History Literature / ASongOfIceAndFire

* CallARabbitASmeerp: Lizard-lions seem to be crocodiles, and basilisks some species of large tropical lizards. A "zorse" is probably a zebra, though in real life the word is used to describe a horse/zebra hybrid.

** "You know nothing, Jon Snow," is Ygritte's, and it also doubles as ArcWords.

** Petyr Baelish's case is the worst-kept secret in Westeros. Everyone knows that he's a schemer, but they always underestimate the scope of his plans and think they can use him to their advantage.

** The Faith of the Seven, the predominant religion on Westeros, is similar to Roman Catholicism, centering around an analog of the Trinity, that has seven gods in one rather than three (the [[GrandpaGod Father]], [[WarGod Warrior]], [[TheBlackSmith Smith]], [[TheHecateSisters Maid, Mother, Crone]], and [[TheGrimReaper Stranger]] ), and complete with monastic orders, [[ChurchMilitant dormant military orders]], and a Pope (the High Septon). It isn't quite as intolerant as medieval Christianity, however, and more-or-less peacefully coexists with the quasi-Druidic worship of the "old gods" in the North as well as the Drowned God of the Iron Islands.

* BigBadassWolf: The Starks' direwolves.

* BigScrewedUpFamily: This is a hallmark of the series. Many noble families fall under the trope, most especially the Freys, which includes about a hundred family members living under the same roof and all jockeying murderously for favor with the family patriarch.

* BoisterousBruiser: King Robert Baratheon and "Greatjon" Umber. Thoros of Myr and Aeron Damphair were both examples before their religious awakenings.

* BrawnHilda: Brienne of Tarth.

** Viserys Targaryen, the Beggar King, was raised to think of himself as a member of a master race and heir to a mighty nation, yet he doesn't even have his own bed. He spends his days wandering from court to court, selling his family heirlooms to survive, trying to convince someone to support his claim. His life is one long string of humiliations.
** Quentyn Martell, who doesn't know how to talk to girls, is [[spoiler: sent across the sea on a mission that could determine the fate of Westeros, to woo "the most beautiful woman in the world". She laughs at him. Things get worse for him from there.]] It doesn't help that he is constantly described as being less attractive than his best friend.

* AffablyEvil: Littlefinger, so very much.

** The Ghiscari call themselves "The Sons of the Harpy," after the heraldic harpy of old Ghis. [[spoiler:The villanous LaResistance[=/=]TheRemnant formed against Daenerys' government in Meereen is known as the Sons of the Harpy and its rumored leader is known as The Harpy]]
** The Lhazarene, a pacifistic herding culture, are known by the Dothraki as the Lamb Men.

** When Barristan Selmy [[spoiler:fights Krazz, the pitfighter. Krazz wears no armor and is unfamiliar with fighting against it. His slashing sword cannot pierce Selmy's armor, so he targets the knight's unarmored head. He spends most of the fight futilely trying to goad Selmy into taking his armor off]].

* ArmyOfThievesAndWhores: The Night's Watch.

* RoyalBrats: And how. One of the names proposed for this trope was "TheJoffrey", which is still a redirect.

* ZeroPercentApprovalRating:
** House Frey is utterly despised by other noble houses for not only [[spoiler:backstabbing the Starks and Tullys]], but also violating the cardinal rule of hospitality in Westerosi culture. The only crime higher than kingslaying, the septons say, is kinslaying, but guest right seems to be held by many to be above even that.
** When Cersei and Joffrey take the Iron Throne, both of them become extremely unpopular. Joffrey is hated due to his petty cruelty and lack of concern for his subjects, and Cersei quickly alienates herself due to her inability to consolidate her power.

** While slavery is practiced on the eastern continent, it is outlawed in Westeros and punishable by death. Even the Ironborn, who make "thralls" and "salt wives" (concubines) of their prisoners, are offended by the concept of chattel slavery, children born of thralls are actually free and some of the Iron Islands houses are descended from thralls.

** While slavery is practiced on the eastern continent, it is outlawed in Westeros and punishable by death. Even the Ironborn, who make "thralls" of their prisoners, are offended by the concept of chattel slavery.
** [[spoiler:The Red Wedding, engineered by Tywin Lannister, was a maneuver by the Boltons and Freys to destroy the Northern Army, which relied on assasinating the higherups of that army, including Robb and Catelyn Stark, by attacking them at dinner, which is a violation of the "hospitality laws" that have been followed for thousands of years.]] Virtually everyone else in the realm in-universe thinks the entire House of Frey is composed of faithless {{Complete Monster}}s afterwards.

* CometOfDoom

* EspeciallyYou: An exchange Mance Rayder has with Tormund Giantsbane on two occasions in which he (Mance) tells other wildings to leave so he can talk privately with Jon Snow. In both instances, Tormund asks, "Even me?" and Mance replies "Particularly you."

