House Lannister

Sigil of House Lannister

**House Lannister of Casterly Rock** is one of the Great Houses of Seven Kingdoms, and the principal house of the westerlands. Their seat is Casterly Rock, though House Lannister of Lannisport|another branch exists that is based in nearby Lannisport. Their sigil is a golden lion on a field of crimson. Their official motto is "Hear Me Roar!" However, their unofficial motto, equally well known, is "A Lannister always pays his debts."The Warden of the West is a Lannister by tradition.

Fair-haired, tall, and handsome, the Lannisters are the blood of Andal adventurers who carved out a mighty kingdom in the western hills and valleys. Through the female line they boast of descent from Lann the Clever, the legendary trickster of the Age of Heroes who tricked the members of House Casterly into giving him Casterly Rock during the era of the First Men. The Lannisters reigned as Kings of the Rock until the Targaryen conquest, when they were defeated at the Field of Fire. Though King Loren I Lannister escaped, he was captured the next day by Targaryen forces. His surrender to Aegon the Conqueror convinced Aegon to allow the Lannisters to remain the liege lords of the westerlands.

The current Lord of Casterly Rock is Victor Lannister,Members of the family tend to have golden hair and emerald green eyes.

## History

### First Men Kings

The Lannisters suddenly appear as First Men in historical records of the Age of Heroes, ruling large portions of the westerlands from Casterly Rock just as the Casterlys vanished from the chronicles. They claim descent from Lann the Clever, the legendary figure who tricked the Casterlys from their seat, Casterly Rock.

### Andal Kings

During the Andal invasion of Westeros, House Lannister initially fought the invading Andal warlords and adventurers that ventured into the westerlands but then took a policy of arranging marriages between them and the daughters of the local First Men houses. They also took Andal sons and daughters as wards and fosterlings at Casterly Rock to prevent betrayals such as those that had happened in the Vale. In time, the Lannister kings also wed their children to Andals, and when King Gerold III died without male issue, a council crowned the Andal husband of Gerold's only daughter, Ser Joffrey Lydden, who took the Lannister name. Thus the Lannisters became an Andal house, though their First Men name lived on.

The gold of Casterly Rock, Castamere, the Pendric Hills and the Golden Tooth has made them the wealthiest of the Great Houses. The keep at Casterly Rock sits on top of a gold mine, built into the very rock. From that lofty yet uncomfortable position, House Lannister rules over the westerlands and influences all of Westeros, by virtue of the kingdom's purse strings.

House Lannister possessed an ancestral Valyrian steel greatsword called Brightroar, but it was lost when King Tommen II Lannister went on a quest to Valyria and never returned. The Lannisters have been looking for a replacement ever since, though they have not stopped looking for their own lost ancestral sword.

Hagon Hoare, King of the Iron Islands, allowed his mother, the dowager queen Lelia Lannister, to be mutilated by the Shrike. Her nephew, the King of the Rock, began a war which left the Iron Islands impoverished.

### Targaryen Era

When the Wars of Conquest began and Aegon the Conqueror swept through the land, Loren I, King of the Rock, sided with Mern IX Gardener, King of the Reach, against the Targaryens. The two armies met in the Reach, where the combined might of the Reach and the Rock broke Aegon's army. Their army, dubbed by historians 'The Host of the Two Kings', numbered fifty-five thousand men; five thousand of them mounted knights, while the Targaryens had only ten thousand men, many of uncertain loyalty and reliability. With their smaller force severely weakened and in danger of routing, Aegon and his sisters deployed all three dragons at once; the only time this happened during Aegon's Conquest. Their combined fires scoured the battlefield, immolating more than four thousand men (including King Mern and his heirs) and giving the battle its name: The Field of Fire.After he was captured, King Loren the Last bent the knee and was allowed to remain Lord of Casterly Rock and became the first Warden of the West.

