Difference between revisions of "Hammer of the waters"

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The '''hammer of the waters''' is a [[Westeros]]i legend. {{Ref|aDwD|20}} {{Ref|aGoT|55|p 597}} The legend says that from [[Moat Cailin]]'s [[Children's Tower]] the [[greenseer]]s of the [[children of the forest]] called upon their nameless gods to send down the ''"hammer of the waters"'' to break the lands of [[Westeros]] in two {{Ref|aDwD|20}} in a desperate attempt to stop the onslaught of the [[First Men]].  The histories say that the [[crannogmen]] grew close to the children of the forest in the days when the greenseers tried to bring the hammer of the waters down upon the Neck. {{Ref|aDwD|20}}
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[[File:HBO dark magic arm of dorne.png|thumb|400px|A child of the forest calls forth the hammer of the waters]]
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[[File:HBO hammer of watersCOF.png|thumb|400px|A child of the forest looks down upon men drowned by the hammer of the waters]]
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The '''hammer of the waters'''{{Ref|aGoT|55}} or '''Hammer of the Waters'''{{ref|TWOIAF| Dorne: The Breaking}} is a [[Westeros]]i legend about the [[children of the forest]].{{Ref|aGoT|55}}{{Ref|aDwD|20}}
  
Unlike the shattering of the [[Arm of Dorne]] the attempt on the Neck was unsuccessful, the children failed and only succeeded in flooding the land, creating bogs and swamps.  Why the children's magic failed them is unknown.  However, the cataclysm proved the strength of their power and may have proved instrumental in bringing the First Men to agree to the terms of the [[Pact]] that ended hostilities between the two races and marked 4,000 years of friendship between the [[First Men]] and the [[children of the forest|children]]. {{Ref|aGoT|66}}
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==Legend==
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According to legend, the [[greenseer]]s of the [[children of the forest]] used [[magic|dark magic]] to stop the migration of the [[First Men]] to [[Westeros]].{{ref|TWOIAF| Ancient History: The Coming of the First Men}} Hundreds of greenseers gathered, possibly at the [[Isle of Faces]]{{ref|TWOIAF| Dorne: The Breaking}} or [[Moat Cailin]].{{ref|AWOIAF| Children of the Forest}} Some stories claim they sacrificed a thousand captive humans to [[weirwood]]s, while others claim the greenseers used blood from their own youths.{{ref|TWOIAF| Dorne: The Breaking}}
  
==References and Notes==
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The hammer of the waters resulted in the [[Breaking]], the shattering of the [[Arm of Dorne]] into the [[Stepstones]] and the [[Broken Arm]], separating Westeros from [[Essos]].{{ref|TWOIAF| Dorne: The Breaking}} Unfortunately for the children, it was too late, for the First Men already had a foothold in Westeros. However, the cataclysm proved the strength of the children's power, and may have proved instrumental in bringing the First Men to agree to the terms of the [[Pact]] on the Isle of Faces. The agreement ended [[War of the First Men and the children of the forest|hostilities]], and marked four thousand years of friendship between the two races.{{Ref|aGoT|66}}
{{references|2}}
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At some point, the greenseers attempted to use the hammer of the waters, working from the [[Children's Tower]] of Moat Cailin, to break the lands of [[Westeros]] in two.{{ref|AGOT|55}}{{Ref|aDwD|20}} However, this created the boggy [[Neck]] instead of separate landmasses. It is unknown if this occurred during the same event as the breaking of the Arm of Dorne, or at a different time. The histories say that the [[crannogmen]] grew close to the children in the days when the greenseers tried to bring the hammer of the waters down upon the Neck.{{Ref|acok|50}} Despite the lack of complete separation, the bogs and swamps of the Neck have proved an effective natural defense, and the First Men-held Moat Cailin never fell during the [[Andal invasion]] of Westeros.{{ref|TWOIAF| Ancient History: The Arrival of the Andals}}
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Some [[maesters]], such as [[Yandel]], suggest that the fates of the Arm of Dorne and the Neck were not magical in nature, but were natural occurrences relating to the sinking of land and the rising of ocean waters.{{ref|TWOIAF| Ancient History: The Coming of the First Men}}{{ref|TWOIAF| Dorne: The Breaking}} Archmaester [[Cassander]] argued in ''[[Song of the Sea: How the Lands Were Severed]]'' that flooding was caused by the melting of ice beyond the [[Shivering Sea]].{{ref|TWOIAF| Dorne: The Breaking}}
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==References==
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{{references}}
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[[Category:Children of the forest]]
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[[Category:Dorne]]
 
[[Category:Events]]
 
[[Category:Events]]
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[[Category:Magic]]
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[[Category:The Neck]]
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[[Category:The North]]
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[[es:Martillo de las aguas]]
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[[fr:Marteau des eaux]]

Latest revision as of 10:48, 18 March 2021

A child of the forest calls forth the hammer of the waters
A child of the forest looks down upon men drowned by the hammer of the waters

The hammer of the waters[1] or Hammer of the Waters[2] is a Westerosi legend about the children of the forest.[1][3]

Legend

According to legend, the greenseers of the children of the forest used dark magic to stop the migration of the First Men to Westeros.[4] Hundreds of greenseers gathered, possibly at the Isle of Faces[2] or Moat Cailin.[5] Some stories claim they sacrificed a thousand captive humans to weirwoods, while others claim the greenseers used blood from their own youths.[2]

The hammer of the waters resulted in the Breaking, the shattering of the Arm of Dorne into the Stepstones and the Broken Arm, separating Westeros from Essos.[2] Unfortunately for the children, it was too late, for the First Men already had a foothold in Westeros. However, the cataclysm proved the strength of the children's power, and may have proved instrumental in bringing the First Men to agree to the terms of the Pact on the Isle of Faces. The agreement ended hostilities, and marked four thousand years of friendship between the two races.[6]

At some point, the greenseers attempted to use the hammer of the waters, working from the Children's Tower of Moat Cailin, to break the lands of Westeros in two.[1][3] However, this created the boggy Neck instead of separate landmasses. It is unknown if this occurred during the same event as the breaking of the Arm of Dorne, or at a different time. The histories say that the crannogmen grew close to the children in the days when the greenseers tried to bring the hammer of the waters down upon the Neck.[7] Despite the lack of complete separation, the bogs and swamps of the Neck have proved an effective natural defense, and the First Men-held Moat Cailin never fell during the Andal invasion of Westeros.[8]

Some maesters, such as Yandel, suggest that the fates of the Arm of Dorne and the Neck were not magical in nature, but were natural occurrences relating to the sinking of land and the rising of ocean waters.[4][2] Archmaester Cassander argued in Song of the Sea: How the Lands Were Severed that flooding was caused by the melting of ice beyond the Shivering Sea.[2]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 55, Catelyn VIII.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 The World of Ice & Fire, Dorne: The Breaking.
  3. 3.0 3.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 20, Reek II.
  4. 4.0 4.1 The World of Ice & Fire, Ancient History: The Coming of the First Men.
  5. George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Children of the Forest.
  6. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 66, Bran VII.
  7. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 50, Theon IV.
  8. The World of Ice & Fire, Ancient History: The Arrival of the Andals.