The North

> "*The north is hard and cold, and has no mercy.*"
> ― Eddard Stark
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**The North** is one of the constituent regions within the Seven Kingdoms on the continent of Westeros. Historically ruled by House Stark, the land was once home to the Kings of Winter prior to Aegon's Conquest, where Kings became Wardens. Briefly the region was ruled by House Bolton before rule was restored to the Starks with the aid of Petyr I Baelish and the loyal vassals of House Manderly, House Dustin, and House Glover.

Famous for being a place of little comfort, the North is as rigid and frozen as the people who work it's land. The Old Gods are primarily followed with those who follow the Faith of the Seven few and far-between. The North is easily easily one of, if not the largest region under the purview of the Iron Throne, stretching from the Night's Watch's New Gift all the way to the Neck in the south. White Harbor is the only city to speak of in the North, and the center of sea-based trade. Bastards born in the North take the surname 'Snow'.

## Culture

> "*The North Remembers.*"
> ― A common saying in the North
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The people of the North value tradition, loyalty and legacy deeply. There is no better example of this behavior than the conspiracy between Northern Lords that saw a Stark returned to Winterfell, even amidst a war of their own. Often called 'wolves' themselves by their neighbors, many northmen know that they have a pack that spans the continent and act like it. The southern rituals of knightship, court and politicking are often lost this far north, along with their gods, as Northern denizens follow Heart trees and nameless deities. Ancient givens like Guest Right are sacred to Northmen, which made indiscretions like the Red Wedding especially egregious.

There are some Northmen who are even less connected to civilization than their noble counterparts, with the cultural subgroups of crannogman, Skagosi and the mountain clans permitted their own ways of living so long as they remain loyal to House Stark. They are often likened to the Wildlings moreso than Northmen, but garner the same respect from their peers.

The Night's Watch is viewed very highly in the North, with the spare sons of noble houses choosing to serve quite often and the lords and ladies of the North sending gifts and patronage to the brothers in black. The southeron regions are viewed with an air of distaste due to the vast differences between, though the North finds amicable fellows in the Vale and occasional enemies in the Iron Islands. Some southerners, such as Catelyn Tully or Petyr I Baelish, earn the respect of the North.

## Geography

> "*In the south, the way they talk about my Seven Kingdoms, a man forgets that your part is as big as the other six combined.*"
> ― King Robert I Baratheon
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>

To say the North is cold is to say that Dorne has sand. Famous for snow even in the times of summer, the lands past the Neck are varied and rural. Ranging from dense forests like the Wolfswood to the swamps near Moat Cailin to the barrows of the First Men to the rocky and unwelcoming shores where keeps like Deepwood Motte rest, one could take a turn in the North and not see the same landscape twice.

The Kingsroad is the primary route through the North, and runs through the swampy Neck and Winterfell straight to the Wall.

## History

### Before Aegon's Conquest (BC)

About eight thousand years ago, the legendary-- and first-known --Long Night occurred when the Others invaded from the Lands of Always Winter. The event defined and shaped the north, leading to the founding of the Wall, the order of the Night's Watch, the castle of Winterfell and the first Stark Kings of Winter. Brandon the Breaker is said to have allied with Joramun, a King-Beyond-the-Wall, to bring down the Night's King.

The Starks would also gradually defeated rival kings, such as the Barrow Kings to their south and the Red Kings to their east. During the Andal invasion, the Kings of Winter stopped Andals at Moat Cailin and the eastern shores, the only kingdom in Westeros to do so.

King Jon Stark founded the Wolf's Den at the mouth of the White Knife after driving out sea raiders. His son, Rickard Stark, conquered the Neck from the Marsh King and married his daughter. King Rodrik Stark is said to have won Bear Island from the ironborn in a wrestling match. Two thousand years ago the north warred with the Vale of Arryn after the Rape of the Three Sisters, with the Arryns eventually gaining control of the islands in this War Across the Water.

