A Witch is a woman who is believed to use magic to inflict supernatural harm on others. Alleged witches are usually shunned, banished, imprisoned, or killed.[1][2]
Culture
The Witch Isle, an island off the eastern and northern coasts of the Vale of Arryn, has a sinister reputation.[3]
The Wind Witch is a three-banked trading galley captained by Qos.[4]
History
Ancient History
Sharra the Witch Queen is one of the many legendary heroes of the riverlands, whose tales date back to the Age of Heroes.[5]
Princess Nymeria has been called a "witch queen",[6] and is remembered as a witch in the songs, but that statement is not true, as she never practiced water magic herself.[7]
Khal Mengo, who united all the Dothraki during the Century of Blood, heavily relied upon the advice of his widowed mother, the reputed witch queen Doshi.[8]
Targaryen Era
Three septons serving King Maegor I Targaryen declared Jeyne Poore to be a witch, and the king ordered her to be burned in a field by the Wendwater.[2] Tyanna of the Tower, one of Maegor's Black Brides, is said to have been a witch who spoke with rats and spiders,[9] while Rhaena Targaryen, another Black Bride, lived her finals years at Harrenhal, and as her hair turned white as she aged, the smallfolk in the riverlands began to fear her as a witch.[10]
The cause of death of the High Septon who led the Faith Militant uprising (41 AC–48 AC) remains debated, with some suspecting Patrice Hightower, a reputed witch who had sought an audience with His High Holiness at dusk, though he was alive when she departed.[9]
After the death of Rhaenyra Targaryen at Dragonstone, Borros Baratheon, Lord of Storm's End, took the capital and the Red Keep, imprisoning the remnants of Gaemon Palehair's court, including whores, witch women, criminals, and drunkards.[11]
During the regency of Aegon III, a number of broken men and predatory outlaws began to gather at Harrenhal under the rule of a sorcerous witch queen, who turned out to be Alys Rivers, a bastard of House Strong, who took over the castle following the execution of its last lord Larys Strong, becoming known as the "witch queen" of Harrenhal for a few years.[12] At one point, Alys was feared to be a witch who lay with demons.[13]
In the years after the Dance of the Dragons, an offshoot of the Painted Dogs, one of the Vale mountain clans, became known as the Burned Men, who were said to have worshiped a "fire witch" who once lived in a hidden valley within the Mountains of the Moon, sending their boys to bring her gifts for her. In exchange, they would face the flames of her dragon to prove their manhood. Stories are still told about this fire-witch to this day.[3]
There were a number of rumors spoken about Rohanne Webber, Lady of Coldmoat, with the smallfolk accusing her of being a witch who sold her unborn babies to the Lord of the Seven Hells so that he would teach her the black arts.[1] When much of Wat's Wood burned, Ser Eustace Osgrey accused Lady Rohanne of burning it by driving winds through witchcraft.[1]
Local villagers considered the wild Jenny of Oldstones a half-mad peasant, with some calling her a witch.[14]
At Casterly Rock, Melara Hetherspoon heard the serving girls say that the witch woman Maggy the Frog in Lannisport could curse a man, make him fall in love, summon demons, and foretell the future.[15]
Recent Events
A Game of Thrones
The Wind Witch is contracted by Lord Eddard Stark, the Hand of the King, to take his daughters, Sansa and Arya, from King's Landing to Winterfell.[16]
A Feast for Crows
Melisandre, a red priestess of R'hllor, is sometimes called a red witch.[17][18]
Ser Jaime Lannister considers Maggy the Frog a half-mad witch woman.[19]
A Dance with Dragons
Willow Witch-eye is a wildling spearwife who accompanied Mance Rayder to Winterfell on a mission to free "Arya Stark" (the girl is actually Jeyne Poole).[20]
Morna White Mask is a chieftain of the free folk and a warrior witch, who accompanied Tormund Giantsbane to the Wall in declaring a truce with the Night's Watch.[21][22]
Behind the Scenes
In an early draft of A Game of Thrones, the direwolf's name was "Nymerion," after a warrior-witch of Valyria.[23]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The Sworn Sword.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Maegor I.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Vale.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 65, Arya V.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Riverlands.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 8, Bran II.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Dorne: The Coming of the Rhoynar.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Beyond the Free Cities: The Grasslands.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Fire & Blood, The Sons of the Dragon.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - The Short, Sad Reign of Aegon II.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - A Son for a Son.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon V.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 36, Cersei VIII.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 45, Eddard XII.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 17, Cersei IV.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 69, Jon XIII.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 44, Jaime VII.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 37, The Prince of Winterfell.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 58, Jon XII.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Appendix.
- ↑ Secrets of the Cushing Library: A Game of Thrones - gsteff on Reddit