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Let's pretend that you were a commoner, and winter has come...


death to all

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Let's say you were a commoner and earned a pretty good living. Winter has arrived and you have prepared for the long cold season, but the war in other regions hasn't died down much and worst yet, you hear that the Wall has collapsed and strange creatures of all manner were flooding into the Seven Kingdoms. You pack up all your essential items and take as much food as you can carry and decide to leave your home in hopes of finding a safer place to hide. Where would you go to hide and why?



My first choice would have been a boat to Essos, perhaps hide in a place in the Free Ciites. But considering the rumors and news I hear of a batshit and murderous dragon queen heading west, the Free Cities might not be that safe either.



My second choice would be the Vale. It's the only region, that for the most part remained neutral in the chaos that ensued during the War of the Five KIngs. I would hope that the Others wouldn't be interested in climbing mountains. I think I'd try to find a nice high mountain/cave to hide in until the winter passes. If the Mountain Clans bother me, I'll share my stuff with them so they won't kill me. We've seen Tyrion negotiate with them, so it can't be too hard.



I think maybe if we got to learn more about Yi Ti, I would consider traveling there. When Europe was in the Middle Ages, China was thriving. It could be the same case here.


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What kind of commoner? A yeoman, a merchant/artisan, a sellsword, a man at arms?



'Cause a yeoman is pretty much stuck on his farm and a man-at-arms is an employee, so you're likely gonna stay in the workplace. As a merchant or artisan you'd probably want to head to Pentos or Braavos ASAP. As a sellsword you'd probably want to become a man-at-arms for whatever retinue had food and money and looked like it got a chance to win.


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Let's say you were a commoner and earned a pretty good living. Winter has arrived and you have prepared for the long cold season, but the war in other regions hasn't died down much and worst yet, you hear that the Wall has collapsed and strange creatures of all manner were flooding into the Seven Kingdoms. You pack up all your essential items and take as much food as you can carry and decide to leave your home in hopes of finding a safer place to hide. Where would you go to hide and why?

My first choice would have been a boat to Essos, perhaps hide in a place in the Free Ciites. But considering the rumors and news I hear of a batshit and murderous dragon queen heading west, the Free Cities might not be that safe either.

My second choice would be the Vale. It's the only region, that for the most part remained neutral in the chaos that ensued during the War of the Five KIngs. I would hope that the Others wouldn't be interested in climbing mountains. I think I'd try to find a nice high mountain/cave to hide in until the winter passes. If the Mountain Clans bother me, I'll share my stuff with them so they won't kill me. We've seen Tyrion negotiate with them, so it can't be too hard.

I think maybe if we got to learn more about Yi Ti, I would consider traveling there. When Europe was in the Middle Ages, China was thriving. It could be the same case here.

interesting idea but i don't think many people in the middle ages thought of moving for safety. bright blue eyes hit on it, they'd fear being robbed and more than likely would have been.

even in modern times, people living in areas that are close to the war zones don't leave until they're forced to.

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interesting idea but i don't think many people in the middle ages thought of moving for safety. bright blue eyes hit on it, they'd fear being robbed and more than likely would have been.

even in modern times, people living in areas that are close to the war zones don't leave until they're forced to.

It's less about being robbed, more about abandoning their livelihood. Transporting it is impossible for 99.99% of the population.

Even transporting enough food for two weeks is somewhere between difficult and impossible.

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Getting my chickens together for a long winter, because I've got to make them last 5-7 years and they won't lay when it's cold. You know nothing, GRRM



Stocking up on my hay, making sure that the byres and barns are in good repair. Smoking sausages, drying meat, drying herbs and veggies and fruits, if I have access to sugar or honey, using those to help preserve things.



Now making sure that my animals that only breed in fall like goats and sheep are bred, You know nothing, GRRM, and slaughtering every animal that I won't absolutely need. If I'm wealthy enough to own a horse or two, they need to be kept alive at all costs even above my children. Because I can always have more children but horses are expensive. Keep a milch cow or two, goats eat less and can survive on twigs while cows can't, so goat herd stays in tact for now. Make sure that the pigs are kept out of the drafts. Card the wool so that we can spin and weave to make warm cloth during the long cold days.



Plant some cabbages and radishes because they can tolerate the cold. The carrots and turnips can stay in the ground for now because we eat the roots and the frozen ground will actually keep them fresh. If the snow falls, before the ground freezes, go out and plow the field one last time--it gets nitrogen in the soil. Start tanning the hides of the animals we slaughtered and gather some acorns for that. Extra acorns can feed the pigs.



Laugh at Stannis' army as it marches by


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Let's say you were a commoner and earned a pretty good living. Winter has arrived and you have prepared for the long cold season, but the war in other regions hasn't died down much and worst yet, you hear that the Wall has collapsed and strange creatures of all manner were flooding into the Seven Kingdoms. You pack up all your essential items and take as much food as you can carry and decide to leave your home in hopes of finding a safer place to hide. Where would you go to hide and why?

