Dirk Telarien

Dirk Telarien, more commonly known by his royal title Daemon Telarien the First, is the Lord of the Seven Kingdom's of Westeros and the head of House Telarien of Kings Landing. He is considered one of the most dangerous swordsmen in the Seven Kingdoms. Dirk is respected and even loved by the common folk, but despised by certain elements of the nobility.

Appearance
Telarien is of average height and build. His hair and beard are a dark blond, almost brown, while his eyes are a dark brown. While handsome, Telarien is slightly rough and rugged, and to some seems more suited to a tavern in Flea Bottom than the Red Keep.

Early Life
Telarien was born to a minor family of landless aristocrats in the Crownlands. His father died a penniless but well-respected hedge knight, and his mother passed not soon after. Without a home or money, the young Telarien took his father's dented armour and sword and spent his last coins on a boat across the Narrow Sea to Essos, where he would become a mercenary. In Essos Telarien served in over half a dozen sellsword companies and travelled half of the known world.

The Fighting Pits
After being captured in an unremarkable battle in the far east, Telarien and was sold as a slave to a Meereenese merchant and then sent to die in the fighting pits of Slavers Bay. Against all odds, Telarien survived, and earned himself a reputation as a entertaining and brutal warrior. It is here he was given the name Bsharri, roughly translating to "blade" in the fading language of Old Ghis.

After thousands of battles, Telarien finally won his freedom after defeating the sitting Champion of Meereen in Daznak's Pit. Instead of staying in Slavers Bay, where he was now universally revered, Telarien set sail for his homeland of Westeros.

The Warlord Years
On his return to Westeros Telarien was once again forced to sell his blade as a hedgeknight. Arriving at the height of the Warlord Years, Telarien entered the service of House Tyrell. During the Tyrell capture Kings Landing, Telarien was the first man through the breach of the Mud Gate, and lead a wild charge through the streets of the city up to the Red Keep. He fought and killed dozens of knights in the climatic taking of the Red Keep, personally dispatching all seven of the Kingsguard of the pretender warlord Karet who sat upon the Iron Throne. In the aftermath of the capture of the city Telarien's heroics became widely known. After the Grand Council, Hand of the Queen Arkham Tyrell appointed him as Lord Commander of the newly reformed Queensguard, a move controversial amongst the knights of Westeros but popular amongst the common folk and the small counsel.

Lord Commander of the Queensguard
As the Lord Commander, Dirk quickly set about winning the support of the city and smallfolk. Securing the position as Commander of the City Watch, he implemented the Goldcloak Reforms, gaining him personal loyalty from the Whitecloak rank and file.

Despite his popularity amongst the common folk, Telarien soon attracted the ire of some on the small council for his strident opposition to the reaving expeditions of Liam Breaker, Lord Paramount of the Iron Isles and Master of Ships. Wanting to remove opposition to his control over the small council, Breaker worked with the High Sparrow and Master of Whisperers Sana Martell in a conspiracy to kill Telarien. Working with Master of Laws Grayce Tarlor and Queen Youma Talama, Telarien uncovered the conspiracy and was responsible for the arrest of Liam Breaker and the High Septon on charges of treason. Telarien was present during Liam's execution at the Breaking of Breaker.

Expedition to Essos
Under orders from Queen Talama, Dirk then left Westeros for Essos to find a mercenary company that would defend the crown in the eventuality of a civil war. He travelled through several different cities, and finding no mercenary company willing to cross the Narrow Sea, he decided to recruit sellswords directly. Travelling through Volantis, Qohor, Pentos, Braavos, and even distant Slavers Bay where Dirk was revered for his many victories in the fighting pits, he recruited hundreds of men to fight with him, including Corelo Volentin, Ornel Kosrak, Alester Tyrell, and Robert Tarlor. In his travels he also acquired a slender and elegant Valyrian steel, which he has worn into battle ever since.

