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Craster is a Wildling who lives north of the Wall, near to Castle Black. His homestead, which he calls a Keep, is used as a redoubt by the rangers of the Night's Watch. Craster himself was fathered by a member of the Night's Watch on a Wildling woman. When he was a child, she tried to give him to the Watch, but was driven away. By providing aid, shelter, and information to the Watch, he has become invaluable so they put up with his incest, rude remarks, and human sacrifice to the Others.

The "keep" is a daub and wattle hall made of logs and sod, surrounded by an earthen dike. The door is two flaps of deer hide, and only Craster has a chair, everyone else sits on benches. There are two levels inside. The night watch is allowed to sleep below around the fire pit with the dogs. Craster and his wives climb the ladders to the sleeping loft. In the yard is an midden heap, pigsty and empty sheep pen, as Craster has had to sacrifice the sheep ever since he ran out of male children and the deep cold is coming more frequently. Gilly sets up a rabbit hutch to try to breed rabbits as the sheep are gone.

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