Ice

Ice is the ancestral blade of the Starks of Winterfell, traditionally carried by the lord of the house, in peace, justice and in war, and has thus become an important symbol of the rule. Its current wielder is King Robb I.

Appearance
Ice is a greatsword of dark, rippled, spell-forged and smoky Valyrian steel, lighter, harder and sharper than its ordinary counterpart, standing almost as tall as a youth and having the width of a man's hand across the steel. The crossguard is engraved by ancient runes of the First Men and the sword is usually sheathed in a wolf's skin scabbard. The blade emanates an aura of austerity and simple power, and it is often-times described as beautiful and graceful.

History
Ice was one of the last blades to be forged by Old Valyria, a hundred years prior to the Conquest, on the eve to the Doom. It was acquired by the then King in the North, who named the blade after another legendary sword of the Starks, dating back to the Age of Heroes, which had been lost to time. Since then, all Stark kings and lords have wielded it and it quickly became a symbol of his authority.

In recent times, Ice was often proudly displayed by Lord Rickard when he held court at King's Landing, in his time as Hand of the King. In his duel against King Viserys III, it was Ice's blade that cut through the dragonking's flesh and rendered him a lame cripple for the rest of his life. The greatsword was peacefully returned to Lord Rickard's son, Eddard the Dawnbringer, who would use it to great effect during the War for the Dawn, being one of the few weapons capable of slaying Others. Upon his retirement to the Night's Watch, Ice was inherited by his heir Robb I, who would wield it in the Bastard's War against Lord Ramsay Bolton. In the Battle-under-Blackbarrow, Ice and Brightroar, which had been stolen by Lord Ramsay, would briefly cross in battle, being one of the few recorded instances of such a clash in Westeros. Ice would later be used to behead Lord Ramsay in his execution. During the War of the Wolves, King Robb wielded it in battle against the invaders.

The Enthronement
Ice plays an important role in the enthronement of the Starks of Winterfell. In the ceremony, the greatsword is stabbed into the roots of Winterfell's weirwood heart tree, in order to drink its sap and be blessed by the gods, for thirteen days and nights, and its retrieval from the roots marks the end of the enthronement ceremony and the ceremonial beginning of the rule of a new Lord of Winterfell and King in the North.