Beyond the Wall
Beyond the Wall is what the large area of Westeros that lies north of the Wall is called by people of the Seven Kingdoms. It is the only part of the continent that is not part of the realm and is a fine reason of why attention should be given to the difference between Westeros and the Seven Kingdoms. The area is inhabited by tribes that refer to themselves as Free Folk, they are known to people in the Seven Kingdoms as wildlings. The Free Folks are not a unified group and consist of many tribes that are all different from the other. Many Free Folks are semi-nomadic hunters as agriculture has little use in the far north. Some Free Folks are nothing more than savages and simple raiders, others have settled in villages made by a tribe.
The lands Beyond the Wall are mostly uncharted, though any Free Folk would be able to find his way. The region immediately north of the Wall holds a vast forest that extends as far as any man has charted, this forest has been named the Haunted Forest by the men of the Night’s Watch. On the western coast is a narrow strip of land known as the Frozen Shore. The inhabitances of this area are fierce and primitive warriors who frequently cross the Bay of Ice to raid the lands in the North. The Frozen Shore is enclosed by the Frostfangs, which are a large mountain chain. There is a rumor that some of the mountains within the chain contain hidden valleys, all are said to be heated by volcanic activity and are the most hospitable regions north of the Wall, though few can find it the Thenn tribe rests in one of these valleys. Beyond all of these areas is the Lands of Always Winter. The forest and the mountains give away, leaving nowhere to hide from the truly frigid weather Beyond the Wall. Some even believe that White Walkers originate in the depths of the Lands of Always Winter, though the Lands are unexplored so this is not known.
The Free Folk are the people unlucky enough to be living north of the Wall when it was constructed eight thousand years ago. Over the ages, the people of the Seven Kingdoms forgot why the Wall was constructed in the first place many came to believe that it exists to protect the realm from the Free Folks. The Free Folk worship the Old Gods of the Forest as their forefathers, the First Men, did before them. Unlike the Seven Kingdoms, women Beyond the Wall partake in raids south with a male counterparts, to others this woman is called a spearwife. A major difference between the Free Folk and the Seven Kingdoms is that they do not recognize a class of hereditary nobility in their society. They take great pride in their free status and only follow leaders who they choose. The Free Folk will follow a King Beyond the Wall into battle but they do not perform ceremonies of submission such as kneeling or referring to him as ‘your Grace’.
thenn tribe
The Thenn is a Free Folk tribe established in a valley on the northern end of the Frostfangs. The valley of Thenn is hidden deep within the mountain chain and is one of the most fertile and hospitable areas north of the Wall because it is heated by volcanic activity. The Thenn are the most culturally sophisticated of the Free Folk. They speak the Old Tongue and consider themselves the last of the First Men. Unlike the other tribes of Free Folks the Thenn do have lords, making the Thenn the most disciplined and obedient of the Free Folk. They are led by a Magnar, a word which means Lord in the Old Tongue, whom they consider a god instead of a man. The Thenn is the only Free Folk tribe that has any knowledge of forging weapons and armor, which they make out of bronze as there is a mine of tin and copper within the Thenn valley.
nightrunner clan
The Nightrunner clan is made up of a group of Free Folks that prowl throughout the northern area of the Haunted Forest. They were given the name by those that survived the attacks that happened on their groups. The Nightrunner clan favors attacks in the dark, when not a sole can be spotted and most have their guard down. Stealing into a little camp at the dead of night and pillaging all there is to be held is what kept the clan alive. Those in the clan are best known for living no one alive when they attack, though some may be missed.
ice-river clan
The Ice-river clan lives as far north as one can go on the Frozen Shore. The rivers that run into the Frozen Shore are commonly frozen into ice and make it impossible for food to be obtained from its waters. The habitat that the Ice-river clan chose as their home is a true arctic wasteland; there is no wood and hardly any plants or animals. The Ice-river clan survives by raiding the tribes of Sled-riders were they hunt those of the tribe so that they may eat them for food. The clan is openly known as cannibals, feeding on other tribes and each other, even to other Free Folks the Ice-river clan is savage. Though they are wild, and half-feral they are among the fiercest warriors in all of the Free Folk tribes and clans, though it is well known that they are not the most refined or the best armed.
