[TWoW Spoilers] Theon I

[fassreiter]

So now, next to the pink letter, we have a black one, too. I also thought it must have been from Castle Black. The only way Theon could know what it was would be if he had seen such a letter before, so maybe it is true what some of us have suspected: Bolton has a man on the Wall? Maybe Bowen Marsh or someone else told Roose what was going on there? Bolton knew when Stannis would leave the Wall. Could it be that Stannis intercepted a letter from Marsh to Bolton, telling him about the wildlings Jon allowed through the Wall? It could be that Theon knows WHAT it would say because he got this news from the rangers who accompanied the banker, and that he knew WHO sent it because he had seen such letters before in Winterfell? There is no way he could know what Jon would write, right?

Except, if it's the more boring explanation, it's the letter from Jon warning Stannis of Karstark's treachery? But why would Theon know about that, then?

If Theon knew about the wildling army, it would make sense if Asha and Theon wrote the pink letter, and it's possible Theon knows the false washerwomen were wildlings. They spoke wildling catch phrases in front of him, he should know who they are, and he knows that Jon sent them. Maybe that Massey guy is working with them (maybe he knows something about Melisandre's glamor-trick?)?

Wasn't there something about those wrong way rangers in ADWD, or something? Wasn't he one of them?

[Arataniello]

_{Just great to get a sample chapter, especially one showing the ongoing situation around Winterfell.}

_{I think that there will be some kind of resolution of Theon's predicament at the weirwood, perhaps he confesses that it was not Bran and Rickon that were killed at Winterfell, this being confirmed by Manderley.}

_{The letter mentioned at the start of the chapter must, I think, be one from Jon, since it is sealed with black wax.}

_{More later when I have had a chance to read a few more times and digest.}

[TymCon]

"Maybe this is where Bran will come in?"

I'm actually halfway through re-reading A game of Thrones and in the first Bran chapter he mentions a way to walk through the wall. I doubt it'd big enough for an army but a few handpicked men to open the doors during nightime. And since Theon was the last person in the castle...:P

[mike_s_6]

Could it not be that Stannis intercepted the letter Robb sent home declaring Jon his heir?

This was my first thought, but someone in another forum pointed out that it's Jon's warning about the Karstarks, which makes sense. Maybe he read it out loud, or Theon is plainly perceptive. Or was the betrayal mentioned to Theon while he was with Ramsay?

His other mental taunt "Caught!" also seems to point out that he knew what was happening.

Also, since I support the Stark Kings => Others (Coldhands, etc):

"... Winterfell was full of ghosts. "The swords were gone. ... The stone kings are angry.""

[Bright]

Interesting thought. Was Theon at the meeting where he announced it to his banner lords?

No. That was in ASoS, by which time Theon had long since betrayed Robb and been captured by Ramsay.

[LordBloodraven]

Mors Umbers interupts Theon to refer to him as ...." — a turncloak and a kinslayer", Aren't these the same words used by the Hooded Man at Winterfell? Does this put Mors Umber in the frame?

Mors is wearing a hood and has been digging trenches around Winterfell's gates. He might have found a way to get inside the castle.

[Pliskin]

Interesting thought. Was Theon at the meeting where he announced it to his banner lords?

No, it was in ASOS.

[Ran]

The hood is a snow bear's head. I rather think that Theon would have noted that on the "Hooded Man".

[TheEvilKing]

Mors is wearing a hood and has been digging trenches around Winterfell's gates. He might have found a way to get inside the castle.

A hood that is a giant bear's pelt, completed with the bear's head as a helm. No, I think he'd be noticed.

This was my first thought, but someone in another forum pointed out that it's Jon's warning about the Karstarks, which makes sense.

Yeah it must obviously be this. Mystery solved.

[Capon Breath]

The hood is a snow bear's head. I rather think that Theon would have noted that on the "Hooded Man".

Unless he has more than 1 cloak? If you have a distinctive piece of clothing you probably wouldnt wear it for covert missions in enemy territory.

[Bright]

Unless he has more than 1 cloak? If you have a distinctive piece of clothing you probably wouldnt wear it for covert missions in enemy territory.

I feel like that would defeat the purpose of using cloaks to distinguish both characters, if it were meant as some sort of clue.

[Arkash]

Unless he has more than 1 cloak? If you have a distinctive piece of clothing you probably wouldnt wear it for covert missions in enemy territory.

Oh, that explains why I'm being caught all the time! ^^

No, but seriously, nobody wonders about the Tychho Nestaris mystery... those hints and lines about him were really... creepy.

[EdricBaratheon]

Oh, that explains why I'm being caught all the time! ^^

No, but seriously, nobody wonders about the Tychho Nestaris mystery... those hints and lines about him were really... creepy.

I see where your coming through! I read the chapter three times over, and still I remain suspicious of him! I'll keep my own theories to myself though for the time being, lets see what everone else makes of it first!

[DurararaFTW]

Stannis, Theon and Asha certainly do not know that Jon faked Mance's death, the guy writing the letter does. Asha barely has knowledge of LC Jon at all. It's still most likely a idiotic bluff from Ramsey unless Bran gives them a very complete update at the wiertree indeed.

[Ice Turtle]

I see where your coming through! I read the chapter three times over, and still I remain suspicious of him! I'll keep my own theories to myself though for the time being, lets see what everone else makes of it first!

I have no theories about the banker, he seems only a banker to me. Please, I'm eager for any crackpot.

[kissdbyfire]

The island -- more correctly the islet, in a lake -- is the one next to the village where they're at. There's a carved weirwood there, which Asha and Aly Mormont visited. Here's the description:

Is it southwest of the wolfswood? As you look at the map, to the left of Torrhen's Square?

Cheers.

[kissdbyfire]

Damn, this was a tiny taste but man it was a sweet read. Really rekindled my excitement.

I'm a little murky on the details; I assume this takes place before Ramsay sends the letter to Jon about having killed Stannis and taken Lightbringer for himself.

I have to wonder, why is Bran urging Theon to the islet, though? And why does Asha want him to go there so bad? The vibe I got from the scene was Asha does not intend to let them kill Theon at all. Is that what you guys got?

I wonder, could Asha have met Howland Reed on her first visit to the islet?

[DurararaFTW]

I wonder, could Asha have met Howland Reed on her first visit to the islet?

Asha was still massacring Northmen at the time so, I think Howland Reedwould have just put her down if they did.

[kissdbyfire]

Asha was still massacring Northmen at the time so, I think Howland Reedwould have just put her down if they did.

No, she was with the Mormont girl, this was after she'd been captured by Stannis.

Re-quoting from a previous post by Ran:

"The crofter’s village stood between two lakes, the larger dotted with small wooded islands that punched up through the ice like the frozen fists of some drowned giant. From one such island rose a weirwood gnarled and ancient, its bole and branches white as the surrounding snows. Eight days ago Asha had walked out with Aly Mormont to have a closer look at its slitted red eyes and bloody mouth. It is only sap, she’d told herself, the red sap that flows inside these weirwoods. But her eyes were unconvinced; seeing was believing, and what they saw was frozen blood."

[Daena the Defiant]

I have a teensy confession......

I actually have very little interest in the shenanigans up North. I really need a cheat sheet to tell me what the moving pieces are and who is doing what.

And the idea of sending Alysanne Mormont with "Lady Arya" as a suitable matron companion is hysterical. It's like Brienne being Cersei's lady-in-waiting.