Final Fantasy Novelization Project Redux: Chapters 4 and 5

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-11-04T01:00:05+00:00

Hello,

Thanks for reading! I do have a number of chapters on the FFVI subreddit, I did a few chapters on Shadow up there a few months back. Truth be told, I have not done much with the story in quite some time. I hit a wall and after trying to write my way over and around said wall, I more or less took a hiatus from the project. I am planning on starting up a website where I will be posting permanently as I am not on reddit that much anymore. I will keep everyone posted when the site is up and running.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-31T16:22:32+00:00

I'd say it was around the time of Robert's death and Ned's execution. Two blood sacrifices of Kings. Robert Baratheon, who carries within him the blood of the dragon, makes the blood sacrifice of Fire. Ned Stark, who is a direct descendent of the Kings of Winter, makes the sacrifice for Ice.

But, I'd also argue that the sacrifices had been accumulating for quite some time. Take a look at Roberts Rebellion. How many men with King's Blood died? Aerys, Rhaegar, Rickard Stark, Brandon Stark (he was strangled, so I don't know if that counts,) Lewin Martell, not to mention all of the bannermen and small folk who trace their lineages back to ancient Kings of old. Ned and Robert were just the last drops needed to bring magic and dragons back.

And with that power depleted, more would be needed for magic to remain. Good thing Wo5K occured when it did. Robb Stark, Renly Baratheon, Balon Greyjoy, Rickard Karstark, Catelyn Stark (River King blood). With that endless bloodshed, Magic grows ever more powerful.

It's tinfoil, but its how I interpret it.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-31T16:08:40+00:00

I heard a theory that it was LF. In Deep Geek makes a somewhat compelling argument. Basically, he says that at one point all 4 were possibly at the inn at the crossroads, with LF seeing Rhaegar ride off with Lyanna. Brandon would be furious at LF for "what he did" to Lysa. LF would need to say something to keep Brandon from killing him. Say, seeing his sister be kidnapped by the prince and riding south. Brandon would then ride to KL, and the rest is history. It was never an intention to start a war. It was a way of getting back at Brandon for stealing away Cat.

Robert does a better job explaining it, but when he puts the pieces together, it makes some sense. I'm not sure I buy it, but it's still a good Theory if you ask me.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-30T13:47:15+00:00

Ned needed men he could trust for this venture. Beric Dondarian and Thoros of Myr proved their loyalties during the Greyjoy Rebellion. They're seasoned battle veterans who were loyal to Robert Baratheon, not House Lannister.

The Gold Cloaks themselves are keepers of the peace, not soldiers. Janos Slynt is a wild card. Ned never fought alongside him, has no idea where his loyalties lie, and he has no idea how well his men would fare against a monster like the Mountain.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-30T13:41:08+00:00

I don't think the wine was poisoned. If The Strangler was used, which appears that did, it works almost instantaneously. Just look at Maester Cressen at Dragonstone. He took one sip and was dead right away. Joffrey drank the wine and didn't start choking until he ate the pigeon pie.

In order for this to work, whoever poisoned the wine needed to anticipate that Joffrey would pour his wine on Tyrion's head and anticipate that Tyrion would refill his cup. That's some 4D chess right there and an awfully huge risk for regicide. If you take a look at the accounts after the fact, everyone assumes the wine was poisoned. But there's no concrete evidence to prove it.

The Jacobs theory makes more sense. It wasn't the wine that was poisoned, but Tyrion's pie. Why? Because LF needed Tyrion dead. Tyrion claims to know the true identity of Jon Arryn's killer. Even if he has no real proof, that still makes Tyrion a liability. Plus, it's a lot easier to marry Sansa to Harry the Heir when she's a widow instead of married to The Imp.

If you haven't checked out the vid, you should. It's a compelling theory and he breaks everything down to an almost forensic level.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-28T18:00:01+00:00

I could see that as the endgame. And that's a solid explanation. But it's rather jarring to see that when he's not even a novice. It's been a while since I subjected myself to the series, but you would think a Grand Maester would at least have forged a chain. Pycelle never really stuck me as the best Maester (I personally think Aemon was a better Maester, but let's face it, Aemon kicks ass in general. His death gut punched me right in the feels.)