The Lannisters were also involved in the Targaryen civil war, the Dance of the Dragons. It was a contest of claims between Viserys I Targaryen's issue, Rhaenyra Targaryen, by his first wife Aemma of House Arryn and his issue, Aegon II Targaryen by his second wife Alicent of House Hightower. The head of House Lannister at that time, Lord Jason Lannister, supported the greens, along with his brother Ser Tyland Lannister, the master of ships and a member of the small council during the reign of Viserys I Targaryen. Tyland was named master of coin at the start of the Dance, and he seized the royal treasury and divided crown's gold into four parts. One part was entrusted to the care of the Iron Bank of Braavos for safekeeping, another sent under strong guard to Casterly Rock and a third to Oldtown. The remaining wealth was used by the greens for bribes and gifts and hiring sellswords. Lord Jason was killed in the Battle at the Red Fork, leaving Casterly Rock in disarray. The Lannister host under Lord Lefford was then shattered in the Battle by the Lakeshore, the bloodiest battle of the war. After the fall of King's Landing, Tyland was given to torturers in the hopes of recovering some of the crown's treasure.

Several decades later, during the First Blackfyre Rebellion, Lord Damon Lannister remained loyal to the Targaryens. The great rebel general Ser Quentyn Ball defeated him outside the gates of Lannisport. Damon and his heir Ser Tybolt participated in the tourney at Ashford Meadow. Damon was defeated in the first tilt by Lord Leo "Longthorn" Tyrell, while his son defeated his opponent to become a champion. Tybolt inherited the lordship from Damon when the latter died of the Great Spring Sickness. Gerold Lannister was a suitor to Lady Rohanne Webber but much preferred to remain at Casterly Rock with his brother Tybolt. When Lord Dagon Greyjoy raided the western coast during the early reign of Aerys I Targaryen, House Lannister built ships to fight him at sea.

### Tywin Lannister

In more recent times, during the lordship of Tytos Lannister, the house fell on hard times. Tytos's weakness allowed him to be bullied by his vassals, Houses Reyne and Tarbeck. Eventually his son Tywin crushed the Reyne-Tarbeck revolt and restored the house to its former glory. Soon thereafter, Tywin was made Hand of the King by Aerys II Targaryen, holding that position for many years. When Aerys was held hostage by Denys Darklyn, Tywin's conservative approach took six months to resolve the conflict. This instigated Aerys's paranoia and drove a wedge between the two, along with the king's lusting after Joanna Lannister, Tywin's wife, cousin, and trusted confidante.

Despite Tywin's attempts to ensure a strong legacy, life at Casterly Rock was dysfunctional at best. His twin children, Cersei and Jaime, began an incestuous relationship at an early age. Tywin was never a jovial man, but when Joanna died birthing their third child, Tyrion, he was much saddened. His brother, Kevan, became his right hand and their sister, Genna, took a maternal role over the children. His second brother, Tygett, died of a pox, and their youngest brother, Gerion, sailed off on a journey to Valyria, never to be seen again.

Cersei, while a young maid, visited a woods witch called Maggy the Frog, who shared portents of Cersei's future that planted seeds of her paranoia. Cersei possibly murdered her friend Melara Hetherspoon, who had witnessed the prophecy. Tyrion, when thirteen years old, was out with Jaime when he met and married a girl named Tysha, a match which was quickly and savagely ended by their father. Tywin offered Tyrion to Houses Martell, Hightower, Royce, Florent and Tully, but he was rejected by all. Jaime was a promising young knight, dubbed by Ser Arthur Dayne. Tywin was devastated when Jaime joined King Aery's Kingsguard, breaking off a betrothal to Lysa Tully. Upon this action (which he perceived as Aerys "stealing" his heir), coupled with the Mad King's refusal to wed Prince Rhaegar Targaryen to Cersei, Tywin resigned the Handship. This flew in the face of Jaime's plan, which was to be closer to Cersei: he was kept in King's Landing while Cersei returned to Casterly Rock.

