The Origins of House Blackadder

[Gandalfus]

Roughly 30-40 years ago.

All was quiet on that day; in the red keep, the king had gone hunting as he was wont to do when the royal child was born, waiting for the good or bad news, quenching the suspense by slaughtering animals in the Kingswood. Queen Arryn screamed and wept in the birthing room, as the child was being born. The Maester and the midwives attended to her every whim; making sure all was well with her and the child. The sounds of childbirth emanated from that one room, where the master was at his work. Princess Rhaenyra, now a teenager, was present outside the room, waiting in silence.

And then there was silence.

The solitary cries of a child were heard, and the Maester took the baby in his arms, before passing it to the queen. She smiled, but paused when she saw the eyes. Not purple. Odd. She dismissed the thought, before looking at the child closer while cradling him in her arms, weeping tears of joy. He looked nothing like Viserys, she noted, saddening when she knew the child was not his. She looked up at the attendants.

"Everyone out."

She breathed, causing the shocked attendants to look at each other, perplexed. They then looked at the Queen's anger, quickly rushing out of the room, all save the maester. She sighed, looked at the old man, who bowed his head.

"It isn't the kings, I-"

"I know, your grace. It is not your doing."

She had met with Orys Storm 9 months ago, on a cold winters night in Kings Landing whilst the king was away on an errand in Highgarden. He was suave, while she was alone, and she took a liking to him. He had left not long after, and she thought that the child was the kings. She bowed her head towards the child, then looked back at the Grand Maester.

"He needs to be taken away, somewhere out of sight. Tell the king he was stillborn... He must not know."

She pleaded, whilst the Maester nodded, taking the child into his arms, and disappearing through the side door, whilst the queen collapsed into a long, deep slumber.

[Nesimî]

Somewhere in Flea Bottom, a baby is given away for no particular reason. He is sent off with the cry, "Sod off, Baldrick!"

[Gandalfus]

Roughly 22-18 years ago.


22 years have passed since the child's abandoning. The child was adopted by a certain Daemon Sand, and bought up as the son of a noble knight and page of the Dornish Prince. He certainly was an oddity; his black hair and dark eyes looking out of place among the darker-skinned Dornish of the far south. Nevertheless, he was accepted into the court, becoming a man of respectable wealth and stature in Sunspear. His council was often valued by any who were lucky enough to receive it. He married a wealthy Braavosi merchant's daughter who had taken up residence in Sunspear.

Not long after his marriage, the child (no longer a child, really) took up residence in Braavos. Fearing the assassins and Targaryen agents that would soon come, He changed his identity, taking the surname "Blackadder" in tribute to his Dornish upbringing. Not long after this, his wife gave birth to a son, whom they named Edmund. Thus began the life of Edmund Blackadder.

Around the same time, in flea bottom, another child was born, except this one was of no great importance. He became Edmund's servant, and was only known as "S. Baldrick". (The "S" apparently stands for "Sod Off") He would forge a sort of begrudging friendship with Edmund, whom he would serve faithfully until the end of his days.

[Gandalfus]

Around 2-3 years ago.

Edmund's life grew much more comfortable in the city, as his now wealthy father had arranged for an assortment of private Westerosi tutors in order to give his son the education befitting a lord or knight. Edmund excelled at diplomacy, stewardship, and intrigue, but had a rather mediocre martial ability, preferring to talk his way out of most situations. This made Edmund the ideal steward; indeed, he was put into the position of Steward of the Port for a time, and managed to clean and modernize the poorer areas of the Braavosi wharfs.

Edmund continued to prove himself in Braavos, appointed as an official tax collector of the sealord allowed him to establish connections with many of the wealthy merchants in the city, whom he would oft take bribes from in exchange for "forgetting" to visit them for a month or two, targeting their rivals instead. Edmund make himself quite well known as a businessman around this time, sponsoring the sale of assorted jewellery and fish in particular.

[Nesimî]

"That's what he's calling himself? I would think it racist if soneone called me that," remarked the Prince incredulously.
"Good thing he didn't go with 'Whitesnake.' I believe he may be able to make a profitable trade agreement with us on the Sealord's behalf. I will go to negotiate."
"Very well, I hope this will be profitable. I wonder if it isn't too risky. They say Barças have been seen raiding in the Narrow Sea."
"Yes, that reminds me, I need a new bow."