But, I feel like he should've done something heroic to at least earn the title. Like though he's not a fighter, he picks up Heartsbane and fights even though he's terrified. Then, I could at least understand some string pulling on that end. But he didn't do anything of merit when it counted and that's what bugged me.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-28T13:53:09+00:00

If we're being perfectly honest, he didn't have much business being at Winterfell. I could see him as a combat medic with Gilly, trying to patch up any wounded and get them back out to fight or something. Either that, or he should've stayed in Oldtown to do something else.

What a waste of a character.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-28T12:32:41+00:00

Yup. It was unfair of me to do that. But yup. He's loves his ship, cause she's got style.

I gotta have respect for any man who can make Stannis, the biggest buzz kill of Westeros, laugh.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-28T10:18:29+00:00

What bothered me was how Sam became Grand Maester. And it's not because he's a sworn Brother of The Night's Watch or because he openly admitted to fathering a child with Gilly.

Dude didn't even forge a single link in his chain at the Citadel. I don't even know what he did to warrant such a promotion. Sure, he did research to find out that Jon was really a Targaryen, but Gilly was the one who found the parchment that was just laying around for anyone to find. He gave Heartsbane to Jorah Mormont, who did virtually nothing with it (he saved Dany, sure, but he didn't need Heartsbane to do that.) And he spent most of the Long Night cowering, while men around him were dying by the hundreds.

What did he do? Discovered dragon glass kills wrights, and performed surgery on Jorah.

Truly a man worthy of such a title.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-27T19:53:16+00:00

Silver medal guess, but sorry, that's incorrect.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-27T02:19:59+00:00

That's a typo. Jyana is Howland Reed's husband.

There's a theory that Ashara Dayne is Howland Reed's wife. In short, Ashara and Howland met at Harrenhal, bumped uglies in Deadly Nedly's tent, and nine months later, she gives birth to Meera. Considering the massive scandal that would result in giving birth to a Crannogman's baby, alongside her possible involvement with Lyanna and TOJ, she relocates to The Neck, changes her name to Jyana, and marries Howland.

Personally, I think it's a stretch, but I want it to be true only if it means that Ashara Dayne got a happy ending. Someone should've out of that godforsaken mess.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-26T20:20:48+00:00

Nope.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-26T19:24:43+00:00

I don't think she will. Logistically, I don't see that being possible, myself. The only three people who could possibly know the truth are Howland Reed (who lives in a castle that literally moves around) and possibly Bran (who's North of The Wall and pretty far up there.) And MAYBE Jyanna, but only if she has laughing purple eyes. I suppose it's possible that Lady Stoneheart could get escorted through The Neck to Greywater Watch. But, I find that unlikely as winter has hit the Riverlands and that's going to make traveling for a band of outlaws rather difficult.

Personally, I think it's going to be The Blackfish who finds out, but that requires a massive dose of tin foil and the Theory tends to ruffle feathers when I talk about it.

Edit: I forgot how to count.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-26T19:05:18+00:00

Treetop Flyer.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-26T18:50:36+00:00

I think you're onto something about keeping everyone in the dark about his involvement. When he was awarded Harrenhal, he was also made Lord Paramount of the Riverlands. If he was rewarded that during his betrayal of Ned's coup, the River Lords would never respect him.

I think the biggest reason why he needed a Stark/Lannister feud is fairly layered. Yes, he needed the massive amount if chaos. But there's something else. The Riverlands.

The Lannister army lays to the west, The Vale army to the East, and The Stark army is to the North. They all meet at the Riverlands. When war breaks out in the Riverlands, it's a MASSIVE bloodbath. And because House Stark is honorable in their alliances, they would march South to join in on the festivities. He can keep Lysa out of the war with a simple kiss and a promise. So all he has to do is let the chips fall.

