House Royce of Runestone is an old and powerful noble house of the Vale, sworn to House Arryn. Their seat is the castle Runestone, located on the coast of the narrow sea north of Gulltown. There is also a junior branch occupying the non-hereditary seat of the Gates of the Moon, located on the path that leads to the Eyrie.
The Royces of Runestone blazon their arms with black iron studs on bronze, boxed with runes, and their motto is "We Remember."
Culture
Traits
As First Men the Royces have strong jaws, dark eyes and dark hair in shades of brown and black.
Customs
The Royces are proud of their descent from the First Men. They have several sets of ancient bronze plate armor inscribed with runes that are thought to make their wearers immune to injury. The truth of this claim has been called into question, however, as quite a few Royces have died wearing them. The Royces control several ports and do not depend on Gulltown for its commerce.
Royce
Black iron studs on bronze, boxed with runes
We Remember
Seat
Runestone
Head
Lord Rolly Royce
Titles
Lord of Runestone
High King of the Vale, the Fingers
and the Mountains of the Moon
(historical)
Bronze King(hisorical)
Heir(s)
Ser Yohn Royce
Overlord(s)
Arryn of the Eyrie
Vassal(s)
House Shett
House Tollett
Family Tree
History
Bronze Kings
Calling themselves the Bronze Kings and wearing the Runic Crown, the Royce of Runestone were the most powerful First Men monarchs of the Vale in antiquity. Their rivals included House Shett of Gulltown, who carried the title King of the True Men and likewise claimed to date back ten thousand years to the Dawn Age.
After King Yorwyck VI Royce defeated the Shetts in several battles, King Osgood III Shett allied himself with Ser Gerold Grafton, an Andal warlord from Andalos across the narrow sea. Although they defeated the Bronze King, the death of Osgood in battle led House Grafton to claim Gulltown for themselves. Yorwyck later repelled several other Andal attacks.
High King
The last of the Bronze Kings was Yorwyck's young grandson, Robar II, who came to the throne when Andal invaders had conquered three-quarters of the Vale. Robar gained the allegiance of surviving First Men houses, including Belmores, Coldwaters, Hunters, Redforts, and Upcliffs, and he was proclaimed High King of the Vale, the Fingers, and the Mountains of the Moon.
Robar led the First Men to several victories, but he was eventually defeated by Ser Artys Arryn's Andals in the Battle of the Seven Stars. The surviving Royces bent the knee and swore fealty to House Arryn, the new Kings of Mountain and Vale.
Targaryen Dynasty
The Arryn kings submitted to House Targaryen during Aegon's Conquest.
In 37 AC, at the start of the reign of King Aelyx I Targaryen, Rickard Arryn, the Lord of the Eyrie, was imprisoned by his younger brother Paul, who declared himself King of Mountain and Vale. Lord Elden Royce led a host which swept away rebels and penned Paul, his captives, and his followers up in the Eyrie, which led to the murder of Rickard when his brother sent him flying through the Moon Door. Dowager Queen Visenya and Prince Baelon Targaryen ended the rebellion by flying to the Eyrie atop Vhagar and Balerion. After Paul's death, the Arryn line continued through a cousin, Artos Arryn.
Recent Events
Seat and Holdings
Runestone lies on a peninsula north of the Bay of Crabs, east of Redfort and south of Old Anchor. While Runestone is on the northern shore of the peninsula, the nearby city of Gulltown is on the southern shore. Runestone is an ancient castle and is perhaps the largest of all the fortresses of the Vale. Not unlike the armor of house Royce, the walls bear ancient carvings of runes that have proven considerably more effective than those upon Royce armor as the castle has not been breeched a single time that history can recall.
Notes
