Winning the Game of Thrones: The Host of Characters and their Agendas (29 page)

Noble Houses

House Tarth

Vassals to House Baratheon

Sigil: Yellow suns on rose quartered with white crescents on azure

Lord Selwyn Tarth

The aging head of the house

Brienne of Tarth

played by Gwendoline Christie

She is desperate to be part of King Renly Baratheon’s Kingsguard, and wins a tournament to accomplish this. Though implicated in Renly’s murder, she idolizes him. As they flee, Catelyn Stark adopts her as bodyguard. As season two ends, Catelyn orders her to deliver Jaime Lannister to King’s Landing, in return for Sansa and Arya. Brienne and Jaime become increasingly close when they’re captured by Lord Bolton’s men.

House Frey

Vassals to House Tully

Sigil: Two grey towers

Walder Frey, “The Late Lord Frey,”

played by David Bradley

The Lord of the Crossing has been nicknamed “The Late Lord Frey” for his lengthy stalling when ordered to support his liege with troops, both in Robert’s Rebellion and the recent wars. He has been married eight times and has roughly a hundred descendants. All are eager to inherit and most name their children Walda or Walder to curry favor. Their two towers, called the Twins, are located strategically in the Riverlands. When Robb needs to cross, his mother negotiates that he will marry a Frey daughter.

House Florent

Vassals to House Tyrell

Sigil: Fox and Flowers

House Florent follows House Tyrell in supporting Robert’s youngest brother, Renly, but switches to Stannis on Renly’s death. The Florents make up most of Stannis’s remaining army after the Battle of Blackwater.

Lord Alester Florent

Lord Alester Florent, the head of the House Florent, is Samwell Tarly’s grandfather through his daughter Melessa Florent. On Dragonstone, Alester joins his niece Queen Selyse and his brother Ser Axell in fervently following the Lord of Light.

Selyse Baratheon, formerly Florent
, is
Stannis’s wife.

House Karstark

Vassals to House Stark

Sigil: White sunburst on black

The Karstarks, a cadet branch and kin to House Stark, follow Robb into war. When prisoner Jaime kills young Torrhen Karstark, his guard, the boy’s father Lord Rickard Karstark is horrified. His other son Eddard Karstark is slain in the war. Lord Rickard demands the death of two young Lannister prisoners in turn. When he executes them in the night, Robb beheads him and his troops desert. Lord Rickard has a daughter, Alys, who has her own subplot in the later books, when she and her uncle Arnolf Karstark fight for control of their lands.

House Bolton

Vassals to House Stark

Sigil: The flayed man

Lord Roose Bolton 

Robb’s bannerman, traveling with him on campaign. He fought at the Trident, long ago. In the second book, he and his men capture Harrenhal from the Lannisters, and he is the one to employ Arya as cupbearer, not Tywin Lannister. She doesn’t reveal herself to him, as she’s not certain of his loyalty. He weds “Fat Walda” Frey, who brings a dowry as large as she is.

The Bastard of Bolton

Ramsay Snow, his father’s only living child, stays behind at the Dreadfort when his father leaves with Robb. Ramsay poisoned his trueborn brother Domeric and so became his father’s heir. When Theon attacks Winterfell, Ramsay’s father sends him to reclaim it for the Starks.

Ramsay is a sadist; he is cruel, savage and wild, taking delight in torturing others. He is quite fond of the old Bolton custom of flaying their enemies alive – “During the Age of Heroes, the Boltons used to flay the Starks and wear their skins as cloaks,” as Jaime notes (III:845).

The second book features a subplot about “The Bastard of Bolton” that forces Robb to reconcile his bannermen while fighting for kingship: When House Hornwood loses its lord and his heir, Ramsay takes the keep and marries the widowed lady by force. He locks her in a tower without food, where’s she’s rumored to have eaten her own fingers before starving to death. Robb’s other bannermen are appalled. Ser Rodrik Cassel attempts to stop Ramsay, but he cleverly escapes and aids Theon in his attack on Winterfell before turning on him in turn.

