This young man is tall and lithe, with long, slightly curly light brown hair. A well groomed beard of the same color is cropped neatly along the line of his jaw, emphasizing it somewhat, and adding age to his otherwise youthful features. His grey-blue eyes are engaging and friendly looking, slight crinkles around the edges of them giving the suggestion of easy laughter, while his kind face bears the vague suggestion of a confident smile. His torso and arms are taut with the lean, powerful muscle, of a swordsman, his skin tanned lightly from the sun. His legs are long and well muscled as well, his steps surefooted and quick.
Ser Astos Corbray is a confident knight, quick to boast and quick to laugh, though there is a sharp edge to his speech and japes. He is intelligent, but naive about the nature of politics in Westeros. He appears to make quick friends, but seems rather reluctant to get too close to anyone. When confronted with the realities of the political landscape, he becomes sullen and withdrawn, taken to bouts of moodiness.
Astos Corbray was born as the second son of his father, Ser Andian Corbray, who was himself a second son. This makes Ser Astos a first cousin to the Lord of Heart’s Home. As a youth, Ser Astos was squired to Ser Orwell Egen, Captain of Guards at Heart’s Home. Training with other boys his age, Ser Astos always strove to excel and stand out above his peers. While other boys would engage in games and japes, young Astos could often be found alone, practicing diligently with his sword or reading about the great heroes of Westeros. His practice at arms was highly productive, as his determination, coupled with his natural aptitude for the blade, caused him to develop into a swordsman somewhat well-known throughout the Vale.
Astos’s older brother Benfrey treated him warmly, and as such, Astos idolized him. Their sibling bond was further strengthened during a notable incident when, while on a hunt with Ser Orwell, the two boys were waylaid by outlaws. While most of the bandits were harrying Ser Orwell, one of them managed to subdue Benfrey and attempt to escape, intending to hold the boy for ransom. Astos managed to catch up to the two, slaying the outlaw and rescuing his brother. The pair then proceeded to come to the aid of Ser Orwell, slaying another bandit and capturing two others. Astos gained his knighthood shortly thereafter, and the young Corbrays were nearly inseparable.
Thus was the situation when the King called for men to march with him to Dorne. Excited at the prospect, Astos began preparation for his journey south. He was greatly disappointed to learn that he was to stay behind at Heart’s Home with several other young knights, while his father and brother would accompany the contingent from Heart’s Home to Dorne. Appeals to his father, and even his cousin Lord Corbray, were met with denials, and so it was that Ser Astos was to be left with the small garrison. On the eve of Ser Benfrey’s departure, the brothers shared sharp words, and Ser Astos left angrily.
Left without his best friend and companion, Ser Astos slipped into a dark mood. The once cheerful, optimistic, and boastful knight was replaced by a sullen, brooding young man. Servants at Heart’s Home often came across Ser Astos moodily poring over old histories or furiously practicing his swordwork in the yard. When news of his brother’s death in Dorne arrived, it struck the young man hard, driving him further into his smouldering depression.
When Ser Astos’s father Ser Andian returned to convalesce after taking a wound, the change in his younger son, coupled with the death of his elder, unnerved him. It was decided that Ser Astos would be sent to King’s Landing, to treat with the Small Council regarding the War in Dorne, and the possible need for more troops. Ser Andian hoped that the new sighs and opportunities available to a young Knight in the capital of the Kingdom would do something to alleviate the young man’s woes.
For his part, Ser Astos seemed thrilled with the new assignment, and set out for King’s Landings with high hopes, eager to make his mark.
26-05-161 - During the battle at Godsgrace, Ser Bryce Caron overextended his wing in an attempt to outmaneuver the Dornish forces. Ser Astos, as a part of the wing, went with him, remaining in the melee, even as they began to take losses. Astos’ quick sword saved the other man’s life, killing a Dornish soldier, who had been attempting to cut the leg’s from Ser Bryce’s horse before the retreat.
