Reach: Difference between revisions
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Settlement at the mouth of the Honeywine dates to the [[Dawn Age]], as runic [[First Men]] records. <ref name="HightowerLore">George R. R. Martin, ''Fire and Blood'', (Bad Hersfeld: Random House LLC US, 2018) pp. 817–818</ref> In the Age of Heroes the Ravenry on its namesake isle began as a pirate lord’s stronghold, menacing vessels up the river.<ref name="SamwellV">George R. R. Martin, ''A Song of Ice and Fire: A Feast for Crows'', (Bad Hersfeld: Random House LLC US, 2005) Samwell V</ref> [[House Hightower]] built the Hightower upon their black-stone fortress on Battle Isle. The city grew yet Oldtown’s wooden palisades still fell to the sack by countless figures until [[Otho_II_Hightower|Otho II Hightower]] erected the massive stone walls that endure till today. <ref name="HightowerLore">George R. R. Martin, ''Fire and Blood'', (Bad Hersfeld: Random House LLC US, 2018) pp. 817–818</ref> | Settlement at the mouth of the Honeywine dates to the [[Dawn Age]], as runic [[First Men]] records. <ref name="HightowerLore">George R. R. Martin, ''Fire and Blood'', (Bad Hersfeld: Random House LLC US, 2018) pp. 817–818</ref> In the Age of Heroes the Ravenry on its namesake isle began as a pirate lord’s stronghold, menacing vessels up the river.<ref name="SamwellV">George R. R. Martin, ''A Song of Ice and Fire: A Feast for Crows'', (Bad Hersfeld: Random House LLC US, 2005) Samwell V</ref> [[House Hightower]] built the Hightower upon their black-stone fortress on Battle Isle. The city grew yet Oldtown’s wooden palisades still fell to the sack by countless figures until [[Otho_II_Hightower|Otho II Hightower]] erected the massive stone walls that endure till today. <ref name="HightowerLore">George R. R. Martin, ''Fire and Blood'', (Bad Hersfeld: Random House LLC US, 2018) pp. 817–818</ref> | ||
Over time, more and more Andals came to Oldtown, changing the city as they brought their customs and religion with them. | |||
===Notable Houses=== | ===Notable Houses=== | ||
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*[[House Bulwer]] | *[[House Bulwer]] | ||
*[[House Cafferen]] | *[[House Cafferen]] | ||
*[[House Costayne]] | |||
*[[House Florent]] | *[[House Florent]] | ||
*[[House Goode]] | *[[House Goode]] | ||
*[[House Graceford]] | |||
*[[House Horpe]] | *[[House Horpe]] | ||
*[[House Hightower]] | *[[House Hightower]] | ||
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After Urron’s death, the Arbor regained its independence during the early reign of [[Galayn Gardener|King Galayn Gardener]]. However, its loyalty remained in question. When the Ironborn returned under King Cragorn "the Black Kraken" [[House Greyjoy|Greyjoy]] during the Great Reaving, Lord Abelar Redwyne refused to defend Oldtown, fearing retribution. In response, the Reach declared the Redwyne line ended, cursed Arbor wine, and cast the Arbor into isolation. | After Urron’s death, the Arbor regained its independence during the early reign of [[Galayn Gardener|King Galayn Gardener]]. However, its loyalty remained in question. When the Ironborn returned under King Cragorn "the Black Kraken" [[House Greyjoy|Greyjoy]] during the Great Reaving, Lord Abelar Redwyne refused to defend Oldtown, fearing retribution. In response, the Reach declared the Redwyne line ended, cursed Arbor wine, and cast the Arbor into isolation. | ||
After some time, the Reach would reclaim the Arbor with the help of the Oldtown Fleet and defend it against the Ironborn. The Redwynes were punished, and descendants of King Galayn Gardner married into the Redwynes and took their name. | |||
===Notable House=== | ===Notable House=== | ||
Revision as of 18:50, 7 August 2025
Once and always a great realm, the Reach is many things to its inhabitants: the most populous, fertile, and powerful domain in the Seven Kingdoms, its wealth second only to the gold-rich west; a seat of learning; a center of music, culture, and all the arts, bright and dark; the breadbasket of Westeros; a nexus of trade; a home to great seafarers, wise and noble kings, dread sorcerers, and the most beautiful women in all Westeros. - The World of Ice and Fire[1]
The Reach, known as the Kingdom of the Reach or the Green Realm, is a vast and fertile region of southern Westeros. It is ruled by the Kings and Queens of House Gardener from their seat at Highgarden. The Reach is renowned for its lush farmland, rich river valleys, and dense population. It is widely considered the most agriculturally abundant part of the continent. [1]
Terrain and Culture
The Reach stretches across the southwestern heart of Westeros, bounded by the Sunset Sea to the west and the Westerlands to the northwest. The Blackwater Rush marks its northern boundary with the Riverlands, while its northeast touches the lands around Blackwater Bay. To the east and southeast lie the Stormlands and portions of the Dornish Marches, and to the south, the Red Mountains of Dorne rise beyond the fertile coast, giving way to the Summer Sea.
