Little random questions

[viZion]

I'm sure this has been asked and answered somewhere before but I couldn't find it in search. Sorry.

Anyway, I was thinking about the fight between Oberyn and Ser Gregor. Oberyn died which "proved" Tyrion killed Joffrey but then Ser Gregor ends up dying later on (at least in the eyes of everyone except Qyburn and Cersei). Couldn't that be used as proof of Tyrion's innocence later? Of course, he'd still be guilty of killing Lord Tywin but that's an issue for another day.

 

[Lubbock]

I'm sure this has been asked and answered somewhere before but I couldn't find it in search. Sorry.

Anyway, I was thinking about the fight between Oberyn and Ser Gregor. Oberyn died which "proved" Tyrion killed Joffrey but then Ser Gregor ends up dying later on (at least in the eyes of everyone except Qyburn and Cersei). Couldn't that be used as proof of Tyrion's innocence later? Of course, he'd still be guilty of killing Lord Tywin but that's an issue for another day.

You got me with the legal mumbo jumbo, but techically its a double KO, which must mean the Gods dont pass judgement which leaves it to the counciol to decide, so Tyrion is still screwed

 

[Werthead]

Does anyone know where I can find a complete map of Westeros? I mean with all or most of the cities marked. It's so hard to follow the movements of people sometimes with such incomplete maps in the books. I wonder why Martin did that. Maps of the lands across the sea would be nice as well.

The TotH map is nice. I believe the colour map here is the most complete and accurate map published so far.

Maps of Slaver's Bay appear in ASoS; a map of the Free Cities will appear in ADWD. More general and complete maps of the Eastern Continent will appear in The World of Ice and Fire book due in 2009.

Anyone know if House Vaith of Red-Dunes have words?

They do, but they are not known as this time. Outside of the big houses, rather few House words are actually known.

 

[TK-421]

Thanks Wert for the link to the maps. These are very good and I finally see some places that were not mapped before (like Qarth and Maiden's Pool, etc.)

 

[Tansy]

Just some random musings...

Does anyone know if the Targaryens have Elvish blood? The descriptions of them always strike me as Elvish, whatever they are I don't think they are fully human, hence the need to wed brother to sister - to keep the rare bloodline pure as possible.

Beric's Red Priest has acquired the skill of necromancy it seems, this seems very similar to what the Wights do when they turn dead men into the others, could it be the Lord of light's power is the same source of their enemy, only one side harnesses the power through Ice and one through Fire? Does the return of the dragons make the power of fire stronger as it seems the followers of the LoL are growing in strength, I guess this could be argued that the more people that believe the more power is wielded by the god, but methinks there is more to it than that... any thoughts?

 

[TK-421]

Just some random musings...

Does anyone know if the Targaryens have Elvish blood? The descriptions of them always strike me as Elvish, whatever they are I don't think they are fully human, hence the need to wed brother to sister - to keep the rare bloodline pure as possible.

Except there are no elves in ASOIF and nor should there be.

The Targs are like any royal family and that they tend to marry other royals with a smathering of noble blood here and there and the occasional scandalous fancy taken to a commoner.

 

[Tansy]

I'm not a particular lover of Elves myself it's just that purple eyes and silver blonde hair kind of hint at something to me

 

[the smiling weirwood]

GRRM has said that our ideas of genetics don't work in ASOIAF, thus the way certain houses maintain certain phenotypic markers(Tullys have red hair, freckles, etc. Lannisters are blonde and pretty, so on and so on) despite the fact that after a couple generations of marrying other families genetic drift would have eliminated any such tendencies.

The Targaryens are the last legacy of High Valyrian blood and thus have the traits associated with that group, i.e. unearthly beauty and astonishing hair and eyes. The Valyrians were especially attuned to the dragons and had an uncommon propensity for magic.

 

[YOSSARIAN]

Has anyone else noticed Martin's strange fascination with violence comitted against ears? I've been out of work for a few months and have re-read the entire series more than once, thus I've had time to notice things I hadn't before. George really has a thing for burnt ears, bitten ears, sliced ears, ears on necklaces, and other random ear mutilations. I didn't do an official count or anything, but ears seem to be violated at a much higher rate than any other body part. If you pay close attention it seems like an ear meets its doom (or is mentioned as already having met its doom) like every twenty pages or so. Significant? Or just odd?

 

[Qhorin Halfhand]

Has anyone else noticed Martin's strange fascination with violence comitted against ears? I've been out of work for a few months and have re-read the entire series more than once, thus I've had time to notice things I hadn't before. George really has a thing for burnt ears, bitten ears, sliced ears, ears on necklaces, and other random ear mutilations. I didn't do an official count or anything, but ears seem to be violated at a much higher rate than any other body part. If you pay close attention it seems like an ear meets its doom (or is mentioned as already having met its doom) like every twenty pages or so. Significant? Or just odd?

A maimed or damaged ear is a way to represent that a person lives a life of constant violence and brutality without having them handicapped in any way by the removal of hands, feet or eyes, though one-eyed people are often also used in that way. I think its just a tool GRRM uses to emphasise the brutality of certain groups of people, I doubt he has an ear-damaging fetish

 

[TK-421]

Hey Yoss, long time no hear...

The exception to the rule of course is a noseless imp named Tyrion, who I believe is also GRRM's favourite character.

 

[Weasel Soup]

Didn't know which thread to put this under so I focused on the word random.

Woke up thinking: How would have they managed Biter at the wall?

 

[Young stormlord]

Simple. Send him to Craster's castle and hope his private parts will freeze and fall off during trip. It will make him a lot calmer.

 

[Qhorin Halfhand]

Didn't know which thread to put this under so I focused on the word random.

Woke up thinking: How would have they managed Biter at the wall?

I don't know legally how it all works but I picture Jeor Mormont being the sort of guy to just go "No." and have him killed.

 

[Koopa]

When taking the black all crimes are washed clean, so i doubt it.

 

[Culhwch]

Well, I don't think it would have been as blatant as all that, but I doubt they'd have tolerated Biter. Perhaps sent him on a patrol with some seasoned men from which he tragically didn't return...

 

[Qhorin Halfhand]

When taking the black all crimes are washed clean, so i doubt it.

I'm not talking about him having committed a crime, just Jeor putting him down because he's not human. And I didn't mean for that to be taken literally as him say "No, kill him!" just him making a very clear decision not to try and keep him as a man of the Watch.

 

[Koopa]

I am certain they'd have him, only he'd betray his vows immediately and gets beheaded, or becomes a 'perfect wildling'

 

[Hilarious Joke]

How do you remember all this Boaz?! I'm very impressed and glad to have you here!

I've forgotten who Nimble Dick was!

 

[the smiling weirwood]

How could you forget Nimble Dick?