Jory Cassel

Jory Cassel is a recurring character in the first season. He is played by guest star Jamie Sives and debuts in the series premiere. He is the captain of the guards to House Stark. He is killed by Jaime Lannister while defending Lord Eddard Stark in King's Landing.

Background
Jory Cassel is the captain of Lord Eddard Stark's household guards at Winterfell. He is a loyal and trusted servant of House Stark and a good swordsman in his own right. He is the nephew of Ser Rodrik Cassel, Winterfell's Master-at-Arms. He has a noticeable scar, gained at the siege of Pyke during the Greyjoy Rebellion.

Season 1
Jory Cassel joins Lord Stark and his retinue as they venture out to execute Will. He is with the group when they find the direwolf pups.

Jory accompanies Eddard south to King's Landing. During the dispute between Prince Joffrey Baratheon and Arya Stark, Jory reports that Arya has been found and taken before the king. Jory accompanies Eddard to the Crossroads Inn and listens as King Robert questions those involved. Queen Cersei convinces him to sentence Sansa's direwolf Lady to death despite her not being involved because Arya's wolf Nymeria cannot be found. Eddard asks Jory to look after Arya and Sansa while he attends to the execution.

Jory assists Eddard's investigation into Jon Arryn's final days, unsuccessfully asking for the assistance of Ser Hugh of the Vale, accompanying Eddard to Tobho Mott's smithy and later reminiscing over fighting in the Greyjoy Rebellion with Ser Jaime Lannister.

Jory accompanies Eddard to Petyr Baelish's brothel, still seeking illegitimate royal children. Jory is distracted by one of the whores while Eddard questions Mhaegen. On leaving, Lord Eddard has to break Jory's attention away from the woman he is staring at so they can leave. Outside they and two Stark guards are confronted by Jaime Lannister. Jaime has heard of his brother Tyrion's arrest and demands his release. Lord Eddard says it was done by his orders and if Jaime kills him Tyrion will die. Jaime has brought several Lannister men-at-arms. Jory begins to let Jaime know that if he is to threaten Eddard again, there would certainly be a fight. However, Jamie interrupts Jory, and he orders his men-at-arms to leave Eddard Stark alive, but to kill his men. They kill Jory's men with thrown spears. Jory attacks and kills two of Jaime's men before engaging Jaime himself. Jaime and Jory trap swords and Jaime stabs Jory through the left eye with a dirk during this event. Eddard, angered and stunned by Jory's death, exchanges several blows with Jaime before a Lannister guardsman stabs him through the knee, ending the melee.

In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Jory is the son of Martyn Cassel, one of Eddard's companions who was killed in a duel with three members of the Kingsguard at the Tower of Joy while they were searching for Lyanna during the closing days of Robert's Rebellion. Jory is a skilled warrior and a stalwart servant of the house.

Jory's role in the series is somewhat expanded from the books. Dialogue from several different Stark guardsmen is given to Jory (most notably his promise to Arya that he will keep Eddard safe, which in the book was given by a guardsman named Desmond) and the scenes where he talks to Ser Hugh and later Jaime Lannister are inventions of the TV series. In the book he is not killed personally by Jaime, but by the Lannister guardsmen that ultimately overwhelmed the small Stark contingent.

According to the TV series official pronunciation guide developed for the cast and crew, "Cassel" is pronounced "Cuss-EL", not "Kas-el" (that is, "Cassel" doesn't rhyme with "castle").