| Ten Towers | |
|---|---|
| Castle | |
 Ten Towers, by Juan Carlos Barquet © Fantasy Flight Games | |
| Location | Harlaw, Iron Islands |
| Government | House Harlaw |
| Ruler | Lord Rodrik Harlaw |
| Founded | by Lord Theomore Harlaw |
| Named for | the castle's ten towers |
| Notable places | Book Tower, Widow's Tower, Long Stone Quay |
Ten Towers[1][2][3] or the Ten Towers[2] is the seat of House Harlaw on the eastern coast of the isle of Harlaw in the Iron Islands.[1][4]
Layout
The castle consists of ten towers all shaped differently, with wallwalks, covered bridges, kitchens, and dungeons.[2]
The hall of Ten Towers contains the high seat of House Harlaw, with two giant scythes of beaten silver hanging crossed above the seat.[2]
The Book Tower, the fattest of the castle's towers, is octagonal and made of large block stones.[2] Lord Rodrik Harlaw does not allow food or drink in his library.[2] The yard below contains a well.[2]
The Widow's Tower is so called due to the presence of Rodrik's sister, Lady Gwynesse Harlaw.[2]
A village lies near Ten Towers.[2] There is good fishing off the Long Stone Quay.[2]
History
The newest castle in the Iron Islands, Ten Towers was built by Lord Theomore Harlaw, who blamed the deaths of three infant sons on the dampness of ancient Harlaw Hall, which often flooded. The new castle was built at a better site, but the mercurial Theomore constructed ten towers different in appearance.[2]
While growing up Asha Greyjoy felt more at home at Ten Towers than at the Greyjoy seat of Pyke. She enjoyed racing amongst Ten Towers' walks and bridges and reading in Lord Rodrik Harlaw's library.[2] When the Faith of the Seven was tolerated in the Iron Islands, Rodrik kept septons at the castle to maintain his library.[2]
Rodrik's older sister, Lady Gwynesse Harlaw, came back to Ten Towers after the death of her husband in the sea battle off Fair Isle during Greyjoy's Rebellion in 289 AC, saying she would remain until her grief had passed. Her residence is now known as the Widow's Tower, and the still-grieving Gwynesse believes that the castle should belong to her instead of the younger Rodrik.[2]
Alannys Harlaw, the wife of Balon Greyjoy, Lord of the Iron Islands, moved to Ten Towers to live with her sister Gwynesse,[2] as it is less raw on Harlaw than on the isle of Pyke.[5]
Recent Events
A Feast for Crows
Rival claimants arise in the Iron Islands after the death of Balon Greyjoy, King of the Isles and the North. Lord Rodrik Harlaw announces that Balon intended to be succeeded by Asha Greyjoy, Balon's daughter and Rodrik's niece, and Lord Harlaw calls her supporters to Ten Towers.[1] Aeron Greyjoy calls for a kingsmoot to be held to choose Balon's successor.[1]
Lord Baelor Blacktyde briefly visits Rodrik at Ten Towers before continuing on to Old Wyk.[2] Potential supporters of Asha Greyjoy who assemble at Ten Towers include Botleys, Myres, Stonetrees, and Volmarks. Harlaw cousins include Boremund, Hotho Humpback, Ser Harras, and Sigfryd Silverhair.[2]
Upon arriving at Ten Towers, Asha orders the steward Three-Tooth to have the captive Lady Sybelle Glover and her children, Gawen and Erena, comfortably quartered in one of the towers instead of the dungeons, and to have warm food served to the crew of Black Wind. Asha delays seeing her mother Alannys in the Widow's Tower until the next morning, and instead meets her uncle, Lord Rodrik, within the Book Tower. Worried that Asha will lose to her uncles Euron or Victarion at the kingsmoot, Rodrik offers to name her heir to Ten Towers if she remains on Harlaw, though Harras would remain heir to House Harlaw itself. Asha refuses and wants the Seastone Chair instead.[2]
Euron ends up chosen by the ironborn who assemble at Nagga's hill for the kingsmoot on Old Wyk.[6]
A Dance with Dragons
When Euron Crow's Eye is chosen, Asha flees from Old Wyk back to Ten Towers on Harlaw to bid farewell to her mother. While taking on provisions, she learns that Euron has had her wed to Erik Ironmaker using a seal as her proxy.[3] Asha leaves Gawen and Erena Glover at Ten Towers in the care of Alannys and her aunt, Gwynesse Harlaw, but continues on to Deepwood Motte in the wolfswood with the captive Lady Glover.[3]
Quotes
Lady Gwynesse had come home to mourn after her husband had died off Fair Isle during Balon Greyjoy's first rebellion. "I will only stay until my grief has passed," she had told her brother, famously, "though by rights Ten Towers should be mine, for I am seven years your elder." Long years had passed since then, but still the widow lingered, grieving, and muttering from time to time that the castle should be hers. And now Lord Rodrik has a second half-mad widowed sister beneath his roof, Asha reflected. Small wonder if he seeks solace in his books.[2]
—thoughts of Asha Greyjoy
It was good to walk these halls again. Ten Towers had always felt like home to Asha, more so than Pyke. Not one castle, ten castles squashed together, she had thought, the first time she had seen it.[2]
—thoughts of Asha Greyjoy
Chapters that take place at Ten Towers
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 1, The Prophet.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 11, The Kraken's Daughter.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 26, The Wayward Bride.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Map of the Iron Islands.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 11, Theon I.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 19, The Drowned Man.