Wiki of Westeros

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Wiki of Westeros
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Wiki of Westeros

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" 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[src]

The Conflict Beyond the Wall is an ongoing war in Westeros. 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 in a Great Ranging led by Lord Commander Jeor Mormont himself.

History

The Great Ranging

Lord Commander Mormont leads a force of nearly 300 men north of the Wall 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.

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.

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 then a hundred men remain at Castle Black, counting green recruits and old men.

The mutineers remain at Craster's Keep as a potential source of information about the weaknesses of the Watch for the incoming forces of Mance Rayder.

However not everything was a disaster. During his stay with the Wildlings Jon Snow has gained vital insight in their plans and motivations. 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

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