application.

[impeaches]

( CHARACTER INFORMATION )
- ★ NAME: Renly Baratheon
- ★ AGE: 21
- ★ CANON POINT: Before Robert's death in GoT
- ★ CANON INFORMATION: Here at the ASOIAF Wiki

- ★ PERSONALITY: A lot of back story relating to Renly is developed during the show, where he has far more screentime, rather than the books where it's entirely inferred, so I will be drawing from both to discuss Renly.

'would you believe? i loved him once'

One of the foremost and most noticeable things about Renly is the way he addresses affection. He is very open with his charm and his wit, but when it comes to warmth, especially with that of family, it's a little more guarded, something that only gets worse once he and his brother declare war upon one another. With thirteen years between Renly and the middle brother, Stannis, it's easy to see how the relationship between them all may have become strained; Renly was a child while his brothers were much older than him. He grew up with Stannis until he was six and his brother left - and he grew up during the elder's Rebellion, where he was kept entirely safe and well cared for.

For that reason he never had the same inclination to war as his brothers - he grew up in a time of peace, where he was kept safe to stop him from being used against Robert, raised to fight in tourneys rather than fight in true warfare. He was skilled enough to best the Hound in hand to hand combat, it's true, but that was hardly any kind of preparation for real fighting. When Loras pokes at his skin with a knife to draw blood he panics; he does not like blood, nor real world fighting. While Renly is hardly a pacifist he isn't a warrior or a solider akin to his elder brothers; he would rather use words than a sword.

It is, perhaps, this that leads to the gentle animosity between the three. Renly protested much of Robert's ways, especially his whoring around, and found Stannis' personality to be rather grating and at odds with his own. Having never had the chance to be particularly close to either of them it was nothing more than the ties of blood that kept them all together - even Robert himself said that, while Renly was his brother, he was not above the king's rule or his law.

'the matter seems simple enough to me. we ought to have had viserys and his sister killed years ago, but his grace my brother made the mistake of listening to jon arryn.'

While he may not be a solider Renly still has a similar understanding of what needs to be done as his brothers. He doesn't seem to take issue with the fact that the council intended to kill Daenerys Targaryen and her unborn child in order to protect Robert's claim to the Iron Throne, accepting it as something that needs to be done. He admits that it's unpleasant but it's something that he has to accept - in order to protect his brother and his own position, to save the realm from the madness of the Targaryens.

This dismissive nature isn't simply limited to the idea of murder for 'justice', however. Renly seems to be equally dismissive of relationships and the nature of his family; he cares very little for the Lannisters, despite them being his in-laws, and describes them as 'pompous, ponderous cunts'. Without earning his respect it's almost a given that Renly would ignore and belittle the people around him. He finds it just as easy to ridicule his brothers despite their power; he says that Robert is only king because he 'likes his killing', put off because his brothers don't think him a man because he's never been to war. He is frustrated by being told he isn't tough enough (even if he did vomit when a boy's eye was knocked out at the melee).

Still, this easy ignorance for things isn't enough to, at least initially, turn him against his brothers' blood rights, nor that of his 'nephews''. When Loras suggests that the two younger princes would be unfit his first thought is Stannis - "he's still my older brother". It takes some convincing for him to believe that he would be a fit king even if he, too, can see that there are faults in Robert, Stannis and the boy.

'the youngest of lord steffon's three sons had grown into a man bold but heedless, who acted from impulse rather than calculation. in that, as in so much else, renly was like his brother robert, and utterly unlike stannis'

Renly, as previously stated, is unlike his war-faring brothers in that he is more political, less bloodthirsty. That didn't mean he hadn't completely unlike his brothers, however, and he took after Robert in more than just their looks. He rushes into things just as much as his brothers can and still stumbles into speaking before he thinks - he frustrated his brother by ranting angrily at his sexual claims of 'making the eight' and was furious at the bragging; he appeared to find it unseemly and disgusting to discuss those sorts of things so blatantly. He is quickly rude to Littlefinger when the man visits him during the preparations to battle, possibly pitting himself against someone that could do much to harm his reputation.