** King Aerys's final chancellor (after he had killed several others) was Lord Rossart, who was an evil chancellor because of well he advanced the king's interests, being an insane {{pyromaniac}} just like Aerys.

* EvilDetectingDog: The direwolves,[[spoiler: If their owners would only listen to them.]]

* FantasyCounterpartCulture: The Dothraki are based on the Mongols, Alans, Huns, Thracians and Amerindians. The Free Cities are loosely based on the medieval Italian city-states (including Italian-sounding names) and some elements of Ancient Greek culture, with Braavos being a CityOfCanals like Venice and Volantis having a oligarchical form of democracy. The Slaver Cities - Astapor, Yunkai and Meereen reminiscent of ancient middle-eastern Empires. The regions of Westeros are the North (Scotland, especially beyond the Wall), the Iron Islands (Scandinavia), the Riverlands (North France/Brittany), the Vale (Alps), the Westerlands (England), the Stormlands (North Spain), the Reach (South France/Provence), and Dorne (Moorish Spain). The continent as a whole has many similarities to Britain, including waves of conquering cultures and a wall up in the cold north to keep out barbarians. Meanwhile, the rarely-mentioned southern continent Sothoryos is roughly analogous to Africa during this time period.

** In ''A Storm of Swords'', there's a detailed description of how Robb bids farewell to Jeyne Westerling thrice befoe departing to his uncle Edmure's wedding, [[spoiler: which turns into the Red Wedding, making it the last time the couple bid farewell to each other.]]
** The Undying's assurance to Dany that "the dragon has three heads," which has since led her (and the readers) to a great deal of speculation.

*** Mediocre Knight?! That was a Knight of the KingsGaurd! Supposed to be one of the top 7 in the Kingdom.

* RedOniBlueOni: On a grand scale. The BizarreSeasons, the [[EvilIsDeathlyCold Others]] and [[LightIsNotGood R'hllor]], the [[TheStoic Starks]] and the [[RoyallyScrewedUp Targaryens]]--"ice and fire" is arguably the series' central theme.
** In terms of character duos, there's Ned Stark & Robert Baratheon.

* NoPartyLikeADonnerParty: In ''A Dance With Dragons'', some of Stannis' men end up eating their dead when they are trapped by a massive snowing during the march to Winterfell. They get burned alive for it.
* NoPronunciationGuide: GRRM is of the opinion that you should be allowed to decide on pronunciations for yourself. This is probably because he didn't ''want'' to have to decide how to say "Xaro Xhoan Daxos" or "Jaqen H'ghar." Nowadays, the pronounciation guide is basically ''the TV series''.

** Jaime Lannister. He killed the king he was sworn to protect, and everyone treats him like the lowest of the low, even in a CrapsackWorld full of child rapists, {{Torture Technician}}s, and [[TheCaligula mad kings]] (like the one he killed).

* OneSteveLimit: Averted, especially as families often name children for ancestors or those with whom they're attempting to curry favor. Ned Stark, for example, names two of his children Brandon and Rickon, probably after his brother and father who were killed by the Mad King. Robert Arryn (and possibly Robb Stark) is named after King Robert Baratheon; there has been more than one Jon running around (Arryn, Connington, Snow, two Umbers); there's two Balons (Swann, Greyjoy); it seems to be a House Stark tradition to ''always'' have a Brandon in each generation (The Builder; The Shipwright; The Burner; The Daughterless; The Broken); and there's more Aegons, Viseryses, Aeryses, Daerons, and Baelors than you can break a spear at. House Frey is a particular exception for all the Walders and Waldas, named to suck up to family patriarch Walder Frey.

* PerfectlyArrangedMarriage: The Starks, though it's noted to have taken some years to get used to each other; Khal Drogo and Daenerys.

* {{Prequel}} / PrequelInTheLostAge: "The Hedge Knight, "The Sworn Sword," and "The Mystery Knight," aka the "Dunk & Egg" stories.

* RacialRemnant: The Targaryen family are refugees from the Doom of Valyrian and are the last remnant of the Valyrian people. They're easily identifiable by their [[WhiteHairedPrettyBoy distinct appearance]].

* RedOniBlueOni: On a grand scale. The BizarreSeasons, the [[EvilIsDeathlyCold Others]] and [[LightIsNotGood R'hllor]], the [[TheStoic Starks]] and the [[RoyallyScrewedUp Targaryens]]--"ice and fire" is arguably the series's central theme.

* {{Prequel}}: "The Hedge Knight, "The Sworn Sword," and "The Mystery Knight," aka the "Dunk & Egg" stories.

* {{Antihero}}: Depending on which characters are your favorite, it's hard to say who you'll consider the main {{Antihero}} or {{AntiVillain}}.

-->"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. We swear it by earth and water, we swear it by bronze and iron, we swear it by [[TitleDrop ice and fire]].

