ASOIAF: Little details that seem important

OK, I have been thinking about this, and coming up with ideas and then promptly forgetting them by the time I sit down at the computer, so I am just going to free write this…

• Waymar Royce’s sword: it seems like it is one of the bits of “treasure” that is delivered to the Night’s Watch…at least the hilt and broken off blade matches the description of his sword.
• Sansa’s faulty memory. I’ve written my only theory as to how that might play out but people don’t like it.
• The House of B&W/House of the Undying parallels, especially when it comes to the doors actually did stick out for me. How different is Shade of the Evening and Weirwood paste in effects?
• Jojen and Meera’s oath.

"I swear it by earth and water." — Jojen

"I swear it by bronze and iron." — Meera

"We swear it by ice and fire." — Both

• The White Lion Drogo slays…is it foreshadowing for Dany-as-Azor-Ahai, a red herring, or both. There is something mythological about it.
• The dead Westerosi boy in the House of Black and White: my ideas on who he is is: Tyrek Lannister, Edric Storm, and the Knight of Flowers. Still unsatisfying, until we know who he put the hit out on. (If he did do that, and didn’t just kill himself.)
• Smoking volcano in Dragonstone. Is that thing gonna blow?
• Of course, the black stones that crop up all over the world: the Deep Ones/Squishers. Are the Others and the Deep Ones just coming back to reclaim the lands that Men usurped from them? But show suggests Others are corrupted men.
• Why did the wight hand rot if the wights were active South of the Wall? We know magic can’t pass; but a wight can be brought in, apparently and still ‘work’ despite the wall blocking transmissions of magic. So the wriggling hand that Thorne brought south…why did it stop working?
• Six rubies washed up on the Quiet Isle. Rhaegar had seven rubies. Who is the seventh? 
• There has got to be more to the Warlocks/Undying business. Why are they so intent on Dany and her dragons?
• Is the unrest in the slaves another smoking volcano that is going to erupt and consume slave-holding Essos? Or just foreshadowing of a rebellion in the Volantene fleet?
• Patchface. Patchface. Patchface.
• The dead body in the hold of the ship (The Selaesori Qhoran?, I can’t remember if it was that one or Quentyn’s.) Is that supposed to be Aemon? Or WAS it in some earlier draft and now it has no significance whatsoever? If it is Aemon, is it going to be used?
• Tyrion reading the dragon book in Winterfell…does he know something no one else does?
• Val says “Shireen is already dead.”
• Val’s bone, sickle dagger. For human sacrificing?
• Is Satin from Oldtown or Gulltown? Is that a mistake or some kind of clue?
• Urrathon Night-Walker. Has a glass candle. What is the deal with him? Is that a Qarthized version of Euron?
• Is Euron telling the truth about sailing all the way to Asshai? Was that brief moment of scepticism from the Reader significant or just a joke about ‘readers’ picking apart GRRM’s sometimes shoddy time-line/numbers?
• Ned Dayne, the kid. He just feels significant.
• Of course, Ashara Dayne’s whole story.
• Of course, Septa Lemore. Theories about her being Wenda the White Fawn seem like a dud to me. Who cares about Wenda the White Fawn?
• Sweet Donnel Hill. A bastard from Lannistown. Could he be Tywin’s by blow?
• “Promise me Ned?” Blue roses…What does it all mean. (just joking.)

Feb. 5th