The Eyrie

The Eyrie is the ancestral seat of House Arryn, who have ruled the Vale since the Andal Invasion. It is situated in the Mountains of the Moon astride the peak known as the Giant's Lance, several thousand feet above the valley below. Although small compared to the seats of other Great Houses in Westeros, the Eyrie is considered impregnable to attack. During winter years, the Arryns seek refuge against the cold at the base of the mountain in the Gates of the Moon.

Layout
The Eyrie is the smallest of the great castles, consisting only of a cluster of seven slim, white towers bunched tightly together. They can hold up to five hundred men. The castle is made of fine white stone. The towers encircle a garden, which had been meant as a godswood, but no weirwood heart tree would take root in the stony soil.

The barracks and stables are carved directly into the mountain. The granary is as large as those found in much larger castles, like Winterfell. The Eyrie also contains a sept. The waterfall known as Alyssa's Tears can be heard from the Eyrie.[6]
 * The Falcon's Hearth is the main fortress of the Eyrie, around which all the other towers spring. It contains several key features.
 * The High Hall is where the household takes meals. It is a long and austere hall, with walls made of blue-veined white marble. At the end of it sits the throne of the Arryns, a seat carved of weirwood. It has narrow, arched windows, between which are torches mounted on alternating high iron or silver sconces.
 * The Moon Door is a narrow weirwood door that stands between two slender pillars in the High Hall. A crescent moon is carved into the door, which opens inward, and is barred by heavy bronze. The door opens into the sky. Most executions at the Eyrie use this door, which opens onto a six hundred foot drop to the stones of the valley below.
 * The Crescent Chamber is the Eyrie's reception hall. Here, guests are given refreshments and warmed by the fire after making the climb up the Giant's Lance.
 * Sky cells are the Eyrie's infamous dungeons. They are shelves on the side of the mountain's sheer cliffs, left open to the cold sky, with slightly sloping floors to unnerve the prisoners. Many prisoners, driven mad by the cold and howling wind, commit suicide rather than remain imprisoned.
 * The Maiden's Tower is the easternmost of the seven towers of the Eyrie. From a balcony on the tower, one can see the Vale and the Giant's Lance.
 * The Moon Tower contains the bedchambers of Lord Arryn.
 * The Crescent Tower serves as the chambers for the various guests and nobles in the Eyrie.
 * The Silver Tower holds the private study of Lord Arryn, as well as a small armoury, sept, and library. It also holds the rooms and offices of the castle's maester. It is connected to the Moon Tower by a short, covered walkway.
 * The Wind Tower is the tallest of the towers, and is oft used to house precious things and family heirlooms, as well as falcons and other birds of prey. Jonos Arryn keeps his rooms there, so as to be close to his pets.
 * The Singing Tower houses most everything else.

Defenses
To reach the Eyrie, an invading army would have to overcome the Bloody Gate guarding the high road, then overcome the Gates of the Moon located at the bottom of the mountain and climb up the narrow goat trail. Under normal circumstances this would take half a day, all the while being exposed to attack from the defenders in the Eyrie and its three waycastles along the path.
 * Stone, the first waycastle. It is currently commanded by Ser Robert Moore. The path to it is surrounded by forest. It has a massive ironbound gate. The stone walls are crowned with iron spikes and its two fat round towers raise above the keep.
 * Snow, the second waycastle. It is currently commanded by Ser Benjen Coldwater. The trail to it is steeper than that of Stone. It consists of a single fortified tower, a timber keep, and a stable placed behind a low wall of unmortared rock. It is nestled into the Giant's Lance so as to command the entire pathway from Stone to Snow.
 * Sky, the third waycastle. It is currently commanded by Ser Hugo Elesham. The path to it is treacherous. It is open to the wind and the steps are cracked and broken from the constant freezing. Sky is a high, crescent-shaped wall of unmortared stone raised against the side of the mountain. Inside the walls are a series of ramps and a great tumble of boulders and stones of all sizes, ready to throw down or even cause a minor avalanche. There is a cavern containing a long natural hall, stables, and supplies. Handholds carved into the rock lead to the Eyrie, while earthen ramps give access to the walls. The Eyrie is located six hundred feet above this point.

Household
The household of the Eyrie consists of many figures, including;
 * Commander of the Brotherhood (of Winged Knights): Ser Alester Hersey
 * Captain of the Guard: Ser Ulric Templeton
 * Maester Corwyn, counselor, healer, tutor
 * Keeper of the Gates of the Moon: Osric Arryn, Heir to the Vale
 * Knight of the Gate: Ser Lyn Corbray
 * Knight of the Sky: Ser Hugo Elesham
 * Knight of the Stone: Ser Robert Moore
 * Knight of the Snow: Ser Benjen Coldwater