Rumors and hooks in Orange

Appearance:

Atelkos Branch is a 23-years old, and of mixed Westerosi-Valyrian heritage. (Father's Northern, Mother's Lysene.)  His hair's a mix of Valyrian silver and Westerosi brown. His eyes are unusually-deep blue. 5'10", roughly thirteen stone (180 lbs).

Interested parties may like his looks or not, IC. Aside from the leg, he has no visible deformities.

He "dresses for the occasion".  He walks with a limp due to a childhood injury, and uses a cudgel-thick stick for balance, when walking.

[His leg caused comment, even mockery, over the years. For one thing, it means he won't be Ser Atelkos- Southerners may knight someone for making money- Northerners want a fighter. Also, it's known that "Lame" Lothar Frey, Steward of the Twins, has a twisted leg on the same side as Branch (left), leading to courtly banter that House Icemark 'follows the fashion'. He didn't like bringing that on his hosts- they might not have liked it either. One time, Atelkos responded to a visiting jester aping his walk by playing along, mockingly one-upping the imitation. But that was years ago. Oh, and forcing him to take the knee would be involved. Some might call it 'cruel', even. ]

Demeanor: This is a man who understands reserve and decorum. (Some view it as overly formal.) He's not stiff or unfriendly, but his thoughts are, typically, his thoughts. He's diplomatic to outsiders, defers to betters, and shows proper form to people beneath him. Few people know what he's like when he's NOT performing a function.

He arrived with a Lysene accent, but it's long since worn off. He speaks to-the-point- he's learned that's how Northerners speak.

Background:

Parents and Relations:

Arnholt Branch: From House Branch (a minor Northern house from the Wolfswood, pledged to House Glover). Currently heads up a trading-house in Lys. Depending who tells it, Arnholt became a merchant out of disgrace with House Branch, or he was disgraced with House Branch simply for engaging in trade. (Merchants aren't, as a rule, looked on well by Westeros’ nobility.) Few (if any) people at Court have ever met him. Atelkos has not seen him for quite some time.

Renaela Branch (nee Megaras): A Lysene woman of Valerian decent. Lives in Lys.(Atelkos' named for his late grandfather, Atelkos Megaras.) She's never been to Westeros. This won't stop rumors about her, since people claim to know "how Lysene women are".

Siblings: Yes, but not in Westeros.

Other:
-House Branch [House words: "Reaching Toward The Light".] Distant relations, none in contact. [People have wondered what would happen if, for some reason, Houses Branch and Icemark had a dispute.] It is unclear why Atelkos did not go to them, and not Icemark, as a boy.

-Lys: Some family. [Likewise. Also, some suggest that if the going gets too rough, he would have the too-tempting option of going to Lys or House Branch, rather than staying.] He has not seen them for some time.

-The Vaelen family have a small holding in House Icemark's lands. He's something of an 'unofficial' member of the family, due to long association. [Most of House Icemark know the Vaelen family.

Childhood: Up until 12, Atelkos lived with family, traveling and studying. Then, for unclear reasons, Arnholt Branch wished Atelkos to reside in Westeros.

[Theories: 1) he regretted leaving and wished Atelkos to re-establish the family in House Branch. 2) More cynically- Arnholt wanted to “open the market”. 3) Genuinely mean: Asking what Atelkos did to deserve "banishment". At age twelve.]

Apprenticeship: House Branch rejected him.(His apprenticeship was not a foster-exchange arrangement between houses, as happens- it was a straight up 'take him' by House Branch. This predated his injury and he hadn't been to Westeros at all yet. Even Atelkos doesn't know why. )

Atelkos was apprenticed to House Icemark’s Majordomo, Ser Cordyth Vaelen. Ser Cordyth taught him how to administer a demesne and conduct himself in court. Atelkos was a page, and was noted for literally running errands, as fast as he could.  Atelkos has lived in Icewell for eleven years- in the House, among the House, for the House, but not truly of the House. 

Then, Atelkos suffered permanent injury to his leg- he has never had the chance to properly earn his stripes in combat. An otherwise-excellent apprenticeship barely served to compensate for the disrespect a non-combatant gets in the North. Nonetheless, the remaining Vaelen family treat Atelkos as something like an adopted son.

Adulthood and Employment: Ser Cordyth died a few months ago.
[There were murmurs of foul play- "Lysenes are all poisoners, you know" etc - but it was deemed a “fair death”- he was quite old.]

Soon after, Atelkos was engaged as House Icemark’s Steward. He also took up the jobs of Castellan and Seneschal until the House’s fortunes justified three retainers rather than one.

