Is the Oath of the Night's Watch a magical spell incantation?

[John W]

In SoS Bran encounters Samwell and he guides them to a weirwood gate down a well.

Before they can pass Sam must recite the Oath at which point the weirwood tree allows them to pass.

Is this magic spell, whose origin and meaning has been forgotten long ago?

Will the Others use a Night's Watch wight to pass through the wall?

[Young Nan]

I never thought about it that way, but it might be. As you said, Sam had to recite it to pass through the gate.

[Ser Greg of House House]

We don't know exactly how magic works. It may be magical only to that weirwood, trained somehow to react to those words.

[DrunkSister]

The door at the House of Black and White opens only after Arya says Valar Morghulis.

Could be more than just NW oath.

[Moon-Pale Maiden]

Someone who wasn't a sworn brother couldn't just say the oath to get past the gate; so I think those words when originally sworn must carry some magical weight.

[Stannis Eats No Peaches]

There is definitely something magical going on with those vows. My question is, would the door open for a brother who said his vows in a sept?

[lady m]

Of sorts, yes, at the Black Gate. There's a lot of speculation and ifo gathered on this subject in the Is the Night's Watch Lightbringer thread. I personally think there is a magical quality to vows said before a heart tree only.

[lady m]

There is definitely something magical going on with those vows. My question is, would the door open for a brother who said his vows in a sept?

That's postulated in the thread I linked, I think it doesn't, and could that be why the Nightfort was abandoned?

[Lord Flashheart]

It is a magical spell for those who swore oaths to the Old Gods. IMO

:ninja:

[Young Nan]

There is definitely something magical going on with those vows. My question is, would the door open for a brother who said his vows in a sept?

I'm thinking that this particular magic, if any, has something specifically to do with the nights watch and/or the old gods so I'm thinking it wouldn't for a septon or member of another religion.

Melisandre is at the wall, and Stannis planning on restoring the Nightfort, so maybe we'll get to see Mel encounter the gate. She was able to influence Ghost, who is straight from the old gods, so maybe she could influence the wierwood too. I know thats totally speculative and crackpot, but fun to think of the possibilities anyhow.

[Moon-Pale Maiden]

I'd love to see Melisandre stand in front of the black gate and use all the fancy words of red rahloo and fail.

...The well is dark and full of spiders...

The nightfort was built before the Andal invasion so in the beginning, all the first black brothers said their words in front of a heart tree. It would make sense that the wierwood door would only sense the oath having been said in front of a heart tree. It could make a difference if at some point only those brothers who still worship the old gods (i.e. northerners) can get through that gate, esp if the watch is no longer "true". Also, since it's underground, it would survive an event that would otherwise destroy the gate at castle black.

[Alexander Stark]

Coldhands was a brother and knew the words, though i guess that now he is dead his oath is dead with him and it has to be live in you for you to use it again

[Ghost's Shadow]

I wonder if the shortened oath will activate Lightbringer in Jon's hand. :P

[Beric Zoolander]

The door at the House of Black and White opens only after Arya says Valar Morghulis.

Could be more than just NW oath.

Could be not that the words are magic but the door itself and specifically weirwoods. Old magic powers from the first men and the children of the forest, that kinda thing. But interesting that that power made its way across the Narrow Sea.

[StarkDragon]

In SoS Bran encounters Samwell and he guides them to a weirwood gate down a well.

Before they can pass Sam must recite the Oath at which point the weirwood tree allows them to pass.

Is this magic spell, whose origin and meaning has been forgotten long ago?

Will the Others use a Night's Watch wight to pass through the wall?

I always thought ASOIAF magic was connected by deities. I can't think of a single magic act that came from someone without some specific 'magic' faith.

That being said, I took it for granted that the Oath wasn't a spell, but an Oath. To the Old Gods.

But that's all just imo.

[direwienerdog]

I always thought ASOIAF magic was connected by deities. I can't think of a single magic act that came from someone without some specific 'magic' faith.

That being said, I took it for granted that the Oath wasn't a spell, but an Oth. To the Old Gods.

But that's all just imo.

So would an oath breaker like most of the nights watch be excluded from the wierwood door? If so Jon Snow couldn't escape unless Sam opened it for him.

I think your right and I wonder if they need to get out of the area around Castle Black to escape an attack of The Others (if they somehow penetrate the Walls defences) would they try the door to get to Bran or run south?

One other thing about the Wierwood Door, when Bran goes through it, he gets moisture from brushing his head against the door/mouth. Is this significant in anyway? Isn't like a tear or compared to a tear? I like to here any theories about this event anyone?

[Morienthar]

It is probably the remnants of an old Greeseer who was a black brother,just trapped in the Wierwood.

The Door Reminds me of this....

[Mrs.Grumpy]

I always thought ASOIAF magic was connected by deities. I can't think of a single magic act that came from someone without some specific 'magic' faith.

Maegies, the warlocks, shadowbinders, alchemists, dragon dreams etc.

[Mad Monkey]

Doesn't Old Nan say something like, "as long as the Wall stands and the men of the NW remain true to their oath, the Others cannot cross over into the south?"

Hold on:

Beyond the Wall the monsters live, the giants and the ghouls, the stalking shadows and the dead that walk, she would say, tucking him in beneath his scratchy woolen blanket, but they cannot pass so long as the Wall stands strong and the men of the Night’s Watch are true.

Maybe that's the ticket then. Maybe the Wall won't fall; maybe instead the NW will so egregiously violate their oath that the spell that keeps the "monsters" back will falter.

[WeirwoodTreeHugger]

Doesn't Old Nan say something like, "as long as the Wall stands and the men of the NW remain true to their oath, the Others cannot cross over into the south?"

Hold on:

Maybe that's the ticket then. Maybe the Wall won't fall; maybe instead the NW will so egregiously violate their oath that the spell that keeps the "monsters" back will falter.

I think so too. Notice that when the NW isn't being true there are large attacks. The attack at the fist happens just as Chett I about to carry out the assassination attempt against Mormont. They attack again after the mutiny that kills him. It seems at first like they could get in to the keep because Craster was dead. However, they don't show up shortly after Crasters death. They show up shortly after Mormont's death. Then when the plan to assassinate Jon is being formed they can be felt watching everyone from the north side of the wall. My guess is that there will be another big attack in the early part of TWOW.