The Weeping Lady of Lys is a goddess worshipped by the Lyseni..
When first entering the House of Black and White, Arya Stark notes the statue of a marble woman, 12 feet tall (3,66 meters). Real tears are trickling from the eyes, filling the bowl the woman cradled in her arms. The statue of a man with a lion's head stands nearby. At this point Arya cannot name the figures.
There is a statue crying silver tears outside the shrine of the Weeping Lady in Braavos.
The Weeping Ridge was a ridge integral in the defeat of Daemon Blackfyre at the Battle of the Redgrass Field.
After Daemon Blackfyre's defeat of Ser Gwayne Corbray of the Kingsguard, he stayed to defend him while the battle swept around them. While he was defending the fallen knight, Bloodraven and his Raven's Teeth had reached the top of Weeping Ridge and began targeting Daemon's standard. From this vantage point Bloodraven and his Raven's Teeth killed Daemon and his twin sons, Aegon and Aemon Blackfyre.
Weeping Town
The stormlands and the location of the Weeping Town
The Weeping Town is a market town in the stormlands. Lying on the southern shore of Cape Wrath, along the Sea of Dorne,
The town has stout wooden walls, peaked roofs, and crooked alleys. It is large enough to support three inns: the Broken Shield, the Loon, and the Drunken Dornishman.
It is known as the Weeping Town because it is where the corpse of Daeron I Targaryen was first brought after the king was murdered in Dorne,
While staying in the Weeping Town, Arianne Martell hears rumors about the landing of the Golden Company. Fifty men and boys, including Ser Addam Whitehead, are said to have left to join Jon Connington after the taking of Griffin's Roost.
Weeping Water
The North and the location of the Weeping Water river
The Weeping Water is a river between the Last River and the Broken Branch in the North. The Dreadfort, the seat of House Bolton, lies along the river, which flows southeast into the Shivering Sea.
King Theon Stark allied with the Boltons to crush Argos Sevenstar and his Andals in the Battle of the Weeping Water.
While hunting along the Weeping Water, Lord Roose Bolton raped and impregnated a miller's wife. The child of the rape was named Ramsay.
Theon Greyjoy remembers escaping from the Dreadfort with Kyra and stumbling over half-frozen stones in the icy Weeping Water; the escape turned out to be a hunting game devised by Ramsay Bolton.
© Fantasy Flight Games
Weese is the understeward of the Wailing Tower at Harrenhal.
Weese is a squat man with boils near one corner of his lips. He is an abusive man, resorting to violence at the slightest provocation.
Arya Stark, who calls herself Weasel, is assigned to Weese when she is brought to Harrenhal by the Mountain's men.
Arya learns from the waif while training at the House of Black and White in Braavos. Faceless Men have access to a paste which, when spiced with basilisk blood, makes cooked meat smell savory but induces violent madness when consumed. This may have been how Jaqen manipulated the dog into killing Weese.
My nose never lies. I can smell defiance, I can smell pride, I can smell disobedience. I catch a whiff of any such stinks, you'll answer for it. When I sniff you, all I want to smell is fear.
- Weese to Arya Stark and other servants
Realm's got more kings than a castle's got rats.
- Weese regarding the War of the Five Kings
Weirwood
The weirwood is a species of deciduous trees found in Westeros, now found most commonly in the north and beyond the Wall.
See also: Images of Weirwood Trees
The five-pointed leaves and the sap of weirwoods are blood-red, while the smooth bark on their wide trunks
godswood of Winterfell in *Game of Thrones*
Weirwoods are considered sacred to the followers of the old gods, and children of the forest believe weirwoods are the gods.
Weirwoods are used to bear witness to important ceremonies such as marriages and oaths, since followers believe that the old gods watch through the faces.
The Night's Watch uses a grove of nine weirwoods in the haunted forest half a league from Castle Black as a godswood when necessary.
Ice against a weirwood © Fantasy Flight Games
The wood of the weirwood is an excellent, though expensive,
Weirwood can also be used to make furniture. The meeting table of the Kingsguard in the Red Keep is made of white weirwood fashioned into the shape of a shield and supported by three white stallions.
One of the main doors of the House of Black and White in Braavos is made of weirwood, with the the other made of ebony. Its chairs are also made of the two materials. Tobho Mott's shop in King's Landing has doors carved out of weirwood and ebony showing a hunting scene.
Val has a pin with a "carved weirwood face" that holds her cloak,
A grove of weirwood trees during a full moon - by Franz Miklis © Fantasy Flight Games
Weirwoods once grew throughout Westeros, although they never took to the thinner soil of the Iron Islands.
After the First Men took up the faith of the old gods they created godswoods within their castle walls and villages where a single weirwood, known as a heart tree, was planted so the gods could be worshiped.
With the invasion of Westeros by Andals came the Faith of the Seven. Some First Men allied with children of the forest, such as the Weirwood Alliance,
Wild weirwood groves are said to remain on the Isle of Faces where the children and the First Men agreed to the peace. The Andals never conquered the north, however, and worship of the old gods remains strong there. Weirwoods still grow in the forests of the north, and are prevalent beyond the Wall.
Men of duty - Illustrated by Bill Corbett. © Fantasy Flight Games.
Jon Snow and Samwell Tarly say their Night's Watch vows at a weirwood grove in the haunted forest.
Sansa Stark sitting by a weirwood - by Josu Hernaiz ©
Jon Snow sees an enormous weirwood with a gaping mouth growing in the village of Whitetree beyond the Wall with a trunk that is eight feet wide.
Arya Stark prays before the weirwood in the Harrenhal godswood before the Fall of Harrenhal.
Bran Stark learns of the Knight of the Laughing Tree, a mystery knight whose shield bore a weirwood heart tree with a laughing face.
Arya Stark sees weirwood roots growing throughout the hollow hill in the riverlands.
Brienne of Tarth discovers a slender young weirwood at the ruins of the Whispers. She buries Dick Crabb beneath the tree after he is killed by Shagwell.
Varamyr Sixskins, a skinchanger not known to be a greenseer, can see through the eyes of a carved weirwood briefly as he is dying.
The queen's men burn "Mance Rayder" in a wooden cage made from various trees, including weirwoods. The queen's men give weirwood branches to free folk who submit to Stannis Baratheon so the wood can feed the pyre, symbolizing their acceptance of R'hllor.
Bran travels to the cave of the three-eyed crow beneath a great weirwood north of the Wall. He observes weirwood roots in the cave.
Lord Tytos Blackwood desires to bury the bones of his son Lucas, killed in the Red Wedding, beneath the great dead heart tree of Raventree Hall.
You will find a grove of weirwoods half a league from this spot, and mayhap your gods as well.
– Jeor Mormont, to Jon Snow
The old gods have no power in the south. The weirwoods there were all cut down, thousands of years ago.
– Osha, to Bran Stark
The singers of the forest had no books. No ink, no parchment, no written language. Instead they had the trees, and the weirwoods above all. When they died, they went into the wood, into leaf and limb and root, and the trees remembered. All their songs and spells, their histories and prayers, everything they knew about this world. Maesters will tell you that the weirwoods are sacred to the old gods. The singers believe they are the old gods. When singers die they become part of that godhood.
- Jojen Reed to Bran Stark
Time is different for a tree than for a man. Sun and soil and water, these are the things a weirwood understands, not days and years and centuries. For men, time is a river. We are trapped in its flow, hurtling from past to present, always in the same direction. The lives of trees are different. They root and grow and die in one place, and that river does not move them. The oak is the acorn, the acorn is the oak. And the weirwood ... a thousand human years are a moment to a weirwood, and through such gates you and I may gaze into the past.
- Brynden Rivers to Bran Stark
The Weirwood Alliance was an alliance of the First Men of House Durrandon and the Children of the Forest against the Andal warlords and adventurers invading the Stormlands. The Alliance defeated the Andals at the Battle at Black Bog, the Battle in the Misty Wood, and the Battle beneath the Howling Hill.
Snowylocks holding the weirwood bowl. © SickDelusion
Weirwood paste is a paste of weirwood seeds and sap. It is made by the children of the forest.
Bran Stark trains as a greenseer with Lord Brynden, the three-eyed crow, in a cave beyond the Wall. To enhance Bran's gift, Leaf and Snowylocks give the youth a bowl of thick weirwood paste to eat. The bowl has a dozen faces carved like a heart tree. The white paste has red veins, which Bran supposes are only weirwood sap, though in the torchlight they look like blood.
Bran's reaction to the paste's taste is similar to the reaction Daenerys Targaryen had upon drinking shade of the evening in the House of the Undying.
With the cave's torches extinguished by the children of the forest, Brynden has Bran slip his skin into the weirwood roots instead of Summer, Hodor, or ravens. Bran then has visions of past events which occurred at Winterfell.
One of the visions seen by Bran Stark - by Marc Fishman ©
Bran: Will this make me a greenseer?
Brynden: Your blood makes you a greenseer. This will help awaken your gifts and wed you to the trees.
- Bran Stark and Brynden
Wenda the White Fawn was a famous member of the Kingswood Brotherhood. It is unknown if she was connected with House Cafferen of Fawnton, whose sigil includes white fawns.
Wenda was said to be young and fair.
Wenda branded her trademark, a fawn, on Merrett Frey, a squire captured by the outlaw Kingswood Brotherhood. It is not clear what happened to Wenda when the outlaws were destroyed.
While riding with Sandor Clegane, Arya Stark wonders if she should go back to Sharna’s inn, where she could stay with Hot Pie or rejoin the brotherhood without banners. She briefly thinks of becoming an outlaw, like Wenda the White Fawn in the songs, but then thinks the idea is stupid.
On his way to pay the ransom for Petyr Frey, the grandson of his half-brother Stevron, Merrett Frey thinks about being captured by a woman, the one called the White Fawn, during the campaigns against the Kingswood Brotherhood. Lord Sumner Crakehall ransomed him back from the outlaws, but not before Wenda burned a fawn into the cheek of his arse while he was her captive.
During Alys Karstark's wedding celebrations, Jon Snow think that Ulmer, an adept dancer, is regaling his partners with his tales of the Kingswood Brotherhood, when he rode with Simon Toyne and Big Belly Ben and helped Wenda burn her mark in the buttocks of her highborn captives.
No good ever came from dealing with outlaws. That vile little bitch Wenda had burned a fawn into the cheek of his arse while she had him captive.
- thoughts of Merrett Frey
Wendamyr is a maester who serves House Greyjoy at Pyke. He tends the ravens, acts as a healer, and serves as a counselor to Balon Greyjoy, Lord of the Iron Islands.
Wendamyr came to his post after the death of Maester Qalen.
Wendamyr sends a raven to Alannys Harlaw at the Ten Towers explaining the death of her husband Balon, King of the Isles and the North, and the return to the Iron Islands of Balon's brother, Euron Greyjoy.
Wendel Frey is the nineteenth son of Lord Walder Frey,the first son born of his marriage to Annara Farring. He is a page at Seagard., making Wendel's parentage dubious.
Ser Wendel Manderly is a knight of House Manderly. He is the second son of Wyman Manderly, Lord of White Harbor.
See also: Images of Wendel Manderly
Wendel is not quite as fat as his father, Wyman, and older brother, Wylis, but is still considered immense. He is loud and boisterous. Wendel wears a large mustache and is bald.
Ser Wendel accompanies his brother, Wylis, to the muster when Robb Stark calls his banners. They escort Catelyn Stark from White Harbor to Robb's encampment at Moat Cailin.
Wendel accompanies Catelyn south to meet with Renly Baratheon and Stannis Baratheon at Bitterbridge
After Robb breaks his marriage contract with House Frey, Wendel offers to take a Frey bride as part of an apology to the Freys.
