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Promise me...?


Croc Blanc

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I searched this forum in the hopes of finding some enlightenment on this as I am still catching new things I missed in my first two reads. I understand it is at the heart of the R+L=J debate, but that is not what this thread is about. My question is, who is left alive who can shed light on the promise? While this would clear up the question of Jon's parentage, I would rather avoid getting into that as it has its own thread. I just want to know if I missed something in terms of who might still be able to confirm the truth, as it seems to be not only an unanswered but unanswerable mystery.

Edit: I don't mean Wylla, and I certainly don't think any of this would have been written down somewhere by any of the involved parties.
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[quote name='iheartseverus'](I'm curious, are you a Cadfael fan? My all-time FAV character)[/quote]
Off-board: Kadvael is the Breton spelling of this Brythonic name, and yes the former crusader herbalist detective monk is a great character.
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[quote name='kadvael' post='1651037' date='Jan 16 2009, 03.42']Off-board: Kadvael is the Breton spelling of this Brythonic name, and yes the former crusader herborist detective monk is a great character.[/quote]

Interesting. I had understood that the author said she had totally invented the name for her Medieval herbalist, that it had no Welsh root at all. Interesting.
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If you ask me, and maybe you shouldn't, there are lots of people who unknowingly know about these promises. Since, what else promises are so important that they are foreseen thousands of years before? Only promises like this, about a bastard born boy leading a stronghold against the cold, could be melted in a major prophecy that is called The Prince That Was Promised.

However, they all think that it's about the prince, that is promised. But it is about the promises, which made the prince. Nonetheless, they still wouldn't know what these promises were.
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Littlefinger certainly doesn't know, Varys probably doesn't either, though I wouldn't put it past him that he knew about Lyanna's pregnancy. There's no way he knows what became of the kid, however.

Reed certainly knows, Wylla probably too (though I doubt we will get to see her in the series at all), and maybe Benjen.

The Daynes could know something, too, yet I think that highly unlikely.
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Reed and Wylla seem the most likely "in the know" candidates to me. I doubt that Benjen knows; I think keeping Jon's identity a secret may well have been part of what Lyanna asked Ned to do.

Roi Woodt said, "Since, what else promises are so important that they are foreseen thousands of years before? Only promises like this, about a bastard born boy leading a stronghold against the cold, could be melted in a major prophecy that is called The Prince That Was Promised."

Roi Woodt, while it's possible that Jon is the one referred to in ithe old prophecies, that doesn't shed any light on the specific promise or promises Lyanna asked her brother to make.
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I think definately Howland Reed is in the know. I also think Benjen might know something. Other than that, I wouldn't be surprised if Varys did know.

I think more people in Dorne might know, just because that was where the ToJ was. No one has really asked the Dornish people about anything so far, so it could be almost common knowledge there. :P
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Well I think that the sword of the morning never died. Eddard remembers fighting the kings guard and Lyanna screaming his name and here is where start to wonder. Was Lyanna succesful in making these three(Arthur, Ned and Howland) men with some degree of personal honor to stop fighting. Ned was still under the impression that Lyanna was kidnapped not just fooling around with the Prince. So it is concievable that she was able to make them stop long enough to talk to Eddard explain the situation and make him promise something (IMHO- Jon is Taryengen - Ned protects Jon from Robert who was perfectly fine to kill all Taryengens, even babies. Which was a big rift between them shown at Neds responds to Roberts attitude concerning Elia's kids deaths).

Dawn is unaccounted for, and his sister's death CSI couldn't prove. = Coldhand is Arthur Dayne
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I believe only Howland Reed knows everything. Varys might have suspected parts, but I doubt it -- he was in King's Landing at the time, and while he has a great information network, if the information is not actually in the network, how could he know it?
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[quote name='Croc Blanc' post='1651024' date='Jan 16 2009, 01.19']I searched this forum in the hopes of finding some enlightenment on this as I am still catching new things I missed in my first two reads. I understand it is at the heart of [i]the theory that shall not be named[/i] debate, but that is not what this thread is about. My question is, [b]who is left alive who can shed light on the promise?[/b] While this would clear up the question of Jon's parentage, I would rather avoid getting into that as it has its own thread. I just want to know if I missed something in terms of who might still be able to confirm the truth, as it seems to be not only an unanswered but unanswerable mystery.

Edit: I don't mean Wylla, and I certainly don't think any of this would have been written down somewhere by any of the involved parties.

[EDITED TO REMOVE PROFANITY - NOT TRYING TO BE INSULTING OR SNARKY][/quote]


[b]Howland Reed[/b]
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Howland Reed and Benjen Stark. We all know why Howland know's (he was there) and I am pretty sure the Benjen knows. If you remember back when John wants to join the nights watch, Ned doesn't want him to at first, then benjen mentions that at least on the wall he will be safe. I think benjen knew who he was and that when you join the nights watch your past doesn't follow you. His secret would be safe there because nobody would be looking for a secret. The night watch is a seperate entity from Westros and is basicaly untouchable.
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[quote name='The_Hound' post='1651509' date='Jan 16 2009, 19.14']Howland Reed and Benjen Stark. We all know why Howland know's (he was there) and I am pretty sure the Benjen knows. If you remember back when John wants to join the nights watch, Ned doesn't want him to at first, then benjen mentions that at least on the wall he will be safe. I think benjen knew who he was and that when you join the nights watch your past doesn't follow you. His secret would be safe there because nobody would be looking for a secret. The night watch is a seperate entity from Westros and is basicaly untouchable.[/quote]
I just started rereading AGOT for the 5th time and Benjen never tells Eddard John will be safe at the wall. If they had a conversation about this we were not informed about that in AGOT. You probably misremember. :)
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