My first choice would have been a boat to Essos, perhaps hide in a place in the Free Ciites. But considering the rumors and news I hear of a batshit and murderous dragon queen heading west, the Free Cities might not be that safe either.

My second choice would be the Vale. It's the only region, that for the most part remained neutral in the chaos that ensued during the War of the Five KIngs. I would hope that the Others wouldn't be interested in climbing mountains. I think I'd try to find a nice high mountain/cave to hide in until the winter passes. If the Mountain Clans bother me, I'll share my stuff with them so they won't kill me. We've seen Tyrion negotiate with them, so it can't be too hard.

I think maybe if we got to learn more about Yi Ti, I would consider traveling there. When Europe was in the Middle Ages, China was thriving. It could be the same case here.

I don't think your prospects would be very good. A sort of nuclear winter is descending on Westeros, so food will be scarce. Various factions are fighting for the IT, with scant regard for the Smallfolk. And, the Others will be pushing South.

Dany in TWOW will be leading a horde of Dothraki, freedmen, sellswords, and Ironborn Westwards. They'll be burning, pillaging, taking captives, as they come. Slave revolts will hit the free cities, even as thousands

of refugees pour into them, desperate to escape from Dany's armies. So, Essos is out of the question.

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Getting my chickens together for a long winter, because I've got to make them last 5-7 years and they won't lay when it's cold. You know nothing, GRRM

Stocking up on my hay, making sure that the byres and barns are in good repair. Smoking sausages, drying meat, drying herbs and veggies and fruits, if I have access to sugar or honey, using those to help preserve things.

Now making sure that my animals that only breed in fall like goats and sheep are bred, You know nothing, GRRM, and slaughtering every animal that I won't absolutely need. If I'm wealthy enough to own a horse or two, they need to be kept alive at all costs even above my children. Because I can always have more children but horses are expensive. Keep a milch cow or two, goats eat less and can survive on twigs while cows can't, so goat herd stays in tact for now. Make sure that the pigs are kept out of the drafts. Card the wool so that we can spin and weave to make warm cloth during the long cold days.

Plant some cabbages and radishes because they can tolerate the cold. The carrots and turnips can stay in the ground for now because we eat the roots and the frozen ground will actually keep them fresh. If the snow falls, before the ground freezes, go out and plow the field one last time--it gets nitrogen in the soil. Start tanning the hides of the animals we slaughtered and gather some acorns for that. Extra acorns can feed the pigs.

Laugh at Stannis' army as it marches by

But how you gonna defend yourself ? It would be a shame if someone kills you and steals all of your food.

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What kind of commoner? A yeoman, a merchant/artisan, a sellsword, a man at arms?

'Cause a yeoman is pretty much stuck on his farm and a man-at-arms is an employee, so you're likely gonna stay in the workplace. As a merchant or artisan you'd probably want to head to Pentos or Braavos ASAP. As a sellsword you'd probably want to become a man-at-arms for whatever retinue had food and money and looked like it got a chance to win.

Any commoner really as long as you earn well. Let's say you're a farmer with a very good harvest that sold well and you have enough money to travel somewhere and survive for while on it. Or you're an blacksmith and you also have great sales. Or you sell fabrics which sold out due to the winter. You get the idea.

interesting idea but i don't think many people in the middle ages thought of moving for safety. bright blue eyes hit on it, they'd fear being robbed and more than likely would have been.

even in modern times, people living in areas that are close to the war zones don't leave until they're forced to.

Fair enough, but would you remain in your home under threat of an Other invasion? Like say you were living along the coast of the Bay of Seals, and the Others come right your way. Would you still remain there?

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Any commoner really as long as you earn well. Let's say you're a farmer with a very good harvest that sold well and you have enough money to travel somewhere and survive for while on it. Or you're an blacksmith and you also have great sales. Or you sell fabrics which sold out due to the winter. You get the idea.

Fair enough, but would you remain in your home under threat of an Other invasion? Like say you were living along the coast of the Bay of Seals, and the Others come right your way. Would you still remain there?

Harvest sold? Since when is harvest sold? It's needed to feed yourself. That applies to the blacksmith and the weaver as well, subsistence economy and all that. You won't have anough cash ever, your money is tied into your farm, or your shop, your livestock, your harvest, your tools, nothing of it transportable.

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Excess harvest could be sold. That's what a lot of lords in the Middle Ages and Antebellum South gov't would take instead of taxes: produce.



For a spinner in the old days, all you would need is a stick with a hook carved at the end. Spinning wheels were a MUCH later invention. A good spinner armed only with a simply spindle can churn out fabric even from weeds like nettles or shed hair from dogs and rabbits.


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It's so curious: I find that going to the House of Black and White would the solution for every problem one might encounter. If I were stuck in Westeros, without a dragon, the temple would be my first choice (regardless of the social status).



Eta: would be*


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