Small Questions v 10017

[Black Wolf Smith]

This is the rumor. Don't know if it is true. Especially since they aren't considered Great Bastards but maybe that just means the children all died young.

That isn't necessarly true. We know of 4 of the Great Bastards, but that doesn't mean there couldn't be more, that either were not important to the stories we know, or their part has yet to happen. Nor does that mean he couldn't quickly have married the girls off, and had the children raised as legit. House Butterwell seemed at least on the level of the Brakens and Blackwwods but it may have fallen when it lost all three legit sons. There is just too much about his bastards we don't know. With the term "numeruos bastards" you would think we know of at least one house formed by one of them.

[Lost Melnibonean]

Is Gregor's blood ever described as thick? Or anything similar to thick?

[not in the face]

Why is Orton Merryweather the Lord of Longtable? Shouldn't he be in exile? I guess once Aerys died that went out the window but then why don't any of the Golden Company members just do the same? I doubt Robert would care about who they supported in a war fought some hundred years ago.

[RumHam]

Why is Orton Merryweather the Lord of Longtable? Shouldn't he be in exile? I guess once Aerys died that went out the window but then why don't any of the Golden Company members just do the same? I doubt Robert would care about who they supported in a war fought some hundred years ago.

Connington is a special case, and you have the essence of it. Details are made clear in FEAST FOR CROWS. When Jon Connington was defeated at the Battle of the Bells, Aerys exiled him and stripped his House of all its lands and wealth. After the Rebellion, Robert restored the castle to a cousin of Lord Jon's... but only the castle, and some small grounds around it. The extensive Connington lands were parceled out to others, and the house's wealth remained in the treasury. Nor was Robert willing to recall Lord Jon from exile, since he had been among Prince Rhaegar's closest friends. Thus the Conningtons were once great lords... but Red Ronnet, their present head, is simply a landed knight, the Knight of Griffin's Roost.

Somewhat the same sequence is true of the Merryweathers of Longtable, by the way, though in that case Robert was prevailed upon to restore the lordship as well as the castle. Even so, the present Lord Merryweather is nowise as rich and powerful as his grandfather, the old man who served as Aerys's Hand after Lord Tywin and before Jon Connington.

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

Is Gregor's blood ever described as thick? Or anything similar to thick?

I don't think so. The following is I believe the only time his blood is mentioned. (I'm assuming you mean since his duel with Oberyn. Qyburn does mention that the poison was thickened.

“Ser Gregor.” Qyburn shrugged. “I have examined him, as you commanded. The poison on the Viper’s spear was manticore venom from the east, I would stake my life on that.”

“Pycelle says no. He told my lord father that manticore venom kills the instant it reaches the heart.”

“And so it does. But this venom has been thickened somehow, so as to draw out the Mountain’s dying.”

“Thickened? Thickened how? With some other substance?”

“It may be as Your Grace suggests, though in most cases adulterating a poison only lessens its potency. It may be that the cause is... less natural, let us say. A spell, I think.”

Is this one as big a fool as Pycelle? “So are you telling me that the Mountain is dying of some black sorcery?”

Qyburn ignored the mockery in her voice. “He is dying of the venom, but slowly, and in exquisite agony. My efforts to ease his pain have proved as fruitless as Pycelle’s. Ser Gregor is

overly accustomed to the poppy, I fear. His squire tells me that he is plagued by blinding headaches and oft quaffs the milk of the poppy as lesser men quaff ale. Be that as it may, his veins have turned black from head to heel, his water is clouded with pus, and the venom has eaten a hole in his side as large as my fist. It is a wonder that the man is still alive, if truth be told.”

[Lost Melnibonean]

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

I don't think so. The following is I believe the only time his blood is mentioned. (I'm assuming you mean since his duel with Oberyn. Qyburn does mention that the poison was thickened.

thanks

[Robin the Mighty]

Trust me a two yearold colud name her cat.

But she would have to be born after or right before the tourney and that is not possible and a 2 year ol might , but not as a dragon, who tells stories about dragons to a two year old.

[Rhaenys_Targaryen]

But she would have to be born after or right before the tourney and that is not possible and a 2 year ol might , but not as a dragon, who tells stories about dragons to a two year old.

Targaryens tell dragon stories, :P

Harrenhal was in 281. The Sack of Kings Landing was in 283. After the tourney, Elia and Rhaegar probably weren't speaking very much. Yet Aegon was conceived sometime late 281, early 282.

Elia was on bed rest for half a year after giving birth to Rhaenys, yet she did attend the Tourney at Harrenhal, which, if I am not mistaken, took place sometime in the first half of the year, if not the middle of the year. The half year bed rest places Rhaenys' earliest year of birth in 280, making her 3 during the Sack of KL. However, the fact that you no longer have to be on bed rest, doesn't mean you are cleared to travel, especially if you have a history of bad health. So Rhaenys was probably born a bit earlier, placing her around 4 years old, or almost 4 years old, during the Sack.

