House Stark

House Barrowstark

**House Stark of Winterfell** is one of the Great Houses of Westeros and is the principal noble house of The North. In the old days they rules as the Kings of Winter up until the wars of conquest by House Targaryen after which they now rule as Wardens of the North. Their seat is Winterfell, an ancient castle renowned for its strength.

Their sigil is a grey direwolf racing across a field of white, and their words are *"Winter is Coming"*, one of only a few house mottoes to be a warning rather than a boast. Members of the family tend to be lean of build and long of face, with dark brown hair and grey eyes.

Currently the North is led by Lord Corin Stark,the current Lord of Winterfell and a descendant of Robb Stark, first-born son of Lord Eddard Stark.

The North followed Stannis Baratheon and helped him secure a victory against his foes and has been strong ever since. Rickon Stark would be married to Wylla Umber and the two would be granted Barrowtown after the death of Barbrey Dustin, thus forming House Barrowstark.

## History

###  Kings in the North

The Starks are an ancient house descended from Bran the Builder, a legendary figure from the Age of Heroes said to have raised their ancestral home at Winterfell thousands of years in the past, as well as the Wall. They are descendants of the First Men and still follow some of their ancient traditions and the ones of the old gods of the forest. The Starks were Kings of Winter in the North for thousands of years from the Age of Heroes, possibly beginning with Bran the Builder. Ever since Bran constructed the Wall, the Starks have been friends of the Watch, and have manned the Wall for thousands of years. The Starks eventually expanded their kingdom with the defeat of the Barrow Kings to the south and the Red Kings to the east. With the defeat of the Marsh King by Rickard Stark the Neck was also brought into Winterfell's realm under the lordship of House Reed.

The last Stark King in the North was King Torrhen Stark, who submitted to Aegon the Conqueror at the end of the War of Conquest. Since that time the Starks have held the North for the kings of the Seven Kingdoms as Wardens of the North.

### Robert's Rebellion

House Stark were one of the main combatants during Robert's Rebellion, their involvement in the conflict was triggered after the kidnapping of Lyanna Stark and the executions of both Rickard and Brandon Stark. The rebellion formally began when Lord Jon Arryn of the Eyrie raised his banners in revolt after refusing to hand over his wards Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon.

House Stark was led throughout the conflict by Lord Eddard "Ned" Stark throughout the conflict, ending with himself and several of his campaigns at the Tower of Joy in Dorne in an attempt to rescue his sister. Lyanna Stark perished as did several of Eddard's commanders. Eddard would return home shortly after with his sister's bones and a child in hand.

Ned returned home to be presented with his trueborn son, Robb, but he carried the infant Jon Snow, whom he presented as his bastard son. Lyanna was buried in the crypt of Winterfell beside her father, Rickard, and brother, Brandon.  Six years later, Ned helped his foster brother, King Robert I, crush Balon Greyjoy's rebellion, taking Theon Greyjoy as a ward of Winterfell. Eddard would rule the North in Robert's name, keeping a distance from the intrigue-ridden politics of King's Landing.

## War of the Three Stags

Eddard Stark would refuse Varys' plea to plead guilty of crimes against Joffrey Baratheon. He instead calls for Stannis' help and Richard Horpe defeats Sandor Clegane in the Trail by Combat to determine Eddard's future.

Upon his release, Eddard swiftly flees to Dragonstone to help Stannis with his war council. He convinces Stannis to exile Melisandre and return to the Faith of the Seven. Throughout the war, Eddard is Stannis' right hand man while his son Robb proves his mettle during the Riverlands campaign, quickly developing the reputation as a cunning strategist and bold leader. After the war's end, King Stannis appoints Ned as his Hand of the King where he holds the positions peacefully for many years.