Roose on the Loose

[Jon Fossoway]

Harrenhal is the biggest castle of them all and it was built under the rule of a single King. In book parameters, Storm's End and Winterfell are perfectly doable over a long span of years; add a little magic in there and you're set.

[Clegane'sPup]

5 hours ago, Roose on the Loose said:

I wonder if it's the only older secret passage in WF,

I don’t know if there are any tunnels at WF. There used to be a lot of discussion about what is in the lower levels of the crypts.

Your OP did cause me to think about Roose having a contingency plan. Granted he has been named Warden of the North which gives him some clout and he has the Frey’s.

I’m using generalization here but it seems to me that the northern Houses are still basically Stark loyalists and he knows it. So it strikes me that Roose would, as you suggested, have an alternate plan if something went wrong with his scheme.

He does know fArya is not actually Arya Stark. I don’t remember if he knows that Bran & Rickon are alive, but he knows Ramsey was the one who put WF to torch. Plus, he doesn’t seem to trust Ramsey because he revealed to Theon that some of Ramsey’s men are actually his.

Other posters are way better at troop numbers than I am. Roose, talks a big game but he is bound to be a bit uneasy being cooped up in WF with daggers and swords all around especially since he doesn’t have Tywin Lannister’s Iron Throne support any longer.

So yeah, I can see Roose having a alternate plan. Thing of it is when the truth comes out, even if Roose escapes or survives WF he is still a dead man walking unless he manages to set sail from Westeros to parts unknown.

[devilish]

I don’t think that Roose is as bright as he thinks he is. Sure, he could outwit the wolf pup by destroying part of his army and playing his part in the red wedding. However by dirtying his hands with Stark blood, he fell right into the old lion’s den who wanted the blame to fall on the Boltons and the Freys rather than on the Lannisters.

Some might say that Roose’s participation in the Red Wedding was necessary as a sign of loyalty to the crown. However I beg to differ. Everyone, from the wall to Dorne knows that the North is untamed and will never be ruled by anyone who is not a Northerner. The Lannisters will have to find somebody who is a Northerner, who has the necessary troops to kick the Iron Islanders out and who is loyal to the crown. There’s no one better to do so as Roose. 

Also once Roose had access of Walder’s plan, he was armed with a weapon that could bring down Tywin’s plan (ie if he spilled the beans, Robb would have never participated in the red wedding and he would have lived to fight another day). 

So here’s the counter offer. Few days before the red wedding Roose would pretend to be sick and the red wedding will continue as planned without him. Robb will die, his army will be annihilated and the Boltons will surrender to the Lannisters in exchange to a safe passage home. If Roose could manage to smuggle him north as some sort of guarantee for his safe arrival the better. Roose could then trade him for Sansa whom in turn will proof to be a great marriage matchup for him

 

[Jon Fossoway]

23 hours ago, Clegane'sPup said:

So yeah, I can see Roose having a alternate plan. Thing of it is when the truth comes out, even if Roose escapes or survives WF he is still a dead man walking unless he manages to set sail from Westeros to parts unknown.

I don't have the books in here, but I clearly remember the one passage in Theon's POV when he sees Roose a little upset -I think it was after Hosteen and his men attacked lord Manderly-, during his occupation of Winterfell. If I'm not mistaken, that's the only time in the books he is depicted as nervous, or upset. Later, he sends a host of Frey cavalry out the walls that get wrecked by traps set by Umber men. We don't get much more from Roose in the spot anymore after that, but I'm sure he knows shit hitting the fan. If he knows, he do have some alternate plan. Roose, after all, is a man of method and not existential panic. And besides, he's still sitting inside a castle, with means at hand, with food at hand and with numbers on his side. He's got plenty of time to sort something out (if he hasn't already done it).

