Ygrittes teary profession

[Grand Moff Mithrandir]

Theres a part in ASOS right after Jon and the wilding company have successfully scaled the wall Ygritte says something very interesting to JonSnow

Ygritte slammed the heel of her hand into his chest, so hard it stung even through his layers of wool, mail, and boiled leather. “I wasn’t frightened. You know nothing, Jon Snow."

"Why are you crying, then?"

“Not for fear!” She kicked savagely at the ice beneath her with a heel, chopping out a chunk. “I’m crying because we never found the Horn of Winter. We opened half a hundred graves and let all those shades loose in the world, and never found the Horn of Joramun to bring this cold thing down!".

Now at first read I thought she was just talking about the wight walkers, but could there be other more sinister things on the loose?

[jdhodges1111]

I just reread this 5 minutes ago and googlEd it to find this and I can't believe Theres nothing. What does it mean to let akm them shades into the world. It can't be ww they would have killed them.

[GameTheory]

I think this passage is about the superstitions of the wild folk rather than actual entities being released upon the world. Disturbing a grave is usually associated with being cursed. They disturbed the graves of these people and therefore believe that their spirits/shades will exact vengeance upon them.

[Jedi1]

I agree. Its not unprecedented among followers of the old gods as the starks place iron swords across the tombs of their dead to keep the spirits from wandering the castle if I remember correctly.

[Mithol]

I think this may also be a bit of a nod to the battle that Stannis is apparently going to fight for the lord of light. Maybe "shades" refers to a future foe of that battle.