Lord Duncan Toland, his house, and his sworn men

[Horas]

HOUSE TOLAND

The Tolands of Ghost Hill can trace their ancestry back to hundreds of years before the Rhoynar invasion of Dorne. They are bannermen to House Martell. During the Dornish Rebellion under the reign of King Rickon I Baratheon, Ghost Hill was one of the few Dornish keeps to remain unmolested throughout the course of the war. Lord Toland pledged fealty to the crown immediately following the defeat of the Dornish army at Hellholt; consequently, he was allowed to retain the entirety of his lands and titles.

The sigil of House Toland shows a dragon devouring its own tail, green on gold. This is meant to represent that time is a wheel, with neither beginning nor end.


DUNCAN TOLAND, b. 536, Lord of Ghost Hill, Admiral of the Dornish Fleet, and Captain of the Sea Spirit,
- His wife, {LADY ELEANOR} of house Dalt, b. 539, perished of the wasting sickness,
+ SER ANDREY, b. 554, their first child and heir, a young knight,
+ AUDREY, b. 557, their second child,
+ LUCIAN, b. 564, their third child,
+ EMELIA, b. 569, their fourth child,

Lord Duncan's household at Ghost Hill:
- SER HUGO ULLER, who styles himself the HELL-KNIGHT; a warrior of ill-repute,
- SER GASPAR BLACKMONT, called HATCHETFACE, Lord Duncan's sworn man,
- SER ARGUS WELLS, castellan and captain of the guard,
- HARLAN, kennelmaster at Ghost Hill,
- VICKON VOLMARK, Lord Toland's ward, heir to Salt Shore, and a crewman on the Sea Spirit.

[Horas]

Name: Lord Duncan Toland
Age: 36 (b. 536)
Nationality: Dornish

Skills:
Expert Battle
Noteworthy Naval Battle
Noteworthy Sword
Apprentice Riding
Apprentice Javelin
Novice Construction
Novice Lance
Beginner Fist Fighting
Beginner Stewardship

History: Born the third son of House Toland, Duncan never anticipated being a lord. Rather than learning the politics and stewardship necessary for a Dornish lord, Duncan's father sent him off to learn the ways of war. Though only an average swordsman, over time Duncan accrued a reputation as a fine leader of men. Where others might revel in the glory of the charge or a daring assault, Duncan erred on the side of caution, stolidly manuevering his troops until he felt victory was inevitable.

Duncan first earned fame for ambushing and destroying a feared group of bandits who had been terrorizing Dorne. Duncan delivered their leader -- the so-called Vulture King -- and his lead lieutenants to Prince Martell in chains.

Some years later, when Prince Horas had need of a new admiral for the Dornish fleet, he appointed Duncan Toland to the position. It was a controversial move; Duncan had little experience with sailing, let alone full-scale naval warfare. When Duncan spent the first week of his command heaving his guts into the sea, it seemed the doubts surrounding his appointment had been justified. Once Toland found his sea legs, however, he quickly proved to be a competent commander. In just a few short years, he transformed the Dornish navy from a disorganized group of drunken sailors into a fleet that was the match in discipline, if not size, to any fleet in Westeros. His reputation was cemented with victories over corsair fleets in 567 and 569.

When his father and both siblings died in a plague in 570, Duncan assumed lordship of Ghost Hill.

Physical Description: While the members of House Toland are traditionally dark skinned and dark haired, Lord Duncan takes after his mother who hailed from the Marches. He is of average height, but with a powerful build. He keeps his blond hair cropped short and prefers more spartan clothing than is typical for one of his station. In war he prefers lighter mail rather than full plate, so as not to exhaust himself beneath the heat of the Dornish sun.

Reputation: A dependable, practical, martial lord who is well-respected by his peers in Dorne. He is known as a good soldier and a strict disciplinarian among his troops.

