Prior to these events, though, it was widely assumed both groups were extinct. The Giants are simple, solitary creatures, while the Children of the Forest are more mysterious. The Children were known to use obsidian (also known as dragonglass) weapons and possessed considerable magic abilities. Stories passed down through generations suggest the Children could warg, communicate across great distances, see through the eyes of carved weirwood trees, and even witness events long past or yet to come. It certainly seems possible, in light of recent events, that some or all of these abilities are present in some humans like the Three-Eyed Raven, Bran Stark, and Jojen Reed.

The Arrival of the First Men

Somewhere between 8 and 12 thousand years ago a race of men crossed the then-intact land bridge connecting Dorne to Essos and began settling in Westeros. As they settled further north, this group, known as the First Men, began to war with the Children of the Forest. As the war turned against the Children, they gathered at Moat Cailin (under control of the Reeds) and used their magic to summon great floods, breaking the aforementioned land bridge and flooding the area they were in, known as the Neck. Unfortunately for them, it wasn't enough to stem the tide of the First Men and turn the war in their favor; ultimately, they signed a pact on the isle in the center of the God's Eye (just south of Harrenhal). In exchange for the lands of Westeros, the First Men promised to stop cutting down weirwoods.