What is the chain for?

[M'lady Cynthia Rayder]

For what? I may have read this as I tend to read but tune out kinda when I am not into the plot being told, but I am curious as to what he has every smith in KL working on these iron rings for, some type of chain?

Many thanks ;)

[iheartseverus]

For what? I may have read this as I tend to read but tune out kinda when I am not into the plot being told, but I am curious as to what he has every smith in KL working on these iron rings for, some type of chain?

Many thanks ;)

MAJOR SPOILER--read at your own risk!

Yes, Tyrion is having the smiths forge a gigantic chain which will lie submerged all the way across the harbor. The chain will then be raised just as the enemy fleet's ships are approaching, and will smash those ships to smithereens as they crash into it. Then the ships behind them will crash into the broken ships and so on, pretty much destroying the fleet. Its a smart, smart move on Tyrion's part and a very dramatic scene in the books.

[zmflavius]

MAJOR SPOILER--read at your own risk!

Yes, Tyrion is having the smiths forge a gigantic chain which will lie submerged all the way across the harbor. The chain will then be raised just as the enemy fleet's ships are approaching, and will smash those ships to smithereens as they crash into it. Then the ships behind them will crash into the broken ships and so on, pretty much destroying the fleet. Its a smart, smart move on Tyrion's part and a very dramatic scene in the books.

Not quite, but close.

[M'lady Cynthia Rayder]

so at this point I shouldn't know about what the rings are for?

[murphy]

so at this point I shouldn't know about what the rings are for?

Unless you like spoilers, be patient and just keep reading.

[iheartseverus]

so at this point I shouldn't know about what the rings are for?

Cynthia, that's why we put certain information into spoiler tags--because some people want to know what's ahead in a story before they read about it, but some people do not. With the information in spoiler tags, it leaves that decision totally up to you, the reader. If you want to know--now--what the rings are for, then read the spoiler by all means. But if you'd rather wait and find out for yourself when you actually read about it in the books--then, that's your decision, too. Totally up to you!

[Arbor Gold]

so at this point I shouldn't know about what the rings are for?

Exactly! At this point you should be all "wtf is Tyrion up to?" You didn't miss any explanation. If, by the end of the book you still don't get it, then, yes, you missed out on some major plot.

[M'lady Cynthia Rayder]

Exactly! At this point you should be all "wtf is Tyrion up to?" You didn't miss any explanation. If, by the end of the book you still don't get it, then, yes, you missed out on some major plot.

Thanks AG... This is what I was asking :) I'm about 3/4 through the book and I have not read what the rings are for, now that I know what they are for, I look forward to getting to that part even more... I like spoilers, they drive me to keep reading to get to the juice! LOL

[Lucreel]

I haven't finished Clash of Kings yet, nor read any later books, so I don't know. I have my own speculation on The Chain, however.

I'll put it in spoiler tags, just in case I'm right, but you could read it if you care to.

We know that Tyrion is very concerned about Stannis sailing against King's Landing.

I think the chain is to snag boats out in the water - to form a sort of 'fence' about a foot or two underwater to stop boats, or something along those lines. There would, probably, be a small opening in the 'fence' somewhere, so that the Lannister's own ships (and any authorized merchant vessels, etc) could get in and out, but if anyone tried to move warships in through the opening, it would be strategically located where they could use, uhh, what were they called, spitfires(?) to throw the burning substance the Alchemists' Guild makes (was it called Wildfire(?) ) on the invading ships.

That's my guess, anyhow, for what you'd do with a very, very long chain.

[The Fan]

I haven't finished Clash of Kings yet, nor read any later books, so I don't know. I have my own speculation on The Chain, however.

I'll put it in spoiler tags, just in case I'm right, but you could read it if you care to.

We know that Tyrion is very concerned about Stannis sailing against King's Landing.

I think the chain is to snag boats out in the water - to form a sort of 'fence' about a foot or two underwater to stop boats, or something along those lines. There would, probably, be a small opening in the 'fence' somewhere, so that the Lannister's own ships (and any authorized merchant vessels, etc) could get in and out, but if anyone tried to move warships in through the opening, it would be strategically located where they could use, uhh, what were they called, spitfires(?) to throw the burning substance the Alchemists' Guild makes (was it called Wildfire(?) ) on the invading ships.

