Vale of Arryn

The Vale of Arryn, often referred to simply as the Vale, is one of the constituent regions of the Seven Kingdoms. Prior to the War of Conquest, it was a sovereign nation known as the Kingdom of the Mountain and the Vale. It is ruled by House Arryn from their stronghold, the Eyrie. Protected and surrounded by the Mountains of the Moon, the Vale is isolated from the rest of Westeros and is accessible only during warmer seasons.
Bastards born in the Vale are given the surname Stone.
The Vale is where the Andals first landed and assailed from during their invasion of Westeros six thousand years ago, though as settlement patterns became established, The Reach became the main population center and cultural heartland of the Andals. Still, because of its isolated, mountainous terrain, noble families from the Vale are said to have among the purest Andal bloodlines within Westeros. While some other noble families on the continent can claim the same, the Vale is unique to this as a region.
There are many small tribes who inhabit the foothills of the Mountains of the Moon. These tribes are commonly known as the hill tribes, and they reject the rule of House Arryn. Although they are dangerous to passing travelers, their lack of organization and less advanced weaponry means they pose little threat to the rest of Westeros.
During the War of the Five Kings, under the regency of Lady Lysa Arryn after the death of Jon Arryn, the Vale followed a strict policy of neutrality until the very last stages of the conflict and was thus able to keep its resources and army, the formidable knights of the Vale, nearly intact. The young Lord Robin Arryn, under the wing of the manipulative Lord Protector Petyr Baelish, consented to join the war when they came to the aid of their old allies of House Stark in their campaign to retake Winterfell and the North from House Bolton at the Battle of the Bastards. In the aftermath of the battle, the lords of the Vale and the North hailed Jon Snow, bastard of House Stark, as the King in the North, thus seceding from the sovereignty of the Iron Throne and joining the Kingdom of the North until Jon pledged himself to Daenerys Targaryen during her invasion. Robin chose to recognize Gendry Baratheon, the true born male child of King Robert I Baratheon as the new king after her assassination.
== Geography ==
Unlike the Westerlands, the mountains of the Vale are much less hospitable and more difficult to traverse. While the mountains of the Westerlands are filled with precious metals such as gold and silver, the mountains of the Vale are not particularly rich in resources. The valleys scattered between the harsh mountains, however, are as fertile as any in the Riverlands. The Vale's mountains are well-known for their strategic defensibility.
* The Eyrie, the regional capital and the seat of House Arryn.
** Bloody Gate, a stronghold on the road to the Eyrie, controlled by the Knights from House Arryn.
** Heart's Home, the seat of House Corbray, a castle located on the north shore of the Narrow Sea.
** Runestone, the seat of House Royce, a castle located east of the Eyrie.
** Ironoaks, the seat of House Waynwood, a castle located east of the Eyrie on the coast of the Narrow Sea.
** Fingers , the seat of House Baelish, a castle located northeast of the Eyrie.
** Redfort, the seat of House Redfort, a castle located southeast of the Eyrie.
=== Towns and cities ===
* Three Sisters, the seat of House Sunderland, a complex of islands
** Longsister, the biggest island and the seat of House Longthorpe.
** Sweetsister, the biggest town on the Three Sisters, controlled by House Borrell.
** Littlesister, the smallest island and the seat of House Torrent.
* Wickenden, a town in the south of the Vale, controlled by House Waxley.
* Gulltown, the only city in the Vale and a major port, controlled by House Grafton.
=== Regions ===
* The Fingers, a series of peninsulas in the north of the Vale.
* The Mountains of the Moon, the mountain range that dominates the Vale.
==== Coastal areas ====
* The Bite, a bay separating the Vale from the North.
** The Three Sisters, a group of islands in the Bite.
** The Paps, an island northeast of the Fingers.
** Pebble, a small island east of the Three Sisters.
Category:Locations
Category:Vale
Category:Westeros