Hypnos
L'Empereur
Name: Aenar Velaryon
Gender: Male
Year of Birth: 321 AC
Age: 52
Title(s): Lord of Tides, Master of Driftmark, Hand of the King.
Marital Status: Married to Princess Rhaenys Targaryen
Personality: Somewhat vain, and slightly cowardly, Aenar Velaryon has lived a long life and one full of hardships, he's often described as a hard man, though also a fair one, and his stoic and resolute nature has long kept the realms in check. He can be kind, in his own way, though years of war have cemented an irrational sense of distrust and paranoia within him that he would attribute to some of his less than courtly behavior. Most importantly of all, Aenar is very egotistical and often overestimates his own capabilities, thinking himself the smartest person in any given room despite the fact that it's hardly ever the case. He has a distant relationship with the majority of his family, though he still considers them of vital importance and will often preach about the great importance of family.
Biography: It is oft repeated jape within the seven kingdoms, when one is asked to describe the office and duties of the King’s Hand to reply “The king eats and the hand takes the shit.” Never, however has this statement been more true than after the ascension of Aenar Velaryon, Lord of Driftmark and Hand of the King. Born upon Driftmark, 321 years after the conquest of King Aegon Targaryen, Aenar’s father was none other than the ‘Blue Prince’ himself: Baelon Velaryon, a man renowned as a scholar, an admiral and a warrior and one of the most important political figures in the history of modern Westeros. Before he could even talk, Aenar learned to live under his father’s shadow and though he would be loath to admit it, the years spent haphazardly attempting to live up to his father’s legend would be some of the most formative of his life. Due to his father’s influence, Aenar would be betrothed to his long standing wife, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen at the mere age of five years and would go on to form a strong bond of friendship with her brother, Maegor, the man who would one day be king.
Though in later years he would renounce the blade for the quill and the luxuries of a comfy chair, Aenar began his political career as a fighter and warrior, following in the footsteps of his ancestors to join the royal navy, where he would serve as a deckhand upon the the flagship of his father, the mighty ‘Seadragon’ the largest and most formidable vessel within his father’s fleet. Here he would win mild acclaim serving as a page and later squire for his uncle Haegon Celtigar, who had only a year before bested three kingsguard during the tourney of 330 AC. He would go on to spend almost half his childhood upon that ship, fighting the many pirates and brigands that plagued the stepstones and other parts of the westerosi coast. It was there where he would first meet the future king, Maegor Targaryen, during the time in which the prince squired for his father and the two would quickly start a friendship that would last them into their adult lives.
Aenar was knighted at six and ten and shortly thereafter left the familiarity of the ‘Seadragon’ to seek out larger opportunities within King’s Landing. Using his father’s influence, and the fact that his uncle was the king, Aenar served in a variety of offices during his stay in the capital, including: Master at Arms, Master of Games, and even for a time the King’s personal steward. This period did not last for long however and five years after his arrival at the capital Westeros was plunged into war. Aenar would once again take up arms for king and country and fought alongside Prince Maegor and his own father during ‘The War of the Two Daughters’ in which King Rhaegar Targaryen won a great victory against the forces of Lys and Tyrosh during their attempt to reclaim the stepstones which had long since been incorporated into the realms of Westeros. Aenar would return from war a hardened man, and far more solemn than he had been beforehand, now inclined to long periods of silence that made some confuse him for a mute and the occasional fit of terror which left him paranoid and often unstable. Because of this, when war came to westeros once more in King Rhaegar’s campaign for Essosi expansion, Aenar was excused from service, instead returning to Driftmark with his father Baelon who had since resigned from his own position of Master of Ships after becoming himself, disillusioned with the king.
This period marked both great joy yet great tragedy for the House of Velaryon, for whilst it signified the end of Baelon’s successful reign as Master of Ships and the death of King Rhaegar Targaryen and his dragon in battle, it also saw the house gain two new members in the form of Ser Aenys Velaryon and his sister Elaena who were both born in 341 AC to Prince Baelon and his wife, both of whom had fought themselves incapable of birthing anymore children.
After Rhaegar’s death there was a return to court for House Velaryon as Prince Baelon intended to present his sons to their cousin, the new King. Whilst in the capital, Maegor, recognising the opportunity, offered Prince Baelon the title of hand of the king, and though he was refused, Prince Baelon would agree to be instated to his former office as the Master of Ships.
