This is a listing of members of House Bracken who appear in A Song of Ice and Fire.
For the main character index, see here
For the main Riverlands entry, see here
House Bracken of Stone Hedge
An ancient Riverlands House seated at Stone Hedge. They used to rule as kings in the Age of Heroes, when House Blackwood apparently rose against them, setting off a centuries long feud between the two houses (The Blackwoods tell this story with themselves as kings and the Brackens rising against them). Their sigil is a red stallion upon a golden escutcheon on brown.
Tropes related to House Bracken:
- Alliterative Name: Two of Lord Jonos' daughters, Barbara and Bess.
- Animal Motif: Horses, but the stubborn, fierce and obstinate kind, more like a badly tempered destrier than a gentle old gelding or a sweet-tempered mare.
- Enemy Mine: Anytime the Brackens and Blackwoods ally. One of the most famous instances was the Battle of Bitter River, where the two Houses attempted to halt the Andal invasion, only to have their lines broken by a charge of 777 Andal knights led by seven septons. In short; when Brackens and Blackwoods voluntarily work together, the entire Riverlands treat it as a Mass "Oh, Crap!" moment.
- Fantasy Counterpart Culture: The head-butting ancestral conflict between the Brackens and Blackwoods in the Red Fork of the Riverlands is reminiscent of the family feud between the Hatfields and McCoys in the Tug Fork on the Big Sandy River in Kentucky, United States (which dates back to before the American Civil War).
- Feuding Families: With the Blackwoods. While the feud had been ongoing for thousands of years, the two families had managed to make peace for a few centuries until Ser Otto Bracken killed Lord Quentyn Blackwood at a tourney ninety-three years before the series began.
- In-Series Nickname: Ser Otto Bracken was known as the "Brute of Bracken".
- Jerkass: Several of the historical Brackens seem to be this. Their roster includes Ser Otto who killed Lord Blackwood during a tourney, Lord Lothar who backstabbed the riverlander resistance against the Ironborn invaders, and the Lord Bracken who raised a daughter with the sole intention of pimping her out to the lecherous king Aegon IV. By his mother's connection, there was also Aegon IV's Great Bastard Bittersteel who was one of the most famous jerkasses in the history of Westeros.
- Land, Sea, Sky: In terms of Animal Motifs, House Tully (fish) are the Sea, while their bannermen House Bracken (horse) are the Land and House Blackwood (raven) are the Sky.
- Meaningful Name: Bracken ferns are a poisonous plant, which fits with a lot of members of this family not being very pleasant people.
- Multiple-Choice Past: The Blackwoods claim the Brackens were their treacherous vassals. The Brackens tell it the other way around. Reality: Both houses ruled as kings in their own right, and nobody but they really care how it all started, now.
- "Not So Different" Remark: Both Houses are as stubborn as the blazes, both once ruled, both will dig into the opposite position just because they learned what the other House was doing... and, currently, both despise Freys. A relatively safe topic of conversation for now would be, "So, about undermining Lord Walder...? Let's discuss purely hypothetical ways and means."
- Nouveau Riche: Accused of being this by Tytos Blackwood, who claims they were horse-traders who used their wealth to hire sellswords and usurp the Blackwoods.
- Overshadowed by Awesome: Whenever the Brackens and Blackwoods aren't portrayed as Mirroring Factions, the Brackens tend to end up getting the short end of the stick compared to their rivals, both in terms of success and morality - The Blackwoods are the only known house south of the Neck to worship the Old Gods and occasionally produce Greenseers, the Brackens have no known history of magical abilities. The Blackwoods rallied the other riverlords in rebellion against both the Teagues and the Ironborn, the Brackens dishonourably betrayed them and joined with the Ironborn. Bittersteel lost every fight he picked with Bloodraven, and died in exile whereas Bloodraven transformed himself into an immortal Physical God. The Blackwoods married into both the Stark and Targaryen line, the Brackens aren't known to have ever successfully married into any of the Great Houses. After the Red Wedding, the Blackwoods remain loyal to the Starks, while the Brackens switch sides and join the Lannisters.
- Token Good Teammate: Ser Lyle Bracken, who stood against Maegor the Cruel during his Trail of Seven.
- Virile Stallion: Many members of this house are hot-tempered warriors. Mayhaps there's a good reason for that fierce-looking red horse on their shields.
- You Are What You Hate: Despite hating the Blackwoods, the Brackens have Blackwood blood in them (and the Blackwoods have Bracken blood in them, too) as a result of marriages between the two Houses made hundreds of years ago.
