House Alester

A knightly house appointed by House Ryswell to guard the western Rillriver against ironborn incursions, House Alester maintains a strong castle and a significant standing force to repel raiders and pirates. Old and proud, the House seemed in decline for some years prior to the ascenscion of Brandon Alester to leadership. The house has even settled a long-running feud with House Rey, and now seems to be on the rise again.

History
House Alester was founded when Lord Ryswell commanded his sworn sword Ser Halmon Alester to build a castle on the Rillriver. Ironborn raiders had long sailed up the river then disembarked to spread chaos through the northern Rills. Ser Halmon build the Alesfort into a high hill with a powerful view downriver and there settled his family. The House soon entered a long decline as their watch became ever more ineffective, with Ser Halmon's descendants failing to prove as stalwart as he. That decline was ended only by the first Leran Alester, who won a great victory against a huge fleet of pirates. Leran personally led a sortie against the encamped ships, burning them as the pirates disembarked and killing the survivors on the beaches. Descendants followed Leran's lead, bringing the house back to its former glory, until the Blackfyre Rebellion brought userpers to Alester's shores. House Rey, former merchants raised to nobility, took occupancy of the eastern Rills, taking a deal of Alester lands. Though the house protested, the Ryswells owed a debt to founder Brutus Rey and gave him all the land he requested. Leran Alester protested this injustice several times, and in failure became increasingly withdrawn and negligent, culminating in a great scandal: Alester failed to heed his scout's warnings and mobilize his army, and the Ironborn sacked Hillwatch. A hasty response led to many dead Alester soldiers, and Leran himself lost his right arm below the elbow in the attack.

The House has, however, recently dinstinguished itself. Brandon Alester, Leran's son, has largely taken over the operations of the house, and has proven himself to be a competent warrior and strategist, whipping his troops back into shape and defending the Rillriver as well asn any ancestor. His marriage to Serra Mansford has been less fortuitous, producing only one small, sickly child who died of sickness after less than a year. His sister Demma Alester married Regel Rey, older than her by six years, and has borne him three strong children, largely repairing the rift between the two houses. Alyssa Alester, however, has had a difficult marriage to her new husband Eberhart Dane, who is reputedly a cruel and violent man. Reports that Eberhart has beaten and savaged Alyssa have angered the Alesters greatly.

Defense Holdings
Small Castle: The Alesfort. A sturdy walled keep on a high hill along the coast of the Rillriver. It is made of ehavy grey stone and is unremarkable in decoration. The town of Hillwatch sits outside. Most of the Alester's military forces are kept in or near the castle.

Influence Holdings
Max Lord's Status 4. One heir, Brandon Alester, at Status 3.

Land Holdings
Hills on the Rillriver, more Hills on the Rillriver with a Hamlet (and the Alesfort), Plains land with streams. The Alesters control land on the east bank of the Rillriver from the plains above its mouth to the hills near its end.

Power Holdings
Two units of Alester Garrisons (Trained Garrisons): The Alester Garrisons are well-equipped and well-trained and serve as a last line of defense of the Alesfort and Hillwatch, also serving as guardsmen in town. They are equipped with spears, shields and short swords and hardened leather armour.

Shore Scouts (Veteran Scouts): The Shore Scouts are extremely skilled scouts and survialists. They operate up and down both sides of the Rillriver to look for signs of attack. Though not equipped to serve as a front-line force, they are able saboteurs and harryers, and they frequently pursue criminals and fugitives through the wilderness. Most carry longbows and short swords, but few participate directly in large battles.

Alester Vanguard (Veteran Infantry): The crux of the Alester army is the Vanguard, a unit of battle-hardened soldiers who respond to the warnings of the Shore Scouts. Most members begin in the Garrison and move up into the Vanguard, where battles with ironmen and pirates are not uncommon. They are armed with swords or axes, heavy shields and ring mail.

Alester Archers (Green Archers): Many archers were killed or crippled during the sack of Hillwatch during Leran Alester's failure, and so most are new recruits who remain largely untested. They are equipped with longbows, short swords and hardened leather armour.

Wealth Holdings
Maester Loran (Maeter): Loran is a southerner with all the refined tastes of the Reach sent to the Alesfort in 293 AL after the previous maester died of a fall. He is mostly responsible for corresponding with local lords and keeping track of the family's holdings, and reportedly passes the time with a woman from Hillwatch.

Varden Stone: A bastard of the Vale who became an expert blacksmith, Vaden Stone and his two apprentices now forge most of the steel used by the Alesters. Nobody is quite sure how the grizzled Vaden came to be in service to the house, but he began his service under Leran Alester and will likely continue it under Brandon.

Relations
House Alester has good relationships with Houses Abwehr, Minos, Harter, Mansford and Forter. Demma's mariage to Regel Rey has made the houses friendly. The Alesters distrust House Dannett and House Lugus for their part in the scandal involving House Minos, and House Tremaine. Alyssa's marriage to Eberhart Dane has reputedly caused a rift between the houses.

Family and Household
Note: Children borne by women of the House with men of another House are not shown to save space.

Alesfort Household
 * Patrek Snow, master-at-arms, brother to Jagen Snow
 * Captain Jagen Snow, Captain of the Alester Garrison, brother to Patrek Snow
 * Maseter Loran, masester, Master of Ravens,
 * Varden Stone, master blacksmith
 * First Ranger Derry, commander of the Shore Scouts
 * Ser Craik Rills, Captain of the Vanguard
 * Dick Geller, de facto commander of the Archers
 * Hamish Harlen, master of horse