Follow TV Tropes

Following

Characters / Forum of Thrones - The Rock

Go To

Click here to return to the main page

The Kingdom of the Rock is located in the central west of Westeros, between the Riverlands and the Reach. Ruled by the cunning House Lannister of Casterly Rock, the Kingdom of the Rock is known for being incredibly rich in minerals, with mines that haul more gold and silver than the rest of the continent combined. As a result, the kingdom is not only wealthy, but also a constant target by powerful enemies, the worst of them being the dreaded Ironborn from the neighbouring Kingdom of the Isles and Rivers.

    open/close all folders 

House Lannister

"Hear Me Roar"
Words of House Lannister

The ruling house of the Rock, House Lannister is one of the most ancient houses in Westeros, as well as by far the most wealthy. Their seat is at Casterly Rock, although an influential cadet branch has their seat at the nearby city of Lannisport. Their gold mines have made them unbelievably rich and powerful, though it also gave them the envy of their opponents, most importantly the Hoare's of Orkmont, who are currently in a long and bloody war with the Kingdom of the Rock. The Lannisters are known for their good looks and high intelligence, with many of them bing shrewd administrators. Their current head is Loren Lannister.

     In General 
  • Animal Motifs: The Lannister's have lions as the most part of their sigil and are usually compared to them as well, with prideful, regal behaviour, golden hair and strength.
  • The Beautiful Elite: Almost every Lannister is famously good-looking, with blonde hair, green eyes and handsome facial features. Their current king, Loren, is one of the few to avert this, being described as rather plain.
  • Famous Ancestor: Like House Stark and Durrandon, they have many. There's the mythical founder Lann the Clever, Loreon I Lannister, first King of the Rock, Lancel I the Lion, Tyrion II the Tormentor, and Tommen II, who lost the sword Brightroar 100 years prior.
  • Fiction 500: Their gold mines have made them the richest house in Westeros by far.
  • Guile Hero: Though the Lannister's have brought forth their fair share of badass military leaders and famed knights, they are mostly known for their cunning. Their legendary ancestor, Lann the Clever, is not known for feats of strength, but famed for his cunning and future generations of Lannister's have continued this trend.
  • Screw the Rules, I Have Money!: More unscrupulous Lannister's have used their wealth in such a way. Not always are their intentions bad, mind you, but they typically have little problem with bending the laws, even their own ones, if it gives them an advantage.

     King Loren Lannister 

King Loren Lannister

King Loren of House Lannister, First of his Name, King of the Rock, Lion of the West

The King of the Rock at the time of the story, Loren is a stern, dutiful man, who is not quite gifted with the typical good looks of the Lannisters, but makes up for it by having a braver heart than most of them. He cares deeply for his kingdom and is heavily concerned by the threat the Ironborn pose to it.
  • Badass Boast: Drops a nice one when confronted with the continuous threat of Ironborn against his kingdom.
  • Beware the Nice Ones: Surely, Loren is a nice person, being a good king, concerned with the survival of his kingdom and its citizens. However, this only makes him more dangerous when pissed off, especially considering that he is the richest man in Westeros and is theoretically even capable of hiring the dreaded Faceless Men.
  • The Good King: Loren is one of the few truly good kings in Westeros, as a reasonable and calm man, who cares for his kingdom and its inhabitants and tries his best to keep them safe, putting their needs even beyond his own.
  • Put on a Bus: Like most of the Rock characters, he drops out of the narrative after Willfred leaves Castamere.
  • The Quiet One: Loren is a good listener, but not noted to be a particularly charismatic or gifted talker. As a result, he often comes off as dull, whereas he is actually a very sharp man, who just prefers to pay attention instead of speaking himself.
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: In his role as king, Loren proves himself to be capable and reasonable, enough to consider even unusual tactics to deal with the threat of the marauding Ironborn in his lands.
  • Shoot the Dog: After defeating the Ironborn and Riverlands force that was besieging the Golden Tooth, he orders the death of all prisoners, a quick death for the Riverlanders and crucifixion for the Ironborn. He takes no pleasure in this action but believes its necessary, since he knows no way to prevent the resentment.
  • The Smart Guy: Loren is known as a very intelligent man, which counterbalances his lack of charisma.

     Prince Lucion Lannister 

Prince Lucion Lannister

The elder child and only son of King Loren Lannister and therefore his designated heir to the throne of the Rock. Lucion is famed for his skill as a knight, yet also displays a couple of concerning qualities, among them his arrogance.
  • Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy: Lucion is surely a skilled knight, though far from the best and his arrogance outshines his ability by far. Not only is he too confident in his skills, he is also aggressive towards everyone who is better than him.
  • Bit Character: Like most of the Rock characters, he only appears in a single chapter in Book 1.
  • Hot Guys Are Bastards: As a Lannister, Lucion is very good-looking, with golden hair and green eyes, every bit the handsome knight his father isn't. However, he is also a deeply unpleasant person.
  • Jerkass: As said above, Lucion is not exactly pleasant company, but a smug and rude man, who is a Sore Loser on top of it. At least this is Willfred's opinion on him.
  • Revenge by Proxy: It is unclear if he would surely stoop so low, but Willfred seems to think so at the very least. As a result, he goes as far as to order his bodyguard, Two-Face, to look after his sister Alanna, to make sure that Lucion doesn't try to get revenge on Willfred for the duel he lost by harming her.
  • Sore Loser: He challenges Willfred to a training fight, but is soundly beaten by the more skilled knight. He is shown to be very pissed about this, going as far as to indirectly threaten Willfred.

     Princess Lorna Lannister 

Princess Lorna Lannister

The younger child and only daughter of King Loren Lannister. Very recently, Lorna has been betrothed to Willfred Reyne in a move that is supposed to put both houses closer together. That said, neither Lorna nor Willfred have ever even met each other.
  • Arranged Marriage: With Willfred Reyne, a man she has never even met.
  • The Ghost: Though frequently mentioned in Willfred's parts, she has yet to appear in person.
  • Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Like all Lannister's, she has blonde hair and Roger, who has gotten to know her personally during his years at Castamere, describes her as a sweet and gentle woman.
  • Princess Classic: By all accounts, she fits the trope.

     Damion Lannister 

Damion Lannister

The Cursed Lion

A young cousin of King Loren, who has a bad reputation, since the last 3 knights he has served under have died. Loren dismisses those rumors as nonsense and lets him serve him as squire.
  • Born Unlucky: At least by reputation, but King Loren thinks its nonsense.
  • The Squire: For his cousin and king Loren.

     Ser Tythan Lannister 

Ser Tythan Lannister

A member of House Lannister, from the Lannisport cadet branch, as well as the cousin of the sellsword leader Leo Hill. Not much is known about him, though Leo is noted to have a grudge towards him and the rest of his family.
  • Bit Character: Tythan only appears in a two chapters in Book 1, as a background character. He doesn't even speak to the Point-of-View encountering him first, as he mostly serves as a means to show Leonard's hatred for the Lannister's.
  • Jumped at the Call: When the Ironborn attack Maybros, Tythan is very quick to jump to its defense.
  • The Quiet One: As said above, he doesn't speak during the scene that introduces him.
  • Unreliable Expositor: While he does have reasons to greatly dislike Leonard Hill, he tends to paint his cousin in a far worse light than he actually is.
  • What Happened to the Mouse?: His fate after the battle of Maybros is initially unknown. In chapter 9 it's revealed he survived.
     Ser Leonard Hill 

Lannister Bannermen and Retainers

House Reyne

"All for our Pride"
Words of House Reyne

The single most important vassal of House Lannister, the Reyne's of Castamere rival their kings in power and have often warred with them in the past. They control vast lands in the northern Rock and are second only to House Lannister in power. Their wealth comes from extensive silver mines, over which they have built their seat. Their current head is Darren Reyne.

