Rickard Stark's wife, Ned's mother

[Gingerchu]

I think Ned's mother was from House Reed, which would provide an explanation for his children's greenseer and warging abilities, as well as the loyaly the Reeds show to the Starks.

Howland is loyal to the Starks because Lyanna was nice to him, she was nice to him because his house are bannermen to the Starks, no secret origin story here

GRRM hands out family trees like they're candy but he's hidden the identity of Ned's mother...and you doubt that this is important. Seriously??

It's either a big reveal in WoW,aDoS or the next D&E novella..... or nothing at all

[MoonLightGraham]

What if Lady Dustin is actually Ned's mother?!?

[Varys BrightBlackflayrme]

Im going to say Dayne.

Fits in nice with Rickard's Southern Ambitions theory.

Allows Jon to wield Dawn.

Explains why the Starks and Dayne like each other before and after Ned kills Arthur.

The Daynes are so ruddy mysterious!

[Fat Mac]

I'm thinking Ned is a full blood northerner. My reasoning for this is that we know Ned's maternal grandmother was a Flint of the Mountains. If we know anything about the mountain Flints.... it's that they don't get out of the Mountains much. So Ned's mom is half Flint, half something. I wouldn't be surprised if she was simply from another one of the Mountain clans.

[roxWolfox]

I can't see Ned's mother being a Reed without some mention of it between Bran and the Reed siblings, unless I missed something.

Only Osha knows what Luwin's last words were, but he may have instructed her to take Rickon to family (from his grandmother's line) on Skagos. Just a theory, but like previous commentors have said, it's just too secretive...especially with so much attention being paid to Stark history/lineage in the story.

[Team_Rob]

I don't think the Skagosi are cannibals at all. Its probably just a lie they let perpetuate to the point that the other kingdoms would be willing to leave them alone. The must have great numbers as well seeing as they've been left to their own devices all these years.

[Three Eyed Targ]

I think the Skagos link is a good one -if it fits. I love the idea of Rickon being raised by some cousin to be a killing machine, then going back to claim the north as king. Unfortunately, no one really has any evidence.

That said, it would make sense for there to be something interesting about Ned's mum. GRRM needs to keep something from us, otherwise we will just read WoW nodding our heads like smug little buggers.

[Red Raven]

A longshot: Blackwood. I think it would be funny if Bran and Bloodraven were cousins of some description.

[Yakman]

Well, the Skagosi thing kind of fits, except for all the problems with it. Namely the Skagosi eating people. Moreover, the Grandmother is the Flint. Who is the Grandfather is what's missing... and is it really likely to be a Skagosi man taking a Flint wife? I should think the reverse more likely. Would a Stark marry a Skagosi-Flint? What political benefit is there in that?

Perhaps from the Vale? If Rickard married a Valesman's daughter, that might have been the connection he needed to establish a fosterage with Jon Arryn? But how would a Valesman end up with a Flint wife?

What might be important to note is that we know of Rickard's character that he was tremendously ambitious for his children - Brandon and Lyanna had matches to the Great Houses lined up for many years before, well, they both died horribly. He was looking South for the future, not the North.

[messem]

What might be important to note is that we know of Rickard's character that he was tremendously ambitious for his children - Brandon and Lyanna had matches to the Great Houses lined up for many years before, well, they both died horribly. He was looking South for the future, not the North.

For the future. Yes. But Rickard's southron ambitions seem to be peculiar. I wouldn't look south of the Neck for the woman who married Lord Rickard's father's son.

[joluoto]

I don't think we should look south of the neck. We know that Rickard's mother-in-law was a Flint, and I doubt a Flint girl would marry outside the North. So most likely a Northern House.

[Guardian of the Lhazareen]

Storm of Swords, Bran

Rickard Stark's mother in law was a Flint. His wife was a Flint + ?

I believe that is the sum total of the information we have. Except for GRRM's non-answer when asked the question directly.

Wiat have you just proven that she was a flint?

[Frey-A-La-Mode]

I had forgotten Ned's maternal grandmother was a Flint. I always wondered how he knew (and was able to pass on the info to Jon) about both the feasting and the number of fighters that the Mountain Clans had, and who was most influential. It makes a lot of sense since he probably has kin there.

[joluoto]

Wiat have you just proven that she was a flint?

No he proved that Ned's grandmother was a Flint, Ned's mother is a Flint on her mother's side. But which House her father belonged to (i.e. which House she is born into) we don't know.

[messem]

I had forgotten Ned's maternal grandmother was a Flint. I always wondered how he knew (and was able to pass on the info to Jon) about both the feasting and the number of fighters that the Mountain Clans had, and who was most influential. It makes a lot of sense since he probably has kin there.

Ned is Lord Paramount of the North. He certainly gave Robb some lessons about his people. Why shouldn't Jon have been present during these lessons? Keep in mind that these lessons aren't held in a class room exclusive for future Lord Paramounts

[Yakman]

Ned is Lord Paramount of the North. He certainly gave Robb some lessons about his people. Why shouldn't Jon have been present during these lessons? Keep in mind that these lessons aren't held in a class room exclusive for future Lord Paramounts

moreover, Ned probably intended to name Jon as a Lord in the Gift or New Gift when Spring returned.

[juanml82]

A Skagosi lady would make sense if Rickard's father felt the need to calm things down after the Skagosi rebellion, and gives Rickon family, and safe shelter, there.

I doubt the Skagosi are cannibals during spring and most of their reputation is likely false. But they might very well still hold the nastier parts of Northern culture: human sacrificies, first night and maybe a few things we haven't been told yet.

We also do not know if they didn't answered to Robb's call because they rebelled, because Robb preferred to leave them 'in reserve' or because they don't have enough ships to quickly transport a large portion of their manpower

[Oblivian]

Ned's mother was probably a Mormont. Bear Island is near the mountain clans, so a Mormont could have married a Flint. Maybe the Old Bear's cousin, or he had another sister besides Maege.

It would explain why the Old Bear gave Longclaw to Jon, too. If his older sister was Jon's grandmother, once the male Mormont line was extinct, it would belong to her descendants. So the family sword could actually be rightfully his.

[Arya_Ghostface]

It would explain why the Old Bear gave Longclaw to Jon, too. If his older sister was Jon's grandmother, once the male Mormont line was extinct, it would belong to her descendants. So the family sword could actually be rightfully his.

That's interesting, but wouldn't the Old Bear mention the relation to Jon if that were true? No reason to hide it!

Personally, I don't have a theory, but I agree that Ned's maternal grandpa was from a Northern House. I wouldn't be surprised if Rickard Stark was the first, or one of the few Starks to ever seek to marry their children to Southern lords' children. When Ned married Catelyn almost all his kids took after the Riverlands look (all except Jon and Arya IIRC, and there are serious doubts about Jon's parentage anyway), so if this had been happening a lot, Ned would probably not look like a Northman!

[messem]

That's interesting, but wouldn't the Old Bear mention the relation to Jon if that were true? No reason to hide it!

Why mention it? Jon would know it as well. Still don't believe it is a Mormont. Too ordinary.

But I agree with some northern lady.