House Casteel of Orevein- As told by Arthur Casteel
Like many families in the Westerlands, House Casteel began as a mining family, and we still are. Unlike many families in the Westerlands however, we do not limit ourselves to just one kind of metal. Gold, Silver, Iron, Copper, if it could be found, we will dig it out of the ground. Our seat, Orevein, sits on top of one of the biggest copper mines in all of Westeros, and the surrounding hills yield vast quantities of iron, tin, brass, and other metals. True, none of these are as valuable as gold or silver, but we do not judge metals based on their value, but by their usefulness. From from the forging of swords and armor, to the shaping of jewelry and wagon axles, the quality of metalwork that comes out of Orevein is unmatched by almost any other in the world. No surprise, considering just how long we have been perfecting our craft.
House Casteel is one of the few noble families in the Westerlands that traces its descent to the First Men, rather than the Andal Invaders. Our lineage stretches all the way back to the noble House Casterly, who, in their day, were the wealthiest and arguably, the most powerful family in Westeros. I know what you are thinking, if we are truly descended from House Casterly, why do we not attempt to reclaim our ancestral seat? The truth is, Casterly Rock is no longer what it used to be. Today, he who rules over Casterly Rock, rules over all of the Westerlands and, thanks to House Lannister, over the rest of Westeros too, with all of its profits, and all of its problems.
But what do you expect from an animal that is constantly roaring about how better he is than everyone else? House Casterly was content to be lords, but House Lannister wanted more, and look what that thirst has gotten them, fear and hatred from the common people, shame from the rest of the nobility, and treacherous plots from their own bannermen...and even within their own blood, if the rumors are true. Unlike the Lannesters, we Casteels do not let ambition get in the way of our work. Unlike the lion, which lives for battle, the bear knows when to rise up, and when to stand down. If our founding has taught us anything, it's that if you go looking for trouble, you had best be prepared for when it finds you.
According to legend, shortly before House Casterly lost their seat to Lann the Clever, Carlisle, a son of the current Lord of Casterly Rock, discovered a cave in the rock that no one had noticed before. He explored this cave, though his excitement soon turned to peril when he found himself face to face with an enormous bear, with fur the color of bronze, and claws as long as daggers. Feeling his life was at an end, the son made no efforts to fight or run from the bear, he simply fell to his knees and waited for death. But somehow, he was spared. Perhaps the beast didn't see him as a threat, perhaps it simply wasn't hungry, but whatever the reason, the bear allowed the son to walk out of its lair, unscathed, but not untouched.
When word spread about the bear, the boy's father decided to see the creature for himself, only to find the cave was empty, and that the bear had departed, vanishing into the mountains. Years later, however, word soon beagn to spread that a monster had made its home in a mountain on the northwestern coast of the Westerlands, driving away any humans that came close to its lair. Lann the Clever, who was by this time, the new ruler of Casterly Rock, decided to investigate the rumors, and Carlisle, who had remained after his family had fled, had gone with him. They tracked the monster to its lair, and upon realizing that the creature was the same bear that had spared him years earlier, Carlisle pleaded with Lann to leave the bear alone. Lann however, was not as easily impressed with the beast as Carlisle had been, and upon realizing that there was a vein of gold visible in the mouth of the cave, concluded that the bear was standing in his way, and ordered the magnificent creature killed.
A volley of arrows was fired, but the bear's skin seemed to be like armor, and it was only slightly injured. Enraged, the creature charged the Lannister vanguard, cutting through them with a ferocity, that none had expected. Many men were torn apart by the bear's teeth and claws, while others were crushed beneath its weight. Lann the Clever had his spine broken when the bear swiped at him. Eventually, only Carlisle was left standing. Realizing that the bear's injuries had become more severe, this young man, in a sign of respect and mercy, killed the great creature to relieve it from its pain. He then took Lann's body back to Casterly Rock, to the arms of his grieving relatives. As a sign of gratitude for killing the bear, and for returning Lann's body, the Lannisters gave Carlisle Casteel dominion over the stretch of hills where the bear had been found. To show that he had no interest in reclaiming Casterly Rock, Carlisle changed his last name to Casteel, and took the great bear as his new sigil. Upon discovering that the hills surrounding his new home were rich with metal, Carlisle began mining, and converted the bear's cave into an immense, underground fortress and forge, the only one of its kind; Orevein.
Today, House Casteel proudly retains its position as the chief weapon producer for the Westerlands, and one of the best in all of Westeros. Knights from throughout the realm come to us to buy swords, armor, and other necessities. At times, this has put us at odds with the Lannisters, who insist on taking our best creations for their own. But we have not forgotten what Lann the Clever, and his descendants, have done, and the Lannisters know better than to try and dominate us, or at least, they should.
The words of House Casteel are; 'Our Gift to You', and, whether in declaration or in threat, these are also the last words we say to anyone whom we interact with, friend or foe. For regardless of their recipient, the meaning of these words is always the same, our reception of those who seek our services is parallel to the treatment they show us. If you come to us with honesty and respect, you will find the bronze bear of the Casteels is a devoted ally, one willing to fight and die to protect what you hold dear. If you come to us with deception and arrogance, however, you will find your path barred by a dangerous enemy, one that will not hesitate to crush you and all who stand with you.
So tell me, what shall be...our gift…to you?
And Cut!
Well, here it is! RustPete12 requested a house from the Westerlands, and, hopefully, I have delivered. I honestly wasn't expecting to add another Westeros House so soon after my last posting, but inspiration came up, and I had the free time now that winter holidays are here, so why not?
The inspiration for this segment comes from the fact that no one seems to know what happened to House Casterly after they were driven from Casterly Rock, so I came up with a possible answer for this question. Just as the Stark line lives on in the Karstarks, or the Targaryen line splintered into House Blackfyre, the mainstream Casterlys may be gone, but their blood lives on in House Casteel. This segment is also inspired by Tywin Lannister saying that every house in the Westerlands has a purpose. House Payne provides servants, House Lefford guards the Golden Tooth, etc... In this case, House Casteel would be the weapons supplier for the Westerlands.
The crest, and the background, of House Casteel is inspired by a little tidbit of info I found online stating that bears once lived in Casterly Rock in ancient times, and the fact that lions replaced them as the rock's inhabitants was a nod to the Lannisters replacing the Casterlys as lords of Casterly Rock, and the interactions between the great bear, Carlisle Casteel, and Lann the clever are a reference to the Golden Rule and the concept of Karma; Do unto others what you would want done to you, and what you do now will come back to you in the future. Pity how most of the Lannisters don't seem to realize this very often!
In response to a question from RustyPete12, if I do make a 'lore writing' on the Kingdom of the Stepstones, or from the world beyond the Wall, it probably won't be until after I've finished with the Noble Houses from each Kingdom. I do have ideas, but I want to get the noble houses done first.
In response to iacopo passerini, I appreciate the comment, and I will do my best not to disappoint you!
That's it for now! Please let me know what you think and what region you would like me to focus on next.
Until Next Time!