     Lord Darren Reyne 

Lord Darren Reyne

The Lord of Castamere at the start of the story, husband to Lady Mileena and father to Willfred, Alanna and Tinnet Reyne. Darren is the most powerful of Loren Lannister's bannermen and his wealth rivals that of House Lannister, though he is also regarded as a loyal and dutiful man.
  • Arranged Marriage: The marriage between him and his wife Mileena is not one of love, but was made as an arrangement between House Reyne and Mileena's house, House Tarbeck, to strengthen the bonds between the two.
  • Bit Character: Like most of the Castamere characters, he merely appears in one chapter.
  • The Creon: As the head of House Reyne of Castamere, Darren is the second-most powerful man in the Rock, whose wealth rivals that of Loren Lannister himself. However, he is content with his position and holds no ambition of overthrowing his liege, even though he quite likely could be able to do it.
  • Good Parents: Darren is supportive of his son Willfred, despite the young man's flaws, encouraging and inspiring him to become a better man without ever resorting to more stricter actions.
  • Manly Facial Hair: Darren is a famous commander and skilled fighter, who sports a full beard.
  • Put on a Bus: When Willfred leaves Castamere, Darren remains behind, just as the rest of his family does. In his case, he is shown to leave Castamere as well, to support the war effort near the Golden Tooth.
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: As the Lord of Castamere, Darren is a very important figure in the political landscape of the Rock. He is well-aware of the responsiblity this brings and as a result is supportive of intelligent, reasonable planning.
  • Tall, Dark, and Handsome: A trait that sets him apart from the fair-haired Lannister's and even most members of his own family is that he has very dark hair. Nonetheless, he is seen just as handsome as they are.

     Lady Mileena Reyne 

Lady Mileena Reyne

The Lady of Castamere, wife of Darren and mother of Willfred, Alanna and Tinnet Reyne. Mileena was born into House Tarbeck and married Darren at a young age due to a marriage pact between the two houses.
  • Arranged Marriage: Mileena originates from House Tarbeck and was married to Darren Reyne at a young age, to strengthen the bond between the two houses. While she loves her husband, she knows these feelings are not reciprocated and has come to terms with this.
  • Bit Character: Like most of the Castamere characters, she only appears in one chapter of Book 1.
  • Good Parents: Mileena is a highly caring mother, one of the best the story has shown so far. Her children are obviously very fond of her and together with her husband, she is very supportive of them.
  • Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Unlike her husband and eldest son Mileena is described with golden-blonde hair, a trait she passed on to her daughter and her younger son. She is also a gentle and caring mother, fitting the heart of gold part of the trope.
  • Number Two: As the Lady of Castamere, she is the one that supports her husband in most affairs. This does not only include typical areas a noble wife is supposed to cover, but also political matters.
  • Put on a Bus: When Willfred leaves Castamere at the end of Chapter 2, to go on his journey south, Mileena remains behind with most of her family, save for Darren, who leaves for the Golden Tooth.
    • The Bus Came Back: She returns to the story is chapter 2 of Book 2 when Leonard Hill and the refugees of Maybros arrive to Castamere.
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: She proves herself as one when she listens to Sadie's arguments in favor of Leonard Hill and chooses to allow his forces to remain at Castamere with the refugees as long as they behave.

     Ser Willfred Reyne* 

Ser Willfred Reyne

The firstborn son of Lord Darren Reyne of Castamere and heir to House Reyne, as well as the older brother to Alanna and Tinnet Reyne. Young, inexperienced and adventurous, Willfred's carefree nature gets him into trouble more often than not. Nonetheless, thanks to his close ties to House Lannister, he was chosen for a highly important mission that could decide on the fate of the Kingdom of the Rock. He is also a Point-of-View character.
  • Arranged Marriage: With Lorna Lannister, the Princess of the Rock and daughter of King Loren. Though the king had his reservations about such a match, he ultimately agreed and Willfred tried to prove himself worthy ever since.
  • Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy: There's no doubt about Willfred's incredible talent for swordplay. However, he is quick to let this talent get to his head, becoming way too convinced that his skill in fighting means skill in just about everything. His arrogance puts further emphasis on a carefree nature, showing a concerning lack of discipline.
  • Authority Equals Asskicking: Willfred is a prodigy at fighting, that much is for sure. However, as the son of the second-most wealthy man in the Rock, his talents were sufficiently supported by the best trainers one could buy for coin, resulting in him becoming one of the best fighters of the entire kingdom.
  • Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: At first, it appears as if Willfred is annoyed by his younger sister and considering his behaviour, he most likely is. However, when her mood switches to genuine sadness and concern over the changes happening in Castamere, it becomes clear just how much he cares for Alanna, when he leans down to comfort her.
  • Big Brother Instinct: Though they occasionally annoy each other, Willfred and his sister Alanna are shown to be exceptionally close. In fact, it seems that Willfred is quite protective of her, as evidenced when he orders his trusty bodyguard Two-Face to remain behind at Castamere, to ensure her safety.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Willfred has an easy-going sort of humour, one of his most clear traits.
  • Dude, Where's My Respect?: One of the cases in which this reaction is not quite appropriate happens after Willfred participated in the discussion about the future of Raylansfair. There, due to his naivety about the true nature of Sherryl, he allowed himself to arrange the victory of the stories Big Bad in Raylansfair. When he is shunned by former allies afterwards, who, unlike him, fully realize the magnitude of his decision, he reacts in an annoyed and outright angry way.
  • Dumb Muscle: Though not exactly dumb in the truest sense of the word, Willfred is not a particularly sharp man, especially when compared to his smart father. Sure enough, he makes plenty of mistakes that could have been avoided if he would have taken a moment to consider his options a bit better.
  • Eating the Eye Candy: When encountering the Storm Princess, Willfred is quite clearly smitten by her, spending quite a lengthy amount of time appreciating her physical beauty.
  • Fatal Flaw: His arrogance and inflated opinion on his own skills is the one flaw that, above all others, is the primary reason for his worst decisions in the story, including the prominent Nice Job Breaking It, Hero moment detailed below.
  • Glory Seeker: As a result of him not feeling worthy of his royal bride and his father's legacy, Willfred seeks to improve his own reputation by earning glory as a knight and as a defender of his kingdom. It is his primary motivation in the story.
  • Handsome Lech: Willfred is surely a clean case of Tall, Dark, and Handsome. These good looks make him highly popular with women and he is shown to be very much into flirting despite his status as a soon-to-be married man.
  • Hero Worship: After spending some time alongside him, Willfred comes to appreciate Lord Quentyn Crakehall greatly, admiring the man's skill in battle and experience.
  • Hot-Blooded: No matter what happens, Willfred acts with incredible passion and raw emotion as opposed to careful thinking. This comes to bite him in the ass more than once.
  • Inadequate Inheritor: Unlike the calm, wise and understanding Lord Darren Reyne, Willfred is a rash, hot-headed show-off, who is by far not as well-suited for the position of the most influential Lannister bannerman as his father is.
  • Jumped at the Call: Due to his Glory Seeker traits, he is extremely eager to undergo the mission to Raylansfair, in the hopes that it will help him with proving himself worthy of his bride in the eyes of his father-in-law.
  • Kingmaker Scenario: His role in Raylansfair in a nutshell. As a foreigner, it is not possible for him to become lord himself, nor does he want it, considering that he is heir to the most powerful house of the Northern Rock already. However, it is exactly this power that gives his voice special meaning in the city and ultimately puts him as the key factor that decides upon the future Lord of Raylansfair.
  • Knight In Shining Armour: At the very least, he tries to be one. However, Willfred's arrogance and need for showing off his skills reveal this intention to be ultimately rather shallow, as he is too much of an Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy to ever be a true knight.
  • Master Swordsman: His skill as a swordsman is widely famed.
  • Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Willfred's single most consequential moment in the story results in one of these. After arriving in Raylansfair, it quickly becomes clear that the support of the Rock he offers could put him into a Kingmaker Scenario, where he eventually gets to decide on the future of Raylansfair. However, he first turns against his initial ally, Hobert Lowther, being annoyed by the man's arrogance and smugness, which results in him allying with Harris Flowers, the castellan. This alliance ends the moment he learns about Harris' crimes during his time as the acting lord of Raylansfair. He briefly enters an alliance with Argella Durrandon, arguably the most well-intentioned of the claimaints, but his uncle's advice causes him to turn against her again, remaining neutral instead. This gives Sherryl a chance to push her candidate through, resulting in a clear case of The Bad Guy Wins for the city of Raylansfair.
  • Sole Survivor: By the end of chapter two of Book 2, he and Jack are the only men of the Rock that manage to leave Raylansfair.
  • Spoiled Brat: At his worst, Willfred comes off as this.
  • Tall, Dark, and Handsome: Very much like his father, Willfred is a tall man, with the broad build of a true warrior and black hair, who is also generally seen as handsome.
  • "Well Done, Son" Guy: Willfred is yearning for his father's respect, something he feels he hasn't really reached yet. He also yearns for the approval of another father figure, his future father-in-law, King Loren Lannister.

