The Winds of Winter Prologue

[Patrick Tully]

First post, just some random thoughts.

1. Marwyn reveals new knowledge about dragons and dragonglass to Sam...

3. Tom O' Sevens in Riverrun.

1) I'm pretty sure Marwyn left as soon as he finished speaking to Sam at the end of AFFC.

I like the idea of a POV in Riverrun during an attack by the BWB.

[Sour Billy Tipton]

Does anyone think GRRM will break the streak when it comes to the prologue POV character dying?

[kephv]

No. Then again, he could and I don't think it would matter much.

[Suzanna Stormborn]

First post, just some random thoughts.

1. Marwyn reveals new knowledge about dragons and dragonglass to Sam. Basically Sam asking reasonably simple questions that the archmaester can expand on and repute any false "signs" or strategy. Perhaps a question sticks in Marwyns' mind and as he goes to research it in some lost book has hasn't read or considered in some time that holds the information. After reading it and experiencing an "Ah-Ha" moment, Faceless Pate is there unexpectedly and kills him for the same info.

2. Ghost north of the wall. Experiencing the changes beyond the wall, such as wildlings migrating to the wall and the rise/march of the Others, from the direwolf's perspective could provide hints at a Stark children reunion(feeling other direwolves' presence or lack thereof), jon's current state through foggy memories, how close/dangerous the army of Others has become and their threat to the Wall/realm. Not to mention a much needed exhale on the fate of Lord Commander Snow.

3. Tom O' Sevens in Riverrun. I just reread AFFC and the last Jaime chapter has him talking to a singer who is going to stay in Riverrun after Jaime and the siege forces leave. He casually tells Jaime his name and Jaime doesn't think twice about it. Tom is a member of the BWB and could set up a "Trojan Fish" scenario for the BWB killing new Lord of Riverrun Emmon Frey (which killing Freys is their MO) as well as Lannisters. This is sort of a curve ball idea but came to mind going through this thread.

These are just opinions of mine that I think would be cool to read. I do concur that a maester prologue from south of the Wall is due up next in the pattern and is probably the safe bet. Just throwing out some ideas that haven't been touched on yet in this thread.

Yes Tom ' O sevens def infiltrated Riverrun, and I bet you some other ppl snuck in disguised as servants or maids or whatever. there is for sure going to be an over throw of the Freys at Riverrun.

Several times in the books, GRRM mentions how bad it is to betray Guest Rights.

"It was not for murder that the Gods cursed him," Old Nan said, " nor for serving the Andal King his son in a pie. A man has a right to vengence. but he slew a guest beneath his roof, and that the Gods cannot forgive."-- Bran telling one of Old Nan's stories in the Night Fort in ASOS.

I just think that some really horrible trickery and 'Gods work" is going to get after all the Frey's. it is going to be so brutal!!! i can't wait!

[DExit]

Yes Tom ' O sevens def infiltrated Riverrun, and I bet you some other ppl snuck in disguised as servants or maids or whatever. there is for sure going to be an over throw of the Freys at Riverrun.

Several times in the books, GRRM mentions how bad it is to betray Guest Rights.

"It was not for murder that the Gods cursed him," Old Nan said, " nor for serving the Andal King his son in a pie. A man has a right to vengence. but he slew a guest beneath his roof, and that the Gods cannot forgive."-- Bran telling one of Old Nan's stories in the Night Fort in ASOS.

I just think that some really horrible trickery and 'Gods work" is going to get after all the Frey's. it is going to be so brutal!!! i can't wait!

It's possible the BWB will take Riverrun, but I hope they free Edmure, he'll then wage war against the lannister with the BWB and most of his lords bannermen.

Yep, I hope the Freys are going to be punished for their treachery, but all the Freys eliminated? Edmure''s wife is pregnant of him and his kid will be half a Frey, should that kid die as well? And all those other babe-freys? No way! The Freys are going to be decimated in battle- thank you Stannis- but somehow one of them will survive as lord- or knight, supposing Edmure gives them the Connington treatment - of the crossing.

[Suzanna Stormborn]

It's possible the BWB will take Riverrun, but I hope they free Edmure, he'll then wage war against the lannister with the BWB and most of his lords bannermen.

