House Upcliff

This page is a Work in Progress.House Upcliff is a noble house from the Vale that goes back to the Age of Heroes. Their seat is located at Witch Isle and their castle is called Deepwater. According to semi-canon sources it blazon its arms with a cresting wave, sea green on black.

Its words are "Sure as the Tide".

Their current lord is Willum Upcliff.

The house has a sinister reputation.

Early history
Ursula Upcliff was a reputed sorceress who lived during the Andal Invasion. She joined the alliance of First Men houses, petty kings and clans summoned by Robar II Royce to fight against the Andals. According to tradition, Robar II won her alliance due to his "honeyed tongue."

Ursula participated in the Battle of Seven Stars, riding a bloodred horse. She faced Torgold Tollett and tried to curse him. However, according to singers, Torgold leapt upon Ursula's horse, grasped her face and tore her head from her shoulders as she screamed for succor.

Later Arwen of House Upcliff, was married to arried to King Alester II of House Arryn and became Queen of the Vale. Her marriage to the Arryn king brought the Witch Isle, seat of House Upcliff into the realm by marriage.

The Isle
Much of the of the sinister reputation of House Upcliff comes from the myths and whisperings of sorcery and witchcraft on the Isle. Many of these rumors dates back to the The Coming of the Andals when Ursula stood with Royce against the Andal rule.

A long time has since passed but still the rumors persist. Of the women of house Upcliff. It is said that they have a great knowledge of herbs and of potions. Tongues tell the tales of poison and even of visions of the future. Many sees this as the sources of the unexplained prosperity of the house, and of the strange garments from foreign lands.

It seems also that the women of House Upcliff live longer than most. It is not uncommon for them to live past eighty years.

The Sea
Smuggler, pirates and thieves. Many names are given to the men of the Witch Isle but the fact is that they live hard and short lives. They live off the sea and the opportunities it presents to them.

There were the fish and the crabs that the bay is named after. Such bounties are however seldom more than enough to fill the bellies of families. Too much competition from the fishermen from the mainland to make any real coin.

There were trade but most of it went to Gulltown and the Graftons, not to the insignificant rock in the ocean. The sail of merchant ships often appeared on the horizons to the north, east and south like pearls on a string and they moved closer and closer, right until they turn off into the bay. Ever it was a source of envy, anger and scorn.

There were hopes and dreams of something more. The men, low and high alike, wanted to get ahead in life, to increase their station and their circumstances. So they took their skills, with sail and oar and put them to use the only way they could come up with.

There was a need for the transportation of wares, away from the eyes of the harbormasters and tax collectors. So the men of the Isle added to their abilities. They learned to mask their ships against the sea at night and at day. They learned to quiet their oars. They learned the natural harbors of the Sisters, the Finger and the Bay of Crabs. The made contacts with others in the same business, also in Essos to increase the selection of their wares.

Seat
Witch Isle is located to the east of Gulltown and Runestone and northeast of the mouth to the Bay of Crabs. Other than the small fishing villages, the isle also has a small castle by the name of Deepwater. The castle consists of a broad round blackened stone building, lovingly called the Cauldron, and a small tower, called the Ladle, that functions as a lighthouse to repel ships away from the cliffs of the Isle and the mainland behind.

Household
Willum Upcliff 381 AC -

Fidelis Upcliff 315 AC -

Glenda Upcliff 319 AC -

Serafine Upcliff 321 AC -

Deanna Wydman 361 AC -

Fay Upcliff 359 AC -

Symond Upcliff 383 AC -

Alester Upcliff 384 AC -

Perra Upcliff 387 AC -

Benedar Upcliff 390 AC -