     Lady Alanna Reyne 

Alanna Reyne

The only daughter of Darren and Mileena Reyne, younger sister to Willfred and older sister to Tinnet. Alanna is a maiden of sixteen years, unmarried as of now, as well as a naive, highly emotional dreamer.
  • All Girls Want Bad Boys: Alanna has a barely hidden crush on Lucion Lannister, who is an Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy on his good days and an outright Jerkass on his worst.
  • Annoying Younger Sibling: Zig-Zagged. Her overly emotional behaviour is clearly annoying towards her older brother Willfred, but whenever things are genuinely bothering her, their relationship turns more towards...
  • Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: As stated above, whenever Alanna is truly upset about something and Willfred can understand it, he goes out of his way to comfort her and she seems to be very dependent on his emotional support.
  • Big Sister Instinct: Whereas her older brother shows a case of Big Brother Instinct towards her, she has this towards her younger brother Tinnet, whom she adores and still sees as the little boy he has been when he left Castamere behind.
  • Bit Character: Just like the rest of her family save for Willfred, Alanna only appears in one chapter.
  • Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Alanna has inherited her mother's blonde hair, as well as her caring and sweet nature. In her case, a good portion of youthful idealism is put to the mix.
  • Put on a Bus: When Willfred and with him the narrative leaves Castamere, Alanna remains behind.
  • Smitten Teenage Girl: Her crush on Lucion is not quite a mature attraction. Instead, she is shallowly drawn towards him immediately after his arrival in Castamere, due to his looks and skill.
  • Tender Tears: Alanna's habit of crying also kicks in when she is not unhappy, showing Tears of Joy.
  • Wide-Eyed Idealist: Due to her youth and sheltered upbringing, Alanna is also a lot more idealistic than the ordinary Westerosi, bordering on naivety.

     Tinnet Reyne 

Tinnet Reyne

The youngest son of Darren and Mileena Reyne, as well as the younger brother to Willfred and Alanna. Tinnet is a young boy, only barely in his teens, who has started to squire for Lucion Lannister a few years ago.
  • Adorably Precocious Child: Despite being calm and Wise Beyond Their Years, Tinnet is still just a boy barely in his teens. As a result, his behaviour comes across as adorable more often than not.
  • Affectionate Nickname: Tino, courtesy of Alanna.
  • Bit Character: Just like the rest of his family save for Willfred, he only appears in one chapter in Book 1.
  • Put on a Bus: The reason for the trope above is that Willfred leaves Castamere and his family behind to go on an important mission for his kingdom, whereas Tinnet remains by Lucion Lannister's side.
  • The Squire: After many years of training, he has earned the position as Lucion Lannister's squire.
  • Wise Beyond Their Years: Due to spending a majority of his later childhood away from his family, Tinnet has matured far quicker than a boy his age usually does

     Ser Roger Hill 

Ser Roger Hill

The Arrow

The half-brother of Lord Darren Reyne, Roger has left the family at an early age, to travel through the Kingdom of the Rock and beyond, becoming a famed archer in the process. For a while, he served as the archery trainer for Lucion Lannister, though he has left this position a few months before the story starts.

  • Cool Uncle: Roger is the uncle of Willfred, Alanna and Tinnet Reyne. As for his coolness traits, well, he is one of the best archers of the Kingdom of the Rock, a Heroic Bastard, one of the kindest, yet most deadly characters in the story, as well as very supportive of his nephew.
  • The Fettered: Being a Heroic Bastard, Roger has strong values he wishes to follow. He upholds these and draws strength from the knowledge of being the better man in the end.
  • Friendly Sniper: Roger is a friendly, cheerful guy, who also happens to be an absolutely deadly archer.
  • Good Is Not Soft: Despite being a major good guy with few flaws and a big heart for those in need, you should never do the mistake of seeing this kindness as weakness. Roger is a Memetic Badass with the bow and not only capable but fully willing to kick ass against those who stand against him.
  • Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Unlike his dark-haired brother, Roger has traits that are seen in House Lannister, meaning golden blonde hair and green eyes. He is also a kind-hearted and idealistic man, with a firm set of morals, as a self-proclaimed protector of the innocent.
  • Heroic Bastard: As seen by his last name, Roger is a bastard, the half-brother of Lord Darren Reyne of Castamere, yet also one of the most heroic and well-intentioned characters in the story.
  • Hot-Blooded: This is a trait he shares with his nephew, even if it is far less pronounced with him. In his case, it becomes especially obvious whenever his morals are challenged, a far cry from the more pragmatic General Tallian.
  • The Idealist: Roger has a very optimistic worldview, though he avoids the extreme Wide-Eyed Idealist version of this trope by having seen his fair share of blood and violence, therefore being still a bit of a realist when it comes to the nature of mankind.
  • Jumped at the Call: After being briefed by his nephew about the nature of their mission, Roger wastes no time to declare his loyalty towards Willfred and the Kingdom of the Rock, loyally accompanying him ever since.
  • Knight In Shining Armour: Unlike his nephew, who only tries to be one, Roger has mastered this art, by not only being a badass fighter, but by being a protector towards the innocent and relentless hunter of the guilty, upholding knightly values far more than most other knights in the story.
  • I Will Only Slow You Down: After being fatally injured by The Tom, he lets himself fall from his horse so Willfred and Jack can escape.
  • The Lancer: After joining Willfred's group, Roger quickly becomes his nephew's most important advisor.
  • Memetic Badass: In-Universe, as Roger's skill has inspired a great number of tales about his sheer badassery with a bow, enough for even his half-brother to acknowledge how impressive this is.
  • The Mentor: Roger quickly assumes this role towards Willfred.
  • Red Oni, Blue Oni: He is the Red Oni in his relationship with Vashord Tallian, who is the blue one. Where he is passionate, hot-blooded and idealistic, Vashord is cold, pragmatic and cowardly, often giving calmer advice than Roger could ever give.
  • So Proud of You: Roger is perhaps the only person in the story who is wholeheartedly supportive of Willfred and commands him for growing into what he sees as a formidable man. Even when he makes mistakes, Roger remains supportive, due to him being proud of Willfred making his own decision.
  • They Call Him "Sword": His nickname is "The Arrow"
  • Vitriolic Best Buds: Despite his apparent rivalry with Vashord Tallian when it comes to Willfred's favour in decisions, he an the general are actually rather good friends and get along quite well whenever they don't butt heads.
  • Walking the Earth: For years after leaving Castamere, Roger has travelled through the kingdoms of Rock and Reach, spending some time at the courts of Casterly Rock and Highgarden and getting to know both kings, Loren Lannister and Mern Gardener.

