The North

### Location

Sunset Sea to the west, Shivering Sea to the east, The Wall to the north, and the hills and bogs of the Neck to the south

### Population

Under 1,000,000Northmen

Crannogmen

Andals

Skagosi

Northern Mountain clans

### Notable Location

Barrowlands • Bay of Ice • Bay of Seals • Bear Island • The Bite • Blazewater Bay • Broken Branch • Cape Kraken • The Gift • The Grey Cliffs • Ironman's Bay • Last River • Long Lake • The Neck • The Rills • Sea Dragon Point • Skagos • Skane • Stony Shore • The Wall • Weeping Water • White Knife • Wolfswood

The North is the massive expanse of land that is home to some of the oldest and proudest Houses in Westeros. Formerly the Kingdom of Winter, the North rejoined the Kingdom of the Iron Throne in 119 AC with the marriage of Osric Stark to Aemma Targaryen. The North is the only region left in Westeros where the culture, customs, and traditions of the First Men still predominate. In particular, the worship of the Old Gods of the Forest is still the dominant faith in the North.

The North is considered one of the poorest regions despite being filled with multiple different natural resources.

Bastard children of noble blood are given the surname Snow.

## Geography

The North is the largest of the regions in Westeros, said to be able fit the rest of six major regoins within its lands.

The borders of the North are the Sunset Sea to the west and the Shivering Sea to the east, the Wall to the north and the hills and bogs of the Neck to the south. Greywater Watch and its ruling house, House Reed, are the southernmost noble family owing fealty to Winterfell. Likewise, Last Hearth and its ruling house, House Umber, are the northernmost noble family sworn to Winterfell. Beyond Last Hearth comes the lands of the Gift under the control of the politically neutral Night's Watch and eventually the Wall itself.

In the northwestern coast of the North is the large Bay of Ice in the Sunset Sea. Bear Island, the seat of House Mormont, is in the central portion of the bay. The southern coast of the Bay of Ice is just north of the large forested Wolfswood. The peninsula Sea Dragon Point is surrounded by the bay. In the northeastern coast of the North lies the Bay of Seals in the Shivering Sea. The large and remote Skagos and the smaller Skane are both in the bay as part of an island group all considered parts of the North.

The climate of the North, though harsh overall, varies from cool temperate around the Neck, to cold temperate around Winterfell, and to subarctic at the Wall. The lands south of Winterfell leading to the Neck are almost as fertile as the Riverlands to the south, and are the most agriculturally productive region of the North. The Neck itself is filled with swamps. Snowfall generally increases as one moves north towards the Wall.

## People and Culture

The constant cold and the iron grip of winter set apart the
northerners from the people of the kingdoms south of the Neck. The north's terrain and climate do not easily yield the necessities of daily life. Northmen place less of an emphasis on courtly ritual and culture, and instead prefer hunting and brawling. Their tourneys are often melees and rarely feature jousting. Guest right is treasured in the north. Northmen have long memories, and a lord who does not seek his rightful vengeance threatens to have his own men turn on him.

Some northmen live in remote, distant areas where they act as little more than clans and tribes. These remote folk, such as the crannogmen, the northern mountain clans, and the Skagosi, are still vassals of the Starks, however, and are allowed to maintain their own ways and traditions as long as they remain loyal to Winterfell. Some maesters believe the blood of Cape Kraken's people is closer to that of ironborn than northmen.

Most of the north's people still follow the old gods and their heart trees, and have little inclination for newer religions. There are a few houses who follow the Faith of the Seven, including Houses Manderly, Wells, and Whitehill. Due to its religious aspect, most northmen refuse to take holy orders and thus cannot become knights, although some northern cavalry are knights who still follow the old gods instead of the Seven. Most knights of the north live in the region's southern lands, such as White Harbor and the Barrowlands. Heraldry in the north is simpler than that in southern Westeros, showing the lesser influence that chivalry has had there.

