a twinkle in his misty eyes, a kind of mischievous glint at times, and a wise shine at others. He's incredibly passionate about his service in the Watch, and goes to great lengths to prove his loyalty and zealousness for the brotherhood. He's fierce, and he's boisterous, and he's just a bit senile, as well. The little gems of sage advice he might have hidden in the depths of his braided gray beard tend to be concealed by layers of childish humor and vibrant tenacity.
History: Daemon Shawney was the son and heir of House Shawney, a noble family of the Riverlands, nearly a century ago; named after Daemon Blackfyre, the 'Black Dragon' who led the insurgent opposition against the Targaryen dynasty in the great Blackfyre Rebellion, in which House Shawney served under the Blackfyres. After the death of Blackfyre at the bloody Battle of Redgrass Field and the dissolution of his rebel forces, the Targaryens gracefully allowed many of the houses who once defied the rightful rulers of Westeros to live on. House Shawney was once such house, and, in honor of their fallen leader and in spite of the royal Targaryens, named their son after the Black Dragon himself.
House Shawney was one of the select few noble houses of Westeros who still pledged fealty to the remnants of the Blackfyre family, and in secret, forged the conspiracy that would bring Daemon Blackfyre the Second to power on the Iron Throne, which would eventually culminate during the Whitewalls Tourney and subsequent siege. The Second Blackfyre Rebellion was ended rather abruptly, despite the decades of planning that went into it, and most of the conspirators were killed in the short battle or executed for treason against the king. Lord Shawney, while spared by the Targaryens, was stripped of his lands and titles, and exiled from Westeros, making young Daemon, at the age of eleven, the Lord of House Shawney. With fervent loyalty to the Blackfyre cause still in his brain from his father's example, those around the boy quickly realized that his fiery temper and ties to such a lost cause would only prove to be problematic. So, disapproving of the 'unrightful Targaryen usurpers' and all of those who supported them in Westeros, Daemon traveled north, and chose to take the black of the Night's Watch.
Daemon has been on the Wall ever since, serving as a Ranger, garnering a great deal of experience in many a ranging and battle beyond the Wall. Due to his controversial behavior and disrespect for authority, however, he never advanced far up the ranks of the Watch, and remained a lowly Ranger for the rest of his days on the Wall, even to his supremely advanced age. Even his superiors are surprised; despite every assignment he's ventured off upon, he's returned to the Wall, relatively unscathed, clamoring for more.
Equipment: Daemon wields a rare, Valyrian steel longsword, which he came to the Wall with as a boy, and claims is the legendary blade Blackfyre, wielded by Daemon Blackfyre himself during the Blackfyre Rebellion. This claim cannot be confirmed, however; the blade is in such poor condition that its distinguishing features aren't entirely similar to the sword of legend.
Strengths: Daemon is an eighty-five year veteran of the Night's Watch, and as an experienced Ranger, knows his way around the art of ranging and combat. His field experience is unparalleled by just about anyone in the Watch, and the fact that he hasn't died yet - beyond the Wall or of old age - is impressive in and of itself. He's an excellent swordsman, and despite his advanced age, can take on several opponents at once with little ado.
Weaknesses: Daemon is old. No, really, Daemon is old. Ninety-six is an impressive feat for anyone in the known world, much less Westeros, but it comes with its limitations. His eyesight, his hearing, even some other bodily faculties are beginning to fail him, and not to mention his mind. He was pretty crazy before, but with senility setting in, there's no telling of what use he'll be. Given his eyesight has become much poorer over the years, the use of a bow is practically out of the question, and while he is a skilled swordsman, he can't hold out for that long a time, with less strength and stamina than the rest of the young men of the Watch.
Name: Kyrnan Waters
Age: 17
Home: Duskendale, The Crownlands
Order: Steward
Appearance: assets.whatsontv.co.uk/whatsontv/live/styles/media_gallery_large/s3/Media%20Gallery/4%20d%E2%80%99Artagnan_Luke%20Pasqualino.jpg
Personality: Kyrnan is very quiet, preferring the company of horses to humans, and after his betrayal by his half sister, is even less open and willing to trust others. However he is quite honest and a hardworker, and is a man of action instead of words.
