Character: Robb Stark


Name: Robb Stark
Alias: Young Wolf
Title / Role: King of the North
Allegiance: House Stark
Culture: the North
Place of Birth: Riverrun
Date of Birth: 283 AL
Place of Death: The Twins
Date of Death: 299 AL

Played by: Richard Madden

Robb Stark was the eldest son of Eddard Stark and Catelyn Tully and the heir to Winterfell and the North. Upon his father's imprisonment for treason he raised his banners and marched south with a host to aid his allies in the Riverlands and to free his father. After his father's execution he was named King in the North by his followers. Called "The Young Wolf" by many of his followers and foes alike, he shared his father's devotion to honor and was frequently accompanied by his direwolf, Grey Wind, whom he always took with him into battle. In the TV series he is played by Richard Madden. Source: AWOIAF

Robb is Eddard Stark's eldest legitimate child, and the heir to Winterfell. He is the only major Stark that is not a POV character. He bears great responsibility with scant complaint, and shares his father's devotion to honor and justice. His appearance favors his Tully side, with a stocky build, blue eyes, and thick auburn hair. His companion direwolf is named Grey Wind.
When Eddard became the King's Hand, Robb remained at Winterfell to rule in his father's stead. Upon Eddard's execution, Robb was declared King in the North by his father's bannermen, who rallied to his cause. Robb won many great battles against the Lannister armies, which led him to be known as the "Young Wolf", but he believed that he botched the non-martial aspects of the war.

His downfall was triggered by failure to fulfill one of his mother's pacts that cemented his shaky alliances. As part of an agreement with House Frey, she pledged to Lord Walder Frey that Robb would marry a Frey woman. Instead, Robb married Jeyne Westerling, daughter of a minor House serving House Lannister. Full of conflicting emotions over deflowering her after she tended his battle wound, Robb quietly wed Jeyne, naming her his queen. The controversial marriage incited the rage of House Frey; Robb offered an apology to Lord Frey for breaking his pledge, and believed the matter resolved.

Lord Frey's apparent forgiveness was proved false when Robb attended his uncle's wedding to a Frey: Robb, his wolf Grey Wind, his mother, and many of his men were murdered by Frey soldiers. Roose Bolton personally slew the young king, and his body was defiled. Because of the bloodshed, this event became known as the Red Wedding. The incident outraged Robb Stark's surviving loyal bannermen, and sullied the honor of House Frey, which had violated one of the oldest traditions of the Seven Kingdoms: that of the safety of guests who have been given food and shelter.

Shortly before Robb was murdered, he may have designated an heir, believing his brothers and his sister Arya to be dead. Robb and his mother agreed that his sister Sansa, as the sole remaining lawful child of Eddard Stark, should be specifically disinherited to forestall her prospective children by Tyrion Lannister from having claim to Winterfell. He had suggested Jon Snow as the most plausible heir to Winterfell, as a son of Eddard Stark, though whether or not this was made official is never explicitly revealed to the reader. While many of the lords that knew the identity of Robb's chosen heir were slain at the Red Wedding, others still live that know who it is.

Although young, Robb was a brilliant tactician and strategist. He demonstrated this brilliance on several occasions, such as when he outmaneuvered Lord Tywin Lannister and rescued Riverrun, subsequently capturing Jaime Lannister. It is also revealed that he planned to assail the impregnable Moat Cailin from three directions and his commanders were confident the plan would work; however, he never had the chance to put the plan in action. Like his father Ned, Robb was short-sighted of the political games being played throughout the war, a flaw that cost him the alliance of the Freys, the Karstarks and the Boltons and ultimately, his life. Source: Wikipedia

