The King Of Cooked Steak Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 I've never really understood the concept and how it works. Bran is definitely a warg, and so was Orell, but is this like a special gift? Or can anyone do it with training? Jon Snow can apparently do it, but why not Arya or Robb? Or any other Starks? Or anyone else in the world for that matter? Plus, how does it really work? Is warging taking over the body of a creature (or any other man as demonstrated with Hodor) and living through it, or verbally giving it commands? Because I've seen that when Bran warged once into Summer, who thought that an elk was prey, Bran kept telling him not to eat it, instead of Bran being the direwolf and just avoiding it. Could someone explain please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon's Queen Consort Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 GRRM said that all the Stark kids are wargs/skinchangers. But Bran is something way more powerful he is a greenseer. A warg/greenseer can *transfer* his consciousness into an animal and live in the animal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Trell Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Arya can warg. She wargs a cat while she was blind in Bravvos. When warging, I think you are the animal. But you still have to contend with the body' basic instincts. Some of which are almost impossible to overcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost's Shadow Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 In order for a person to even have a chance at having the ability to warg(wolves, direwolves)/skinchange, they need to have the blood of the First Men. Only 1 in 1000 (of that blood, then?) is a skinchanger, and only 1 in 1000 of those is a greenseer (the ones on the thrones seeing everything through the trees). Bran had an accident early on so he's ahead of the others, also because another greenseer, a dying one, needs to train him to take over. Bran helped Jon when that one was north of the Wall, and in the last book Jon was experiencing more dreams in Ghost, but he's not exactly actively seeking it out, yet. (I think he's not dead and the trauma he underwent means he's now in Ghost, but will get his body back and then he's ready to start his conscious training. His eye is open now.) Arya did in fact warg already. She dreams of being in Nymeria (dragged her mother out of the water), and has warged a cat. She, in contrary to Jon and Bran, though, doesn't know what that power is (the name for it). Robb possibly did have wolf dreams as well, as it helped him find a goat trail (was it) to guide his army through. He likely found it in Grey Wind. The other 2 Starks also have the gift (which is really odd because it's all the children in that generation - again, see 1/1000 rule), but Sansa lost her wolf early on so that way to develop the gift is gone - maybe she'll have another way, and Rickon hasn't been seen in ages. We do know that he made the bond with his direwolf as well since Rickon is a frightened little boy and Shaggydog acted on that fear (biting Luwin). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The King Of Cooked Steak Posted April 21, 2014 Author Share Posted April 21, 2014 In order for a person to even have a chance at having the ability to warg(wolves, direwolves)/skinchange, they need to have the blood of the First Men. Only 1 in 1000 (of that blood, then?) is a skinchanger, and only 1 in 1000 of those is a greenseer (the ones on the thrones seeing everything through the trees). Bran had an accident early on so he's ahead of the others, also because another greenseer, a dying one, needs to train him to take over. Bran helped Jon when that one was north of the Wall, and in the last book Jon was experiencing more dreams in Ghost, but he's not exactly actively seeking it out, yet. (I think he's not dead and the trauma he underwent means he's now in Ghost, but will get his body back and then he's ready to start his conscious training. His eye is open now.) Arya did in fact warg already. She dreams of being in Nymeria (dragged her mother out of the water), and has warged a cat. She, in contrary to Jon and Bran, though, doesn't know what that power is (the name for it). Robb possibly did have wolf dreams as well, as it helped him find a goat trail (was it) to guide his army through. He likely found it in Grey Wind. The other 2 Starks also have the gift (which is really odd because it's all the children in that generation - again, see 1/1000 rule), but Sansa lost her wolf early on so that way to develop the gift is gone - maybe she'll have another way, and Rickon hasn't been seen in ages. We do know that he made the bond with is direwolf as well since Rickon is a frightened little boy and Shaggydog acted on that fear (biting Luwin). Oh, OK I think I got it now. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan Seaworth Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 I agree the concept is confusing to me as well. I believe starts as a connection between the person and the animal they control, as the bond develops they I think the person gains more control and can use this to warg into others. Arya dreams of being a wolf in her dreams but I think that she is really improving her warg abilities and is seeing into her wolf. Sansa lost her direwolf early which means she has not had the chance to improve her warg abilities. Robb was to busy with a war to improve his warg abilities but Bran was crippled which has meant he has developed his abilities quicker than the others. As we do not know what is going on with Rickon so we do not know about him. I think we will learn more about warging in the next book through Jon being forced into Ghost ( what I believe will happen) and thus clear up your questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stannis Eats No Peaches Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 It's worth noting that a warg is a skinchanger who can bond with a wolf, so Orell was not a warg.Apparently the "warging" verb works for skinchangers too, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Reaver Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 In order for a person to even have a chance at having the ability to warg(wolves, direwolves)/skinchange, they need to have the blood of the First Men. Only 1 in 1000 (of that blood, then?) is