## Prominent Houses

House Stark of Winterfell

House Cerwyn of Castle Cerwyn

House Dustin of Barrowton

House Glover of Deepwood Motte

House Hornwood of Hornwood

House Karstark of Karhold

House Manderly of White Harbor

House Mormont of Bear Island

House Reed of Greywater Watch

House Ryswell of the Rills

House Bolton of the Dreadfort

House Tallhart of Torrhen's Square

House Umber of the Last Hearth

## History

### The Magnar Beyond the Wall 52-54 AC

Since time immemorial those unlucky souls who lived beyond The Wall have pined to conquer the 'kneelers' to the south and many times they have raised a King-Beyond-the-Wall to do so. Such was the case when those who lived in the fertile Valley of Thenn rallied behind one they called "The Harbinger".

Shocking the lords of the North, he sailed south from the Bay of Ice and mounted a surprise raid against House Glover and Deepwood Motte. In the year 52 AC, The Harbinger himself climbed the wooden walls and claimed Lawbringer, House Glover's family sword.

Upon learning that the Harbinger had sailed back past Bear Island, burning the castle severely as he raided, Lord Osric Stark had no choice but to rally his banners. However, word was sent from the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch that the army amassed by the Harbinger rivaled even House Stark's. While he was sure the old man was exaggerating Lord Stark felt he had no choice but to request aid from his new lords, House Targaryen. Word was sent south that aid was needed, and a promise was made by Prince Jaehaerys that it would arrive.

Thus Osric Stark lingered in Winterfell, waiting for aid that would never arrive. Six moons passed, with ravens sent between Winterfell and King's Landing. Even Prince Jaehaerys' silver tongue did not have the ability to assuage the doubt Lord Osric Stark had for his new masters. Thus, at the Council of 53 AC, the Northmen agreed they had no choice but to move without the Iron Throne's aid.

By early 54 AC the entire Northern host had arrived at Castle Black, fifty thousand men marched through the wall and met the Wildling horde that had begun their siege of the immense structure. Rumors exist still that the Northmen fought giants and mammoths but the Maester's account from Castle Black makes no mention of such creatures.

However, one thing is certain, passed down orally by Lord Osric's brother, Rodrick, and Ethan Glover. Lord Osric Stark challenged the Harbinger to single combat, the monstrous Mangar stood at nearly seven feet tall, a head and a half taller than the Stark lord. Using House Glover's own weapon, Lord Osric Stark was slain on the battlefield.

Lord Galbart Glover fell to his knees at this point in shock of seeing his liege fall to his own family's sword and the Magnar moved to strike him next. Ethan Glover took this moment to charge the taller man, and perhaps due to luck, perhaps due to skill, the Harbinger fell.

Rodrick Stark, tears falling from his face, led the vanguard against the wildling horde, and while losses were catastrophic for the North, they won the day. Thousands still lie buried in the snow beneath the Wall to this day.

### The Hour of the Wolf 54 AC

Alaric Stark, the son of Lord Osric Stark and a boy of just three and ten took the mantle of Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North. To many Northerners it was assumed that the young boy would fall in line behind the Targaryens and accept the insults of the lack of aid that was promised. However they were shocked when Alaric's position on the Southerners was so staunchly negative.

It is said a letter was received in the early morning on a day like any other in the 8th Moon of 54 AC, written by the Prince Regent himself, providing condolences for the loss of Alaric Stark, and word that his wife Alysanne Targaryen would be traveling North to formally meet him and attend Lord Osric's funeral. Later that day the entire northern host who remained at Winterfell was summoned to attend Lord Osric Stark being interred in the crypts of Winterfell. This was Alaric's first act of defiance against the crown.

When the great beast Silverwing landed before Winterfell after a trip to the Wall to ensure the Night's Watch was in good spirits, Alysanne was shocked to not find Lord Alaric waiting to receive her in the courtyard. His uncle, Rodrick Stark met her with a rather expressionless face it is said. She was informed Alaric waited for her in the throne room. It was said it was clear to Alysanne at this point she was not welcome in Winterfell.

This was confirmed for her when she was met with Lord Alaric Stark, as young as he was, with Ice upon his knees, sitting upon his throne. No bread and salt was offered to the Princess, and no funeral was to take place. This was the second act of defiance.

