#house piper

[warp-speed]

Rhaena Targaryen losing another on her roster.

I just had to try out a concept of the Pinkmaiden attire for Melony Piper.

The red hair wasn't working out.

[goodqueenaly]

Hello again and I hope you’re having a great week! Thanks again for all your answers. This is again a weirdly very specific question but I was wondering if you had any thoughts: since it’s not unusual for nobles in Westeros to be described as their sigils, do you think the Gracefords or Pipers would have any issues to the extent that their sigils seem to be gods of the Seven? (I apologize I may be mistaken, I assumed the Piper sigil is supposed to be specifically the Maiden of the Seven but I’m not sure if that was specified) I was thinking on the one hand there’s the possible issue that unlike calling yourself a direwolf, lion etc. it might be different if your sigil is a deity. (This is my own guessing as well but I also wonder if there’s a gendered component to it, in the sense that, due to Westerosi misogyny, a lord might not object to being described as a masculine-appearing sigil (e.g. huntsman or something) but not the same for a feminine-appearing sigil. I apologize if I’m not phrasing this well!) I’d be curious to know if you have any ideas!

I’m reminded of this exchange between Lew Piper and Daven Lannister:

“Ser Daven shrugged out of his cloak and tossed it at Little Lew. “You a Piper, boy?” he growled. “You have a runty look to you.” “I’m Lewys Piper, if it please my lord.” “I beat your brother bloody in a mělée once. The runty little fool took offense when I asked him if that was his sister dancing naked on his shield.” “She’s the sigil of our House. We don’t have a sister.” “More’s the pity. Your sigil has nice teats. What sort of man hides behind a naked woman, though? Every time I thumped your brother’s shield, I felt unchivalrous.”

While the Pipers may not be embarrassed about their family sigil (certainly not Lew, anyway), the image of a naked dancing woman has provided easy fodder for mockery for the likes of Daven Lannister, among probably any number of others in Westerosi history. In turn, I think there may be some level of reluctance. To be sure, I don’t think this would be necessarily or exclusively a religious concern: there is no mention, after all, that the Piper maiden is the Maiden, and given the examples of real-world naked women (and people generally) used in heraldry, the Piper maiden could simply be a standalone device. Nevertheless, the general misogyny of Westeros, heightened in the highly masculine performance of chivalry, may dissuade knights from adopting or embracing such a designation: all well and good to bear a woman on one’s shield, but Seven forbid a knight actually be called a woman or accused of hiding behind a woman. 

However, it is also worth pointing out that religious sentiment and knightly nicknames are not mutually exclusive, especially for particularly pious individuals - think, of, say, Damon “the Devout” Morrigen, or Bonifer “the Good” Hasty. Therefore, some especially zealous son of House Graceford may have embraced the family sigil as a way of highlighting his own devotion to the Seven. (Yet another reminder that I wish we knew quite literally anything about House Graceford.)

Too, when it comes to knightly epithets, not every sigil lends itself to eponymous inspiration, nor would every knight be associated with the virtues (or vices) of that particular device. Oberyn Martell was “the Red Viper” not because of the presence of snakes on the Martell sigil but because of the prince’s familiarity with both vipers and poison; Lucas Inchfield was “the Longinch” not because the name had any connection to House Inchfield’s chequy bend sinister but because the name punned Lucas’ great height with the diminutive “inch”; Lyonel Baratheon was “the Laughing Storm” thanks to his habitual booms of laughter during tourneys and various ancestral associates between Baratheons and storms, not because laughter or storms form part of the Baratheon sigil. While some sigils may (or may not) lend themselves to these sorts of designations, ultimately circumstances and personality may matter just as much to the way in which a knight is known. 

[cmansedrawing]

"Photobashing" of The Decameron by John William Waterhouse with my oc the Princess Shaerea Velaryon and her ladies in waiting : Lady Ysonel Staunton, Lady Melody Piper, Lady Daena Velaryon and Lady Alyssa Arryn.

