House Tully

**House Tully of Riverrun** is one of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms, and rule over the Riverlands from their seat Riverrun. House Tully is an old noble house of First Men origin, dating back to the Age of Heroes. House Tully rose to prominence during the War of Conquest, when Lord Edmyn Tully led the rebel river lords who deserted King Harren the Black and joined Aegon the Conqueror. Following the burning of Harrenhal, Edmyn was rewarded with dominion over the riverlands as the Lord Paramount of the Trident.

Unlike many Great Houses the Tullys never ruled as kings, but held Riverrun for a thousand years as powerful vassals of those who did. Their sigil is a silver trout leaping on a blue and red striped field, and their words are *Family, Duty, Honor*. Members of the family tend to have auburn hair, high cheekbones, and bright blue eyes.

## History

### **The Fall of the Stag**

Lord Hoster Tully supported the rebels during the Uprising, due in part to his daughters’ marriages to the traitors Lord Eddard Stark and Lord Jon Arryn. Though Lord Tully was quick to take up arms against the throne, there were several Houses that remained loyal to the Targaryen regime, such as Houses Darry, Goodbrook, Roote, Mooton, and later, Frey. Their loyalty was a shining example throughout the realm as they continued to work to erode the bulk of the rebel’s faces. After the battle of the Trident, Lord Hoster Tully retreated along with the remaining rebel leaders to the town of Fairmarket, north of Riverrun. While the rebels prepared for a lengthy siege the Riverlands fell under attack by newly entered forces, as House Frey began attacking retreating Northern armies, and the Ironborn, lead by Quellon Greyjoy, began raiding the western shore of the rebel’s territories; in particular, Seagard was attacked by wave upon wave of Ironborn. These diversions caused Lord Jason Mallister to break ranks and ride to the defence of his home, allowing the commander of the siege, Ser Barristan Selmy, to exploit this gap in their armour and storm the town, capturing the rebel leaders and many of their supporters.

Lord Hoster Tully was the second man to be judged, after Lord Jon Arryn’s death, during the trial of three. He cried for his own remorse and that mercy be shown to him for his foolishness, but the judges deemed that he should die. His head was taken and his son, Edmure, was taken as a ward of Lord Darry, who had been named Master of Coin. Both of Edmure’s sisters were widowed due to the war, and although Lady Lysa returned home and was later married to Lord Tyrion Lannister, Lady Catelyn Tully opted to remain in Winterfell with her son, Lord Robb Stark, and her late husband’s family.

### **The Reign of Edmure Tully**

Lord Lyman Darry was named as the young Lord’s guardian, and with his new role as Master of Coin for King Rhaegar Targaryen, Lord Edmure spent the remainder of his youth in King’s Landing. During this time, Lord Walder Frey was granted the regency of the Riverlands during this short time; many members of his family were granted important and high-ranking positions on the council of Riverrun, it was said that by the time Lord Edmure returned to claim his seat, there were more Freys in Riverrun than in the Twins.

One of Edmure’s first acts was to marry the daughter of Lord Darry. Lady Lya was a fine woman, but the marriage ended abruptly and in tragedy when Lady Lya was found drowned one morning in the Red Fork, and after a shockingly brief period of mourning, Riverrun was quickly filled with the sound of joyous marriage once more, as Edmure married Kyra Frey. Their first child, Celia, was born 6 months after the marriage.

Edmure’s reign was a point of weakness for House Tully, as House Frey’s influence over the court of Riverrun grew exponentially, and all attempts to oust them from their positions proved futile. Houses Mallister, Blackwood, Bracken, and Piper all petitioned against the rule of Lord Edmure, believing him to be a weak pawn of House Frey. To their surprise, Lord Darry, Edmure’s former guardian, also joins in their calls for a change in leadership. They bring a petition before Lord Edmure, demanding he abdicate his seat in favour of Ser Brynden Tully, who had not been consulted about such a movement in his name. Outraged, the council of Riverrun cast out the conspirators and began levying higher taxes on their holds, taxes that many of the Lords refused to pay. Rather than upset the balance of the King’s peace and risk his position, Lord Edmure and his council merely sat in a cold stalemate with his vassals.

After the death of Lord Walder Frey in 301, Edmure Tully began acting more freely as the succession crisis of the Twins began and many of his councillors resigned their positions, which were quickly filled with members of the various other houses, in attempts to build bridges. Though House Tully’s reputation was damaged and their grip on their vassals weakened, it seemed for a time that they were slowly regaining their position of power.

### **Crisis of Casterly Rock**

In the year 292 Lord Tyrion Lannister, the son of Lord Tywin and, in his mind at least, the rightful heir to the Westerlands arrived in the court of Riverrun, and despite the animosity borne between the families from the Fall of the Stag a decade earlier, Lord Tully welcomed the imp into his halls. Though many in the court were opposed to it, he was granted the hand of Lord Edmure’s elder sister, Lysa, a woman seen by many as unsuitable for marriage following her relationships with the late Jon Arryn and Lord Petyr Baelish both. Lord Tyrion made his home in Riverrun amongst his bride’s family, and worked as a close advisor to the young Lord Edmure; many in the court accused the imp of poisoning the young lord’s mind, of filling his head with unfitting ambition. Fearing a repeat of the rebellion that had burned their lands, several attempts were made on Lord Tyrion’s life, and though no perpetrator was caught, rumours circulated, and an air of suspicion lingered over the court.