Alysanne spent a single night in Winterfell, most of which was in a room with Alaric Stark discussing her idea to cede the lands south of the Gift and north of Last Hearth to the Night's Watch. Rodrick and Alaric both opposed this and it was said there was much heated debate, yet no maester sat in the meeting so it is unknown exactly what transpired.

However it is a fact that Alysanne and Silverwing returned south the next day. And within a fortnight a letter was received informing Lord Alaric Stark that the crown would move forward with gifting the lands visited by Alysanne to the Night's Watch. Ravens flew to each northern lord, ordering them to return to Winterfell with most having left only a moon prior it was not long before the remaining force of the North sat in Winterfell. A second council was held, and a unanimous decision was made. The third and final act of defiance had begun. Rebellion.

### The Bloodless Rebellion 54 AC

Ravens were sent to every major holdfast that Winterfell had the ability to write to. With them was a proclamation:

*“The North has been forgotten. It is by these words that I, Alaric Stark, declare the North independent from the Iron Throne. King Alaric I Stark rises where Lord Alaric Stark falls, remember lords of the southern lands: many of us have held these lands since before the Valyrian Freehold was a thought in your '**silver haired'** monarch's minds. House Stark will defend its birthright with its lifeblood.*
*Winter is Here.”*

Moat Cailin was manned by the entirety of the Northern host, beyond the Manderlys, Karstarks, and Boltons who remained to defend White Harbor. However, no force met them. The famine that ravaged the south had made it nigh impossible to field an army, let alone one that could siege Moat Cailin. Thus the lords of Westeros were shocked to find the largest Kingdom separate itself from the Iron Throne without a drop of blood spilled.

A new crown was forged but an old title was taken. King in the North was the title his Grandfather held when he knelt to Aegon the Conqueror, so Alaric named himself King of Winter once more and with it a new age dawned for the men of the North.

### Northern Revival 54 AC

Shortly before her passing, Alysanne pleaded with Jaehaerys to abolish First Night, and while Alaric's hatred of House Targaryen was absolute, even he could not deny that it was the right decision. Even though he was only eight and ten he'd heard stories that would shake even the strongest man to their core. Thus, First Night was abolished in the North as well, much to the chagrin of many northern lords who had come to love Alaric for his fair ways.

However, the young king did not relent and the crime was punishable by a choice of castration or being sent to the Night's Watch. Many lords did continue it for a time, yet the practice quickly died out when it became obvious that Alaric intended to enforce the new law.

### The Council of Winter 55 AC

King Alaric then emulated the Kings of the Iron throne by creating his own council. The Council of Winter. House Manderly was the first to be honored with a new position for their valiant assistance whenever House Stark called for them.

The title of Winter's Justice was handed to House Glover, and while King Alaric still swung the sword when he passed a sentence, the Glover lord's advice helped him make fair and just rulings.

Winter's Grasp was granted to House Bolton, charged with keeping the North's secrets along with discovering secrets of those around them, it is a position both revered and reviled.

More positions would be created in later years, coming to honor house Tallhart, Whitehill and various others. But these three have remained since their inception.

### Winter of a Hundred Kings 75 AC

King Alaric's reign is primarily known by a large period of peace in which the North thrived and much food was stockpiled. The years 60 AC to 74 AC were met with few issues in the Kingdom of Winter. However that should have been a warning to everyone. Because winter always comes.

As always, the Northerners were the first to feel the sting of real winter. At the beginning of 75, blizzards began blowing stronger and more frequently until soon enough it felt as if the skies would never be seen again. Crops withered and died quickly in the beginnings of the storms with rivers and lakes freezing completely over soon after. The North was caught unprepared for the sudden natural onslaught and thousands across the massive land froze to death in their hovels and castles. Travel across the new Kingdom froze down to a standstill and news from outside their domain froze with it; the North was essentially blind to anything happening outside of their own protective walls.

In its own strange way, The Winter of a Hundred Kings, though as deadly and destructive as the winters of ages before, saved the North from a worse fate than the rest of Westeros. The biting cold that sterilized everything it touched, in fact, held the Dragonblight ravaging the other lands from taking hold in the North.

