#blackbar

[popstarryl0]

I haven't logged on here in a while... my bad, I was busy rebranding <3

Please enjoy these press photos shot by the one & only Devin Kasparian.

[wildguppies]

Marzo 2023

[i-give-you-a-fish]

hello lovely fish blog may I humbly request a fish shaped vibe check and for you to have a wonderful day

VIBE CHECK

You get a Blackbar Damselfish

Plectroglyphidodon dickii

[mrs-stans]

@theblackbarsofficial: i love her but she doesn’t follow @theblackbarsofficial

[briannabrackens]

who: @conallblackbar when and where: the niamh falls walk, roughly 3 miles from stone hedge's main keep. context: this was when cedric sent connie baby to the riverlands

the periodic spotlight of the sun and blue sky peeping through overcast grey clouds did little to defend against the natural elements of wind, light drizzle and the slight dip in temperature that came with the natural incline. "it's a good thing yer king sent you here though, ain't it? shows he be takin notice of you." and yet still, there was no better time for a ramble through the ancient surroundings of stone hedge than the current weather; cold enough to ensure some fresh air, but the walking ensured warmth.

"what do it mean to be an ambassador anyway? like, you need make sure our realms don't go to war?" was that even possible? she looked back at him, on the rock right behind her; her brows were furrowed at the prospect of their realms doing such a thing. "they'd not do such a thing...even if yer king ain't entirely accepted the queen."

beneath a checkered brown and green dress was a set of sturdy walking boots, the boots the servants used when ploughing the fields, and it were vital; lest they both find themselves slipping. since returning from kings landing, she had been desperate to go for walks such as this one again - following the path clover seemed to be laying out for them, she paid no mind to the squelch of her boots or the puddles she needed to step in.

"i don't get it, honestly. the men picked her, they crowned her. we did the whole thing, why is it the business of other kingdoms who the riverfolk want to lead us?" she asked, walking by some lavender in the backdrop as they continued to descend now. "it's not like the prince should have any crown upon his head. he's thick as pig shite."

they had both done this path before; so many a time. many of their closest friends and loved ones had, dotted distant figures moving from one rock to another - this time though, the second lord of house blackbar seemed to be her company. hardly peculiar, for it more often than not ended up being the two of them walking and talking slightly ahead or behind a larger group. "careful con, slippery rock there." she indicated, tapping the rock with the tip of her boot. "may be better to go round the one on the left."

she paused to take a breath, pushing back her hair. she should've plaited it to get it out her face, now it were knotty and tangled. she could hear the falls in the distance, and looked down at her mud covered boots.

[conallblackbar]

closed starter for @maerieblackbar

"i have never asked you for a thing, maerie." the declaration was a true one. he had remained incredibly close to his brother and his wife, more so since the passing of his own bride, but he asked of them very little, beyond their love and their trust. "but i must make a request of you now."

and he reached into his pockets, pulling out a package, and then another, and another, until eight small parcels were lined on the table before them, wrapped neatly in different coloured cloth of varying hues, a rainbow of presents. "but i truly need you to stop having children." the request was delivered seriously, before con burst into laughter.

"maerie, my pockets just can't take it. i saw a spinning top at the mount market, and i thought oh, aisling would love that, so i had to get it. and then, well, i can't give a gift to aisling without buying for the rest, and roisin and fiadh are practically little women now, far too old to be bought with silly toys, so i had to get them jewellery. do you know the price of jewels these days?" he sighed, though his smile still remained. it was clear that of conall's problems in the world, spoiling his nieces was not amongst them, no matter how much he complained about it.

"share these out for me, will you? i've attached labels."

[halimayronwood]

closed starter for @butcherofbandallon

considering her own morals had long since been skewed, in favour of what suited halima and house yronwood best, there were a few things that provoked a strong sense of justice in halima. one of those things were theft. perhaps it was ironic, considering that was exactly what she was doing to house manwoody, snatching their home and their rights and any ounce of power they might seek to consolidate from under their nose, but that was different. of course it was.

different from the hand that dipped into the pocket of the man a few paces off, withdrawing with a coin purse clutched in grubby fingers. halima moved forward before the thief could make their escape, her own slim, but surprisingly strong fingers closing around their wrist, and marched them back to the lord they had stolen from.