The central lifeblood of the Reach is the mighty Mander River, which flows through its center and is fed by tributaries like the Blueburn and the Cockleswhent. Further south, the Honeywine River winds past vineyards and orchards before reaching the Whispering Sound at Oldtown. The region also includes the Shield Islands, positioned at the mouth of the Mander to ward off seaborne threats, and the Arbor, a southern island famed for its vineyards and temperate weather. [1]
Though once a collection of warring petty kingdoms, the Reach has long known internal peace under the rule of the Gardener kings. It is a realm defined by prosperity rather than strife, with conflict more often brought by external forces—be it raids by Ironborn, incursions from Dorne, or wars with neighboring realms. Its people are farmers, gardeners, vintners, and fishermen, known for hosting grand feasts. Yet, they are no strangers to arms, as the defense of the Shield Islands and the legacies of the Gardners demonstrate.
Oldtown also lies in the Reach. There, on the Isle of Ravens, the learned order known as Peremore’s Order has made its seat in the Ravenry. These wise men dedicate themselves to the collection, study, and preservation of knowledge. [2]
Reach Proper
Highgarden
Highgarden rises from a wide green hill above the banks of the Mander, the greatest river in Kingdom of the Reach. The castle itself is ringed by three tall curtain walls of pale stone, each taller and stronger than the last. Between two of those walls lies a hedge maze of thorn and bloom—both a noble amusement and a trap for invaders. The oldest parts of the fortress date back to the Age of Heroes, low and thick-walled, built for endurance rather than elegance. [3]
In the heart of the castle’s godswood stand three massive weirwoods, so tightly grown together that they seem as one. Known as the Three Singers, they are said to have been planted by Garth Greenhand himself. Beneath their pale branches lies a still black pool, reflecting bark and sky alike. [3]
The lands around Highgarden are some of the richest and most beautiful in the Reach. Orchards and vineyards cover the slopes, and fields of golden roses stretch for miles. The air is thick with the scent of ripening fruit—melons, fireplums, and peaches too sweet to keep long off the branch. [4]
Bordering the heart of Highgarden are the domains of Darkstone, Orchard Way, Darkdell, and the famed Rose Road. These lands are dotted with prosperous villages, vineyards, and groves. The region is fertile, warm, and wealthy—one of the true hearts of the Reach. [3]
Houses of Highgarden
Shield Islands
The Shield Islands are a small archipelago in the Sunset Sea, guarding the mouth of the Mander west of Highgarden. [5] Once known as the Misty Islands and used as footholds by Ironborn raiders, they were reclaimed by King Garth VII “Goldenhand” of the Reach, who drove the Ironmen from the isles, renamed them the Shield Islands, and resettled them with his fiercest warriors and best seamen to defend the Mander’s mouth.[6]
Thereafter, the islanders were granted special dispensations and privileges to maintain a perpetual bulwark against any returning Ironborn. For centuries, the men of the Four Shields prided themselves on defending both the mouth of the Mander and the heart of the Reach from seaborne foes.[7]
However, the Ironborn under King Urron Greyiron launched a second conquest of the isles. Led by Lodos Drumm, the Iron Fleet shattered the defenders in a brutal year-long campaign. Lord Lyman Hewett surrendered and was executed, while Houses Chester, Grimm, and Serry attempted to carry on the fight through guerrilla warfare. Despite initial success, the rebellion was ultimately crushed, and all four noble houses were extinguished or exiled. The Shield Islands have remained under Ironborn control ever since.
