Summary: Amid the foothills of the Mountains of the Moon, House Marsten guards the western border of the Vale of Arryn. A proud house, still with the blood of the Andals within its veins, though recent years have seen it falter under cruel circumstance. Alliances and intrigue are all that remains of Marsten's once-vaunted strength. Can such weapons still prevail, however, against the threats of time and steel?
Allegiance: Ser Jon Arryn, Lord of the Eyrie, Defender of the Vale, Warden of the East & Hand of the King
House Banner: Black and green per chevron and a white lightning bolt.
House Words: "Let the Heavens Reign."
History: The blood of the Andals runs deep in the Vale of Arryn. The Seven live here as nowhere else in Westeros, kept ever in the minds and hearts of the Vale's inhabitants. The Andals, the wild race that wrested the lands from the First Men, have their roots here in the Vale and in House Marsten.
As befits a family with such a long history, the events that brought House Marsten to its historical stature are well known throughout the Vale. The House was founded by Petyr Marsten, a bannerman to Erreg the Kinslayer during one of the defining battles of the Andal invasion. Near the current site of the Bloody Gates, Erreg and his men met the forces of the First Men, but they had underestimated the strength that desperation would give to those who fought to save their lands. Erreg was cut off from his larger party and surrounded, and it seemed that he might meet his end. Petyr saw through the chaos of the battlefield, however, and fought his way to the side of his lord, turning the tide of the battle and saving Erreg's life. In return for his great service, Erreg gave Marsten his choice of lands in what would be known as the Vale of Arryn, stating that he "should always have such a one to guard his back." Erreg's statement has become the watchword for this family, and through the centuries they have remained one of the most trusted banner houses for House Arryn.
As with every significant family lineage, there are both bright and dark spots. One of the infamous legends of House Marsten is that of Carnwyn the Mad, the wife of Lord Willem Marsten. Carnwyn was a niece of King Steffon Arryn. She gave Lord Willem seven strong sons and ruled by her lord's side with legendary grace and beauty. It was said theirs was a true love match, the like of which almost never comes to pass. Tragedy befell the house, however, when he went riding with his men along the border of his lands, investigating an incursion by the Mountain Clans (who lived and raided even then). His horse trod upon a snake lying in the road and reared up, throwing Lord Willem to the ground and dashing his head against the rocks.
When Lord Willem's body was brought back to the keep, it's said that the Mother turned her face away and the Stranger entered the hall. Carnwyn saw the body of her husband and ran weeping to him, screaming inconsolably. She could not be parted from his body and stayed with him until night fell, speaking to no one, until the entire household had fallen asleep. She rose, washed her face and hands, took a dagger, and slew first her sons and then herself, falling on the blade when she had finished. The only one to escape was Diermad, the youngest, who had hidden in the stables to cry in solitude upon hearing of his father's death and was thus spared.
It was through Diermad that House Marsten survived, carrying forward. He married an Arryn lady named Jeyne, and the two rebuilt the House from its great tragedy. Despite his sorrowful young life, he was known as Diermad the Joyful, as he and Lady Jeyne had ten children that all lived to adulthood, and most of them wed and had children as well. He had a long life during peaceful times and restored stability to House Marsten.
Throughout the centuries, House Marsten remained strong, adding figures of local legend to its halls. Kieran the Just famously made peace with the local barbarian clans for seven generations, while Steffon the Pious saw visions of the Seven and renounced his inheritance to join the Faith. It was in his honor that a sept was built in Hartsbridge, and he served as septon there for decades.
Eventually, however, the Vale's autonomy came to an end. Following Aegon's Landing, House Marsten stood with its king until the Arryns were forced to bend the knee. Even then they bowed only when their lord bade them do so. During the Dance of the Dragons, the house distinguished itself by working with Aegon II to wipe out a house in the Vale that supported Rhaenyra, a move which gained House Marsten their current seat of Hartshorn, once that minor house's castle, along with that family's former lands.
