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Lord of the crossing is a game played at the Twins by House Frey; "Lord of the Crossing" is one of the titles used by Lord Frey, as the family's bridge at the Twins crosses the Green Fork of the Trident.[1] The purpose of the game is to be the lord of the crossing, a player standing on a bridge over water, and it usually involves lots of hitting and arguing.[2]
Rules
At its basics, the game is played with a staff and on some sort of bridge placed over water of some sort. A log, planks, or even a series of stones can represent the bridge, and a mere branch can be used as the staff.[2]
One player, the lord of the crossing, stands in the middle of the bridge while armed with the staff. When another player approaches, the lord of the crossing must say "I am the lord of the crossing, who goes there?" The challenger then identifies themself and presents their reasons for why they should be allowed to cross. The lord asks the player questions and can make them swear oaths. The challenger does not have to respond truthfully to the questions, but the oaths are binding unless they say "Mayhaps" quickly enough that the lord does not notice. If that happens, the challenger can attempt to knock the lord off the bridge. The lord can knock a player into the water at any time with the staff, however. Only when the lord is displaced can another player become lord, but only if they said "Mayhaps" in the game, otherwise it means immediate disqualification.[2]
Recent Events
A Game of Thrones
Near the start of the War of the Five Kings, Walder Frey, Lord of the Crossing, allows Robb Stark to cross the Green Fork at the Twins.[1]
A Clash of Kings
While being fostered at Winterfell, the cousins Big Walder and Little Walder Frey introduce Bran and Rickon Stark, Robb's brothers, to the game they call lord of the crossing. They play using a log placed over a murky pool in the godswood of Winterfell, and hot water bubbling from the ground delights the Frey boys. Since the crippled Bran is unable to compete, the Walders decide that he should judge if "Mayhaps" is said by the challenger. The Freys quickly forget about Bran being present, however.[2]
Little Walder, taller and more stout than his older cousin, is more frequently the lord of the crossing when the game is played by the children at Winterfell. Bran watches the Walders play against Turnip, Bandy, and Shyra. The ruckus then draws in Palla, Calon, and TomToo. Young Rickon insists on playing as well. When Little Walder smacks Rickon's belly with the stick, Shaggydog knocks the Frey boy into the water. The children cease playing lord of the crossing after that incident, instead choosing to play games like monsters and maidens, rats and cats, and come-into-my-castle.[2]
A Storm of Swords
At the Twins prior to the wedding of Roslin Frey and Edmure Tully, Lord of Riverrun, the bride's embittered father, Lord Walder, speaks to Robb Stark, saying "You wanted crossing and I gave it to you, and you never said mayhaps, heh." Robb, now the King in the North and King of the Trident, is unaware of the rules of the children's game, however. A moment later when discussing an offering of food to ensure guest right, Walder agrees to give them some by saying, "A loaf of bread, a bite of cheese, mayhaps a sausage."[3] House Frey soon after betrays House Stark with the Red Wedding, during which Robb is killed.[4]
Quotes
In practice, the game seemed to come down to mostly shoving, hitting, and falling into the water, along with a lot of loud arguments about whether or not someone had said "Mayhaps."[2]
—thoughts of Bran Stark
If I had my legs, I'd knock all of them into the water, he thought bitterly. No one would ever be lord of the crossing but me.[2]
—thoughts of Bran Stark
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 59, Catelyn IX.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 4, Bran I.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 49, Catelyn VI.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 51, Catelyn VII.