Free Folk

**Before 305 AC:**
Various chieftains
Kings-Beyond-the-Wall (occasionally)

The **Free Folk** are the people who inhabit the northernmost regions of Westeros. They historically inhabited the lands beyond the Wall, north of the border of the Seven Kingdoms. Their name thus makes reference to their historical freedom from the political authority of the kingdoms south of the Wall, in favour of a non-hereditary clan-based society.

Prior to the Great War, the Free Folk were divided between several rival clans and held great animosity towards the peoples south of the Wall and the Night's Watch which guarded it, but chose to unite behind Jon Snow and House Stark in order to defeat the resurgent White Walkers.

In the aftermath of the White Walker's final defeat, with the Wall rendered obsolete following it's breaching, and friendly relations established between themselves and the Seven Kingdoms, the Free Folk acceded to the Treaty of Long Lake, which saw the Night's Watch dissolved and the lands beyond the Wall annexed into the North. The Free Folk accepted the overarching authority of the Starks, but retained significant cultural and political autonomy.

## History

### Before the Great War

The Free Folk, like the Northerners, descend from the First Men. They were, in effect, the First Men trapped north of the Wall following it's construction around eight millennia before Aegon's Conquest. As the Free Folk and Northmen diverged culturally, they soon grew to despise one another.

The Free Folk lost the political sophistication of the First Men, and fractured into dozens of rival clans, each with their own unique culture and customs. However, on numerous occasions, the Free Folk have united behind a singular 'King-Beyond-the-Wall', who would often go on to lead an attempted invasion of the Seven Kingdoms laid south of the Wall. Such invasions have always failed, owing to the superior weapons, numbers and organisation of the Northerners.

After the White Walkers returned, the Free Folk once again united behind King-Beyond-the-Wall Mance Rayder, and attempted to get south of the Wall. Lord Commander Jon Snow and King Stannis Baratheon defeated Mance Rayder, but Jon ultimately chose to grant the Free Folk refuge after he became aware of the overwhelming threat posed by the White Walkers. The Free Folk fought alongside Jon Snow in his campaign to retake Winterfell and later in the climactic Great War against the White Walkers themselves, until the Night King's final defeat at the Battle of King's Landing.

### After the Great War

During the course of the Great War, the Wall was irreparably breached by the Night King, effectively rendering it obsolete. Furthermore, the Free Folk under the de-facto leadership of Tormund Giantsbane were now firm allies of House Stark and the Seven Kingdoms as a whole. As such, the Treaty of Long Lake was drafted and ratified by Tormund, Lady Sansa Stark, and King Gendry Baratheon. The treaty formally dissolved the Night's Watch, and brought the Free Folk into the realm as autonomous subjects of House Stark. The Gift and lands beyond the Wall were annexed into the North, and the castles of the Wall were offered to the Free Folk to establish their own Houses.

By the events of the Black Succession, many of the Free Folk had begun assimilating into the broader Northern culture, coalescing under feudal leaders with defined seats and territory, such as House Giantsbane of Castle Black. Many others proudly maintain their traditional clan-based way of life far beyond the Wall.

## See also

* Free Folk on Wiki of Westeros
* Free Folk on A Wiki of Ice and Fire