Most recently, House Marsten rode with Lord Jon Arryn against Prince Rhaegar and King Aerys during Robert's Rebellion, fighting alongside the Arryn banner to overthrow the Mad King. Unfortunately, the most recent lord of House Marsten, Lord Corben, lost his two oldest sons and heirs in battle. This seemed the beginning of a decline for the house, as ill-fortune has dogged its heels ever since, culminating in Lord Corben's sudden death three months later from a plague that also claimed his remaining son, young Willem, who was only five years old. He left behind his widow, Lady Isobel, and his young daughter Corrine. Lord Corben's brother, Michael, vanished after Robert's Rebellion, leaving his only daughter, Gwyneth, in the care of his brother. He is presumed dead, but there are rumors that he supported the Targaryens and left Westeros rather than live under Baratheon rule.
Since Lord Corben's death, Lady Isobel Marsten has ruled the house with a steady but light hand. Although many suitors have approached her since her husband's death, she has refused them all. As Lady Corrine is coming of age, however, their interest in House Marsten turns toward her, and the western foothills are under continual siege by lords and knights young and old who see the Marsten lands, name, and bride as a potential windfall waiting for the right man to take hold of it. Lady Isobel has no intention of letting her husband's name be wiped out, however. Her ability to retain control of this valuable burden, however, has yet to be seen.
Holdings: House Marsten is fortunate in its lands, as the steep hills and rocky terrain that cover the bulk of the House's holdings make them easily defensible. A medium-sized, navigable river has its headwaters in Marsten lands, making for easy transportation to the east. The town of Hartsbridge is home to the only bridge crossing the river and serves as the gateway to Marsten lands. The house seat, Hartshorn, is an old but well-built castle.
Influence: Of Lady Isobel and Lord Corben's children, only the youngest daughter, Corinne, has survived. She is now fifteen and of an age for marriage, or at least betrothal. Her mother, Lady Isobel, has ruled the house since her husband's death.
Lands: Surrounded by rocky, steep foothills and stark mountains beyond, a fertile river valley runs through the heart of it. The pride of the area's inhabitants is an ancient stone bridge that spans the river, which is rumored to have been built during the time of the First Men. A small town, Hartsbridge, has grown up around the bridge, since it provides one of the few easy river crossings as well as a rare place for goods and services to be traded among the more remote hamlets and inhabitants.
In addition to the town and the bridge, the lands have an additional point of pride: the Maiden's Veil. This waterfall in the western mountains is nothing compared to Alyssa's Tears, but it is considered blessed by the Maiden and has a reputation as a holy site. It is said that girls who bathe in the waters below are blessed by the Maiden and will have good fortune in the next year. Virgins throughout the Mountains of the Moon make their way here yearly to ask the Maiden's blessing and show their piety.
The castle and the town have no shortage of fresh water or food. Their larders are well stocked with produce, game and fish, leading those from other parts of Westeros to comment on the unexpected civility of a visit to Hartsbridge. Although it is only a small town, trade and the natural abundance of the area mean that it is surprisingly affluent. If it were not for the strong presence of the Marsten family, the Mountain Clans (or other houses) would have snapped up Hartsbridge and the surrounding lands long since.
Law: For the smallfolk who live and work within Marsten lands, life is calm and peaceful. The attacks by the Clans that happen throughout the Vale happen only rarely here. The market brings its share of trouble, of course, but nothing too serious. Folks expect that—money and strangers together are a recipe for trouble. The House garrison keeps a patrol in the town to keep the peace, while more serious charges are brought to Lady Isobel for her to mete out justice.
Population: While there are smallfolk who live among the hills, tending flocks of sheep and goats, the majority of the population resides in and around Hartsbridge. The river valley is home to most of the fertile ground within Marsten lands, and so most of the farmers and smallholds stay within a mile on either side of the river. Rock walls form a patchwork grid between the farms, giving the appearance from the mountains above as emerald tiles lining the sparkling water. The smaller hills are home to vineyards, while the land in the river valley proper is given over to fruit orchards and vegetable farming. Two of the more common products that hail from here are a fine hard cider and wine of above-average quality.
Rather than costly wood and iron, most of the buildings in and around Hartsbridge are built of stone. The town is home to a marketplace in the town commons, a small sept and an attached school, a blacksmith, a cooperage, a mill, and a half-dozen small merchants and traders, in addition to two proper inns and a tavern.