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Current Generation
Lord Jonos Bracken
Lord Jonos Bracken
- "Gregor Clegane laid waste to my fields, slaughtered my smallfolk, and left Stone Hedge a smoking ruin. Am I now to bend the knee to the ones who sent him? What have we fought for, if we are to put all back as it was before."
Head of House Bracken and Lord of Stone Hedge. He has five daughters, Barbara, Jeyne, Catelyn, Bess, and Alysanne, as well as a natural son Harry and a nephew Hendry.
- Action Dad: Well, he is. And, somewhat protective of his kids, too; if in a haphazard, bumbling kind of way.
- Colonel Badass: One of the Riverland's best military commanders, and he fights alongside his men.
- Cool Helmet: When fighting, he wears a gray steel greathelm with a horsehair crest.
- Everyone Has Standards: While he may be an opportunistic jackass, he is disgusted with House Frey and the Red Wedding.
- Foil: To his rival, Lord Tytos Blackwood. Jonos is short and has a heavy build, prone to angry outbursts, has several daughters and one son, and is the first Riverlord to surrender to the Iron Throne, while Tytos is tall and thin, calm and reserved, has several sons and one daughter, and is the last Riverlord to surrender to the Iron Throne. Pretty much they only things they have in common is their hatred of each other and skill in battle.
- Hypocrite: Despite his passionate speech opposing reconciliation with the Lannisters at the start of the war, he is the first Riverlord to capitulate to the Iron Throne. Turns out he's fine putting things back as they were if it means generous terms and the opportunity to take some land from a rival House. That said, there didn't seem much else he could do, considering most of the remaining Northern and Riverlands army had been wiped out by the Freys and Boltons along with their King Robb Stark, and the Lannisters already had a much larger army.
- Interrupted Intimacy: Occurs when Ser Jaime Lannister barges into his tent unannounced during the siege of Raventree to find him screwing a Camp Follower.Jonos: You took me unawares, my lord. I was not told of your coming.
Jaime: And I seem to have prevented yours. - Jerkass: Not obvious in the early books, but revealed in A Dance With Dragons, where he recommends to Ser Jaime Lannister that he take Tytos Blackwood's only daughter as a hostage to ensure his loyalty to the Iron Throne, knowing that it would hurt his rival. Jaime finds this despicable, so he takes one of Tytos' sons instead and then asks Jonos to send one of his daughters to King's Landing as a "guest".
- Kneel Before Frodo: Proclaims Robb as "King in the North", despite being a Riverlands Lord whose territory has never been ruled from Winterfell before.
- Know When to Fold 'Em: One of the first Riverlands lords to surrender to the Iron Throne after the Red Wedding. He still refers to Robb's death as murder and is angry about the friends and relatives he lost at the Red Wedding, but felt that there was no point fighting for a lost cause. Being able to take some land from his rival House Blackwood, who still opposed the Iron Throne, also contributed to his decision.
- Large and in Charge: Described as being very thickly built.
- The Rival: To Lord Tytos Blackwood.
- Spiteful Spit: When speaking of Lord Walder Frey and the Red Wedding, Jonos spits in contempt.
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: With Lord Tytos. At strategy meetings, they sit as far away from each other as possible. After surrendering to the Iron Throne, he is clearly unhappy about having to work with the Lannisters, despite his willingness to fight House Blackwood.Jonos to Jaime: I lost my nephew to your swords, and my natural son. Your Mountain stole my harvest and burned everything he could not carry off. He put my castle to the torch and raped one of my daughters. I will have recompense.
- To Be Lawful or Good: Chooses Lawful by submitting to the Iron Throne and following their orders to attack his former allies. Jonos even admits to Jaime that if Ser Brynden Tully comes to him for aid, he would arrest him and turn him over to the Iron Throne despite liking and having great respect for him.
- Turn Coat: After being forced to bend the knee and swear loyalty to the Iron Throne after the Red Wedding, he quickly assaults his former allies who don't follow suit. Ser Jaime finds this rather despicable of him.
Harry Rivers
Harry Rivers
The Bastard of Bracken.
The alleged bastard son of Lord Jonos. Killed during the War of the Five Kings by the Lannisters.
- Heroic Bastard: A bastard who fought for the heroic side of the war. Not even the Blackwood's have anything bad to say about him (although they do question whether he actually was a Bracken) and the Brotherhood without Banners recite his name along with many allies and friends they've lost.
- Lineage Comes from the Father: Invoked by those who doubt Harry being a son of Lord Jonos as he's fair-haired and comely, while Jonos is neither.
