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Mel has no slave tat


MandrakeWench

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From what I've read, it sounds like slaves serving in the temple of the Red god are marked with tattoos or distinctive brands. From Victarion we read that his Red Priest bears a face tat of fiery flames. I've never read of Melisandre having such a mark, though she was supposedly sold to the temple as a girl.

Could the absence of such a mark be a result of some glamour? Or have I missed something?

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I think that only in some cities, such as Volantis, the slaves have tattoos.


Melisandre is from Asshai, so it is likely that they don't brand the slaves there.


Also Thoros is a red priest and I can't recall anyone mentioning him having a tattoo.


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I've read some really interesting theories about Mel, and whether or not she is who she claims to be, a red priestess i have no doubt, but when the ruby around her neck glows, could this be down to some glamour as mandrake wench has hinted at?? afterall, didn't mance have a similar glowing jewel when he took on the appearance of rattle shirt? maybe its nothing, but if this is the case, maybe she could be concealing whatever mark she may have gained due to being a slave.


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I've read some really interesting theories about Mel, and whether or not she is who she claims to be, a red priestess i have no doubt, but when the ruby around her neck glows, could this be down to some glamour as mandrake wench has hinted at?? afterall, didn't mance have a similar glowing jewel when he took on the appearance of rattle shirt? maybe its nothing, but if this is the case, maybe she could be concealing whatever mark she may have gained due to being a slave.

That's plausible, although Mel used her ruby for her glamour magic on Mance, so maybe she needs the ruby for that. Still, slaves are tattooed mostly just in Volantis and Mel is far from there so she shouldn't have a tattoo either way.

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Also, what would she gain by hiding her slave tat when the people around her know she was a slave sold to the red temple?
Or was that mentioned in one of her POV chapters? :o

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In her POV chapter she sees the enemy w/ a thousand bloody eyes (Bloodraven) and more importantly, he sees her. He sees her true self and then it is described like her glamour fades and she has to put it up again at the cost of some pain. Reread it, its there. She does not look like she looks like.

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It has been hinted that she is quite old, yet she appears young and attractive. She is glamoured at all times so we have no idea of her true appearance.

I've heard she could possibly be Shiera Seastar, a lover of Brynden Rivers, whether or not there is any truth in the matter has still to be seen, but didn't Mel see Bloodraven stare at her in the flames, making her legs slick with blood or something? leading people to think she is a former acquaintance or more of the 3EC. Ahh who knows? nonetheless i am intrigued!!

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I've heard she could possibly be Shiera Seastar, a lover of Brynden Rivers, whether or not there is any truth in the matter has still to be seen, but didn't Mel see Bloodraven stare at her in the flames, making her legs slick with blood or something? leading people to think she is a former acquaintance or more of the 3EC. Ahh who knows? nonetheless i am intrigued!!

Actually that theory is about Shiera Seastar's daughter with Bloodraven.

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Her shining ruby points towards her appearance being a glamour. She may very well have a slave tattoo, but the readers have no idea what she really looks like. It seems to me that her appearance is too perfect. Her introduction in Cressen's prologue reveals a woman who has, in the modern parlance, "had some work done."

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Also, what would she gain by hiding her slave tat when the people around her know she was a slave sold to the red temple?

Or was that mentioned in one of her POV chapters? :o

She likely looks like an old crone. She uses the glamour to look glamorous (Sorry, couldn't resist) and chooses to appear young, vibrant and healthy. Besides, face tats are decidedly unattractive.

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I think that only in some cities, such as Volantis, the slaves have tattoos.

Melisandre is from Asshai,

Mel isn't from Asshai, from her POV...

That was a lesson Melisandre had learned long before Asshai

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Unlike many, I do not think Melisandre's appearance to others is a glamour. I do think she has been revived though. I imagine her choker is hiding either hang marks or some kind of wound that killed her.


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It has been hinted that she is quite old, yet she appears young and attractive. She is glamoured at all times so we have no idea of her true appearance.

I would go beyond just old. I'd say she's dead.

She doesn't need to eat, drink or sleep, just like Beric D and Lady Stoneheart.

She was "immune" to the Strangler that killed Maester Cressen. Her excuse is that the "fiery heart of the LoL devours all poison, blah, blah." But maybe the real reason is that she was already dead.

And another tiny tidbit: when she looks into the flames, the first things she asks for are "threats to her person" not her life. (I can't find the exact page, it's in DwD I think).

It also explains why she insists that fire is the only true death.

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The glamour concept does not work with the facts either. A glamour does not change the substance of a person, which would make Melisandre hesitant about touching other people, much less fucking them.



The reason she looks young is that she was young when she died.


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The glamour concept does not work with the facts either. A glamour does not change the substance of a person, which would make Melisandre hesitant about touching other people, much less fucking them.

Yeah I've thought about this. She rides horses well enough - so she's physiologically young. A glamour wouldn't make her truly young, it's just for appearance/trick of the light.

And fwiw mel does need to sleep, just not much. It's an important distinction.

One day, Melisandre prayed, she would not sleep at all. One day she would be free of dreams.

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Exactly. It is much more likely that she is simply the living dead. It is also why she always wears a choker that fits snugly around her throat. That is the location of her death wound.



A glamour also does not explain why she always radiates warmth. There must be a kind of internal fire within her that keeps her living.


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