Maester Luwin

When Lord Eddard Stark rides out to King’s Landing to become the Hand of the King, Maester Luwin stays with Robb and Catelyn and helps in advising on political matters. When Catelyn leaves to learn about her son’s alleged assassin, Luwin’s role in governing Winterfell becomes pronounced. Later, he and Ser Rodrik Cassel become the chief governors of Winterfell as Robb Stark rides out to fight the Lannisters. Noticed by his long sleeves, Luwin becomes the Starks’ chief adviser. Before Robb rides out against the Lannisters, Luwin tries to dissuade him from entering a conflict. However, the young lord discards his advice and later becomes King in the North.

Maester Luwin Personal Details

• Name: Luwin.
• Title: Maester at Winterfell.
• Allegiances: House Stark, Citadel.
• Religion: Faith of the Seven.
• Year of Death: 299 AC.
• Eye Color: Grey.

Appearance and Personality

Maester Luwin is a kind man with grey eyes. He is slim and small, and his hair is thinning out from old age. Though old, Luwin works tirelessly as the maester of Winterfell. He does many things at the castle, from healing to educating the Stark children. For his attire, Luwin wears a grey woolen robe with gigantic sleeves. In each sleeve are hidden pockets where he hides many things and brings them when needed. As a maester of the Citadel, Luwin wears a chain signifying his expertise in many subjects. His maester’s chain, unlike other maesters, is a choker he tugs at when in stressful situations.

Though a learned man of science, medicine, and history, Luwin is a skeptic who seldom believes in hedge wizards. He is also critical of Old Nan’s stories and often discredits them, stating that mythical creatures like the Children of the Forest and Giants are extinct. On Luwin’s chain is a Valyrian steel link showing his expertise in higher mysteries like magic.

Biography

There is no concise information on Luwin’s childhood. When he was of age, he joined the Citadel and became a maester. After Maester Walys died, Luwin got sent as a replacement. During Robert’s Rebellion, to secure an alliance with Lord Hoster Tully, Lord Eddard Stark, and Lord Jon Arryn married Hoster’s daughters, Catelyn and Lysa Tully. After the wedding, Catelyn got pregnant, and maester Luwin helped her deliver her first son, Robb, in Riverrun. 

With the war over, Eddard returned to Winterfell with his wife, and over the next few years, Luwin delivered all of Catelyn’s children from Sansa to Arya, Bran, and Rickon Stark. He also educated them, including Jon Snow, Ned’s bastard son, and Theon Greyjoy, his ward. To stop Bran Stark from climbing Winterfell’s walls, Luwin makes a boy figure from clay and shows the boy what will happen if he falls from the wall.

Relevance in A Song of Ice and Fire

A Game of Thrones

When Eddard goes out to deliver justice to Gared, a deserter of the Night’s Watch, Luwin receives a letter from Lysa Arryn, Catelyn Stark’s sister. The letter states that Cersei Lannister killed Lord Jon Arryn, Eddard’s foster father and Hand of the King. On returning to Winterfell, Eddard gets the news of Lord Arryn’s death. He also receives a letter stating Robert Baratheon is heading for Winterfell.

Ned throws a party welcoming Robert to Winterfell. Jon Snow meets Benjen Stark and requests to join the Night’s Watch. Though Benjen refuses, Jon persuades him, and he tells maester Luwin, who tells Eddard of Jon’s intentions. Ned then allows Jon to join the Watch. When Bran climbs the walls of Winterfell, he discovers Ser Jaime Lannister and his sister, Queen Cersei Lannister, sleeping together. To cover their deeds, Jaime throws Bran off the wall. Luwin treats Bran as he slips into a coma. Though he wakes up, Bran gets paralyzed. 

When a catspaw tries to assassinate Bran, Catelyn gets injured. She travels to King’s Landing to learn about the assassin’s knife. Before leaving for Castle Black, Tyrion Lannister gives Luwin designs for a saddle for Bran, and the maester designs a wicker basket for Hodor to carry Bran. With Catelyn gone, Robb becomes the Lord of Winterfell.

When Eddard gets arrested, Robb calls his banners discarding Luwin’s advice of not fighting. Before leaving, Robb tells his brother, Bran, to listen to maester Luwin, and he makes Ser Rodrik Cassel the castle’s castellan. Later, Bran has a dream, and Luwin accompanies him to the crypts of Winterfell. They met Rickon. In a dispute, Shaggydog, Rickon’sdirewolf, bites Luwin. As Bran’s dreams intensify, Luwin tells him about the history of Westeros before the arrival of the First Men and the conflict that led to the formation of the Pact. Later, Luwin receives a raven with news of Eddard Stark’s death.

A Clash of Kings

After Robb leaves Winterfell and becomes the King in the North, maester Luwin and Ser Rodrik Cassel remain in charge of the castle. Luwin gives Bran sleeping draughts to help with his dreams. When Catelyn forms a pact with Lord Walder Frey, he sends two of his grandsons, Big and Little Walder, to Winterfell. Though Luwin urges Bran to become friends with the two Walders, the young prince refuses. Winterfell hosts the harvest feast, and during the events, Jojen Reed and his sister, Meera Reed, reaffirm House Reed’s oath to House Stark.

With Ramsay Snow kidnapping Lady Donella Hronwood and Dagmer Cleftjaw threatening Torrhen’s square, Rodrik heads out to end the conflict leaving Luwin as the governor of Winterfell. He sends ravens out to warn White Harbor, the Wolfswood, and the Barrowlands of the Ironborn insurgency in the North. When Theon captures Winterfell, he spares Luwin. Theon lies about killing the Stark princes, and when Rodrik returns, Luwin advises him to join the Night’s Watch for his crimes.

Ser Rodrik gets killed by Ramsay Snow, and the Sack of Winterfell ensues. During the battle, Luwin gets run down by a Bolton knight, but he crawls to the godswood. Osha, Bran, and their companions find Luwin, and he tells her that she should split the Stark princes. She then gives him the gift of mercy, killing him.

Appearance in Adaptation

In HBO’s Game of Thrones, Luwin got portrayed by Donald Sumpter. He appeared in seasons 1 and 2 and starred in 14 episodes. Luwin served as a tutor to Eddard Stark’s male children. He also advised Eddard on crucial political matters. When Bran gets pushed off the tower at Winterfell, Catelyn reveals that she found a blond hair strand at the scene. Luwin gets killed after Dagmer Cleftjaw stabs him.

Maester Luwin: The Honorable Maester

Maester Luwin is a character that portrays loyalty in a world of disloyalty. Luwin served the Starks through thick and thin and never faltered. He embodied the values of the order of maesters as he fulfilled his duties to the latter.

FAQs