House Royce

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House Royce of Runestone
Royce.png
We Remember
Coat of arms Black iron studs on a bronze field, bordered with runes
(Bronze pelleté, an orle of ancient runes sable)
Seat Runestone
Head Yohn Royce
Region The Vale
Titles
Heir Ser Andar Royce
Overlord House Arryn
Cadet branch Royce of the Gates of the Moon
Ancestral weapon Lamentation (lost)[2]
Founded Age of Heroes

House Royce of Runestone is an old and powerful noble house of the Vale, sworn to House Arryn. Their seat is the ancestral castle Runestone, located on the coast of the narrow sea north of Gulltown. There is a cadet branch occupying the non-hereditary seat of the Gates of the Moon, located on the path that leads to the Eyrie. The Royces of Runestone blazon their arms with black iron studs on bronze, bordered with runes and their motto, is "We Remember".[3][4]

History

House Royce is an ancient house in the Vale. The house is thought to have started in the Age of Heroes, though supposedly, their history goes back as far as the Dawn Age. This means they predate Arryn rule quite a bit and trace their blood to the days of the early First Men, who once populated the Vale, although no doubt they have since been heavily intermarried with the Andals who conquered the Vale millennia ago.

These ancient kings, also known as the Bronze Kings of Runestone waged many wars against fellow First Men kings, such as House Shett, who were vaingloriously titled King of the True Men. King Yorwyck VI had claimed the Runic Crown when his sire died in battle and proved to be a most redoubtable foe, defeating the Shetts and driving them back inside their town walls of Gulltown. The Shett king, Osgood III, turned to Andalos, to ask the Andal's for help. King Osgood won his victory and this was House Royce's first meeting with the Andals. King Yorwyck VI led his house to several smashing victories over the Andals. His heirs carried on the fight after him, for the wars between the First Men and the Andals lasted for generations.[1]

The last of the Bronze Kings was Yorwyck's grandson, King Robar II, who inherited Runestone a fortnight before his sixteenth nameday. He proved to be such a warrior of ferocity and cunning and charm that he almost stemmed the Andal tide. He succeeded in uniting the remaining First Men lords under a single banner to oppose the Andals, who by that time, controlled three-quarters of the Vale. These lords had been petty kings, but set aside their crowns and bent the knee before Robar Royce, proclaiming him High King of the Vale, the Fingers, and the Mountains of the Moon. During the Battle of the Seven Stars, the First Men host led by King Robar was eventually defeated and Robar himself killed by, some say, Ser Artys Arryn, others say Lord Ruthermont, or Luceon Templeton and even Ser Jaime Corbray. The end result was that House Royce survived by yielding up gold, land and hostages. The Royces bent their knee and swore fealty to Artys of House Arryn, the First of His Name, King of Mountain and Vale.[1]

In the early days of Targaryen rule, Lord Royce of Runestone gathered forces to sweep away the rebels under Jonos the Kinslayer, brother to Ronnel Arryn, the King Who Flew, penning him and others in the Eyrie - although this led directly to the murder of Lord Ronnel, when his brother sent him flying through the moon door.[1] After Jonos' death, the Arryn line continued through a cousin Hubert Arryn, who married a lady of House Royce.

In time, House Royce regained much of their pride, wealth and power, for during the rule of Lady Jeyne Arryn, Yorbert Royce, was the Lord Protector of the Vale, going to the Great Council of 101 AC, because Lady Jeyne was a minor at that time. The Lady of Runestone, several years later, was Rhea Royce, who was married to Prince Daemon Targaryen, a big player in Dance of the Dragons. During the Storming of the Dragonpit, Ser Willum Royce was killed and the Royces Valyrian steel sword Lamentation was lost.[1]

In more recent times Lord Royce competed in the Tourney of Maidenpool of 207 AC where he was defeated by Ser Humfrey Hardyng.[5] A lady of House Royce, Perra Royce, also married Lord Walder Frey,[6] while Lord Tywin Lannister offered Tyrion Lannister for marriage to one of Lord Yohn Royce's daughters, but was rejected. Kyle Royce was a member of Brandon Stark's party when he went to King's Landing to demand Prince Rhaegar Targaryen's head for kidnapping his sister, Lyanna Stark. A prelude to Robert's Rebellion. This goes to show that they regained quite a bit of their standing.

When Lord Yohn went north with his son Ser Waymar who was joining the Night's Watch at the Wall, they stopped at Winterfell. There they hunted and in the training yard, Yohn fought and defeated both Lord Eddard Stark and Ser Rodrik Cassel.

They have several sets of ancient bronze plate armor inscribed with runes that are thought to make their wearers immune to injury.[7] The truth of this claim has been called into question as quite a few Royces have died wearing them.[1]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Ser Waymar Royce, a ranger of the Night's Watch, is killed by the Others. His body turns into a wight and kills Will. Lord Yohn Royce and his two other sons, Andar and Robar, participate in the Tourney of the Hand in King's Landing. They rode in the tourney despite Lady Lysa Arryn forbidding her knights from fighting in that tourney.[8] Later Lord Yohn goes hunting with King Robert Baratheon in the Kingswood, and his son Ser Robar is sent there by the Hand of the King Lord Eddard Stark to tell them of his tacit declaration of war against House Lannister. In Joffrey's first session of court, both Lord Royces and their sons are among the nobles commanded to do him fealty or be labelled as traitors.

A Clash of Kings

Robar becomes a member of Renly Baratheon's Rainbow Guard and is known as Ser Robar the Red. He allows Catelyn Tully and Brienne of Tarth to escape after the assassination of Renly. Ser Loras Tyrell kills Robar in a red rage after he learns of Renly's death.

A Storm of Swords

During the War of the Five Kings, Lord Yohn is one of the lords of the Vale who wishes Lady Lysa Arryn to ally with Robb Stark.[9]

A Feast for Crows

After the death of Lysa, Lord Yohn is one of the Lords Declarant demanding the removal of Lord Petyr Baelish, the Lord Protector of the Vale. The Lords Declarant sign and issue their statement of demands from Runestone. Petyr grants the Gates of the Moon to Lord Nestor Royce in perpetuity, creating House Royce of the Gates of the Moon.

Yohn Royce holds a small melee at Runestone for squires only that Harrold Hardyng wins. Yohn knights Harry as his reward. Ser Mychel Redfort is forced by his father, Lord Horton Redfort, to marry one of Lord Yohn's daughters, Ysilla.[10]

House Royce at the end of the third century

The known Royces during the timespan of the events described in A Song of Ice and Fire are:

With unspecified familiar relationship to the main branch there are also:


Family Tree

Yohn
 
Unknown
wife
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Andar
 
Robar
 
Waymar
 
 
Ysilla
 
Mychel
Redfort
 
Daughter(s)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Granddaughters
 


Household

Historical Members

Sworn Houses

References