Heresy Area 51

[Black Crow]

Feel free, we're always looking for parallels in folklore which may be relevant and have already looked at Herne the Hunter (or Herla) and the Wild Hunt as a model for the Others/Sidhe

[Loren of the Rock]

Not so much the Wild Hunt and the Sidhe per se but some similarities with the Boltons / Ramsey that I found remembering as I read the heresy thread.

Because of the early romanisation and conversion to Christian catholic beliefs much of the early paganism shared with the rest of indo-european cultures is gone or very diminished (or at least compared to germanic and celtic mythology) but certainly if you dig a little there they are: the same beliefs but with other names.

Large OT incoming:

Comte l'Arnau (lit. Count the Arnau, stressed just as in the Ned) is a legendary figure in Catalonia, a nobleman from the Gombrèn (Ripollès, Pyrenees). He is the protagonist of a well-known ballad and present in numerous legends, stories, sayings and folk-tales. He seems to be an amalgamation of numerous legends and mythical tales laid upon one or more historical nobles, but it cannot be determined for sure which ones. For his rapacious cruelty and lechery is condemned to hunt for eternity while his flesh is devoured by flames.

He is also known by the names of lo Comte Mal (the Count Evil) and baró de Mataplana.

There are an infinity of different stories and legends associated with this character but I'm going to translate only the most relevant (hardly xD, but I wanted to do it for a long time) to the thread and in relation to some of the heresy topics. Here ya go... :cheers:

Born in deceit and tragedy:

Little is known about the origins of the Count but there are a few stories that recall it.

His father was one of the Hugs (family name) of the Mataplana lineage, a fierce warrior that fought the moors and the other noblemen alike. One day hunting he found himself separated from others on a pond under the peak of Llengot. There he found a great number of faes that promised him riches and power through all his life if he sired a child to their Queen but he wasn't allowed to keep or see him again. The hungry lord accepted to earthly pleasures and in the most deep of the pond he made love to the Queen.

Years passed and the lord wasn't capable of having any male sons to inherit his vast dominions so he sent route to the Pond of Llengot to find his true-born son. Having broken his pact by the force of the sword the faeries kept his soul and humour and was living but not alive.

The boy was raised in the Castle of Blancafort by nuns and priests as the lands of his father had passed to the Church.

When his grandmother Blanca died he fought with the abbot and the Church itself for his dominions, it pained him to see the folk free and unruly. He soon established an iron grip to his lands and no one dared the speak of him aloud, of so much hate and fear he made upon the vassals.

Eternal huntsman:

He is condemned to an eternal hunt with his hounds and spectral retinue, all the shades of men that chose to follow him. His steed is black with eyes of flame and mane of fire. Goes though peaks, valleys and gorges as rapid as though the skies.

His dogs are spawn from the deepest caverns of earth, as black as coal and never tired or hungry. Some say they're dips (vampiric hounds) and prey upon the children while his Lord murders maidens. Their names served as curses or methods to frighten children. [My grandmother remembered been told some names of the dogs and she lived very far away from the focus of the legends, 250km]

No one in the shire dares to speak his name and less to be about when the night comes, those who are chased they can only join the frenzied hunt or die. He goes about every All Saint's eve.

Murderer of children:

The Lord of Milany had a child and the Count Arnau was named his godfather. The Baron of Mataplana gift him a gown for the baptism. After a while the child died and the Count wanted back the garment, as he was dead it had no use. Then the Count did magic (aided by the fae of Ribes) and cursed the garb to kill all children that wore it.

The Count had very joy on the birth of new women. However, he despised the notion that boys where born in the barony, as in the future they may well become his enemies and oppose to his atrocious rule. One day he informed his vassals that he wanted to be the godfather of all the boys born within his dominions. To all them he make present of the rich and cursed gown and in a matter of days they where dead.

As always, the Count claimed the gown and gave it to the next godson that died as the others. By those means he achieved that in his land not a boy lived during three generations. Until the land became poor (and so did the Count), as no men where working and taking care of it. Then he desisted and let the serfs bring boys to the shire, never too many though.

Ladies and his companions:

It is told that the Count had a grip over his vassal's women much more severe that the uses of his time. To all his subjects he demanded the right of the First Night and they where forced to bring the brides to the castle. It was practice of the lord to return her the day after but often the Count made them stay during weeks and months, dishonouring the men.