History: Kyrnan Waters, is the bastard son of Lord Renfred Rykker and a lowborn servant girl who died shortly after Kyrnan's birth. Lord Rykker took pity on the child and acknowledged him as his bastard, and allowed him in his home, though as a servant himself, ultimately working in the stables.
Kyrnan had little contact with his paternal family, except for one member, shortly after Robert's Rebellion, Rykker fathered a daughter named Syndia, who despite protests, was always around Kyrnan, and considered him her closest friend. Syndia in contrast to her quiet half brother, was extremely mischievious and at her urging, the two constantly got in trouble...or more accurately Kyrnan was always assumed to be the troublemaker, but he enjoyed her company so much, he didn't mind.
After having lost his heir Jaremy to the Wall after Jaremy sided with the Targaryens during the Rebellion, Lord Rykker was eager to regain the favor their house lost, and Syndia was betrothed to an heir to a more influential house. Syndia however hated the man she was betrothed to, constantly complaining about him to her half brother. She also found herself falling in love with another man, and unknown to everyone, began a relationship with him, and then eventually fell pregnant. When it became impossible to hide, Syndia did the only thing she could think of to save face, she claimed Kyrnan raped her.
Kyrnan found himself unable to defend himself from the accusations, and nobody was shocked by them, Syndia had been told her entire life not to spend time with the bastard, because of something like this. Lord Rykker sent the boy to the Wall for defiling his daughter, where he continues to work with horses.
Equipment: Decent with a bow
Strengths: Is somewhat literate, having been taught by his half-sister, though he needs to "chunk" complicated words, his greatest talent is his ability to ride, as if its as natural as walking, and can easily ride bareback, or with no hands on the reins, meaning he can use a bow while doing so.
Weaknesses: While on foot, he is far from the best at fighting. Also his personality makes him unable to communicate or interact with others well, and easily folds under pressure
Name: Edwyle
Age: 19
Home: Highgarden, The Reach
Order: Builder
Appearance: Edwyle is a rather handsome man, with a prominent jawline and nose, dimples, and good hygiene (at least relatively for those in this area). He has brown eyes, blonde hair kept cut short, and is fair-skinned, standing at 5'9 and of average weight.
Personality: Edwyle is, when sober, a rather gentle, charming man, able to 'swoon any woman' (his own statement) with just a few words. He doesn't seem to be too harmless most of the time, busy with his work, but annoy him, get him drunk, or Heaven forbid be a lady around him, and his docile demeanor turns icy and vile.
History: Edwyle is the son of a smithy. He wasn't close with his mother, who died when he was very young, but spent days on end in the shop with his father and his uncle, a woodcarver, and took to learning both of their trades, becoming a valuable asset and quite familiar with the Tyrells, particularly Ser Loras. He is now on the Watch because of a stint a few months previous - he was working drunk, as he did somewhat often, and when an impatient nobleman entered the shop, he was unable to control his anger and smashed him against a burning iron. He was sent off to escape full prosecution for his actions (and hopefully to sober up some).
Equipment: A bow and arrow; carries with him a small pendant of his father's.
Strengths: Very charismatic and charming; skills in wood carving and in steelworking/smithing; He can read and write a few words (mostly his name); in fighting, mostly an archer, though he isn't that skilled at any weapon and is just relatively 'average' at all.
Weaknesses: He's a drinker, treats women and inferiors horribly and is emotionally abusive, violent, he is also extremely possessive and jealous, and has quite a bit of pent-up rage.
Name: Fiske "Littleboot."
Age: 33.
Home: Beyond-The-Wall.
Order: Ranger.
