Editing Others (section)

==History==
===The Long Night===
[[File:White walkers by reneaigner.jpg|thumb|300px|White walker by Rene Aigner ©]]
According to legend, the Others came from the [[Lands of Always Winter]] six or eight thousand years ago, and brought with them cold and darkness that lasted a generation: the [[Long Night]]. They resurrected dead men and animals to serve them.{{ref|AGOT|24}}

In the [[Battle for the Dawn]], the Others were finally defeated by the first members of the [[Night's Watch]] and the [[children of the forest]], an alliance made possible by the [[last hero]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: The Long Night}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Wall and Beyond: The Night's Watch}} When asked whether there was a closer relationship between the Others and the children than there thus far has seemed to be, [[George R. R. Martin]] replied that it was possible, and that the topic would be explored later on in the story.<ref>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/Asshai.com_Interview_in_Barcelona/ Asshai.com Interview in Barcelona], July 28, 2012</ref>

In some stories from the [[Further East]] of [[Essos]], it is believed that the Long Night was ended through the leadership of [[Azor Ahai]], who wielded [[Lightbringer]].{{ref|TWOIAF|The Bones and Beyond: Yi Ti}}

===The Wall===
The [[Wall]] was built to protect the people of the realms in [[Westeros]] from the threats of the north,{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Wall and Beyond: The Night's Watch}} specifically the Others.{{Ref|ADWD|44}} According to legend, the structure was built by [[Brandon the Builder]]{{Ref|ASOS|78}} with the assistance of [[children of the forest]] and [[giants]],{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Wall and Beyond: The Night's Watch}} and it is protected with ancient [[magic|spells and sorcery]].{{Ref|ASOS|56}} The [[Night's Watch]] have manned the Wall's defense for thousands of years.{{ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: The Long Night}}

The [[Night's King]], the thirteenth [[Lord Commander of the Night's Watch]], is said to have married a woman with pale skin and blue eyes, matching the description of the Others. Reportedly, this [[corpse queen]] was a sorceress. The Night's King brought his bride to the [[Nightfort]], where he proclaimed himself king and her his queen, and bound his Sworn Brothers in the Night's Watch to his will. After a thirteen-year reign, he was defeated by [[Brandon Stark (Breaker)|Brandon the Breaker]], [[King of Winter]], and [[Joramun]], [[King-Beyond-the-Wall]], after which it was discovered that he had been sacrificing to the Others.{{Ref|ASOS|56}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Wall and Beyond: The Night's Watch}}

===Later History===
In his ''[[Lies of the Ancients]]'', Archmaester [[Fomas]] speculates that the Others were a tribe of the [[First Men]] who had been living in the far north. Fomas suggests that the Long Night pressured these men, the ancestors of the current [[free folk|wildlings]], to migrate south. Over the years, they became more and more monstrous in the telling of the tales about them, because the Night's Watch and the [[House Stark|Starks]] wanted to seem heroic. However, ''Lies of the Ancients'' is little regarded nowadays, as it contains erroneous claims about [[Valyria]], the [[Reach]], and the [[westerlands]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: The Long Night}}

The Others have not been seen since the Long Night ended, and are now regarded as nothing more than fairy tales to frighten the little children.{{ref|ASOS|18}} Some people believe they never existed at all.{{ref|AGOT|2}}