 

[Impbread]

5 hours ago, King Merrett I Frey said:

I don't have the books in here, but I clearly remember the one passage in Theon's POV when he sees Roose a little upset -I think it was after Hosteen and his men attacked lord Manderly-, during his occupation of Winterfell. If I'm not mistaken, that's the only time in the books he is depicted as nervous, or upset. Later, he sends a host of Frey cavalry out the walls that get wrecked by traps set by Umber men. We don't get much more from Roose in the spot anymore after that, but I'm sure he knows shit hitting the fan. If he knows, he do have some alternate plan. Roose, after all, is a man of method and not existential panic. And besides, he's still sitting inside a castle, with means at hand, with food at hand and with numbers on his side. He's got plenty of time to sort something out (if he hasn't already done it).

 

mostly agree but i dont think that they have all that much food there. i think last time the food was described the lords were being forced to eat horse meat along with the common men at arms

[Impbread]

Pretty sure he is aware of the boys being alive. I think he even mentions that if one of them were to come back his time would be up. You would think that he does have a back up plan though. he is not an emotional guy.

On 12/1/2016 at 1:41 PM, Clegane'sPup said:

I don’t know if there are any tunnels at WF. There used to be a lot of discussion about what is in the lower levels of the crypts.

Your OP did cause me to think about Roose having a contingency plan. Granted he has been named Warden of the North which gives him some clout and he has the Frey’s.

I’m using generalization here but it seems to me that the northern Houses are still basically Stark loyalists and he knows it. So it strikes me that Roose would, as you suggested, have an alternate plan if something went wrong with his scheme.

He does know fArya is not actually Arya Stark. I don’t remember if he knows that Bran & Rickon are alive, but he knows Ramsey was the one who put WF to torch. Plus, he doesn’t seem to trust Ramsey because he revealed to Theon that some of Ramsey’s men are actually his.

Other posters are way better at troop numbers than I am. Roose, talks a big game but he is bound to be a bit uneasy being cooped up in WF with daggers and swords all around especially since he doesn’t have Tywin Lannister’s Iron Throne support any longer.

So yeah, I can see Roose having a alternate plan. Thing of it is when the truth comes out, even if Roose escapes or survives WF he is still a dead man walking unless he manages to set sail from Westeros to parts unknown.

 

[Greywater-Watch]

On ‎30‎.‎11‎.‎2016 at 4:48 PM, Roose on the Loose said:

There was another ruler who killed a bunch of builders. His name was Maegor the Cruel. He had a specific reason to do so. The builders knew where all the secret passages were in the Red Keep. It's the same With Roose.

Eventually, the Starks will reclaim Winterfell. It would be really weird if they didn't. But they won't get their hands on Lord Leach, because he has an escape tunnel.

The builders killed by Roose were people he found when arriving at Winterfell, but who had settled there after Winterfell had been burnt. These people were not born in Winterfell and thus not familiar to any secret passages within the castle. Roose Bolton used them for rebuilding the stables and repairing roofs. Afterwards he killed them. Contrary to Maegor the Cruel there were no secrets (tunnels etc.) to hide.

[Clegane'sPup]

14 hours ago, Impbread said:

Pretty sure he is aware of the boys being alive. I think he even mentions that if one of them were to come back his time would be up. You would think that he does have a back up plan though. he is not an emotional guy.

 

Aye, Roose does know that Bran& Rickon are alive. I had to go back and read the Reek chapter c.32. Part of the conversation between Ramsey and Roose is below:

We appear strong for the moment, yes. We have powerful friends in the Lannisters and Freys, and the grudging support of much of the north … but what do you imagine is going to happen when one of Ned Stark's sons turns up?"

"Stark's little wolflings are dead," said Ramsay, sloshing some more ale into his cup, "and they'll stay dead. Let them show their ugly faces, and my girls will rip those wolves of theirs to pieces. The sooner they turn up, the sooner I kill them again."

The elder Bolton sighed. "Again? Surely you misspeak. You never slew Lord Eddard's sons, those two sweet boys we loved so well. That was Theon Turncloak's work, remember? How many of our grudging friends do you imagine we'd retain if the truth were known?

