The Black Stone | ASOIAF Theory

The black oily stone is an oddity that has mystified a song of ice and fire readers for years. In this video, we will build a theory surrounding its origins and possible purpose. We will discuss the Deep Ones, the Old Gods, and many of the Lovecraft references hidden in the game of thrones...
🎥 Chapters:
Intro: 0:00 - 0:46
The Black Stone: 0:47 - 3:38
Maester Theories: 3:39 - 5:20
The Deep Ones & Thousand Islanders: 5:21 - 8:45
Yeen, the Mazemakers, the Five Forts, & the Toad Idol: 8:46 - 12:39
The Aquatic Idols: 12:40 - 13:15
HP Lovecraft: 13:16 - 14:47
Robert E. Howard and the Black Stone: 14:48 - 15:52
George RR Martin Influences: 15:53 - 16:40
Cthulhu: 16:41 - 18:14
Old Gods Theories: 18:15 - 18:55
The World Before: 18:56 - 20:45
Conclusion on the Black Stone: 20:46 - 22:22
Outro: 22:23 - 23:09
🔥 Socials
► Patreon: / kevinpendragon
► TikTok: / kevinpendragon
► Threads: www.threads.net/@kevinpendragon
📕 Chapters Referenced
A Clash of Kings - Bran IV
📕 Other References
The Call of Cthulhu - HP Lovecraft
🎨 Artwork
The Black Stone - Thomas Wievegg
Seastone Chair - Matt Brown
René Aigner - Asshai by the Shadow
Yeen - Enrique Murguia
Toad Stone - Martin H. Matthes
Base of the Hightower - Ted Nasmith
The priests of the Blind God among the mazes of Lorath - Jordi Gonzales Escamill
Five Forts - Martin H. Matthes
Moat Cailin - Francois Coppolani
The Great Zimbabwe - Unknown
Innsmouth Creator - Unknown
Deep Ones - Unknown
Deep One Rising - ahapasi (Deviant Art)
Lovecraftian Toad God - digitaltoadphotos (Deviant Art)
Ryleh - Richard Benning
A woman of the Thousand Islands - René Aigner
Great Wyk, largest of the isles - Juan Carlos Barquet for Fantasy Flight Games
Seastone Throne - ArtStation (Unknown Artist)
The Wall - Marc Simonetti
Music
🔈 Gravity Sound - "Portal" Mysterious Space Background Music No Copyright
#asoiaf #agameofthrones #asongoficeandfire #asoiaftheory

[@jserrano51]

If I remember well, when Ser Davos speaks to Lord Godric Borrell he notice he's hands are webbed, like the squishers Nimble Dick describes to Brienne. I wonder if the squishers will play some kind of role in the battles to come or if just world building. Maybe the squishers are the aquatic version of The Others. Maybe some horrible truth will be revealed. Maybe not.

[@KevinPendragon]

The Squishers, the mysterious Sea Peoples from our real world history, and the "Varys is a Merman theory" are things I wanted to talk about in this video but I couldn't find a good place. I may have to do a part two.

[@brenttrotter88]

I feel the maze makers is a nod to the labyrinth worlds in Hyperion.

[@jasonjenkins8910]

Impressive that you remembered that lol

[@jessemansfield9992]

They are! but might important if Martin ever finishes the fucking books

[@StockpileThomas1]

It's for world building only. There's simply no time for the squishers to play a promiment role in the story.

[@loooongneck]

I always thought there were two different types of black stone: the oily greasy one (seastone chair, toad isle, etc) and what is referred to as fused black stone (Hightower base, Valyrian dragon roads, the five forts, etc). The distinction is important, the oily black stone is the one of deep ones origin and the fused stone is made via fire sorcery or dragonfire

[@jlworrad]

The first time I read of the oily black stone I instantly thought ‘hmm, that’s how someone from an era of medieval technology would describe the texture of plastic’. I’m not saying that’s what it is. Just putting it out there.