Lord Icemark entrusted Atelkos with the task of performing a “Domesday Book” style official survey, census and audit of the House's holdings as well as assessing the Castle's defensibility.  He was also overseeing the return-banquet for the Heads of Household. And he was entrusted with running the estate until his Lord returned from what turned out to be the Red Wedding.

(Tradition and law say he is to hold this position until a new Lord or Lady takes charge. It is entirely up to them what he does after this-step down, stay, go...)

Status: The circumstances of his birth make him "low tier high-born". Atelkos grew up as something of an outsider in House Icemark, despite living here for half his life. The Vaelen family vouches for him, and he has made some friendships, so that counts for something- he mainly tries to distinguish himself through service as an advisor to House Icemark.

An possible downside: Houses have been known to 'steal' staff. Sometimes by luring them away or 'trading' for them. Sometimes by literally stealing them.

RELATIONSHIPS:

[TBA- this will probably be mostly done be in play.]

General reputation in Icefell proper (Outside the PCs, that is): Reasons why there'd be rumors about Branch, a shortlist: He's part Valyrian ('foreigners look funny and can't be trusted') His da is from House Branch ("so that's fishy"), also (at the same time) for some reason he's been straight-up rejected by House Branch despite legitimate parentage ("so WTF?") Also, he's Lysene ("they're a bunch of poisoning whoremongers who worship cats of all things. Put him in charge, it'll be cats and whores, wall-to-wall, just you watch.") Some still think there's something suspicious about Ser Cordyth's demise.

And also he's a noncombatant, but stubbornly shows up every muster. Whether people take that seriously ("He shows. We can't use a fighter hoppin' on one leg, but he shows."), or as an affectation, a "you go, big guy" humor-him thing, or a "Oh, Christ, he's doing it again" every month is up to other people. He's putting in the effort, but he's swimming against the tide there..

Septon Alduin: Septon Alduin has just arrived. Atelkos is not of the Faith of the Seven, so far as anyone can tell.

Alyona: A lady in waiting to Lady Mara. They've met.
Beron:

Daena Butterwell: They've Valyrian ancestry in common, and were both 'sent' by other houses (under different clouds). He's aware of Lady Daena's frugality, and (privately, not to her) expresses approval. (What good Steward wouldn't?)

Alaesella Icemark: Lady Icemark's daughter, Lady Alaesella is Eddara's twin sister, born mere moments after. And thus, not heir.  In her teens, Atelkos arrived when Lady Alaesella was at most eight years old- she grew up with him around, and vice versa.

Ser Alaric Icemark: Lord Gerrard's brother, Last Man of the House and Lord of Icewell Castle. Alaric's seven years older than Atelkos,  though Alaric was gone by age 18, when Atelkos first arrived at court. He showed up maybe once or twice a year after that. Aside from service to House Icemark, the biggest thing they have in common is that Alaric has visited the Free Cities, including Lys, and they know Ser Roderick.

Eddara Icemark: Eldest child of the family. In her teens, Atelkos arrived when Lady Eddara was at most eight years old- she grew up with him around, and vice versa.

Lady Mara Icemark: Widow of Gerrard, mother to Ladies Alaesella and Eddara, Head of House Icemark. Atelkos answers to her directly, as a retained advisor.  There was no change in address- she was Lady Icemark before, she is Lady Icemark, now. Older than Branch, but not by much.

Their working relationship is... new. Gerrard's who Atelkos was training to work with. Mara took responsibility for Manor affairs while Gerrard was in the field, but still she's not him. (Even if his Lordship died, there were two sons and (possibly) a brother in the line of secession after him- the matter simply had not been properly planned-for.)Likewise, up until fairly recently, she would have been working with Ser Cordyth.

Also, Ser Cordyth's training included anticipating one's liege's whims and wishes. As the mother of four that once humored his presence in apprenticehood is withdrawn, it has become harder to do so.

Ser Roderick: They grew up in the same area. And they, sort of, work together. Branch's role as Castellan is tending the static parts of the Castle (walls, trenches, and so on), and Ser Roderick (as Captain of the House Guard) handles training/deploying men. So they work together- as Ser Roderick's father and Ser Cordyth worked together before. However, Atelkos' practical knowledge of actual battle is- by nature- more abstract than Rodericks'.

There are regular training musters for smallfolk who fight. Atelkos stubbornly shows up, bow and all. It's uncertain what Roderick thinks of it.

Braeden Rok: Works in House Icemark's stables. They serve the same House. Atelkos personally pays the stables for feed and stabling for his rouncey. They've met. (My guess is, it was awkward as hell.)

Joslyn Serrett They just met. Things could have gone better.

Valaric Snow: They aren't friends. Snow recently arrived in Icemark Port after ten years abroad, restarting what is an old grudge.