Marlon Sunderland

Marlon Sunderland is the current Lord of the Three Sisters and head of House Sunderland. He served as Master of Ships from 360 AC to 379 AC. After the untimely death of his brother Steffon Sunderland and Steffon's heir Triston, Marlon ascended as Lord of the Three Sisters, much to the disdain of many in the Sisters.

Youth
Born aboard the Sunderland flagship, Lady of the Waves, Marlon Sunderland entered the realm in the early hours of a stormy day in the year 324 AC. Both his parents, Lord Triston Sunderland and Lady Gella Borrell, were ecstatic to have birthed another baby boy. Steffon, Marlon’s elder brother, proved himself strong in his early years. Marlon was the brains and could do maths and recall sigils and words better than Steffon could swing his sword. Lady Gella recognized this early, and at her behest, Marlon was sent to Gella’s brother’s keep across the city to ward.

Lord Borrell was a smart man, but his maester was smarter. Marlon spent his early years studying maths and economics, as that was the Borrell’s maesters strong suit. The man, after all, had crafted many chains of yellow gold and steel for math & economics and engineering & construction respectively. Lord Triston had set out to have Steffon be the humble yet strong Lord that the Sisters required, and Marlon be the economic glue that kept the islands afloat. It was clear Marlon was on his way towards becoming a magnate. With what time was not spent with the maester, or asleep, Lord Borrell would take Marlon down to the docks to converse with the merchants and shopkeepers to inquire about their trades. He took to this well and demonstrated great aptitude towards mercantalism.

When Marlon’s studies would conclude, he would oft stroll down to the Night Lamp and take care of it alongside the beacon keeper assigned to it by Lord Borrell. The Lord thought it a menial task not suiting a lord, but Marlon knew how important the beacons were to the Sisters. Without them, their economy would flounder. Marlon became somewhat fascinated with the beacons of the Sisters. The frequency of his visits to the Night Lamp continued to increase until he spent most of his days there, eventually asking permission to leave Sisterton and pay visit to the other beacons on the isle of Sweetsister.

Beacon Keeper
Once Marlon’s wardship had completed with Lord Borrell, he requested his father bestow the title of Beacon Keeper of the Isles upon him. Though the title did not exist, Lord Triston decided it was harmless and named Marlon the Lord Keeper of the Beacons. It soon became apparent that Marlon ran with the title, claiming ownership of every beacon in the Sisters. One, in particular, he demanded to have sovereignty over -- Little Light. Sailors’ tales of Little Light enamored Marlon to a point of obsession.

Little Light is another beacon of black stone built upon a small island in the Sisters’ Sound in the Bite that lay between Sweetsister and Littlesister. Lord Triston relented and allowed Marlon to claim one beacon only to be his, and Marlon chose Little Light.

Had it not been for Marlon’s upbringing on the Sisters and many years spent sailing upon the turbulent waters of the Bite, the journey to Little Light would likely be fatal. The sail to the little isle was arduous, but Marlon made it without harm. There, he would reside for nearly a year before finally being summoned back to Sisterton by his father. Marlon spoke little of his time on Little Light, but not once did Lords Sunderland nor Borrell hear complaints from sailors about the beacon being inoperable.

Little Marlon
The year after his return, Marlon wed Lady Alys Belmore. The marriage was not one of love, but one of politics. Lord Triston sought to continue his father’s legacy of further integrating the Three Sisters into mainland politics. For too long did House Sunderland and the Sistermen have a sullied reputation from their ancestors of old, or so Lord Triston and his father Lord Godric thought. Marlon cared little for what the mainlanders thought of them. If they had a problem with what the Sunderlands did, look the other way, was Marlon’s ideology.

Marlon’s marriage with Alys was short-lived, but fruitful, for she bore him a child who he named Marlon but passed away during childbirth. Little Marlon had the beauty of his mother, and smarts of his father. Marlon cherished his son, and put beacon keeping to the side while he raised his son alongside his brother Steffon’s son and heir. Marlon refused to marry after that, though it was more out of stubbornness than anything. During Little Marlon’s youth, Marlon was assisting his father in economic matters, setting up and maintaining trade deals with White Harbor, Braavos, Duskendale, and King’s Landing. The shipyard also had to be maintained, and so Marlon would often saunter down to the port and ensure the operations were being run smoothly.

Once Little Marlon was old enough to walk and talk on his own, Marlon set out to Little Light again. This time, he would not return for nearly two years. Again, little was said of his time upon the island. Some sailors would tell tales of sweet, almost inhuman, melodies emanating from the isle. Again, no complaints were heard about the operativeness of the beacon.

Woe of Wolves
Marlon returned only because he was begged to. His father had sent a ship to retrieve him, as there were threats of war with the North. Marlon arrived at Sisterton just in time to assist with the blockade against White Harbor. Once the tensions had subsided, Marlon made a trip to the Northern city to ensure there were no hard feelings between the two houses. Marlon returned to the fleet with a bastard boy in hand, named Dagon.

The Sunderland fleet, on their trip back to the Sisters after the blockade when a rogue wave beset upon the fleet, destroying about a third of the fleet. While Marlon and his brother survived, his father did not. Lord Triston had been swept out to sea, never to be heard from again.

