Riverlands

### Castles

Acorn Hall • Harrenhal • Pinkmaiden • Raventree Hall • Seagard]] • Stone Hedge]] • The Twins

### Places of note

The Blackwater Rush • The Cape of
Eagles • Gods Eye • High Heart • The Hollow Hill • The Inn at the
Crossroads • Ironman's Bay • The Isle of Faces • The Neck • The Trident • The Whispering Wood

### Age

282

The **Riverlands** is one of the constituent regions of the Seven Kingdoms. They have been a frequent battleground in the civil wars that have afflicted the Seven Kingdoms and also in the wars that took place between the old nations of the continent before the Targaryen Conquest. During the time of the First Men, the Riverlands were an independent kingdom known as the Kingdom of the River and the Hills.

Located roughly in the center of the continent, and with few geographical boundaries such as mountains, for centuries it has been a borderland between surrounding strong kingdoms. The Riverlands were ruled by the ironborn at the time of the Targaryen Conquest, and Aegon the Conqueror's assault was assisted by a popular uprising led by House Tully. For this reason, the Riverlands didn't have a king at the time of the invasion, and the Riverlands are not technically counted as one of the "Seven" Kingdoms (instead essentially making up the eighth "kingdom") . However, for administrative purposes, the Riverlands and their rulers are equal to any other region of the realm.

Bastards born in the Riverlands are given the surname **Rivers**.

## Geography

The Riverlands are dominated by the watershed of the Trident River, so-called because of its three major tributaries - the Green Fork, the Blue Fork, and the Red Fork - which converge at Ruby Ford in the east. The Green Fork is the northernmost, running north-to-south almost up to the Neck near the entrance to the Stark-held North. The Green Fork is only traversable via the castle-bridge complex known as the Twins ruled by House Frey. Thus, large armies attempting to move into or out of the North are faced with only two, predictable choices: travel along the Kingsroad as it crosses the Ruby Ford to the east, or cross the Green Fork at the Twins to the west, which requires paying an often steep toll to House Frey. The Blue Fork is south of the Green Fork, and terminates near Seagard. The Red Fork is the southernmost and winds its way through the heart of the Riverlands, between the Red Fork and the Gods Eye lake further south. After it passes Riverrun castle, the capital of the Riverlands, the Red Fork passes further to the south and west until it reaches the borders of the Westerlands held by House Lannister.

On the whole, the Riverlands possess few natural defenses or borders. They are bordered to the west and the east by mountains, but these are possessed by the Westerlands and the Vale of Arryn respectively. Rather, these are natural defenses that the Westerlands and Vale possess *against* the Riverlands. The extensive swamps and narrow isthmus of the Neck also form an effective natural barrier, but these are part of the North under the Starks, again more of a defense against invasion from the Riverlands than the other way around. The southern border of the Riverlands is more or less formed by the upper reaches of the Blackwater River, but this is not a particular impediment to travel between the Riverlands and the Reach to the south. To the southeast, the Riverlands border the Crownlands, but this is purely administrative and not a geographical border. Further, the northwest coast of the Riverlands sits on Ironman's Bay, and is thus open to raiding from the Iron Islands.

All told, the Riverlands border five other regions of the Seven Kingdoms, six if the water border with the Iron Islands is counted (and which due to frequent ironborn coastal raids, it usually is). Thus the Riverlands match the Reach in bordering the largest number of other regions in the Seven Kingdoms. However, the Reach has some natural defenses, such as the Red Mountains along its eastern border, and a large coastline which (while open to ironborn raiding) isn't as open to attack as the long land borders of the Riverlands, which are not very defensible. The Reach is located in the southwest corner of Westeros, while the Riverlands are surrounded on all sides by powerful neighbors. Further, the Riverlands are still fairly close to the Stormlands, to the point that the Stormlands conquered and ruled the Riverlands for 300 years before the Targaryen Conquest (before being pushed out by the Iron Islands).

The Riverlands have a true temperate climate with warm summers and moderately cold winters, which increase in severity north of the Neck. Rainfall is moderate and adequate providing for the fertility of the region.

### Castles

* Riverrun, the seat of House Tully, the ruling House of the Riverlands. Located on the Red Fork of the Trident.
	+ Harrenhal, the seat of House Whent, the largest castle in Westeros. Thought by some to be cursed, as every noble House that it was given to died out.
	+ Raventree Hall, the seat of House Blackwood.
	+ Seagard, the seat of House Mallister.
	+ Stone Hedge, the seat of House Bracken.
	+ The Twins, the seat of House Frey.
	+ Pinkmaiden
	+ Acorn Hall, the seat of House Smallwood.

### Towns and settlements

* Maidenpool, the seat of House Mooton, a port-town near the borders with the Crownlands
* Stoney Sept
* Saltpans
* Pennytree
* Mummer's Ford
* Wendish Town
* Fairmarket
* The Inn at the Crossroads

### Forests and hills

* The Hollow Hill
* High Heart
* Whispering Wood

### Coastal areas

* The Cape of Eagles
* Ironman's Bay

### Lakes and rivers

* The Trident
	+ The Blue Fork
	+ The Red Fork
	+ The Green Fork
* Blackwater Rush
* Gods Eye
	+ Isle of Faces, an island in the Gods Eye

## Military

House Tully commanded a formidable military, capable of fielding thousands of men. As Lord Paramount of the Trident, the Riverlands' forces are the strongest within their respective region. Due to the disadvantageous location of the Riverlands, House Tully relies on strategic marriages with the other Great houses. Thus, securing the necessary support of more formidable houses, such as House Stark and House Arryn. Nevertheless, it is clear that Riverlands field well-provisioned and well-armed forces possibly rivaling the Reach, in terms of logistics.

Riverlands soldiers seem to be well-provisioned, yet still far behind to the Lannisters and the Tyrells. This is particularly evidenced by the uniformity of their army, due to the Riverlands fertile lands supplying high-quality to the Tully soldiers.

The total forces of the Riverlands are estimated to number around 10,000 men.