Marrowmont

Seat of House Graben

Marrowmont, Seat of House Graben

First Floor

• Guard Post & Gatehouse: The entry corridor into Marrowmont. There is usually a guard posted outside on the drawbridge (which is nearly always down), two in the guard post and another just inside the gate. These four guards switch out guard positions throughout the day. At night, the gates are closed.
• Armory: Storage place for the arms and armor of both the Marrowmont Bowmen and the Ironhooves, as well as additional household armaments.
• Stables & Dog Kennels: Stable room for a dozen or so horses, plus the supplies to keep them in good stock. In the back of the stables is a portioned-off area that is used as a dog kennels, which is quickly being outgrown thanks to the Master-of-the-Hunt's work. Above the stables is a hayloft where the three stablehands sleep, and a bedding loft where the Groomsman Dylan and his wife Clara sleep.
• Kitchens: The large and bustling kitchens of Marrowmont include four hearths, three of which are for cooking, and the last of which is for heating water during the day, and around which cluster the pallets of the kitchenmaids at night, watched over by Mother Ynid the cook.
• Servant Quarters: Most of the other servants sleep in here in shifts, generally speaking, in pallets and bunks.
• Cellars: The cellars where cold storage and preserved foods are kept. There is a small antechamber off of the cellars that serves as the quarters for the chamberlain Illimar and his wife Rona.

Second Floor

• Portcullis Room: Though often occupied by several guards, the portcullis room isn't technically a guard post. It's simply a place where off-duty guards frequently congregate to play at dice or laze about away from the castle's normal bustle. As an added benefit, this means there is almost always someone on hand should the portcullis need to be closed in a moment's notice.
• Garrison: The impressive tower room of the garrison is lined with bunks along the walls four bunks high, and standing two-man bunks around the room as well. The center of the room is a large trestle table where the soldiers' meals are served. The captains Nesmund Fletch and Rodhun make their bunks here.
• Entry Hall: The entry chamber is quite large, and decorated with finely woven tapestries and mounted boars' heads, as well as a few military trophies from the House's long history. There is a small sitting room intended for unexpected guests, with comfortable sitting space and small side tables for refreshments.
• Chapel: The chapel to the Seven is a large, beautiful affair, with tapestries depicting the faces of the Seven: The Maiden, the Mother, the Crone, the Father, the Warrior, the Smith and the Stranger, each with a small altar-shrine in front of them. There are benches arranged in the center of the room to allow the faithful to sit facing any of the shrines except that of the Stranger.
• Quarters: Septa Shani, along with whatever of the lady's maids may need beds. Any of the ladies who bed down in these quarters can be expected to sing hymns and pray before bed, and to wake at a "godly hour" for a visit to the chapel before the day begins.
• Solar: Lavishly decorated with fine-woven tapestries, and comfortable furnishings, the solar functions as the family's public gathering place - the space is theirs, but anyone with business or concerns in the castle may approach them. It is also the place where guests are often entertained on a scale smaller than that in the Great Hall.
• Great Hall: A massive hall, with several trestle tables, as well as the formal table, where guests are often seated with the family. In the evening, the whole family, along with the Household retainers, captains, head servants (other than the cook) and a handful of soldiers all gather here to break bread and socialize. A few of the castle's residents have some skill with drum, pipe and lute, as well.

Third Floor

• Tower Quarters: Due to Marrowmont's place as the first locale those entering the Marchwater Vale might come across, it is household tradition that this Tower room be left available for important guests - lords, usually, but whomever the Lord and Lady decide needs it.
• North Quarters: This space has been converted into guest quarters.
• Middle Quarters: Rhobard Whitebough and his wife Megga, and their daughter Carolei. Their other sons (Imry, 12; Adley, 9) sleep in the loft space built into the bow-works below the castle proper.
• South Quarters: Ser Lucias of Helmport and his wife Mysie, plus their newborn Ambrose.
• Squires' Dormitory: Lyle Graben, Waltyr Mace, Owen Mace, Laswell Kraedmyr, Ortyn and Elbys Wachstrom all have bunks in these chambers, and it can be quite a chaotic mess sometimes as a result.
• Heir's Chambers: Lord Emeryk Graben, in absentia.
• Lord's Study: Featuring an impressive desk of Reach workmanship tucked away in a south-facing window garret, and a large central table often scattered with maps, books and a variety of other things, this is where Emeryk and Brice used to spend a good deal of their time. Now it is much more the domain of the Maester, and of Brice when he is working out of Marrowmont.
• Library: The library is modest, but decently stocked with histories, military treatises and the odd bit of fiction or philosophy. Old Lord Waltyr's favorite reading spot - an overstuffed Myrish chair in the southeast corner, by two windows - is still there. Minisa can often be found curled up in the chair, reading.

Fourth Floor

• Lord & Lady's Quarters: Lady Isalaine Graben. One of the lady's maids is usually here as well at night.
• Family Chamber: This is the private gathering spot for House Graben. Though they may invite friends to join them here, it is expected that no one intrude here without an emergency. Traditionally, the members of the House retire to this room after the evening meal in the Great Hall, to while away a bit of time together before bed.
• Nursery: Minisa Graben and Alysa Graben, along with Branna Meadows and Carolei Whitebough.
• Maester's Quarters: Malthias Storm and his daughter Liza.
• Rookery: Marrowmont's rookery, with its selection of raven cages. Once the domain of the castle's aged maester, it is now under the auspices of Malthias Storm, who keeps it under lock and key.

