A Song of Ice and Fire - A Chapter a day discussion

1-Jon woke up because he heard a blow, and just one means riders returning. Qhorin Halfhand and his men were arriving, and they were expected before. Because they weren’t there yet, and because, let’s be honest, it’s not tice up there, some wanted to return to Castle Black, some go to Shadow Tower and strike it, and some wanted to go far north. Clearly they don’t want to stay there.

2-Their numbers are so small compared to the wildlings. Three hundred with Qhorin’s men, against thousands. Smallwood is confident, I honestly don’t know why, but Buckwell does not think the same. He names men like Tattleshirt, Harma the Dogshead and Alfyn Crowkiller. They are really feared, and they want them dead. They want all the wildlings dead. Both sides have lost a lot, and they clearly hate each other.

3-Because of Qhorin’s late arrival, Mormont and his men discussed what to do before he got there, as expected they didn’t agree, and would wait for the men of the Shadow Tower to talk again. It must be so hard to decide what to do in this situations.

4-Sam asked Jon if that horn was for his uncle, which I really liked, but it wasn’t for him. Jon had less hope everyday, and I understand why. It’s been a long, and he’s seeing for himself what is like up there.

5-As Jon watched the men arrive, he could tell many were wounded, and two in one horse too. Even thought he never saw Qhorin before he knew who he was as soon as he saw him. Of course, he was missing some fingers. Only his thumb and forefinger remained, and I don’t think I would be useful with only those fingers. I read somewhere if you lose your pinki finger, you lose the strenght in that hand. But maybe he got used to it, and learnt how to use it. He lost the fingers catching an axe that would have killed him otherwise. And he was well known beyond the Wall, it was said the wildlings knew no foe more implacable. He sounds really dangerous and feared.

6-It turns out Qhorin knew Ned, and Ned’s father. As soon as he saw Jon he knew he was a Stark, he said Jon had his father’s look. And he has heard of Ghost, and asked for him. It’s an unusual thing to have a direwolf after all, so the brothers talk.

7-They got late because they found Alfyn Crowkiller on his way back from the Wall. The man is dead, and they got a prisoner, but few scaped. Jon wondered why Halfhand sounded so grave after a victory like that.

8-Jon heard Chett talking about how he wanted to go back, and someone answered him Mormont wouldn’t give him the choice. To what Chett said they might not give him one. Plain threat there, and Jon knew that. I found it interesting he refused to inform on his brothers, even if one of those brothers was Chett. He told himself it was empty talk, they were all cold and tired. It didn’t sound like empty talk to me, he wasn’t supposed to hear it.

9-Jon had a new dragonglass dagger, who made himself, which I forgot. He made one for Grenn and Jeor as well, how cute. He knew it was buried for a reason, but didn’t know why. He gave Sam a warhorn that didn’t work anymore, but he knew Sam liked having those type of things, so he gave it to his friend. I liked what Jon said to him: “Make a drinking horn out of it, and every time you take a drink you’ll remember how you ranged beyond the Wall, all the way to the Fist of the First Men.”

10-Jon must have heard a lot about Qhorin, he thinks maybe Qhorin knows why it was buried. He was after all the only living man who had ventured deeper in the wild, more than any other. For some reason, I wonder if there was someone, now dead, who went further. But maybe I am overthinking.

11-The prisoner they captured told they the chiefs of the wildlings had wargs, mammoths, and thousands of people, more than they could ever imagine. Mormont said they need to inform the Wall and the kings, all of them. If they claimed the realm, they should defend it. Qhorin thinks they won’t do anything, and should rely on Winterfell. But who could help them? Even if they don’t know how many are at Winterfell, they know Robb marched, and took most of the men with him. Jeor hopes Alliser goes back with men from King’s Landing. Of course, he doesn’t know what happened.

12-Mance knew they had only three castles garrisoned, and would use that information. They said the Wall, even undefended, would delay them, but not stop them of course. Mormont think they will need to build a ladder of some sort to climb, and it will take long. But Qhorin said they planned to pass beneath the Wall. He said they will make a breach with sorcery. For some reason I thought, even this time, he would say the wildlings would use a machine or whatever. I wonder why he said sorcery, and what he knows.

13-Qhorin also said a very interesting thing, Mance was looking for a power in high cold places. He doesn’t know what that power is, but it’s not good. I was so intrigued as to what he meant by high cold places.

14-They would send 15 men in groups of 5, to the Milkwater, the Skirling Pass and the Giant’s Stair. Buckwell, Smallwood and Qhorin himself will go. He said they had to do something, and either they would return, or Mance would. He chose Jon to go, and what he said was really interesting: “The old gods are still strong beyond the Wall. The gods of the First Men... and the Starks.” What does it mean the Starks have some influence? I want to know!

