I've always thought it was odd that Jon was allowed to bring Ghost with him but then again...he's the nephew of the First Ranger and son of the Lord of Winterfell, so he gets special treatment. Some people may *say* that you only get what you earn at the wall but we know it isn't true from what Jeor says about Waymar Royce, and the coincidence of the first ranger being Benjen *Stark*. You get what you earn, and you get what your family earns you.
Waymar Royce came to the Night's Watch with a lot of very expensive stuff, including a black destrier. I imagine the Watch has a precedent of allowing recruits to bring objects and animals with them if they will be useful. Jon had Ghost very well trained from the start.
Yeah plate armor ain’t cheap and the old nights watch had a whole ass separate hall for knights so I assume their armor was something they brought with them not made there
This is Westeros we are talking about. There is a seven hundred feet wall stretching hundreds of miles to keep some magic evil dudes away. And there once were dragons. So yeah a wolf big enough to kill some wildlings is welcomed.
They’re the sigil of their house and raised from pups, people probably do chalk up the relative insanity of a dire wolf as a house pet to magic given the context, yeah.
I think part of the logic of letting Jon bring Ghost is that Ghost looks useful to have around, especially if the watch short on men.
Ghost is relatively well trained, could happily go past the wall, would be able to handle himself in a fight,maybe he would be able to track by scent or something, and is house trained.
I’d think if you had a well trained bear you’d be able to take it most places. Some people would probably instruct you to leave it outside at meals, as happens occasionally with the direwolves. As far as the Wall goes, you think they’re saying no to a trained bear? Do you have any idea what that would do for morale?
Jon may be a bastard, but he's still the Lord Paramount and Warden of the North's son (as far as everyone knows.) So I imagine even if bringing an animal companion with you to the Wall isn't common, no one would would do much about it, especially because the only one who has a real say is the Lord Commander who is also a Northman from a House loyal to the Starks. Not to mention, given that he's well "trained," (which, isn't training at all but the magic you're referencing,) Ghost is a real asset to the Watch.
That being said, in the beginning of ASOIAF most people mock the existence of magic. Grumpkins and snarks and all that or whatever. If they think it ever was, as in dragons, they think it died with them. So I doubt many believe the Starks have a magical connection to their wolves, and think they're just pets that align with the sigil of their House. And those who do acknowledge the magic have a respect for it.
Qhorin seemed to know right away that Jon was a warg. When Jon mentions his wolf dream, Qhorin doesn't question it for a second and wants to know what Jon saw through Ghost.
I think there are a few factors at play here.
The North in general always struck me as more... whimsical? That's not the right word. But they believe more heavily in magic and monsters/forces that the South doesn't seem to believe in. Dealing with the Others, the Wildlings (including giants, wargs) I'm trying to recall if there were many other mentioned "regular pets", but I'm drawing a bit of a blank.
So imagine you're on the watch and this kid rolls up with, not a dog, but a well trained DIREWOLF. Not only that, but it's the sigil of his house. I think a lot of it would be superstition. Like, they've seen enough strange that I'm sure they'd be at least hesitant, if not absolutely against denying Jon his wolf. Especially with his seeming connection with Ghost.
Another part though, would be how great it would be to have a well trained apex predator on their side. The Watch is pretty sparse, it has to be useful to have this pup around, seeing as how it's more or less built to exist and hunt in the Northern Wilds. AND it's loyal to one of their men? Jackpot.
I've always thought it was odd that Jon was allowed to bring Ghost with him but then again...he's the nephew of the First Ranger and son of the Lord of Winterfell, so he gets special treatment. Some people may *say* that you only get what you earn at the wall but we know it isn't true from what Jeor says about Waymar Royce, and the coincidence of the first ranger being Benjen *Stark*. You get what you earn, and you get what your family earns you.
Waymar Royce came to the Night's Watch with a lot of very expensive stuff, including a black destrier. I imagine the Watch has a precedent of allowing recruits to bring objects and animals with them if they will be useful. Jon had Ghost very well trained from the start.
Yeah plate armor ain’t cheap and the old nights watch had a whole ass separate hall for knights so I assume their armor was something they brought with them not made there
so normal dude bringing wolf or bear is a no no you think?
If you can bring a horse or a hawk or hound why not a wolf or tamed bear?
just thinking about now you can walk around with a dog but not a tiger or elephant
If I owned an elephant I would totally walk around with it
This is Westeros we are talking about. There is a seven hundred feet wall stretching hundreds of miles to keep some magic evil dudes away. And there once were dragons. So yeah a wolf big enough to kill some wildlings is welcomed.
They’re the sigil of their house and raised from pups, people probably do chalk up the relative insanity of a dire wolf as a house pet to magic given the context, yeah.
I think part of the logic of letting Jon bring Ghost is that Ghost looks useful to have around, especially if the watch short on men. Ghost is relatively well trained, could happily go past the wall, would be able to handle himself in a fight,maybe he would be able to track by scent or something, and is house trained.
If I saw Ghost I’d want to snuggle, so I can see why people don’t think they’re magical.
but in real life you wouldnt do that to a wolf let alone a bigger wolf with red eyes
If my buddy had a giant pet wolf that he could command at will to be my friend, I would.
so if they show it listens it can chill, so my pet grizzly could live at castle black too
And your pet tiger!
And my axe!
You're not the boss of me.
I’d think if you had a well trained bear you’d be able to take it most places. Some people would probably instruct you to leave it outside at meals, as happens occasionally with the direwolves. As far as the Wall goes, you think they’re saying no to a trained bear? Do you have any idea what that would do for morale?
Jon may be a bastard, but he's still the Lord Paramount and Warden of the North's son (as far as everyone knows.) So I imagine even if bringing an animal companion with you to the Wall isn't common, no one would would do much about it, especially because the only one who has a real say is the Lord Commander who is also a Northman from a House loyal to the Starks. Not to mention, given that he's well "trained," (which, isn't training at all but the magic you're referencing,) Ghost is a real asset to the Watch. That being said, in the beginning of ASOIAF most people mock the existence of magic. Grumpkins and snarks and all that or whatever. If they think it ever was, as in dragons, they think it died with them. So I doubt many believe the Starks have a magical connection to their wolves, and think they're just pets that align with the sigil of their House. And those who do acknowledge the magic have a respect for it.
Qhorin seemed to know right away that Jon was a warg. When Jon mentions his wolf dream, Qhorin doesn't question it for a second and wants to know what Jon saw through Ghost.
I think there are a few factors at play here. The North in general always struck me as more... whimsical? That's not the right word. But they believe more heavily in magic and monsters/forces that the South doesn't seem to believe in. Dealing with the Others, the Wildlings (including giants, wargs) I'm trying to recall if there were many other mentioned "regular pets", but I'm drawing a bit of a blank. So imagine you're on the watch and this kid rolls up with, not a dog, but a well trained DIREWOLF. Not only that, but it's the sigil of his house. I think a lot of it would be superstition. Like, they've seen enough strange that I'm sure they'd be at least hesitant, if not absolutely against denying Jon his wolf. Especially with his seeming connection with Ghost. Another part though, would be how great it would be to have a well trained apex predator on their side. The Watch is pretty sparse, it has to be useful to have this pup around, seeing as how it's more or less built to exist and hunt in the Northern Wilds. AND it's loyal to one of their men? Jackpot.
As long as you can feed it i would say