[@KevinPendragon]

I see what you mean. Maybe the stone is an artificial material. That's a very interesting idea

[@darthgoku1580]

@@KevinPendragon Perhaps some sort of resin, one produced by these aquatic beings?

[@Between_Scylla_and_Kharybdis]

Which would also explain why plants can't take hold... Nice out-of-the-box thinking

[@georgedarby6642]

Haha that just makes me think the seastone chair being one of those plastic chairs

[@robmarconi6758]

I never thought plastic was "oily" or "greasy"

[@haakonaleksandr]

The five forts are made of fused black stone, not oily black stone. Fused black stone is evidence of dragons, and dragon riders in Yi ti, as the stone is fused together in dragon fire. This type of stone is found in dragonstone and the five forts and is not the same oily black stone found at the base of the high tower and at Ashaii

[@Robertsonberg]

So so true. There is a difference that is directly referenced. So to the foundation of Hightower

[@JosephGlackin-em8zh]

​@Robertsonberg

[@JosephGlackin-em8zh]

​@Robertsonberg

[@JosephGlackin-em8zh]

​@Robertsonberg

[@pyropulseIXXI]

This entire video is pointless because he doesn’t even realize there is a distinction between fused black stone and oily black stone This means his videos are literally just him regurgitating information he literally just blindly googles without understanding it

[@shawnbutler9888]

For those who don't know, Martin long ago said this was a fantasy story, not scifi story. Its not a post scifi civilization, or post-apocalyptic civilization. Just had to put it out there, since I've read more than a few comments that seem to think this is advanced tech, not magic.

[@marumae]

@18:36 "What if prophecies are the dreams of sleeping gods?" Chills here with this line. Great job! I love when Martin goes full blow fantasy and horror.

[@KevinPendragon]

The horror aspects are my favorite part of the series

[@rickyhunt4075]

"We believe it must relate to some ancient race or species that pre-dated human civilization, though probably not the children of the forest. And our suspicion is that they have something to do with the origins of Valyria. But is all that relevant to the present ASoIaF story? Perhaps only in a very indirect way, through Melisandre of Asshai" - Elio and Linda I think you're right about the stone being made by an ancient civilization but I don't think we were ever get an answer. I believe it is something George will never reveal or expand upon just one of the mysteries of asoiaf he said won't be answered. The same way we will likely never see Sothoyros or anything like that. Great vid

[@Slop_Dogg]

the thousand islanders have a mystical salad dressing that can extinguish dragon fire

[@Bigaphid]

The description of maester Theron's work sounds like how I would describe Lovecrafts' writing.

[@garrettfuhrman2549]

Something most theories don’t take into account, or at least don’t give a good enough explanation in my mind is, the difference between “fused” black stone, and “oily” black stone. Example being the Seastone chair is oily, while the Five Forts are fused, or at least not described as oily. Some say it’s from the Great Empire of the Dawn, and the oily stone is associated with the Bloodstone Emperor, but I’ve never understood how some were transformed and others weren’t. Still a good breakdown, but figured I’d add to the mystery as well.

[@vaclavsoukup7302]

From my rather foggy knowledge, Valyrians were also making fused black stone, though their version was made with dragons. Of course, as the Five Forts are much older than the Valyrian Freehold, this information is unimportant.

[@HierophanticRose]

I think its meant to be same stone regardless, probably built by the same precursor, or same type. I don't think GRRM added two different kinds of the same black stone; though it is not impossible I suppose - I mean Dragonglass is essentially black obsidian for what's another more

[@geoffreypaul7426]

I like your take! The Black Stone and Deep Ones, etc being mentioned in the background - which goes to show how much more is going on in the world, and it's not the main focus.

[@LemonFlump]

I personally subscribe to the theory that the oily black stone that seems to suck in light is very old, petrified shade of the evening tree. It’s said that weirwood trees when they petrify turn to an alabaster white stone. I think something similar is happening to the shade of the evening wood. There is another mention to something that seems to suck in light besides the stone, im pretty sure dani walks past some of these trees when visiting the warlocks and mentions that exact phrasing.