During this time Aenar was noticeably absense from the capital as he began the foundatation to set out for his own voyage across the Narrow Sea, intending to retrace the footsteps of his ancestor, Corlys Velaryon and his nine voyages. Aenar travelled throughout much of known world during this time, collecting supplies and souvenirs from the local areas that would make him wealthy in his own right without the funds of his family (though his personal wealth was more akin to that of a merchant than the ancient fortunes of House Velaryon.) It would be ten years before he would return to Westeros, after accumulating a small fortune and Aenar was finally ready to ramin in one place and settle down with his wife (with whom he had grown distant during his absence) and start a family.
353 AC was an important chapter in Aenar’s life for it contained both the birth of his children, the twins: Laenor and Laena and also the death of his father, who at the age of forty and eight perished alongside his flagship during a scuffle with what appeared to be raiders upon the western coast, refusing to disembark from the ship and dying a like a true captain aboard his vessel. This event once again reawakened the fear within Aenar that had diminished a great deal since his time in war, as he became convinced that his father’s death had been more than an accident and in fact the first in a series of assassinations, the next target of which would be him. It was because of his father’s death that Aenar returned once more to the capital, in order to attend hi funeral and pay his last respects. Here he was greeted by his old friend King Maegor who had grown a great deal since the time they were boys and was already becoming known as one of the greatest kings in westerosi history. Aenar rekindled his relationship with the king and was offered his father’s position of Master of Ships which he gladly accepted, and a year later after the death of Jasper Redwyne, the king’s father in law, he was raised to the position of hand.
Aenar’s term as hand was met with high expectations, due to the strong and powerful rulership of his predecessor and he often struggled to keep up, often disappearing from the public limelight for months on end so as to keep the realm running smoothly. Whilst Maegor feasted and kept the lords in line is was up to Aenar to ensure that the crown continued to operate and it was his determinate stewardship that kept the kingdoms in line just a much as Maegor’s rulership.
Now Aenar continues to serve as hand even as his hairs slowly turn to grey. Whilst the king’s mind fades and begins to idle, Aenar’s remains resolute and determined to keep the seven kingdoms in check.
Family:
Daenerys Targaryen [D]
Aurane Velaryon [D]
Baelon Velaryon [D]
Aelora Celtigar [D]
Aenar Velaryon
Rhaenys Targaryen
Laena Velaryon
Laenor Velaryon
Baelon Velaryon
Aenys Velaryon [D]
Jena Bar Emmon [D]
Baela Velaryon
Elaena Velaryon
Gender: Male
Year of Birth: 321 AC
Age: 52
Title(s): Lord of Tides, Master of Driftmark, Hand of the King.
Marital Status: Married to Princess Rhaenys Targaryen
Personality: Somewhat vain, and slightly cowardly, Aenar Velaryon has lived a long life and one full of hardships, he's often described as a hard man, though also a fair one, and his stoic and resolute nature has long kept the realms in check. He can be kind, in his own way, though years of war have cemented an irrational sense of distrust and paranoia within him that he would attribute to some of his less than courtly behavior. Most importantly of all, Aenar is very egotistical and often overestimates his own capabilities, thinking himself the smartest person in any given room despite the fact that it's hardly ever the case. He has a distant relationship with the majority of his family, though he still considers them of vital importance and will often preach about the great importance of family.
Biography: It is oft repeated jape within the seven kingdoms, when one is asked to describe the office and duties of the King’s Hand to reply “The king eats and the hand takes the shit.” Never, however has this statement been more true than after the ascension of Aenar Velaryon, Lord of Driftmark and Hand of the King. Born upon Driftmark, 321 years after the conquest of King Aegon Targaryen, Aenar’s father was none other than the ‘Blue Prince’ himself: Baelon Velaryon, a man renowned as a scholar, an admiral and a warrior and one of the most important political figures in the history of modern Westeros. Before he could even talk, Aenar learned to live under his father’s shadow and though he would be loath to admit it, the years spent haphazardly attempting to live up to his father’s legend would be some of the most formative of his life. Due to his father’s influence, Aenar would be betrothed to his long standing wife, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen at the mere age of five years and would go on to form a strong bond of friendship with her brother, Maegor, the man who would one day be king.
Though in later years he would renounce the blade for the quill and the luxuries of a comfy chair, Aenar began his political career as a fighter and warrior, following in the footsteps of his ancestors to join the royal navy, where he would serve as a deckhand upon the the flagship of his father, the mighty ‘Seadragon’ the largest and most formidable vessel within his father’s fleet. Here he would win mild acclaim serving as a page and later squire for his uncle Haegon Celtigar, who had only a year before bested three kingsguard during the tourney of 330 AC. He would go on to spend almost half his childhood upon that ship, fighting the many pirates and brigands that plagued the stepstones and other parts of the westerosi coast. It was there where he would first meet the future king, Maegor Targaryen, during the time in which the prince squired for his father and the two would quickly start a friendship that would last them into their adult lives.
