Small questions v.10004

[oakenhelm]

I'm reading "A Distant Mirror" by Tuchman and so far those are two popular methods. So is out pacing your supply line.

Interesting. It's remarkable to me that it works so well

[FittleLinger]

Interesting. It's remarkable to me that it works so well

That might be because fortresses and castles are generally very, very hard to penetrate with medieval warfare, even if they are vastly outnumbered.

[Lady Nastja]

This is a historical vs. ASOIAF comparison question about capturing castles:

In ASOIAF, it seems like taking a castle by guile and deception is the most successful method by a mile, while sieges seem to have a low success rate. Off the top of my head you have the first taking of the Rock by Lann the Clever by deception, then Tywin getting into KL, Winterfell with Theon and now it looks like Storm's End by Aegon.

Is this consistent historically or is GRRM overusing this?

I believe that sieges etc. were more common historically, while the use of guile and such in ASoIaF is used to show us what a deceitful, treacherous world it is.

[rmholt]

Interesting. It's remarkable to me that it works so well

Didnt say they worked. A lot of things didnt work in that book. Many of the things that didnt work in real life are the things that dont work in Westeros

[rmholt]

That might be because fortresses and castles are generally very, very hard to penetrate with medieval warfare, even if they are vastly outnumbered.

One siege force tunneled under stone walls - but not to invade. They braced the tunnels with posts and fired them to make the walls collapse. Pretty clever. Im going to assume that's what was going on at Dragonstone.

[oakenhelm]

Didnt say they worked. A lot of things didnt work in that book. Many of the things that didnt work in real life are the things that dont work in Westeros

Are you speaking generally or taking castles? It seems to work pretty well in Westeros (deception). The book sounds like a good read

[not in the face]

Did the Targaryen's marry into all the great houses of Westeros at some point in time or another?

[A Winters Summer]

Did the Targaryen's marry into all the great houses of Westeros at some point in time or another?

As far as I know, it was only the House's Martel, Baratheon are the only great houses. I'm not syre if House Velaryon was a great house but they married into it. The lineage is on the wiki; there are also descendants from minor houses.

[A Winters Summer]

What were the names of Aegon I and his sisters swords? I know Blackfyre and Darksister, what is the third if there was one.

[mindchap]

What were the names of Aegon I and his sisters swords? I know Blackfyre and Darksister, what is the third if there was one.

If there was a third I don't think we've been told yet.

[Ser Creighton]

I have to disagree with you about Dayne hair color, SC. Edric's hair is described as "light blond" while Arthur and Gerold are described as having "ash blond" hair. (If you check your hair color charts, that's a shade over from platinum ;)) Ashara seems to be the one who differs, with her dark hair, although she does have the same violet eyes as others of her House. And of course, we have a number of Daynes that have not been physically described so far.

As far as what that means for their ancestry I think all we can say for sure is that GRRM has indicated that their coloring is not a Valyrian trait. Since we know they have been at Starfall for "thousands of years" we can safely assume they predate the Andal invasions.

I don't recall Arthur and Gerold being described that way, not Arthurs hair at least. But it is not me you disagree with, I only quoted Tyrion who of course is written by Martin. And blonde hair covers all those spectrums. But Targ hair is a little different, sliver and silver gold is not blonde or platinum. I tend to imagine there hair as being more metalic in coloring than normal hair but it's hard to say if that is correct. Platinum blonde is not actually a natural color, towheaded is the almost white blonde. But it's almost white, not silver, Golden blonde is a rich blonde color but not really what you would call silver gold, or silver blonde.

The Targ hair is one of the traits that has them described as being somewhat magical looking.

Now lets see, Gerold Dayne Crows chapter 21, "his thick hair fell to his collar like a silver glacier, divided by a streak of midnight black."

Gerold also states Starfall goes back 10,000 years to the Dawn of days. So yes the Daynes are very old and are of the line of Firstmen and later Andal blood. House Dayne is among the oldest of all houses as the first men crossed from Essos to Dorne first and slowly moved north. House Dayne pre dates house Stark in the number 10,000 is even close to correct.

[TheCrannogDweller]

Did the Targaryen's marry into all the great houses of Westeros at some point in time or another?

Targaryen kings have married women from houses Arryn, Martell, Hightower and Velaryon (as far as we know). Counting back the kings in the main line, there are one or two, whose wives were unknown.

Targaryen princesses' husbands are mostly unmentioned, apart from the first Daenerys, who married prince Maron Martell, and Rhaelle, who married the grandfather of Robert, Renly and Stannis Baratheon.

Rhaenys Targaryen, who was supposed to be the first ruling queen after her father Viserys I, had two husbands. The first one was from the house that then held Harrenhal, and the second was a Targaryen.

Finally, there is Elaena, the daughter of Aegon III. She had 3 husbands, whose names are unknown and 1 lover, her cousin Alyn Velaryon.

[Rishav Banka]

Why is Jorah referred to as Jorah the Andal? His seat is in western side of the north. Since Andals never conquered the north, shouldn't he be one of the first men?

[Ghost's Shadow]

When I brought up the point a few days ago, I was answered that to a Dothraki all Westerosi are Andals, even if they are blood for the First Men.

[DanilSnow]

Hey, does anyone know why lysa Arryn writes that help-seeking letter to Winterfell while Robert Baratheon and his household visit them? Why is she accusing Cersei and the lannisters? All littlefinger? Thanks!

[Ghost's Shadow]

Yup.

[mankytoes]

Why is Jorah referred to as Jorah the Andal? His seat is in western side of the north. Since Andals never conquered the north, shouldn't he be one of the first men?

A real life comparison is how we see the Normans who invaded England in 1066 as French, when really they were vikings.

[wylla manderley]

Uhhh.... That's not what I'm asking exactly. I'm asking how did Jon know that Lady was dead and Nymeria lost. This is right after he finds out that Ned's been accused of treason.

[wylla manderley]

I think it is a possible oversight unless there was some other earlier raven. That or he learned it through ghost. Interesting!

[wylla manderley]

Questions: Must a weirwood tree have a face for a greenseer to be able to "see" anything? I just wonder if they can still see using a weirwood stump or an object made of weirwood.