The Long Night
An age of endless winter where the dead rose to hunt the living.
The Long Night is a legendary era of darkness and winter that occurred thousands of years before the events of the main saga. It was a period where the sun barely shone for generations, temperatures plummeted to lethal extremes, and the dead were raised as an army of ice to scourge the living. This cataclysmic event forced the First Men and the Children of the Forest to unite in desperation, culminating in the Battle for the Dawn that drove back the supernatural threat; only after this victory did Bran the Builder found the Night's Watch and construct the Wall with the aid of giants and the Children as a unified defense measure.
- Nature
- Ancient Era of Darkness
- Primary Antagonists
- The White Walkers (Others)
- Allies Formed
- First Men and Children of the Forest
- Key Outcome
- Defeat of the Others at the Battle for the Dawn; subsequent founding of the Night's Watch and construction of the Wall by Bran the Builder
- Duration
- One generation or more
- Resulting Defense
- The Long Night ended, but the threat remained dormant
Lore & Background
Faced with annihilation, the ancient races put aside their differences. The First Men, who had long hunted the Children of the Forest, joined forces with them in a desperate alliance. Together, they fought a brutal war that spanned generations, culminating in the Battle for the Dawn, where the Walkers were driven back to the frozen wastes beyond the lands of men. In the aftermath, once the Long Night had finally broken, Bran the Builder founded the Night's Watch and raised the massive Wall of ice and stone with the aid of giants and the Children as a permanent barrier against future threats.
In Their Own Story
The wind howled like a dying beast, carrying snow that stung the skin like ground glass. Torrhen, a young boy of the First Men, clutched his father's hand as they huddled behind the crumbling ruins of an old longhouse. Outside, the darkness was absolute; no stars pierced the canopy above, only the faint, sickly blue glow of distant fires that were not made by men. A sound drifted through the cold—a rhythmic crunching, like ice walking on bone. His father whispered a prayer to the Old Gods, his breath hanging in white clouds before vanishing into the void. They knew what was coming: the ones who do not sleep, rising from the frost to claim their due.
Reader's Guide
The Long Night began when the seasons stalled and winter refused to end, plunging the world into a generation-long darkness. The White Walkers marched south from the Lands of Always Winter, raising an army of wights that overwhelmed human settlements across Westeros and Essos. In response, the First Men and Children of the Forest formed a fragile alliance against their common enemy. They fought valiantly but suffered heavy losses, eventually retreating to the northern strongholds where they prepared for a final stand known as the Battle for the Dawn. The conflict concluded when the living forces repelled the Walkers, driving them back north. In the aftermath, humanity established the Night's Watch to guard the Wall, a magical barrier constructed by the Children of the Forest and the giants to separate the realm from the supernatural threat forever.
Did You Know?
- The Long Night is said to have lasted for an entire generation, though exact years are unknown in the history books.
- The magic used to create the Wall was so potent that it required the combined efforts of giants and Children of the Forest, but this feat occurred only after the Long Night had ended.
- The legend of Azor Ahai and his sword Lightbringer is directly tied to the events that ended the Long Night.
- While legends speak of White Walkers, most maesters attribute the Long Night to a natural climate catastrophe rather than supernatural forces.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly was The Long Night?
The Long Night refers to a legendary age of endless winter and darkness that lasted for generations during ancient times. During this cataclysmic era, the sun barely shone while temperatures dropped to lethal extremes across Westeros. It serves as the historical backdrop for the origin of the White Walker threat.
Who were the enemies during The Long Night?
The primary threat during this era came from the White Walkers, also known as the Others, who commanded an army of reanimated corpses. These ice demons raised the dead to hunt and kill the living inhabitants of Westeros. Their presence forced all human survivors into desperate hiding or flight.
How was The Long Night ended?
The darkness finally lifted after the First Men and the Children of the Forest formed an unlikely alliance to fight together. Their combined forces defeated the Others in a decisive conflict known as the Battle for the Dawn. This victory drove the supernatural threat back beyond the Wall, though it did not completely destroy them.
What happened immediately after The Long Night?
Following the victory, a hero named Bran the Builder constructed the massive ice fortification known as the Wall with the aid of giants. To guard this barrier against future incursions, he also established the Night's Watch order. These measures were designed to keep the dormant threat contained in the frozen north.
Why is The Long Night important today?
This ancient event explains the origins of the Night's Watch and the necessity of guarding the North against cold magic. It establishes that the threat of the Others is cyclical rather than a one-time occurrence. Understanding this history is crucial for comprehending the existential danger facing Westeros in the main saga.