Storm's End

**Storm's End** is the seat of House Baratheon, the Lords Paramount of the Stormlands. The castle is located at Durran's Point on the northern coast of Shipbreaker Bay, south of Bronzegate and northeast of Griffin's Roost. The kingsroad runs north from Storm's End through the stormlands to King's Landing, the capital of the Seven Kingdoms.

One of the strongest castles in the realm, Storm's End was once the ancestral seat of the Storm Kings of House Durrandon extending back many thousands of years. The castle is said to be protected by spells woven into its very walls that prevent magic from affecting it or passing through it. Raymont Baratheon, Lord of Storm's End, is served by Maester Ormund.

### Layout

Storm's End is surrounded by a massive outer curtain wall, one hundred feet high and forty feet thick on its thinnest side and nearly eighty feet thick on its seaward side. It is composed of a double course of pale grey stone with an inner core of sand and rubble. The wall is smooth and curving, the stones so well placed and so perfectly together that the wind can find no purchase. On the seaward side, there is a one hundred fifty foot drop below the wall into the sea.[4] There is no safe anchorage by the castle.

The curtain wall protects the castle's kitchens, stables, and yard. Storm's End has only one tower, a colossal drum crowned with formidable battlements, so that from a distance enemies can see what appears to be a single huge, spiked fist thrusting towards the sky in defiance. The tower is so large that it comfortably contains the granary, barracks, armory, feast hall, and lord's chambers all at once. It is said that there are spells woven into the stonework. The seaward side of the castle stands upon Durran's Point, a high white cliff overlooking the sea. There is a watery passage through a cavern that leads beneath the castle, protected by a portcullis, bars, and murder holes.

The godswood of Storm's End has a weirwood heart tree carved with a solemn face.

Despite a good wind off Shipbreaker Bay, the weather is hot at Storm's End in summertime. There are fields and stony ridges in the vicinity.

## History

### Origin

The mighty fortress called Storm's End has stood for centuries, facing the terrible weather of Shipbreaker Bay with little wear to show for it. Legend claims that it was built by Durran, the first Storm King during the Dawn Age, who declared a war against the gods after they killed his family and guests, ruining his wedding to their daughter Elenei. It was said Durran Godsgrief raised six castles, each larger and more formidable than the last, but all were destroyed by storms. The massive seventh castle, Storm's End, is also called Durran's Defiance because it was able to endure the storms. Some believe this was because the children of the forest took a hand in its construction, using their magics in raising the castle walls which allow it to resist the storms. Others believe that a young boy who grew up to be Bran the Builder advised Durran on its construction.

### House Durrandon

The Storm Kings, Durran's descendents from House Durrandon, used Storm's End as their seat as they consolidated control over the stormlands. In its long history the formidable fortress has never fallen to siege or storm.

During their invasion of Westeros, the Andals are said to have abandoned attempts to capture Storm's End from the First Men Storm Kings after seven failed sieges and assaults. Instead, the Durrandons and Andals eventually came together through marriage. Archmaester Vyron speculates in his *Triumphs and Defeats* that the final form of the castle being the seventh shows a clear Andal influence and suggests the possibility that the final form was achieved in Andal times. The great tower and curtain wall appear beyond the capability of the ancient First Men, at least, as they often built ringforts which are now left in ruins.

Gyles III Gardener, King of the Reach, failed to conquer Storm's End after a siege of two years.

During Aegon's Conquest, the last Storm King, Argilac the Arrogant, abandoned his impressive defenses to meet Orys Baratheon in open battle and suffered accordingly in the Last Storm. Taking Argilac's daughter, Argella, as his bride, Orys became Aegon's Lord Paramount of the Stormlands and House Baratheon replaced the Durrandons as lords of Storm's End.