Only a handful of holds, predominantly in the White Knife region, were affected by the blight. The maesters reported no more than a few hundred casualties were from the disease and as the waning months of the deadly winter came to pass, the North was ready and able to secure its borders to keep the southern plague away.

### The Curse Returns 89-92 AC

In the year 89 AC, disaster struck White Harbor once again. Barely past ten years from the previous strike, the Curse of Maegor hit the North. The first signs of the sickness hitting the populous port showed up amongst traders and merchants from the southern kingdoms. Lured into a false sense of security due to the past endemic, the healers of White Harbor were slow to act in fighting the disease.

Unfortunately, this time the plague spread much more easily without needing to fight the frigid cold of Northern winters. By the time the healers stirred to major action, it was far too late. In the first months, thousands of White Harbor citizens died, even multiple members of House Manderly fell to the disease. Before the gates of the city could be quarantined, merchants travelled from the port to nearby towns and holdfasts and the plague spread like wildfire. Nearby Houses such as Woolfield, Locke, and Hornwood were hit swiftly and without mercy.

The plague continued to spread west and north; reaching as far as Karhold to the Northwest, Greywater Watch in the Neck, and the Ryswells and Glovers to the west. Only a few Houses were spared: the Umbers, Mormonts, and Mountain Clans were safe from the deadly plague thanks to their seclusion and the perpetual cold of their lands.

Although struck by the plague, the Rills and the houses of the Wolfswood suffered only small casualties. Their distance from White Harbor, combined with their cold environments helped keep the curse at bay. The rest of the North fared much worse. Though White Harbor was hit hardest, multiple holdfasts lost up to thousands of peasants and nobles alike.

Thankfully, as the plague spread like a forest fire, it seemed to die just as quick; the last of the symptoms could be found in the year 91 AC, and by 92 AC maesters across the North declared the plague gone.

### Wolfswood Ravagers 92-93 AC

92 AC, the plague had finally ceased its rampage and disappeared from the Kingdom of Winter, but the north still had to deal with the lingering death and destruction the blight left behind. Nearly every House and holdfast across the kingdom found itself crippled by the blight, lacking in both manpower and the food to help their people start their lives anew. The times were still looking bright, however, as those who could work did, and in the months to follow the end of the blight, the typical mood across the North was one of perseverance and overall optimism.

Unfortunately, not everyone in the North would put their effort to restore the kingdom. A man by the name of Malmur Stane felt the cause of the North’s suffering started when the northmen abandoned the old ways of worshiping the Old Gods by giving the divine the human sacrifice they need.

In the waning months of 92 AC, Malmur Stane travelled from the Isle of Skagos to the Wolfswood, gathering a small band of followers who felt similar to the Skaggosi. If the Starks wouldn’t follow the Old Gods the proper way, they would and they would save the North from themselves.

Malmur’s group swelled to a solid group of some 50 to 60 followers while in the Wolfswood. The local lords in the area began getting horrific reports from their peasants of kidnappings happening at all hours of the day and night and finding strange totems with disgusting and terrible shrines with human remains and body parts like some kind of nightmare horror story mothers used to scare their kids. News of these events spread across the Wolfswood as fast as voice could travel and before long House Glover was forced to action. Lord Glover wrote to King Alaric and other Lords of the North but found himself alone in his fight against this fanatical group: the other Lords simply couldn’t spare the men to fight another battle.

Widespread panic began spreading across the region beyond the Wolfswood. Malmur’s group never stayed in any one spot for long, evading the Glover’s attempt to detain the group and before long the common people began spreading rumors that the fanatics numbered in the hundreds.

The Starks were finally stirred to action when Torrhen Snow, the Winter’s Shepherd, died in the Wolfswood when the fanatics ambush and kill the religious leader as the man tried to pass along each village to calm the people’s spirits. Torrhen was horribly mutilated and Malmur spread the former Winter’s Shepherd’s body parts across highly-visible areas, showing, in his mind, that his way is the correct way in the eyes of the Old Gods.

