House Stark

*(This page is for information about House Stark. For more information about the Kings of Winter and the independent Northern Kingdom, click here.)*

## Historic Information

### Culture

Northmen

**House Stark of Winterfell** is one of the Great Houses of Westeros and the principal noble house of the north. In days of old they ruled as Kings of Winter, but since Aegon's Conquest they have been Wardens of the North and ruled as Lords of Winterfell. Their seat, Winterfell, is an ancient castle renowned for its strength.

## History

### The Magnar Beyond the Wall

Since time immemorial those unlucky souls who lived beyond The Wall have pined to conquer the 'kneelers' to the south and many times they have raised a King-Beyond-the-Wall to do so. Such was the case when those who lived in the fertile Valley of Thenn rallied behind one they called "The Harbinger".

Shocking the lords of the North, he sailed south from the Bay of Ice and mounted a surprise raid against House Glover and Deepwood Motte. In the year 52 AC, The Harbinger himself climbed the wooden walls and claimed Lawbringer, House Glover's family sword.

Upon learning that the Harbinger had sailed back past Bear Island, burning the castle severely as he raided, Lord Osric Stark had no choice but to rally his banners. However, word was sent from the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch that the army amassed by the Harbinger rivaled even House Stark's. While he was sure the old man was exaggerating Lord Stark felt he had no choice but to request aid from his new lords, House Targaryen. Word was sent south that aid was needed, and a promise was made by Prince Jaehaerys that it would arrive.

Thus Osric Stark lingered in Winterfell, waiting for aid that would never arrive. Six moons passed, with ravens sent between Winterfell and King's Landing. Even Prince Jaehaerys' silver tongue did not have the ability to assuage the doubt Lord Osric Stark had for his new masters. Thus, at the Council of 53 AC, the Northmen agreed they had no choice but to move without the Iron Throne's aid.

By early 54 AC the entire Northern host had arrived at Castle Black, fifty thousand men marched through the wall and met the Wildling horde that had begun their siege of the immense structure. Rumors exist still that the Northmen fought giants and mammoths but the Maester's account from Castle Black makes no mention of such creatures.

However, one thing is certain, passed down orally by Lord Osric's brother, Rodrick, and Ethan Glover. Lord Osric Stark challenged the Harbinger to single combat, the monstrous Mangar stood at nearly seven feet tall, a head and a half taller than the Stark lord. Using House Glover's own weapon, Lord Osric Stark was slain on the battlefield.

Lord Galbart Glover fell to his knees at this point in shock of seeing his liege fall to his own family's sword and the Magnar moved to strike him next. Ethan Glover took this moment to charge the taller man, and perhaps due to luck, perhaps due to skill, the Harbinger fell.

Rodrick Stark, tears falling from his face, led the vanguard against the wildling horde, and while losses were catastrophic for the North, they won the day. Thousands still lie buried in the snow beneath the Wall to this day.

### The Hour of the Wolf

Alaric Stark, the son of Lord Osric Stark and a boy of just three and ten took the mantle of Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North. To many Northerners it was assumed that the young boy would fall in line behind the Targaryens and accept the insults of the lack of aid that was promised. However they were shocked when Alaric's position on the Southerners was so staunchly negative.

It is said a letter was received in the early morning on a day like any other in the 8th Moon of 54 AC, written by the Prince Regent himself, providing condolences for the loss of Alaric Stark, and word that his wife Alysanne Targaryen would be traveling North to formally meet him and attend Lord Osric's funeral. Later that day the entire northern host who remained at Winterfell was summoned to attend Lord Osric Stark being interred in the crypts of Winterfell. This was Alaric's first act of defiance against the crown.

When the great beast Silverwing landed before Winterfell after a trip to the Wall to ensure the Night's Watch was in good spirits, Alysanne was shocked to not find Lord Alaric waiting to receive her in the courtyard. His uncle, Rodrick Stark met her with a rather expressionless face it is said. She was informed Alaric waited for her in the throne room. It was said it was clear to Alysanne at this point she was not welcome in Winterfell.

This was confirmed for her when she was met with Lord Alaric Stark, as young as he was, with Ice upon his knees, sitting upon his throne. No bread and salt was offered to the Princess, and no funeral was to take place. This was the second act of defiance.

Alysanne spent a single night in Winterfell, most of which was in a room with Alaric Stark discussing her idea to cede the lands south of the Gift and north of Last Hearth to the Night's Watch. Rodrick and Alaric both opposed this and it was said there was much heated debate, yet no maester sat in the meeting so it is unknown exactly what transpired.

