Gerion Lannister

[A wilding]

Search is your friend. Take a look at these threads.

Gerion Lannister, The Sailor's Wife, and the House of the Undying, Once upon a re-read

Where ever whores go, What happened to Tysha (Tyrion's first wife)

[pixieil]

I think Gerion will turn up because of Quaiths prophecy telling Danaerys not to trust the lion. I believe that you are supposed to think she is being warned about Tyrion, but GRRM has always portrayed Tyrion as remarkably trustworthy (as long as it doesn't impair his self preservation);whenever he says he will do something he makes every effort to do so.Therefore I think there must be another lion lurking in the murk. Of course this might be a reference to Cersei who may offer a 'deal" at some point. I just don't think it's Tyrion and I think Gerion is a likely suspect.

[Goblonaut]

Didn't Tyrion IV or Tyrion V reveal something about some king in the sorrows infected by greyscale, called Gerion?

Edit. That was Garin, and greyscale in the sorrows was called the Garins Curse. And the mists around The Sorrows is ruled by the Shrouded Lord, who is thought to be either Gerion, some corsair from the basilisks, or a statue woken up by a grey woman from the fog.

- Tyrion V p. 234-235

Ps. Someone should add those to the wiki, or tell me how to write articles myself in the wiki.

[Eggplant Wizard]

I'd like to find out what happened to him for sure but I think the bigger mystery for the reader is Valarya and the Doom. What do we really know about that section of the world other than it's like the Bermuda Triangle of Westeros?

[The Shy Wolf]

It would be cool if while he was there, he found out the secret of forging Valyrian steel.

[Great Other]

Gerion is,actually,a meaningless character until now.Just a Lannister who taught Tyrion how to walk on his hands and got lost on his search for Brightroar.My opinion:GRRM didn't need Gerion to teach Tyrion how to walk on his hands or to mention that Lannisters had a sword called Brightroar,concluding that...Gerion is part of some future plan.Maybe in The Winds of Winter we will know more about Gerion and Brightroar,but surely he's got smth to do with Tyrek.Tyrek is also meaningless...just a child married to a suckling babe to take a small piece of land...it is a character who we "don't need" in the books.Clearly,Gerion is alive and planning something.As far as I know,there is nothing meaningless or useless in ASoIaF,though it may seem so.

[1234567]

Did anyone notice that one of the whores in Braavos is called "Lanna" and she has long, golden hair. There have been instances where a child is named "Barra" (Baratheon) or "Lanna" (Lannister) to either honor or recognize one of the noble houses. Barra, for instance, was one of Robert's bastards. So, is there a connection between Lanna's parentage and the long, lost Lannister brothers?

Eh there is a theory that Lanna is Tyrion's daughter by the Sailor's Wife, who is Tysha.

[Lord Barristan]

Ever since the first book, Gerion Lannister was listed in the appendix as "lost at sea" so I have a feeling he will appear... There is no reason to have created a character other than to introduce him later

With Tywin and Kevan out of the game, maybe another lannisteer brother will return

[GreenHand]

What sort of fellow he was,...

I would love to hear more about Gerion.

I featured him as a character in one of my mafia games as a crazy pirate captain. It's not SO far from the truth, I hope.

A wiki of ice and fire points us to Jaime in chapter 32 of AFFC & Tyrion VIII in ADWD.

Gerion was NOT a Tywin like Kevan (I prefer the tempered Kevan). We are told of Gerion's academia, frivolity and talent for making people laugh. Even his ship was named the 'Laughing Lion'. We hear that Gerion mocked and opted out of the "games" Tywin played and overshadowed in. He didn't even try to compete. Add to that his bastard daughter Joy Hill and we may consider him a little more happy go lucky than the disciplined Tywin & Kevan.

Even though Tyrion is rooted in his fathers pragmatic cunning and pride his manner and deeper sentiments are those of a Gerion. Gerion backed and cheered Tyrion reciting historical facts and taught him to tumble. They shared academic hunger and wit and light hearted enjoyment.