Edric Stark called what men he could to Winterfell and he formed his own party in response, made up of a mixture of houses, most noticeably the Manderlys, Glovers, and Karstarks, with even the Lord Bolton himself joining the Prince of the North. The group totaled in 60 to 70 in manpower.

Determined to end this evil and allow the North to finally feel at peace, Edric scoured the Wolfswood for weeks, only finding a few number of Malmur’s group at any one time. Frustration grew with each passing day as Edric’s followers feared that Malmur had already moved on from the area and began terrorizing other regions of the North.

Thankfully, in the beginning months of 93 AC, Edric finally caught wind of Malmur Stane himself in the woods just north of Winterfell. The Stark host crashed upon Malmur’s group and slaughtered nearly every last one of them to the man. Malmur’s fanatics were beyond fierce and loyal to the bone, but the group consisted of women and children, and none of them were skilled enough to match any of the Stark’s men in combat.

The only survivor of the fanatic group was Eyron Dustin, who was only spared by Edric by the Prince’s familial ties. Malmur Stane’s neck met Ice, and finally, the terror was over. Any fanatic believer left around the countryside was easily round up and promptly executed. Finally, after what felt like ages of blight and death and terror, the North was at peace.

### The Grand Tournament of White Harbor 98 AC

In the 6th month of 98 AC King Alaric Stark hosted a grand tournament in White Harbor, inviting the independent kingdoms of the Iron Islands and Dorne to attend in hopes of making connections to the only other kingdoms that slipped from the Targaryen's grasp.

At the opening feast for the tournament King Alaric announced that he was abdicating as King of Winter in favor of his eldest son and heir, Theodan Stark, and taking the Black. This came to a surprise to everyone in attendance, including Theodan himself and the King's closest ally and friend, Medrick Manderly.

The tournament was considered a grand success, with an agreement for a Stark-Drumm marriage forged from discussions between the King of the Iron Islands and soon-to-be King Theodan. At the closing feast Theodan was crowned and accepted oaths of fealty from all of his vassals in attendance.

However, the end of the tournament was marred by the discovery that Karhold had been attacked by pirates during the tournament. King Theodan's first act as King was to call a war council in Karhold.

### Blackvein 98 AC

Lords and Ladies from throughout the North traveled from White Harbor to Karhold to discuss the next course of action against a pirate bold enough to strike the Kingdom of Winter. A council was held where it was revealed that Alyssa Bolton had received a greendream of the pirate and named him Blackvein.

King Theodan ordered troops to be gathered from Houses Bolton, Umber, Hornwood, and Karstark, and a fleet assembled from House Manderly and her vassals. House Glover also volunteered troops, though they were deemed to be too far away to assist.

Command of the Winter's Fleet was given to Warrick Manderly and Lord Jonos Locke. The ships and troops had been assembled in Karhold by the 8th moon of 99 AC and they sailed out in search of Blackvein. They were struck by a spring storm after only a few days on the water, but when the winds and clouds dissipated the Winter's Fleet was staring down Blackvein's fleet sheltered in a bay off of Skagos.

The naval battle was a short and decisive victory for the Winter's Fleet and forced Blackvein and his remaining men onto the shore where they sheltered in a cave that had been used as a hideout. Theodan ordered his men ashore, giving command of the troops to Lord Jon Bolton. The battle on land was as short as the one at sea, resulting in a major victory for the Kingdom of Winter. Blackvein was beheaded on the shores of Skagos by Theodan's hand and the northmen returned home victoriously.

### Invasion of Cape Kraken 98-99 AC

While Theodan had been dealing with the pirates, an uprising of Old Gods worshipers had begun in the Riverlands. This uprising was mostly peaceful until Agnes Tully, Lady Paramount of the Riverlands, was kidnapped, purportedly by the Old Gods worshipers, though it would eventually be known as the work of Edmyn Tully.

Edmyn Tully and his allies in the Riverlands would spend the next few months gathering and forging evidence to blame the uprising and kidnapping on the Kingdom of Winter. Once he thought his evidence and support for his cause sufficient he held a council at Riverrun in the 2nd moon of 99 AC and ordered troops to be gathered at Seagard.