Locke

Locke is a man of House Bolton who captures Jaime Lannister and Brienne in the third season. He agrees to not let Brienne be raped by his men, in return for a generous ransom, but he chops off Jaime’s hand. In the novels, Locke is instead the character Vargo Hoat “the Goat” who leads the Brave Companions, a group of sellswords hired (ironically) by Tywin Lannister to pillage the Riverlands before they switch sides to aid House Bolton.

House Tarly

Vassals of House Tyrell

Sigil: Red huntsman on green

Lord Randyll Tarly 

A military commander and man so cruel he offered to kill Sam if his bookish eldest son refused to take the Black. In the book series, young Sam considered being a Maester, and Lord Tarly put heavy chains on him to punish him.

Melessa Tarly

Lady Tarly, formerly Florent, appears kind and loving toward Sam. The book mentions multiple daughters as well.

See Samwell Tarly
(under
Night’s Watch
)

Dickon Tarly

Sam’s younger, more capable brother. Now the heir to his father’s lands.

House Clegane

“I like dogs better than knights. My father’s father was kennelmaster at the Rock. One autumn year, Lord Tytos came between a lioness and her prey. Lioness didn’t give a shit that she was Lannister’s own sigil. Bitch tore into my lord’s horse and would have done for my lord too, but my grandfather came up with the hounds. Three of his dogs died running her off. My grandfather lost a leg, so Lannister paid him for it with lands and a towerhouse, and took his son to squire. The three dogs on our banner are the three that died, in the yellow of autumn grass. A hound will die for you, but never lie to you. And he’ll look you straight in the face.” (Sandor Clegane, II:262)

Vassals of House Lannister

Sigil: Three black dogs on a dark yellow background

Ser Gregor Clegane, “The Mountain That Rides.”
played by Conan Stevens (season one) and Ian Whyte (season two)

Ser Gregor is a tremendously large knight, almost eight feet in height and notoriously cruel. Though Rhaegar Targaryen knighted him at Tywin Lannister’s urging, Gregor murdered Rhaegar Targaryen’s family, raping his wife Elia Martell and smashing in the head of their baby, Aegon, during Robert’s Rebellion. During the War of the Five Kings he raids the Riverlands and kills entire villages. On the show, he’s first seen killing Jon Arryn’s former squire brutally in a tournament. While King’s Hand, Ned demands Ser Gregor’s execution for his slaughters in the Riverlands, but Ned himself is soon put on trial. Gregor Clegane rules Harrenhal for a short time, and then abandons it, slaughtering all the prisoners.

Sandor Clegane, “The Hound”

“There are no true knights, no more than there are gods. If you can’t protect yourself, die and get out of the way of those who can. Sharp steel and strong arms rule this world, don’t ever believe any different.”

played by Rory McCann

When Sandor and Gregor were children Gregor held his brother’s face in a fire, horrifically scarring him. He is the personal bodyguard of Joffrey Baratheon and does the young prince’s dirty work. Sandor looks down on romance, so he refuses to be knighted, as he knows what brutes living knights can be. He has a quiet affection for Sansa Stark and rescues her from an angry mob. He offers to take her home, though she declines. King Joffrey relieves Barristan the Bold as leader of the Kingsguard so he can make Ser Jaime its leader. He then appoints Sandor to their ranks, but Sandor deserts his position during the Battle of the Blackwater, as the fires still terrify him. He’s captured in the third season by the Brotherhood Without Banners.

House Mormont

Vassals of House Stark

Sigil: Black bear in a green wood

Lord Commander Jeor “The Old Bear” Mormont

When Mormont took the black, he became Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, in time. He holds the Mormont ancestral sword Longclaw, which he gives to Jon.

Ser Jorah Mormont

Jorah, Lord Jeor’s son, was exiled by Ned Stark for selling his prisoners as slaves instead of sending them to the Wall. He now serves Daenerys overseas.

Maege Mormont

With her brother on the Wall and his son in exile, Maege assumes control of her House in the book (she hasn’t been mentioned in the show). She and her warrior daughters ride to battle in full armor for King Robb.

