A Thread for Small Questions IX

[Corvinus85]

Something that bothered me: in the first Prologue, how did the nightwatchman get through the wall to end up in Winterfell? He culd only go through the Black Castle, but wouldn't he there tell his borthers what he saw? Why did he need to desert, and how did he do it?

He most likely passed through the Gorge, the valley that is at the western end of the Wall, by the Shadow Tower. It's a place many wildlings use to pass by the Wall. Also it makes sense, if you estimate where they were when attacked. In book 2, Craster mentions that they had passed by his keep, so most likely they were close by the Fist of the First Men. The Fist is straight north of the Gorge.

[taurunum dire cat]

Expansion on my previous question about Arya's knowledge of Bran and Rickon. Here is what I think each of the surviving Stark kids (and Jon) currently believes about their siblings. Let me know if I'm wrong on any of these.

Bran - Seems to be aware through warging that something bad has happened to Robb and Grey Wind, does not necessarily know details of Red Wedding. Depending on what Sam told him, may think Jon is still lost beyond the wall. Still thinks Sansa is in King's Landing. Believes Arya is missing and presumed dead. Knows Rickon is alive.

Sansa - Knows about the Red Wedding. Knows that Jon is Lord Commander. Believes Bran and Rickon are dead. Believes Arya is missing and presumed dead.

Arya - Knows about the Red Wedding. Knows that Jon is Lord Commander. Believes Bran and Rickon are dead. Presumably aware that Sansa is on the lam after Joffrey's death.

Jon - Knows about the Red Wedding. Believes Bran and Rickon are dead. Believes Arya is missing and presumed dead. Presumably knows Joffrey is dead, cannot remember if he knows of Sansa's supposed involvement.

Rickon - Knows Bran is alive. Last we saw him, Red Wedding yet to happen; depending on where Osha and he have gone, may have heard. Rickon may also have learned about it through warging or dreams, depending on the extent of his powers. At end of ACoK, he would have known Jon was at the wall, that Sansa was in King's Landing, and that Arya was missing (he probably wouldn't presume her dead, being so young). Obviously he might know a lot more when next we see him.

Is all that accurate?

Jon did see gray wolf when wildelings ataked him so he may hawe clue about Brann being alive

[Rinso]

He most likely passed through the Gorge, the valley that is at the western end of the Wall, by the Shadow Tower. It's a place many wildlings use to pass by the Wall. Also it makes sense, if you estimate where they were when attacked. In book 2, Craster mentions that they had passed by his keep, so most likely they were close by the Fist of the First Men. The Fist is straight north of the Gorge.

This is not directed directly to Corvinus, but his post got me interested and I have a small question of my own.

How did the direwolf that gave birth to the Stark pups wound up south of the Wall? I mean, okay, a lone man can scale the Wall or pass through the Gorge unnoticed... but that was an animal. What brought it there? How did it pass through the Wall?

[Dragonfish]

This is not directed directly to Corvinus, but his post got me interested and I have a small question of my own.

How did the direwolf that gave birth to the Stark pups wound up south of the Wall? I mean, okay, a lone man can scale the Wall or pass through the Gorge unnoticed... but that was an animal. What brought it there? How did it pass through the Wall?

If a man can pass through the Gorge unnoticed, I don't see why a direwolf couldn't as well.

[Rinso]

If a man can pass through the Gorge unnoticed, I don't see why a direwolf couldn't as well.

Yes, but why would it? If it passed through the Gorge, it's almost like it did it on purpose. Which would make the Old Gods' premonition astonishing.

[Mother of Dragons]

I don't think she has Targaryen blood. Not everyone who dreams of dragons is automatically a Targaryen...

...And who would be the Targaryen ancestor of Shireen? We don't know much about the Florent's family tree, but they claim ancestors from King Gardener of the Reach, not King Aegon the Conqueror....

Because the Baratheons through her father Stannis have Targ blood. It is known.

[Dragonfish]

Yes, but why would it? If it passed through the Gorge, it's almost like it did it on purpose. Which would make the Old Gods' premonition astonishing.

Perhaps it had hunted all the good game in its area and was looking for new game elsewhere. Perhaps it was running from the Others. I don't know, I can't see inside its head. I honestly don't know how to answer your "why" question.

