Your Sigil, Your Words, Your Fealty, and the Name of Your Keep.

[Tywin Manderly]

For me:

House Autumn

Sigil: Semé of silver towers on Royal Blue.

Words: "Our Roof, Our Rule".

Lands: The lands between Blazewater Bay and Moat Cailin, South of Barrowton and North of Flint's Finger.

Location: Moat Cailin and Port Sunset. (The latter being a large harbor city on Blazewater Bay.)

Seat: Moat Cailin. (In its full ancient glory.)

House Weapons: The Valyrian steel greatswords known as Catty Catelyn, Widow's Wrath, Bully's Bane, and Leathal Lady.

House Heirlooms: Ring of Light, Chain of Omens, Chalice of Autumn, Spear of Destiny.

Fealty: House Stark of Winterfell

Gods: The Gods of Tits and Wine

Blood: First Men, mixed with that of various far away exotic lands.

Known for: Succession of Eldest Child; Wealth and Extravaganza; owners of the Far Away Company, a huge trading company that trades with numerous mysterious lands; owners of the Sunset Bank of the North; and benefactors and protectors of the Academy, an institute of higher learning that also admits women and which is the proud rival of the Maesters of the Citadel of Oldtown.

History: House Autumn descends from a line of petty kings during the Age of Heroes, but joined the domain of the Kings of Winter at some point during the days of the Andal Invasions.

Titles: The Lord of Autumn, Lord of the Twilight Zone, Lord Moat Cailin and Port Sunset, Shield of the Southron Marches, Defender of Blazewater Bay, Protector of the Academy, (or The Lady of Autumn, Lady of the Twilight Zone, Lady of Moat Cailin and Port Sunset, Shield of the Southron Marches, Defendress of Blazewater Bay, Protectress of the Academy).

[James Steller]

House: Steller

Sigil: A silver mastiff running across a green field.

Keep: Calador, located in the Stormlands.

Ancestral weapon: Valyrian steel sword named Atharr

Culture: Stormlord

Liege Lord: House Durrandon, later House Baratheon

Blood line (First men, etc): Mixed

Traditional appearance and house traits: Brown curly hair, and dark blue eyes

Founder: Desmond Steller

Origin story:  

The origins of House Steller are shrouded in mystery, as it's unknown whether they were First Men who bred with invading Andals, or whether they were descended from Andals who married into the First Men. Regardless of the truth, they displayed no great accomplishments until the time of Desmond Steller, a young sellsword hired into the service of King Gyras I Durrandon, the great-grandson of Arlan III Durrandon who had conquered the Riverlands.

A rebellion was rising amongst the riverlords, and King Gyras came north to subdue the rebels before they could organize. Desmond was hired, among many others, to aid in the fight. At one point, the king and his entourage were attacked by men of House Goodbrook, Bracken, and Vypren. The ambush was well placed, and bitterly executed. Of the sellswords that Gyras had hired, all but Desmond stayed to fight. To make matters worse, during the battle, Lord Harold Mannix of the Stormlands turned on his king, wounding him badly with his first blow. Just as he was about to finish Gyras off, Desmond engaged him in combat. Because Lord Mannix was armed with a Valyrian steel sword, Desmond was nearly killed. During the fight, however, Desmond's pet dog, a large mastiff called Atharr, broke through his restraints and hurled himself at Lord Mannix to save his master. Between the efforts of Desmond and Atharr, Lord Mannix died bloodily for his treachery, even as the forces under King Gyras rallied and made an organized retreat. Sadly, Atharr died of the wounds taken by the Valyrian steel sword, whereupon Desmond took the sword for himself, renaming it Atharr in honour of his beloved mastiff.

For his loyalty and bravery during the attack, King Gyras granted Desmond his own house, making him a knight and minor lord in one fell swoop. Because Harold Mannix had died childless and unmarried, Desmond was given half the lands loyal to House Mannix, which included their castle in the Stormlands, north of Bronzegate. Just as with his new sword, Desmond honoured his deceased pet with his new sigil. He also renamed the castle Calador, a name which, translated into a more remote Andal dialect, means “well earned.”

