The Wildlings

The Free Folk beyond the Wall.

The wildlings, or Free Folk, are the tribal descendants of the First Men who live beyond the Wall. The Night's Watch guards the realms of men against the Others and, later, against wildling raids, which have left the Gift full of abandoned towns and farms.

Quick Facts

Leader: Mance Rayder
Home: Beyond the Wall

Lore & Background

In A Clash of Kings Lord Commander Mormont leads a ranging beyond the Wall partly to learn the intentions of the wildling leader Mance Rayder. Jon Snow captures the spearwife Ygritte but lets her go, and then infiltrates the wildlings.

Reader's Guide

In A Dance with Dragons Jon negotiates an alliance between the Watch and the wildlings against the Others; the policy meets hostility within the Watch, and he is left for dead in a mutiny.

In A Storm of Swords Jon learns of their plan to invade Westeros and falls in love with Ygritte, then betrays them, helps the Watch defend against the invasion and is elected Lord Commander.