Storm's End, Seat of House Baratheon

[Lord Dread]

Storm's End, Seat of House Baratheon


Current Lord: Lord Robert Baratheon

Trade good: Armour -15% Professional Infantry Hire Cost, -5% Professional Infantry Upkeep Cost

Tradelines:

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The army of Storm's End

1,000 Heavy Infantry
2,500 Light Infantry
1,333 Polearm Infantry
1,500 Archers
1,000 Light Cavalry
333 Heavy Cavalry

Buildings of Storm's End

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[Iron Aquilifer]

It was a fairly large column which approached the war-ready castle. At their head rode Lady Merianne Dondarrion, now showing her pregnant belly despite how hard she tried to hide it with her flowing robes. At her side rode her children: Hanna, Sky, Lark and Beric. They were dressed in clothing befitting their status, although they were showing the effects of the hard ride. Also in attendance was her new husband's children: Abegail and Robert. As if that wasn't enough, her lord husband's brother's children, led by their mother, also rode with the column: Mina, Luthor, Garse and the babe Megga. To finish the family was Joy Caron, who was rumoured to be betrothed to Stannis Estermont, and Daisy Buckler, Merianne's daughter-in-law, also showing a swelling belly.

As they neared the barred gates, one of Merianne's guards called out: "King Robert has given us leave to enter!" The banners of five different Stormlander houses flew, although the largest and most numerous was the Nightingales of Caron.

[Pericles of Athens]

The gates slowly opened and the column was allowed entrance into the keep. It was bustling with activity its halls hadn't seen in a century, nearly eight thousand men were garrisoned within the ancient fortress. Some were practicing formations on Storm's Ends imposing wall or readying anti-siege equipment in the courtyard, others were sleeping or eating, and some were visiting the keep's sept.

Stannis came to 'greet' the newcomers, being entrusted with the defense of the Stormlands in his brother's absence his first act had been the destruction of the Storm Lord loyalists at Summerhall. With the loyalist forces scattered or dead and their treacherous lords captured, he'd returned to Storm's End to prepare the defense, being the most strategically and politically important keep in all the Storm Lands.

[Lord Dread]

A small company of outriders, bearing the colours of the Baratheon host arrived back at Storm's End, delivering the loot from Grassy Vale to the castellan of the castle, Stannis Baratheon. A chest with 6,000 Dragons was brought forward towards him.

[Iron Aquilifer]

The woman's screams could be heard throughout the castle, no matter how high or low you went.

Some men declared that they would rather face the oncoming reach and Dornish, instead of listening to the woman's screeching.

It went on for ages. For long in to the night women raced to and for, preparing for the baby's arrival.

She was a shivering wreck after the pregnancy, though Metianne Dondarrion's servants would not remind her of that. Pregnancy was the battle fought by women.

[Pericles of Athens]

Maester Cressen entered the Lord chamber's, Stannis spent most of his time there these days, he broke fast at his desk, he took his mid-day meal at his desk and he supped at his desk, he only took breaks to ensure that the men were readying for siege and not prancing about the keep. "Stannis" he didn't look up, so fixated were his eyes on the map laid out before him, "Stannis, I have word from Stonehelm.."

"I would hear it then, Maester." he stated dryly.

"The port city has fallen, I am sorry." the Maester looked tired, he had no children of his own blood but all the same he had three sons, Robert, Stannis, and Renly and all of them were at risk of dying.

"First Nightsong and now Stonehelm." He calmly removed the Stag figurine from the board replacing it with one of a Sun-Spear. "How many?" Stannis asked undeterred, when Cressen did not answer he spoke up again, "How many Dornish did they take with them, Cressen. Or did they surrender without bloodshed?"

"Estimates range a fair deal, but it seem the garrison brought upwards of 10,000 Dornishmen to the Stranger with them."

They died because of his orders he knew, after all he'd sent them knowing they'd likely face the might of Dorne alone and he'd ordered them to hold the city to the last man as well, but such was their duty and such was the burden of his own. He pushed back in his seat splaying his hands atop the table, his plan for defending the Stormlands was working in part, the enemy had paid a heavy price in blood for every inch of the Stormlands they took..yet they still weren't bleeding enough. "For every Stormlander they slay we take two or more of their's..yet it is not enough. Combined the loyalists have sent nearly 70,000 men to bring us to heel, we have too few men."

"Perhaps you should retreat when you still.."

Stannis cut him off, "I will not run like some whipped dog, maester. Too few men or no, Robert ordered me to hold Storm's End and I intend to just that..or die in the attempt." Whether the Martells were coming or the Rowans or Rhaegar himself, it all made little difference - this keep would need to be starved or beaten into submission, because Stannis does not bend.