"excuse me." her voice was as iron-tight as her grip on the wrist of the pickpocket. "i believe this cretin has something they wish to return to you."

she snatched the coin purse from their hand, offering it back to its rightful owner. she did not release the thief once it was returned, however. that was not her right to do. she was not the wronged party in this equation.

her eyes took in the lord before her. reach-born, perhaps? she should spit in his face for that alone, her opinion on those in the reach soured by their actions in the sea of dorne. "would you see him punished?" she asked, idly. her opinion on the man before would be entirely informed by his answer.

[lucius-rivers]

Reverse make the 8! Choose one person from each region to push off a cliff

“The Wylde widow, the Royce lord,” he began, naming the few he'd have no qualms in pushing to their deaths. The rest didn't really matter to him, they were just names that crossed his mind almost in a more coincidental way. “Lord Lefford and Lord Yronwood, perhaps. Lord Karstark, Lord Cargyll, Lord Bracken and the younger Lord Blackbar”.

( @wyldewillow, @mountainvroyce, @leolefford, @armaans, @wintervsuns, @garrick-cargyll, @ronanbrackens & @conallblackbar )

[rhea-florent]

truth serum: if you were not wed, who would you see as a suitable match for yourself?

The question was amusing because she saw it entirely as a futile, hypothetical exercise. “If I was not wed, I'd still turn to Harlon to make a good, honest woman out of me,” the Lady of Horn Hill stated playfully. In every scenario, she'd choose him again and again. But Rhea knew that was not what this person was asking. She puffed her cheeks and let out a breath, considering the alternatives. She couldn't decidedly say, for she was not drawn to others in the way she saw so entirely drawn by her husband. “I'd not stand anyone from the West or the Vale, and they sure all hells would not stand me. Perhaps someone of the clover folk, so we may at least have something in common? Or the Wild Bear, rest his soul, if he were still alive”.

( @harlonvflowers, @butcherofbandallon, @ronanbrackens & @rhydianwildbear )

[tronodiferro]

House Blackbar of Bandallon

GameOfThronesFanatic-Knjiga

[norbiegrafton]

closed starter for @butcherofbandallon

the bonfires crackled before them, the flames reflecting off the waters of the tumblestone. it was a merry night, but norbie sat stiffly. he had far preferred the atmosphere of the queen's ball, but having walked all the way here, he was feeling a little too lazy to make his way back to riverrun's keep.

still, he was not alone. somehow, he had found himself drawn into conversation with the reach's master of laws. he was a man with many friends in many places, but fewer in the reach than, for example, the crownlands and stormlands. there was seffora merryweather, and his own cousin, but beyond that, his contacts were slim. considering he would be spending some time there, conducting building work in highgarden, perhaps that was a situation that would in time be rectified.

"...but it was the vances who gave this land to the tullys," he was in the middle of explaining the history of the land riverrun sat upon. "it were the tullys sworn to them back then, rather than the other way around. this was after the mudds called themself the river kings, but before the ironborn drove them out."

he raised his cups to his lips and drank a little, before chuckling. "of course, they don't have to worry about such things, now. they have your lot to thank for that, don't they? the reach and the west."