Elia and Rhaegae got married in 278 AL, five years, before the Sack. Giving that for a pregnancy to count a year, if it isn't stated that two children were born in the same year, Rhaenya earliest birth year was 279 AL.

So she was about 3 to 4 years old.

[Jevans]

Mycah is referred to as a butcher's boy. Does this mean the son of a butcher, or the apprentice?

[Rhaenys_Targaryen]

Mycah is referred to as a butcher's boy. Does this mean the son of a butcher, or the apprentice?

This is never stated. But since it is mentioned that he was given back to the butcher in a sack, cut in so many peaces that the butcher thought he had received a pig, and Ned doesn't state here that the butcher got his son back, I'm guessing Mycah was just an apprentice, and not his son.

[Robin the Mighty]

Mycah is referred to as a butcher's boy. Does this mean the son of a butcher, or the apprentice?

This is never stated. But since it is mentioned that he was given back to the butcher in a sack, cut in so many peaces that the butcher thought he had received a pig, and Ned doesn't state here that the butcher got his son back, I'm guessing Mycah was just an apprentice, and not his son.

Or both, its really expensive to pay for for apprenticeship

[Mychel_Redfort]

In aGoT Eddard IV, Littlefinger takes Ned out of the Red Keep by the way down the cliff, with the handholds cut in the rock, that leads to a trail along the Blackwater Rush. But how do they enter the city to ride to Petyr's brothel ? Did they take the River Gate, with the risk to be recognized by guards, or are there secret doors through the outer walls beside the official gates ?

[Robin the Mighty]

In aGoT Eddard IV, Littlefinger takes Ned out of the Red Keep by the way down the cliff, with the handholds cut in the rock, that leads to a trail along the Blackwater Rush. But how do they enter the city to ride to Petyr's brothel ? Did they take the River Gate, with the risk to be recognized by guards, or are there secret doors through the outer walls beside the official gates ?

It was a while ago when I read the books, but I think trough the gate?

[Rhaenys_Targaryen]

In aGoT Eddard IV, Littlefinger takes Ned out of the Red Keep by the way down the cliff, with the handholds cut in the rock, that leads to a trail along the Blackwater Rush. But how do they enter the city to ride to Petyr's brothel ? Did they take the River Gate, with the risk to be recognized by guards, or are there secret doors through the outer walls beside the official gates ?

It just says that they trotted into the city, no mention of gates is being made, though gates are the only way to actually ride into the city.

The fact is that when you are expecting someone to possibly leave the city, there's a very big change you'll miss them completely if they enter the city.

A study has once been done where a room full of people had been made to watch a video. In the video, there were people dancing and running around, half of them dressed in a black shirt, half of them dressed in a red shirt. The test subjects were asked to pay attention to those people on the screen in the red shirt and pay special attention to anything strange they might see. The video played for several minutes, and when the video was done, the test subjects were asked if they had payed good attention to the dancing people. Everybody said yes. Then they were asked whether who had seen the guy in the monkey costume. No one had seen the guy in the monkey costume, so the same video was played again, only now the test subjects were allowed to watch wherever they wanted to watch on the screen. And yes, of course, the second time, the guy dancing around in the monkey costume was very obvious to all those watching.

I've done this test myself, and it is the most strangest feeling you get when you realize that even though you have been looking very focused, you still miss this big thing that is completely out of place.

The point I'm trying to make with this, is that when you are asked to pay special attention to something (and no doubts Cersei had people check the gates to see if Ned was leaving the city), you might miss that same person you have to look out for if he's comming from the opposite direction than you would be expecting him.

That being said, I think LF's extravagant way of getting Ned out of the Red Keep and into the city again, was only a way to have Ned leave the Red Keep without being noticed. It would have been difficult for even Varys' little birds to follow them past that rock wall the climbed without being seen. Varys' spies might have seen them entering the city again, but then again, Varys knew where Catelyn was. It was Cersei and the Lannisters that LF wanted to keep the secret from.

[Mychel_Redfort]

I follow you with your theory, Rhaenys_Targaryen, but after seeing Catelyn, Ned and Littlefinger had to go back to the Red Keep, and not through the front door, so if there is no other way to enter or leave the city than the gates, they had to take the risk to go through the River Gate again. Perhaps Littlefinger did bribe some guards ?

[Trinton07]

I follow you with your theory, Rhaenys_Targaryen, but after seeing Catelyn, Ned and Littlefinger had to go back to the Red Keep, and not through the front door, so if there is no other way to enter or leave the city than the gates, they had to take the risk to go through the River Gate again. Perhaps Littlefinger did bribe some guards ?

there are posterns in the walls. like where tyrion led his men through to do a sortie in the battle of blackwater. but those would be gaurded too so idk

[Drexyon7]

Got a couple.

Was Roberts hammer 1 or 2 handed?

Can I get the quotes or passages on:

Jaime saving Brienne from the bear.