10-06-163 - After a sermon of the Most Devout at Visenya’s Sept in King’s Landing, hell broke loose when two fires were started in the Street Of The Sisters. Amidst the panicking crowd of nobles and commonfolk, Ser Astos joined several others in forming a chain, passing buckets of water to help extinguish the fires.
15-07-163 - Ser Astos was among the nobles who attended the feast for Princess Naerys, which instead of soothing the nerves after a recent series of murders and fires ended in chaos and escalation, as a drunk Ser Quenton Rosby revealed himself by accident to be the Ripper and managed to wound two knights with a knife in the subsequent brawl, at the end of which he was finally seized.
14-08-163 - Ser Astos married Lady Belissa Caron in King’s Landing. The wedding ceremony took place in Visenya’s Sept, the wedding feast afterwards in the Great Hall of the Old Keep. Significant members of both Houses were present, although Lord Qarl Corbray did not attend due to his duties in Heart’s Home. Apart from family the feast was open to other nobles of the Keep, making it a notable event that was spoken about for several weeks to come. The highest ranking noble who attended was Princess Naerys, the bride being one of her ladies-in-waiting.
27-08-163 - Riding in Rhaena’s nameday tourney, Ser Astos Corbray won his first two tilts. In the third round he faced Ser Bryon Waynwood and managed to unhorse the knight in the third pass, his lance shattering from the impact. In the fourth round Astos was bested by Ser Janden Melcolm in one pass. In the fifth round Astos was unhorsed by Ser Anders Dondarrion in the second pass.
05-09-163 - Astos boarded the ship to Storm’s End in the company of his wife to attend the wedding of Ser Brynden Tully and Lady Sarya Baratheon and to represent House Corbray at the wedding tourney.
18-09-163 - Ser Astos and his wife attended the wedding feast that celebrated the union of Ser Brynden Tully and Lady Sarya Baratheon in the Great Hall of Storm’s End.
19-09-163 - Ser Astos Corbray rode in the wedding tourney at Storm’s End, to celebrate the marriage of Ser Brynden Tully to Sarya Baratheon. In a field of sixty knights and squires, he won his first two rounds. In the third round he was bested by Ser Janden Melcom in one pass. In the fourth round he defeated Ser Jack Flowers in the third pass. In the fifth round he encountered Ser Elys Mertyns, the heir to Mistwood, who unhorsed him in one pass.
24-10-163 - Astos and his wife attended the wedding feast of Ser Josmyn Reyne and Lady Alyce Bar Emmon, held in the Great Hall of the Kitchen Keep in King’s Landing. He also presented the wedding gift of House Corbray to the couple, a beautifully carved small chest of cherry wood.
25-10-163 - Riding in the tourney held in honour of the newlyweds Ser Josmyn and Lady Alyce Reyne, Astos defeated an unknown hedge knight in his first tilt; in the second tilt he was able to unhorse Ser Cleyton Waxley in the second pass; In the third tilt he was defeated by Ser Luther Rivers, who would later turn out to be the winner of the day. Astos would have continued, as he had only been unhorsed once. Ser Humfrey Westerling’s deadly tilt with Ser Lem of the Penric Hills however brought a morbid twist to the tourney. Astos’s wife Belissa who had been watching from the stands appeared to be visibly shaken by the blood and gore of the spectacle, so he decided to leave the contest, accompanying her back to the Red Keep.
01-11-163 - Astos accompanied the Kingswood Company for an ambush of a bandit camp in the Kingswood. During his fight with the bandit Fargo he dealt the man a shattering blow to his head, persued him as he tried to flee with Ser Willard Ryger helping him to corner the bandit and was able to both stop the villain and finish him off by a successful sword blow aiming for the man’s legs.
