What is lurking in the crypts of Winterfell?

[The Fourth Head]

:agree:

what artefact could possibly be in the crypts of Winterfell that proves Lyanna is Jon's mother?

[Addam of Hull]

what artefact could possibly be in the crypts of Winterfell that proves Lyanna is Jon's mother?

I think the most commonly claimed artifacts are either a Targaryen wedding cloak or the ancient crown of the King of Winter. There's also the possibility of a letter, I guess, written likely by Ned, but possibly by Lyanna.

Of course, I don't think it's really meant to be the kind of hard evidence we're used to, but rather something of more significant personal meaning. My bet is on the crown Torrhen surrendered to Aegon. That's a decidedly Stark symbol and something that's fairly appropriate for the momentum of Jon's overarching story.

[Dagon]

I'm just relieved no one said the 9/11 Victim Relief Fund.

But pretty much evidence of Jon's parentage, which I'm guessing is why he dreams of it.

[Ygrain]

I think the most commonly claimed artifacts are either a Targaryen wedding cloak or the ancient crown of the King of Winter. There's also the possibility of a letter, I guess, written likely by Ned, but possibly by Lyanna.

Of course, I don't think it's really meant to be the kind of hard evidence we're used to, but rather something of more significant personal meaning. My bet is on the crown Torrhen surrendered to Aegon. That's a decidedly Stark symbol and something that's fairly appropriate for the momentum of Jon's overarching story.

A dragon egg or some kind of written testimony signed by Rhaegar, Arhtur Dayne and Whent that R+L were married are also on top of the list.

As to Summer's behaviour on that particular day when Hodor refused to descend into the crypts and which GRRM labels as a unique occasion:

The mention of dreams reminded him. “I dreamed about the crow again last night. The one with three eyes. He flew into my bedchamber and told me to come with him, so I did. We went down to the crypts. Father was there, and we talked. He was sad.”

“And why was that?” Luwin peered through his tube.

“It was something to do about Jon, I think.” The dream had been deeply disturbing, more so than any of the other crow dreams. “Hodor won’t go down into the crypts.”

The maester had only been half listening, Bran could tell. He lifted his eye from the tube, blinking. “Hodor won’t …?”

“Go down into the crypts. When I woke, I told him to take me down, to see if Father was truly there. At first he didn’t know what I was saying, but I got him to the steps by telling him to go here and go there, only then he wouldn’t go down. He just stood on the top step and said ‘Hodor,’ like he was scared of the dark, but I had a torch."

The vault was cavernous, longer than Winterfell itself, and Jon had told him once that there were other levels underneath, vaults even deeper and darker where the older kings were buried. It would not do to lose the light. Summer refused to move from the steps, even when Osha followed the torch, Bran in her arms.

Bran could not recall the last time he had been in the crypts. It had been before, for certain. When he was little, he used to play down here with Robb and Jon and his sisters. He wished they were here now; the vault might not have seemed so dark and scary. Summer stalked out in the echoing gloom, then stopped, lifted his head, and sniffed the chill dead air. He bared his teeth and crept backward, eyes glowing golden in the light of the maester’s torch. Even Osha, hard as old iron, seemed uncomfortable.

“You let my father be,” Rickon warned Luwin. “You let him be.”

“Rickon,” Bran said softly. “Father’s not here.”

“Yes he is. I saw him.” Tears glistened on Rickon’s face. “I saw him last night.”

Summer's behaviour mirrors Hodor's neither is willing to go down, and neither is mentioned as refusing to go down before or after, and that particular instant is right after both Bran and Rickon dream of Ned in the crypts. A truly astonishing coincidence.

[Ser Creighton]

The crypts usually remind me of the tunnels of the COTF, and I tend to wonder if they are connected. Most notably the caved in section of the crypts. At the very least I figure it's an alternate entrance into Winterfell.

What is in the crypts? Jon's mother, but what is in her crypt I do not know. Jon would have to know she is his mother before anything in there could tie him to Rhaegar. And if she is his mother he doesn't really need much to make the Rhaegar connection as it is rather obvious at that point.

[The Mother of The Others]

That was really thinking ahead when they carved out room for layers and layers of crypts from the start. I wouldn't have dug deep enough and the family would have ran out of crypt space for new burial plots like 12 generations ago. There's probably some stink lurking down there.

[Fat King Robert]

That was really thinking ahead when they carved out room for layers and layers of crypts from the start. I wouldn't have dug deep enough and the family would have ran out of crypt space for new burial plots like 12 generations ago. There's probably some stink lurking down there.

It's Varys' member. Also known as "The Great Other".

[Ice and fire freak]

A dragon egg or some kind of written testimony signed by Rhaegar, Arhtur Dayne and Whent that R+L were married are also on top of the list.

As to Summer's behaviour on that particular day when Hodor refused to descend into the crypts and which GRRM labels as a unique occasion:

The mention of dreams reminded him. “I dreamed about the crow again last night. The one with three eyes. He flew into my bedchamber and told me to come with him, so I did. We went down to the crypts. Father was there, and we talked. He was sad.”

“And why was that?” Luwin peered through his tube.