House Steller stayed loyal to House Durrandon for the next three centuries, producing a number of warriors and leaders who made their name alongside other houses of the Stormlands. Robin Steller died fighting  against Orys Baratheon and the Targaryens, but his son Lidole bent the knee to Orys after he married Argella Durrandon. Lidole fought for Lord Baratheon during the First Dornish War and the Vulture Hunt. Karl Steller was one of the few stormlords to fight for the blacks during the Dance of the Dragons, though this action caused him to briefly be attainted by his family (until they could acknowledge him as a hero under the reign of Aegon III Targaryen). Lyle Steller achieved the most renown in his family when he not only made his reputation during the War of the Ninepenny Kings, but in his old age, he personally led his bannermen alongside Robert Baratheon, fighting in every battle where his lord was present. He brought along his eldest sons, Justin and Arlan, to these battles, while the youngest son, Roy, was an experienced knight serving in the garrison at Storm's End. The glory came with a great cost, however: Lyle lived long enough to see Justin and Arlan die at the Battle of Ashford, only for Lyle to perish at the Trident, being the last man Rhaegar slew before Robert Baratheon engaged him in combat. Roy himself barely survived the siege of Storm's End, but he remained loyal to Stannis for the rest of his life. He fought under Stannis' command during the Greyjoy Rebellion, and sent his eldest son to serve as a squire to a knight on Dragonstone. 

Current state of house: 

Rare amongst the Stormlords, Lord Roy Steller declared for Stannis Baratheon when the elder Baratheon brother claimed kingship. Though he wished to keep his bannermen at home in case he needed to defend his territory, Roy did send his three young sons to Dragonstone with a sizeable escort of House Steller's best warriors to sit on Stannis' war council. Of the three, only the eldest accepted the worship of R’hlorr, whilst the younger two discreetly refused.

James, Leo, and Mervyn Steller subsequently sailed to Storm's End and stood by Stannis when his treacherous younger brother, Renly, threatened to slay his own kin rather than help his older brother take the Iron Throne. After the death of Renly and the near-bloodless fall of Storm's End, Mervyn joined the castle's garrison under the command of Ser Gilbert Farring. Mervyn's brothers and their forces participated in the Battle of the Blackwater, fighting valiantly for Stannis. When Tywin and the Tyrells turned the tide, however, only James and just over twenty of his knights and men-at-arms escaped with Stannis. Leo was gravely wounded, but survived long enough to refuse the mercy of Joffrey Baratheon. He was subsequently executed by Balon Swann, and his head was sent to Roy Steller at Calador. The aged lord was so horrified that he collapsed, seized by a broken heart. Roy's former castellan fortified the castle, declaring James to be the new head of House Steller with a raven to Dragonstone. While House Steller remains resistant to King Joffrey, their status as a minor lord leaves them largely unable to make a difference in the war.

James Steller, meanwhile, returned with Stannis to Dragonstone and later accompanied his king to the Wall. He and his surviving followers achieved great glory, riding valiantly against the wildling army. James is currently marching to Winterfell with Stannis, loyal to the true lord of Storm's End and the rightful king of Westeros. The mastiff shall fight with the stag once again, and die with the stag if need be. 

[Floki of the Ironborn]

House: Boatsman

Sigil: A sky blue field with three black ravens flying above four brown ships.

Keep: Unknown, later Ravenholt

Ancestral weapon: A Valyrian steel axe called Vengeance

Kingdom: Orkmont, but later Cape Kraken, in the North

Liege Lord: House Stark

Culture: Ironborn, later First Men

Traditional appearance and house traits: Tall and lean appearance, light-coloured hair and grey eyes. 

Founder: "Raven" Floki

Origin story: 

True to the family name, House Boatsman were originally poor shipbuilders on the Iron Islands. But as their craft grew in popularity, they slowly built their wealth and prestige until they could afford to maintain a reaving ship which was mocked by other ironborn for its small size.

So might their meagre existence have continued were it not for Floki, a highly clever boat builder and an equally savage fighter, even as a very young man. It was he who, despite being only 14 years old, helped his father seize and acquire a Valyrian steel axe during a daring raid in Essos. When his father was thrown overboard during a storm, Floki took charge of the ship. Only his skilled seamanship allowed their raiding party to return safely around Westeros. To avoid the wroth of the Reach and Dorne, Floki brought his damaged ship into harbours as a trading ship, selling the cargo he and his father were bringing back (he kept the axe, however).

Word of Floki's voyage made him a known figure on the Iron Islands, and the wealth he brought home from selling his plunder allowed him to develop a sigil for himself as a minor lord in his own right. House Boatsman was hired to build ships for larger houses. This increased Floki's following, even though the noble families of the Iron Islands turned their noses up at him as a mere upjumped commoner. They never insulted him to his face, however, for Floki proved a dangerous fighter, particularly with the Valyrian steel axe.

By the time he saw his 21st year, the Floki was already a father of five young children, even as he went on a raid to the North. It was disastrous, and an attack upon Deepwood Motte was beaten back with great loss. It was there that Floki, fleeing from vengeful Northmen, first came across a weirwood tree, deep in the forests of the Wolfswood. Though he managed to find the shore and lead the survivors home, he never forgot the tree, which left him mystified.

