Which House's origins would you read a book about?

[James Steller]

I'll be generous and let you pick one house from each of the nine regions. 

Here are my choices:

North: Manderly (specifically their journey to the North)

I have always loved the story of House Manderly, how they went from being one of the most powerful houses in the Reach, only to be driven out by the Peakes, lose everything which they can't put on their ships, and flee into exile. How many other places did they try to land at before going all the way to the North? Imagine these Seven-worshipping Andals' desperation to sail so far, and try to beg mercy from House Stark. What a story it could be, showing prejudice on both sides even as cooler heads make a deal. What persuaded the Starks to welcome them? How did that go? And then we'd see House Manderly rebuild in a new land, integrate into the North despite all the odds, become one of the most loyal of House Stark's supporters.

Stormlands: Baratheon

I know we got the abridged version in "Fire and Blood", but there is so much potential for details. I would love to see the war begin from the perspectives of Argilac, Argella, Orys, who who knows how many other Stormland characters. We'd get the Last Storm, stretched out across pages for us to read. We'd have the fall of Argilac Durrandon, even as Orys besieges Storm's End when Argella refuses to yield. Then the warrior queen is betrayed and taken through the Baratheon camp in disgrace and humiliation, only for Orys to intervene. Maybe we'd see if Argella ever actually learned to love him, or if she resented him all those years. Who knows how it played out.

Westerlands: Banefort

I'm curious about the Hooded Man, and what role he played in the Age of Heroes. He must have been malevolent given what members of House Banefort turned out to be like. It could be a really good bit of horror fantasy, and give us a great look at how savage the First Men must have been. 

Iron Islands: Greyiron (specifically their ascent to becoming Kings of the Iron Islands)

Again, this is another story which we already know in a general sense, but it could easily fill out a novel-length story. It would be like if "Vikings" was set in Westeros, with Urron Greyiron at the metaphorical helm. I could easily see him as a mix of Euron, Victarion, and Rollo. The fans would be divided as to whether they like him or despise him.

Reach: Fossoway of Green Barrel

Ever since I read the first "Dunk & Egg" story, I wanted to see more of Raymun Fossoway. He burned all bridges to fight against his own cousin, so even if he was on the winning side of the trial by seven, we can assume his family would have turned their backs on him, since he stuck to his green apple sigil. He'd basically be a glorified hedge knight, unless he got some sort of reward for his service in the trial. It would be really cool to see him establish his house in the Reach, maybe feuding with the red apples, building relationships with other houses. When we get to the present day of ASOIAF, the green apples seem to be just as powerful as their red apple cousins, which means Raymun must have done well for himself. It'd be cool to see that journey play out.

Riverlands: Piper

This might be weird, but I'm really curious as to why the Pipers put a dancing naked woman on their sigil. Was that their founder? Who was she? Who were the Pipers for that matter? How old are they? We know they were around when Aegon brought down House Hoare, but were they around when the Hoares first invaded? When the Durrandons first invaded? When the Andals destroyed the Mudd dynasty? Any of those events would be intriguing to read about. 

Vale: Royce

This one is obvious to me; I think House Royce is by far the most interesting house in the Vale. I'd love to see the Bronze Kings fighting against the Others. I have no doubt that they've got an important role to play in the next Long Night, just as they presumably did during the first one.

Crownlands: Blackfyre

Forget Dunk & Egg. I want to read a book about the First Blackfyre Rebellion. Daemon I Blackfyre, Bittersteel, Bloodraven, Daeron II, Baelor Breakspear, Maekar, Fireball, so many amazing characters to follow and get to know. If I had to pick an endpoint, it would be Bittersteel's initial establishment of the Golden Company as the strongest sellswords in Essos, ready to endure through rebellion after rebellion, war after war, resolved to put a Blackfyre on the Iron Throne. 

Dorne: Manwoody

I'm picking this one for the same reason I picked House Piper. The sigil is so weird and random that there must be an incredible story behind it. Plus the name too, for that matter.

[Canon Claude]

Westerlands: Clegane (if nothing else than to find the answer to my earlier post)

North: Umber (by James’ logic, I want to know the story which inspired that sigil)

Riverlands: Justman (it’d be a hell of an accomplishment to conquer the Riverlands, let alone if you’re just a bastard Rivers)

Iron Islands: Hoare 

Vale: Royce

Crownlands: Velaryon

Dorne: Uller (weird how they’re not cursed for pulling a Red Wedding of sorts. They even boast about it on their sigil)

Stormlands: Swann

Reach: Hightower

 

[Ring3r]

Oh, 100% the Starks.  I suspect they have the longest uninterrupted family line in the entire story, equal to that of the rulers of the Great Empire of the Dawn.  Only the Targaryen's themselves could possibly rival them, since Dany appears to be a descendent of the rulers of the Great Empire.

After them, certainly the Reeds.  Something serious is up with that family and they have powerful links to magic.  I don't buy the whole "interbred with the children of the forest" thing....but I wouldn't be surprised if they descend from a family who was key to the Pact with the children.

The only other family that I think would be anywhere near as interesting to investigate are the Daynes, since I'm pretty sure they're descended from the Last Hero.

[Craving Peaches]

3 hours ago, James Steller said:

Stormlands: Baratheon

I know we got the abridged version in "Fire and Blood", but there is so much potential for details. I would love to see the war begin from the perspectives of Argilac, Argella, Orys, who who knows how many other Stormland characters. We'd get the Last Storm, stretched out across pages for us to read. We'd have the fall of Argilac Durrandon, even as Orys besieges Storm's End when Argella refuses to yield. Then the warrior queen is betrayed and taken through the Baratheon camp in disgrace and humiliation, only for Orys to intervene. Maybe we'd see if Argella ever actually learned to love him, or if she resented him all those years. Who knows how it played out.

