View source for Dreadfort

{{for|the seat of House Baelish|Drearfort}}
{{Infobox Settlement
| name		= Dreadfort
| image		= Alfred Khamidullindreadfort.jpg
| image_caption	= The Dreadfort, by Alfred Khamidullin © Fantasy Flight Games
| settlement_type= Castle
| location	= [[Westeros]], the [[north]]
| seat		= [[House Bolton]]
| seat_type	= [[Feudalism|feudal lord]]
| lord          = Lord [[Roose Bolton]]
| religion	= [[old gods]]
| population	= 
| size		=
| founded	= 
| named_for	= 
| places	=  
| organizations	=
}}
{{Location map| File:The North.png
| label = '''Dreadfort'''
| lat = 16
| long = 75
| position = right
| mark = Wolff2.PNG
| marksize = 9
| width = 350
| float = right
| caption = The [[north]] and the location of the Dreadfort
| alt =  The north and the location of the Dreadfort
}}

The '''Dreadfort''' is a fortress in the [[north]] and the seat of [[House Bolton]] in northeastern [[Westeros]]. Located on the banks of the upper [[Weeping Water]], it is southeast of the [[Lonely Hills]] and north of the [[Sheepshead Hills]]. The Dreadfort is north of [[Hornwood]], south of [[Last Hearth]], and southwest of [[Karhold]].{{ref|TLOIAF| Westeros}}

==Househould==
[[Steelshanks Walton]] serves as Lord [[Roose Bolton]]'s captain{{ref|ASOS|37}} and [[Nage]] is one of his [[House Bolton guards|guards]]. [[Ben Bones]] is the castle's kennelmaster{{ref|ADWD|Appendix}} and [[Tybald]] serves as maester.<ref>''[[The Winds of Winter]]'', [[Theon I (The Winds of Winter)|Theon I]]</ref> Letters from the Dreadfort use pink sealing wax.{{ref|ADWD|28}}

==Layout==
The Dreadfort is a strong fortress, with high walls and triangular merlons that look like sharp stone teeth. It has thick stone walls and massive towers.{{ref|ADWD|17}} Its great hall is dim and smoky, with rows of torches grasped by skeletal human hands jutting from the walls. Long tables stand before a dais with a high table. The hall has a vaulted ceiling and wooden rafters turned black from smoke.{{ref|ADWD|12}}

The Dreadfort is ill omened, for it is said the [[House Bolton|Boltons]] keep torture chambers and a special room where they hang the flayed skins of their enemies, including several [[Kings in the North]].{{Ref|aGoT|53}}

Boltons are buried beneath the Dreadfort.{{ref|ADWD|32}}

==History==
The Dreadfort was the seat of the [[Red King]]s from [[House Bolton]] during the [[Age of Heroes]]. The Boltons eventually submitted to the [[Kings in the North]] from [[House Stark]] near the start of the [[Andal invasion]].{{ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Kings of Winter}}

The Dreadfort once joined [[House Greystark]] of the [[Wolf's Den]] in rebellion against the Starks.{{ref|ADWD|29}} Centuries ago, the Boltons rose up against King [[Harlon Stark]] and the Dreadfort held out for two years under siege before the Boltons surrendered.{{ref|ADWD|17}}

The servant [[Reek]] twice stole perfume from Lady [[Bethany Bolton]]'s bedchamber because of his horrid smell.{{ref|ADWD|32}}

[[Domeric Bolton]], the heir of Lord [[Roose Bolton]], died at the Dreadfort{{ref|AWOIAF|Domeric Bolton}} after visiting his baseborn brother, [[Ramsay Snow]], along the [[Weeping Water]].{{ref|ADWD|32}} Maester [[Uthor]] called it a sickness of the bowels, but Roose blamed [[poison]].{{Ref|ADWD|32}} Lord Bolton subsequently brought Ramsay to live at the Dreadfort.{{ref|ACOK|16}} The Bastard of Bolton has earned a dark reputation from hunting women, and victims who give him good sport are sometimes the namesake for [[Bastard's girls|hounds in the Dreadfort's kennel]].{{ref|ADWD|32}}

==Recent Events==
===''A Game of Thrones''===
[[File:Dreadfort Big.jpg|thumb|350px|The Dreadfort, by Franz Miklis © Fantasy Flight Games]]
Dreadfort men under the command of Lord [[Roose Bolton]] join the northern host called by [[Robb Stark]] at [[Winterfell]].{{ref|AGOT|53}}

===''A Clash of Kings''===
Lady [[Donella Hornwood]] learns that [[Ramsay Snow]], the bastard son of Roose, is massing men at the Dreadfort. She is concerned, as the lands of [[House Hornwood]] lands adjoin those of the Boltons.{{ref|aCoK|16}} While returning from Winterfell's [[harvest feast]], Donella is seized and forced to wed Ramsay. In response, Lord [[Wyman Manderly]] seizes [[Hornwood]] to prevent Ramsay from occupying it,{{ref|ACOK|28}} and [[White Harbor]] knights battle Dreadfort men in the [[Hornwood (forest)|Hornwood forests]]. News reaches Winterfell via Ser [[Rodrik Cassel]], but he does not have the manpower to stop the [[fighting in the Hornwood]].{{ref|ACOK|35}}

