Carolei Rowan was born in 361 AC, the firstborn (by seven minutes) child of the late Lord Clifford Rowan. With the recent passing of her brother, she is the current Lady of Goldengrove.
Appearance[]
Standing about five and a half feet tall, with a lean, athletic build, Carolei typically dresses in comfortable riding leathers and keeps her dark brown hair pinned back in a utilitarian braid. Found under that braid are large hazel eyes, full lips, and a fair complexion.
History[]
The wide, fertile fields of House Rowan’s holdings have long provided prosperous farming, ample range for horse breeding, and more recently, enough freedom for one little girl and her horse to cause mischief. Indeed, while her twin brother was forced to learn the ins and outs of managing a household and maintaining the renowned Rowan horse lines, Carolei had free rein to roam the countryside.
And roaming from village to village was what she did best, chatting with the smallfolk and playing with their children. Carolei found it remarkable, the gossip she could accrue with just a winning smile, and a few tarts pilfered from the kitchens. She knew who was secretly sleeping with whom, which barkeeps watered down their ale, and mostly importantly, the latest news on the up-and-comers in Goldengrove’s monthly horse races.
The late Lord Rowan’s last accomplishment before passing away was the completion of an elaborate racetrack, complete with large enough grandstands that smallfolk from the furthest reaches of Rowan holdings could make the journey and be guaranteed a seat. Everyone was free to enter, from the lowliest peasant to Lord Rowan himself. The prizes were generous, but of even more value was the quality of the winning horses House Rowan was in turn allowed to breed into their line. A win-win situation for all involved, and Carolei loved to win.
Due to her intelligence gathering, she knew which horses needed to be dealt with. Nothing particularly harmful, but she was not above adding a few drops of milk of the poppy into a watering bucket, or trotting a mare in heat around a favored stallion. One such attempt did prove perilous when she underestimated a particularly arduous stallion, got tangled in its reins, and was subsequently dragged through the yard on her back. Many painful weeks were spent in the infirmary as the maester strived to patch what little was left of her skin. But Carolei wore her scars with pride as she managed to win the very next race she was healthy enough to enter.
Winning did not come as easily for her twin brother Cedrik. Carolei observed with pity as he was constantly forced to demonstrate an acceptable level of martial aptitude, for he was the only male descendent of the late Lord Rowan. On their eighteenth nameday, during a fateful tourney melee, she watched in horror as a particularly brutish, mace-wielding hedge knight bashed Cedrik’s helm in. He quickly bled out in the yard, robbing Carolei of an opportunity to say goodbye.
Now it fell to Carolei to learn how to manage a household, and the economics of the horse trade, which she took to well enough, but by the Gods, the whole business bored her to tears. With the dawn of the New Year, a little over a year since the tragedy, she heads down to Oldtown for her first trading venture, and hopefully a little excitement.
Important Events[]
361 AC – Carolei is born, seven minutes before her twin brother Cedrik.
365 AC – Goldengrove’s racetrack is completed.
366 AC – Carolei’s father passes away, her brother becomes Lord of Goldengrove, Marshall of the Northmarch.
379 AC – Carolei’s brother dies in a tourney melee, she is now Lady of Goldengrove, Marshall of the Northmarch.
381 AC – Carolei journeys to Oldtown for horsey business.
Family[]
Father: Clifford Rowan - b. 335, d. 366.
Mother: Janna Rowan, nee Stackhouse – b. 340
- Brother: Cedrik Rowan – b. 361, d. 379
- Sister: Cyrenna Rowan – b. 365
Aunt: Myriah Mandrake, nee Rowan – b. 345
- Cousin: Barba Mandrake – b. 370
Household[]
Castellan: Qarl Mullendore – b. 331
Steward: Lucas Stackhouse – b. 342
Maester: Ned – b. 320
Master-at-Arms: Theo Conklyn – b. 346
Master of Horse: One-eyed Ralf – b. 333
Master of Racetrack: Sunset Sam – b. 335
Cook: Old Bess – b.???
Supporting Characters[]
Ser Preston Flowers – b. 352, Captain of the Guards; Gift: Martially Adept
Serra Conklyn – b. 366, Handmaid; Gift: Beauty
Lucas Stackhouse – b. 342, Steward; Gift: Acumen
Recent Events[]
Carolei sells a horse! And participates in the Roxton Army horse race.