Also, I know we already have some stuff, but I'd like to read more on House Durrandon as well. I think the Stormlands as a whole need more flavour. Hopefully in the next book.

[Corvo the Crow]

Starks, because of Night’s King and Last Hero(who were most likely the same person and Stark). 
Umbers because considering their sigil, massive size and proximity to wall, they may very well be descendants of the giants that Brandon of the Bloody Blade drove from the Reach and Brandon the Builder used for wall labor. These two Brandons are possibly the same as well.

[Tyrosh Lannister]

House Longwaters

[astarkchoice]

House Highhtower and /or house dayne.to know the eaiest history of westeros

 

House bolton ,stark and reed (just to see how the bolton stark wars went and how the reeds etc where subjected)

 

House farwynd

[direpupy]

7 hours ago, James Steller said:

Dorne: Manwoody

I'm picking this one for the same reason I picked House Piper. The sigil is so weird and random that there must be an incredible story behind it. Plus the name too, for that matter.

The founder of the house killed a king of the reach in the Prince's Pass, its also why there seat is called Kingsgrave.

Bear in mind do that is according to a semi-canon source.

[Loose Bolt]

Houses Bolton and Dustin. Both of them have very long and sometimes bloody history and there is even a possibility that both of those houses are even older than House Stark. Besides I would like to know what are words of House Dustin. After all they almost certainly are not "We will bury You".

[Darth Sidious]

House Varys and its one and only member. House Selmy. Lady Larra Rogare and her family. Doran’s wife.  

[CassDarry]

House Reed or Manderly.

House Arryn(mainly the Non main branches)

House Frey(how does a bridge owner became a Lord) or House Bracken (their version of events)

House Westerling

House Hightower 

House Dayne of High Hermitage or House Yronwood 

House Penrose or House Connington 

House Celtigar 

 

Couldn't decide so many I would like to be expanded.

[Northern Sword]

House Stark

House Royce

House Blackwood

House Dayne

 

[The Grey Wolf Strikes Back]

Eleven responses and no one's mentioned House Dryland yet?!

[Gilbert Green]

Landed Knights:  House Hasy and House Clegane -- mainly because of the "descendants of Dunk" theories.

[Floki of the Ironborn]

22 hours ago, James Steller said:

North: Manderly (specifically their journey to the North)

I have always loved the story of House Manderly, how they went from being one of the most powerful houses in the Reach, only to be driven out by the Peakes, lose everything which they can't put on their ships, and flee into exile. How many other places did they try to land at before going all the way to the North? Imagine these Seven-worshipping Andals' desperation to sail so far, and try to beg mercy from House Stark. What a story it could be, showing prejudice on both sides even as cooler heads make a deal. What persuaded the Starks to welcome them? How did that go? And then we'd see House Manderly rebuild in a new land, integrate into the North despite all the odds, become one of the most loyal of House Stark's supporters.

Couldn't agree more. House Manderly is my choice for the Northern houses too.

Dorne

House Martell, but make it a biography of Nymeria. She's the one who created the House Martell as we know it.

Reach

House Tyrell. It'd be interesting to see how those Andal adventurers first arrived in the Reach.

Vale

House Arryn. Let's get the details of when the First Men very nearly drove the Andals back into the sea. 

Crownlands

House Brune of Brownhollow. Not many great choices in the Crownlands, I just picked one that might be interesting.

Westerlands

House Reyne of Castamere. It would be interesting to see them create the very place which would become their tomb.

Riverlands

House Blackwood. Let's see their origins in the North and the reason for being driven out in the first place.

Iron Islands

House Farwynd. Their story makes for equal parts adventure and existential horror, given the chance that they could all be slightly mad.

Stormlands

House Caron. Let's learn about the house full of singing marcher lords and make it an operatic account of the Age of Heroes.

[Kinola]

North: Magnar (just curious about Skagosi culture in general)

Westerlands: Parren (this house went extinct before the Reynes and Tarbecks did, so I wonder how did they die out?)

Iron Islands: Goodbrother (they rival the Freys in size, and they have a couple branches already established) 

Reach: Costayne (Elinor Costayne was a wife to Maegor the Cruel, so what happened to her family afterwards?)

Stormlands: Kellington (their sigil includes a book, and I wonder why)

Dorne: Allyrion (Martells used to serve them, plus why is their seat named Godsgrace?)

Crownlands: Bar Emmon (they have a cool sigil and name, plus their head is a young boy who supports Stannis)

Riverlands: Mallister (they seem like a big important house, and I get the feeling they're second only to the Tullys in power)

Vale: Sunderland (same reason as Magnar, but with Sistermen culture)

Edited November 26, 2022 by Kinola

[Tai Pan]

We know what we need to know about the houses of Westeros.  What intrigues me more are the mo Kandaq family and why they were enemies of the zo Loraqs. 

[Dofs]

On 11/25/2022 at 3:34 AM, James Steller said:

He must have been malevolent given what members of House Banefort turned out to be like.

Huh, what did they turn out to be like? We don't know much of anything about their members.

[Floki of the Ironborn]

14 minutes ago, Dofs said:

Huh, what did they turn out to be like? We don't know much of anything about their members.

Presumably he's referring to Morgon Banefort. And we can assume that Morgon wasn't the only Hooded King who had thralls or dabbled in sorcery/necromancy.

[Dofs]

31 minutes ago, Floki of the Ironborn said:

Presumably he's referring to Morgon Banefort. And we can assume that Morgon wasn't the only Hooded King who had thralls or dabbled in sorcery/necromancy.

Right, I was thinking about more recent examples than from Age of Heroes.