More Small Questions, Really?

[Jon of the House Stark]

Would Gilly's son be [name] Flowers or [name] Snow? And can I/we presume that it's less relevant where you're born, but where you grow up regarding bastard last names?

[Dr. Pepper]

Would Gilly's son be [name] Flowers or [name] Snow? And can I/we presume that it's less relevant where you're born, but where you grow up regarding bastard last names?

The bastard name is pretty much up to the parent(s) or guardian(s). There's no hard or fast rule.

If Sam chooses to follow through in claiming Gilly's son (who is really Mance's son) as his bastard and having her and the babe live in the reach with his parents, the babe would probably be given the Flowers bastard name. If I recall correctly, Gilly is still staying at an inn and Sam hasn't made arrangements to move her to Horn Hill. Sam's status as a NWman and a Maester-in-training sort of puts him in a unique position. Plus his father basically disowned him. I'm not entirely sure if his parents will allow Gilly and the babe to stay on or even allow Sam to publicly claim the babe as his bastard. In that case, it might be likely that the babe wouldn't even get a traditional bastard surname, and possibly no surname at all depending on where Gilly goes.

[Black Crow]

Some time ago GRRM, discussing the history of Westeros, said something to the effect that after the first couple of thousand years everything gets a little misty and that Old Nan's tales are the only true history of Westeros - can anybody provide a link to the Old Nan reference?

[Lady Pounce of Whiskerrun]

How does Mormont's raven get back to the Wall? Presumably, it's the bird that shows up with Small Paul when he attacks Sam as a wight, since the raven is able to speak (it says "fair," "fear," and "go"). However, the bird isn't with Sam (or it isn't mentioned) when he and Gilly pass through the Black Gate and run into Bran et al.

OR, even if that bird wasn't Mormont's raven (because it was just a bird that Bloodraven was warging, or whatever), that still doesn't explain how the bird returned to Castle Black. Is it just an anticlimactic, "well, he just flew and eventually found his way home" explanation?

[TheCrannogDweller]

I think it was mentioned somewhere that when the ravens were first used for communication, they were just told the message and then they recreated it - there was no need for a scroll. However, with the years they lost that ability, and at the time of the events depicted in ASOIAF, they were basically the equivalent of homing pigeons. Which means that a raven can fly to a specific place, and then has to be returned to its point of origin via road.

That being said, maybe Mormont's bird was special - after all, we hear it speak. Maybe he's a survivor from the old-school breed - an intelligent raven, who can find his way to Castle Black, or maybe even to Jon himself.

Or maybe you are onto something, and Mormont's raven was warged by Bloodraven all this time. Maybe he used it to keep an eye on his brothers of the Night's Watch.

[Dragonfish]

Some time ago GRRM, discussing the history of Westeros, said something to the effect that after the first couple of thousand years everything gets a little misty and that Old Nan's tales are the only true history of Westeros - can anybody provide a link to the Old Nan reference?

I recall a SSM in which he says that history gets fuzzy after a couple thousand years, but I don't recall him saying anything about Old Nan's stories being the true history of Westeros.

[The Dornishman's Wife]

[GRRM might have said] that Old Nan's tales are the only true history of Westeros

I don't recall him saying anything about Old Nan's stories being the true history of Westeros.

Maybe the big reveal in the end is that the reason for all the seasonal imbalance is just Makunda having an irregular sleeping pattern...

[Dr. Pepper]

Some time ago GRRM, discussing the history of Westeros, said something to the effect that after the first couple of thousand years everything gets a little misty and that Old Nan's tales are the only true history of Westeros - can anybody provide a link to the Old Nan reference?

Grr, I've seen this mentioned quite often and I just took it for fact. I've spent a good hour trying to search out where GRRM might have said that and I'm coming up empty. Perhaps this is something someone should get Ran to comment on? It changes things a bit if Martin never said it.

[Dragonfish]

This SSM is the closest thing I've found to what you're referring to:

2. You've mentioned that Dawn has an illustrious history -- is there a ballpark figure for how long the Daynes and/or Starfall/Dawn have existed?

