Disclaimer: I own these characters.
They came from the Sunset Sea. Thousands upon thousands they were, tall and fair, sailing great carracks with such sails as to blanket mountains. Men and women both wore plate and mail and thick gray leather, carried swords and axes and warhammers. They docked in the North, at Sea Dragon point. The Lord Ellard Stark of Winterfell swiftly summoned his banners, thinking them invaders, but when he met them in the Flint Hills with 15,000 men at his back, his fears were availed. Almost. These were a warrior people, yes, but more than anything, they wanted a home. And the North was the closest thing to home they had found.
They settled the Sunset coast, and for their help defending the wall and supplying them with food, the Night's Watch, with the Dragon King's blessing, ceded them the Gift. They ranged in the far North with the black brothers, took wildlings as consorts. They built great cities, funded by the spoils of their warriors who had gone to Essos, and sailors who had mastered the seas. Love and duty bound them to the North. War was their vice, their obsession, their drug, so that they might die in battle and walk amongst their kin in Sovngarde.
The Words of Vaskr the Valiant:
"We are the children of Kyne. Long years we traveled, across an endless sea, battered by storms, hunted by nightmares, beset by the very gods themselves. Of the millions who left, only a fraction survived the journey: The Sons of Eastmarch, the Daughters of the Rift, and the the Sons of the Pale. We fled with swords and armor and horse, with magic and herbs and potions, with mammoths, giants, wolves, bears. Even such fell creatures as Vampires and assassins. We fled our home as it crumbled around us, as Alduin devoured the land, raining fire from the sky. All we had left of home were stories, songs, trinkets, baubles. Armor and swords and axes. Magic. The Thu'um.
And then we came upon Westeros, and here, we have forged a new home."
The Gods
Shor: King of the Gods, and great warrior and general. He is called the Mighty Father; he created the realm of men and resides over Sovngarde. Husband of Kyne.
Kyne: Wife of Shor and Queen of the Gods. She is the mother of men and beasts, and controls the sky, causing storms and rain. She leads souls to the afterlife, and is called, "Kiss at the End." It is said that she gave the Thu'um to Nordkind.
Tsun: Elder son and Shield-Thane of Shor. He is the God of Valor, who Nords call upon during great trials and times of adversity for courage.
Mara: Elder daughter and Handmaiden of Kyne, and the Goddess of Love, Marriage, and Birth, who is the milk-mother of men, having fed them from her own bosom. She implores Nords to: "Honor your parents, and preserve the peace and security of home and family."
Ysmir: The Hero God, Protector and Patron of Just Rulership and Civil Society, Patron of Questing Heroes. He was the First Dovahkiin whose immortal soul ascended to Godhood. He lives on in each Dovahkiin. He says to: "Be strong for war. Be bold against enemies and evil, and defend the people of Skyrim."
Dibella: Younger daughter of Kyne and the sister of Mara. She is Goddess of Pleasure and Beauty, who seduced and wed the Hero God Ysmir upon his ascension. She is often invoked when engaged in sex or artistry. All things beautiful are her domain, including speech, literature, art, and to certain Nords, war.
Stuhn: Younger son and Shield-Thane of Shor, and God of Ransom and Spoils, who taught men the benefits of taking prisoners and spoils of war.
