Lady Forlorn

Lady Forlorn is the ancestral longsword^[1] of House Corbray.^[2] It is made of Valyrian steel.^[3] Lady Forlorn is traditionally passed down from the Lord of Heart's Home to his successor, but there have been instances where the lord lends the blade to a son or a brother for their lifetime, and Lady Forlorn is returned to the lord afterward.^[4]^[5]^[1]

Appearance

Lady Forlorn has a heart-shaped ruby in its pommel.^[1] The Valyrian steel^[3] of its blade is smoke-grey in appearance.^[1]

History

The name "Lady Forlorn" is a legacy from the coming of the Andals, and predates the current Valyrian steel sword. Robar II Royce, the High King of the First Men of the Vale, claimed the first Lady Forlorn (which was not Valyrian steel)^{[N 1]} after slaying Qyle Corbray, the King of the Fingers and an Andal leader. Robar wielded Lady Forlorn during the Battle of the Seven Stars, using it to kill Torgold Tollett and a decoy dressed as Ser Artys Arryn. The Corbrays claim that Ser Jaime Corbray slew Robar in the battle, allowing them to reclaim the first Lady Forlorn.^[7]

At some point the Corbrays acquired a Valyrian steel sword, which they named Lady Forlorn in honor of the ancient sword. Lord Qarl Corbray used the new blade to kill Ser Davos Darklyn of the Kingsguard during the Battle Beneath the Gods Eye in 43 AC.^[8] Qarl threatened Lord Rogar Baratheon with Lady Forlorn when Rogar suggested replacing King Jaehaerys I Targaryen with Princess Aerea Targaryen in 50 AC.^[3]

Ser Corwyn Corbray, the brother of Lord Leowyn Corbray, wielded Lady Forlorn during the Dance of the Dragons.^[9] Corwyn, one of the regents for Aegon III, was slain by a crossbowman at Runestone after drawing Lady Forlorn on Lord Gunthor Royce in 134 AC.^[10]

At the time of the First Blackfyre Rebellion, Lady Forlorn was wielded by Ser Gwayne Corbray of the Kingsguard. In 196 AC during the Battle of the Redgrass Field, Gwayne fought Daemon I Blackfyre, who wielded the Valyrian sword Blackfyre. Eventually, after nearly an hour of fighting Daemon defeated Gwayne.^[2]

Lord Corbray wielded Lady Forlorn during the Battle of the Trident in 283 AC. When Lord Corbray was wounded, his younger son, Ser Lyn, took up the sword and killed the man who had wounded his father. Lyn then led the charge against the Dornishmen and killed the already-wounded Prince Lewyn Martell of the Kingsguard. Because of this feat, when their lord father died, the sword was left to Lyn instead of his elder brother, Lyonel. Although he is now Lord of Heart's Home, Lyonel still feels cheated of his birthright.^[1]

Recent Events

A Feast for Crows

During Lord Petyr Baelish's meeting with the Lords Declarant at the Eyrie, Ser Lyn Corbray threatens Ser Lothor Brune with Lady Forlorn. Petyr uses the aggression to demand concessions from the Lords Declarant. After they leave, Petyr informs Sansa Stark that Lyn is secretly working on his behalf.^[1]

Known wielders

The original Lady Forlorn

The Valyrian steel Lady Forlorn

Lord Qarl Corbray^[8]
Ser Corwyn Corbray^[9]
Ser Gwayne Corbray^[2]
Lord Corbray, father of Lyonel, Lyn and Lucas Corbray.^[1]
Ser Lyn Corbray^[1]

Quotes

It's said that whenever Blackfyre and Lady Forlorn clashed, you could hear the sound for a league around. It was half a song and half a scream, they say.^[2]
—Eustace Osgrey to Duncan the Tall

Candlelight rippled along the smoke-grey steel of Corbray's blade, so dark that it put Sansa in mind of Ice, her father's greatsword.^[1]
—thoughts of Sansa Stark

Gilwood: Sheathe your sword, Corbray. You shame us all with this.

Horton: Come, Lyn. This will serve for nought. Put Lady Forlorn to bed.
Lyn: My lady has a thirst. Whenever she comes out to dance, she likes a drop of red.

Yohn: Your lady must go thirsty.^[1]
—Gilwood Hunter, Horton Redfort, Lyn Corbray, and Yohn Royce

Notes

↑ In The World of Ice & Fire, the Lady Forlorn of Robar II Royce's era is said to be a Valyrian steel sword. Co-author Elio Garcia later explained, "I will say that 'Valyrian steel' should have been removed from the description of Lady Forlorn."^[6]

References

↑ ^1.00 ^1.01 ^1.02 ^1.03 ^1.04 ^1.05 ^1.06 ^1.07 ^1.08 ^1.09 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 23, Alayne I.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 The Sworn Sword.
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 Fire & Blood, A Surfeit of Rulers.
↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Dorne: The Andals Arrive.
↑ Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand.
↑ A Forum of Ice and Fire: New TWoIaF excerpt from the App, October 19, 2014
↑ ^7.0 ^7.1 ^7.2 ^7.3 The World of Ice & Fire, The Vale.
↑ ^8.0 ^8.1 Fire & Blood, The Sons of the Dragon.
↑ ^9.0 ^9.1 Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - The Short, Sad Reign of Aegon II.
↑ Fire & Blood, The Lysene Spring - The End of Regency.

[7] In The World of Ice & Fire, the Lady Forlorn of Robar II Royce's era is said to be a Valyrian steel sword. Co-author Elio Garcia later explained, "I will say that 'Valyrian steel' should have been removed from the description of Lady Forlorn."^[6]

[Raffc23{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-1] 1.00 ^1.01 ^1.02 ^1.03 ^1.04 ^1.05 ^1.06 ^1.07 ^1.08 ^1.09 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 23, Alayne I.

[Rtss{{{2}}}{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 The Sworn Sword.

[Rfaba_surfeit_of_rulers{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 Fire & Blood, A Surfeit of Rulers.

[Rtwoiafdorne:_the_andals_arrive{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-4] The World of Ice & Fire, Dorne: The Andals Arrive.

[Rfabunder_the_regents_-_the_hooded_hand{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-5] Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand.

[6] A Forum of Ice and Fire: New TWoIaF excerpt from the App, October 19, 2014

[Rtwoiaf_the_vale{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-8] 7.0 ^7.1 ^7.2 ^7.3 The World of Ice & Fire, The Vale.

[Rfabthe_sons_of_the_dragon{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-9] 8.0 ^8.1 Fire & Blood, The Sons of the Dragon.

[Rfabthe_dying_of_the_dragons_-_the_short,_sad_reign_of_aegon_ii{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-10] 9.0 ^9.1 Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - The Short, Sad Reign of Aegon II.

[Rfabthe_lysene_spring_-_the_end_of_regency{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-11] Fire & Blood, The Lysene Spring - The End of Regency.

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