#olynna blackwood — about

[noblesouls]

a study.

BASICS.

full name : olynna blackwood name meaning : helpful, researcher, comfortable nicknames : oly, nana. epithets : the beauteous raven titles : lady of raventree hall gender / pronouns : cis woman / she/her sexuality : heterosexual date of birth : on the thirteen day of the first month age : seven and twenty years zodiac : capricorn place of birth : raventree hall, the riverlands, westeros accent : northern westerosi languages : common tongue, old tongue, high and low valyrian allegiance : house blackwood religion : the old gods

APPEARANCE.

faceclaim : synnove karlsen height : 5′5″ eye color : blue/grey hair color : brunette with copper undertones dominant hand : ambidextrous

MEDICAL.

mental : n/a physical : n/a

PERSONALITY.

positive traits : eloquent & resourceful negative traits : opinionated & judgemental hobbies : reading, needlework, medicine, horse back riding

RELATIONSHIPS.

parents : ruling lord lonan blackwood & late ruling lady ilianna blackwood siblings : lord alton blackwood, lord samwell blackwood, lady alyce blackwood, lady melissa blackwood, lady ilianna blackwood extended family : tba spouse : n/a children : n/a pets : birdsong ( raven ), onyx ( friesian stallion)

FAMILY DYNAMICS.

house blackwood is an ancient one and as so they were expected to carry duty over anything else. it was why even though lord lonan had fallen for different woman and fathered a bastard he still married the woman chosen for him by his father. sealing his fate and that of lady ilianna for a miserable marriage. the new lady blackwood vent backwards in hopes to gain the favor of her husband, and when she gave him a son she almost thought she had him, only to learn his mistress had also given him a daughter not long after. but she did not give up, her children watched her break for a man that paid her no mind, and eventually she lost her life in the false hope of giving him another son. not long after mourning period and with no one else to deny him he married his mistress and legalized his bastards. now the power balance tips back and forth with the ruling lady fighting for her bastard born son to become lord heir, while the children of the first wife refuse to back down.

BIO.

olynna had been her mothers treasure, a soft chubby babe that cried rarely and laughed often. the second gem of raventree hall, gentle demeanor and rosie cheeks, her birth had been an ease, as if predicting the calming nature that would run through her veins. as she grew up it was clear olynna would be everything a lady was expected to be, soft spoken, witty, gentle, but the demeanor of any raven ran deep in her and she was also strong willed and opinionated. and while she had a tendency to please and listen to the careful path suggested for her, there were instances were her strong personality came to shine.

her role was clear, even though she was her parents beloved, she would marry to strengthen the alliances when the time came. but that wasn’t enough for her, learning needle point, how to rule a house, she demanded to learn politics and strategies, she took her lessons and asked for more, the more knowledge was poured into her the more she craved

her life came to a sudden halt when her mother became pregnant once over, the pregnancy had her sick and bed ridden, and not long after the babe had been born lady ilianna was not longer with them leaving olynna with the weight of a promise to always look out for her siblings. at the tender age of thirteen she took it to heart, leaving everything that wasn't their care to become second in her list

but the little piece they manage to find came crushing when his father did what olynna had been most afraid, decided to marry his mistress, which she knew would only be the beginning of the darkness that would surround their lives. the children of the first ruling lady of the house welcomed the new comers with resistance, specially olynna, whom would accept no other than her mother as ruling lady and so raventree hill became a war camp

oly against all odds grew older she grew into herself; smarter and beautiful, she began creating her own alliances, her own networks. a woman that supported her family, her siblings, her friends, loyal to a fault.

olynna has seen what love has done to her father, and it terrifies she could be the same way, love is something she deprives herself of and has pledged against it. if she could remain unmarried and dedicated to her healing, her main goal is simply secure her brothers seat.

CONNECTIONS.

childhood friends; perhaps someone who knew her when she was a wild little thing swimming in the rivers of the riverlands and running through the field, stealing her fathers horse early in the mornings.

a pen pal; perhaps someone she only came across once before in the years but they shared letters constantly through the distance and time

a betrothal; set perhaps by their parents by pure political strategy, or they could be a lord in search of their own ambitions. could be nothing more than this

[cordoleo]

w. alys mormont, day three of the riverlands gathering, @talestold

though she had offered her services for the day, it was clear that she was not the preferred helper today —olynna may have only one day in this tent on her mistress, but the lady blackwood was much better suited for the role of little maester, and lynara saw no harm on that, instead taking the opportunity to leave her friend working in peace with the patient she was treating. the skies are speckled with clouds today, but the sun is still stronger than the one that shines north of the neck, and none seem too concerned about the day, especially not enough to pause the competition or their affairs. for a moment, lynara almost wishes she could have remained an onlooker; she could have distracted herself with the vendors' products instead. it is pointless to regret it now, she knows, as she shall not go back on her word; yet she wanders a little further from the healing tent, just enough to find a familiar face. "alys!" excitement colors the lady stark's timbres as she reaches forward to bring her brother's squire close. "oh, alys, i'm so glad you were not stupid enough to join this competition." one good thing about the liege of bear island (amongst many, lynara was not shy to claim) is that they seemed obedient enough to follow their lord and, thankfully, ned had more of a brain than roderic did. "though i do wonder why you're not watching. i commend you, but i must meddle still."

