House Greyjoy

Son of the Sea Winds

**House Greyjoy of Pyke** is one of the Great Houses of Westeros. It rules over the Iron Islands, a harsh and bleak collection of forbidding islands off the west coast of Westeros, from the Seastone Chair in the castle of Pyke on the island of the same name. The head of the family is traditionally known as the Lord Reaper of Pyke.

Their sigil is a golden kraken on a black field, and their house motto is "*We Do Not Sow*." Members of the family tend to be attractive and well-built, with black hair.

Descended from Theon Greyjoy and Gysella Goodbrother. The Iron Islands were wary to follow King Stannis, the man whom had destroyed their fleet off of Fair Isle all those years ago, as well as Theon Greyjoy, whom they saw as another Greenlander. His marriage to Lord Goodbrother’s eldest daughter was able to calm some of the storm, but he was never fully trusted by the ironmen. Nevertheless, the Iron Islands would prosper under his leadership, with his allies in the North backing him all the way.

 History

###  Before the Second Era

The Greyjoys of Pyke claim descent from the Grey King of the Age of Heroes. Legend says the Grey King ruled not only the western isles but the sea itself, and took a mermaid to wife.

In the era when the ironborn chose their rulers through the kingsmoot, only Houses Greyiron and Goodbrother produced more kings than the Greyjoys. For instance, the Old Kraken, Loron Greyjoy, was chosen as a King of the Iron Islands in a kingsmoot. The iron lords, including the Greyjoys, intermarried with the victorious Andals when they invaded the Iron Isles.

Come the Wars of Conquest, King Harren the Black of House Hoare ruled all the lands between the mountains, from The Neck to the Blackwater Rush. When Harren and his sons perished in the burning of Harrenhal, Aegon Targaryen granted the riverlands to Edmyn Tully of House Tully. The surviving lords of the Iron Islands fell into chaotic squabbling, leading Aegon to invade the islands to subdue them. After they bent the knee Aegon allowed them to revive their ancient custom and chose who should have the primacy among them. They chose Lord Vickon Greyjoy of Pyke.

Thus relegated to their dismal homeland and constrained by the king's peace, the Greyjoys have kept themselves distant from the other Great Houses, rarely taking part in events on the mainland (which they call the "green lands"), even when asked.

At various times the Greyjoys have tried to return to their ancient practices of raiding the western coastlines. At the beginning of the Dance of the Dragons, the Lord Reaper of Pyke, Dalton Greyjoy, was offered the position of master of ships to replace Ser Tyland Lannister, who had been made Master of Coin of King Aegon II Targaryen. Dalton, the Red Kraken, instead sacked Lannisport and sent the ironborn to raid the coasts, capturing Kayce and Faircastle on Fair Isle. Dalton defied the Iron Throne for two years, but he was eventually murdered in Faircastle.

Lord Dagon and the ironmen later raided the coastal areas of Westeros, sacking the town of Little Dosk. Lord Beron Stark gathered swords and House Lannister built ships in an effort to drive Lord Dagon and his ironmen back to the Iron Islands, and Dagon was ultimately unable to resist the Targaryens.

Lord Quellon Greyjoy tried to reform the ironborn and integrate them with the mainland, but he was killed late in Robert's Rebellion. His son, Lord Balon Greyjoy, rejected Quellon's reforms and desired a return to the Old Way. He created the Iron Fleet and led his own rebellion against the Iron Throne, declaring himself King of the Iron Islands, like many of his ancestors. Despite initiating several strong early strikes, such as burning of the Lannister fleet at anchor, he was defeated. Balon's own fleet under the command of his brother Victarion burned and his two eldest sons Rodrik and Maron were slain during the war. His last son Theon was given as a hostage and ward to Lord Eddard Stark after he swore fealty to House Baratheon of King's Landing.

