Secret Origins of the Crannogmen & House Reed - A Song of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones 

SORRY BABE CAN’T TALK DAVE JUST DROPPED STRAIGHT FIRE

Little known fact - Reed and Ned Stark had a blues band at one time. Called it Howland Wolf.

DL you deserve a Maester's chain link for every video like this you put out!

holy shit, the crannogmen uprising in the style of the northman would make one hell of a movie

Definitely agree with your moving castle explanation. Another thing about swamps is that they are essentially giant tidal rivers, which migrate over land and constantly change depth. If you didn't live in the area and didn't have something like a flat-bottomed boat to traverse, you'd get endlessly lost trying to follow landmarks which are ever-changing.

I think I just figured it out, in howls moving castle, Howl will trades his heart for magic where he lets it live on in a fire demon that is a fallen star, Starfall, which is the Danes home, it all fits

“Meera and Jojen: To Winterfell we pledge the faith of Greywater. Hearth and heart and harvest we yield up to you, my lord. Our swords and spears and arrows are yours to command. Grant mercy to our weak, help to our helpless, and justice to all, and we shall never fail you. Jojen: I swear it by earth and water. Meera: I swear it by bronze and iron. Meera and Jojen: We swear it by ice and fire.”

I'm still early in the video, but, if you've never heard of "Chinampas" floating gardens/farms, I encourage you to look them up. Floating structures like that are very real, and possible with basically stone/bronze age tech. Really amazing.

Digging the longer hair, dude. Looking even more like a purveyor of forbidden knowledge and artifacts.

I’ve been waiting for that WorldAnvil sponsorship to happen here for years. It’s a perfect partnership.

It could be that the slave uprising in Moat Cailin simply took advantage of the destruction caused by The Hammer Of The Waters: "let's escape in the confusion", rather than being led or caused by The Children. Then The Children took credit/were credited with it retrospectively: "Whoa, that has spectacularly lucky!", "Nah, we did that... ". Maybe The Children's Tower is just where Children were kept by the Squishers.

Oh if only ✨Magic Spoon ✨ would have sponsored the Jojen Paste video 😂

Greywater Watch has echoes of Alfred the Great's hidden marsh stronghold at Athelney, in the Somerset Levels near Glastonbury. It was erected in 878 on the site of an Iron age fortification, and the base for his reconquest over the Vikings. I've no idea if it was an inspiration for George but there are parallels. It also puts me in mind of Liang Shan Po, the legendary hidden marsh fortress from the Chinese classic novel Water Margin. I think Howland Reed's swamp magic may be responsible for the Tower of Joy coming down with some kind of Crannog Gris Gris.

I’ve been following your work since the podcast some time in late 2016, but I’ve never been great about leaving comments on stuff. Although I am a huge fan of ASoIaF, your deconstruction of the symbolism and layers of mythological references has been incredibly influential on my worldbuilding methodology for my TTRPG games. Your recent work with the ironmen, Hodor, and the squishers with Gray Waste Tim have been some of the most inspiring. Thanks!

Thanks for the years of great thought provoking content. Please look into the lake Titicaca reed villages. Literal villages built on giant reed mats that float and and can be moved. Nobody has ever covered this before....

maybe if GRRM had world envil, his garden wouldnt grow out of control, the Mereen knot would've solved easier and TWOW might be done already. maybe he should use your code :D

You are completely changing my views and feelings about the Iron Born and the Crannogmen with these videos and giving me so much more appreciation for the entire series. Thank you for all the hard work!!!

I cannot even tell you how excited I am to FINALLY have a video about the Crannogmen!!!! There is so little out there just specifically about them and they're cool and secretive little world inside awoiaf!!!!! THANK YOU DAVE!!!!

Sometimes with other bodies of work, I think “I wish that in addition to the abundant straightforward surface-level analyses, there were more really deep analyses of symbols, myths, and themes available, from perspectives within the fictional world itself as well as real-world analogues, connections, and inspirations,” but I never ever have to wish for that with ASOIAF because people like you exist!!!!!! Love your work! Liking and commenting and fangirling LML endlessly

I like to imagine Crannogmen with thick Cajun accents and that is the exclusive reason that people dislike them.

Yes we need a Reed update. Couldn’t make it work without your help as we wait

Haven't finished the Video yet, but I just found that in Germanic folklore, beings that live in swamps are called Nekkers. I think that was also a swamp creature from The Witcher games?

the fact that lizard-lions are not crocs or alligators could be related to the neck not always being swampy, the lizard lions are probably recently descended from more terrestrial ancestors, like the real life kaprosuchus or araripesuchus, and they haven't had the time to evolve back into the more standard crocodile form.

1:11 that's some legitimately frightening artwork. Reminds me of the book cover for "The Devil's Armor" which is part of a fantasy trilogy I think

Nice! I know Livestreams keep a channel afloat, but it's the videos I love! Thanks for making the content.