[xastrainclinant]

eyes  widened  in  faux  innocence,  as  though  she  could  scarcely  believe  that  her  cousin  would  think  her  capable  of  such  a  thing.  of  course,  the  blackwood  knew  more  than  most  what  the  tully's  restless  nature  could  cause.  "olynna,  please,  you  know  I  will  be  the  very  model  of  what  a  lady  should  be."  head  shook  in  mock  disbelief  before  she  finished  her  glass,  searching  for  the  next  one.  leaning  in  closer  to  her  lady,  voice  low  and  conspiratorial  she  could  not  resist  another  jest.  "and  then  once  I  have  tired  of  that  I  might  consider  attempting  to  get  everyone  else  to  loosen  up  enough  that  we  could  actually  have  some  fun."  on  this  occasion  she  had  no  intention  of  causing  a  scene.  forever  indulgent  of  her  own  whims  as  she  may  be,  she  cared  about  her  family  just  enough  to  know  when  there  was  a  time  and  place.

It had been thanks to mariya that olynna had come to enjoy larger celebrations compared to the shy wee girl that come to the riverlands. used to hiding and belonging to the shadows of raventree hall, a beautiful girl out of sight as her fathers wife had preferred it. but in the home of her cousins, there she had been pushed to shine into her own light, she had opened up and become more out going, something she never knew to be a part of herself. "should i be concern that you might cause a commotion, or can i hope you will be in the best of behaviors?" she looks over at her, a single brow lifting with amusement.

[cordoleo]

this is no new conversation between them — as keen as lynara was to praise, they were to talk and sharings like this, and, by now, lynara understood what olynna liked better, even if she could not say she was of similar inkling for, as much as she enjoyed to care for others, she could not bear to make such treatments her reason to live. "it suits you, you know so," the stark encourages, smile warm. "i shall hope it will remain as such. i do not mind tending to bruises and the such, but one can hope it shall be a peaceful event." by the trembling of her lips, it should be clear that she is hesitant to believe that herself; word has it the king enjoys bellicose sports most of all as a replacement for his glory days on the battlefield, and knowing at least a couple of the competitors on the lists, she knows that they would not fail upon the challenge. "speaking of, we should probably prepare something for the easier healing of the bruises. i have enough scars to trace on bed as it is." not upon her own skin, but that may be known only for the lady next to her. "have you gotten the permission to do as you need to?"

"rodric will do both, i believe, and sebastion shall only ride for the jousting." information is given almost detached of sentiment, a cry away from the excitement usually felt about matters of chivalry. "wouldn't an injury in the melee make the jousting unlikely?" she knows the lord goodbrother to do both too, though their surroundings are not agreeable enough for her to surrender yet this detail. curiosity remains even as she straightens ahead, holding up the apron and only letting it go once it has been tied; a hand finds the forearm of the riverwoman, squeezing affectionately as an appreciation for the gesture and the affection readily offered. attention is turned fully as she turns around to face the riverwoman once more, concern peeking through a small frown that lynara smooths over as olynna speaks of her siblings. the blackwood remained much of word of mouth, much like all southerners were to her, over the years even with olynna under her roof and her father's few tales about the lord blackwood, but meeting the family had given the worrisome situation a new layer. "we can try to root for the both of them, if it would allow for some tranquility, yes? it may make the time you spend with them a bit better? even if it shall not be a long one. only two or three more days left." that if olynna didn't decide to stay, but that is hardly something lynara can even begin to consider happening.

Olynna's gaze is soft as she glances at her friend, as if she could see the passing of their time together in flashes in the light color of her eyes. "were you not the one who made me believe i am mighty? small, but my strength is unmatched to my size." her tone is firm but there is small amusement in it. "i suppose it has more to do with it being my calling, growing up i always though becoming a lady, being a wife, and then fading into such a peaceful quiet existence was not for me. this however," she gestures around her, "this almost makes me whole." almost, for there was that small part of her that seemed empty and she could not find what was missing. "quiet, not as eventful as i expect it to be today. but i had a good time speaking with the maesters," which was code for driving them mad with questions.

"if i was much for betting i would've too, i must admit with guilt, but fortunately i do not enjoy such things." she gives her a wink, although she had been tempted, she had put it off until it had been too late to do so. "will he be participating in that too? i feel most lords have opted for both, although some of them i find doubtful they will make it to the joust, then again i think men do not think ahead in such manners." she shurgs.

olynna does not answer but she walks behind her and takes the ties to adjust it to the frame of her dear friend, giving her a quick hug from behind without much explanation. the raven girl knew the wolf maiden would know it was simply out of love. "well my older brother always had an inclination to be a warrior, i always knew he would grow up to be strong and skillful." she began. "as for my eldest half brother, well i don't think i ever truly frequent theme enough to know if he had the same inclination." she admitted with a slight shame. the animosity between olynna and her stepmother had drawn a clear line between the two sets of siblings. "i can only hope," she says almost absent mindedly, thinking of the possible outcomes.