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 Godric 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.

The Crisis of the Crescent
Main Article: The Crisis of the Crescent

In the year 382 AC, Roland Arryn was slain during his wedding. A group of young men who called themselves the Lords Declarant ambushed the Lord Defender, though their intent was ostensibly peaceful. When fighting broke out between the two parties, however, it ended with but three men left standing. This event was called the Crisis of the Crescent.

Alaric Arryn gave the order to have Roland shot as he fled, after two of Roland’s Winged Knights -- Alester Hersy and Rodrick Gullfeather -- betrayed him. In the chaos of that day Roland’s wife-to-be escaped, disappearing back into the mountains of her people. Her father and his retinue were not so lucky, however; Joramun Redsmith and the warriors he brought with him were captured and slain. Their deaths sparked an increase of fighting between the Valemen and the Mountain Clansmen, with Alaric at the forefront of their suppression.

The Rule of Alaric Arryn
As years passed, rumours began to spread throughout the Vale that Valla of the Redsmiths had given birth to a son. Though no one could confirm either the birth or his identity, the mother claimed her child belonged to none other than Roland Arryn, thus giving him a claim to the Vale. Eventually tales of the youth began to quiet, and after the Battle of the Glade in 391AC, they all but disappeared. The crushed defeat of the clansmen saw them quiet, and for a time there was no more word from the mountains.

That changed in 407AC, when Ser Jonothor Wydman was captured and brought to the Eyrie for trial and execution. Before his death, Jonothor professed allegiance to an alleged King in the Mountains - a figure he claimed was soon to rid the Vale of Alaric Arryn. Alaric dismissed the threat, and encouraged his vassals and kin to do the same. On their march out of the Vale towards Harrenhal, men were spotted on the hillsides - but they were few in number, and soon vanished.

It was not until the return from Harrenhal that the clansmen revealed themselves in full. As Osric Arryn lead many of the Eyrie’s nobles along the High Road, a large and organized band of clansmen descended upon them from the top of the hill. The Ambush was hard fought, and Osric Arryn’s first ever action. The Vale proved victorious -- but it was not without cost.

Rowena Waynwood, Osric’s then-wife, was slain in her carriage whilst defending her daughter, Arwen. Alongside her fell Robin Arryn, a brother of the Winged Knights, and her handmaiden Mya Tollett. Arwen was saved and spirited away by Aianna Corbray, who returned the terrified young girl to her grieving father.

The battle on the high road sparked renewed hatred in many, both for its unexpectedness and its toll on innocent lives. Rather than waiting for the return of his father, Osric sent out word to the Lords of the Vale, summoning them to the Gates of the Moon with their armies, in hopes of making war upon the clans. When Alaric returned he bent these forces instead to the conflict in the Riverlands, alienating his son but securing the Vale for use in his ambitions to the west. As small recompense, Alaric approved a mission led by Katerina Hunter with aid from Jasper Arryn and Alester Hersy, sending the company into the mountains to seek out the cause for renewed aggressions. The group managed to make contact after weeks of travel, stumbling upon a village that the Redsmiths had been pressuring for supplies. There they met Uric, and after a brief discussion, revealed that the men of the Vale were at war. Armed with this knowledge the clansmen returned to the mountains, and for a time there was quiet and peace.

The Mummer's War
Main Article: The Mummer's War

The Interim Years
In mid-408AC, word arrived in the Eyrie from half a dozen villages, describing brazen raids and assaults on not only settlements all along the border. The assailants were identified as clansmen, but far better armed and organized than most had ever seen - they did not waste time with wanton slaughter or arson, but seemed focused on the theft of tools, weapons, armour, and precious metals.

Similar attacks were soon reported near Ironoaks, Strongsong, Heart’s Home, and Longbow Hall, with all attempts to bring the perpetrators to battle failing. The raids were swift and organized, though to varying degrees of success, and it began to be whispered that they were only preparation for what was to come.

This would be proven true by dawn of the year 409, when all across the Vale attacks by clansmen increased tremendously. Heavy raids were reported all along the Mountains of the Moon, with many battles fought between clansmen and the knights of the Vale. The Skirmish of the Black Abyss, the Battle of Raven’s Ford, and Hardyng’s Harrowing were all famous conflicts that saw heroes and villains arise on both sides. As winter approached, the fighting began to ebb, and for a time it looked like there might be respite. But just after the first of the snows began to fall, a large band of wildlings descended into the lowlands of the Vale proper, sacking the town of Highbrood and taking it for their own. The advance of winter made ousting them all but impossible, the high passes of the Vale impassible by all save the bravest and most foolish.

The Siege of Highbrood
Main Article: The Siege of Highbrood

Rather than allowing the continued subjugation of the people of Highbrood, Osric Arryn heeded the advice of some councillors and gathered what forces he could. Thus began the long march through the snow; it was a gruesome slog, and the siege of Highbrood that followed was much worse. In the second moon of 412AC the Vale forces liberated the town, managing to slay the leader of the wildling clan and drive them back into the hills.

The rest of that winter was quiet and largely peaceful, though no less bitter thanks to the memories. With the slow return of summer a year later, the Vale waited with bated breath to see what would occur.

It took longer for the snows to melt in the high places of the Vale than the low, but by 414AC tentative raids were once more coming down from the Mountains. Frustrated, in 415AC Osric gave command to Harrold Arryn, giving him five hundred knights and twice as many foot with the instruction to end the depredations of the clansmen. Their advance into the hills was successful at first, until they met horrific defeat in the Battle of Mirror Lake, where hundreds of Valemen were slain in the fighting and dozens disappeared into the mountains as captives or prisoners. The army returned to the lowlands in shame, but it seemed their purpose was served. There was relative peace for a time, just as before; though this time, it would last but a year.

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 was followed by his eldest son, Osric Arryn.

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, d. 407AC
 * Arwen Arryn b. 400AC
 * m. Saera Targaryen
 * Arinna Arryn, First Moon of 409 AC
 * Jon Arryn, Seventh Moon of 410 AC
 * Sharra Arryn, Fourth Moon of 413 AC
 * Aemma Arryn, Seventh Moon of 415AC
 * Jacaerys Arryn, Tenth Moon of 417AC
 * Jaenara Arryn, Tenth Moon of 417AC
 * Jasper Arryn, b. 385AC
 * Alesander Arryn, b 386AC
 * Artys Arryn b. 387AC
 * 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