Heart tree

Cat visits Ned by Winterfell's heart tree - by Thomas Denmark © Fantasy Flight Games

A heart tree is a tree with a carved face that followers of the old gods pray, often within a godswood.[1] It is often said that no man can tell a lie in front of a heart tree, as the old gods know when men are lying.[2] Heart trees are almost always weirwoods, but other types of trees are used if weirwoods are not available. For instance, the heart tree of the Red Keep's godswood in King's Landing is a great oak.[3]

History

Jojen Reed underneath a heart tree. Illustrated by Joel Hustak © Fantasy Flight Games

After Ice Eyes retook the Wolf's Den from slavers from the Stepstones, the freed slaves were said to have hanged the entrails of the slavers from a heart tree.[4]

The Knight of the Laughing Tree carried a shield depicting a weirwood heart tree with a laughing face.[5]

Quotes

Here every castle had its godswood, and every godswood had its heart tree, and every heart tree its face.[1]

- thoughts of Catelyn Stark


The heart tree had always frightened him; trees ought not have eyes, Bran thought, or leaves that looked like hands.[6]

- thoughts of Bran Stark


Northmen, they were. Savages who worship trees.[7]

- septon to Lem

References

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