Durran God's Grief and his 7 castles.

[AlaskanSandman]

I want to propose an idea and see some thoughts into it. The Idea that Durran God Grief's 7 castles were not one after the other at the same spot, but rather 7 castles built around the same time, that only storms end is the surviving castle to. The other castles? Well im not totally sure on 2 of them, but id say-  

*Winterfell- the First Keep is the oldest part of the castle and round. Though only castle with gargoyles.\

*Moat Cailyn

*Pyke- So old that no one knows who built it. The oldest part, the Sea Tower, is round and tall. Meaning along with Winterfell, the rest of the castle is newer.

*Storm's End (obviously)

*Evenfall Castle of Tarth.- Rumored mention of it's construction suggest the castle was built after time of Andals though it's claimed it's older than Andals dating back to the first men. Likely round towers.

Now, a couple castle can possibly be the second two destroyed castles or rebuilt in the case of Winterfell, Pyke and probably Evenfall. 

*Old Stones.- This one i would place high on the list  Though listed as likely the 4th rulers of the Riverlands, i believe this to be a matter of terminology as i believe the previous 3 ruled all at the same time from different areas, their borders meeting up likely. I believe as with many periods of the Riverlands, that they were not united under on single high king, but rather many petty kings fighting for control. The only High Kings to rule IMO were the Mudds, Durrandons, and Hoares. So i think house Mudd may have been the High Kings during the Age of Heroes. 

*Starfall

*The Eyrie.- I know some of you will be like huh? and some may get it. Under the idea though that The Winged Knight and The Falcon Knight are one and the same person and that the Andals Invasion happens close to the Long Night or before and that it was only 3-2000 years ago. Just putting it out their though idk about this one as one of Durran's castles either. 

* A castle now lost beneath the waves of the arm of Dorne, some wheres near the Bloodstone and Greenstone? Which brings me to why this theory is. Garth is the Green King of the God's Eye, and High King of all men, the Storm God, The Horned Stag, Durran God's Grief. or Durran is just his son. But these 7 castles make up Garth's realm and ruled by his children? Trying not to get to deep or long into this, just kind of throwing out a loose idea.

[Stormking902]

SE, the wall, and WF apparently have the same builder in common who was Bran the builder who I believe is the same Bran Stark we have in the current time line. I think Bran travels far back in time to build these three strongholds to help defend Westeros from the Whitewalker threat he knows is coming. 

I got a little off topic with that but yes I believe your right in the sense Bran probably built more then just three fortifications especially since he was obviously very good at building. Pyke being so old and still standing proves it has a greater purpose some how. 

[AlaskanSandman]

12 hours ago, Stormking902 said:

SE, the wall, and WF apparently have the same builder in common who was Bran the builder who I believe is the same Bran Stark we have in the current time line. I think Bran travels far back in time to build these three strongholds to help defend Westeros from the Whitewalker threat he knows is coming. 

I got a little off topic with that but yes I believe your right in the sense Bran probably built more then just three fortifications especially since he was obviously very good at building. Pyke being so old and still standing proves it has a greater purpose some how. 

Im more speaking about the Great Empire of the Dawn in Westeros under Garth the Green and what would have made up his empire. Im not to into the idea that Brandon Stark is Brandon the Builder who is time traveling. Too gimmicky and messy. Especially with the wealth of prehistory and metaphors and myths George as set forth. Bran mentally messing up Hodor in his quest to learn dark magic i can understand plot wise, but that's about it. The Hodor bit only worked cause Bran was with present day hodor while looking in the past, and Meera spoke to him causing a feed back loop that stuck Hodor. Not even close to what it would take to go back and control some one entirely, with out them there in present time. Then also go forth and do all the myths. This is also all entirely show. Hasnt happened in the books and likely to happen slightly different anyways. What would be the point of Jon and Dany any ways in all that? This also seems more an underlying reference to the dark magic used by the Children and the Night's King that caused problems to begin with. Keep in mind that Bran is breaking the rules of warging, and as such, should only lead to a dark result. Just my opinion though.

[OtherFromAnotherMother]

18 hours ago, AlaskanSandman said:

I want to propose an idea and see some thoughts into it. The Idea that Durran God Grief's 7 castles were not one after the other at the same spot, but rather 7 castles built around the same time, that only storms end is the surviving castle to. The other castles? Well im not totally sure on 2 of them, but id say-  

I like the idea but I'd say that the text strongly supports the castle being built and rebuilt at the same relative location (Shipbreaker Bay). 

Quote

Five more castles he built, each larger and stronger than the last, only to see them smashed asunder when the gale winds came howling up Shipbreaker Bay, driving great walls of water before them. His lords pleaded with him to build inland; his priests told him he must placate the gods by giving Elenei back to the sea; even his smallfolk begged him to relent. Durran would have none of it. A seventh castle he raised, most massive of all. 

Catelyn III, CoK

 

[AlaskanSandman]

10 hours ago, OtherFromAnotherMother said:

I like the idea but I'd say that the text strongly supports the castle being built and rebuilt at the same relative location (Shipbreaker Bay). 