Past Ysmir Lords:
Years of the Great Sailing: High King Wulfgar & Helga Helmsplitter (Stormcloak)
The Lost Generations of the Great Sailing (Two-Three Generations)
Last Years of the Great Sailing: Wulfric Whalekiller & Brynja the Bold (Stormcloak)
87 – 97 AL: During Reign of Ellard Stark: Vaskr the Valiant & Mjoll Stormcloak
97 – 112: AL: During Reign of Benjen Stark: Ragnar Redblood & Anya Dawnstar
112 – 133 AL: During Reign of Rickon Stark: Thorkall Thunderfist & Wyndalyn Manderly
133 – 168 AL: During Reign of Cregan Stark: Thorvard the Mighty & Sarra Stark
168 – 202 AL: During Reign of Barthogan/Brandon Stark: Helga the Heavenly & Jonnel Umber
202 – 226 AL: During Reign of Beron Stark: Black Hrothgar & Arsa Stark
226 – 247 AL: During the Reign of Willam Stark: Fair Ingrid & Gaven Glover
247 – 269 AL: During the Reign of Edwyle Stark: Hadvar the Heartless & Alyssane Stark
269 – 281 AL; 282 – 291 AL: During the Reign of Rickard Stark: Vjorn Skullcrusher & Brendalyn Ryswell
281 – 282 AL: Died During the Reign of Rickard/Eddard Stark: Agnar the Red & Helena Dawnstar
291 – Present Day: During the Reign of Eddard Stark: Sweet Hilda
The Nordic Houses of the North
Ruling Families
House Ysmir: They have light eyes, tending to blue, grey, or a mix of the two, with hair ranging from dark gold to bright yellow.
· Clan Jorrvaskr: They tend towards red hair of varying shades and green eyes.
· Clan Silveren: They have grey eyes, and tend towards dark red and light brown hair.
House Stormcloak: They tend towards dark green eyes and honey gold hair.
· Clan Graymane: They tend towards green or brown eyes and pale hair.
· Clan Silverblood: They tend towards pale hair of varying shades and dark eyes.
· Clan Steelheart: They tend towards reddish-blond hair of varying shades and green eyes.
House Blackbriar: They have dark eyes and dark hair.
· Clan Darkbrother: Varies. Tend towards dark hair and dark eyes, in certain lines, and pale hair and pale eyes in others.
· Clan Volkhr: They have red eyes, and extremely pale skin.
· Clan Nightgale: They tend towards dark brown eyes and dark brown hair.
House Dawnstar: They have blue eyes, usually, ranging from midnight blue to pale as ice. They tend to have blond hair.
· Clan Glenmoril: They have strange, dark gold eyes, like burnished bronze or brass.
· Clan Ironfist: They tend towards brown hair of varying shades and steely eyes.
Nordic Families
House Ysmir:
Lady Hilda Ysmir, child of Agnar, son of Vjorn, age 18, 6'2
Lord Wulfric Ysmir; child of Agnar, son of Vjorn, age 16, 6'4
Lady Helena Ysmir, formerly of Dawnstar, wife of Agnar, age 36, 6'2
Lady Brendalyn Ysmir, formerly of Ryswell, wife of Vjorn, age 56, 5'8
Gunnar Ysmir; cousin of Agnar, son of Ralof who was cousin to Vjorn, age 35, 6'10
Gunther Ysmir; cousin of Agnar, son of Ralof who was cousin to Vjorn, age 35, 6'10
Thorfinn Ysmir; cousin of Agnar, son of Askeladd, who was brother to Vjorn, age 28, 6'7
Helsif Ysmir; sister of Fair Ingrid, age ?, 6'1
Sigmund Snow; son of Gunnar/Gunther & Alys Stark, age 17, 6'5