Notable Houses
The Ocean Road
The Ocean Road is a coastal region of the western Reach, stretching eastward from the Sunset Sea past the Shield Islands and toward Old Oak, Red Lake, and Goldengrove. The road follows gentle hills and green meadows, dotted with scattered woodland and fishing hamlets. Old Oak, the seat of House Oakheart, stands near the center of the region. According to legend, John the Oak, the First Knight and reputed son of Garth Greenhand and a giantess, established the ideals of chivalry here. His descendants—the Oakhearts—continue to hold the lands from Old Oak. [8] To the north lies the wooded border of the Northmarch, held by House Webber. To the east, the land rises toward Red Lake and the fields of Goldengrove.
Notable House
Red Lake
Red Lake lies on the northeastern shore of its namesake lake in the northwestern Reach, close to the border with the Westerlands. Once called Blue Lake, it earned its crimson title when Brandon of the Bloody Blade slew so many giants and children of the forest on its banks that the waters ran red with their blood. [8]
The surrounding lands are richly forested and remarkably fertile, their slopes cloaked in vineyards and orchards that flourish under the Reach’s mild climate. Standing above the water is the castle of House Crane, whose legendary skinchanger, Rose of Red Lake, could take the form of a crane—and whose descendants are said to inherit her gift. [8]
In the Age of Heroes, Garth the Great secured Red Lake and neighboring Goldengrove through pacts of friendship and mutual defense, extending the Reach’s northern frontier.[7]
Thanks to Josera Crane and King Gwayne IV 'the Gods Fearing' Gardener a few Children of the forests have returned to Red Lake and call it their home again.
Notable Houses
Goldengrove
Goldengrove is a fertile and picturesque region in the northern Reach, seated along the Silverdown that flows from the hills near Silverhill southward to Highgarden. It is best known as the seat of House Rowan, whose ancestral castle, Goldengrove, watches over the verdant landscape. [8]
Goldengrove entered the domain of House Gardener, when Garth the Great expanded his kingdom through diplomacy, binding houses like the Rowans to his cause through mutual oaths and peaceful accords.[7]
However, following the devastating Seven Years' War between the Reach and the Westerlands, Goldengrove no longer remained under Rowan control. The conflict saw massive losses for the Reach, and as part of the war’s resolution, Goldengrove and its surrounding lands were ceded to House Risley, an Andal house.
King Galayn Gardener was able to reclaim Goldengrove after many years and restored House Rowan to their ancestral seat. The Risleys were subsequently driven out of the Reach.
Notable Houses
Stonebridge
Stonebridge lies along the banks of the Mander, where the river flows wide and strong through some of the most fertile lands in the Reach. The region is a patchwork of rich meadows, green fields, and wooded groves.
The region takes its name from the ancient stone bridge that crosses the Mander here. Though the castle near the bridge itself is modest, made of timber and stone, it stands on low, flat land. [9]
Surrounding Stonebridge are the lush domains of Blueburn, Fullharvest, and the Manderfields, each known for their fertile soil and abundant crops.
Notable Houses
Tumbleton
Tumbleton lies at the northeastern edge of the Reach. It is surrounded by a fertile landscape of green hills, small rivers, and golden fields, where meadows and farmland stretch out toward the distant Riverlands and the borders of the Stormlands. [8]
Located not far from Blackwater Bay, the region around Tumbleton acts as a threshold between the lush heartlands of the Reach and the wilder frontiers to the north and east. To the north lie the Heartland Fields, a mix of dense forests and open cropland. The area is dotted with thriving towns and minor holds, the most notable among them being Footly Hall, the seat of House Foote of Tumbleton.
