ZyyzYzzy
RIP USA
- 25,295
- 48,789
Yes. All the stories relating to them are fairytales to everyone in Westeros at this point.
GoT - Is Over, Post Your Drogon Sightings
- Thread starter Araxen
- Start date
hodj
Vox Populi Jihadi
- 31,672
- 18,377
Worked to defend the realms from potential invasion for 8000 years until the appointed time when all the other pieces would be in place for the charade to play itself out doesn't equate to failed in its only duty.
That is success in its only duty by any metric.
Anyway, the Wall is a metaphor in the narrative more than anything else, and serves a narrative function primarily before it serves a sensical one. We're talking about a 300 mile long, like 900 foot tall wall of ice ensorcelled by magicks from ages long past, ffs.
That is success in its only duty by any metric.
Anyway, the Wall is a metaphor in the narrative more than anything else, and serves a narrative function primarily before it serves a sensical one. We're talking about a 300 mile long, like 900 foot tall wall of ice ensorcelled by magicks from ages long past, ffs.
TJT
Mr. Poopybutthole
- 41,051
- 103,096
Books imply that the WW only started harassing the Wildlings for the past 20 years. Which is what drove Mance to unite all them in the first place. We can further read into it and think that some of the other Wildlings had Craster like arrangements in various places. Which the WW used to gradually increase their numbers.
The Thenn had Lords and Laws right next to the Lands of Always Winter. I am pretty sure nobody has really seen hide nor hair of them in a very, very long time. I don't think the Wall kept them at bay if absolutely nobody saw them or even believed they existed up until this point.
I guess it won't make sense until we know that caused them to mobilize now and not at anytime in the past 8k years. Waiting for the next Long Night I suppose.
The Thenn had Lords and Laws right next to the Lands of Always Winter. I am pretty sure nobody has really seen hide nor hair of them in a very, very long time. I don't think the Wall kept them at bay if absolutely nobody saw them or even believed they existed up until this point.
I guess it won't make sense until we know that caused them to mobilize now and not at anytime in the past 8k years. Waiting for the next Long Night I suppose.
Gavinmad
Mr. Poopybutthole
- 42,482
- 50,634
I always assumed that there had been other conflicts with the Others since the wall was built, but according to the book wiki, there haven't been. I suppose if the Others knew that they couldn't pass the wall, it's possible that they never bothered trying? In which case the wall still kept them at bay.
You could also argue that the Night's Watch would never have survived eight thousand years without proof of the Others existing if it weren't for the wall serving as a symbol. I mean shit, in the Dragonriders of Pern series, a single long interval of 400 years was enough to make people doubt that thread had ever existed, to the point that the holders actually rose up against the dragonriders to tell them 'go pound sand, we aren't supporting you anymore'. If it weren't for the wall and the wildlings, the Night's Watch wouldn't have lasted hundreds of years, much less thousands.
Oh you sweet summer children not understanding prophecies within prophecies relying on other prophecies.
Read some of the last few Terry Goodkind books (garbage I know) if you want to see complicated prophecy. This is just basic run of the mill stuff.
Read some of the last few Terry Goodkind books (garbage I know) if you want to see complicated prophecy. This is just basic run of the mill stuff.
TJT
Mr. Poopybutthole
- 41,051
- 103,096
I prefer the enigmatic form of magic GRRM uses. I like that it isn't some X input to Y output situation, then it becomes more like science or technology. GRRM stated that he wanted to avoid this. Magic being unpredictable and poorly understood partly because of the time of magic is over and much of the knowledge of it is on the far side of the world or was lost in Valyria.
ZyyzYzzy
RIP USA
- 25,295
- 48,789
I mean, at least from the books, there is a faction/entity in the world that has been actively supressing or at least minimizing the knowledge of magic, the maesters.
I'm glad there is consistency to the magic in the series and not random deus ex type stuff seen in other series
I'm glad there is consistency to the magic in the series and not random deus ex type stuff seen in other series
Yeah even if you just say because they were born with a gift or anything it would be better than the shoulder shrug that GRRM has done, I agree with Khane.
I have read tons of fantasy and some of the best is when they don't quite explain it but you can get glimpses of it, then all of a sudden it clicks when someone uses more magic than has been used before and you get a glimpse behind the current. Look at Joe Abercrombie's "Half" trilogy and how it turns out the magic in that is just technology and they are most likely a civilization in the future of Earth after it has been decimated.
Khane
Got something right about marriage
- 19,869
- 13,384
To clarify I don't mind the way it's handled in the show. Well besides Melisandre just winging it and being able to resurrect someone.
If a certain sect or DEATH CULT!!! can use magic it seems pretty obvious that would be a well guarded secret and the audience really doesn't need to know how it works.
The problem I have is that I believe the author said "Nobody knows" when clearly, some people know. But like I said, I can't remember where I read/heard that so that may not even be true.
If a certain sect or DEATH CULT!!! can use magic it seems pretty obvious that would be a well guarded secret and the audience really doesn't need to know how it works.
The problem I have is that I believe the author said "Nobody knows" when clearly, some people know. But like I said, I can't remember where I read/heard that so that may not even be true.
TJT
Mr. Poopybutthole
- 41,051
- 103,096
I think this isn't accurate.
When Melisandre burns people for fair winds and uses the glamour to look sexy she certainly understands how it works. She just doesn't tell anyone. The Faceless Men don't explain how their magic works to just anyone, maybe Arya will discuss it a bit later.
None of the POV characters who observe the magic know how it works. They are observing Melisandre, Faceless Men, Children of the Forest or whatever using it. They have no idea how it works.
Xevy
Log Wizard
- 8,627
- 3,837
Faltigoth
Bronze Knight of the Realm
- 1,380
- 212
Hell, even when Melisandre was a POV character, we see that she doesn't even know how most of it works, just that it does, and she spices it up with parlor tricks to make it look flashy.