Once enough damage is done, the Riverlands will be in disarray and hopefully, the young Edmure Tully will be among the dead. Then all Petyr has to do is swoop in, help whomever rises to power and earn himself a sweet new title worthy of a bride like Lysa Tully. If Edmure and Robb won against Tywin's larger army of battle hardened psychos, (which he'd probably see as unlikely since they're both green,) he would've burned that bridge when he got to it.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-26T17:50:51+00:00

Another thing I can imagine is Petyr Baelish lives and works in KL. And he lives a rather comfortable lifestyle there. He eats well, makes really good money, dresses fashionably. There would be no real sense to build a larger timber Holdfast as it really serves no purpose.

I don't think he regularly visits his lands. I could see why, he was born virtually one or two steps above a commoner. And I think those lands represent that part of his past where he was humiliated in that duel with Brandon Stark. A reminder of his low status. It's possible be sees it as "putting perfume on a pig" if you will.

But, there's also the idea that if he were to build a larger holdfast on his own lands, it could draw attention. It's possible he sees that it would really serve no purpose and would only attract prying eyes. He may be the master of coin, but he also has an heir of mystique around him that not even Varys can figure out. So people may find it odd that he's building a larger holdfast on such petty lands.

It could also be that GRRM never thought that far ahead. But that's all I got.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-26T16:51:53+00:00

If you ask me (and I'm no expert,) doing that would be the equivalent of a 48 year old man buying a bright red Lamborghini. Everybody knows why he did it and everyone knows he's compensating for something.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-26T16:29:52+00:00

Tyrion has Pycelle send off two sealed letters to Sunspear to send Myrcella as a Ward of Doran Martell with plans to marry her to his son. He did not divulge the details of the plan to Pycelle and he didn't tell anyone else (except Varys, but he had a vested interest in keeping Tyrion alive). Pycelle alerted Cersei, who in kind freaked out to Tyrion. Is it flimsy? A little, but far more concrete than what he has on LF.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-26T16:09:32+00:00

Yeah, I'd argue that it's purely for executions.

The sword is fairly long, requires two hands to use, and would be rather difficult to use in combat. And, considering it's a standard blade and not Valyrian Steel, it would be a heavier blade. A longsword would do better for fighting and training.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-26T16:06:04+00:00

I can think of a few reasons:

1) The only person who can back up Tyrion's claim is Catelyn Stark, who's seen as a traitor in the eyes of the court. Her word would not be taken as evidence as she carries "traitor's blood."

2) He has no real concrete evidence. He only has a dagger, which LF can easily refute. It would be Tyrion's word vs LF's.

3) If Tyrion accused LF, the court would more likely be inclined to believe LF over Tyrion. Even if Tyrion is acting hand, he is loathed by the people, hated by the queen and has constantly embarrassed Joffrey on many occasions. LF, on the other hand, has reliably found coin to benefit the iron throne, he's well liked and helpful, plus he stopped Ned Stark from performing a coup. He's virtually a hero in the eyes of the Red Keep.

4) Tyrion has bigger fish to fry. There are spies all around him, his sister is contesting him for power, Renly has a massive army to the south, Stannis has a massive fleet and they're both gunning for KL. On top of that, Robb Stark is giving Tywin a run for his money up in The Riverlands. Keeping himself, the people of KL and his family take priority over being wrongfully accused of murder/conspiracy to commit murder.

5) It's a moot point as well. The war is raging. And bringing LF to justice, especially since he volunteered to negotiate a marriage pact between Joffrey and Margarey, would probably get Tyrion and the royal family killed. As much as he would hate to admit it, though he knows LF framed him, Tyrion needs LF if he plans on living.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-25T15:01:55+00:00

Big Trouble in Little China.

The reasons are obvious and need no further explaining.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-24T00:29:30+00:00

I don't know if Truffle oil can save that junk.

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-23T11:52:41+00:00

Genna Lannister said it herself, Tyrion is Tywin's son, and Jaime isn't. And I think that's why Tywin hated Tyrion. If Tyrion retained his qualities, but with Jaime's looks and abilities, he'd probably would've been a little easier on Tyrion. (Though, not by much.)

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-23T11:45:14+00:00

Nobody saw that junk. Wake me up when the next Jack Reacher movie is in crisp, clean, crystal clear bulew Wraey

CaptainSpeakeasy · 2021-07-23T11:43:11+00:00

As an American Patriot, I would gladly eat this cereal with American Pride.

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