Wild Speculation: Dawn, Valyrian Steel Swords, etc.
Aug 24, 2016 19:46:17 GMT
SlyWren, Wraith, and 1 more like this
Post by Dornish Neck Tie on Aug 24, 2016 19:46:17 GMT
I was discussing Valyrian Steel swords last night with a couple friends.
It seems a near certainty that blood sacrifice is used to forge Valyrian steel swords, but my friend noted that fact would not really be enough to account for the priceless value of such swords. House Mormont is quite poor compared other noble houses and still has an ancestral Valyrian sword, while wealthy Tywin Lannister can't seem for the life of him to buy one no matter how much he offers current owners. House Lannister, despite sitting on a literal gold mine for thousands of years, only acquired their first known Valyrian sword 500 years before the events of ASOIAF. We suspected there may be some other currency required in exchange for a Valyrian steel sword. Not just blood sacrifice, but the sacrifice of some kin or other important person to the intended wielder of the sword.
Now, this made me think of Dawn (a.k.a. Lightbringer, according to many speculators). The general consensus seems to be that if there is some significance to Dawn's white color, it is as an indicator of a composition other than Valyrian steel. Some unique material contained within that "fallen star." Not so.
I believe that Dawn is in fact normal Valyrian steel, and the difference in coloration between Dawn and every other Valyrian steel sword can be explained by the natures of the sacrifices used to forge them. I think the grey coloration of Valyrian steel swords is a clever nod to the morality of creating such objects, and the men who forged or wielded them (maybe even something to do with the sacrificed individual). Most of these swords are very dark grey, which makes a ton of sense, given the cruelty required in the first place to forge a sword in such manner as this. Bright white Dawn is (supposedly) unique among Valyrian steel swords because its forging involved some profound level of compassion/consent/selflessness in its intentions. I believe this knowledge is partially preserved by the rule that Dawn is reserved only for those who prove themselves capable of representing these ideals while still serving as a warrior. Think of it as what Brienne refers to as "true knight"-ness or whatever.
While I believe this sword is probably Lightbringer, I don't think it possesses contains any magically enhanced killing power, per se. More likely, it has some potential to reflect and/or produce supernatural amounts of light. Perhaps when Dawn is once again wielded by someone who is profoundly committed to these ideals in the name of some universal cause (defeating the Others perhaps?) it will start to glow with blinding brightness again, bright enough in combination with the Wall's reflective power to blind or otherwise damage the Others with light, as SlyWren has suggested in her awesome analysis of Symeon Star-Eyes/Serwyn and the Mirror Shield.
Oh fuck, my reward for reaching 100 posts is getting the POV label of "Ginger with Greyscale."
It seems a near certainty that blood sacrifice is used to forge Valyrian steel swords, but my friend noted that fact would not really be enough to account for the priceless value of such swords. House Mormont is quite poor compared other noble houses and still has an ancestral Valyrian sword, while wealthy Tywin Lannister can't seem for the life of him to buy one no matter how much he offers current owners. House Lannister, despite sitting on a literal gold mine for thousands of years, only acquired their first known Valyrian sword 500 years before the events of ASOIAF. We suspected there may be some other currency required in exchange for a Valyrian steel sword. Not just blood sacrifice, but the sacrifice of some kin or other important person to the intended wielder of the sword.
Now, this made me think of Dawn (a.k.a. Lightbringer, according to many speculators). The general consensus seems to be that if there is some significance to Dawn's white color, it is as an indicator of a composition other than Valyrian steel. Some unique material contained within that "fallen star." Not so.
I believe that Dawn is in fact normal Valyrian steel, and the difference in coloration between Dawn and every other Valyrian steel sword can be explained by the natures of the sacrifices used to forge them. I think the grey coloration of Valyrian steel swords is a clever nod to the morality of creating such objects, and the men who forged or wielded them (maybe even something to do with the sacrificed individual). Most of these swords are very dark grey, which makes a ton of sense, given the cruelty required in the first place to forge a sword in such manner as this. Bright white Dawn is (supposedly) unique among Valyrian steel swords because its forging involved some profound level of compassion/consent/selflessness in its intentions. I believe this knowledge is partially preserved by the rule that Dawn is reserved only for those who prove themselves capable of representing these ideals while still serving as a warrior. Think of it as what Brienne refers to as "true knight"-ness or whatever.
While I believe this sword is probably Lightbringer, I don't think it possesses contains any magically enhanced killing power, per se. More likely, it has some potential to reflect and/or produce supernatural amounts of light. Perhaps when Dawn is once again wielded by someone who is profoundly committed to these ideals in the name of some universal cause (defeating the Others perhaps?) it will start to glow with blinding brightness again, bright enough in combination with the Wall's reflective power to blind or otherwise damage the Others with light, as SlyWren has suggested in her awesome analysis of Symeon Star-Eyes/Serwyn and the Mirror Shield.
Oh fuck, my reward for reaching 100 posts is getting the POV label of "Ginger with Greyscale."
