Denys Mallister
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 Ser Denys Mallister © FFG | |
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| Allegiances | |
| Culture | Rivermen |
| Born | In or before 245 AC[1], Seagard[2] |
| Father | Lord Mallister[3] |
| Books |
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Ser Denys Mallister is a knight of House Mallister and a member of the Night's Watch. He has commanded the Shadow Tower for thirty-three years. Denys is an uncle of Jason Mallister, Lord of Seagard.[4]
Contents
Appearance and Character
- See also: Images of Denys Mallister
Denys is an old man. He has blue-grey eyes and a long white beard. He has lost almost all his hair and his face is deeply lined. He still has his teeth and is graceful in his movement. He clasps his Night's Watch cloak with a silver eagle. In his communication with other people Denys is courteous and well-spoken due to his high-born roots.[3][5] He is also considered cautious and chivalrous.[6]
History
Denys was born at Seagard[2] to a lord of House Mallister.[3] He was a squire at twelve, a knight at eighteen, and a champion at twenty-two years old. He once unhorsed both of Samwell Tarly's grandfathers at the same tourney (Alester Florent and the father of Randyll Tarly).[3]
When Denys joined the Night's Watch, he was assigned to the order of rangers.[2] He has been the commander of the Shadow Tower for thirty-three years (since 267 AC), and a candidate in the two last elections of Lords Commander of the Night's Watch.[3]
Mance Rayder once returned from his ranging with scarlet silk woven into his cloak from a wildling who nursed him back to health, Denys ordered him to burn the cloak and wear only the black cloaks of the Night's Watch. Denys's stern order influenced Mance's decision to desert the Shadow Tower and the Night's Watch the next day, joining the free folk living beyond the Wall.[7]
Recent Events
A Game of Thrones
Ser Denys writes to Jeor Mormont, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, reporting that wildlings from the Frostfangs are moving south, slipping past the Shadow Tower in numbers greater than ever before.[8]
Denys sends another raven to Jeor, informing him rangers from the Shadow Tower have found whole wildling villages abandoned, and at night huge fires have been sighted, blazing in the mountains from dusk till dawn.[9]
A Clash of Kings
Denys confirms the report of Mance Rayder gathering an army from the wildling captured by Qhorin Halfhand in the depths of the Gorge, writing this to Lord Commander Mormont.[10]
A Storm of Swords
When discussing the Night's Watch, Tyrion Lannister advises his father, Lord Tywin Lannister, to deal with Denys or Cotter Pyke rather than Janos Slynt; Tywin dismisses Denys as a Mallister of Seagard, one that would not serve his purposes.[11]
Denys leaves the Shadow Tower to attend the choosing for the next Lord Commander to replace Jeor, who was slain in the mutiny at Craster's Keep. Traveling with Bowen Marsh and the other Castle Black survivors of the fight at the Bridge of Skulls, this party happens across Samwell Tarly and Gilly on the road, escorting them to Castle Black.[12]
Denys is a leading candidate to become the next Lord Commander, along with Cotter, collecting two hundred and thirteen votes by the time only seven candidates remain in the race.[12] Because the support between them is divided, Janos Slynt appears as a potential alternative. Though Cotter and Denys hate each other, both agree that Janos would be a worse choice; both are persuaded by Sam Tarly to support Jon Snow instead.[3]
A Dance with Dragons
Denys sends regular ravens to Castle Black requesting additional men.[13] He writes back to express disappointment in the ten untrained men from Mole's Town sent by Jon, and he also reports sightings of fires in the night north of the Gorge.[14] Denys believes wildings are amassing to force the Bridge of Skulls once more.[15] Denys later writes of seeing great camps of wildlings in the mountains beyond the Shadow Tower.[16]
Family
References
- ↑ See the Denys Mallister calculation.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Denys Mallister.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 78, Samwell V.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Appendix.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 79, Jon XII.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 48, Jon VI.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 7, Jon I.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 21, Tyrion III.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 70, Jon IX.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 23, Jon III.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 32, Tyrion IV.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 75, Samwell IV.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 10, Jon III.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 28, Jon VI.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 31, Melisandre I.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 53, Jon XI.