     Two-Face 

Two-Face

The captain of the guard of Castamere. Not much is known about the man who is called Two-Face, only that he does not originate from the Rock. He gains his nickname from severe facial burns that gruesomely disfigure half of his face. Despite his frightening appearance, he is noted to be a loyal and dutiful man and a friend to Willfred Reyne.
  • Alliterative Name: Sadie's chapter reveal his full name is Walder Waters.
  • Bit Character: Like almost the entire Castamere cast, he only appears in one chapter of Book 1.
  • Bodyguarding a Badass: Two-Face is the captain of the guard of all of Castamere, but in particular Willfred Reyne's bodyguard. Given that the heir to House Reyne is a Master Swordsman of his own right, he doesn't really need the additional help.
  • Fluffy the Terrible: Rumour has it that his true name is the fairly normal-sounding Walder. Sadie's chapter confirm that's indeed his name.
  • Manly Facial Hair: Despite his burns, he is capable of growing an almost full and very bushy beard. This only further adds to his generally badass appearance, which certainly fits his character.
  • Mysterious Past: Not much is known about Two-Face's past. It is rumoured that he comes from one of the islands near Dragonstone and that his burns are the result of dragonfire, though as long as he himself remains silent about it, the truth won't be known.
  • Nightmare Face: One side of Two-Face's face is heavily disfigured, giving him his very appropriate nickname. Willfred himself is used to his appearance by now, though those who encounter him for the first time are often terrified.
  • Old Soldier: Two-Face's real age is hard to determine due to his beard and the gruesome scars, but he has served House Reyne for as long as Willfred is alive, which puts him at the very least in his forties, more likely in his fifties.
  • Only Known by Their Nickname: His fitting nickname is Two-Face and though there are rumours about his real name, as well as the fact that his lord almost certainly knows it, he chooses not to share it with anyone and is commonly referred to as Two-Face.
  • Put on a Bus: At the end of Chapter 2, Willfred is given a choice to take Two-Face with him or not. Fearing what Lucion Lannister might do to his sister, should she be left behin without protection, Willfred instead opts to leave Two-Face in Castamere, so that he may keep an eye on Alanna.
  • Two-Faced: Well, obviously, given his nickname. The burns that disfigure him are entirely on the right side of his face, splitting it in half between a relatively plain side and a heavily disfigured one.
  • Undying Loyalty: Though it took him a while to settle in, by now Two-Face is among the most loyal men in the Reyne household, quite likely even the most loyal one, willing to go through with any order his lord or a member of the family gives him.

     Lea Paladin 

Lea Paladin

The handmaiden of Alanna Reyne, Lea is only a few years older than the Reyne children and has grown up taking care of them before being assigned solely to the Reyne daughter.
  • Beleaguered Assistant: On top of being Alanna's handmaiden, Lea also cared for Willfred when he was younger. Apparently, he made it a habit to annoy her as much as possible, often playing quite mean-spirited pranks at her.
  • Bit Character: Like most of the Castamere characters, she only appears in a single chapter. In terms of her role and her general importance for the storyline, she is also the least important of the cast there.
  • Cool Big Sis: Despite not being related to them by blood, this is her relationship with the Reyne children.
  • Nice Girl: Lea has a sweet-natured and peace-loving personality, which is more than required for someone who acts with calmness amid the general chaos of the Reyne children. She doesn't even seem to be too bothered by Willfred's shenanigans towards her.
  • Put on a Bus: Lea remains behind in Castamere when Willfred leaves for Raylansfair, which means that she does not appear in Book 1 any further.
  • Undying Loyalty: It takes a lot of loyalty to remain in the Reyne's service after the amount of work she is put through, having to put up with the overly emotional Alanna and the hot-headed prankster Willfred.

House Crakehall

"None so Fierce"
Words of House Crakehall

While the Reyne's are the most powerful bannermen to the north, House Crakehall fills this role in the southern Rock, even if they cannot rival House Reyne in any aspect. Known to breed skilled warriors, their importance comes from the vast amount of troops they give their kings for their wars against the Ironborn. Their current head is Quentyn Crakehall.

     Lord Quentyn Crakehall 

Lord Quentyn Crakehall

The head of House Crakehall of Crakehall, Quentyn is an old man, a war hero and a living legend, though age has not been kind to him. In spite of his slowly failing health, he still insists on fighting though and is considered a deadly warrior nonetheless.
  • Attack! Attack! Attack!: For a man of his reputation, his attack pattern is relatively simple and overly relying on brute force. Vashord Tallian points this out, noting that his tactics have caused more death than necessary.
  • Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: In his introductory chapter, in Castamere, Quentyn is shown as a bumbling old fool, slowly losing his wit. However, after leaving the castle and being back on the road, he shows himself to be every bit worthy of his Memetic Badass status, as Willfred learns to his surprise.
  • Due to the Dead: After the skirmish he participates in, Quentyn is shown to be extremely respectful of those under his command. That said, as Tallian points out, their deaths have been partially his fault in the first place.
  • Frontline General: Quentyn, the Lord of Crakehall, is a figure of great importance for the armies of the Rock and an old and accomplished soldier. He also insists on personally leading his men where the battle is the most dire.
  • My Greatest Failure: Tells Willfred he greatly regrets having ignored the advice of his master-at-arms and crippling him in a moment of anger.
  • Old Soldier: An old, stubborn warhorse of a man, Quentyn is in his seventies and still serving his kingdom.
  • Put on a Bus: After being a recurring character in the second and third chapter, accompanying Willfred on his journey through the Rock, Quentyn and his soldiers remain behind at the border to the Reach, since their presence would cause too much of a diplomatic trouble.
    • The Bus Came Back: He returns in Chapter 3 of Book 2, when Willfred returns to the Rock.

