Mykel Stryker's Bio

[JJ York]

Basic Information

Name: Mykel Stryker
Nickname(s): Stryker, The Stryker, Wanderer
Age: 35
Homeland: Storm's End
Affiliation: None

Appearance:

Mykel has short, light brown hair and heavy stubble that covers much of his lower face. His Green eyes are not unlike those of his families but his slender stature lends himself away from his genes. He stands at just under six feet tall and holds a few minor scars on his right cheek from his battles.

He normally wears extremely light armor, thick leather hides and tight strapping across his armaments. A bandolier of sorts is always strung over his shoulder with various satchels of various objects. His boots are custom made and are easily the most expensive item his carries, they enable him to be surer of his feet on longer journeys.

History:

Mykel is son of Ser James Stryker of Storm's End. His family are a long line of front line vanguard fighters and because of this, many of his elder siblings died in defending their homelands from brigands and civil wars. Because of this, Mykel grew accustom to the feeling of losing a loved one from an early age. His father's mental state grew more fragile with each of his son's passing, eventually going into a battle crazy during a battle and being slain.

Before dying, James taught his son the art from of warfare. For most saw it as sword on sword, Mykel learned that there was many other means of defeating a large scale enemy. He heard fabled stories of Tywin Lannister's many tactical moves in battle, of his father's bait and run tactics. He also learned how to wield a sword with skill and saw the world in a different light to those around him. After his father was killed, Mykel took the family name for his own and practise those various techniques on real time battles for the Baratheon family.

He was knighted as a hand down for his family's name and continued his legacy alone, his mother also passing through depression like his father. Mykel grew detached from human life for a long time, and although he didn't go long without entering a woman, it might be weeks before he properly spoke to anyone apart from his platoon. His soldier's feared he would take his own life, but Mykel never did. In truth, he hated his family for bringing about the reputation of failing to hold their mind's in check.

His greatest moment as a general, and also the moment his life changed, was during Robert Baratheon's uprising to the Iron Throne. Still a relatively young agent of battle, he had a hard choice on where to dispatch his men. Robert's betrothed had been taken hostage and his men had been ordered to march to her location, but Mykel refused the notion. For a group of Targaryen generals amassed in an attempt to bolster the forces of King's Landing. Mykel's group were outnumbered three to one, but in a bait and swoop manouvre, he took the three generals hostage and killed their men.

Despite the ingenius of this attack, and his success meant that King's landing remained ripe for the taking, Robert's rage could not be silenced. Yes, Mykel's actions had led to his betrothed's death and many Baratheon soldiers also, but he had been integral to Robert's rise as king. Robert did not see it this way and ordered that he be beheaded for his disobedience. Eddard Stark stepped in at his court trial however, and stated that death was too harsh a punishment. Mykel was stripped of his knighthood, all lands and rights as a Baratheon soldier and told to leave King's Landing, never to return.

Mykel did just that, he valued his head but missed his advanced position briefly. It didn't take him long however to enjoy the company of Westeros' better men and women. He wandered from city to city, from town to town earning money from any job that was available. He happily worked as a farmer for a time, as a bounty hunter, a town guard among others. It was then that he was starting to adopt the nickname "Wanderer" or "The Stryker". For he did not know, that King Robert's banishment was a blessing in disguise.

Over the years he learned many things, read many books and bedded many women. He had been forced to defend himself on many occasions which kept him well fared for battle as time wore on. He now finds himself wandering still, but with a deep feeling of unresolved purpose. He feels as if he should return to King's Landing still now that his former lord had perished, but there are always other adventures to be had.

Skills: Archery, Swordmanship, Charisma, Stamina and Cookery.

Lacking: Smithing, Two handed weapons, Heavy Armor, Eloquence, Determination and Trust Issues.

Relationships with Key Characters:

Renly Baratheon: Accepted back into the Baratheon army, he was fairly young when Mykel was banished from Storm's End and therefore does not remember the severity of his actions that well.

Stannis Baratheon: One of the few men who actually endorsed Mykel's victory at King's Landing, he respects Mykel for his tactical brilliance on a battlefield and believed that his decision was a correct one.

The Starks: As a whole, the Starks do not hold the name Stryker in high regard, for his choice to abandon the charge for Lyanna ultimately meant her death. It was only Eddard's strict adherence to honor that saved Mykel's life, however he was made well aware that he would not be welcome in Winterfell.

The Lannisters: Mykel worked for some time in Casterly Rock, but he stayed fairly far away from Lannister Hierarchy. In fact they know very little of the man as a whole, even in his days as a Baratheon General.

The Targaryens: Mykel's infatic victory over three Targaryen General's on the border of King's Landing is one that lives on through song and stone. If the Targaryen forces were to ever return, Mykel would be a name that would be on their vengeance list.