Thousands of years before Aegon's Conquest, King Brandon the Shipwright attempted to sail across the Sunset Sea, but never returned back home. His son, also named Brandon, burned the northern shipyards in his grief. The north has since lacked strength at sea.

For many centuries House Bolton was a bitter rival of the Starks of Winterfell. The practice of flaying their enemies gave the Boltons a sinister reputation. It is said that a thousand years ago, the Boltons finally swore fealty to the Kings in the North and agreed to abandon their practice of flaying their enemies.

A thousand years before Aegon's Conquest, the House Manderly was driven from the river Mander by House Gardener, the Kings of the Reach, and fled to the north, where they were welcomed by the Starks of Winterfell as their own bannermen. The Manderlys received the Wolf's Den and developed White Harbor, one of the five cities of Westeros and the main northern port for commerce and naval transport. The Manderlys are the most prominent of the few northern noble houses to follow the Faith of the Seven instead of the old gods.

### After Aegon's Conquest (AC)

The Starks led the north to war during Aegon's Conquest. After the Field of Fire, however, King Torrhen Stark knelt to Aegon the Conqueror rather than face his dragons. The north was included in the Seven Kingdoms and owed allegiance to the Iron Throne of House Targaryen. The Stark Kings in the North became the Lords of Winterfell and Wardens of the North, and have been known by that title ever since.

## Houses

### House Stark of Winterfell

> *Main Article: House Stark*
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The Starks have ruled the north for thousands of years. Once Kings and now Wardens, they oversee the North and her people. The present Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North is Jon Stark.

### House Bolton of the Dreadfort

> *Main Article: House Bolton*
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Once the Red Kings, House Bolton are mere Lords now, vassals of House Stark.

During the time of the War of the Five Kings, The Boltons of the Dreadfort would coup House Stark and were temporarily Wardens of the North under the purview of Queen Cersei Lannister. They were eventually ousted, and rule of the North returned once more to a Stark. Ever since, the Boltons have lived in relative disgrace, having lost much respect among their countrymen.

### House Cerwyn of Castle Cerwyn

> *Main Article: House Cerwyn*
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House Cerwyn swore men to the Boltons when they ruled the North, but was eager enough to switch sides in order to champion Eddard Stark's son over the flayed men. Whilst not directly credited with the North's liberation from usurpers, the Cerwyns are noted for their eventual loyalty.

### House Dustin of Barrowton

> *Main Article: House Dustin*
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The Dustins of Barrowton oversee one of the larger towns in the North. The house earned favour as Lady Barbrey Dustin was among the northerners who helped usurp the Bolton grip on the North in 300 AC. Ever since, the Dustins have enjoyed the friendship of House Stark.

### House Flint of Widow's Watch

> *Main Article: House Flint*
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With kin murdered at the Red Wedding, it seemed likely that the Flints of Widow's Watch would champion the Starks, but like Manderly, they fell in for a deeper conspiracy rather than outright rebellion with the Bolton rule of the Borth. They would follow the Lord of the Mander and, while not one of the houses rewarded for their loyalty directly, still enjoys preference from House Stark thanks to their support years past.

### House Glover of Deepwood Motte

> *Main Article: House Glover*
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The Glovers of Deepwood Motte found themselves under threat from Ironborn in the earliest days of the War of Five Kings, with much of their house taken hostage or haggard by war. With Robett Glover having aided House Stark in their time of need and aided in the restoration of Rickon Stark to Winterfell, the Glovers have become close friends of the Wardens of the North.

### House Magnar of Kingshouse

> *Main Article: House Magnar*
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The Magnars of Kingshouse proved essential to the effort to restore Lord Rickon to his seat at Winterfell. Having harboured the boy and his direwolf Shaggydog, the house of Skagos enjoyed the enduring friendship of the Starks thanks to their part in the re-couping of the North. However, notably, they were not as richly rewarded as the mainland conspirators.

