Editing Mance Rayder (section)

==Recent Events==
===''A Game of Thrones''===
[[File:Mance Rayder2.jpg|thumb|350px|Mance wears a [[raven]]-winged helm, by Patrick McEvoy © Fantasy Flight Games]]
Hearing of King [[Robert I Baratheon]]'s planned visit to [[Winterfell]] to see Lord [[Eddard Stark]] via sources in the [[Night's Watch]], Mance, inspired by the legend of [[Bael the Bard]], decided to partake in the event. He scales the [[Wall]] near [[Long Barrow]], purchases a horse south of the [[New Gift]], and journeys to Winterfell.{{Ref|ASOS|7}}

Using his [[lute]] to disguise himself as a musician, Mance joins Robert's retinue as it nears Winterfell. Mance sits with [[freeriders]] at the back of the [[Great Hall of Winterfell|Great Hall]] during the [[feast in honor of King Robert's visit to Winterfell]]. Mance's presence is unbeknownst to both Eddard, who does not remember Mance from his previous visit with [[Lord Commander Qorgyle]], and [[Benjen Stark]], who had never met Mance despite being in the Watch for a few years.{{Ref|ASOS|7}}

Mance meets [[Dalla]] upon his return to the lands [[beyond the Wall]].{{Ref|ASOS|7}}

[[Osha]] suggests capturing [[Bran Stark]] in the [[wolfswood]] and delivering him as a hostage to Mance, but Osha is instead captured by [[House Stark]].{{Ref|AGOT|37}}

A captured wildling tells [[Qhorin Halfhand]] that Mance is gathering wildlings to a secret stronghold.{{Ref|AGOT|70}}

===''A Clash of Kings''===
Following the rumors about Mance Rayder, the King-Beyond-the-Wall, and the wildlings deserting their villages, the Night's Watch assembles in force in a [[great ranging]] [[beyond the Wall]].{{Ref|ACOK|6}} [[Craster]] informs [[Jeor Mormont]], [[Lord Commander of the Night's Watch]], that Mance is gathering wildlings in the [[Frostfangs]]. Jeor fears that Mance intends to strike south against the [[Seven Kingdoms]].{{Ref|ACOK|23}}

Mance sends [[Alfyn Crowkiller]] to scout along the Wall, but he is slain by Qhorin's men.{{Ref|ACOK|43}}

===''A Storm of Swords''===
[[File:Mance Abel Val.jpg|thumb|350px|Mance playing the [[lute]], with [[Val]] in the background, by Amok ©]]

Mance has his followers dig in graves along the [[Milkwater]]{{ref|ASOS|48}} in search of the legendary [[Horn of Winter]], said to be capable of toppling the [[Wall]], but the horn is not found.{{Ref|ASOS|30}}

When [[Jon Snow]] meets with Mance in the Frostfangs under pretext of joining his campaign, the bard sings "[[The Dornishman's Wife]]". Jon mistakes the more distinctive [[Tormund]] and [[Styr]] as Mance.{{Ref|ASOS|7}} Mance sends Styr to climb the Wall and [[attack on Castle Black|attack Castle Black]] from the south.{{Ref|ASOS|26}} He sends Jon with Styr's group,{{Ref|ASOS|15}} but Jon escapes at [[Queenscrown]] and manages to warn the black brothers about the upcoming attack.{{Ref|ASOS|41}}

After Styr's attack fails,{{ref|ASOS|55}} Mance [[battle beneath the Wall|attacks the Wall]] with his main force. Despite his better numbers, the Night's Watch under command of Jon Snow are successful in keeping Mance's forces at bay.{{Ref|ASOS|64}}{{Ref|ASOS|69}} Aware of the low numbers of the Night's Watch, Mance eventually sends a request for a parley to Castle Black, requesting an envoy is sent to him. Ser [[Alliser Thorne]] and [[Janos Slynt]] send Jon, secretly tasking with assassinating the King-Beyond-the-Wall. Displaying a huge horn in his tent, Mance threatens to use the Horn of Winter if he is not allowed to pass through the gate. However, Mance reveals that the free folk, including his own people, have been hunted by the [[Others]] and their [[wights]], and are unable to stop them. His true aim therefore is not to destroy the Wall, but to use it as a shield against the Others.{{Ref|ASOS|73}}

During the parley, [[ranger]]s from [[Eastwatch-by-the-Sea]] and the southern force of [[Stannis Baratheon]] unexpectedly arrive. Although Mance personally leads a wedge of mounted free folk against them, the disorganized wildling army breaks once Mance's horse goes down.{{Ref|ASOS|73}} Mance's wife, [[Dalla]], goes into labor during the battle{{Ref|ASOS|73}} and dies giving birth to [[Aemon Steelsong|their son]].{{Ref|ASOS|76}} 

Mance himself is captured by Stannis and held captive at Castle Black, where his wounds are treated by Maester [[Aemon Targaryen (son of Maekar I)|Aemon]].{{Ref|ASOS|75}} Stannis Baratheon speaks with him, but feels he has no other choice but to sacrifice Mance to [[R'hllor]]{{Ref|ASOS|76}} once he is strong enough.{{Ref|ASOS|75}} At Castle Black, Mance's son is given over to [[Val]], Dalla's sister, while the girl [[Gilly]] serves as his [[wet nurse]].{{Ref|ASOS|75}} Val requests to be allowed to see Mance and let him hold his son once.{{Ref|ASOS|75}} Jon Snow presents the request to Stannis Baratheon, but is denied.{{Ref|ASOS|76}}

