What does Stannis do if he wins the battle of ice?

[Victarion Chainbreaker]

He rushes back to Castle Black because he learns that Mel sacrificed Shireen to resurrect Jon.

[Stannis'_Barber]

Maybe take Harrenhall and then wipe out the Freys. After that its on to KL.

[rocksniffer]

If Stannis does take Winterfell, I doubt the Northern Lords will rush to his side anyway. I mean they'll probably be very confused, they've been fighting on two different sides of a war, now Stannis just comes along and demands they stick to his side, I imagine they are all sick of fighting for a war in which their cause died with Robb Stark.

BUT! Saying all that I think Stannis has plans to implement with Rickon, mainly to unite the North that way, obviously his original intention was to do that with Jon Snow. From there? It's hard to guess but he either goes back North or marches South. :dunno:

unless of course he goes west or marches east...

I feel like people are underestimating the weather. 10 feet of snow, half his army died on the way to winterfell. He has no choice but to stay there for winter, but Idk what the food supplies look like there.

As for the north desposing of stannis, idk. It would be stupid of them to declare rickon king. They don't have enough power to overthrow stannis and fight the armies to the south, even without the snow. It might do them better just to keep him around, as long as he doesn't expect them to march through 200 leagues of increasing blizzard conditions.

stay for a years long winter...everything is pointing to this being a bitch of a winter along the lines of 10+ yrs so i think waiting out the winter is not an option...i am under the impression they are already running out of food...

[BalerionTheCat]

Stannis killed Renly thru Melisandre. I think it's bad for him. But I don't think he will die in front of Winterfell.

He could win this battle. I would rather say his Northern friends could win the battle for him. Then he will have to take Winterfell. Because it will soon be the only safe place in the North, with BR caves. And I believe the Manderly and Karstarks can do that also for him. Returning to the castle and pretending Stannis is dead, and taking the Boltons by ruse.

After that, I don't think the Northmen will go south for him. They will follow what Rickon or Bran or Jon will say. I would not be surprised if Bran was using Theon to someway pass instructions. Their goal would be to protect as many people as possible, waiting for something to happen. Winterfell hot springs must be to help survive the coldest and longest winters.

Well, I suppose Stannis will have one or two other things to do, besides waiting the end of the Winter. But he will follow Jon then.

[Lost Melnibonean]

We know from Theon I, Winds that

Stannis is planning a ruse to fool Roose, andcwe know from an SSM that chapter preceded the pink letter in ASOIAF time. Since we know Roose believed Karstark would aide him and since we know Manderly will betray him for Stannis, we can assume that Ramsay was fooled into believing he won.

But word of Stannis's defeat and death will spread (marching into the sea), but Manderly will triumph over Bolton. Stannis will then join Aurane's power (riding seahorses) to Manderlys power (mermen blowing seashells) to threaten Aegon and/or And they'll be joined by the river lords still allied with North (men marry fishes under the sea). But not the Brackens. Stannis's host of Nothmen and Rivermen will array for battle at the Trident. Their numbers will be swollen by Northern childless and homeless men, unwed men, old men, and younger sons coming for war, for adventure and plunder, and for a glorious death to spare their kin beyond the Neck one more mouth to feed (just like Creegan Stark's host in the Dance of the Dragons). Daenerys will meet them (armored all in ice) at the Trident, but rather than bathe them in dragonfyre, I think Drogon will slay the lie that is Stannis, and she'll take all his power to fight Aegon.

http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/118181-we-will-march-into-the-sea-and-out-again-under-the-waves-we-will-ride-seahorses-and-mermaids-will-blow-seashells-to-announce-our-coming-oh-oh-oh/

[MacReady]

I think by the time he wins he'll be stranded at Winterfell for the time being, due to the bad weather. If the Northern Lords don't immediately align with Stannis they will by the time Davos shows up with Rickon. By the time the weather starts to let up, he'll have to head back North though to deal with the Others. Wouldn't be surprised if Stannis split up his army. Maybe he heads North with the men he already has while he sends raven's to Massey to take his 20k swordsmen and begin his continue his campaign in Westeros.

I don't really see the Northern Lords not going with Stannis though. Even if they don't, Stannis has enough muscle to take Winterfell and keep it for himself until they change their mind.

[denny717]

unless of course he goes west or marches east...

stay for a years long winter...everything is pointing to this being a bitch of a winter along the lines of 10+ yrs so i think waiting out the winter is not an option...i am under the impression they are already running out of food...

Yeah and if he marches, then his men are hungry and cold. The food supplies in winterfell aren't enough to sustain an army, but he doesn't have his own food supplies. he's basically marched himself into a corner. nowhere within marching distance has enough food for his army. Unless ofcourse, half his army freezes to death during the march, which is likely to happen.

