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Theory: Lysa Arryn and Sweetrobin have lead poisoning.


Angel Eyes

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1 hour ago, Springwatch said:

It has to be said, Varys used powder all over apparently, and he's fine - so non-toxic powders are available.

Wouldn't Varys.... bulk help him absorb more toxins before he gets messed up?

Also I could see Lysa and especially Sweet Robin inadvertently consuming the powder because they seem a bit messy to me.

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4 minutes ago, Ylath's Snout said:

Wouldn't Varys.... bulk help him absorb more toxins before he gets messed up?

Also I could see Lysa and especially Sweet Robin inadvertently consuming the powder because they seem a bit messy to me.

I’ve speculated that Sweetrobin also absorbed lead while Lysa was pregnant with him.

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Just now, Angel Eyes said:

I’ve theorized that Sweetrobin also absorbed lead while Lysa was pregnant with him.

Or while she breastfeed him... all those years. Considering that she seems to do that a lot and openly I could see her powdering most of her torso. Well that and she seems pretty loopy.

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17 hours ago, Ylath's Snout said:

Or while she breastfeed him... all those years. Considering that she seems to do that a lot and openly I could see her powdering most of her torso. Well that and she seems pretty loopy.

Tbh that seems a bit of a stretch, considering the powder would be messed up by her clothes. More likely he ingested the lead from hugging/kissing that brought him into contact with Lysa's face.

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21 minutes ago, Giant Ice Spider said:

Tbh that seems a bit of a stretch, considering the powder would be messed up by her clothes.

I am, believe it or not, no expert of powder or their application. However and furthermore I concede the point.

21 minutes ago, Giant Ice Spider said:

More likely he ingested the lead from hugging/kissing that brought him into contact with Lysa's face.

Sure that makes sense and junk, but Lysa's breastfeeding literally killing Sweet Robin would be some pretty sweet irony.

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1 minute ago, Ylath's Snout said:

Sure that makes sense and junk, but Lysa's breastfeeding literally killing Sweet Robin would be some pretty sweet irony.

True enough

EDIT: In AFFC Maester Colemon mentions that Archmaester Ebrose says that breastfeeding even at Robert's age is a good thing. That just adds to the irony.

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On 7/5/2018 at 7:28 AM, Angel Eyes said:

Lysa is mentioned to paint and powder her face. Lead is a common ingredient in face paint/ powder for centuries. Sweetrobin has physical and developmental delays and seizures, symptoms of lead poisoning.

That's a good theory in the real world.  Not sure if that is Martin's intended explanation.  Lysa was already tilted to start with before her father destroyed her emotionally with the forced abortion.  Growing up under Lysa's tight grip set up Sweetrobin to become what he is.

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This is a possibility, lead does pass through the placenta and through breastmilk. Powder is only worn on the face historically so no not through him ingesting it from her skin. 

Howether given that there are other characters who wear powder and do not display symptoms of lead poisoning, and that non of those who wear powder exhibit the hair teeth & skin problems associated with lead based face powder; blackened patches, red bulging eyes, damaged tooth enamel, baldness,  and that Lysa's  mental imbalance can be explained by the  abuse she endured and Roberts seizures can be explained by epilepsy which fits with her struggling with her births, as one cause can be lack of oxygen during delivery. 

I'm going to conclude that no it isn't lead poisoning but good idea it could have fitted well. 

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14 hours ago, Quoth the raven, said:

That's a good theory in the real world.  Not sure if that is Martin's intended explanation.  Lysa was already tilted to start with before her father destroyed her emotionally with the forced abortion.  Growing up under Lysa's tight grip set up Sweetrobin to become what he is.

Not saying that lead powder is the only thing, it’s just a piece of the puzzle.

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I've heard that paint made with lead is sweet to the taste. There have been cases of lead poisoning after children or animals found old lead paint and licked it. It all fits the pattern.

I wonder what the maester's lead link is for?

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On 7/5/2018 at 8:58 AM, Angel Eyes said:

Lysa is mentioned to paint and powder her face. Lead is a common ingredient in face paint/ powder for centuries. Sweetrobin has physical and developmental delays and seizures, symptoms of lead poisoning.

quite possibly. Most of the Roman elite died out due to lead exposure

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  • 2 months later...
On 7/5/2018 at 10:26 PM, Springwatch said:

It has to be said, Varys used powder all over apparently, and he's fine - so non-toxic powders are available. 

Maybe I have a solution for that.

I make handmade cosmetics, so I know for sure that while you need a white pigment to make foundation (even powder foundation), the white is usually not needed -or used in very small quantities- for face powder (I mean the kind of powder we still use after foundation, that basically makes the skin more matt or gives a little colour).

I believe that Varys uses this second kind of powder, which could be entirely made of starch.

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24 minutes ago, Ylath's Snout said:

Awww man I can't wait for GRRM to be confronted with questions about make and composition of Lysa's and Varys' cosmetics.

Lol :)

Well, I'm not saying George's an expert, but if the lead poisoning theory is correct, he surely has studied a bit what lead was used for

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Wow. This would explain a lot of the craziness that Lysa had and she always creeped me out. About an hour ago it led me to google the idea of makeup poisoning and found some good results but I am on my phone and didn't paste the right link. If you google something like Lysa's name "makeup poisoning" or something I am sure you can find it again. I think it might be real possible as it was so real, which is scary :huh:

Just want to say this is so icky to think that Robin Arryn was still nursing. 

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35 minutes ago, Sea Dragon said:

Just want to say this is so icky to think that Robin Arryn was still nursing. 

It sure is.

35 minutes ago, Sea Dragon said:

About an hour ago it led me to google the idea of makeup poisoning and found some good results but I am on my phone and didn't paste the right link.

Wait a minute...

"Location:Under the sea"

... the heck kind of underwater smartphone do you have? ;)

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