Iron Islands

"The islands are stern and stony places, scant of comfort and bleak of prospect. Death is never far here, and life is mean and meager."
- A Clash of Kings

The Iron Islands lay in the Ironman's Bay. West to them lies Lonely Light and in the North is the Giant's Fist.

The Iron Islands, also known as the Iron Isles or the Kingdom of the Iron Isles, are a harsh and storm-lashed archipelago off the western coast of Westeros. Once ruled both by Salt and Rock Kings and High Kings chosen in kingsmoots, the isles came under the rule of hereditary Kings of the Iron Islands after the Slaughter of Nagga's Hill, when Urron Greyiron abolished the title of High King. Though salt and rock kings never returned, the Isles did return to an elected King after the death of Urek Greyiron. The Iron Islands are home to the ironborn, a fierce seafaring people who pride themselves on their unyielding nature. The isles themselves are small, rocky, and only thinly fertile, with frequent storms, grey skies, and restless seas.

Overview

The sea is the lifeblood of the Iron Islands.

Terrain

The Iron Islands consists of thirty-one isles west of the Cape of Eagles, with another thirteen clustered around Lonely Light, the westernmost point of known lands. Of these, seven are counted as major: Old Wyk, Great Wyk, Pyke, Harlaw, Saltcliffe, Blacktyde, and Orkmont. The isles are rocky and thin-soiled, better suited to grazing goats than raising crops. Frequent storms, grey skies, and stony shores define the landscape. The sea is the lifeblood of the isles, without its bounty, the ironborn would starve in winter. The surrounding waters teem with fish, cod, monkfish, skate, sardines, mackerel, as well as crabs, lobsters, swordfish, seals, and whales, providing sustenance for the islanders. Seven of every ten families are said to be fisherfolk, and to own a ship is to command one’s fate.

Main Islands/Regions

• Orkmont
• Pyke
• Harlaw
• Great Wyk
• Old Wyk
• Lonely Light
• Saltcliffe
• Blacktyde
• The Giant's Fist

Culture

The ironborn are a fierce seafaring people who view themselves as set apart from other men. According to their priests, they are not descended from those of the green lands, but were born of the sea itself, created by the Drowned God to rule the waters of the world. Their religion is without temples or books; the priests, called Drowned Men, wander the isles, living an austere life close to the sea, and wield great influence. The Drowned God is opposed by the Storm God, whose winds and storms bring ruin.

The culture of the Ironborn is built upon reaving and raiding. War, not labor, is a proper ironman’s calling. Thralls work the fields and mines, while freeborn men fight and sail. Reavers from the Iron Islands rule the Sunset Sea, their longships swift and deadly. Inland, the ironborn rarely venture far from salt waters. In time, the loss of their own forests to shipbuilding forced them to raid the green lands for timber and wealth. Raiding also supplies the islands with thralls, food, and salt wives. Salt wives, captured during raids, are joined to their captors in marriage rites performed by Drowned Men; their children are legitimate, and salt sons could inherit in the absence of trueborn heirs. But a salt wife would always be beneath a rock wife.

History

The Dawn Age

The Drowned Men say that the ironborn came to the Iron Islands from beneath the sea itself and predate the arrival of the First Men. However, there are some Grey Masters from the Ravenry who claim that the ironborn descended from the First Men. However it was that the Ironmen ended up on the isles, it is said that they found an artifact known as The Seastone Chair on Old Wyk. The chair was carved in the shape of a kraken out of oily black stone.

The Age of Heroes

The ironborn never grew to have a relationship with weirwood trees or the children of the forest, and so the Pact was of little importance to them. However, this was when the Age of Heroes is said to have begun.

It is believed that during the Age of Heroes, the Iron Islands were ruled over by the Grey King. The Grey King ruled the united Iron Isles for 1,000 years, and there are many great deeds attributed to him. Most of the great houses of the Isles claim descent from the Grey King.

This era was also dominated by ironborn reavers like Balon Blackskin, Torgon the Terrible, Jorl the Whale, Dagon Drumm, Hrothgar of Pyke, and Ragged Ralf.

When the Grey King died, the islands fell into civil war for many years. The years of bloodshed only ended when a Drowned Priest named Galon Whitestaff demanded an end to the ceaseless war. The Iron Islands once again united into a single kingdom, and now the High King would be chosen in a Kingsmoot by the Salt and Rock Kings, and the captains. The first High King was Urras "Ironfoot" Greyiron. House Greyiron would end up producing more High Kings than any other house, with only House Goodbrother and House Greyjoy coming close.

