The Night's Watch is highly egalitarian compared to the rest of Westeros, and at the Wall every man is given what he earns. For bastard children to be raised by their father in his own castle alongside his trueborn children - such as Eddard Stark did for his 'bastard son', Jon Snow - is considered extremely unusual.įaced with very low expectations for inheritance, many noble-born bastard sons, even acknowledged ones, voluntarily join the Night's Watch to seek prestige and equality. At best, a lord will acknowledge his bastard children (allowing them to take on one of the special bastard surnames), but send them away to one of his distant castles to be raised away from his lawful family. Some may fare better and be discreetly sent funds to ensure their well-being. At worst, they are unacknowledged and ignored by their father and left completely in the hands of their mothers. It is up to their father, if he knows they exist, on how to raise or treat them. īastards are not allowed to inherit their father's lands or titles, and have no claims to the privileges of their father's House. You're not a Bolton, you're a Snow.' - Roose Bolton and his bastard son, Ramsay Snow.
Ramsay Snow: ' The flayed man is on our banners!' Roose Bolton: ' My banners, not yours.
