House Arryn

House Arryn of the Eyrie 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. 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".

The Arryns of the Eyrie have a collection of distant relatives located throughout the Vale. Although much poorer than the ruling Arryns, aside from the Arryns of Gulltown, the lesser branches are described by Petyr Baelish as proud due to their name and heritage. The Arryns are considered to come from the oldest and purest line of Andal nobility, which they say reaches back to Andalos and possibly Hugor of the Hill.

The Current head of House Arryn is Alaric Arryn.

The Winter of Wolves
The winter of 326-329 AC made many of the mountain passes through the Vale impassible at its height, cutting the region into pieces during the deepest parts of winter. At least one village was completely swept away by an avalanche tumbling down the mountains. As the worst of the snows began to recede, the starving Mountain Clans swept down into the Vale in large numbers to pillage any foodstuffs they could find. House Arryn mounted a major offensive once the spring thaw came to subdue them once more.

The War in the Narrows
House Arryn sent ships from Gulltown in in 331AC to join the Royal Fleet to join in the battle against the rogue Prince Baelon.

The Red God Revival
The Red Priests of R'hllor were blamed for the unrest in Gulltown, and House Arryn supported House Grafton in declaring them outlaws. The presence of foreign priests in Gulltown declined dramatically, and the rise in zealous piety in the Faith of the Seven would continue to have effects for years afterwards.

The Southern Schism
House Arryn supported the Starry Septon during the schism. The excesses of the Mummer were decried from septs throughout the length and breadth of the Vale. Even today, the Vale hews to the austerity of the Starry Rites and septons of the Vale have produced many eloquent theological works in defense of the Southern Observances.

The Hammer Uprising
Inspired by bards' tales of Brynden Hammer and Tomas Hew and the preaching of septons of the Starry Rites, groups of smallfolk abandoned their homes in protest against the crown and the Arryns, but the roving bands of unarmed peasants proved easy prey for the mountain clans. The uprisings quieted down as the peasantry called for protection, which sparked renewed violence between the clansmen and House Arryn and their bannermen.

The Scarlet Winter
Knights of House Arryn took part in the Hundred Years Tournament hosted by House Manderly at White Harbor.

Line of Succession
The original main line of House Arryn originates from Oswin "the Osprey", who had two sons: Roland and Jonos. By this route, the current, rightful head of House Arryn is the purported son of Roland by the woman Valla, followed by Jonos Arryn and then his son, Harrold. Roland also sired three daughters; Teora, Lenore, and Anya Arryn.

Following the Crisis of the Crescent, however, Alaric Arryn sat the weirwood seat as Lord of the Eyrie. He is the current Defender of the Vale, and has four sons; Osric, Jasper, Artys, and Jon.

Teora Arryn
The eldest child of Roland Arryn, Teora was old enough to witness the fall of her father. Following the horrors of that day, where she herself led the way for Alaric as he walked to claim the Eyrie, she was raised in the Eyrie under constant guard. Several attempts to escape were thwarted, until she came of age and was swiftly wed to the second son of Lord Elesham, placing her on the very edge of House Arryn’s domain and - ideally - out of the way.

Lenore Arryn
Named by her father, Lenore stands as a testament to the very same infamous woman who inspired young Roland, and who was later executed in King’s Landing. Younger than her sister, the events of that day are only a hazy memory; all the same, she was wed to the relatively small House Waxley; partially in an effort to assuage tempers after the death of Marwyn the Candle.

Anya Arryn
The last and youngest of Roland's daughters, born even as her mother passed. Anya was raised by Alaric as one of his own children, the spitting image of his beloved sister and akin in temperament to his mother. She holds a seat of honour in the Eyrie, despite the fate of her father and rumoured half-brother.

Joramun Arryn
An unknown and unverified variable, Joramun is purportedly the son of the late Roland Arryn and his - briefly - second wife, Valla of the Redsmiths. Raised in the mountains, recent years have seen a resurgence of rumours whispering his name. Whatever the source of his bloodline, there is little doubt that no wildling boy could ever rule the men of the Vale.

