Children of the Forest

Lore & Background

Before the dawn of recorded history, the Children were the sole inhabitants of the continent now known as Westeros. They lived in harmony with nature, communicating through whispers and magic rather than spoken language. When the First Men arrived across the Narrow Sea, bringing iron ships and steel axes, a brutal war ensued that lasted for centuries. The Children, though fewer in number, used their mastery of magic to hold back the invaders, turning rivers into barriers and summoning storms. The conflict reached a tragic turning point when the Children, fearing total annihilation, decided to create a weapon of ultimate destruction. Led by a mysterious figure often referred to as the 'Night King,' they dragged a First Man prisoner into a sacred grove, surrounded him with dragonglass shards, and performed a dark ritual that raised him as the first White Walker. This act was meant to terrify the humans back across the sea, but it instead birthed an eternal enemy that threatened all life in Westeros.

In Their Own Story

The air inside the cave smelled of wet earth and ancient pine. A Child crouched by the fire, its skin shifting from bark-brown to a pale grey as the shadows lengthened. Outside, the drums of war beat against the silence of the forest, a rhythm that had grown louder for generations. It held a shard of dragonglass in its hand, feeling the cold hum of power within it—a reminder of what they were capable of when pushed to the brink. The ritual was not born of malice, but of fear; a desperate gamble to save their people from the steel and fire of the newcomers. As the first man screamed, the Child's eyes reflected the flickering flame, knowing that this night would change the world forever.

Reader's Guide

The Children of the Forest represent the mystical foundation of Westerosi history, serving as the bridge between the natural world and the supernatural forces of magic. They are depicted as small, agile humanoids with a deep spiritual connection to the Old Gods. Their society was matriarchal in some interpretations but generally focused on communal survival and the protection of their sacred groves. Their primary historical contribution is the creation of dragonglass weapons and the construction of the Wall's magical defenses, though they are most infamous for creating the White Walkers as a weapon against the First Men. By the time of the main narrative, they are nearly extinct, having retreated to the deepest parts of the North or vanished entirely. Their legacy remains in the magic that still lingers in the weirwood trees and the ancient songs of the wildlings.

Did You Know?

• The Children were responsible for creating dragonglass weapons to fight the First Men during the War of Conquest.
• They performed a dark ritual using a captured First Man to create the first White Walker, inadvertently starting the Long Night.
• Their skin can change color and texture to blend seamlessly with their natural surroundings.
• They are the ones who originally planted the weirwood trees that serve as altars for the Old Gods.