Aurane the Unburnt?

[Isobel Harper]

"History is a wheel, for the nature man is fundamentally unchanging. What has happened before will perforce happen again."  In short, history repeats itself.  And in GRRM's universe, when history repeats itself, it often does so with characters and events repeating themselves without there being a true "parallel," what many on the forums refer to as "echoes."

There appears to be an echo involving the dragonlord Aurion, Aerion Brightflame, and Aurane Waters. 

Aurion happened to be visiting Qohor when the Doom occurred.  He declared himself Emperor of Valyria, assembled an army, and rode his dragon to Valyria to conquer it.  He failed, never to be seen again. 

Aerion drank wildfire thinking it would transform him into a dragon.  He died screaming instead.  Within a year, a Great Council was held, where his son's claim was passed over, and Aegon was chosen instead. 

Aurane sailed with Stannis’s fleet during the Battle on the Blackwater, which they had to sail through the Gullet to get to.  The fleet was decimated by wildfire, and Stannis failed to capture the capitol city. 

 

Here are some elements that repeat themselves: 

--Fire, especially that involving spells:  The Fourteen Flames were controlled by spells (until they weren't...) and wildfire is made with spells (per the alchemists).  

--Failure to gain a throne:  Aurion and Stannis crowned themselves, but Aurion burned in Valyria and Stannis's fleet (which Aurane was a part of) burned on the Blackwater.  Aerion’s madness (as seen in his drinking wildfire) was a direct cause of Maegor's claim being passed over.  (Side note: Both Aurion and Stannis crown themselves directly after a catastrophe, the Doom and Robert's death, respectively.  Aerion’s death precedes another catastrophe by less than a year - Maekar's death.  This same catastrophe lead to the Great Council, where Maegor was disinherited.)

--Throat:  Aerion swallows wildfire.  Aurane travels into the Gullet to the Blackwater, where the wildfire eventually consumes Stannis's fleet.  (I can't seem to find any "throat" symbolism with regard to Aurion.)

Some elements that repeat themselves are more subtle.  

--Dark arts :  During the Doom, Aurion was in Qohor, a city infamous for practicing dark arts.  Aerion was rumored to study dark arts.  Melisandre practices the dark arts. 

--Dragons:  Aurion is a dragonlord.  Aerion tries to become a dragon.  Stannis believes he can hatch dragons from stone.  (I'm hesitant about the last one regarding Stannis.  Note that I also believe that Aurane will be (one of?) Viserion's future rider.)

Last but not least, there's death by fire.  Aurion burns, Aerion burns, but Aurane lives.  And it's Aurane's survival that I find significant. 

 

These three men have a little more in common than this echo.  Their names are related linguistically!  (In fact, it was noticing this relation that lead me to take a closer look at them and notice the echo.)

"Aurion" is a phrase in Greek, which means "tomorrow."  Literally, it means "on the morning breeze."  The element meaning "morning breeze" in "aurion" can also be translated as "breeze" or "air ."  The meaning of "air" very well could have influenced the Targaryen spelling "Aerion."  Aurane is derived from "Aura" and means "breeze"/"morning breeze."  

Real life name meanings aside, Valyrian families are known to have their own spellings for names.  (Perhaps this is a sign that dialects were forming amongst them. )  "Jacaerys" is an example; it's a traditional Velaryon form of "Jaehaerys."  Even the last name Velaryon is particular.  -yen is a somewhat common ending in Valyrian surnames, yet Velaryons use -yon.  In short, Aurion, Aerion, and Aurane can be in-world forms of the same name amongst these houses.

 

Back to Aurane's survival.  He is the third to survive.   Is this an allusion to Lightbringer's forging?  I believe he might be Viserion's rider; if so, perhaps this is a (albeit subtle) hint.  Viserion was the first to hatch amongst the dragons, so it makes sense that Viserion's rider would involve "WATER."  There's also a potential rainwater/Aurane Waters pun in the series: Gendry is noted tempering a sword in "rainwater" during its forging. 

Also note that we have one more Aerion in the Targaryen family, the father of Aegon, Rhaenys, and Visenya.  Viserion is connected to reproduction a few times in the series.  His egg was placed between Drogo's legs on his funeral pyre, and Daenerys once finds Viserion napping under a pear tree (pears representing fertility/reproduction) in a coil (a symbol of continuance of life).  Could Aurane be the "father of dragons?"  The father to continue the dragon bloodline, if not the Targaryen name? 

[LordImp]

Who is this Aurion? 

[Isobel Harper]

47 minutes ago, LordImp said:

Who is this Aurion? 