Cast: Season 1, Episode 2: The Kingsroad

Sean Bean - Eddard Stark

Mark Addy - Robert Baratheon

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau - Jaime Lannister

Michelle Fairley - Catelyn Stark

Lena Headey - Cersei Lannister

Emilia Clarke - Daenerys Targaryen

Iain Glen - Ser Jorah Mormont

Harry Lloyd - Viserys Targaryen

Kit Harington - Jon Snow

Sophie Turner - Sansa Stark

Maisie Williams - Arya Stark

Richard Madden - Robb Stark

Alfie Allen - Theon Greyjoy

Isaac Hempstead Wright - Bran Stark

Jack Gleeson - Joffrey Baratheon

Rory McCann - Sandor Clegane

Peter Dinklage - Tyrion Lannister

Donald Sumpter - Maester Luwin

Jamie Sives - Jory Cassel

Ron Donachie - Ser Rodrik Cassel

Joseph Mawle - Benjen Stark

Roxanne McKee - Doreah

Dar Salim - Qotho

Amrita Acharia - Irri

Sarita Piotrowski - Jhiqui

Wilko Johnson - Ser Ilyn Payne

Rhodri Hosking - Mycah

Luke McEwan - Rast

Lalor Roddy - Catspaw

Conor Delaney - Lannister Guardsman

Callum Wharry - Tommen Baratheon

Aimee Richardson - Myrcella Baratheon

Jason Momoa - Khal Drogo

Robert Render - Northern Bannerman (uncredited)

Source: IMDb
Plot Summary: Season 1, Episode 2: The Kingsroad

Season 1, Episode 2: The Kingsroad

Original Air Date—24 April 2011

Bran's fate remains in doubt. Having agreed to become the King's Hand, Ned leaves Winterfell with daughters Sansa and Arya, while Catelyn stays behind to tend to Bran. Jon Snow heads north to join the brotherhood of the Night's Watch. Tyrion decides to forego the trip south with his family, instead joining Jon in the entourage heading to the Wall. Viserys bides his time in hopes of winning back the throne, while Daenerys focuses her attention on learning how to please her new husband, Drogo. Written by HBO Publicity, Source: IMDb

The Wall


The Wall is a massive wall of ice that stretches across the northern border of the Seven Kingdoms, separating it from the wild lands beyond. It extends from the Frostfangs mountain range in the west to the Bay of Seals in the east. It was reputedly created over 8,000 years prior to the present setting by Brandon the Builder after the Long Night to defend the realms of man from the wildlings and Others. Approximately 300 leagues in length and 700 feet in height, the Wall is protected by the Night's Watch and according to some, ancient spells and sorcery. Supposedly, Brandon the Builder had placed his foundations along the heights wherever possible. Several mentions in the text suggest that the Wall was much smaller at the time, having been built upon by the Night's Watch over the centuries to its present size. However, the severely reduced Night's Watch at the present time is limited to maintenance duty. A total of nineteen fortresses have been built along the Wall though only three, The Shadow Tower, Castle Black and Eastwatch-by-the-sea are occupied at the time of the books.

It is wide enough for several mounted knights to ride abreast atop of it. At its peak it is studded with catapults and cranes. The Night's Watch permits the forest to come no closer than half a mile to the Wall.

However between the three inhabited fortresses, the forest has crept back. The Wall is straight from Castle Black to Eastwatch-by-the-sea, but runs like a snake between Castle Black and the Shadow Tower. Source: AWOIAF

The Wall is a massive wall of ice on the northern border of the Seven Kingdoms. According to legends in the series it was made 8000 years ago by Brandon the Builder, in order to protect the Seven Kingdoms from a threat from the north. The Night's Watch guards the wall, but has decreased in numbers in recent times. Of the nineteen castles along the wall only three are manned. At least some of the castles have gates opening to the north. Although wildlings cannot get through the wall some few manage to scale it, or sail around it near the coasts. To the south of the wall is a strip of land known as "the Gift", from which the Night's Watch supports itself. While it does border the North, the Wall and the Gift lands technically have independent and extra-legal status. The Night's Watch has maintained this control for thousands of years to support their guarding of the Wall, and when the Targaryens conquered and unified the Seven Kingdoms they allowed the Night's Watch to continue this control while nominally swearing allegiance to the Targaryen kings. Source: Wikipedia

