Video: History and Lore, “The Children of the Forest vs. the First Men”

The first History and Lore short from the Game of Thrones Season 6 home boxset has been released to Io9, and it focuses on war between the Children of the Forest and the First Men.

Probably one of the most fascinating glimpses into the past the show has given us, other than the shots of Jaime facing down the Mad King in his throne room back in the day, we saw a little something of this war in “The Door,” when Bran went back in time and watched a group of children creating the first White Walker. Now, the boxset is taking a deeper dive into that story.

The History and Lore segments that come with every Blu-ray boxset are, in my opinion, the best argument for getting the Blu-ray version rather than the DVDs. Westeros has a very rich past, and these animated shorts are a way the production can give show-only fans a glimpse of the complexity book-readers get from the page. Naturally, this one is narrated by Max von Sydow (the Three-Eyed Raven).

Check it out:

This, of course, is not the only short we’ll get with the Season 6 boxset. Also included are:

• The Old Way: narrated by Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbæk)
• The Kingsmoot: narrated by Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbæk)
• The Sunset Sea: narrated by Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbæk)
• War of the Ninepenny Kings: narrated by Brother Ray (Ian McShane)
• The Great Tourney at Harrenhal: narrated by Meera Reed (Ellie Kendrick)
• Robert’s Rebellion: narrated by Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau)
• Vaes Dothrak: narrated by Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen)
• The Dothraki: narrated by Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen)
• Northern Allegiances to House Stark: narrated by Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner)
• Brotherhood Without Banners: narrated by Thoros of Myr (Paul Kaye)
• Oldtown: narrated by Grand Maester Pycelle (Julian Glover) and Qyburn (Anton Lesser)
• House Dayne: narrated by Young Ned Stark (Robert Aramayo)
• The Little Birds: narrated by Lord Varys (Conleth Hill)
• Knights of the Vale: narrated by Petyr ‘Littlefinger’ Baelish (Aidan Gillen)
• House Tarly: narrated by Randyll Tarly (James Faulkner)
• Riverrun: narrated by Brynden ‘the Blackfish’ Tully (Clive Russell)
• Great Sept of Baelor: narrated by the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce)

The boxset comes out far earlier this year than usual. Instead of having to wait until February or March, it arrives on November 15th, which means that at least one of my relations has solved their holiday gift to me come December.