    Audrey Crakehall 

Audrey Crakehall

The granddaughter of Lord Quentyn Crakehall, who attends Willfred when he arrives to her home after escaping Raylansfair.

House Marbrand

"Burning Bright"
Words of House Marbrand

Bannermen of House Lannister and neighbours to House Reyne to the south, the Marbrand's of Ashemark always had a complicated feeling to their liege, torn between them and their powerful neighbours. This has often caused tension even in the family itself, during the Reyne-Lannister wars of old. Their current head is Lord Stevron Marbrand.

     Lord Stevron Marbrand 

Lord Stevron Marbrand

The head of House Marbrand of Ashmark at the start of the story, Stevron is a young man, but nonetheless a passionate and powerful lord, concerned with the safety of his lands and kingdom.
  • Bit Character: Stevron only appears in Chapter 2, accompanying Loren Lannister to Castamere. Out of the king's delegation, he is the one with the smallest role and the least amount of screentime.
  • Eating the Eye Candy: He seems to be quite smitten by Mileena Reyne.
  • Fiery Redhead: Like many men of his family, Stevron has fiery red hair and the temper to match.
  • Put on a Bus: Unlike his travelling companions Quentyn Crakehall and Vashord Tallian, Stevron remains behind when Willfred Reyne leaves for his mission to the Reach. Instead, he and Darren Reyne will fight against the Ironborn at the Golden Tooth.

House Swyft

"Awake! Awake!"
Words of House Swyft

A small, but rich house, whose wealth comes from the grain they sell, with which a major part of the Lannister army is fed. Relatively new in power, they gained the lands due to bravery in battle, after the line of the previous Lords of Cornfield has ended. Their current head is Bognard Swyft.

     Lord Bognard Swyft 

Lord Bognard Swyft

The Lord of Cornfield

The Lord of Cornfield and head of House Swyft. He's a close advisor of King Loren. While once a great knight, an incident in a tournament crippled his hand, ending his career as a warrior.
  • Career-Ending Injury: Lost his temperament in a tournament against a Foote knight, smashing the man in the face disregarding he was wearing a helmet. The incident crippled his right hand.
  • Everyone Is Related: His wife Sally Crakehall is the daughter of Lord Quentyn Crakehall.
  • Hair-Trigger Temper: An insult from a Foote knight made him attack the man and give him a No-Holds-Barred Beatdown, stopping only when the knight was close to death and his hand irreparably damaged.

House Greenfield

An old house that goes back all the way to the Age of Heroes, despite being a mere knightly house, House Greenfield is wealthy and important to House Lannister thanks to their vast grain fields, which help feed the Rock during winter. The current head of the House is Ser Garan Greenfield.

     Ser Garan Greenfield 

Ser Garan Greenfield

Old Greenfield

The Knight of Greenfield and probably the oldest man in the Westerlands at over 90 years of age. Once a great knight, because of his age he's been unable to leave Greenfield in over a decade. Now he's looking for a match for his grandson and heir Garmund.
  • Alliterative Name: Garan Greenfield.
  • The Ghost: Mentioned but not introduced yet.
  • Long-Lived: Much like Lucan Estermont on the Stormlands, Garan is a man who has lived an incredibly long life by westerosi standards.
  • Lord Country: Not actually a full-fledged Lord, but he's the Knight of Greenfield of House Greenfield.
  • Old Soldier: So old the seventy year old Quentyn Crakehall remembers him as the hero of his childhood.
  • Outliving One's Offspring: His grandson Garmund is his heir because his son has already passed away.

     Ser Garmund Greenfield 

Ser Garmund Greenfield

The Green Demon, Garmund Long-Limbs

The grandson of Ser Garan Greenfield and his heir.
  • Alliterative Name: Garmund Greenfield.
  • Disappeared Dad: His father died several years ago, making him his grandfather's heir.
  • Cool Helmet: He wears a helmet that brings to mind a horned demon, hence the rumors of him having actual horns on his forehead.
  • Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette: His pale skin, brown hair and odd proportions make him a pretty impressive sight.
  • Extra Digits: He was born with six fingers on each hand, but his father had them amputated when he was a baby.
  • Noodle People: He has some oddly long arms and legs, making him look lanky and very tall.
  • Red Baron: The Green Demon is certainly an interesting moniker.
  • Ridiculously Average Guy: Despite his abnormal proportions, Garmund has a surprisingly average face, with short brown hair and dull green eyes.

Other Lannister Bannermen

     Tyson Turnberry 

Lord Tyson Turnberry

The heir of House Turnberry of Maybros. He accompanies King Loren and his host in breaking the siege of the Golden Tooth. He's 16 years old.

     Vashord Tallian 

General Vashord Tallian

Born to humble origins, Vashord Tallian's success began when he was taken in by Lord Westerling of the Crag. Due to his noble benefactor and his genius understanding of tactics, he rose through the ranks of the military despite his low birth. Nowadays, he is one of the highest generals of the Kingdom of the Rock.
  • Anti-Hero: Vashord might be generally on the side of the good guys, being a general who seeks to protect his kingdom from the marauding Ironborn, who are one of the darkest factions in Forum of Thrones. However, he is also a selfish coward and quite the jerk on top.
  • Dirty Coward: Repeatedly called out to be one by Roger Hill, to the point of it nearly being an Informed Attribute. However, he finally shows that he is truly an example of this during the Raid on Raylansfair, where he abandons his post, resulting in the death of several guardsmen, all to save his life, which he sees as more important than theirs.
  • Dude, Where's My Respect?: For all of his less friendly qualities, Vashord is still giving sound and well-founded advice. As a result, he is quite bummed when Willfred continues to ignore him, as he is convinced that he deserves more respect than he gets.
  • Fat Bastard: Compared to other characters, Vashord is quite a stocky guy. He is also a cowardly and selfish man, who would always put his own sense of self-preservation above the needs of others.
  • Guile Hero: Due to his size and general cowardice, Vashord is not a skilled fighter and never quite mastere this art. However, he is a smart man, who has grown into a capable strategist and military commander for his kingdom.
  • Happily Adopted: By House Westerling of the Crag.
  • I Did What I Had to Do: His high position often forces him to do actions he finds no joy in. Afterwards, he usually justifies it coldly, citing this very trope as the reason for his actions.
  • It Has Been an Honor: Fatally stabbed by The Tom, he mutters this to Willfred before he launching himself against his attacker one last time.
  • Jerkass: One of his most prominent traits is his jerkishness, which is shown in the rude, callous way he treats others and the inflated opinion he has about himself.
  • Jerkass Has a Point: However, despite his jerkish traits, which are a strong part of his character, he is an intelligent man, whose advice is almost always well thought-out and founded. It's just that he mostly offers the most cautious route that occasionally puts him in the wrong where more daring actions are required.
  • Rags to Riches: Vashord was born into a poor family on the lands of House Westerling and he seemed to be destined to grow up in poverty. However, he was eventually taken in by Lord Westerling in a fit of pity for the child, resulting in him being able to live to his full potential.
  • Red Oni, Blue Oni: In his relationship with Roger, who is the red oni, he is the blue one. Roger is passionate, idealistic, emotional and fierce, whereas Vashord is cold, calm and overly pragmatic. Their advice often goes towards either extreme, leaving it to Willfred, himself more of a red oni, to find a good middle way between their respective approaches.
  • The Smart Guy: Probably even the smartest in the entire army of the Rock.
  • The So-Called Coward: Despite his previous displays of cowardice he still rushes to save Willfred from Maron Mullendore, even at the cost of his own life.
  • The Strategist: His role as the general of the armies of the Rock makes it necessary for him to be one. In his case, he even became a general in the first place because of his incredible gift at strategic thinking, which made him invaluable for his king.
  • Undying Loyalty: For all his flaws, Vashord is unquestionably loyal to the Kingdom of the Rock.
  • Vitriolic Best Buds: Despite their rivalry when it comes to Willfred's course of action and their clashing worldviews in general, he and Roger are actually good friends, at least as long as they don't butt heads with each other.
  • What the Hell, Hero?: Vashord is both on the giving and receiving end of these. He gives one to Willfred for continuing to ignore his well-meaning and justified advice, sometimes even on purpose. However, Roger gives him one as well, for his refusal to help the people of Raylansfair out of cowardice.