[@jonhauge-evaldsson783]

I agree with what you say, and there are many stories all over Westeros of aquatic beeings mixing with humans, and aquatic religious practices. I do think the fused stone is something else, though. It is made with dragonfire and magic. And yes, the Hightower and the Five Forts are older than Valyria, and their ornaments are different. It fits with the legend that the Valyrians learned the art of dragonriding from a people of the east. I think the Greate Empire of The Dawn had dragonriders.

[@Oximb]

Except the GEOTD was west of Asshai and the Shadows are describe as having only a few minutes of sunlight when the sun is up at noon, the Shadows are a giant cave. Does the GEOTD people were living in caves? Nope. Also the idea that amen could have controlled dragons before the Valyrians is also skilfully brushed aside, as men would have used them to conquer the world, yet there is no trace of dragons in the GEOTD legends, Yi-Ti doesn't claim that their ancestors were dragonriders because there is no trace of such thing. But there is an ancient people who aren't warriors, living in caves, who knew how to shape stones with magic, bonding with animal and also made a magical steel with fire and blood magic... the Children of the Forest, those who sing the song of earth, the Singers.

[@tulkas42o22]

I think a lot of these references are to give homage to lovecraft as many authors due just to give a wink to each other. Like your videos, to me it's making a lot of sense👍

[@CrankyB1tsch]

well it's no mistery that george martin is a fan of HPL

[@thefisherking78]

do*

[@daveid9271]

What do you think about the fishman hybrid theories going around? Some say Biter and other characters we see are half squisher. Although unlikely I think it'd be interesting if Patchface was a changling. (He's pudgy, pale, cold to the touch. He's never actually identified as the slave boy brought back overseas, he's only assumed to be, because of his patchface markings.)

[@KevinPendragon]

I have never heard of the theory that Biter was a squisher. I remember Davos meets with a lord who has webbed hands and that kind of suggests he is a hybrid or his ancestors were. Ive wonder if Patchface met the Deep Ones or if he just had a never death experience and it has driven him mad.

[@donkeysaurusrex7881]

I saw a very convincing video the other day that postulated that many important characters are actually horses.

[@daveid9271]

@@donkeysaurusrex7881 How can this be a theory if it's 100% true😆

[@PapaEmeritus_4evr]

@@donkeysaurusrex7881 That was a joke

[@stars-and-clouds]

I always thought the black stone to be an asteroid debris leftover from impact which started the long night, so the worshippers of darkness started using that stone considering it god-sent from their god. But your theory makes so much more sense, it has completely overruled mine. As much as this scares me, I also love it.

[@fashionsbyohrbachs]

These parts of the ancient history of A Song of Ice and Fire are the parts that I like most. Cool video

[@DoubleHelixStrand]

Great video. Always nice to find new/good ASOIAF channels.

[@johnhickman8391]

The oily black stone is meteorite remains, though magical in this world. The jade empoerer was said to be obcessed with this stone, and claimed to be a sorcerer, necromancer, etc. The sea people could be these hybrid peoples, who thrived after the coastal areas are destroyed by the sea, from the meteroids impacts, tsunamis, etc. Some eventually mixed with other groups, and their oily stone memorials were used as it brought about their rise in prosperity. The ironborn religion fits this ideal as well.

[@laurencote5949]

Thank you for bringing this to our attention! This was a super interesting bit of in world knowledge! Told very well, with some amazing theories... definitely loved it keep up the great work

[@carterfriesen899]

Love the video and glad to see you posting again!! I hope, but doubt, we learn what the black oily stone is from😭

[@KevinPendragon]

I don't think we will either. It's one of those things Martin wants us to think about but he'll never tell us what it is because that would ruin the 🎆mystery🎆 (also thank you for the kind words!)

[@InterestingNerdClub]

This video is kinda excellent. I love it when things get lovecrafty.

[@KevinPendragon]

Thanks and likewise. The fantasy horror elements are some of my favorite parts of the series

[@randominternetguyoffical]

Oh hell yes! Get hype its Black Stone talk! Pendragon Returns!!!

