House Stark

House Stark of Winterfell is a Great House of Westeros that rules the vast region of the North from their seat of Winterfell. It is one of the oldest known houses in Westerosi nobility by far, tracing it's origin back over eight millennia to Bran the Builder, who lived during the legendary Age of Heroes.

Following the defeat and submission of the Red Kings of House Bolton, the Starks ruled as the undisputed Kings of the North for thousands of years, lasting all the way up until Aegon's Conquest. Upon learning of his victories in the south, King Torrhen Stark bloodlessly bent the knee to Aegon Targaryen. The Starks were stripped of their regnal titles, but were granted the titles of Lords Paramount of the North and Wardens of the North in their stead. The North was the last region to be annexed into the Seven Kingdoms during the initial conquest.

Following the outbreak of the War of the Five Kings, which was precipitated in part by the execution of Eddard Stark, the Second Kingdom of the North was established, with Robb Stark declared King in the North by both the northerners and riverlords. However just two years later, Robb and much of his family and allies were killed in the Red Wedding, and the turncloak Roose Bolton was made Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North. Despite this, House Bolton was ousted from power in 303 AC by Sansa Stark and Eddard's so-called bastard son, Jon Snow, with Sansa being made Lady of Winterfell and Jon being declared King in the North by the northerners and Knights of the Vale, establishing the Third Kingdom of the North. Jon's reign was even more brief however, as he would soon after bend the knee to Daenerys Targaryen to secure her support against the Army of the Dead.

Following the end of the Great War, despite renewed calls for Northern independence, the North under House Stark remained part of the Seven Kingdoms under House Baratheon of King's Landing, a decision which was solidified by the marriage of Arya Stark to King Gendry I Baratheon.

House Stark's sigil is a grey direwolf on a white background, over green. They are one of the few noble Houses whose family motto is not a boast or threat. Instead, the House Stark family motto is a warning, one that, no matter the circumstances, will always be relevant: "Winter Is Coming."