Why didnt the ToGs send down direwolves for Brandon, Ned, Lyanna & Benjen?

[ShaggydogVOK]

On 9/18/2018 at 3:09 PM, Springwatch said:

Sounds interesting, but why the library?

I think this was a move by GRRM to prevent simple solutions. 

That Winterfell has a library and Tyrion notes they have a lot of rare texts indicates that some Stark along the way was very serious about obtaining and collecting recorded knowledge. This also would seem to indicate that House Stark has been really diligent about keeping records. 

If any of those Kings of Winter kept journals or any sort of chronicle on their experiences, it would be a far easier thing for Bran to just simply go and look up what was happening to him in the Library instead of having to introduce the Reeds to the tale. 

Torching the library cuts off that opportunity for Bran to puzzle out what is happening through research. These notions aren't unheard of in the story or in History. Rhaegar was reportedly very interested in old scrolls and books revolving his obsession with prophecy. 

Additionally in our own world plenty of great leaders in history kept journals of their thoughts and experiences. Modern day it is for memoirs, but even in ancient times this occurred. The book entitled "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius is a prime example of this. 

With all the collected knowledge lost, Bran (and the rest of the Starks) have to puzzle out being a warg on their own with no ancestral guidance.

 

 

[ShaggydogVOK]

On 9/18/2018 at 5:43 PM, Sire de Maletroit said:

The battle of the two elements.  Fire vs. Ice is coming.  

Just because direwolves have not been seen on the south side of the wall doesn't mean they were not there.  I don't think a pregnant direwolf can cross the wall.  The northern wilderness is vast and shy creatures can easily keep away from men.  So no, I don't think Bloodraven sent the wolves.  

I had considered these exact notions before I came to my conclusion. Here were my thoughts on the matter.

 

First Direwolves in the North (Including the Gift) are apex predators. They have no competition. IF they were present, there should be packs of them roving the North. Someone would have seen one, or signs of the beasts. Keep in mind they grow to be massive in size.

Additionally as apex predators, they should be flourishing! We have yet to see any wild animals in the North that would be able to compete against them. This means they wouldn't remain isolated to one set area. Packs would multiply and spread out to other areas in order to survive. This means someone again would have seen signs of them, if not the packs themselves.

Additionally, they aren't timid creatures. Wolves by nature are territorial. So if present, the packs would be wiping out other game. Hunters, trappers as well as members of the mountain clans would all be fully aware of the animals activity. Yet nothing ever gets mentioned. 

Last but not least, where was the male direwolf? If the she wolf was with pups, than a male had to sire them. As wolves aren't solitary creatures, a male should have been in the area. Hell, it would have FEASTED upon the stag that killed the she wolf. Actually it wouldn't just have been the male and female, it would have been an entire pack.

Even if we assume that some of the direwolves integrated with the normal wolf packs, like Nymeria. We still should have seen some sort of greater sized wolves overall. Yet nobody indicates that the wolves in the North are any greater than the wolves anywhere else.  

So I think it safe to say that Theon had the right of it. Direwolves were not present in the North until the she wolf the Stark's found. 

 

[ShaggydogVOK]

On 9/18/2018 at 6:36 PM, Tucu said:

The direwolves were found close to where Gared was executed. He is a black brother that just crossed the Wall. In the prologue there is a single wolf howling.  All coincidences or he brought the she-wolf through the Black Gate?

Good points! 

Gared may have left the door open, so to speak.