Other inhabitants of the Rock

     Jack Holmes 

Jack Holmes

Originally one of a dozen, Jack Holmes is one of the soldiers accompanying Willfred Reyne during his mission to Raylansfair. He is also among the very few who survived the Raid on Raylansfair to continue serving the Red Lion.
  • Ascended Extra: Originally a minor and unnamed character, who hasn't even been given a description of his own, Book 2 establishes that he is one of the two surviving Rock soldiers that accompany Willfred, gives him a name, a characterization and actual screentime.
  • Eyepatch of Power: Jack does sport an eyepatch, though it is currently not known how he achieved it, if he already had it before the raid, or if he lost his eye only recently.
  • Sole Survivor: By the end of the second chapter of Book 2, he and Willfred are the only Westerlanders that manage to leave Raylansfair.
  • Those Two Guys: On account of being one of the only two Rock soldiers who survived the raid on Raylansfair, he is introduced alongside Prins and is doing his duty together with him.

     Prins 

Prins

One of only two survivors out of a dozen, Prins is a Lannister soldier who has accompanied Willfred Reyne during his mission to Raylansfair, a task he continues to do after the Raid on Raylansfair that claimed the lives of a majority of his comrades.
  • Ascended Extra: Prins has originally been one of several unnamed Rock soldiers in Book 1, though he is one of the two who survive the Raid on Raylansfair. Book 2, as a result, gives him an upgrade by turning him into an actual character instead of just a background extra.
  • Deadpan Snarker: During his introductory scene, he is by far the more snarky one of the two soldiers.
  • Heroic Sacrifice: Despite knowing it's suicidal, he faces The Moggy to give Willfred the chance to escape at the cost of his life.
  • Mauve Shirt: Gets little screen time before dying at the hands of The Moggy.
  • Those Two Guys: He and Jack are the only two soldiers under Willfred's command that survived the Raid on Raylansfair. As a result, he is often seen alongside his fellow soldier.

Maybros

     Sadie Wade* 

Sadie Wade

A young woman and former soldier from the Stormlands, who left the army after her younger sister, Melanie, got abducted by slavers. After tragedy took her parents, she set out on her own to find her, only accompanied by the merchant Dan, whom she protects on their journey. She is a Point-of-View character.
  • Action Girl: Sadie is a former soldier of the Stormlands, having served her time in the Dornish Marches. She is also a highly capable sellsword and bodyguard of the merchant Dan, not afraid to pick a fight if necessary.
  • An Arm and a Leg: During the final stages of the Raid on Maybros, Sadie gets into a fight with the Ironborn captain, Durren Stallhart. This quickly ends catastrophically for her, when she fails to parry one of his strikes, which severs her sword hand.
  • Anti-Hero: Though portrayed fairly sympathetically, there is little heroic about Sadie. Her motivation for her actions is entirely personal, being about saving her sister and redeeming herself for her past actions. She is capable of doing good if it helps her or bad if it advanced her cause and would put her own goal over anything.
  • Big Sister Instinct: The abduction of her sister, Melanie, has brought out this trait in Sadie, big time. She spent the next years with doing whatever it takes to find and save her sister, stopping at nothing to achieve this goal.
  • Brainy Brunette: Sadie has light brown hair and though she is quite a physical fighter, she is also very smart, if not exactly Genius Bruiser material. The sheer resourcefulness she shows while searching for her sister says a lot about her intelligence.
  • Career-Ending Injury: During the Raid on Maybros, Sadie suffers a crippling injury when Durren Stallhart slices off her sword hand. This leaves her basically useless as a fighter, taking away years of training she had as a soldier and later as a sellsword and more or less ending her career as an active fighter.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Whenever she is joking, she usually does it with dry wit.
  • Determinator: After Melanie's abduction, Sadie has basically dedicated her entire life to find her. Aside from being a major case of Big Sister Instinct, it also shows just how much she is willing to do to achieve something she truly wants.
  • Did Not Think This Through: Aside from general impulsiveness being her Fatal Flaw, Sadie has one particular moment of rashness when she turns to fight against Durren Stallhart, who is very much The Juggernaut and the most deadly Ironborn raider seen in the story. This fight does not end with her death, but she loses a hand to him, leaving her crippled.
  • Fatal Flaw: Her impulsiveness is the main reason for a lot of tragedy in her life. The death of her mother could have been prevented if she wouldn't instinctively have reached for the weapon that killed her. The trouble in Maybros could have been averted if she would have followed her own plans more painfully. Finally, the loss of her hand was entirely avoidable if she wouldn't have picked the fight with Durren Stallhart.
  • Heroic BSoD: In the final moments of the Raid on Maybros, she falls into one. Quite understandable, considering that she just lost her sword hand and her best friend to Durren Stallhart.
  • Hidden Depths: Behind the cold, if somewhat witty facade lies a troubled and conflicted young woman, haunted by her past mistakes and driven by a rash, almost self-destructive wish to find and save her missing sister.
  • My God, What Have I Done?: After accidentally killing her mother in the attempt to defend her from the crazed woman, Sadie goes into a state of shock, knowing fully well just what she did. She has seen herself as cursed ever since.
  • No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Sadie's actions during the Raid on Maybros, though still with the goal of winning Leo Hill over to help her, have also aimed at helping the smallfolk. Her saving of Baelor Bloodbane has even been entirely selfless. All of these decisions and actions culminate in her duel against Durren Stallhart, which ends with the loss of her sword hand and the death of her best friend Dan.
  • The Not-Love Interest: Though there might be feelings from his side involved, Sadie and Dan are only friends, even if they fulfill a role quite similar to each other's love interest. In case of Sadie, she is Dan's closest companion, the only one he fully trusts in and the person he'd do anything for.
  • Odd Friendship: Sadie, the tough, determined sellsword and loner teams up with Dan, the charismatic and flashy merchant. Eventually, the two become traveling companions as well as best friends.
  • Platonic Life-Partners: With Dan.
  • Roaring Rampage of Rescue: After her sister got abducted, Sadie underwent a years-long struggle to locate and rescue her. During this, she acted incredibly brutal towards those who could have a lead, most of them slavers and other low-lives, leaving a trail of bodies in her wake.
  • Secret Identity: Whenever she's somewhere where she doesn't want her name to be known, she uses the name Kelly.
  • Self-Made Orphan: Of the accidental sort. Or, semi-accidentally at least. After her sister had been abducted, both parents took it badly, though her mother took it the worst. Turning to drinking, she eventually snapped and killed her husband in a fit of rage, feeling that he did too little to protect Melanie. Afterwards, she turned on Sadie, who was forced to defend herself, accidentally killing her mother in the process. This weighs heavily on her, making her believe that she is cursed.
  • Ship Tease: There are some undertones between her and Blane. He quickly seems smitten by her, though it takes Sadie a while to start warming up to him. Her teasing interaction with him during the Raid on Maybros seems to hint at her starting to reciprocate his feelings.
  • Stranger in a Familiar Land: Sadie suffered heavily from this when she returned home after her latest trip to the Dornish Marches. In her absence, her sister had been abducted, her mother and father shifted the blame to each other and both parents had become bitter about Melanie's abduction and their inability to do anything against it.
  • Tempting Fate: During the Raid on Maybros, Blane suggests that she could take a leadership position among his sellsword group, the Forgotten. Sadie's reaction is somewhat condescending, as she says that the only ones who should take leadership roles are old people, cowards or cripples. Guess what happens to her just half an hour later?
  • Took a Level in Cynic: A very justified one in Book 2, as she is still struggling with the loss of her best friend and her sword hand and her beloved sister turning out to have changed tremendously since they last saw each other.