Whenever there was a feast in the castle the Count summoned the most gentle and beautiful ladies. While he and his companyons de boira (cat. word for mist) fasted the poor women had to walk around the tables naked serving the man.

The companions loved to throw cherries on the floor so the ladies had to crouch to get them, and the companions laughed like madmen and made great ills during those nights.

The season of cherries was one of humiliation and shame for all the shire and the vassal ladies of the Count.

It is told that once the Count gone (not dead) there wasn't a single cherry tree in the land for generations.

Allied with the faes:

The Count Arnau was friend by blood with all the encantades of the country, that helped and protected him from all harm with their supernatural powers.

The fae of the Den of Ribes gave him a marvellous sword that had the power of always wounding someone when drawn, even without seeing or being near.

He also had two more gifts, given by the Queens of the deep caves of the Canigó and Prestill, as he was once her lover. One pouch of silver that never emptied, that gave him untold riches. And a stone that once touched his face made him irresistible to every woman (glamor).

The abyss-well of Saint Ou:

The chasm was so deep that no one could see the end, it is said that it was a gate to hell or the otherworld and one could go from there to the deep caves of Ribes. The Count Arnau made it empty and dry because the waters where foul and bad for the land, but he kept it open to visit the encantades and had a lair with hounds given by the devil (some say a pair of bucks). A strong castle constructed by it.

It is said that there the Count abused the fair maidens every full moon and then they where thrown down the chasm as offering to the Devil or the deep faes. 50 maidens he raped and killed but the 51 was the sister of Saint Ou (Eudald) and tried to escape, the lord followed her in his steep and then killed her with his blade. Saint Ou heard the cries, came and brought her back to live. Then he fought the Count and banished him not to return from the well, the castle was ruined and forgotten.

Every Saint John's eve you can see the Count Arnau emerging from the abyss with his retinue, steed and hounds going to hunt other maidens.

FIN :eek:

Addenda: The faeries in catalan mithology are known by the names of encantades (enchanted, bewitched), dones d'aigua (water women) or goges.

They live in the deepest and most cold ponds, lakes, springs and caves of the highest mountains (Pyrenees). Though their dominions and realm extend far deep underground (with usually palaces and dens covered in riches), where only the mortals go if invited and never return.

They are basically sidhe or faeries in all their appearance and methods. They do not have equivalent men spirits and they mate with mortals to continue it's existence, if it's a woman she'll become (to her wish) an encantada but men stay men. They're said to love the spirits of air (later associated with angels) and the most ancient ones have also that element to them, having wings or flying when they wish.

[Little Wing]

I don't know if you guys have seen this, but it's bloody funny! :lol:

[EmmaoftheCanals]

I don't know if you guys have seen this, but it's bloody funny! :lol:

Yes I did see it :). It's hilarious...

Interesting post, Loren!

[Daenerys Flint]

The reason Theon is so concerned about people calling Ramsay a Bastard and making him angry is because for the past year and bit whenever Ramsay has been angry it means that Theon will be hurt, it's classic brainwashing stuff.

I can't dispute that :) and I’m not saying he’s Brandon’s bastard either although that might be interesting (even if he is a Bolton his lineage is pretty ancient). But there is one key thing that makes me wonder from WoW chapter:

Stannis: “Tell me, turncloak, what battles has the Bastard of Bolton ever won that I should fear him?"

You must not call him that! A wave of pain washed over Theon Greyjoy. He closed his eyes and grimaced. When he opened them again, he said, "You do not know him."

"No more than he knows me."

"Knows me," cried one of the ravens the maester had left behind. It flapped its big black wings against the bars of its cage."

"Knows," it cried again.

It could just be a random wave of pain, but he’s not wiggling around like he was in the other moments where he gets stabbing pains in his shoulders and arms from hanging there so long. As you point out he’s used to getting pain from Ramsey… when Ramsey gets angry – but Ramsey isn’t there. So could he not be watching and hurting Theon from afar?

Theon would make the perfect spy. Non-threatening, no-one would believe any of his mad ramblings anyway. Considering that Stannis has never met Ramsey, how can the ravens be so sure he "knows" - as they say? We have seen an example of Thistle tearing at her eyes when being warged. Theon closed his and grimaced, given that his hands are tied this may be all he can do. Even the start of the chapter sounds funny:

For half a heartbeat he feared he was back in his old cell under the Dreadfort, that the jumble of memories inside his head was no more than the residue of some fever dream. I was asleep, he realized. That, or passed out from the pain.

