Editing Moat Cailin

{{Infobox settlement
| name		= Moat Cailin
| image		= [[File:Moat cailin by reneaigner.jpg|350px]]
| image_caption	= Moat Cailin by Rene Aigner ©
| location	= [[North]]
| settlement_type= Ancient fortress ruins 
| seat		=
| seat_type	=
| religion	= 
| population	=
| size		=
| founded	= [[Dawn Age]]
| destroyed	=
| named_for	=
| places	=
| organizations	=
}}

{|
{{Location map| File:The North.png
| label = '''Moat Cailin'''
| lat = -46
| long = -5
| position = right
| mark = Wolff2.PNG
| marksize = 9
| width = 400
| float = right
| caption = The [[north]] and the location of Moat Cailin
| alt =  The north and the location of Moat Cailin
}}
|}
'''Moat Cailin''', sometimes called '''the Moat''',{{ref|ADWD|17}} is an ancient stronghold of the [[First Men]]{{Ref|aGoT|55|p 597}} on the northern edge of the great swamp known as the [[Neck]], in the south of the [[north]]. It is less than twenty miles from the headwaters of the [[Fever River]].{{ref|ACOK|24}} Moat Cailin is one of the north's most important strongholds, though much of the castle now stands in ruins.{{ref|ADWD|20}} It commands the [[causeway]], the safe route for armies to travel through the swamps of the Neck.{{ref|AGOT|55}}

Moat Cailin is an effective natural choke point which has protected the north from [[southron]] invasion for thousands of years. The [[crannogmen]] of the Neck know unmapped routes through the swamps, such as narrow trails between the bogs and wet roads through the reeds that only boats can follow.{{ref|ASOS|45}}

==Layout==
:''See also: [[:Category:Images of Moat Cailin|Images of Moat Cailin]]''

Moat Cailin was once a great stronghold, with twenty towers, a wooden keep, and a great [[basalt]] curtain wall as high as that of [[Winterfell]]'s. Today only great blocks of black basalt lay scattered about, half sunk in the ground where the wall once stood, and the keep rotted away.{{ref|AGOT|55}}{{ref|ADWD|20}}

The remaining three towers, which are covered with green moss{{ref|AGOT|55}} and white [[ghostskin]],{{ref|ADWD|20}} command the causeway from all sides so that enemies must pass between them. Attackers face constant fire from the other towers should they attempt to attack any one tower, wading through chest deep water and crossing a moat full of [[lizard-lion]]s.{{Ref|AGOT|55}} 

The [[Children's Tower]] is tall and slender. It has only half of the crenellations of its crown. Legend has it that the [[children of the forest]] called upon [[old gods|their gods]] here to send the [[hammer of the waters]] to smash the [[Neck]].{{Ref|AGOT|55}}

The [[Gatehouse Tower]], the largest of the remaining towers, is squat and wide.{{ref|ADWD|20}} It is the only tower which still stands straight, even retaining some of the walls around it,{{Ref|AGOT|55}} although a tree grows through its northern side.{{ref|ADWD|20}} The tower's hall of dark stone is spotted with lichen and has a high, drafty ceiling. Within the hall is a massive carved table, also of stone.{{ref|ADWD|20}}

The [[Drunkard's Tower]] is so named due to its great lean. It stands where the south and west walls once met.{{Ref|AGOT|55}}

==History==
[[File:Moat Cailin by crisurdiales.jpg|350px|thumb|Moat Cailin by Cris Urdiales ©]]
===Ancient History===
Raised by the ancient [[First Men]],{{ref|AGOT|53}} it is claimed that Moat Cailin has defended against southern invasions for [[Timeline of major events|ten thousand years]].{{Ref|ACOK|66}}

According to myth, the [[greenseers]] of the [[children of the forest]] worked dark [[magic]] at Moat Cailin.{{ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: The Coming of the First Men}} From the [[Children's Tower]],{{ref|AGOT|55}} they are said to have used the [[hammer of the waters]] on the [[Neck]]{{ref|ACOK|50}} to break [[Westeros]] in two,{{ref|ADWD|20}} separating the north from the south in the same manner they shattered the [[Arm of Dorne]]. The children failed and only succeeded in flooding it, however, creating bogs and swamps. Some scholars discount the legend, instead attributing the watery landscape to natural events.{{ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: The Coming of the First Men}}

The [[Marsh King]]s and their [[crannogmen]] held Moat Cailin—sometimes with the assistance of the [[Barrow Kings]], [[Red Kings]], and [[Kings of Winter]]—against all attacks from the south.{{ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Kings of Winter}} The Kings of Winter from [[House Stark]] eventually defeated the Marsh Kings, adding Moat Cailin to the realm of [[Winterfell]].{{ref|AGOT|66}} The swampy terrain was enough to prevent Moat Cailin from falling during the [[coming of the Andals]] to Westeros. It was a key defense of the north{{Ref|AGOT|66}} against which [[Andal]] armies threw themselves time after time with no success.{{ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: The Arrival of the Andals}} 