[The Drunkard]

No it isn't. Winterfell is three days away, the clansmen still have most their horses (i.e food), and his men are still in fighting condition if undernourished.

[Wendel Shoemaker]

Yup, I think his plan was just to gether the North, once thy're gathered he can start manning the rest of the tower's at the wall with capable men.

[denny717]

Now that I think of it, the only place to go is white harbor. Because it's a city, it may have extra food supplies, and ships if it doesnt. Anywhere else he goes didn't prepare for 10 years of feeding more then 5000 men. (Does anyone know how many he has when he reaches winterfell?)but I know I sound like a broken record, but the march there will be detrimental to his numbers, and the narrow sea is dangerous during the winter.

[denny717]

No it isn't. Winterfell is three days away, the clansmen still have most their horses (i.e food), and his men are still in fighting condition if undernourished.

If I remember correctly the march to winterfell killed a lot of his men and horses. Men were resorting to cannibalism. I don't know if you've ever walked through 10 feet of snow, but I walked through 4 feet this winter and couldn't imagine moving more then a few miles through that crap. 3 days ride in the summer becomes a lot longer when there's another blizzard everyday.

[The Drunkard]

If I remember correctly the march to winterfell killed a lot of his men and horses. Men were resorting to cannibalism. I don't know if you've ever walked through 10 feet of snow, but I walked through 4 feet this winter and couldn't imagine moving more then a few miles through that crap. 3 days ride in the summer becomes a lot longer when there's another blizzard everyday.

Conditions are bad, but not so bad that "half his army" are likely to die. Everyone is still getting horsemeat for every meal and horses still live. After defeating the Freys he'll have their >400 horses and their supplies, and possibly supplies from the Manderlys.

The three day figure is given while in heavy blizzard conditions by a clansmen scout and corroborated by Roose's own scouts.

[denny717]

The sacrifice. A.K.A Asha. Dance with dragons:

They had been three days from winterfell for nineteen days. One hundred leagues from deepwood motte to winterfell. Three hundred miles as the raven flies. But none of them were ravens, and the storm was unrelenting. Each morning Asha awoke hoping she might see sun, only to face another day of snow. The storm had buried every hut and hovel beneath a mound of dirty snow, and the drifts would soon be deep enough to engulf the long hall too.

And there was no food, beyond their failing horses, fish taken from the lakes (fewer everyday), and whatever meager sustenance their forgers could find in these cold, dead woods. With the kings knights and lords claiming the lion's share of the horsemeat, little and less remained for the common men. Small wonder then that they started eating their own dead.

[Talleyrand]

Ten second victory teeth grinding

[The Drunkard]

The sacrifice. A.K.A Asha. Dance with dragons:

They had been three days from winterfell for nineteen days. One hundred leagues from deepwood motte to winterfell. Three hundred miles as the raven flies. But none of them were ravens, and the storm was unrelenting. Each morning Asha awoke hoping she might see sun, only to face another day of snow. The storm had buried every hut and hovel beneath a mound of dirty snow, and the drifts would soon be deep enough to engulf the long hall too.

And there was no food, beyond their failing horses, fish taken from the lakes (fewer everyday), and whatever meager sustenance their forgers could find in these cold, dead woods. With the kings knights and lords claiming the lion's share of the horsemeat, little and less remained for the common men. Small wonder then that they started eating their own dead.

Thanks for backing up my claims with textual evidence, I suppose.

[LordImp]

Has anyone tought of the possibility that Jon and Mel creates a Shadow who will kill Stannis?

[denny717]

Thanks for backing up my claims with textual evidence, I suppose.

You said it was 3 days from winterfell. It took them 19 days to march what usually takes 3. Men and horses are dying and people are eating people. I don't see how that proves your point.

[The Drunkard]

You said it was 3 days from winterfell. It took them 19 days to march what usually takes 3.

No, they had been camped at the crofters village for nineteen days, which is three days from Winterfell.

Men and horses are dying and people are eating people. I don't see how that proves your point.

"Conditions are bad, but... everyone is still getting horsemeat for every meal and horses still live." Every part of that is present in your helpful quote.

[ForgottenKnight]

I think his decision to march North, South, or even stay where he is will be dependent on conditions outside of his control.

Possible Northern factors:

1. Winter has come.

2. Rickon is revealed to be alive.

3. The white walkers show up.

Possible Southern factors:

1. Jon Connington's invasion.

2. Possible Dornish mobilization.

3. Decline of Lannister power.

I don't include the arrival of Daenerys because lets face it, if she does ever sail for Westeros, it's not going to be until the end of the next book.

[JonCon's Red Beard]

A happy dance.