For the next few years, Floki stayed home, taking into his care dozens of slaves who had been taken in the North. Treating them kindly, he questioned them on the weirwoods and the old gods. The more he learned, the more he was convinced that he and the Ironborn worshipped a false and evil god. Floki adopted the old gods of the First Men as his own, raising his children to recognize the old gods as the true gods of their world.

As you can imagine, Floki became deeply unpopular and despised as an apostate. The Drowned Men preached against House Boatsman as being heretics and traitors, but Floki strove to win the protection of House Hoare, a major house who had abandoned the Drowned God for the Andal faith. Instead, House Hoare mocked Floki for a fool, worshipping weirwood trees. Attacks were launched against House Boatsman, and Floki was forced to defend himself and his people, many of whom followed their lord into worshipping the old gods. Floki was 27 years old when a devastating attack was launched on his home, leading to the brutal deaths of his wife and children. Floki and his surviving followers fled upon four crowded ships, never to settle on the Iron Islands again.

Though Floki's ships were well-built, they were hotly pursued by dozens of other ships whose oarsman were more numerous. Legend has it that Floki prayed to the old gods for salvation, leading to a great fog to descend upon the sea. While the Ironborn were virtually blinded by the fog, Floki had brought three ravens with him, and he released them so that they might fly above the fog and spot land. Floki's ships followed the black birds to the long shores of Cape Kraken.

Then as now, Cape Kraken was long disputed by the northmen and Ironborn, leading to a sparse population of people with mixed blood. Nobody opposed Floki when he landed his four ships and his loyal followers, most of them northern slaves whom he had acquired on the Iron Islands. When he offered to set them free, they preferred to swear allegiance to Floki instead. This proved invaluable when Northern forces arrived to slay these new Ironborn arrivals.

Much was said about Floki's brilliant sailing or his vicious fighting, but on that occasion, his tongue turned to silver as he spoke of his renouncing the false Ironborn god, and offering his services to House Stark just as House Manderly had done just three hundred years before. He willingly allowed the forces of House Dustin to take him to Winterfell in chains, where he repeated his reasoning before the Starks of Winterfell. Despite many calls that Floki should be slain, Eyron Stark was convinced of Floki's genuine conversion to the old gods. It was determined that Floki would hold what part of Cape Kraken that he could, in defence of his new lord against the people he had renounced. Floki vowed to slay a hundred Ironborn for every child that he'd lost to them. As a sign of his sincerity, he took a northern woman as his new wife (the legends insist that this woman, named Helga, had been a daughter of the slaves Floki liberated) and planted a godswood in his new home of Ravenholt. The wooden castle (which was eventually converted into stone over the long years) was built on a small cliff close to where Floki's ravens had first landed on Cape Kraken, overlooking the sea from which he'd come. 

Thus began the rule of House Boatsman in Cape Kraken. Many times, Ironborn raiders landed on the cape, only to face the vengeful battle cry of Floki, who had renamed his Valyrian steel axe Vengeance. It's unknown how many Ironborn Floki killed during his lifetime, but he was a feared enemy, even as an ancient man with several sons and daughters by his northern wife. Though he risked his life many times in battle, Floki was said to have died in bed soon after the death of Helga, passing peacefully when his heart gave out. Eyron Stark's son and heir was said to have personally visited Ravenholt to oversee the joint funeral of Floki and Helga, while taking two of Floki's grandsons as wards to Winterfell.

Over the years, House Boatsman endured, even if they did not exactly flourish on Cape Kraken. Many times in that house's history, the head of the house was named Floki in honour of their famous founder. Due to their proximity with the Iron Islands, many members of House Boatsman suffered bloody deaths while battling the Ironborn and other pirates. Though they remained one of the smallest noble houses in the North, House Boatsman never failed in their service to House Stark, and were present for several great moments in the North's history. One of Floki's descendants was a witness to the kneeling of Torrhen Stark before the forces of King Aegon Targaryen. Another descendent, also called Floki, travelled south to King's Landing with Cregan Stark after the Dance of the Dragons, and was one of the few men to go back north rather than settle south of the Neck or Essos. 

Among the most noteworthy of Floki's descendants was Floki "One-Eye", the twentieth of his name. As a young man, "One-Eye" earned this nickname after he suffered a grievous wound at the Battle of the Trident, even as he wielded Vengeance against the forces of House Targaryen alongside Eddard Stark. He also led a ship to the Iron Islands and gladly participated in the suppression of the Greyjoy Rebellion. While there, "One-Eye" wreaked a long-awaited revenge against several Ironborn warriors who were descended from houses that had driven House Boatsman off of Orkmont. Their skulls are in Raven Hall to this day.