King's Landing


King's Landing is the capital of Westeros and the Seven Kingdoms. It is situated on the Blackwater river on the spot where Aegon the Conqueror landed in Westeros to begin his conquest. The main city is surrounded by a wall, manned by the City Watch of King's Landing, also known as the Gold Cloaks. Within the walls, the city's natural landscape is dominated by three hills, named after Aegon and his two sisters, Visenya and Rhaenys. Poorer smallfolk build shanty settlements outside the city. King's Landing is extremely populous, but rather unsightly and dirty compared to other cities. The stench of the city's waste can be smelled far beyond its walls. It is the principal harbor of the Seven Kingdoms, rivaled only by Oldtown. Source: AWOIAF

King's Landing is the capital of Westeros and the Seven Kingdoms. It is situated on the Blackwater river on the spot where Aegon the Conqueror landed in Westeros to begin his conquest. The main city is surrounded by a wall, manned by a city watch known as the Gold Cloaks. Within the walls, the city's natural landscape is dominated by three hills, named after Aegon and his two sisters. Poorer smallfolk build shanty settlements outside the city. King's Landing is extremely populous, but rather unsightly and dirty. The stench of the city's waste can be smelled far beyond its walls.

The royal castle, called the Red Keep, sits on Aegon's Hill. The Keep holds the Iron Throne, the seat of the monarch. Aegon commissioned the throne's construction from the swords of his defeated enemies. According to legend, he kept the blades sharp because he believed that no ruler should ever sit comfortably. Centuries later, kings still cut themselves on the throne. It is a common belief that one who cuts himself on the throne has been 'rejected' by the throne and is therefore not fit to rule.

The city also holds the Great Sept of Baelor, where the Most Devout convene with the High Septon. It is the holiest sept of the Seven.

The slums of King's Landing are called Flea Bottom, where residents are so poor they regularly subsist on "bowls of brown", a mystery stew that can include the meat of puppies and murder victims.

King's Landing has an estimated population of more than 500,000, as stated by Tyrion when he meets Oberyn Martell on his arrival to King's Landing. Source: Wikipedia

Season 1, Episode 1: Winter Is Coming

Original Air Date—17 April 2011

A Night's Watch deserter is tracked down outside of Winterfell, prompting swift justice by Lord Eddard "Ned" Stark and raising concerns about the dangers in the lawless lands north of the Wall. Returning home, Ned learns from his wife Catelyn that his mentor, Jon Arryn, has died in the Westeros capital of King's Landing, and that King Robert is on his way north to offer Ned Arryn's position as the King's Hand. Meanwhile, across the Narrow Sea in Pentos, Viserys Targaryen hatches a plan to win back the throne, which entails forging an allegiance with the nomadic Dothraki warriors by giving its leader, Khal Drogo, his lovely sister Daenerys' hand in marriage. Robert arrives at Winterfell with his wife, Queen Cersei, and other members of the Lannister family: her twin brother Jaime, dwarf brother Tyrion and Cersei's son and heir to the throne, 12-year-old Joffrey. Unable to refuse his old friend and king, Ned prepares to leave for King's Landing, as Jon Snow decides to travel north to Castle Black to join the Night's Watch, accompanied by a curious Tyrion. But a startling act of treachery directed at young Bran may postpone their departures. Written by HBO Publicity, Source: IMDb

Winterfell




Winterfell is a castle in the North of Westeros. It is the ancestral home and seat of power of House Stark, which has ruled the North for millenia. It was supposedly built by Brandon the Builder with the help of giants. It lies on the Kingsroad that runs from King's Landing to the Wall. Built on top of a hot spring, it uses the water from that spring for heating, making it more comfortable than other castles during the harsh northern winter. Under the castle there is a crypt where the Starks bury their dead. There is a 'winter town' outside which is apparently mostly deserted during summers, but where the smallfolk gather in winters. Wintefell is encircled by two massive granite walls with a wide moat between them. The outer wall stood eighty feet high, the inner more than a hundred.

The castle was sacked and burned down by Ramsay Snow. The crypts remain intact. Source: AWOIAF