[Rinso]

My point with the "why" was that the Gorge is not some meadow that you can cross with your eyes closed. An animal would probably won't go there just out of curiosity. But fine, my initial question was answered - the most likely destination is indeed the Gorge, but that makes it very eerie to me. Almost like the Old Gods - because it's safe to assume there is a connection between them and the pups - knew exactly what would happen.

[Mother of Dragons]

One more tree question:

Are weirwoods not the same as heart trees? I always thought they were the same until I read some posts earlier in the thread suggesting they are different.

[Sasha Steelsong]

One more tree question:

Are weirwoods not the same as heart trees? I always thought they were the same until I read some posts earlier in the thread suggesting they are different.

I think it is a square/parallelagram issue. I think all heart trees are weirwoods because they are always found in weirwood groves but rather obviously not all weirwoods become hearttrees.

[zmflavius]

One more tree question:

Are weirwoods not the same as heart trees? I always thought they were the same until I read some posts earlier in the thread suggesting they are different.

A weirwood is a tree of white wood with red leaves. A heart tree is a weirwood that the Children of the Forest have carved a face onto. The heart trees are believed to be faces for the Old Gods.

[Mother of Dragons]

I think it is a square/parallelagram issue. I think all heart trees are weirwoods because they are always found in weirwood groves but rather obviously not all weirwoods become hearttrees.

So if I understand correctly, a heart tree is the weirwood with the face, but not all weirwoods have faces?

[Sasha Steelsong]

So if I understand correctly, a heart tree is the weirwood with the face, but not all weirwoods have faces?

That is basically how I took it.

[ryamano]

Jon did see gray wolf when wildelings ataked him so he may hawe clue about Brann being alive

Jon thinks his brother (either Robb or Bran) is alive, but only inside in the wolf. Much like that wildling who warged in the eagle, who Jon killed in the pass. He gets this intuition from what Varamyr Sixskins tells him, that the guy he killed is still alive in the eagle, has fused with Varamyr and wants to kill Jon. I wonder if that guy Jon killed (always forget his name) is still alive now, considering what Melisandre did to the eagle.

[ryamano]

Because the Baratheons through her father Stannis have Targ blood. It is known.

It is know as well that no Baratheon, besides Shireen, ever says he or she dreams of dragons. Maybe that just happened because we don't have a Baratheon POV. It could be that while whoring and warring, Robert was dreaming of dragons.

[ryamano]

My point with the "why" was that the Gorge is not some meadow that you can cross with your eyes closed. An animal would probably won't go there just out of curiosity. But fine, my initial question was answered - the most likely destination is indeed the Gorge, but that makes it very eerie to me. Almost like the Old Gods - because it's safe to assume there is a connection between them and the pups - knew exactly what would happen.

The wolf could be going after a prey, like the huge stag that ended up killing her.

[ryamano]

Why is House Codd so despised?

Isn't it because they're descended from thralls and salt wives? Or maybe I'm confusing them with another Ironmen house?

[ryamano]

Do we know if Catelyn ever said "Littlefinger said the knife was yours" to Tyrion?

If so, did Tyrion ever mention it to Littlefinger later on?

It seems weird that she wouldn't, at some point during their trip to the Vale say something like "Well, Lord Petyr says it was your knife" or something similar.

Yes, she did, and in a POV chapter, I think. She says that LF said the dagger was his, Tyrion says that LF also said he had Cat's maidenhead, so LF's word might mean nothing. That was the dialogue, I think.

Tyrion never mentions this to Littlefinger, but he thinks about it to himself. Once he reaches KL, in ACOK, the first time he sees LF, LF is wearing that Valyrian steel dagger. Tyrion thinks he's trying to mock him, anger him or something like that, but does nothing besides think to himself about it. Maybe he later tricked LF with the false tale of sending Myrcella to the Eyrie (that ended up putting Myrcella in Dorne) because he thought LF was too insolent wearing that dagger. LF said he'd have vengeance for having being lied to, and he actually did, blaming Tyrion for the murder of Joffrey.

[Rune Targaryen]

A weirwood is a tree of white wood with red leaves. A heart tree is a weirwood that the Children of the Forest have carved a face onto. The heart trees are believed to be faces for the Old Gods.

I understand different, a heart tree is the central piece of a godswood, on the north this is still carved weirwood, but in the south other tress may be heart trees, like in the godswood of the eyrie that is another tree ans Sansa calls it a heart tree.