Aenar was knighted at six and ten and shortly thereafter left the familiarity of the ‘Seadragon’ to seek out larger opportunities within King’s Landing. Using his father’s influence, and the fact that his uncle was the king, Aenar served in a variety of offices during his stay in the capital, including: Master at Arms, Master of Games, and even for a time the King’s personal steward. This period did not last for long however and five years after his arrival at the capital Westeros was plunged into war. Aenar would once again take up arms for king and country and fought alongside Prince Maegor and his own father during ‘The War of the Two Daughters’ in which King Rhaegar Targaryen won a great victory against the forces of Lys and Tyrosh during their attempt to reclaim the stepstones which had long since been incorporated into the realms of Westeros. Aenar would return from war a hardened man, and far more solemn than he had been beforehand, now inclined to long periods of silence that made some confuse him for a mute and the occasional fit of terror which left him paranoid and often unstable. Because of this, when war came to westeros once more in King Rhaegar’s campaign for Essosi expansion, Aenar was excused from service, instead returning to Driftmark with his father Baelon who had since resigned from his own position of Master of Ships after becoming himself, disillusioned with the king.
This period marked both great joy yet great tragedy for the House of Velaryon, for whilst it signified the end of Baelon’s successful reign as Master of Ships and the death of King Rhaegar Targaryen and his dragon in battle, it also saw the house gain two new members in the form of Ser Aenys Velaryon and his sister Elaena who were both born in 341 AC to Prince Baelon and his wife, both of whom had fought themselves incapable of birthing anymore children.
After Rhaegar’s death there was a return to court for House Velaryon as Prince Baelon intended to present his sons to their cousin, the new King. Whilst in the capital, Maegor, recognising the opportunity, offered Prince Baelon the title of hand of the king, and though he was refused, Prince Baelon would agree to be instated to his former office as the Master of Ships.
During this time Aenar was noticeably absense from the capital as he began the foundatation to set out for his own voyage across the Narrow Sea, intending to retrace the footsteps of his ancestor, Corlys Velaryon and his nine voyages. Aenar travelled throughout much of known world during this time, collecting supplies and souvenirs from the local areas that would make him wealthy in his own right without the funds of his family (though his personal wealth was more akin to that of a merchant than the ancient fortunes of House Velaryon.) It would be ten years before he would return to Westeros, after accumulating a small fortune and Aenar was finally ready to ramin in one place and settle down with his wife (with whom he had grown distant during his absence) and start a family.
353 AC was an important chapter in Aenar’s life for it contained both the birth of his children, the twins: Laenor and Laena and also the death of his father, who at the age of forty and eight perished alongside his flagship during a scuffle with what appeared to be raiders upon the western coast, refusing to disembark from the ship and dying a like a true captain aboard his vessel. This event once again reawakened the fear within Aenar that had diminished a great deal since his time in war, as he became convinced that his father’s death had been more than an accident and in fact the first in a series of assassinations, the next target of which would be him. It was because of his father’s death that Aenar returned once more to the capital, in order to attend hi funeral and pay his last respects. Here he was greeted by his old friend King Maegor who had grown a great deal since the time they were boys and was already becoming known as one of the greatest kings in westerosi history. Aenar rekindled his relationship with the king and was offered his father’s position of Master of Ships which he gladly accepted, and a year later after the death of Jasper Redwyne, the king’s father in law, he was raised to the position of hand.
Aenar’s term as hand was met with high expectations, due to the strong and powerful rulership of his predecessor and he often struggled to keep up, often disappearing from the public limelight for months on end so as to keep the realm running smoothly. Whilst Maegor feasted and kept the lords in line is was up to Aenar to ensure that the crown continued to operate and it was his determinate stewardship that kept the kingdoms in line just a much as Maegor’s rulership.
Now Aenar continues to serve as hand even as his hairs slowly turn to grey. Whilst the king’s mind fades and begins to idle, Aenar’s remains resolute and determined to keep the seven kingdoms in check.
Family:
Daenerys Targaryen [D]
Aurane Velaryon [D]
Baelon Velaryon [D]
Aelora Celtigar [D]
Aenar Velaryon
Rhaenys Targaryen
Laena Velaryon
Laenor Velaryon
Baelon Velaryon
Aenys Velaryon [D]
Jena Bar Emmon [D]
Baela Velaryon
Elaena Velaryon
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