LynnS

I wonder if he feels worthy enough to accept the sword on his own accord. If Ser Arthur is the standard; the bar is pretty high. So far, he has been Berics squire for a short time and he has since left the BwB.. Not sure where he is getting his training now.

I'm under the impression that Marwyn was leaving immediately to take ship for Mereen. I think he would collect the books Aemon sent to the Citadel, along with Aemon's remains first. Why not just take the ship and everything on it with him? Anyway, I think the implications would be interesting.

I do like the idea, that traditionally, it's the senior ranked women of House Dayne, who choose the Sword of the Morning from the men in the family. Not sure who is around to make that decision or who is likely to receive it now. I can imagine Sam and Sarella fleeing from the Citadel,to Starfall, ahead of Eurons invasion; and collecting Ned Dayne and the sword, so it doesn't fall into Eurons hands. What has happened to Gilly btw? Didn't Sam tell her to stay on the ship until he returned from the Citadel. I wonder if she left or ended up as cargo on her way to Dany with Marwyn.

Yes he said that and didn't he also say that someone who is not a Dayne could claim the sword? I wonder how the Dayne's choose who is worthy. Maybe the sword chooses who is worthy? I'm thinking of the potential magical aspects. So perhaps a Dayne like Ser Arthur has the necessary virtues for House Dayne to bestow it; but I wonder about accessing its real power - its potential as a sword of light.

Is this a true reading of the Quest for Erebor from the Unfinished Tales?

Sorry! My mistake. Blue crystal it is. Blue crystals are sapphires in my brain.

This is a very complex theory for my brain and I tend to want to simplify things so I can comprehend them. In terms of the colors red, blue and green; my mind goes to fire imagery. We have red and blue flames but also green: I'm not sure how the green fire translates into another sword or how to connect it to the discussion here. Since we are looking at GRRM visiting old friends (his own stories); I'm considering that he is also visiting Tolkien since he brought it up by saying 'that's not how he would do things." So how would he do things? The rings of power are ruby, sapphire and diamond (adamant); but some of the elemental magic is mixed. Not unlike obsidian, a form of crystal called frozen fire. So a balance of fire, ice and earth. Robert (In Deep Geek) thinks that magic is a power that can use different elements; that there is not really a thing as elemental magic as such. If I understand him correctly (and I' not sure I do). It seems to me that crystals or minerals like rubies, sapphires, diamonds focus or concentrate certain elements for use by sorcerers. Mel's ruby for example. Bran likens the Wall to a sapphire and this may be something that Mel recognizes about it and why she says Jon can access this magic if he chooses. What is the green fire? Is it water magic in the unfrozen state?

This is an interesting examination of Thoros:

That is the problem. It definately stops people from further examination. In this case; it explains to me how and why Ghost is mute and his eyes are opened before the other pups. What further ramifications it has for Ghost, Jon and Bran, I don't know.

I'm as confused about this sword business as you and no doubt Kissed by Fire and Sweetsunray have a better grasp of the magic than I. I'm expecting not only fire and ice magic but light magic as well. So swords of fire, ice and light. I'm coming to this conclusion from my research into Tolkiens use of fire and light as weapons and defense (a sword and a shield). Specifically by Gandalf but also Galadriel's gift to Frodo of the light of Earendel (to be used in dark places when all other light fails). From Tolkien's letters; I've learned that Earendel is an archaic Anglo-Saxon term for the dawn and evening star (Venus). And so we have the Dawn sword alive with light. This seems more significant to me since the sword is forged from the heart of a fallen star. More so than how it was forged and what it's made of; what does it actually do? There seems to be some connective tissue between the Dawn sword and the Faith of the Seven with their legend of the seven stars coming down from the sky and walking the earth as men (women?). Hugor places the light of their stars as jewels in his crown. The crystal crown of the high septon in other words. Something that separates pure white light into a rainbow of colors. I think the Faith Militant are the bleeding stars foretold in the prophesy from Asshai since they carve stars into their flesh and the Dawn sword may have been wielded by one of the original seven. I don't think it's a coincidence that their swords have a crystal in the pommel and the constellation Sword of the Morning has a white star in it's pommel. I'm expecting the Dawn sword to have a diamond (adamant, Galadriels ring) in its hilt.

