A rookery is a breeding ground for corvids such as crows, ravens, and rooks, as well as for marine mammals such as seals, narwhals, walruses, and sea lions.[1][2]
In Westeros, maesters of the Citadel keep their trained ravens in a castle rookery,[3] so ravenry is occasionally used as the terminology instead.[4]
Maesters
[edit]Maesters of castles in the Seven Kingdoms usually tend to their own flock of ravens. When a master needs to send a message to another castle, he will fetch a raven from his rookery that was trained to fly to that castle.[5] A maester's chambers are usually located near a castle's rookery.[6][7]
Known rookeries
[edit]
- Castle Black, located above Maester Aemon's tower.[6][8][9]
- Citadel, located at the Ravenry, with separate rookeries for black and white ravens.[10]
- Coldmoat[11]
- Dragonstone, located above Maester Cressen's chambers in Sea Dragon Tower.[12][13]
- Eyrie[14]
- Griffin's Roost, located in the maester's tower.[15]
- Harrenhal, located below the maester's chambers.[7]
- Nightfort[16]
- Red Keep, located above the chambers of Grand Maester Pycelle.[17]
- Riverrun[18]
- Storm's End, located at the top of the massive single drum tower along with the maester's cell.[13]
- Winterfell, located above Maester Luwin's turret[19] and connected to the Bell Tower by a bridge.[3]
History
[edit]Grand Maester Benifer was in his rookery when Princess Aerea Targaryen and Balerion returned to King's Landing in 56 AC.[20]
Princess Viserra Targaryen liked to manipulate the boys who courted her, playing them off one against the other. To win her favor for a joust, she would send them on foolish quests, such as setting free all the ravens in the Red Keep rookery.[21]
During the fall of Dragonstone, Ser Marston Waters seized the rookery to prevent Grand Maester Gerardys from sending ravens.[22]
The cat Balerion has been known to attack ravens in the Red Keep rookery.[23]
Recent Events
[edit]A Clash of Kings
[edit]
During the sack of Winterfell, the maester's turret and the bridge connecting the Bell Tower to the rookery are destroyed. The maester's ravens are loosed, and eat the flesh of the slain, such as Poxy Tym.[24]
A Storm of Swords
[edit]Cleaning the rookery is among Chett's duties at Castle Black.[25]
Sansa Stark builds a replica of Winterfell out of snow at the Eyrie. Petyr Baelish helps her make the bridge in between the rookery and the Bell Tower.[14]
A Feast for Crows
[edit]After the death of Lady Lysa Arryn, ravens come and go from the Eyrie's rookery.[26]
A Dance with Dragons
[edit]During the taking of Griffin's Roost by the Golden Company, the castle's maester is thrown from the rookery. Later, Haldon Halfmaester is commanded by Lord Jon Connington to take charge of the rookery in his stead.[15]
Quotes
[edit]
A raven came to the castle in late afternoon, flapping down on great black wings to the rookery.[18]
—thoughts of Catelyn Stark
—thoughts of Jon Snow
Archmaester Walgrave has his chambers in the west tower, below the white rookery. The white ravens and the black ones quarrel like Dornishmen and Marchers, so they keep them apart.[10]
—Alleras to Samwell Tarly
References
[edit]- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Iron Islands.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Beyond the Free Cities: The Shivering Sea.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 8, Bran II.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 75, Samwell IV.
- ↑ The Winds of Winter, Theon I
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 41, Jon V.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 31, Jaime IV.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 48, Jon VI.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 55, Jon VII.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 45, Samwell V.
- ↑ The Sworn Sword.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 54, Davos V.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Fire & Blood, Birth, Death, and Betrayal Under King Jaehaerys I.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 80, Sansa VII.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 61, The Griffin Reborn.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 56, Bran IV.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 17, Tyrion IV.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 2, Catelyn I.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 28, Bran IV.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, The Long Reign - Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Overthrown.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 A Dance with Dragons, Epilogue.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 69, Bran VII.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Prologue.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 10, Sansa I.