Small questions v.10004

[The Dornishman's Wife]

Was Thoros a slave, even? He was born free (but as a youngest son) and then "given to the temple" - does that necessarily mean that he was sold as a slave or was he just given as a charge (much as a young boy in Westeros might be given to the Faith to become a septon).

After all, while the followers of R'hllor do train and use slaves in Volantis and other cities, the red religion is also in evidence in several places where slavery is outlawed (Braavos, Oldtown, Pentos) and I assume they nevertheless take on novices there.

[Steve Stark]

Hey everyone first time poster long time lurker. Was rereading AGoT looking for things ive missed. Just reading the part where Ghost finds Flowers and Othor's dead bodies and someone says "burn them"

"Burn them," someone whispered. One of the rangers; Jon could not have said who.

The way GRRM describes who says it is very vague yet oddly descripitive. With Bran able to say Theons name through the weirwoods we know its possible for greenseers to have some communication through weirwoods. I was wondering if Bloodraven or Bran was behind it. Ive done a search and havent found any topics on it, was wondering what you all think on it or if im just reading to much into it.

Great first post. I actually re-read books 1-3 for the third time and actually noticed the strange way GRRM chose to word this "burn them" conversation as well. I was actually searching for it and then stumbled across your post in casual reading. It's possible you might be right, and I like to think that it is a possibility. It certainly adds a cool fantasy/time manipulation element. Of course, like you said, we could just be reading too much into it. But I like where your head is at.

[WhiteWolf26]

Great first post. I actually re-read books 1-3 for the third time and actually noticed the strange way GRRM chose to word this "burn them" conversation as well. I was actually searching for it and then stumbled across your post in casual reading. It's possible you might be right, and I like to think that it is a possibility. It certainly adds a cool fantasy/time manipulation element. Of course, like you said, we could just be reading too much into it. But I like where your head is at.

Agreed! You should start a thread on the topic and see if anyone else out there can come up with more instances of whispering in the wind...the first one that I can remember is Arya remembering her lessons from Syrio...

[Nickjh]

I'm kind of dense. 2 Varys questions....

1. Was he trained by the Faceless Men?

2. Was the tunnel he led Tyrion to the brothels originally created for Tywin? Varys alluded to that the tunnels were used by a former Hand of the King...

[TheButcherCrow]

I'm kind of dense. 2 Varys questions....

1. Was he trained by the Faceless Men?

2. Was the tunnel he led Tyrion to the brothels originally created for Tywin? Varys alluded to that the tunnels were used by a former Hand of the King...

1 - Not that he claims. He claims to have been trained by mummers & then Illyrio states he becomes a master thief. There is at this point no real reason to doubt these claims.

2 - That is up for debate, although imo it looks likely. When GRRM got the question he replied with something along the lines of, "hmm interesting theory".

Aren't the slave tatoos a Volantis thing? Mel is from Asshai and Thoros is Of Myr.

Thoros wasn't necessarily a slave. Mel was but either they don't tatoo in Asshai (if she is originally from Asshai) or, more likely, Mel is currently under a glamour & is quite a bit older than she appears.

[FittleLinger]

Thoros wasn't necessarily a slave. Mel was but either they don't tatoo in Asshai (if she is originally from Asshai) or, more likely, Mel is currently under a glamour & is quite a bit older than she appears.

And still, she doesn't have a tattoo under the glamour as the slave tattoos are indeed a Volantene thing. Unless she was a slave in Volantis at some point, of course.

[Viserion-Dracarys]

I just finished ASOS and I noticed that the Tully siblings' relationship is not very much in focus - yes, we have the relationship between Cat and Edmure shown,as well as between Cat and Lysa, but why weren't we shown the relationship between Edmure and Lysa more,for example? When Cat remembers things about her childhood at Riverrun she remembers her siblings separately, like they didn't even communicate between each other. Why is that? Just to show that Edmure and Lysa were not that close or there is something else?

[mankytoes]

I just finished ASOS and I noticed that the Tully siblings' relationship is not very much in focus - yes, we have the relationship between Cat and Edmure shown,as well as between Cat and Lysa, but why weren't we shown the relationship between Edmure and Lysa more,for example? When Cat remembers things about her childhood at Riverrun she remembers her siblings separately, like they didn't even communicate between each other. Why is that? Just to show that Edmure and Lysa were not that close or there is something else?

I think you're reading a lot into that, they just aren't massively focused on characters.

[Fire Eater]

And still, she doesn't have a tattoo under the glamour as the slave tattoos are indeed a Volantene thing. Unless she was a slave in Volantis at some point, of course.

Their is the line in Mel's POV: her tears were flame. Tear tattoos in Volantis mean slave prostitutes while fire tattoos mean the slaves work for the Red Temple. Tears of flame could indicate that Mel was a temple prostitute. She is using a glamour.

[FittleLinger]

Their is the line in Mel's POV: her tears were flame. Tear tattoos in Volantis mean slave prostitutes while fire tattoos mean the slaves work for the Red Temple. Tears of flame could indicate that Mel was a temple prostitute. She is using a glamour.

