Jump to content

Small Questions XIII


Angalin

Recommended Posts

Mod:

I appreciate the need for casual conversation, truly. This is why we have whole sections of the board dedicated to it, over in the Misc section. Rugby? Computer games? Random social chatter? We have thread for them all, and you are all more than welcome to start ever more. Just please keep this thread, with it's very specific function, clean of it.

/mod.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quick question about the ravens in ASoIaF mimicking human speech. Martin seems to do this alot, most notably with Lord Mormont's raven saying 'Corn' or 'Snow' or repeating the last couple of words in a sentence. Does it have any meaning? Are there any theories? Or is it just a tool Martin uses to create mood?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quick question about the ravens in ASoIaF mimicking human speech. Martin seems to do this alot, most notably with Lord Mormont's raven saying 'Corn' or 'Snow' or repeating the last couple of words in a sentence. Does it have any meaning? Are there any theories? Or is it just a tool Martin uses to create mood?

there are theories connecting the ravens to Bloodraven and/or children of the forest such as this :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have some stupid questions ( I wanted to make a thread titled questions I'm ashamed to ask, but I didn't want to piss people off with a useless thread) ANYWAYS. WTF is a mummer? O_o I've read and re-read all the books, I have an idea, but I'm not sure. Also what's up with rubies? Not just the ones Mel wears, but didn't Rheagar have rubies too? Do they all hold some mystic power or something? Sorry for the silly questions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have some stupid questions ( I wanted to make a thread titled questions I'm ashamed to ask, but I didn't want to piss people off with a useless thread) ANYWAYS. WTF is a mummer? O_o I've read and re-read all the books, I have an idea, but I'm not sure. Also what's up with rubies? Not just the ones Mel wears, but didn't Rheagar have rubies too? Do they all hold some mystic power or something? Sorry for the silly questions.

A mummer is an archaic term referring to traveling actors, who would stage plays, often farces. I don't recall the complete description, but basically, it's an carryover from medieval England.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also what's up with rubies? Not just the ones Mel wears, but didn't Rheagar have rubies too? Do they all hold some mystic power or something? Sorry for the silly questions.

Maybe there is something more to it, but I believe it is just that they are the most impressive and expensive of red precious stones. Red is a color that Targaryens like to use (the color of the dragon on their sigil), as well as a fire-resembling color that Melisandre favors. Some Lannisters like rubies as well, in part because red and gold are their colors.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also what's up with rubies? Not just the ones Mel wears, but didn't Rheagar have rubies too? Do they all hold some mystic power or something? Sorry for the silly questions.

Rheagar's rubies were just ornamentation on his plate as far as I know.

Mel's rubies on the other hand... in ADwD she attaches a pulsing ruby to Mance Rayder's wrist and somehow uses it to create a glamor that makes him appear as Rattleshirt. She had a similar pulsing ruby at her throat which some have speculated means that her entire appearance (as a red haired, red eyed, voluptuous beauty) is actually a glamor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got a question... I recently re-read AFFC. Something always bugged me, when Cercei is imprisoned in Baelor's Sept alone for several days, the first person to visit her is Qyburn. Did that strike anyone else as strange? I'd expect Kevan, a KG, or any other Lannister, even Mace or some of the Tyrells before I'd expect Qyburn. True Cercei and Qyburn have a "special relationship," but why would the High Septon even let him in the sept? It's no secret Qyburn is a ex-bloody mummer, disgraced Maester, torturer, and most likely a necromancer... does this sound like someone that hard-ass, ultra conservative new High Septon would let in as a first visitor - or ever? Why didn't he capture Qyburn and tourture him to uncover more of Cercei's (or his own) sins? He did that to Kettleback and he was a knight, Qyburn is just Cersei's pet and that's worth little and less after she's been disgraced.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A couple of questions:

1). Did Rhaegar and Aerys ever have a good relationship, or was there tension because there was no love between Aerys and Rhaella, so he punished Rhaegar for it? (It sounded as if Rhaella and Rhaegar may have been closer since Varys was whispering against both of them).

2). Coming off question 1. Did Aerys favor Jaimie because he did love his Mother, (Joanna), and in taking him into KG and keeping him with him, was he deliberately slighting Tywin?

3). When Brandon went after Rhaegar, did Aerys behave as he did because he had any care for his son, or did he do it because of the overall principle that one didn't threaten the blood royal, especially the Crown Prince?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3). When Brandon went after Rhaegar, did Aerys behave as he did because he had any care for his son, or did he do it because of the overall principle that one didn't threaten the blood royal, especially the Crown Prince?

