Ser Godwyn Strong is currently a knight of the Kingsguard of King Viserys III. Godwyn is also the Royal Inquisitor for Viserys, tasked with finding and dealing with traitors.
Appearance[]
Strong by name, and strong by nature. Walks with the confidence only a man who knows his place in the world would possess. Many parts of his body bear scars from battle, but none so brutal as to disfigure him and render him hideous. That being said, he is by no means handsome, but still keeps his appearance neat and precise. Will almost always carry around his greatsword. Smiles only when ordered to do so, or in the heat of battle.
History[]
Godwyn was born in Stronghold, the seat of House Strong, in 338AC to Artys and Jeyne Strong - from the line of Duncan Strong. From a young age, he was encouraged to pursue the life of a knight, and it was also from a young age that he discovered he had the natural strength and conviction to render him a powerful warrior. As a child, he always believed he'd been following in the footsteps of his martially adept ancestors, who had served so faithfully in the Golden Company. At the age of thirteen he was taken by none other than Lord Hoster Tully to squire under him, a man who he grew to respect and admire greatly.
Tales of his family's defeat at the hands of the Crown in the war of the Lord’s Scorned did not dissuade him from this path of bloodshed, and by the time he had turned sixteen he had already fought in his first skirmish, seeing off a number of bandits that had been plaguing the Riverlands in what was really only a routine engagement. He killed his first man at this time too, though not by way of bloody battle; being but a mere squire, he was simply wandering the field of battle after it was all over when a bandit, whom Godwyn had presumed to be dead, reached out to the young Strong, and begged to be given mercy. Fearing a beating - or worse - from Lord Hoster, Godwyn gave the man his own form of mercy, swiftly piercing the man's heart with his sword without batting an eyelid.
Time passed, and the Strong grew stronger under the tutelage of the Tully. He killed more men, and this time in real fights. His renown began to grow to, along with his bloodlust. In the Riverlands, many said that to cross paths with the young Godwyn was to cross paths with the Stranger himself. Though rumours tend to exaggerate, there was some truth in them now, for the young man was quickly becoming a talented fighter and a worthy opponent. On his eighteenth nameday, Godwyn was gifted the greatsword he would cherish so much in later life, naming it Swift Deliverer.
An affinity for jousting also arose in the young man, and he took to the skill easily, his talent in soldierly arts showing itself once more. Throughout his years of training under Lord Tully, Godwyn made sure to perfect his work with the lance too, becoming an effective cavalryman in the end - though it was clear that where he performed best was on the ground in the centre of battle, where he could savage his foes with great sweeping strikes from Swift Deliverer with reckless abandon.
It was in 359AC that Godwyn was knighted by Lord Hoster Tully, after their involvement in a skirmish in which they were heavily outnumbered and yet managed to come out victorious. The two men had been travelling through the Riverlands alone, having left behind the other Tully guardsman for the day to enjoy a leisurely ride through the countryside, when they were set upon by a band of fifteen brigands. Knowing full well that even though they were better armed and armoured than the bandits they still stood little chance, Godwyn resolved to ensure his Lord made it to safety. The protection of Lord Tully was paramount, after all. Dismounting from his destrier and drawing his heavy greatsword, he managed to quickly carve his way through six of the filthy bandits, Hoster himself killing another four, before the remainder of the measly crew scurried away. Godwyn thinks of this as one of his fondest memories, and cherishes it.
Now separated from the man who had trained him to be the knight he had finally become, Ser Godwyn decided to travel Westeros by himself. Godwyn passed through the West and into the Reach, participating in a number of tourneys with some success. However by the time he had reached King's Landing in 364 AC, the War of the Seven Banners had just begun and once more was the Strong thrown into battle, joining up with the King's forces against the Essosi. Here he fought valiantly once more, relishing the opportunity he had been given to kill foreign enemies of the Crown with impunity. Many men and more fell to his sharp blade and powerful strength, as he fought the Seven Bannerman at the Battle of the Skirts - and he also received a good many scars from a few close encounters with Myrish crossbowmen.
After being caught with the King and his remaining forces at the holdfast of Redstone in 365AC , Ser Godwyn was not only present for the entirety of the siege but also when the relief force arrived to relieve the besieged troops in 366AC, and was made a member of the Kingsguard after this, in 366AC, for his defense of the King during The Second Battle of Redstone.
