A couple of quick points

[Brian G Turner]

Even though I've just been through the GRRM board, tagging a load of threads, I'm struggling to find two discussions we recently had - not least as a couple of things have come to mind.

1. Ice swords - it was mentioned somewhere that The Others may have swords made of something very different to Valyrian Steel. However, it's worth remembering that the sword of Winterfell was called Ice. Was this a reference to The Others using Valyrian steel, or a counter point to them not?

2. There was a discussion about Targs having a record of deformed babies, usually aborted. However, what if the deviation wasn't so bad in at least once instance, and resulted in only a minor genetic difference such as, um dwarfism?

 

[Anushka Mokosh]

For point 1, I think it is not. The Starks brought Ice from Valyria rather late in the history. The Others have swords that seem to resemble some enchanted literal ice. Think Elsa. xD I think that Ice was named for the Wall. "Ice guards the kingdom." The swords of The Others seem to have some properties similar to those of Valyrian steel regarding the impossibly perfect edge, durability, and sharpness. However, their descriptions as vastly different. Thus, I speculated use of same or similar spells on different starting materials.

For point 2, well, it depends. It is just that it could be that either all such babies die from deformity or that the deformity exists for all Targs and then they develop into normal humans. IMO, latter is a strong possibility because a lot of those babies died under extreme stress for mother and for at least 2 we know that pregnancy ran smoothly up to that point. The deformities were pretty consistent to far so I don't think it could be used as an argument in favour of Aerys being Tyrion's father.

 

[Anushka Mokosh]

Threads you are looking for.
1. https://www.sffchronicles.com/threads/552038/
2. https://www.sffchronicles.com/threads/8735/page-44 - At the bottom of this page

 

[Koopa]

i think Brian may be referring to the original Ice.

 

[Anushka Mokosh]

Original Ice was never at all described or given any information on. At this point, speculation is hardly anything beyond crackpot. If I had to venture to speculate, I'd speculate it was a bronze runic sword amplified by the obsidian. But that's so crackpot it isn't even funny. I just put a mishmash of things First men used and things that could hurt The Others.