Salt Council

The **Council of Salt and Rock,** informally known as the **Salt Council,** serves to advise the Iron King on matters of state, both foreign and domestic. The council also provides as an informal platform to raise issues prevalent to the Islands as a whole, with each island sending a representative to speak for them.

The Revenants, though not technically part of the Salt Council, also attend, guarding the king or learning about their next mission from the counselors and the king himself.

The council was dissolved by Rodrik Greyjoy in 103 AC at the end of The Ironborn Civil War.

## History

The Council began in the year 89 AC, when Urragon X Drumm took the Seadragon Throne. It was devised as a way to allow the Ironborn more say in the running of the Iron Kingdom, and to allow the High King to diffuse his responsibilities through his trusted subordinates. Under the reign of his father, Urragon noticed that many aspects of his rule were stymied by poor management, most notable those of commerce, intelligence-gathering and law-keeping.

The council's official name is the Council of Rock and Salt, but it is more colloquially referred to as the "Salt Council" by the people of the Iron Islands, mocking the Small Council of the Greenlanders. The council was designed by King Urragon and his wife, Queen Lyanna. There had been plans to establish the council under King Lodos' rule before his untimely death.

## Positions

There are twelve official positions on the Salt Council, though not all of them are required to attend each meeting, and only rarely are the meetings full. The meeting times of the Council ranges from twice a month to once every three months, simply called when the Iron King requires a particular report, or one of the members has an issue to bring to attention. Smaller matters are often dealt with between the King and the council member in question. The positions of the Salt Council include:

* Harbinger of the Drowned God
* Lawspeaker
* Lord Collector
* Lord Sentinel
* Lord Captain of the Crimson Fleet

The remaining seats are then filled by the respective Heralds of each island.

### Harbinger of the Drowned God

Established under the reign of Lodos Drumm, the Harbinger of the Drowned God serves as the high priest of the drowned faith. Widely regarded as the ‘holiest man in the Iron Islands,” the Harbinger wields authority over every drowned priest. He presides over all of the most important religious ceremonies and personally crowns every new king. Unlike the King’s other councilors, the Harbinger is chosen not by royal appointment but by an assembly of every priest in the Iron Islands.

### Lawspeaker

Tasked with preserving and enforcing the laws of the Iron Islands, the Lawspeaker is the kingdom’s ultimate authority in matters of justice. He is responsible for overseeing executions, presiding over the trials and punishments of traitors, and arbitrating legal disputes that do not demand the king’s personal attention. In cases of treason and other high crimes, the Lawspeaker works closely with both the Lord Sentinel and the Revenants.

### Lord Collector

The High King’s foremost financial adviser, the Lord Collector oversees the kingdom’s wealth. He is responsible for taxation and other matters of economic policy and serves as the keeper of the royal vaults. The Lord Collector also assesses, manages, and distributes the spoils from royally-sanctioned reaving expeditions.

### Lord Sentinel

The Lord Sentinel keeps the High King aware of the schemes and intentions of his enemies, both at home and abroad. He directs all of the spy networks in the Iron Islands’ employ, ensuring that nefarious activity never escapes the King’s notice. The Lord Sentinel works closely with the Queen in his management of the Islands’ information networks, and with the Lawspeaker when overheard whispers demand a response.

### Lord Captain of the Crimson Fleet

The Lord Captain of the Crimson Fleet is the highest naval authority in the Iron Islands, answering only to the High King himself. He directly commands the Crimson Fleet, a royal retinue of one hundred warships, and supervises the numerous fleets of the king’s vassals.

### Heralds

Each of the kingdom’s seven major islands is allowed to select a Herald to serve as a liaison between their home islands and the Salt Council. The Heralds advocate for the interests of their islands’ houses, and are regularly allowed a personal audience with the High King.

They are chosen by an assembly of every noble house of their respective islands, and houses from lesser isles are represented by the nearest major island; the Farwynds of Lonely Light, for example, and represented by Great Wyk. Though Old Wyk could in theory select its own Herald, in practice this position always defaults to the High King himself.

## Current Members

The current members of the Council of Salt and Rock include:

* Harbinger of the Drowned God
* Lawspeaker
* Lord Collector
* Lord Sentinel
* Lord Captain of the Crimson Fleet
* Herald of Blacktyde
* Herald of Great Wyk
* Herald of Harlaw
* Herald of Orkmont
* Herald of Pyke
* Herald of Saltcliffe

## Revenants

The Revenants serve as the king's personal guards, spies, assassins, generals, admirals, infiltrators or champions. The particular responsibilities of each Revenant depends on the skills of the warrior in question; though almost without exception, each Revenant is among the strongest and most capable Ironborn fighters. They serve with the utmost loyalty to the Seadragon Throne, fulfilling the Iron King's wishes and desires wherever he may see fit. It is not an order that serves for life, though the king must personally release a Revenant from service. Their total number depends on how many worthy and interested Ironborn there are.

Being a Revenant is seen as a great honour, and typically those leaving the Revenants are showered in gold and titles, returning to their families rich in glory and wealth.

### Process

The ritual to become a Revenant involves the swearing of oaths in front of the Harbinger of the Drowned God himself and other renowned priests, promising to serve the High King with complete loyalty, to hold nothing back from him, to honour the Drowned God wherever they go, and to serve the Iron Islands until their dying breath, should the Drowned God demand it. Following this, the Harbinger personally drowns each warrior, reviving them and spiritually reviving each one into the new order.

## Dissolution

After Urragon Drumm was killed in Urragon's Folly, the Salt Council was in disarray. It was unofficially dissolved when Veron Greyjoy bent the knee to House Targaryen. Despite this, many of the minor councilors continued their day to day affairs such as the Revenants and Heralds. The council was revived when Sigrun Blacktyde was crowned Queen and the deaths of Veron and Florian Greyjoy. It was largely neutered however as Sigrun left several spots open, such as command of the Crimson Fleet and Lord Sentinel. Aeron Harlaw retained his title as Lawspeaker though was swiftly caught up by other affairs.

The Council was mostly killed or removed at the end of The Ironborn Civil War. Officially it was dissolved at the end of 103 AC by Rodrik Greyjoy, replaced with personal advisors and councilors. Thus ended the last institution of Urragon Drumm.