Steffon's Reign
In the first few years of Steffon’s reign, Marlon stayed put in Sisterton, ensuring the navy was rebuilt and operational. Four years later, most of the strength had returned to the navy, and Marlon saw it fit to return once more to his isle of Little Light. This time, he brought his son Little Marlon (who, at that point, was not so little) along.

What was supposed to be a short and relatively painless journey to the isle turned into a nightmare. Their ship was beset upon by a storm unlike any Marlon had seen. Whipping winds, torrential rain, and constant lightning berated them as their ship began to take on water. A bright flash set upon them, and the next thing Marlon knew, he awoke on the shore of Little Light. Dazed, not knowing how many days had passed, Marlon limped to the beacon house where he would recover over the next few weeks. Little Marlon enjoyed the beacon house more than Marlon expected he would, offering to light the fire at night and snuff it in the morning. He even helped Marlon haul the oil up the many flights of stairs; it was a long and arduous process that required many-a-stops along the way.

Two years had passed on the island, and Lord Steffon became worried about his brother. A ship was dispatched, and Marlon returned upon it. When he returned, his brother noticed he was not the same. Something on that island had effected him in a way he could not put a finger on. Marlon soon developed an affinity for sourleaf that evolved quickly into a habit of recreation consumption of milk of the poppy.

He joined his brother and his heir on their venture to Gulltown for the tourney, where he learned King Aerys summoned him to King’s Landing to act as Master of Ships. Marlon gladly accepted, and from Gulltown headed to King’s Landing.

Master of Ships
For the next nine years, Marlon spent most of his time at King’s Landing. He won the favor of King Aerys after he was able to secure a large amount of Ironwood to bolster the royal fleet. When Vaegon ascended the throne, Marlon found himself butting heads with the king more often than not. Oftentimes, Marlon took to the drink with his fellow Small Council members to share their disdain towards Vaegon’s actions. More often he would find himself sharing his disdain with Normund Tarly, the Master of Laws. Most of his salary was spent on bundles of sourleaf and at the black market purchasing vials upon vials of milk of the poppy.

Second Lyseni Spring
Prior to the Second Lyseni Spring, Marlon warned Vaegon that it would be folly to attack as their fleet was just as powerful as the royal fleet and the other Westerosi fleets combined. His warnings, along with the warnings of the other Small Council members were ignored and war was declared. Marlon reluctantly relented, ultimately setting the Vale fleet in a favorable position, leading the royal fleet and the Valeman fleet from the Sunderland flagship, Lady of the Waves.

Marlon’s time to shine in the war was overshadowed by the inability of the Tyroshi to face their Lyseni counterparts. The Battle of the Serpents, despite having the Westerosi fleet outperforming the Essosi ships, was lost. Marlon did not fear retribution from Vaegon, however, as he knew he did his part and should Vaegon ever berate him he’d bite right back.

Post-War
Following the war, Vaegon and Marlon disagreed on more and more subjects. Most of all was the continuation of ship construction. It was expensive to construct ships, and Vaegon demanded the royal fleet be the grandest of them all. It was an impossible task meant for Marlon to fail, but he cared not.

Resignation & the Dragon's Defiance
Once rumors began swirling about Vaegon’s participation in the assassination of his daughter-by-law and future grandson, Marlon became weary of being in the King’s presence. After the news came that Vaegon murdered his own Kingsguard, Marlon hastily packed his belongings, left a resignation letter upon the desk of Godry Darklyn, and departed King’s Landing. He arrived at Sisterton just in time to head up the Valeman fleet to shuttle soldiers to the Trident.

It was during this war that Marlon’s life took a turn he had not expected. His brother and nephew both perished in the war. Lord Steffon was slain by Baelon Targaryen, and his nephew Triston was slain in the Sacking of King’s Landing. Upon his return to Sisterton, Marlon seated himself upon the Sisters’ Seat and took up the mantle of Lord of the Three Sisters.

Recent History
The future of House Sunderland is in question, as Triston left a twenty-year-old daughter Lyanna behind and Marlon sits upon the Sisters’ Seat. Intrigue fills the court, as a man who was never supposed to sit on the Seat sits upon it. By the time Marlon settled in the Seat, there already had been an attempt on his life. By whom, he knew not, but it was only a matter of time before he determined who would see him dead while also attempting to balance the politics of the mainland.

Family

 * Lord Triston Sunderland, d. 352 AC
 * (m.) Gella Borrell, d. 341
 * Lord Steffon Sunderland, d. 379 AC
 * (m.) Lady Jeyne Tully, b. 321 AC
 * Triston Sunderland, d. 379 AC
 * (m.) Alarra Bolton, b. 342 AC
 * Lyanna Sunderland, b. 360 AC
 * Elys Sunderland, b. 345 AC
 * Anya Sunderland, b. 350 AC
 * (m.) ____ Upcliff, b. X
 * Marlon Sunderland, b. 324 AC
 * (m.) Alys Belmore, d. 342 AC
 * Marlon Sunderland, b. 342 AC
 * Dagon Stone (Marlon’s bastard), b. 353 AC
 * Sarra Sunderland, b. 328
 * (m.) Alistair Arryn
 * Edric Arryn
 * Wylla Arryn, b. 356 AC
 * Osric Arryn, b. 357
 * Sharra Sunderland, b. 330
 * (m.) Duncan Grafton
 * Marsella Grafton
 * (m.) Gerion Lannister
 * Rhea Grafton
 * Raymar Grafton