Colemon Cafferen

Colemon 'the Wolf Father' Cafferen was the founder of House Cafferen and a prominent Andal warlord during the Andal Invasions. He played a key role in aiding the Gardeners in their war to reclaim the Reach from House Risley. His loyalty earned him dominion over the Garden Coast and a lasting place among the lords of the Reach.

Lord Colemon 'the Wolf Father' Cafferen.

Arms of House Cafferen. Words: 'For What is Just'

Appearance

Strong, though not particularly muscular or tall, Colemon gave off the appearance of a soldier. His posture was always as rigid as his character. His hair, short and always above his shoulders, matched his beard in originally being blonde when he was a young man. However, all who knew him in Westeros could only describe him as having white hair, for he was already in his mid 50's when he made the journey from Andalos. Always either in simple clothes or chainmail, his closet was certainly not very diverse, though he was said to adore his simple cloak, a fine thing which was handsewn by his late wife, Della.

Personality

A strange mix of harshness, contentment, and a heroic capacity for work. Colemon worked nonstop to keep the camp together, even as tensions sometimes flared. Upon making a deal with the Gardener King, he was fine with doing whatever was required of him to fulfill it, even if it meant the deaths of thousands. He also gladly allowed his eldest son and his daughters to stay in Andalos as he and his second son, Jerion, left for better lands, not knowing that he was condemning one for death. Yet despite all this, he showed a shocking sympathy for a pregnant wolf, who was in pain and had little food nor protection. He helped the beast give birth, and visited it every night that his camp remained by the thankful mother. It earned him a celebrated name in the Cafferen Camp, that of "the Wolf Father".

History

Rising to prominence as a fine warrior and an even better commander in the plains of Andalos, Colemon Cafferen was given Warrior's Approach, a small plot of land with little resources and a tiny keep, in recognition of his services and prowess. Ruling for nearly twenty years there, Colemon eventually married Della, a woman of no noble roots but of fine character. She would eventually give Colemon a total of four children, two boys and two girls.

Colemon was not among the initial wave of Andals to leave for Westeros, like the Vances or Corbrays. When Colemon left Andalos, it wasn't entirely out of his own choice. But, with his people migrating away en-masse and being powerless to stop it, by 65 A.I. Colemon ultimately decided that his time in Andalos was close to its end. Colemon's eldest son, Qyle, his natural heir, thought the idea terrible, and he stubbornly refused to leave. Accepting this without any complaint, Colemon and his second son Jerion began their preparations to leave for the west.

The journey lasted over twenty years, throughout which Colemon had met with three different Kings. Della eventually passed away, though Colemon didn't seem outwardly saddened by it, as her pained wailing through the nights would finally end. Meetings with King Aldhelm Darklyn secured the initial landing of the Cafferen peoples, though initial attempts to find land in the Rivermark ended in failure, as, delaying his departure for much longer than other Andal Lords, there was simply no land left to give by the time he'd arrived. Directed south by King Armistead Vance, Colemon went with his people to the Reach.

After some negotiations, a deal was struck then with the King Galayn Gardener, where Colemon and his people would help him invade the Arbor, taking it back from the Ironborn who had seized it. If victorious, Colemon and his people would receive the Garden Coast, a set of lands in the southern portion of the Reach. Colemon and his people then moved to Oldtown, to prepare the invasion, where Colemon had his son and heir Jerion wed to Olanne Hightower as he prepared to honor his end of the deal. Soon after the deal was made, however, it was altered.

The Reach had made new enemies, the Kingdom of the Rock, and King Galayn soon offered Colemon a better version of the deal he had once offered him. If Colemon and his people fought against the Rock, win or lose, he would now be guaranteed the Garden Coast. Finding this acceptable, Colemon accepted. When the target changed again to now fight against the Risley's, who had taken Goldengrove for themselves, Colemon's opinion on the deal changed little.

Three years of war followed, in which despite being the lone Andal commander in a sea of First Men, Colemon led and commanded many of the early battles, including the great victory at Maplepress. With the war eventually won, the deal was honored by King Galayn, and Colemon received the Garden Coast for him and his heirs to rule. The victory was short-lived for Colemon however, as his advanced age did not take well to the years of conflict and marching. When he left Highgarden to occupy his new seat, his health began to rapidly fail, leading to his son Jerion taking up the duties of Lord, even if Colemon was still the Lord in name.

The condition only worsened throughout the years, leaving him bed-ridden and in constant pain, despite the immense efforts of his personal physician. Eventually, his left eye became blind and not a year later, the right followed suit. It was in this decrepit state that Colemon finally passed from the world, dying on the ninth day of the ninth moon, 88 A.I.

In his last years, an orange cat, which was subsequently named flame, found its way into Colemon's chambers. It laid by him for years as he withered away painfully, and though it would leave at times, it would always come back to him. When Colemon died, the cat disappeared, never to be seen again.

In the end, Colemon had succeeded in finding for his House and his people a new land to call their own. The Garden Coast was a land of fields and rivers and good harvests, though Colemon himself would not have the chance to enjoy any of it. He was survived by three of his four children, though he only knew the fate of one of them for certain, that being his second son Jerion, who officially assumed the Lordship of the Garden Coast after Colemon's death.

Quotes by Colemon

“Of course the children will be raised as Cafferens, it would not do any other way.” — Colemon Cafferen to Lord Jonn Hightower, after he was asked if his grandchildren via a member of House Hightower would be raised in Andal customs.

Quotes about Colemon

“Your father is one of the reasons House Rowan now sits their seat again. He has done my realm a great service.” — King Galayn Gardener to Jerion Cafferen, after hearing news of Colemon being on his deathbed.