Wendel's bones are returned to his father by a trio of Freys—Rhaegar, Jared and Symond—who also come to ensure White Harbor bends the knee to King Tommen I Baratheon. Wendel's remains are interred in the Sept of the Snows.
Wendel: There are birds in this grass. Would you fancy a roast quail to break your fast this morning?
Catelyn: Oats and bread are sufficient ... for all of us, I think. We have many leagues yet to ride, Ser Wendel.
Wendel: As you will, my lady. Oats and bread, and what could be better?
- Wendel and Catelyn Stark
Nothing's more like to bring a Lannister running than a threat to his gold.
- Wendel to Martyn Rivers
Hallis: They have hanged some Lannisters.
Wendel: A pretty sight.
Perwyn: Our friends have begun without us.
- Hallis Mollen, Wendel, and Perwyn Frey
A valiant boy, and jolly.
- Wyman Manderly to Rodrik Cassel and Luwin
Wendel was always a brave boy. I was not surprised to learn he died a hero.
- Wyman Manderly to Jared Frey
My son Wendel came to the Twins a guest. He ate Lord Walder's bread and salt, and hung his sword upon the wall to feast with friends. And they murdered him. Murdered, I say, and may the Freys choke upon their fables.
- Wyman Manderly to Davos Seaworth
Ser Wendell Webber was a knight of House Webber during the reign of Aerys I Targaryen. He was the cousin of former head of house Lord Wyman Webber. He was married to the sister of Lord Rowan of Goldengrove. He and his wife had many sons and daughters.
He was a short, bald man with a goiter on his neck. He had a problem with flatulence. He was grasping and stupid.
His cousin, Lord Wyman, dictated in his will that his daughter Lady Rohanne Webber must be married before the second anniversary of his death or Coldmoat and lands will go to Ser Wendell.
Wendello Qar Deeth is a member of the Pureborn in Qarth.
Daenerys Targaryen bribed Wendello to sway the Pureborn to her cause. He praised the way she spoke in the Hall of a Thousand Thrones, but did nothing to overtly aid her.
Wendeyne is a mummer at the Gate in Braavos.
Although Izembaro hates it when the mummers wear his costumes in the city's streets he makes an exception for Wendeyne who is known to fellate him so that she can wear any costume that she wants. Bobono tells Mercy that he always gives Wendeyne's breasts a nice squeeze when he rapes her in *The Anguish of the Archon*.
Wendish Town
The riverlands and a possible location of Wendish Town
Wendish Town is a town with a timbered holdfast in the riverlands.
The non-canonical map from the television adaptation *Game of Thrones* places the town south of the Blue Fork,
Wendish Town is destroyed at the beginning of the War of the Five Kings by raiders from the westerlands. All of its inhabitants are killed. They sought refuge in their holdfast, but the raiders set fire to it and when the townsfolk attempted to flee, they were shot down with arrows. Ser Raymun Darry tells of the attack to the Hand of the King, Lord Eddard Stark, and Eddard sends Lord Beric Dondarrion to bring Ser Gregor Clegane to justice.
Wendwater
The crownlands and the location of the Wendwater
Wendwater
The stormlands and the location of the Wendwater
The Wendwater is a river located in the southeastern crownlands and northeastern stormlands, marking a border between the two regions within the Seven Kingdoms.
Beginning at a narrow lake in the southern kingswood, the Wendwater flows northeast to Blackwater Bay.
Prior to the Last Storm, the host of Orys Baratheon was ambushed while crossing the Wendwater by Lords Errol, Fell, and Buckler.
During the Faith Militant uprising, Ser Horys Hill was killed in an ambush at the Wendwater.
The dragon Sheepstealer of Dragonstone was known for grabbing sheep from flocks in Blackwater Bay from Driftmark to as far as the Wendwater.
The Fourth Blackfyre Rebellion was crushed in the Battle of Wendwater Bridge.
En route to King's Landing, Stannis Baratheon's fleet anchors at the mouth of the Wendwater. Ser Imry Florent, Lord High Captain of Stannis's fleet, calls for a meeting of captains to instruct them in the battle plan once they reach the Blackwater Rush. Three days later they attack King's Landing in the Battle of the Blackwater.
Werlag is an ironborn raider sworn to House Greyjoy.
Werlag is among the ironborn who raid the Stony Shore. Winterfell.
The westerlands with the major strongholds
The westerlands of noble origin born in the westerlands is Hill.
The westerlands is ruled from Casterly Rock by House Lannister. Notable bannermen have included Banefort, Brax, Broom, Clegane, Crakehall, Farman, Lefford, Lydden, Marbrand, Payne, Prester, Reyne, Serrett, Swyft, Tarbeck, and Westerling.
The westerlands by Sarah Morris © Fantasy Flight Games
The westerlands is known for its rugged hills, rolling plains, fertile fields, and broadleaf forests. The land contains lakes and rivers, and the hills conceal systems of caves and caverns.
The region lies along the coast of the Sunset Sea, with Ironman's Bay and the Iron Islands to the north.
Also along the coast is Casterly Rock, the seat of House Lannister, a fortress carved out of a massive hill of solid rock..
The headwaters of the Tumblestone and the Red Fork begin in the westerlands and flow east into the riverlands. The main pass through the eastern hills is guarded by the Golden Tooth, a castle which controls access to the river road leading to Riverrun. Further south is the Goldroad, which runs east to King's Landing. Deep Den watches this road, with Hornvale to the north and Silverhill to the south.
The southern westerlands contain more flatland than the rest of the country and includes Cornfield and the forest by Crakehall Castle. The Ocean Road leads south from the Rock past Crakehall to Old Oak and Highgarden in the Reach..
Mines at the Golden Tooth by Franz Miklis © Fantasy Flight Games
The westerlands are not the largest, most populous, or most fertile part of the realm, but they are the richest. Full of hills and crags, the land is dotted with mines from which pour gold and silver in astonishing quantities. There are gold mines at Casterly Rock, the Golden Tooth, Castamere, Nunn's Deep, and the Pendric Hills. According to semi-canon sources, there are settlements which become ghost towns once nearby mines stop producing ore..
A semi-canon source from 2005 estimates the military strength of the westerlands to be fifty thousand men strong, though this count includes even green boys, and depletes most castles of any protection.
According to a semi-canon source, in 261 AC House Reyne was able to field eight thousand men, while Houses Westerling, Banefort, Plumm, and Stackspear together were able to field at least sixty-five hundred men together.
In 283 AC, Lord Tywin Lannister commanded twelve thousand Lannister men during the Sack of King's Landing.
The Lannister fleet at Lannisport consists of twenty or thirty cogs, carracks, galleys, and dromonds, while lesser lords have two or three ships for patrolling.
Western Fiefdoms by Andrew Hall © Fantasy Flight Games
Little is known of the time before the coming of the First Men. Like the rest of Westeros, the children of the forest and giants lived in the westerlands and fought with the First Men when they came. After the Pact at the Isle of Faces, the children only kept the forests.
First Men lords, some of whom were petty kings, included the Baneforts, Brooms, Crakehalls, Farmans, Footes, Greenfields, Hawthornes, Morelands, Plumms, Reynes, Westerlings, and Yews.
During the Age of Heroes, the legendary hero and trickster Lann the Clever acquired Casterly Rock in some manner from House Casterly. According to legend he is the ancestor of the Lannisters, who became the Kings of the Rock with Casterly Rock as their seat.
The Lannister Kings of the Rock gradually conquered or acquired neighboring territory, including the lands of the Reynes and the Baneforts. They initially resisted the Andal invasion, but later Lannister kings allowed the Andals to marry into the westermen nobility. New houses formed by the intermarriages included Houses Brax, Drox, Jast, Kyndall, Lefford, Marbrand, Parren, Sarsfield, and Serrett. In contrast to most kings of First Men origin, the support of the Andals allowed the Kings of the Rock to expand their power. When King Gerold III Lannister died without male issue, a council crowned his daughter's husband, Ser Joffrey Lydden, who became the first Andal King of the Rock, Joffrey Lannister.
With Andal support the Lannisters extended their rule to the Golden Tooth and Fair Isle and engaged in border wars with the Kings of the Trident and Kings of the Reach.
Some of the eastern hills of what is now the westerlands were historically ruled by Kings of the Rivers and the Hills, such as the Mudds and the Teagues.
Ser Eustace Osgrey mentioned that a famous relative of his defeated an attack by the Kingdom of the Rock by killing a Lannister king, Lancel V.
See also: Aegon's Conquest
Loren I Lannister, King of the Rock, mustered his armies to fight Aegon Targaryen, Lord of Dragonstone, during Aegon's Conquest. Allied with Mern IX Gardener, King of the Reach, they assembled the enormous Host of the Two Kings. However, they were no match for Targaryen dragons. King Loren escaped the so-called Field of Fire and submitted to Aegon. His primacy in the westerlands as Warden of the West was confirmed by the Targaryens. Since this time the westerlands have been part of the Seven Kingdoms controlled by the Iron Throne.
Dalton Greyjoy, the Red Kraken, attacked the westerlands during the Dance of the Dragons.
During the First Blackfyre Rebellion, many battles were fought in the west.
During the Great Spring Sickness the coast of the westerlands suffered under the attacks Dagon Greyjoy,
Tywin Lannister - Brittmartin@
During the rule of Lord Tytos Lannister, the power of House Lannister was nominal. Tytos was held in low esteem and was largely ignored by his vassals. Lord Roger Reyne took command of the Lannister army after Ser Jason Lannister was killed in the War of the Ninepenny Kings.
Houses Reyne and Tarbeck eventually rebelled against the rule of Tytos, but his son, Ser Tywin, led the campaign against the Reyne-Tarbeck revolt. The two families were extinguished and their respective seats of Castamere and Tarbeck Hall were destroyed. Since this time no House has dared oppose House Lannister in the westerlands. The prestigious Tywin served for a time as Hand of the King for King Aerys II Targaryen.
Main article: Robert's Rebellion
Lyanna Stark, who was betrothed to Lord Robert Baratheon, was apparently abducted by Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. After the executions of her father, Lord Rickard Stark, and brother, Brandon, by King Aerys II, Robert's Rebellion broke out against House Targaryen, with Houses Arryn, Baratheon, Stark, and Tully opposing House Targaryen.
For the better part of the war the westerlands remained neutral. After the Battle of the Trident and the death of Rhaeger, however, Tywin chose the side of the rebels instead of his one-time friend, Aerys. Tywin ordered the Sack of King's Landing and the killing of the Targaryen heirs to prove House Lannister's support. After being crowned king, Robert I married Cersei Lannister to bind the Lannisters to his cause.
The burning of the Lannister fleet at Lannisport began Greyjoy's Rebellion.
After the abduction of Tyrion Lannister by Catelyn Stark at the crossroads,
Jaime crushes the rivermen in a battle in the hills below the Golden Tooth and a battle under the walls of Riverrun, but Ser Marq Piper and Lord Karyl Vance raid lands west of the Red Fork.
Lannister soldiers in King's Landing by Tomasz Jedruszek © Fantasy Flight Games
With Tywin secure at Harrenhal, Ser Stafford Lannister begins raising a new host of some thousands in the westerlands.
After bypassing the Golden Tooth, Robb wins a crushing victory over Stafford's inexperienced host in the Battle of Oxcross. They then pillage the eastern and northern areas of the westerlands, raiding the coast and capturing Ashemark, the Crag, and the gold mines at Castamere, Nunn's Deep, and the Pendric Hills.
Tywin is stopped at the Red Fork during the Battle of the Fords,
Since Robb marries Jeyne Westerling, the Freys at the Crag leave Robb's service.