Great one Fire Eater! As I recall she is pretty skillful in bed (or at least pretty confident she is), so she might very well have been. I agreed about the glamour, and that she doesn't have a tattoo unless she has been a slave in Volantis, so that's possible.

[Steve Stark]

Their is the line in Mel's POV: her tears were flame. Tear tattoos in Volantis mean slave prostitutes while fire tattoos mean the slaves work for the Red Temple. Tears of flame could indicate that Mel was a temple prostitute. She is using a glamour.

I like it. Gonna look this one up. I think you're on to something. I've always been one to think there is something incredibly strange about Mel...but what character doesn't have well hidden secrets? Damn you George! Damn you!! lol

[RGW Dayn]

I have a question!

There is this big topic called The Great Northern conspiracy, and its awesome. But I know there is another huge famous topic about that. Its just that I cant find it, because I dont know the title of the topic..

The topic is about manderly his conspiracies and a bit about Jon if I'm right. Anyone has any idea where I can find that topic?

[Steve Stark]

I have a question!

There is this big topic called The Great Northern conspiracy, and its awesome. But I know there is another huge famous topic about that. Its just that I cant find it, because I dont know the title of the topic..

The topic is about manderly his conspiracies and a bit about Jon if I'm right. Anyone has any idea where I can find that topic?

The three I can think of are here:

If there is another one I'm curious as to which it would be. This thread summarized most of what I know and might point you to something until someone smarter comes along to point you in the right direction.

[TRAVYS]

Its easily explained by Raven messages we don't see.

Ladies death and Nymeria's loss happened months before Ned was accused of treason, on the way south to KL.

There is no reason why Jon, who has not yet taken vows, would be cut off from all news of his family, or evidence that he was.

Stuff happens 'offscreen' too.

I can't imagine some maester taking the time to send out ravens detailing Arya's sending away of Nymeria. I know the rules for the use of ravens is a little vague, but that seems more like gossip than real news. That seems like a stretch. I like to think it can be explained as Jon knowing it from his wolf-dreams but not consciously realizing how he knows, however, I doubt GRRM would've planted that way back in AGOT and not payed it directly off 5 books later.

The problem w/ the "it happened off page" answer is GRRM loves having his characters recall past events that happened while we off with other POV characters. Half of the series is characters recalling events of the recent or distant past. Why not have Jon recall a Maester Aemon or the LC telling him? No, I think it's more likely a slip up by Martin or a very clever early clue to Jon's warging abilities.

[TRAVYS]

Why are there no Stark cousins running around? Every other major house, it seems, has cousins with the surname populating the series - off the top of my head I can think of the Florents, the Greyjoys, the Fossoways, the Lannisters, and the Freys. Yet the only Starks we see descend from Eddard.

[i realize the Karstarks are descendents of House Stark, but that branch split hundreds of years prior to the events of the series.]

[-Ghost-]

I can't imagine some maester taking the time to send out ravens detailing Arya's sending away of Nymeria. I know the rules for the use of ravens is a little vague, but that seems more like gossip than real news. That seems like a stretch. I like to think it can be explained as Jon knowing it from his wolf-dreams but not consciously realizing how he knows, however, I doubt GRRM would've planted that way back in AGOT and not payed it directly off 5 books later.

The problem w/ the "it happened off page" answer is GRRM loves having his characters recall past events that happened while we off with other POV characters. Half of the series is characters recalling events of the recent or distant past. Why not have Jon recall a Maester Aemon or the LC telling him? No, I think it's more likely a slip up by Martin or a very clever early clue to Jon's warging abilities.

We never hear about how Jon knows about Robb being dead. Arya mentions wanting to write a letter to Jon, I dont see why she couldnt have.

[RumHam]

Why are there no Stark cousins running around? Every other major house, it seems, has cousins with the surname populating the series - off the top of my head I can think of the Florents, the Greyjoys, the Fossoways, the Lannisters, and the Freys. Yet the only Starks we see descend from Eddard.

[i realize the Karstarks are descendents of House Stark, but that branch split hundreds of years prior to the events of the series.]

Rickard Stark had no siblings who lived to adulthood. They do have some distant relations in the Vale.

http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/1239/

[HouseHarrison]

Question about warfare in Westeros. Do Smallfolk take part in warfare or are "Bannermen" exclusively nobility/knights/mercenaries?

[-Ghost-]

Question about warfare in Westeros. Do Smallfolk take part in warfare or are "Bannermen" exclusively nobility/knights/mercenaries?

They do.

[Lady Lea]

Has it ever been explained why there are no characters named Henry, Edward, Michael, William, Chris, and other common names? Same thing with girl names; Catherine, Michelle, Sarah, Joan, etc...

I know this was 3 pages ago but I was just rereading ADWD and there IS a Sara in Westeros (or there was one anyway). One of Ramsay's bitches is named Sara and we all know he named them after real women he killed.