“It was something to do about Jon, I think.” The dream had been deeply disturbing, more so than any of the other crow dreams. “Hodor won’t go down into the crypts.”

The maester had only been half listening, Bran could tell. He lifted his eye from the tube, blinking. “Hodor won’t …?”

“Go down into the crypts. When I woke, I told him to take me down, to see if Father was truly there. At first he didn’t know what I was saying, but I got him to the steps by telling him to go here and go there, only then he wouldn’t go down. He just stood on the top step and said ‘Hodor,’ like he was scared of the dark, but I had a torch."

The vault was cavernous, longer than Winterfell itself, and Jon had told him once that there were other levels underneath, vaults even deeper and darker where the older kings were buried. It would not do to lose the light. Summer refused to move from the steps, even when Osha followed the torch, Bran in her arms.

Bran could not recall the last time he had been in the crypts. It had been before, for certain. When he was little, he used to play down here with Robb and Jon and his sisters. He wished they were here now; the vault might not have seemed so dark and scary. Summer stalked out in the echoing gloom, then stopped, lifted his head, and sniffed the chill dead air. He bared his teeth and crept backward, eyes glowing golden in the light of the maester’s torch. Even Osha, hard as old iron, seemed uncomfortable.

“You let my father be,” Rickon warned Luwin. “You let him be.”

“Rickon,” Bran said softly. “Father’s not here.”

“Yes he is. I saw him.” Tears glistened on Rickon’s face. “I saw him last night.”

Summer's behaviour mirrors Hodor's neither is willing to go down, and neither is mentioned as refusing to go down before or after, and that particular instant is right after both Bran and Rickon dream of Ned in the crypts. A truly astonishing coincidence.

I get the feeling that the crypts are gonna be important to the story somehow,can't say what but the reactions of Hodour,Rickon and the dire wolves and then later Theon who claimed there were ghosts in there point to something going I reckon?

There's also a hint from Theon that he'd heard that the iron in the sword keeps the spirits of the dead locked within their tombs.If a sword was missing...

( there are ghosts in Winterfell.And I'm one of them.

Isn't there a saying that there must be a Stark in Winterfell at all times?

Not sure I want there to be any Grumpkins jumping out or anything for the storyline,I really want someone to go into the bottom level of the crypt just to see what's going down really.

[Ludd]

I rather think that the absence of a Stark (I suspect a Stark MALE) and removal of the swords may trigger the ghosts to rise.

1000 Kings of Winter (about the same number as Lord Commanders of the NW)

[Ludd]

I think that when Rickon was in the crypts it was Ned'd ghost returning and perhaps was at a vulnerable stage (ie jst arrived and not yet settled. Interesting that it was Luwin that Richon and Shaggy attacked - a MAESTER.

This rather goes with the Lady Dustin theme of the Maesters and their threat to the Northern ways.

I think that Rickon was afraid of Luwin or at least Luwin's impact on Ned's ghost.

[Ygrain]

I think that when Rickon was in the crypts it was Ned'd ghost returning and perhaps was at a vulnerable stage (ie jst arrived and not yet settled. Interesting that it was Luwin that Richon and Shaggy attacked - a MAESTER.

This rather goes with the Lady Dustin theme of the Maesters and their threat to the Northern ways.

I think that Rickon was afraid of Luwin or at least Luwin's impact on Ned's ghost.

That's an interesting idea, Luwin being attacked for being a maester, not for sticking his arm into the tomb as such. Rickon's reaction as if Ned's spirit could be hurt somehow is also noticeable - but would the hurt be presented by Luwin's mere intervention, by his being a maester, or by the torch he was carrying?

[BitsOfBrains]

I always kind of assumed that the crypts were kind of underneath the gods wood e.g. weirwood roots e.g. MAAAAAGIC!

[Red Raven]

Torrhen's crown in Lyanna's crypt and, just for fun, one of Silverwing's eggs.

[maudisdottir]

Rickon, Bran said softly. Fathers not here.

Yes he is. I saw him. Tears glistened on Rickons face. I saw him last night.

I just assumed Rickon must have had the same dream as Bran. I believe Hodor and the wolves can sense something down there but I'm not convinced anyone has seen a ghost (yet).

Having said that, I think (and hope) there is something crucial to the story down in the crypts, whether it be proof of Jon's parentage or 1000 dead angry Starks on the march.

[Joseph Nobles]

A very naughty boy.

[IRON BANK]

Nothing but the Stark kids and maybe mances wives. There might be an escape tunnel or hidden passage i think that is about it.

[Lost Melnibonean]

The vault was cavernous, longer than Winterfell itself, and Jon had told him once that there were other levels underneath, vaults even deeper and darker where the older kings were buried.

So, is there a way ot from under Winterfell via the crypts?

[fuem]

Grendal and his mother

[Blazfemur]

Actually, in the next book or two, i'd like to see evidence of a certain shield leaning up against a tomb. A shield, bearing a white weirwood tree on it, with a smiling laughing face in the tree.

[LovinRC]

Did "Bran the Builder" build Winterfell and the Wall? If so, maybe spells required that a "Stark" must always be at Winterfell. If so, I see a world of hurt for the current occupants.