 What followed in the sudden vacuum was chaos. The dragonlords had been gathered in Valyria as was their wont...except for Aenar Targaryen, his children, and his dragons, who had fled to Dragonstone and so escaped the Doom. Some accounts claim that a few others survived, too...for a time. It is said that some Valyrian dragonlords in Tyrosh and Lys were spared, but that in the immediate political upheaval following the Doom, they and their dragons were killed by the citizens of those Free Cities. The histories of Qohor likewise claim that a visiting dragonlord, Aurion, raised forces from the Qohorik colonists and proclaimed himself the first Emperor of Valyria. He flew away on the back of his great dragon, with thirty thousand men following behind afoot, to lay claim to what remained of Valyria and to reestablish the Freehold. But neither Emperor Aurion nor his host were ever seen again.  --AWoIaF, The Doom of Valyria 

[LordImp]

1 minute ago, Isobel Harper said:

 What followed in the sudden vacuum was chaos. The dragonlords had been gathered in Valyria as was their wont...except for Aenar Targaryen, his children, and his dragons, who had fled to Dragonstone and so escaped the Doom. Some accounts claim that a few others survived, too...for a time. It is said that some Valyrian dragonlords in Tyrosh and Lys were spared, but that in the immediate political upheaval following the Doom, they and their dragons were killed by the citizens of those Free Cities. The histories of Qohor likewise claim that a visiting dragonlord, Aurion, raised forces from the Qohorik colonists and proclaimed himself the first Emperor of Valyria. He flew away on the back of his great dragon, with thirty thousand men following behind afoot, to lay claim to what remained of Valyria and to reestablish the Freehold. But neither Emperor Aurion nor his host were ever seen again.  --AWoIaF, The Doom of Valyria 

Ahh okay , long time since i read TWOIAF . It's time for a re-read . 

[Vaedys Targaryen]

Very interesting! I really like this!

[Jon Fossoway]

I'd somehow squeeze Euron in there. I mean, they all even phonetically sound akin: Aurion, Aerion, Aurane, Euron. Euron is also said to practice dark arts. He says he's bound to wed a dragon or tame one. His death is yet to be deal with. My point is, if there is a pattern as you put it, Euron may be the next of in line. Even if this sounds off, your find is quite interesting.

[Isobel Harper]

22 hours ago, King Merrett I Frey said:

I'd somehow squeeze Euron in there. I mean, they all even phonetically sound akin: Aurion, Aerion, Aurane, Euron. Euron is also said to practice dark arts. He says he's bound to wed a dragon or tame one. His death is yet to be deal with. My point is, if there is a pattern as you put it, Euron may be the next of in line. Even if this sounds off, your find is quite interesting.

But Euron hasn't been through a "trial by fire." (Sure, he might in some way in Winds I guess.)  Euron also doesn't match Aurion/Aerion/Aurane etymologically.

While researching the name "Aurane," one source stated that the name could be a form of either "Aura" (morning breeze) OR "Aurora" (golden or dawn).  In short, the prefix AUR- on a name or word can mean "breeze" OR "dawn," "gold(en)," and (by extension) "east."  Spelling variations of aur- meaning "breeze" can be aer- or awer-, and spelling variations of aur- meaning "dawn," etc. are or-, auzi-, er-, ear-... but never eur-.

The only word that I know to associate with Euron is Europe.  I found this with regard to Europe:

Quote

Often explained as "broad face," from eurys"wide" (see eury-) + ops "face," literally "eye" (see eye (n.)). But also traditionally linked with Europa, Phoenician princess in Greek mythology. Klein (citing Heinrich Lewy) suggests a possible Semitic origin in Akkad. erebu "to go down, set" (in reference to the sun) which would parallel orient. Another suggestion along those lines is Phoenician 'ereb"evening," hence "west."

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Europe&allowed_in_frame=0

So, Aurane can be connected etymologically with "dawn" and "east;" and Euron, with "sunset" and "west."

Intriguing, no? 

ETA: Thanks for bringing Euron up.  I don't think I would have noticed this otherwise if I didn't have to search the -eur prefix.

[DominusNovus]

Hasn't Euron claimed to have sailed the smoking sea of Valyria? Wouldn't that count as a trial by fire?

[Isobel Harper]

44 minutes ago, DominusNovus said:

Hasn't Euron claimed to have sailed the smoking sea of Valyria? Wouldn't that count as a trial by fire?

Yes, actually it could be!  (Some say he actually got his treasures from the HotU.  If Euron didn't truly go to Valyria, this would make Euron a sort of fake Azor Ahai like Stannis, whose sword is just a glamor.***)  

Gerion Lannister (lion!) also attempted to sail to Valyria and failed.  So, in the LB forging parallel, Aurion plays the role of "water" / 1st unsuccessful "forging" with regard Aurane and Euron.

Aurion > Aerion > Aurane

Aurion > Gerion > Euron

(***Side note: Maybe Stannis's glamor sword and Euron going (or not going) to Valyria have something to do with the lies Daenerys has to slay?)