[@zacharyrihner4825]

Hope you are doing good kevin, sending positive vibes

[@KevinPendragon]

Love wholesome comments like this. Thanks, and good vibes to you too

[@conniesuper9892]

Pretty great video, sir. Nice work,quite compelling. Thank you for the brain food!

[@Grogeous_Maximus]

Great to see you uploading again, Kevin

[@KevinPendragon]

Appreciate it! I had hoped to have this video out sooner but kept tweaking/editing/etc before I knew it January was gone. Happy New Year to you and I hope all is well.

[@mistermaestersirthomas9164]

“Paint it Black” Rolling Stones, the main purpose of the black stone is to tell us foreshadowing of history repeating. Targaryen ancestors lost their temper over people not wanting to be ruled by them and burned them, consequently Daenerys will fooosh her way across Essos including Tyrosh with the red door. Emerald sea and Black stone, green and black, are references to Targaryens; also clues to Daenerys’ birth, as is Drogon and her going to the sea cave. Storm-born can mean three different things, but in Daenerys’ case, she is all three: born during a storm (not magical), born during a storming of a castle by Stannis (the storm helped “slip” through his fingers), and born at sea in the Stormlands. As for Lovecraft allusions, don’t forget the ?dead grass? (I forget what it’s called, but the grass that kills the horses; probably including the horse Daenerys ate, hence her giving birth to dragons.) The grass is a allusion to the alien ?mold? or grass that grows from a meteor strike. Black stone also referring to meteor rock: one meteor from the ice moon causing Weir”wood” (actually fungus), one meteor from the fire moon causing dragons.

[@mistermaestersirthomas9164]

@@umwha meteor was the origin but not the only way to make dragons. Ghost grass, dead horse who ate it, pregnant Targaryen girl who ate raw dead horse meat, and gives birth to multiple dragons.

[@mistermaestersirthomas9164]

@@umwha dragons are Trichinosis meets “Aliens” meets Lovecraftian meteor meets “Enchanted Doe” fairytale . The cracking of the meteor is like an egg or a Cesarean for Nissa Nissa. Dothraki matriarchs didn’t like Daenerys so the fed her raw meat that was infested like what happened to that ancient Targaryen girl.

[@mistermaestersirthomas9164]

@@umwha she was the egg, the stone eggs are fake.

[@mistermaestersirthomas9164]

@@umwha so cracking was heard in a large fire and dragons weren’t seen hatching? Ta-da! And now for my next magic trick…. A magic horn with bands of runes not destroyed!

[@mistermaestersirthomas9164]

@@umwha mostly. The runes on the horn basically say the are powered by fire, so burning it won’t work; probably because they are shedded dragon horns, but also probably “magic rings” around them. Just like Daenerys’ arm bands, the rings around the horn are mimicking Norse (as well as others) myth. The horns function as well it’s metaphorical function is to entrance the listener , which matches Daenrys/woman clue set: “they followed her song”:“Singbird” Sansa singing to Sandor, “Bands of Gold”, Widow’s Wail, the ending of Vic vs. Selmy, etc. The reason the birth happens in the tent with the POV outside, is the same reason we don’t see inside the flame (Melisandre’s fire visions hints something secret happened in the flames); that’s to hide from the reader what happened. “Girl of Ashes” is from “Cinderella” hinting she’s going to burn KL as well as her being bastard-born. “Slayer of Lies” is from Oedipus, the lies slain are the ones Oedipus believes about himself, again hinting at her being bastard-born and who some of Aegon’s servants are. Storm-born once again tells us she is bastard-born as well as born during a storm (probably not magical), which was helpful to “slip” by Stannis’ storming, and telling us where she was born: Stormlands (Sea, her and Drogon tell us this part). ?Myissa? (Not sure the spelling) tells us she’s a mother, “Mother of Dragons “ tells us who. “Enchanted Doe” is being mimicked with the infested Targaryen girl, as well “Tatterhood”; both about king and queen needing help with fertility. Zeus, Hera, and ?Hespuestus? birth, as well the “Starry eyed” cult from Lovecraftian lore/“Good Omens”/“Rosemary’s Baby”; gives us Mance’s (Aegon) backstory as well as Rhogo’s being kidnapped and whisked away. For Preston Jacobs’ gene fans, if Targaryens are part dragon and they can give birth both part dragons and normal humans than there’s no reason they can’t give birth to part humans and full dragons.

