History of Westeros
patreon
Bracken vs. Blackwood (livestream)
🕑 Added 2024-05-09 22:17:56 +0000 UTCThe longest running feud in the history of Westeros plays a significant role in the Dance of the Dragons / House of the Dragon as well as in A Song of Ice and Fire. We’ll look at how this endless cycle of violence started vs. how it’s going, some guesses at the future and everything in between.
Comments
Anthony DiPalma
Not sure if George himself has ever confirmed it, but I always thought House Blackwood was a reference to author Algernon Blackwood. Algernon was super interested in ghost stories (even joined a ghost hunting club in London!) and became one of the first major influences in fantasy/horror. George’s version has a spooky family living in a tree surrounded by ravens who follow ancient rites that may have included sacrificing a Bracken. They’re basically a Westerosi version of the Addams Family. But the vibes are very much in line with Algernon Blackwood’s work, and if George has read Lovecraft, he’s definitely read Blackwood. (Or maybe it’s just a cool name and George’s favoritism is based solely on that.)