I've wondered about this as well. I think this may be another instance of time and causality. We know GRRM was playing with it from his comments about Hodor in the book "Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon. I've wondered if this is the only instance where GRRM used entering another mind and affecting their past in some way. With Hodor it's pronounced so I think it's curious that Hodor is somewhat mute and so is Ghost. I think the cause occurs later in the story at the Skirling Pass when Tree-Bran enters Jon's wolf dream. Not quite the same thing as skinchanging Hodor, but close. I've wondered about Hodor being the only instance of time and causality. What would be the point? GRRM could have explained the onset of Hodor's condition any number of ways that didn't involve skinchanging.

Broken swords could also be considered swords without hilts. If Jon is his sword Longclaw with its direwolf hilt; then the sword is now broken with body and soul separated. I'm not sure his body can be resurrected without binding the soul which is safely housed within Ghost for the present. I don't think Mel or the Others can raise him at this point. It's not clear to me what happened to Varamyr's body when he died the true death. Thistle wasn't the only wight that was raised.

My sympathies to you as well. What breed are your two? I'm under the impression they are big dogs.

Sorry. I was a bit confused. The little dog, otherwise known as Kibbles, Schmibbly, Missy and Fuzzy Pants, passed away on Monday from heart failure. I've been walking around here since then, not knowing quite what to do with myself. I miss her sweetness, teddy bear looks, our nightly howl-in, her acrobatics and the uncanny way she could wake me up by staring at my face. She left without fear or pain, lots of kisses and the I've got your tail game. She spun her tail like a helicopter with a little morphine to ease her passing. I'd post her picture so you could see her extreme cuteness for yourself, but I don't know how to do that.

Wonderful! Tell her about Galaxy Zoo. A 15 tear old can classify galaxies easy. The tutorial will show her what to do. She can get on chat boards and ask questions.

I'm sorry, removed info?

Thank you for posting this info btw. I've heard of this archive and there were questions raised on another podcast about this very reddit post, I think. At the time, nobody seemed to know anything about the specifics.

Yah, I'm kind of expecting Val, Morna, Tormund and Borroq to intervene before Mel can do anything.. When we left him; Borroq was hanging out in Castle Black's lichyard. There are crypts as well as graves.

I'd say that is more than likely and Ghost will be able to track down Summer by scent.

Crasters sons maybe? I've never been quite convinced that they were sacrificed or turned into white walkers, at least not as infants. I'm not sure this is necessary if the WWs are warg souls encased in ice and snow and cold. What has happened to Crasters wives, since they didn't go to the Wall with the rest of the wildings? We know it's possible to survive in the cave networks and we also know that Craster was giving up his livestock. Sounds like provender for the living to me.

Ah yes! The small but significant plot point . What or who is compelling Ghost to go beyond the Wall and for what purpose? It's Ghost that leads Jon to the cache of obsidian and the broken horn. This might also be another small but significant plot point: It suggests that the WWs and the wights can see a warg or skinchanger within their host animal.

Gamma ray constellations are a thing:

Latest update; including hat appear to be early green pea galaxies: I remember looking for these objects at Galaxy Zoo along with galaxies with active nucleus,

If you were George and knew that you would be damned if you mentioned Winds and damned if you didn't; what would you do? Theoretically speaking.

The best positive development has been fan reaction to HotD. It was energizing and exciting and that is certainly most important to George. Winning some awards would be icing on the cake; but not the most important development for him. My sense is that George has had a heavy heart for some time and realizing how ready fans are to embrace him; can only be uplifting. Nobody can hurry his process and constant pressure might as well be a hindrance to that end. I don't know if he will get the book out any faster; but certainly he would be more energized, inspired and determined. And that's a better frame of mind for creativity.