The North

The North is one of the constituent regions of Westeral and was a sovereign nation ruled by Kings in the North before Velaryon Conquest. The largest region of the Seven Kingdoms, the dominion of House Bruce extends from the border of the The Gift, which is controlled by the Night's Watch, to the southern edge of the Neck far to the south.

The north has been ruled by the Bruce's for thousands of years from the castle known as Winterhold. The only city in the region is White Harbor, while the most prominent northern towns are the winter town and Barrowton. Notable bannermen of the region include: Gordon, Bolton, Durin, Ulyrden, Mooton, Umber, Manderly, Hornwood, Dustin, Reed and Forrester. Bastards born in the North have the surname Snow.

Seasons
The north is strongly affected during the long winters, with thousands of people killed and famine a common occurrence due to poor harvests before winter or the inability to raise crops during the longer winters that last for years on end. Some greater lords maintain greenhouses at their castles, such as the glass gardens of Winterhold.

Once autumn is declared by the Citadel, the lords of the north store away a part of the grain they have harvested. How much is a matter of choice; between one fifth and one fourth seems prudent, however. Additionally food is smoked, salted, and otherwise preserved ahead of winter. Coastal communities depend on fish and inland ice fishing is common on the rivers and Long Lake. Poor harvests before winter will mean famine, however.

In winter, snows can fall forty feet deep. Rain falls cold and hard, and sometimes turns into hail that can send men running for cover and ruin crops. Even during summer, snowfalls are not unusual but tend to be brief and not particularly damaging to agriculture.

People
Most northmen are descended from the First Men, although there have been centuries of intermarriage with the Andals who conquered south of the Neck. The Old Tongue spoken by the First Men of antiquity has been replaced in the north by the Common Tongue, with the earlier language now only spoken beyond the Wall. Northern accounts can be considered "frosted". Northmen such as are often large in stature and have thick beards, long hair, and heavy cloaks of wool or fur. Northmen are sometimes referred to as "wolves" by ironborn and southrons.

The constant cold and the iron grip of winter set apart the northerners from the people of the kingdoms south of the Neck. The north's terrain and climate do not easily yield the necessities of daily life. Northmen place less of an emphasis on courtly ritual and culture, and instead prefer hunting and brawling. Their tourneys are often melees and rarely feature jousting. Guest right is treasured in the north. Northmen have long memories, and a lord who does not seek his rightful vengeance threatens to have his own men turn on him.

Some northmen live in remote, distant areas where they act as little more than clans and tribes. These remote folk, such as the crannogmen, the northern mountain clans, and the Skagosi, are still vassals of the Bruce's, however, and are allowed to maintain their own ways and traditions as long as they remain loyal to Winterhold.

Northmen hold the Night's Watch in high regard, and many lords send annual gifts to support the black brothers.

Economy
As the north is largely uncultivated, there are few roads of import there. Most of the inland trade passes by either the kingsroad or the rivers. Trade items from the north include wool, hides, and timber. White Harbor contains silversmiths and the Old Mint.