A legendary winter that lasted a generation, thousands of years before the events of the story. During the Long Night, the Others descended from the far north, bringing cold, darkness, and death. They were defeated in the War for the Dawn by the last hero (or Azor Ahai, depending on the tradition), after which Brandon the Builder raised the Wall to prevent their return. The Long Night is remembered in the histories of many cultures across the world, suggesting it was a global catastrophe.