The truce between the First Men and Children of the Forest (The Pact) marked the end of the Dawn Age and the beginning of the Age of Heroes. A hundred kingdoms rose and fell. This was a rugged time where many ancient traditions and legacies forged by the First Men were established. Many of these customs live on among the lords of the North, who still bear the blood of the First Men in their veins. The laws of hospitality, the obligation of a judge to also be the executioner, and the renowned Wall are all accredited to these ancestors of the northmen — even the barrows of the First Men can still be found throughout the North. This was the time when many legendary kings and heroes walked the earth: Brandon the Builder, the Grey King, Serwyn of the Mirror Shield, and so forth.