 

I get what your saying, but the text say's alot of things possibly misleading. The likely hood that Durran built 7 castles in the span of a normal life span is quite the stretch. Especially when you consider it took several Arryn kings to finish the Eyrie. Also it's likely the event that smashed his castle was the Breaking of the Arm of Dorne and or the Breaking of the 2nd Moon/ Black stone falling to Earth event that likely only happened the once. The 7 times thing admitted even by Maesters, is something probably added by later Septons of the Faith of the Seven. 

There are multiple castles in Westeros though that all have round towers predating the Andals. It's mentioned too that early Andals didn't build round either, and that it came sometime later. The Idea that Winterfell, Moat Cailyn, Pyke and Storm's End are all likely part of The Empire of the Dawn is already out there. Along with the Hightower and possibly Starfall, and Evenfall of Tarth. Reason's being is that they all have round towers. I should also mention that Highgarden has been rebuilt many times and has round towers that may actually be the older part of the castle, Just like Winterfell and Pyke. Im just taking the general theory a little further and suggesting that 7 of these castles were Durran's. Maybe the part about it not being inland is a clue though and only the castles near the sea count, like Starfall, Evenfall, Storm's End, Pyke, etc.

Durran is the only person mentioned along with the Grey King and possibly Garth The Green to have lived for 1000 years though and it's quiet possible these separate legends from separate areas are about the same guy. Garth the Green was green all over and had antlers like a stag. The Grey King was Grey all over including his eyes and skin and hair, just like Garth being green. The Grey King turned grey through out his rule, meaning he was not always grey. Note also that the Grey King wed a mermaid, and that Durran wed Elenai, daughter of the Sea God and Goddess of the Wind. Likely a mermaid. Note also that Renly Baratheon dressed in Green Armor and antler helm is compared to a god. The Bloodstone is a Greenstone flecked with red, also Islands located in the Arm of Dorne. The Bloodstone represents Garth's transformation. Note also the Gardener King Garth Greybeard. A nice lil nod by Martin IMO. Also the Red Mountains were once the Green Mountains. 

Again i know my idea off the wall and may be wrong still. Throwing a lil more backing behind it though to help explain my line of thought. I believe that all the legends hold a piece of the puzzle but are all generally wrong in some way. Like the Grey King didn't kill a Sea Dragon and make a hall from its ribs, he killed Ygg the demon tree and alot of other weirwoods and made a boat out of them and sailed them to Westeros from Essos to land on the Iron Islands and over turn the boat to make his first (temporary) hall in Westeros before moving on to the rest of Westeros, but not before leaving behind people of the lesser races of man (as Garth is part of some mixed race of Humans and CotF to create giant long lived humans) who would become the Iron born, not knowing the later legends laid down by Garth the Grey King in his later years. 

But see if im right, and The Grey King is Durran, then one part of the legend made it's way to both cultures, the part of him taking a mermaid to wife. Which must have happened near Iron Islands or before them back in Essos. Bringing her with him to Westeros where his final castle was built with the help of his descendant with her, Brandon the Builder son of Brandon of the Bloody Blade. and where the wrath of the gods was brought down. 

[Jon Fossoway]

Bran 'travelling back' to help defend against the 'white walkers'? Has the show tainted this forum that much?

[AlaskanSandman]

2 hours ago, King Merrett I Frey said:

Bran 'travelling back' to help defend against the 'white walkers'? Has the show tainted this forum that much?

Yea i hear you. It is a very popular theory of show watchers tho. I have a friend who read the books along time ago but since is mostly just familiar with the show and he's into this theory too. 

[LiveFirstDieLater]

I'm not sure about Durrandon's castles being all over... but it's a theory.

You might consider the home of our repeatedly resurected though now extinguished Ser Berric Dondarion though as well. Blackhaven is in the Stormlands, and has black basalt walls like Moat Calin. The Dondarions were made lords by the Durandons. And Cristion Cole, the kingmaker, was originally the son of the steward of Blackhaven.

Just throwing it out there...

Also, you might consider that the Kings of the first men may well have lived extraordinarily long lives and ruled for hundreds of years if they were seated in Weirwood Thrones...

[AlaskanSandman]

On 8/25/2017 at 1:42 PM, LiveFirstDieLater said:

I'm not sure about Durrandon's castles being all over... but it's a theory.

You might consider the home of our repeatedly resurected though now extinguished Ser Berric Dondarion though as well. Blackhaven is in the Stormlands, and has black basalt walls like Moat Calin. The Dondarions were made lords by the Durandons. And Cristion Cole, the kingmaker, was originally the son of the steward of Blackhaven.

Just throwing it out there...

Also, you might consider that the Kings of the first men may well have lived extraordinarily long lives and ruled for hundreds of years if they were seated in Weirwood Thrones...

I like that last bit about them being in weirwood thrones and that's why they lived so long back then. Nice