### Robert's Rebellion

The Lannisters stayed neutral for the majority of Robert's Rebellion. Only after the defeat of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen in the Battle of the Trident did Lord Tywin Lannister bestir himself to join Lord Robert Baratheon against House Targaryen. Although Lord Varys objected, Grand Maester Pycelle, a Lannister loyalist, convinced King Aerys II Targaryen to open the capital's gates. During the Sack of King's Landing, Ser Jaime Lannister, still a Kingsguard, slew Aerys, the last crowned Targaryen king. Meanwhile, Ser Gregor Clegane and Ser Amory Lorch, two of Tywin's knights, killed Rhaegar's family to prove House Lannister's commitment to Robert's cause.

Afterwards, Tywin's daughter Cersei was wed to the new king, Robert I. Tya Lannister had been the last Lannister to marry a member of House Baratheon, Gowen Baratheon, before the marriage of Robert and Cersei.

### Baratheon Era

The royal marriage and the increasing amount of gold Robert I Baratheon owes to Lord Tywin Lannister have only increased Lannister power. Much of Tywin's energy is directed inward, ensuring all of his relatives do their part to uphold the family name.

On behalf of Balon Greyjoy, Lord of the Iron Islands, Euron and Victarion Greyjoy began Greyjoy's Rebellion with the burning of the Lannister fleet.Template:Ref Tywin joined Robert and Lord Eddard Stark in invading the Iron Islands, however, and the rebellion was defeated.

Tywin attended the tourney on Prince Joffrey's name day in King's Landing. Queen Cersei Lannister and her children accompanied Tywin during his return to Casterly Rock; en route they were informed of the death of Jon Arryn, Robert's Hand of the King.

### *A Game of Thrones*

King Robert I Baratheon travels to Winterfell to ask his childhood friend, Lord Eddard Stark, to succeed Lord Jon Arryn as Hand of the King. The king is accompanied by Queen Cersei Lannister, their children, and Cersei's twin, Ser Jaime of the Kingsguard.Lysa Arryn, the sister of Eddard's wife Catelyn, sends a letter accusing Cersei and her family of having murdered Jon. One of Eddard's sons, Bran Stark, witnesses the twins fornicating in the First Keep, and Jaime throws the boy from the tower.Bran survives but is left comatose.

King Robert names Jaime the new Warden of the East instead of Jon's young son, Lord Robert Arryn. Two of Cersei's cousins, Lancel Lannister and Tyrek Lannister, attend Robert as squires. Tyrion Lannister, the younger brother of Cersei and Jaime, visits the Night's Watch at Castle Black.

An assassin attempts to kill Bran with a Valyrian steel dagger. His mother, Catelyn, travels to King's Landing, where her childhood friend, Lord Petyr Baelish, informs her he had lost the dagger to Tyrion. Catelyn later captures Tyrion at the crossroads inn, although he denies any involvement in attacking Bran. Instead of Winterfell, Catelyn brings Tyrion to the Eyrie, where Lysa accuses him of having murdered Jon Arryn. Tyrion wins his freedom through Bronn's victory in trial by combat. While traveling the high road through the Vale of Arryn, Tyrion gains the mountain clans as his allies.

Meanwhile, Tyrion's capture by Catelyn prompted his father, Lord Tywin Lannister, to send Ser Gregor Clegane into the riverlands in an attempt to draw her husband, Lord Stark, into the field, hoping to capture him for an exchange. Eddard, however, is waylaid on the streets of King's Landing by an angry Jaime and is injured in the melee.Jaime rides for Casterly Rock, and Eddard sends Lord Beric Dondarrion to bring Gregor to justice.