And

Roberts rape of Cersei (didn't even see it in my rereads. )

[Lost Melnibonean]

But she would have to be born after or right before the tourney and that is not possible and a 2 year ol might , but not as a dragon, who tells stories about dragons to a two year old.

I was just saying what a two year old could do.

[Lost Melnibonean]

It just says that they trotted into the city, no mention of gates is being made, though gates are the only way to actually ride into the city.

The fact is that when you are expecting someone to possibly leave the city, there's a very big change you'll miss them completely if they enter the city.

A study has once been done where a room full of people had been made to watch a video. In the video, there were people dancing and running around, half of them dressed in a black shirt, half of them dressed in a red shirt. The test subjects were asked to pay attention to those people on the screen in the red shirt and pay special attention to anything strange they might see. The video played for several minutes, and when the video was done, the test subjects were asked if they had payed good attention to the dancing people. Everybody said yes. Then they were asked whether who had seen the guy in the monkey costume. No one had seen the guy in the monkey costume, so the same video was played again, only now the test subjects were allowed to watch wherever they wanted to watch on the screen. And yes, of course, the second time, the guy dancing around in the monkey costume was very obvious to all those watching.

I've done this test myself, and it is the most strangest feeling you get when you realize that even though you have been looking very focused, you still miss this big thing that is completely out of place.

The point I'm trying to make with this, is that when you are asked to pay special attention to something (and no doubts Cersei had people check the gates to see if Ned was leaving the city), you might miss that same person you have to look out for if he's comming from the opposite direction than you would be expecting him.

That being said, I think LF's extravagant way of getting Ned out of the Red Keep and into the city again, was only a way to have Ned leave the Red Keep without being noticed. It would have been difficult for even Varys' little birds to follow them past that rock wall the climbed without being seen. Varys' spies might have seen them entering the city again, but then again, Varys knew where Catelyn was. It was Cersei and the Lannisters that LF wanted to keep the secret from.

ok now explain how Arya was able to check out the boat when she couldn't pass through a gate...

[Roddy Darwin]

Got a couple.

Was Roberts hammer 1 or 2 handed?

Can I get the quotes or passages on:

Jaime saving Brienne from the bear.

And

Roberts rape of Cersei (didn't even see it in my rereads. )

I couldn't find text evidence as to Bob's warhammer. If I had to guess, I'd say it was two-handed: Ned could "scarcely lift it" and Edric Storm received "the same, except smaller" for his last nameday. Don't quote me on that though.

Not that that is exactly canon, but in Daniel Abraham's comic book adaptation, there is a quite wonderful drawing of Bob and Rhaegar at the Trident. In Patterson's drawing, Bob's warhammer is clearly one-handed (he holds it with his right hand and has a shield in his left).

Not sure what you mean by Robert's rape of Cersei, maybe you are thinking of her thoughts when she has sex with Taena?

Here's Jaime saving Brienne:

"You want her? Go get her."

So he did.

He put his good hand on the marble rail and vaulted over, rolling as he hit the sand. The bear at the thumpn snifflinf, watching this new intruder warily. Jaime scrambled to one knee. Well, what in seven hells do I do now? He filled his fist with sand. "Kingslayer?" he heard Brienne say, astonished.

"Jaime." He uncoiled, flinging the sand at the bear's face. The bear mauled the air and roared like blazes.

"What are you doing here?"

"Something stupid. Get behind me." He circled toward her, putting himself between Brienne and the bear.

"You get behind. I have the sword."

"A sword with no point and no edge. Get behind me!" He saw something half burried in the sand, and snatched it up with his good hand. It proved to be a human jawbone, with some greenish flesh still clinging to it, crawling with maggots. Charming, he thought, wondering whose face he held. The bear was edging closer, so Jaime whipped his arm around and flung bone, meat and maggots at the beast's head. He missed by a good yard. I ought to lop my left hand off as well, for all the good it does me.

Brienne tried to dart around, but he kicked her legs out from under her. She fell in the sand, clutching the useless sword. Jaime straddled her, and the bear came charging.

There was a deep twang, and a feathered shaft sprouted suddenly beneath the beast's left eye. Blood and slaver ran from his open mouth, and another bolt took him in the leg. The bear roared, reared. He saw Jaime and Brienne again and lumbered toward them. More crossbows fired, the quarrels ripping through fur and flesh. At such short trange, the bowmen could hardly miss. The shafts hit as hard as maces, but the bear took another step. The poor dumb brave brute. When the beast swiped at him, he danced aside, shouting, kicking sand. The bear turned to follow his tormentor, and took another two quarrels in the back. He gave one last rumbling growl, settled back onto his haunches, stratched out on the bloodstained sand, and died.

[Mychel_Redfort]

ok now explain how Arya was able to check out the boat when she couldn't pass through a gate...

It seems the riverfront can be reached without crossing the River Gate. From aGoT Arya V

She decided to visit the riverfront. It was on the way to the Mud Gate anyway, and she hadn't checked that one today.

I guess it means the piers and the fishmarket are freely accessible, but not the road to leave the city.