Upon hearing the news that the Queen had been tricked into appointing Lia Breaker as Hand of the Queen, a move that would have no doubt resulted in the removal and possible execution of Dirk, the Queenguard discarded his white armor and cloak, and donned the attire of a regular sellsword with a black cape. This change lead to his men naming him "The Black Prince." He also decided to make official the formation of a new mercenary company, giving rise to the Company of the Phoenix.

Return to Westeros
Returning to Westeros with a small army behind his back, Dirk immediately made his way to Kings Landing to plead his case to Queen Youma. However on arrival, it was revealed that Lia Breaker was dead, killed at the hands of an assassin, effectively ending House Breaker. Meeting with Queen Talama in the White Sword Tower, Dirk pledged his loyalty to the Queen and revealed his total innocence in the face of false accusations against his name made by the Breakers. While it is not clear what exactly was said in this meeting, Dirk emerged from the White Sword Tower having been released from his vows as Lord Commander of the Queensguard, and appointed the new Hand of the Queen.

Mending the Realm
Telariens first priority upon becoming Hand of the Queen was ending the Essosi Trade blockade that was destroying the Westerosi economy as a result of backlash against Ironborn reaving undertaken by House Breaker. Working with Master of Ships and Lord Paramount of the Westerlands Thom Arlington, and representatives of the Iron Bank, the trade blockade was finally lifted through his efforts. Telarien also set about tackling the huge debt owed to the Iron Bank accumulated during the Warlord Years. The crown owed nearly six million gold dragons to the Iron Bank when he became Hand, and interest generated by these loans threatened to completely bankrupt the realm.

Matters were made even worse by a diplomatic incident caused by the arrest of representatives of the Iron Bank by Grayce Tarlor in Kings Landing on suspicion of funding the crown's enemies while the Hand and Queen were at the Tourney of Tarth. After winning the grand melee after a long and ardous duel with Willas Greenwater, and crowning Grayce Tyrell Queen of Love and Beauty, Dirk was forced to abandon the rest of the tournament and return to Kings Landing to solve the crisis. Finding the Iron Bank representatives locked up at the Red Keep, Dirk had them immediately released, and also expelled Grayce Tarlor from her place on the small council. With the death of the Pirate Lord Nestor Batko, Lord Paramount of the Stepstones, Dirk was presented with another opportunity to deal with the debt crisis. Having died with no relatives, heir, or will, Batko's lands and property passed to the crown. Predicting that the Stepstones would most likely descend back into piracy and anarchy anyway, Dirk contacted the Archon of Tyrosh and proposed a deal: Stepstones for 5 million gold dragons. With the sale of the islands Dirk managed to wipe away the crown's debt practically overnight, and set the realm back on the path to prosperity.

Lord of the Seven Kingdoms
In the second year of the rule of Queen Regent Youma, the small council replaced her with Dirk Telarien on the promise that he fulfil the deal struck at the Great Council by marrying a lady of Northern blood. Adopting the new royal name of Daemon Telarien, he was crowned in front of a throng of soldiers, lords, and septons in the Great Hall of the Red Keep. His first action as king was to immediately appoint Thom Arlington as the new Hand of the King. He also added several new advisors to the small council, including Robert Tarlor and Horatio Redwyne.

Shortly after his coronation, Daemon made good on his promise to marry a Northern lady, and was betrothed to Amber Ironguard, the younger sister to Lady Paramount Grayce Tarlor of Winterfell.

Combat Statistics
Legendary Fighter (+40) - A lifelong sellsword and hedge knight, as well as a famed champion of the Slavers Bay fighting pits, Dirk is said to be the best warrior in Westeros.

Valyrian Steel Sword (+10) - Acquired in Essos under unknown circumstances, Dirk has left his slender valyrian steel blade unnamed. It is a hybrid between a Braavosi rapier and a Westerosi arming sword.

Masterwork Armour (+5) - Dirk only wears his magnificent black Phoenix armour at tourneys, or when riding into battle.