Ser Daven Lannister reforms the remnants of his father Stafford's host at Lannisport,
Lord Tywin is murdered by his son, Tyrion Lannister, in the Tower of the Hand.
Queen Cersei Lannister, the Lady of Casterly Rock, succeeds Tywin as the liege lord of the westerlands.
When King Euron and Lord Captain Victarion Greyjoy set out to attack mainland Westeros after Balon's death, the westerlands escapes their wrath, as the Iron Fleet sails past and attacks the Shield Islands and the Reach instead.
Jaime joins Daven, the new Warden of the West, and other westermen at the siege of Riverrun.
After killing Tywin, Tyrion flees to Essos.
House Algood
House Banefort of Banefort
House Bettley
House Brax of Hornvale
House Broom
House Casterly of Casterly Rock
House Clegane of Clegane's Keep
House Clifton
House Crakehall of Crakehall
House Doggett
House Drox
House Estren of Wyndhall
House Falwell
House Farman of Faircastle
House Ferren
House Foote
House Garner
House Greenfield of Greenfield
House Hamell
House Hawthorne
House Hetherspoon
House Jast
House Kenning of Kayce
House Lannister of Casterly Rock
House Lannister of Lannisport
House Lannett
House Lanny
House Lantell
House Lefford of the Golden Tooth
House Lorch
House Lydden of Deep Den
House Marbrand of Ashemark
House Moreland
House Myatt
House Parren
House Payne
House Peckledon
House Plumm
House Prester of Feastfires
House Reyne of Castamere
House Ruttiger
House Sarsfield of Sarsfield
House Sarwyck of Riverspring
House Serrett of Silverhill
House Spicer of Castamere
House Stackspear
House Swyft of Cornfield
House Tarbeck of Tarbeck Hall
House Turnberry
House Vikary
House Westerling of the Crag
House Westford
House Yarwyck
House Yew
The westerlands are a place of rugged hills and rolling plains, of misty dales and craggy shorelines, a place of blue lakes and sparkling rivers and fertile fields, of broadleaf forests that teem with game of every sort, where half-hidden doors in the sides of wooded hills open onto labyrinthine caves that wend their way through darkness to reveal unimaginable wonders and vast treasures deep beneath the earth.
—writings of Yandel
The great wealth of the westerlands, of course, stems primarily from their gold and silver mines. The veins of ore run wide and deep, and there are mines, even now, that have been delved for a thousand years and more and are yet to be emptied.
—writings of Yandel
With the Rock, he could hold Lannisport and the golden lands of the west.
—thoughts of Theon Greyjoy
Thirty-five hundred they were, thirty-five hundred who had been blooded in the Whispering Wood, who had reddened their swords at the Battle of the Camps, at Oxcross, Ashemark, and the Crag, and all through the gold-rich hills of the Lannister west.
—thoughts of Catelyn Stark
Westeros location on the map of the known world
A map of Westeros with the internal borders
Westeros is one of the four known continents in the known world, the others being Essos, Sothoryos, and Ulthos. Most of the area of Westeros is covered by a political entity known as the Seven Kingdoms, while the far north beyond the Wall includes the free folk. The closest foreign nations to Westeros are the Free Cities, a collection of independent city-states across the narrow sea in western Essos. To the south of Westeros lie the Summer Isles.
See also: Seven Kingdoms
Topographic Map by Tear ©
The continent of Westeros is long and relatively narrow, extending from Dorne in the south to the lands beyond the Wall. In the far north are the frozen Lands of Always Winter, where a large amount of land remains uncharted due to the extremely cold temperatures.
According to semi-canon sources, Westeros is similar in size to South America. Thus the continent stretches for about 3,000 miles from north to south and for some 900 miles at its widest point east to west.
Westeros's eastern coast borders on the narrow sea; across those waters lies the eastern continent of Essos and the island chain known as the Stepstones. To the south is located the Summer Sea, and within it the Summer Isles.
The northern lands of Westeros are less densely populated than the south despite their roughly equivalent size. The five major cities of Westeros are, in order of size: King's Landing, Oldtown, Lannisport, Gulltown, and White Harbor.
Westeros was divided into several independent kingdoms before the start of Aegon's Conquest. After this war and the eventual incorporation of Dorne, all the regions south of the Wall were united under the rule of House Targaryen into a nation known as the Seven Kingdoms, which consists of nine provinces.
Main article: Beyond the Wall
The northernmost region of Westeros, the lands beyond the Wall stretch north to the lands past the edge of the known map, known as the Land of Always Winter. For the most part it is covered by the haunted forest and comprised of many lakes and rivers, and it shelters strange beasts among the mountains of the Frostfangs. The far north presents an extremely harsh climate, allowing only small numbers of free folk in small villages, in those primarily wild and uncharted lands.
George R. R. Martin has stated that the lands beyond the Wall make up a large part of Westeros, being roughly as large as Canada.
Main article: North
The north is the largest region, nearly as large as the rest of the regions combined. It is sparsely populated, with vast wilderness, forests, pine-covered hills and snowcapped mountains, although it also is home to one of the five Westerosi cities, White Harbor. The northern climate is cold and harsh in the winter, and occasionally it snows even in the summer. Its northern border is the Gift, the lands of the Night's Watch. Its southern frontier lies along the Neck, a marshy isthmus separating it from the southron kingdoms. The narrowness of the region and the difficulty of the terrain make it a natural border for the north, protecting it from invasion.
It has been ruled by House Stark from Winterfell, first as Kings in the North and later as Wardens of the North, for thousands of years. It is colder and much less populated than the south part of Westeros. Most of its residents still follow the old gods, but some, mainly around the area of White Harbor, have taken the Faith of the Seven. Bastards in the north are given the surname Snow.
Main article: Iron Islands
The Iron Islands are a group of islands lying off the western coast of Westeros in Ironman's Bay, the largest being Blacktyde, Great Wyk, Harlaw, the Lonely Light, Old Wyk, Orkmont Pyke, and Saltcliffe. The soil is infertile, but there are mines of several types, including iron and lead. The inhabitants of the harsh archipelago are known as ironmen in the rest of Westeros, and the ironborn among themselves.
The Iron Islands are ruled by House Greyjoy of Pyke, chosen to rule the ironmen after House Hoare of Harrenhal was extinguished during the Conquest. Prior to the arrival of Aegon the Conqueror, the ironmen ruled over the riverlands and, thousands of years ago, over much of the western coast of Westeros. The ironmen are men of the sea, and their naval supremacy was once unmatched. The Faith of the Seven of the Andals find small favor with the ironborn, as their allegiance is given to their native Drowned God. Bastards in the Iron Islands are given the surname Pyke.
Main article: Riverlands
The riverlands, located south of the Neck, are the fertile areas between the Red, Green, and Blue Forks of the Trident, as well as the Gods Eye and much of the Blackwater Rush. They are the domain of the Tullys of Riverrun. At the time of the Conquest, the riverlands were ruled by House Hoare, the Kings of the Isles and the Rivers. The Tullys were never river kings, but were rebel river lords who left Harren the Black in favor of Aegon the Conqueror. Although the riverlands lack a city, they have many large towns, such as Maidenpool and Fairmarket. People of this region are often called "rivermen". Bastards in the riverlands are given the surname Rivers.
Main article: Vale of Arryn
The Vale lies to the east of the riverlands, surrounded almost completely by the Mountains of the Moon. It consists of vast mountain ranges with the people living in valleys between them, such as the Vale proper, and along the coast. The Vale's territory also includes the city of Gulltown, the Fingers, and numerous islands in the Bite and along the narrow sea.
The Vale is under the rule of House Arryn, one of the oldest lines of Andal nobility who once were Kings of Mountain and Vale. Their seat, the Eyrie, is a castle high in the mountains, small but unassailable. Due to the Vale's harsh winters, travel is only possible through the mountains during certain seasons. Rebellious mountain clans make travel even more dangerous. The people of the Vale are known as Valemen as Sistermen. Bastards born in the Vale are given the surname Stone.
Main article: Westerlands
The westerlands are the lands to the west of the riverlands and north of the Reach. It is a smaller region, but is home to some of the richest gold and silver mines on the continent.
The westerlands are ruled by House Lannister of Casterly Rock, formerly the Kings of the Rock. People of this region are often called "westermen". Lannisport, lying near Casterly Rock, is the chief settlement of the region and one of the great ports and cities of Westeros. Bastards in the westerlands are given the surname Hill.
Main article: Crownlands
The crownlands are lands ruled directly by the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms. These lands include King's Landing and the surrounding areas, including Duskendale and Rosby. Going north, one finds Crackclaw Point and several islands in the narrow sea and Blackwater Bay, including Dragonstone, Driftmark, and Claw Isle. The crownlands are south of the Vale, southeast of the riverlands, and northeast of the Reach, and north of the stormlands. Bastards in the crownlands are given the surname Waters.
Main article: Reach
The Reach is the largest region except for the north; it encompasses a region of the most fertile part of Westeros and numerous well-populated villages and towns.
The Reach is ruled by House Tyrell from Highgarden. The Tyrells were stewards to House Gardener, the Kings of the Reach before Aegon's Conquest. After Mern IX Gardener was killed on the Field of Fire, the Tyrells surrendered Highgarden to Aegon and were rewarded with both the castle and the position of Lord Paramount of the Mander. Bannermen of the Tyrells frequently fight with the Dornishmen of the south. The most prominent city in the Reach is Oldtown. It is the oldest city in Westeros, home to the maesters' Citadel, and the Starry Sept, the previous seat of the Faith. Bastards in the Reach are given the surname Flowers.
Main article: Stormlands
The stormlands, located south of King's Landing, stretch down to the Sea of Dorne and are bordered by Shipbreaker Bay in the east and the Reach in the west. It is one of the smaller regions of Westeros, a land of harsh mountains, stony shores, and verdant forests.
Before Aegon's Conquest they were ruled by the Storm Kings, and afterwards by the Baratheons; their founder, Orys Baratheon, was rumored to be a bastard relative of the Targaryens. The Dornish Marches are mostly located within the stormlands, having been ruled by the Storm Kings since time immemorial,. The marches were common battlegrounds between the stormlands, the Reach, and Dorne until the last century, when Dorne joined the Seven Kingdoms. Bastards in the stormlands are given the surname Storm.
Main article: Dorne
Dorne is the southernmost region of Westeros. It stretches from the southern Red Mountains near the Dornish Marches to the southern coast of the continent. It is the hottest kingdom in Westeros and features the only desert on the continent. Dornishmen have a reputation for hot-bloodedness as well. They differ both culturally and ethnically from other Westerosi due to the historical migration of the Rhoynar on ten thousand ships. Their food, appearance, and architecture resemble those of Mediterranean cultures such as Greece and Turkey more than the Western European feel of the other kingdoms. They have adopted many Rhoynish customs as well, including equal primogeniture.
Dorne was the only kingdom in Westeros to successfully resist Aegon's Conquest. It joined the Seven Kingdoms through marriage over a century after the First Dornish War. This accomplishment has allowed Dorne to retain a small measure of independence. The ruling Martells still style themselves "prince" and "princess" in the Rhoynish fashion rather than "lord". Bastards in Dorne are given the surname Sand.
Ironborn raiders in wintertime. Art by artist Tomasz Jedruszek © Fantasy Flight Games
Westeros's climate shifts from arid and dry desert climate in the furthest south to cold and harsh winters in the north and icy wasteland in the Lands of Always Winter in the farthest north.
