Benjen Aemon

[Prince Yourwetdream Aeryn]

Did they ever talk about Lyanna? What story did Benjen tell him? Is it odd that Aemon doesn't talk about Rhaegar which makes me think that he has no good opinion of him?

[Kimbono]

Aemon joined the Nightswatch 233 AC, 16 years later Rhaegar was born (259 AC). So he never had real contact with him. Also i believe that Aemon tried to ignore his family as much as possible seeing what he said to Jon after his escape. He knows that thinking of the family he left behind will only hurt him emotionaly so i guess he blocked it, only on his dying bed he remembers.

In general I would think that "political talk" is not fairly common in the Nightswatch. As for Benjen, big questionmark for why he is there in the first place.

[Clegane'sPup]

28 minutes ago, Dead headofMaelysKinslayer said:

Did they ever talk about Lyanna?

What story did Benjen tell him?

Is it odd that Aemon doesn't talk about Rhaegar which makes me think that he has no good opinion of him?

It is rather impossible to answer the questions.

Sooooooooo, I'll ask you some questions as it relates to the below quote.

A Game of Thrones - Jon VIII      "Three times the gods saw fit to test my vows. Once when I was a boy, once in the fullness of my manhood, and once when I had grown old. By then my strength was fled, my eyes grown dim, yet that last choice was as cruel as the first. My ravens would bring the news from the south, words darker than their wings, the ruin of my House, the death of my kin, disgrace and desolation. What could I have done, old, blind, frail? I was helpless as a suckling babe, yet still it grieved me to sit forgotten as they cut down my brother's poor grandson, and his son, and even the little children …"

Who, what, when or where did the gods see fit to test Aemon's vows?

Once when I was a boy.

Once in the fullness of my manhood.

Once when I had grown old.

[Ser Leftwich]

Doesn't Aemon mention that he exchanged letters/ravens at some point with Rhaegar, maybe during AFfC?

[Alexis-something-Rose]

41 minutes ago, Dead headofMaelysKinslayer said:

Did they ever talk about Lyanna? What story did Benjen tell him? Is it odd that Aemon doesn't talk about Rhaegar which makes me think that he has no good opinion of him?

How old was Benjen when he joined the NW? 16? Aerys put both his father and brother to death and Lyanna died at the tale end of the war. I think that eventually, Aemon and Benjen would have talked about what happened, but it's like picking at wounds that never fully heal.

I think Aemon's opinion of Rhaegar was just fine. He seems to have talked plenty about him to Sam. We know they corresponded. 

[Clegane'sPup]

13 minutes ago, Ser Leftwich said:

Doesn't Aemon mention that he exchanged letters/ravens at some point with Rhaegar, maybe during AFfC?

this is how much attention people pay to my post quotes.

19 minutes ago, Clegane'sPup said:

My ravens would bring the news from the south, words darker than their wings, the ruin of my House, the death of my kin, disgrace and desolation.

[Dorian Martell's son]

23 minutes ago, Clegane'sPup said:

Once when I was a boy.

?

23 minutes ago, Clegane'sPup said:

Once in the fullness of my manhood.

When he was asked to become King

24 minutes ago, Clegane'sPup said:

Once when I had grown old.

when Rhaegar was killed 

[Ser Leftwich]

5 minutes ago, Clegane'sPup said:

this is how much attention people pay to my post quotes.

I did pay attention, that that was ABOUT Rhaegar, not FROM Rhaegar. Those are two different things. Aemon does say "poor grandson," which implies he liked him. Aemon learning of Rhaegar's death is not what I was talking about, that is not correspondence WITH Rhaegar, that is correspondence ABOUT Rhaegar.

But here is the bit I was thinking of:

“It was a prince that was promised, not a princess. Rhaegar, I thought . . . the smoke was from the fire that devoured Summerhall on the day of his birth, the salt from the tears shed for those who died. He shared my belief when he was young, but later he became persuaded that it was his own son who fulfilled the prophecy, for a comet had been seen above King’s Landing on the night Aegon was conceived, and Rhaegar was certain the bleeding star had to be a comet.

(AFfC p. 520ish)

They must of shared correspondence over the years if Rhaegar was able to change his opinion. It is vaguely possible that Rhaegar even went to the Wall.

[Clegane'sPup]

7 minutes ago, Ser Leftwich said:

I did pay attention, that that was ABOUT Rhaegar, not FROM Rhaegar.

The OP asked questions that are impossible to answer ---- unless of course there is information floating around in companion written material or the app.

1 hour ago, Dead headofMaelysKinslayer said:

Did they ever talk about Lyanna?

Did Benjen & Aemon talk about Lyanna? I dunna know. Because martin had Benjen disappear on a ranging.

1 hour ago, Dead headofMaelysKinslayer said:

What story did Benjen tell him?

Hell's bells I dunna know if Benjen talked with Aemon. Again, the only conversation Benjen participates in is with Jon.