Eddard discovers that Cersei's children—Prince Joffrey, Princess Myrcella, and Prince Tommen Baratheon—were fathered not by King Robert, but by the queen's brother, Jaime. Cersei fears for her children if Eddard informs Robert of her children's parentage. She has her cousin Lancel, Robert's squire, supply the king with strongwine during a boar hunt,resulting in Robert receiving a mortal wound in the kingswood. Eddard intends for Stannis Baratheon to succeed his elder brother Robert instead of King Joffrey, Cersei refuses Eddard's warning to flee King's Landing, and she has Eddard imprisoned with the aid of Petyr Baelish and the gold cloaks. Tywin is named Hand of the King to Joffrey and Jaime, despite his absence, is named Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, replacing Ser Barristan Selmy.

War breaks out in the Seven Kingdoms, with Jaime winning victories over the river lords at the Golden Tooth and Riverrun. Meanwhile, Tywin and his brother, Ser Kevan Lannister, capture several castles in the riverlands.{ Eddard's son, Robb Stark, marches south with a host of northmen to rescue his father, however.

Tywin repels one Stark army under Lord Roose Bolton in the battle on the Green Fork, during which Tyrion and his clansmen participate. Roose's force turns out to have been a feint, however. Unexpectedly aided by House Frey, Robb captures Jaime in the Whispering Wood and breaks the Lannister siege of Riverrun in the Battle of the Camps.

The small council intends for Eddard to take the black if he admits to treason. Joffrey orders the execution of Lord Stark, however, ruining any chance of peace. With the captured Jaime lost to him, Tywin orders Tyrion to act as Hand in the capital while Tywin campaigns in the riverlands.

### *A Clash of Kings*

Robert I Baratheon's brothers, Stannis and Renly, each contest Joffrey I Baratheon's right to the Iron Throne, while Robb Stark has been named King in the North and King of the Trident. The conflict becomes known as the War of the Five Kings. Lord Tywin Lannister encamps at Harrenhal so that he can defend King's Landing from attack. Ser Stafford Lannister begins to train another Lannister army in the westerlands. Tywin forbade Tyrion Lannister from bringing a prostitute, Shae, to the capital, but Tyrion brings her anyway.

Tyrion, as acting Hand of the King, and Cersei, as Joffrey's regent, compete for influence in King's Landing, with Tyrion constantly outmaneuvering her. Desperate for allies, Tyrion makes moves to ally with House Martell. Part of this involves betrothing Joffrey's sister, Princess Myrcella Baratheon, to Prince Trystane Martell. After her ship leaves port, the royal party is caught up in the riot of King's Landing provoked by King Joffrey. Tyrek Lannister has wed to Ermesande Hayford so that the Lannisters can claim her lands, but Tyrek disappears during the riot.

Ser Jaime Lannister languishes in the dungeon of Riverrun, despite Tyrion's attempt to free him. Cersei replaces her twin in her bed with their cousin, Ser Lancel Lannister. Tyrion blackmails Lancel into spying for him. Cersei threatens Alayaya, whom she thinks is Tyrion's whore, and Tyrion threatens Cersei's children in return.

Robb Stark bypasses the Golden Tooth, destroys Stafford's army in the Battle of Oxcross, and raids the westerlands. After Renly is assassinated and Stannis begins to besiege Storm's End, Tywin's army marches from Harrenhal to confront Robb. The westermen are prevented access to their homelands across the Red Fork by Ser Edmure Tully, who is victorious in the Battle of the Fords. Stannis captures Storm's End sooner than expected and marches on King's Landing.

Tywin is close enough to King's Landing to defend the city when he hears of Stannis's impending attack. Due to Tywin's presence, Tyrion's defensive preparations, and a new alliance with House Tyrell negotiated by Lord Petyr Baelish, the Lannisters are able to defeat Stannis in the Battle of the Blackwater, despite nearly suffering a rout of the gold cloaks when Cersei withdraws King Joffrey from the city walls. Podrick Payne saves Tyrion from Ser Mandon Moore during the battle.