Sarrah Snow; daughter of Gunnar/Gunther & Alys Stark, age 11, 5'2
House Stormcloak:
Lord Wulfgar Stormcloak, Lord of Windhelm, age 50, 6'9
Lady Norra Stormcloak, Lady of Windhelm, formerly of Flint, age 39, 5'4
Valgard Stormcloak, Heir to Windhelm, wed to Dacey Mormont, age 24, 6'6
Morwen Stormcloak, daughter of Wulfgar, age 19, 6'4
Yarra Stormcloak, daughter of Wulfgar, age 10, 4'11
Arlan Stormcloak, brother of Wulfgar, age 42, 6'10
Ysolda Stormcloak, wife of Arlan, formerly of Silveren, age 36, 5'9
Aidan Stormcloak, son of Arlan, age 20, 7'1
Anya Stormcloak, daughter of Arlan, age 16, 6'3
Elsa Stormcloak, daughter of Arlan, age 10, 5'2
House Blackbriar:
Lady Maven Blackbriar VII, Lady of Riften, age 38, 5'11
Lord Thrankul Blackbriar, Lord of Riften, formerly of Nightgale, age 34, 6'4
Thrond Blackbriar, Heir of Riften, age 20, 6'5
Danica Blackbriar, daughter of Maven, age 15, 5'9
Giselda Blackbriar, wife of Ragnar, formerly of Glenmoril, age 26, 6'0
Ragnar Blackbriar, Maven's brother, age 32, 6'6
Gildheim Blackbriar, Maven's father, age 60, 6'8
Anjarra Blackbriar, Gildheim's wife, formerly of Ironfist, age 52, 6'3
Ralof Blackbriar, Maven's cousin, age 26, 6'5
Robard Storm, Maven's half-cousin, age 17, 6'6
House Dawnstar:
Lord Asmund Dawnstar, Lord of Dawnstar, formerly of Ysmir, age 41, 6'8
Lady Sigrid Dawnstar, Lady of Dawnstar, age 39, 6'1
Estrid Dawnstar, heir of Dawnstar, age 19, 6'3
Jenssen Dawnstar, son of Asmund, age 17, 6'6
Haming Dawnstar, son of Asmund, age 16, 6'3
Tsilda Dawnstar, sister of Sigrid, age 32, 6'2
Feifnir Dawnstar, son of Tsilda, age 14, 5'11
Freyja Dawnstar, daughter of Tsilda, age 14, 5'8
Heimdall Dawnstar, brother of Sigrid, age 35, 6'4
Harkon Dawnstar, son of Heimdall, age 19, 6'5
Clan Jorrvaskr:
Lord Markus Jorrvaskr, Lord of Jorrvaskr, age 56, 7'6
Lady Fryssa Jorrvaskr, Lady of Jorrvaskr, formerly of Stormcloak, age 44, 6'4
Dalla Jorrvaskr, daughter of Markus, age 18, 6'6
Harald Jorrvaskr, heir of Markus, age 24, 7'7
Anske Jorrvaskr, daughter of Markus, age 12, 6'1
Maela Jorrvaskr, cousin to Markus, age 30, 6'7
Thorunn Jorrvaskr, cousin of Markus, age 36, 7'3
Kveldulf Jorrvaskr, brother to Maela, age 27, 7'5
Lorheim Jorrvaskr, brother of Markus, age 52, 7'4
Clan Darkbrother:
Lady Aenora Darkbrother, Lady Darkbrother, age 95, 5'10
Yanora Darkbrother, first daughter of Aenora, age 78, 5'8
Elnora Darkbrother, second daughter of Aenora, age 47, 5'11
Vanora Darkbrother, third daughter of Aenora, age 17, 5'4
Lenora Darkbrother, fourth daughter of Aenora, age 14, 5'6
Staekar Darkbrother, son of Yanora, age 51, 6'3
Arabella Darkbrother, Staekar's wife, age 45, 5'8
Rorik Darkbrother, son of Staekar, age 27, 6'4
Ingrid Darkbrother, daughter of Staeker, age 22 5'10
Venjesa Darkbrother, wife of Rorik, age 23, 5'7
Sofie Darkbrother, daughter of Yanora, age 48, 5'8
Robard Darkbrother, husband of Sofie, age 46, 6'3
Ulrik Darkbrother, son of Sofie, age 30, 6'5
Belmar Darkbrother, son of Sofie, age 26, 6'3
Alessa Darkbrother, daughter of Sofie, age 20, 5'9
Svana Darkbrother, daughter of Rorik, age 11, 5'4