Appearance: 38.media.tumblr.com/7915ef6d1d63044b119e1284b7e7e0d8/tumblr_mlsdptdWAu1qknep5o2_250.gif
Personality: The best way to describe him is he's a loving asshole. Once you look past the bullshit and tall tales, he's a genuine, caring individual with a lot of respect for his Brothers. He takes his vows seriously, sans his very reoccurring trips to Mole's Town. He's boisterous, loud, albeit intimidated in the presence of women, with a professional edge unseen anywhere else unless he's out Ranging.
History: Fiske was born to be a Night's Watchmen, a son of a Mole's Town whore carried off in a Wildling raid Beyond-The-Wall, where he was picked up by Crows when his 'family' was slaughtered in a raid. However, if you ask him, he was delivered as the prodigal son to the Night's Watch by an Ice Dragon, that he's the Bastard of Eddard Stark or that he fled the North after he, in his words, "right fucking ruined all the Wildling cunt from the Thenns to the daughter's of the Hardhome."
Whatever the case, Fiske grew up in Castle Black, where-in he was the personal errand boy of many Rangers, Stewards and Builders, often affectionately referred to as "Littleboot", a name now used in condescending terms by the more veteran members of the Watch. Although he'll never tell anyone, he was responsible at the age of twelve for the 'disappearance' of a Ranger, after he had been molesting him as he grew into his teenage years.
They assumed that particular Ranger had deserted or died Beyond-The-Wall, not that he had been pushed from the top and buried under a pile of snow and craggy rocks in a blizzard.
By the time of his vows, he was assigned to be a Ranger, with a particular knack for the bow, with one of his few true brags of having taken out a Wildling horsemen from two hundred yards away. That was until he had his eye cleaved out in a skirmish with one of the Mountain Men and his depth perception was thrown off to the point that he no longer walks along the Wall for fear of falling off.
Recently, he's been training with a sword, shield and an axe, albeit these skills will never be up to par with what his marksmanship once was.
Equipment: He carries a chipped steel sword, as well as a circular shield along his back, painted in shades of blue and yellow, the paint peeling off from wear. He also carries a bronze axe, taken from a Wildling, more as a utilitarian tool than as any major weapon. On his person, he wears a much more insulated cloak of a skinned animal, fur turned inwards, so that the skin protects him from the cold.
Although he never tells anyone, for fear they'd take them from him, he keeps a bundled up pair of used underwear from one of the Mole's Town whores, his favorite, least-diseased one, in the interior of his jacket for his 'lonely nights.' He also has a few bits and pieces from the board-game Cyvasse, crafted from scrap, wood, bone, rocks, chunks of leather, so forth, so forth...
Strengths: Rare, even for a member of the Night's Watch, Fiske can adapt and survive Beyond-The-Wall like no other. He is likable, well-known and respected among his peers and not much can frighten him. He is only above an amateur in terms of swordsmanship, where his depth perception isn't thrown off over long distances. Fiske is also capable on a horse. He has a high tolerance for the cold, pain, alcohol and his own bullshit and doesn't seem to complain much. He can write his own name. He can still craft a bow in record time, whittle arrows and has experience from all over the Orders from his youth, able to do some minor building, attend to the crows and kitchens, albeit his main stay is ranging, still able to track an animal for the hunt or a Wildling Raider. He can play Cyvasse, his world's equivalent of Chess, and often does so to make extra rations, a game he often teaches to the younger generation of Crows for his own amusement.
Weaknesses: Due to his recent injury, he cannot throw, catch or shoot for shit anymore and is often disoriented at extreme heights, such as atop the wall. He cannot read fluently, only bits and pieces and can only write his name. He is easily intimidated by women, nervous in their presence due to lack of social interaction having been raised at the Wall and is quick on the defensive when his stories are made fun of. Fiske is also incredibly homophobic, is prone to drinking to much and often takes to breaking rank when he sees an opportunity to attack or go on the offensive. He also suffers from frequent bouts of nausea and tunnel vision and has to have his eye disinfected and checked by the Maester often.