Iron Islands

Ironman's Bay
Red Harbor

The **Iron Islands** is one of the nine constituent regions of Westeros. They are a cluster of seven small, rocky islands off the western coast of the continent, in Ironman's Bay. The Iron Islands are ruled from the castle of Pyke by House Greyjoy.

The islands are the smallest and one of the least-populous regions of Westeros, but the naval skills of their people, the ironborn, are unmatched and they enjoy great mobility due to their ships. The ironborn also have a unique culture and religion, centered on maritime raiding and pillaging other peoples, that sets them apart from mainland Westeros. However, they were forced to stop these practices following the War of Conquest, or at least to stop raiding around Westeros itself. Although this edict was not always effectively enforced by the Iron Throne, Daenerys Targaryen reinstated it as a condition of the Iron Islands regaining independent rule nearly 300 years later.

Prior to the War of Conquest, the Iron Islands were a sovereign kingdom, along with the other "Seven Kingdoms" of Westeros. For the three generations immediately preceding the Conquest, the ironborn also controlled the Riverlands, which they had in turn conquered from the Stormlands.

Bastards born in the Iron Islands are given the surname **Pyke**.

## Geography

The Iron Islands are located off the western coast of Westeros, in Ironman's Bay (an inlet of the Sunset Sea). They are north of the Westerlands, west of the Riverlands, and southwest of the Neck and the North. However, the entire western coast of the continent, from the Wall in the North to the Arbor in the extreme south of the Reach, are considered to be within range of far-reaching ironborn coastal raids. Centuries before the War of Conquest, the Iron Islands did indeed rule much of the coast from the Arbor to Bear Island in the North, and at the time of the War of Conquest, they ruled the Riverlands.

The Iron Islands are small and rocky, swept by fierce storm winds, with poor soil and hardly any natural resources. The few poor crop fields that are present have their rocky soil plowed by thralls, men captured in raids and forced into servitude; even the noble houses of the islands usually cannot afford draft animals, and the Old Way discourages the ironborn themselves from farming, anyway. While located at roughly the same latitude as the Eyrie in the Vale or the Twins in the Riverlands, the harsh storm winds that howl through the islands make them fairly cold. In such precarious circumstances, the inhabitants came to rely heavily on the bounty of the sea, and ultimately raiding the mainland.

### Settlements

* Pyke, the seat of House Greyjoy, the ruling family of the region.
	+ Lordsport, the seat of House Botley and the port town of the island of Pyke.
	+ Ten Towers, the seat of House Harlaw on the island of Harlaw and the most prominent seat of learning on the Isles.
	+ Hammerhorn, the seat of House Goodbrother, a castle in the Hardstone Hills on the island of Great Wyk.
	+ Red Harbor, the major harbor of the region.

### Islands

* Pyke, controlled by House Greyjoy
* Harlaw, controlled by House Harlaw
* Great Wyk, controlled by House Sparr
* Old Wyk, controlled by House Drumm
* Orkmont, controlled by House Orkwood
* Saltcliffe, controlled by House Saltcliffe
* Blacktyde, controlled by House Blacktyde
* Lonely Light, controlled by House Farwynd

## History

### Background

House Greyjoy of Pyke traces its bloodline back to the legendary king of the First Men, the Grey King of the Age of Heroes. He fought Nagga the sea dragon, built his hall and throne from her bones, married a mermaid, and ruled for a thousand years. Due to the poor soils and limited natural resources of the Iron Islands, the ironborn adopted a warlike culture of raiders and plunderers. Over the centuries, they developed a reputation as hated reavers who pillaged the weaker settlements on the mainland. Following the Burning of Harrenhal and the deaths of King Harren Hoare and his sons, the ironborn were driven back to the Iron Islands. House Greyjoy then became the dominant house and rulers of the Iron Islands.

In the wake of Robert's Rebellion, the ironborn, under Balon Greyjoy, saw a chance for independence and rebelled against the Iron Throne in what would become known as the Greyjoy Rebellion. But Balon had underestimated the newly-crowned King Robert Baratheon, who, along with Lord Eddard Stark, led an invasion of the Iron Islands and laid siege to the Greyjoy seat of Pyke. "*King*" Balon's two eldest sons Rodrik and Maron Greyjoy were killed during the battle. After bending the knee to the Iron Throne, Balon was forced to give up his remaining son and heir, Theon Greyjoy, as a hostage to Ned Stark.

## History

### Background

House Greyjoy of Pyke traces its bloodline back to the legendary king of the First Men, the Grey King of the Age of Heroes. He fought Nagga the sea dragon, built his hall and throne from her bones, married a mermaid, and ruled for a thousand years. Due to the poor soils and limited natural resources of the Iron Islands, the ironborn adopted a warlike culture of raiders and plunderers. Over the centuries, they developed a reputation as hated reavers who pillaged the weaker settlements on the mainland. Following the Burning of Harrenhal and the deaths of King Harren Hoare and his sons, the ironborn were driven back to the Iron Islands. House Greyjoy then became the dominant house and rulers of the Iron Islands.

In the wake of Robert's Rebellion, the ironborn, under Balon Greyjoy, saw a chance for independence and rebelled against the Iron Throne in what would become known as the Greyjoy Rebellion. But Balon had underestimated the newly-crowned King Robert Baratheon, who, along with Lord Eddard Stark, led an invasion of the Iron Islands and laid siege to the Greyjoy seat of Pyke. "*King*" Balon's two eldest sons Rodrik and Maron Greyjoy were killed during the battle. After bending the knee to the Iron Throne, Balon was forced to give up his remaining son and heir, Theon Greyjoy, as a hostage to Ned Stark.