Orphans of the Greenblood Conspiracy

[Prince Yourwetdream Aeryn]

So far I have no textural evidence. But I personally believe that they are up to something. Why did GRRM create them? What is their goal in this massive and complex story? Maesters killed dragons and Orphans did nothing. Rickard Stark plotted against Targaryens and Orphans did nothing. Now Faith is armed and Braavosi assassins plot something. And Orphans continue to do their "nothing". 

From Wiki, I found following information which makes me more suspicious: 

Quote

The orphans of the Greenblood pole their boats up and down the river and its tributaries, fishing, picking fruits, and doing whatever work is required. 

 

[GyantSpyder]

Well, Young Griff is being transported by Orphans pushing a poleboat. They don't necessarily stand for their whole people, but it's interesting to consider the relationships between Doran, Arianne, Aegon/JonCon, and the Orphans.

Because you would assume Doran and the Orphans are on the same side, and the Orphans seem to be on Team Aegon. But then Arianne isn't really on Team Aegon, at least not yet, and is going to meet them with some doubt and trepidation. This puts Arianne and the Orphans on different sides. That then raises the question of whether Doran is on the same side as his daughter, or the side of the Orphans.

But if he was on Team Aegon, why did he sent Quentyn to try to marry Daenerys? What does that say about Illyrio Mopatis and his two different plans with Daenerys and Aegon? Are Doran and Illyrio on the same side, or different sides? What does this have to do with the election in Volantis?

It's part of the larger body of evidence that shows that Doran isn't telling Arianne the whole truth about what he wants and that she isn't aware of the true role she is playing in his plans.

[Ylath's Snout]

Not everything in the books has to be directly linked to the main story.

Planetos is a whole new world so including some world building to make the place seems more varied and real just helped readers get drawn into the books. Also it helps obfuscating details that will be important for future revelations.

[Alexis-something-Rose]

I think the most important about the Orphans is that they have maintained their own language and culture. I think that's what's important to the overall story, especially since they do have their own tale of the Long Night.

[Ylath's Snout]

10 minutes ago, Widow's Watch said:

I think the most important about the Orphans is that they have maintained their own language and culture. I think that's what's important to the overall story, especially since they do have their own tale of the Long Night.

I don't think that is the important information the Greenblood Orphans might be holding on to.

The Orphans might be keepers of ancient Rhoynar anti-dragon lore. Dorne was the only Kingdom that resisted the dragons and it took a lot of effort for the Valyrians to conquer the Thoynar.

[Alexis-something-Rose]

On 6/26/2018 at 9:00 AM, Ylath's Snout said:

I don't think that is the important information the Greenblood Orphans might be holding on to.

The Orphans might be keepers of ancient Rhoynar anti-dragon lore. Dorne was the only Kingdom that resisted the dragons and it took a lot of effort for the Valyrians to conquer the Thoynar.

Could be, though I'm not even sure this is something we will find out about.

The Rhoynish are said to have water magic. And maybe the Orphans still remember this.

[Azarial]

Adding on to what @Widow's Watch and @Ylath's Snout have said about water magic, anti dragon magic etc.

Could their knowledge be related to grey scale? That curse was linked to the Rhoynar and there is a possible epidemic of that disease heading to Westerose. They may know how to either stop it, or weaponize it depending on their goals.

[Alexis-something-Rose]

One of the interesting things about Garin's Curse (making abstraction of the grey scale) is that part of it seems really similar to what the children of the forest did when they broke the arm of Dorne and the Neck.

So there could be a connection there between the children of the forest and that brand of magic, bringing down the waters to drown invaders, and Garin calling upon Mother Rhoyne and doing the same thing and achieving the same results.

As far as grey scale goes, it will be interesting to see what happens with Shireen. She went from Dragonstone, a place that was raised with Valyrian magic (so fire, blood, sacrifice and what have you) to the Wall which was also raised with the magic of the children.

Val thinks that Shireen's grey scale is dormant. So it's possible that it will be re-awakened by the magic that exists in the Wall, if the children of the forest's magic has a connection with Rhoynish water magic.