[Characters from left to right: Ysonel Staunton, daughter of Simon Stauton, Jacaerys Velaryon the Crown Prince, Baela Targaryen thefutur queen, Melody Piper of house Piper, Daena Velaryon daughter of Vaemond Velaryon, Shaerea Velaryon, first daughter of the Queen Rhaenyra, and Alyssa Arryn daughter of Arnold Arryn the "mad heir"]

[nanshe-of-nina]

Posthumous Characters GIF Sets → Melony Piper

The princess had been most loath to be parted from her dragon, Dreamfyre, and her latest favourite, Melony Piper, a red-haired maiden from the Riverlands. It was only when her mother, Queen Alyssa, sent for Lady Melony to join them on the progress that Rhaena finally put aside her sullenness to join the celebrations.

[whateverthought]

I wanna expand House Piper of Pinkmaiden, because what do you mean they proudly have a naked woman on their coat of arms and banners and Melony Piper, dear friend of Rhaena the Black Bride, donned chainmail and a spear and fought for her dear friend Princess Rhaena. In the Riverlands?

[asoiaf-lover]

Melony Piper

Melony donned man's mail, with a spear, and led the Piper levies against Maegor. She was slain in the Battle Beneath the Gods Eye in 43 AC along with three brothers.

[aegor-bamfsteel]

What are the advantages Pinkmaiden castle holds for House Piper, based on its location? Meaning militarily and how productive it would be as a fief?

I haven’t done a Medieval Home and Gardening write up in a few months. We don’t know a lot about Pinkmaiden proper, but it did seem to play an important part in the War of the 5 Kings.

Militarily, it’s very important considering it guards the Westerlands/Riverlands border. That’s how the military hostilities of Wot5k start, by Jaime Lannister’s men defeating Lords Vance and Piper, thus opening up the Riverlands to the army. Following the Red Fork north it’s straight to Riverrun, which Jaime Lannister’s men was able to besiege. It’s also likely Pinkmaiden guards the Mummer’s Ford, which is a critical crossing point and site of another battle with Tywin’s forces. In turn, the Golden Tooth is the securest way to attack the Westerlands from the east (barring any goat paths), and Pinkmaiden is the closest large Riverlands settlement, so it’d be ideal for launching that attack. Apparently Tywin thought so as well, because he had Gregor burn the Piper lands, which have aforementioned strategic importance; but he either didn’t do that good of a job or Pinkmaiden is very sturdy (contrast poor Stone Hedge) because by ASOS several highborn westerland captives (Antario Jast, Lyle Crakehall) were held there. I guess it makes sense Pinkmaiden is sturdy, as it’s a border castle that guards the west entrance of the riverlands by Red Fork.

Economically, Pinkmaiden seems to have the living of at least the town at Mummer’s Ford, which is a cross point (good if they can charge tolls to cross), and is near running water which is good for building mills. It also seems like there are floodplains there before the hilly territory of the Westerlands, which would be good for planting wheat et al (though hard to defend). Considering it’s listed as one of the more significant settlements in the Riverlands, it probably makes a decent though not outstanding (like the Freys who can field more men than the Tullys) income.

[lasthopesolo]

Clementine Piper, lady-in-waiting to Princess Lyanna Stark

𝘓𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘊𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘗𝘪𝘱𝘦𝘳, 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘪𝘯 264 𝘈.𝘊. 𝘢𝘵 𝘗𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴. 𝘉𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘊𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘗𝘪𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘓𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘌𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳. 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘲 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘦𝘸𝘺𝘴, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺’𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥.

𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘺-𝘪𝘯-𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘙𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘳 𝘛𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘺𝘦𝘯, 𝘓𝘺𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘬, 𝘪𝘯 281 𝘈.𝘊. 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘞𝘢𝘺𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘳’𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯 𝘝𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨’𝘴 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦.

𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘳 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘪𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘰𝘧𝘵 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘭𝘴. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥, 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘫𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵. 𝘈𝘴 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘓𝘺𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘴, 𝘓𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘊𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘰𝘳, 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘓𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘑𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘛𝘺𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘭.