Question on the Twins crossing

[Brian G Turner]

I'm a little confused about the role of the crossing at the Twins, controlled by the Freys.

On the maps, it's shown that it's a crossing on the Green Fork. But...I don't understand why it was so important for Catelyn to cross the Twins.

My memory doesn't serve well on the movements in ASOS, but my impression was that Robb was leading down roughly along the Kingsroad - which is nowhere near the Twins crossing.

Also, there appears to be a major crossing point on the Trident for the Kingsroad, with three main roads leading from it - but there doesn't appear to be any kind of settlement marked on the map for it.

Isn't such a point going to be a significant commerce center? Or is there a major town there mentioned in the books, but simply not marked on the map?

 

[HieroGlyph]

Thankfully, in a just forum I wont get booted for asking too many questions, being as the admin asks a fair few himself
Yeah, Twins aught to be a sizable trade town. Unless they were subject to floods or some such. Besides, Id stay welllllll clear of that place! grrr, indeed...
I wont harp on about the possibilty that you wrote it all, Brian, and are raising the debate a little too late, lol. But, that would still be clever as a diversion!
(HG scuttles off again...)

 

[Niolani]

Without actually checking the book, I believe Robb needed the Twins crossing to be able to split his forces into two, allowing him and his mounted men to cross and join with the strength of Riverrun to attack Jaime while Roose Bolton continued straight down the kingsroad and engage Tywin. The
Lannister forces would have a river between them and since there's no crossing at the green fork above the ruby ford, they would remain divided which helped Robb's victory over Jaime later.

 

[TK-421]

I think the Frey's get some revenue for charging a toll of use of the crossing.

My beef with the maps, especially the ones in AFFC is that it does not show Maidenpool, nor the place where Brienne meets the Bloody Mummers and they keep referring to it (Randyll Tarly is based there). Yet, GRRM includes a detailed map of the Reach, wchi does not figure as prominently in the book...ahh the frustration of reading something and not knowing where the *%#$ it is on the maps. Lets hope there's better detailed map of more exotic locales in the next book.

 

[Raven]

In AGOT, Robb's army needs to cross the Twins because he needs to get from the Kingsroad to Riverrun by the most direct route possible. The Green Fork is in flood and the fords are impassable. He cannot follow the Kingsroad any further because Tywin is coming up it in the other direction and this would mean a confrontation.

The meeting-point of the rivers you mention is indeed the site of a major trade settlement: the Hound and Arya use the ferry there in ASOS (Lord Harroway's Town). It's marked on later maps.

The maps in AFFC were not selected by GRRM and seem to be an adaptation of the older maps rather than an update of the ASOS map. Why? Dunno. I asked George and he didn't know either. 'Publisher's decision' is all he knew.

I recommend using lovely maps like this one.

http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/Graphics/im_map-westeros-bw.jpg

 

[red_temple]

Hey Raven - that link you posted is outdated. Is there another one you can point us to? Thanks!

 

[JohnSnow]

As far as maps go, the new book that came out for the role playing (A game of Thrones: d20-based open gaming RPG)has some pretty good maps in it. I am still working or getting the kidney removed so I can afford it.

My beef with the maps, especially the ones in AFFC is that it does not show Maidenpool, nor the place where Brienne meets the Bloody Mummers and they keep referring to it (Randyll Tarly is based there). Yet, GRRM includes a detailed map of the Reach, wchi does not figure as prominently in the book...ahh the frustration of reading something and not knowing where the *%#$ it is on the maps. Lets hope there's better detailed map of more exotic locales in the next book.

I agree with you, the maps in the books are frustrating at best. The links Raven put up, when they are active are much better, at least from what I remember.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Thanks for the explanation - much appreciated.

 

[Raven]

Odd... the URL is correct, it works if I cut-n-paste, but the direct link from here doesn't seem to work.

Well, try this:

http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/Images/Images01.html

Takes you to the page of maps.

This still doesn't have Maidenpool AFAIK, it will be updated tho when Ran is less busy.