… or something else ... e.g. being mind-raped?

[Black Crow]

Not so much the Wild Hunt and the Sidhe per se but some similarities with the Boltons / Ramsey that I found remembering as I read the heresy thread...

A fascinating post and many thanks for it.

The parallels with Herne the Hunter are very clear, and so too, as you suggest are some of the other parallels with Ramsay Snow/Bolton and his backstory as well as his deeds. This is very much a Catalan version of British/Celtic stories of the Sidhe and the Wild Hunt and I'm reminded that GRRM is fond of Catalonia so perhaps no surprise here.

The well leading to the underworld is also far from unknown to us of course, and yes, once again this stuff does very much point to us being on the right track in heresy.

[Brynhild the Bold]

I can't dispute that :) and I’m not saying he’s Brandon’s bastard either although that might be interesting (even if he is a Bolton his lineage is pretty ancient). But there is one key thing that makes me wonder from WoW chapter:

Stannis: “Tell me, turncloak, what battles has the Bastard of Bolton ever won that I should fear him?"

You must not call him that! A wave of pain washed over Theon Greyjoy. He closed his eyes and grimaced. When he opened them again, he said, "You do not know him."

"No more than he knows me."

"Knows me," cried one of the ravens the maester had left behind. It flapped its big black wings against the bars of its cage."

"Knows," it cried again.

It could just be a random wave of pain, but he’s not wiggling around like he was in the other moments where he gets stabbing pains in his shoulders and arms from hanging there so long. As you point out he’s used to getting pain from Ramsey… when Ramsey gets angry – but Ramsey isn’t there. So could he not be watching and hurting Theon from afar?

Theon would make the perfect spy. Non-threatening, no-one would believe any of his mad ramblings anyway. Considering that Stannis has never met Ramsey, how can the ravens be so sure he "knows" - as they say? We have seen an example of Thistle tearing at her eyes when being warged. Theon closed his and grimaced, given that his hands are tied this may be all he can do. Even the start of the chapter sounds funny:

For half a heartbeat he feared he was back in his old cell under the Dreadfort, that the jumble of memories inside his head was no more than the residue of some fever dream. I was asleep, he realized. That, or passed out from the pain.

… or something else ... e.g. being mind-raped?

From my readings, Ramsay hated the fact that he was a bastard and not able to inherit any of his father's lands (until he knocks off the heirs, that is). As such, he probably ingrained it into Theon and his other men not to refer to him as a bastard; he liked to think of himself as Lord of the Dreadfort (or possibly Winterfell, once he takes it). I don't have the books with me and can't find exact quotes, but I imagine when he was angry (about being called a bastard) he may have taken his anger out on Theon. So when Theon hears someone call Ramsay a bastard,it brings back his horrible experiences at the hand of Ramsay.

Victims of abuse or traumatic incidents often suffer fear and pain when they are reminded of what happened to them.

[Black Crow]

:agree:

Theon has troubles enough without adding the complication of Ramsay doing clever things we know not of. All his actions and thought-processes are entirely consistent with the trauma he's suffered.

[nanother]

The well leading to the underworld is also far from unknown to us of course, and yes, once again this stuff does very much point to us being on the right track in heresy.

I was reminded of that by this Arya quote (Varys and Illyrio emerging from the well in the Red Keep) - not sure if it came up in the discussion about Bran Vras's theory. I didn't think much of it before, but the steps circling down is very similar to the Nightfort well...

A flickering light brushed the wall ever so faintly, and she saw that she stood at the top of a great black well, a shaft twenty feet across plunging deep into the earth. Huge stones had been set into the curving walls as steps, circling down and down, dark as the steps to hell that Old Nan used to tell them of. And something was coming up out of the darkness, out of the bowels of the earth . . .

[Sword Of Mid Afternoon]

What textual evidence is there for this?

None at all. Too much time in between new material apparently causes some of us to hypothetically skinchange/warg all characters in our minds. "what if..." becomes endless.

[Sword Of Mid Afternoon]

The "Winter is coming" line is odd. As is killing his father's men?

From the bastard line, we are led to believe they recognize him... yet they must be in on the Theon trick, because the same bastard was scrubbing the floors... And that makes his killing them all the more odd. Perplexing.

But for all those crying out about deviating from the books on other threads... in Dance we learn that this similar thing unfolded more than once... the first time was with Kyra. So, instead of a Kyra we have a hidden Ramsay.. which is made possible due to the absence of Reek from Season 2.