[Daendrew]

 

Quote

But Euron hasn't been through a "trial by fire." (Sure, he might in some way in Winds I guess.)  Euron also doesn't match Aurion/Aerion/Aurane etymologically.

 

Euron has been through a trial by fire. The hornblower and his tattooed parrot burned.

Euron's horn is the Hammerhorn of the Waters and is the Lightbringer (one of many) that brings darkness IMNSHO https://endgameofthrones.com/2015/06/06/the-cause-of-the-long-night-the-hammerhorn-of-the-waters/

I always love your posts Isobel. *hugs*

[Isobel Harper]

1 hour ago, Daendrew said:

 

 

Euron has been through a trial by fire. The hornblower and his tattooed parrot burned.

Euron's horn is the Hammerhorn of the Waters and is the Lightbringer (one of many) that brings darkness IMNSHO https://endgameofthrones.com/2015/06/06/the-cause-of-the-long-night-the-hammerhorn-of-the-waters/

I always love your posts Isobel. *hugs*

Thanks, Daendrew!

It's been a while since I read that blog.  I had almost forgotten about your Euron post.

Yes, I agree that Euron is some sort of dark Azor Ahai figure.  (The historical figure Azor Ahai might have been a dark figure himself too.)  I rather like the notion that there was and will be a light and a dark Azor Ahai figure, paralleling Eosphorous (Venus) in the morning and evening sky.  

A horn, a sword, etc makes no matter. It's a weapon.  The horn could very be Euron's "Lightbringer" (or rather "Darkbringer") that brings about the Long Night in some way.  If the Long Night does occur again, I think it will occur in much the same way you and LmL describe. 

As for Hammer of the Waters, I do wonder if Aurane will fill that role in some way.

WoW:

Spoiler

I'm referencing Aurane's new title "Lord of the Waters."  

Except, unlike the Hammer of the Waters, Aurane's dromonds are most likely helping Aegon's men cross the Stepstones, not preventing it, so that makes him an inversed echo of Hammer of the Waters I suppose?  (Unless he prevents Euron and/or Daenerys from passing through there in the future.)  

[Lost Melnibonean]

So, you are suggesting that Daenerys will wed Aurane? 

[Isobel Harper]

24 minutes ago, Lost Melnibonean said:

So, you are suggesting that Daenerys will wed Aurane? 

No, that he'll be a dragonrider.  

ETA: Unless there's some other significance to him being "unburnt."  "Dragonrider" is all I got with regard to the significance of that.

[Lost Melnibonean]

Gotcha. 

[Lost Melnibonean]

Viserion?

[Isobel Harper]

21 minutes ago, Lost Melnibonean said:

Viserion?

Yeap.  

[Lost Melnibonean]

Do you see anybody else riding Viserion, or just Aurane?     

[Jon Fossoway]

WoW spoiler

Spoiler

I wonder if Aurane is the one who is behind the massive kidnappings in the stormlands coasts Arianne listens about in her WoW chapter. I think a motherhouse gets entirely sacked of women, if I'm not mistaken. I discard the Golden Company because they are in the continent to claim the throne, yes? I don't see why they would kidnap the natives if they pursue that. I found this particular issue in that chapter both disturbing and interesting. 

 

[Isobel Harper]

19 minutes ago, King Merrett I Frey said:

WoW spoiler

  Hide contents

I wonder if Aurane is the one who is behind the massive kidnappings in the stormlands coasts Arianne listens about in her WoW chapter. I think a motherhouse gets entirely sacked of women, if I'm not mistaken. I discard the Golden Company because they are in the continent to claim the throne, yes? I don't see why they would kidnap the natives if they pursue that. I found this particular issue in that chapter both disturbing and interesting. 

 

Spoiler

Ironborn, in addition to pirates - or rather their bodies I think - have been washing up along the coast.  I would assume Ironborn.  

Yeah, that's pretty disturbing. 

 

[Isobel Harper]

37 minutes ago, Lost Melnibonean said:

Do you see anybody else riding Viserion, or just Aurane?     

I think the people who attempt to ride Viserion will follow a pattern of LB forging in reverse.  The sun's son has just failed.  BBP and/or Tyrion will make out better, but still ultimately fail.  

I also think Viserion will follow BBP/Tyrion to the Vale, only to be "stolen" by Aurane.  

WoW:

Spoiler

Remember the colored dust motes find?  Only two scenes in the entire series (of about 7 or 8 mentions of dust motes) describe dust motes being a certain color: Daenerys seeing dust motes "red, green, and gold" in light that is shining on her dragon eggs, and Sansa seeing golden dust motes "dancing in the light" at the Gates of the Moon.