Word of the Riverlands gathering troops would reach the North too late to muster and defend Flint's Fingers or Cape Kraken itself, the most likely targets for any southron aggression. King Theodan called for a great council at Barrowton and mustered almost the entirety of the North at Barrowton and Moat Cailin, with House Manderly and their vassals holding White Harbor.

The Riverlands marched on Flint's Fingers in the 3rd moon of 99 AC, intent on taking the castle and its lands for House Tully as retribution for the Kingdom of Winter's alleged involvement in Agnes Tully's kidnapping. They took the castle easily, finding it lightly defending by the garrison and levies of the Flints, but otherwise abandoned.

The next month would see an uneasy cold war settle over the two regions. King Theodan couldn't easily attack Cape Kraken without exposing his troops by ferrying them across from Barrowton, and the Riverlands faced the same problem. Not wanting to deal with Riverlands troops advancing further into his lands, Theodan ordered Warren Dustin to sail out to Flint's Fingers with the western fleet and crush any ships he found. Dustin would win two decisive victories against the Riverlands' fleet, sinking the remaining ships in the second battle.

As Dustin chased down the Riverlands' fleet, King Theodan reluctantly wrote to King Viserys Targaryen informing him of the unprovoked attack and received word almost immediately asking him to stay his hand as the Iron Throne intervened in the situation. The Riverlands received word from Aegon Targaryen informing them to withdraw from Cape Kraken, but refused.

After receiving word from the Crown at the beginning of the 4th moon of 99 AC, Edmyn Tully decided to take matters into his own hands and sail to Barrowton to scout out the Kingdom of Winter himself. However, King Theodan's spies found out about the movement and were waiting for him as he tried to slip into the settlement. Edmyn barely escaped into the countryside, but King Theodan ordered his army to mobilize and look for him.

Edmyn was found hiding and apprehended in a nearby village. However, on the march back to Barrowton he managed to slip his bonds, steal a dagger from one of his guards and killed himself rather than be taken into custody. At the same time, King Viserys removed Agnes Tully from her position as Lady Paramount in favor of her heir. This action caused the Riverlands to withdraw from Cape Kraken to attend to matters at home, effectively ending the conflict between the two regions as the Kingdom of Winter reclaimed Flint's Fingers without battle.

### Entanglements with Ironborn 99-100 AC

Late in the 3rd moon of 99 AC Sigrun Blacktyde won the Lordsmoot in the Iron Islands and declared herself Queen. King Theodan sent word congratulating her as soon as word reached him and in the 4th moon of 99 AC the Queen's sister, Wynafryd, arrived in Barrowton to treat with King Theodan. She brought with her the offer of an alliance between the two Kingdoms to be forged with a marriage and the promise of northern aid.

King Theodan was reluctant to tie himself to the Iron Islands when their hold on independence seemed so tenuous, especially after King Urragon Drumm's defeat not even a year prior. However, after the aggression of the Riverlands it was apparent the Kingdom of Winter needed allies from outside their own kingdom. He accepted the offer of marriage, marrying Wynafryd to his cousin and best friend, Brandon Stark. After the marriage at Barrowton the western fleet was given to Dalton Goodbrother and sailed out to meet the Iron Fleet.

Sigrun and her Iron Fleet were defeated by the Royal Fleet, though she herself evaded capture. The Iron Islands would find themselves embroiled in civil war for the next three years, but when Sigrun reached out for support from King Theodan again she found herself denied entirely. Theodan was furious that Sigrun had fought the Royal Fleet after promising not to engage and lost most of the kingdom's western fleet.

House Dustin, however, gave support to House Greyjoy after learning that Gysella Goodbrother, Lord Warren Dustin's goodmother, had sided with Rodrik Greyjoy. King Theodan gave Warren permission to lend aid to the Iron Islands, knowing that it would be remembered even if the Islands would once again be sworn to the Targaryens.