The Coming of the Andals

The Coming of the Andals signaled the end of the Age of Heroes as well as the end of the Ironborn Kingsmoot. Urron Greyiron orchestrated a violent takeover of the crown on Nagga's Hill, naming himself the sole King of the Isles, and House Greyiron the only ruling house.

Reign of the Greyirons

Urron's reign began , with the Invasion of Fair Isle. The war was brief with Horgon Greyjoy capturing King Andrik Farman and sacrificing him. Urron continued his campaign by invading the islands of The Reach including the Shield Islands and The Arbor. The Shields were scoured of it's lords, and it's keeps given to Ironborn Lords. The lord of House Redwyne was slain and his heir married to a Greyiron Princess.

Urron died in 79 A.I. in his sleep, and was followed by King Urek Greyiron. Urek's reign saw The Arbor lost and the Iron Fleet defeated. He died unceremoniously 6 years into his reign after tripping on a rug.

Reign of Cragorn Greyjoy

With his death, the Captains of the Isles called for a Kingsmoot, seeing hereditary succession as disfavored by the Drowned God. Cragorn Greyjoy was elected at this new Kingsmoot, and promised the Ironmen new conquests and revenge. He allowed the Giant's Fist it's independence in return for support at the moot. He began his reign by launching a great reaving of Oldtown, overrunning the city and the Hightower itself. He then moved to take the Cape of Eagles from House Mallister and House Mudd. He led a successful campaign during the Sinking of Seagard and placing his rock son Urron Greyjoy as the great captain of the region. He died in 103 A.I. and Victarion Volmark was chosen as his successor.

Second Century A.I.

Victarion Volmark began his reign on the defensive. Threats to the Arbor, Fair Isle, and Cape of Eagles plagued the Ironborn, with the Reach, Westerlands and Riverland kings intent on reclaiming their territories. The Fleet of House Lannister attempted two attacks on Fair Isle, but were repulsed each time. The Oldtown Fleet and the Reachmen reclaimed The Arbor after a long siege, bringing House Redwyne back into the fold. In the Cape the Seagard war drew on, as the Vancemark and House Mudd armies regrouped and began a campaign to reclaim the seat of House Mallister. A tenuous peace followed, with gains and losses on both sides, most importantly the loss of Seagard castle to House Mallister and access to the Trident for the Ironborn. A fleet was constructed, and explorers from House Greyjoy and House Volmark sailed the Trident in search of new lands and allies. Victarion Volmark died on his return from the lands of House Royce, and a new kingsmoot was held.

Harras Hoare known as the Black Chain was elected in a contested Kingsmoot. He bested Sam Greyjoy, and a Drumm claim as well. He opened his reign by continuing the conflict in the Riverlands. He oversaw battles in the Cape of Eagles, and the eventual withdrawl from those lands. He attempted to reclaim honor by bringing the Glovers under tribute in a duel against their champion, and doing the same with House Greatiron of the Giants Fist. Following this, House Greyjoy and House Drumm claimed additional lands under the kingdom, with Cragorn Greyjoy II attempting to summon a Kraken off the Cape of Eagles. A Maelstrom ravages the region to this day.

House Lannister attempted to secure their shores to invade the Reach, and Harras Hoare led them to believe it was accepted. Septons were allowed on the Iron Isles, and wards sent. These septons were slain by the Captains of the Iron Isles, and dissent was loud. Harras revealed his plan to backstab the Westerlands, and led an invasion of Kayce. After the defeat of the Westerman host, the Rock refused to surrender and Lannisport was put to the torch. Casterly Rock and Castamere were besieged as well, with Kayce and Dale being surrendered as part of a peace deal. Upon his return to the Isles from the Westerlands, Harras died in bed.

Joron Greyiron was elected to replace him as king of the Iron Islands, slaying Cirrus Goodbrother in a finger dance to break the tie. Under him, the Ironborn scorched Kayce and returned to the mainland. Under his nose, a civil war broke out between The sons of Cragorn Greyjoy II. Rolfe Greyjoy, an exiled kinslayer and older brother to Ulf Greyjoy the new lord of Pyke returned to claim the Seastone Chair. House Drumm and the Drowned Reavers supported Rolfe, and Pyke and House Hoare supported the main line members of House Greyjoy. Ulf Greyjoy claimed victory, but at the Kingsmoot of 180 A.I. was slain by the Drowned Reavers atop Nagga's Hill. Sylas Greyiron was crowned king among the corpses of House Greyjoy and House Hoare.