House Kettleblack
| House Kettleblack | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coat of arms |
A black kettle on red, a border of orles (Gules, a kettle sable within a bordure of pellets)[1] |
| Region | Crownlands[1][2] |
| Overlord | House Baratheon of King's Landing[1] |
House Kettleblack is a knightly house from the crownlands.[2] According to a semi-canon source, they blazon their arms with a black kettle on red, a border of orles.[1]
Contents
Traits
Members of House Kettleblack tend to be tall, with dark hair and hooked noses. The Kettleblacks are known for their unscrupulous behavior.[3][4]
History
Oswell Kettleblack has been in the service of Lord Petyr Baelish for a long time.[5] His sons Osmund, Osfryd, and Osney have known Petyr since they were children.[6][7]
Ser Osmund Kettleblack fought as a sellsword in the Stepstones and the Disputed Lands, fighting with the Gallant Men for Lys and Tyrosh. He claims to have been knighted by Ser Robert Stone, who is now dead.[8]
Recent Events
A Clash of Kings
During the War of the Five Kings, Ser Osmund, Osney and Osfryd Kettleblack are sellswords in King's Landing.[9] Queen Cersei Lannister has her cousin, Ser Lancel Lannister,[4] find sellswords to replace the House Lannister guards led by Captain Vylarr, whom Tyrion Lannister has sent from the capital.[10] Cersei calls on the High Septon at the Great Sept of Baelor as cover for secret meetings with the Kettleblack brothers, who are supposed to hire other sellswords for her. Unbeknownst to Cersei, however, the Kettleblack brothers are already being paid by Tyrion's captain, Bronn.[9]
After Ser Boros Blount is stripped of his white cloak for cowardice, Cersei names Osmund to the Kingsguard. Tyrion thinks the appointment gives him another agent close to King Joffrey I Baratheon.[11]
Cersei has Osney and Osfryd abduct Alayaya in order to threaten Tyrion, as the queen believes the prostitute is Tyrion's paramour.[3]
The brothers become great favorites in the Red Keep, getting along with both servants and highborns with their easygoing manner and their humor, and it is rumored that they get best along with the serving wenches. However, Sansa Stark wonders why she has never heard of them before Osmund was named to the Kingsguard.[12]
Osmund is assigned to guard King Joffrey during the Battle of the Blackwater. Osfryd becomes the captain of Cersei's new red cloak guards[13] and remains with the queen during the battle.[12] Osney brings reports to Cersei,[12][14] and he aids Osfryd.[15]
A Storm of Swords
Osney and Osfryd receive their knighthoods after the Battle of the Blackwater, though they took no part in the actual fighting,[16] and they serve as Cersei's sworn swords.[17] Cersei has the Kettleblacks retrieve Prince Tommen Baratheon from Rosby.[16]
King Joffrey dies at his own wedding feast, and Sansa escapes with Ser Dontos Hollard. Dontos brings Sansa down to the shore of the Blackwater Rush, where a cowled Oswell Kettleblack rows them to the Merling King in Blackwater Bay, where Lord Petyr Baelish and Ser Lothor Brune await. After Sansa and Oswell board the galley, Petyr has his men shoot Dontos with crossbows and set the skiff afire.[18]
The three brothers are called as witnesses for the prosecution in the trial of Tyrion Lannister for the death of King Joffrey. Osfryd and Osney mention Tyrion's threats against Cersei, although they omit that Tyrion had said them after Alayaya was harmed. Osmund's testimony is fabricated, claiming that Joffrey told him that Tyrion planned to steal his throne, which infuriates Tyrion.[19]
Osney and Osfryd guard King Tommen I Baratheon when Ser Jaime Lannister meets with the Kingsguard in the White Sword Tower. Jaime is skeptical of Osmund's claimed history and his knighthood.[8]
Petyr talks with Sansa about his plan to poison Joffrey, and reveals that he secretly hired dwarf entertainers to antagonize Tyrion Lannister and frame him for the murder. Petyr further reveals that he has secret friends in King's Landing; he has Sansa examine Oswell, and she eventually recognizes him as a Kettleblack. Petyr tells Sansa that he had Oswell send his sons to King's Landing when Bronn was hiring sellswords for Tyrion, and they have been secretly in his employ all along, unbeknownst to Tyrion and Cersei. However, Petyr believes the brothers are too treacherous to have been trusted with his scheme to kill Joffrey, and that Osmund has become especially unreliable since he was named to the Kingsguard.[4]
A Feast for Crows
After Tyrion escapes from the black cells and murders Lord Tywin Lannister and Shae in the Tower of the Hand, Queen Cersei orders the Kettleblacks to secretly dispose of Shae's corpse. Cersei tells them that what they do with the corpse is of no concern, as long as nobody knows she was ever there.[20] Cersei also orders Ser Boros Blount and the Kettleblacks to kill two gaolers who slept during Tyrion's escape, which upsets Jaime.[21]
After the departure of Ser Addam Marbrand, Osfryd is named by Cersei as his successor as Commander of the City Watch of King's Landing, the gold cloaks, despite his inexperience and inability to read.[22]
Cersei has Osney sneak into the Great Sept of Baelor and murder the High Septon appointed by Tyrion. Cersei offers Osney sex as a reward.[23] Cersei tasks Osney with seducing and bedding Queen Margaery Tyrell, with the pair to be discovered by Osney's brother, Ser Osmund of the Kingsguard. Tommen would then send Osney to the Wall as punishment, where he can kill the new Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, Jon Snow. Cersei promises Osney a pardon and lordship when both these tasks are completed.[23]
Oswell is at Gulltown when the Merling King docks, and he learns some interesting information which he shares with Petyr at the Gates of the Moon.[24]
After Osney is unsuccessful at seducing Margaery, Cersei tells him to go the new High Septon (known as the High Sparrow) and falsely confess to bedding Margaery and two of her three cousins. Cersei then lets him bed her again to make sure he obeys.[25] Cersei's plan goes awry when the High Sparrow has Osney tortured until he confesses to having slept with Cersei and murdered the previous High Septon. Osney and Cersei are both imprisoned by the Faith, awaiting trial. The small council removes Osfryd as commander of the gold cloaks and replaces him with Humfrey Waters.[26]
A Dance with Dragons