08-11-163 - What was planned as another ambush of a bandit camp in the Kingswood turned out to be a trap and the knights found themselves under attack from archers and and bandits wielding swords and spears alike. Astos fought a huge fellow called Voss, caught himself a bruise to his shield arm when he parried a shattering blow and broke one of his ribs from another blow of Voss’s spear to his breast which he failed to parry - and which pushed him from his saddle. After a swift remount the Corbray knight was finally able to overcome the bandit. But instead of capturing him alive as he should have done according to the Warden’s order he killed him, cutting the villain’s belly open with a devastating blow of his sword, as he probably got a bit carried away by his anger at Voss’s taunts.
26-11-163 - Ser Astos and his wife Belissa attended Lady Jyana Arryn’s nameday feast that was held in the Main Hall of the Arryn Manse in King’s Landing. The cheerful festivities of the evening where dimmed by an arising discord, when an angered Theonald Locke tried to persuade Ser Arion Baratheon that Ser Eon Hunter, a knight from the Vale as Astos himself, was plotting Ser Arion’s death. The Northman was persuaded by the combined reasonings of Ser Arion, Jyana’s bastard brother Andred Stone and finally by Jyana’s father to stop his rioting. Tempers were then calmed when Ser Dermett, the Corbray heir, performed a song he had written about Jyana, which was received very well, much to Astos’s surprise - and pleasure.
29-11-163 - Ser Astos Corbray departed with his wife Lady Belissa from King’s Landing with a huge party of nobles, destined for Riverrun to celebrate the wedding of Lady Andrya Tully and Ser Willard Ryger - and the wedding of Lady Jannia Tully and Ser Humfrey Westerling.
11-12-163 - Ser Astos Corbray rode for the groom, Ser Willard Ryger, in the Melee at Acorn Hall. After unhorsing his kinsman Ser Dermett Corbray he fell to Ser Elmer Crakehall and Ser Josmyn Reyne. The knights of the bride, Lady Andrya Tully, were victorious in the end.Later on that same day at the Singing Contest at Acorn Hall the Corbray knight delivered a sad tune he had written, An Ode to Fear, before the judges of the contest: Lady Andorea Smallwood, Lady Jyana Arryn, Lady Jannia Tully, Lady Reyna Saltcliffe and Lady Elrone Darklyn. Although there were only hints of a melody in his performance, which a lute player accompanied throwing chords in here and there, he managed to make an impression with both his delivery and the song. The prizes of the evening, however, went to Ser Eon Hunter, Ser Jan Marbrand and Ser Farin Prester. Another contestant, Ser Ammon Massey, caused some uproar in the audience with a mock song about the pirate Sullehman Saan, after which Lady Reyna Saltcliffe had to leave, visibly shaken.
20-12-163 - Astos attended the Wedding Tourney at Riverrun - he did not ride in it though, respecting his wife’s wish. But after all, him watching the spectacle beside his wife from the stands had its advantages. When turmoil started between Blackwoods and Brackens, a panic ensued in the stands, where many where trampled to death. Astos took care of his wife and saw to it that she could leave the scene in relative safety.
10-01-164 - Astos rode with a small force under the command of Ser Brynden Tully, detached from the Tully vanguard dealing with the Bracken/Blackwood feud. By chance they came by a skirmish of the two feuding parties and tried to force them apart, riding right in the middle of it. The Corbray knight called for reason, pleading with them to cease their fighting. His calls, however, were not being heard. And so the small Tully force had to make their point with pure force, joined the fight and took prisoners from both sides, until the remaining Brackens and Blackwoods decided to call it a draw and rode off.
26-01-164 - Riding among the Vale contingent of the forces supporting Lady Tinessa Tully, Ser Astos Corbray witnessed the parley held before the walls of Raventree Hall between Lord Blackwood and the Lady of Riverrun. With Lord Bracken also being present the peace between Brackens and Blackwoods was settled finally through the power of words not force, despite a bit of a racket in the Bracken ranks. In the parley’s aftermath Ser Dermett Corbray and his cousin, the recently knighted Ser Ryckon Westerling, got into a heated exchange of unpleasantries. As Ryckon was joined by Ser Genald Storm, Astos moved to his cousin’s side to strengthen his position. He stayed silent however until the heir to Heart’s Home started referencing a maid of common birth dear to Ryckon in a rather ungentlemenlike manner. It was then that Astos tried to intervene, telling Dermett to act honourably as befits his station as the heir of House Corbray. And he appealed to both knights to cease their verbal sparring in the light of the positive outcome of their campaign.
