Crannogmen

From A Wiki of Ice and Fire
Revision as of 18:38, 5 September 2017 by Mindset (talk | contribs) (References and Notes)
Jump to: navigation, search
Illustrated by Dennis McElroy. © Fantasy Flight Games

The crannogmen are a reclusive people who dwell in the swamps of the Neck. They are ruled by House Reed from Greywater Watch. Their current lord is Howland Reed.

Description

The crannogmen are so called for their habit of living in small villages formed of reeds and thatch that sit atop floating islands in the mire (crannogs). They are a poor people and seldom leave their lands, subsisting on fishing and frogging.[1]

They are talented hunters and warriors and despite their short stature[2] and somewhat primitive lifestyle, the crannogmen have proven a notoriously difficult people to conquer. They use nets, bronze knives, frog spears, and round leather shields. They fight with poison, guerrilla tactics, and a mastery of their difficult terrain. According to those who have fought them, their houses, even their castles, move.[1] They are disparaged as frog-eaters, swamp-dwellers, mud-men, and bog devils by most other people of the Seven Kingdoms, and are looked down upon for their tactics, which are viewed as cowardly.[1][3]

Some claim the crannogmen's smaller size is because of intermarriage with the children of the forest, while others attribute their size to poor nutrition.[4]

History

The histories say that the crannogmen grew close to the children of the forest in the days when the greenseers tried to bring the hammer of the waters down upon the Neck.[5] The crannogmen and their Marsh Kings held Moat Cailin against southron invaders.[6] They swore oaths of fealty to the Starks thousands of years ago, when King Rickard Stark slew the last Marsh King and took his daughter as wife.[4]

The crannogmen are now ruled by House Reed from Greywater Watch. Other families of crannogmen are House Fenn, Peat, Boggs, Cray, Quagg, Greengood and Blackmyre.[3]

They have a feud with House Frey, who have ruled the lands immediately to the south in the northern riverlands for six centuries.

Quotes

I've sent word to Howland Reed, Father's old friend at Greywater Watch. If the Lannisters come up the Neck, the crannogmen will bleed them every step of the way.[7]

Robb Stark, to Catelyn Tully


Mudmen are sneaks, they won't fight like decent folks, they skulk and use poison arrows. You never see them, but they see you. Those who go into the bogs after them get lost and never come out. Their houses move, even the castles like Greywater Watch.[5]

Little Walder Frey, to Theon Greyjoy


We live closer to the green in our bogs and crannogs, and we remember. Earth and water, soil and stone, oaks and elms and willows, they were here before us all and will still remain when we are gone.[8]

Jojen Reed, to Bran Stark

References and Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 21, Bran III.
  2. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 9, Bran I.
  3. 3.0 3.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 20, Reek II.
  4. 4.0 4.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Crannogmen of the Neck.
  5. 5.0 5.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 50, Theon IV.
  6. The World of Ice & Fire, The Kings of Winter.
  7. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 55, Catelyn VIII.
  8. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 34, Bran III.