a skinchanger, and only 1 in 1000 of those is a greenseer (the ones on the thrones seeing everything through the trees). Nope. The First Men blood theory is unsupported. As you yourself point out, BR states the chances are 1/1000, regardless of what "blood" you have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon's Queen Consort Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Nope. The First Men blood theory is unsupported. As you yourself point out, BR states the chances are 1/1000, regardless of what "blood" you have. Yet as far as we have seen only people with first men's blood are wargs. But please if you know better prove us wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dornish Whine Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 It's worth noting that a warg is a skinchanger who can bond with a wolf, so Orell was not a warg. Apparently the "warging" verb works for skinchangers too, however. A finer point, but I agree. I imagine that the only well known skinchangers south of the Wall were the Starks and they clearly have an affinity for wolves, so the terms became conflated there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King of Winters Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 It's worth noting that a warg is a skinchanger who can bond with a wolf, so Orell was not a warg.Apparently the "warging" verb works for skinchangers too, however.Yes, people get confused about wargs and skinchangers. Skinchangers enter the body of any animal (e.g eagles, bears) and wargs bond with a wolf/Direwolf. The warg bond is greater than that of a skinchanger, part of the wolf is in the human and part of the human is in the wolf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stannis Eats No Peaches Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Well, technically he could have been a warg, if he had chosen to bond with a wolf. Like Varamyr.But he hadn't, so he wasn't. To be honest, I'm not sure why there's a special word for wolf skinchangers. :dunno:Nope. The First Men blood theory is unsupported. As you yourself point out, BR states the chances are 1/1000, regardless of what "blood" you have.Does he say that? Do you have a quote? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bright Blue Eyes Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Apart from the fact that there is zero mention of anyone without the blood of the First Men who can skinchange. Apart from the fact that there shouldn't be a single person alive in Westeros, Essos, Sothyros and the Summer Islands who has no blood of the First Men. Now, if you were talking about faith or culture... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stannis Eats No Peaches Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Apart from the fact that there shouldn't be a single person alive in Westeros, Essos, Sothyros and the Summer Islands who has no blood of the First Men.That's a good point. Maybe mostly First Men blood?Yeah...no... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost's Shadow Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Perhaps it's linked with keeping the Old Gods. We don't know yet. What we do have is no names of people who aren't described of having First Men blood as skinchangers/wargs. Besides, I really doubt George thought it more through than that. (As in 'everyone has it'.) Does it mean that 'everyone' has dragon's blood, then? It's probably been said, but the way the Starks bonded over time with their direwolves is special. It is described as a marriage, so the animals are not forced into obeying, very much unlike what Varamyr Sixskins does with his animals. He doesn't bond bond, he forces them and the animals hate him for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dornish Whine Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 ... To be honest, I'm not sure why there's a special word for wolf... I think the term 'Warg' is just part of the fantasy lexicon and has long been used to signify intelligence in wolves starting with Norse Mythology, through Tolkien, and GRRM has adopted it as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bright Blue Eyes Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Why's that? Because intermarriage spread the "blood of the First Men" everywhere in the known world. For a real world parallel, every single European (and a whole bunch of other peope) currently alive is descended from Charlemagne, one guy living a mere 1200 years ago. Now picture an entire people and 12,000 years or whatever the true timeline is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The King Of Cooked Steak Posted April 21, 2014 Author Share Posted April 21, 2014 Apart from the fact that there shouldn't be a single person alive in Westeros, Essos, Sothyros and the Summer Islands who has no blood of the First Men. Now, if you were talking about faith or culture... Wait, didn't the First Men come to Westeros and after that the Andals came in and conquered the entire south region? But then again, you might have a point since the First Men came from Essos while the Andals did too. Still though, has GRRM or anyone heavily involved in the novels confirmed that skinchangers come from the First Men only? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stannis Eats No Peaches Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 I think the term 'Warg' is just part of the fantasy lexicon and has long been used to signify intelligence in wolves starting with Norse Mythology, through Tolkien, and GRRM has adopted it as well.Oh I know where it comes from, I just don't know what the point of it is in ASoIaF. :dunno: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Reaver Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Apart from the fact that there is zero mention of anyone without the blood of the First Men who can skinchange. Edit: compared to >10 people with the blood of the First Men who can. Correlation isn't causality. Those people have more than just "blood of the First Men" in common. Apart from the fact that there shouldn't be a single person alive in Westeros, Essos, Sothyros and the Summer Islands who has no blood of the First Men. Now, if you were talking about faith or culture... This. Perhaps it's linked with keeping the Old Gods. We don't know yet. Bingo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.