[Tyryan Lannister]

From my readings, Ramsay hated the fact that he was a bastard and not able to inherit any of his father's lands (until he knocks off the heirs, that is). As such, he probably ingrained it into Theon and his other men not to refer to him as a bastard; he liked to think of himself as Lord of the Dreadfort (or possibly Winterfell, once he takes it). I don't have the books with me and can't find exact quotes, but I imagine when he was angry (about being called a bastard) he may have taken his anger out on Theon. So when Theon hears someone call Ramsay a bastard,it brings back his horrible experiences at the hand of Ramsay.

Victims of abuse or traumatic incidents often suffer fear and pain when they are reminded of what happened to them.

Agreed agree agree; from all (limited) accounts, Ramsay would for a time punish Theon simply for the fact that someone somewhere made him mad--when Ramsay comes back from the Frey Hunt empty handed, Theon thinks (paraphrase) "shit, he's gonna be mad, and he's gonna want his punching bag". it seems to be that Theon has been conditioned (Pavlovian maybe?) to respond to to anything that might anger Ramsay with fear of getting further tortured.

EDIT: spelling

[redriver]

Agreed agree agree; from all (limited) accounts, Ramsay would for a time punish Theon simply for the fact that someone somewhere made him mad--when Ramsay comes back from the Frey Hun empty handed, Theon thinks (paraphrase) "shit, he's gonna be mad, and he's gonna want his punching bag". it seems to be that Theon has been conditioned (Pavlovian maybe?) to respond to to anything that might anger Ramsay with fear of getting further tortured.

Skinner,I would have thought............ :lol:

[Tyryan Lannister]

The "Winter is coming" line is odd. As is killing his father's men?

From the bastard line, we are led to believe they recognize him... yet they must be in on the Theon trick, because the same bastard was scrubbing the floors... And that makes his killing them all the more odd. Perplexing.

But for all those crying out about deviating from the books on other threads... in Dance we learn that this similar thing unfolded more than once... the first time was with Kyra. So, instead of a Kyra we have a hidden Ramsay.. which is made possible due to the absence of Reek from Season 2.

I think that it's being done from the production standpoint of playing this unknown up to be friendly so that once the big reveal occurs, it is that much of a bigger deal; as to Ramsay killing his own dudes, who likely were in on it (well, up to that point, at least :devil: ), I feel that that's a combination of Ramsay wanting to get Theon's hopes up so that he can fuck with his mind even more, Ramsay trying to do away with some of his father's people (maybe he knows that certain of them are actually spies for Roose? :dunno: ), he's pissed off that some of his "underlings" are trying to torture his Reek, and Ramsay just being Ramsay.

[RobbTheStark]

The TV show introduced the Reeds and the Boy in the same episode. Having the Boy use the Stark motto would lead us to believe Theon has some kind of savior, as the Reeds appear to be to Bran and company. As we know, one relationship works out, and the other doesn't. Although some would argue it doesn't look like a win-win for the Reeds by the end of a Dance with Dragons.

[Loren of the Rock]

A fascinating post and many thanks for it.

The parallels with Herne the Hunter are very clear, and so too, as you suggest are some of the other parallels with Ramsay Snow/Bolton and his backstory as well as his deeds. This is very much a Catalan version of British/Celtic stories of the Sidhe and the Wild Hunt and I'm reminded that GRRM is fond of Catalonia so perhaps no surprise here.

The well leading to the underworld is also far from unknown to us of course, and yes, once again this stuff does very much point to us being on the right track in heresy.

Thanks to BC and Emma, my pleasure. :)

Yes, as I was saying in the post that started the info rant the same mythical figure of the 'spectral huntsman' can be identified in many places of western Europe, like the Hellequin (or Harlequin), Arawn, Odin or Herla. In this case though it seems to have fused with many other common folk myths (as opposed to those more Christianised) which is interesting because it fits by coincidence with many themes of the thread: born a changeling, champion of the fae, hunting dogs named, evil companions of the lord, murderer of male children, hunting and raping woman with all ceremonies and sacrifices to a well.

Just reading heresy I was finding much of it familiar.