Notable Houses
Oldtown
Oldtown and its surrounding lands occupy the southwestern corner of the Reach, where the Honeywine River pours into Whispering Sound on the Sunset Sea. North of the city lie Honeyholt, seat of House Beesbury, and Brightwater Keep, fortress of House Florent. [2][10] Eastward rise the fertile Uplands, while to the west Blackcrown of House Bulwer commands the rocky cliffs of Whispering Sound. [11] [12]
The Honeywine, fed by tributaries at Honeyholt and from the Uplands, winds south through Oldtown into Whispering Sound. Its valley is the agricultural capital of the Reach, where orchards and fields yield harvests to supply the great city and beyond. [12]
Settlement at the mouth of the Honeywine dates to the Dawn Age, as runic First Men records. [13] In the Age of Heroes the Ravenry on its namesake isle began as a pirate lord’s stronghold, menacing vessels up the river.[12] House Hightower built the Hightower upon their black-stone fortress on Battle Isle. The city grew yet Oldtown’s wooden palisades still fell to the sack by countless figures until Otho II Hightower erected the massive stone walls that endure till today. [13]
Over time, more and more Andals came to Oldtown, changing the city as they brought their customs and religion with them.
Notable Houses
The Arbor
The Arbor is a golden island beyond the Redwyne Strait, renowned for its lush vineyards, exquisite wines, and endless summer sun. Its soils are remarkably fertile and the landscape remains green year-round, with vineyards terracing nearly every hill under almost perpetual mild weather.[14] Gilbert of the Vines first taught the islanders to press grapes into the sweet vintage that bears his name and founded House Redwyne.[14]
The island’s principal port, Ryamsport, handles much of its wine trade, while the settlements of Vinetown and Starfish Harbor support farmers and fishermen alike. Nearby isles, Stonecrab Cay, the Isle of Pigs, the Mermaid’s Palace, Horseshoe Rock, and Bastard’s Cradle, share in the Arbor’s shipbuilding craft, making the region an essential naval power for the Reach. [12]
The Redwyne Straits separate the Arbor from the mainland Reach; all ships bound from Oldtown to the Arbor must cross these waters.[15]
After Urron’s death, the Arbor regained its independence during the early reign of King Galayn Gardener. However, its loyalty remained in question. When the Ironborn returned under King Cragorn "the Black Kraken" Greyjoy during the Great Reaving, Lord Abelar Redwyne refused to defend Oldtown, fearing retribution. In response, the Reach declared the Redwyne line ended, cursed Arbor wine, and cast the Arbor into isolation.
After some time, the Reach would reclaim the Arbor with the help of the Oldtown Fleet and defend it against the Ironborn. The Redwynes were punished, and descendants of King Galayn Gardner married into the Redwynes and took their name.
Notable House
Western Marches
The Western Marches, once part of Oldtown’s domain under House Hightower, is the greener sister of the Eastern Marches in the Stormlands. They lie where the Red Mountains thrust northwest from Dorne into the southern Reach. Horn Hill, perched among the wooded foothills of those peaks, is the seat of House Tarly;[12] to the east stand Starpike of House Peake and the Caron Storm Lords of Nightsong, two other key strongholds. At sunset the Red Mountain peaks glow blood-red.[7]
In the Age of the Hundred Kingdoms this land formed the petty Kingdom of the Western Marches, from Horn Hill to Nightsong, until House Gardener of Highgarden unified it with the realms of the Hightower and the Arbor to forge the Kingdom of the Reach.[16] This is a region full of rocky ridges, rolling hills, and dense forests. The woodlands are most impenetrable around Horn Hill.[7]
Notable Houses
History
The Dawn Age
The Dawn Age is the earliest known era in the history of Westeros, long before the rise of kingdoms, castles, or written records. In this time, the lands that would one day be known as the Reach were untamed and wild—dominated by great forests, unbroken plains, and scattered hills, with no sign yet of organized civilization. The only inhabitants were the children of the forest and the giants. [17] The Reach during the Dawn Age was likely similar to the rest of Westeros, rich in forests, home to untouched valleys and rivers, and entirely devoid of cities or agriculture. It was a land ruled not by men, but by nature and its elder inhabitants.
