Vorian Dayne

Ser Vorian Dayne, also known as the Kingslayer, is a knight from House Dayne. He is the first-born child and son of Lord Arthur Dayne of Starfall and his wife, Lady Leona, also of House Dayne. He serves as the Lord-Commander of the Kingsguard.

Named as The Sword of the Morning at the age of seventeen, Vorian became the youngest knight in the history of House Dayne to hold such a title. He earned the derogatory nickname "Kingslayer" when he treasonously slew Vaegon I Targaryen near the end of The Dragon's Defiance.

The Rising Sun
Vorian Dayne was born on an early morning in the fifth moon of 353 AC, a few minutes after sunrise. From that early moment, expectations had hung over the head of the eldest son of Lord Arthur Dayne and Lady Leona, as the maester claimed that the timing of his birth was a sign that Vorian would be the first true knight that had graced the Dayne family since his ancestor, Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning.

Vorian's father was never a particularly superstitious man, but he still regarded the omen with respect, ensuring his son was raised with the greatest care and attentiveness as Starfall could manage. While Vorian wanted for nothing as a child, he was held always to a high standard of lordliness, stewardship and martial prowess from the moment he was old enough to raise a sword. Under the Palestone guard and the knights of High Hermitage, Vorian was educated in martial matters, and under the tutelage of Starfall's Maester learned matters of the mind.

It was under his father's tutelage however that Vorian came to further understand the expectations that had been placed upon him, he learned of the history of his house, of his predecessors, and most importantly, of the blade Dawn, and the title that was given to its wielders. Before he was even ten, Vorian was well aware of the hopes and expectations his family had for him, and felt the pressure to uphold them, spending much of his time in training and tutelage rather than living the often comfortable life of most noble sons.

It was only in the company of his younger brother Daemon and younger sister Allyria that Vorian did find some particular enjoyment outside of his training, but he would not have the opportunity he hoped for to truly grow up alongside his siblings when, in 365 AC, Vorian and his family travelled to King's Landing. Unbeknownst to Vorian at the time, his father Arthur had met with King Vaegon, and the warrior-king had agreed to take up the young Dayne as his squire.

Though reluctant, Vorian held to the hopes his family had for him, and willingly accepted the honour, remaining in King's Landing when his family returned to Starfall. Alone in a new city, in a new part of the world with no familiar faces, and under even more extreme training under Vaegon than Vorian had ever faced, Vorian eventually came to find comfort in the company of the young prince Daeron Targaryen.

Though a number of years Daeron's senior, Vorian spent much of his free time alongside the prince, and at Vaegon's request, eventually began to tutor and spar with the young prince as Dayne showed from quite a young age a remarkable skill as a Duelist, developing a unique style of fighting that would continue to define him for the rest of his life. From Daeron and his exposure to the Targaryen family, Vorian eventually grew to become quite fluent in High Valyrian.

In 367, at Vaegon's behest, Vorian spent time serving with the Gold Cloaks as the king continued to stamp down on crime throughout King's Landing. Though Vaegon had assigned the fourteen year old Vorian to the position expecting only minor danger for the young squire, Vorian eventually became embroiled in an investigation into an essosi criminal ring that had begun kidnapping children to be sold into slavery across fleabottom.

Eventually, the investigation Vorian was involved in culminated in a raid on a warehouse and dock used by the slavers, and it was during that raid when Vorian killed his first man, showing his skills with Two-Handed blades as he disarmed and decapitated the Tyroshi thug. Vorian continued to serve among the Gold Cloaks while he squired under Vaegon, and helped first-hand to significantly reduce the rate of crime across the Capital.

The Sword
In 369 AC, Vorian left King's Landing once more, this time alongside Vaegon as the King took the realm to war in the Second Lysene Spring. Having spent much of his life at this point training in an enclosed environment, away from the court politics and the presence of other lords, Vorian was exposed to many new lords and knights he had not met before during the Spring.

