Clifford Cafferen

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== History ==

Born on the Twenty-Eighth day of the Sixth Moon, 118 A.I. Clifford would be born in the midst of his Lord grandfather's reign, the Lord [[Theo Cafferen]]. It was a time of emerging crises in the Garden Coast. [[Disintegration of the Cafferen military|The Rapid Disintegration of the Cafferen Military]] and stagnation of the economy had left the Lordship weak to both internal and external threats, and although Theo was setting the foundations for the road to recovery from this, it still was in a bad shape. Religious tensions too were spiraling under Theo's lax gaze, and in 121 A.I. the tragic death of Clifford's father, Meros Cafferen, meant that the three year old Clifford was now the heir to the Garden Coast. There was even some talk that the Lordship should be passed to another if Theo ~~passed on~~ before Clifford reached of age.

Born on the Twenty-Eighth day of the Sixth Moon, 118 A.I. Clifford would be born in the midst of his Lord grandfather's reign, the Lord [[Theo Cafferen]]. It was a time of emerging crises in the Garden Coast. [[Disintegration of the Cafferen military|The Rapid Disintegration of the Cafferen Military]] and stagnation of the economy had left the Lordship weak to both internal and external threats, and although Theo was setting the foundations for the road to recovery from this, it still was in a bad shape. Religious tensions too were spiraling under Theo's lax gaze, and in 121 A.I. the tragic death of Clifford's father, Meros Cafferen, meant that the three year old Clifford was now the heir to the Garden Coast. There was even some talk that the Lordship should be passed to another if Theo died before Clifford reached of age.

Fortunately for Clifford, ~~his~~ right to ~~the~~ Lordship was continually protected by his Lord grandfather throughout the young boy's childhood, and Theo even made sure to give Clifford a very good education in all manners of administration and stewardship, which well prepared the young man for the duties of being Lord. In 134 A.I. he would become a man grown, knighted by Ser Arros, one of Theo's noble advisors and secretly a member of the Zealot faction. Just a year after becoming a man grown, Clifford would be wed to the Lady Deana [[House Qorgyle|Qorgyle]] in a grand wedding ceremony held in the Garden Coast. Their marriage would prove a long and fruitful one, with the pair having six children, two boys and four girls, although tragically their second son, Allard, would be slain in battle at just seven and ten namedays.

Fortunately for Clifford, the Lord Theo continued to live, and the right to his future Lordship was continually protected by his Lord grandfather throughout the young boy's childhood, and Theo even made sure to give Clifford a very good education in all manners of administration and stewardship, which well prepared the young man for the duties of being Lord. In 134 A.I. he would become a man grown, knighted by Ser Arros, one of Theo's noble advisors and secretly a member of the Zealot faction. Just a year after becoming a man grown, Clifford would be wed to the Lady Deana [[House Qorgyle|Qorgyle]] in a grand wedding ceremony held in the Garden Coast. Their marriage would prove a long and fruitful one, with the pair having six children, two boys and four girls, although tragically their second son, Allard, would be slain in battle at just seven and ten namedays.

If there was any suspicion of Clifford being involved in the Zealot movement like his father Meros was, those were dashed when the Horrific Night unleashed religious violence across the Lordship in 139 A.I. In the middle of the night Clifford was awoken to news of the Zealots imminent attack against the Beachcastle. Immediately Clifford got up, put on his armor, and fought to defend the walls which guarded the lone Heart Tree of the Beachcastle. It was a bloody, successful stand against the Zealots, and when they retreated from the walls out to the open plains, Clifford assembled several dozens of knights to mount up and ride them down. The Zealots stood no chance against armored knights on armored horses, and they were utterly routed. The morning after the Horrific Night, it is said that Clifford joined in the torture of several of the prisoners taken. Just one year later, in 140 A.I. Theo Cafferen died, and the Lordship went to Clifford, who had just two and twenty namedays.