Sevumar Posted December 7, 2013 Share Posted December 7, 2013 Word of the dragons is just reaching Westeros by the time that we get our first glimpse into the Citadel in Feast. I doubt that Doran has an extensive enough network of informants to know about the dragons ahead of time and plan his moves around that. He only just seems to be reacting to the news from the east around the time we're becoming aware of his entry into the game. As another poster mentioned, it also seems like Sarella is out of his control and not considered as much of a threat to him and to the peace of Dorne as the other Sand Snakes. Sarella largely seems to be acting on her own, for her own reasons. It's too bad we don't know more about Oberyn's time at the Citadel or what drove her to follow in her father's footsteps. She's clearly a smart woman who has gotten herself into some very interesting circles at the Citadel. Marwyn also seems to be leaving her in charge of his group of followers when he's leaving at the end of Feast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tynned Lannistark Posted December 7, 2013 Share Posted December 7, 2013 around 19 a girl has a very definite feminine figure (hips, breasts, even face etc.). It's much more believable for 10 year old Arya to pass as a boy; this one is stretching it. She would not be the first woman in the world to pose as a man. even in the real world, there are hundreds of example of women who got away disguising as a man , and were never found out, sometimes until they died. Many of which under similar circumstances - to get into some place which was reserved only for men. Pretty sure there quite a lot who were never found out at all. Its a lot less hard than you imagine. ...I think it's a pretty stupid idea to make a disguise that makes it easier for others to uncover your true identity when it would have been incredibly easy to make the disguise that much more airtight (different name and background). It would seem like basic Disguises 101. Either way, I would say that its actually smarter to keep the same background story as it makes it easier to be consistent. The fist thing you would in "basic disguises 101" would probably be that the closer your disguise is to reality , the easier it is to make it pass. Regarding the name I agree the anagram is mainly for us , and character is not likely to choose such a name - not because I think there is a risk of others to find out, I don't think they would find out even if she called herself Sarrel if that is even a valid name in Westeros, but because it serves not purposes other than a hint to the readers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.O.Edwards Posted December 7, 2013 Author Share Posted December 7, 2013 Word of the dragons is just reaching Westeros by the time that we get our first glimpse into the Citadel in Feast. I doubt that Doran has an extensive enough network of informants to know about the dragons ahead of time and plan his moves around that. He only just seems to be reacting to the news from the east around the time we're becoming aware of his entry into the game. As another poster mentioned, it also seems like Sarella is out of his control and not considered as much of a threat to him and to the peace of Dorne as the other Sand Snakes. Sarella largely seems to be acting on her own, for her own reasons. It's too bad we don't know more about Oberyn's time at the Citadel or what drove her to follow in her father's footsteps. She's clearly a smart woman who has gotten herself into some very interesting circles at the Citadel. Marwyn also seems to be leaving her in charge of his group of followers when he's leaving at the end of Feast. Of course he knew about them before, how long do you think it took Quentyn to travel to Dany. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mother of The Others Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 Sabotage? Kill Hightower? If Oldtown stays loyal to the crown, it'll be one of the first responders Dorne will have to worry about, one of the anchors keeping the realm from accepting Doran's "Tentative New World." So kill Hightower with an archer infiltrator when the time is right. Throw things into chaos when and if necessary. Therefore hide her nationality for the time being so she's not put into a concentration camp when Dorne becomes enemy #1. Also, in the meantime, look for ways to influence things so the above isn't necessary. Try to find powerful friends at the Citadel and identify ways of steering Citadel policy in a Dorne-friendly direction. Also, if Sphinx appears to be aimless, that could be because she was as underprepared for it as Quentyn. No, nobody could duplicate Quentyn's performance; Sphinx is closer to Viper's branch of the family, the sharper side of Dorne. So she's probably laying low for very similar reasons to why the Alchemist is. It's not time for them to do their thing yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alta1r Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 She would not be the first woman in the world to pose as a man. even in the real world, there are hundreds of example of women who got away disguising as a man , and were never found out, sometimes until they died. Many of which under similar circumstances - to get into some place which was reserved only for men. Pretty sure there quite a lot who were never found out at all. Its a lot less hard than you imagine. I would say that its actually smarter to keep the same background story as it makes it easier to be consistent. The fist thing you would in "basic disguises 101" would probably be that the closer your disguise is to reality , the easier it is to make it pass. Regarding the name I agree the anagram is mainly for us , and character is not likely to choose such a name - not because I think there is a risk of others to find out, I don't think they would find out even