Game of Thronesfeatures many unique cultural groups. Every notable assembly of humans grows and changes with the natural push and pull of environmental factors. The people of the North are stern and firm but rigorously respectful of hospitality because their land is as unforgiving as it is quietly noble. The Valemen among the Mountains of the Moon are proud, faithful warriors raised in the beautiful, fertile valley. The hill tribes and mountain clans outside the Vale are a different breed.
The Seven Kingdoms offer a mixed deal. Thesmallfolk of Westerosenjoy protection, some local services, cultural interaction, places of worship, and limited social mobility. In exchange, they’re consistently subjugated under the whims of frequently cruel, entitled, or unhinged monarchs. It’s a deal most civilians are barely willing to take. The woods, the wall, and the hills offer refuge for those who grow tired of their appointed leaders.
Who are the Hill Tribes?
The hill tribes, sometimes called the Vale mountain clans, are bands of barbarians who live, fight, and die in the Mountains of the Moon. Above the Vale of Arryn, these loose groups survive the brutal winters and limited oxygen to enjoy freedom. They’re a stunningly long-lived reminder of ancient times.Some 12,000 years beforethe story begins, the First Men crossed the land bridge from Essos to Westeros. After several generations, the Andals attacked to force their religious beliefs on the First Men. Their invasion wiped out most First Men by violence or interbreeding. The people of the hill tribes fled into the mountains rather than lose theirculture to the Andals. Thousands of years later, they retain their claim to the mountain paths and the high road. They maintain that land through unaccountable violence.
The hill tribes' culture is a mixed bag. They’re one of the very few democraticassemblies in Westeros. The Seven Kingdoms united under Aegon the Conqueror suffer through one awful king after another, all governed by a genetic lottery. The hill tribes select their leaders, even recognizing the contributions of women. They’re purely egalitarian, prizing a member’s capacity for violence above all else. There’s not much proper hunting in the mountains. Food is scarce, and their methods are outdated. The hill tribes have a grudge against the Valemen, who allowed themselves to become Andals. They survive through raiding and pillaging settlements in the valley. Though armed with stone and wooden weapons, they escape the Vale’s guards. The hill tribes are organized into clans, many of whom hate each other. Bonds within clans can be unbreakable. Some bloodlines see each other as allies. Their lives are short and harsh. The hill tribes are a constant problem for the Vale, sometimes even killing kings in the region. Despite the Vale’s best efforts, the mountain clans cannot be dealt with.Catelyn Stark sums uptheir relationship with the Vale like this:
The mountain clans were lawless brigands, descending from the heights to rob and kill and melting away like snow whenever the knights rode out from the Vale in search of them.
Known Mountain Clans
Fans meet the hill tribesthrough Tyrion Lannister’seyes. Tyrion hires several hill tribe warriors to guard him and fight for the Lannisters. He promises them the steel weapons and siege engines they’d need to take the Vale. While navigating their unique lifestyle, he has to feed, arm, and shelter them without instigating their long-lived conflicts. He works primarily with four tribes, but the books mention ten. Some come with details, but three have nothing more than names:
The hill tribes are barbarians in the historical sense. Their quest for freedom clashes with their desire to take thekingdom they once occupied. The Vale mountain clans have some excellent ideas, but their commitment to violence, conquest, and pillaging makes them a menace to their neighbors. Like the wildlings beyond the Wall, the hill tribes are a fascinating example of life outside the Seven Kingdoms.
