Far to the West where the Summer Sea meets the Redwyne Straits and island of the Arbor,
lay the waters of the Sunset Sea.
This vast ocean borders the continent of Westeros, also known as the Sunset Kingdom, which together
mark the westernmost edges of the known world.
Beginning in the South, the Sunset Sea meets the bay of Whispering Sound of the Reach,
home to Blackcrown, Three Towers and Old Town, home to House Hightower and one of the oldest
cities on the continent.
The coastline then continues northward passing Bandallion, the Shield Islands and the Mouth
of the river Mander.
Along the coast of the Westerlands, the Sunset Sea borders Crakehall, Lannisport, Casterly
Rock the home of House Lannister, Feastfires, Kayce, the Crag, Banefort, and Fair Isle.
Then there are the Iron Islands led by House Greyjoy and Ironman’s Bay as well as Seagard
and the Cape of Eagles along the Riverlands.
In the North the sea borders the Flint Cliffs, Cape Kraken, and Flint's Finger.
While the Fever River and Saltspear Inlet flow into Blazewater Bay.
Then there are the lands of the Rills, the Stony Shore, Sea Dragon Point, the Wolfswood,
Bear Island, and the Bay of Ice then continuing on past the wall and into the far north.
Some like Maester Kirth, author of Songs of the Drowned Men, suggest that many years before
the First Men travelled into Westeros, a mysterious ancient race sailed across the Sunset Sea,
settling on the Iron Islands, and building the Seastone Chair, the Ironborn throne said
to have already been present on the Island when the First Men arrived.
Archmaester Haereg, author of the history of the ironborn, suggests the Ironborn themselves
are descendants of these ancient people, while many of the Islanders themselves follow the
faith of the Drowned God, and believe that the Ironborn are descended from an ancient
race of Merlings from under the sea.
Most mainlanders however dismiss these wild claims, stating that the Ironborn are simply
First Men who migrated to the islands, though it is interesting to note that the Early First
Men population did not sail ships, crossing the Arm of Dorne to enter westeros, rather
than reaching the continent by sea.
The people of the Iron Islands developed into a strong seafaring people, surviving mostly
of the labor of fisherfolk, while others mined the many Iron, tin and lead deposits in the
area.
The Sunset Sea proved rich with resources, providing cod, monkfish, skate, icefish, sardines,
mackeral, crabs, lobsters, swordfish, seals, whales and Leviathans.
Some also suggest that the ocean is home to various forms of aquatic monsters such as
Krakens and sea dragons.
The Ironborn also developed into expert reavers, sending warparties to raid other lands, bringing
back the spoils of victory to support the people of the islands.
The Islanders claim that during the Age of Heroes, they were ruled by the Grey king,
a legendary figure who defeated the sea dragon Nagga, using its bones to build his hall.
At the end of his life, he walked into the ocean to joined the Drowned God and never
returned.
However he left behind a hundred sons, whose descendants still rule and populate the islands.
Following the rule of the Greyking, the Ironborn claim a number of other heroes emerged, leading
them on various conquests of the coastal lands along the Sunset Sea.
Heroes like Torgon the Terrible, Jorl the Whaler, Dagon Drumm the necromancer, Hrothgar
of Pyke, Ragged Ralk of Old Wyk and balon Blackskin.
After the arrival of the Andals and their integration into Ironborn society, more leaders
emerged to follow their ancient traditions of raiding and plundering, such a Qhored Hoare,
who established a coastal empire from the Arbor of the Reach to Bear Island in the North.
However future rulers lost those holdings over time, then once again conquering mainland
territories under his descendant Harwyn Hoare who took the Riverlands from the kingdom of
the Storm to establish the Kingdom of Isles and Rivers.
Although this extended territory was lost following the invasion of Aegon Targaryen,
the Ironborn never lost their desire or ambition to conquer a larger empire.
And so the Islanders again sailed the Sunset sea as conquerors under Dalton Greyjoy, Dagon
greyjoy and later Balon Greyjoy during the War of the Five Kings.
But even when successful, the Ironborn proved unable to keep their conquests for long.
Although the Iron Islands are made up of 31 islands with 7 major regions, far to the West,
are 13 additional islands near Lonely Light, the Seat of a branch of House Farwynd.*
*Other Farwynds Surrounded by rookeries of seals and sea lions,
this area is the furthest territory west of the mainland and an 8 day sail from Great
Wyk.
Because of their distance from the rest of the population, many strange stories and rumors
circulate about House Farwynd.
With some claiming they are a family of skinchangers, able to take the form of sea lions, whalruses
and spotted whales.
Few have been brave enough to venture beyond Lonely Light, but some have made the attempt,
such as Brandon the Shipwright of House Stark, the King in the North who ventured West, determined
to cross the Sunset Sea.
Unfortunately he was never heard from again and out of anger and grief his son Brandon
the Burner set fire to their remaining ships.
Rhaenys Targaryen, Sister Wife of Aegon the Conqueror, desired to fly her dragon Meraxes
across the sea to find how far it extended west, but was never able to make her journey,
being killed in 10 AC during the First Dornish War.
And even some among the ironborn like Lord Alton Greyjoy, known to many as the Holy Fool,
desired to conquer the lands west of Lonely Light.
As well as Gylbert Farwynd who offered to lead the Ironborn a land without winter beyond
the sunset sea.
And while many continue to see the possibility of lands beyond the vast western ocean as
a mystery to be explored, the few sailor who have managed to return from their voyages
west, claim to have found nothing but endless ocean.