Westeros and Essos both experience extremely long seasons of varying length, usually lasting at least a couple of years each. The maesters try to predict the length of the seasons, monitoring the temperature and days length, to advise on when to plant and when to harvest and how much food to store. However, given the random nature of the seasons, this is not something that can be relied on.
At the beginning of *A Game of Thrones* Westeros has enjoyed an unusually long decade-long summer of peace and plenty and many fear that an equally long and harsh winter will follow. The end of the long summer comes at the outset of *A Feast for Crows, with the arrival of the white ravens from the Citadel. The official announcement of winter comes at the end of *A Dance with Dragons.
Days are longest in summer, shorter in other seasons,
Main article: Bestiary
Some species of animals inhabiting the planet are very similar to Pleistocene megafauna of Earth or even historical animals.
Other animals appear to be altered versions of contemporary animals or have no real-world equivalent.
Main article: Timeline of major events
Westwatch-by-the-Bridge
The north and the location of the Westwatch-by-the-Bridge
Westwatch-by-the-Bridge is the westernmost castle of the Night's Watch, located near the Gorge and the Bridge of Skulls.
*A Dance with Dragons* places Westwatch north of the Gorge and west of the Wall.
Westwatch-by-the-Bridge by Marc Simonetti © Fantasy Flight Games
Bowen Marsh leads men of the Night's Watch in defending the region from free folk in the fight at the Bridge of Skulls.
Lord Commander Jon Snow has Westwatch re-garrisoned with a small company of men from the Night's Watch.
A wet nurse is a woman who breastfeeds children that are not her own. This may be due to the death of the mother in childbirth, or because the mother may not have enough milk, or for cultural reasons. A wet nurse may become close to the children she takes care of. Children who breastfeed from a wet nurse at the same time are called milk brothers.
Tyrek Lannister is mockingly nicknamed "Wet Nurse" after he marries the infant Lady Ermesande Hayford.
Wex Pyke illustrated by Stu Barnes © Fantasy Flight Games
Wex Pyke is the bastard son of Sargon Botley of Lordsport. He was born mute.
See also: Images of Wex Pyke
Wex has a tangle of dark brown hair with an almost feral face. He has a wide mouth, a sharp nose and a pointed chin. He learns quickly and is adept with daggers.
Wex becomes the squire of Theon Greyjoy as part of the deal that Theon strikes to buy a horse, Smiler, from Lord Sawane Botley of Lordsport.
Wex participates in the harrying of the Stony Shore,
Wex is frightened by Theon's nightmares.
Wex survives the sack of Winterfell by climbing the heart tree in the godswood, and he witnesses the departure of Bran and Rickon Stark along with their direwolves and companions. He follows Rickon, Osha, and Shaggydog, learning they are abandoning the mainland and crossing the Bay of Seals to Skagos. Eventually falling into Manderly control, Wex is taken to White Harbor, where they realize he is not unintelligent, only mute. They begin to teach him his letters, asking only yes or no questions, and he uses chalk to draw pictures. Lord Wyman Manderly and Robett Glover learn the truth of the sack of Winterfell, and Wex repudiates Ramsay's claim of Theon being to blame.
After Davos Seaworth is captured and his execution is faked, Wex is introduced to Davos in the New Castle, and Davos finds that Wex's eyes look older than the boy's actual age. Wex reveals the location of Rickon by throwing Robett's dagger at Skagos
Most squires have loose tongues, but Wex had been born dumb ... which didn't seem to keep him from being clever as any twelve-year-old had a right to be.
- thoughts of Theon Greyjoy
That's for enjoying this so much. And that's for not warning me. Next time, grow a tongue.
- Theon Greyjoy while striking Wex
We may never know all that happened at Winterfell, when Ser Rodrik Cassel tried to take the castle back from Theon Greyjoy's ironmen. The Bastard of Bolton claims that Greyjoy murdered Ser Rodrik during a parley. Wex says no. Until he learns more letters we will never know half the truth ... but he came to us knowing yes and no, and those can go a long way once you find the right questions.
- Robett Glover to Davos Seaworth
The Whale That Walks is how Prince Oberyn Martell referred to an unidentified suitor of his sister Elia Martell during the trip the siblings took when in their teens, during which their mother hoped to betroth either one of them, or both.
Ser Whalen Frey is a knight of House Frey. He is the fourteenth son of Lord Walder Frey, the third by Walder's fourth wife, Alyssa Blackwood. He is married to Sylwa Paege, with whom he has had two children.
Whalen and his half brother, Ser Danwell, attend their father, Lord Walder Frey, during the parley with Lady Catelyn Stark at the Twins.
Whalen passes out while drinking with Lord Greatjon Umber during the Red Wedding.
Walder Rivers tells Ser Jaime Lannister that Whalen participated in the slaying of Grey Wind. Ser Raynald Westerling grabbed Whalen's axe in an unsuccessful attempt to save the direwolf, and Whalen claimed the wounded Raynald vanished into the Green Fork.
"What Is Dead May Never Die" is the third episode of the second season of HBO's medieval fantasy television series *Game of Thrones*. The episode is written by Bryan Cogman and directed by Alik Sakharov, who previously worked as the director of photography in four first season episodes. It premiered on April 15 2012.
The episode's title is taken from a prayer used on the Iron Islands, by worshipers of the Drowned God.
Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) tries to get Shae (Sibel Kekilli) into the kitchens to work as a scullery maid, but she refuses. Queen Regent Cersei (Lena Headey) eats dinner with Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner, Princess Myrcella (Aimee Richardson), and Prince Tommen (Callum Wharry), where they discuss the war, and Sansa's betrothal to King Joffrey Baratheon. Afterwards, Sansa is greeted by Shae, posing as her new handmaiden. Later, Tyrion tells Grand Maester Pycelle (Julian Glover) of his plans to forge an alliance with House Martell by marrying Myrcella Baratheon to the Martells' youngest son. Soon after, he has the same discussion with Lord Varys (Conleth Hill), however in this version, he plans to marry Myrcella to Theon Greyjoy. Finally, he has the same discussion once more, with Lord Petyr Baelish (Aiden Gillen), this time having Myrcella marry Robin Arryn. In all three cases, Tyrion makes them swear to keep the discussion a secret, especially from the Queen. Unknown to all of them, Tyrion is using them to find out which one of them is Cersei's spy. When Cersei later confronts Tyrion about sending Myrcella to the Martells, confirming that Pycelle is the spy, he along with Bronn (Jerome Flynn) and one of the hill tribesmen, confronts Pycelle and sends him to the dungeons but not before Pycelle confess he told Cersei that Jon Arryn knew about her affair with Jaime. When Baelish hears of this, he angrily confronts Tyrion, whom the latter instead assigns him to a new task; get Catelyn Stark at the Stormlands. Later on, Varys (Conleth Hill) compliments Tyrion on the scheme and informs him that Shae is getting used to her new cover story as Sansa's handmaiden.
Craster (Robert Pugh) returns with Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and orders the Night's Watch off of his lands. Lord Commander Jeor Mormont (James Cosmo) reveals to Jon that he already knew of Craster's offering of his sons to the White Walkers, arguing that he is an essential part in the Night's Watch's campaign beyond the Wall, providing help to others of their order, including Benjen Stark.
Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) has another dream in which he is his direwolf, Summer. When he asks Maester Luwin (Donald Sumpter) about the dreams, Luwin replies that, in spite of his own studies, magic is no longer real, the dragons are dead, and dreams do not always come true.
Self-crowned King Renly Baratheon (Gethin Anthony) and his newly wedded wife, Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) watch a tournament in which her brother, Loras (Finn Jones) battles with Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie). Catelyn Tully (Michelle Fairley) arrives in time to see Brienne win, and request a place in Renly's Kingsguard; Renly agrees, to Loras's annoyance. Renly is confident his hundred thousand strong army can beat the Lannisters but Catelyn reminds him his men are still inexperienced. Later, Loras refuses to have sex with Renly until he consummates his marriage with Margaery. When Renly has difficulty performing, Margaery reveals that she is fully aware of her husband's relationship with her brother, but insists that they keep trying in order to get her pregnant and secure their alliance.
Balon Greyjoy (Patrick Malahide) plans his war on the North with his children Yara (Gemma Whelan) and Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen). Theon protests in favor of an alliance with the Starks, but Balon refuses and reminds him that Greyjoys "do not sow". Theon has enough of his father looking down on him for being a ward of the Starks, reminding Balon it was he who sent him to Winterfell when his rebellion failed. Yara tells Theon he must now choose where his loyalty lies; his adopted family, the Starks or his real family, the Greyjoys. A conflicted Theon writes a letter to Robb warning him of Balon's plans to attack the North, though burns it, choosing to serve under his father. To make evident his new found loyalty, he undergoes a baptism ceremony for the Iron Island's primary deity - The Drowned God.
Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) talks with Yoren (Francis Magee) about her father's execution, before they are startled by a nearby war horn. Ser Amory Lorch (Fintan McKeown) demands Yoren hand over Gendry (Joe Dempsie), and when Yoren refuses, a battle ensues, and Yoren and his men are killed. Arya gives Jaqen H'ghar(Tom Wlaschiha) an axe to free himself, before being captured. Lorch orders the survivors taken to Harrenhal, but when Lommy Greenhands (Eros Vlahos) says he cannot walk, he is killed. Lorch demands the survivors point out Gendry, but before he can give himself up, Arya tells Lorch that Lommy was Gendry.
"What Is Dead May Never Die" was written by the story editor Bryan Cogman, based on George R. R. Martin's original book *A Clash of Kings*. Cogman, who is responsible for keeping the show's bible and had already written the first season's fourth episode, was present in the set for the filming of all the scenes of his episode.
The chapters of the book included in the episode are Tyrion II, Arya IV, Tyrion IV, Arya V, Tyrion V, Catelyn II, Jon III, Theon II, Tyrion VI, Bran IV, Tyrion X, (chapters 8, 14, 17, 19, 20, 22, 23, 25, 28 and 44).
"The “burning scene the letter” scene was interesting—it wasn’t in our outline. (...) But there was something missing—and ultimately, it had to come back to Robb. In our version of the story, Theon is very close to him—he’s the brother he never had. And I wanted to take him right up to the point of betraying his own blood—so that’s where the warning to Robb scene came from. And at first, it was more elaborate—he was going to write it, take it to a rookery, nearly give it to a maester—(...). It was going to be more of scene/scene. But it never worked, so we just went with the simple act…
Now it helped that Alfie is so bloody fantastic in the scene and that Alik Sakharov directed it as if he was directed a huge setpiece—meaning he gave it the same time and attention as a “big” scene. He did take after take after take with Alfie trying it all kinds of different ways—perfection."
— Bryan Cogman, interviewed by Westeros.org
The chapters set in the Iron Islands were created specifically for the show, as the books jump directly from Balon's reveal that he intends to attack the North to Theon overseeing the preparations of the attack. To flesh out the transition and flesh out Theon's feelings on his change of loyalties Bryan Cogman included a scene of Theon writing a letter to Robb only to burn it afterwards, and the ritual baptism on the shores of Pyke. Cogman noted that, while those scenes have nearly no dialogue, are the ones he's most proud of in his episode.
Another scene created for the show was the dinner between Cersei and the children, that was written with the purpose of reminding the audience who Myrcella was, since her potential marriages were discussed in the episode. Aimee Richardson, the child actress playing Myrcella who has appeared in many past episodes as a background character, sent a note to Cogman thanking him for her "lines" in this scene.
The final scene also had to be redesigned in relation to the books, due to the constraints imposed by the location, the schedule, and the time restrictions for the child actors. Cogman's first draft was more similiar to the books, with Arya, Gendry, Lommy, and Hot Pie fleeing first and being captured afterwards, but finally it was decided to combine both scenes. He was also dismayed that he had to cut one of his favourite scenes in the books: Arya and Hot Pie charging while shouting the battle cries "Winterfell" and "Hot Pie".