Bro to be honest i enjoy your content more than I do George's own books he's a good storyteller and a solid world builder but I'm convinced he's never going to finish them so it takes some of the enjoyment out of them but everything you put out is to me extremely entertaining

With Biter he finally convinced me.

Also the whole howls moving castle series has amazing world building and are amazing

Once again David brings the light even to the darkest and dampest of places!

Been waiting for this one and I will be relishing it Edit: a "floating castle" would only work if you had some serious anti-grav magic. Alaska has a ton of boggy land like this where it looks like solid moss, only to have a surprisingly deep, murky water under it. I can picture them building a motte and bailey** style wooden castle with wooden pallisades/fire hardened/nightsoil toxic defensive spikes. We have other examples of another wooden castle in the north so the technology is definitely there. I think it's probably a mix of both explanations. There is probably a pretty good sized wooden towerhouse or other form of modest fortifications. Combined that with people's love of tall tales and embellishing things they really have no clue about. Tales that the Crannogmen are probably more than happy to have out there. **I looked them up and the term "motte and bailey" castle is not always 100% wooden. According to wiki they could be wood OR stone or a mix of the two, on a raised area of ground!

Love the video & your channel. Best wishes from Scotland, David.

Wow, World Anvil! Solid sponsor Dave! And it is cool to hear about it in a literary context rather than the d&d context ive heard about before. Cant wait to hear what Rhaegar thinks about it.

That was the best World Anvil bit I've ever seen on YT & that's saying something because Ginny Di does some good work.

That is the SMOOTHEST mid-video advertisement EVER.

Thx for continuing to make these great, full length, videos

I was literally just digging through your channel yesterday trying to find a video about these guys. Praise Garth.

"GIT OOUT OF MAH SWAHMP!" -At least one Crannogman (probably).

Some really, really incredible stuff in this one man. Bravo.

You always provide us with food for thought. Thank you, David, for another great video.

Always good to get a video from David Lightbringer. Happy 2024, friend!! I cant wait to see what you have in store for us

Please do a Howland video that would be incredible

This is great!!!Love this topic!!!!

Fantastic DLB, thank you so much

Also whatever you are doing with your hair it gets more luscious all the time and looks so good here

Love your work David!

That was a real treat. Thank you!

I read "Howl's Moving Castle" twice & have the movie on my shelf

Thank you David. Awesome video.

31:50 i actually like the ages explanation a lot. Back in the ancient times when everything was elves and giants and deep ones, it was the age of earth and water. Bronze and iron being the invasion of the andals and the wars that followed. Ice and fire being this new age of broken seasons and dragon lords.

Tell me why I had a nightmare a Squisher attacked me last night -- oh wait, it's because I feel asleep to this. 😂

David!!!!!! I’ve been watching your new stuff along side your Ashai playlist. I freaking love it. Could get get a super cut of your readings all with the creepy background music? ASMR DLB for the win.

Always a great video! That ending was awesome 👏

My pet theory is that Greywater Watch isn't a place at all, but a watch like the Night's Watch. An order of the Neck's most capable rangers, protecting the ruling Lord and his advisors. They can make & break camp in hours and move the entire council to somewhere else entirely so there's no way to simply "capture the castle" and suddenly control the entire Neck. The idea that there's a literal floating castle somewhere in the bogs - one that no outsider has ever seen (really? not even allies?) - is just a red herring the crannogmen put about to lure invaders on a fools' errand.

Ah, yes! I've been waiting for something like this. I suspected there was something murky 😏behind the crannogmen

Awesome thanks for your work and time

Been working on an idea that the deep ones are water adapted singers. There’s a passage that mentions the singer being able to warg fish as well. There’s a long history of aquatic reptiles, if you believe the singers are reptilian. What if the aquatic singer/deep ones developed in the swamp first. Then through interaction with the first men adopted the thrall taking lifestyle… Been toking on my grass candle, don’t mind me 😂😂

Awesome video!

Your the best at this my guy, mad love

I did it! I clicked on the video as soon as I saw it! Hope this shows the algorithm how much I love this channel.

Was just thinking yesterday „i really dont know anything about the Reeds and the Crannogmen Then u post this wonderful video Finally got time to watch it now 💯

This was a good one. I used to be really into ASoIaF: would binge watch all of the major RU-vid channels (and most of the minor ones), read all the theories on Reddit, etc. Then, work and school got in the way (combined with the frustration of no updates on WoW for years), and I drifted away from the community. But I've recently taken up a hobby that gives me lots of time to listen to content while working with my hands, and I decided to check out your channel again. It's so great to see that you are still going strong and posting such insightful content on this endlessly fascinating world Martin has created. I have a lot of catching up to do, and I'm looking forward to it!

Always love vids on the Crannogmen, and would love one on Howland!