Current state of house:

In recent years, House Boatsman has suffered cruel losses from Ironborn raids by House Greyjoy during the War of the Five Kings, coupled with the death of the aging Floki "One-Eye" and several of his followers at the Red Wedding. The future of House Boatsman rests with their young lord, the twenty-first man to bear the name Floki. His whereabouts are unknown, as he refused to swear oaths to Roose Bolton, but has yet to be hunted down for this treason. Sources report that he left Ravenholt in the hands of his wife and sons, and was last seen leading a band of his best surviving warriors into the Neck. It is unclear what his purpose is or whether he will return from his quest.

[John Suburbs]

Here's a website where you can look up your family name and find your history, crest, coat of arms, words and all other kinds of stuff -- and then order pictures, posters, coffee cups etc.

https://www.houseofnames.com/

[Canon Claude]

House: Claude

Current Lord: Canon Claude

Sigil: Four pine trees, black on a pale grey background. 

Words: We Shall Return

Location: The Vale

Lands: The forested region between the Mountains of the Moon and the Bay of Crabs, facing Gulltown on the far side of the inlet. 

Seat: Hardholt, formerly the castle now known as Heart's Home.

House Weapons: An ancient shillelagh made of weirwood, known as Vymarr

Fealty: House Royce of Runestone, as well as House Arryn of the Eyrie.

Gods: Old gods

Blood: First Men

History: House Claude stretches back to the time of the First Men's first arrival to Westeros, or so it seems. The founder of this ancient house is unknown, but the earliest known member of the house was Vymarr Claude, a heroic warrior who began a dynasty of kings which ended with the Andal invasions of the Vale. In keeping with his faith in the old gods, Vymarr fashioned a mighty shillelagh (a special sort of club) from a large branch that he took from a weirwood tree. It was specially preserved, cured, and fire-hardened to become a weapon that would long survive any one man's life, and the end of the shillelagh was also hollowed out and filled with lead to make it a particularly lethal weapon. According to legend, King Vymarr used this weapon to crush the skull of King Jon Hunter with a single swing. It was due to this weapon that the Claudes were known as the Club Kings in the Vale. The shillelagh has since become known to House Claude as "Vymarr" in honour of this mighty king. Due to a seer's prophecy, no member of House Claude is permitted to bear the name "Vymarr" as it belongs only to this shillelagh.

House Claude's time as minor kings came to an end with the invasion of the Andals. Driven back by the iron-clad knights, their ancestral castle was abandoned to the forces of Corwyn Corbray. They appealed to House Brightstone and House Shell for aid, but both houses preferred to attack Corbray by themselves, scorning House Claude's downfall. 

King Morfin Claude and his three eldest sons had died in battle with the Corbrays, but Vymarr was recovered by his youngest son, Quentyn. Rather than claim a worthless kingship, Quentyn led his remaining family and followers to House Royce of Runestone, the family of his deceased mother. The Royces took the Claudes in, permitting them to build the castle known as Hardholt across the bay from Gulltown. Quentyn vowed that they would one day reclaim their ancient home from the Corbrays, and Vymarr would be used to extinguish the Corbrays once and for all.

When Robar II Royce declared his intent to drive the Andals into the sea, Eustace Claude was among the first to pledge his support. It was said that he led close to a thousand of House Claude's followers in the Battle of the Seven Stars, slaying many with his shillelagh before being taken captive by the victorious Andals. In mockery of House Claude's vow to avenge the loss of their home, Jaime Corbray personally executed Eustace with Lady Forlorn and stole his widow to be his bed companion. Lord Corbray also wished to burn the shillelagh Vymarr, but the club was rescued by one of Eustace's followers and brought back to Hardholt (according to legend, the former Lady Claude got her vengeance on Jaime Corbray by castrating him with a hidden dagger when the wine-sodden lord attempted to make use of her).

Since their humbling at the Battle of the Seven Stars, House Claude has endured as bannermen to House Royce, as well as developing a trading business within Gulltown which has given them some modicum of wealth over the years. Whether it was their dabbling in mining for common metals or drawing wood from their forests (as well as maintaining these forests so they continue to flourish), the Claudes are seen as a low-status house for their direct use of common trades to maintain themselves. They are also alienated in the Vale for their continued worship of the old gods.