When Lord Tywin died in his bed in early 312, events moved quickly. Despite attempts to convince him to take up the Lordship, then-Lord Commander Jaime Lannister insisted that he would remain faithful to his vows. Lord Loren Lannister of Lannisport was quick to install his wife, Cersei Lannister, as the Lady Paramount of the Westerlands. Lord Tyrion, after hearing of his father’s demise, quickly pushed his host to raise his banners and press his claims. After many promises had been made in secret, Lord Tully began the process of raising his banners to place Lord Tyrion in Casterly Rock.

Lady Cersei, in one of her wiser moments, managed to rally the Westerlands behind her; Tyrion was a foreign invader, and their way of life had to be defended. What followed was two years of bloody conflict--open field battles at first, but as armies tired and winter loomed, they descended into brief skirmishes throughout the mountains. Lord Tully faced many questions from his own Lords during this time, why they were sending their men to fight for an Imp in the midst of winter; finding few answers, Lord Edmure contacted Lady Cersei and sued for peace.

It was not by Cersei’s command that the forces of the West ceased their battles, but by her husband, who sought to preserve whatever numbers remained for another day. By the end of the two years, with Winter a few months away and food stores dwindling, the two Kingdoms agreed to peace. There was no final battle, no storming of the Rock or of Riverrun. The peace that came was a white one, and the thousands of deaths accomplished naught.

Lord Edmure, now impoverished and bloodied after an ultimately fruitless war, grew resentful of his guest for bringing the war to his people, while Lord Tyrion grew resentful of his host for abandoning his claim. Though Lord Edmure’s sister begged, Lord Tyrion was cast from Riverrun, and began once again a wandering journey from castle to castle, surviving off the meager charity provided by the Lords of the Seven Kingdoms; eventually Lord Tyrion stopped arriving at these castles, and, despite some searching by his children, was never seen or heard from again.

### **Maekar’s Rebellion**

20 years later, during the reign of Lord Medgar Tully, King Aegon VI Targaryen died; leaving his trueborn heir Aelor, to take the throne, the new King proved to be a villainous sort, burning the Great Sept of Baelor and denouncing his worship of the Faith of the Seven. After hearing this news, along with the news that Aelor’s half-brother, Maekar, intended to press his claim on the throne, Lord Medgar Tully, an old man at the time, intended to stay neutral during the ensuing conflict, having been warned off war by his father, Lord Edmure. Upon learning that Lord Lannister intended to support Prince Maekar’s claim for the throne, old tensions boiled over and Lord Medgar rose his banners in support of the King, the only Great House to do so. As such, King Aelor’s forces, riding along the Gold Road to meet Prince Maekar’s, were met by the forces of House Tully, and those bannermen that supported him.

Lord Medgar’s forces met those of Lord Loren Lannister at the Battle of the Blackwater; despite the numbers heavily favouring the rebels, Lord Medgar supported King Aelor in an adamant refusal to retreat or stand down. Intent on spilling Lannister blood himself in revenge, Lord Medgar fought amongst his own men during the battle, a tactic that proved fatal, as Lord Tully was one of the first casualties, taking an arrow through his eye within minutes.

Ultimately the battle was won by Prince Maekar’s forces, the son of Medgar and newly made Lord Elston Tully was pardoned for his father’s foolishness in exchange for heightened taxes, a hostage from Riverrun, and lax prices for the reconstruction of the Great Sept of Baelor. During his reign Elston was eager to prove his faith, given the fact that his father supported a heretic, and was devout in his worship of the Seven. His mother Lady Perriane Bracken proved essential in smoothing over the discontent Riverlander houses, who had time and time again lost greatly to the causes of the lords of Riverrun. Elston's reign proved difficult and tiresome, and despite his best efforts, Riverrun is still a shadow of its former power and wealth.

## Recent Members

### Lord Medgar Tully

The eldest son of Lord Edmure Tully and Lady Kyra Frey, Medgar was a young boy during the Crisis of Casterly Rock, and held the shame of his father's defeats personally for most of his adult life. An uncharacteristically brash and impulsive young lord, it was Medgar's desire for retribution against House Lannister which helped find his end in the beginning of the battles as one of the first to fall.

### Lord Elston Tully

Elston was the first child of Lord Medger Tully and Lady Perriane Bracken, and unlike his father, proved to be a far more level-headed and thoughtful ruler and leader in battle. Having been raised most part by his aunt's husband, Lord Ronard Darry, Elston was a great knight at 17, and raised to lordship following his father's eventual demise.

## Family Tree

* Catelyn Tully (b. 264AC, d. 323AC), Lady of Winterfell, and her husband Lord Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Lord Paramount of the North
	+ Their children
* Lysa Tully (b. 266AC, d. 310AC), and her husband, Lord Tyrion Lannister (b. 273AC, d. unknown)
	+ Gerhard Lannister (b. 293AC, d. 342AC)
* Edmure Tully (b. 267AC, d. 302AC), Lord of Riverrun and Lord Paramount of the Trident, and his wife, Lady Kyra Frey (b. 266AC, d. 316AC)
	+ Celia Tully (b. 282AC, d. 344AC), and her husband, Lord Ronard Darry, Lord of Darry
		- Their children
	+ Medger Tully (b. 284AC, d. 332AC), Lord of Riverrun and Lord Paramount of the Trident, and his wife, Lady Perriane Bracken (b. 290AC, d. 340AC)
		- Elston Tully (b. 307AC), Lord of Riverrun and Lord Paramount of the Trident, and his wife, Lady Jennelyn Mallister (b. 310AC)
			* Their children
		- Dafyd Tully (b. 310AC), a knight in service to House Tully
		- Roslin Tully (b. 315AC), and her husband, Lord Nestor Vance
			* Their children