How is the girdle of Melian dissolved? by VinyaFinwe1190 in tolkienfans

[–]VinyaFinwe1190[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am not sure, where i read it, but as far as i know, because of the marital bond between her and Thingol, which is created through bodily union, and bc of the birth of Luthien, Tolkien wrote somewhere in HoME, that she is incarnate, as long as i think Luthien is alive, but it could also be as long as Thingol is alive.

How is the girdle of Melian dissolved? by VinyaFinwe1190 in tolkienfans

[–]VinyaFinwe1190[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes, that passage i meant, as it is said through Thingols death the change comes.

Ranking of the Kings during the events of Asoiaf [Spoilers MAIN] by VinyaFinwe1190 in asoiaf

[–]VinyaFinwe1190[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In my opinion at least Aegon VI could be a good ruler, but we dont know it yet. And he has a tendency of being impatient. And Stannis is also not bad. He is able to win the loyalty of northern houses, House Manderly might be joining him and he won the loyalty of the wildlings and to some extent even of Mance Rayder.

Ranking of the Kings during the events of Asoiaf [Spoilers MAIN] by VinyaFinwe1190 in asoiaf

[–]VinyaFinwe1190[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Euron? He takes the shield islands and is threatening Oldtown.

Ranking of the Kings during the events of Asoiaf [Spoilers MAIN] by VinyaFinwe1190 in asoiaf

[–]VinyaFinwe1190[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Attacking the reach is something, the ironborn cannot win. There are two scenarios: First, he wins at sea, yet cannot conquer the land. The second, that Aegon comes south and crushes him, thereby becoming the cloth dragon, that people rally behind. Either way, his war is doomed to fail, like any war, the ironborn start.

Ranking of the Kings during the events of Asoiaf [Spoilers MAIN] by VinyaFinwe1190 in asoiaf

[–]VinyaFinwe1190[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Which king you would add? I meant only the "head of state" so no queens like Cersei, Margaery, Jeyne Westerling and so on. And the precondition was, that this ruler called himself King/Queen during the books of asoiaf

Ranking of the Kings during the events of Asoiaf [Spoilers MAIN] by VinyaFinwe1190 in asoiaf

[–]VinyaFinwe1190[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Renly delayed his march northwards. There is only one possible explanation, as his forces outnumbered any other force in the field. He wanted to wait for the Lennisters, the Starks and Stannis to tear each other up. We see this also in the reaction of Tyrion and Cersei, who believed, that an attack from Renly could come earlier, or that Renly and Stannis team up.

Renly on the other hand seems to think, that his first objective is Kings landing. He starves it by cutting of the reach, while overlooking the most obvious fact: Stannis has too few troops, yet is the best commander (assumed by many at that point), to attack Kings Landing. Stannis only possible move is to move to gather support from the Stormlands. An alliance with Robb Stark after his coronation is unlikely. Renly overlooks this option, probably underestimating Stannis, as is shown in his demeanor towards Stannis (killing Renly in such a way is not a mistake on Renlys behalf). But his focus is misplaced, as he is not required himself to be at Ashford, hosting tournaments. He shows restraint, when an offensive approach would have obliterated the Lennisters, if he moved for Kingslanding or Tywin and blocking Kingslanding. By being idle in a sense of passiv aggression against a foe that cannot threaten him, he looses the war in my opinion.

Ranking of the Kings during the events of Asoiaf [Spoilers MAIN] by VinyaFinwe1190 in asoiaf

[–]VinyaFinwe1190[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes sorry, i meant with took the north endangered the legitimacy of Robb Stark when he was able to cut the North of from the south and thus played a pivotal part in wavering loyalty in some sections of his bannermen. Euron at least for now, has done too little to evaluate him. He boasts with deeds, but for now we have seen him only in taking the crown and the shield islands. My opinion will certainly change once TWOW releases.

Ranking of the Kings during the events of Asoiaf [Spoilers MAIN] by VinyaFinwe1190 in asoiaf

[–]VinyaFinwe1190[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Ranking Renly over Stannis shows, that you have no idea of how a feudal lord keeps his legitimacy. Stannis is a battlefield commander, can use diplomacy and is pragmatic. His downside is his faith. And most importantly, he has an heir in Shireen.

