House Stark

**House Stark of Winterfell** is one of the oldest among the Great Houses of Westeros. They rule over the North, the largest, but scarsely populated region in the continent besides Beyond The Wall. Their title is King in the North and King of Winter.

Their sigil is a running grey direwolf on a White field. Their words are *"Winter is Coming"*

## History

House Stark was founded by the legendary Brandon the Builder, who built the Wall and Winterfell after the Long Night with the aid of giants and the Children of the Forest.

King Brandon the Breaker fought alongside Joramun the King Beyond the Wall to bring down the Night King, who had turned the Wall into his kingdom, and the Night's Watch his army. It is rumored the Night King was the brother of King Brandon.

After the Long Night, House Stark warred against the many petty kings of the region, turning them into their vassals. The last ones to submit were the Boltons of the Dreadfort, becoming their most uneasy allies. Other Houses on the other hand refused to surrender, and were eventually extinguished, such as House Frost, Towers, Amber, Greenwood and Ryder, with their names as their only remaining legacy.

King Jon Stark built the Wolf's Den, while his son Rickard Stark brought the Neck to the realm by marrying the daughter of the last Marsh King. King Rodrik Stark apparently won Bear Island in a wrestling match with an Ironborn and gave it to House Mormont thanks to the death of Loron Greyjoy, the Old Kraken.

One of their most famous members is King Theon Stark, who repelled the Andal invasion alongside house Bolton, slaying warlord Argos Sevenstar and sailing all the way to Andalos, slaughtering hundreds of Andals, and then placing their heads on pikes along the Eastern coast of the North as determent to any would-be conqueror. Later in his lifetime he worked alongside the Night's Watch to defeat a Wildling threat, and it took the Free Folk over a generation to recover. He also killed the son of King Harrag Hoare, Ravos Hoare, known as the Raper and expelled the Ironborn from Bear Island and Cape Kraken.

King Edrick the Snowbeard ruled for nearly a hundred years, but most of his reign consisted of quarreling with his descendants, as well as external threats from Wildlings, Ironborn and House Bolton. Slavers from the Stepstones took over the Wolf's Den when he became feeble.

Edrick's great-grandson, King Brandon Stark, called the Ice-Eyes retook the White Knife from slavers and allowed the freed slaves to sacrifice the slavers to the Old Gods.

King Benjen Stark, known as the Bitter, outlived all of his children and both his wives, leaving him dour and broken. He was succeeded by his grandson Benjen, known as The Sweet, not only for his jovial demeanor, but for his popularity with women during his youth.

King Brandon the Bad easily quelled the rebellion of House Greystark and Bolton, killing the last member of House Greystark, Wulfgar Greystark, in single combat. He only spared House Bolton because his wife was related to them, but he still flayed Lord Bolton as punishment.

King Eyron Stark ruled during the time of Nymeria's war, but his reign was surprisingly free of incident, besides ending the War Across the Water with the Vale.

King Harlon Stark sieged the Dreadfort for over two years until he starved them out, while his younger brother Karlon Stark defeated their allies on the east. Karlon would become the founder of House Karstark.

King Brandon the Shipwright tried to sail across the Sunset Sea, never to return. His son, also named Brandon, in grief for his father's disappearance, burned down the Northern fleet, earning the nickname of the Burner, and leaving the North landlocked since.

Osric Stark was elected Lord Commander of the Night's Watch when he was only ten, the youngest in history, and ruled for nearly sixty years.

A hundred years ago House Stark came into possession of a Valyrian steel sword named *Ice*.

## Known Members

* Brandon the Builder, the founder of House Stark
* King Brandon Stark, called the *Breaker.*
* King Jon Stark. Built the Wolf's Den.
	+ King Rickard Stark, his son. Called the *Laughing Wolf*, brought the Neck to the realm.
* King Rodrik Stark, who won Bear Island on a wrestling match.
* King Theon Stark, called *The Hungry Wolf*. Spent most of his reign fighting.
* King Edrick Stark, called *the Snowbeard*.
	+ King Brandon Stark, called the *Ice-Eyes*. Edrick's great-grandson.
* King Benjen Stark, known as *The Bitter*.
	+ King Benjen Stark, his grandson and successor. Known as *The Sweet*.
* King Brandon Stark, known as *The Bad*. Extinguished his distant kin of House Greystark.
* King Eyron Stark
	+ King Harlon Stark, his eldest son and successor.
	+ Lord Karlon Stark, his younger son. Founder of House Karstark.
* King Brandon *the Shipwright*. Tried to sail across the Sunset Sea, never to return.
	+ his son, King Brandon the Burner. Left the North without power at sea.
* Lord Commander Osric Stark, led the Night's Watch for sixty years.
* King {Dromon Stark}, former King in the North and Torrhen's father.
	+ Queen {Ysabel Stark}, Dromon's wife and Torrhen's mother.
* Lady {Tehrisa Stark}, Dromon's sister. Married to Orson Royce.
* King Torrhen Stark, current King in the North and Lord of Winterfell
	+ his wife Queen Lysa Stark, originally of House Hornwood. Currently pregnant with their fourth child.
		- Prince Beren Stark, their eldest son and heir.
		- Prince Allard Stark, their second son. Currently at The Rills.
		- Princess Lyra Stark, their daughter.
* Brandon Snow, bastard brother of King Torrhen.

## Retainers

* Harrold Hornwood, member of House Stark's royal guard.
* Eon Dustin, member of Winterfell's royal guard.
* Mace Crowl, Ward of King Torrhen.
* Jorn Mormont, member of Winterfell's court.

## Sworn Houses

* House Karstark of Karhold
* House Bolton of the Dreadfort
* House Manderly of White Harbor
* House Umber of Last Hearth
* House Hornwood of Hornwood
* House Mormont of Bear Island
* House Reed of Greywater Watch
* House Cerwyn of Cerwyn
* House Tallhart of Torrhen's Square
* House Dustin of Barrowtown
* House Glover of Deepwood Motte
* House Forrester of Ironrath
* House Degore of Degore's Cliff
* House Flint of Widow's Watch
* House Flint of Flint's Finger
* House Locke of Oldcastle
* House Ryswell of the Rills
* House Ironsmith
* House Lightfoot
* House Waterman
* House Slate of Blackpool
* House Whitehill of High Point
* House Bloodboar
* House Lake
* House Mollen
* House Moss
* Mountain Clans
	+ House Wull
	+ House Flint of the mountains
	+ House Liddle
	+ House Harclay
	+ House Norrey
	+ House Burley
	+ House Knott
* Houses from Skagos
	+ House Magnar of Kingshouse
	+ House Crowl of Deepdown
	+ House Stane of Driftwood Hall