While the Claudes focused a lot of energy towards wealth and natural resources, they never abandoned their war prowess, and frequently marched alongside House Royce. Several Claudes have distinguished themselves in battle over the years. The Claudes followed House Royce and House Arryn by swearing allegiance to House Targaryen when Visenya Targaryen landed her dragon on the Eyrie. Mychel Claude swung Vymarr in service to Lord Allard Royce when Jonos Arryn usurped his elder brother. Barlon Claude and all his sons died in service to Gunthor "Bronze Giant" Royce during the Vale's succession crisis during the early reign of Aegon III. Lanval Claude, better known as "the Black Club," abandoned his family to fight for Daemon Blackfyre. It was Lanval who targeted House Corbray for their loyalty to King Daeron II, slaying several members of this house in open battle before being slain by his own cousin, Lord Ellar Claude, who recovered Vymarr, though he was called a kinslayer for the rest of his days.

In more recent years, Isembard Claude and other members of his family marched with Yohn Royce during Robert's Rebellion. Isembard made his name at the battle of Gulltown, dying later in combat during the Battle of the Bells, along with his brothers and sons. Isembard's young cousin and heir, Canon, took up Vymarr for his own, putting to rest the feud with House Corbray by saving Lyonel Corbray's life from an attack by Jonothor Darry. Canon was named Lord of Hardholt, and a grateful Lyonel Corbray later arranged a marriage between Canon and a Corbray cousin. Since then, Canon Claude has led his house through times of plenty, keeping faith with Yohn Royce.

Titles: Lord of Hardholt, formerly Club King

[hiemal]

House Foyle: ruled by Morton Foyle, Knight-protector of Crazytown from MadHouse. They swear fealty to the Tyrells.

Words: "It's all connected!"

Sigil: 3 magpies natural in flight bearing shiny streamers in their beaks on a gray field.

Morton's brother Beston is the archmaester of tinfoil at the Citadel.

House Morton follows the Seven as they are primarily of Andal descent.

They are not wealthy enough to own any Vayrian Steel.

[Lion of the West]

Sure, why not.

House Sassarp

Sigil: Per bendy, Gules and Or, a griffon rampagent, Sable

Words: "Faithful to friends, fearless to foes"

Lands: Somewhere in the Westerlands

Location: Westerlands

Seat: The Red Roost

House Weapons: Valyrian longsword called "Memory".

Fealty: House Lannister of Castlery Rock

Gods: The Seven

Blood: Andal

[dsjj251]

House Kyson

Founder: Kyle of the Trident

Current Lord: Aeyen(pronounced Ian) Kyson, veteran of Robert's Rebellion.  married to Lady Karyn of House Mallister. 
Heir: Kyle Kyson

Sigil: A gold trident on a blue field. 

Words: Bold as Gold, as True as Blue

Lands: watered by the Blue Fork

Seat: Fairmarket

House Weapon:  Dark Current, a Valyian steel tipped trident. Fair Wind, a Valyrian  steel long sword. both gifted to House Kyson 3,000 years ago when they returned a stolen dragon egg to Valyria. 

House Heirlooms:  Crown of the Rivers, The ancestral crown of the first river kings. Forged of bronze in the pattern of wood with bright blue stones. 

Blood: First men. 

Gods: Old Gods

History: Kyle, the son of Garth Greenhand, led a group of explorers north in the search of unclaimed land. They were stopped by the river that would come to be known as the Blue fork. To their north,  the rivers' source was impassible do to swamps and bogs, to the south the river joined into the larger tributary of the trident.  There they would camp, but at night, they would find themselves plagued with attacks from a watery beast in the river. members of their camp continued to go missing until one night , Kyle together with his sons strung together  3 sharp branches and hunted the beast until they found it and killed it. The next morning, the explorers would name him "Kyle of the Trident" and their king, bestowing a crown of twisted petrified branches and blue stones from the riverbed on his head. Kyle would choose the land they were standing on where the river bent as his seat, which would later be known as Fairmarket

Titles: Lord of Fairmarket, Master of the Blue Fork, King of the Rivers and the Hills(formerly)

 

Rivalry : Mudds of Oldstones(formerly) , Darry of Darry. 

[Dreadscythe95]

House Dreadscythe

Sigil: Two black scythes crossed, tangled with red roses.

Words: Sow in Land, Harvest in Battle

Lands: The Reach, Near Ashford, on the opposite side of the Cockleswent river.

Seat: Harvestcall

Founder: Hector Dreadscythe

Current Lord: Axel Dreadscythe

House Weapon: The DreadThorns, Valyrian Steel Dual Swords

Fealty: House Tyrell of Highgarden

Gods: The Old Gods

Blood: Andals that turned to the Old Gods when they first came to The Reach.

Titles: Lord of Harvestcall, True Guardian of the Marches, Protector of The Reach

A house that has fought a lot for the Dornish Marches with The Stormlands and Dorne. They are notorious for their loyalty to Highgarden during the lordship of The Gardeners and The Tyrells. They remained neutral in The Dance of Dragons and helped stabilize The Reach in the name of their Lords after the land split in two in the civil war. They have never married with House Gardener and House Hightower but they have married twice with House Tyrell and many times with House Tarly. Eventhough they have been enemies many times before the Conquest, they are long term friends with House Caron of Nightsong (they have also married many times in the past).

