Editing Jeor Mormont (section)

===''A Game of Thrones''===
[[File:VeronicaV.Jones MandRaven.jpg|350px|thumb|Lord Commander Mormont and [[Mormont's raven|his raven]], by Veronica V. Jones ©]]
When Ser [[Waymar Royce]] disappears [[beyond the Wall]], Lord Commander Mormont sends [[Benjen Stark]] to search for the missing [[knight]].{{ref|AGOT|21}} The [[First Ranger]]'s party goes missing themselves, however.{{ref|AGOT|26}}

Jeor and his officers host [[Tyrion Lannister]] during his visit to [[Castle Black]] and the [[Wall]]. Although he disbelieves Jeor's reports about dangers north of the Wall, Tyrion agrees to inform King [[Robert I Baratheon]], Ser [[Jaime Lannister]], and Lord [[Tywin Lannister]] about the growing needs of the [[Night's Watch]] when he travels south.{{ref|AGOT|21}}

[[Jon Snow]], a recruit of the Watch and Benjen's nephew, occasionally hunts for game for the Lord Commander's table with the aid of [[Ghost]], his [[direwolf]].{{ref|AGOT|26}} When Jon and seven other recruits are given a special meat after completing their training, the Lord Commander sends them food from his own table.{{ref|AGOT|41}} Jeor personally requests that Jon become his personal [[steward]], but the youth is disappointed he was not assigned to the [[rangers]]. [[Samwell Tarly]] explains to his friend, however, that the appointment means that Lord Commander Mormont is grooming Jon for command.{{Ref|AGOT|48}}

When Ghost finds a severed hand near the [[weirwood]] grove in the haunted forest,{{ref|AGOT|48}} Jeor is part of the search party which finds the corpses of [[Othor]] and [[Jafer Flowers]], who had been with Benjen Stark. Lord Commander Mormont has their dead bodies brought back to Castle Black so they can be inspected by Maester [[Aemon Targaryen (son of Maekar I)|Aemon]]. Jeor and Jon learn of the death of King [[Robert I Baratheon]] and the [[arrest of Eddard Stark]] when they return to the castle.{{ref|AGOT|52}} During the night, the corpses, which are actually reanimated [[wight]]s, attack the Night's Watch, killing several men, including Ser [[Jaremy Rykker]]. Only the timely intervention of Jon and Ghost prevent the undead Othor from assassinating Jeor, though his residence in the [[Lord Commander's Tower]] catches fire.{{Ref|AGOT|52}}

Since the interior of his tower's top two floors are gutted from the fire, Jeor moves his residence to the [[King's Tower]].{{ref|AGOT|60}} He also hacks off his singed beard and begins to regrow it. For having saved his life, Jeor gives Jon the [[Valyrian steel]] bastard sword [[Longclaw]], ancestral weapon of House Mormont.{{Ref|AGOT|60}} The Lord Commander has Maester Aemon send letters to Grand Maester [[Pycelle]] at the [[Red Keep]], but they receive no response. Jeor then sends Ser [[Alliser Thorne]] to [[King's Landing]] to show Jafer's severed hand to King [[Joffrey Baratheon|Joffrey I Baratheon]].{{ref|AGOT|60}}

Intending to support his half-brother, [[Robb Stark]], against the [[House Lannister|Lannisters]], after the execution of [[Eddard Stark|their father]], Jon deserts from the Night's Watch and leaves Longclaw behind at Castle Black. Jon's friends ride south after him and convince him to return, however. Jon agrees to loyally serve as Jeor's steward again, and the Lord Commander announces his intention to lead an expedition to learn about threats [[beyond the Wall]], such as [[Mance Rayder]] and the [[Others]].{{ref|AGOT|70}}