Harrion Karstark is an unseen character mentioned in the second season. Harrion Karstark is the eldest son of Rickard Karstark, Lord of Karhold and head of House Karstark. He fought alongside his father for King Robb Stark in the War of the Five Kings and is killed at the beginning of the war.
Biography
Season 2
Rickard tells Catelyn Stark that Harrion was killed fighting by Robb's side.[1]
Season 3
Lord Rickard attempts to justify his killing of Willem and Martyn Lannister as vengeance for the deaths of Harrion and Torrhen although Robb Stark does not accept his rational and executes him for murder.[2]
Quotes
- Robb Stark: "It took five of you to murder two unarmed squires."
- Rickard Karstark: "Not murder, your grace. Vengeance."
- Robb Stark: "Vengeance? They didn't kill your sons. I saw Harrion die on the battlefield and Torrhen..."
- Rickard Karstark: "Was strangled by the Kingslayer. They were his kin."
- Robb Stark: "They were boys!"
- — Rickard Karstark's unsuccessful justification for killing Willem and Martyn Lannister[src]
Family tree
Template:House Karstark family tree
In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Harrion Karstark is the eldest son of Lord Rickard and joins his father and brothers in the War of the Five Kings.
Harrion takes part in the Battle of the Green Fork and taken as a hostage while it is his brother Eddard who is killed by Jaime Lannister during the Battle of the Whispering Wood. Eddard serves alongside his brother Torrhen as part of Robb Stark's personal bodyguard. When Jaime realizes that his army is lost during the Battle of the Whispering Wood, he makes a final push to single-handedly carve his way through the Northern army in an attempt to kill Robb Stark in single combat. Jaime manages to reach Robb's personal bodyguard and kill several of them, including Eddard and Torrhen, before being knocked unconscious.
Harrion is kept hostage at Harrenhal until the northern prisoners are released by Arya Stark and Jaqen H'ghar and the Brave Companions turn on Ser Amory Lorch to deliver the castle to Lord Roose Bolton. Later Roose sends him, Robett Glover and Helman Tallhart to take Duskendale. They are defeated by the Lannisters. Harrion is taken captive again and his current whereabouts are unknown.
Following his father's execution by Robb Stark, Harrion becomes Lord of Karhold. It is unknown whether Harrion is aware of that and if he is still alive.
Harrion's great-uncle Arnolf, who secretly collaborates with the Boltons, tries to get him killed so that he can take over Karhold: he announces in public that he supports Stannis (intending to stab him in the back while fighting the Boltons), hoping that the Lannisters will execute Harrion as a punishment, then his sister Alys will become the heiress of Karhold. Arnolf plans to force Alys to marry his son Cregan and after she gives birth to his son - they will gain ownership legally of Karhold. Alys, however, finds out about Arnolf's twofold treachery, escapes to Castle Black and informs Jon what her great-uncle is up to. She has no idea what became of her brother as a result of Arnolf's fake announcement.
Eddard Karstark was apparently switched with his brother Harrion Karstark (or at least, the names were switched) so TV viewers who haven't read the books would not be confused that more than one character named "Eddard" exists, even though George R.R. Martin made it a point in the books to re-use certain names for minor characters, i.e. to emphasize that "Robert Baratheon" isn't the only person named "Robert" in the entire continent of Westeros.
In the TV series, Ramsay Snow briefly masquerades as Harrion during one of the mind games that he plays on Theon. This isn't mentioned in the books, as virtually all of Theon's torture takes place off-page, and is only alluded to.
See also
Harrion Karstark on A Wiki of Ice and Fire (MAJOR spoilers from the books)- Eddard Karstark on A Wiki of Ice and Fire (spoilers from the books)
References
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