[@jameshilden8592]

From void evolved Phyrexia. Great Yawgmoth, Father of Machines, saw its perfection. Thus the Grand Evolution began.

[@SOLH-vq3lh]

Brother, you are a fricking master at creating content so good as chips, it's impossible to eat just one, same goes for watching your videos, you are well read in the lore, smarrt and got that personal charisma going on for you, so i got hooked after one video. You earned a subscriber today, and imma reckommend you to anyone i know whom shares my endless interest in this world, Wish you the best, Solo - Sweden

[@KevinPendragon]

Thanks for the kind comments. I see you have been watching my other videos as well. That really means a lot to me. I really hope you enjoy the videos. There's a Pycelle theory video coming out tomorrow where I give ideas on why I think Pycelle supports Tywin. Thanks again for the support

[@hatuletoh]

Lovecraft himself borrowed from earlier--much earlier--literary traditions: "Dagon" is the name of an ancient Mesopotamian god who was often depicted with a fish's head. The black stones are one more intriguing mystery that we're never going to get a satisfying answer to now that George One R Martin has given up even the pretense that he'll ever finish ASOIAF. When was the last time he dropped a tweet saying that he was maybe, sort of, getting close to being around halfway finished on the unedited first draft of the book he was supposed to have released over a decade ago? We're never going to get a proper ending, or any more information about the black stones and the people who made them, unless HBO suits decides they wants a prequel about about black stones. That seems to be the only thing that motivates George to stop playing with his toy trains long enough to write, or at least to be a consultant to a team of script writers.

[@Manwendlil]

G.R.R.Martin still works on the Winds of Winter. As he has repeatedly stated recently. It goes slow but it is still progress. =)

[@KevinPendragon]

I wish I had known about the Mesopotamian god Dagon when I wrote the script for this. That's really interesting to learn. Thanks (and I agree with everything about the lack of Winds content)

[@Palafico3]

He said he's 3/4 of the way there, which leads me to believe that he's managed to untangle a lot of the plot points that were causing him to struggle, so I think the writing is going much faster at this rate. I'll give him anywhere from 1-3 years left to finish it.

[@ShinM.]

@@Palafico3 Martin said he was halfway done when the first season of the show was first aired. If that's the pace of writing, as you said he's 3/4ths done now, then it'll be another 20 years before he finishes the book, given the need for editing after the first rough draft is finished. Absolutely terrible work ethic now, I guess he earned it, though.

[@rawdondiggerman746]

@@KevinPendragon the H.P Lovecraft short story 'Dagon' makes references to oily black stone and men with fishlike features if I remember correctly

[@made-line7627]

This was -an oily- a happy surprise 🎬

[@borisgrechanichenko]

I prefer the theorie of the Great Empire of the Down. It requires less fantasie elements, it is more regular and better alligned with the other details of that world.

[@unconcernedbeast9190]

i think its magic , george in his other novels talks about a knife that can cut anything because it's vibrating , it's just technology but they dont know how it work so they call it magic . this magic is controled by thoughts so the black stone is the same thing the Velaryon have because humans have the smae thoughts so they get the smae thing

[@randominternetguyoffical]

This is a fascinating video, wonderful use of that green dream line there as well

[@KevinPendragon]

It's a very appropriate quote from Tuf Voyaging

[@jonhauge-evaldsson783]

I was thinking the weirwoods themselves are like giant squids -A face with tentacles both up and down. Sleeping dead gods who influence human dreams.

[@jonhauge-evaldsson783]

@Kevin Pendragon Oh! I love Tuf's voyages and "Guardians" especially!

