Night's Watch

The Night's Watch is a military order which holds and guards the Wall, the immense ice structure which separates the northern border of the Seven Kingdoms from the lands beyond. At the onset of the War of the Five Kings, the order is currently led by acting Lord Commander Alliser Thorne from the stronghold of Castle Black.

 

The Night's Watch consists of three groups: the Rangers, who fight, defend the Wall and patrol the Haunted Forest; the Builders, who maintain the Wall and the castles; and the Stewards, who support and feed the members of the Watch.

 

Members of the Night's Watch swear an oath of duty that is binding for life and prohibits marriage, family, and land ownership. Desertion is a crime punishable by death. They describe one another as "sworn brothers" because of the oath. Men of the Watch dress entirely in black, giving rise to the nickname "crows" - which is what the Free Folk commonly call them - or "black brothers."

 

Members of the Night's Watch aren't specifically forbidden from seeing their families, but they cannot leave the Wall without permission. First Ranger Benjen Stark would often visit his family at Winterfell while representing the Night's Watch.

 

According to legend, the Night's Watch was founded 8,000 years ago. They now protect the Seven Kingdoms from threats beyond their northern border but predate the Seven Kingdoms. They man a vast structure known as the Wall. The 700 foot tall barrier separates the Seven Kingdoms from the lands to its north. It is formed mostly from ice. The Watch have built several castles along the southern edge of the Wall to house their men. They also control a region south of the Wall known as the Gift. The region was donated to them by House Stark, the Kings in the North, at the time.

 

The Watch was once highly regarded and their ranks were filled with volunteers from noble houses. The institute has fallen into disrepute and faces disinterest from the throne. Their dwindling ranks are comprised of criminals avoiding corporal punishment or nobles avoiding scandal. Joining the Watch provides absolution for past crimes and immunity from further punishment. It also involves cutting ties to past allegiances and birthrights. Brothers start with a clean slate and can rise within the ranks whatever their origins. Dwindling numbers have caused the watch to abandon most of its nineteen castles along the Wall. Lord Commander Jeor Mormont now leads the Night's Watch from its stronghold at Castle Black, one of only three fortresses that are now manned along the Wall.