27-03-164 - Riding at Lord Serry’s Tourney at King’s Landing, celebrating the birth of his twins, Astos remained victorious in the first couple of tilts. He won the next tilt against Ser Renys Serry, cousin to the Lord of Southshield, after the third pass, lost his next to Luthor in the first pass, then defeated Ser Merys Lydden in the first pass, bested Ser Jan Marbrand in the first, with a tremendous blow that broke his lance into so many splinters, and then had to face Ser Dagur Saltcliffe, who finally defeated the Corbray knight after the second pass. It was Astos best showing at a tourney so far, his prowess being probably enhanced by his pregant wife Belissa’s presence among the spectators in the stands.
12-04-164 - Ser Astos and his wife Belissa attended the wedding feast celebrating the union of his cousin Ser Dermett Corbray and Lady Damia Farman. The weeding took place in King’s Landing, with Lord Qarl Corbray having travelled all the way from Heart’s Home to attend it and Lady Simona Tully, Dermett’s sister, being present as well.
19-08-164 - Astos accompanied a patrol, led by his cousin, the heir of Heart’s Home, Ser Dermett Corbray, to come upon a slaughtered village, with dead children, men and women - killed knights of the Kingswood and the petty lord of the village.
24-08-164 - Shortly before midnight Belissa’s and Astos’ son was born - the baby and its mother exhausted but in good health afterwards. Astos was in attendance, at least sort of. Until the maester asked him to leave the room, feeling disturbed by the husband’s nervous and totally unhelpful comments. The Corbray knight spent the next hours in the Main Room of the Corbray Appartments, trying to dull his anxiety for his wife’s wellbeing with some wine. When he finally heard the baby’s first little wail he stormed into their chamber and thanked the Seven, overwhelmed by the sight of his first child - and his wonderful wife who had mastered the tough challenge of giving birth.
02-09-164 - Astos’ and Belissa’s son, only a week old, was named during a ceremony at the Royal Sept of the Red Keep, with mainly relatives and a few friends attending. The little Corbray’s name is Elias.
01-07-166 - Ser Astos and his wife Belissa attend the wedding of his sister Obyra Corbray and Ser Artys Templeton at Heart’s Home.
12-09-166 - After their return to the family seat at Heart’s Home, his wife gives birth there to their second son. The baby boy receives the name Gwydion a few days after, in a naming ceremony conducted by a visiting septon.
01-05-168 - Astos enters service with House Arryn, to strengthen and act in interest of the Vale. The way to the Arryn court may have already been paved through the marriage of his sister Obyra to Lord Arryn’s nephew, Ser Artys Templeton.
08-02-170 - Astos’s wife Belissa gives birth to a healthy daughter at the Eyrie. The baby is named Elaine Corbray a few days after, in a ceremony conducted by the Arryn House septon.
Nephew to Lord Corbray, good-brother to the heir of Nightsong.
Soon!
A Dangerous Game - Early log of the first Astos
Honeyed Duck, Liberally Salted - Some trouble with knives at Princess Naerys nameday feast.
A Long Awaited Marriage - The feast celebrating the marriage of Ser Astos Corbray and Lady Belissa Caron.
Jousting with Jaesin - Jousting practice with Ser Jaesin Lannister
The Songs We Sing - Performance contest where a certain Corbray takes part.
The Third Assault - A log from the Bandits in the Kingswood plot.
A Wedding Tourney, a Feud Reborn - Brackens and Blackwoods causing trouble at a wedding tourney.
A Corbray is Named - Naming ceremony of Elias Corbray.
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Category://King’s Landing -> People