House Hightower

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Stone-paved Oldtown stands at the mouth of the Honeywine, where men have lived since the Dawn Age. At the city’s heart rises Battle Isle, crowned by a square black-stone fortress whose builders remain unknown. When the chronicles first name the Hightowers, they already rule from that ancient stronghold, raising a succession of wooden beacon-towers to guide trading ships through fog-shrouded Whispering Sound. Legend credits [[Uthor_of_the_High_Tower|Uthor of the High Tower]] with commissioning the fifth tower, this time in stone, two hundred feet tall, said by some to be the work of Brandon the Builder. Meanwhile, [[Peremore_Hightower|Prince Peremore “the Twisted”]] gathered philosophers, healers, and alchemists to satisfy his boundless curiosity; after his early death, King Urrigon granted those land beside the Honeywine—ground that grew into the Ravenry.

As Oldtown’s wealth swelled, its prosperity drew raiders: [[Samwell Dayne “the Starfire,”]] [[Qhored the Cruel]] and his ironmen, and [[Gyles_I_Gardener|Gyles I Gardener “the Woe”]] each sacked the city in a single bloody century. In answer, King Otho II Hightower encircled Oldtown with massive stone ramparts; though the effort beggared the realm for three generations, those walls thereafter broke every would-be conqueror. <ref name="Oldtown">George R. R. Martin, ''The World of Ice and Fire'' (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) pp. 213–216</ref>

As Oldtown’s wealth swelled, its prosperity drew raiders: [[Samwell Dayne “the Starfire,”]] [[Qhored the Cruel]] and his ironmen, and [[Gyles_I_Gardener|Gyles I Gardener “the Woe”]] each sacked the city in a single bloody century. In answer, [[Otho_II_Hightower|King Otho II Hightower]] encircled Oldtown with massive stone ramparts; though the effort beggared the realm for three generations, those walls thereafter broke every would-be conqueror. <ref name="Oldtown">George R. R. Martin, ''The World of Ice and Fire'' (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) pp. 213–216</ref>

Oldtown’s last crowned ruler was Lymond “the Sea Lion” Hightower, who slew King Theon III Greyjoy in battle, pressed captured ironborn into labour improving the defences, and built a fleet unmatched. Rather than clash with Highgarden, Lymond bound his line to the [[House_Gardener|Gardeners]]: he took [[Garland_II_Gardener|King Garland II’s]] daughter to wife and gave his own daughter to the king in return. The pact ended Hightower kingship, yet raised the house to Lordship of the Reach; Highgarden undertook to guard Oldtown by land, while the Sea Lion’s ships watched over the Sea. <ref name="GardenerKings">George R. R. Martin, ''The World of Ice and Fire'' (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) pp. 209–211</ref>

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*[[Uthor_of_the_High_Tower|Uthor of the High Tower]] – He was the early Hightower king who transformed Oldtown’s wooden beacon into a towering fortress of stone and famously wed Maris the Maid.

*[[Peremore_Hightower|Prince Peremore “the Twisted”]] – His passion for learning inspired 'Peremores Order' that now dwells beside the Honeywine.

*King Otho II Hightower – Started the building of the massive stone ramparts of Oldtown.

*[[Otho_II_Hightower|King Otho II Hightower]] – Started the building of the massive stone ramparts of Oldtown.

*Lord Lymond “the Sea Lion” Hightower – Shattered an ironborn fleet, became vassal under the Gardener Kings, and strengthened the fleet of Oldtown.

*Lord Jeremy and Lord Jason Hightower – Expanded trade and raised the beacon higher.