House Blackwood

"From keeping the Blackwoods and Brackens from wiping each other out, and giving us two more castles to deal with."

- Ser Brynden Tully, explaining the responsibilities of House Tully as Lords Paramount of the Trident.

House Blackwood is a vassal house that holds fealty to House Tully of Riverrun. Their lands are in the heart of the Riverlands, located along the banks of the Red Fork of the Trident. Their seat is Raventree Hall.

House Blackwood's sigil is a flock of ravens on scarlet surrounding a dead weirwood upon a black escutcheon.

History
House Blackwood were once lesser kings during the Age of Heroes. The Blackwoods hold an ancient grudge against their neighbours, House Bracken of Stone Hedge. The two houses, which hold the blood of the First Men in their veins and merged with the invading Andals rather than being annihilated by them, competed for the throne of the Riverlands when it was an independent kingdom. The enmity was increased when House Bracken converted to the Faith of the Seven. House Blackwood, however, is one of the few major noble Houses outside of the North which continues to worship the Old Gods of the Forest, and never converted to the Faith of the Seven.

Season 1
The banner of House Blackwood is seen at the Tourney of the Hand.

In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, House Blackwood is a loyal vassal of the Tullys. The enmity and competition between House Bracken and House Blackwood, was radically enhanced when Ser Otho Bracken slew Lord Quentyn Blackwood in a tourney accident roughly a century ago.

The sigil of House Blackwood is slightly different in the books, in which the white weirwood tree is set against a black escutcheon (shield), which is itself surrounded by a red background containing black ravens. The TV series version removed the black shield, so the white weirwood tree is directly against the red background.

Members

 * Lord Tytos Blackwood, the current head of the family.
 * Brynden Blackwood, his eldest son and heir.
 * Lucas Blackwood, his second son. Slain at the Red Wedding.
 * Hoster Blackwood, his third son.
 * Edmund Blackwood, his fourth son.
 * Alyn Blackwood, his fifth son.
 * Bethany Blackwood, his daughter.
 * Robert Blackwood, his sixth son.