House Crane

House Crane of Red Lake is a noble house from Red Lake in the Reach. It is one of the principal houses sworn to House Tyrell.

Age of Heroes
According to legend the house was founded by a daughter of Garth Greenhand, Rose of Red Lake. It is rumored that some female members of House Crane are able to skinchange into cranes.

Before the Conquest
Red Lake and House Crane joined the Kingdom of the Reach through pacts of friendship and mutual defense with King Garth III Gardener.

Third Century AC
During the War of the Five Kings, a cousin of House Crane, Ser Parmen, served Renly Baratheon in his Rainbow Guard and was known as Parmen the Purple. After Renly's death, Ser Parmen declared for Stannis Baratheon and was later captured and held by House Tyrell.

Lady Meredyth Crane, eldest daughter of Lord Martyn Crane, accompanied Margaery Tyrell to King's Landing. She died and was buried there during the Second War of Conquest. Later, Joy Crane, one of her younger sisters, would serve Lady Margaery at Casterly Rock, and marry a Westerlands Lord.

The Winter of Wolves
The years from 326 to 329 AC were harsh for House Crane. Sickness swept the castle, killing Lord Martyn, his wife Lady Cynthea, and his youngest daughter Della, and leaving Owen Crane as Lord of Red Lake at a young age.

War and Sickness
Even after the Winter of Wolves, hard times continued for House Crane. Levies were repeatedly raised and lost in the Third War of the Kraken, the War in the Narrows, and the Fourth War of the Kraken. The Summer Sickness struck Red Lake hard, as well, carrying off many smallfolk and Lady Helaena Crane, Lord Owen's beloved daughter.

The Mead Summer
The great summer known as the Mead Summer was a chance for House Crane to recover from its losses. With crops bountiful and coin plentiful, the Mead Summer was when House Crane and Red Lake became known for fine pottery made from the strong red clay of the hills and the pure white clay of the lake. Throughout the Mead Summer, Ser Rycherd Crane, Lord Owen's heir, consistently put off marriage in favor of tourneys and adventures throughout the Seven Kingdoms.

Unrest throughout Westeros
So it was that as the Halfblood Incursion began and suspicion fell upon Lenore Blackwood, Ser Rycherd died in an accident during a joust, and his younger brother Addam became heir to Red Lake. Some had whispered even before his brother's death that Addam Crane would make a better Lord of Red Lake; at the time of Rycherd's death Addam had been married for more than ten years and had four children by his wife, Kyra Dunn, with another on the way.

Old Lord Owen died in 372 AC, leaving his son to rule over a period of peace and prosperity, and his widow Lady Alayne to live another sixteen years and witness the birth of two of her great-grandchildren. Lord Addam, however, could not boast the same; he died in 386, two years before the birth of his first granddaughter, Rosamund. During his life, Lord Addam was generous and resourceful, building new homes for widows and orphans as well as expanding the potteryworks of Red Lake.

Lord Addam's heir, Ser Thom Crane, was already known throughout Red Lake and neighboring fiefs by the time he inherited the lordship. As a young knight he had competed in the now-fabled Kingswood Tourney; though he won no prizes, he acquitted himself well and left with his life, more than could be said for some. During the Southern Schism and the Hammer Uprising, Thom Crane kept the peace by increasing both patrols of armed guards and wages at the Red Lake potteryworks.

Because of Lord Thom's efforts, the Great Famine did not strike Red Lake as hard as some. Even so, with a portion of the population dedicated to working in the potteryworks rather than in the fields, measures had to be taken. In many cases, wages were paid in grain rather than coin, and feasting ceased at Red Lake.

Fourth Century AC
Levies were raised and dispatched to the Stepstones during the War of the Three Thieves, though relatively few. With the rebound from the Great Famine largely complete by the time the Scarlet Winter began, House Crane fared better than others. A makeshift wintertown was constructed at Red Lake, and another at the potteryworks. This conglomeration of smallfolk lessened demand for firewood and eased the burden of distributing food; fewer smallfolk were far-flung and beyond the reach of aid.

Now that the Scarlet Winter is finished and spring has come once more, the wintertowns have been demolished and work at the potteryworks has resumed.

Members of House Crane
Martyn Crane (b. 267, m. 285, d. 326) – Cynthea Meadows (b. 268, d. 326).
 * Meredyth, b. 288. Died at King’s Landing.
 * Joy, b. 290. Married –.
 * Della, b. 292. Died 326, in the Winter of Wolves.
 * Owen, b. 294. Ruled as Lord of Red Lake.

Owen Crane (b. 294, m. 329, d. 372) – Alayne Beesbury (b. 312, d. 388).
 * Rycherd, b. 330. Died 366, in a jousting accident.
 * Helaena, b. 332. Died of the Summer Sickness.
 * Addam, b. 334. Ruled as Lord of Red Lake.

Addam Crane (b. 334, m. 353, d. 386) – Kyra Dunn (b. 336, d. 400).
 * Elaena, b. 355. Became a septa in Oldtown; died during the Great Famine.
 * Melara, b. 358. Married –.
 * Thom, b. 361. Ruled as Lord of Red Lake.
 * Sylva, b. 365. Married –.
 * Martyn, b. 367. Captain of the Guard at Oldtown.

Thom Crane (b. 361, m. 382) – Sarra Graceford (b. 365).
 * Rycherd, b. 384.
 * Rosamund, b. 388.
 * Elinor, b. 392.
 * Meredyth, b. 394.