1 hour ago, Dead headofMaelysKinslayer said:

Is it odd that Aemon doesn't talk about Rhaegar

Maybe it is just me but I thought the quote showed that Aemon did talk of his family, especially Rhaegar ----- I was helpless as a suckling babe, yet still it grieved me to sit forgotten as they cut down my brother's poor grandson, and his son, and even the little children …"

 

[Ser Leftwich]

3 minutes ago, Clegane'sPup said:

The OP asked questions that are impossible to answer ---- unless of course there is information floating around in companion written material or the app.

Did Benjen & Aemon talk about Lyanna? I dunna know. Because martin had Benjen disappear on a ranging.

Hell's bells I dunna know if Benjen talked with Aemon. Again, the only conversation Benjen participates in is with Jon.

Maybe it is just me but I thought the quote showed that Aemon did talk of his family, especially Rhaegar ----- I was helpless as a suckling babe, yet still it grieved me to sit forgotten as they cut down my brother's poor grandson, and his son, and even the little children …"

 

Sadly, this may an instance where the question has to be asked of the OP, "Have you read the books?"

[Prince Yourwetdream Aeryn]

38 minutes ago, Dorian Martell's son said:

?

When he was asked to become King

when Rhaegar was killed 

You are forgetting Summerhall incident when nearly all members of Targaryen family died.

[Prince Yourwetdream Aeryn]

Just now, Ser Leftwich said:

Sadly, this may an instance where the question has to be asked of the OP, "Have you read the books?"

2 times

[Dorian Martell's son]

5 minutes ago, Dead headofMaelysKinslayer said:

You are forgetting Summerhall incident when nearly all members of Targaryen family died.

How did that test his vows?

[Clegane'sPup]

If you want to move the conversation along you will need to get some Targies involved. Summerhall is way outta my realm.

I dunna know how old Aemon was when he went off to study at the Citadel. I dunna know how old Aemon was when he sent to the Wall with Bloodraven.

BUT the opening questions are rather impossible to answer. So, rather than impossible why not turn the thread into a possible.

A Game of Thrones - Jon VIII      "Three times the gods saw fit to test my vows. Once when I was a boy, once in the fullness of my manhood, and once when I had grown old. By then my strength was fled, my eyes grown dim, yet that last choice was as cruel as the first. My ravens would bring the news from the south, words darker than their wings, the ruin of my House, the death of my kin, disgrace and desolation. What could I have done, old, blind, frail? I was helpless as a suckling babe, yet still it grieved me to sit forgotten as they cut down my brother's poor grandson, and his son, and even the little children …"

Who, what, when and where did the gods see fit to test Aemon's vows?

 

 

[Rufus Snow]

Aemon 'graduated' from the Citadel at 19, and his first 'test' was when his father became King Maekar I. Aemon was by now ~22yo - I think from the perspective of his 100 year old self, he was still 'a boy' then. Maekar wanted to put Aemon on to the Small Council, but Aemon refused that role, as it would supplant the Archmaester. Instead he went to Dragonstone as maester to Daeron.

His second test was when he refused the throne in favour of his younger brother, Aegon V, after which he took the Black, on top of his maester's vows.

The final test was Robert's Rebellion as he had to watch from afar as the Targaryen dynasty was pulled down.

[Rufus Snow]

41 minutes ago, Clegane'sPup said:

I dunna know how old Aemon was when he sent to the Wall with Bloodraven.

That was immediately after Aegon V became king in 233AC, so Aemon was ~34 or 35 yo then. Bloodraven was sent to the Wall by Aegon V for killing Aenys Blackfyre after seizing him under cover of a promise of safe conduct.

[Ser Leftwich]

2 hours ago, Clegane'sPup said:

SNIP

Who, what, when or where did the gods see fit to test Aemon's vows?

Once when I was a boy.

Once in the fullness of my manhood.

Once when I had grown old.

GRRM either just picked three because of it being a themed number or he had some in mind. Since the second and third are pretty obvious now, let's think about the first. Interestingly, the second is about Aemon's maester vows and the third pertains to his Night's Watch vows.

Maybe the first pertained to a different vow. Long ago and far away (a good thread by some of the old masters around here), there was speculation that it was a vow to marry some girl, but then he choose to follow the command of his King Daeron II and went to the Citadel. This could apply either when he went initially went to study or later when he takes the final vows to serve or whatever the 'graduation' is, since we know you can forge a few links and still then leave.

Will likely come up in a Dunk & Egg story.

[Clegane'sPup]

As I have admitted I know practically nothing about Trag history.

That first test Aemon says he was a boy. Implies Aemon was 15 or younger. I say that because in ASOIAF once a male child turns 16 he is considered a man grown.

 

 

[Ralphis Baratheon]

We definitely need another Dunk & Egg soon. With  Aemon being the only person still alive at the time of both series, it could mean he'll have a large role in one of the novellas. At least one would hope.