 

One word. edgy. xD.

[James West]

House Czervik

Green Dragon on a field of yellow

Loyal Servant of House Targaryen

Family castle, located in the Stormlands and taken from the Baratheons.  Storm's End has been demolished and a new castle built upon its foundations.  All known Baratheons have been castrated and sent to the wall and every female has been sent to the Silent Sisters.

[TheThreeEyedCow]

House: Cakeordeath

Sygil: A white skull on a black field. A slice of Lemon cake between it's teeth.

Words: "It's tea time"

Lands: South of the Mander. North of the Honeywine. Beside the Rose Road.

Seat: Caketon

Ceremonial weapon: A valyrian steel butter knife with matching spoons and forks.

Blood: Everyone is banging everyone.

God: Depends on who's looking.

History: Notoriously absent from almost every war. The house Cakeordeath have their scrumptious cakes to thank for keeping them in good stead. The late Luthor Tyrell once remarked, "craven they may be. But that was the best bit of cake I've had in ages." 

[AlyBlackwood]

On 8/16/2019 at 9:23 AM, Floki of the Ironborn said:

House: Boatsman

Sigil: A sky blue field with three black ravens flying above four brown ships.

Keep: Unknown, later Ravenholt

Ancestral weapon: A Valyrian steel axe called Vengeance

Kingdom: Orkmont, but later Cape Kraken, in the North

Liege Lord: House Stark

Culture: Ironborn, later First Men

Traditional appearance and house traits: Tall and lean appearance, light-coloured hair and grey eyes. 

Founder: "Raven" Floki

Origin story: 

True to the family name, House Boatsman were originally poor shipbuilders on the Iron Islands. But as their craft grew in popularity, they slowly built their wealth and prestige until they could afford to maintain a reaving ship which was mocked by other ironborn for its small size.

So might their meagre existence have continued were it not for Floki, a highly clever boat builder and an equally savage fighter, even as a very young man. It was he who, despite being only 14 years old, helped his father seize and acquire a Valyrian steel axe during a daring raid in Essos. When his father was thrown overboard during a storm, Floki took charge of the ship. Only his skilled seamanship allowed their raiding party to return safely around Westeros. To avoid the wroth of the Reach and Dorne, Floki brought his damaged ship into harbours as a trading ship, selling the cargo he and his father were bringing back (he kept the axe, however).

Word of Floki's voyage made him a known figure on the Iron Islands, and the wealth he brought home from selling his plunder allowed him to develop a sigil for himself as a minor lord in his own right. House Boatsman was hired to build ships for larger houses. This increased Floki's following, even though the noble families of the Iron Islands turned their noses up at him as a mere upjumped commoner. They never insulted him to his face, however, for Floki proved a dangerous fighter, particularly with the Valyrian steel axe.

By the time he saw his 21st year, the Floki was already a father of five young children, even as he went on a raid to the North. It was disastrous, and an attack upon Deepwood Motte was beaten back with great loss. It was there that Floki, fleeing from vengeful Northmen, first came across a weirwood tree, deep in the forests of the Wolfswood. Though he managed to find the shore and lead the survivors home, he never forgot the tree, which left him mystified.

For the next few years, Floki stayed home, taking into his care dozens of slaves who had been taken in the North. Treating them kindly, he questioned them on the weirwoods and the old gods. The more he learned, the more he was convinced that he and the Ironborn worshipped a false and evil god. Floki adopted the old gods of the First Men as his own, raising his children to recognize the old gods as the true gods of their world.

As you can imagine, Floki became deeply unpopular and despised as an apostate. The Drowned Men preached against House Boatsman as being heretics and traitors, but Floki strove to win the protection of House Hoare, a major house who had abandoned the Drowned God for the Andal faith. Instead, House Hoare mocked Floki for a fool, worshipping weirwood trees. Attacks were launched against House Boatsman, and Floki was forced to defend himself and his people, many of whom followed their lord into worshipping the old gods. Floki was 27 years old when a devastating attack was launched on his home, leading to the brutal deaths of his wife and children. Floki and his surviving followers fled upon four crowded ships, never to settle on the Iron Islands again.

Though Floki's ships were well-built, they were hotly pursued by dozens of other ships whose oarsman were more numerous. Legend has it that Floki prayed to the old gods for salvation, leading to a great fog to descend upon the sea. While the Ironborn were virtually blinded by the fog, Floki had brought three ravens with him, and he released them so that they might fly above the fog and spot land. Floki's ships followed the black birds to the long shores of Cape Kraken.