[Azarial]

Makes sense. I always thought there was a link to the hammer of the waters and the wall. I think it was the same magic used, just that the wall is a water hammer frozen mid strike, so to speak. Not sure how, but the frozen river that Jon describes as a second wall but even taller in the frost fangs has had me thinking this for a while. But I never thought of the type of magic causing her greyscale to re-awaken. 

Jon Coninngton is at Storms end, and that is likely built with Children's magic as well. That could go very badly for him and fAegon. And they are set up to connect with some of the Greenblood through Arianne. So if the Greenblood are linked to this magic they could either help or hurt their invasion without most people ever knowing. 

Or if it really is the same magic, the cure may be the same. Meaning the stone men seem to mindlessly attack people, and there is mist involved and it's hard to see them in the mist. And that sounds like the Others, so maybe the others are a frozen version of the stone men? That could make any knowledge that the Greenblood have invaluable. 

[Alexis-something-Rose]

15 minutes ago, Azarial said:

Jon Coninngton is at Storms end, and that is likely built with Children's magic as well. That could go very badly for him and fAegon. And they are set up to connect with some of the Greenblood through Arianne. So if the Greenblood are linked to this magic they could either help or hurt their invasion without most people ever knowing. 

I think that Melisandre messed up Storm's End magic somehow when she birthed her shadow baby there and burned the godswood. 

[Azarial]

36 minutes ago, Widow's Watch said:

I think that Melisandre messed up Storm's End magic somehow when she birthed her shadow baby there and burned the godswood. 

Oh, right, I forgot that she burned the godswood. 

[Tagganaro]

On 6/26/2018 at 5:54 AM, Ylath's Snout said:

Not everything in the books has to be directly linked to the main story.

Planetos is a whole new world so including some world building to make the place seems more varied and real just helped readers get drawn into the books. Also it helps obfuscating details that will be important for future revelations.

On 6/26/2018 at 8:41 AM, Widow's Watch said:

I think the most important about the Orphans is that they have maintained their own language and culture. I think that's what's important to the overall story, especially since they do have their own tale of the Long Night.

I think like most of AFFC, the Orphans don't have anything to do with really anything, and they are just wild tangents GRRM went off on during the Dorne chapters because he didn't have a ton of stuff to work with and needed to fill chapters.  But who knows?  Maybe they will end up being remotely important.

 

[Sly Wren]

On August 21, 2017 at 10:56 AM, Prince Yourwetdream Aeryn said:

So far I have no textural evidence. But I personally believe that they are up to something. Why did GRRM create them? What is their goal in this massive and complex story? Maesters killed dragons and Orphans did nothing. Rickard Stark plotted against Targaryens and Orphans did nothing. Now Faith is armed and Braavosi assassins plot something. And Orphans continue to do their "nothing". 

From Wiki, I found following information which makes me more suspicious: 

 

1. My apologies for necro-ing your thread if you were sick of the conversation.

2. But I agree that the Orphans are important and up to something--and possibly telling us about the past.

3. They are used to hide claimants to the Iron Throne until ready to take the Throne: they hide Young Griff and Arianne intended to use them to hide Myrcella.

• Given they are in Dorne and have elaborately carved boats, seems like they would be a good place for Dany to have lived in a house(boat) with a red door, a room with carved beams, and lemon tree outside (they plant things along the Greenblood).

4. The Orphans introduced Cyvasse to Dorne, bringing it from Volantis.

• Martin won't tell us the rules because they are too complicated.
• But the general gist: a screen to hide your actions from your opponent;
• a board that can change with every game;
• and the dragon being the most valuable piece:
• that sounds like symbolism to me--the Orphans are playing the game of thrones and bringing in valuable pieces--like dragons.

5. Martin comes back to them twice--first with Arianne and then with Tyrion meeting them with Young Griff: thus we are shown the above not once but twice.

6. So, my personal crackpot: we are being shown how Orphans can hide claimants to the throne for a reason. Shown the "game" they introduced to Dorne for a reason. I think there's an excellent chance they hid Dany when she was small--intending to play the game of thrones with her.