The Vale of Arryn or the Vale is one of the constituent regions of the Four Kingdoms of Westeros. It was formerly a sovereign nation ruled by the Kings of Mountain and Vale before Aegon's Conquest. The Mountains of the Moon surround the smaller Vale proper, although the valley's name is often applied to all of House Arryn's realm.
The Vale is ruled by the Arryns from the castle known as the Eyrie. Notable houses of this region include Belmore, Corbray, Egen, Grafton, Hersy, Hunter, Melcolm, Redfort, Royce, Templeton, and Waynwood. Bastards of noble origin raised in the Vale are given the surname Stone.
The borders of the Vale are held to be the Bite to the north, the Bay of Crabs to the south, the Mountains of the Moon and then the Riverlands to the west, and the Narrow Sea to the east. The Vale consists of various regions: the Vale of Arryn itself; the Mountains of the Moon; the Snakewood; the Fingers; and the islands of the Three Sisters, the Paps, and Pebble.
Geography[]
The Vale is located on the eastern shore of Westeros, a land of fertile soil, rivers, and lakes, protected by its largely impassable Mountains of the Moon. The Vale tends to be slightly isolated from the rest of Westeros. Its harsh winters make travel only possible through the mountains during warmer years, and rebellious mountain clans make travel even more dangerous. The Vale can be reached through the High Road, which connects the Vale and the Riverlands, and is protected by the Bloody Gate.
The mountainous border of the Vale of Arryn proper includes the Bloody Gate in the west and the Eyrie and Longbow Hall to the north. The fertile lands within the valley include Ironoaks, Old Anchor, Redfort, and a peninsula containing the city of Gulltown and Runestone. The town of Wickenden is located along the Bay of Crabs, in the mountains south of the valley. Castles north of the Vale proper in the valleys of the Mountains of the Moon and the snakewood forest include Coldwater, Heart's Home, Snakewood, and Strongsong.
People and Economy[]
The Valemen, the people of the Vale, are known as reliable warriors steeped in honor and the worship of the Faith of the Seven. The knights of the Vale consider themselves the finest in the Seven Kingdoms, and the Valemen consider the Eyrie to be the most beautiful castle of the realm. The island people of the Three Sisters are known as Sistermen.
Some of the people living in the foothills of the Mountains of the Moon have rejected the authority of the Eyrie and live by their own rules. These mountain clans, such as the Black Ears and the Burned Men, are descendants of the First Men who raid unwary travelers and skirmish with the knights of the Vale.
Wheat, corn, and barley is grown in the Vale. Not even in Highgarden do the pumpkins grow any larger nor is the fruit any sweeter. House Waxley is known for producing scented candles in Wickenden. The candles can be scented with nutmeg and other costly spices.
History[]
37 - 50 A.C. Rule of Lord Hubert Arryn[]
The rule of Hubert Arryn would prove a stable one, if naught else. In wake of the perilous mistake of Jonos Arryn, few in the Vale were eager to prove themselves bold and foolish men, for a great many had seen Maegor Targaryen and his great black beast fly over the Vale and had heard of the fate of Jonos and his supporters. It was not one they wished share. And so it was, that by Maegor’s actions, by his justice, Hubert Arryn was handed the reigns of the Eyrie and the Vale, and such would be a bounty this Lord of the Eyrie would milk for the next thirteen years.
Hubert Arryn's time upon the Weirwood Throne would prove neither a troublesome thirteen years, nor an especially prosperous period, with many describing him as a "middling lord". The argument might even be made that his seat had been so secured by the actions of Maegor Targaryen, and such was why the Vale was so quiet during his reign.
Alas, ultimately Lord Hubert would succumb to a fever in 50 AC. When word had reached him in 49 AC of the death of his youngest son, Ser Jon Arryn, in Braavos, it had very much broken the man, and so when the fever so too came for him a year later, the Stranger came calling.
Lord Hubert Arryn was succeeded by his eldest of six sons, Lord Darnold Arryn.
