House Ryswell

House Ryswell of the Rills
Coat of arms	A black horse's head, eyes and mane red, on bronze within a black engrailed border; (Bronze, a horse's head sable orbed and maned gules within a bordure engrailed sable)
Head	Lord Rodrik Ryswell
Region	North
Title	Lord of the Rills
Overlords	House Stark (AGOT); House Bolton (ADWD);

House Ryswell of the Rills is a noble family of the north, one of the prominent houses sworn to House Stark of Winterfell.^[2] The Ryswells rule the Rills,^[3] the extensive area between the barrowlands, the Stony Shore, and Blazewater Bay in the north.^[4]

Their blazon is a black horse's head, eyes and mane red, on bronze within a black engrailed border.^[5] Rodrik Ryswell, Lord of the Rills, and his quarrelsome sons personalize their arms with horseheads of different colors — grey, black, brown, and gold (for Rodrik).^[6] Their words are not mentioned in the books.

History

House Ryder were First Men kings who ruled the Rills and eventually submitted to House Stark, the Kings of Winter from Winterfell.^[2] It is unknown how or when House Ryswell came to rule the Rills, although King Theon Stark once put down a rebellion in the Rills.^[2]

An old story from before Aegon's Conquest tells that when seventy-nine deserters left the Wall, one of them was the youngest son of Lord Ryswell, who decided to look for shelter at his father's keep. However, Lord Ryswell returned his son and his companions to the Nightfort, where they were buried alive in the ice to forever stand the watch they had abandoned. Late in his life Lord Ryswell took the black to end his days watching behind his son.^[7]

Lady Robyn Ryswell was the second wife of Jonnel Stark, Lord of Winterfell.^[8]

Lord Rodrik Ryswell's elder daughter, Bethany, was the second wife of Roose Bolton, Lord of the Dreadfort.^[3] Rodrik hoped to advance the status of his House by marrying his younger daughter, Barbrey, to a House Stark of Winterfell, but Brandon Stark, the heir of Lord Rickard Stark, was betrothed to Catelyn Tully. Barbrey instead wed Willam Dustin, Lord of Barrowton. After Brandon and Rickard were killed by King Aerys II Targaryen, Lord Eddard Stark wed Catelyn instead of Barbrey.^[9] Lord Dustin and Ser Mark Ryswell died fighting beside Eddard at the tower of joy in the aftermath of Robert's Rebellion.^[10]

Recent Events

A Storm of Swords

Spearmen from the Rills compose part of the force that Roose Bolton, Lord of the Dreadfort, leaves under command of Ronnel Stout and Ser Kyle Condon in the aftermath of the fighting at the fords of the Trident.^[11]

Maester Aemon sends a raven to the Rills in a plea for help to defend Castle Black from the wildlings.^[12]

A Feast for Crows

The small council of King Tommen I Baratheon hears that Umbers and Ryswells are joining Ramsay Bolton for the siege of Moat Cailin.^[13]

A Dance with Dragons

The Ryswells and Dustins are the first to declare for House Bolton when Lord Roose is named Warden of the North. The two houses surprise the remaining ironborn on the Fever River and manage to burn their longships.^[14] The ironmen at Moat Cailin repel three attacks by the northern host, but Theon Greyjoy negotiates the castle's surrender.^[15]

Rodrik Ryswell, Lord of the Rills, his quarrelsome sons, and his daughter Barbrey attend the wedding of Ramsay to "Arya Stark" at Winterfell.^[16] Ryswell and Dustin squires have snowball fights within the castle.^[9] Rickard Ryswell flirts with one of Abel's washerwomen,^[9] while Roose Ryswell sends scouts in search of King Stannis Baratheon's army in the wolfswood, though none return.^[17]

Roger Ryswell is present with Barbrey, Lord Bolton, and Ser Aenys Frey when Theon is questioned about the deaths that are happening in the castle, including one of Roger's men-at-arms. Roger is hostile towards the Freys, as Ryswell men were slain at the Red Wedding.^[17]