Following the Blackwater, most of Stannis's bannermen declare for Joffrey, and Lord Tywin takes up rule as Hand in his own right. A wounded Lancel receives Darry, forming House Lannister of Darry.

Within the dungeon of Riverrun, Jaime admits to Catelyn Stark that he had thrown Bran Stark from the First Keep, but he denies having sent the catspaw.

### *A Storm of Swords*

Catelyn Stark, having heard of the supposed deaths of two of her sons Bran and Rickon at the hands of the turncloak Theon Greyjoy, releases Jaime from captivity at Riverrun in an attempt to covertly exchange him for her daughters, Sansa and Arya. Unknown to most is that Arya escaped King's Landing long ago.Template:Ref Brienne of Tarth and Ser Cleos Frey, the son of Jaime's aunt Genna, escort Jaime toward King's Landing. After sending his horsemen to search the riverlands for Jaime, Lord Rickard Karstark murders two of Robb Stark's captives, Jaime's cousins Tion Frey and Willem Lannister. Cleos is eventually killed by outlaws near Maidenpool and Brienne and Jaime are captured by the Brave Companions. Their leader, Vargo Hoat, has Zollo chop off Jaime's sword hand.

Tywin refuses to appoint Tyrion as heir to Casterly Rock, instead making him master of coin and wedding him to Sansa for her claim to Winterfell and denying House Tyrell the chance to wed her to Willas. Tywin's brother and right hand, Ser Kevan Lannister, is named master of laws. Tywin also betroths Joffrey to Margaery Tyrell, and tries to re-wed Cersei, this time to Willas, but Lord Mace Tyrell refuses under pressure from his mother, Olenna. Cersei is shunned from the small council, and Tywin disregards her regency over Joffrey, insisting she follow her father's commands. Tywin restores the title of Warden of the East to House Arryn and also reinstates Pycelle as Grand Maester when he hears the Citadel plans to grant the title to a Tyrell uncle, Gormon Tyrell.

When Tywin discovers that Robb Stark has wed Jeyne Westerling, a daughter of one of his minor bannermen, Lord Gawen Westerling, instead of a daughter of Lord Walder Frey, Tywin begins plotting with Jeyne's mother, Sybell Spicer, the slighted Lord Frey, and the opportunistic Lord Roose Bolton. The Brave Companions bring Jaime to Harrenhal, which is held by Lord Bolton and Ser Aenys Frey. Instead of returning Jaime to Lord Edmure Tully at Riverrun, Roose decides to send his captive on to King's Landing while leaving Brienne with Vargo. Jaime returns to Harrenhal in time to rescue Brienne from Harrenhal's bear pit. Steelshanks Walton escorts them to the capital and Qyburn treats Jaime's stump.

Tywin's treachery is accomplished in the wedding of Edmure Tully to Roslin Frey at the Twins, where Robb, Catelyn, and many others are murdered under guest right. The Starks and Tullys are ousted from power, replaced respectively by the Lannister-backed Boltons and Freys, although Lord Petyr Baelish has been named Lord Paramount of the Trident. Tywin negotiates marriages to Freys for Ser Lancel Lannister, Ser Daven Lannister, and Joy Hill. Most of the Stark and Tully bannermen grudgingly return to the king's peace after the Red Wedding. With Renly Baratheon and Robb dead, Stannis Baratheon repelled and with few followers, and the Greyjoys concentrating on the north, Lannister power is at its zenith.

When King Joffrey unexpectedly dies at his wedding feast, Cersei wrongfully accuses Tyrion of the deed. Joffrey's younger brother, Tommen Baratheon, becomes king. Tywin is a judge at Tyrion's trial, along with Mace Tyrell and Prince Oberyn Martell, the Red Viper of Dorne. After a bevy of witnesses defame Tyrion, including those he thought his friends, the Imp demands a trial by combat. Since Ser Gregor Clegane is appointed the royal champion, Prince Oberyn fights for Tyrion in an effort to avenge his sister, Princess Elia Martell, killed by Gregor during Tywin's Sack of King's Landing. Oberyn loses, however, and Tyrion is condemned to die.

