Old Wyk

Old Wyk is the most sacred of the Iron Islands, a bleak, windswept land of stone and sea that holds the deepest religious and political significance for the ironborn. It is the site of Nagga's Hill, where the bones of the mythical sea dragon Nagga form a great hall, and where, since the Age of Heroes, the ironborn have gathered to choose their kings in a ceremony called the kingsmoot. The island's raw, ancient landscape embodies the Old Way of the ironborn—a culture of reaving, raiding, and devotion to the Drowned God—and its history is steeped in the legends of the Grey King and the first sea kings.

The Kingsmoot and the Crowning of Euron Greyjoy

Old Wyk is the traditional and sacred location for the kingsmoot, the assembly of captains and kings where the ironborn elect their ruler. After the death of King Balon Greyjoy, his daughter Asha Greyjoy put her name before the captains on Nagga's hill, hoping to be chosen as the first ruling queen of the Iron Islands. However, her uncle Euron Greyjoy, the Crow's Eye, arrived with a dragon horn and a promise of conquest, and the captains and kings chose him instead. Asha, realizing her danger, fled the island after the kingsmoot, landing her ship, the Black Wind, on the far side of Old Wyk to escape Euron's wrath before he was crowned. The kingsmoot on Old Wyk thus marked a decisive turning point, solidifying Euron's rule and forcing Asha into exile.

Nagga's Hill and the Drowned God

Nagga's Hill, located on Old Wyk, is the most hallowed ground in the Iron Islands. It is here that the ironborn believe the Grey King slew the great sea dragon Nagga and built a hall from its bones. The hill is the site of the kingsmoot and is central to the faith of the Drowned God. The priest Aeron Greyjoy, known as the Damphair, was a prominent figure on the island, preaching against Euron's rule and calling down the wroth of the Drowned God. After the kingsmoot, Euron's men hunted for the Damphair on Old Wyk, searching for the Drowned Men who supported him, but the priest was never found, leading to speculation that Euron had him killed.

The Island's Role in the Ironborn Succession

Old Wyk is not merely a location but an active participant in the political and religious life of the Iron Islands. The island's ancient traditions, particularly the kingsmoot, provide a mechanism for succession that is unique among the Seven Kingdoms, allowing the ironborn to choose their leader rather than follow a strict line of inheritance. This tradition was invoked by Tristifer Botley to argue that Asha's claim was still valid, citing the precedent of Torgon the Latecomer, who returned after a kingsmoot and declared it unlawful because he had not been present to make his claim. The island's sacred status thus makes it a stage for both the rise and fall of kings, and a symbol of the ironborn's fierce independence and adherence to their ancient customs.