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Lord Gormon Peake, nicknamed Gormy by his friend Daemon II Blackfyre, is a major antagonist in the Tales of Dunk and Egg novella series, and is one of the main antagonists in the third book The Mystery Knight, both part of the A Song of Ice and Fire novel series.
He was the Lord of Starpike and head of House Peake during the reigns of King Daeron II Targaryen and King Aerys I Targaryen. Gormon fought in the First Blackfyre Rebellion in support of Daemon I Blackfyre and House Blackfyre in their claim to the Iron Throne. After Daemon was killed at the Battle of the Redgrass Field, Gormon and his family were stripped off two of their castles by King Daeron II Targaryen as punishment for siding with the Blackfyres.
This caused Gordon to develop a vendetta against House Targaryen and he continued to remain a staunch supporter of House Blackfyre, most notably Daemon's surviving eldest son, Daemon II Blackfyre. At Whitewalls, Gormon and Peake conspired to launch a second rebellion at Whitewalls, though they failed to gain the support of Ser Aegor Rivers, Daemon's uncle, and the Golden Company. Their plot was ultimately foiled by spies sent by Lord Brynden Rivers with aid from Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire "Egg" (actually Prince Aegon Targaryen). Because of his attempt to launch a second insurgency, Gormon payed for his treason with his own life and was beheaded.
Appearance[]
Gormon Peake has a well-trimmed gray, black, and white beard and flinty eyes.
Personality[]
While being an influential lord, Gormon Peake was remembered as a great knight and was considered to be one of the greatest warriors of his time. However, he was also foul-mouthed and was unreasonable, due to his strong hatred for the Targaryens after having been stripped of two of three castles that have been owned by his family for centuries (and presumably large tracts of their lands). For this, he continued supporting House Blackfyre so he could exact revenge on the Targaryens and reclaim the two seats he had lost.
He had a friendship with Daemon II Blackfyre and they had worked closely with each other in a bid to launch a second Blackfyre rebellion so Daemon can seize the Iron Throne, though their efforts would be in vain when Brynden Rivers arrested Daemon while Gormon was executed.
Biography[]
First Blackfyre Rebellion[]
During Daemon I Blackfyre's rebellion against the Iron Throne in 196 AC, Lord Gormon Peake was one of the former's notable supporters and was fondly remembered as one of the greatest knights that stood by Daemon's side. At the Battle of the Redgrass Field, Gormon slew Lord Hayford, the Hand of the King to Daeron II Targaryen, and Ser Arlan of Pennytree's nephew and squire, Roger. In the aftermath of the rebellion, after Daemon was killed alongside his two eldest sons, Aegon and Aemon, Ser Aegor Rivers and House Blackfyre fled into exile, Lord Gormon surrendered to the Loyalists and was pardoned by King Daeron, however, because of his part and role in the First Blackfyre Rebellion, Gormon was ruthlessly punished, in which he was stripped of two of his family's castles, Dustonbury and Whitegrove. It is said that in his thirst for revenge and his determination to reclaim his two seats, he became blind to reason.
Second Blackfyre Rebellion[]
The vengeful Lord Gormon
Many years later, Gormon heard of the dragon dream of Daemon's surviving eldest son, Daemon II Blackfyre, who dreamed of a dragon egg hatching at Whitewalls, the seat of House Butterwell. Immediately supporting the latter's claim to the Iron Throne, urging him to return to Westeros and make a play for the throne. A wedding tourney, which would be held in 212 AC by Lord Butterwell, would serve as a pretext for Daemon to gather and rally supporters for a second rebellion. When Daemon's uncle, Ser Aegor Rivers refused to provide support, his exact reason became a subject of debate amongst the maesters of the Citadel; While many believed that Daemon and Lord Gormon were unable to convince him that their plan was sensible and will succeed despite the odds, some thought that Aegor had little use of anything but war, and distrusted Daemon's dragon dreams and love of fine things. Others think that he is perhaps troubled by Daemon's homosexuality, which might be enough for Bittersteel to deny him the sword Blackfyre and the support of the Golden Company.
Despite not having Bittersteel's support, Daemon secretly crossed the Narrow Sea and returned to Westeros to be under Gormon's care. In order to keep his identity a secret, Daemon disguised himself as a humble hedge knight under the alias of "Ser John the Fiddler." In Westeros, he was reunited with his childhood friend, Alyn Cockshaw, with whom he began a romantic relationship. Gormon travels with John and Alyn and their entourage to Whitewalls Tourney of 212 AC. While on their way, they encountered the hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall and his young squire "Egg."
During the tourney, Gormon plotted with Ser Tommard Heddle to make Daemon the winner of the tourney through bribery. After the dragon egg, which the winner of the tourney was to receive, went missing, Gormon had a rock painted in the same fashion and planted in the belongings of Ser Glendon Flowers, framing the youth for the theft which resulted in Glendon being imprisoned and brutally tortured. Gormon advised against permitting Flowers a trial by combat, but Flowers received a chance on Daemon II's insistence and managed to prove his innocence by unhorsing Daemon II in their first tilt, to Gormon's horror. The latter's plans of Daemon II claiming the Iron Throne were ultimately foiled when Lord Brynden Rivers, the Hand of the King to Aerys I Targaryen, arrived at Whitewalls and besieged the castle. After Daemon was captured, Gormon was among the lords executed for his role in the Second Blackfyre Rebellion.
Legacy[]
Peake Uprising[]
Twenty-one years after Lord Gormon's death, House Peake rose in rebellion against the Iron Throne in 233 AC, during the reign of King Maekar I Targaryen, under an unnamed Lord Peake, Gormon's relative and descendant. Most details about this conflict are unknown, but in the concluding battle, the Storming of Starpike, King Maekar, Lord Robert Reyne, and Tywald Lannister (knighted in his last moments) were among the slain. Lord Reyne's eldest son and heir, Ser Roger "the Red Lion", slaughtered seven captive Peakes in revenge, and likely would have killed more, if Prince Aegon Targaryen had not arrived and stopped him from harming other family members. House Peake was pardoned and renewed its fealty to the Iron Throne.
Trivia[]
- It is unknown if Gormon's descendants took any part in Robert's Rebellion. If they did, they were presumably part of the loyalist army of the Reach.
- The exact family relation between Gormon Peake and the current head, Lord Titus Peake, is unknown. Titus is married to Lady Margot Lannister.
- In the main story, three Peake brothers (Ser Laswell, Torman and Pykewood) serve in the Golden Company and they have lived in the Free Cities. In the appendix of A Dance with Dragons, Laswell is described as an "exile lord". Given that the Peakes were stripped of two of their three castles (Dunstonbury and Whitegrove) by the Iron Throne for supporting Daemon I Blackfyre during the First Blackfyre Rebellion, it is possible Laswell's ancestor was the lord of one of the two former Peake castles, who after losing the war chose to follow Bittersteel in exile, resulting in House Peake's harsh punishment that turned Gormon vengeful and unreasonable toward the Targaryens.
- Gormon's family, House Peake, is a reference by George R. R. Martin to the books of the late English writer, artist, poet, and illustrator Mervyn Peake, which are among his reading recommendations. The current head of the family, Lord Titus Peake, who's married to a Lannister, is named after Titus Groan, the main protagonist of the Gormenghast novel series. Gormon's name is likely a reference to Gormenghast, the series' titular reclusive earldom dominated by the huge Castle Gormenghast at its centre. House Peake's current remaining seat, Starpike, is a reference to Steerpike, the main antagonist of the series.