### A Second Revival 100-105 AC

The Kingdom of Winter entered a period of peace and expansion following the invasion of Cape Kraken and the Ironborn Civil War. King Theodan returned to Winterfell, eager to begin improving upon the Kingdom his father had held onto. With the assistance of Houses Manderly, Woolfield, and Ryswell, King Theodan laid down plans to begin building roads that he hoped would one day connect the North from Moat Cailin to the Wall, and from Karhold to Barrowton.

As he planned for his roads he received additional requests from the likes of Karhold and Barrowton requesting funding to improve their holds. Lord Medrick Manderly, Theodan's Winter's Bounty, advised the King caution in spending too much from the treasury, but the King did not heed his advice. The spring was still young and the North prospering more than ever.

The King's projects would put a strain on the treasury, as Lord Manderly had predicted, but as summer arrived the first signs of trouble appeared with it.

### The Bad Years 105-114 AC

#### Northern Drought 105-113

The onset of summer brought with it a crippling drought that threatened to bring the North to its knees as it entered its primary growing season. Where King Theodan had predicted a strong growing season throughout summer and fall, farmers were only met with withering crops and an inability to grow enough to begin storing food for winter.

The drought would persist through the entire summer season and well into the fall before abating leaving the northern food supplies dangerously low with winter looming on the horizon.

#### Raiders from Beyond the Wall 109-112 AC

With the North already struggling to feed itself more trouble emerged as the Wildlings coalesced behind a new King-Beyond-the-Wall who promised vengeance against House Stark and their vassals.

In the 3rd moon of 109 AC Wildling raiders assaulted Bear Island in a surprising show of strength as the new King-Beyond-the-Wall flexed his new power and used the attack to declare his war on the southerners. Soon after the sack of Bear Isle Wilding raiders appeared throughout the North, pillaging and sacking any villages they came across. The lands of House Karstark, House Umber, and the Northern Mountain Clans bore almost the entirety of the raids.

King Theodan would spend most of the next three years chasing Wildling raiders across the North as the Night's Watch did its best to find the King-Beyond-the-Wall. The Kingdom of Winter would win three great victories against the Wildlings before driving them beyond the Wall:

* The Battle of Westwatch-by-the-Bridge (7th Moon of 109 AC)
* Battle of Lone Tower (3rd Moon of 110 AC)
* Siege of Castle Black (7th Moon of 110 AC)

After their victory at Castle Black Theodan’s forces joined up with the Night’s Watch and set out to bring down the King-Beyond-the-Wall, but the task proved difficult. They were gone more than a year chasing him across the true north before he was finally cornered in the Thenn Valley in the 11th moon of 111 AC. The battle was a long, bloody affair with heavy casualties on all sides, but ended with Theodan Stark slaying the King-Beyond-the-Wall with Ice.

Dragonblight returns to White Harbor 113 AC
A year before winter arrived the Dragonblight re-surged in White Harbor, though it was caught quickly and did not spread far outside the city. White Harbor’s port remains closed for the remainder of the year as the disease proves difficult to definitively defeat, crippling the North’s largest port.

### Skull and Bones Diplomacy 114-118 AC

#### Pirates on the Seas 114-117 AC

Not a week after the first winds of winter could be felt in the North pirates began to raid the eastern coast and the Bite in numbers never seen before. Much-needed trade was cut off from the newly reopened White Harbor as the North attempted to fend off this plague of piracy.

The North was ill-prepared for the raiders with food supplies already strained from the drought and Wildlings. Theodan was able to maneuver quickly enough to protect White Harbor from any real danger but the rest of the eastern coast was too vast to defend against the pirates’ numbers. It was a war in all but name that lasted nearly three years as the people from Karhold to White Harbor learned lived in fear of raiders in the night.

After failing time and time again to defeat the pirates definitively, Theodan, with the help of Lord Karstark, Warrick Manderly, and Lord Locke, managed to trick the raiders into thinking that White Harbor had been abandoned to bring the fight to sea and laying a trap for them. When a ramshackle group of pirate ships sailed into the Bite they found themselves greeted by the White Harbor Fleet. When they turned to flee they found the sunburst of House Karstark’s ships closing in behind them. The battle was a brief and decisive victory for the North, shattering the bulk of the pirate’s forces and bringing a reprieve to the North.