Jaime's return to the capital finds him a changed man, increasingly at odds with his family. He quarrels with Lord Tywin, refusing to resign from the Kingsguard to become heir to Casterly Rock. Tywin gifts him with a Valyrian steel sword, but Jaime names it Oathkeeper and gives it to Brienne, asking her to protect the missing Sansa Stark. Tyrion and Jaime separately conclude that Joffrey was responsible for sending the catspaw to assassinate Bran Stark. Before Tyrion can be executed Jaime forces Varys to help him free his brother his cell; Tyrion reveals Cersei's infidelity but accepts false responsibility for Joffrey's death. During his escape, Tyrion strangles his former lover, Shae, and kills his father, Tywin, with a crossbow.

At the Eyrie, Sansa learns that Lysa Arryn and Petyr Baelish, not the Lannisters, were responsible for the death of Lord Jon Arryn.

### *A Feast for Crows*

Dead soldiers with bearing the colors of House Lannister have washed up on the Quiet Isle. According to the Elder Brother, they are buried next to their enemies.Template:Ref

Tywin Lannister's death lingers over the realm. Cersei resumes her regency, now over the newly-crowned Tommen I, and she sets out to prove herself a better ruler than her father. Ignoring her father's plans, she fills the small council with her own lackeys. As Queen Regent, she tries to appoint Jaime as Hand of the King, but he refuses. Ser Kevan Lannister acknowledges Cersei as Lady of Casterly Rock. She offers him the position of Hand, which he declines unless he can also assume the regency. Cersei refuses to give up her power and appoints Ser Daven Lannister as the new Warden of the West to slight Kevan, and Ser Damion Lannister is named castellan of the Rock.Template:Ref Finally she makes Ser Harys Swyft the Hand, because he is a tractable man and Kevan is wend to his daughter, Dorna Swyft. Kevan helps his son, Lord Lancel Lannister, at Darry and then continues on to the Rock.

Cersei puts out a bounty for Tyrion's head, resulting in the deaths of many innocent dwarfs throughout the Seven Kingdoms, but she refuses to rescind the offer for fear someone might stay his hand. Despite Tommen's marriage to Queen Margaery Tyrell, Cersei begins to plot against the Tyrells, whom she suspects of intrigue. She gives her maid Senelle, whom she suspects of espionage, to Lord Qyburn, her master of whisperers, for his experiments in necromancy, along with the corpse of Gregor Clegane, who has died from the poisoned spear of Oberyn Martell. Margaery wants her brother, Ser Loras Tyrell, to become King Tommen's master-at-arms, but Cersei refuses. The queen regent tasks Ser Balon Swann with delivering the Mountain's skull to Oberyn's family in Dorne.

To raise funds to build new dromonds, Cersei defers repayments of all crown debts, angering the Iron Bank of Braavos and the Faith of the Seven, and she also has the High Septon chosen by Tyrion assassinated by Osney Kettleblack.She tries to mollify the new High Septon, the so-called High Sparrow, by allowing the return of the Faith Militant.

Euron Greyjoy, the new King of the Isles and the North, leads the ironborn in the taking of the Shields, outraging the Tyrells. Cersei grants Loras his wish to take command of the siege of Dragonstone, hoping that he would rashly storm the castle to free up the Redwyne fleet.Her hopes are fulfilled, as the Knight of Flowers is reportedly maimed by boiling oil.

