Deepwood Motte

The flat-topped hill on which Deepwood Motte stands is crowned by a keep with a watchtower rising some fifteen yards above the ground. At the foot of the slope lies a walled yard with stables, a pen, a smithy, a well and a sheepfold, guarded by a ditch, a packed-earth wall and a log palisade. Two gates, each flanked by a pair of wooden towers, give access to the grounds. It is an old castle, moss-covered, but never counted among the strong ones.

There was a time when the Glovers were not merely lords but kings, and Deepwood Motte was then their royal seat, back in the distant Age of Heroes.

Deepwood Motte's steward travels to Winterfell for the harvest feast, leaving the castle with its usual garrison. Balon Greyjoy seizes the moment and orders its capture, and his daughter Asha lands with a thousand ironborn. Before the moon completes a single turn, the Glovers' castle has fallen into her hands.

Deepwood Motte is still held by the ironborn when Maester Aemon, from Castle Black, sends a raven begging for help against the coming wildling attack. The plea arrives at a castle that no longer answers to Winterfell, but to the Iron Islands.

When Asha Greyjoy sets out for the Kingsmoot, she does not leave Deepwood Motte without insurance: she takes Sybelle Locke, wife of Robett Glover, and her children with her as hostages, all the way to Harlaw.

After the Kingsmoot crowns Euron Greyjoy king of the Iron Islands, Asha returns to Deepwood Motte with Sybelle Locke, though she leaves her own children behind at Ten Towers. The north's answer is not long in coming: Stannis Baratheon, with the mountain clans loyal to Winterfell, appears before the castle to reclaim what once belonged to the Glovers. Asha's men abandon it without a fight; she is captured, her men are jailed or executed, and the castle returns to Sybelle's hands.

Soon after, Tycho Nestoris arrives at Deepwood Motte looking for Stannis. Sybelle frees seven of the ironborn captives to serve as his escort.