Then as now, Cape Kraken was long disputed by the northmen and Ironborn, leading to a sparse population of people with mixed blood. Nobody opposed Floki when he landed his four ships and his loyal followers, most of them northern slaves whom he had acquired on the Iron Islands. When he offered to set them free, they preferred to swear allegiance to Floki instead. This proved invaluable when Northern forces arrived to slay these new Ironborn arrivals.

Much was said about Floki's brilliant sailing or his vicious fighting, but on that occasion, his tongue turned to silver as he spoke of his renouncing the false Ironborn god, and offering his services to House Stark just as House Manderly had done just three hundred years before. He willingly allowed the forces of House Dustin to take him to Winterfell in chains, where he repeated his reasoning before the Starks of Winterfell. Despite many calls that Floki should be slain, Eyron Stark was convinced of Floki's genuine conversion to the old gods. It was determined that Floki would hold what part of Cape Kraken that he could, in defence of his new lord against the people he had renounced. Floki vowed to slay a hundred Ironborn for every child that he'd lost to them. As a sign of his sincerity, he took a northern woman as his new wife (the legends insist that this woman, named Helga, had been a daughter of the slaves Floki liberated) and planted a godswood in his new home of Ravenholt. The wooden castle (which was eventually converted into stone over the long years) was built on a small cliff close to where Floki's ravens had first landed on Cape Kraken, overlooking the sea from which he'd come. 

Thus began the rule of House Boatsman in Cape Kraken. Many times, Ironborn raiders landed on the cape, only to face the vengeful battle cry of Floki, who had renamed his Valyrian steel axe Vengeance. It's unknown how many Ironborn Floki killed during his lifetime, but he was a feared enemy, even as an ancient man with several sons and daughters by his northern wife. Though he risked his life many times in battle, Floki was said to have died in bed soon after the death of Helga, passing peacefully when his heart gave out. Eyron Stark's son and heir was said to have personally visited Ravenholt to oversee the joint funeral of Floki and Helga, while taking two of Floki's grandsons as wards to Winterfell.

Over the years, House Boatsman endured, even if they did not exactly flourish on Cape Kraken. Many times in that house's history, the head of the house was named Floki in honour of their famous founder. Due to their proximity with the Iron Islands, many members of House Boatsman suffered bloody deaths while battling the Ironborn and other pirates. Though they remained one of the smallest noble houses in the North, House Boatsman never failed in their service to House Stark, and were present for several great moments in the North's history. One of Floki's descendants was a witness to the kneeling of Torrhen Stark before the forces of King Aegon Targaryen. Another descendent, also called Floki, travelled south to King's Landing with Cregan Stark after the Dance of the Dragons, and was one of the few men to go back north rather than settle south of the Neck or Essos. 

Among the most noteworthy of Floki's descendants was Floki "One-Eye", the twentieth of his name. As a young man, "One-Eye" earned this nickname after he suffered a grievous wound at the Battle of the Trident, even as he wielded Vengeance against the forces of House Targaryen alongside Eddard Stark. He also led a ship to the Iron Islands and gladly participated in the suppression of the Greyjoy Rebellion. While there, "One-Eye" wreaked a long-awaited revenge against several Ironborn warriors who were descended from houses that had driven House Boatsman off of Orkmont. Their skulls are in Raven Hall to this day.

Current state of house:

In recent years, House Boatsman has suffered cruel losses from Ironborn raids by House Greyjoy during the War of the Five Kings, coupled with the death of the aging Floki "One-Eye" and several of his followers at the Red Wedding. The future of House Boatsman rests with their young lord, the twenty-first man to bear the name Floki. His whereabouts are unknown, as he refused to swear oaths to Roose Bolton, but has yet to be hunted down for this treason. Sources report that he left Ravenholt in the hands of his wife and sons, and was last seen leading a band of his best surviving warriors into the Neck. It is unclear what his purpose is or whether he will return from his quest.

Can we please get some Floki fanfic? This. Was. Great. 

[CassDarry]

House Dryden 

Sigil: A rampant Yellow Lion on a striped claret and azure field.

Words: Prepared

Lands: A large hill in the Westerland hills, the surrounding dales and smaller hills, a stretch of the Gold road.

Location: Overlooking the Gold Road in the southern hills, North of Silverhill, West of Deep Den and  East of Casterly Rock.

Seat: Pride Rock, (formerly) The Dry Den.

House Weapons: A ceremonial Goldenheart Bow.

House Heirlooms: Mainly Jewellery and armour from ancestors(some of House Reyne, House Lydden and House Sewett through marriage)

Fealty: House Lannister in theory but....

