General:

Rodrik Harlaw, nicknamed the Reader, is the current Harlaw of Harlaw, Lord of Harlaw, and Lord of the Ten Towers. He is one of the most powerful men on the Iron Islands.

Rodrik is a widower, and the father of two dead sons. He is the second child and only son of the former Lord of Harlaw, making him the younger brother of Lady Gwynesse Harlaw, and the older brother of Lady Alannys Harlaw. He is also the only maternal uncle of Rodrik, Maron, Asha, and Theon Greyjoy.

Rodrik has more kin besides. His cousins are Ser Harras (his designated heir), Master Hotho, and Master Boremund Harlaw. His granduncle is Master Sigfryd Harlaw, and Rodrik's grandfather's grandfather was Lord Theomore Harlaw.

Characteristics:

Rodrik is an average-looking man, with brown eyes, brown hair, and a neat beard, short and grey. He has long nails, and has sent to Myr for a lense to aid his sight. He speaks softly. Rodrik is old, and does not expect to wed again.

Rodrik is cautious and skeptical, but outspoken. He is a fervent reader, despite illiteracy being common on the Iron Islands, and those who can read being either mocked as weaklings or feared as sorcerers. Rodrik captains a longship, the Sea Song, but he rarely uses it, preferring to sit in the Book Tower, where he keeps an extensive library, lost in his books and tomes.

There are no rooms where Rodrik does not read, and he is seldom seen without a book in hand, whether on the privy, aboard the deck of his longship, the Sea Song, or whilst holding audience. He holds court in the great hall of the Ten Towers, where he es judgement, and then reads what he can while his captain-of-guards brings in the next subject.

Rodrik keeps a dedicated library in the Book Tower, and is usually found there in his spare time. He had Septons take care of the books when the Faith of the Seven was still tolerated on the Isles. Rodrik finds his steward, Three-Tooth, a dreadful woman, and seldom calls for her.

Rodrik loves his sister, Alannys (whom he refers to by the pet name Lanny), and her daughter, Asha Greyjoy. Asha finds it small wonder that Rodrik seeks solace in his books, when he has two half-mad sisters (Alannys and Gwynesse) living under his roof. He is fonder of his cousin Harras Harlaw than he is of his other cousins.

Rodrik's power is not to be despised, and on Harlaw, the richest and most populous of the Iron Islands, he has no equal. His bannermen include: Lord Maron Volmark, Lord Stonetree, Lord Myre, Lord Kenning, Ser Harras Harlaw, Master Hotho Harlaw, Master Boremund Harlaw, and Master Sigfryd Harlaw.

History:

Rodrik's eldest sister, Gwynesse, is seven years his elder, but when their father died Ten Towers went to him. Gwynesse and Alannys moved away from the castle sometime after, when they married. Alannys's eldest son, Rodrik Greyjoy, was presumably named after Lord Rodrik.

During her youth, Asha Greyjoy enjoyed reading the books in Rodrik's library.

Rodrik advised his brother-by-law, Lord Balon Greyjoy, not to rebel against King Robert I Baratheon, but to no avail. During Greyjoy's Rebellion, Rodrik's two tall sons (his only children), along with Gwynesse's husband, died in the Battle off Fair Isle. Alannys's eldest sons, Rodrik and Maron, died in the war (the former at Seagard, the latter at Pyke), and her last son, Theon, was taken away from her as a ward and hostage of Lord Eddard Stark.

After the war, Gwynesse returned to the Ten Towers. She famously told her brother: "I will only stay until my grief has ed, though by rights Ten Towers should be mine, for I am seven years your elder". She took up residence in the Widow's Tower (named so after herself), and has lived there since. Alannys returned to Ten Towers a few years later, because Harlaw was more suited to her poor health than the rawer Pyke.

299AC:

(A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows)

Balon Greyjoy rebels again. Lord Harlaw is listed among his main ers.

Balon falls to his death at Pyke, but some suspect he was murdered. Rodrik s the claim of Asha for the love he bears her and Alannys, calling his banners and summoning her ers to the Ten Towers.

Aeron Greyjoy calls for a Kingsmoot, which Rodrik thinks is a bad idea.

300AC:

(A Feast for Crows, A Dance with Dragons)

Rodrik is visited by Lord Baelor Blacktyde, who tells Rodrik that he fears Euron Greyjoy will descend on the Kingsmoot as Urron Greyiron had, killing everyone who doesn't him, after which Baelor sails to Old Wyk. Rodrik is also visited by Lord Tristifer Botley.

Hotho Harlaw wants to be named as heir to the Ten Towers. He gives Rodrik a copy of Archmaester Marwyn's Book of Lost Books, in the hopes that he will marry Hotho's daughter.

Asha arrives a few days later than expected, and has a lengthy discussion with Rodrik in his library. He fails to dissuade her from attending the Kingsmoot.

Rodrik sails to the Kingsmoot aboard his Sea Song. There, he is one of the first to shout Asha's name. Despite their efforts, however, Euron wins the Kingsmoot. Rodrik advises Asha to flee, because he does not want to see her die, as she is a child of Balon's body, and will thus always be a threat to Euron's claim.

When Asha stops at Ten Towers on her way north, Gwynesse asks when Rodrik will return. After the Kingsmoot, Rodrik, like nearly all Ironborn, swears allegiance to Euron.

Rodrik sails south with King Euron's fleet, and participates in the Taking of the Shield Islands. After the battle, Victarion Greyjoy spots Rodrik in the yard of Oakenshield Castle, speaking with Lords Dunstan Drumm and Gorold Goodbrother. The three voice their fears that the spoils of the battle are little compared to gaining the enmity of House Tyrell.

Euron gives Greyshield to Ser Harras, which Hotho thinks makes him Rodrik's new heir. During the subsequent feast, Rodrik voices his skepticism of Euron's plans, pointing out the risks and hazards of sailing to Meereen, which makes the Ironborn reluctant. He also questions if Euron truly has sailed the Smoking Sea, which angers the King.

Euron is swayed by Rodrik's words, however, and changes his plans. He decides to dedicate his main forces to raiding the Arbor and Oldtown, while only sending the Iron Fleet, which is made up of the Iron Islands' best ships and most skilled captains, to Meereen.

At Deepwood Motte, Asha re that Rodrik counseled her to read Archmaester Haereg's History of the Ironborn, which recounts the only time the decision of a Kingsmoot was overturned.