That's my guess, anyhow, for what you'd do with a very, very long chain.

That's a pretty good guess.... :thumbsup:

[The Faceless Men]

That's a pretty good guess.... :thumbsup:

Wait i thought he used the chains to trap the boats from escaping the wildfire, or am i wrong? He raised it after they had passed it right? When the boats were trying to turn away from the wildfire? Someone correct me if i'm wrong.

[Cliff]

Wait i thought he used the chains to trap the boats from escaping the wildfire, or am i wrong? He raised it after they had passed it right? When the boats were trying to turn away from the wildfire? Someone correct me if i'm wrong.

Spoilers, man. This is a thread for those still reading...

[Lucreel]

Text in spoiler block:

Wait i thought he used the chains to trap the boats from escaping the wildfire, or am i wrong? He raised it after they had passed it right? When the boats were trying to turn away from the wildfire? Someone correct me if i'm wrong.

Yes, but that's not so far off what I was describing. I didn't realize there were a honking big river that came up the side of the city (I thought it a smallish river from the map). So, I was off in the details, but in very general terms, I had the right idea - that the chain was to be used to block boats, and that wildfire would be involved to burn the trapped boats. I just didn't realize the boats could go up the river, so I was thinking more in terms of the harbor/coast off of King's Landing. I was circling the right block, even if I didn't find the right driveway, so to speak.

[The Faceless Men]

sorry guys i'm new here. I can't seem to find the edit post button? How do i edit my post?

[Stubby]

sorry guys i'm new here. I can't seem to find the edit post button? How do i edit my post?

The edit function is presently turned off to prevent ADWD being inserted after initial posts are approved.

Please see the HELP thread for further information.

Also, if you are going to reply to a spoiler post by quoting it, bear in mind that you will be perpatuating the spoiler. Please use the report function instead.

[Lucreel]

The edit function is presently turned off to prevent ADWD being inserted after initial posts are approved.

Please see the HELP thread for further information.

Also, if you are going to reply to a spoiler post by quoting it, bear in mind that you will be perpatuating the spoiler. Please use the report function instead.

Unless you do like I did, and manually add spoiler tags around the quote and my reply text, when replying.

[Silmarien]

For what? I may have read this as I tend to read but tune out kinda when I am not into the plot being told, but I am curious as to what he has every smith in KL working on these iron rings for, some type of chain?

Many thanks

To cut off Blackwater Bay ... The chain also prevents all of Stannis' fleet from sailing into the bay....

[Just so..]

Silmarien, you may seriously want to put that in a spoiler tag. People are still reading the books, more than ever since the HBO series was such a success.

[TheZone]

Tyrion is very interesting he seems to be the ultimate hand, Ned was awesome but Tyrion has him beat. Ned always had someone to back him up (like his banners) but Tyrion has been alone in the world ( except for Jamie and the Gold) . Tyrion had to learn to wield his mind the way Ned wields his sword. Tyrion's rings puzzled me , at first I thought that it might have something to do with the maesters and Pycelle .

[Faceless Sam]

so at this point I shouldn't know about what the rings are for?

unless you know that the byzantines used a giant chain to cut off the bosporus, thus making them pretty immune to sea attacks from the mediteranean.

tyrion more or less just copied that idea. :P

http://en.wikipedia....nople#Sea_Walls

The Sea Walls were architecturally similar to the Theodosian Walls, but of simpler construction. They were formed by a single wall, considerably lower than the land walls, with inner circuits in the locations of the harbours. Enemy access to the walls facing the Golden Horn was prevented by the presence of a heavy chain or boom, installed by Emperor Leo III (r. 717–741), supported by floating barrels and stretching across the mouth of the inlet. One end of this chain was fastened to the Tower of Eugenius, in the modern suburb of Sirkeci, and the other in Galata, to a large, square tower, the Kastellion, the basement of which was later turned into the Yeraltı (underground) Mosque.^[31] At the same time, on the Marmara coast, the city's defence was helped by strong currents, which made an attack by a fleet almost impossible.