Gods: Faith of the Seven

Blood: Andal

Known for: Opposing house Lannister

Titles: Ser, Warden of the Gold Road, Lord

History: Formed in 100ac when Lord Lydden sent his knighted bastard son to protect travellers along the Gold Road within the hills of the Westerlands. He was given a hide of land of his choosing, which was large hill with fertile soil called Soily Hill. He built a wooden hall upon its summit called Dry Den and took that as his house name when he wedded a widowed cousin of Lord Reyne. 

Soon his settlement began to grow, first an inn then a tavern followed by a market. Soily Hill was thriving in trade and Ser Dryden was invited with other landed knights and Lords of the West to swear oaths to protect Princess of Dragonstone Rhaenyra ‘s rights of succession.

Due to the rapid expansion of House Drydens wealth and lands( Where they built a stone keep half under the mountain, Called Pride Rock) King Viserys raised the House to Wardens of the Gold Road and Lordship. This caused unforeseen consequences as when Viserys died Aegon was crowned the new monarch not Rhaenyra. Honour bound House Dryden stood against House Lannister in The Dance of the Dragons. Sending men to fight for the ‘Blacks’ in the Riverlands.

Due to the peace held after the Dance, House Dryden was not punished for opposing their liege Lord but as during the Battle by the Lakeshore House Dryden had killed House Lannister men Lady Johanna Lannister had them stripped of the title Warden. In response House Dryden pulled down the old “Dry Den” and built a watch tower at the summit of the hill calling it “The sun on the hill”.

In the following 65years House Dryden suffered innumerable slights and unfair rulings at the hands of the Lannister’s(and their cronies) so when Daemon Blackfyre rebelled House Dryden saw an opportunity. They joined the army of Ser Quentyn Ball to attack Lannisport and other Lannister forces but they lost the battle of Redgrass Field. This time the crown took heavy fines from their treasury and stripped them of their lordly titles.

Somewhat humbled House Dryden acted the best they could over the ensuing years and when eventually Lord Tytos was proven to be more forgiving House Dryden started to show ambitions again.

This was interrupted by the war of Ninepenny Kings and the West sent forces to the stepstones. Here Ser Dryden met Lord Roger Reyne whom became friends. So when after the war Ser Tywin Lannister called House Tarbeck and House Reyne to pay their debt. In return Roger asked for House Drydens assistance. It came to late, the distance to great but Tywin noted House Drydens dissension again, he convinced his Lord father to give lands from Soily Hill to Clegane Keep, who’s head of house had saved Tytos’ life.

Impoverished and out of favour the Landed Knights effectively ruled a failing trading town, which when Tywin Lannister was made hand of the king somewhat thrived but when he returned from court in a foul mood House Drydens ambition disappeared.

This did not stop House Dryden once again defying Lord Tywin though as when Lord Robert Baratheon defeated three armies in one day the Lannister’s refused to help the Iron Throne. House Dryden sent they’re best warriors to meet with Lord Jon Conningtons army at the Stoney Sept. They were defeated again and when Lord Jon was exiled Ser Dryden realised Aerys was not fit to rule and went to Lord Tywin to admit what they had done. Lord Tywin then used house Dryden after the Battle of the Trident to gain access to Kings Landing.

After the Rebellion Ser Drydens daughters were married off and sons sent as wards around Lannister bannerman to ensure loyalty.

Ser Dryden swore vengeance.

[Vaith]

House Sandsalt

Sigil: A silver dolphin on blue beneath a yellow field of sand.

Words: "Against the Tide".

Lands: A portion of the southern, craggy, whirlpool-ridden coast of Dorne.

Location: Near Hellholt

Seat: South End

House Weapons: None of note.

House Heirlooms: Tapestries of all knights and ladies of South End.

Fealty: House Uller of Hellholt (in turn sworn to House Martell of Sunspear)

Gods: Faith of the Seven

Blood: Originally ironborn, now the First Man, Andal & Rhoynish combination common in DOrne.

Known for: Few living relatives, a tragedy-riddled history, a tendency for madness.

History: House Saltsand's origin is clear in their name. A salt son of House Harlaw who intended to reave across the Narrow Sea, landed in Dorne in the age before the coming of the Rhoynar. He entered the employ of a Dryland king and was felled in battle, but his bastard son lived on and was awarded lands in the treacherous southern coast. However, the Saltsands managed to live past the unification of Dorne, and even under the Targaryens and Baratheons.

Titles: Knight of South End. (Master of South End for a non-knight, Lady of South End for a female holder of the title)

[Brother Seamus]

Not going to do the whole thing, but want to mention that in our family of four, all good eaters, we sometimes joke that our house words are "we clean our plates."