Difference between revisions of "Guest right"

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==See also==  
 
==See also==  
 
[[Customs]]: Additional information on customs and traditions of Westeros.
 
[[Customs]]: Additional information on customs and traditions of Westeros.
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==Quotes==
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{{Quote|“In the [[north]], we hold the laws of hospitality sacred still.” {{Ref|ASOS|37}}}} - [[Roose Bolton]], to [[Jaime Lannister]]
  
 
==References and Notes==
 
==References and Notes==

Revision as of 00:19, 3 April 2013

The guest right is a ancient and sacred tradition, that goes back thousands of years in Westeros to the First Men.[1]

The guest right is a sacred law of hospitality. When a guest, be he common born or noble, eats the food and drinks the drink off a host's table beneath the host's roof, the guest right is invoked. When invoked, neither the guest can harm his host nor the host harm his guest for the length of the guest's stay.[1] For either to do so would be to break a sacred covenant that is believed to invoke the wrath of the Gods both old and new. Both the teachings of the Old Gods and the Faith of the Seven hold to this.

There are two infamous instances in the history of the Westeros when the guest right was broken: the legend of the Rat Cook of the Nightfort, and more recently the Red Wedding. The song of the Rat Cook is used to represent the repercussions that await those who violate this sacred laws of hospitality.

Practice

A lord with a bared sword across his knees is making a traditional sign that he is denying guest right.

It is sometimes customary for a host to give "guest gifts" to the departing guests when they leave the host's dwellings; this usually represents the end of the sacred guest right. In addition, visiting guests will sometimes offer their host "guest gifts" as gratitude for giving them food and shelter.[2]

See also

Customs: Additional information on customs and traditions of Westeros.

Quotes

“In the north, we hold the laws of hospitality sacred still.” [3]

- Roose Bolton, to Jaime Lannister

References and Notes