I love your videos. Thanks man

Aye, thank you very much for keeping the becons lit : ) I wonder if George's facisnation with preserving things(like how ice preserved, say, Ötzi, the glacier mummy) extends to bogs and their ability to preserve artifacts and dead people like, say, the Tollund Man

Been using lots of Crannogmen units in my campaign in GOT mod for Medieval 2 Total War, excellent javelin unit that can quickly devastate most other units, of course only recruitable in Moat Cailin. Always great to get more backgroungd on regions/units/families.

Good one Dave!

Nice work

been waiting to hear more about house Reed and their dragon steel sawed-off 🥳

You are totally right that squisher genes being the answer to the Crannogmen problem is finally a satisfying one!!! They have always been simply way too different and odd from so early in the on in the story that the green genes just never cut it for me!! Their secret was lurking just under the water…. 🐊 I’m currently a quarter of the way into book three of memory, sorrow and thorn and much has been happening in a swamp. Squishers have been very visible in the story so far, playing a direct role to my great enjoyment (including being summoned by song to swarm a ship… hello Aeron?!). In the swamp, there’s been a solid few similarities so far, including small statured inhabitants, crannogs, and magically large crocodiles, so I will update if I find any squishers in that bog!! 👀 there are these weird huge crabby human like creatures called ghants, but they do not seem very squishy. The local people also just seem like people, but they fear the ghants greatly and the rest of their countrymen hold similar biases as do Westerosi to our beloved swamp dwellers. Thanks for another great video!! 🐸

Stumbled upon your channel just now. I guess it's time for some binge watching

Praise Garth! 💚 I’ve been looking forward to this since watching the hammer of the waters video!!

Produced Contenttttttt!!!?!?! Love it every time.

Very cool man I like your vids and persona. Subbed

Would highly recommend watching the Studio Ghibli movie for Howl's Moving Castle if you can't find time to read the book. Absolutely beautiful animation, a Starfall connection in Howl giving his heart to a falling star (H+A=M&J), Madame Suliman who has some major Melisandre vibes, and a major anti-war message in the background similar to what GRRM is doing.

I think you are onto something here!! Squish Squish!

At 25:17 with the idea of the Marsh King leading the thrall revolt: if we know that Fire/Water/Ice are the active elements of this world, then it’s nice parallels to have Fire be the Doom of Valyria (or if you prefer, the GEOTD fighting the Bloodstone Emperor; both might work), Water being the Squisher Thrall revolt; and Ice now being the freeing of the Others And because it bears mentioning - another awesome video! This series has been a treat!

A crannogmen rebellion against Moat Cailin in the past sounds pretty interesting 🤔

Lake titicaca is today, and has been for eons in the past, been home to actual floating islands used by natives . Not pickings but actually floating.

2:49 This green foggy village reminds me oа the Fortress - a swamp castle in Heroes of Might & Magic. It looks so mysterious and picturesque! Not so great to live there though. I have always wondered how crannogmen could stay healthy in that wet environment full of mold, fungi, dangerous insects and swamp gases. Now that you explain their genetic connection to a sea race, that becomes clear.

Got this video to get me through my workout ❤ bless 🎉

Ooo rahh a new video ❤

I wanted some specific knowledge for the cranogmen and your video was the first to pop-up..im so happy you are a cool dude with a cooler name.. Lightbringer.. wow!

Very cool!

i think the doom that came to sarnath is more connected to the white walkers, but in a more metaphorical way. the frogpeople are the whitewalkers, and the men of sarnath are the first men. and the white walkers returning are the frog people of ib returning to get their vengeance. the other symbology is there to guide you in the right direction without hitting it on the nose

This is so interesting!

the best way to drive into work in the morning… listening to DL!!! 11 hours countdown 🚙 😃

I can’t wait to watch this 10 times out of

good to see you getting decent number of views

What an awesome sponsor David!!! I'm 100% going to check that out

Yay,I'm sooo glad right now!!

Damn I love your videos man!!!

Good stuff.

Howland Reed - ordained minister and certified rower offering quickie Vegas style weddings on the Isle of Faces

Been able to catch any of the live streams because I've been working on the weekend. So this is a blessing Planky Town in Dorne is pretty similar to the Crannogs. I wonder if there's any connections?

Ahhh brilliant

All through your video I was getting really excited and putting together all the parallels between your Moat Cailin squisher home idea and Harren the Black. I thought I was so clever to spot it... 🤦‍♀️ That'll teach me to post a comment before the video's finished! 😅 EDIT: Okay, it's actually finished now, and it's obviously brilliant. 👏 I had a thought that all this uprising against magical colonising folk with massive castles and bringing cataclysms down on them reminded me of the Doom of Valyria. Obv I'm not suggesting squisher involvement there, but it's interesting to me that Harrenhal seems to be a weird sort of combination of the two epic events. Not sure what to make of it.

Cool channel bro job well done

This is an awesome welcome listening!

New subscriber. Appreciate the vids

Uros islands on lake titicaca are inhabited floating islands created from the reed-like totora plant. Kinda like the floating castle.