However it is a fact that Alysanne and Silverwing returned south the next day. And within a fortnight a letter was received informing Lord Alaric Stark that the crown would move forward with gifting the lands visited by Alysanne to the Night's Watch. Ravens flew to each northern lord, ordering them to return to Winterfell with most having left only a moon prior it was not long before the remaining force of the North sat in Winterfell. A second council was held, and a unanimous decision was made. The third and final act of defiance had begun. Rebellion.

### The Bloodless Rebellion

Ravens were sent to every major holdfast that Winterfell had the ability to write to. With them was a proclamation:

*“The North has been forgotten. It is by these words that I, Alaric Stark, declare the North independent from the Iron Throne. King Alaric I Stark rises where Lord Alaric Stark falls, remember lords of the southern lands: many of us have held these lands since before the Valyrian Freehold was a thought in your 'silver-haired**'** monarch's minds. House Stark will defend its birthright with its lifeblood.*
*Winter is Here.”*

Moat Cailin was manned by the entirety of the Northern host, beyond the Manderlys, Karstarks, and Boltons who remained to defend White Harbor. However, no force met them. The famine that ravaged the south had made it nigh impossible to field an army, let alone one that could siege Moat Cailin. Thus the lords of Westeros were shocked to find the largest Kingdom separate itself from the Iron Throne without a drop of blood spilled.

A new crown was forged but an old title was taken. King in the North was the title his Grandfather held when he knelt to Aegon the Conqueror, so Alaric named himself King of Winter once more and with it a new age dawned for the men of the North.

### Northern Revival

Shortly before her passing, Alysanne pleaded with Jaehaerys to abolish First Night, and while Alaric's hatred of House Targaryen was absolute, even he could not deny that it was the right decision. Even though he was only eight and ten he'd heard stories that would shake even the strongest man to their core. Thus, First Night was abolished in the North as well, much to the chagrin of many northern lords who had come to love Alaric for his fair ways.

However, the young king did not relent and the crime was punishable by a choice of castration or being sent to the Night's Watch. Many lords did continue it for a time, yet the practice quickly died out when it became obvious that Alaric intended to enforce the new law.

### The Council of Winter

King Alaric then emulated the Kings of the Iron throne by creating his own council. The Council of Winter. House Manderly was the first to be honored with a new position for their valiant assistance whenever House Stark called for them.

The title of Winter's Justice was handed to House Glover, and while King Alaric still swung the sword when he passed a sentence, the Glover lord's advice helped him make fair and just rulings.

Winter's Grasp was granted to House Bolton, charged with keeping the North's secrets along with discovering secrets of those around them, it is a position both revered and reviled.

More positions would be created in later years, coming to honor house Tallhart, Whitehill and various others. But these three have remained since their inception.

### Winter of a Hundred Kings

King Alaric's reign is primarily known by a large period of peace in which the North thrived and much food was stockpiled. The years 60 AC to 74 AC were met with few issues in the Kingdom of Winter. However that should have been a warning to everyone. Because winter always comes.

As always, the Northerners were the first to feel the sting of real winter. At the beginning of 75, blizzards began blowing stronger and more frequently until soon enough it felt as if the skies would never be seen again. Crops withered and died quickly in the beginnings of the storms with rivers and lakes freezing completely over soon after. The North was caught unprepared for the sudden natural onslaught and thousands across the massive land froze to death in their hovels and castles. Travel across the new Kingdom froze down to a standstill and news from outside their domain froze with it; the North was essentially blind to anything happening outside of their own protective walls.

In its own strange way, The Winter of a Hundred Kings, though as deadly and destructive as the winters of ages before, saved the North from a worse fate than the rest of Westeros. The biting cold that sterilized everything it touched, in fact, held the Dragonblight ravaging the other lands from taking hold in the North.

Only a handful of holds, predominantly in the White Knife region, were affected by the blight. The maesters reported no more than a few hundred casualties were from the disease and as the waning months of the deadly winter came to pass, the North was ready and able to secure its borders to keep the southern plague away.

### The Curse Returns

In the year 89 AC, disaster struck White Harbor once again. Barely past ten years from the previous strike, the Curse of Maegor hit the North. The first signs of the sickness hitting the populous port showed up amongst traders and merchants from the southern kingdoms. Lured into a false sense of security due to the past endemic, the healers of White Harbor were slow to act in fighting the disease.