Well the book never tells us but I think that Duskendale had an extreme effect on him. He probably saw them as a threat to himself and rebels and so had them executed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A couple of questions:

2). Coming off question 1. Did Aerys favor Jaimie because he did love his Mother, (Joanna), and in taking him into KG and keeping him with him, was he deliberately slighting Tywin?

Yep, I think Tywin and probably Jaime were sure that Aerys 'favored' Jaime to spite Tywin.

Tywin was robbed of his 'golden' heir to Casterley Rock - I doubt he knew it was a set up by Cersei.

Jaime was used as a watchgard and Aerys prevented that he could gain honor in tournaments.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks guys, I still don't understand what Rheagar's rubies are, weren't they scattered across the river or something? Hmm I guess I have to wait til my friend returns book one to me.

The big deal about Rhaegar's rubies is that the sigil of his house, a three-headed dragon breathing flames, was wrought on his breastplate entirely out of those precious stones. It probably made a magnificent sight, and when Robert's warhammer stove in his breastplate, a lot of those rubies went washing downriver. So the legend still survives that there are "Rhaegar's rubies" floating around in the Trident somewhere Arya and her butcher boy Mycah went looking for them on that fateful day around Darry Castle -- it's in GOT. This legend might even be true, as one or two rubies washed up on the Quiet Isle in AFFC.

I got a question... I recently re-read AFFC. Something always bugged me, when Cercei is imprisoned in Baelor's Sept alone for several days, the first person to visit her is Qyburn. Did that strike anyone else as strange? I'd expect Kevan, a KG, or any other Lannister, even Mace or some of the Tyrells before I'd expect Qyburn. True Cercei and Qyburn have a "special relationship," but why would the High Septon even let him in the sept? It's no secret Qyburn is a ex-bloody mummer, disgraced Maester, torturer, and most likely a necromancer... does this sound like someone that hard-ass, ultra conservative new High Septon would let in as a first visitor - or ever? Why didn't he capture Qyburn and tourture him to uncover more of Cercei's (or his own) sins? He did that to Kettleback and he was a knight, Qyburn is just Cersei's pet and that's worth little and less after she's been disgraced.

I think the simple answer as to why no one visits Cersei but Qyburn is simply because at that point, she has alienated everybody who loves her, so no one wants to see her.

Here are the people who might have wanted to see her before, but aren't visiting now:

1. Tywin - dead

2. Kevan - he wanted her to go back to Casterly Rock and either rule as lady there or get a husband so he could be regent, and a good influence on Tommen. She threw her wine cup in his face and threatened him instead.

3. Jaime - they've been fighting ever since Jaime's "transformation", and now he truly wants nothing to do with her. He burns her note that pleads for him to be her champion.

4. Ser Harys Swyft - Cersei made him Hand as a feeble attempt at keeping a "hostage" (he's Kevan's father-in-law), but the man himself is feeble and very cautious by nature.

5. Varys - MIA

6. Littlefinger - if he were in KL I'm sure he would find some way to winkle profit out of the chaos, but he's busy being Lord Protector of the Vale just now.

7. Aurane Waters - Cersei made him admiral basically because he was handsome and looked a little like Rhaegar. He repaid her by using her coin to build a bunch of new dromonds, then made off with them when he'd learned that she was arrested. He's now set himself up as a wealthy pirate near the Stepstones.

8. Lord Orton Merryweather - i.e., Taena's husband. Taena is the brains behind that power couple, and she knew it was time to head back to her son and their home at Longtable. She knows all the queen's secrets and could either stay and be tortured, or use the knowledge to her advantage (which she no doubt will do).

9. Grand Maester Pycelle - normally he would be there before Qyburn (imho), but Cersei has insulted him so much he's finally had enough and is using her imprisonment as an opportunity to hand over the realm to Kevan and Mace Tyrell.

I think that about covers it.

As for why they didn't question Qyburn, I don't think the High Septon/the Most Devout can just seize anyone they want and question them informally. They questioned Kettleblack because he willingly confessed to bedding the queen, and it was suspicious that he seemed so pleased with himself for committing high treason. However, when the official trial for Cersei and Margaery starts, they may very well be allowed to question whomever they please - we haven't had a trial like this in the history of the books before, so we don't know the procedure. Especially with a conservative septon who actually does his job well and without hypocrisy. (Well, thinking that Margaery, Elinor and Alla are not virgins b/c their hymens are broken is misguided, but he probably doesn't know about what too much riding does to one's maidenhead.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...