Conflict beyond the Wall

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Conflict beyond the Wall

" When dead men and worse come hunting for us in the night, you think it matters who sits on the Iron Throne?"

―Jeor Mormont to Jon Snow

The Conflict Beyond the Wall is an ongoing conflict taking place Beyond the Wall; the mightiest and oldest defensive structure constructed by men. Its main purpose was to shield the realms of men against the return of the White Walkers, an evil presense who emerged during the Long Night. Since then, the Night's Watch has stood guard for about 8,000 years, defending Westeros from threats from Beyond the Wall. During that time, its initial task has generally been forgotten and instead they have been guarding against the human Wildlings who hold the lands beyond. Occasionally forming raiding parties, the Wildlings consistently try to cross the Wall into the richer and warmer lands to the south or to escape the unknown terrors of the Far North.

The main events of this three-sided conflict that take place in the far North of the Seven Kingdoms and thus unknown or considered unimportant to the majority of its population, especially with the War of the Five Kings ravaging through the country. It is not surprising that this war has not been given an official name in the books. However, this conflict seems to be the corner stone that would determine the fate of the whole continent.

History

Background

Before the time of Aegon I Targaryen conquered Westeros, the Night's Watch boasted nineteen castles along the hundred leagues of the Wall, accounting over ten thousand men at arms with Castle Black quartering five thousand fighting men with all their horses, servants, and equipment. But its manpower has dwindled during the last 300 years and during the events of "A Game of Thrones", the Watch has only managed to sustain three castles; Castle Black, located in the middle of the wall with about six hundred men, Shadow Tower at the far west of the Wall overlooking the mountains, with about two hundred men, and the coastal Eastwatch with even fewer men. A bare third of them are fighting men.

997th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch Jeor Mormont is deeply concerned by the declining power of the Watch, and the rising threat of the wildlings beyond the Wall, whose raids have increased on the people south of the wall in recent years. He tries to make it more difficult for the wildlings to know their comings and goings by using a more random system, varying the number of patrols and the days of their departure. Sometimes sending a larger force to one of the abandoned castles for a fortnight or a moon's turn as well.

The Great Ranging

After reports of wildlings amassing, rumors of White Walkers being sighted, the disappearance of several rangers, including First Ranger Benjen Stark, and the appearance of wights, the Night's Watch rides in force of nearly 300 men north of the Wall in a Great Ranging led by Lord Commander Jeor Mormont himself. The purpose of the ranging is to investigate various rumors concerning the Wildings, who, while normally unorganized, are flocking to the call of the mysterious King-Beyond-the-Wall Mance Rayder, and concerning the recurrence of mythical White Walkers. This force consists of 200 men from Castle Black and 100 men from the Shadow Tower, in total almost one third of the Watch's manpower, and many of the most capable senior officers of the Watch.

While trekking north the ranging party reaches Craster's Keep, who confirms the existence of a vast Wildling army amassing in the Frostfang Mountains, prepared to strike south to the Wall. Mormont resolves to march north to attack the Wildling host while slow and on the move before it reaches the Wall. His army then erects a base of operations at the Fist of the First Men, an ancient hill-fort.

While on the Fist, the party of Mormont is reinforced by men from the Shadow Tower, led by Qhorin Halfhand, a legendary ranger, who proposes to mount a scouting operation into Wildling territory, to gather information about the enemy. Jon Snow, until then personal steward to the Lord Commander, volunteers to go with them.

However this mission ends badly when Jon walks into a Wildling trap and ends up captured. Later on, Qhorin is also taken. Realizing a last opportunity Qhorin orders Jon to kill him to prove his loyalty to the Wildling cause, and so to infiltrate their ranks to gather info for the Watch. With his killing of Qhorin and his relation with the Wildling girl Ygritte Jon is accepted into Wildling ranks. Meanwhile on the Fist of the First Men, his brothers of the Watch discover a hidden cache of mysterious Dragonglass.

Battle at the Fist of the First Men

Expecting the return of the scouting mission of Qhorin Halfhand, the base of the Night's Watch is beset by an army of wights, led by the legendary White Walkers. This was the first confrontation between men and White Walkers in thousands of years.

The Watch suffers massive casualties and has to abandon its position. Most of its fighting strength is depleted, and the dead men are later reanimated as more wights for the undead army. Lord Commander Mormont manages to retreat south, but many of his survivors are injured, starving and thoroughly shaken.

Mutiny at Craster's Keep

The ragged remains of the Night's Watch army eventually arrive back at Craster's Keep, where the tensions between host and his guests are increasingly hostile. When Craster refuses them food and offers to finish the injured, he is goaded into a rage by the ranger Karl and then stabbed through the throat. Mormont is unable to control the ensuing chaos and is stabbed in the back by the disgruntled Rast. With the Lord Commander dead, the surviving brothers of the Watch start fighting amongst themselves. In the aftermath only a handful of loyal brothers made their way back to Castle Black, whilst the Betrayers settled in at Craster's Keep, turning it even more into a house of horrors.

​​Raid on Craster's Keep​

The mutineers of the Night's Watch are eventually dealt with and eliminated in an expedition led by Jon Snow, to prevent any information about the weakness of the defenses of the Night's Watch leaking to Mance Rayder's approaching army. With this, the death of Lord Commander Mormont is avenged and Craster's Keep is burned to the ground in the aftermath. However the threat of a wildling invasion looms ever larger on the horizon.

Status

The expedition north of Jeor Mormont can be called a disaster. With the defeats at the Fist of the First Men and at Craster's Keep the fighting strength of the Night's Watch is exhausted and its leadership is in disarray. Less than a hundred men remain at Castle Black, counting green recruits and old men.

The Great Ranging might have been a failure, not everything was a disaster. During his stay with the wildlings, Jon Snow has gained vital insight in their plans and motivations. This can make the difference during the coming conflict. Eventually he found his way back to Castle Black, as did Samwell Tarly, who, in a stroke of luck, discovered how White Walkers are vulnerable to Dragonglass.

See also

• Conflict beyond the Wall on A Wiki of Ice and Fire (MAJOR spoilers from the books)