[@mattatkins5229]

Thousand Islander sounds like someone really fond of a certain salad dressing

[@KevinPendragon]

George knew exactly what he was doing when he named them

[@criticalthot]

Love this! Also, wanted to add, I think Asshai is an homage to Gene Wolfe’s Ascia from Book of the New Sun. In Latin ‘Ascian’ means ‘person without a shadow’ specifically in the context of location, meaning people living near the equator where the sun is directly overhead and there isn’t a shadow cast. It feels significant that it’s described as a ruined shadow city and seems to be around where we might expect the equator of the planet to be.

[@KevinPendragon]

The cover of Book of the New Sun even looks like it has a masked Shadow Binder on it. I'm going to have to read this. Thank you!

[@criticalthot]

@@KevinPendragon it’s a masterpiece! And everything Wolfe wrote gets better the more times you reread it, he was an incredible author.

[@stars-and-clouds]

Something interesting about Patch face is that he basically does the whole 'be reborn through water' thing, that Greyjoys pretend to do, for real. Maybe there is a reason he, who was drowned for days and lost his mind sings of underwater cities and people, and the Greyjoys who are sea and underwater worshippers have this tradition of dying and coming back to life. Maybe you need to die from being an underwater being and come back to life as a land creature? Idk this is quite baseless, just an observation on my part.

[@silverlegionary1636]

This was awesome. Subscribed.

[@KevinPendragon]

Thank you very much!

[@alexkaen1701]

It's some good Lovecraft, but it brings up an old question which George RR Martin might have provided an answer for: how to Deep Ones hybridize with Humans? It shouldn't work, you can't make a new race by combining mammals and fish, except by extreme changes in genetics. The stories of dragons in his worlds suggest that ancient people practiced Blood Magic as a kind of genetic engineering. What if another kingdom modified Humans to survive in the sea, creating Deep Ones? We don't need alien forces anymore, just multiple ancient kingdoms of incredible magical power, perhaps wiped out in war with each other.

[@markagrippa4018]

I highbly doubt GRRM will illuminate us on any more info but I hope we do get some info on the seastone chair, its the only black stone where it would have had to be at least cut and altered by the current age of men, also the iron isles have a ton of mysteries compared to anywhere else in the seven kingdoms I think they are kind of the missing link from the first men and the people before them

[@TOUGHEYES]

I always appreciate a good lore channel. Subscribed.

[@KevinPendragon]

Thank you!

[@CNNBlackmailSupport]

Cool theories, but I think you are right about Martin not having the time to flesh out the old gods or to use them as an important plot point.

[@tylerbarrett6652]

I think we are talking about the Great Empire of the Dawn... as each subsequent gemstone emperor occupied the throne, their "race" or "species" became dominant. The God on Earth ruled for 10,000 years and then returned to the heavens... then his heir, the first gemstone emperor ruled for about 1,000 years... but each succeeding emperor ruled for less time than the one before. It seems to me that all of the evidence of these lost civilizations point to the many cultures harnessed by each of these emperors... and then the long dark night happened... the hammer of the waters happened... the doom of valyria happened... We obviously don't have enough valid information... and plenty of speculation to try to sort out these ancient mysteries.

[@Bobson_Dugnutt_Esq]

Awww yeah. Here we go

[@daytonman]

Fire vid thank you much

[@10bunks12]

Fantastic video. Have to subscribe.

[@Colin-um5tz]

Maybe the drowned God is Cthulhu himself or maybe Dagon

[@zachbarker497]

Ponderous is a very nice way of saying that sometimes Lovecraft will go into whole paragraphs describing an unrelated cat having a bad day. Sometimes it works, sometimes you feel like two paragraphs would have sufficed rather than four.