[Horas]

Name: Ser Andrey Toland
Age: 18 (b.554)
Nationality: Dornish

Skills:
Noteworthy Axe
Noteworthy Ambush
Apprentice Naval Battle
Apprentice Lance
Novice Riding
Novice Bow
Beginner Fistfighting
Beginner Scouting

History: Ser Andrey Toland is the firstborn child and heir to Lord Duncan Toland. As a boy, he followed his father around everywhere, serving as his squire through Duncan's commands in Dorne's army and navy. An enthusiastic, friendly child, he was well-liked by the soldiers and was treated as a mascot of sorts.

As he grew older, Andrey grew more proficient in the arts of war. He was knighted on his eighteenth name day. He still serves his father capably, though his desire for fame and to see the world might someday lead him far from Dorne.

Physical Description: A tanned, handsome youth with a charming smile. He resembles his father, though he already stands half a hand taller and is still growing.

Reputation: Andrey is the darling of Ghost Hill but is relatively unknown in the world beyond.

[Horas]

Ser Gaspar Blackmont
Ser Gaspar has been given the unfortunate byname of "Hatchetface." The source of the name is obvious, for Ser Gaspar's thin, sharp features bear a strong resemblance to a hatchet. He hails from the all-but-extinct house of Blackmont, which was stripped of all lands and titles during the Dornish Rebellion of 522. The fall in his house's fortune has made him bitter and mistrustful of all non-Dornish, as well as anyone from Dorne he deems as being not Dornish enough.

Ser Gaspar does not follow Lord Duncan to sea when he can help it, but he has long been a member of his personal guard. He is one of the finest horsemen at Ghost Hill and is particularly deadly with a spear or javelin. Blackmont harbors his own ambitions, but in the end he is a soldier to his core and will follow orders even to his own detriment. This trait has made him one of Lord Duncan's most trusted men.


Ser Hugo Uller
Ser Hugo Uller, called the Hell-Knight, hails from a lesser branch of House Uller. Tall, handsome, and powerfully built, Ser Hugo is in many respects everything a knight should be. Yet his name bears a dark reputation. As a teenager, he rode with a group of bandits led by a man who named himself the Vulture King. Ostensibly a rebellious group who aimed to free Dorne from the shackles of monarchy, in truth the Vulture King's bandits used these ideals as little more than an excuse to rape, murder, and pillage across Dorne. Ser Hugo rose to prominence as a well-known -- and well-feared -- member of this group.

The Vulture King's reign of terror was eventually stopped when Duncan Toland ambushed and destroyed the group. The leaders, including Ser Hugo, were captured and brought before trial. While the other leaders were swiftly executed, Ser Hugo claimed the right to a trial by combat. With the magistrate unwilling to upset centuries old tradition or to offend House Uller, the Hell-Knight's wish was granted. The Prince's champion was Ser Gaston Estermont, considered to be one of Dorne's finest knights. Ser Hugo shocked the crowd by winning decisively, and was allowed to go free despite all evidence pointing to his guilt.

Paradoxically chivalrous despite rumors of his madness, Ser Hugo has not broken a law since. For reasons of his own, he has since attached himself to the retinue of the man who brought him to justice, where he has been grudgingly accepted into the ranks on account of his phenomenal skill with the greatsword.


Vickon Volmark
Vickon Volmark is the son and heir of Lord Rodrik Volmark of the Salt Shore Volmarks. Lord Rodrik has grown soft and fat in Dorne, spending his days reclining on silk pillows and drinking Dornish wine. The seventeen year old Vickon, on the other hand, is an entirely different sort of man. From a young age he fancied himself a reaver, as were his ancestors who hailed from the Iron Islands. He quarrelled violently and often with his father. Eventually, the senior Volmark grew sick of it and sent Vickon off to be a ward to a more militarily inclined lord -- Duncan Toland.

Vickon was happier at Ghost Hill than he ever was at Salt Shore. He is a close friend of, as well as something of a rival to, Duncan's son Andrey. Though young, Vickon is a natural sailor and fighter and is expected to be given his own command in a few years time. And while scornful of certain Dornish customs, Vickon is fiercely loyal to his foster father. He has dark and unruly hair, and like his foster brother Andrey, he prefers the short axe in battle.