15-Mormont smiled sadly when Jon said he will go. They’ll leave at noon, and Qhorin told Jon to find Ghost. I woner why Jon answered so god damn fast. At first I thought he might think he could find his uncle, but I don’t know.

Your point 5, I didn't know that about losing your pinky finger!

Your point 14, I really want to know too! Clearly Qhorin thinks very highly of the Starks. I wonder if he knows something we don't.

1. “The horn that wakes the sleepers.” I wonder what that means, and why that belongs to the Night’s Watch creed. Part of what Jon found in his geo-cashe was a horn. I wonder what “sleepers” will wake, hopefully nothing bad. It’s sad everyone’s afraid of two blasts; that means wildling attack, but it’s only one; rangers returning. Qhorin Halfhand has finally arrived.

2. Lol, the poor raven is miserable.

3. The Brothers from the Shadow Tower are a few days late. It had some men worried. Weird that Thoren insisted on going into the mountains without them. Wow, he is arrogant. He calls themselves wolves and the wildlings sheep. I want this guy dead, lol. As it turns out, they were attacked along the way. That’s why they had a slow start.

4. We meet badass Qhorin Halfhand, a legend of the Watch. Sounds like everyone looks up to him. For some reason I thought it was funny that he’s the only man in the group that’s clean shaven. It makes me wonder if Jon has facial hair yet. Qhorin lost some of his fingers while catching a wildling’s axe as it flew at his face, keeping it from splitting his head in half. Even the wildlings fear him.

5. Qhorin knows Jon Snow from his looks, says he looks like his father. Jon asks if he knew him and Qhorin says he wasn’t a lordling but he did know him, and his father before him. I wonder what Ned’s father was like, if he was a good man like him. He died before Jon was born. According to Qhorin, Lord Rickard was also a friend to the Night’s Watch, that’s good. I like that Qhorin has heard about Ghost. :)

6. Qhorin tells Jon and Mormont they ran into Alfyn Crowkiller, a famed wildling sent out to scout along the Wall and they caught him from returning to Mance Rayder. He is dead now, but some of his men escaped, so Mance will know.

7. Last night Jon heard several men whispering that they want to go back to the Wall, including Chett, and it almost sounds like talk of mutiny. Jon knew he wasn’t meant to hear that. Jon decided not to inform Mormont, not having the heart to betray his brothers, hoping they were empty threats. Um, what was Jon thinking??? Most men here aren’t like him; they are not honorable and will ditch you in a flash to save their skins. Still, it’s nice of Jon to give them the benefit of the doubt.

8. So Jon kept one of the obsidian blades he found in that cashe for himself. Obsidian is sharper than steel, but more brittle. He made daggers out of them for his friends, including Mormont. He gave Sam the warhorn. The horn is chipped and Jon couldn’t get it to make any sound, though. He also gave his friends the spearheads and arrowheads, for luck. :)

9. Qhorin says Mance’s army has all the major wildling leaders with him. They also have wargs and mammoths with them, Mormont says all the kings of Westeros need to know about this, even if it’s false information. Oh man, they’re not going to believe them! Qhorin says Winterfell is more likely to help than the others will. He seems a huge Stark supporter.

10. I think there is a typo here; I’m pretty sure there are 19 castles along the Wall, not 17.

11. Qhorin says Mance means to break through the Wall. He’s also searching for something in the high cold places, something with power. He says Mormont needs to send scouts into the mountains and find out what that power is before he gets it. He convinces Mormont to allow it. There will be three groups of five. He, Thoren, and Jarman Buckwell will lead the parties.

12. Mormont’s raven keeps screaming, “Die.” Creepy.

13. Qhorin personally chooses Jon on his team. He wants him because he’s a Stark. Jon wants to go too, of course. He wouldn’t want to miss out on this adventure! I think Qhorin also wants Jon’s direwolf, but I’m not sure what he wants with Ghost, other than the fact that he has sharp teeth and claws. It’s clear Qhorin sees something in Jon, even if all it is is because he has Stark blood and the man seems to think highly of the Starks. But I’m wondering if he suspects Jon is also a warg, and he could use a warg on their team.

About your point 7, I was, like you, kinda shocked he didn't say anything. I mean, Chett is not good guy, I am sure pretty much everyone does not want to be there, and if you start talking like that... well, the Watch is not what it used to be. Most of them are there because it was that, or death.

About your point 10, I think in my copy says 17 as well, but I am sure there are 19.