[Impbread]

Thanks for the quote didnt have the books with me and it was driving me crazy. Roose is such a fascinating character. Do you think that he has some sort of back up plan? Or maybe he feels like he had a good run and that this is his last winter anyway so hes just playing this thing out,

6 hours ago, Clegane'sPup said:

Aye, Roose does know that Bran& Rickon are alive. I had to go back and read the Reek chapter c.32. Part of the conversation between Ramsey and Roose is below:

We appear strong for the moment, yes. We have powerful friends in the Lannisters and Freys, and the grudging support of much of the north … but what do you imagine is going to happen when one of Ned Stark's sons turns up?"

"Stark's little wolflings are dead," said Ramsay, sloshing some more ale into his cup, "and they'll stay dead. Let them show their ugly faces, and my girls will rip those wolves of theirs to pieces. The sooner they turn up, the sooner I kill them again."

 

The elder Bolton sighed. "Again? Surely you misspeak. You never slew Lord Eddard's sons, those two sweet boys we loved so well. That was Theon Turncloak's work, remember? How many of our grudging friends do you imagine we'd retain if the truth were known?

 

[Sourjapes]

On 12/1/2016 at 10:41 AM, Clegane'sPup said:

I don’t know if there are any tunnels at WF. There used to be a lot of discussion about what is in the lower levels of the crypts.

Your OP did cause me to think about Roose having a contingency plan.

Come on, do you really think Roose or Ramsay will go down in a straightforward and predictable manner? Nothing about those two is straightforward easily predictable. The games both have played since their characters were introduced make your head spin the first time you read through it all. So I think the OP catching on about Maegor the Cruel and then Roose hanging the builders might be a very good clue. That's ignoring all the symbolism with the Boltons and deceptions in the first place.

[The Drunkard]

On 12/2/2016 at 2:41 AM, Clegane'sPup said:

Your OP did cause me to think about Roose having a contingency plan. Granted he has been named Warden of the North which gives him some clout and he has the Frey’s.

I’m using generalization here but it seems to me that the northern Houses are still basically Stark loyalists and he knows it. So it strikes me that Roose would, as you suggested, have an alternate plan if something went wrong with his scheme.

He's already tried several approaches, though. He wanted to lure Stannis to the Dreadfort so Arnolf could turncoat and help Ramsay smash him, but that failed. Then Stannis rallied the mountain clans and Roose decided to hole up behind Winterfell's walls, hoping that Stannis would attack and Arnolf would hit him within, and that's failed as well. Now the tension's caused him to send the Frey and Manderly forces out to hopefully destroy Stannis and then each other, but that'll probably fail too.

From my perspective he's already employed his contingencies and is now fairly desperate, hence the unprecedented look of fear. 

[Jon Fossoway]

59 minutes ago, The Drunkard said:

 

From my perspective he's already employed his contingencies and is now fairly desperate, hence the unprecedented look of fear. 

On a speculative note, if Stannis manages to survive and march against Winterfell, I hope Roose puts Ramsay in charge of the defense. While he slips away. Would render him as a useless character plot-wise, but oh well, Martin can then indulge himself creating a florid end for him.

[Clegane'sPup]

17 hours ago, Sourjapes said:

Come on, do you really think Roose or Ramsay will go down in a straightforward and predictable manner? Nothing about those two is straightforward easily predictable. The games both have played since their characters were introduced make your head spin the first time you read through it all. So I think the OP catching on about Maegor the Cruel and then Roose hanging the builders might be a very good clue. That's ignoring all the symbolism with the Boltons and deceptions in the first place.

Har, guess it depends if I wanna play nice wit da opper or iffin I wanna rabble rouse wit my fellas.

[Clegane'sPup]

12 hours ago, The Drunkard said:

From my perspective he's already employed his contingencies and is now fairly desperate, hence the unprecedented look of fear. 

I have said this before. I think Roose is a dead man walking when the truth comes out. That doesn't negate the possibility that he has an alternative plan that in his mind viable.

If I was Roose Bolton I would be afraid, very afraid of being cooped up in WF especially due to the killings that have been taking place and knowing that I had knives and swords lurking about.

What I really want to happen to Roose is this: He is sitting at his high table enjoying his meal and thonk thonk thonk arrows reach their mark. Ramsey caught totally off guard turns to look into the eyes of Theon and the drums begin to beat BOOM doom, BOOM doom, BOOM doom.