Page 9: The Night's Watch

The Night's Watch is a military order established to guard the Wall. The Night's Watch's main stronghold is Castle Black.

There are three groups of Watchmen: the Rangers, who fight, defend the Wall and patrol; the Builders, who maintain the Wall and castles; and, the Stewards, who support and feed the members of the Watch.

At the beginning of the series, the order is led by Jeor Mormont. He is killed by his own men when they rebel.

The Watch have built several castles along the Wall to house their men, but the order is falling into disrepute and faces disinterest from the Throne. Only Castle Black and two other castles continue to operate (one at the east end and one at the west end of the Wall). 

Their dwindling ranks are comprised mainly of criminals who want to avoid punishment or nobles avoiding scandal. Brothers start with a clean slate and are promoted based on merit. 

Members of the Night's Watch swear a lifetime oath of duty that prohibits marriage, family, and land ownership. Desertion is punished by death.

Main Characters

Alliser Thorne is the Master-at-Arms at Castle Black.

Jon Snow, Ned Stark's bastard son, joins the Night's Watch as a Steward. He is regarded by Mormont as a surrogate son.

Upon arriving at Castle Black, Jon is surprised that the Watch is a dumping ground for criminals and wasters. He makes an enemy of Alliser Thorne and humiliates his fellow members with his superior abilities. He helps train three of his fellow member recruits who then become his friends (Pypar, Grenn and Samwell).

Pypar is sent to the Wall for refusing sexual favors to a lord while employed as a singer. He usually lies and says he was sent to the Wall for stealing bread for his poor sick sister.

Grenn is strong, but slow-witted. He was abandoned outside a farmhouse when he was three years old. He grew up at the farm and had a relationship with a neighbouring farm daughter in his youth.

Samwell Tarly is a Steward in the Night's Watch. He is intelligent, well-educated and insightful, but is overweight, unskilled at combat and believes himself to be a coward. His father gives him the choice of being killed or going to the Wall.

Rast is a Ranger in the Night's Watch. Rast joined the Watch rather than being castrated for rape. He constantly taunts Samwell and threathens him. He kills Lord Mormont at Caster's Keep.

Eddison Tollett, aka Dolorous Edd, nicknamed thus because of his sarcastic and pessimistic sense of humour.

The Lord Commander leads a Great Ranging North of the Wall to investigate rumours of wildlings organizing and White Walkers being sighted. The Great Ranging leaves the Night Watch in tatters. Only two members return to the dwindling numbers at Castle Black: Samwell Tarly and Jon Snow. As a result of the Great Ranging, Jon learned a lot about the wildlings and their plans and Samwell has discovered a stash of drangonglass weapons that can kill White Walkers.