Editing North (section)

==Geography==
:{{See also|:Category:Places in the North{{!}}Places in the North}}
[[File:Alyn Spiller Northland Keep.JPG|thumb|350px|Northland Keep by Alyn Spiller © Fantasy Flight Games]]

The north has a reputation for being stern, hard, and wild by [[southron]]s.{{ref|AGOT|14}}{{ref|ACOK|47}} [[George R. R. Martin]] has indicated that [[w:Scotland|Scotland]] is an inspiration for the region.<ref>''The Denver Post'': [http://www.denverpost.com/2012/05/31/game-of-thrones-author-george-r-r-martin-on-sex-violence-and-t-v/ “Game of Thrones” author George R.R. Martin on sex, violence and T.V.], updated April 30, 2016</ref> While some say the vast north is nearly as large as the rest of the [[Seven Kingdoms]] combined,{{Ref|AGOT|4}} in actuality it is roughly a third of the landmass controlled by the [[Iron Throne]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North}} The region is sparsely populated, with vast wilderness, rising moorlands, high plains, forests, pine-covered hills and snow-capped mountains, speckled with tiny villages and holdfasts. The cold north is much less fertile than provinces in southern Westeros. Its harsh climate is deadly in winter and occasionally it will snow even in summer.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North}} The north has two major land barriers, the [[Wall]] to the north and the [[Neck]] to the south. The north is bound on each side by major seas, the [[Shivering Sea]] to the east and the [[Sunset Sea]] to the west.{{Ref|TLOIAF|Westeros}}

[[Winterfell]], the ancestral seat of [[House Stark]], is a large castle at the center of the north. Nearby is the [[winter town]]. The vast [[wolfswood]], the largest forest of the Seven Kingdoms, extends northwest to the [[Bay of Ice]] and [[Sea Dragon Point]]. [[Deepwood Motte]], the seat of [[House Glover]], lies in the western wolfswood. [[House Mormont]] rules [[Bear Island]] in the Bay of Ice. The [[northern mountains]] extend from the wolfswood to the Wall and are inhabited by [[northern mountain clans]].{{Ref|TLOIAF|Westeros}}

South of the wolfswood is hilly terrain with several large lakes. [[Torrhen's Square]], seat of [[House Tallhart]], is by the largest of these lakes. Farther west along the Sunset Sea is the [[Stony Shore]], which contains fishing villages. Southeast of the Stony Shore and north of [[Blazewater Bay]] is the [[Rills]], plains which are ruled by [[House Ryswell]]. East of the Rills and south of Winterfell are the [[barrowlands]], hilly plains dotted with the barrows of the [[First Men]]. [[House Dustin]] rules the large town of [[Barrowton]]. There are unnamed rivers which flow south from Barrowton and near Torrhen's Square into the [[Saltspear]], while another unnamed river divides the Stony Shore from the Rills.{{Ref|TLOIAF|Westeros}}

South of the barrowlands is the [[Neck]], an isthmus forming the border with the [[riverlands]] to the south. A vast swamp and the source of the [[Green Fork]], the Neck is home to the [[crannogmen]]; [[House Reed]] rules from the moving castle [[Greywater Watch]].{{Ref|ACOK|28}} The ruined castle of [[Moat Cailin]], on the [[causeway]] near the [[Fever River]], controls access to the north from the Neck. Here the [[King in the North|Kings in the North]] held off southron invasions.{{Ref|AGOT|55}}

A large peninsula is west of the Neck and south of the Saltspear and Blazewater Bay. [[Flint's Finger]], home of [[House Flint of Flint's Finger]], is on its north shore, and [[Cape Kraken]] and the [[Flint Cliffs]] are along its western and southern shores. South of the peninsula are [[Ironman's Bay]] and the [[Iron Islands]].{{Ref|AWOIAF|Ironman's Bay}}

East of the barrowlands is the [[White Knife]], a major river of the north which has its source at [[Long Lake]] northeast of Winterfell. [[Castle Cerwyn]], the seat of [[House Cerwyn]], is near a tributary south of Winterfell. The White Knife runs south to [[White Harbor]], one of the major cities of the Seven Kingdoms and the main port of the north. Southeast of White Harbor is [[Oldcastle]], the seat of [[House Locke]], while farther east are [[Ramsgate]] and the [[Broken Branch]], which has its source in the [[Sheepshead Hills]] northeast of White Harbor. [[Widow's Watch]], the castle of [[House Flint of Widow's Watch]], is built on an isolated peninsula east of Ramsgate in the [[Shivering Sea]].{{Ref|TLOIAF|Westeros}} The [[Bite]] separates the southeastern North, much of which is influenced by [[House Manderly]] of White Harbor,{{Ref|ADWD|29}} from the [[Vale of Arryn]].

[[Hornwood]], the seat of [[House Hornwood]], is in the [[Hornwood (forest)|Hornwood forest]] north of White Harbor and south of the [[Dreadfort]], the seat of [[House Bolton]]. The Dreadfort lies near the [[Weeping Water]], which flows east to the Shivering Sea. Northeast of the Dreadfort are the forested lands of [[House Karstark]]. East of their castle, [[Karhold]], are the [[Grey Cliffs]].{{Ref|TLOIAF|Westeros}} In the [[Bay of Seals]] are several islands, including [[Skagos]] and uninhabited [[Skane]]. The largest, Skagos, is said to be inhabited by [[cannibalism|cannibals]] and [[unicorns]] and is only nominally controlled by the Starks of Winterfell.{{Ref|AFFC|15}}

North of Winterfell and the Dreadfort and northwest of Karhold are the lands of [[House Umber]], whose castle of [[Last Hearth]] is in a forest. The Umbers control the [[Lonely Hills]]{{Ref|ADWD|17}} and land along the Bay of Seals.{{Ref|ACOK|16}} Beginning near Last Hearth, the [[Last River]] flows southeast between Karhold and the Dreadfort.{{Ref|TLOIAF|Westeros}}

The [[Wall]] is a colossal fortification that protects the north from threats [[beyond the Wall]], such as [[wildlings]]. It is separated from the northern lands owing allegiance to Winterfell by the [[Gift]], which are lands of the [[Night's Watch]] north of the Umbers' lands.{{Ref|ASOS|40}}

Winterfell and Moat Cailin are along the [[kingsroad]], which connects [[Castle Black]] at the Wall with the riverlands to the south. There are farms, holdfasts, inns, and villages along the road.{{Ref|AGOT|13}}{{Ref|AGOT|70}}

The land of the north is not seen as valuable by many south of the [[Neck]].{{Ref|ASOS|19}}{{Ref|AFFC|19}}