The hill tribes or mountain clans are barbarians who live in the foothills of the Mountains of the Moon on the western fringes of the Vale of Arryn. They are divided into clans of varying size and strength. Three of the most notable are the Stone Crows, Burned Men and Black Ears, led by Shagga, Timett and Chella respectively. They are a frequent danger to travelers along the Eastern Road which crosses over the mountain into the Vale from the Riverlands.
The hill tribes are quite ferocious and will often resort to violence at slight provocations. However, they are not entirely uncivilized: sometimes when a member from one tribe kills a member from another, their leaders have been known to negotiate a non-violent end to the feud by demanding blood money be paid as compensation by the offending tribe.[1]
The hill tribes
- Stone Crows - led by Shagga
- Burned Men - led by Timett
- Black Ears - led by Chella
- Moon Brothers - led by Ulf
- Painted Dogs
In the books
In the Song of Ice and Fire novels a number of warrior clans eke out a mean existence in the foothills of the Mountains of the Moon, including the Black Ears, Burned Men, Milk Snakes, Moon Brothers, Painted Dogs, Sons of the Mist and Stone Crows. They hold outsiders as enemies and wish to destroy House Arryn and loot the Vale for themselves, but lack the weapons and armor needed, particularly siege engines.