Signy Darkbrother, daughter of Rorik, age 8, 4'11
Erik Darkbrother, son of Ingrid, age 5, 4'8
Rorlund Snow, son of Elnora, age 20, 6'5
Clan Nightgale:
Lord Ignus Nightgale, Lord of Nightingale Hall, age 38, 6'3
Lady Daena Nightgale, Lady of Nightingale Hall, formerly Darkbrother, age 35, 5'9
Magnus Nightgale, the Nightingale, age 17, 6'1
Garlund Nightgale, brother of Ignus, age 34, 6'4
Astrid Nightgale, wife of Garlund, formerly Darkbrother, age 31, 5'8
Yorland Nightgale, son of Garlund, age 15, 5'9
Clan Glenmoril:
Lady Matilda Glenmoril, Lady of Mistveil, age 42, 6'0
Maeve Glenmoril, heiress of Mistveil, age 17, 5'9
Ysolda Glenmoril, sister of Matilda, age 38, 5'10
Freyja Glenmoril, sister of Matilda, age 40, 6'3
Evette Glenmoril, daughter of Ysolda, age 19, 5'8
Helgi Glenmoril, daughter of Freyja, age 15, 6'2
Morna Glenmoril, cousin of Matilda, age 32, 5'8
Laila Glenmoril, cousin of Matilda, age 29, 6'0
Dorthe Glenmoril, cousin of Matilda, age 28, 5'9
Lillith Glenmoril, aunt of Matilda, age 64, 5'10
Agnis Glenmoril, aunt of Matilda, age 63, 5'11
Margret Glenmoril, mother of Matilda, age 66, 5'9
Clan Silveren:
Lord Thrain Silveren, Lord of the Marshes, age 25, 6'3
Hrolf Silverend, brother to Thrain, age 23, 6'7
Katla Silveren, sister to Thrain, age 21, 5'11
Njalla Silveren, cousin to Thrain, age 28, 6'1
Njorla Silveren, cousin to Thrain, age 28, 6'1
Heith Silveren, wife of Hrolf, formerly of Jorrvaskr, age 19, 6'8
Thranson Silveren, uncle of Thrain, age 39, 6'0
Bertha Silveren, wife of Thranson, formerly of Bole, age 35, 5'3
Thrankull Silveren, son of Thranson, age 18, 6'3
Clan Graymane/Ironfist/Steelheart:
Lord Varmond Graymane, Lord of Graymane, age 43, 6'10
Lady Malene Graymane, Lady of Graymane, age 38, 6'3
Griela Graymane, heiress of Graymane, age 21, 6'5
Balmir Graymane, brother of Varmond, age 39, 6'8
Vilkas Graymane, son of Balmir, age 23, 6'5
Halfdan Graymane, son of Balmir, 17, 6'2
Helga Ironfist, Lady Ironfist, age 37, 5'7
Wulf Ironfist, Lord Ironfist, age 40, 6'3
Fiefnir Ironfist, heir of Ironfist, age 18, 6'4
Halfdan Ironfist, uncle of Wulf, age 54, 6'2
Wilma Steelheart, Lady of Steelheart, age 55, 5'10
Willa Steelheart, daughter of Wilma, age 36, 6'1
Willem Steelheart, son of Willa, age 17, 6'3
Dagnus Silverblood, Lord of Silverblood, age 49, 6'6
Vasgar Silverblood, son of Dagnus, age 25, 6'8
Velmar Silverblood, son of Dagnus, age 20, 6'5
Clan Volkhr:
Jorgund Serana Volkhr, Lord of Volkhr, formerly of Ysmir, made in 87 AL, appears to be in his mid 30's, 6'8 B
Bjorn Serana Volkhr, made in 187 AL, appears to be in his mid 20's, 6'5
Ygrette Serana Volkhr, made in 287 AL, appears to be in her early 20's, 5'6
Haggar Babette Volkhr, made in 87 AL, appears to be in his early teens, 5'7
Aslaug Babbette Volkhr, made in 187 AL, appears to be in her early teens, 5'4
Ivar Babette Volkhr, made in 287 AL, appear to be in his early teens, 5'6
Aelara Bloodflower Volkhr, made in 87 AL, appears to be in her late 20's, 5'9
Yornella Bloodflower Volkhr, made in 187 AL, appears to be in her late teens, 5'11
