Stormlands

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''The people of the stormlands are like unto their weather, it has oft been said: tumultuous, violent, implacable, unpredictable.''

''- The World of Ice and Fire ~~- The Stormlands~~<ref>George R.R. Martin. (2014). ''The World of Ice and Fire - The Stormlands''. London: HarperVoyager. p.221</ref>''

''- The World of Ice and Fire<ref name="Stormlands221">George R.R. Martin. (2014). ''The World of Ice and Fire - The Stormlands''. London: HarperVoyager. p.221</ref>''

[[File:TheStormlands.png|thumb|The Stormlands is a violent and fickle land, and constantly beset by hurricane winds and fierce storms.]]

'''The Stormlands''', synonymous with the '''Kingdom of the Storm''', is located to the south-east of Westeros, renowned for its autumn storms that rip through deep forests, stony mountains, and wind-battered cliffs, and beyond. The region is dominated by its enormous woods, and timber is never in short supply<ref>Steven Attewell. (2015). ''Stormlands Economic Development Plan'' in ''Race for the Iron Throne''. Wordpress.</ref>. The Stormlands has been nominally ruled by [[House Durrandon]] since the [[Age of Heroes]], and for millennia the men of this land have existed as a largely homogenous group with shared customs, traditions, and heritage.

'''The Stormlands''', synonymous with the '''Kingdom of the Storm''', is located to the south-east of Westeros, renowned for its autumn storms that rip through deep forests, stony mountains, and wind-battered cliffs, and beyond<ref name="Stormlands221">George R.R. Martin. (2014). ''The World of Ice and Fire - The Stormlands''. London: HarperVoyager. p.221</ref>. The region is dominated by its enormous woods, and timber is never in short supply<ref>Steven Attewell. (2015). ''Stormlands Economic Development Plan'' in ''Race for the Iron Throne''. Wordpress.</ref>. The Stormlands has been nominally ruled by [[House Durrandon]] since the [[Age of Heroes]], and for millennia the men of this land have existed as a largely homogenous group with shared customs, traditions, and heritage.

The [[First Men]] of this region are known as '''Stormmen'''. They are a harsh, martial people, where strength and resilience are highly prized, and a man's competence is oft more respected than bloodline. The Stormmen value a fierce warrior, praising battle-talent and a man's prowess as the highest virtues. As such many second sons and ambitious smallfolk seek out fame, fortune, and glory as wandering sellswords, brave mercenaries, and valiant adventurers both within and far beyond the confines of the Stormlands seeking their next conquest.

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[[File:Rocky-coastline-of-portugal.jpg|thumb|The rocky shores and jagged edges of Shipbreaker Bay have deterred many would-be invaders from the sea.]]

Rocky, wet, and wild, the storms that assault the stout stone keeps of Shipbreaker Bay are legendary. Here prosperity is ripped from the ground and sea in the form of stone, metal, and some of the finest sailors in all of Westeros<ref>George R.R. Martin. (2014). ''The World of Ice and Fire - The Stormlands: The Men of the Stormlands''. London: HarperVoyager.</ref>. The lords of arguably the most hostile lands in the kingdom have made them long-acquainted with the fickleness of the weather, and guest right here is oft sought-after and highly respected.

Rocky, wet, and wild, the storms that assault the stout stone keeps of Shipbreaker Bay are legendary. Here prosperity is ripped from the ground and sea in the form of stone, metal, and some of the finest sailors in all of Westeros<ref name="Stormlands231">George R.R. Martin. (2014). ''The World of Ice and Fire - The Stormlands: The Men of the Stormlands''. p.231. London: HarperVoyager.</ref>. The lords of arguably the most hostile lands in the kingdom have made them long-acquainted with the fickleness of the weather, and guest right here is oft sought-after and highly respected.

Dominated by the Stag Kings of House Durrandon, the lords of this region are at the nexus of royal power in the Stormlands, where guest right and hospitality has a centuries-spanning tradition. The lords of the bay regularly break bread with each other, sharing salt, hearth, and home to those in need, and are perhaps more attuned than most to the struggles of their leal smallfolk. Loyalty, brotherhood, and a shared sense of commitment dominate local politics due to the storms that threaten all, with proud families such as [[House Konugtun]], [[House Gale|Gale]], and [[House Reaper|Reaper]] coexisting for mutual benefit and support.

