Source of conflict in the Vale

[unSonofStannis]

What is the source of conflict between the hill tribes and the Lords of the Vale? Could it have something to do with the Long Night? Because the words of House Royce are "We Remember" and the words of the Tollets are "When all is darkest". So those are obvious references to the Long Night and could the conflict between the hill tribes and the Lords of the Vale stem from the Long Night? Maybe they were on opposites sides in the war and that's why they're at odds to this day they just don't remember why they're fighting.

[Stannis Iron Baratheon]

I think it is the same with the wildlings beyond the wall and the northmen. Hill tribesmen want to be "free" and unruled and they divide. The hill tribesmen resort to raiding and killing vale men to survive and remain free and each fiht for control of the vale.

[assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar]

I think that might be stretching it a wee bit. I just read it as the hill tribes being of much lesser standing than the Vale lords (probably just a step or two above wildlings) and resenting the political and economic power wielded by them. Somewhat of an Occam Razor's solution and why Tyrion's offer to support them in their rebellions against the Eyrie was so attractive.

[Kernest]

I don't think we know enough of the facts to make assumptions like that, most likely it's just that the Knights of the Vale keep killing the tribesmen, who in turn are trying to raid the smallfolk of the Vale for some wealth...

But I have to admit I find the hilltribes rather interesting bunch of people, since to our knowledge the only group similar to them south of the Wall are the northern clansmen, who live scattered around the northernmost parts of the vast North, but the hilltribes live in the much more densely populated Vale, the only explanation for that is that there are parts of the Vale where the King's law doesn't apply...

[Contemplative Brother]

Interesting theory. Could be. I always assumed that the clans of the Mountains of the Moon were the descendants of the First Men who got kicked out of the Vale when the Andals invaded. While some noble houses in the Vale have the blood of the First Men (like the Royces), isn’t it stated in the books that the Arryns are one of the purest lines of Andal nobility?

I kind of assumed the mountains clans were the descendants of the people who lost to the Andals.

[sansa's sworn sword]

Interesting theory. Could be. I always assumed that the clans of the Mountains of the Moon were the descendants of the First Men who got kicked out of the Vale when the Andals invaded. While some noble houses in the Vale have the blood of the First Men (like the Royces), isn’t it stated in the books that the Arryns are one of the purest lines of Andal nobility?

I kind of assumed the mountains clans were the descendants of the people who lost to the Andals.

:agree:

[unSonofStannis]

Interesting theory. Could be. I always assumed that the clans of the Mountains of the Moon were the descendants of the First Men who got kicked out of the Vale when the Andals invaded. While some noble houses in the Vale have the blood of the First Men (like the Royces), isn’t it stated in the books that the Arryns are one of the purest lines of Andal nobility?

I kind of assumed the mountains clans were the descendants of the people who lost to the Andals.

It is.

[Fire Eater]

Interesting theory. Could be. I always assumed that the clans of the Mountains of the Moon were the descendants of the First Men who got kicked out of the Vale when the Andals invaded. While some noble houses in the Vale have the blood of the First Men (like the Royces), isn’t it stated in the books that the Arryns are one of the purest lines of Andal nobility?

I kind of assumed the mountains clans were the descendants of the people who lost to the Andals.

That's exactly what I think. The mountain clans are descended form noble houses of the First Men who refused set aside the Old Gods for the Seven and swear fealty to the Arryns as their kings. The names of some the clans could have been the sigils of their houses. When they were kicked out of the Vale, they decided to wage guerilla warfare in the mountains against the Andals, and they stole at first to survive. The centuries of raiding had a deleterious effect on the clans; the descendants continuing the mission of their forebears.

[Lion of Judah]

The Andals defeated the Mountain kings who were First Men, I strongly believe that the Mountain Clans are descendants of those Mountain kings and the grudge just passed on from generation to generation.

[Djinn]

Mountain version of the ironborn.