Beyond the Wall

**Beyond the Wall** is a general term for the northernmost area of Westeros, the lands north of the Wall.

## Geography

The lands beyond the Wall are primarily wild, untamed and uncharted. The climate is harsh and bitter, especially in the far north in the Lands of Always Winter. The region immediately north of the Wall includes the haunted forest, a vast taiga-forest which covers most of the area, extending from the Wall to the furthest lands of Thenn. While no true roads exist, numerous game trails, paths, and old streambeds, called "ranger roads", are used by the Night's Watch and free folk alike.

The haunted forest extends from the eastern coast to a large mountain chain in the west, the Frostfangs. These inhospitable mountains extend an unknown distance to the north. Notable features include the Giant's Stair and the Skirling Pass. The Milkwater, the great river beyond the Wall, has its origins in the Frostfangs. Thenn is a hidden valley in the mountains.

Southwest of the Frostfangs is the Frozen Shore, a narrow strip of land between the mountains and the Bay of Ice. Along the east coast is the Antler River, which flows into the Shivering Sea. The easternmost region beyond the Wall is the forested peninsula Storrold's Point, which contains the ruins of the only free folk town, Hardhome.

Beyond all of these areas, in the furthest north, is the Land of Always Winter. The haunted forest ends and gives way to these polar regions, which are unexplored.

Animals living beyond the Wall include deer, eagles, elk, hares, rams, shadowcats, snow bears, and wolves.

Flowers include coldsnaps, frostfires, piper's grass, and wildflowers. Trees include chestnuts, ironwoods, oaks, sentinels, soldier pines, and weirwoods,

## People

The people inhabiting the land refer to themselves as the "free folk", but are known by the people of the Seven Kingdoms as "wildlings". The lands beyond the Wall are bitterly cold year round, but many free folk reside from the furthest reaches of the haunted forest to the hidden valleys of the Frostfangs, including the valley of Thenn. The Thenns are surrounded by cave dwellers, Hornfoots, giants, and the ice-river clans. Other tribes include Nightrunners and men of the Frozen Shore.

Some free folk are little more than savage and primitive raiders, but other groups live in small, settled communities and villages. Due to the impracticality of agriculture in the far north, many of them are hunters.

Maesters believe that giants are extinct, but some still live beyond the Wall. A group of children of the forest reside within the cave of the three-eyed crow. The Others are rumored to originate in the depths of the Land of Always Winter.

## History

Redwyn, a ranger of the Night's Watch, explored from the Shadow Tower to Lorn Point during the reign of Dorren Stark, King in the North. Another king, Theon Stark, joined the Night's Watch in a venture north of the Wall which weakened the free folk for a generation.

Hardhome was mysteriously destroyed six hundred years ago.

Brynden Rivers, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, vanished during a ranging beyond the Wall in 252 AC. It is sometimes suggested that the lords of the north be allowed to extend their power beyond the Wall to end the threat of wildling raids.

Texts about the region include *History of the Kings-Beyond-the-Wall* by Maester Herryk and *Hardhome: An Account of Three Years Spent Beyond-the-Wall among Savages, Raiders, and Woods-witches* by Maester Wyllis.