Mander

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The Reach and the location of the Mander
The Reach and the location of the Mander
Mander
The Reach and the location of the Mander

The Mander is a river in the Reach which flows past Highgarden, the seat of House Tyrell. It is the longest and broadest river in the Seven Kingdoms.[1] The Tyrells include Lord Paramount of the Mander among their titles.[2]

Geography

See also: Images of the Mander
A House Tyrell pleasure barge, by Sergey Glushakov © Fantasy Flight Games

Part of the Reach proper,[1] the Mander has its source in hills near Tumbleton in the northeastern Reach near King's Landing. The river flows southwest past Bitterbridge, where it is crossed by the roseroad.[3] After Bitterbridge, the Mander meets the Blueburn near Longtable and then the Cockleswent near Cider Hall. Near Highgarden the Mander meets an as-yet-unnamed river which flows south from Goldengrove. From Highgarden the Mander continues west to a bay of the Sunset Sea near the Shield Islands.[4]

Whilst large and powerful, the Mander is a slow-moving river, wide with snags and sandbars to trap the unwary ship.[5][6] The upper reaches of the Mander are muddy and rough, and only shallow-draughted boats can go as far as Bitterbridge. As they near Highgarden, they settle down and become clear and calm, and are navigable by seagoing vessels.[7][6]

Culture

House Tyrell sails pleasure barges[8] along the broad Mander.[9]

History

Gardener Era

Some say the river is named after House Manderly.[10][11]

According to legend, Garth the Gardener built Highgarden atop a hill along the Mander.[12] John II Gardener, King of the Reach, sailed his barge to the river's headwaters, receiving homage from lords and petty kings during his voyage.[13] The Mander was considered part of the Reach proper.[1]

Historically, the ironborn raided up the river Mander all the way to Stonebridge.[6] Torgon Greyiron was raiding in the river when his father, King Urragon III Greyiron, died.[14]

King Garth VII Gardener fortified the Shield Islands, which sit near the mouth of the river, and armed its smallfolk to guard the approaches and warn those further inland of coming attacks.[6][15]

The headwaters of the Mander were conquered by Arlan I Durrandon, a Storm King, but they were eventually lost by the descendants of his grandson, Arlan III.[16] A Dornish king once sacked Highgarden after crossing the Mander.[17]

House Manderly once lived at Dunstonbury[18] and held rich lands along the Mander,[19] but they were driven away[20][21][11] by Lord Lorimar Peake at the behest of King Perceon III Gardener.[18] Despite being exiled, the Manderlys still claim the title Lord Marshal of the Mander.[21]

Targaryen Era

A skiff sails the Mander on a sunny day, by Jorge Carrero Roig © Fantasy Flight Games

After the downfall of House Gardener in the Field of Fire, Aegon I Targaryen granted Highgarden to Harlan Tyrell and named him Lord Paramount of the Mander.[2]

The Mander was said to have been red with blood for twenty leagues after the battle at Stonebridge, part of the Faith Militant uprising.[22] According to legend, Septon Mattheus encountered Septon Barth at Bitterbridge in 50 AC during their respective journeys to Oldtown and King's Landing.[19]

Ser Rickard Thorne was slain while crossing the Mander at Bitterbridge during the Dance of the Dragons, and Prince Maelor Targaryen was killed shortly after.[23] Many townspeople drowned in the river during the retaliatory sack of Bitterbridge by the greens.[23]

At a crossing of the Mander during the First Blackfyre Rebellion, Ser Quentyn Ball slew all of Lady Penrose's sons except for the youngest, whom he spared as a favor to the lady.[24] The Blackwater Rush and the Mander ran low during the terrible summer drought of 211 AC.[11]

During Robert's Rebellion, the Greyjoys and Shield Islanders fought a battle at the Mander's mouth. Lord Quellon Greyjoy was killed in the fighting.[25]

Baratheon Era

Princess Arianne Martell once crossed the Mander with three Sand Snakes to visit the mother of Tyene Sand.[5]

Recent Events

A Clash of Kings

The shores of the Mander, by David Lecossu © Fantasy Flight Games

During the War of the Five Kings, Renly Baratheon sets his sprawling camp[26] where the roseroad crosses the Mander near Bitterbridge.[3] Men of the Reach set up their pavilions north of the river, and the storm lords establish themselves on the southern bank.[3] Catelyn Stark sees the muddy waters of the Mander when she arrives at the melee at Bitterbridge.[3]

Following the siege of Storm's End, forces of Houses Oakheart and Rowan are seen north of the Mander.[27]

A Storm of Swords

Hoping to marry Willas Tyrell, Sansa Stark imagines drifting down the Mander with him on a pleasure barge.[28]

Lord Beric Dondarrion sends Greenbeard and the Mad Huntsman south of the Mander to buy provisions for the brotherhood without banners.[29]

A Feast for Crows

Euron Greyjoy, the new King of the Isles and the North, sends Torwold Browntooth and the Red Oarsman up the Mander with a dozen longships to draw away the lords of the Shield Islands. The Iron Fleet is then victorious in the taking of the Shields,[6] allowing the ironborn to sail up the Mander in strength and threaten the Reach.[30][31]

A Dance with Dragons

Ironborn raiders sail up the Mander deep into the heart of the Reach.[32]

Quotes

Men of the Mander, by Tomasz Jedruszek © Fantasy Flight Games

As the river is called the Mander, though the Manderlys were driven from its banks a thousand years ago.[11]

The Mander is open to us now, as it was of old.[6]

Why sail the world, when the Mander lies before us?[6]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Fire & Blood, Aegon's Conquest.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 22, Catelyn II.
  4. The Lands of Ice and Fire.
  5. 5.0 5.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 21, The Queenmaker.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 29, The Reaver.
  7. A Game of Thrones RPG and Resource Book, Guardians of Order
  8. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 6, Sansa I.
  9. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 14, Tyrion IV.
  10. George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Mander.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 The Sworn Sword.
  12. The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach: Garth Greenhand.
  13. The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach: The Gardener Kings.
  14. The World of Ice & Fire, The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns.
  15. The World of Ice & Fire, The Iron Islands: The Iron Kings.
  16. The World of Ice & Fire, The Stormlands: Andals in the Stormlands.
  17. The World of Ice & Fire, The Reach: Andals in the Reach.
  18. 18.0 18.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The North: The Kings of Winter.
  19. 19.0 19.1 Fire & Blood, A Time of Testing - The Realm Remade.
  20. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 9, Davos I.
  21. 21.0 21.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 19, Davos III.
  22. Fire & Blood, The Sons of the Dragon.
  23. 23.0 23.1 Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant.
  24. The Mystery Knight.
  25. The World of Ice & Fire, The Iron Islands: The Old Way and the New.
  26. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 31, Catelyn III.
  27. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 44, Tyrion X.
  28. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 16, Sansa II.
  29. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 39, Arya VII.
  30. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 32, Cersei VII.
  31. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 36, Cersei VIII.
  32. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 38, The Watcher.