This episode marks the fist appearance of two new characters of great importance for the rest of the series: Lady Margaery Tyrell, the new queen of King Renly Baratheon and sister of his lover, Loras Tyrell; and Brienne of Tarth, a member of Renly's guard.
Natalie Dormer was cast as Queen Margaery, joining the regular cast of the series. Her character was aged up in relation to the book's counterpat (Dormer was 29 during the filming of season 2, while the Margaery from the books was 15), and the role has been expanded.
For the role of Brienne the producers chose the the English actress Gwendoline Christie. According to the character's creator George R. R. Martin, we he saw the first batch of auctions he saw "a dozen actresses who were reading for Brienne and one actress who was Brienne", and it was one of the cases when there was any debate.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), Iain Glen (Ser Jorah Mormont), Richard Madden (Robb Stark), Liam Cunningham (Ser Davos Seaworth), Jack Gleeson (Joffrey Baratheon), Stephen Dillane (Stannis Baratheon) and Carice van Houten (Melisandre) do not appear in this episode and are not credited.
IGN awarded the episode 8.5/10.
"When Willum's Wife Was Wet" is a song, ostensibly about rain. It may be a reference to House Willum.
It is sung by Tom of Sevenstreams at a sept in the Riverlands.
"Whiskerfish" are a species of fish found at the bottom of the Greenblood river in Dorne. The one eaten during the feast for Balon Swann in Sunspear is so big it takes four men to carry it.
Whispering Sound
The Reach and the location of Whispering Sound
Whispering Sound is a large bay that lies on the southwestern coast of the Reach. The Honeywine empties into it at Oldtown,
With the destruction of the small fleet that House Redwyne keeps to defend the Arbor, the ironborn are able to send their longships into Whispering Sound and threaten Oldtown.
Whispering Wood
The riverlands and the location of the Whispering Wood
The Whispering Wood is a forested valley in the northwestern riverlands. It is named after a battle which takes place in it, the battle in the Whispering Wood.
*The Lands of Ice and Fire* places the site of the battle between Riverrun and Oldstones, west of Fairmarket and south of the Blue Fork of the Trident.
A rocky stream runs through the forested valley; its northern end narrows and bends like a cocked elbow. The trees are thick enough to block most moonlight. Snow shrikes live in the Whispering Wood.
The forest takes its name from the battle in the Whispering Wood, in which the army of Robb Stark must whisper as they wait to ambush Ser Jaime Lannister.
While journeying north from Riverrun to the Twins for the wedding of Ser Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey, Robb's army passes again through the Whispering Wood. Most of the leaves have changed from green to dull gold, brown, and red, but spruce and soldier pines still show green. Catelyn Stark sees remnants of the battle from early in the War of the Five Kings, including bones, weapons, armor, and stone cairns.
Here was a hush in the night, moonlight and shadows, a thick carpet of dead leaves underfoot, densely wooded ridges sloping gently down to the streambed, the underbrush thinning as the ground fell away.
- thoughts of Catelyn Stark
Whispers
The crownlands and the approximate location of the Whispers
The Whispers is a ruined castle of House Crabb on Crackclaw Point in the northeastern crownlands.
The downtrodden castle sits on the edge of a cliff overlooking the narrow sea. The castle, which is triangular with square towers at its corners, was built with unmortared stone. It is now overgrown with forest from its godswood, which contains soldier pines and a young weirwood. Poisonous red ivy grows over the fallen curtain wall. The beacon tower collapsed when Dick Crabb was a boy and now sits in the sea fifty feet below.
According to legend, the ancient castle received its name from the whispering heads of the victims of Ser Clarence Crabb, a fabled knight from Crackclaw Point. Whenever Clarence would kill a man—including lords, wizards, knights, pirates, and a king of Duskendale—he would cut off their head and bring it back to his castle to his wife, a woods witch. There, she would kiss the head and bring it back to life. The heads would then talk to each other and give Clarence counsel, creating the whispering sound.
The castle has been a ruin for a thousand years.
Dick Crabb suggests the smuggler's cove at the Whispers to Shagwell, Pyg, and Timeon, former members of the Brave Companions.
Being they was just heads, they couldn't talk real loud, but they never shut up neither. When you're a head, talking's all you got to pass the day. So Crabb's keep got named the Whispers.
- Dick Crabb to Brienne Tarth
© Fantasy Flight Games
The White Book, formally called The Book of the Brothers, is the tome that records the deeds of every member who has ever served in the three hundred year history of the Kingsguard.
It is two feet tall, a foot and a half wide, and a thousand pages thick. The book is kept in the Red Keep in the White Sword Tower, where the knights of the Kingsguard have their sleeping cells. The book is in the uppermost floor of the tower in the room where the seven meet. It is the responsibility of the current Lord Commander of the Kingsguard to update the entries in the book.
Each member has one page to record his deeds and exploits in. Each knight who has been made a member of the Kingsguard since the reign of King Aegon I Targaryen has a page within the book detailing his deeds. On the top left-hand corner of the page his personal arms are drawn while at the bottom right-hand corner are the arms of the Kingsguard. The drawings are done by septons from the Great Sept of Baelor and are sent three times a year.
Ser Terrence Toyne's treason and the deceits of Lucamore the Lusty are recorded in the White Book, but there is no hint of a woman on Prince Lewyn Martell’s page.
Ser Jaime Lannister, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, observes that Ser Barristan Selmy took time to update the White Book before he fled King's Landing.
The one-handed Jaime later awkwardly updates his own entry.
Ser Loras Tyrell discovers Jaime reading the White Book while drinking Dornish red wine.
I'll hack the bloody book to pieces before I'll fill it with lies. Yet if he would not lie, what could he write but truth?
- thoughts of Jaime Lannister
Barristan Selmy was not a bookish man, but he had often glanced through the pages of the White Book, where the deeds of his predecessors had been recorded. Some had been heroes, some weaklings, knaves, or cravens. Most were only men—quicker and stronger than most, more skilled with sword and shield, but still prey to pride, ambition, lust, love, anger, jealousy, greed for gold, hunger for power, and all the other failings that afflicted lesser mortals. The best of them overcame their flaws, did their duty, and died with their swords in their hands. The worst ... The worst were those who played the game of thrones.
- thoughts of Barristan Selmy
The White Graces are made up of young girls of noble birth too young for the pleasure palaces.
The Green Grace Galazza Galare arrives at the Great Pyramid attended by a dozen White Graces. They make for a pretty portrait, the proud old woman all in green surrounded by the little girls robed and veiled in white, armoured in their innocence. Missandei sees that they are fed and entertained, whilst Daenerys Targaryen and Galazza Galare share a private supper.
White Harbor
The north and the location of White Harbor
White Harbor is a harbor city in the north which contains the New Castle, the seat of House Manderly. Located south of Winterfell, it is the largest settlement north of the Neck, but the smallest among the five major cities of Westeros. White Harbor is the north's primary trade port. Its location on the mouth of the White Knife provides opportunities for trade further north.
Due to its location White Harbor has more contact with the south and there are more knights and followers of the Faith of the Seven in White Harbor than anywhere else in the north. There are some followers of the old gods, but most follow the Faith. The city has access to good fishing grounds and is also the home of many silversmiths.
See also: Images of White Harbor
White Harbor is located on the eastern shore of the White Knife. It is clean and well-ordered, with wide straight cobbled streets that make it easy to walk around. The houses are built of whitewashed stone, with steeply-pitched roofs of dark grey slate. According to a semi-canon source, there may be a cadet branch of the Starks in the city.
Seal Rock is a massive stone dominating the approaches to the Outer Harbor. It is crowned with a ringfort of weathered stones of the First Men that stood desolate and abandoned for centuries. However, the Manderlys fortify it with crossbowmen, scorpions, and spitfires. The stone looms fifty feet above the waters, grey-green in color. Seals often rest on it.
The harbor is divided into the inner and outer harbors. The outer harbor is larger, but the inner harbor offers better anchorage and shelter by the city wall on one side and the looming mass of the Wolf's Den on another. A mile-long, thirty foot wall, with towers every hundred yards, is located on the jetty that separates the two harbors.
The Wolf's Den is an ancient fortress that now serves as a prison. It is located by the water and adjoins the city walls. Houses cling like barnacles to the walls of the Wolf's Den; one is a brewhouse which makes well-regarded black beer. There is a godswood within the prison's walls.
A fish market is located between the outer harbor and the Seal Gate. Seafood available at White Harbor include whitefish, winkles, crabs, mussels, clams, herring, cod, salmon, lobster, and lampreys.
Old Fishfoot © Marc Fishman.
The city is protected by thick walls. The Seal Gate opens into the harbor.
The New Castle is the seat of House Manderly. It is located on a hill inside the city wall, a broad white stone way of Castle Stair leads to its gates from the Wolf's Den below. There is a secret passage beneath the Castle Stair connecting it to the Wolf's Den.
Merman's Court is the great hall of the New Castle where Lord Manderly holds court and feasts. Its walls, floor and ceiling are made of wooden planks notched cunningly together and decorated with all the creatures of the sea.
White Harbor dromon - illustrated by Dimitri Bielak. © Fantasy Flight Games.
The First Men constructed an ancient ringfort atop Seal Rock at the entrance to the harbor.
King Jon Stark founded the Wolf's Den,
During the Dance of the Dragons, Prince Jacaerys Velaryon traveled to White Harbor and Winterfell and convinced the north to join the blacks. Lord Manderly sent his sons, Medrick and Torrhen, to support Rhaenyra Targaryen.
White Harbor has not seen wildlings in centuries and has never been attacked by the ironborn.
The city's history is described in Maester Yorrick's *Wed to the Sea, Being an Account of the History of White Harbor from Its Earliest Days*.
White Harbor Captain steering his ship in a blizzard © Fantasy Flight Games.
Lady Catelyn Stark hires *Storm Dancer* to take her and Ser Rodrik Cassel to King's Landing from White Harbor. Lord Eddard Stark instructs Catelyn to have Lord Wyman Manderly repair and strengthen the defenses of White Harbor and insure they are well-manned.
Catelyn returns to the north from the Vale of Arryn with Rodrik and her uncle, Ser Brynden Tully, arriving at White Harbor. She and her uncle leave with Ser Wylis Manderly and his levies of nearly 1,500 men to meet her son, Robb Stark, at Moat Cailin. Lord Wyman stays behind to see to White Harbor's defenses.
Ser Davos Seaworth is sent by Stannis Baratheon with a chest of letters to spread word of Joffrey Baratheon's illegitimacy. His route is to sail to White Harbor and other harbors along the narrow sea.
While at Winterfell for the harvest feast, Lord Wyman meets with Bran Stark, Ser Rodrik Cassel, and Maester Luwin. He has appointed new customs officers at White Harbor, as the previous officials had held back silver for the Iron Throne instead of Robb, the new King in the North. Wyman offers to mint coins for Robb, informs of White Harbor's defenses, and proposes to build the king a new warfleet of galleys, with Rodrik saying he will inform Robb of the proposal. Later during the feast, Rodrik commands Hother and Mors Umber to work with Wyman in building longships to combat wildlings.
After hearing of the ironborn threat to Torrhen's Square, Maester Luwin sends ravens to White Harbor, the barrowlands, and the wolfswood with instructions to summon their levies. While Theon Greyjoy is capturing Winterfell, Luwin is able to send another raven to alert White Harbor.
Maester Aemon of the Night's Watch sends a raven to White Harbor in a plea for help to defend Castle Black from wildlings.