Power: House Marsten has, throughout the years, acquired noble banner houses of its own. The two that it currently holds in bonds of vassalage are House Kriegar and House Lyras. Neither house is especially powerful, but they form the cornerstone of House Marsten's military forces, particularly House Kriegar, who form a shield between the Marsten lands and the Mountain Clans. Lady Isobel's recent decision to keep her troops close to home in the wake of her husband's death has soured relations between the two.
To defend the valley, House Marsten maintains a castle garrison that defends the town as well. This garrison is run by Ser Markus Elridge. Ser Markus has lived in the Vale for most of his life. He is also the driving force behind the formation of a new unit of cavalry, rebuilding and replacing the unit led by Lord Corben during Robert's Rebellion. The unit is expensive and took time and resources to form, but it's finally in place. The biggest obstacle facing them now is simply their youth and inexperience—something only time can correct.
Wealth: The Seven have shown favor to House Marsten over the years in both their fortunate location and their fertile lands. The family paid back this debt of fortune by building a marketplace in which both locals and traveling merchants could sell their wares, and a sept, to bring worship of the Seven to the people under their care. The marketplace is run by Luke "Sell-Well", the mayor of Hartsbridge. Septon Aeryn oversees the sept and the faithful in his charge as well.
Hartshorn Castle
The castle known as Hartshorn initially belonged to House Taryk, a house from Dragonstone that was believed to be of distant relation to the Targaryens, who granted them the lands after House Arryn's surender.
During the Dance of Dragons, Lord Aeden Taryk supported Rhaenya Targaryen. When House Arryn chose to fight on Aegon II's side, the Warden of the East then called his banners against Lord Taryk and Lord Edric Marsten answered, putting Aeden and all his family to the sword. In thanks for his service, House Marsten was granted the former Taryk lands and castle, which they have held ever since. It's said, though, that the ghosts of Lord Taryk and his family still walk in the halls at night. Perhaps that has contributed to the exceptional piety of the Marsten family throughout the generations.
Hartshorn Castle is the most defensible structure within House Marsten's lands. In the event of attack or natural disaster, all the smallfolk women and children are expected to take shelter within its walls. It has an outer wall as tall as most buildings, while the inner walls and towers are two stories tall, with an inner courtyard and the lord's house, stables, and warehouses within that. It is considerably smaller than any of the great castles, but still a fine structure regardless. Unusually among families of this stature, the Marstens keep no maesters among their household. When the last one was unable to prevent the deaths of Lord Corben and young Willem, Lady Isobel dismissed him from service and has refused to hire another.
The Hall: The grandest room in the keep, the hall is where Lady Isobel holds court for the smallfolk of her realm and administers disputes. It is austere, with a high ceiling and gothic arches. Tall thin glazed windows line the west wall, sending down slanting beams of light across the entire hall throughout the afternoons. The walls are white, covered with plaster and ornamented with painted scenes of the Maiden's Veil, the Seven, and portraits of Marsten lords and ladies throughout the generations.
The Inner Yard: Inside the tall inner walls of the castle lies the Inner Yard. The most protected clear ground in the whole of House Marsten's lands, all the castle buildings are within this space, along with a considerable clear area in the center, along with a kitchen garden, a small flower garden, and open space in the center for animals to graze, people to walk, and anything else that needs room and open air. Buildings accessible from the Inner Yard include the main keep with the lord's hall and chambers, the family sept, the stables, the granary and storehouses, the kitchens, and a small smithy. Access to the cellars and the catacombs is also available from here.
The Family Sept: Once the seat of worship for this part of the Mountains of the Moon, this small sept was replaced as a general place of worship when the Marstens had the new sept built in Hartsbridge a few generations ago. This small building now acts as schoolroom for the children and the home of private devotions and ceremonies for members of the family and the household. Septa Heloise is charged with the care of the sept; her chamber, a small pair of rooms, is above the main chamber, accessible by stairs in the back of the building.
The Catacombs: The architects of Hartshorn knew that some things should not be left in the open, and so they not only built up into the sky, but also tunneled into the earth. From within the inner yard there's a door that leads to stairs that descend into the earth. From there one finds what was once a dungeon built of stone, with rooms that have bolts still placed in the walls to hold shackles, and where floors slope slightly to drain whatever liquids might collect in an underground room with no windows. These rooms are largely in disuse, though those closest to the stairs have been co-opted for use as root and wine cellars.
