#rouka sadly ignorant

[agentrouka-blog]

thoughts on alyssa velaryon?

None in particular, other than being a little astonished just how related House Baratheon is to Valyrians. Straight up founded by a Targ bastard taking over the thematically well-named Storm's End, former Targaryen queen and Velaryon lady Alyssa marrying that guy's grandson, a few near-misses of Baratheon girls becoming Targ queens, then Rhaelle being grandmother to Robert, Stannis and Renly... No wonder Baratheon boys are so obsessed with Stark girls. It's the Targ genes manifesting. (Is that why Shireen is blushing around Jon?) Or in Joffrey's case, the "Wish I had Targaryen genes" genes.

Maybe I will have more thoughts when I read Fire & Blood. Right now it's only nonsense.

#rouka sadly ignorant

[istumpysk]

Based on your reread so far, is there anything that has surprised you or that was different from how you remembered your first impression of the books? 😀

Rouka, what a lovely ask! Yes!

Call me simple, but years ago when I first read the books I thought Ned, Catelyn, and Robb were largely victims of circumstance. Don’t get me wrong, I knew all three had made silly errors that contributed to their end, but it felt more like they were suffering from factors out of their control.

On this read, Ned and Catelyn come off as more active participants in their own demise. There's a visible cause and effect relationship George is going for, and I’m doing a better job of picking up on it. The first time I never would have noticed something little like Catelyn ignoring the stables, or Ned’s warning about Theon.

They’re still good people, and I adore them, but sadly I’m not as sympathetic.

Another thing that's surprised me is Bran. I love Bran, but he’s never been a favourite POV of mine. I’ve said it a million times before, but I’m not especially interested in the magic side of the story, and that’s always been Bran’s territory.

It's early, but so far I'm enjoying his chapters the most. Bran II and Bran IV have easily been my favourite. He feels more like the main character on this read.

Thanks for the ask. :)

#stumpy ask #agentrouka-blog

[agentrouka-blog]

Why are Daemon's daughters, Baela and Rhaena always referred to as "lady baela" and "lady rhaena"? Their father is a prince of House Targaryen. So wouldn't their titles be princess Baela and Princess Rhaena instead?

Sadly, the intricacies of royal titles are not my strong suit.

#rouka sadly ignorant

[agentrouka-blog]

Speaking of the Maegor the Cruel is it possible that in his contraception Visenya used some dark magic? We know that she got pregment in her forthies and that Maegor was unaturally stronger and bigger than his bro Aenys, also Visenya and Tyanna were in contact long before she even married Maegor and it is very possible that both of them took the secret of the Maegor's birth with them to the grave, and let's we don't forget that Maegor was killed by the Iron Throne itself

Hi anon!

It's possible? Targaryen history is unfortunately not my strong suit. If blood magic was involved, it would certainly explain the number of obviously supernaturally motivated stillbirths in his various wives. It's strongly implied that the origin of Valyrian dragonlords involves bloodmagic to literally create some kind of blood kinship between dragons and humans, but the known cases of deformities in stillborn offspring are rare (Maegor - 3, Rhaenyra -1, Daenerys -1) so he quite stands out in this regard.

The fact that Rhaenyra's allegedly deformed stillborn daughter was named Visenya is either a dark irony or a textual hint in this direction.

Could be?

#rouka queue #rouka sadly ignorant #maegor the cruel #blood magic #visenya targaryen

[agentrouka-blog]

Do you think Alysanne Targ and Alaric Stark is foils to Jon and Dany?

Hi anon!

I still haven't really read Fire and Blood, so I couldn't give you a credible answer with any detail.

Maybe next year.

#rouka sadly ignorant

[agentrouka-blog]

quick question: why do you think Ar/ya Stans are so obsessed over the original outline?? I swear I've seen so many edits and gifsets over that especially when it comes to tyrion and Jon

I don't know? I have most of the scary ones blocked, and I stick to my dash, so I have no contact with them and never see such art or edits.

I would suggest asking them politely, but I can see why you may not want to.

#rouka sadly ignorant

[agentrouka-blog]

That last Bran chapter with the matriarch other (Mother of Dragons/monsters=Mother of Others) who gets "kidnapped", the incest-babies Craster gives. There's something in here that i don't get! Any idea?

Unfortunately, I am the wrong person to ask. 😁 The "matriarch Other" is not my theory about the Night's King and the pale woman, so I can't answer any related questions.

If you check the notes of the reread post, you can probably find the right person to ask. 😊

#rouka sadly ignorant

[agentrouka-blog]

Are there any fairytale allusions to Alayne Stone's characterisation and arc ?

Umm...

*paging @fedonciadale*

*paging very frantically*

Let me just...

*ringing @butterflies-dragons*

... there are people who are MUCH more versed in literary references to be found in asoiaf than I ever will be. They are by far the preferable destination for your ask. :)

Sorry, anon!