It is reported to Queen Regent Cersei Lannister that Davos Seaworth has been executed in White Harbor and that his head and hand grace the walls of White Harbor.
White Harbor - illustrated by Folko Streese. © Fantasy Flight Games.
Sent by Stannis Baratheon to negotiate with House Manderly, Lord Davos Seaworth returns to White Harbor for the first time in six years.
Davos appears before the Merman's Court in the New Castle to present the case for the Manderlys to support Stannis. To save his living son and heir, Ser Wylis Manderly, who is a captive at Harrenhal, Lord Manderly has Davos dragged to prison as a traitor, in the presence of the Freys.
Manderly has Davos imprisoned in the Wolf's Den, but has a different prisoner in the cell executed. The prisoner is beheaded, his head dipped in tar. The fingers of one of his hands are also cut off to resemble Davos. The head and hands are then put up on spikes on the walls of White Harbor to give the Lannisters and Freys reason to believe in House Manderly's loyalty to the Iron Throne.
Once Wyman has sent a false report to the Iron Throne and has Wylis returned, the Lord of White Harbor has Robett Glover free Davos and bring him through a secret passage to the New Castle. He tells the Onion Knight that he will swear his allegiance to Stannis Baratheon if Davos retrieves Rickon Stark. Via Wex Pyke, Wyman has discovered the boy is alive, but needs a smuggler to retrieve him from Skagos.
White Harbor is to King's Landing as my brother Tyrion is to Ser Gregor Clegane.
– Jaime Lannister to Brienne of Tarth
If Winterfell was the heart of the north, White Harbor was its mouth.
– thoughts of Davos Seaworth's
Cities were like women, he insisted; each one had its own unique scent. Oldtown was as flowery as a perfumed dowager. Lannisport was a milkmaid, fresh and earthy, with woodsmoke in her hair. King's Landing reeked like some unwashed whore. But White Harbor's scent was sharp and salty, and a little fishy too. "She smells the way a mermaid ought to smell," Roro said. "She smells of the sea."
– recollection of Davos Seaworth
We are good people in White Harbor, lawful, loyal people.
- Leona Woolfield to Davos Seaworth
The White Hart is a war galley of the royal fleet in service to the Iron Throne.
The master of the White Hart plans to slip anchor from King's Landing and go over to Stannis Baratheon, but his plot is uncovered by Lord Varys and stopped.
The White Hart is a part of King Joffrey I Baratheon's fleet at the Battle of the Blackwater. During the battle, the White Hart is successfully boarded by the *Black Betha. After the *Swordfish rams a hulk filled with wildfire, the White Hart is engulfed by wildfire and destroyed.
White Knife
The north and the location of the White Knife
The White Knife is a major river in the north. White Harbor sits along the mouth of the White Knife where it meets the Bite.
The White Knife has its headwaters in two streams which join just south of Long Lake.
River runners are long and lean boats used to traverse the swift currents and rocky shoots of the White Knife. Hides and timber from the north are brought down the river for trade in White Harbor.
King Jon Stark had the Wolf's Den built to defend the mouth of the White Knife. House Arryn sailed up the river when they captured the Wolf's Den during the War Across the Water.
Approximately one thousand years before the War of Conquest, House Manderly received the Wolf's Den and land at the mouth of the White Knife from House Stark, which they developed into the city of White Harbor.
Lady Catelyn Stark and Ser Rodrik Cassel travel down the White Knife to then sail from White Harbor to King's Landing.
Septon Chayle recalls to Bran Stark that he is a strong swimmer after having grown up along the banks of the river.
Bran and his companions consider stealing a boat and sailing down the White Knife to seek refuge in White Harbor, but Bran decides they should find the three-eyed crow beyond the Wall instead.
Davos Seaworth learns that smallfolk from along the White Knife and Hornwood have been seeking protection at White Harbor with House Manderly.
The White Lady was a galleas.
The White Lady took Ser Duncan the Tall and Prince Aegon Targaryen from Planky Town to Oldtown when they left Dorne.
The unmapped White Waste is north of the Shivering Sea (in blue).
The White Waste is a wilderness of ice and snow located north of the Shivering Sea. According to sailors, it is ravaged by blizzards and the winds from its ice mountains scream and howl. Its shorelines fluctuate, receding in summer and expanding in winter. Shimmering lights can be seen in the north of the world.
No sailors have found passage through the ice of the White Waste, either perishing in the attempt or returning half-frozen. Maester Heriston of White Harbor suggested a warm summer sea may be hidden by the White Waste.
Maester Heriston's theory that a warm sea might lie beyond the White Waste mirrors commonly held theories from our own world. The Greeks and Romans believed that the temperate realm of Hyperborea lay in the distant north, and as late as the sixteenth century the famous cartographer Gerardus Mercator depicted the North Pole as lying in "an open, ice-free sea."
White Widow is a ironborn longship and part of the Iron Fleet.
White Widow accompanies the rest of the Iron Fleet when they sail for Slaver's Bay.
White Willow is a place in the Riverlands. It is unknown which noble house it belongs to.
White Willow was burned to ash by the dragon Vhagar during the Dance of the Dragons.
The White Wood is a forest in the riverlands.
According to songs about the Andal invasion, subterranean children of the forest appeared one night and sent hundreds of wolves against an Andal camp in the White Wood, with hundreds of men slain.
Do the Others come when it is cold, or does it get cold when they come? © FFG
The white cold is what Craster's wives call the extremely cold air and white mists that they have noted heralds the coming of the Others.
Tormund Giantsbane also tells Jon Snow of the severe cold that accompanies the Others:
A man can fight the dead, but when their masters come, when the white mists rise up … how do you fights a mist crow? Shadows with teeth … air so cold it hurts to breath, like a knife inside your chest … you do not know, you cannot know … can your sword cut cold?
The old stories reveal uncertainty whether the Others come when it is cold or that it becomes cold when they appear, during snowstorms or mist and vanish when the skies clear. After researching books and annuals in Castle Black Samwell Tarly tells Jon Snow,
The Others come when it is cold, most of the tales agree. Or else it gets cold when they come. Sometimes they appear during snowstorms and melt away when the skies clear. They hide from the light of the sun and emerge by night … or else night falls when they emerge.
King Stannis Baratheon tells tells Davos Seaworth that after the Battle of the Blackwater he was lost in despair but Melisandre bid him to gaze into the hearth fire; he describes to Davos what he saw in the flames, and in addition says that he felt a terrible cold,
For all the heat of the fire, I felt a cold so terrible I shivered.
The white cold’s rising out there, crow. I can feel it in my bones. These poor old bones don’t lie. They’ll be here soon, the sons.
When it is cold it will hurt to breathe. When the Others come …”
A white raven. © Fantasy Flight Games
A white raven approaching Dragonstone. © Fantasy Flight Games
A maester and a white raven. © Fantasy Flight Games
White ravens are a species of bird rarer than black ravens. They are reared at the Citadel in Oldtown.
See also: Images of White ravens
White ravens are not albino, but a separate species from black ravens. This is known because their eyes are black. They are larger and more intelligent than their black counterparts.
They are sent by the maesters of the Citadel exclusively to announce the changing of the seasons.
A white raven arrives at Dragonstone from the Citadel with a message declaring the end of this 10-year-long summer (ten years, two turns and sixteen days, the longest in living memory).
A white raven brings word of autumn to Winterfell.
The Citadel novice Pate helps tend the ravens as an assistant to Archmaester Walgrave. The white ravens know Pate's name, and often mutter it to each other whenever they see him.
Kevan Lannister arrives at Grand Maester Pycelle's chambers and finds a white raven sitting on the window ledge, a sign from the Citadel that winter has come.
There has been a white raven from the Citadel. Winter has come.
The white ravens fly only from the Citadel.
– Cressen
Whitegrove is a castle in the Reach. Its current ruling house has not been published.
For siding against King Daeron II Targaryen in the First Blackfyre Rebellion, House Peake was stripped of two of their three castles, granted the stripped castles.
Whitesmile Wat is a singer with a high, sweet voice.
During his stay at Harrenhal as part of Lord Tywin Lannister's army, Wat possibly impregnates the jailer's wife.
Genna Lannister brings Wat with her from Lannisport to Riverrun for the siege.
Whitetree. Illustrated by Sergey Glushakov, ©FFG
Whitetree is a small free folk village located northwest of Castle Black, beyond the Wall. tree that is located in its midst.
The village of Whitetree is named on one of Castle Black's old maps. There are at least three other villages south of Whitetree. To the north lies water, possibly a lake, and to the west some small hills.
The village consists of four tumbledown one-room houses, which surround a sheepfold and a well. The houses are constructed of unmortared stone and are roofed with sod. They have windows shuttered with pieces of hide, low doors, packed dirt floors, and a smoke hole in the roof.
Above the village towers an enormous old weirwood tree. Its trunk is nearly eight feet wide and its branches shade the village. The jagged mouth of the heart tree's carved face is a large enough to swallow a sheep.
Craster was born of a free folk woman from Whitetree and a ranger from the Night's Watch.
There were still wildlings living in Whitetree in 298 AC.
The Night's Watch inspecting the weirwood of Whitetree. Art by Matt Olson.©
When the Night's Watch comes to Whitetree during the great ranging, they find the village abandoned by its inhabitants and the sheepfold empty. The men are unnerved by the size and appearance of the village's weirwood tree, which Jon Snow notes it is the biggest tree he has ever seen. Jon discovers burnt human bones in the hollow of the tree's mouth.
Jeor Mormont, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, has Bedwyck climb the weirwood and sends men to search the village. Jon notes that except for the remaining ashes beneath the smoke hole, the houses show no sign of having been lived in for quite some time. All the furnishing is gone, and all that is left is dry straw bedding in a corner. Whitetree shows no signs of having been attacked.
Jeor decides that the Night's Watch will not camp at Whitetree for the night, and will press on. Before they leave, he has Samwell Tarly send a raven back to Castle Black, notifying Maester Aemon of their location, and that Whitetree is the fourth village the Night's Watch has passed, all empty.
While fleeing south for the Wall after the mutiny at Craster's Keep, Samwell and Gilly stop in a village which Sam hopes is Whitetree, although all wildling villages look alike to him. This village has a handful of one-room hovels with sod roofs, a log longhall overgrown with moss, a stone well, and an empty sheepfold. Sam thinks its weirwood is smaller than Whitetree's, however. While sleeping in the longhall, they are attacked by wights but saved by Coldhands.
When thinking of the wight attack, Sam remembers it as having taken place at Whitetree.
Look at that face. Small wonder men feared them, when they first came to Westeros. I'd like to take an axe to the bloody thing myself.
- Thoren Smallwood to Jon Snow
The wildlings burn their dead. We've always known that. Now I wished I'd asked them why, when there were still a few around to ask. Would that bones could talk. This fellow could tell us much. How he died. Who burned him, and why. Where the wildlings have gone.
- Jeor Mormont to Jon Snow
Jon: What a dismal place to live.
Edd: I was born in a house much like this. Those were my enchanted years. Later I fell on hard times.
- Jon Snow and Eddison Tollett
Whitewalls, nicknamed the Milkhouse, was the second castle of House Butterwell.
Costly to build, the pale castle was commonly called the Milkhouse by those who lived near it. Its walls, keep, and towers were made of white stone quarried in the Vale of Arryn, and its floors and pillars were crafted from white marble veined with gold. The rafters were carved from the trunks of weirwoods. The castle had a great hall, a sept, a gatehouse, yards, a kennel, kitchens, a cellar, and a well.
Whitewalls was built forty years before the Second Blackfyre Rebellion, about 171 AC, by Lord Butterwell, who had been Hand of the King to Aegon IV Targaryen.
