[TWoW Spoilers] Barristan

[ServantOnIce]

I'm so very excited for this now! It's like Blackwater epic. I'll definitely have to reread Dany's chapters a lot to get a good grasp on all these people though, I don't remember many of them.

Also, read Barristan's Chapters in ADWD he mentions a lot of folks and lays the ground work for the plan. The one wild card is The Harpy aka The Green Grace.

[Sour Billy Tipton]

Yea it should be a Dany chapter that reveals the Harpy is in the city. I could potentially see Barristan or someone close to Dany being killed by The Green Grace.

[Tyryan Lannister]

Just trying to get an idea of what the relationship between Vic and Barry will be--

During the Greyjoy Rebellion, wasn't Barristan the "head general"? I know that Robert was "in charge" but let's face it, all Robert was ever actually good at on the field was morale and getting his people to fight, whereas Barristan has had on numerous occasions proven himself to be a great battlefield commander.

Basically, if I am remembering that correctly (that Barristan was the official battlefield commander of the siege of Pyke and such), it's gonna add an interesting layer to those two attempting to work together--and then once Tyrion gets added into the pot, things will start to go crazy

[Fire Eater]

Barristan was charged with subduing Old Wyk in the first Greyjoy Rebellion.

[aryagonnakill]

One thing that I noted was that according to Barriston there are 60 ships in the harbor. That means that only part of Vics fleet was in the harbor at that point. This fits with the Vic gift chapter we got where he sends off the captured ships to go first.

Edited February 18, 2013 by aryagonnakill

[intheswamp]

I actually like Slaver's Bay from Barristan's, Tyrion's, and Vic's perspectives. Just as we never had a POV from any of the 5 kings, Dany should have lost her POV when she became Queen of Meereen. I think she would be much more likable and seem less stupid and annoying.

[WiDMNDBAMMD]

It takes a long time for news to travel half-way across the world.

The only reason Westros keeps up with Dany is because of Varys and Ser Jonah.

If Tyrion manages to get to Dany/Barristan he'll be able to update them on a ton of stuff as far as Westros. Even bring a couple people back to life.

[kephv]

With Mereen won, Danny is a little closer to getting to Westeros with the Iron Born ships, however... She's not where she's supposed to be.

The battle just started. They may win that day and push the slavers back from the shore side of the city, but it's far from won.

I can't believe we'll get too many more chapters on the battle itself because that would eat up a large chunk of the book. Maybe one more Victarion chapter? And that's where we see things going wrong?

It might eat up a good chunk of the book. Sounds likely considering it was held up from Dance. Besides, that was only one side of the city, and there's still the ships from Volantis that haven't showed up. Also, I think there may be more troops yet to arrive from the Yunkai and Qarth (I can't remember how many men from there they sent or have yet to send).

[Lord Damian]

the reasoning is this, in this arena there are how many with pov chapters,

Barristan, tyrion, victarion. One of them is bound to die, Barristan or victarion are the lilely ones.

[darksellsword]

My prediction is that vic blows the dragonhorn and Barristans forces take this as their signal for retreat as they pull back the dragons swoop in

and decimate the yunkai forces. I dont know how many of you have ever tried to train a dog but after years of frustrated efforts sometimes a tone

of voice can suddenly bring out the best behaviour in them. I think the dragonhorn is something similar to a training whistle.I hope personally that Daenerys flys back to meereen on Drogons back when Drogon is summoned by the horn.

Victarian determines friend from foe .Barristans army would be clearly in a defensive position infront of Meereen. If Barristan went to enough trouble to

dress in Queensguard armor he would surely of given instructions to make banners for Daenerys Army, besides that the yunki army with men on stilts and sharp metal beaks would be a sign of a very different influence than a westerosi Queen and her knights. Everyones speculating why Tyrion is miserable. Why would he be anything but miserable at this point.

Edited February 18, 2013 by darksellsword

[Lord Godric]

the reasoning is this, in this arena there are how many with pov chapters,

Barristan, tyrion, victarion. One of them is bound to die, Barristan or victarion are the lilely ones.

I didn't think that Barristan would survive Dance, so I don't see things ending well for him. It's a shame, the more we learn of him the greater he is. Edited February 18, 2013 by Lord Godric

[kephv]

I would go with Vic. Guy's easily dispensable.

[Carter209]

Ser Grandfather leading the charge against the slavers is going to be fucking awesome to read in its entirety. The height of his badassness just keeps getting higher, what with his reputation in Westeros, then staring down Drogon in the arena pits, and followed by his coup against Hizdahr. Now this? For an old man, he can sure kick ass and take names.

