A dwarf , he uses his wit and intellect to overcome the prejudice he faces. Tyrion's mother, Joanna Lannister , died giving birth to him, a tragedy which Tywin and Cersei unfairly blame Tyrion for. Tyrion is mocked for being a dwarf, called derisive names such as "Imp" and "Halfman", which he tries to embrace to keep his self esteem up. Had an infant with dwarfism like Tyrion been born a commoner , he'd have been left in the woods to die; luckily, his birthright as a Lannister afforded him significant wealth and power.
When Tyrion was sixteen, he interrupted the attempted rape of a wheelwright's daughter. While Jaime dispatched the attackers, Tyrion helped the girl, named Tysha, recover. They later became lovers and got married in secret. When Lord Tywin learned what had happened, he payed Tysha, a prostitute, to service every one of his guards while Tyrion watched. Jaime confessed he had orchestrated the attack to help Tyrion lose his virginity.
While two siblings occupied positions of power, Tyrion was put in charge of the sewers at Casterly Rock when he turned of age. Tyrion spent a lot of time at court in King's Landing to avoid his father. He got on well with Jaime, his niece Myrcella and nephew Tommen , but had a colder relationship with Cersei and the psychopathic Joffrey.
Tyrion accompanies King Robert Baratheon to Winterfell , where he makes the acquaintance of a prostitute named Ros , and gives her a Lannister lion necklace. While lingering outside the feast hall, Tyrion meets Jon Snow , Eddard Stark 's bastard son and realizes he is something of a kindred spirit.
He then breakfasts with his family, where he says he wants to visit the Wall and piss off it. He takes interest in Bran's fall, noting carefully his siblings' glum reactions to the news that Bran is likely to live. On the road to Castle Black , Tyrion explains to Jon that he likes to read as it keeps his wits sharp. Upon reaching the Wall, he is temporarily rendered speechless by the size and scale of the structure.
