The War of The Rock was a war that occurred in The Westerlands between the years 308 AC and 309 AC. It was fought between the two factions of Tyrek Lannister and Martyn Lannister over Lord Paramouncy of the Westerlands and the dominion of Casterly Rock.
The war would come to an end after several skirmishes in the Westerlands and the timely intervention of Aegon VI Targaryen who put a stop to the war. When the dust settled, Tyrek Lannister was victorious and secured his place in Casterly Rock, with his cousin, Martyn Lannister being sent to the Wall.
Overview[]
Calm before the Storm[]
After Tyrek Lannister was appointed to rule the Westerlands during Aegon VI Targaryen's Second War of Conquest many voiced their discontent. Martyn Lannister, the man many in the West believed to be the rightful heir, began plotting against Tyrek the moment he returned to the Westerlands. The Lannister armies had been defeated in the Siege for King's Landing a few years prior upon Tyrek's arrival, leaving Martyn without the allies, power or armies to contest Tyrek's appointment.
Still, Martyn was sure to express his discontent with Tyrek's appointment at every turn, naming him a pretender while quietly brooding with what allies he had. Martyn grew even more furious when House Spicer began to rebuild Castamere in 304 AC. Castamere, to many, was the symbol of the Lannister reign; brutal and mighty. To rebuild it was to erase history and to say ‘the true Lannisters reign no more’, or so Martyn led many Lords of the West to believe.
The Council of Ashemark[]
It was in late 308 AC when Martyn saw that the West's armies had been replenished and the rule of Tyrek and Aegon again called into question. Martyn called at Ashemark, inviting his allies Lord Marbrand, Lord Brax, Lord Yarwyck and Lord Banefort were in attendance, unsure as to what this meeting was about. Only those five men were in the room, and the only thing that was heard from anyone was shouting, laughing, and yelling. The next day, ravens flew from Ashemark where the meeting had taken place. All over the Westerlands they flew, one to every keep with a garrison, including Casterly Rock. The letter contained one statement:
“The true heir of the Westerlands means to take his seat from the whimpering mewling of a Lannister, march on Casterly Rock, make the Westerlands great again.”
The War of the Rock[]
The Beginning[]
By the beginning of 308 AC, fighting had begun. The men who led the rebellion, Martyn Lannister, Lord Marbrand, Lord Brax, Lord Payne and Lord Banefort, were called the Forlorn Five by those who opposed them. Along with those five, houses Jast, Plumm, Vikary, and Swyft also favored Martyn over Tyrek. On the side of Tyrek, the appointed Lord Paramount of the Rock, were Lords Spicer, Serrett, Westerling, Crakehall, Lydden and Lefford. Skirmishes had broken out across the West near the Crag, Sarsfield, Castamere and the Gold Road, with a particularly large battle outside of Ashemark. Although no large battles had occurred by the middle of 309 AC that changed on a stormy night during the Seventh Moon of 309 AC, in the hour of the wolf.
The Battle of Oxcross[]
Known as the Battle of Oxcross, the forces of Tyrek Lannister met the forces of Martyn Lannister. With both leading each others armies, many Lords and peasants alike thought this to be the end of the war. But when Tyrek and his soldiers came out on top, losing only a thousand men for Martyn’s five thousand lost, Martyn retreated with a brand new scar. With the crushing loss under his belt, Martyn’s forces began to splinter. The next morning, Martyn awoke to see only the banners of Marbrand, Brax, Jast, Plumm, and Vikary by his side.
Houses Banefort, Swyft, and Payne, after losing the battle and practically the war, flipped sides and joined their forces to Tyrek's.
Beginning of the End[]
Sporting his new scar, Martyn gathered what men he had and retreated to Sarsfield, where Lord Sarsfield had offered him hospitality for however long he needed. The stay lasted for all of a week when they left, headed North to Castamere. Martyn meant to undo the work of Lord Spicer, to finish off what Lord Tywin had left while Tyrek was distracted. However by the time Tyrek and his forces arrived, a banner he had not expected to see was flying over the half-finished keep; House Targaryen.
Dragon's Wroth[]
King Aegon VI had arrived just the night before having marched from King's Landing to Castamere, using his already raised levies from the War of the Waters, to Martyn’s dismay. Inside the keep sat Lord Tyrek Lannister, Lord Spicer, and Lord Lefford. Martyn, Lord Marbrand and Lord Brax took their seat at the table with King Aegon VI at the helm. The King served Martyn papers telling him if he were to continue this tirade, he’d be marked a traitor to the realm and beheaded for all to see in the square of Casterly Rock. That day, the first day of the first week of the Ninth Moon, the War of The Rock had ended with Tyrek victorious. That day, the Lords of the West bent their knee to Tyrek, solidifying his and his children's rule over the Westerlands.
Fate of Martyn Lannister[]
The next week, Martyn was tried for crimes, including treason and instigating a rebellion, against his liege and was found guilty. Martyn was promptly sent to The Wall the next day for his crimes.