Jaehaerys Tyrell

I think it was about halfway through AGOT that I realised Eddard and Ned were the same person haha

Yeah I don’t think Baelor needed poisoning, he probably starved himself just fine. Murdering Viserys II isn’t an idea I’ve seriously considered before, but it could certainly fit with Aegon IV’s character and motivations. I wonder if he had anything to do with his mother once she’d returned to Lys?

Victarion Greyjoy Many Valyrian names The surnames Penrose/Blackwood/Dayne Gorys Edoryen

It was a joke

I suppose I always wondered why someone would call their child Shitmouth

I guess now that we’ve met Barba Bolton it looks like the Boltons aren’t operating a one heir per generation system, unless Barba became the Lady of the Dreadfort and Roose is able to give birth. I also think it’s more likely Brandon Ice-Eyes had a Bolton mother if there is any connection there at all.

I don’t think it likely that Prince Nymor sent his heir to King’s Landing with a threat. You’ve just given Aegon the best possible hostage. The most reasonable thing I’ve seen (I don’t remember who theorised it) was that the letter was from Rhaenys, who had been gravely injured but treated well at Hellholt. The Dornish may have sent Rhaenys’s body on a boat to Dragonstone and Aegon went to see it. I’m not totally convinced but it’s the only explanation I can believe that would explain Prince Nymor risking sending his heir and Aegon flying to Dragonstone and later agreeing to peace.

We don’t know that greyscale is a magical disease. Garin’s Curse could easily be a legend created to explain its existence.

The books both give me an impression that there is something “special” about being a Stark or a Targaryen, yet seem intent also on dispelling that impression (Bael the Bard, the Strong Velaryons, etc.). I guess we’ll have to wait to see how it pans out because right now I’m not sure exactly how this “magic bloodline” thing is supposed to work.

As a biologist I find this whole topic slightly frustrating. With near-certainty you can be assured that literally every single established noble house is descended from every single other established noble house. It’s been 8,000 years. The nobility are a relatively small population, and however rare, cross-border marriages happened. The Targaryens, like all westerosi nobolity, have Stark blood and Qorgyle blood and Codd blood and whatever house you can think of, because it has been eight thousand years. I really take the thematic important of Rhaegar-Lyanna and the Song of Ice and Fire to be that this is the first direct union of a Stark and a Targaryen, which is far more reasonable.

Don’t forget the Qorgyles!

This got me thinking of an oddity on the Stark family tree. Rickon Stark and Jeyne Manderly had two daughters, Serena Stark and Sansa Stark, who both married their uncles. Rickon predeceased Lord Cregan and Winterfell passed to Lord Cregan's second son, Jonnel Stark, who was married to his half-niece Sansa Stark. Surely the purpose of the marriage was to unite the claims of Rickon's daughter and brother. Except, Sansa Stark isn't Rickon's heir. She's his second daughter, so why would she marry the elder uncle and the heir to Winterfell? Her elder sister, Serena, being betrothed to Daeron I Targaryen would be an excellent explanation - Sansa gets Winterfell and Serena gets to be Queen. Only Daeron I dies and Serena finds herself with nothing, which will probably play into the She-Wolves of Winterfell conflict.

I wonder why the pact was never honoured? Cregan himself could’ve married Baela or Rhaena after the Dance, or a betrothal could’ve been secured between the eventual firstborn daughter of Aegon III and her Stark contemporary.

I had always assumed the Fossoways held the title Lord of Cider Hall due to their power, but it is possible they’re very prominent landed knights, like House Templeton in the Vale. It is interesting that the confirmed landed knights of New Barrel have secured such excellent marriages with the Tyrells and Hightowers. They must’ve risen high in the last century. But it should be noted that Lady Leonette’s branch is not mentioned - she may be of Cider Hall

I think the Dance of the Dragons can justify now noteworthy it is due to the large numbers of battles involving dragons, and the resulting deaths of so many dragons and Targaryens. It doesn’t need huge numbers of actual deaths in war to earn itself a reputation.