Floki Bloodflower Volkhr, made in 287 AL, appears to be in his mid thirties, 6'2
House Stark of Moat Cailin
During the reign of Willam Stark:
· Born 220 AL an 221 AL: Artos Stark & Lysara Karstark
o 236 AL: Brandon Stark
o 244 AL: Benjen Stark
During the reign of Edwyle Stark:
· Born 236 AL and 236 AL: Brandon Stark & Arya Blackwood
o 251 AL: Arstan Stark
o 262 AL: Sarrah Stark
o 264 AL: Ser Bennard Stark
· Born 244 AL and 250 AL: Benjen Stark & Wylma Woolfield
o 266 AL: Ser Edmund Stark
o 269 AL: Ser Brandon Stark
o 271 AL: Tormund Stark
o 274 AL: Bethany Stark
During the reign of Rickard Stark:
· Born 251 AL and 251 AL: Arstan Stark & Marilyn Manderly;
o 265 AL: Lyarra Stark
o 265 AL: Alys Stark
o 272 AL: Ser Torrhen Stark
o 278 AL: Ser Willam Stark
· Born 266 AL and 269 AL: Ser Edmund Stark & Farrah Frey
o 284 AL: Forrest Stark
o 285 AL: Janna Stark
o 288 AL: Janyce Stark
o 290 AL: Raymund Stark
o 293 AL: Warren Stark
o 297 AL: Laryssa Stark
· Born 269 AL and 274 AL: Ser Brandon Stark & Cara Condor
o 290 AL: Harrion Stark
o 292 AL: Catelyn Stark
o 295 AL: Rodrik Stark
· Born 271 AL and 276 AL: Tormund Stark & Cerise Slate
o 294 AL: Celina Stark
o 297 AL: Cerion Stark
o 298 AL: Willem Stark
· Born 270 AL and 274 AL: Addam Blackbriar & Bethany Stark
o 292 AL: Rorlund Blackbriar
o 295 AL: Bella Blackbriar
o 299 AL: Brandon Blackbriar
During the reign of Eddard Stark:
· Born 272 AL and 273 AL: Ser Torrhen Stark & Mariah Dustin;
o 290 AL: Rodrik Stark
o 293 AL: Edwyn Stark
o 297 AL: Sybelle Stark
· Born 278 AL and 279 AL: Ser Willam Stark & Agatha Blackwood
o 295 AL; Cregard Stark
o 296 AL: Beron Stark
o 298 AL: Jayne Stark
· Born 284 AL and 285 AL: Forrest Stark & Melissa Butterwell
o Born 299 AL: Corbyn Stark
· Born 263 AL and 265 AL: Ser Harlan Locke & Lyarra Stark
o 283 AL: Danelle Locke
o 286 AL: Edric Locke
o 289 AL: Landon Locke
o 294 AL: Alysanne Lock
House Stark of Mossdown Tower
During the reign of Rickard Stark:
· Born 264 AL and 268 AL: Ser Bennard Stark & Jocelyn Glenmore;
o 282 AL: Ser Elric Stark
o 285 AL: Kassey Stark
o 286 AL: Edwyle Stark
During the reign of Eddard Stark:
· Born 282 AL and 283 AL: Ser Elric Stark & Raina Locke
o Born 299 AL: Edmyre Stark
House Royce of the Bone Tower
During the reign of Rickard Stark:
· Born 259 AL and 262 AL: Ser Gawen Royce & Sarrah Stark
o 280 AL: Ser Roland Royce
o 281 AL: Ser Gerold Royce
o 285 AL: Yselda Royce
o 288 AL: Anne Royce
During the reign of Eddard Stark:
· Born 280 AL and 282 AL: Ser Roland Royce & Alyx Frey
o 297 AL; Rolanda Royce
o 299 AL: Alyn Royce
· Born 281 AL and 282 AL: Ser Gerold Royce & Ella Ysmir
o Born 298 AL: Regenard Royce
· Born 274 AL and 285 AL: Harald Jorrvaskr & Yselda Royce
o 300 AL: Vardin Jorrvaskr
House Stark of Moat Cailin commands two vassals, House Stark of Mossdown Tower and House Royce of the Bone Tower, with dozens of landed knights along the Kingsroad and up Saltspear. A coven of Glenmoril witches serving as midwives and healers call Cailin home, as well as a small sect of the Black Hand, and a sizable lodge for Vigilants of Stuhn.