Renly's rashness is also proven through the very fact that he went to war. His mother in law, Olenna Tyrell, dismisses him for his foolishness considering that he had an older brother and lesser claim to the throne - he should never have attempted to take it and in doing so he paved the way to his own death. He was also quick to try and corner Ned Stark to attempt to bring the Hand to his side once Robert has passed, seeming to completely forget that the Stark patriarch abides by laws of honour that Renly would be breaking when he tries to step over Stannis' claim to the throne. It sets him up to be pushed aside and threatened with treason, leading to Renly fleeing from King's Landing in order to begin to build his own army with the support of the Tyrell family.

Compared to Stannis' careful commitment to planning and strategy, his 'pure iron' nature, Renly is quick to enjoy himself, to let things go their course and allow his sheer manpower be his strength. This doesn't mean he is stupid or mindless, however. In fact, while Robert is the 'fool' brother who never attends council meetings Renly always attends, shaping the realm and having control of the Justice. He was also gifted with Storm's End when he was nothing more than a child, growing up into the responsibility rather than fighting for it as his brothers did. He is quick witted and intelligent, capable and well-versed. In comparison to his brothers he is a charismatic genius and that should not be forgotten.

'you shut your lying mouth, woman. you don't know what you're saying, his lordship's a fine true man.'

Renly is well liked among the people and not just those who are loyal to him through being soldiers or guards. He is well known for his kindness, his friendliness, especially in comparison to the tense, terseness of his brother Stannis. He is fond of bright fabrics and shiny armour and that is almost a physical reflection of the way people view him. Although it appears that he is nothing more than a pretty bauble with no power or mind he is far more than that - and that is what attracts people, especially the common folk, to him. He is constantly at ease with his men, affable towards them no matter what their rank. Renly makes himself likeable by simply being himself, which attracts others towards him with little hesitation.

In this way, Renly becomes a foil to both his nephew, Joffrey, and the 'King in the North', Robb Stark. Joffrey is a cruel, malicious boy who celebrates the death of others in melees, threatening to kill a drunk knight for fun and who is deliberately abusive and cruel to his fiancé. Renly, in comparison, hosts tournies with no death, promotes a woman to his Kingsguard and is polite and courteous to his wife - and Catelyn Stark, despite her being an envoy from the North, even defending her against Loras and Brienne. While both Renly and Robb are sensible, kindly men who care for their men and want to be good kings for their people, are also foils for one another. Robb cares little for material things, is a master with a sword and marries a woman for love rather than the politics needed to be king. Renly, on the other hand, enjoys the finer things, finds his strength in the mind rather than the sword and married a Tyrell for the political power it would give him. The differences in their ruling styles shows off Renly's kindness, his keen mind and his taste for fine things, as well as his slightly progressive thoughts (being homosexual and more than happy to elevate a woman to a position of strength and power in his Kingsguard, despite the disapproval).

This charismatic nature is what gives Renly the power to raise an army and take charge - he needs men to take the Iron Throne and men he got. He won the support of Loras' father, Mace Tyrell, and all of his bannermen. With the armies of the Reach and the Stormlands Renly gained around 100,000 men to his side; rather than using these men as a threat to suffocate Robb Stark into submission he instead uses diplomacy to try (and almost succeed) in coercing Catelyn Stark into urging her son to be a symbolic king rather than a real one. Presented as the kind, handsome king that earns the devotion of thousands, it's easy to see how Renly wins over so many within Westeros.

Renly's kindness and charisma doesn't mean that he is impervious to the insecurities that others feel, however. In fact, behind closed doors, Renly comes across as far less confident than his outwards persona gives across; he rejects the idea that he should be king, that he might be a good thing, and is only through Loras that we see this more relaxed, vulnerable side of Renly. Renly finds his strength and confidence in Loras, who offers him encouragement and devotion which he, in turn, returns, giving him all his love and affection even if it can only be shown behind closed doors and in complete privacy.

