House Harlaw
From A Wiki of Ice and Fire
House Harlaw of Harlaw is one of the most powerful houses from the Iron Islands, ruling over the entire island of Harlaw.
All the other houses of Harlaw pledge fealty to them, incluiding Houses Volmark, Stonetree, Myre and Kenning. The Myres and the kennings had been in the past bitter foes, but were submitted by the Harlaws.
Their original keep was Harlaw Hall, until Lord Theomore Harlaw (Rodrik's grand grandfather) constructed Ten Towers. Theomore had lost three newborn sons due to the dampness and unhealthyness of Harlaw Hall and decided to build a better located dwelling, but since Theomere was a man who used to change his opinion, he ended building ten different keeps that eventually were connected among them with wallwalks and covered bridges, constituting the complex that would be known as the Ten Towers.
Their blazon is a silver scythe on black. Their motto has not appeared in the books.
[edit] The Goodbrook House at the end of the third century
The known Goodbrothers during the timespan of the events described on A Song of Ice and Fire are:
- Lord Rodrik Harlaw: Lord of Harlaw, Lord of Ten Towers, Harlaw of Harlaw. Called "the Reader" for his passion for books. Brown-haired and wit a short green beard.
More distant relatives of Lord Rodrik include:
- Ser Harras Harlaw: Lord Rodrik's cousin and designated heir. The Knight of Grey Garden. Called "the Knight". His personal banner is the Harlaw Scythe quartered with the peacok of his mother's House Swhyft.
- Hotho Harlaw: Lord Rodrik's cousin, of the Tower of Glimmering. And ambitious man called "Hotho Humpback". His personal banner is the Harlaw scythe girdled within an embattled border.
- Boremund Harlaw: Lord Rodrik's cousin. Master of Harridan Hill. Called "Boremund the Blue". Father to three unnamed sons. His personal banner is the Harlaw scythe over a blue field.
- Sigfryd Harlaw: Lord Rodrik's great uncle. Master of Harlaw Hall. Called "Sigfryd Silverhair". He has sons and gransons to follow him, but it is said that he intends to live forever. His personal banner is two scythes countercharged on a field divided bendwise.
Without specified connection to the main branch, there are:
- Gevin Harlaw.
- Dykk Harlaw.
| Gwynesse Harlaw | Balon Greyjoy | Alannys Harlaw | Rodrik Harlaw | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| {Rodrik Greyjoy} | {Maron Greyjoy} | Asha Greyjoy | Theon Greyjoy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[edit] References in the books
[edit] A Song of Ice and Fire
- Longships with the silver scythe of the Harlaws were seen by Theon at Lordsport after King Balon called his banners.
- Lady Alannys dwells on Harlaw with his brother and sister.
- When entering the great hall with his father's captains Theon sees some Harlaws form Harlaw.
- Gevin, Dykk, and at least two other Harlaws joined Theon on the raid to the North and the taking of Winterfell, they all were probably slain by Bolton men.
- After Balon Greyjoy's death and Euron's seizure of the Seastone Chair, Lord Rodrik Harlaw summoned the lords of the Iron Islands to Ten Towers on Asha's behalf.
- Hotho Harlaw brought Archmaester Marwyn's Book of Lost Books from Oldtown traying to gain his favour, since he pretended to marry her daughter to him.
- Lord Harlaw's Sea Song is seen on the Old Wuk shores during the kingsmoot.
- Rodrik Harlaw offered full support to her niece Asha during the kingsmoot. His designated heis Ser Harras also supported her as one of her three champions, although it is unknown wether he did it for convictions or to please Lord Rodrik. Hotho Harlaw offered her daughter to Victarion Grejoy and supported him, but was one of the first to shout Euron's name after he revealed his plans.
- Lord Rodrik, Ser Harras and Hotho were part of the raid of the ironmen on the Shield Islands commanded by Euron.
- Hotho Harlaw reports how Ser Harras planted his standard beneath the Grimm castle and defied them to single combat. After seven champions had been defeated, Lord Grimm's septon decided the gods had spoken and surrendered the castle.
- Victarion saw Rodrik Harlaw, Gorold Goodbrother and Dunstan Drumm talking at the yard of Oakenshield. Probably the three were sharing their fear for a Tyrell's reprisal.
- Ser Harras is named Lord of Greenshield by Euron, a move Victarion interpreted as a way to gain his loyalty at Lord Rodrik's cost.
- Victarion remembers Ser Harras Harlaw being a friend of Rodrik Greyjoy, Balon's elder son. He had defeated him at his youth, but he wonders how he would fare naw against him and his Valyrian steel blade.
| Houses from the Iron Islands | |
| Overlords: | Greyjoy |
|---|---|
| Noble houses: | Blacktyde | Botley | Drumm | Farwynd | Goodbrother | Harlaw Orkwood | Saltcliffe | Sparr | Sunderly | Tawney | Volmark | Wynch |
| Extinct houses: | Greyiron | Hoare |
