Game of Thrones is a fantastic show, and part of the reason for that is its complexity. The characters have rich backgrounds, the families have long histories, and the conflicts are the result of events that are never shown on-screen. It’s more interesting than simple Good Guy Versus Bad Guy fantasy, but it can sometimes be difficult to follow. It may reveal information that hasn’t yet been discussed on the show, but it won’t spoil plot twists or secrets.
Motto: Winter Is Coming.
Sigil: Gray direwolf on a white field
Ancient History
The Starks are the oldest of the Great Houses of Westeros. They are descended from the First Men, who came to Westeros from the east thousands of years ago. The First Men met the children of the forest there, a strange and magical race, and adopted their religion of the nameless Old Gods. This faith has no hierarchy or set dogma, but it does have sacred places: believers visit godswoods, where ancient, red-leaved weirwood trees, with faces carved by the children of the forest, watch over visitors.
House Stark was founded eight thousand years ago, in the wake of the Long Night, the invasion of Westeros by the Others (also called the White Walkers). Brandon the Builder built the Wall to protect the realm (though it has been added to since), as well as Winterfell, and became the first Stark to rule as King in the North, or King of Winter.
There were many kingdoms of the First Men, but they crumbled when the Andals arrived. These invaders wielded steel weapons, followed the Faith of the Seven (the predominant religion now, outside of the North), and brought the tradition of knighthood. The children of the forest were killed or driven away, while the Starks (and the lesser houses of the North) survived as the only representatives of the First Men left in Westeros, outside of a few scattered minor houses.
Recent History
When Aegon Targaryen invaded Westeros three hundred years ago with his three great dragons, the armies that attempted to fight him suffered for their foolishness. King Torrhen Stark marched against Aegon, but before fighting he realized Aegon’s power and submitted. This decision allowed the Starks to remain Lords of Winterfell and Wardens of the North. The Starks would later be key players in Robert’s Rebellion against the Targaryens, hundreds of years in the future.
The North and its Families
The North is vast, almost as large as the other six kingdoms of Westeros combined, but it is only lightly populated due to the cold and the vast bogs and forests. Winterfell sits northward of the center of the kingdom.
The only true city in the North is White Harbor, which is close to the southern realms and is the main trade port. It is also the home of House Manderly, one of the few Northern houses to follow the Seven and thus to provide knights to the Stark hosts.
On remote Bear Island reside the Mormonts. Lord Jeor has left his home to be Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. His son Jorah was exiled for slaving by Ned Stark, and is now in the east in service to the Targaryens and Khal Drogo. Jeor’s sister Maege Mormont rules in his stead, and she, like the other women of Bear Island, is known to be tough and warlike.
To the east of Winterfell is the Dreadfort, home of House Bolton. They are perhaps the Starks’ strongest vassals, and though they have served faithfully in recent years they had a long history of war and rebellion against the Starks. Their sigil is a flayed man, and there are stories of past lords wearing the skins of their slain enemies. Their current lord is Roose Bolton.
The southernmost part of the North is called the Neck, a land of impenetrable bogs and the nomadic crannogmen, who live by fishing and hunting frogs and birds. Greywater Watch, home of House Reed, is difficult to find because it doesn’t stay in one place. The crannogmen are seen by many as as backwards and untrustworthy, but Eddard Stark has a long friendship though with Lord Howland Reed, who saved his life in the fight against Arthur Dayne years ago. But most crannogmen, including Lord Howland, are rarely seen outside the Neck.
Other important vassal houses to the Starks include the Karstarks (a branch house founded by one Karlton Stark) and the Umbers (known for their great size and strength).
Current and Recent Starks
Eddard Stark (Ned): Lord of Winterfell, Eddard does his best to follow the ancient traditions of his house, including the duty for the man who passes the sentence of execution to swing the sword. He is known as an honorable man and a skilled commander from his service to King Robert. He posesses a family blade called Ice, of Valyrian steel.
Brandon Stark (deceased): Eddard’s older brother, Brandon would have been Lord of Winterfell if he and his father had not been killed by the Mad King Aerys. He was once betrothed to Catelyn, and fought Petyr Baelish (Littlefinger) over her, giving the Littlefinger a scar.
Lyanna Stark (deceased): Eddard’s sister. She was beautiful, brave, and feisty. She was betrothed to Robert Baratheon, but was apparently kidnapped by Rhaegar Targaryen, and later died mysteriously “in a bed of blood” in Dorne after Ned found her.
Benjen Stark: Eddard’s younger brother. He is First Ranger of the Night’s Watch, and brought Jon Snow there to join the order.
Catelyn Stark (Cat): Formerly Catelyn Tully, daughter to Hoster Tully, Lord of the Riverlands, and sister to Lysa Arryn who rules in the Vale. She believes in her own house’s motto of Family, Duty, Honor and loves her children and husband. She still follows the Faith of the Seven. She has always been frustrated by the presence of Jon Snow, who represents her husband’s act of infidelity.
Robb Stark: Eddard and Catelyn’s eldest son and heir, born after Ned rode off to fight in Robert’s Rebellion. He has taken on responsibility for Winterfell in the absence of his parents. He has a dire wolf named Grey Wind.
Jon Snow: Eddard’s bastard son, who he brought back home after Robert’s Rebellion. All bastards in the North are given the surname Snow. He is treated well by his father but still not afforded the rights of a trueborn son. He recently joined the Night’s Watch. He has an albino dire wolf named Ghost.
Sansa Stark: Eddard and Catelyn’s eldest daughter. She takes after her mother more than her father, and prefers the courts of the south to the boring, empty North. She had a dire wolf named Lady.
Arya Stark: Eddard and Catelyn’s younger daughter. She has always disliked the strictures put upon girls in noble society, and prefers swordfighting to sewing. She is close to Jon Snow, who gave her a sword called Needle. She had a dire wolf named Nymeria.
Bran Stark: Eddard and Catelyn’s son. He dreamed of becoming a knight, but was crippled in a fall. Since then he has had strange dreams, including a three-eyed crow. He has a dire wolf named Summer.
Rickon Stark: Eddard and Catelyn’s youngest son. He is a wild young child, with a dire wolf named Shaggydog.
Followers
Theon Greyjoy: Son of Lord Balon Greyjoy of the Iron Islands. After the ironmen were defeated in their rebellion seven years ago, Theon was taken as a ward and captive by the Starks to ensure Greyjoy loyalty. He is friendly with Robb, and a skilled archer.
Rodrik Cassel: Master-at-Arms at Winterfell (trainer of the young men in fighting), he followed Lady Catelyn in her search for information about Bran’s attacker. His son Jory rode south to King’s Landing as a guardsman of Eddard.
Maester Luwin: As a member of the order of Maesters, Luwin wears a chain around his neck symbolizing the different areas of his learning, from heraldry to accounts. He is an advisor and teacher to the Starks and their children.
Old Nan: This old lady has told stories to Stark children for a long time.
Hodor: A simple but sweet giant, he only says “Hodor.”