The wooden keep rotted away "a thousand years past".{{refn|group=N|name=Catelyn|[[Catelyn Stark]] recalls the "wooden keep was gone entirely, rotted away a thousand years past" (''[[A Game of Thrones]]'', [[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 55|Catelyn VIII]]). It is unknown if this means one thousand years ago (seven hundred years before [[Aegon's Conquest]]) or if [[George R. R. Martin]] is being figurative.}} The three remaining towers are more than capable of defending the passage to the south, however, provided that they are fully manned.{{Ref|AGOT|55}} Moat Cailin has never been taken from the south, although it is vulnerable from the north and the east.{{ref|ADWD|17}}

===Iron Throne===
During [[Aegon's Conquest]], some northern lords urged King [[Torrhen Stark]] to resist [[House Targaryen]] at Moat Cailin.{{ref|FAB|Aegon's Conquest}} Rather than fight the Targaryen [[dragon]]s, however, Torrhen instead submitted to [[Aegon I Targaryen]] at the [[Trident]], becoming the King Who Knelt.{{ref|TWOIAF|The Reign of the Dragons: The Conquest}}

[[Catelyn Stark]] has visited Moat Cailin,{{ref|AGOT|55}} presumably seeing it for the first time while traveling from [[Riverrun]] to [[Winterfell]] after [[Robert's Rebellion]].

==Recent Events==
===''A Game of Thrones''===
[[File:Moat Cailin moat cailin.JPG|thumb|350px|right|Moat Cailin by Wibben © Fantasy Flight Games]]
Lord [[Eddard Stark]], the [[Hand of the King]] to [[Robert I Baratheon]], instructs his wife [[Catelyn Stark|Catelyn]] to have Ser [[Helman Tallhart]] and [[Galbart Glover]] fortify Moat Cailin with a hundred bowmen each.{{ref|AGOT|20}}

On the march south from [[Winterfell]] after [[arrest of Eddard Stark|Eddard's arrest]] in [[King's Landing]], [[Robb Stark]] takes the [[Gatehouse Tower]] as his seat, [[Jon Umber|Greatjon Umber]] takes the [[Children's Tower]] for his, and [[Rickard Karstark]] uses the Drunkard's Tower. Robb's mother, [[Catelyn Stark]], and great-uncle, Ser [[Brynden Tully]], join him at Moat Cailin with the levies of [[House Manderly]], but the northmen run low on supplies.{{ref|AGOT|55}} Robb leaves a small force of mostly archers to hold the Moat,{{ref|AGOT|55}} while the rest of his army continues south toward the [[Twins]].{{ref|AGOT|59}}

===''A Clash of Kings''=== 
[[Victarion Greyjoy]], [[Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet]], is sent by his brother [[Balon Greyjoy|Balon]], [[Lord of the Iron Islands]], to take Moat Cailin. Instead of marching from the south, the [[ironborn]] sail up the [[Saltspear]] and the [[Fever River]]{{Ref|ACOK|24}} and [[fall of Moat Cailin|attack Moat Cailin]] from the west.{{ref|AWOIAF|Moat Cailin}}

After [[Theon Greyjoy]] [[capture of Winterfell|captures Winterfell]] and declares himself the [[Prince of Winterfell]], Maester [[Luwin]] councils Theon that holding [[Jojen Reed|Jojen]] and [[Meera Reed]] as hostages will stay the hand of their father, Lord [[Howland Reed]], the liege of the local [[crannogmen]].{{Ref|ACOK|50}}  

===''A Storm of Swords''=== 
At [[Hag's Mire]], upon receiving the news of Balon's death at [[Pyke]] from the captain of the ''[[Myraham]]'', Robb plans to march on Moat Cailin. Robb intends for Howland's crannogmen to lead northmen through the swamps of the [[Neck]], so the ironborn-held Moat Cailin can be attacked from the south and the north.{{ref|ASOS|45}}

===''A Feast for Crows''=== 
[[File:Reek_Moat_Cailin_MarcSimonetti.jpg|thumb|350px|right|[[Theon Greyjoy]] rides to Moat Cailin, by Marc Simonetti ©]]
Upon hearing of Balon's death and the return of his hated brother, [[Euron Greyjoy|Euron]], Victarion leaves a token force to defend Moat Cailin under the command of [[Ralf Kenning]] and returns to the [[Iron Islands]] with his fleet to decide on the succession.{{ref|AFFC|18}} The ironborn garrison is weakened by [[crannogmen]] attacks.{{ref|AFFC|11}}{{ref|AFFC|18}}

