Alyn Velaryon

Alyn Velaryon, born Alyn of Hull, is Lord of the Tides, Master of Driftmark, and head of House Velaryon; he's one of the side characters of this story and one of the most recurring. His brother is Ser Addam Velaryon, a member of the Queen's Guard and sword shield of Princess Rhaena Targaryen.   Born on Hull, a little town situated on the island of Driftmark, Alyn and his brother are the sons of Merilda, the young daughter of a shipbuilder. At the age of five, he and his brother were recognized by Lord Corlys as his only grandchildren and were sent to Dragonstone to be tried as squires under the protection of Prince Daemon; there Alyn met the five princes, children of the Queen, becoming their friend. During the Civil War, the Velaryons fought with the Blacks: while he didn't play an important role in the war as his brother, Addam participated in the capture of Oldtown and the downfall of House Hightower, which made him gain the gratitude of the Queen.  Although Lord Corlys personally confirmed that the two young men were children of his deceased son, who died of poisoning, Addam and Alyn's origins remained a matter of dispute among historians for years. Due to Laenor's known sexual preference for men, many started to believe that the two boys - who then became first in order of succession to the title of Lord - were in reality fathered by Laenor's father, Lord Corlys Velaryon, who without direct heirs, decided to use the name of his late son in order to recognize his only male offspring, without offending his fiery-tempered wife, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen. However, the Sea Snake always denied such rumours and even on his deathbed he continued to perjure himself that Addam and Alyn were absolutely Leanor's children and not his; still, those doubts never faded and continued to circulate even in the following years.   Alyn became Lord at the age of seventeen when during the year 132 AC, Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys died of a mysterious silliness that he brought during his last voyage in Essos; he will then became Master of Ships in 142 AC after he returned from a long and successful voyage over the Jade Sea from where he brought some important treasures.   In the same year, after being rejected by Baela, he will marry the youngest legitimate daughter of Lysario Rogare, Lada, with whom he will have three children, Leanor, Marilda and Corlys Velaryon: outside of them, however, Alyn will have many other bastard children by other women through the years.