Aboard the Selaesori Qhoran in the Summer Sea, the dwarf entertainer Penny mentions to Tyrion Lannister that she and her brother Oppo had been hired in Pentos to joust at King Joffrey's wedding feast, by a man whose name was something like Osmund or Oswald.[27]
The imprisoned Cersei falsely[7] confesses to the High Sparrow that she slept with Osmund and Osfryd, in addition to her true encounters with Osney.[28] Ser Kevan Lannister, the Lord Regent, has the older Kettleblack brothers thrown into the dungeon. Kevan plans to send Osfryd and Osney to the Wall, or have them face Ser Robert Strong in trial by combat, depending on their pleas.[29]
The Winds of Winter
| Warning This information has thus far been released in a sample chapter for The Winds of Winter, and might therefore not be in finalized form. Keep in mind that the content as described below is still subject to change. |
At the Gates of the Moon, the night before the start of the tourney to choose the Brotherhood of Winged Knights, Oswell arrives from Gulltown on a lathered horse. He breaks his fast with Petyr Baelish, talking of what he learned in Gulltown.[30]
House Kettleblack at the end of the third century
The known Kettleblacks during the timespan of the events described in A Song of Ice and Fire are:
- Oswell, called "Kettleblack", a man-at-arms in service to Lord Petyr Baelish.
- Ser Osmund Kettleblack, his eldest son, a member of the Kingsguard.
- Ser Osfryd Kettleblack, his second son, former Commander of the City Watch of King's Landing and sworn sword of Queen Cersei Lannister.
- Ser Osney Kettleblack, his youngest son, sworn sword of Queen Cersei Lannister.
Quotes
Amiable rogues all three, the brothers were in truth much more skilled at deceit than they'd ever been at bloodletting. Cersei had managed to buy herself three hollow drums; they would make all the fierce booming sounds she required, but there was nothing inside.[9]
—thoughts of Tyrion Lannister
Ser Osmund and his brothers had become great favorites about the castle; they were always ready with a smile and a jest, and got on with grooms and huntsmen as well as they did with knights and squires. With the serving wenches they got on best of all, it was gossiped.[12]
—thoughts of Sansa Stark
Of late Ser Osmund had taken Sandor Clegane's place by Joffrey's side, and Sansa had heard the women at the washing well saying he was as strong as the Hound, only younger and faster. If that was so, she wondered why she had never once heard of these Kettleblacks before Ser Osmund was named to the Kingsguard.[12]
—thoughts of Sansa Stark
Tyrion: When I think of how much coin I paid those wretched... do you think there's any chance that more gold might win them away from Cersei?
Varys: There is always a chance, but I should not care to wager on the likelihood. They are knights now, all three, and your sister has promised them further advancement.[31]—Tyrion Lannister and Varys
Sansa: I never saw Oswell before I got into his boat, I'm certain.
Oswell: No, but m'lady might of met my three sons.
Sansa: Kettleblack! You're a Kettleblack![4]
When the Imp sent off her guards, the queen had Ser Lancel hire sellswords for her. Lancel found her the Kettleblacks, which delighted your little lord husband, since the lads were in his pay through his man Bronn. But it was me who told Oswell to get his sons to King's Landing when I learned that Bronn was looking for swords. Three hidden daggers, Alayne, now perfectly placed.[4]
—Petyr Baelish, to Sansa Stark
Cersei: I must confess, I am running short of patience with dear Osney. It is past time he broke in that little filly. I named him Tommen's sworn shield so he could spend part of every day in Margaery's company. He should have plucked the rose by now. Is the little queen blind to his charms?
Osmund: His charms is fine. He's a Kettleblack, ain't he?[32]
The Kettleblacks... they are hard men, and cruel, and they used me roughly, but what else was I to do? Tommen needed men around him I could trust.[28]
—Cersei Lannister, to the High Sparrow
Behind the Scenes
The idiom "the pot calling the kettle black" seems to be inspiration behind the name of the House.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 The Citadel. Heraldry: In the Crownlands
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 A Game of Thrones: d20-based Open Gaming RPG
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 54, Tyrion XII.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 68, Sansa VI.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 10, Sansa I.
- ↑ George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Osmund Kettleblack.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Osfryd Kettleblack.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 67, Jaime VIII.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 41, Tyrion IX.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 25, Tyrion VI.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 49, Tyrion XI.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 60, Sansa VI.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 57, Sansa V.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 62, Sansa VII.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 65, Sansa VIII.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 4, Tyrion I.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Appendix.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 61, Sansa V.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 66, Tyrion IX.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 3, Cersei I.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 8, Jaime I.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 28, Cersei VI.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 17, Cersei IV.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 41, Alayne II.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 39, Cersei IX.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 43, Cersei X.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 33, Tyrion VIII.
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 54, Cersei I.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Epilogue.
- ↑ The Winds of Winter, Alayne I
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 12, Tyrion II.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 24, Cersei V.
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