### House Manderly of White Harbor

> *Main Article: House Manderly*
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Lords of the one and only city in the North, White Harbor, House Manderly is a rich house with trade all across the Narrow Sea. The staunchest supporters of House Stark during the Bolton occupation, they are credited with securing the safety of young Rickon from Skagos. In reward, a Manderly was given in marriage to the young new Lord.

### House Mormont of Bear Island

> *Main Article: House Mormont*
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A proud house, the Mormonts take no quarter. They fiercely championed the Stark cause, but to make them kings and not lords. They found bitter disappointment when young Rickon was named Warden and not the new Winter King. Nonetheless, loyal as they were, they bent the knee to the Stark in Winterfell and have served loyally ever since.

### House Reed of Greywater Watch

> *Main Article: House Reed*
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Lords of the Crannogmen and protectors to the gateway of the north, House Reed is more essential than most think to the North's security. Lord Howland Reed did not balk easily to the Bolton yoke, and pledged his loyalty to his friend's son when the time came. Ever since, the Reeds have continued to oversee the Neck and will defend the North if need be.

### House Redbeard of Hornwood

> *Main Article: House Redbeard*
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Whilst a new house, House Redbeard is an old name; descended from the line of Raymun Redbeard, a King-Beyond-The-Wall, House Redbeard was formed in 300 AC with Gerrick Kingsblood, a Wildling raider, forming marriage ties with House Florent. They were eventually granted the vacant seat of Hornwood during the North's upheaval and the Stark reclamation, which was coveted by other northern lords who had ties to the now-extinct House Hornwood's female line. This-- And House Redbeard's own lack of ties to the Hornwood line --alongside historical prejudice against the Wildling people, made the new house particularly unpopular with their fellow Northern lords and ladies. They do enjoy good relations with the second Wildling-formed House in the North, House Thenn.

### House Ryswell of The Rills

> *Main Article: House Ryswell*
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The Ryswells control a substantial piece of land in the North, from the barrowlands to the Stony Shore. While their house was one of the first to swear for the Bolton cause, the Ryswells had men die at the Red Wedding too. When it became clear the Starks would triumph, they pledged themselves to the true Warden of the North.

A Ryswell would later wed a descendant of Rickon Stark.

### House Tallhart of Torrhen's Square

> *Main Article: House Tallhart*
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Torrhen's Square proved pivotal in the early days of the War of Five Kings to the Ironborn plot to take the North. The house was decimated by the wars that raged on, but clung to life nonetheless. Their seat was returned to them once the Ironborn were ousted, and have rebuilt their family line.

### House Thenn of Karhold

> *Main Article: House Thenn*
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A new house in the North, House Thenn was formed as recently as 300 AC with the marriage of Alys Karstark and Stenn, a wildling & the Magnar of the Thenn. They are one of two houses founded by Wildlings, and despite having Karstark blood in them, are often viewed as outsiders still. Despite the cold treatment from fellow Lords and Ladies, House Thenn finds friends among House Redbeard, a fellow Wildling-formed house.

### House Umber of Last Hearth

> *Main Article: House Umber*
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None would say the Umbers were not loyal to House Stark. With the capture of the 'Greatjon', Lord of Last Hearth, the Umbers were forced to capitulate to Bolton. Not all of them did, however, as some joined the cause of the late rebel king Stannis Baratheon but refused to fight one another. With Rickon Stark championed as Warden in the North, the Umbers banded together to answer the call.

## Extinct Houses

#### House Hornwood

The last Hornwood, Lady Donella, was wed to the bastard Ramsay Snow and later died due to starvation. Her lands were held by House Manderly to keep them from Bolton hands, and would eventually fall under the purview of the new wildling House Redbeard when House Stark ruled the north once more.

#### House Karstark

Alys Karstark, last daughter of Lord Rickard Karstark, wed Stenn, the Magnar of Thenn, and formed House Thenn with their marriage in 300 AC. Their match was made in order to undermine her uncle, who was a Bolton sympathizer whilst allied to the rebel King Stannis. When House Karstark was finally extinguished in the male line, House Thenn laid claim to Karhold through the Lady Alys, and has ruled ever since.