The arrival of the First Men from Essos marked the end of that untouched world. Armed with bronze and fire, the First Men crossed the Arm of Dorne and began cutting down weirwoods and clearing forests to build their settlements. A long and bitter war followed between them and the children of the forest, lasting generations and touching every corner of the continent—including the Reach. [18].
Peace finally came with the Pact, forged on the Isle of Faces in the Gods Eye. This monumental agreement ended the Dawn Age and ushered in the Age of Heroes, laying the groundwork for the kingdoms and houses that would later rise in the Reach and beyond. [19]
The Age of Heroes
The Age of Heroes marked a formative era for the Reach. During this time, many of the foundations for the political and cultural identity of the Reach were established, most notably the rise of House Gardener. Some stories claim Garth Greenhand led the First Men into Westeros; others suggest he wandered the land long before their arrival, treating with giants and the children of the forest alike. [20]
The first king to follow him was Garth the Gardener, his eldest son, who was said to have built his seat on the hill above the Mander River that would later become known as Highgarden. He wore a crown of vines and flowers, and from him sprang the dynasty of the Gardener kings. [20]
The Gardener kings began their rule over what would later be called the Reach proper but gradually expanded their realm. Through alliances and marriages, they extended their dominion to include Old Oak, Red Lake, and Goldengrove, thanks to Garth III (the Great); later, Meryn III brought the Arbor under their rule by making House Redwyne his vassals. King Garland II (the Bridegroom) secured the loyalty of House Hightower of Oldtown by marrying Lord Lymond Hightower’s daughter, while King Gwayne III 'the Fat' settled disputes between the powerful Manderlys and Peakes without bloodshed. [20]
The most renowned Gardener king was Garth VII Gardener, called Goldenhand. He came to power at the age of twelve and reigned for eighty-one years. His reign—known as the Golden Reign—saw unparalleled peace and prosperity in the Reach. He defended the realm from a Dornish invasion by King Ferris Fowler in his youth, and later expelled the ironborn from the Misty Islands, fortifying them as the Shield Islands and manning them with his finest warriors to protect the mouth of the Mander. In the Battle of Three Armies, he outmaneuvered both the King of the Rock and the Storm King, afterward establishing the boundaries between the three kingdoms. [20]
While the Gardeners established centralized rule over the Reach, petty kings and lords still existed in isolated pockets. Over time, these lesser rulers were either brought into the Gardener fold through fealty, alliance, or conquest. During the same era, the Isle of Ravens, later home to the Ravenry in Oldtown, was said to have been the stronghold of a pirate lord who robbed passing ships. [12]
The Coming of the Andals
The Age of Heroes in the Reach came to a gradual close with the arrival of the Andals in Westeros. Bearing steel and the their gods, they crossed the narrow sea in longships and began landing first along the eastern coasts, most notably in the Vale, before expanding their foothold further westward. [21]
For many centuries, the Reach had flourished under the Gardener kings, enjoying an era marked by prosperity, fertile harvests, and the rise of strong noble houses. Though tales of the region's wealth, its sprawling fields, and the majesty of Highgarden surely reached the ears of ambitious Andal warlords, the geography of Westeros provided a temporary barrier. Between them and the golden heartland of the Reach lay other kingdoms, mountain ranges, and rivers.
In time, however, the threat would come closer. The fleets of Oldtown and the Arbor prevented Andal ships from easily getting access to the Redwyne Straits or the Sunset Sea. But the blockade would prove weak, and soon it began to fail. During this period, Andals started arriving on the western shores of Westeros: the Daelwell host landed in the south, the Risley Host sailed past the Arbor unopposed, and Vayon 'the Craven' Cupps made no effort to halt their passage. The coming of the Andals marked the beginning of a new age, one that would eventually reach even the fertile lands of the Mander.
