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The impregnable Eyrie


Mad King Bolton

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So, I always figured the description of the Eyrie and the hubris of calling it impregnable meant that of course it would be taken and I always kind of assumed that someone with a dragon would just fly up and roast anyone inside or accept surrender or fealty such as was demonstrated in Fire and Blood. Last night I had a thought that maybe it might be the long way and enjoy a little more description in its fall if the White Walkers decided to take it. I was disappointed in the show (who wasn't) with the climax ending at Winterfell when a continent wide war felt way more of a deserved payoff. So, if the army of the dead attacked the Eyrie, how fast/slow do you think it would fall? Would the Vale be able to hold back the tide from the Bloody Gate to the Eyrie?  Feels like it would either be a war of attrition as any army would be expected to make (though probably inevitable with the numbers of the dead and a tireless enemy), or a few Others alone could possibly just walk straight in and without obsidian, just climb straight up and wipe out anyone there.  The Others do seem to be on the more cautious side though and I could see them sending in Wights to do the work just in case of a lucky Corbray or two with Valyrian steel.  Thoughts?  

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I very much doubt wights can get past the bloody gate. Especially if the entire vale is pouring resources and manpower into it. Unless the others themselves get involved and pull some of that good old magic they’ve got up their sleeve. I don’t see them succeeding on assaulting the bloody gate.

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2 hours ago, Mad King Bolton said:

true, but I bet the entire Vale would be tripping over each other to get up there once word got around that an army of the dead was coming.  :)

Personally I would not want to live inside freezer that has very strong cooling system powered by powerful winds:)

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On 12/13/2020 at 12:22 AM, HoodedCrow said:

I thought that the Eyrie trail was ripe for an avalanche caused by dragon fire. There are some vulnerable bits. Tyrion winning over the Mountain men could have a lot more weight.

Yeah, I always thought it would go that way. Lannisters pay their debts, they say.

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On 12/12/2020 at 4:45 PM, Mad King Bolton said:

So, I always figured the description of the Eyrie and the hubris of calling it impregnable meant that of course it would be taken and I always kind of assumed that someone with a dragon would just fly up and roast anyone inside or accept surrender or fealty such as was demonstrated in Fire and Blood. Last night I had a thought that maybe it might be the long way and enjoy a little more description in its fall if the White Walkers decided to take it. I was disappointed in the show (who wasn't) with the climax ending at Winterfell when a continent wide war felt way more of a deserved payoff. So, if the army of the dead attacked the Eyrie, how fast/slow do you think it would fall? Would the Vale be able to hold back the tide from the Bloody Gate to the Eyrie?  Feels like it would either be a war of attrition as any army would be expected to make (though probably inevitable with the numbers of the dead and a tireless enemy), or a few Others alone could possibly just walk straight in and without obsidian, just climb straight up and wipe out anyone there.  The Others do seem to be on the more cautious side though and I could see them sending in Wights to do the work just in case of a lucky Corbray or two with Valyrian steel.  Thoughts?  

It's empty now, so there is no reason to take it. But if the Others needed to, it depends on how adept they are at sliding on snow like they do. We've only seen them do this on flat ground, so it's questionable how much of an incline they can do -- and the final 200 yards or so is nothing by rock. But then, if these ice spiders are real  . . .

But it also seems to me that an invader does not need to take the Eyrie in order to take the Vale. Just guard the pass so no one comes or goes, take the rest of the region castle by castle (still not an easy task, but that's what you'll have to do), and then just what for starvation to take hold.

But I also have my doubts as to whether the Others are really intent on breaching the Wall or overrunning the south. They don't seem to be in any great hurry. And it's also questionable as to whether they are really the ones controlling the wights.

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35 minutes ago, Moiraine Sedai said:

The Others have a strategy which cannot fail.  They can send wights to climb the mountain.  Those who fall will get back up and try again.  And again.  Enough will make it up that mountain.  

I don't know, we don't know that if they fall they'll be able to get back up, if they get liquified by the fall they likely wont.

 

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I don't really see the Others getting into this tiny hidden valley ranch of a place, but the foreshadowing for a Targaryen going there is pretty strong because GRRM likes to have history rhyme (not necessarily repeat). 

This may sound like a reach, but I also think that line is there for Tyrion to show growth. Immature Book 1 Tyrion may lash out and want to destroy the Vale, but by the end of the series he will be more reasoned. He will know Dany could easily annihilate the entire castle and may decide Westeros doesn't need another Harrenhal. This would be good conflict if Dany wants the Vale to be 1 of the 7 she's trying to collect.

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On 12/12/2020 at 9:45 PM, Mad King Bolton said:

So, I always figured the description of the Eyrie and the hubris of calling it impregnable meant that of course it would be taken and I always kind of assumed that someone with a dragon would just fly up and roast anyone inside or accept surrender or fealty such as was demonstrated in Fire and Blood. Last night I had a thought that maybe it might be the long way and enjoy a little more description in its fall if the White Walkers decided to take it. I was disappointed in the show (who wasn't) with the climax ending at Winterfell when a continent wide war felt way more of a deserved payoff. So, if the army of the dead attacked the Eyrie, how fast/slow do you think it would fall? Would the Vale be able to hold back the tide from the Bloody Gate to the Eyrie?  Feels like it would either be a war of attrition as any army would be expected to make (though probably inevitable with the numbers of the dead and a tireless enemy), or a few Others alone could possibly just walk straight in and without obsidian, just climb straight up and wipe out anyone there.  The Others do seem to be on the more cautious side though and I could see them sending in Wights to do the work just in case of a lucky Corbray or two with Valyrian steel.  Thoughts?  

A sensible commander would not attack the Eyrie.  He’d keep a garrison at the bottom and starve the defenders.

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On 12/15/2020 at 3:59 AM, SeanF said:

A sensible commander would not attack the Eyrie.  He’d keep a garrison at the bottom and starve the defenders.

of course, but the Others aren't your typical commander.  It was a different way to look at the Eyrie is all. I doubt the Others would give the Vale a pass because it's not as fertile or useful as other regions. Humanity must end, so eventually for an Others victory, the Vale and Eyrie would have to fall.  Just thought to look at it another way.

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