## The Battle of the Krakens

It was no little surprise that Euron and Victarion were unhappy with the way that Balon Greyjoy ruled.  They were Ironmen, they needed to raid, to live the Old Way, not cower on their Islands while everything else went to shit. Instead, Balon had called back all of his ships and men and waited for the opportune time to strike. Westeros was at War, but the Iron Islands stayed neutral, waiting for the greenlanders to grow soft and thin themselves out. Then it would be a good time to strike the lands, when the armies were weakened and they had a better chance of pillaging.

Euron had another plan. With Victarion whispering in his ear, persuading him to fight, to be of iron, to rule, Euron confronted Balon. There was screaming. There was yelling. There were threats. Men of Iron did not sit around and wait. They had the men, they had the ships, why not raid? They settled on a game that they had played when they were younger- fingerdancing. Balon was dead, Victarion - missing a hand, and Euron, bloodied all over. In the midst of antagonizing Victarion, Euron was cut short by an axe to the throat- silencing him forever. The wounds for Victarion were grave though and soon after he succumbed to infection.

## The Rise of the Greenlander and the She-Kraken's Rebellion

The lands of salt and sea died a little the day that Theon Greyjoy, theGreencloak, the Greenlander, the Wolfshagger  was named Lord Reaper of the Iron Islands. Many swore to never obey one that would turn so quickly for the Greenlands and would rather have his sister, Asha Greyjoy, as Lord Reaper.  Balon was set with Asha being heir, but Euron thought otherwise, as a woman could never sit on the Seastone chair. Asha was furious.  How could she, the very epitome of all things Iron, be skipped over by a man-child who did nothing for the islands that he once called home. Many of the lords supported her cause, but when the Kraken’s Daughter rebelled against her own, not many would follow suit. She was struck down in a battle on sea, The Kraken’s Daughter against The Grey Storm. Theon Greyjoy proved to be not as green as they all have thought ( or had a bit of luck on his side), Asha’s ship was surrounded and sunk. Her body never was recovered and yet another Greyjoy to feast with the Drowned One.

To appease the Lords, Theon married Gisella Goodbrother, the eldest daughter of one of the lords who feverently disliked him the most. This had sated their bloodlust for now, for Gisella was just as stubborn and devoted to the Drowned One that Asha was. While the lord  ruled, the lady told him what to say, what to do. Yet Theon still kept in contact with Robb Stark and kept his ties to the North.heon and Robb had further cemented their ties and friendship by marrying a Stark daughter to the heir of the Iron Islands, binding the two great houses.

Until the Second Targaryen Rebellion, things were quiet. The Ironborn raided Essosi pirates and traders, staying clear of anything Westrosi.

## Recent History

### The Third Targaryen Rebellion  and The Liberation of the Riverlands

The Ironborn under Halfthor Greyjoy’s rule, never inserted themselves into the conflicts of others. The Ironborn prospered by raids to Essos and the pillaging of Essosi ships. One may even call Halfthor’s rule peaceful in the eyes of the Ironborn. The realm did not mess with the Ironborn and the ironmen did not stick their nose into the ways of Westeros. Words did travel though; Of Dorne, of the Stormlands and the Reach.  Halfthor’s two eldest sons, Balthazar and Sigfryd, along with a group of ironmen, traveled back from the Free Cities, having found most of what young men lust for: women, gold and a name. The Iron Islands were given a letter from the king stating that they were allowed to raid the Targaryen controlled Riverlands as well as any Essosi ship with Targaryen colours.

Halfthor took no time to rally forces and separate them: the more advanced to Essos, to raid the Dragon’s ships, and the rest to the Riverlands. Balthazar and Sigryd Greyjoy took the other part of the fleet to the Riverlands where they reaved and liberated both Seagard and Fairmarket.  Balthazar proved himself a leader because during the raiding, freeing the two keeps and maintaining a heavy presence, much like his ancestors of old did.. They were slow to give up the two steads, begrudgingly going back to sea once Stannis and his forces arrived.

Losing these two steads made Aelyx realize that he needed to back down.

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