50 - 54 A.C. Rule of Lord Darnold Arryn[]
In contrast to the rule of his late Lord Father, the rule of Lord Darnold Arryn would not be so peaceful. In the wake of the passings of Lord Hubert Arryn, and the King Maegor Targaryen, the Mountain Clansmen began to grow evermore brazen, attempting to take their toll from those travelling the High Road, as well as between other keeps and locations near to the Mountains of the Moon. And so it was, that under the rule of Lord Darnold Arryn, patrols would increase throughout the Vale.
Yet, the Clansmen were not all Lord Darnold would have to deal with, for while he was at challenge with the Clansmen outside the walls of the Eyrie, he so too was at challenge within the walls of the keeps of the Vale. In 50 AC, Lord Darnold was thirty and two and quite unwed, having shown no intention of marrying, and having even gone as far to rebuff several marriage proposals from Lords Corbray, Waynwood, and Lynderly. Suffice to say, the Lords of the Vale were not pleased with Lord Darnold's rejection of custom and tradition, and it soon enough began to be whispered that Lord Darnold preferred the company of men.
So it was, that whisperings spread throughout the court of the Eyrie, and the wider Vale. At first they spoke of serving boys and court knights, but when one rumour particular began to surface, one that spoke of an illicit relationship between the Lord Darnold and the Lord Ruthermont, fury was the name that resided within the Eyrie for a full fortnight.
Alas, Lord Darnold was not destined to rule long. In 54 AC, when he and his younger brother, Ser Rymond Arryn, were pursuing a group of Clansmen into the Mountains of the Moon, they would find their ends in the Battle for the Mountains, and their heads would find sticks mounted upon the High Road.
Lord Darnold Arryn was succeeded by his nephew, a boy of eight, Gunthor Arryn. Lord Denys Hunter would be named Regent of the Vale of Arryn.
54 - 62 AC Regency of Lord Denys Hunter[]
The Regency of Lord Denys Hunter, uncle to the young Lord Gunthor Arryn, was a most successful period of time for the Vale of Arryn, despite the unfortunate circumstances by which it came about. Lord Denys Hunter swiftly proved himself both a capable commander, in his execution of the Battle for the High Road, and a steady guiding hand for the seven years in which he governed the Vale in his nephew's stead.
Throughout the Vale, Lord Denys is still regarded to this day as a paragon of a man, for when time came, he readily handed over power to his nephew and most willingly and capably aided and advised the young Lord of the Eyrie in ruling the Vale for many years to come.
62 - 99 AC Rule and Death of Lord Gunthor Arryn[]
The start Gunthors reign began with the War for the Bite. The Manderlys men moved onto the Sisters after being informed by one of their bannermen that the Sunderlands had raided their lands. Though in truth its not quite known if those raiders were truly sistermen or pirates from the Narrow Sea, nonetheless the Manderlys saw their chance to take the Bite and jumped on it. Though it'd quickly prove horrible as Gunthor and the Gulltown Fleet sailed to protect their countrymen, after a handful of battles it was brought to a quick end after Lord Gunthor and Ser Hallis agreed to a truce.
For the next decade, Gunthor and the Vale would go on to hold countless tourneys and feasts as a period of peace swept over the Vale. But in 73 AC, that changed as battles between clansmen and Valemen began. To the outside world, the Vale seemed at peace but blood was shed and would be shed for many years to come. It grew bloodier as time went on and for over fifteen years in what would be called the War for the Mountains of the Moon.
It would last from 73 AC to 88 AC, and it would cost the lives of Corwyn and Arthor Arryn, Gunthors sons. In the years that followed the war Gunthor married Anya Coldwater in hopes of birthing yet another son but instead all he was brought was four daughters, the last of which killed Anya during birth. He was unsure of who would be his heir and began to shape Jasper Arryn, the son of his cousin as his heir. That quickly changed in 97 AC when Ysilla's husband died and Ysilla began to position herself as heir. It began a rivalry between her and Jasper, of which would last a lifetime.
99 - 113 AC Rule of Lady Ysilla Arryn[]
In Late 99 AC, Gunthor began a quick downfall in which he grew more aggressive and reckless. It only intensified when Viserys promised to marry Zhoe Arryn and then broke it, leaving the Arryn to shout and proclaim that if he were a younger man, Viserys would have certainly died. After those remarks, Viserys ordered Matarys Waters to keep the old man in the city. The way in which Matarys and the City Watch approached him quickly signaled Gunthor that something was wrong, it only intensified when the bastard spoke to him in a manner in which enraged him. Quickly causing a fight in which Gunthor perished.