Meanwhile, Cersei has charged Jaime with resolving Daven's siege of Riverrun and subduing the rest of the riverlands. While on campaign, Jaime tries to hone his swordsmanship with his remaining left hand with the mute Ser Ilyn Payne. Jaime confronts his cousin Lancel at Darry, where the latter is lord but has sworn himself to the Faith Militant. Jaime takes command at Riverrun, meeting his aunt Genna, dismissing Ser Ryman Frey, and taking Edmure Tully as his own prisoner. Ser Brynden Tully escapes the castle and Edmure surrenders Riverrun to Genna's husband, Ser Emmon Frey.

Cersei maneuvers Margaery into being seized by the Faith for adultery and high treason. When Cersei visits the Great Sept of Baelor, however, the High Sparrow has the Queen Regent arrested for her own fornications, murders, and other myriad sins. Lord Orton Merryweather, having replaced Harys Swyft as Hand, flees the capital, and Lord Aurane Waters sails away with Cersei's new dromonds. Harys, now master of coin, and Grand Maester Pycelle take control of King Tommen and request that Kevan Lannister return to King's Landing as Lord Regent. Cersei writes an impassioned letter to Jaime, imploring him to defend her in a trial by combat, but he burns the letter at Riverrun without response.

Brienne of Tarth searches the northern crownlands and eastern riverlands for Sansa Stark. She is joined during her journey by Podrick Payne, Tyrion's onetime squire, and Ser Hyle Hunt.Template:Ref After fighting with former Brave Companions at the Whispers and the crossroads inn,Template:Ref the three are captured by the brotherhood without banners and brought to Lady Stoneheart. Because Brienne carries Oathkeeper and documents bearing Tommen's seal, the three travelers are accused of serving the Lannisters and are threatened with hanging.

### *A Dance with Dragons*

Ser Kevan Lannister, as Lord Regent, begins trying to undo Cersei's political bumbling. To placate House Tyrell, he appoints Lord Mace Tyrell as Hand of the King, and his bannermen, Lords Paxter Redwyne and Randyll Tarly, to the small council. He also visits the imprisoned Cersei, confronting her about her affair with his son, Lancel, and telling her that, regardless of her trial, her rule is at an end. When Cersei undergoes her walk of atonement across King's Landing, shaven and nude, Kevan ensures that King Tommen I Baratheon does not witness the event. Qyburn provides her with a new champion, Ser Robert Strong.

Tyrion Lannister, aided by Varys, has been smuggled to Pentos across the narrow sea. Varys's ally, Magister Illyrio Mopatis, arranges for Tyrion to travel with a misfit band to seek out Daenerys Targaryen. En route, Tyrion realizes that one of the group is actually Jon Connington, the onetime Hand to Aerys II Targaryen and a friend of Aerys's son, Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. The youth traveling with Jon is said to be Rhaegar's son, Prince Aegon Targaryen, long thought to have died in the Sack of King's Landing.

At a brothel in Selhorys, Tyrion is captured by another exiled lord, Ser Jorah Mormont, who aims to return to Daenerys for his own reasons. On the way to Meereen, Tyrion befriends a dwarf woman called Penny, who had performed at Joffrey's wedding. After the *Selaesori Qhoran* wrecks, they are captured and sold into slavery. They are nearly killed by lions in the Great Pit of Daznak before Queen Daenerys puts an end to it. When their master, Yezzan zo Qaggaz, dies of the pale mare, the trio joins the Second Sons, as Tyrion plans to have Ben Plumm switch sides again and to have the company aid Daenerys.

Jaime brokers peace at the siege of Raventree, the last southron stronghold loyal to Robb Stark's lost cause. While at Pennytree he unexpectedly meets Brienne of Tarth, who tells him that he must go with her to save Sansa Stark from the Hound.

Kevan and the small council try to deal with the resurgent Faith Militant, as well as the landing of the Golden Company and Aegon Targaryen in the stormlands. Varys and his little birds murder Pycelle and Kevan in the Grand Maester's chambers, however. A supporter of Aegon, Varys hopes the death of the competent Lord Regent will cast suspicion between Highgarden and Casterly Rock and continue the rifts created during Cersei's rule.