Summary
Every good fantasy universe has a few millennia of backstory that may or may not have any influence on the events of the story.A Song of Ice and Firetakes place in Westeros, a continent roughly the size of South America with a wide variety of climates and cultures. Before humanity invaded the land, it was home to a mysterious race of beings called the Children of the Forest.
When fans consider the history ofGame of Thrones, they mostly thinkof the Iron Throneand its long line of succession. Kings presided over eras of famine, conquest, war, or peace as the culture changed. Thousands of years before the Iron Throne was built, there were still battles, but they had very different consequences.
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Who were the Children of the Forest?
The Children of the Forest were the indigenous species that lived throughout the land that would come tobe known as Westeros. They are humanoid, but they possess several notable biological differences. They are significantly smaller than adult humans, with small, soft facials and large eyes. These traits make them look like human children, but their rough pale gray-green skin gives them some similarities to plants. The Children’s blood is a deep indigo color. Their eyes are bright green. Their heads grow hair, but their bodies and faces don’t seem to. Children of the Forest only have four fingers on each hand. The Children appear to be biologically similar to humans but possess staggering longevity. They’re said to live for thousands of years.
Much of the history of the Children of the Forest is lost to time, but theylong predate the First Menwho arrived in Westeros. They developed very little technology, but their mastery of the natural world was unmatched. It’s said that the Children lived alongside Giants, with whom they frequently battled. The Children mastered woodcraft, cataloged plants and animals, and crafted obsidian into primitive blades. They worshiped the Old Gods of the Forest, an endless pantheon of nameless spirits who inhabit plants and animals. Their shrines, carved sacred weirwood trees, can still be found throughout Westeros. Unfortunately, much about the Children of the Forest is left unknown, thanks to the humans who supplanted them.
What were the Children of the Forest capable of?
The First Men arrived in Westeros roughly 12,000 yearsbefore Robert Baratheon’s rebellion. They walked across a land bridge called the Arm of Dorne from the old continent. As soon as they arrived, they began harvesting the natural resources of the continent. They frequently destroyed the Children’s weirwood trees, sparking conflict with the locals. The First Men fought the Children of the Forest for more than 2000 years. Humans held the advantage in technology and physical size, but the Children had tricks up their sleeves. Some Children were born greenseers, innately capable of wielding fantastical mystical abilities. This unique source of magic allowed the Children to fight the humans to a standstill.
The greenseers were best known for their sight, which allowed them to perceive past, present, and future events in their dreams. Their connection to the Old Gods allowed them vast control over nature. Greenseers turned trees into warriors, raised armies of beasts, and marshaled their small forces into guerrilla armies. The greatest feat of the greenseers was called the Hammer of the Waters. With the combined power of hundreds of greenseers and countless human sacrifices, the sorcerers raised millions of gallons of water to destroythe Arm of Dorne. They later used the same tactic to flood the Neck, creating the swamp that remains in the area. Legends differ, but the greenseers could have had the power to destroy Westeros.
What happened to the Children of the Forest?
The Children of the Forest signed a peace treaty with humans after 2000 years of bloodshed, granting humanity access to the open lands and the Children ownership of the woods. Unfortunately,the White Walkers ofthe North invaded. The Children fought alongside humanity, driving back the invaders. The greenseer’s magic was said to help Bran the Builder construct the Wall. The White Walkers killed most of the Children, a loss from which the species would never recover. When the Andals arrived, they hunted the Children to near-extinction. The final few Children of the Forest fled, living beyond the Wall. Most historians would argue that the Children never existed. The Kingdom in the North believes theirworship of the Old Godscomes from the Children. Bran Stark would later meet the remaining Children in their home beyond the Wall.
The Children of the Forest are a fascinatingpart of Westeros' historythat has gone unacknowledged by most. These mighty sorcerers harken back to an earlier age of mystery and wonder. Fans may never learn the full story of the Children of the Forest, but they remain one of the most engaging aspects of the continent’s backstory.