During the Lysene Spring, Vorian would come to meet Luke Darklyn, fighting alongside his future brother in the Kingsguard many times. Aubrey Swyft came to be one of the most notable individuals Vorian served with during the Spring, as well as Tommard Tully, who grew to dislike Vorian as a result of the skill that Vorian demonstrated and was praised for.

During the Battle of Highwatch, Vorian was among the first through the breach during Vaegon's assault, securing and holding the gatehouse from the defenders to allow the assaulting army greater access to the fortification. For his bravery and skill, Vorian was knighted by Vaegon in the aftermath of the battle, and finally released from his direct service to the King following the war.

Following the Lysene Spring, Vorian returned home to Starfall to spend time with the family he had spent so much time apart from, growing closer to his siblings as he pushed aside his knightly duties for a time, choosing to appreciate and take the time he could to truly experience the family life he had largely been denied at a younger age. It was during this time that Vorian learned the game Cyvasse from his brother, and learned further lessons from his father tied to the laws of the land and his new oaths as a Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

Though Vorian grew to enjoy this time with his family, serving as and learning further how to rule as his father's heir, he continued to ignore his knightly duties for a time until news reached Starfall from Sunspear that a new Vulture King had arisen, acting out of the Red Mountains and building support for a rebellion against King Vaegon due to his poor resolution of the Lysene Spring. Leaving his family once more, Vorian rode out alone into the Red Mountains in search of the Vulture King.

After two weeks searching in the Red Mountains, Vorian was eventually found and taken captive for the Vulture King. Though much rumour spread about the nature of his captivity, Vorian has since spoken little about the two days he spent as the Vulture King's prisoner. All that is publically known is that after those two days, the Vulture King peacefully laid down his arms and surrendered to the Martells to face justice for his rebellion.

Returning home to a great celebration of his success, Vorian was taken into the Palestone Sword Tower by his father. There, Vorian's father took the sword Dawn from where it hung on the wall, and proclaimed that his son had proven himself worthy to wield the blade. At the age of seventeen, Vorian became the youngest man in his families history to receive the blade, and letters were sent to all the great houses of the realm to proclaim that the Sword of the Morning had arisen once more.

In response to the news of the Vulture King's surrender and Vorian's new title, House Dayne received a visit from Lord Tyrion Lannister, who after meeting with Vorian's father came to an agreement, betrothing Vorian to the Lannister lord's eldest daughter Joanna when she came of age. Though Vorian accepted the match, he quickly grew to learn that Joanna had no such desire for a match, young as she was and wishing instead to marry into one of the great houses.

The Stone
Once more settling into life at home, Vorian continued to learn from his father and began to take an effective role as the heir to House Dayne, taking many of his father's duties around Starfall, and developing a growing presence in Dornish affairs as well as the politics of the realm. However, an unexpected invitation to King's Landing changed the trajectory of Vorian's life quite significantly.

Arriving at the capital once more in 371 AC, Vorian came before King Vaegon and Prince Daeron, and in an open court was offered a position in the Kingsguard. Though he was taken aback by the offer, Vorian chose to accept the offer after counsel from both his father and Prince Daeron, rescinding his betrothal to Joanna Lannister and his position as heir of House Dayne to instead follow in the footsteps of the last Sword of the Morning.

Now serving directly in the King's court, Vorian spent even more time among Prince Daeron, sparring and training with him more now that the Prince had come into his own more as a warrior. Of the two of them, Vorian remained the greater warrior, however, having developed upon his younger fighting style to move with speed and agility despite the heavy armour he often wore as one of the Kingsguard.

As time went on and Vorian continued to serve in the Kingsguard, the Dayne knight began to grow increasingly aware of Vaegon's crueller impulses. Having been largely shielded from them as the King's squire, he was now keenly aware of them as a knight of the Kingsguard, often forced to witness or participate in them first-hand. Vorian eventually attempted to counsel the king against such impulses, resulting in an altercation and argument that resulted in Vorian being placed in a gladiatorial battle in the Dragonpit alongside a number of Essosi gladiators as the crown's 'champion' in a series of deathmatches.

