House Whent

House Whent is a vassal house that holds fealty to House Tully of Riverrun. Their lands are along the north shore of Gods Eye, which they rule from the huge and formidable castle of Harrenhal. The Whents were granted Harrenhal after the extinction of House Lothston.

Their heraldry consists of nine black bats over a gold field. Their motto is not known. Their heraldry is apparently derived from the previous holders of Harrenhal, as House Lothston's heraldry was a single black bat over a field diagonally divided between gold and silver. Whether this indicates a family relationship, or simply references that they took House Lothston's old seat, is unclear.

Members

 * Lady Shella Whent, the head of the family, an old woman without any heirs. Presumably dead.
 * Lady {Minisa Whent}, wife of Lord Hoster Tully. Died in childbirth

Season 1
Catelyn Stark notes a knight bearing the sigil of House Whent at the Crossroads Inn. She asks him if Lady Whent remains a strong vassal of her father's. When he replies this is so, she recruits him to help her arrest Tyrion Lannister.

House Whent lost Harrenhal when it was given to Janos Slynt for his assistance in betraying Eddard Stark. Harrenhal had already fallen under the control of House Lannister.

In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Harrenhal is a castle of ill repute. Every house that has held it has fallen into ruin. House Lothston, who held Harrenhal before the Whents, disintegrated in madness and fell deeds over half a century before the events of the series. The Whents chose to ignore this when they took possession of the castle, and indeed seemed to prosper. One of their sons ended up in the Mad King's Kingsguard, whilst a great tourney was held at Harrenhal in the Year of False Spring, on the occasion that Prince Rhaegar Targaryen first met Lyanna Stark. Minisa Whent also married Lord Hoster Tully, giving the Whents a powerful connection to the overlords of the Riverlands. Thus, Catelyn Stark, Lysa Arryn, Edmure Tully, and all of their respective children carry some Whent blood in them.

However, since that time the family has fallen on harder times. Lady Shella Whent's husband and children have all died, Ser Oswell Whent of the Kingsguard died in Robert's Rebellion and Lady Minisa died in childbirth. As a result, Lady Shella is left as a lonely old woman with her household inhabiting a vast and crumbling ruin.

Lady Shella Whent is stated to have died soon before lordship of the castle was granted to Petyr "Littefinger" Baelish, at which point House Whent was considered extinct by the crown (though the current generation of Tullys seem to have a claim on the lands, this was apparently ignored because they were in rebellion against the realm).

Lord Walder Frey's fifth wife was Lady Sarya of House Whent. Their marriage was childless.