A Game of Thrones

The Night’s Watch is an organization dedicated to guarding the giant Wall of ice that separates the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros from the freezing wilderness to the north. Will, Gared, and Ser Waymar Royce are three members of the Night’s Watch on patrol to the north of the Wall. Their conversation is filled with “nervous tension” as they search for “a band of wilding raiders” (13-14), the people who live in the harsh conditions beyond the Wall. Will finds the wildlings and returns to Waymar and Gared, revealing that the wildlings are all dead. Though recent weather conditions have been relatively mild, the wildlings appear to have died from the cold. Gared, sensing something isn’t right, suggests building a fire. Will agrees, but Waymar, the leader, insists on inspecting the bodies. Will leads Waymar to where the bodies were found, but the bodies are now missing. Mysterious pale figures with burning blue eyes emerge from the forest; these are the Others, armed with crystal swords that possess “a faint blue shimmer” (20). Waymar fights the Others but quickly dies.