'whose banner is that? / my own / suppose if we used the same one the battle would be terribly confusing...'

Perhaps the most defining features of Renly's personality is, however, is tendency towards sarcasm and jest - even if it could be regarded as a defensive mechanism. He snarks at his brother without hesitation, perhaps as a way of making him feel somehow lesser or to embarrass him and it comes incredibly easily to him. His banter shows his intelligence, his sharp mind, and his quick wit - he's fast to reply, fast to think of a response and fast to find a way to poke holes in the people he is speaking to. He also seems to understand the best things to use to upset and poke fun at others, especially those he is related to or knows enough about (such as Littlefinger).

His japes and jibes are not always intended to be particularly aggressive, however. Despite his intense and obvious dislike for Littlefinger, they both share verbal jabs with one another that come across as more a test than real insult. He finds this easiness when he is in the small council as well, his wit used as a means to, in some ways, test Ned Stark and poke fun at his nearly always absent brother. Renly is an intelligent man who knows that he has the charisma and brain to back himself up. His teasing is even enough to upset Loras at times, his gentle teasing and reminders of his loss to Brienne enough to have his lover leaving their tent.

While not an obvious aspect of his humour and snark, Renly's teasing and quick-witted sarcasm leads up to him growing confidence from Loras and sniping back at his brother, arguing against him due to his frustration at being teased and prodded without being able to fight back. He also sees himself as the last sane, intelligent mind in King's Landing once his brother is set to die with Joffrey as his heir, leading to his rather misguided attempt to forge an alliance with Ned Stark.

Renly is not just the enforcer of snark in Westeros, however, as sometimes he is the victim of it. His homosexuality and his relationship with Loras seemed to be the worst kept secret - not only did his wife, Loras' sister, know, inviting her brother to get him 'ready' for her, nearly all the Lannisters seemed aware of his inclinations. After his death, Jaime threatens to shove Loras' sword up his arse to a place 'even Renly never found', and Loras even admits that, despite Renly not being one for book learning, he had books with 'drawings that would turn a septon blind'. His sexual preferences were hardly a secret and it was something that was used against him, if not directly, as a means to shatter any confidence and pride he had, the faith his men had in his charisma and his relationship to his wife.

- ★ COURT ALLIANCE: Renly will be with the Seelie court; while he isn't the nicest person in the world and is more than happy to allow others to commit atrocities on his (or his family's) behalf he is, on the whole, regarded as a "good" and respected lord. 
- ★ ABILITIES: He is nothing more than a human man with no magical abilities whatsoever.
- ★ INVENTORY:  His clothing, his blade and a pouch of gold dragons. 

( SAMPLES )

- ★ NETWORK SAMPLE:

[ When the network turns on Renly is looking a mix of irritated and pensive, his chin resting on his hand as he watched the camera. He has taken his time to learn what he can of this new trinket, to try and understand what is going on in this strange new world, but some things have eluded him. It's a tricky little thing and he's curious enough to want to ask questions. ]

Good day, all that may hear me. My name is Renly Baratheon, Lord of Storm's End and brother of Robert of the House Baratheon, the First of His Name, King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm. I would ask a boon of you, if it does not cause much issue.

[ He bows his head in a gentle greeting, better than nothing. He is a lord and he will not lower himself to much more - at least not unless he knows their name. ]

What do you know of this place? In lieu of that could you tell me, perhaps, if my brother is here? If not Robert then I suppose Stannis would do. One is as good as the other these days. [ A shrug. He would rather Robert be here, in all truth, but there's little he can do about that. ] What is our purposes here, in truth? What those creatures said cannot be the whole of it, surely.

- ★ LOG SAMPLE: HERE and HERE.