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Who Captained the Swordfish?


John Suburbs

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The Swordfish was the ship that sailed up the Blackwater as part of Stannis' fleet in the attack on KL. It has a long iron prow, like a swordfish, natch, and Davos thinks it makes the craft too front-heavy so it sits awkwardly in the water. Davos is also not overly impressed with its captain, who is not identified.

The only contribution the Swordfish makes to the battle is to head upriver under full sail so that the sails catch fire from the pitch and burning arrows coming from the Red Keep. It then proceeds to ram one of the cogs that Tyrion has packed with wildfire, causing the first explosion that knocks Davos into the water and destroys nearly half the Baratheon fleet in the river.

It turns out that the Swordish was owned by house Bar Emmon (leaping blue swordfish on fretty silver on white), who were among the first to swear to Stannis, but its lord -- plump 14yo Duram -- is visibly ill at the burning of the sept at Dragonstone.

So given that, was Duram the unidentified captain, and could he have been on a suicide mission in defense of the faith? Or was he just a piss-poor captain? Or was someone else at the wheel?

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The kid stayed at home and is mentioned by Stannis as one of the few lords who still remain true to him. The captain was crap and the ship was poorly designed, placing emphasis on the size of the ram, neglecting the practicaliy of it, thus leading to the need to go to battle with the aid of a sail rather than using only oar power. 

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