The Rise of House Baratheon: Conquering Storm's End

Game of Thrones primarily revolves around the upper echelons of society, with the actions of kings, knights, lords, and nobles taking center stage, while the plight of the less fortunate remains unnoticed. Among the high-born houses, the Starks and the Lannisters receive the most attention. However, it is worth noting that before the events of the narrative, House Baratheon performed a significant act that shaped the franchise's history. Robert's rebellion against the Targaryen dynasty ultimately granted him control over Storm's End.

House Baratheon's presence in Game of Thrones can be seen as somewhat comical. Following King Robert's death, both Stannis and Renly struggled to make any meaningful progress for nearly a decade. Stannis's most notable accomplishment was orchestrating his brother's assassination, only to narrowly escape death during the Battle of the Blackwater. Even Melisandre, who played a significant role for House Baratheon, failed to restore their former seat of power. Nevertheless, they still retain control over Storm's End.

What is Storm's End?

Storm's End, located on the southeastern coast of Westeros, is a formidable fortress. It is renowned as one of the most heavily fortified castles in the entire continent. Situated in the Stormlands, an area known for its fierce storms, the castle stands as the region's capital. Its defenses include an 80-foot thick stone wall that faces the sea, with a sheer 150-foot drop into the icy waters below. This formidable barrier makes Storm's End practically impervious to any forceful attack. Legend has it that the castle's founders imbued their walls with powerful spells, safeguarding it against magical threats. Throughout its extensive history spanning thousands of years, Storm's End has never succumbed to invaders. It withstands each storm that comes its way. In Catelyn Stark's internal thoughts in A Clash of Kings, she beautifully portrays the emergence of Storm's End, likening it to a surreal stone vision as ethereal mists glide across the field, fleeing from the sun on windswept wings.

How did House Baratheon take Storm's End?

Storm's End was constructed during the Age of Heroes, a time of ancient myths and mysteries. The tales passed down through generations have embellished the details, adding a touch of whimsy to the otherwise serious franchise. The saga of Storm's End's creation is akin to the legends surrounding Giant's Causeway, more of a campfire story than a factual account. Legend has it that Durran Godsgrief, a legendary figure among the First Men who arrived in Westeros, fell in love with a mermaid named Elenei. Elenei, the daughter of the god of the sea and the goddess of the wind, chose to forsake her divine heritage and become mortal when she and Durran consummated their love. This act enraged the gods, who unleashed a furious storm to destroy Durran's stronghold and take the lives of his family. Determined to defy the gods, Durran waged war against them and erected a new castle overlooking Shipbreaker Bay. However, the gods shattered this endeavor repeatedly, with a total of six failed attempts. It was only with the assistance of either the indigenous Children of the Forest or the young Bran the Builder that Durran was able to construct his seventh and final fortress, which ultimately withstood the fury of the gods. This stronghold came to be known as Storm's End, establishing Durran as the first Storm King and Elenei as his Storm Queen.

For centuries, Storm's End was held by Durran's ancestors, House Durrandon, who were the rulers of the Stormlands. These Storm Kings governed the region as an independent kingdom until the era of Aegon the Conqueror. Aegon's Conquest marked the unification of all nine regions of Westeros under the Iron Throne, establishing one supreme ruler over the entire continent. Despite his reputation for conquering seemingly impregnable fortresses, Aegon was unable to successfully conquer Storm's End. To subdue the Stormlands, he dispatched Orys Baratheon, his rumored half-brother and future Hand, to the region. At that time, Argilac Durrandon, who later became known as Argilac the Arrogant due to his disastrous pride, held control of the keep.

Argilac approached Aegon with a proposal for a partnership. He sought to borrow the Targaryen armies in exchange for Aegon marrying his daughter. Aegon declined, but offered to wed the young lady to Orys instead. Angered by the rejection, Argilac had Aegon's envoy's hands brutally severed and returned to him. This act provided the pretext Aegon needed to start a war. Argilac instigated Aegon's Conquest out of his disapproval of his daughter marrying a bastard. Despite having the option to remain within Storm's End's impenetrable walls and ensure survival for generations, Argilac opted to face Orys's army in open battle due to his fear of a dragon attack that could bring fiery destruction to his hall. This fateful encounter became known as the Last Storm and concluded with Argilac being thrown from his horse by a blast of flame from a Targaryen dragon. Orys allowed Argilac the opportunity to surrender, but when he refused, he was killed. Orys Baratheon conquered Storm's End without even entering it, seizing the house's sigil, words, and Argilac's daughter as a final humiliation. Aegon legitimized Orys, thereby establishing House Baratheon as the new rulers of Storm's End.

In a sense, the legacy of Durran Godsgrief lives on within Storm's End. House Baratheon's marriage into House Durrandon resulted in their descendants being connected to the legendary builder. Much like Durran, Orys was determined to marry his chosen partner and was willing to wage war against seemingly insurmountable odds. Storm's End is the birthplace of House Baratheon, and despite losing the Iron Throne, it continues to remain in their possession.

Editor's P/S

House Baratheon's rise to power is a testament to the determination and resilience of its founder, Durran Godsgrief. Despite facing numerous challenges and setbacks, Durran persevered and ultimately succeeded in building Storm's End, a fortress so formidable that it has never fallen to an invader.

The story of Storm's End's construction is a fascinating one, filled with myth and legend. According to legend, Durran Godsgrief, a legendary figure among the First Men who arrived in Westeros, fell in love with a mermaid named Elenei. Elenei, the daughter of the god of the sea and the goddess of the wind, chose to forsake her divine heritage and become mortal when she and Durran consummated their love. This act enraged the gods, who unleashed a furious storm to destroy Durran's stronghold and take the lives of his family. Determined to defy the gods, Durran waged war against them and erected a new castle overlooking Shipbreaker Bay. However, the gods shattered this endeavor repeatedly, with a total of six failed attempts. It was only with the assistance of either the indigenous Children of the Forest or the young Bran the Builder that Durran was able to construct his seventh and final fortress, which ultimately withstood the fury of the gods. This stronghold came to be known as Storm's End, establishing Durran as the first Storm King and Elenei as his Storm Queen.