r/asoiaf•
LChris24

Would you consider this "Claiming the horn with blood"? (Spoilers Extended)

Background

When I think about Euron's giant blood sacrifice/ritual, the most likely answer seems to be krakens:

"And krakens off the Broken Arm, pulling under crippled galleys," said Valena. "The blood draws them to the surface, our maester claims. There are bodies in the water. -TWOW, Arianne I

If interested: Euron Greyjoy: The Summoning

but we also need to remember that Euron's gifts are poison (which Victarion only seems to remember half the time):

"A true tale." Moqorro turned the hellhorn, examining the queer letters that crawled across a second of the golden bands. "Here it says, 'No mortal man shall sound me and live.' "

Bitterly Victarion brooded on the treachery of brothers. Euron's gifts are always poisoned. "The Crow's Eye swore this horn would bind dragons to my will. But how will that serve me if the price is death?"

but I think we can venture that either Euron is a few steps ahead of Victarion (or Moqorro is playing him or both):

"Your brother did not sound the horn himself. Nor must you." Moqorro pointed to the band of steel. "Here. 'Blood for fire, fire for blood.' Who blows the hellhorn matters not. The dragons will come to the horn's master. You must claim the horn. With blood." -ADWD, Victarion I

and while yes, the Battle of Fire is going to cause lots of death and Victarion has been making numerous sacrifices (to more than one god), what if that is all Euron is doing with his ritual sacrifice, claiming the horn.

Then Euron lifted a great horn to his lips and blew, and dragons and krakens and sphinxes came at his command and bowed before him. -TWOW, The Forsaken

TLDR: Just a thought for monday. I think the most likely answer to Euron's summoning is krakens, but there are plenty of other answers of varying likelihood. One that I hadn't really considered before is the fact that this ritual is Euron's claim to the horn. Who blows the horn doesn't matter, the master of the horn does. This blood sacrifice/ritual is Euron putting forth his claim (similar to the kingsmoot) that Victarion has to match.

Posted Apr 22, 2024, 12:21 PM UTC

44
Loading comments…