#alayne stone #fairytales #rouka sadly ignorant

[agentrouka-blog]

What do you think about Marwyn? He told Sam that Aemon was sent to wall because of his blood and shouldn't be trusted. Then he claim he is going to meet Dany to see her dragons. He is the one who taught Mirri some tricks. He claims that Citadel has no place for sorcery and other maesters don't trust him. I don't know if he truly believed in Dany or he will be another Mirri. He is really fishy. Do you think he will betray Dany?

I really don't know. I don't like him, something about him gives me the creeps. The only reason I am not writing him off completely as a deranged chaotic element is the fact that Sarella "Alleras" Sand was part of his circle, and she hails from a Westerosi family that has an anti-dragon history and has a Summer Islander mother, also not a people known for oppressive violence.

He has a mocking name for everyone, thought Pate, but he could not deny that Marwyn looked more a mastiff than a maester. As if he wants to bite you. The Mage was not like other maesters. People said that he kept company with whores and hedge wizards, talked with hairy Ibbenese and pitch-black Summer Islanders in their own tongues, and sacrificed to queer gods at the little sailors' temples down by the wharves. Men spoke of seeing him down in the undercity, in rat pits and black brothels, consorting with mummers, singers, sellswords, even beggars. Some even whispered that once he had killed a man with his fists.

When Marwyn had returned to Oldtown, after spending eight years in the east mapping distant lands, searching for lost books, and studying with warlocks and shadowbinders, Vinegar Vaellyn had dubbed him "Marwyn the Mage." (AFFC, Prologue)

Hmm. I mean, the aggression and murder don't endear him to me. But some of this is reminiscent of Arya, the consorting with all kinds of social outcasts and killing and learning magical science stuff is basically what she does in Braavos.

But look who speaks well of him: Qyburn.

"The archmaesters are all craven at heart. The grey sheep, Marwyn calls them. I was as skilled a healer as Ebrose, but aspired to surpass him. For hundreds of years the men of the Citadel have opened the bodies of the dead, to study the nature of life. I wished to understand the nature of death, so I opened the bodies of the living. For that crime the grey sheep shamed me and forced me into exile . . . but I understand the nature of life and death better than any man in Oldtown." (AFFC, Cersei II)

The grey sheep shamed him... but not Marwyn?

He's as into propehcies as Aemon.

"Nuncle." She closed the door behind her. "What reading was so urgent that you leave your guests without a host?"

"Archmaester Marwyn's Book of Lost Books." He lifted his gaze from the page to study her. "Hotho brought me a copy from Oldtown. He has a daughter he would have me wed." Lord Rodrik tapped the book with a long nail. "See here? Marwyn claims to have found three pages of Signs and Portents, visions written down by the maiden daughter of Aenar Targaryen before the Doom came to Valyria. Does Lanny know that you are here?" (AFFC, The Kraken's Daughter)

Though at least he seems more sceptical of them than the Targaryens themselves. "Still..."

"Born amidst salt and smoke, beneath a bleeding star. I know the prophecy." Marwyn turned his head and spat a gob of red phlegm onto the floor. "Not that I would trust it. Gorghan of Old Ghis once wrote that a prophecy is like a treacherous woman. She takes your member in her mouth, and you moan with the pleasure of it and think, how sweet, how fine, how good this is . . . and then her teeth snap shut and your moans turn to screams. That is the nature of prophecy, said Gorghan. Prophecy will bite your prick off every time." He chewed a bit. "Still . . ."

Alleras stepped up next to Sam. "Aemon would have gone to her if he had the strength. He wanted us to send a maester to her, to counsel her and protect her and fetch her safely home."

"Did he?" Archmaester Marwyn shrugged. "Perhaps it's good that he died before he got to Oldtown. Elsewise the grey sheep might have had to kill him, and that would have made the poor old dears wring their wrinkled hands."

"Kill him?" Sam said, shocked. "Why?"

"If I tell you, they may need to kill you too." Marywn smiled a ghastly smile, the juice of the sourleaf running red between his teeth. "Who do you think killed all the dragons the last time around? Gallant dragonslayers armed with swords?" He spat. "The world the Citadel is building has no place in it for sorcery or prophecy or glass candles, much less for dragons. Ask yourself why Aemon Targaryen was allowed to waste his life upon the Wall, when by rights he should have been raised to archmaester. His blood was why. He could not be trusted. No more than I can."

"What will you do?" asked Alleras, the Sphinx.

"Get myself to Slaver's Bay, in Aemon's place. The swan ship that delivered Slayer should serve my needs well enough. The grey sheep will send their man on a galley, I don't doubt. With fair winds I should reach her first." Marwyn glanced at Sam again, and frowned. "You . . . you should stay and forge your chain. If I were you, I would do it quickly. A time will come when you'll be needed on the Wall." (AFFC, Samwell V)

The way Sarella handles him and leads the conversation reminds me of Missandei, and it's probable that Missandei is manipulating Dany, so I'm projecting that onto their relationship here, too.

It's hard to predict what his exact intentions with Dany might be. He doesn't buy the heroic prophecy, but it's clear he's not opposed to dragons and murky magic and manipulation and violence. For all that he speaks as if he sees through all the confusion, he could be as misguided as Melisandre, or as coldly curious as Qyburn.