- Posthumous Character: He is killed before ever appearing in the series, but is mentioned several times after his death.
Historical Brackens
Pre-Conquest
Lord Lothar Bracken
Lord Lothar Bracken
Lord of Stone Hedge when King Harwyn Hoare invaded the Riverlands. While initially allying with the Ironborn invaders, he later tried to rebel and suffered for it.
- Les Collaborateurs: He was one of the few Riverlords who allied with King Harwyn when he invaded, taking the opportunity to attack the Blackwoods army from behind when they marched against the Ironborn. He then delivered Lady Agnes Blackwood and two of her sons to Harwyn, who executed them.
- Cruel and Unusual Death: He was left to hang in a crow cage for most of a year, starving to death while exposed to the elements.
- Curbstomp Battle: His revolt against Harwyn was crushed almost instantly, with Stone Hedge getting sacked.
- Too Dumb to Live: Tries to rebel against Harwyn six months after he conquered the Riverlands. Unsurprisingly, only a few minor lords rallied to him since one war had just ended and Lothar had betrayed most of the others by siding with Harwyn during the conquest of the Riverlands.
Post-Conquest
Ser Olyver Bracken
See the Night's Watch page.
Lord Humfrey Bracken
Lord Humfrey Bracken
Head of house Bracken during the Dance of the Dragons. He was taken prisoner alongside his wife, younger sons and baseborn paramour by Prince Daemon Targaryen shortly after the battle of the Burning Mill.- Enemy Mine: When Aegon II intended to punish all lords who had fought for, or had surrendered to the Blacks, he quickly joined Lord Elmo Tully's host. Among that host were his rivals of House Blackwood.
- I Have Your Wife: The proverbial wife on this case. His son Raylon Rivers surrendered to save his life and that of the rest of House Bracken.
- Outliving One's Offspring: His son Amos was killed in the Battle of the Burning Mill.
Ser Amos Bracken
Ser Amos Bracken
A knight and heir of House Bracken during the Dance of Dragons. In his youth he fought a duel against his rival Samwell Blackwood to win the favor of Rhaenyra Targaryen. He would face his rival once more during the Battle of the Burning Mill, where he struck down Samwell, only to be in turn killed by Blackwood's sister Black Aly.
- Always Someone Better: Defeated Samwell Blackwood during both their duels.
- Boom, Headshot!: Apparently Alysanne Blackwood shot him in the face shortly after he killed Samwell.
- Duel to the Death: Fought and killed Samwell in one of this.
- Pyrrhic Victory: While he defeated his Blackwood rival, he was killed immediately afterwards and his house was knocked out of the war shortly after.
- The Rival: Of Samwell Blackwood.
Ser Raylon Rivers
Ser Raylon Rivers
The bastard son of Humfrey Bracken, who fought alongside his brother Amos Bracken. He surrendered to Daemon Targaryen when he took over Stone Hedge to save the lives of the rest of his kin.- Alliterative Name: Raylon Rivers
- Know When to Fold Them: Surrendered to Daemon Targaryen to spare the lives of his kin.
- Sibling Team: With his half-brother Amos.
- You Are in Command Now: Forced to led the survivors of the forces of House Bracken after Amos was killed.
Barba Bracken
Barba Bracken
Aegon the Unworthy's fifth mistress. Her father served as Aegon's Hand, but she and her father were forced to leave King's Landing after he talked openly of replacing Queen Naerys with Barba. She is also the mother of Aegor Rivers, better known as Bittersteel.
- Alliterative Family: With her sister Bethany.
- Alliterative Name: Barba Bracken.
- Ambition Is Evil: Shared her father's ambitions for House Bracken by aiming to be Aegon IV's Queen.
- Buxom Beauty Standard: She was famously buxom, and proud of it, having once mocked her successor Melissa Blackwood for having small breasts. In response, Aegon renamed a pair of hills Missy's Teats to give her some larger breasts.
- Didn't Think This Through: Both Barba and her father were guilty of this: when Queen Naerys fell deathly ill following childbirth, Barba and her father openly began advising Aegon to take her as his Queen when Naerys died. When Naerys recovered, her outraged son Daeron and brother Aemon demanded the removal of Barba and her father from court.
- Famous Ancestor: She is one of the most well-known of Aegon's nine mistresses, and her son Bittersteel would go onto to leave a rather large impact on the history of Westeros and Essos.