Unfortunately, this time the plague spread much more easily without needing to fight the frigid cold of Northern winters. By the time the healers stirred to major action, it was far too late. In the first months, thousands of White Harbor citizens died, even multiple members of House Manderly fell to the disease. Before the gates of the city could be quarantined, merchants travelled from the port to nearby towns and holdfasts and the plague spread like wildfire. Nearby Houses such as Woolfield, Locke, and Hornwood were hit swiftly and without mercy.

The plague continued to spread west and north; reaching as far as Karhold to the Northwest, Greywater Watch in the Neck, and the Ryswells and Glovers to the west. Only a few Houses were spared: the Umbers, Mormonts, and Mountain Clans were safe from the deadly plague thanks to their seclusion and the perpetual cold of their lands.

Although struck by the plague, the Rills and the houses of the Wolfswood suffered only small casualties. Their distance from White Harbor, combined with their cold environments helped keep the curse at bay. The rest of the North fared much worse. Though White Harbor was hit hardest, multiple holdfasts lost up to thousands of peasants and nobles alike.

Thankfully, as the plague spread like a forest fire, it seemed to die just as quick; the last of the symptoms could be found in the year 91 AC, and by 92 AC maesters across the North declared the plague gone.

### Wolfswood Ravagers

92 AC, the plague had finally ceased its rampage and disappeared from the Kingdom of Winter, but the north still had to deal with the lingering death and destruction the blight left behind. Nearly every House and holdfast across the kingdom found itself crippled by the blight, lacking in both manpower and the food to help their people start their lives anew. The times were still looking bright, however, as those who could work did, and in the months to follow the end of the blight, the typical mood across the North was one of perseverance and overall optimism.

Unfortunately, not everyone in the North would put their effort to restore the kingdom. A man by the name of Malmur Stane felt the cause of the North’s suffering started when the northmen abandoned the old ways of worshiping the Old Gods by giving the divine the human sacrifice they need.

In the waning months of 92 AC, Malmur Stane travelled from the Isle of Skagos to the Wolfswood, gathering a small band of followers who felt similar to the Skaggosi. If the Starks wouldn’t follow the Old Gods the proper way, they would and they would save the North from themselves.

Malmur’s group swelled to a solid group of some 50 to 60 followers while in the Wolfswood. The local lords in the area began getting horrific reports from their peasants of kidnappings happening at all hours of the day and night and finding strange totems with disgusting and terrible shrines with human remains and body parts like some kind of nightmare horror story mothers used to scare their kids. News of these events spread across the Wolfswood as fast as voice could travel and before long House Glover was forced to action. Lord Glover wrote to King Alaric and other Lords of the North but found himself alone in his fight against this fanatical group: the other Lords simply couldn’t spare the men to fight another battle.

Widespread panic began spreading across the region beyond the Wolfswood. Malmur’s group never stayed in any one spot for long, evading the Glover’s attempt to detain the group and before long the common people began spreading rumors that the fanatics numbered in the hundreds.

The Starks were finally stirred to action when Torrhen Snow, the Winter’s Shepherd, died in the Wolfswood when the fanatics ambush and kill the religious leader as the man tried to pass along each village to calm the people’s spirits. Torrhen was horribly mutilated and Malmur spread the former Winter’s Shepherd’s body parts across highly-visible areas, showing, in his mind, that his way is the correct way in the eyes of the Old Gods.

Edric Stark called what men he could to Winterfell and he formed his own party in response, made up of a mixture of houses, most noticeably the Manderlys, Glovers, and Karstarks, with even the Lord Bolton himself joining the Prince of the North. The group totalled in 60 to 70 in manpower.

Determined to end this evil and allow the North to finally feel at peace, Edric scoured the Wolfswood for weeks, only finding a few number of Malmur’s group at any one time. Frustration grew with each passing day as Edric’s followers feared that Malmur had already moved on from the area and began terrorizing other regions of the North.

Thankfully, in the beginning months of 93 AC, Edric finally caught wind of Malmur Stane himself in the woods just north of Winterfell. The Stark host crashed upon Malmur’s group and slaughtered nearly every last one of them to the man. Malmur’s fanatics were beyond fierce and loyal to the bone, but the group consisted of women and children, and none of them were skilled enough to match any of the Stark’s men in combat.

The only survivor of the fanatic group was Eyron Dustin, who was only spared by Edric by the Prince’s familial ties. Malmur Stane’s neck met Ice, and finally, the terror was over. Any fanatic believer left around the countryside was easily round up and promptly executed. Finally, after what felt like ages of blight and death and terror, the North was at peace.

## Family Tree

http://www.familyecho.com/?p=START&c=rk1ijjfdn9&f=832251730505647389