The castle was the site of the wedding tourney at Whitewalls in 211 AC. While journeying from Stoney Sept to the kingsroad, Ser Duncan the Tall and Prince Aegon Targaryen took Ned's ferry across the Gods Eye to attend the festivities. The Second Blackfyre Rebellion failed at the tourney, and Lord Ambrose Butterwell forfeited Whitewalls to the Iron Throne. Lord Brynden Rivers, Hand of the King to Aerys I Targaryen, ordered the castle pulled apart and its earth salted.
I mean to pull it down stone by stone and sow the ground that it stands upon with salt. In twenty years, no one will remember it existed. Old fools and young malcontents still make pilgrimages to the Redgrass Field to plant flowers on the spot where Daemon Blackfyre fell. I will not suffer Whitewalls to become another monument to the Black Dragon.
Whitey is a mule in service at the Eyrie. He is one of the mules that Mya Stone uses to climb the path from Gates of the Moon to the Eyrie. He is sure of foot, but is known to kick if he does not like his rider. Whitey takes his name from his white coat.
Catelyn Tully ascends to the Eyrie from the waycastle Snow on Whitey.
Whore's Gash is a famous pirate lair in the Basilisk Isles. It can't be found on any map because there has been many lairs named Whore's Gash throughout the Basilisks. Whenever one is destroyed or abandoned, another is founded, only to be destroyed or abandoned in turn.
Wick Wittlestick is a steward of the Night's Watch.
Wick is stationed at Castle Black.
Wick guards the ice cells and opens the door to Cregan Karstark's cell when Lord Commander Jon Snow arrives to interrogate the prisoner.
Wick is among the members of the Night's Watch who become dissatisfied with how Lord Commander Snow is leading them. He is the first of the conspirators to attack the Lord Commander after Jon announces his intentions to lead an army of wildlings to attack Ramsay Bolton. Wick slashes at Jon's neck with a knife, grazing him, but is eventually disarmed by Jon. As explanation for his actions, he states that it is "for the Watch" while the other conspirators begin their attack in the mutiny at Castle Black.
Wickenden
The Vale and the location of Wickenden
Wickenden is the seat of House Waxley in the Vale of Arryn. The town
The Widow's Ford is a ford in the riverlands, possibly near Darry.
During the Andal invasion, three sons of Lord Darry held off the Andals of Vorian Vypren for a day and a night at the Widow's Ford. According to song the Darrys slew hundreds before they were themselves slain.
The castle of Ten Towers also has a tower called the Widow's Tower.
A stone bridge connects Widow's Tower to the larger Kingspyre Tower. © FFG
The Widow's Tower is one of the five major towers of Harrenhal. Its original name was lost with the death of Harren the Black in the burning of Harrenhal during Aegon's Conquest. It has since been renamed the Widow's Tower.
While Lord Tywin Lannister rules the castle, the Brave Companions, a sellsword company from the Free Cities, are housed within this tower. The Brave Companions hold their prisoners in the large, one-room cell beneath the Widow's Tower.
Joffrey Baratheon receives Widow's Wail as a wedding gift.
© Fantasy Flight Games
Widow's Wail is a Valyrian steel longsword.
The blade has red and black ripples through the steel and its scabbard is garishly decorated with gold, cherrywood and red leather with golden lions' heads. The eyes of the lions are rubies.
Lord Tywin Lannister tasks Tobho Mott
Tywin gives one of the swords to Joffrey before his wedding, replacing Hearteater.
Upon Joffrey's death, Widow's Wail passes to his younger brother, Tommen I, and is held at the Red Keep until the boy king is old enough to wield it.
Most Valyrian steel was a grey so dark it looked almost black, as was true here as well. But blended into the folds was a red so deep as the grey. The two colors lapped over one another without ever touching, each ripple distinct, like waves of night and blood upon some steely shore.
– Tyrion Lannister's thoughts
Widow's Wail! Yes! It shall make many a widow, too! And when I face my uncle Stannis it will break his magic sword clean in two.
– Joffrey I Baratheon to his guests
Addam: Have a care, Your Grace. Valyrian steel is perilously sharp.
Joffrey: I remember. Sharp! I told you, I am no stranger to Valyrian steel.
The Widow's Wash is a stream in the riverlands in the border region between House Bracken and House Blackwood. It has islands in it.
During the resolution of the siege of Raventree, Lord Jonos Bracken asks Ser Jaime Lannister for the east bank of the Widow's Wash from Crossbow Ridge to Rutting Meadow and all the islands in the stream for subduing Lord Tytos Blackwood. Jaime agrees to the transfer of Crossbow Ridge but not the rest of the shore.
After leaving Raventree, Jaime's column follows the Widow's Wash until dusk, when they cross a shallow ford and take shelter in nearby Pennytree.
Widow's Watch
The north and the location of Widow's Watch
Widow's Watch is the seat of House Flint of Widow's Watch in the north. It is located at the end of a peninsula between the Shivering Sea and the Bite, east of Ramsgate and the Broken Branch.
Widow's Watch - Battle of Westeros, by Fantasy Flight Games©
Lady Lyessa Flint declines the invitation to the harvest feast at Winterfell because she is pregnant and there is a sickness at Widow's Watch.
Maester Aemon sends a raven to Widow's Watch in a plea for help to defend Castle Black from wildlings.
The fleet of Salladhor Saan is spotted from Widow's Watch. *Bountiful Harvest* sinks ten leagues north of the castle after colliding with a galley.
The Flints of Widow's Watch take their lead from Wyman Manderly, Lord of White Harbor.
Widow's blood is a poison. It is named so for its color. It shuts down the bladder and bowels until the person dies from the body's own poisons.
Tyrion Lannister sees widow's blood in Grand Maester Pycelle's collection of medicines and poisons.
During Tyrion Lannister's trial for the presumed murder of King Joffrey Baratheon, Grand Maester Pycelle testifies that Tyrion had stolen several substances of his, including widow's blood, although Pycelle confirms that Joffrey's death was not due to it.
The widow's sons are a group of armed young men that serve as bodyguards to the widow of the waterfront in Volantis.
During her meeting with Jorah Mormont and Tyrion Lannister, the widow signals one of her "sons" after Jorah refuses to answer as why he seeks Daenerys Targaryen. Disbelieving Jorah's next answer, that he seeks to serve and protect Daenerys, The widow signals to her "son" once again, but their confrontation is interrupted when Penny tries to kill Tyrion.
*"Seek the widow of the waterfront", someone told you, but they should have also warned you, *"beware the widow's sons". It is such a sweet morning, though, I shall ask again. Why would you seek Daenerys Targaryen, whom half the world wants dead?
- The widow of the waterfront to Jorah Mormont.
The Widow Wind was a swan ship of the Summer Isles.
The captain of the Widow Wind was Bellegere Otherys, the Black Pearl of Braavos and one of the nine mistresses of Aegon the Unworthy.
The widow of the waterfront is a very old woman who runs several docks, piers and shipping lanes in a section of western Volantis. Her late husband was the triarch Vogarro. The Old Blood of eastern Volantis refer to her as Vogarro's whore, though not to her face.
See also: Images of Widow of the Waterfront
The years have bent the widow's spine and put a hump upon her back. Her white hair is so thin that the pink of her scalp shows through. Scar tissue covers her cheeks, from where she had the slave tattoos cut off upon being freed. Her eyes are bright and black.
The widow of the waterfront was once a former pleasure slave taught the ways of the seven sighs in Yunkai. She was purchased by a Triarch of Volantis named Vogarro. Vogarro fell in love with her and freed her, raising a great scandal by marrying her.
Vogarro owned piers, storehouses, brokered cargoes, changed money and insured shipowners against the hazards of the sea. When he died thirty-two years ago she took over his business. She had to sell his manse because no freedman may live within the Black Wall in eastern Volantis, regardless of wealth. She took up residence at the Merchant's House west of the Rhoyne and set up her business in its common room. Her bodyguards are known as the widow's sons.
The widows meets with Jorah Mormont, who seeks passage in a ship to take him and Tyrion Lannister to Meereen to meet Daenerys Targaryen. Initially reluctant due to Jorah's attitude, she relents after Tyrion speaks honestly about his intentions and he's attacked by Penny. She reveals Benerro had a fire vision that their ship, the *Selaesori Qhoran*, will not make it to its ultimate destination, Qarth.
The widow asks them to give Daenerys a message on behalf of all the slaves in Volantis:
Tell her we are waiting, tell her to come soon.
The Widower is a scarred and sour axeman of the Stormcrows. He is second-in-command to Daario Naharis.
When Daario is given over as a hostage to the Yunkai, the Widower and Jokin become the joint commanders of the Stormcrows. They are present at the war council called by Barristan Selmy.
All wights are easily identified by their eyes having turned bright blue, like two blue stars. Art by Thomas Denmark. © Fantasy Flight Games
Wights are dead men or creatures raised up by the Others, seemingly when touched by the cold that accompanies them. to burn them.
Wight, dead raised up by the Others. Art by AniaEm©
See also: Images of Wights
The appearance of wights depends entirely on the condition of the corpse when it is raised. Some are lifelike, while others are badly rotten although the process of decay has been halted. All are easily identified by their eyes having turned bright blue
Wights are supposedly attracted to warm blood[*citation needed*] and will attack with surprising strength. Unlike the Others, they are slow and clumsy.
Being dead, wights feel no pain and will continue to fight regardless of injury.
Wights appear to be able to remain in a state of stasis, such as outside the hillside entrance to the cave of the three-eyed crow. The snows have buried most of the dead men, but they remain frozen and waiting.
Wights are flammable and will be quickly consumed if set aflame.
It is stated in *The Seven-Pointed Star* that spirits, wights, and revenants cannot harm a pious man, so long as he is armored in his faith.
Waymar Royce raised as a wight. Art by Sardag ©
Ser Waymar Royce rises as a wight after falling to the Others beyond the Wall and kills Will.
Old Nan tells Bran Stark the tale of the last hero in which she mentions that the Others led hosts of the slain and fed their dead servants on the flesh of human children.
Othor's still-moving hand is sent to King's Landing in a jar with Ser Alliser Thorne to impress on the Iron Throne the severity of the threat from beyond the Wall so that the king may send more troops to the Wall. Tyrion Lannister keeps Alliser waiting so long that Othor's hand decomposes, leaving bones, and is therefore unconvincing.
During the fight at the Fist, the Night's Watch is unable to defend against the wights that are sent against them. In a crushing defeat, the majority of the Night's Watch who fight on the Fist are slain by the insurmountable odds.
Coldhands saves Samwell, Gilly and her son when they are beset by wights, some of whom had been men of the Night's Watch. One of those wights is Small Paul, who Samwell tries to stab with a dagger made from dragonglass. The dagger shatters against Small Paul's chainmail.
The wildling Torwynd dies a few days after the battle beneath the Wall from the cold. He rises as a wight and his father Tormund is forced to slay him.
While listening to gossip in the Lazy Eel in White Harbor, Davos Seaworth observes that no sailors discuss wildlings, wights, and giants, unlike the men at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea.
Now Lord Commander, Jon Snow consigns some wildling corpses from a weirwood grove in the ice cells of Castle Black, hoping they can be studied when they rise up.
Cotter Pyke sails towards Hardhome by the command of Lord Commander Snow. By rescuing the wildlings Jon hopes to prevent the Others from raising an enormous army of wights by killing the thousands of wildlings stranded at Hardhome and raising them as their thralls. When Cotter arrives at Hardhome he sends a report to say there are dead things in the woods and dead things in the water.