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The largest peninsula within the Stormlands, Cape Wrath juts out into the Narrow Sea, bordering Shipbreaker Bay, the Eastern Marches, the [[Sea of Dorne]], and encompassing the Estermont Isles<ref>George R.R. Martin. (2005). ''A Feast for Crows - Cersei V''. Voyager Books.</ref>. Dominated by the primeval Rainwood, this region bears the brunt of storms sweeping through from the Summer Sea, and is rich in timber, furs, amber, and fertile soil. Though since the reign of the incompetent Durrandon king [[Durwald I Durrandon|Durwald the Fat]], most of the region has fallen away from the Storm Kings and are now under the influence of the mysterious [[Green Queen]], where many Stormmen houses pay greater heed to the words of this woods-witch rather than any missives from Storm's End.

The men of Cape Wrath are a varied lot. Those woodsmen of the Rainwood and the Estermont Isles dwell in quiet, murky subsistence in their wet forests - preferring to uphold the laws of weirwood and root above bronze and stone, holding the [[The Pact|Pact]] signed on the [[Isle of Faces]] in especially high esteem. The scions of [[House Wylde]] and [[House Greenstone]] have learnt to live in tune with nature, to the beats of thunder on the coasts, and the breath of wood and branch - with most of Cape Wrath following suit. But for a few the ancient traditions of [[Durran Godsgrief]], that of the primordial god-couple of [[God of the Sea and Goddess of the Sky|Sea and Sky]]<ref>George R.R. Martin. (1998). ''A Clash of Kings - Catelyn III''. Voyager Books.</ref>, still hang heavy in the minds of Houses [[House Crow|Crow]] and [[House Slayne|Slayne]] - to appease and overcome the gods, and to grow strong in a often cruel and uncaring world.

The men of Cape Wrath are a varied lot. Those woodsmen of the Rainwood and the Estermont Isles dwell in quiet, murky subsistence in their wet forests - preferring to uphold the laws of weirwood and root above bronze and stone<ref name="Stormlands233">George R.R. Martin. (2014). ''The World of Ice and Fire - The Stormlands: The Men of the Stormlands''. p.233. London: HarperVoyager.</ref>, holding the [[The Pact|Pact]] signed on the [[Isle of Faces]] in especially high esteem. The scions of [[House Wylde]] and [[House Greenstone]] have learnt to live in tune with nature, to the beats of thunder on the coasts, and the breath of wood and branch - with most of Cape Wrath following suit. But for a few the ancient traditions of [[Durran Godsgrief]], that of the primordial god-couple of [[God of the Sea and Goddess of the Sky|Sea and Sky]]<ref>George R.R. Martin. (1998). ''A Clash of Kings - Catelyn III''. Voyager Books.</ref>, still hang heavy in the minds of Houses [[House Crow|Crow]] and [[House Slayne|Slayne]] - to appease and overcome the gods, and to grow strong in a often cruel and uncaring world.

=== Notable Cape Wrath Houses ===

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[[File:Pisa Range.webp|thumb|Dry and windy, the hilly grasslands of the Eastern Marches have witnessed many centuries of conflict, and will likely witness many more.]]

Hundreds of leagues of grassland, moors, and plains stretch across the northern border of the Red Mountains. Existing in a constant state of battle-readiness, the marchers of these lands have fought back and forth with the [[Dorne|Dornish]] and each other for thousands of years, and have garnered a reputation for their grinding martial culture and century-long feuds<ref>George R.R. Martin. (2000). ''A Storm of Swords - Tyrion III''. Voyager Books.</ref>. The harsher sister of the [[The Reach#Western Marches|Western Marches]], the ~~Storm Lords~~ of the Eastern Marches keep a tight grip on their power and maintain some of the finest fighting men in Westeros.

Hundreds of leagues of grassland, moors, and plains stretch across the northern border of the Red Mountains. Existing in a constant state of battle-readiness, the marchers of these lands have fought back and forth with the [[Dorne|Dornish]] and each other for thousands of years, and have garnered a reputation for their grinding martial culture and century-long feuds<ref>George R.R. Martin. (2000). ''A Storm of Swords - Tyrion III''. Voyager Books.</ref>. The harsher sister of the [[The Reach#Western Marches|Western Marches]], the Stormlords of the Eastern Marches keep a tight grip on their power and maintain some of the finest fighting men in Westeros<ref name="Stormlands232">George R.R. Martin. (2014). ''The World of Ice and Fire - The Stormlands: The Men of the Stormlands''. p.232. London: HarperVoyager.</ref>.

Harsh, stubborn, and avenging, marchers are slow to forgot slights and pursue vengeance for misdeeds true or false at great cost to themselves. The continuous wars and raids from both sides of the marches has left little room for higher culture or religion, bar lengthy ballads of conflict in the marches<ref>George R.R. Martin. (2000). ''A Storm of Swords - Arya II''. Voyager Books.</ref>. They have a highly secular approach to ruling - trusting in themselves above any god and tree. As such they keep their godswoods neat, small, and pragmatic, and weirwoods do not take easily to the dryer soil here.