Storm's End

From A Wiki of Ice and Fire
Jump to: navigation, search
Storm's End
Legendary Castle, Regional Capitol
Stromsend.jpg
Government House Baratheon, Feudal Lord
Religion Faith of the Seven
Founded Age of Heroes
The Stormlands and the location of Storm's End
The Stormlands and the location of Storm's End
Storm's End
The Stormlands and the location of Storm's End
Storms end by Cris Urdiales ©

Storm's End, is one of the strongest castles in the Seven Kingdoms, it is the main seat of House Baratheon, and before it, the ancestral seat of the Storm Kings extending back many thousands of years. The castle is said to be protected by spells woven into its very walls that prevent magic from affecting it or passing through it.

Features

Storm's End is one of the strongest castles in the Seven Kingdoms. The castle is surrounded by a massive outer curtain wall, one hundred feet high and forty feet thick on its thinnest side and nearly eighty feet thick on its seaward side. It is composed of a double course of stones with an inner core of sand and rubble. The wall is smooth and curving, the stones so well placed so perfectly together that the wind can find no purchase. On the seaward side, there is a 150-foot drop below the wall into the sea.

The castle itself consists of one huge drum tower crowned with formidable battlements, so that from a distance enemies can see what appears to be a single huge, spiked fist thrusting towards the sky in defiance. The tower is so large that it comfortably contain the granary, barracks, armoury, feast hall and lord's chambers all at once.[1] There are spells woven into the stonework. The seaward side of the castle stands upon a high white cliffs overlooking the sea, and there is a barred, watery passage through a cavern that leads beneath the castle.

History

The mighty fortress called Storm's End has stood for centuries, facing the terrible weather of Shipbreaker Bay with little wear to show for it. Legend claims that it was built by Durran, the first Storm King during the Dawn Age, who declared a war against the gods after they kill his family and guests, ruining his wedding to their daughter Elenei. It was said that he raised six each larger and more formidable until he raised Storm's End, some believe this is because the children of the forest took a hand in its construction, using their magics in the raising the castle walls allowing it to resisted the storms. others believe that a young boy who grew up to be Bran the Builder, advised Durran on its construction. The truth of the matter is unknown.[1]

Storm's End has proven exceptionally formidable fortress. In its long history it has never fallen to either siege or storm. The castle has endured several sieges and battles in recent history. The last Storm King, Argilac the Arrogant, abandoned his impressive defences to meet Orys Baratheon in open battle during Aegon I's War of Conquest, and suffered accordingly. During the War of the Usurper, Storm's End was besieged for a year by the host of Mace Tyrell, who commanded the landward forces, whilst Paxter Redwyne's fleet of the Arbor kept the castle cut off by sea. Stannis Baratheon, commanding the defence, refused to yield and his men were reduced to eating rats. A smuggler named Davos Seaworth ran the blockade and resupplied the castle, allowing the garrison to outlast the siege.

After Robert Baratheon became king, he gave the castle to his younger brother Renly Baratheon and moved Stannis to the much poorer Dragonstone, which led to many years of bitterness on Stannis' part. When Renly was away at court fulfilling his duties as Master of Laws, the castle was ruled by Ser Cortnay Penrose.

Recent Events

A Clash of Kings

During the War of the Five Kings, the many castles sworn to Storm's End helped Renly field a sizable force to support his claim on the Iron Throne. Following Renly's death, the castellan Ser Cortnay Penrose refused to yield, believing that Edric Storm, fostered at Storm's End, would be harmed. Melisandre gave birth to a shadow that assassinated Penrose, but first she had Davos Seaworth smuggle her through the castle walls so that the spells of the castle did not ward out her magic.[2] Soon after Penrose's death, his lieutenant Lord Elwood Meadows surrendered the castle to Stannis's forces. Stannis named Ser Gilbert Farring as the new castellan, with Meadows as his second-in-command and Stannis' uncle, Ser Lomas Estermont. Before leaving for King's Landing, Stannis burned the godswood as an offering to the Lord of the Light.[3]

A Feast for Crows

Later in the war, the castle was besieged by a strong army under Mace Tyrell, but he only had the castle under siege for a few weeks before he abandoned the siege to return to King's Landing after the arrest of his daughter Margaery by the Faith. Mace left a token garrison to continue the siege but the castle continues to support Stannis's claim to the throne.

A Dance with Dragons

The Golden Company plans to take Storm's End as a base of operation. Aegon Targaryen plans to lead the assault.

References and Notes

This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original content was at Strongholds of A Song of Ice and Fire. The list of authors can be seen in the page history of Strongholds of A Song of Ice and Fire. As with A Wiki of Ice and Fire, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.