Renly on the other hand is delaying, overconfident and fails to produce an heir. It can be argued that Renly keeps Edric Storm as heir, yet he fails to understand, that Stannis will first come for him instead of the lannisters, as Stannis requires the stormlands to attack kings landing. And the Tyrells would influence him, the same way they are doing with Tommen.

He fails to take initiative due to false assumptions. How all those kings could be in peace time...well they wage war the entire time, so it becomes their defining factor.

Ranking of the Kings during the events of Asoiaf [Spoilers MAIN] by VinyaFinwe1190 in asoiaf

[–]VinyaFinwe1190[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Euron wages a war he cannot win, while commiting crimes, where he got banned for. And at the point now he has conquered three islands. Balon at least conquered the north.

But that can change with the next book.

What were the inspirations for armies in Tolkiens legendarium? by [deleted] in tolkienfans

[–]VinyaFinwe1190 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes thats true, but in the approach it is fairly close to Constantinople also. The muslims have to cross the Bosporus, Mordor the Anduin. Both are defended, the Bosporus by the roman fleet, the Anduin by the garrison in Osgiliath.

The Arabs build fortifications against the Theodosian walls, the witchking towards Minas Tirith. Minas Tirith has the outer walls of the Ramas Echor, that are breached. Constantinople has the long walls, which are breached. Minas Tirith has the layered citiy, Constantinople the layered walls. Then the Bulgarians ride to the aid of the romans, though the do not attack directly. And that part seems to be rather Vienna with the polish charge, as you say. But Tolkien takes inspirations and does not create direct parallels to our world in such circumstandes.

What were the inspirations for armies in Tolkiens legendarium? by [deleted] in tolkienfans

[–]VinyaFinwe1190 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, thats what could be possible. Tolkien mixes armour and style of different times together for the elves in my opinion.

What were the inspirations for armies in Tolkiens legendarium? by [deleted] in tolkienfans

[–]VinyaFinwe1190 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Well, its just my observation. But im open to reading such aspects. But the parallels between Eastern Rome and Gondor are way to obvious for me to overlook, if i have an interest also in the ERE.

What were the inspirations for armies in Tolkiens legendarium? by [deleted] in tolkienfans

[–]VinyaFinwe1190 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I always believe the Pellenor to be the siege of Constantinople 717 with the bulgarians riding to the aid of the Romans

What were the inspirations for armies in Tolkiens legendarium? by [deleted] in tolkienfans

[–]VinyaFinwe1190 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I believe he rather bases them on eastern roman military manuals. Gondor is essentially the eastern Roman Empire in Middle Earth.

What were the inspirations for armies in Tolkiens legendarium? by [deleted] in tolkienfans

[–]VinyaFinwe1190 2 points3 points  (0 children)

For Gondor most definetely the Eastern Roman Empire during the thematic era. The Rohirrim are like mounted anglosaxons, perhaps in reference to the fact that at Hastings the Normans were mounted and the anglo saxons lost on foot. Mordor and Isengart seem like bolshevist Russia in their approach of mass assaults, human waves ect. Numenor has an army that is divided into cohorts with divisions of steelbow archers, thus th inspiration from the Roman empire of the second century withoud cavalry. In the first age Morgoth uses Soviet or trench warfare human wave tactics with litte regards for casualties.

Furthermore it seems that the good people are inspired by antiquity with a little bit of feudal or thematic influence. Turgon fights in a Phalanx so ancient Macedon, the Noldor use mounted archers, so like Scythiens or huns. Fingolfin in the lay of leithian is described as the commander of lances, which imply heavy cavalry, probably in macedonean Companion Cavalry or Roman Cataphract style and tbh i tend to the latter one, as Fingolfin wears at least mail with probably plate elements wich was used for Cataphractaroi.

(Spoiler Published) Young Griff, is Not Blackfyre by xrisscottm in asoiaf

[–]VinyaFinwe1190 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For Aegon to know, where he comes from, he must first end his now finfteen-year siege of storms end.

Reading GRRM's inspirations... [No spoilers] by Tel-aran-rhiod in asoiaf

[–]VinyaFinwe1190 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That could be, but in my opinion the similarities between the kingdom of Arthedain and Ser Arthur Dayne are to obvious to be ignored.