Euron is crowned [[King of the Isles and the North]] during the [[kingsmoot]],{{Ref|AFFC|19}} and he commands Victarion to travel to [[Slaver's Bay]] with the [[Iron Fleet]] to bring back [[Daenerys Targaryen]]. Victarion sets sail, leaving behind his unknowing loyal garrison at Moat Cailin.{{Ref|AFFC|29}}

Queen Regent [[Cersei Lannister]] expects that [[Ramsay Snow|Ramsay Bolton]], the son of the new [[Warden of the North]], Lord [[Roose Bolton]], will wed [[Arya Stark]] after the ironborn lose control of Moat Cailin.{{ref|AFFC|17}}

===''A Dance with Dragons''===
Men from Houses [[House Ryswell|Ryswell]] and [[House Dustin|Dustin]] surprise the remaining ironmen on the Fever River and burn their longships, cutting off the garrison of Moat Cailin from naval support.{{Ref|ADWD|15}}

During the [[siege of Moat Cailin]], Ramsay sends his captive, Theon Greyjoy, to offer the weakened ironborn garrison food and safe passage if they surrender unarmed. Theon negotiates their surrender, but Ramsay has all of the ironborn flayed and displayed along the causeway. Ramsay and Theon later meet the returning northern host of Lord Bolton and his [[House Frey|Frey]] allies at Moat Cailin.{{Ref|aDwD|20}}

With the fall of Moat Cailin, [[Tristifer Botley]] advises [[Asha Greyjoy]] to abandon [[Deepwood Motte]]. They are soon after [[fight by Deepwood Motte|captured]] by [[Stannis Baratheon]].{{ref|ADWD|26}}{{ref|ADWD|42}}

==Quotes==
{{quote|'''Brynden''': This is Moat Cailin? It's no more than a—<br>
'''Catelyn''': —death trap. I know how it looks, Uncle. I thought the same the first time I saw it, but [[Eddard Stark|Ned]] assured me that this ruin is more formidable than it seems. The three surviving towers command the [[causeway]] from all sides, and any enemy must pass between them. [[Neck|The bogs]] here are impenetrable, full of quicksands and suckholes and teeming with snakes. To assault any of the towers, an army would need to wade through waist-deep black muck, cross a moat full of [[lizard-lion]]s, and scale walls slimy with moss, all the while exposing themselves to fire from archers in the other towers. And when night falls, there are said to be [[ghosts]], cold vengeful spirits of the [[north]] who hunger for [[southron]] blood.<br>
'''Brynden''': Remind me not to linger here. Last I looked, I was southron myself.{{ref|AGOT|55}}|[[Brynden Tully]] and [[Catelyn Stark]]}}

{{quote|It's said that the old [[Kings in the North]] could stand at Moat Cailin and throw back hosts ten times the size of their own.{{ref|AGOT|55}}|[[Catelyn Stark]] to [[Robb Stark]]}}

{{quote|The battle for the [[north]] will be fought amidst the ruins of Moat Cailin.{{ref|ACOK|66}}|[[Luwin]] to [[Theon Greyjoy]]}}

{{quote|[[Robb Stark|Robb]] will never look on [[Winterfell]] again. He will break himself on Moat Cailin, as every [[southron]] army has done for ten thousand years.{{ref|ACOK|66}}|[[Theon Greyjoy]] to [[Rodrik Cassel]]}}

{{quote|The [[ironmen]] control the [[sunset sea]]. The [[House Greyjoy|Greyjoys]] hold Moat Cailin as well. No army has ever taken Moat Cailin from the south. Even to march against it is madness. We could be trapped on the [[causeway]], with the ironborn before us and angry [[House Frey|Freys]] at our backs.{{ref|ASOS|14}}|[[Edmure Tully]] to [[Robb Stark]]}}

==Chapters that take place at Moat Cailin==
*[[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 55|''A Game of Thrones'': 55. Catelyn VIII]]
*[[A Dance with Dragons-Chapter 20|''A Dance with Dragons'': 20. Reek II]]

==Notes==
{{Notes}}

==References==
{{References}}

{{Region North‎}}

[[Category:Moat Cailin| ]]
[[Category:Black castles]]
[[Category:Castles]]
[[Category:First Men]]
[[Category:The Neck]]
[[Category:Places in the North]]
[[Category:Ruins]]

[[es:Foso Cailin]]
[[fr:Moat Cailin]]
[[pt:Fosso Cailin]]
[[ru:Ров Кейлин]]
[[zh:卡林湾]]