What kind of force he took with him (just a crew, or any knights or men-at-arms), ...

Maybe even some idea of how far he got....

We are told specifically that Tywin sent out investigators who confirmed that he mad it as far as Volantis (the furthest Free City, closest to Old Valyria). However due to the fabled dangers of the smoking sea his crew deserted him and he was forced to hire slaves to man his ship. He was never heard of again.

... why he went adventuring

While he probably did feel a fair amount of Lannister pride (how can that NOT rub off growing up in Casterly Rock?) and that he did want to find Brightroar, I doubt those were his prime motivators. We know he was not martial and more fun-loving and academic. It's evident that he books 'Wonders' and 'Wonders Made by Men' (by Lomas Longstrider) given by Uncle Gerion made a formative impression on Tyrion. Likely they made an impact on Gerion also. It also, in conjunction with everything else, tells me he was really just looking for a reason to see the world and its wonders. Adventure for Wonder and Adventure. He may also have had enough of Tywin and the Body Politic.

While it is clear that he did in fact pursue the sword (or at least mysterious Valyria), I suspect it was also the only pretext Tywin would have deemed sufficient for him to sanction Gerion's departure and the sizable expense of the expedition. We have seen how dismissive Tywin was of Tyrions travel aspirations even though he was given no other role of import before the War of Five Kings. He had to slip in a peak at the Wall on the back of a Royal visit to Winterfell. We also know just how much Tywin covets a Valyrian Blade. It's just the pretext Gerion would have known Tywin would jump at.

Wouldn´t it be a BIT more plausible for the corsair king to be Euron Crow´s Eye?

Given the above I entirely agree. Euron is the better fit. I'm not sure on this (correct me) but didn't Euron command a number of ships beyond his Silence, making "Corsair KING" a better fit than "Corsair CAPTAIN".

Gerion isn't actually a hardened military man or implacable raider. He's more of a scholar, explorer and jester/courtier. ...with much gold and big dreams.

Since Gerion was missing for a very long time he is most probable long dead unless he has some unknown reason to hide from everyone. If he was captured by somebody them they would go for ransom.

I disagree.

He is younger than Tywin who has been set to live a good while onward.

While he may have died he could easily just be stranded or captured. If his ship was wrecked or captured (with all of his gold on board), and his crew (bearing him no particular loyalty) scattered or captured, he would have no way of getting back. We have seen how long and torturous the land between cities from Dany on the Red Wastes. We also saw how difficult and expensive it can be to get a sea passage from Volantis or Slaver's bay let alone Valyria in the feared Smoking Sea where few sailors dare go or wish to linger in if they do.Between Valyria and Volantis by land is the equally feared Demon Road. Penniless, followerless and just scraping by he may have forgotten home.

He have just carved out a new life for himself there. Perhaps he didn't feel like he had much to go back to in Westeros. He had no taste for position or prestige mocking the games of lords. I loved learning and there are wonders aplenty in Essos. Perhaps he didn't settle on purpose. As he bided his time working on a plan months stretched to years and years faded into decades.

---

It is unlikely that Gerion would have been ransomed. Even if the had heard of the Lannisters Westeros is far far away, and his claims may not have been believed. It also is unlikely Gerion would have been recognized. His slave crew were all strangers to him by that time. Perhaps he survived by in fact staying under the radar.

---

I doubt the smoking sea off Valyria is necessarily as treacherous as his deserters suggest. The Volantis fleet seems comfortable to sail through towards Meereen without alarm or caution. The Windblown sellsword company also arrive at Meereen (between Astapor and the land route/road) via Astapor (south of Meereen) and so probably took a ship there through the smoking sea without complaint.

--

I think that it is very plausible that Euron preyed upon Gerion's Laughing Lion, perhaps capturing or marooning Gerion. Due to the superstitions Euron's Silence may have been one of the very few ships prowling the Smoking Sea and the Laughing Lion was probably plumb and wealthy as befits a Lannister, irresistible pickings manned only by what slaves Gerion could get.