This new age was defined by brutal conflict, including the devastating Seven Years' War between the Reach and the Westerlands, which ultimately saw the loss of Goldengrove to the Andal House Risley. At the same time, the Shield Islands were conquered by King Urron Greyiron of the Ironborn, and the Arbor itself fell to his fleets, becoming part of his reaving kingdom.
Under King Galayn Gardener, the tide began to turn. He launched the reconquest of Goldengrove after Robert Risley refused to bend the knee. Once more, war erupted between the Reach and the Rock, but this time the Lannisters were mired in their own internal rebellions and unrest, and Robert Risley proved far less capable than his grandfather, Jasper Risley. Crucially, the Reach now fought alongside the Durrandons, and even a number of Children of the Forest, who had returned to the Reach with the rebirth of old magic, joined the Gardener cause.
King Galayn Gardener successfully reclaimed Goldengrove. The Arbor also regained its independence following the death of King Urron Greyiron, as the power of the Ironborn began to fade.
However, after the Ironborn elected a new king, Cragorn Greyjoy, they soon sought a new target for their next great reaving. Their eyes fell upon Oldtown. The naval fleet of Oldtown was no match for the Ironborn, not only due to their seafaring prowess, but also because Abelar "the Weak Thorn" Redwyne had betrayed the Reach and refused to dispatch the Arbor fleet for its defense. Oldtown bled in the assault.
Meanwhile, more Andals continued to arrive in the Reach. House Horpe, among them, displaced House Dunn and claimed dominion over the Oldhills.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 George R. R. Martin, The World of Ice and Fire, (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) p. 207
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 George R. R. Martin, The World of Ice and Fire, (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) pp. 213–216.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 George R. R. Martin, The World of Ice and Fire, (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) p. 218-219
- ↑ George R. R. Martin, A Song of Ice and Fire: A Game of Thrones, (Bad Hersfeld: Random House LLC US, 1996) Eddard I
- ↑ George R. R. Martin, Song of Ice and Fire: A Storm of Swords, (Bad Hersfeld: Random House LLC US) Davos VI
- ↑ George R. R. Martin, The World of Ice and Fire, (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) p. 182
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 George R. R. Martin, The World of Ice and Fire, (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) p. 211
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 George R. R. Martin, The World of Ice and Fire, (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) p. 208
- ↑ George R. R. Martin, A Song of Ice and Fire: A Clash of Kings, (Bad Hersfeld: Random House LLC US, 2000) Catelyn II
- ↑ George R. R. Martin, A Song of Ice and Fire: A Storm of Swords (Bad Hersfeld: Random House LLC US, 2003), Tyrion III
- ↑ George R. R. Martin, Fire and Blood, (Bad Hersfeld: Random House LLC US, 2018) pp. 817–818
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 George R. R. Martin, A Song of Ice and Fire: A Feast for Crows, (Bad Hersfeld: Random House LLC US, 2005) Samwell V
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 George R. R. Martin, Fire and Blood, (Bad Hersfeld: Random House LLC US, 2018) pp. 817–818
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 George R. R. Martin, The World of Ice and Fire, (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) p. 207-208
- ↑ George R. R. Martin, A Song of Ice and Fire: A Feast for Crows, (Bantam Books US, 2005), Samwell II
- ↑ George R. R. Martin, The World of Ice and Fire, (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) p. 210
- ↑ George R. R. Martin, A Song of Ice and Fire: A Game of Thrones, (Bad Hersfeld: Random House LLC US, 1996) Bran VII
- ↑ George R. R. Martin, The World of Ice and Fire, (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) p. 5-7
- ↑ George R. R. Martin, A Song of Ice and Fire: A Game of Thrones, (Bad Hersfeld: Random House LLC US, 1996) Bran VII
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 George R. R. Martin, The World of Ice and Fire, (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) pp. 209–211
- ↑ George R. R. Martin, The World of Ice and Fire, (London: HarperVoyager, 2014) pp. 211–212