Vaegon made no further punishment after Vorian successfully dispatched the gladiators, and Vorian learned to keep his objection to himself, confiding only in the young Prince Daeron who had begun making efforts to keep his father's crimes from the public at large. Vorian eventually began to assist Daeron in this, using his old connections to the Gold Cloaks to investigate any potential attempts to spy upon Vaegon's cruel actions. This in time came to be a role that Vorian would greatly regret.

While over time Vorain grew discontent with his duties as a Kingsguard, learning to take up a practice taught to him by the Lord Commander, Ser Aubrey Swyft, to 'go away inside', he continued to enjoy some of the aspects of his knighthood, including travelling alongside his king to many tourneys across the realm.

Vorian was a regular participant in tourneys across the realm, and during these tourneys, he often had the chance to meet with and spend time with both his family and the other lords and ladies across the realm he had come to know, particularly his former betrothed, Joanna Lannister. Over the years, the two formed a strong friendship in the aftermath of their failed betrothal, and at the tourney of Greengrove, Vorian named her the Queen of Love and Beauty after winning the joust.

During the tourney at Storm's End, celebrating the marriage of Daeron to Argella Baratheon, Vorian defeated Dalton Greyjoy in the joust and was challenged to a surprise duel. After accepting and defeating the Ironborn once more, Vorian came to develop a mutual respect with the Ironborn, and would further that relationship during the Tourney of Pyke.

The Falling Star
In 379 AC, Vorian learned that King Vaegon attempted to assassinate Prince Daeron first-hand in the failed aftermath of the killing. Present in the throne room when the assassin's master reported his failure to Vaegon, Vorian was stunned to learn that the feud between King Vaegon and his son had grown so severe, and he was deeply torn by his duties as a Kingsguard, binding him to Vaegon's defence, and to his friendship with Prince Daeron, now in open rebellion.

After Vorian learned that Ser Luke Darklyn had turned against the king to protect Prince Daeron, Vorian was sorely tempted to follow in his footsteps and had it not ben for the counsel and tutelage of the Lord Commander Aubrey Swyft he likely would have. Instead, Vorian stayed true to his oaths, practising the same habit of 'going away inside' for the majority of the war as Vorian fought alongside Vaegon, seeing his growing desperation and paranoia, as well as his crazed desire to maintain hold of his power.

As Vorian's brothers in the Kingsguard fell and the war continued, it was eventually only Vorian, the Lord Commander, and Ser Joffrey Buckwell that remained in Vaegon's service. Eventually, as the Sack of King's Landing came, and with it the duel before the Iron Throne, Vorian saw as his other brothers were slain, leaving him as the last knight of the Kingsguard loyal to King Vaegon.

Though his reasons remain unclear and debated, and Vorian himself has not shared his reasoning to even his closest of friends and family, Vorian came to save the life of Prince Daeron during the duel by stabbing King Vaegon through the back with Dawn.

As the news of his actions spread and the war came to an end, Vorian was labelled a Kingslayer, though he was pardoned for his crime and named the new Lord Commander, despite protest from some others across the kingdoms. Some lords appealed to Lord Arthur Dayne that Vorian had sullied House Dayne's honour and the title of Sword of the Morning. To these appeals, Lord Arthur Dayne simply replied that he would "Accept no counsel on that sacred title from those not born in the shadow of the Palestone."

Vorian's motivations and actions remain relatively shrouded in rumour, but since the Dragon's Defiance he has served closely alongside Prince Daeron to restore King's Landing and the realm at large, and despite his private and stoic nature, he seems hell-bent on maintaining that service. In 380 AC, he remains in King's Landing at the head of the Kingsguard, awaiting the visit of his family from Starfall for the feast and tourney celebrating Prince Aegon's appointment.