Well I dunno about that. To my knowledge he came to Barcelona a couple of times for book purposes but that doesn't mean much, I sincerely doubt that he knows about Count Arnau or catalan myths... There is only so much more that a person can know about foreign cultures and I don't expect him to be a mythology expert. Rather to be well versed in Celtic and Germanic mythology and that is the basis for his inspiration. The legend is very much alive here though (as much as anything can be in the 21th c), to the point that 50 years ago there weren't many boys given that name at all (bad luck) and, of course, today the places of the legend are much visited and known.

Couple more silly facts: The surname Mataplana makes reference to the place where the castle stands, literally 'flat mound'. A motte castle with the top flattened. He also didn't mind at all of abusing the corpses.

What a guy! :laugh:

[Sword Of Mid Afternoon]

I think that it's being done from the production standpoint of playing this unknown up to be friendly so that once the big reveal occurs, it is that much of a bigger deal; as to Ramsay killing his own dudes, who likely were in on it (well, up to that point, at least :devil: ), I feel that that's a combination of Ramsay wanting to get Theon's hopes up so that he can fuck with his mind even more, Ramsay trying to do away with some of his father's people (maybe he knows that certain of them are actually spies for Roose? :dunno: ), he's pissed off that some of his "underlings" are trying to torture his Reek, and Ramsay just being Ramsay.

How very strange... all of it.

As I said on ToweroftheHand, Ramsay is going for the quintuple mind-fuck.

[alienarea]

Not so much the Wild Hunt and the Sidhe per se but some similarities with the Boltons / Ramsey that I found remembering as I read the heresy thread.

Because of the early romanisation and conversion to Christian catholic beliefs much of the early paganism shared with the rest of indo-european cultures is gone or very diminished (or at least compared to germanic and celtic mythology) but certainly if you dig a little there they are: the same beliefs but with other names.

Large OT incoming:

Comte l'Arnau (lit. Count the Arnau, stressed just as in the Ned) is a legendary figure in Catalonia, a nobleman from the Gombrèn (Ripollès, Pyrenees). He is the protagonist of a well-known ballad and present in numerous legends, stories, sayings and folk-tales. He seems to be an amalgamation of numerous legends and mythical tales laid upon one or more historical nobles, but it cannot be determined for sure which ones. For his rapacious cruelty and lechery is condemned to hunt for eternity while his flesh is devoured by flames.

He is also known by the names of lo Comte Mal (the Count Evil) and baró de Mataplana.

There are an infinity of different stories and legends associated with this character but I'm going to translate only the most relevant (hardly xD, but I wanted to do it for a long time) to the thread and in relation to some of the heresy topics. Here ya go... :cheers:

Born in deceit and tragedy:

Little is known about the origins of the Count but there are a few stories that recall it.

His father was one of the Hugs (family name) of the Mataplana lineage, a fierce warrior that fought the moors and the other noblemen alike. One day hunting he found himself separated from others on a pond under the peak of Llengot. There he found a great number of faes that promised him riches and power through all his life if he sired a child to their Queen but he wasn't allowed to keep or see him again. The hungry lord accepted to earthly pleasures and in the most deep of the pond he made love to the Queen.

Years passed and the lord wasn't capable of having any male sons to inherit his vast dominions so he sent route to the Pond of Llengot to find his true-born son. Having broken his pact by the force of the sword the faeries kept his soul and humour and was living but not alive.

The boy was raised in the Castle of Blancafort by nuns and priests as the lands of his father had passed to the Church.

When his grandmother Blanca died he fought with the abbot and the Church itself for his dominions, it pained him to see the folk free and unruly. He soon established an iron grip to his lands and no one dared the speak of him aloud, of so much hate and fear he made upon the vassals.

Eternal huntsman:

He is condemned to an eternal hunt with his hounds and spectral retinue, all the shades of men that chose to follow him. His steed is black with eyes of flame and mane of fire. Goes though peaks, valleys and gorges as rapid as though the skies.

His dogs are spawn from the deepest caverns of earth, as black as coal and never tired or hungry. Some say they're dips (vampiric hounds) and prey upon the children while his Lord murders maidens. Their names served as curses or methods to frighten children. [My grandmother remembered been told some names of the dogs and she lived very far away from the focus of the legends, 250km]

No one in the shire dares to speak his name and less to be about when the night comes, those who are chased they can only join the frenzied hunt or die. He goes about every All Saint's eve.

Murderer of children:

The Lord of Milany had a child and the Count Arnau was named his godfather. The Baron of Mataplana gift him a gown for the baptism. After a while the child died and the Count wanted back the garment, as he was dead it had no use. Then the Count did magic (aided by the fae of Ribes) and cursed the garb to kill all children that wore it.

