greyscale pandemic

[Wendell Cornelius]

so far we have a few characters who have been afflicted by this condition, connington heading to griffins roost, stannis child heading north and tyrion waddling about in essos... could GRRM be planning a large scale pandemic.?

[Steinnis]

I could see JC maybe spreading it throughout Westeros. I'm not sure if it will be included though, there's already a lot of things going on. Shiren won't be affected by it, and Tyrion has shown no signs, whereas JC already has it affecting his hand.

[StannisBamfatheon]

It was my understanding that Shireen was simply disfigured now and unable to spread the virus. As for JonCon, he gets my vote for most annoying new character. Not only is he furthering the destruction of Westeros with more wars but he's potentially spreading greyscale in Westeros. Allll because a dude who died 20 years ago made him feel all those feelings! God I hope JonCon fails miserably.

[KnightoftheN64]

I was just recently wondering about this disease and I was thinking about starting a thread on it. I mean, what is it? Is there a real-life equivalent to this disease? Is it contagious? It has afflicted two important characters, JonCon and Shireen, and perhaps others (Tyrion?). Does anyone have any solid info on the disease?

I also find it very interesting that it comes with a connotation of "stone", such as the stone men upon the rhoyne (or wherever the heck they are)

[Steinnis]

I was just recently wondering about this disease and I was thinking about starting a thread on it. I mean, what is it? Is there a real-life equivalent to this disease? Is it contagious? It has afflicted two important characters, JonCon and Shireen, and perhaps others (Tyrion?). Does anyone have any solid info on the disease?

I also find it very interesting that it comes with a connotation of "stone", such as the stone men upon the rhoyne (or wherever the heck they are)

I think it's like a form of leperacy, but instead it hardens the skin and you lose all feeling in the afflicted areas. Don't have much info myself.

[Aderyn the Sly]

How does greyscale spread, do we know? We are told that children who have it cannot spread it after it's run it's course, which is odd. And I know Illyrio says that rats on a ship spread it to Pentos to cause the pandemic tha killed his wife. But without knowing how it spreads human-to-human it's hard to say. By touching the infected area seems to be the most obvious, so maybe wearing gloves is JonCon's way of preventing it? If so, that seems kind of flimsy on his part. I wonder if he could also spread it by sharing food/drink, or by bathing in the same water.

[Penguin king]

It was my understanding that Shireen was simply disfigured now and unable to spread the virus. As for JonCon, he gets my vote for most annoying new character. Not only is he furthering the destruction of Westeros with more wars but he's potentially spreading greyscale in Westeros. Allll because a dude who died 20 years ago made him feel all those feelings! God I hope JonCon fails miserably.

in what way is he any different to all those northern lords willing to go to war over the memory of Ned Stark? Rhaegar was a charismatic figure, and even in death he continues to inspire loyalty. Is that really such a bad thing? Don't you think that if Stannis died Davos would continue to fight for Shireen's cause?

[StannisBamfatheon]

in what way is he any different to all those northern lords willing to go to war over the memory of Ned Stark? Rhaegar was a charismatic figure, and even in death he continues to inspire loyalty. Is that really such a bad thing? Don't you think that if Stannis died Davos would continue to fight for Shireen's cause?

Yes but it was almost two decades ago, let it go guy. He came back to a country that doesn't even remember him trying to fight wars that were fought 20 years ago while the country stands in ruins. Just seems deluded and selfish.

[Wendell Cornelius]

tyrion did fall in the water saving young griff correct? and was that river not known for being a greyscale hotspot?

[The squid that squints]

I really hope this doesn't happen because if anything else happens to the small folk there will none left for the other's by the time they get there. I kinda like the idea above

Jon Con is the only real danger, and I don't expect he will be getting too close to anyone apart from in combat.

Maybe he'll become a really feared fighter because of the double threat? Also I feel the association with stone may become key to the AAP prophecy as someone above mentioned, would be interesting to explore how this could work but the most obvious idea would be for Aegon or John to become "Stone" dragons who need waking in some way.

[Steinnis]

tyrion did fall in the water saving young griff correct? and was that river not known for being a greyscale hotspot?

Yeah, that's how JonC got it, as he jumped in and pulled Tyrion out. Tyrion has shown no symptoms so far however, whereas JC already has it on a couple of his fingers.

[Overlord of Skagos]

maybe tyrion is immune to it himself....but certainly carrying the host with him and has high potential to spread it

[Lord Spark of House Spark]

Is Tyrion affected by Greyscale? If he doesn't have it, can he be contagious?

Also, Shireen isn't contagious.

Jon Con is the only real danger, and I don't expect he will be getting too close to anyone apart from in combat.

She isn't contagious at the moment, but when Val first sees her she is convinced that it will return, and says that she is already dead

[Ludd]

Grey scale seems pretty much like leprosy, the scourge of the middle ages and a much feared disease. it was greatly feared and lepers were required to wear white and have a bell to ring and say "unclean, unclean"

Leprosy actually works just like Grey sale ie it destroys the nerves. What happens is that extremities become numb and are easily injured. The limbs become infected and are often cut off.

Leprosy is not especially contagious (like Grey scale in children), but is spread within families by close contact. A water borne element is added to make Grey scale more dangerous than leprosy.

However if as expected winter comes full on and people huddle together for warmth and food is scarce, leprosy (aka greycale) could spread rapidly.

However mentioning the rats suggests that Grey scale may share characteristic of bubonic plague, which speads rapidly and kills many

There will of course be other great fevers that spread if Martin draws from reality. The great plague of 1300 or so which may have been bubonic plague but may also have been some other rarer virus could be expected.

There were of course other disease epidemics - small pox of course but also scarlet fever and diptheria, typhoid fever and typhus were major killers. It is certain that illnesses like mumps and measles were major killers until herd immunity was established.

[King of the Bastards]

She isn't contagious at the moment, but when Val first sees her she is convinced that it will return, and says that she is already dead

My guess is, that this indirectly hints to Tyrion having an outbreak of greyscale

[Ser No One]

Shireen might be contagious. The maesters declared her not contagious, and cured. But Val doesn't seem to agree.

Grey scale sounds like a mix between leprosy and sclerosis, in the way you end up trapped in your own body...

[The Witch King of Braavos]

I really hope this doesn't happen because if anything else happens to the small folk there will none left for the other's by the time they get there. I kinda like the idea above Westeros will simply run out of peasants

Maybe he'll become a really feared fighter because of the double threat? Also I feel the association with stone may become key to the AAP prophecy as someone above mentioned, would be interesting to explore how this could work but the most obvious idea would be for Aegon or John to become "Stone" dragons who need waking in some way.

This has got to be the main reason that GRRM has decided to give people close to these figures Greyscale. Also, crackpot, for Shireen, could her affliction make her some sort of vessel for the others, or will she somehow become contagious, weakening the watch and the North?

[Overlord of Skagos]

The Others will attack the wall,come to kill Shireen,catch the dormant Greyscale from her and spread among their ranks and die. Shireen is AA reborn!!