Yep, I hope the Freys are going to be punished for their treachery, but all the Freys eliminated? Edmure''s wife is pregnant of him and his kid will be half a Frey, should that kid die as well? And all those other babe-freys? No way! The Freys are going to be decimated in battle- thank you Stannis- but somehow one of them will survive as lord- or knight, supposing Edmure gives them the Connington treatment - of the crossing.

Only the Frey's that were involved with the red wedding, ESP. LORD WALDER!!! but the other ones that were there and part of the evil plan also need a face full of arrows or dragon fire!

[Sister Ray]

This thread seems to be dry, but I would like to share my suggestions/hopes anyway.

Well, considering that we have 4 (right?) grand battles more or less starting at the end of ADWD, I would suggest that we will be directly thrown into one of them.

1. Battle of Winterfell - not very likely, as the battle did not begin in the Theon chapter.

2. Battle of Meeren - quite likely, considering that the battle already started in the last Barristan chapter.

3. Battle of Highgarden - my personal favourite; maybe we get to read how the Maester in Highgarden is witnessing the Ironborn's arrival.

4. Battle of Storm's End - maybe we get a Golden Company POV, or a POV from the resident Maester; that seems considerably likely, following the end of ADWD and the information we got from the Arriane chapter.

[Matthew Marzolf]

"It's possible the BWB will take Riverrun, but I hope they free Edmure, he'll then wage war against the lannister with the BWB and most of his lords bannermen."

Edmure is a crap leader and has pretty much blown ever major engagment, winning when he shouldn't and losing when he shouldn't. Except as a figurehead, I'd rather he rots in the rock.

[Revolver]

I think we'll get a Euron-related prologue.

[The Iron Suitor]

The more and more I think about it, I think the prologue will be from Highgarden or Marwyn at sea. Pretty much every where else there is another POV character to tell the story. Jon Conn can tell the Storm's End scene. There are to many loose ends to tie up with the BWB before they attempt to take Riverrun, plus there are three possible POV's to tell it: Jaime, Brienne, and Stoneheart. Oldtown has Sam, the wall has Melisandre, Mereen has Barristan, Tyrion, and Vic. Stannis has Theon and Asha, however it could be at Winterfell and be someone who the hooded man kills before Stannis attacks or they attack Stannis. The Rock really has nothing important IMO to add to the story.

Lastly when writing this I thought about Dorne. I could be getting ahead here, but haven't all of the Dornish POV characters left Dorne or at least Sunspear at the end of Dance. I could see the Prologue being from Dorne but I can't think of much things it would add besides a possible death of Doran creating chaos among the Dornish.

[aryagonnakill]

The more and more I think about it, I think the prologue will be from Highgarden or Marwyn at sea. Pretty much every where else there is another POV character to tell the story. Jon Conn can tell the Storm's End scene. There are to many loose ends to tie up with the BWB before they attempt to take Riverrun, plus there are three possible POV's to tell it: Jaime, Brienne, and Stoneheart. Oldtown has Sam, the wall has Melisandre, Mereen has Barristan, Tyrion, and Vic. Stannis has Theon and Asha, however it could be at Winterfell and be someone who the hooded man kills before Stannis attacks or they attack Stannis. The Rock really has nothing important IMO to add to the story.

Lastly when writing this I thought about Dorne. I could be getting ahead here, but haven't all of the Dornish POV characters left Dorne or at least Sunspear at the end of Dance. I could see the Prologue being from Dorne but I can't think of much things it would add besides a possible death of Doran creating chaos among the Dornish.

Marwyn at sea gets killed by Euron? Could answer a few questions at once.

[Joyful Union]

Jaime, meeting Lady Stoneheart...

But seriously, I was thinking maybe some lordling or guard at Storms End, witnessing its sacking by Aegon, since its been confirmed that Storms End was successfully taken by Aegon. That, or Khal Jhaqo being roasted by Drogon, that would be awesome.

[Rayn]

Benjen Stark in the far far far north!

[Ibbison from Ibben]

Two of the five prologues have occurred in places where a POV character was already present. (aCoK, Cressen, Davos; aSoS, Chett, Sam), so I wouldn't necessarily count out locations already covered by a POV.