[briannabrackens]

ronan bracken / fergus blackbar / @omerflorent​

ADELAIDE KANE as MARY STUART ↴ Love & Death ( 4x06 )

[pochqmqri]

Blackeye thicklip, blackbarred, sixbarred, and moon wrasses on Fitzroy Island, QLD, Australia

[i-give-you-a-fish]

trick or treat? 🐱👉👈

You get a Blackbar Filefish

Pervagor janthinosoma

[conallblackbar]

the shield islands / house blackbar lore dump

key history

the shield islands, also known as the four shields, have historically been used to protect the reach from iron born invaders via watchtowers and beacons.

the four islands were originally ruled by four families: house chester of greenshield, house grimm of greyshield, house hewett of oakenshield, and house serry of southshield.

all four houses were wiped out during the reach civil war, and the four shields were granted to lord conall blackbar, formerly of bandallon, allowing him to establish a cadet branch of house blackbar on the islands.

the four shields

each island possesses a series of watch towers. traditionally manned by island elders, they are lit at the sight of iron island longships. though the threat of the ironborn is no longer an issue, the watchtowers are still manned.

oakenshield is the island that conall blackbar has made his home. surrounding the port is lord hewett's town, a large town and harbour. colloquially, locals have begun to refer to it as lord blackbar's town. the castle of oakenshield sits on a clifftop, overlooking the town. oakenshield takes its name from a grove of ancient oak trees on the island, where a sept was built. there is an open-air market, the mariner's forum, that lines the stone pier.

greenshield is the most fertile of the islands, and dominated by orchards that grow fruits and vegetables for the rest of the islands. the orchards are tended to by the greenshield septons, a secluded religious order that reside upon the island. additionally, upon the island is the famed greenwatch tower, a coastal fortification known for archery training.

greyshield is the least populous of the four islands. there are no villages or towns here, its only inhabitants a garrison of soldiers. the most dominant structure is grimm's hold, a ring-shaped hilltop fortress based on dún aonghasa on inishmore and other hill forts on the aran islands. grimm's hold is crumbling, in a state of disrepair due to it's ancient age, as it is rumoured to have been there since the time of the children of the forest. greyshield has a fearsome reputation, and is rumoured to be haunted by the ghosts of ironborn and shield islanders alike. below the island are the drowned caves, a series of sea caves containing the remnants of many a shipwreck.

southshield lies close to the mouth of the mander, and its primary industry is fishing. of the four islands, the beacon here is the largest, able to be seen by both tyrell lands to it's east and florent lands to the south. it houses the fisher's guildhall, as well as the tidal causeway, a natural causeway which at low tide provides access to a smaller islet that lies off the coast.

climate & geography

the shield islands have a temperate maritime climate, with generally mild weather, though it can be unpredictable, their exposure to the sunset sea often bringing heavy winds and occasional storms.

summers are generally warm, with the sea breeze keeping temperatures moderate. winters are wet and blustery rather than cold and harsh, with temperatures rarely below freezing, though storms are more common. rainfall occurs year-round, more so on the western islands of greenshield and greyshield. greyshield in particular is known to be foggy and misty, particularly in the mornings.

oakenshield is the most developed of the islands, with a coastline dominated by steep, rugged cliffs to the west and gentler beaches and harbours to the east. the land is predominantly meadow and grassland towards the interiror of the island, suitable for small-scale farming and grazing.

greenshield is the more fertile island, with rolling hills and rich soil. the orchards grow apples, pears, and stone fruits, and root crops vegetable gardens are maintained by the septons on the island. greenshield has plenty of freshwater springs, making it the best supplied of the islands with drinking water. greenwatch tower is located on a high bluff on the island's western coast.

greyshield is the rockiest of the islands, with an eerie, desolate atmosphere. the beaches are rocky, and the land is thin and stony. off the coast, jagged rocks and reefs surround the island, making navigation difficult for those who do not know it well. the drowned caves are a natural occurrence, carved by the tide.

the waters are calmer on southshield's eastern side, lending to a thriving fishing industry.

population

the people of the shield islands are predominantly clover folk, though with distinct culture and practices of their own due to isolation from the mainland. they are known to be hardy, self-sufficient, and traditional.

the language of the reach and daelic are commonly spoken, and the common tongue is not unheard of either. however, the shield island accent is distinctive, fairly sing-songy to the ear.

the shieldfolk tend to give their children short, one syllable names - finn, dain, peg, and nell are very common.

there is no middle-class on the islands, and little opportunity for social mobility. the people are self sufficient, and everyone contributes via some form of practical skill or manual labour.