===''A Feast for Crows''===
Fearing that [[Stannis Baratheon]] will allow his [[red priest]]ess, [[Melisandre]], to sacrifice Mance's son in the belief that Mance's title of "King-Beyond-the-Wall" could be construed as his child having royal blood, [[Jon Snow]], the new [[Lord Commander of the Night's Watch]], sends [[Gilly]] away from Castle Black and forces her to leave her own son behind and secretly take Mance's son instead.{{ref|AFFC|5}}{{Ref|AFFC|15}} [[Gilly]] later suggests the name [[Aemon Steelsong]] for Mance's son.{{Ref|AFFC|35}}

===''A Dance with Dragons''===
[[File:Lukasz Jaskolski Melisandre's SchemeIII.jpg|thumb|350px|[[Melisandre]] glamours Mance to appear as [[Rattleshirt]], by Lukasz Jaskolski © Fantasy Flight Games]]
[[Mors Umber]] agrees to support Stannis if he is given Mance's skull to use as a drinking cup, since Mors's only daughter was carried away by wildlings.{{ref|ADWD|17}}

Mance is supposedly burned alive by Stannis with surrendered free folk, members of the Night's Watch, [[king's men]], and [[queen's men]] there to bear witness. [[Jon Snow]] orders him killed by archers of the Watch during the burning to give him a quick death.{{Ref|ADWD|10}} In actuality the man killed is [[Rattleshirt]], who is glamoured by [[Melisandre]]'s magic to appear like Mance. Meanwhile, the actual Mance is glamoured by a [[ruby]] worn at his wrist to appear as Rattleshirt. Sparring with "Rattleshirt" in the yard of Castle Black, Jon is shocked by the man's speed and skill, not knowing he is actually Mance.{{Ref|ADWD|28}}

Word reaches the [[Wall]] that [[Arya Stark]] is to wed [[Ramsay Snow|Ramsay Bolton]] at [[Barrowton]], and Melisandre has a vision of a girl in grey on a dying horse.{{ref|ADWD|28}} Melisandre offers to send "Rattleshirt" to retrieve Arya, but Jon refuses, not trusting the Lord of Bones. Melisandre reveals Mance's disguise to make Jon reconsider the offer. Jon holds [[Aemon Steelsong|Mance's son]] so Mance would do everything in his power to rescue Jon's sister for the sake of his son. However, Mance does not know that Mance's son was switched with [[Monster|Gilly's son]].{{Ref|ADWD|31}} Lord [[Roose Bolton]], the new [[Warden of the North]], later decides to move his son's wedding to [[Winterfell]].{{ref|ADWD|32}}

No longer appearing as Rattleshirt, the brown-bearded{{Ref|ADWD|51}} Mance takes six [[spearwives]] with him to find Arya:{{Ref|ADWD|35}} [[Rowan]], [[Holly]], [[Squirrel (free folk)|Squirrel]], [[Willow Witch-eye]], [[Frenya]], and [[Myrtle]]. He arrives at Winterfell as a bard under the assumed name '''Abel''',{{Ref|ADWD|37}} an anagram for "[[Bael the Bard|Bael]]", and claims the women are camp followers and relatives to him.{{Ref|ADWD|41}} Mance performs throughout [[Wedding of Ramsay Bolton and Arya Stark|the wedding]] and subsequent feasts at Winterfell.{{Ref|ADWD|37}}{{Ref|ADWD|41}}{{Ref|ADWD|46}} His songs include "[[Two Hearts That Beat as One]]",{{Ref|ADWD|37}} "[[Fair Maids of Summer]]"{{Ref|ADWD|37}}, "The Dornishman's Wife",{{Ref|ADWD|41}} "[[Iron Lances]]",{{Ref|ADWD|46}} "[[The Winter Maid]]",{{Ref|ADWD|46}} "[[The Queen Took Off Her Sandal, the King Took Off His Crown]]",{{Ref|ADWD|46}} "[[The Bear and the Maiden Fair]]",{{Ref|ADWD|46}} "[[The Maids That Bloom in Spring]]",{{Ref|ADWD|46}} and an unnamed sad song.{{Ref|ADWD|51}}

With Winterfell snowbound from a blizzard, Mance's spearwives kill several northern men. Suspicion is cast on [[Theon Greyjoy]] at first, then [[House Manderly|Manderly]] knights, causing tension in the castle between [[House Bolton|Boltons]], other northern houses, and [[House Frey|Freys]].{{ref|ADWD|46}}{{ref|ADWD|51}} They also receive the help of a reluctant and fearful Theon to help them free "Arya", though he knows she is really [[Jeyne Poole]]. Tensions explode in the castle when [[Walder Frey (son of Merrett)|Little Walder Frey]] is murdered, though the spearwives claim it was not their doing. Theon assists Mance's spearwives in rescuing Jeyne, but when Jeyne gives their position away by screaming, Theon and Jeyne are forced to jump from Winterfell's battlements to the snow below.{{Ref|ADWD|51}}

It is reported in [[Bastard Letter|a letter]] to Jon purportedly from Ramsay Bolton that Mance has been captured. Ramsay claims Mance has been thrown in a cage which is exposed to the elements and that the six spearwives that came with him have been killed and skinned. Mance is allegedly being forced to use their sewn-together skins in the cage, as it is his only source of warmth.{{Ref|ADWD|69}}