I also find it interesting that the possible members of Dany's future Queensguard, meaning the knights that are in Meereen(Selmy, Mormont, the two Dornishmen, and Barristan's 3 newly made knights) will all end up battle tested due to the Battle of Fire. Considering she wants to be Queen, having a Queensguard that is battle-trained and tested will come in handy, if they all make it out alive.

I can't way to see Victarion destroying shit with his new arm, and yet, I feel bad for Barristan considering his battle plan is all for naught as soon as the Dragonhorn is blown. I hope none of the POV's end up dead, because the conversations that will come about if they all live is going to make for some good entertainment and popcorn eating reading.

Tyrion's miserable? Well of course he is, he gets overshadowed once again by someone taking all the glory, first Tywin, and now Victarion.

I still think there's two more chapters about the battle, a Victarion and then a Tyrion one to follow the order someone suggested earlier of a Barristan-Victarion-Tyrion-Barristan sequence. We'll get Victarion storming the beaches, and then Tyrion helping to secure the release of the hostages during the melee. Also, Viserion and Rhaegal are more than likely going to show up and destroy some stuff, and we'll need to see that.

[Gauis Julius Caesar]

Wait... if the dragonhorn isn't a 'remote control' for the dragons, in what sense does it control dragons?

i personally think that horn doesn't control dragons like a remote control so much as keep the dragon from harming and killing the possessor of the horn. this is a huge deal, it suddenly makes them very trainable. if someone gave me a horn and it made it so that i knew 100% a lion wouldn't hurt me, i could train the lion, once the danger is gone anything is trainable. and from what we see of drogon and danny is that dragons seem to have a fairly high animal intelligence. i'd say anywhere from dog (german shepherd level perhaps) to a dolphin or primate.

[WiDMNDBAMMD]

I don't believe that blowing the dragon horn will call Drogon back to Mareen. He's too far away to hear it.

When the horn was blown at the Kingsmoot I don't remember the Dragons obeying.

Also I'm not so sure that Victorian will risk blowing the horn

1. He doesn't know where the dragons are.

2. He doesn't know what the horn will do...

3. He has a fleet of wooden ships in the bay.

Edited February 18, 2013 by WiDMNDBAMMD

[Tini]

Only the second point actually matters: he doesn't know if he is the horn's master.

The fact that he has chosen slaves/serfs to blow the horn indicates that he intends to use the horn.

Victarion will not blow the horn himself, so it doesn't matter if there are dragons near. He can have it blown as often as he considers necessary.

And I doubt that wooden ships play any part in his reasoning - at least not until the dragons start burning them - in which case he would try to make them stop using the horn.

[Roughspun]

Also I'm not so sure that Victorian will risk blowing the horn

From the Victarion chapter previously read by GRRM we know that he has already given the order to blow the horn. So why do you think he won’t risk it?

[John Ball]

I don't believe that blowing the dragon horn will call Drogon back to Mareen. He's too far away to hear it.

When the horn was blown at the Kingsmoot I don't remember the Dragons obeying.

Also I'm not so sure that Victorian will risk blowing the horn

1. He doesn't know where the dragons are.

2. He doesn't know what the horn will do...

3. He has a fleet of wooden ships in the bay.

1. Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't Rhaegal and Viserion are living in Mereeneese pyramids, they are in the area at least. They are likely to be attracted by the blood and noise of battle, they will probably show up

Only the second point actually matters: he doesn't know if he is the horn's master.

2. We don't know if he is the horn's master or not, but he clearly believes he is

3. Firstly, Victarion is dumb. Secondly the horn is supposed to give him control of the dragons, if they're around they're a threat to his fleet anyway so (point 2 not withstanding) he doesn't have anything to lose here

These chapters sound great, I am worried about Barristan making it out of this battle alive, although I think the prospect of Barristan, Tyrion and Victarion meeting up may be too good for George to pass up.

[Johirrim]

Man, Barristan sure is out of touch with the situation in Westeros. First he thinks Balon is come, except he knows that one is dead and then thinks its Theon of all people. Not that it matters much.

At any rate, I imagine that this battle will be enough to attract Rhaegal and Viserion to join the fray ( on no particular side ), cue the dragon horn being blown. What happens then is anyones guess.

[Nelapsi]

Victarion will not blow the horn himself, so it doesn't matter if there are dragons near. He can have it blown as often as he considers necessary.

Which is very interesting : if the horn secures the blower, Victarion may as well burn. Only, his arm may be of some protection.

Speculation drives me crazy, here. The one thing it all depends on is how the horn actually works.

Edit : Evening star, nobody knows what happened to Theon, except for those around Winterfell. No surprise Barristan thinks it migh me him.

Edited February 18, 2013 by Nelapsi