King’s Landing

The Small Council

Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish

“I did warn you not to trust me.”

played by Aidan Gillen

Petyr Baelish grew up as a ward of Catelyn’s father, Lord Tully. As heir to a minor holding on the smallest of the Fingers (a set of small peninsulas), he’s nicknamed “Littlefinger.” As a young man, he loved Catelyn, but her father intended her to wed Brandon Stark (Ned’s older brother before King Aerys killed him). Petyr challenged the older, stronger Brandon to a duel, and Brandon left him scarred and humiliated but alive at Catelyn’s insistence. Today, Petyr brags that he slept with Catelyn and her sister Lysa, but many dismiss this as idle boasting. He is the Master of Coin on the Small Council but gathers intelligence mainly through his brothels. After urging Ned to compromise with the Lannisters, he finally sides with King Joffrey and betrays Ned in the throne room when Ned tries to seize power.

Following the Battle of Blackwater Bay, King Joffrey names Littlefinger the Lord of Harrenhal, and liege lord to the rebellious Tullys, Catelyn’s family. Though the symbol of his family is the head of the Titan of Braavos, Littlefinger’s personal sigil is the harmless-looking but always singing mockingbird. He has a disturbing obsession with Sansa, who resembles her mother.

Varys, The Spider

“The storms come and go, the waves crash overhead, the big fish eat the little fish, and I keep on paddling.”

played by Conleth Hill.

Varys is a eunuch and the Master of Whisperers on the king’s small council. He is a skilled manipulator and commands a network of informants across two continents. Born in the Free Cities, he maintains a close partnership with Illyrio. Unlike Baelish, Varys insists he’s working for the betterment of the kingdom.

Grand Maester Pycelle 

The Maester of King’s Landing is rather a coward. While Littlefinger and Varys are too clever to be caught, Pycelle is discovered in several schemes and betrayals. Tyrion has his beard cut off and throws him in the cells as a punishment, though he’s released later.

Janos Slynt 

“I’m not questioning your honor, Lord Janos. I’m denying its existence.” ―Tyrion Lannister

played by Dominic Carter

Janos Slynt is the commander of the City Watch in King’s Landing. Ned Stark thinks he and Littlefinger have bought him, but instead, Slynt arrests Ned, and King Joffrey appoints him Lord of Harrenhal. Tyrion, disgusted that Slynt orders Robert Baratheon’s bastard children killed and has betrayed the previous Hand, quietly exiles him to the Wall.

The Kingsguard 

Under King Aerys “The Mad King” Targaryen

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Lord Commander Ser Gerold Hightower “The White Bull” (died at Tower of Joy with Lyanna Stark)

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Ser Arthur Dayne, The Sword of the Morning (died at Tower of Joy with Lyanna Stark)

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Ser Oswell Whent (died at Tower of Joy with Lyanna Stark)

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Prince Lewyn Martell (died with Rhaegar on the Trident)

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Ser Jon Darry (died with Rhaegar on the Trident)

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Barristan Selmy (severely wounded with Rhaegar on the Trident), see below

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Ser Jaime Lannister (slew the King at King’s Landing. Allowed Lannisters to kill Prince Rhaegar’s family)

Under King Robert and King Joffrey

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Ser Barristan Selmy, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard 

Ser Barristan the Bold served under the Targaryens, then was forgiven and appointed to the Kingsguard by King Robert. Joffrey relieved him of service, over his protests, and Barristan left to go serve Daenerys, whom he recognized as the rightful heir. In the book he mentions he’d had suspicions Viserys was unfit, but after watching Daenerys, he recognizes her as Westeros’s true queen.

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Ser Boros Blount

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Ser Preston Greenfield

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Ser Meryn Trant

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Ser Mandon Moore

Ser Mandon is killed by Podrick Payne during the Battle of the Blackwater after attempting to murder Tyrion Lannister, likely on Joffrey’s orders.

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Ser Arys Oakheart

Ser Arys is sent to Dorne to protect Myrcella Baratheon.

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Ser Jaime Lannister “the Kingslayer”
(raised to Commander of the Kingsguard when Barristan leaves)

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Sandor Clegane
(appointed by King Joffrey to replace Ser Barristan)