Wights in the mist. Illustrated by Tomasz Jedruszek. © Fantasy Flight Games.
A list of individual characters that have been turned into wights over the course of the series:
The cold winds are rising, and men go out from their fires and never come back ... or if they do, they're not men no more, but only wights, with blue eyes and cold black hands. Why do you think I run south with Stiv and Hali and the rest of them fools?
– Osha to Bran Stark
We've seen the dead come back, you and me, and it’s not something I care to see again.
– Jeor Mormont to Jon Snow
Samwell: Why don’t they come finish us?
Grenn They only come when it’s cold.Samwell: Yes, but is it the cold that brings the wights, or the wights that bring the cold?
– Samwell Tarly and Grenn
You'd best pray it's a wildling blade that kills me, though. The ones the Others kill don't stay dead ... and they remember.
– Alliser Thorne to Jon Snow
You saw the wights come swarming up the Fist, a tide of living dead men with black hands and bright blue eyes.
– Jon Snow to Samwell Tarly
Cellador: Wights are monstrous, unnatural creatures. Abominations before the eyes of the gods. You ... you cannot mean to try to talk with them?
Jon: Monsters they may be, but they were men before they died. How much remains? The one I slew was intent on killing Lord Commander Mormont. Plainly he remembered who he was and where to find him ... My lord father used to tell me that a man must know his enemies. We understand little of the wights and less about the Others. We need to learn.
Ser Wilbert is a knight of Stoney Sept.
The Brotherhood Without Banners learn that Ser Wilbert was killed by forces of House Lannister the year before, while his sons are away to the westerlands with King Robb Stark.
Ser Wilbert Osgrey, also known as the Little Lion, was a knight of House Osgrey during the reign of Gyles III Gardener of Highgarden.
Ser Wilbert was the youngest of five brothers and so earned the name the Little Lion in childhood. He grew to be a tall, valiant knight. When Gyles III Gardener, King of the Reach, was battling the Storm King in the east, the King of the Rock, Lancel IV Lannister, attempted to cut a piece out of the Reach for himself. It fell to Ser Wilbert to stop him with his older brothers off in the east with the king. During the battle, Ser Wilbert came face to face with the King of the Rock. The king had a Valyrian steel sword, Brightroar, and chopped the Little Lion to bits, but as Ser Wilbert was dying, he drove his dagger into a gap in the king's armor and killed him. The Westerland army collapsed and the Reach was saved.
The Wild Hares is a company of northern lances Benfred Tallhart surrounds himself with after he hears of Robb Stark's successes in the War of the Five Kings. They consider themselves young wolves, as the oldest is not nineteen. After Leobald Tallhart mocks them by calling them young rabbits, they take the name of Wild Hares.
The Wild Hares scour the country, rabbit skins attached to their spears, singing knightly songs, until Ser Rodrik Cassel orders Leobald to sort them out.
Benfred and his company ride out to the Stony Shore to see if the rumors of ironborn raiding are true. They do not expect that the enemy will have many men and did not send scouts ahead. Theon Greyjoy and his ironmen easily surprise and defeat the Wild Hares.
The lid of a vat of wildfire is lifted. © FFG
A cache of wildfire. © FFG
Tyrion Lannister holding a jar of wildfire in *Game of Thrones*.
Wildfire is a volatile green liquid that burns for a long time. It is created by the Alchemists' Guild, who refer to it as the substance and keep its recipe a close-guarded secret.
See also: Images of wildfire
Once wildfire takes fire, the substance will burn until it is no more. It will seep into most materials so that they take fire as well. Wildfire will burn even when floating on water. It is typically commissioned for use as a weapon of war, though alchemists will sometimes use wildfire torches as a display of power. The red priest, Thoros of Myr, fights with a sword covered in a thin layer of wildfire, which would burn for an hour.
Making wildfire is a lengthy and dangerous process known to the Alchemists' Guild, who claim it involves magic. The alchemists place wildfire in small jars of pottery, the clay roughened and pebbled to improve grip. The jars are filed in a series of bare stone cells. Over each cell lies a room filled with sand and having a "spell" on the floor so that should anything happen, the sand will fall on the fire and help extinguish it.
Old wildfire is 'fickle'; any flame or spark can set them off. Too much heat—such as being exposed to sunlight for even a short time—could lead to a fire. Once the fire begins, the heat makes the wildfire explode violently, which can lead to a vast chain reaction. The more volatile jars of wildfire are transported from place to place only by night, in carts filled with sand to lessen jostling at all, and then sealed in wax and placed in rooms pumped full of water.
Certain steps in making wildfire work better and more efficiently as of more recently. A pyromancer speculates that this could have something to do with the talk of dragons coming back into existence, as the old Wisdom Pollitor held to the idea that the spells for making wildfire were not as effectual as they once were because dragons had gone from the world.
Tyrion Lannister uses wildfire provided by the Alchemists' Guild to defend King's Landing during the Battle of the Blackwater.
Cersei Lannister has the alchemists burn the Tower of the Hand with wildfire.
The substance flows through my veins, and lives in the heart of every pyromancer. We respect its power.
– Hallyne to Tyrion Lannister
Once it takes fire, the substance will burn fiercely until it is no more. More, it will seep into cloth, wood, leather, even steel, so they take fire as well.
– Hallyne to Tyrion Lannister
Piss on wildfire, and your cock burns off.
– Davos Seaworth, recalling an old seamen's saying
Wildfire is treacherous.
- Jaime Lannister to Cersei Lannister
The flames are so pretty. I want to watch them for a while.
- Cersei Lannister to Jaime Lannister
According to George R. R. Martin, wildfire is inspired by Greek fire.
The wildfire plot was a plan developed by King Aerys II Targaryen during the latter stages of Robert's Rebellion.
After the rebel victory of Lord Robert Baratheon at the Battle of the Bells, King Aerys II Targaryen was fearful that Robert might actually win the War of the Usurper. The Mad King enlisted the aid of several members of the Alchemists' Guild in a plot to destroy the city of King's Landing should the rebel forces prove victorious. Ser Jaime Lannister was present when this was planned, while the rest of the Kingsguard was absent or with Crown Prince Rhaegar Targaryen.
Thousands of jars of wildfire were gathered and placed in key positions under King's Landing. Hundreds were placed under the Dragonpit and the Great Sept of Baelor, under every one of the city's gates and even under the Red Keep itself. The pyromancers did their work in secret and did not trust their apprentices with the knowledge.
The rest of House Targaryen were unaware of this; apparently Queen Rhaella Targaryen's eyes had long been shut to her husband's insanities, and Rhaegar was busy marshalling an army. The Hand of the King, Lord Qarlton Chelsted, grew suspicious of the constant comings and goings of the pyromancers from the Red Keep. When Chelsted discovered the plot, he confronted Aerys. When reasoning, threatening, jesting and even begging on his part failed to dissuade Aerys from this course of action, Chelsted resigned his position, flinging his chain of office at Aerys's feet. Aerys had him burned alive for this and made the pyromancer Rossart his new Hand of the King.
During the Sack of King's Landing, Aerys commanded Rossart to ignite the wildfire to destroy the city and Jaime to bring the head of his father, Lord Tywin Lannister. Jaime, however, intercepted and slew Rossart to prevent his message from reaching other pyromancers. Jaime then slew Aerys, slitting his throat.
The traitors want my city, but I'll give them naught but ashes. Let Robert be king over charred bones and cooked meat.
Wildwind is a war galley of the royal fleet in service at King's Landing.
Wildwind is a part of King Joffrey I Baratheon's fleet at the Battle of the Blackwater.
For other articles sharing the same title, please see this disambiguation page.
Will is a ranger of the Night's Watch. He is the POV character for the prologue of *A Game of Thrones*.
Will had been a poacher before joining the Night's Watch, hunting in House Mallister's woods. After Lord Mallister's freeriders caught him skinning a buck, Will choose to taking the black instead of losing a hand.
During his first ranging, a scared Will remembered old stories he had heard about the lands beyond the Wall. At the start of *A Song of Ice and Fire*, however, he has already been in the Night's Watch for four years and is a veteran of a hundred rangings. Will's stealth and hunting experience proved useful for scouting as a ranger.
Bronson Webb as Will in *Game of Thrones*
Shortly before the series starts, Will, Gared, and Ser Waymar Royce were sent ranging into the haunted forest by Jeor Mormont, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, in search of a band of wildling raiders. Jeor gave the command to Waymar, although he was the least experienced of the three, whereas Jeor counted Gared and Will among his best men. However, Waymar felt it was his due to have a command because he was a knight, and the Lord Commander accepted because he did not want to offend Waymar's father, Lord Yohn Royce.
Will, Gared and Ser Waymar Royce follow the wildlings, catching up with them the ninth day. Will sees eight people, men and women, at their camp, but is not able to see any movements over an extended period of time. He returns to Waymar and Gared, reporting that the wildlings were dead, probably killed by the cold. Gared wants to return to the Wall, but Waymar insists they discover what killed the wildlings.
Waymar orders Gared to remain with the horses while he and Will walk the last part. They cannot find the bodies at the wildling camp, so Will climbs a tree to look for them. Both men feel that it becoming markedly colder. Suddenly, Waymar is attacked and killed by Others, but Will stays in the trees until he is sure that the Others have left. When Will descends, however, he is attacked and killed by Waymar, who has been turned into a wight.
While Lord Commander Jeor Mormont tells Tyrion Lannister about the conditions on the Wall, he mentions the ranging on which Will and Waymar went missing. Jeor laments giving the command to someone as inexperienced as Waymar.
Craster tells Jeor that the three rangers stopped at Craster's Keep during their search for raiders.
In the television series *Game of Thrones* the roles of Gared and Will are swapped. Gared is beheaded by a White Walker and Will flees south until he is captured and executed as a deserter.
Will was a farmer in service to House Osgrey.
Will was called up to defend House Osgrey lands after a dispute over the Chequy Water with House Webber escalated. After some training, he was sent home with the others when Ser Duncan the Tall realized they would march to their deaths.
Will was a farmer in service to House Osgrey. After telling Ser Dunk that he could throw far, Ser Bennis of the Brown Shield called him a trebuchet, everyone started calling him Treb.
Treb was called up to defend House Osgrey lands after a dispute over the Chequy Water with House Webber escalated. He was sent home with the others after Ser Duncan the Tall realized the weakness of their position.
Will is an orphan boy.
Will is among the orphans taken in by Willow Heddle at the Crossroads Inn. When Brienne of Tarth and her party arrive at the inn, Will is told to drop the rock he was holding for defense.
Will was the squire of Ser Uthor Underleaf during the reign of King Aerys I Targaryen. He was gawky. Dunk threatened him and took back the armor he had lost to Uthor Underleaf in the Whitewalls Tourney.
Will Cole is a sellsword in service to the Golden Company. As a serjeant, he is a high-ranking officer.
He wears his worldly wealth upon his person and a lord’s ransom in golden arms rings.
He is a Westerosi exile. His surname Cole is of a house that was once prominent in the histories of the Seven Kingdoms. He may or may not be of House Cole, as in the free companies a man can call himself whatever he chooses. He might be related to another serjeant in the company, Dick Cole.
Will is present during Jon Connington’s rendezvous with the Golden Company three miles south of Volon Therys.
Like the rest of the company, he swears his allegiance to Aegon Targaryen before they invade Westeros.
Will Humble is an ironborn and member of House Humble.
At the kingsmoot Will, lost a bet and had to eat his boot.
Will Short is a man of the North.
Will Short attends Ramsay Bolton's feast at Goldgrass. While there, he tosses a meaty bone to the hounds, over which Grey Jeyne and Maude kill one of Lord Harwood Stout's hounds.