* BarbarianTribe: The Dothraki are simplified {{Expy}}s of the Mongol steppe-horsemen archetype.
* BastardBastard: Ramsay Snow is a notable example. Of course, [[HumansAreBastards bastardy isn't limited to actual bastards in this series]].

* CorruptChurch: The Faith of the Seven becomes this, as the High Septon is blatantly in the pocket of the Lannisters. He's immensely overweight and decked out in jewels while riding through a city that is on the verge of starvation. The angry smallfolk riot, rip the man to pieces. The next Hight Septon is pretty much the same, though Cersei has him killed because she believed he was under Tyrion's thumb. The next man chosen due to public pressure is lowborn reformer, who is quite the ascetic KnightTemplar.

* CrystalDragonJesus:

** [[spoiler: Eddard Stark is beheaded as a "traitor" of his country.]] His first appearance, he beheads a deserter of the Night's Watch.

** [[spoiler:The Red Wedding, engineered by Tywin Lannister, was a maneuver by the Boltons and Freys to destroy the Northern Army, which relied on assasinating the higherups of that army, including Robb and Catelyn Stark, by attacking them at dinner, which is a violation of the "hospitality laws" that have been followed for thousands of years.]] Virtually everyone else in the realm thinks the entire House of Frey is composed of faithless Complete Monsters afterwards.
** Being a BloodKnight with some redeeming qualities, while Jaime Lannister may commit or attempt murder for reasons of varying morality, he would never kill by trickery or use assassins to do his killing for him.

* MadLibsCatchphrase: [[MadnessMantra Reek Reek it rhymes with ______]].

** Also, Theon's final repetition of " You have to know your name!"

* MythArc: The Others. The Prince Who Was Promised.

** The Others, who raise the corpses of people and animals they kill (and possibly corpses in general) as wights

* NobodyPoops: Averted. Defecation is mentioned quite frequently. In ''Storm of Swords'', Strong Belwas shames the Yunkai champion by shitting in the direction of his city and wiping himself with his cloak. And [[spoiler: Tywin Lannister]] is assassinated when he's on the privy, [[spoiler: proving that he ''doesn't'' shit gold]].

** Tyrion comes to this conclusion regarding himself and his father. [[spoiler: -->''Now that's where you're wrong, Father. Why, I believe I'm you writ small. Do me a kindness now, and die quickly.'']]

** Jon is accused of being an Oath Breaker, which he technically is, though he did it under orders...it's a bit complicated.

** Viserys is this with regards to Daenerys, and firmly in {{Abusive Parents}} territory.

** The Iron Men, who look down on paying for anything with gold, and even working for their food. They take pride in stealing what they want and living on the labor of thralls.

** Sansa- lemoncake

* WhyCouldntYouMeDifferent: Randyll Tarly to his son.

* [=~Why Couldn't You Be Different?~=]: Randyll Tarly to his son.

** [[spoiler:Coldhands is another example of this trope. For a long time the most prevalent fan theory was that he was Benjen Stark, it was finally {{Jossed}} in ADWD]].

** [[spoiler:Coldhands is strongly implied to be another example of this trope. By far the most prevalent fan theory is that he's Benjen Stark]].

** When Syrio Forel helps Arya escape by holding off Cersei's guards, he manages to kill five lightly armored guards with his wooden training sword, but is defeated by a mediocre knight wearing full plate

** When Syrio Forel helps Arya escape by holding off Cersei's guards, he manages to kill five lightly armored guards with his wooden training sword, but may have been killed by a mediocre knight wearing full plate, [[spoiler: but we haven't seen his body as yet.]]

* RacialRemnant: The Valaryan Freehold (probably a FantasyCounterpartCulture of the Roman Empire) collapsed after its capital city was mysteriously wiped out in a single night. A group of Valaryan refugees, the Targaryens, conquered Westeros, and were known for their [[WhiteHairedPrettyBoy distinct appearances]] and [[BrotherSisterIncest unusual marriage practices]].

** When Syrio Forel helps Arya escape by holding off Cersei's guards, he manages to kill five lightly armored guards with his wooden training sword, but is killed by a mediocre knight who is wearing full plate.

* DeathByIrony: [[spoiler:Tywin Lannister ''doesn't'' shit gold. Viserys Targaryen receives a fatal crown. Quentyn receives his dragons business-end first. Kevan Lannister follows his brother even in the method of his death.]]

-->'''Varys:''' "You can match the queen coin for coin, but [[IfYouKnowWhatIMean she has a second purse]] that is quite inexhaustible."

* SwitchedAtBirth: In ''A Feast for Crows'', Mance Rayder's son is switched with Gilly's son in order to prevent Melisandre from taking advantage of his "royal blood" as a sacrifice to R'hllor. As of ''A Dance with Dragons'', [[spoiler:it becomes apparent that the same thing happened in the backstory to save baby Aegon Targaryen. OrIsIt]]