Randyll Frey

Randyll Frey was Lord of the Crossing during the reign of Harys. He is famous for taking Riverrun from House Tully. He died trying to lay siege to Harrenhal, and the song The Three Thousand of Harrenhal was written about him. Randyll was killed by his bastard son Gregor Rivers while awaiting execution in the cells of Harrenhal.

History[]

In 455AC, Randyll Frey was born, his mother being a Lannister and father a Frey. He spent the first fifteen years of his life in Casterly Rock, but unlike most of the Freys before him he showed extraordinary skill in the practice yard. The Lannisters took him on as a squire at first, and then knighted him, but by sixteen Randyll had other ambitions. He wanted to increase the influence of House Frey.

He proved charismatic and wellspoken, very unlike most Freys, causing many to joke he was more lion than Frey, and he united Lannister and Frey forces to siege Riverrun. No-one is quite sure how Randyll managed to get the Hoster II Tully to hand over the Tully ancestral seat, but it is known that he did so simply by talking his way into it and as a result many Tullys resent Hoster II Tully. In an act of spite against his brothers Randyll seated his cousin as the Lord of Riverrun so long as he swore vassalage to the Twins.

He married a Lannister himself, his own second-cousin, Belandra Lannister, and has four trueborn children by her: Brynden, Tywin, Allysa and Alester, aged 17, 15, 10, and 4 respectively, as well as a bastard, Gregor Rivers, 19 years old, whose parentage is shady, but his mother is rumoured to be a northern whore or serving wench. Gregor is left to his own devices by his father, and lives in the shadow of the Twins. Randyll has four brothers; Jason, Jeor, Bradamar and Edwin (one is a travelling merchant, one is in Essos carrying out some of Randyll's business and the other two live at the Twins); and one sister (married to a Lannister and living in Casterly Rock), and he feels strongly that one of the Freys’ main weaknesses in the past was overcrowding, as Walder Frey had had far too many grandchildren and great-grandchildren to count, so Randyll prefers to keep the Frey family small and close-knit.

He despises the very mention of Walder Frey, as it was because of him that other houses spit at the very mention of the Freys even today. His military victories include pacifying the Reeds to the north, defeating rebellious Tullys who attempted to retake the Twins after he had seated himself there, and annexing Seagard to defend against Iron Islanders. He is extremely friendly with the Lannisters, and shares a brotherly bond with the current lord of Casterly Rock, who happens to be his cousin. He resents the Greyjoys, however, and is unhappy with his cousin's marriage to one, believing that they only married out of spite for their families.

Randyll has shoulder-length black hair, is tall and handsome (unlike most of the Frey lineage) and is a skilled warrior. He has green eyes, showing his Lannister parentage, and many joke that his personality and handsomeness makes him more lion than Frey. He is charismatic and charming when he wants to be, but underneath his enemies know that he is fierce, unrelenting and vicious. He has a sort of dark charm to him and a savage wit, so although many respect him, they see him as a leader and not a friend. There is something discomforting about his presence, and his eyes always remain cold and calculating. No-one can ever tell where his allegiance truly lies, and at one moment he can seem a friend and the next a foe.

Important Events[]

First Era[]

Randyll Frey attempted to take Harrenhal from the Baelishes with three thousand men, and was taken prisoner. Damon Lannister negotiated with Marq Baelish for his release, but Randyll's bastard son killed him.

Quotes[]

“Starks, Baratheons, Tullys, Reeds, Tyrells. They think they’re better than us. They think they rule the roost. But what have they done to secure their positions? What have they done for their families? Have they retaken their family castle in a number of days? Have they restored their house from ruins to glory? I don’t think they have. I think they’re clinging to the past, thinking that I’m some kind of Walder Frey reborn. Well I say to them, I’m no Walder Frey, and I’m no idiot either! I am Randyll Frey, Lord of the Crossing, rightful lord of the Riverlands, and I will not let these pompous houses spit on us any longer. We are the Freys, and we take our toll!” – Randyll Frey’s speech to his men after winning back the Twins.

"Always pay your debts. Always take your enemies' tolls. The bird and the stag and the wolf will all bow down to the lion in time." - Randyll Frey's advice to Damon Lannister .