Editing North (section)

==People==
{{Main|Northmen}}
Most northmen are descended from the [[First Men]], although there have been centuries of intermarriage with the [[Andals]] who conquered south of the [[Neck]].<ref>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/Event_Horizon_Chat Event Horizon Chat], March 18, 1999</ref> 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]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North}} Northern accents can be considered "frosted".{{Ref|AFFC|42}} 

Many northmen, including [[House Karstark|Karstarks]] and [[House Umber|Umbers]], are large in stature and have thick beards, long hair, and heavy cloaks of wool or fur.{{Ref|ASOS|20}}{{Ref|FAB|Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf}} During the [[Dance of the Dragons]], for instance, [[Mushroom]] compared the host of Lord [[Cregan Stark]] to armored bears.{{Ref|FAB|Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf}} Northern warriors can ride shaggy horses.{{Ref|FAB|The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant}}

[[File:Dimitri Bielak Northern Courser.JPG|thumb|350px|Northern Courser by Dimitri Bielak © Fantasy Flight Games]]

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. Many northmen disapprove of [[tourney]]s and gambling.{{Ref|AGOT|28}} Northern competitions rarely feature jousting, preferring instead dangerous melees,{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North}} and northmen also make up their own rules for tourneys.<ref>[[So Spake Martin]]: [https://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/Tourney_Rules Tourney Rules], April 29, 1999</ref>

[[Guest right]] is treasured in the north.{{Ref|TWOIAF|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.{{Ref|ASOS|20}} A northern custom is that when someone is condemned to death, he who passes that sentence should swing the sword.{{Ref|FAB|Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf}}{{Ref|AGOT|1}}

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 [[House Stark|Starks]], however, and are allowed to maintain their own ways and traditions as long as they remain loyal to Winterfell. Some [[maesters]] believe the blood of [[Cape Kraken]]'s people is closer to that of [[ironborn]] than northmen.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The North: The Mountain Clans}}

Most of the north's people still follow the [[old gods]] and their [[heart tree]]s, and have little inclination for newer religions. There are only a few houses who follow the [[Faith of the Seven]],{{Ref|ADWD|15}} with [[House Manderly]] the most prominent.{{Ref|FAB|Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies}} Due to its religious aspect, most northmen refuse to take holy orders and thus cannot become [[knight]]s, although some [[northern cavalry]] are knights who still follow the old gods instead of the Seven.{{Ref|ADWD|29}} Most knights of the north live in the region's southern lands, such as [[White Harbor]]<ref>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/The_Drowned_God_and_More The Drowned God and More], July 14, 1999</ref> and the [[barrowlands]].{{Ref|AGOT|53}} Heraldry in the north is simpler than that in southern Westeros, showing the lesser influence that chivalry has had there.<ref>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/Shields_of_the_North Shields of the North], June 03, 2000</ref>

Northmen hold the [[Night's Watch]] in high regard,{{Ref|FAB|Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf}} and many lords send annual gifts to support the black brothers.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Wall and Beyond: The Night's Watch}}

The [[first night]] was allowed in the north until Queen [[Alysanne Targaryen]] convinced King [[Jaehaerys I Targaryen]] to abolish it.{{Ref|FAB|Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies}} Some northern lords still discretely practice it, however.{{Ref|ADWD|32}}

During harsh winters, many farmers and younger northmen seek refuge in the [[winter town]] or at the castles of lords.{{Ref|AGOT|37}}{{Ref|ADWD|49}} To preserve resources for the younger generations, many older northmen leave their home to hunt during winter, with most not surviving until spring.{{Ref|ADWD|49}} Men who are old, childless, homeless, or younger sons also traditionally joined winter armies which marched for adventure and plunder with no expectation of survival.{{Ref|FAB|Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf}}

Northmen are often considered savage, wild, and fierce by [[southron]]s.{{Ref|FAB|Aegon's Conquest}}{{Ref|FAB|Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aegon III}}{{Ref|TMK}}{{Ref|ACOK|30}}{{Ref|ASOS|22}} Northmen are sometimes referred to as "[[wolves]]" by ironborn{{Ref|ACOK|56}} and southerners.{{Ref|AFFC|9}} Since most northmen pray before heart trees instead of following the Seven in [[sept]]s, some southrons consider them to be godless{{Ref|FAB|Aftermath - The Hour of the Wolf}} or tree worshipers.{{Ref|ADWD|17}}