For the next fourteen years of his life, Ser Godwyn served his King as dutifully as need be, remembering to place his loyalty to the Crown and House Targaryen above anything else, such as honour, family or his own safety. As always, the Strong knight kept to his silent self, giving answers to questions only when he was asked for them and remembering to speak his mind only when it was asked of him. After all, a good knight needs to remember that talk is cheap, and words are but wind. Good, hard steel was all that mattered in the end.
Timeline[]
- 338AC - Godwyn is born in Stronghold.
- 351AC - At the age of 13, he is taken up as a squire to Lord Hoster Tully, the then Lord Paramount of the Riverlands.
- 354AC - Godwyn takes his first life and fights in his first skirmish.
- 356AC - Swift Deliverer, a monstrous greatsword, is given to him as a gift.
- 359AC - Godwyn is knighted by Lord Tully, after they manage to fight off overwhelming odds. Godwyn takes his leave of the Riverlands, and begins to travel Westeros as a hedge knight of sorts.
- 364AC - The Strong arrives in King’s Landing, just as the war of Seven Banners begins. He joins up with the King’s forces and heads to Essos.
- 364AC - Participates in the Battle of the Skirts.
- 365AC - Godwyn finds himself trapped in the holdfast of Redstone with the King, after the remaining Westerosi forces are caught unawares by the Seven Bannermen.
- 366AC - The troops on Redstone are relieved by more Westerosi. Godwyn fights bravely once more at The Slaughter of the Rocks.
- 366AC - Godwyn is made a member of the Kingsguard after proving his valour in the previous conflict.
- 380AC - Ser Godwyn serves the King faithfully and loyally as a member of his Kingsguard, fulfilling his role as it is asked of him, following every order given to the letter, never questioning ‘why’.
- 6th Moon 380AC, Spring - Godwyn is appointed Royal Inquisitor, and begins questioning suspected traitors. He discovers a plot to plant Prince Aegor Targaryen on the Throne, and acts swiftly to crush it - not swift enough to prevent both Aegor and a number of his allies from escaping. However, Strong learns of Lord Baratheon and Stark's involvement in said plot from his former brother of the Kingsguard, Ser Mathis Frey, and they confess to having attended to him in person.
Quotes from Godwyn:[]
"Gods be damned, Mathis, if what you say about the involvement of Baratheon, Connington, Celtigar, Velaryon, Princess Naerys and Lord Arlan is true... we have a full scale revolt on our hands already. I will arrest them all... I shall see him hang, I swear it on my oath as a Kingsguard." - Godwyn to Mathis Frey.
"My thanks. I expect that in the coming weeks, I shall be rather busy because of it." The hangman will be rather busy too. As will the executioner. "Not a job I relish, though someone must defend the Crown in a time such as this." - Godwyn Strong, on his promotion.
Godwyn fell to one knee, inclining his head. "It shall be done, Your Grace. Fire and Blood." But for Aenys' sake. - Godwyn to the King, on his promotion.
"Your Grace, they bring dishonour upon your name and upon the monarchy itself. It is not a question whether I think he should be punished further... he must be, for the good of the Realm. Whatever your wish is, I am yours to command." - Godwyn to the King, on traitors.
"Ser Bartimos is a good man," Godwyn answered, as they took their positions in the wedge. "But not a Kingsguard. The Kingsguard does not flee. Now or ever. I swore a vow." A little ahead of him, Mathis spurred his horse onwards, leading forwards their charge. The Strong's smile vanished. "And now it begins." - Godwyn Strong's last words, before being slain in the 7th month of 380AC.
Quotes on Godwyn:[]
"We fight for House Targaryen, my boy. For the rightful King who deserves to sit on the Iron Throne above any other beast of this land. Stags, Lions, Wolves, they all covet the Crown. They all are unworthy of it. Only those born of both Fire and Blood deserve to wear it and wield it's power. King Aemon deserves such power, as does his son Viserys. I fight in their name. You will fight in their name, my dear boy. We owe everything to them." - Godwyn's father to him as a boy.
Jaehaera was surprised. She had expected Godwyn to believe her (he had no reason not to, and she was telling the truth... mostly), but she had not expected him to act so quickly.Already, he was summoning men to arrest the Master of Laws. - Princess Jaehaera Targaryen, after having informed Godwyn of her uncle's treason.