House Mudd
House Mudd of Oldstones is the First Men royal house of the Kingdom of the Rivers and the Hills, having ruled much of the Riverlands for the past millennia.
During the early years of the Coming of the Andals they faced fresh challenges from rival Rivermen lords and Andal war‑bands.
History
Background
Before the rise of House Mudd, the crown of the Trident passed among the Blackwoods, Fishers and Brackens. The Mudds seized that crown from the Fisher Kings and expanded their realm until it stretched “from the Neck to Duskendale, and from the Mountains of the Vale to the mountains of the Westerlands.”[1]
Throughout the centuries their power waxed and waned; whenever the king’s voice carried no farther than his own hall, rebellious bannermen styled themselves monarchs. Tristifer IV inherited a kingdom at one of those low ebbs. Even before taking the throne, he had already put down several uprisings by the Brackens, Blackwoods and other dissident lords, and he earned early fame for driving back the first Andal adventurers who tested Mudd borders.[2]
The Mudd king married a Blackwood princess in an unusual manner, thereby forging the first alliance with King Arik Blackwood. This alliance was primarily intended to demonstrate new strength in the face of the Andal warlord Armistead Vance.
During his reign, King Tristifer Mudd defended his realm against Andal incursions, notably defeating Vorian Vypren at Darry. He later formed an alliance with Staunton Darklyn, Florian Mooton, and Arik Blackwood to oppose Armistead Vance and Brogg Bracken, culminating in the conflict known as the the Clash of Six Kings. The war ended with the execution of King Brogg Bracken at Raventree Hall and a temporary truce with Vance, though tensions remained. While Vance’s influence grew following his annexation of Southstone, Tristifer’s campaign to reclaim the region failed. Though a First Man king, Tristifer maintained good relations with Cedric Mallister and Jaime Farring, and allowed peaceful followers of the Seven to travel his lands under protection.
Following the failed campaign for Southstone, King Tristifer Mudd faced a far graver threat as Armistead Vance launched a full-scale invasion of Blackwood Vale and the remaining free southern Riverlands. Tristifer rallied his remaining allies, Houses Mallister, the Strongs, Fishers, Horns, and others and marched to meet the threat. Despite early success using guerrilla tactics in the forests, the host was ultimately defeated by Vance’s superior numbers and the arrival of reinforcements from the Westerlands.
Driven back, Tristifer and his allies made their last stand at Raventree Hall. After heavy losses, he was forced to parley. The resulting peace saw large swaths of land ceded to Vance and his allies, and House Mudd forced to swear terms that deeply wounded their pride and position. A proposed marriage alliance and the surrender of ancient sites marked the beginning of a fragile peace. Though still sovereign, the power of the Mudds was greatly diminished. T
The power of House Mudd declined even further when the Andal warlord Andahar 'the Depraved' Den Brove seized Stillside in Darry lands. The Mudds were forced to fight to reclaim it, only to be struck soon after by the plague that had spread from the Misty Isles. Weakened by these trials and a harsh winter, they were caught off guard by the full host of the Ironborn, who launched a devastating invasion. The Cape of Eagles was taken, and House Mallister was driven into exile.
During the reign of King Arik Mudd, House Mudd remained actively engaged in preserving the stability of the Riverlands. When House Charlton, already severely weakened after losing most of its forces during the battle for Seaguard, came under attack by Crannogmen, led by House Marsh and warriors of Clan Horn, the Mudds intervened. Alongside House Gaunt and House Mandrake, they helped repel the invasion and safeguarded the Charlton lands. However, the conflict further soured relations with their northern neighbors in the Neck.
Shortly thereafter, House Mudd offered its support to House Vance for the first time, defending the royal claim of King Armistead "the Fool" Vance during a period of internal Rivermark conflict.
When the Gaunts attempted to seize Darry lands, they were repelled with the aid of King Armistead “the Fool” Vance and Lord Corliss Den Ford. However, they lost the struggle for the territories leading to the Trident to the Ironborn, who were led by King Victarion Volmark.
Years later, after more than two decades of Ironborn occupation of Seagard, the war for its reconquest began. A formidable alliance was forged, uniting the Mallisters, Vances, Den Fords, Toynes, and Barthelds against the Ironborn, once again under King Victarion Volmark. This time, they emerged victorious—though with winter approaching and their forces depleted, they were unable to reclaim the entirety of the Cape of Eagles. In the coming spring they continued the war for the Cape and won.
A civil war split the River and the Hills between King Tristifer “Justheart” Mudd, backed by followers of the Seven, and his uncle Tristifer “the Brave”, who resisted Andal influence with allies from Clan Horn and House Royce. After heavy fighting, Justheart prevailed, securing the crown and strengthening the Faith of the Seven in the realm.
The Mudds would know only a few short years of peace before being bound by a promise to King Armistead IV Vance. Honoring this oath, they followed him into war against the Lannisters, whom he deemed false followers of the Seven for striking a bargain with the Ironborn. The Mudds marched to war, but in the end they lost both their heir and the war itself.
Seat and Region
House Mudd rules from Oldstones, a formidable hill‑top castle of thick river‑stone walls overlooking the Blue Fork of the Trident. From this stronghold the Mudds command fertile river‑vales, dense forests, and key fords that control movement between the North, the Vale and the Blackwater region.[3]
Notable Members
During the Coming of the Andals
- King Tristifer IV Mudd, named the "Hammer of Justice" for his decisive victories over rebellious bannermen and early Andal raiders, and sought to reunite the Riverlands in the face of renewed threats during the early Andal Invasions.
- King Arik 'the Lionheart' Mudd. Died ashamed of his reign after loosing more land to the Ironborn.
- King Edric Mudd, who reclaimed the Cape of Eagles.
- King Tristifer 'Justheart' Mudd, the first Mudd who followed the Seven and brought them into the River and the Hills.