Hardhome

[Free Northman]

Well, there'll be a bit of new Hardhome info in the world book...

Very interesting.

[Morienthar]

It's still an impact.

that's called a fire ball,It isn't considered an impact.

[Genghis]

I think it's way simpler and you guys are overthinking it. I think it just burned and is now overrun with wights. The 'screaming caves' are just making that sound because of the wind off the sea.

[Lady of Long Lake]

I believe it was a volcanic event, which is kind of supported by the many caves in the region that apparently "howl like demons". Potentially expanding hot gasses that escape through some vents in the rock?

Also, hot ash raining down for months afterwards really sounds more like a long slow ash eruption continuing for an extended time after the main cataclysm.

The brief description we get sounds more like a volcanic eruption than an impact, and it would also tie in with the whole Doom of Valyria event, as well as with the known vulcanism beneath the North, such as the volcanic vents below the Dreadfort, the hot springs below Winterfell and the rumored volcanically heated valleys around Thenn that are warmer than the surrounding areas.

I think this too. It would be a source of dragonglass (obsidian) too if this were true. That stone is the byproduct of volcanoes.

[Reginald blackfield]

I like the others because it would fit very well with the events of the series and because it was a very mysterious event, but the others do not like fire, so here is my hypothesis:

Hardhome was built around a large volcano, like the valyrians who also dwelt near volcanos the people of hardhome were highly adept at magic.

The others launch a massive attack on hardhome, the slaughter the citiizens in large numbers and then 'enslaving' them by bringing them back as wights who obey the others every command. In a Last attempt to drive the others back the mages of hardhome participated in a dangerous ritual which caused the volcano the erupt, destroying hardhome but driving back the others in the process. This is what caused the extremely bright lights which made it seem like the sun was setting in the north.

[Mayura]

Hardhome sounds like it was victim of a volcanic eruption, hence "it was raining ashes". The story about the people being brought in slavery isn't too far away from the one that is happening to the wildlings in DWD, they were in distress and Essosi ships came to "rescue" them but in fact took them as slaves.

What is also interesting is that there is a reference in ASOIAF to "bleeding stars" (plural), maybe hinting that more cataclysmic phenomenons could show up.

[Aerys Ahai Reborn]

My crackpot theory is that whoever ruled Hardhome used the Horn of Joramun trying to "wake giants from the ground," before moving south to pass the Wall, but those giants are really volcanoes, which is why the Horn is said to be able to destroy the Wall.

[Ice Turtle]

I still think it could be slavers riding dragons meting with skinchangers. Skinchangers were unable to control dragons so they attacked the minds of riders and the riders reacted like spearwife in ADwD prologue.

[intheswamp]

A bit crackpot, but I've always like the idea that it was the Children of the Forest that wiped out Hardhome. The Doom doesn't match-up time wise and the Others don't like fire and seem too easy of an answer. Slavers or another enemy (Skagosi, Dragonlords, etc...) attacking is probably the answer, but I like the idea of the Children getting pissed off at the humans developing a city in one of the few refuges they have left or perhaps worried that the Others might use this settlement to develop an army of wights. The Children live in caves and I think they feast on blood, which could explain the screams in the caves. I feel like the Children need to be made a little more evil, it would be boring if they turn out to be just a benevolent elf-like race.

[setmyheartafire]

The Children aren't completely peaceful because IIRC they sort of caused a wave or flood or something that swallowed up or separated Dorne from Essos... it was once, long long ago, attached to the opposite land mass.

I think Hardhome could be three things at once:

meteoric

volcanic

magic

That it rained ash sounds volcanic. Even minor meteor strikes can cause geologic upheaval in a sensitive geothermal volcanic environment. And as has been said, volcanic activity and geothermal activity are visible in the strongholds of the North.

What I'd like to know is, where does the magic come in?

[Whitering]

The Children aren't completely peaceful because IIRC they sort of caused a wave or flood or something that swallowed up or separated Dorne from Essos... it was once, long long ago, attached to the opposite land mass.

I think Hardhome could be three things at once:

meteoric

volcanic

magic

That it rained ash sounds volcanic. Even minor meteor strikes can cause geologic upheaval in a sensitive geothermal volcanic environment. And as has been said, volcanic activity and geothermal activity are visible in the strongholds of the North.

What I'd like to know is, where does the magic come in?

Well, it doesn't have to be a meteor, in fact that is by far the most unlikely scenario because the odds of a meteor of sufficient size to affect more than a roof of your home are astronomically small to begin with, but one big enough to wipe out a city is again an order of magnitude less likely, and then it landing on the only city North of the Wall? Too unbelievable for me.

Calling the waves to crash the arm of Dorne to bits would not be so different from calling the fires of the earth to shatter the only city North of the Wall which surely violated the treaty between the First Men and the Singers.

[Reborn in Fire]

Well from all this i think i can produce this summary:

#1 Hardhome was simply a natural disaster-far too mundane

#2 The Others destroyed Hardhome- the Others would have a 101 reasons not to want a town beyond the wall, but killing by fire doesn't really seem their style.

#3 The Children destroyed Hardhome- This would be a very nice twist but it seems unlikely to me. The Children seem to have given up on stemming the tide of humanity, and Hardhome was only a heartbeat ago in their long-lived eyes.

#4 Hardhome was destroyed as a test run for the Doom- Perhaps my personal favourite. This really would implicate a grand FM conspiracy

#5 Wargs attempting to warg into dragons or firewyrms brought upon the destruction- Not one i admit i thought of so i can't say much

#6 Underhand tactics by the night's watch?- Hardhome was growing into a potentially great threat to them. Nobody knows where the Horn was back then.

[Whitering]

Well from all this i think i can produce this summary:

#1 Hardhome was simply a natural disaster-far too mundane

#2 The Others destroyed Hardhome- the Others would have a 101 reasons not to want a town beyond the wall, but killing by fire doesn't really seem their style.

#3 The Children destroyed Hardhome- This would be a very nice twist but it seems unlikely to me. The Children seem to have given up on stemming the tide of humanity, and Hardhome was only a heartbeat ago in their long-lived eyes.

#4 Hardhome was destroyed as a test run for the Doom- Perhaps my personal favourite. This really would implicate a grand FM conspiracy

#5 Wargs attempting to warg into dragons or firewyrms brought upon the destruction- Not one i admit i thought of so i can't say much

#6 Underhand tactics by the night's watch?- Hardhome was growing into a potentially great threat to them. Nobody knows where the Horn was back then.

And why exactly would the FM take out Hardhome as a test? Maybe Leaf hired them.

[Reborn in Fire]

And why exactly would the FM take out Hardhome as a test? Maybe Leaf hired them.

The Faceless Men were sworn enemies of Valyria, originating from their slaves. If indeed as is suggested they were behind the Doom, then they may well have used Hardhome as their guinea pig: a town far beyond the wall built on geological foundations that wouldnt have repercussions is used for such a means.

As I have said I think Hardhome being only a few hundred years ago it lies within the span of the Children's apathy. I don't think they are behind it.