Following the murder of Lord Gunthor, the Vale mustered men at the Gates of the Moon under Ser Jasper Arryn, preparing to march to the Bloody Gates where they'd await the order to make way for King's Landing. Not knowing that Ysilla had already begun to negotiate with King Viserys in hopes of gaining something out of the death of her late father. While she arranged a deal with the King, Ser Jasper and his men were met by Yohn Hunter, the rival and a man accused of being a traitor by Jasper.
After a back and forth, Lord Yohn demanded a trial by combat of which was swiftly denied as crossbowmen opened fired upon the man on orders of Ser Jasper. Not even days later, the Vale Host moved into the Riverlands after Ysilla informed them of the coming wedding at Harrenhal. There her sister Zhoe Arryn and King Viserys were wed, and after the Bay of Crabs were promised to the Vale, Ysilla ensured that she'd stand by his grace.
Once the Siege of Riverrun came to an end, Ysilla married Ser Jasper and quickly pulled back from her promise. And for years she only looked inward as she left the politics outside of the Vale to her husband and other advisors. Under her rule the Vale took an isolationist approach, doing its best to not actively partake in conflicts throughout Westeros.
114 - 125 The Regency of Jasper and Rodrik Arryn[]
Within the next two years as winter came in full force a never-ending and persistent illness took over her body leaving her bed-ridden and unable to rule. Jasper Arryn and other Lords of the Vale formed a council to reign in her stead with the Lord Consort ruling at their head. Some vocal critics spoke out against the placement of Jasper as Lord Protector, stating that while he was Ysilla husband, his temperament would bring the Vale nothing but strife.
It was quickly proven wrong as Jasper let his wiser Lords world to ensure their region prospered. It's claimed that Jasper spent far too much time with his mistress to truly bother with the council. In 122 AC, Lord Jasper held a grand feast in honor of his son, where a sickly Ysilla appeared before her court for the first time in two years, there she spoke before the masses for all of a few seconds to state that she and her husband had agreed to have Rodrik take Jasper's position as her regent.
In 123 AC, the nineteen-year-old Rodrik Arryn replaced his father as Regent of the Eyrie. The council that had served under his father mostly remained the same. As Ysilla's condition continued to grow dire with each passing year, many suspected that the time for Rodrik to take his rightful place as Lord was growing closer. Remarked as being a handsome and well adjusted young man, countless lords throughout the Vale and even among his council attempted to arrange a marriage with the young lord.
As summer took hold, the Poor Fellows began to establish themselves in Gulltown and the area around it. Reports spread of them harassing foreign merchants, heathens, and other small folk.
125-130 The Rule of Rodrik Arryn[]
In 125 AC, after the Poor Fellows had proven to be too big a pest to ignore, Lord Jasper Arryn, Lord Rodrik Arryn, and Prince Baelor Targaryen alongside countless others made way for Gulltown. There they arranged a meeting with their leader Benedar, not much is openly said about the meeting but by the end of it, Jasper Arryn ordered the man arrested and left Gulltown with his head on a pike.
Mere months later, Jasper and other Lords of the Vale are ambushed and brutally murdered by Poor Fellows. Sparking a harsh retaliation by Baelor Targaryen and members of the Brotherhood of the Falcon, who rushed for Gulltown and massacre the Poor Fellows. The bloodshed didn't end there, as on the 6th Moon of the 125th Year. Rodrik announced before his court that his Brotherhood would hunt down any remaining Poor Fellows within the Vale.
Though before he rode out with the Brotherhood, his mother's illness finally overtook her body and took her away from this world. The regency council that had ruled alongside Rodrik was quickly all given positions under their new Lord. In the years that followed, the young Arryn Lord arranged marriages for himself and his cousins, the most notable being his and Lady Alysanne and Lucien Tyrell, Heir to Highgarden and Rodrik' sister Lady Desmara Arryn.