Valla of the Redsmiths
Daughter of the chieftain Joramun Redsmith, Valla was sent to wed Lord Roland Arryn as a means of uniting their peoples and beginning the acclimation of several Mountain Clans. Exceedingly beautiful, tall, and fierce in her appearance, she had the look of a tawny hawk in the set of her jaw and the shape of her nose. Her beauty, however, only served to further harden the hearts of the Valemen against her; suspecting that the woman had beguiled and seduced their lord via treachery and magics. After Roland’s death at the hands of his cousin and the Lords Declarant, Valla disappeared into the mountains once more; pregnant, rumours say, with the last child of Lord Roland.

Jonos Arryn, aka “Finch” or “the Finch”
Once a young and dashing boy, Jonos took a blow to the head from a horse that rendered him fairly simple. Despite this he retained a marvelous singing voice and a memory like a steel trap; at least when it concerned the number of buttons upon a man’s shirt, or how many blue birds flew past his window a fortnight past. Jonos was nearly declared Lord of the Vale following the death of his brother, Roland Arryn; but his disability left many unwilling to seat him upon the weirwood throne. After Alaric claimed the Eyrie for himself, some worried that he might arrange for the threat to his rule to be removed; but Jonos has not yet suffered any harm, spending his days in the high towers of the Eyrie, singing to his birds.

Aemma Hunter
The wife of Jonos Arryn, Aemma’s age has not dulled her senses. It was she who greeted Alaric first upon his return to the Eyrie after the death of Lord Roland; knowing well that her simple husband could not hope to stand against the saturnine youth or his supporters. Aemma has been a constant fixture in the Eyrie, often serving as High Stewardess whilst Alaric was away or otherwise occupied. Most who dwell in the court of the Eyrie regard her advice as infallible, relying upon her wit and wisdom.

Harrold Arryn
Born to Jonos and Aemma, he came as a surprise to many; but was welcomed swiftly enough. Though some worried he would somehow inherit his father’s simpleness, Harrold grew into a bright-eyed and clever boy, full of good humour and good manner. Born long after the rise of Alaric to power, he never had the opportunity to consider his removal from the line of succession. An avid hunter, a graceful dancer, and somewhat childish despite his years, Harrold is due to be married in the sixth month of 407AC.

Family Tree

 * Oswin “the Osprey” Arryn, 327-
 * m. Bellandra Grafton
 * Roland Arryn, 348-
 * m. Alyssa Arryn, 351-
 * Teora Arryn
 * Lenore Arryn
 * Anya Arryn
 * m. Valla of the Redsmiths
 * Her son by Roland Arryn
 * Jonos “Finch” Arryn b. 351
 * m. Aemma Hunter
 * Harrold Arryn, b. 385AC
 * Godric “Blackwing” Arryn, 332-
 * m. Luceiia Royce, b 329
 * Alyssa Arryn, 351-
 * A son, stillborn, b. 352AC
 * A son, died young, b. 354AC
 * A daughter, stillborn b. 357AC
 * A son, stillborn, b. 360AC
 * Alaric Arryn, b. 364AC
 * m. Theodosia Belmore, d. 402AC
 * Osric Arryn, b. 382AC
 * m. Rowena Waynwood
 * Arwen Arryn b. 400AC
 * Jasper Arryn, b. 385AC
 * Artys Arryn b. 387AC
 * Jon Arryn, b. 389AC
 * Alys Arryn b. 390AC
 * Jeyne Arryn, b. 366AC.

Past Members

 * Robert Arryn (292 AC - 301 AC) Called Sweetrobin. Lord of the Eyrie 298-301 AC under the regency of his mother Lady Lysa Arryn and later Lord Protector Petyr Baelish
 * Harrold Arryn (281 AC - -) Born Harrold Hardying. Lord of the Eyrie 301 AC - -.
 * m. Sansa Arryn (née Stark) (286 AC - -) Lady of the Vale 301 AC - -.
 * Lord Osric Arryn, b. 304AC
 * m. Lady Alayne Tully
 * Aemma Arryn
 * m. The Knight of Ninestars
 * House Templeton
 * Oswin Arryn
 * Godric Arryn