[@danieldeclue1466]

So I firmly believe that you are correct, the black oily Stone was used by the Deep ones way back when they were the dominant species of planetos. I believe that Asshai would have most likely been their Capital because it is the largest of all the cities and oily black stone structures. I believe that later on, during the reign of the great Empire of the dawn, and mankind, that the Bloodstone Emperor realized the malignant qualities of this material, and as the story say began to worship it, causing him to go further down a rabbit hole of depravity that ultimately ended up causing the first long night most likely. And after that, I personally believe that the valerians were most likely descended from the sister of the Bloodstone emperor, the amethyst empress. Because all valerians have the trademark amethyst eyes which was clearly a trademark with the different rulers of the Empire of the Dawn as well. Every single time a catastrophe occurred, an Empire would fall, the scope would narrow, and the planet would lose more magic, with the events repeating themselves each time, until finally the dance of the Dragons happened and snuffed the rest of the world's magic out for 172 years. Then Danny decided to burn some bitch on a pyre, and we got it all back baby

[@mattlahey6705]

In AWOIAF its said those humanoids on the 1000 isle are afraid of the water

[@thelaughingstormbornagain1297]

This has me thinking about what if thousands of years ago Westeros and Esso were basicly connected and or Narrow Sea was closer to a river. What would that mean for theorized races like the squishers. Who might have had a major city on what was the coast of Westeros where the sea stone chair is. Likely Westeros couldve had a much different coastlines. I absolutely love thinking about the squishers but I fear Martin won't go into them much more than he has but hey we have two more books. In my opinion there's plenty of places Martin has setup to explore it further on the future books. Maybe even a new lore book from a different perspective could give some insight.

[@jesusalejandrogalavizherre3775]

I like the misteries in this world.

[@Ledbottom86]

Why do we think of it as a city lost under the sea? The city could've been made under the sea. The city of Asshai could've been under the sea but the water rescinded and the deep ones had to leave it.

[@KevinPendragon]

I touch on that here 7:10 but didn't expand on it. Might be an idea to explore in a future video

[@zefft.f4010]

Lovecraft wasn't a great writer, but he was a worldbuilder par excellence. He was also very self-conscious and self-deprecating almost to the point of self-harm and self-sabotage and did not believe himself to be even a decent writer at times - he often described his stories and ideas to other writers that he felt were more competent than himself. So I like to think that he would certainly approve of talented writers borrowing his ideas to create works he (rightly or wrongly) believed he wasn't capable of.

[@xagatal]

Makes sense to me; dragons of fire, others for ice, deep ones for water, children of the forest for earth.

[@amyra8159]

It's the others(white walkers) for ice. Dragons, deep ones, others and children of the forest are higher intelligent beings in comparison to the animated resurrected beings like wights, shadows

[@xagatal]

@@amyra8159 You are correct. I'm changing my original post, I like what you said.

[@eddieford9373]

I like the theory that the black stones stop plant growth. I haven't heard anyone else talk about that. It would also explain why no plants grow in Ashai.

[@GijsTheDog]

It seems to me its purposeful mystery on behalf of Martin that he doesn't want to give the answer too, only some crumbs.

[@aaronl4935]

glad ur still making vids

[@Robertsonberg]

I love it Penne but you know there Is a difference on the black stone, the ones linked to the deep ones and those that are fused by 🐲 🔥

[@cernunnos_lives]

I'm going to make my home made from Blackstone. Probably radioactive ☢️ and hey it's intimidating. But you gotta start somewhere to making legends.

[@PapaEmeritus_4evr]

Has GRRM ever mentioned Lovecraft as any kind of inspiration?

[@KevinPendragon]

Yes: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYfWZoKwqKhsZtk

[@Amanda-cd6dm]

Why would you use an oily Rock? Doesn't seem too fortifying to me.

[@ReeceDee]

Yeah the fused black stone is Valyrian/Great empire of the dawn...oily black stone is Squisher/Merling/ Deep Ones related

[@grahamfahlman]

It's also found in warhammer 40k, black stone pillers and blackstone fortress...

[@jgr7487]

after (F)Aegon was introduced in ADwD, I guess we can't say that something important is not yet to be presented to the readers.

