Treaty of Long Lake

* The Starks agree to respect the cultural and political autonomy of the Free Folk
* Castle Black is offered to Tormund

The **Treaty of Long Lake** was a pact signed between the Free Folk and House Stark of Winterfell in the aftermath of the Great War. Among other things, it formally dissolved the defunct Night's Watch, and brought the Free Folk and their lands into the Seven Kingdoms as an autonomous region of the North.

## History

### Prelude

For thousands of years, the Free Folk beyond the Wall and the peoples of the Seven Kingdoms had been separated by the construction of the Wall. Although the original purpose of the Wall and the Night's Watch that manned it was to protect Westeros from the return of the White Walkers, it's primary purpose soon became to prevent southbound crossings by the Free Folk (dubbed 'wildlings' by those in the Seven Kingdoms). As a result, the Free Folk and the Night's Watch developed a fierce animosity towards one-another, as generations of Free Folk attempted to reach better lands south of the colossal fortification. The Free Folk also diverged greatly from their Northmen counterparts, abandoning organised feudal governments in favour of a clan-based nomadic lifestyle.

None-the-less, the re-emergence of the White Walkers led Lord Commander Jon Snow to ally with the Free Folk, granting them free passage to relative safety south of the Wall. By this time, the Free Folk were largely united under the leadership of Jon Snow and Tormund Giantsbane (having previously been united by the efforts of King-Beyond-the-Wall Mance Rayder).

The Free Folk subsequently fought side-by-side with the combined forces of the living during the Great War, until the eventual destruction of the Night King during the Battle of King's Landing.

### The treaty

As the Wall had been breached by the Army of the Dead, the Night's Watch had been rendered obsolete, and the Free Folk were now on good terms with the peoples of the Seven Kingdoms, it was soon deemed that the division betwixt the two peoples should be erased once and for all. However, the Free Folk still held numerous reservations surrounding 'bending the knee', and wished to preserve their way of life.

Representatives of the North, Iron Throne, and leaders of the Free Folk gathered at the Long Lake, on the site of Raymun Redbeard's death. Among the participants were Lady Sansa Stark, King Gendry Baratheon, Queen Arya Stark, and Tormund of the Free Folk. After several days of negotiations, a final treaty was drafted and signed. It's stipulations included.

* The Free Folk would accept the suzerainty of House Stark, with the Gift and lands beyond the Wall being incorporated into the North.
* The Night's Watch would be disbanded, and the Wall left to decay and ruin.
* All lands, castles and settlements north of the parallel drawn by Good Queen Alysanne would be ceded to the control of the Free Folk.
* House Stark would guarantee the Free Folk a significant degree of cultural and political autonomy.
* The Free Folk would agree to respect the King's Peace, and refrain from raiding and plundering.

### Aftermath

The Gift and lands beyond the Wall were soon settled. Many resumed their traditional semi-nomadic way of life, while others preferred to emulate their Northern kinsmen by establishing permanent fiefs. Tormund and his children took over control of Castle Black, the former seat of the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. With time, House Giantsbane was founded, and soon grew into the most powerful and influential House north of Winterfell.

The 1000th and final Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, Gared Tuttle, was named by Lady Sansa Stark as the new master-at-arms of Winterfell.