     Dan Ornon 

Dan Ornon

A travelling merchant from the Rock, who has encountered Sadie early into her travels. Having bonded with her, he decided to help her during the search for her sister, using his status as a merchant to cover their identities. He eventually became her best friend.
  • Action Survivor: Despite being more than just a bit of a hidden badass, Dan is still just a simple travelling merchant. He never wanted to be more and should he ever succeed at helping Sadie, it is likely that he simply goes back to this life.
  • Bumbling Sidekick: Completely averted. Initially set up as the less competent and serious of the two in his relationship with Sadie, he quickly reveals himself to be one of the most valuable allies she could have ever hoped for.
  • Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Badass might stretch it a little bit, but initially, he appears like a straight Non-Action Guy and Sadie's sidekick at most. However, the Raid on Maybros shows that he is brave and quite resourceful with the blade, able to hold his own in a fight.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Like just about every character.
  • The Face: What Dan lacks in combat skill, he makes more than up for with his charm. This is a big contrast to Sadie, who finds socializing with others hard and bothersome. Instead, she lets Dan do it, something he shines at.
  • Heroic Wannabe: For all his surprisingly badass credentials, Dan is still not a particularly good fighter. However, he clearly starts to think of himself more highly as a hero than he truly is. This gets him killed when he faces Durren Stallhart, a truly terrifying fighter who leads the Ironborn during the Raid on Maybros.
  • The Lancer: Basically his role towards Sadie. He is not only her best friend, but also her most ardent supporter, the one that has her back no matter what, as well as the most valuable ally she could hope for.
  • Man Bites Man: His most badass moment to date happens during the Raid on Maybros, where he ends up being tackled to the ground by an Ironborn raider. He not only fights back, he also bites out the man's throat, killing the raider in the process.
  • Mauve Shirt: Dan is built up as a major supporting character for Sadie's storyline, being her best friend and most loyal supporter. This ultimately means that his death during the final stages of the Raid on Maybros hits even harder.
  • Nice Guy: His most prominent personality trait is that he is a very nice guy. This is best shown with his persistence to help Sadie against all hardships. Someone has to be a seriously great person to go through with that by her side.
  • No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Dan's insistence to help Sadie ultimately only costs him. First, it's profit, when he travels with her around the land instead of selling his goods where they are the most profitable. Then, during the Raid on Maybros, he outright loses his goods when he insists on helping Sadie again. It ends with him even losing his live trying to save hers.
  • Non-Action Guy: Despite later turning out to be a case of Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass, Dan has never been a fighter in his life, but merely a merchant. This is the main reason why he even requires a bodyguard, such as Sadie.
  • The Not-Love Interest: On paper, Dan fulfills every role that is typically fulfilled by the protagonists love interest. He is Sadie's closest companion and most trusted ally, her emotional crutch, the one she relies on the most and the one that always has her back. However, their relationship is purely platonic
  • Odd Friendship: Dan, the mild and well-mannered merchant is somehow best friends with Sadie, the impulsive and headstrong sellsword. The oddness of their friendship is lampshaded by Sadie, though that doesn't make it any less genuine.
  • Platonic Life-Partners: With Sadie.
  • Secret-Keeper: He is the only one that knows about Sadie's real identity when they are in Maybros, about her mission to save her sister and it is heavily implied he even knows about her Dark Secret.
  • The Smart Guy: Dan is not a particularly physical fighter, but what he excels at is anything involving his brain. He is a cunning merchant, but even more importantly a clever schemer, able to come up with useful plans on the fly.

     Baelor Bloodbane 

Baelor Bloodbane

The captain of a small garrison of soldiers stationed in Maybros, a town sworn to House Beesbury on the cost of the Northern Rock. Baelor is an experienced veteran of many battles, though the years of being in Maybros have worn down his patience.
  • Alliterative Name: Baelor Bloodbane
  • Authority Equals Asskicking: Baelor is the leader of the soldiers stationed in Maybros, which makes him decently high-ranked among the entire military of the Rock. He is also the most deadly Rock soldier seen in the story so far.
  • Barbarian Longhair: His wild, fierce personality is further visualized with his mane of dark hair.
  • Everyone Has Standards: Though by far not a good man and actually amoral enough to indulge in small instances of corruption, Baelor draws the line at hurting girls, especially by keeping them as slaves.
  • The Leader: Of the Rock soldiers stationed in Maybros.
  • Manly Facial Hair: Baelor has a thick, full beard, which suits him well, given that he is one of the most accomplished fighters in the Maybros area, something he shows during the raid in Chapter 8.
  • Mauve Shirt: Baelor is killed during the Raid on Maybros, only three chapters after being introduced.
  • The Quiet One: Baelor does not talk all that often. Most of the time, he is quiet and listen to what others have to say, though whenever he speaks, it is a well thought-out sentence. Due to his skill in battle, this also overlaps with Beware the Quiet Ones.
  • Sergeant Rock: As the captain of the soldiers in Maybros, Baelor has a position of medium leadership among the forces of the Rock. His personality is also very much tough, stern and gruff, fitting for this trope.
  • Slavery Is a Special Kind of Evil: Given his utterly enraged reaction towards learning of Gyles' crimes, he is a firm believer of this. Being told that Gyles keeps his girls as slaves is also what mainly motivates him to help Sadie.
  • Tall, Dark, and Handsome: It's a less conventional form of beauty, but Baelor's wild, unkempt look, with his mane of dark hair and bushy beard is noted to be rather handsome by Sadie.
  • The Worf Effect: Baelor, who is built up as a supreme badass, one of the best fighters in Maybros, maybe even all of the Northern Rock, gets completely outclassed by Durren Stallhart during their duel, which ends with his death.