- Get Out!: Aegon expelled Barba from court on the demands of Prince Daeron and Aemon the Dragonknight after Naerys recovered from a difficult childbirth, during which Barba had expressed her hope the Queen would die so Aegon could wed her instead.
- Jerkass: She made fun of Melissa Blackwood for having small breasts, openly hoped that Queen Naerys would die so that she could marry Aegon IV, and later pimped out her younger sister to him to regain his royal favor.
- The Mistress: She was Aegon's fifth mistress.
- My Nayme Is: Barba, not Barbara.
- No Historical Figures Were Harmed: Barba shares some similarities with Mary Boleyn, one of Henry VIII's more prominent mistresses. Like Barba, Mary was of a prominent English noble family who used her place in the King's affection to advance themselves, Mary may have borne a bastard child or two of Henry's, and left court under a cloud when he lost interest in her.
- Proud Beauty: She was considered beautiful and vivacious, but she was not very modest, as seen when she made fun of Melissa for having smaller breasts than her.
- The Rival: Of Melissa Blackwood, to the point she helped raise her own sister to replace Melissa as Aegon's mistress to get revenge and increase House Bracken's status.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: There's no mention of what happened to Barba after Bethany's affair with Ser Terrance Toyne was revealed; while she might have had some protection as the mother of one of the king's sons, considering that she plotted with her father to get Bethany into Aegon's bed and he was executed along with his younger daughter, it's hard to believe that Barba fully escaped the fallout of Aegon's rage and spite, if at all.
- Woman Scorned: Slighting the King's newer mistress (from the rival Blackwood family) with verbal slings and barbs is pretty normal. Going so far as to help your father by training and then pimping your younger sister out to the same man who cast you aside, mainly just to spite your successor and get some revenge, is really pushing it, darling.
Bethany Bracken
Bethany Bracken
Younger sister of Barba, Bethany was raised to catch the eye of Aegon and become his new mistress in order to replace and spite Melissa Blackwood. She had an affair with Ser Terrence Toyne of the Kingsguard, which resulted in both their deaths.
- Alliterative Family: With her sister Barba.
- Alliterative Name: B's.
- Bedroom Adultery Scene: She and Terrence were said to be caught in flagrante.Arys Oakheart: Ser Terrence Toyne was found abed with his king's mistress.
- Famous Ancestor: Less so than her sister, but her fate serves as a cautionary tale to those who screw around with royalty.
- Forced to Watch: Aegon made her and her father watch as Ser Terrence was dismembered and executed before they themselves were killed.
- Mal Mariée: Bethany Bracken was young and hot, and Aegon was twice her age and fat by this time. She didn't want to be his mistress, she "found his royal embraces distressing," but her family groomed her for the role. So Bethany sought solace with Pretty Boy Terrence Toyne.
- The Mistress: She was Aegon the Unworthy's seventh mistress.
- No Historical Figures Were Harmed: To begin with, Aegon is a Flanderized version of Henry VIII, and so the women in Aegon's life are inspired by the women in Henry's.
- Bethany is heavily based on Catherine Howard. Both appear near the end of the list chronologically (Bethany was the seventh of nine mistresses; Catherine was the fifth of six wives) by which time the man in question was increasingly unattractive — older, fatter, and more unhinged than he was during the first few women's eras. Catherine and Bethany got in secret relationship with a fellow young hot person, one of the his courtiers. They got caught, and she and her man were both executed.
- Like Anne Boleyn, Bethany was the younger sister of a former mistress of the King who was encouraged to attract his attention to help their family regain the power and influence lost when the King became disinterested in her sister.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: She and Terrence were said to be truly in love, but their claims did little to move Aegon the Unworthy's heart.Arys Oakheart: 'Twas love, he swore, but it cost his life and hers.
- Wife Husbandry: It went swimmingly insofar as it's hard not to be the king's dreams come true after intense coaching from your own revenge-minded sister who is his ex-mistress. Unfortunately... she brought another dancer into the Charlie Foxtrot when the king turned out to be none of her dreams made even remotely real.
Ser Otho Bracken
Ser Otho Bracken
The Brute of Bracken
Ser Otho, known as The Brute of Bracken, is a knight of House Bracken during the reign of King Daeron II Targaryen.- The Brute: After killing a Lord Blackwood in a tourney in a show of brute strength.
- Refused the Call: Dunk begs for his help during his Trial of Seven, and he refuses him.
- You Are in Command Now: It's mentioned in the Sworn Sword that his older brother has died in the Great Spring Sickness and his father is old and dying. Otho is practically lord now.
Others
Aegor Rivers