The Count had very joy on the birth of new women. However, he despised the notion that boys where born in the barony, as in the future they may well become his enemies and oppose to his atrocious rule. One day he informed his vassals that he wanted to be the godfather of all the boys born within his dominions. To all them he make present of the rich and cursed gown and in a matter of days they where dead.

As always, the Count claimed the gown and gave it to the next godson that died as the others. By those means he achieved that in his land not a boy lived during three generations. Until the land became poor (and so did the Count), as no men where working and taking care of it. Then he desisted and let the serfs bring boys to the shire, never too many though.

Ladies and his companions:

It is told that the Count had a grip over his vassal's women much more severe that the uses of his time. To all his subjects he demanded the right of the First Night and they where forced to bring the brides to the castle. It was practice of the lord to return her the day after but often the Count made them stay during weeks and months, dishonouring the men.

Whenever there was a feast in the castle the Count summoned the most gentle and beautiful ladies. While he and his companyons de boira (cat. word for mist) fasted the poor women had to walk around the tables naked serving the man.

The companions loved to throw cherries on the floor so the ladies had to crouch to get them, and the companions laughed like madmen and made great ills during those nights.

The season of cherries was one of humiliation and shame for all the shire and the vassal ladies of the Count.

It is told that once the Count gone (not dead) there wasn't a single cherry tree in the land for generations.

Allied with the faes:

The Count Arnau was friend by blood with all the encantades of the country, that helped and protected him from all harm with their supernatural powers.

The fae of the Den of Ribes gave him a marvellous sword that had the power of always wounding someone when drawn, even without seeing or being near.

He also had two more gifts, given by the Queens of the deep caves of the Canigó and Prestill, as he was once her lover. One pouch of silver that never emptied, that gave him untold riches. And a stone that once touched his face made him irresistible to every woman (glamor).

The abyss-well of Saint Ou:

The chasm was so deep that no one could see the end, it is said that it was a gate to hell or the otherworld and one could go from there to the deep caves of Ribes. The Count Arnau made it empty and dry because the waters where foul and bad for the land, but he kept it open to visit the encantades and had a lair with hounds given by the devil (some say a pair of bucks). A strong castle constructed by it.

It is said that there the Count abused the fair maidens every full moon and then they where thrown down the chasm as offering to the Devil or the deep faes. 50 maidens he raped and killed but the 51 was the sister of Saint Ou (Eudald) and tried to escape, the lord followed her in his steep and then killed her with his blade. Saint Ou heard the cries, came and brought her back to live. Then he fought the Count and banished him not to return from the well, the castle was ruined and forgotten.

Every Saint John's eve you can see the Count Arnau emerging from the abyss with his retinue, steed and hounds going to hunt other maidens.

FIN :eek:

Addenda: The faeries in catalan mithology are known by the names of encantades (enchanted, bewitched), dones d'aigua (water women) or goges.

They live in the deepest and most cold ponds, lakes, springs and caves of the highest mountains (Pyrenees). Though their dominions and realm extend far deep underground (with usually palaces and dens covered in riches), where only the mortals go if invited and never return.

They are basically sidhe or faeries in all their appearance and methods. They do not have equivalent men spirits and they mate with mortals to continue it's existence, if it's a woman she'll become (to her wish) an encantada but men stay men. They're said to love the spirits of air (later associated with angels) and the most ancient ones have also that element to them, having wings or flying when they wish.

Nice. It also has a "Ghost Riders In The Sky" touch. Or vice versa. Yippie-Ya-Ho

[Black Crow]

Nice. It also has a "Ghost Riders In The Sky" touch. Or vice versa. Yippie-Ya-Ho

Well, exactly, which is why from my perspective the Count and his men are so immediately recognisable as the Herne the Hunter and the Wild Hunt, and ultimately as Ramsay Snow/Bolton.

That of course brings us back many heresies to a comparison of Ramsay's behaviour and that of the Others/Sidhe also being notorious for a hunting maidens through the woods.

[Black Wolf Smith]

While I get why the theory that Ramsey is Brandon's bastard is out there, IMO 1. think it it were true we would have some type of hint about it, long before GRRM said that he "might" have bastards. 2. even if true, it is not a major point/doesn't mean anything to the story. 3. It may even be hinted at slightly, but I don't think we will ever be told whether or not it is true.