House Forrester

"For centuries the Forresters have been loyal bannerman to House Stark: A house of traitors. You rely on your ironwood, that much is clear. It'd be a shame to see it fall into the hands of another house."

- Cersei Lannister

House Forrester is a noble house from the Wolfswood in the North of Westeros. They are vassals of the Glovers of Deepwood Motte, as well as staunch Stark bannermen, and have their seat at the wooden castle of Ironrath. Their words are "Iron From Ice".

Background
"Knowing that you never stand alone, you are a Forrester!"

- Elissa Forrester Due to the location of their stronghold, Ironrath, on the edge of the Wolfswood, the Forresters control the largest ironwood forest in Westeros, which has allowed them to enrich themselves. They are bitter rivals of House Whitehill.

At the outset of the War of the Five Kings, House Forrester joined their Glover overlords in pledging fealty to Robb Stark as King in the North, a decision which placed them in a tenuous position following Stark's death and the defeat of the Northern rebellion at the Red Wedding.

"Iron From Ice"
At the Red Wedding, Lord Gregor Forrester and his heir Rodrik are supposedly slaughtered by the Freys. This leaves the third born son, Ethan, as the Lord of the house because second born son Asher was exiled to Essos after he had fell in love with the daughter of Lord Ludd Whitehill. During a meeting with Ramsay Snow, Ethan is stabbed in the neck. Ramsay then orders Ryon, the fourth born son, to become a ward of House Whitehill making the new lord a hostage leaving the fate of the house in the balance.

"The Lost Lords"
The Forresters' future is looking bleak as now only two of main branch of the house are stationed at their seat of Ironrath, Lady Elissa Forrester and Talia Forrester, the youngest daughter. Mira Forrester, the eldest daughter, is in King's Landing attending Lady Margaery Tyrell. Lady Forrester has sent Malcolm Branfield, her brother, to bring back Asher Forrester to Ironrath to aid the family, but help comes from an unlikely source. From a pile of corpses of Forrester men slain at the Red Wedding that has been brought to Ironrath, out emerges Rodrik Forrester who, whilst damaged, is not broken. Maester Ortengryn tends to Rodrik's wounds as he gains his strength to lead House Forrester from the brink of extinction.

Rodrik attempts to secure the loyalty of House Glenmore through a marriage alliance to Elaena Glenmore, Rodrik's betrothed prior to the War of the Five Kings which either ends with the marriage going ahead as planned, or crumbling in the darkest hour (player-determined). Lord Whitehill bursts into Ironrath to declare that his men stationed inside the castle are being treated poorly and will assume entire control of the ironwood supply, ignoring the wishes of their overlords, the Boltons.

A funeral is held for Gregor and Ethan Forrester at Ironrath. Ryon Forrester is either able to attend or Gwyn Whitehill is sent in his place (player-determined).

The Sword in the Darkness
Rodrik Forrester wakes up after dreaming about The Red Wedding and hears soldiers banging on to their shields. Gryff Whitehill  introduces himself and staes that the Whitehill soldiers will stay in the Great Hall of House Forrester. After, the whole council meets in the grove and discuss a plan about Saving Ryon or Exile Gryff. In private, Duncan tells Rodrik that Gwyn Whitehill wants to have a meeting with him.

In the night, Rodrik meets with Gwyn privately. She informs him about her father knowing about their plan, due to there being a tratior in the council. She also warns him that her father is sending a great deal of gold to someone in King's Landing. Whitehill soldiers start coming and Rodrik leaves before they notice him.

The day after, Gryff grabs Talia Forrester and claims that she attacked one of his soldiers. Gryff wants Rodrik and all the Forresters to know their place, and claims to be the new Lord Of Ironrath. Talia later says private to Rodrik in a tower that she will do anything to protect her family.

Sons Of Winter
Rodrik trains with Ser Royland Degore, the Master of Arms of Ironrath, until Elaena Glenmore comes with her brother and the whole Glenmore Elite Guard (almost like the Kingsguard). She tells him that Lord Ludd Whitehill has forced House Glenmore and Elaena to marry Gryff. And if they'd refuse they would with the help of House Bolton destroy their House. Elaena and her brother Arthur Glenmore, who commands the Elite Guard of House Glenmore wants to take Gryff down with Rodrik's help.

When Rodrik and the Guard arrive outside Ironrath, Lady Forrester informs them that their Maester is getting beaten by Gryff. Rodrik tells them that it is the time and tells them to arrive when he strikes his cane. Rodrik goes to The Great Hall and tells Gryff what's going on, Gryff tells him that he doesn't know his place and threatens to beat him down also. Rodrik strikes his cane and the whole Guard march in and arrest Gryff and their army. Lady Forrester tells him that words can not reach Highpoint and demands to kill all the ravens and bar the gates, in case the traitor wants to spread the word.