[Oberyn Sand]

I suppose Gerion must have a place in the books other than teaching Tyrion an aspect of mummery. I don't believe it's necessary myself, but it is plausible to say the very least. If including Gerion in the story later on means more Valyria, then why not? If it's just more convolution, I could live without it.

[Chalais]

Maybe GRRM plans to do a short story about Gerion Lannister and his ill-fated (in my opinion anyway) voyage to find a replacement for Brightroar...

It would let us see Valyria, which I doubt we will in the book, since Tyrion said "This is as far east as I will ever go" when he was at Meeren, I think that was GRRM talking to us through him.

[keyito7]

I'm not sure if it was Gerion, but I thought i read where someone was talking about their family member and they sailed west of westeros to never be seen again...does anyone remember?

[Catastrophe]

That was Brandon the Shipwright, one of the ancient Starks. He was mentioned in one of Bran's POV chapters.

[The Drunkard]

I don't really see Gerion playing a major role in the series, but I wouldn't object to him having a short story written about him. Then again, George likes to mess with my head, so for all I know Gerion may end up king of the Others.

[Archmaester Marwin]

I hope none of you are expecting George R.R. Martin to tie up every loose end he creates. Only disappointment more sour than a flea bottom vintage lies down the path of that expectation. That said, Gerion has a lot of potential.

[Fire Eater]

I agree with the theory that the new corsair king is Gerion Lannister. What if Tywin paid the sailors on the Laughing Lion to throw Gerion overboard, so as he would cause no more shame for House Lannister?

[fluffywarthog]

I'd doubt that we'll see Gerion again. Lots of nobles throughout history had an excess of money, men, and delusions of grandeur, and it didn't take a Crusade to make a bored young lord fill a ship with soldiers and cash, and go off adventuring, never to return. I think he mostly serves as an indication of what kind of leadership brought House Lannister to it's sad state before Tywin finally came into his inheritance.

The Lannisters had a lot of money, credit, and fame; the bigger a major house or family, the longer it would take for them to realize how broke and ruined they were. See also, Viserys Targaryen. Most noble famiies that found themselves in this situation didn't have a Tywin to bring them back from destitution. It just goes to show exactly how severe House Lannister's ruin was that Tywin decided to call in his debts so ruthlessly and quickly.

More common in European history was a steady decline of houses great and small, with newer, more modern bourgeois families buying out the lands and titles of failed, bankrupt ones, much like Lann the Trickster got the Rock away from the ancient-but-stupid House Casterly. The Crusades were a good example of some of the earliest signs of this trend; firstborn heirs and heads of families (Richard I of England, most obviously) would take their soldiers, vassals, and gold off on a great voyage of conquest and chivalry, and if they ever returned, often found their lands parceled off to their own tenants in light of their own absenteeism.

[ForeverBallin]

There are some instances in the series where Martin's foreshadowing is enough to tell you that something will happen. I believe this is one of them. Gerion is the kindest to Tyrion when he is a boy> Gerion goes on the Laughing Lion to recover Brightroar in Valyria> Gerion is never heard from again> Tyrion is fatefully sent across the Narrow Sea to Pentos> Fatefully sent to Volantis> Fatefully enslaved (I've only read up to half of A Dance with Dragons). I think based on these events Martin means to lead Tyrion to Gerion or his fate. Then again, it's one of those events in the book that are foreshadowed by a thread, so that the truth may be another thing entirely, like Syrio Forel's fate.

[ForeverBallin]

I don't really see Gerion playing a major role in the series, but I wouldn't object to him having a short story written about him. Then again, George likes to mess with my head, so for all I know Gerion may end up king of the Others.

Who knows. We all thought Prince Aegon VI was dead. Were there any hints otherwise up until Griff?

[Son of Jon Snarkgaryen]

Gerion Lannister is the corsair king mentioned when Dany is buying unsullied in Astapor or wherever. It is known.

This is actually very similar to a theory I had a while back, if we're talking about the same passage from the books. Euron was already on the Iron Islands by this point, so it couldn't have been him. I've been wanting to see Gerion for a long time as well.