Why do you think GRRM made kinslaying such a taboo in Westeros when historical ruling families murdered, usurped, and mutilated each other without censure throughout history?

I would question the “without censure.” Plenty of ruling families murdered, usurped, and mutilated, but they usually came in for a good deal of censure, because we also have taboos against kinslaying.

Hi! While re-reading GoT something struck me during tyrions trial he thinks “The gods only know what might have happened then were it not for Catelyn Stark.” who stops him from being thrown out the moon door for mouthing off. But what would have happened? If Lysa had been all “this is the Eyrie and Lord Arryn says he flys”. The Vale enters the Wot5K before it even starts with Robert not even dead? There’s an AU for an ambitious writer

Here you go.

Does the “army of childless and homeless men, unwed men, old men, and younger sons, under the banner of Lord Cregan Stark” who were left behind in the south following the Hour of the Wolf form part of the North’s 35k strong army, or are they counted as outside the scope of the North’s total military strength? Is this tactic only possible once every generation or so? TY

Probably a bit of both. And it’s only possible come a long winter.

How can the characters in ASOIAF measure the time in hours, if they don’t have any clocks?

Sundials, primarily, but I also imagine they have gradated candles.

I think I read in your CBC that the North/Starks are portrayed as “superior” to other houses and kingdoms. Winter is coming, Our way is the way of the First Men, The North remembers and their huge impact in the fandom tend to prove that they’re the coolest, but do you think it’s deliberated or just implicit racism? Could you ellaborate on which other aspects contribute to this? Dorne has more reasons to be admired but yet it’s not so likeable, is it because they’re introduced much later? Thanks!

I think it’s just that the Starks are the protagonists, so GRRM makes them coolest and their story is the most important one.

Why didn’t Randyll Tarly participate in the Siege of Riverrun?

Initially, Randyll is busy at Duskendale and then taking Maidenpool.

Then Margaery gets imprisoned, and he’s busy marching on King’s Landing.

What was the role of the Blackfish in Southron ambitions?

He didn’t have one.

If Roose ordered Ramsay to spare the Freys why didn’t he give the same order for Theon?

Because Roose didn’t need Theon for the Red Wedding.

How do you think the correspondence between Sybell and Tywin went? Did she ask for the rewards she wanted, or make an offer and wait for his reaction? As messages could have been intercepted would a code be used?

In terms of how the conversation went, I think Sybell made the first move and said: The Young Wolf has taken my castle and been wounded, he’s under my daughter’s care. I can’t kill him because his army will take reprisals on his behalf. What do you advise?

Because Tywin was atm trying to get Walder to sign on the dotted line, I think he said: compromise the boy so that the Frey alliance breaks, and you will be rewarded.

Sybell responds: I can do that. I want a pardon for my family, a lordship for my brother, and marriages for my daughters.

Tywin: Done. Make sure the assignation does not bear fruit – the Stark boy must not have an heir.

It’s a short conversation, only two exchanges needed. And yes, they probably did use some form of code.

When do you imagine Sybelle Spicer negotiated her deal with Tywin? I always assumed it was after Robb amd Jeyne slept together/wed, to try save the situation

joannalannister:

racefortheironthrone:

I think she opened negotiations the same day Robb was wounded taking the Crag, if not the same hour, and I’m pretty sure it was only the fear of reprisals that kept her from offering to assassinate Robb in his bed.

In other words, definitely before.

I love this post where @racefortheironthrone explains in detail what Sybell did (and also this post discussing how the maester played a part), and I’m trying to understand the timeline of this post more precisely.

Using the fanmade asoiaf timeline for some rough dates:

8th month, 9th day, 299AC – Roose weds Walda (Cat 5, ACOK)

8/20 – Battle of the Fords. Tywin is forced to retreat. He marches southeast.

8/26 – Robb takes the Craig and is injured. (“No ravens came to men on the road” How does Sybell open negotiations with Tywin at this time? It doesn’t seem like she can.). Jeyne nurses Robb.

“The Crag was weakly garrisoned, so we took it by storm one night. Black Walder and the Smalljon led scaling parties over the walls, while I broke the main gate with a ram. I took an arrow in the arm just before Ser Rolph yielded us the castle. It seemed nothing at first, but it festered. Jeyne had me taken to her own bed, and she nursed me until the fever passed. And she was with me when the Greatjon brought me the news of … of Winterfell. Bran and Rickon.”

8/29 – news of Bran & Rickon’s “deaths” reaches the Craig. (Theon killed the miller’s boys approx. two weeks prior.) Jeyne “comforts” Robb.

8/30 – Robb weds Jeyne

9/3 – Tywin at Tumbler’s Falls. Floats down the river.

9/7 – the Battle of the Blackwater

9/8 – Tywin in control of King’s Landing.

9/16 – news of Robb’s marriage arrives at Riverrun. (Cat doesn’t know.)

9/18 – Tywin made Hand (ACOK, Sansa 8)

9/26 – News of Robb’s marriage arrives at Harrenhal. Roose sends orders for the attack on Duskendale.

10/5 – Tyrion wakes from his fever. Tywin is writing letters.

According to the timeline, it might take a raven about 4 to 7 days maximum to go from the Crag to KL, so how could Sybell begin negotiations as soon as Robb took the Crag? Tyrion never got any letters from her. The timeline seems to suggest that Sybell started negotiating after the wedding? Is this timeline as I’ve put it down here right?

How can the conspiracy start when Roose weds Walda, when Robb hadn’t taken the Crag at that time? It doesn’t seem like Roose/Walda can be a part of the conspiracy?

It seems like the conspiracy had to start shortly after Tywin took control of KL, so Sybell could only have begun negotiating during the first week of the ninth month? If Tywin gets Sybell’s raven on ~9/9, then he writes Walder, and then everything is set in motion?

@racefortheironthrone, please, could you explain what I’m getting wrong here, because I don’t understand how Sybell could have begun negotiating as soon as Robb was wounded?

Ah, I see what’s going on. We’re using different timelines. I was using the one that Errant_Bard put together and you’re using the one that PrivateMajor put together, and the two have different assumptions about when some things happened.

For example, Errant_Bard has it:

299 9/16 Robb takes Crag. Hears of Bran and Rickon’s deaths. Sleeps with Jeyne.
299 9/18 Battle of the Blackwater.
299 9/22 Catelyn learns that Robb has taken the Crag, finds out about Bran and Rickon’s deaths, frees Jaime.
299 11/1 Tyrion wakes up, talks with Tywin, “some wars won with ravens.”

That version of events means that Tywin would have gotten the letter from Sybelle immediately after the Blackwater, and his letter to Tyrion is putting the finishing touches on the agreement now that everyone’s on board.