sled-riders tribe
The bone-sled riding men of the Frozen Shore are known by others as the Sled-riders. Though the area Beyond the Wall that they have made their home is more hostel than most the tribe is still civilized as they still hold some regular contact with others. The Sled-riders are considered to be the friendliest and cultured Free Folk tribe and clan on the west. Living in such a harsh environment leads the tribe to gather food from the Bay of Ice, making fishing a very good skill to have. The Sled-riders, though quite tame for Free Folks, are given a fierce demeanor as they ride on sleds made of walrus bone pulled by a team of dogs
The lands Beyond the Wall are mostly uncharted, though any Free Folk would be able to find his way. The region immediately north of the Wall holds a vast forest that extends as far as any man has charted, this forest has been named the Haunted Forest by the men of the Night’s Watch. On the western coast is a narrow strip of land known as the Frozen Shore. The inhabitances of this area are fierce and primitive warriors who frequently cross the Bay of Ice to raid the lands in the North. The Frozen Shore is enclosed by the Frostfangs, which are a large mountain chain. There is a rumor that some of the mountains within the chain contain hidden valleys, all are said to be heated by volcanic activity and are the most hospitable regions north of the Wall, though few can find it the Thenn tribe rests in one of these valleys. Beyond all of these areas is the Lands of Always Winter. The forest and the mountains give away, leaving nowhere to hide from the truly frigid weather Beyond the Wall. Some even believe that White Walkers originate in the depths of the Lands of Always Winter, though the Lands are unexplored so this is not known.
The Free Folk are the people unlucky enough to be living north of the Wall when it was constructed eight thousand years ago. Over the ages, the people of the Seven Kingdoms forgot why the Wall was constructed in the first place many came to believe that it exists to protect the realm from the Free Folks. The Free Folk worship the Old Gods of the Forest as their forefathers, the First Men, did before them. Unlike the Seven Kingdoms, women Beyond the Wall partake in raids south with a male counterparts, to others this woman is called a spearwife. A major difference between the Free Folk and the Seven Kingdoms is that they do not recognize a class of hereditary nobility in their society. They take great pride in their free status and only follow leaders who they choose. The Free Folk will follow a King Beyond the Wall into battle but they do not perform ceremonies of submission such as kneeling or referring to him as ‘your Grace’.
thenn tribe
The Thenn is a Free Folk tribe established in a valley on the northern end of the Frostfangs. The valley of Thenn is hidden deep within the mountain chain and is one of the most fertile and hospitable areas north of the Wall because it is heated by volcanic activity. The Thenn are the most culturally sophisticated of the Free Folk. They speak the Old Tongue and consider themselves the last of the First Men. Unlike the other tribes of Free Folks the Thenn do have lords, making the Thenn the most disciplined and obedient of the Free Folk. They are led by a Magnar, a word which means Lord in the Old Tongue, whom they consider a god instead of a man. The Thenn is the only Free Folk tribe that has any knowledge of forging weapons and armor, which they make out of bronze as there is a mine of tin and copper within the Thenn valley.
nightrunner clan
The Nightrunner clan is made up of a group of Free Folks that prowl throughout the northern area of the Haunted Forest. They were given the name by those that survived the attacks that happened on their groups. The Nightrunner clan favors attacks in the dark, when not a sole can be spotted and most have their guard down. Stealing into a little camp at the dead of night and pillaging all there is to be held is what kept the clan alive. Those in the clan are best known for living no one alive when they attack, though some may be missed.
ice-river clan
The Ice-river clan lives as far north as one can go on the Frozen Shore. The rivers that run into the Frozen Shore are commonly frozen into ice and make it impossible for food to be obtained from its waters. The habitat that the Ice-river clan chose as their home is a true arctic wasteland; there is no wood and hardly any plants or animals. The Ice-river clan survives by raiding the tribes of Sled-riders were they hunt those of the tribe so that they may eat them for food. The clan is openly known as cannibals, feeding on other tribes and each other, even to other Free Folks the Ice-river clan is savage. Though they are wild, and half-feral they are among the fiercest warriors in all of the Free Folk tribes and clans, though it is well known that they are not the most refined or the best armed.
sled-riders tribe
The bone-sled riding men of the Frozen Shore are known by others as the Sled-riders. Though the area Beyond the Wall that they have made their home is more hostel than most the tribe is still civilized as they still hold some regular contact with others. The Sled-riders are considered to be the friendliest and cultured Free Folk tribe and clan on the west. Living in such a harsh environment leads the tribe to gather food from the Bay of Ice, making fishing a very good skill to have. The Sled-riders, though quite tame for Free Folks, are given a fierce demeanor as they ride on sleds made of walrus bone pulled by a team of dogs