most shield folk trace their lineage to those who defended the reach against the ironborn, and martial and seafaring traditions are strong. all men are expected to join the shieldwatch, the network of soldiers who defend the islands, until they marry or reach the age of 25, whichever is later, at which time they can choose to remain or leave to work with their families.

fishing and seamanship are considered skills of necessity, every child learns to handle a boat from a young age.

the sick, elderly, and infirm tend to travel to greenshield to recuperate, rest, or live out the end of their days. the septons of greenshield run a small hospice to accommodate them.

manning the watchtowers is seen as an honour, those who do so granted high social standing. this is why it is primarily the role of the elders of the islands.

the shield game occur once a year, usually coinciding with the late summer harvest. due to centuries of serving as a line of defence against the ironborn, the games allow the islanders to show off their martial skill in a more celebratory way, and take place on greyshield. games include axe throwing, archery, and sailing races in greyshield's treacherous waters, as well as a highly anticipated melee. however, it is mostly used as an excuse for drinking, dancing, and marriages between the smallfolk.

the shieldfolk are highly supersitious. spilled salt must be thrown over the shoulder. you must salute to magpies. yellow flowers must be left on the doorstep on the first day of spring. they believe in the sidhe, and often blame them for bad luck and misfortune. a whispering wind means the sidhe are watching you.

loyalty is paramount to the shieldfolk. they rely on community, so breaking an oath, or failing to repay a debt, is considered a grave sin. they are tough people, unpretentious, though each island has it's own stereotype - oakenshielders are practical, greenshielders pious, and southshielders friendly. there are no native greyshielders, as it is populated by stationed soldiers only.

the shieldfolk are not wealthy in coin, but neither do they live in poverty. they are self sufficient and rely on community. life is hard, but starvation and destitution is rare. education is informal, with most leaning practical skills and only those with a connection to the castle or faith receiving proper schooling. as a result, those who need an education to carry out their duties, such as castellans or harbourmasters, are usually sourced from the mainland and serve a few years before being replaced. the current harbourmaster of oakenshield is an exception, having been in his role for twenty-five years, marrying a local woman, and becoming a much-loved member for the community.

flora and fauna

plant life: sea thrift, saltbush, gorse, heather (particularly greyshield), rock samphire, wild rye, coastal grasses, clover (not greyshield), chamomile, wild thyme, mudwort, nettles, oak trees (oakenshield), apple, pear, and plum trees (greenshields), rowan trees (planted by shieldfolk outside their homes for protection from the sidhe), holly, blackthorn.

mammals: foxes, otters, hedgehogs, weasels, stoats, rabbits, hares, bats, wild goats, domesticated sheep, cattle, ponies (both wild and domesticated), seals.

birds: crows, seagulls, terns, cormorants, oystercatchers, herons, egrets, peregrine falcons, marsh harriers, storm petrels, owls.

fish/marine life: cod, haddock, herring, mackrel, eels, flounder, sols, lobsters, crabs, shrimp, oysters, mussels, sharks, dolphines, porpoises

reptiles/amphibians: lizards, slow worms, frogs, toads, newts

industry and economics

the shield islands are maritime-focused, and whilst part of the reach's economy, their isolation means they are traditionally self-sufficient.

industries are built around fishing, farming, and shipbuilding.

fishing is the largest industry on the islands, particularly south shield. fish is caught, distributed for the islanders use, and any excess is sold to the mainland. shellfish harvesting is also a large industry. on southshield, more than half the population work as fishermen, net-makers, boat-builders or fishmongers. the fisherman's guildhall regulates fishing rights, trade, and disputes.

another key industry is seaweed farming. on the islands, seaweed is used for fertilising soil, feeding both the human population and animals, salt extraction, medicinal purposes, and dye production. seaweed farming is most common on greenshield and oakenshield.

