R'hlorr's priests aren't the only people who perform real miracles. Damphair, the Priests of the Drowned God, brings back drowned people in Book 4 in a way which parallels R'hlorr's resurrections.
I think the real question is what have the Seven done to make people worship them in the past (since it's clear they are doing so only out of custom in the present).
The answer may lie in the Maesters of the Citadel who were also responsible for causing the dragons to become extinct in some undefined way.
My understanding is that the r'hllor priests have only really been able to perform the genuine miracles since the dragons were hatched because with them they are bringing magic back to the world, so it is possible that only recently they have been making strides in converting. Also it seems that there seems to be many performers who can do something akin to magic and use it to trick people (like the ones in Quarth that were climbing fire ladders and sent cutpurses around to steal from the audience) so I suspect scepticism about magic would be common, so it would take a lot to convince people of r'hllor's existence. Even in Mel's chapter it seems like she suggests a lot of what she does is trickery. Also Westoros IIRC is the only place that worships the seven and this is a product of the Targaryan conquest, and when the dragons were still alive they were much more impressive than R'hllor so the Targ religion dominating makes sense. Essos is made up of independent cities, where following r'hllor is more common.
As for the Iron Bank, there are some very interesting theories floating around the internet about what their true motivation is. I think it is highly doubtful that their sole motivation is profit, hence allowing Cersei to over-extend herself is probably part of their plan.
I don't think it's that no-one expected attacks on the south side of the Wall, more that the lack of defences are part of the Watch's pre-commitment to neutrality within Westeros.
Agree on pre-commitment, but I'm also remembering that they didn't expect any attack from the South when the small raiding party came over the wall and attacked - that it was the first such attack in memory, etc.
I'd say it's ambiguous whether the priests of the Drowned God are doing miracles. Their success rate is a hell of a lot better than real-world CPR, but it's comparable with soap-opera CPR.
R'hlorr's priests aren't the only people who perform real miracles. Damphair, the Priests of the Drowned God, brings back drowned people in Book 4 in a way which parallels R'hlorr's resurrections.
ReplyDeleteI think the real question is what have the Seven done to make people worship them in the past (since it's clear they are doing so only out of custom in the present).
The answer may lie in the Maesters of the Citadel who were also responsible for causing the dragons to become extinct in some undefined way.
Really? It looked to me no more miraculous than what surf lifesavers do every freaking day. Should we worship Baywatch?
ReplyDeletePoint taken on the Seven though.
My understanding is that the r'hllor priests have only really been able to perform the genuine miracles since the dragons were hatched because with them they are bringing magic back to the world, so it is possible that only recently they have been making strides in converting. Also it seems that there seems to be many performers who can do something akin to magic and use it to trick people (like the ones in Quarth that were climbing fire ladders and sent cutpurses around to steal from the audience) so I suspect scepticism about magic would be common, so it would take a lot to convince people of r'hllor's existence. Even in Mel's chapter it seems like she suggests a lot of what she does is trickery. Also Westoros IIRC is the only place that worships the seven and this is a product of the Targaryan conquest, and when the dragons were still alive they were much more impressive than R'hllor so the Targ religion dominating makes sense. Essos is made up of independent cities, where following r'hllor is more common.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Iron Bank, there are some very interesting theories floating around the internet about what their true motivation is. I think it is highly doubtful that their sole motivation is profit, hence allowing Cersei to over-extend herself is probably part of their plan.
...I am way too obsessed with this series
You know her well enough to call her Mel? I'm impressed.
ReplyDeleteExcellent explanation all round; many thanks.
Mel and I go way back, unfortunately she became a lot more powerful than me. I haven't even birthed any demons.
ReplyDeleteYou might need to find someone of royal blood to help in that project. Not many around New Zealand, though it depends on how one counts Kingitanga.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's that no-one expected attacks on the south side of the Wall, more that the lack of defences are part of the Watch's pre-commitment to neutrality within Westeros.
ReplyDeleteAgree on pre-commitment, but I'm also remembering that they didn't expect any attack from the South when the small raiding party came over the wall and attacked - that it was the first such attack in memory, etc.
ReplyDeleteI'd say it's ambiguous whether the priests of the Drowned God are doing miracles. Their success rate is a hell of a lot better than real-world CPR, but it's comparable with soap-opera CPR.
ReplyDeleteYou need the set of real-world CPR cases where CPR follows drowning by seconds.
ReplyDelete