     Gyles Gomblinger 

Gyles Gomblinger

The owner of a large brothel/tavern in Maybros, The Golden Gyles, as well as the richest man in town, as well as among the most powerful ones. Gyles lives in the building together with his elderly mother, Sanyse.
  • Affably Evil: Gyles is a good example of a character who is this, but a nearly irredeemable bastard at the same time, with this trope not being a redeemable trait in the slightest. He is never shown to be unfriendly towards his guests, is a perfectly good host and well-liked in his town as a result. The only time he loses his temper a bit is in a situation that can even be excused, due to him having encountered a thief in his mother's room. He is also an unrepentant slaver.
  • Alliterative Name: Gyles Gomblinger
  • Dirty Old Man: As the owner of the whorehouse, this is to be expected. He is more than strongly implied to regularly take advantage of his girls as well, if Nilanne's uncomfortable reaction around him is anything to go with.
  • The Don: Basically his role in Maybros, being the head of the Golden Gyles tavern, offering both, legal and illegal services, being a Villain with Good Publicity and a Man of Wealth and Taste.
  • Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas: The only thing that comes even close to a redeeming trait is the fact that Gyles clearly loves his mother, Sanyse. This is proven by the way he treats her, despite the way she treats him in return.
  • Gonk: Gyles is freakishly ugly, especially compared to the other characters.
  • Hoist by Their Own Petard: The action that ultimately leads to even his loyal captain of the guard turning on him is his slavery, something he has done out of his own free will and solely out of greed.
  • Jerkass: Interestingly, he still manages to be affable. However, the way he treats his girls solidifies him as one of the least likable characters in the entire story.
  • Man of Wealth and Taste: At the very least, he desperately tries to appear as one. In reality, he doesn't always quite manage to pull this off, appearing more like someone who tries a bit too hard to appear as cultured as possible.
  • Obviously Evil: Gyles is introduced as a slimy, freakishly ugly and unlikable jerk, whose mannerisms seem more than just a little bit off and who is quickly confirmed to force women into prostitution despite slavery being illegal in most parts of Westeros.
  • Slavery Is a Special Kind of Evil: The thing that is seen as the worst about him is his habit of buying young women as slaves and keeping them in his brothel as sex slaves. This detail is revolting enough to even turn his otherwise loyal captain of the guard against him.
  • Small Name, Big Ego: All things considered, Gyles Gomblinger is exactly as important as his name makes him sound to be, a small man in the grand scale of things, important only in the tiny part of the world he has taken for himself. Outside of Maybros, nobody cares for him at all.
  • Smug Snake: Gyles is a vain, arrogant man, who fails exactly due to these traits.
  • Villain with Good Publicity: For a slaver and overall nasty person, Gyles is very well-liked in his town of Maybros. This is justified, since he is Affably Evil on the front and the owner of the only tavern and brothel in the entire town.

     Sanyse Gomblinger 

Sanyse Gomblinger

Gyles' elderly mother, who lives with him at the Golden Gyles, in her own room. She is seldom seen by the staff of the building and mostly interacts with her son, whom she is shown to treat with cruelty.
  • Abusive Parents: Sanyse is shown to be very abusive towards her son, at least verbally. The only thing that prevents her from being physically abusive is her advanced age, which leaves her physically frail and unable of hitting anyone.
  • Bit Character: So far, Sanyse has only appeared in one chapter, in a secondary role.
  • Even Evil Has Standards: A heavily downplayed example, but not even she seems to be fond of the man her son grew up to. While not being shown to outright object, she also seems to have problems with his status as a slaver, even if they are not specifically of a moral nature.
  • Evil Matriarch: As Gyles' mother, she qualifies for sure.
  • Evil Old Folks: With over ninety years of age, Sanyse is one of the oldest characters in the story and downright ancient in the setting, where people who reach the sixty are already seen as very old. She is also a crabby and jerkish woman, who even treats her own son with nothing but contempt.
  • Expy: To Norma Bates. Just like the woman she resembles so much, she lives with her son in a motel, or the Westerosi equivalent of it. She is elderly, but still abusive to her son and very controlling of his life. Her introductory scene also shows her sitting in a chair not unlike Norma, with the character encountering her being unsure if she's still alive even.
  • Jerkass: Sanyse is an extremely unpleasant woman, who has nothing good to say about pretty much anyone, is insulting, rude and outright insufferable at times.
  • Loners Are Freaks: Her room is in a more remote part of the building her son has built his tavern in and she is not seen to ever interact with the servants or other personnel, save for her son himself. She is also one of the most antisocial characters in the story, a freakishly old woman who spends her days being bitter to just about everyone.
  • My Beloved Smother: Her son, Gyles, is the only family she has left. In the darkest possible twist of this trope, she tries to control his life, abuses him verbally and drives him to his most villainous actions.
  • White Hair, Black Heart: Due to her advanced age, Sanyse's hair is completely white. In contrast, she is a vile old woman, crabby, bitter and just a plain Jerkass to just about everyone. She gains particular evil points for being okay with her sons dark schemes.

     Nilanne 

Nilanne

One of the prostitutes at Gyles' establishment, Nilanne is a mysterious and quiet woman, who does not seem to be working there entirely by her own free will. She is also high-ranking among the other girls and Gyles' assistant.
  • Ambiguously Brown: There's quite a number of cultures whose members have brown skin in the setting. Nilanne herself belongs to one of them, with her lack of an accent hinting at Dorne, though her true heritage is not revaled for now.
  • Because You Were Nice to Me: After her return in Book 2, Nilanne is quick to sympathize with Sadie and Melanie, even offering her help to the former in dealing with the latter. Her justification for this is that Sadie helped her before, ending Gyles' forced prostitution and effectively freeing her.
  • Beleaguered Assistant: In a very cruel twist, she is forced to work for Gyles and it is heavily implied she faces heavy abuse while doing so. Of course she tries to hide the fact that she hates every second of it, but it doesn't quite work as well as she thinks it is.
  • Bit Character: Unlike her employer Gyles, who goes on to appear in three chapters of Book 1 as a supporting antagonist, Nilanne is only seen in Chapter 6. She reappears in Book 2 in a slightly larger role.
  • Brainy Brunette: She has brown hair and given that she is Gyles' personal assistant and a very capable one at that, she also needs to have serious brains.
  • The Bus Came Back: After missing out for the remainder of Book 1 after her initial introduction, Nilanne reappears in the first chapter of Book 2, having accompanied the refugees from Maybros.
  • Hooker with a Heart of Gold: Implied at the least. Though Nilanne hasn't been seen much so far, her position as a whole already requires having at least some bit of a heart and she is shown to remain quiet towards Gyles even after getting suspicious of Sadie's truthfulness.
  • The Quiet One: As a prostitute, it is not expected of her to talk much and though she speaks more than most of the girls, she is still very silent, especially when Gyles is around.
  • Sex Slave: With the reveal that Gyles is keeping young women enslaved to work in his brothel, Nilanne's Stepford Smiler routine becomes a far darker twist, as it means that she is most likely one of these slaves.
  • Sherlock Scan: Only a short few moments after meeting Sadie and Dan, she is already seen being distrustful of their true intentions, something her employer hasn't been able to see until it got spelled out for him.
  • Stepford Smiler: Part of her position as a prostitute in the Golden Gyles includes always showing a kind, pretty smile. However, being a Sex Slave

Top