shipbuilding has always occurred on the islands, due to its history, but it has ramped up since conall blackbar's arrival along with the blackbar fleet, which came with him from bandallon after his banishment. oakenshield is the main hub for shipbuilding, and more islanders are choosing to train in this form of craftsmanship. as well as naval vessels, this is also useful for the production of fishing boats and patrol ships. additionally, rope makers and sail weavers have prospered from the increased ship building trade.

the watchtower network employs lookouts and beaconkeepers.

there is a small farming industry across the islands, mainly sheep and cattle. however, greenshield and its septons tend to fruit orchards, vegetable and root crop growth (carrots, turnips, onions, cabbages), herbs and medicinal plants and honey production from beekeeping. the septons also make beers, ales, and ciders.

the wool trade is huge on the shield islands, used for clothing and exports, and shield island wool is highly prized. small looms are common in homes. wo0ol has waterproof properties, so is crucial for lands that rely on the sea as they do.

salt production is also a key role on the island, mainly to ensure fish and meat can be preserved.

government, crime, and the law

traditionally, the shield islands have always been ruled by a single noble house on each island, but after the reach civil war, all four islands were granted to conall blackbar. at first, the shieldfolk greeted him with distrust, however, his practical approach has largely banished any doubts. he drinks with them, sails with them, and works alongside them. there is still scepticism amongst older, more stubborn islanders, but most like him well enough.

conall is widowed, and has no children. in the event of his death, he has made it known the lordship of the shields is to go to his sister, caitria blackbar, rather than his brother, ross.

conall rules from oakenshield, though he regularly visits other islands. however, his role as captain of the blackbar fleet and frequent trips to the riverlands as ambassador mean he relies on local elders and captains, island stewards, and garrison commanders to oversee governance and uphold the law.

as each island is slightly different, local governance is handled slightly differently, though always by appointed officials from amongst respected locals. on oakenshield, this is conall's stewards, ship captains, the head of the oakenshield garrison and the customs officer of the mariner's forum. septons oversee things on greenshield, greyshield is ruled by the commander of grimm hold. south shield is the least tightly governed of the four, primarily managed by village elders.

taxes are collected twice a year by the stewards of oakenshield. islanders can choose to pay in goods, labour, or coin, though the latter is rare. Taxes in the Shield Islands are lower than on the mainland, as the islands are too isolated and self-sufficient to handle heavy taxation. Instead, taxation is resource-based rather than coin-based. an annual levy of ships, fighting men, and goods are given to the tyrells. the islanders resent any tax increases, but generally except taxation as long as it is practical and fair.

smuggling is the most common crime on the island, particularly on south shield, and is widely tolerated as an open secret. stealing, however, is less common, and punished harshly, though minor or first time offences are usually let off with a warning and repayment. on oaeknshield and southshield, brawling is often punished with a night in the cells, and is seen as normal, unless permanent harm is done. murder is rare, and results in banishment or execution. there is no city watch or formal police force. justice is handled on a local level, with more serious disputes brought before conall.

martial and defence

the shield islands have a long martial tradition, as they have long been tasked with protecting the reach from ironborn raiders. knights are rare - most fighters from the shieldfolk prefer sturdy, practical weapons and fighting techniques. they are sailors, archers, and spearmen primarily.

each island has a serious of watchtowers, manned by elders and retired sailors, and it is seen as an honour to be amongst the watchtower forces. the watchtowers are used to send messages between the islands, as well as the mainland.

each island has its own defensive fortifications, even greenshield, which is primarily used for agriculture. this includes greenwatch tower, the home of the island's archers, grimm's hold, and the enormous beacon tower of southshield.

the blackbar fleet of the shield islands consists of longships, galleys, and dromonds, each with distinctive black sails that mark them as blackbar ships.

there is no formal army, but the men of the shield islands are expected to serve in the militia, known as the shieldwatch, at least until they are 25, or until they marry if they reach such an age unwed.