And the sourleaf is never a good sign, either. Masha Heddle (murdered), Yoren (murdered), Chett (killed by wights), the dwarf at the Duskendale Inn (murdered), Emmon Frey (not long for this world, eh?), Marwyn and Snatch are all featured as chewing sourleaf. Some are good, some are bad, but the blood-looking mouth rarely portends a good end.

#marwyn the maege #anti daenerys targaryen #sarella sand #anti dragon #rouka sadly ignorant

[agentrouka-blog]

i just remembered that martin is writing a musical about harrenhal tourney and it's so weird to imagine robert or ned singing and dancing lol

Is he actually writing the script? Or what do you call that in a musical? Libretto? 🤔

Is it a proper musical?? Not a play? Holy pancakes.

#grrm #tourney at harrenhal #rouka sadly ignorant

[agentrouka-blog]

Do you think the Three Sisters participated in Robert’s Rebellion? If so, how do you think Jon Arryn utilised them in the (mostly) land-based conflicts of the war, such as Stoney Sept, the Trident, etc? Also, do you think Lord Arryn ever visited the Sisters or was well loved there, like he was in the Vale proper?

Whenever I get these specific historical asks, I like to play a little game called Ask Smarter People:

@aegor-bamfsteel @eonweheraldodemanwe @kellyvela @shieldofrohan

(and anyone I failed to think of who is burning bright with ideas)

Do you have any thoughts on this matter?

#rouka sadly ignorant #three sisters #robert's rebellion #house arryn #asoiaf history

[agentrouka-blog]

"Dark Sister was made for nobler tasks than slaughtering sheep. She has a thirst for blood."- Daemon Targ about Dark Sister. "My lady has a thirst. Whenever she comes out to dance, she likes a drop of red."- Lyn Corbay about Lady Forlorn.

Oh anon, I wish I had the in-depth knowledge of asoiaf lore to do this justice.

Whenever sheep are mentioned I flash to Nymeria and Drogon both, who hunt and eat both sheep and people. Similarly with dancing, which recalls Arya's waterdancing and the Dance of Dragons, both variants of fighting.

Dark Sister is in the possession of Bloodraven and Lady Forlorn in the possession of Lyn Corbray (corvus = raven) of the three ravens sigil. Lyn likes "boys", same as Bloodraven lured the boy Bran ("raven") to his cave.

Somehow these images connect. Sadly, I don't have the brainpower to do it. Let alone figure in the backstory to both swords.

... @aegor-bamfsteel ? @eonweheraldodemanwe? You're both more versed in asoiaf history than I ever will be! Do you have any thoughts on the matter? 🙂

#dark sister #lady forlorn #bloodraven #sword imagery #ravens #house corbray #rouka sadly ignorant

[agentrouka-blog]

Do you think that, with the history of her parents' marriage, Daenerys Martell may actually have been creeped out by Daemon Blackfyre's claims of loving her/wanting to marry her? Especially with the fact that he had at least NINE children with Rohanne of Tyrosh under the 12 years they were married, which may remind Daenerys of poor Naerys' treatment in the marriage bed?

I am sorry, I can't answer this. I am a really not all that up on Targaryen history. 😕

#rouka sadly ignorant

[agentrouka-blog]

just a funny little question but have you read the thousand worlds series/universe thing? twocad is my fave and i need to know your takes of you have them

I'm sorry, I have not. :(

#rouka sadly ignorant

[agentrouka-blog]

En un crossover de HP con ASOIF,no puedo ver a Hermione ser amiga de ninguna de las hermanas Stark, porque Sansa sería considerada otra chica tonta ( supongamos que Sansa está en Rawenclaw). Tampoco Ayra, porque algo en lo que fallan la mayoría de escritores es hacer que no existan las amistades femeninas. Ahora, veo a Ayra como una Griffindor duelista y a Sansa como una amante del quidditch.

Adding this one:

Hablando de Harry Potter, ¿ en que casa crees que estarían algunos personajes? ( esta pregunta es tan vieja, lo siento).Creo que Jaime es un Hufflepuff , Cersei una Gryffindor y Tyron un Slytherin. Elia es una Hufflepuff , Doran y Oberyn son ambos Rawenclaw y la gente no puede entender cómo dos hermanos tan diferentes acabaron en la misma casa. Ned es un Hufflepuff , Robert su amigo/ simp es un Gryffindor. Las hermanas Tully son Rawenclaw. Rhaegar es un Gryffindor tóxico.

Hi there.

I have never read nor watched Harry Potter.

I know.

I know.

I recognize some of what this is through pop culture osmosis, but I could not actually answer any of it, sorry!

#google translate my beloved #rouka sadly ignorant

[agentrouka-blog]

Could 3 treasons Dany would know be the results of her 3 mounts she will ride and 3 fires she will light?

Hi anon!

They could be?

Unfortunately, I'm a terrible source for prophecy speculation, especially the really convoluted ones, like the HOTU. I really don't have too much of an opinion there.

#rouka sadly ignorant