Lord Torrhen fields the Company of the Wolf, a host knights that call the southern stretch of the North home. The company is one of some mockery to southern houses, though most say this is due to disdain, for the Wolf Knights always make admirable showings in tourneys, and a few of their number are champions.
Moat Cailin has made itself rich on tolls taken from Nordmen and Westermen and Ironmen and Essosi traveling from the west to the east and back.
The main tower of Moat Cailin is called the Grey tower. It is of great height, wrought of grey stone, with arrow slits at every level upon level all about the walls. Mossdown is shorter, but stouter, and half covered in moss. Bone Tower is the shortest, and the stoutest, and white as weirwood. A great timber and stone keep called the Hall of Fangs sits between Mossdown and Grey Tower, wrought all of ironwood and basalt, with vast doors at each end.
A bustling castle town of some two thousand souls has grown up around the towers, as the Lord of Moat Caillin is also the Lord of the Canal, and commands a considerable tithe from ships passing through Saltspear. The shores of the canal are lined with tall towerhouses, each the domain of a landed knight. The town teems with sea folk, fisher folk, shipwrights, blacksmiths, drapers, cordwainers, crofters, tradesmen, a nice brothel, and much, much more. During winter, they take their great stores north to the winter town, which in winter is more akin to a city. There is a stone and timber inn just past the Neck, a much welcoming sight to travelers, with its chimneys and training yard.
The various titles of the Moat Cailin Lord and various landed knights beneath him: Lord of the Canal and Lord of the Bite; Knight of Mossdown, Knight of the Bone Tower, Knights of Saltspear.
Moat Cailin commands the causeway through the Neck. Great basalt stones as large as cottages once made up a curtain wall as high as that of Winterfell's and have since been rebuilt, though not to that great height. The wooden keep rotted away a thousand years past, and was rebuilt with ironwood, weirwood, and stone.
Only three of the original twenty towers the singers claim remain of the great stronghold of the First Men, and those three are now greater than they ever were. Moat Cailin's Gatehouse Tower is sound and boasts a few feet of standing wall to either side. It was torn down and became a simple barbican, and the extra stone was used to erect the wall. The Drunkard's Tower in the bog where the south and west walls had once met, leans heavily. It was torn down and rebuilt with all the moss covered stone from the other three towers and renamed Mossdown Tower.
The tall, slender Children's Tower has lost half its crown. It was torn down and the Bone Tower was erected in its place. All three towers of old were green with moss, and a tree was growing out from between the stones on the north side of the Gatehouse Tower. The mossy stones were used to make Mossdown Tower.
Moat Cailin is surrounded by quicksands and suckholes and is teeming with snakes. An army would have to wade through waist-deep muck and a moat full of lizard-lions, and then scale walls slippery with moss while archers fired from the other towers. If they made it over the walls, Tower Cailin awaits, along with the castle garrison, some five hundred men. Saltspear is the long, narrow bay west of the Neck. It connects to the Fever River, whose headwaters are less than twenty miles from Moat Cailin. After the canal was built, the Fever cut through to the Bite.
Moat Cailin has stood for some 10,000 years. A dozen streams drain the wetwood of the Neck, all shallow, silty, and uncharted. They cannot even be called rivers, as the channels are always drifting and changing. There are endless sandbars, deadfalls, and tangles of rotting trees. There are ways through the Neck that are not on any map, known only to the crannogmen, such as narrow trails between the bogs and wet roads through the reeds that only boats can follow.