House Casterly
| House Casterly of Casterly Rock | |
|---|---|
| Coat of arms | Unknown, but lion(s) are part of it[1] |
| Seat | Casterly Rock |
| Head | Extinct |
| Region | Westerlands |
| Title | Lord of Casterly Rock |
| Founder | Corlos[2] |
| Founded | Dawn Age[2] |
House Casterly of Casterly Rock was a noble house who lived at Casterly Rock in the Dawn Age. They were the richest house of First Men in Westeros, and the most powerful family in the westerlands.[2]
Contents
History
Origin
According to legend, the founder of House Casterly was the huntsman Corlos, son of Caster, who lived in a village near where Lannisport eventually sprang up. When a lion began preying upon the village's sheep, Corlos tracked him back to his den, a cave in the base of the nearby mountain. Armed only with a spear, Corlos slew the lion and his mate, but spared her newborn cubs. This act of mercy pleased the old gods, who took favor on Corlos and sent a shaft of sunlight deep into the cave, which shone upon a huge vein of gold.[2]
Whether or not the legend is true, Corlos or some other progenitor of House Casterly began to mine the gold within the Rock. To defend his treasure, he moved inside the cave and fortified the entrance. As time passed, the Casterlys delved deeper into the earth, creating halls, galleries, stairways, and tunnels, into what became known as Casterly Rock. Although they never ruled as kings, the Casterlys became the most powerful house of the westerlands and the richest lords in all of Westeros.[2]
Disappearance
The Casterlys disappeared from history during the Age of Heroes, having been replaced by House Lannister. Legends claim that the Andal adventurer Lann the Clever tricked Casterly Rock from the Casterlys, although his methods vary in different stories. The most common tale is that Lann coated himself with butter and squeezed into the Rock through a narrow gap. Once inside, he played tricks on the Casterlys to convince them their home was haunted so they would flee. Another story claims Lann filled the Rock with vermin to drive out the Casterlys. Some stories have Lann smuggling lions into the Rock to kill the male Casterlys, and the rogue then secretly impregnated the Casterly women.[2]
In contrast to the legends, Archmaester Perestan suggests that Lann was a retainer or household guard of the Casterlys who married the daughter of Lord Casterly. Perestan theorizes that if Lord Casterly had no trueborn sons, then after his death the Rock passed to the daughter and Lann.[2]
Recent Events
A Dance with Dragons
Ser Jaime Lannister mentions the Casterlys to Hoster Blackwood; Jaime believes the story that the male Casterlys were all killed.[3]
Historical Members
- Caster, father to Corlos.[2]
- Lord Casterly, the last Casterly lord. He lost Casterly Rock to Lann the Clever.[2]
Quotes
Casterly Rock teems with Lannisters, and nowhere a Casterly to be found. The world changes, ser.[4]
In the songs, Lann was the fellow who winkled the Casterlys out of Casterly Rock with no weapon but his wits, and stole gold from the sun to brighten his curly hair.[5]
—thoughts of Eddard Stark
Hoster: The old wounds never heal, my father says.
Jaime: My father had a saying too. Never wound a foe when you can kill him. Dead men don't claim vengeance.
Jaime: Not if you kill the sons as well. Ask the Casterlys about that if you doubt me. Ask Lord and Lady Tarbeck, or the Reynes of Castamere. Ask the Prince of Dragonstone.[3]
Hoster: Their sons do.
References
- ↑ Not A Blog: A Couple of Rocks, December 23, 2022
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 The World of Ice & Fire, The Westerlands.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 48, Jaime I.
- ↑ The Sworn Sword.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 27, Eddard VI.
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