[@FumblsTheSniper]

Can’t wait for him to finish and then retire, and the series gets its own Dragonlance treatment. Just take the base world and allow authors to play around in it for a few decades. If that isn’t already going on.

[@ShadowWizard123]

I wish the Seastone Chair was real. I would love to see something like that.

[@Embassy_of_Jupiter]

Idk, I would be thrilled to find out I am part ancient terrifying sea monster, but maybe that's just me

[@filthforce]

wait, what series are we talking about here??

[@GunterThePenguinHatesHugs]

This was awesome and in-depth, ....but I get the feeling that GRRM himself hasn't even thought it through properly yet! 😂

[@KevinPendragon]

wenk

[@GunterThePenguinHatesHugs]

@@KevinPendragon wenk! :^

[@W47689]

YEEEEEEEEER

[@commanderdanielcousland9981]

I put my money on them being Necron black rock

[@KevinPendragon]

This is interesting but I don't know enough about Warhammer to draw any in depth comparisons

[@PapaEmeritus_4evr]

5:49 Jar Jar Binks in the back.

[@Amanda-cd6dm]

I already know about writing

[@jcarter8832]

Wasnt driftmarks throne chair made from black oily stone?

[@KevinPendragon]

It was made of driftwood

[@dshepherd107]

The Black Stone… could it possibly be anthracite?

[@Rebellescum]

Maybe they're hybrids, maybe its a type of fantasy evolution, the black stone a strange remnant of an evolution long ago. Water is also an element that is "opposite" to fire. Maybe they are elemental gods from where life began, Fire, earth, air and water, long long ago.

[@someperson8641]

❤

[@Loreweavver]

There are enough books left to turn this high medieval fantasy into a science fiction cosmic horror.

[@ronniewestherly3435]

The toad was actually a ancient one who was thrown out of the group of the ancient ones.He was to be so evil that they didn't want anything to do with him.I can't remember what his name was.

[@viverasschweiz]

would be nice to have a RPG game on the level of D&D

[@thefisherking78]

More likely obsidian than basalt, methinks

[@gammon1183]

Ask George 🤔

[@PastramiSalami666]

Unda da seeeeeeea

[@jonhauge-evaldsson783]

The Tullys dress up like fish people and belive in an afterlife in the "Watery Halls".

[@CFkatehudson]

H.P. Lovecraft yadda yadda Deep ones

[@zehsackett6132]

Patchface knows

[@jedodedo]

You haven't made the connection to the Bloodstone Emperor and the Long Night

[@b-8514]

None of this is going to matter. George will be dead before he finishes the series. He’s in his late 70’s and we’ve been waiting on WoW for 11 years 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@cthulhluftagn3812]

This is what annoyed me about th3 tv series, g r r is building up this lovecraftian magical threat in the basckround that the show just tottaly ignored. They seemed to want to ignore all the magic of this fantasy setting..

[@pegonzga1068]

Solidified ink of a kraken

[@arbiesamong6547]

Deep Ones = Elder Gods = Titans?

[@tcup3946]

I leave a greasy black stone on my throne every morning. God willing

[@KevinPendragon]

It shouldn't be greasy and definitely shouldn't be black. You need to see a maester

[@codranine6054]

Like dude this is stuff I want to learn more I could give so much less to things like house of dragons

[@Professor_GonZo]

Something something GRRM apeing Robert E Howard...

[@thotparnassus2617]

Black goo

[@edhipolito6694]

Why are you saying Basalt weird bro

[@KevinPendragon]

Just looked up the pronunciation and now I want to delete this whole video 😭

[@Amanda-cd6dm]

It says in the Bible that the Iron Throne is in hell

[@blacksuite1]

"Inns mouth" 😆

[@KevinPendragon]

how is it pronounced?😭 it some shit like innsmuth isn't it?

[@blacksuite1]

@@KevinPendragon "inns myth" is how most others pronounce it. The narration channel "Horror babble" reads his works. You can hear how they pronounce the crazier names that Lovecraft made.

[@AncientRylanor69]

Kharn