DISCLAIMER: THE SYMBOLS IN THIS SET ARE FROM THE HBO TV SERIES, NOT THE ORIGINAL NOVELS.

Based on George R.R. Martin’s famous series of novels (collectively known as “A Song of Ice and Fire”), the television series “Game of Thrones” premiered in 2011 on the channel HBO. It is set in a fantasy world heavily based on the society and culture of the European Middle Ages. Two large continents, Westeros and Essos, make up most of the visible landmass in this world, with the former being featured in storylines much more frequently. While typical elements from fantasy stories, such as dragons and various forms of magic, are seen throughout the series, they generally take a backseat to much larger themes, such as military conflicts, political machinations, and family dynamics.

The continent of Westeros is made up of many different regions, each of which has its own culture and history. Most of these regions form constituent parts of a single political realm, which is presided over by a ruling monarch. While they hold ultimate power over the realm, local governance of each region is handled by a “Great House”, a noble family whose members answer directly to the monarch. Each region also contains an extensive network of lesser noble houses called “Vassal Houses”, who owe their loyalty to the governing Great House. House Mallister is one of the Vassal Houses in the Riverlands. Their ancestral home is known as Seagard, located on the western coast of the Riverlands near the headwaters of the Blue Fork, a tributary of the river Trident. The sigil of the Mallisters is a silver eagle on a field of blue, and their motto is “Above the Rest”.

The history of House Mallister is explained in the backstory that Martin developed for his world. A longtime enemy of the Riverlands- and indeed much of mainland Westeros- is the Iron Islands. Located just off the western coast, raiders from these islands have an extensive history of attacking the mainland by sea. Due to the position of Seagard, the Mallisters have traditionally been a major line of defense against potential raids.