Beyond the Wall

This page is about the geographical area. For other uses, see:Beyond the Wall (disambiguation)

"North of the Wall" redirects here. For track, see:North Of The Wall

Beyond the Wall

Beyond the Wall^[1] andnorth of the Wall^[2] are generic terms employed by the people of theSix Kingdoms and theKingdom of the North to refer to the large area ofWesteros that lies north of theWall. It is the only part of the continent that is not part of a realm, and thus the only place where particular attention is given to the difference between "Westeros" (the continent), and "the Six Kingdoms" and the Kingdom of the North (the two realms to the south of the Wall).

It is inhabited by tribes that refer to themselves as the "Free Folk", known by the people of theSix Kingdoms as wildlings. The wildlings themselves are not politically unified but consist of numerous and diverse groups. Many are semi-nomadic hunters, due to the impracticality of agriculture in the far north. Some wildlings are little more than savage and primitive raiders, but other groups live in small settled communities and villages.

The Free Folk sometimes refer to these lands as "the real North", because they are actually located north of the northernmost kingdom of Westeros, which is named simply "theNorth" - and they think it odd to say that "the north" issouth of where they live.

Geography[]

The lands beyond the Wall are mostly uncharted. The region immediately north of the Wall includes theHaunted Forest, a vast taiga-forest which covers most of the area, extending from the Wall to the furthest uncharted north.

The forest extends from the eastern coast to a large mountain chain in the west known as theFrostfangs. The Frostfangs extend an unknown distance to the north and are quite inhospitable. However, there are rumors that even the northern Frostfangs contain hidden valleys, heated by volcanic activity, which are actually the most hospitable regions north of the Wall, and heavily settled by the wildlings.

Southwest of the Frostfangs there is a narrow strip of land between the mountains and the sea known as theFrozen Shore, a harsh area inhabited by fierce and primitive warriors who frequently cross theBay of Ice to raid the lands in theNorth sworn toHouse Stark. This small area is totally enclosed by the Frostfangs, which run southeast to northwest, and the ocean.

Beyond all of these areas, in the furthest north are theLand of Always Winter. The forest ends and gives way to these truly polar regions, which are unexplored. TheWhite Walkers are rumored to originate in the depths of the Land of Always Winter.

Economy[]

TheFree Folk living north of theWall have a hardscrabble, survival-based economy, with little settled agriculture. Most of their economic activity is fixated on hunting and gathering: they live to catch what they can eat, and they eat whatever they can catch. They use no officialcurrency, as they are more interested in obtaining things that are directly useful to them, and thus function on the barter system.^[3]

However, the wildlings do engage in at least some long-distance trade: the heavy furs of local animals adapted to the harsh cold of the extreme north are fairly valuable, and they often trade them to passing smuggler ships in exchange for iron weapons, which they cannot forge on their own. In past centuries the Night's Watch tried to stop the fur-for-iron trade along the coasts, but in recent centuries as their numbers dwindled they abandoned any attempts to prevent passage around the Wall by sea.

Notable locations[]

• Haunted Forest
  • Craster's Keep
  • White Tree
• TheFist of the First Men
• TheFrostfangs
  • Skirling Pass
• TheMilkwater River
• Land of Always Winter
• Frozen Shore
• Storrold's Point
• The Valley ofThenn
• Thecave of the Three-Eyed Raven
• Hardhome

Notable inhabitants[]

• {Mance Rayder}, theKing-Beyond-the-Wall, leader of the Free Folk and feared opponent of the Night's Watch. Sentenced to death by fire byStannis Baratheon, but shot with an arrow as mercy byJon Snow.
• Tormund, called Tormund Giantsbane, a wildling leader and one of Mance Rayder's most trusted lieutenants. After thebattle for the Wall, was once a prisoner of the Night's Watch, now living freely.
• The {Lord of Bones}, a wildling leader and a fearsome raider. Killed by Tormund inHardhome.
• {Styr},Magnar of Thenn, a notorious and brutal wildling leader. Killed byJon Snow during the battle for the Wall.
• {Mag Mar Tun Doh Weg}, called Mag the Mighty, king of theGiants, killed byGrenn and five other members of theNight's Watch during the battle for the Wall.
• {Orell}, a wildling raider and aWarg, killed by Jon Snow.
• {Ygritte}, a Free Folkspear wife and lover of Jon Snow. Killed byOlly during the battle for the Wall.
• Jon Snow, Lord commander of the Night's Watch who was seen traveling north with Tormund and his company.

AtCraster's Keep:

• {Craster}, an unsavory ally of theNight's Watch, killed byKarl Tanner during amutiny.
  • Gilly, his wife and daughter.
    • Sam, their son. Named afterSamwell Tarly.

AtHardhome:

• {Karsi}, a female wildling, killed by wights.
• {Loboda}, a Thenn, killed by a White Walker
• Dim Dalba, a wildling chieftain

In a hiddencave:

• {Brynden Rivers}, a greenseer. Killed by theNight King.
• {Leaf}, aChild of the Forest. Sacrificed herself to wights soBran Stark,Meera Reed andHodor could escape the cave.

In the books[]

AuthorGeorge R.R. Martin has stated that the land-area inhabited by the Free Folk beyond the Wall is vast, roughly the size of Canada: "There's actually quite a lot of Westeros north of the Wall, it's a large expanse of land, probably as large as Canada."^[4]

The World of Ice and Fire companion book features a map of Westeros and western Essos that shows a significant amount of land north of the Wall, possibly extending further east and west as well, backing up the suggestion that the lands beyond the Wall are vast.^[5]

References[]

External links[]

• Beyond the Wall onA Wiki of Ice and Fire