The Hightowers of Oldtown are among the oldest and proudest of the Great Houses of Westeros, tracing their descent back to the First Men. Once kings, they have ruled Oldtown and its environs since the Dawn of Days, welcoming the Andals rather than resisting them, and later bending the knee to the Kings of the Reach and giving up their crowns whilst retaining all their ancient privileges. Though powerful and immensely wealthy, the Lords of the High Tower have traditionally preferred trade to battle, and have seldom played a large part in the wars of Westeros. The Hightowers were instrumental in the founding of the Citadel and continue to protect it to this day. Subtle and sophisticated, they have always been great patrons of learning and the Faith, and it is said that certain of them have also dabbled in alchemy, necromancy, and other sorcerous arts.
The arms of House Hightower show a stepped white tower crowned with fire on a smoke-grey field. The House words are We Light the Way.
LEYTON HIGHTOWER, Voice of Oldtown, Lord of the Port, Lord of the High Tower, Defender of the Citadel, Beacon of the South, called THE OLD MAN OF OLDTOWN,
—LADY RHEA of House Hightower, his fourth wife,
—Lord Leyton’s eldest son and heir, SER BAELOR, called BAELOR BRIGHTSMILE, m. Rhonda Rowan,
—Lord Leyton’s daughter, MALORA, called THE MAD MAID,
—Lord Leyton’s daughter, ALERIE, m. Lord Mace Tyrell,
—Lord Leyton’s son SER GARTH, called GREYSTEEL,
—Lord Leyton’s daughter, DENYSE, m. Ser Desmond Redwyne,
—her son, DENYS, a squire,
—Lord Leyton’s daughter, LEYLA, m. Ser Jon Cupps,
—Lord Leyton’s daughter, ALYSANNE, m. Lord Arthur Ambrose,
—Lord Leyton’s daughter, LYNESSE, m. Lord Jorah Mormont, presently chief concubine to Tregar Ormollen of Lys,
—Lord Leyton’s son, SER GUNTHOR, m. Jeyne Fossoway, of the green apple Fossoways,
—Lord Leyton’s youngest son, SER HUMFREY,
—Lord Leyton’s bannermen:
—TOMMEN COSTAYNE, Lord of the Three Towers,
—ALYSANNE BULWER, Lady of Blackcrown, a girl of eight,
—MARTYN MULLENDORE, Lord of Uplands,
—WARRYN BEESBURY, Lord of Honeyholt,
—BRANSTON CUY, Lord of Sunflower Hall,
—the people of Oldtown:
—EMMA, a serving wench at the Quill and Tankard, where the women are willing and the cider is fearsomely strong,
—ROSEY, her daughter, a girl of five-and-ten whose maidenhead will cost a golden dragon,
—the Archmaesters of the Citadel:
—ARCHMAESTER NORREN, Seneschal for the waning year, whose ring and rod and mask are electrum,
—ARCHMAESTER THEOBALD, Seneschal for the coming year, whose ring and rod and mask are lead,
—ARCHMAESTER EBROSE, the healer, whose ring and rod and mask are silver,
—ARCHMAESTER MARWYN, called MARWYN THE MAGE, whose ring and rod and mask are Valyrian steel,
—ARCHMAESTER PERESTAN, the historian, whose ring and rod and mask are copper,
—ARCHMAESTER VAELLYN, called VINEGAR VAELLYN, the stargazer, whose ring and rod and mask are bronze,
—ARCHMAESTER RYAM, whose ring and rod and mask are yellow gold,
—ARCHMAESTER WALGRAVE, an old man of uncertain wit, whose ring and rod and mask are black iron,
—GALLARD, CASTOS, ZARABELO, BENEDICT, GARIZON, NYMOS, CETHERES, WILLIFER, MOLLOS, HARODON, GUYNE, AGRIVANE, OCLEY, archmaesters all,
—maesters, acolytes, and novices of the Citadel:
—MAESTER GORMON, who oft serves in Walgrave’s stead,
—ARMEN, an acolyte of four links, called THE ACOLYTE,
—ALLERAS, called THE SPHINX, an acolyte of three links, a devoted archer,
—ROBERT FREY, sixteen, an acolyte of two links,
—LORCAS, an acolyte of nine links, in service to the Seneschal,
—LEO TYRELL, called LAZY LEO, a highborn novice,
—MOLLANDER, a novice, born with a club foot,
—PATE, who tends Archmaester Walgrave’s ravens, a novice of little promise,
—ROONE, a young novice.