#### Targaryen Diplomacy 116-118 AC

WIth his kingdom struggling to feed itself after dealing with drought, Wildlings, a resurgence of Dragonblight, and then pirates plaguing his kingdom, King Theodan found himself in a difficult position. Granaries across the North were already empty and winter was still fresh. The only real option for supplying itself with food came from the Iron Throne.

In 116 AC Prince Aegon would seize upon his own opportunity in persuading King Viserys that the time was ripe to extend a hand of friendship to the Starks. The initial talks in White Harbor in 116 AC would prove inconclusive despite the Targaryen kingdom offering food stuffs to prevent full-scale disaster from unfolding in the northern half of the continent. Undeterred, Aegon would continue talks with King Theodan Stark throughout 116 and 117 AC.

King Theodan recognized that the situation in his kingdom was rapidly deteriorating at the onset of 118 AC with many of his people on the brink of starvation. Prince Aegon and King Theodan met once more, this time in Winterfell. Following arguments and disagreements throughout the day and conversations that continued late into the night, Theodan Stark ultimately decided to swear vows of fealty to King Viserys and the Iron Throne.

It is said that Theodan was ready to throw out the Targaryen representatives but only his eldest son and heir, Osric, was able to convince him that this was necessary.

### Marriage of Wolf and Dragon 119 AC

The North was thus officially welcomed back into the Seven Kingdoms with a grand wedding held in Winterfell between Osric Stark and Aemma Targaryen in the second moon of 119 AC. Lords and ladies from throughout the land were invited to witness the reunification of the two kingdoms. For the first time since 55 AC - a period of sixty-four years - the realms of Westeros were once more reunited under one king, the King on the Iron Throne.

### Rumors of Rebellion 125-127 AC

An uneasy peace had settled over the North following its reunification of the Seven Kingdoms. The Iron Throne prevented many from starving with its aid, though with the end of winter only a year after Osric's marriage to Aemma Targaryen many were quick to forget this.

Discontent could be heard widely throughout the North as discontent with their current situation grew. The memory of the Kingdom of Winter was still fresh in their minds, as were Theodan Stark's failures. In early 125 AC several houses, including House Glover, refused to pay taxes to Winterfell, claiming that expenses from winter and the need to purchase food for its people left them bereft of gold for taxes. Theodan was understanding initially, but when the same excuses were presented in 126 AC, but more widely, he began to crack down on the dissenters.

House Stark took several wards from problematic Houses during this time, but even as Theodan and Osric worked to bring about the end of the dissenters, Bowen Stark worked in the shadows to fan the flames of rebellion. This culminated in the 10th moon of 127 AC when House Glover called its banners and named Theodan Stark a false ruler. There are rumors that the Glovers expected support widely across the North but received none at all.

House Forrester, their vassal house, lead the siege against Deepwood Motte in a show of loyalty to Theodan. However, as the siege stretched onward, Theodan worried that the prolonged siege would invite more support for the Glovers. In the 12th month of 127 AC Theodan orders the assault of Deepwood Motte.
The assault was brief but bloody for all sides involved. House Glover would see its Lord and Heir fall in the fighting, but the North would lose Theodan as he lead the charge over Deepwood Motte's walls.

Osric Stark's first act as Lord Paramount of the North would be to elevate House Forrester to primary vassal. House Glover for their part in his father's death was ordered to give up two wards, one to House Stark and the other to House Forrester.

### The Death of the Last King of Winter 128 AC

Osric Stark called for a grand tournament in the 6th month of 128 AC to honor his father's passing and legacy. Lords and Ladies from all Seven Kingdoms were invited to Winterfell to celebrate the accomplishments of the last King of Winter. The fesitival was marked as a great success by all until the closing feast. There was a great confrontation between Bowen Stark and the Crown's representatives with Bowen blaming his father's death and all the North's misfortunes on House Targaryen. Thankfully Osric was able to intervene before the exchange could come to blows, but there was little doubt remaining afterwards about how the younger Stark felt towards House Targaryen.