Back at Ironrath, Rodrik speaks with Talia about Gryff. Duncan, Royland and Elissa come to them and Royland lets them know that they've been invited to Highpoint for a "truce." Rodrik has to choose whether to bring the Glenmore Elite Guard to Highpoint or to have them stay at Ironrath and guard. Rodrik can also choose who to bring with, Duncan or Royland. Gryff is then seen being put into a cellar.

At Highpoint, Rodrik meets with Gwyn and the two of them look at the Whitehill family portrait. They enter the dining room and wait for Lord Whitehill. When he arrives, they all sit down and Ludd says that House Forrester must help the Whitehills create Ironwood for the Boltons. Rodrik then reveals his imprisoned Gryff and the garrison and offers to do a trade for Ryon. Ludd calls out to bring out the boy and holds a tool to Ryon's cheek. He claims that he doesn't care about Gryff, the fourth-born. Ryon bites his finger and Ludd says he "oughta kill you right now". Rodrik can choose to beg for mercy, call his bluff on not caring for Gryff, or accepting his deal to help the Whitehills with the Boltons.

Royland/Duncan, The Elite Guard (depending on if you brought them with to Highpoint), Elissa and Rodrik return from Ironrath to find it pretty much deserted. Rodrik hears laughter coming from the Great Hall. He enters it and sees Ramsay Bolton talking with Talia Forrester. Ramsay stands up and tells Rodrik that men have said he's a man that can't be broken, and that he's decided to come see for himself.

Members

 * Lord {Gregor Forrester}, the former Lord of Ironrath, and the head of the family. Killed during the Red Wedding by Frey soldiers.
 * Lady Elissa Forrester, his lady wife. Born into House Branfield, a southern House who fought on the Targaryen side in Robert's Rebellion and were killed or exiled.
 * Lord Rodrik Forrester, his eldest son and heir. Current head of House Forrester following Ethan's death.
 * Asher Forrester, his second-born son. Currently in exile in Essos.
 * Mira Forrester, his eldest daughter.
 * Lord {Ethan Forrester}, his third-born son. New head of House Forrester following the Red Wedding. Murdered by Ramsay Snow.
 * Talia Forrester, his youngest daughter, twin of Ethan.
 * Ryon Forrester, his youngest son, currently a hostage of House Whitehill.

Ancestors

 * Lord Gerhard Forrester "Gerhard the Tall", the founder of the house.
 * Lord Cedric Forrester, who founded the castle of Ironrath alongside his triplet sons.
 * Lord Thorren Forrester "Thorren the Bold", Father of Gregor Forrester.

Household

 * Duncan Tuttle, castellan of Ironrath.
 * Gared Tuttle, squire to Lord Gregor.
 * {Gared's Father}, a pig farmer.
 * {Gared's Sister}, a pig farmer.
 * Maester Ortengryn, Ironrath's maester.
 * Royland Degore, Ironrath's master-at-arms.
 * Norren, Warrior.
 * Bowen, squire to Norren.
 * Erik, Soldier.
 * {Thermund}, Soldier.
 * Malcolm Branfield, Elissa Forrester's brother.

In the books
House Forrester was not purely invented for the 2014 video game, but actually do exist in the A Song of Ice and Fire novels. They were mentioned in passing exactly once in the fifth novel, though in this one instance they are indeed described as a minor House in the Wolfswood who serve as vassals to House Glover of Deepwood Motte:


 * "...guides Lady Sybell [Glover] had given them, trackers and hunters sworn to Deepwood with clan names like Forrester and Woods, Branch and Bole." (A Dance With Dragons, Chapter 42)

Nothing else about them is revealed, leaving a blank slate to fill in. Their seat, words, and family members are all inventions of Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series, though because so little has been said about them in the novels, this means that the video game isn't prominently contradicting any book information.

They are called a "clan" in the novel, though this seems to be common for poor smaller Houses northwest of Winterfell. The Northern mountain clans, who live just north of the Wolfswood, are often called "clan" or "House" interchangeably. The clans only control small and poor lands up in the hills, but they are loyal to Winterfell, so the Starks would formally address them as "Houses" out of respect, i.e. the Norreys would be called "House Norrey" as a courtesy. The Forresters in the novels don't seem to be a mountain clan, but maybe "clan" was just being used in this one instance as a broad generalization for "minor vassal House". The in-game map does show that the Forresters and Whitehills are located at the northern edge of the Wolfswood, bordering the hill country where the mountain clans live.