House Arryn

Defender of the Vale

**House Arryn** is one of the Great Houses of Westeros, and is the principal noble house in the Vale of Arryn. Their main seat is The Eyrie, which is considered impregnable. House Arryn has at least one other holding, their winter castle at the Gates of the Moon, which was once their main seat. Both of these fortifications sit astride the Giant's Lance, the tallest mountain in the Vale, the Gates of the Moon at its foot, the Eyrie at its top where House Arryn rules as Kings of Mountain and Vale.

The Arryn sigil is a sky-blue falcon soaring against a white moon on a sky-blue field, and their words are "*As High as Honor*".

## History

Unlike every other kingdom south of the Neck that felt Aegon’s wrath, the Vale emerged from the Valyrian’s failed conquest largely unscathed. In fact, despite a few minor losses in their navy, they suffered no consequences at all. When the Queen Regent, Sharra Arryn, heard of Visenya’s demise at the Field of Valor, she promptly declared bloodless rebellion against her new overlords, and had a new Falcon Crown forged for her son. The Falcon King of the Mountain and Vale was once again the master of his own lands.

Many of young Ronnel’s top generals were thrilled at the prospect of what could be done with their new advantage. Durrandon was a hollow shell of their former glory, the Riverlands were on fire, Dorne was in the midst of a civil war, and both Lannister and Gardener had wounds to lick from their victory. This was the time of the Vale. Finally, they could conquer some of the territory that the Arryn kings had lusted after so long ago.

But in the end, the ambitions of the Vale were undone by their oldest of enemies, an enemy that has led some scholars to claim the Andal conquest of the Vale has not been accomplished to this very day: As soon as the Vale armies marched west through the Bloody Gate, the Mountain Clans emerged to raid and pillage the people left behind. Ronnel Arryn was killed when the wildings assaulted the Bloody Gate, and the Queen-Regent barely escaped with her life, her youngest son Jonos losing a finger to a bloody axe in the process.

The invasion force under Robin Royce was forced to turn back almost immediately, and dealing with the seemingly innumerable invaders. The Riverlands collectively breathed a sigh of relief, especially Quentyn Fletcher and his rebels, for the Vale’s humiliating retreat sent many Riverlords to their cause.

In the intervening decades, the Vale had to deal with a seemingly reenergized Mountain Clans, as they mounted daring attacks that they never would have dreamed of doing just a few years ago. Soon, word reached the Eyrie that these clansmen had an advantage they had never known before: they were led by a clansmen bastard that had spent time amongst Westerosi knights. This man was cunning, cruel, and was winning. The atrocities he and his clan committed became bywords for mothers to scare their children into bed. As his reputation grew, this mysterious clansman was given a name to match the dread he inspired in the Mountain and Vale: \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ (letting the applicant come up with the clan name). After two decades to guerilla warfare, \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ and his clansmen were finally caught and put to the sword by brave Knights of the Vale. And while there was a solid week of feasting at the Vale for their great deeds, some of the knights who were honored looked too grim and somber for the celebration. Rumors began to circle that while \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ had died, his line had been spared in a moment of weakness. That one day, his spawn would come back to get their revenge.

But this thought was soon dismissed as the Vale set about finally entering into the geopolitics of Westeros and announcing themselves as a major player in the Great Game. Knowing that House Gardener and Durrandon made for too crowded of a field to compete for the most terrifying military, the Vale was content to focus on their knightly orders and instead copy the Lannisters and increase their wealth in trade. Gulltown soon became the envy of Lannisport and Oldtown, and saw its harbors full of exotic ships from all across the known world. And while this saw the Vale prosper for centuries, through good kings and bad kings, the greedy hearts of men soon saw that the peace the Vale had known was about to end. In the last half a century, a strong of Arryn kings have made it their mission to insidiously insert themselves into the affairs of the Westerosi. After decimating the mountain clansmen and their latest \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ leader a generation ago, the Arryns made a concerted effort to extend their power in an area they feel should be theirs by ancient tradition: the Faith of the Seven. Calling in every favor they had, and spending enough gold to make a Lannister blush, they elected their chosen representative as the new High Septon. This new leader lived up to his name ‘the Tenacious One’, and his zealous orthodoxy has severely weakened the Reach and the West. But the High Septon takes orders from none, save for the gods, and the Arryns would do well to ensure that they remain on his good side for the future, for the Tenacious One would have no qualms about eliminating them. For that is the fate of all heretics. As the Great Council of the Riverlords nears, the Vale stands poised to make incredible gains from upcoming events. The High Septon is in their camp, their king has a strong claim on the Riverlands, and their economy is strong. Unless the other kings of Westeros are careful, they could soon find themselves staring at a silver falcon on a blue field across every castle in Westeros.

## Family

http://www.familyecho.com/?p=START&c=14ao8et0ewc&f=273877114952091707

* King Andar II Arryn, b. 247
	+ Mathos Stone, b. 269
	+ Robar Arryn (died 292), b. 276
	+ Jeyne Arryn, b. 278
	+ Jon Arryn, b. 282
* Osgood Arryn, b. 257
	+ Wallace Arryn, b. 277