[conallblackbar]

conall blinked, the grin slipping from his face as he noted the shift in caitria's expression. as inebriated as he was, he didn't miss that. the warmth that spread through him, a side effect of the whiskey, seemed to waver under the weight of her gaze, the disapproval in her eyes that he did not wish to see. when it had been their father acting like this, he had known how to shield her from it. he did not know how to shield her when it was himself he was hiding from her. he wanted to dismiss it, to tell her it wasn't worrying about, but the words didn't make it past his lips. the truth was it hurt more than it should have - not the booze, but seeing her like this, the way she looked at him with something almost too careful in her eyes. it made him feel small in a way he had not done for years. his stomach was churning, the feeling he had been trying to chase away, the one that something was creeping up on him, following him like a shadow, as present as it had been when he first put goblet to lips. it was the itch in his bones that he couldn't scratch away.

she didn't take his hand, and his chest tightened as he withdrew it, instead running it through his hair. "did i eat?" he repeated, voice wavering as his brow furrowed, as though thinking about it would buy him enough time for the answer not to matter. "lost track of time, i think." it was not a direct answer, not a confession, but it said enough that it may as well be. he gave a lopsided shrug, leaning against the wall more heavily. she drew closer, but his vision was swimming a little too much to fully focus on her. he'd told himself it would be different tonight. just a quick drink to take the edge off. but somewhere between the first glass and the third, whatever absolution he hoped to find had dissolved.

what are you celebrating tonight?

conall's jaw tightened, but he didn't immediately answer her. in the moonlight, everything seemed all the more surreal, a scene from a painting he would only recall through a haze tomorrow, as though none of it was real at all. "celebrating?" he did not intend it, but the words escaped him as a scoff. he knew not why it stung, only that it did. the ache in his chest was present, a dull thing that throbbed with apologies that stayed stuck on his tongue. he hadn't wanted to end up like this. like their father. only, along the way, he had. he could feel shame burning red on his neck. how had it come to this? their father had drowned himself in drink until it took him under, and here was conall, following in his footsteps.

his gaze softened a fraction as he reached for her hand again, and this time, he gave her no choice before taking hers, his palm rough from callouses as it trembled against her own. "you don't have to worry about me, caitie," he said, quietly. "i'm fine. always am." but in the back of his mind, he didn't know if he was lying to her, or to himself. he cleared his throat, pushing aside the guilt creeping into his gut.

.

the smile on her face for her brother falter the moment she stepped close., the scent of whiskey hit her—thick, cloying, unmistakable. it soured the salt air, turned her stomach in a way she had not been prepared for. caitria stilled, her fingers tightening where they had idly smoothed over her skirts. the warmth in her chest—the easy fondness she always felt upon seeing conall—twisted into something tighter, something uneasy. anxiety twisted in her stomach seeing him like this

his grin was easy, but the slur in his voice was not. it was the kind of slur she had once been too young to understand, but not too young to recognize. the kind that had once sent her scrambling to find ross and conall, to hide behind the safety of her brothers while their father drowned himself in drink.

she should have been used to it by now. this was not the first time she had seen conall like this. but it still hit her the same way every time—a dull, aching thing, like pressing against an old bruise.

her gaze flickered down to the hand he held out, steady despite the way he leaned against the archway for balance. she did not take it. instead, she exhaled slowly, willing herself to keep her voice level.

"dinner?" she echoed, arching a brow. the hour was far past dinner. he had to know that. she fought the urge to brush past him this time, stepping lightly onto the final stair before turning to face him fully. in the moonlight, she could see it—the slight unfocus in his eyes, the telltale flush of drink against his cheekbones.

"did you even eat today?" her voice was softer now, laced with something quieter, something careful. she didn’t want to fight with him. she hated fighting with him. but she hated seeing him like this more. she bite back the words she wanted to say. she didnt want to ruin the trip, she could fix this. “what has you….celebrating tonight” she couldn’t say the word. cowardly maybe. but she wanted the truth. the words weren’t an accusation. they were a truth, a plea, one she wasn’t sure he would hear through the haze of whatever alcohol he had poured down his throat tonight. a breeze swept in from the cliffs, cold against her damp skin. she wrapped her arms loosely around herself, tilting her head as she studied him.