"[[Reek]]", a servant of House Bolton, is captured by Rodrik after the supposed death of Ramsay. After the [[capture of Winterfell]] by [[Theon Greyjoy]], "Reek" aligns himself with Theon. Because Theon lacks the manpower to hold Winterfell, he allows "Reek" to leave to hopefully gather a few hundred reinforcements.{{ref|ACOK|56}} However, "Reek" returns to Winterfell with six hundred men from the Dreadfort. He attacks Rodrik's army of [[House Stark|Stark]] loyalists in a [[battle at Winterfell]], reveals himself to be the still-living Ramsay Snow, and orders the [[sack of Winterfell]].{{ref|ACOK|66}}

===''A Storm of Swords''===
[[Lothar Frey]] reads a letter to [[Robb Stark]], now [[King in the North]], at [[Riverrun]]. According to [[Walder Frey (son of Jammos)|Big Walder Frey]], the women and children who survived the sack of Winterfell, which allegedly was caused by Theon's [[ironborn]], were taken to safety at the Dreadfort by the Bastard of Bolton.{{ref|ASOS|35}}

Maester [[Aemon Targaryen (son of Maekar I)|Aemon]] sends a raven to the Boltons in a plea for help to defend [[attack on Castle Black|Castle Black]] from [[wildlings]].{{ref|ASOS|55}}

The hosts of Roose and Robb meet at the [[Twins]] for the wedding of Lord [[Edmure Tully]]. Robb agrees with Roose to keep Theon captive at the Dreadfort.{{ref|ASOS|49}} The Boltons turn on their Stark allies, however, and aid the [[House Frey|Freys]] in slaughtering them at the [[Red Wedding]].{{ref|ASOS|51}} King [[Tommen Baratheon|Tommen I Baratheon]] signs decrees which name Roose the new [[Warden of the North]] and which legitimize Ramsay Snow as Ramsay Bolton.{{ref|ASOS|72}} The [[Hand of the King]], Lord [[Tywin Lannister]], intends for the Dreadfort to battle the [[ironborn]] for control of the [[north]].{{ref|ASOS|53}}

===''A Feast for Crows''===
Ramsay serves as castellan of the Dreadfort.{{ref|AFFC|Appendix}}

===''A Dance with Dragons''===
[[File:T Jedruszek DreadfortSentinels.jpg|350px|thumb|Prisoners in the Dreadfort, by Tomasz Jedruszek © Fantasy Flight Games]]
[[Theon Greyjoy]] is kept in a dungeon below the castle where he has been subjected to Ramsay's flaying since the [[sack of Winterfell]].{{ref|ADWD|12}} [[Kyra]] is hunted and killed by Ramsay during an escape attempt.{{ref|ADWD|12}} [[Walder Frey (son of Jammos)|Big Walder]] and [[Walder Frey (son of Merrett)|Little Walder Frey]] eventually bring the mutilated Theon, now called "Reek", to Ramsay's feast with [[Arnolf Karstark]] and [[Hother Umber]].{{ref|ADWD|12}}

Ramsay marches with a host to resolve the [[siege of Moat Cailin]].{{ref|ADWD|20}} Arnolf writes to [[Stannis Baratheon]] at Castle Black that the Dreadfort is weakly garrisoned with fewer than fifty men, half of them servants. However, [[Jon Snow]], [[Lord Commander of the Night's Watch]], explains that the Dreadfort is a strong castle, and he convinces Stannis to instead march from [[Castle Black]] to [[fight by Deepwood Motte|Deepwood Motte]].{{ref|ADWD|17}}

==Quotes==
{{Quote|Lord [[Roose Bolton|Roose]] never says a word, he only looks at me, and all I can think of is that room they have in the Dreadfort, where the [[House Bolton|Boltons]] hang the skins of their enemies.{{Ref|aGoT|53}}|[[Robb Stark]] to [[Bran Stark]]}}

{{Quote|I know the Dreadfort. It is a strong castle, all of stone, with thick walls and massive towers. With winter coming you will find it well provisioned. Centuries ago, [[House Bolton]] rose up against the [[King in the North]], and [[Harlon Stark]] laid siege to the Dreadfort. It took him two years to starve them out.{{Ref|aDwD|17}}|[[Jon Snow]] to [[Richard Horpe]]}}

{{quote|The boy he'd been before had been [[ironborn]], true enough, but Reek had come into this world in the dungeons of the Dreadfort.{{ref|ADWD|20}}|thoughts of [[Theon Greyjoy]]}}

{{quote|Theon was not afraid to die. Underneath the Dreadfort, he had learned there were far worse things than death. Ramsay had taught him that lesson, finger by finger and toe by toe, and it was not one that he was ever like to forget.{{ref|ADWD|37}}|thoughts of [[Theon Greyjoy]]}}

==References==
{{References}}

{{Region North‎}}

[[Category:Castles]]
[[Category:House Bolton]]
[[Category:Places in the North]]

[[es:Fuerte Terror]]
[[fa:درد فورت]]
[[fr:Fort-Terreur]]
[[ru:Дредфорт]]
[[zh:恐怖堡]]