Oh, I'd say Dawn goes back a couple thousand years... and before that, things get a little fuzzy anyway.

No mention of Old Nan. To be honest, the first time I heard that rumor I immediately thought it was apocryphal, as I had no recollection of it in any of the SSMs.

[Zupoleon]

No mention of Old Nan. To be honest, the first time I heard that rumor I immediately thought it was apocryphal, as I had no recollection of it in any of the SSMs.

Yup. I've yet to see any confirmation on it. I suspect something Martin had said was misinterpreted, and word of mouth did the rest...

[callmedodge]

Would Gilly's son be [name] Flowers or [name] Snow? And can I/we presume that it's less relevant where you're born, but where you grow up regarding bastard last names?

It`s mentioned in AGoT Bran chapter that those bastard names are pretty much for high-born bastards only. Saying that, even high-born bastards, eg: Bloodraven and a bunch of other bastard Targs - have ended up taking their own names.

Lowborns seem to mold their names to their profession or a particularly obvious trait as they grow up. Examples: Hot Pie, Lemmy Greenhands, Duncan The Tall, that Silvertongue bard, Tom O` Sevens. The list is endless.

[Rune Targaryen]

How does Mormont's raven get back to the Wall? Presumably, it's the bird that shows up with Small Paul when he attacks Sam as a wight, since the raven is able to speak (it says "fair," "fear," and "go"). However, the bird isn't with Sam (or it isn't mentioned) when he and Gilly pass through the Black Gate and run into Bran et al.

OR, even if that bird wasn't Mormont's raven (because it was just a bird that Bloodraven was warging, or whatever), that still doesn't explain how the bird returned to Castle Black. Is it just an anticlimactic, "well, he just flew and eventually found his way home" explanation?

All the ravens of ASOIAF can always find a certain place, no matter where it is, and you find odd that the one Raven that is marked as "too clever" several times could find her home??

[Ran]

Will ditto what everyone has said -- if George made some remark about Old Nan and history, it was probably jocular, suggesting that any histories of the distant past presented within the setting are all as dubious as Old Nan's stories.

[SkyBry]

i'm getting confused. I've been on this forum for quite some while now and i'm currently on my first re-read (just read the RW) but for some reason i see "RED HERRING" popping up on this forum.

is that something i missed? i know about AA, TPtwP and The stallion who mounts the world. so yeah, explain please :)

[The Drunkard]

A Red Herring is essentially a clue that is intentionally or possibly unintentionally misleading. Probably used most recently in regards to Dany, where some people (myself included) think all the clues that might have pointed her out to be AA are taking the spotlight away from the true AA, if such a thing exists.

[Green Dreamin]

Were The Weeper's group of wildlings and Mother Mole's people ever with Mance? I thought Mance had rallied EVERY wildling, except Craster, and they were all his people but they seperated after the chaos/Stannis at the wall. I read in another thread though that they were 3 different groups and fought eachother?

[Ran]

They were all with Mance. Tormund, the Weeper, and Mother Mole gathered most of the remnant after the battle at the Wall, each under their leadership.

[Stannis Eats No Peaches]

i'm getting confused. I've been on this forum for quite some while now and i'm currently on my first re-read (just read the RW) but for some reason i see "RED HERRING" popping up on this forum.

is that something i missed? i know about AA, TPtwP and The stallion who mounts the world. so yeah, explain please :)

It's the fish that was fried, the fish that swims the world etc.

[Winter gives me wind]

Loras buried it at Storm's End in some secret place that was special to the two of them.

Speaking of which; is it ever openly stated that Loras 'buried it' in Renly's 'secret place'? I know they were gay but does anyone ever say it beyond innuendo?

[Liar]

Speaking of which; is it ever openly stated that Loras 'buried it' in Renly's 'secret place'? I know they were gay but does anyone ever say it beyond innuendo?

There is no real evidence and there is no implications by any of them that they were. We only have the heavy implications by other characters, like it's a known secret. GRRM is telling us something, but does not want to word it himself.