Anything that happens in Winterfell, Meereen, or Storm's End should be adequately covered by normal POVs. Anything we need to know from Highgarden can be told by raven or messenger. What we need from the prologue is a one-shot look into a place we need info from, and can't otherwise cover. My guess: inside the Hightower, to find out what kind of magic Lord Leyton and Malora the Mad Maid are whipping up.

The POV will be either Alykyne Florent or Leo the Lazy. I'm betting Leo. Alekyne is Sam's uncle, which will make him useful later, and GRRM put too much effort into his name to kill him off quickly. (Alekyne is undoubtedly a tribute to Alexander Alekhine, the chess grandmaster of the '20's and '30's. We may finally get a clever fox in the story.)

edited for spelling

[The Iron Suitor]

Two of the five prologues have occurred in places where a POV character was already present. (aCoK, Cressen, Davos; aSoS, Chett, Sam), so I wouldn't necessarily count out locations already covered by a POV.

Anything that happens in Winterfell, Meereen, or Storm's End ahould be adequately covered by normal POVs. Anything we need to know from Highgarden can be told by raven or messenger. What we need from the prologue is a one-shot look into a place we need info from, and can't otherwise cover. My guess: inside the Hightower, to find out what kind of magic Lord Leyton and Malora the Mad Maid are whipping up.

The POV will be either Alykyne Florent or Leo the Lazy. I'm betting Leo. Alekyne is Sam's uncle, which will make him useful later, and GRRM put too much effort into his name to kill him off quickly. (Alekyne is undoubtedly a tribute to Alexander Alekhine, the chess grandmaster of the '20's and '30's. We may finally get a clever fox in the story.)

I do see what you are saying with the POV's being on location of those prologues, but Sam and Davos were not yet POV characters when those occurred. I neglected to think of those POVs on my post; I just feel there are places needed to be seen and since there will be no more POVs, the prologue/epilogues are the only ways to show these locations and what is happening there.

[oprahnoodlemantra]

The POV will probably be a maester at Storm's End showing us how Aegon takes Storm's End. Seeing it from another point of view will make the return of Rhaegar's son a little more surprising.

The timeline from the end of ADWD to the beginning of TWOW is a little muddled. The Theon sample chapter is before the battle for Winterfell which is before Jon's stabbing. By the end of ADWD, Aegon has taken Storm's End and Kevan Lannister is dead. When does Aegon taking Storm's End happen in relation to other events in the book?

[Montey14]

It's possible the BWB will take Riverrun, but I hope they free Edmure, he'll then wage war against the lannister with the BWB and most of his lords bannermen.

Yep, I hope the Freys are going to be punished for their treachery, but all the Freys eliminated? Edmure''s wife is pregnant of him and his kid will be half a Frey, should that kid die as well? And all those other babe-freys? No way! The Freys are going to be decimated in battle- thank you Stannis- but somehow one of them will survive as lord- or knight, supposing Edmure gives them the Connington treatment - of the crossing.

guest Right was just a law invoked so people didn't kill their neighbor over tea just to take their land.....much like it is to kill your father......so it wouldn't be so easy to kill him and take over his lands ....the romans had similar concepts I believe....also lets not forget that guests came to dinner with daggers to cut their food.....so there had to be some set of rules so they made up guest rights and all would be unarmed under someones roof....killing your guests would make you dishonorable and a paraiah....

[Montey14]

Also I'm surprised the septons don't cry foul of the Lannisters.....being that Twyin granted the Frey's riverrun eventhough they vilated guest rights .....I know the tulleys were branded traitors.....but they could have given riverrun to some other lord....doesn't it seem suspicious that the Freys were granted riverrun after they did the Lannisters a great favor in getting rid of Robb Stark....

[jentario]

Jaime, meeting Lady Stoneheart...

But seriously, I was thinking maybe some lordling or guard at Storms End, witnessing its sacking by Aegon, since its been confirmed that Storms End was successfully taken by Aegon. That, or Khal Jhaqo being roasted by Drogon, that would be awesome.

I would definitely LMAO but wouldn't that be too short and irrelevant a chapter since we have Dany there?

[EnergeticCrab]

Assai. Let's start in Assai. I mean, everyone's expecting to pick up from where all our characters left off, and have it be winter in full force.

I always feel like at the beginning of every new book, I am always like "Why am I reading about this rando? I want to see what happened to X! And where am I?" Assai would totally throw everyone off.