Wyman Manderly

Wyman was born in White Harbor. As a boy he rode well and won some renown for it, but the years piled weight on him until climbing into a saddle stopped being possible.

He fought at the Trident during the war that put Robert Baratheon on the throne. A knight named Ser Bartimus saved his life in that battle, and Wyman repaid the debt by granting him the Wolf's Den, a tower inside the city.

He was widowed around the year 291 and has ruled White Harbor alone ever since.

When Catelyn Tully lands at White Harbor on her way back from the Eyrie, Wyman comes out to meet her himself.

Soon after, Robb Stark calls his bannermen to war. Wyman stays behind to hold the port and sends his two sons, Wylis and Wendel, in his place.

Wyman travels to Winterfell for the harvest feast. There he offers his son Wendel as a husband for Donella Manderly, Lady of Hornwood, and dances with Beth Cassel during the celebration.

When Ramsay Bolton kidnaps Lady Hornwood and forces her to marry him, Wyman moves fast and tries to seize Hornwood before Ramsay can claim the land by force.

Word reaches Queen Cersei Lannister in King's Landing that Wyman has had Ser Davos Seaworth executed.

Several members of House Frey claim to have seen the head themselves, which appears to bear out the story.

King Stannis Baratheon sends a letter to White Harbor demanding Wyman's fealty. Wyman answers evasively, citing his age and his ailments.

Davos Seaworth arrives in the city on Stannis's behalf and makes his case before the Merman's Court, with a large crowd in attendance, among them three men of House Frey, Jared included.

After hearing him out, Wyman orders his execution, citing his loyalty to the Lannisters, to the Iron Throne, and to the Freys' account of what happened at the Red Wedding.

In truth another prisoner dies in his place: they cut off his head and hands, strip the fingers, and dip the remains in tar so the crowd will take them for Davos's. The real Davos is sent to the Wolf's Den, the city's prison.

Before leaving for the wedding, Wyman strikes his real bargain with Davos. 'Even the most honest man must lie when he deals with liars,' he tells him, and names his price: 'The wolf will show the boy is who we say he is, in case Dreadfort dares call him a fraud. That is my price, Lord Davos. Use your smuggler's talents to bring me my lord, and Stannis Baratheon shall be my king.'

Having struck a bargain with Davos, Wyman rides out with an armed escort for Ramsay Bolton's wedding. Before leaving he gifts each of his three Frey guests a palfrey and loads his carts with food, but brings no hostage, despite Roose Bolton's order.

The three Freys never arrive with him: Wyman claims they rode ahead on their own and that he, unable to sit a horse, travelled by boat instead. Hosteen and Aenys Frey fear the worst.

At the feast Wyman is in high spirits, laughing and jesting, and calls for a singer named Abel to perform 'The Rat Cook,' the tale of a cook who, wronged by a king, kills his son and serves him baked into a pie. Three large pies are then brought out and shared among the Boltons and the Freys; Roose eats only what Wyman has already eaten and drinks only from casks Wyman has already tried.

When several men of the castle turn up dead and Theon Greyjoy is ruled out as the killer, suspicion falls on Wyman. After Little Walder Frey is murdered, Hosteen accuses him openly; Wyman denies it and throws the same insults back at House Frey. Hosteen attacks him and nearly opens his throat with a sword before Wyman's knights pull him off; Maester Medrick treats the wound.