Dalton Greyjoy

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House Greyjoy.PNG
Dalton Greyjoy
House Greyjoy.PNG
Alias The Red Kraken
Titles
Allegiance House Greyjoy
Race Ironborn
Born In 113 AC[1]
Died Faircastle
Books

Lord Dalton Greyjoy known as the Red Kraken was Lord Reaper of Pyke and head of House Greyjoy during the final days of Viserys I Targaryen.[2]

History

Dalton was the wild young son of the heir to Pyke. Archmaester Hake wrote he loved three things: the sea, his sword, and women. He was said to have been rowing at five and reaving at ten, sailing with his uncle to plunder the pirate towns of the Basilisk Isles. By ten-and-four, Dalton had sailed as far as Old Ghis, fought in a dozen actions, and claimed four salt wives, though he tired of women quickly. He also owned a Valyrian steel longsword he had taken off a dead corsair and named Nightfall. In his fifteenth year, while fighting in the Stepstones as a sellsail, he saw his uncle slain and avenged him, though he took a dozen wounds and emerged from the fight drenched in blood, earning his nickname of the Red Kraken. Later on the same year, he learned of his father's death and returned home to claim the Seastone Chair. Immediately he began to build longships, forge swords, and train fighters, citing that "the storm is coming" as the reason. The storm he had foreseen would fall on Westeros after the death of Viserys I Targaryen.

The Dance of the Dragons

He was offered by the greens the position of Master of Ships at the start of the Dance of the Dragons to replace Ser Tyland Lannister, who had been made Master of Coin if he would bring his ships around Westeros to battle Corlys Velaryon. Instead of leaping to the offer, Lord Dalton waited to see what the blacks had to offer.[2][3]. On the Black council, Daemon Targaryen suggested appealing to his bloodlust to bring him on the side of Rhaenyra Targaryen.[2] Instead of asking him to sail around Westeros, Rhaenyra only demanded for Dalton to attack her enemies. And among those were Lannisters, who were closer to the Iron Isles and vulnerable.

Thus, the Red Kraken chose black over green, burning the Lannister fleet and sacking Lannisport, carrying off gold, grain, trade goods and hundreds of women and girls as salt wives, including the favorite mistress of Lord Jason Lannister and their natural daughters. Dalton himself led the attack that captured Kayce. Faircastle and Fair Isle also fell and Lord Dalton claimed four of Lord Farman's daughters as salt wives, giving the fifth, the "homely one", to his brother Veron.

For the better part of two years, the Red Kraken ruled the Sunset Sea as his forebears. And when the council of regents ruling in the name of King Aegon III commanded him to cease raiding, he ignored them and continued. He was stopped when a girl known only as Tess cut his throat with his own dagger while he slept in Lord Farman's bedchamber before throwing herself into the sea.

As the Red Kraken had never taken a rock wife, his closest heirs were his salt sons. Within hours a bloody struggle for succession broke out. Lady Johanna, the widow of Lord Jason Lannister would seize the chance to take her revenge.[3]

References and Notes

  1. See the Dalton Greyjoy calculation.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Princess and the Queen.
  3. 3.0 3.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Red Kraken.