if she called herself Sarrel if that is even a valid name in Westeros, but because it serves not purposes other than a hint to the readers. Yeah, I agree that it's not impossible for a woman to disguise herself as a man. I just find it very logistically difficult in GRRM's world, and particularly the Citadel where it seems there are people around all the time. Not like she's wearing plate armor at all times like Brienne used to hide her gender. And Brienne, who's described as very manly physically, is still easily identifiable as a woman to everyone else once she takes JUST her helmet off and speaks. Do students at the Citadel bunk together? Do they have their own rooms/apartments? Does she do her own laundry? Or do the washermen just believe that she has a "nosebleed" every month, consistently? Does she only shower/bathe when no one else is around? In an all male environment like that I would be very surprised if they didn't have just communal shower/baths for all the n00bs. Or do people think it's just the Sphinx being the Sphinx when she always showers with clothes on? In terms of disguises, yeah staying closer to home about your background has the advantage that you're more likely to stay consistent. But it also makes it more easy to slip and say more than you should have. Anyway, this is turning academic now as I really don't care much about whether Sarella = Alleras in-verse. I do hope it's not though because it seems like a weak plot device. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Daddy Dave Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 I figured Sarella's "game" is that she wants to defy the rules and be the first woman to become a Maester. Probably not to spend a life as a master, but to at least get a chain as a sort of accomplishment. I really think that's what brought her there. But the plot will change her path for her as she gets involved with JH/Pate, Sam, and other characters. Maybe she will stay with Sam during his POV's for some time and travel with him if he has to leave Oldtown. They won't stay there forever, Sam's a POV while she isn't, and it would create a line of communication to Dorne and wherever Sam's path takes him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBlackViper Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 Therefore hide her nationality for the time being so she's not put into a concentration camp when Dorne becomes enemy #1. She didn't hide her nationality. The other acolytes know she is form Dorne. She also speaks with a very distinguishable Dornish accent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBlackViper Posted December 8, 2013 Share Posted December 8, 2013 Yeah, I agree that it's not impossible for a woman to disguise herself as a man. I just find it very logistically difficult in GRRM's world, and particularly the Citadel where it seems there are people around all the time. Not like she's wearing plate armor at all times like Brienne used to hide her gender. And Brienne, who's described as very manly physically, is still easily identifiable as a woman to everyone else once she takes JUST her helmet off and speaks. Do students at the Citadel bunk together? Do they have their own rooms/apartments? Does she do her own laundry? Or do the washermen just believe that she has a "nosebleed" every month, consistently? Does she only shower/bathe when no one else is around? In an all male environment like that I would be very surprised if they didn't have just communal shower/baths for all the n00bs. Or do people think it's just the Sphinx being the Sphinx when she always showers with clothes on? In terms of disguises, yeah staying closer to home about your background has the advantage that you're more likely to stay consistent. But it also makes it more easy to slip and say more than you should have. Anyway, this is turning academic now as I really don't care much about whether Sarella = Alleras in-verse. I do hope it's not though because it seems like a weak plot device. I remember reading about a woman who disguised herself as a man and became the captain of a pirate ship. Much closer quarters than the Citadel, I assume, but she pulled it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mother of The Others Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 Whoa. If you can disguise your gender/voice, that's the tough part. Why not go all the way and change your accent too? Where's her hair at, btw? Does she Beiber it or go with fulltime hats? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Pellinore Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 One way Alleras could be keeping Sarella secret and not letting it slip is by being coy and mysterious which might earn one a nickname like, oh I don't know, maybe the Sphinx? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBlackViper Posted December 9, 2013 Share Posted December 9, 2013 Whoa. If you can disguise your gender/voice, that's the tough part. Why not go all the way and change your accent too? Where's her hair at, btw? Does she Beiber it or go with fulltime hats? It's very hard to disguise your accent for large amounts of time. She would eventually let something slip. Anyway, that doesn't even matter, because in the book it's stated she has a Dornish drawl, so we know she speaks with an accent. The Sphinx looks slight, but there’s strength in those slim arms, he reflected, as Alleras threw a leg across the bench and reached for his wine cup. “The dragon has three heads,” he announced in his soft Dornish drawl. I assume she doesn't disguise her voice, but probably has a soft, darker tone that can pass as a teenage boy's voice. Her hair is short and curly. It gave him a wicked look that went well with his pointed chin, widow’s peak, and dense mat of close-cropped jet-black curls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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