Personages at Marrowmont

Pages

Pages are usually young boys between the ages of 8 and 12 who are fostered from elsewhere. They are sent from their mother's home to another household to learn what a young nobleman must learn, including his letters (though not all do very well), some minor skill at arms, but most importantly etiquette and an understanding of politics and the Houses. Pages are expected to serve as personal servants for the House's family, usually running messages, errands and pouring wine at table. Pages are officially the responsibility of the Lady of the House.

• Owen Mace: Ser Ulwyck's youngest son, and one of the so-called Little Devils of Marrowmont, along with Lyle Graben. Owen is a rambunctious boy, much given to fighting, running and mischief, all while as dirty as he can get away with. (7 years)

Squires

A boy has to be at least 12 before anyone will consider taking him on as a squire. A squire serves an individual knight or lord, who continues his training in skill at arms, riding, a nobleman's etiquette, chivalry and the like. A squire who impresses his master may be knighted, but some squires remain squires their entire lives, particularly if they can't afford the horse, armor and weapon that are required of knights.

• Elbys Wachstrom: The youngest son and newly-made lord of the Graben bannermen House Wachstrom, Elbys is just the latest in a long-standing tradition of Wachstrom lads serving as pages at Marrowmont. (12 years)
• Laswell Kraedmyr: The heir of House Kraedmyr and squire to Ser Ulwyk Mace. (13 years)
• Waltyr Mace: The middle son of Ser Ulwyck Mace, squired to Ser Lucias of Helmport. (13 years)
• Tomas Blanchard: The heir of Blanchard Estate on the domains of House Willum, Tomas has come all the way from the Reach to serve Ser Brice as squire. He is a quiet and very serious young man; unfortunately, this makes him a favorite target of pranks from the other boys. (14 years old)
• Ortyn: The only son of the proprietors of Wayman's Rest Inn, Ser Ulwyck accepted Ortyn as a squire on his parents' request. (15 years)

Lady's Maids

Lady's maids are often gently born, the daughters of knights at the very least. Their responsibility is to be the companions of the Lady of the House, assisting her with her duties and in return learning how to run a household. The Lady is also the guardian of their innocence during that time, particularly for younger girls, but part of the social contract is that the Lady will help these young women find good husbands for them in return for their loyalty and hard work. Those ladies who marry men of the household frequently continue to function as lady's maids, especially since they are often fast friends (or at least confidants) of the Lady's by that point.

• Mysie: The daughter of a knight of House Swann who arrived with the newly-married Lady Isalaine, Mysie married Ser Lucius several years after the two arrived in Marrowmont, finding comfort with one another among the strangers. (29 years)
• Branna Meadows: The daughter of the new Lady Swann from a previous marriage, Branna is a sweet young lady, if a bit headstrong. She clearly loves children, however, already having won over the huntsmaster's daughter Liza. (15 years)
• Carolei Whitebough: The daughter of the bowyer, Carolei is feisty and unflappable, making her a perfect lady's maid for Minisa Graben. (14 years)

The Household

• Lord Emeryk Graben, the Lord of the House (16 years).
• Lady Isalaine Graben, the Dowager Lady of the House (32 years).
  • The other children of House Graben, Alysa (14 years) and Lyle, the Heir of the House (7 years).
  • Household pages, including Owen Mace (7 years).
• Brice Willum, Seneschal and a Ward of House Willum (19 years).
• Ser Lucias of Helmport, Castellan (47 years) and his wife Mysie, one of Lady Isalaine's ladies (29 years).
  • They just recently had their first child, a baby boy named Ambrose.
  • Waltyr Mace, a squire to Ser Lucias (12 years)
• Ser Ulwyck Mace, Master-at-Arms and Master of Martmin, who can usually be found in Marrowmont, though he makes his home in nearby Martmin.
  • His squires Laswell Kraedmyr (13 years), Elbys Wachstrom (12 years) and Ortyn (15 years)
• Maester Tolbric, Maester (and other duties besides). (34 years)
  • Liza, his "daughter". (8 years)
• Septa Shani, Septa of the Faith and Nursemaid/Governness (62 years).
• Robard Whitebough, Master Bowyer (34 years) and his wife Megga Whitebough. (36 years)
  • Their children Carolei, a clever young woman (14 years), Imry, apprenticed to his father (12 years) and Adley, another of his apprentices (9 years).
  • Three bowyer apprentices: Shaun, who is nearly ready to become a journeyman (16 years), Elmore (15 years), and Obaryn (15 years)

Servants

There are about twenty or so servants overseen by the chamberlain and cook. These include:

• Illimar, the Chamberlain, and his wife Rona, the castle's alewife.
  • They have three children.
• Mother Ynid, the portly Cook, who rules the kitchen with half-sweetness and half-threats.
• Dylan, the Groomsman, who oversees the stables and stable-hands, and his wife Clara, one of the household chambermaids.

Soldiers

Generally speaking, there are fifty archers of the Bowmen and ten horsemen of the Ironhooves in the garrison or around Marrowmont at any given time.

• Nesmund Fletch, captain of the Marrowmont Bowmen, and his wife Sessy, one of the kitchenmaids.
  • They also have two children.
• Rodhun, captain of the Ironhooves, a Dornishman with tremendous riding talent.