44 replies to this topic

[Sir Dunk]

Are they the Children of the Forest?

[Thunderfist]

No. As far as I know, they are just kids (orphans probably) who Illyrio and Varys have trained to act as their spies.

[butterbumps!]

Thunderfist, on 01 May 2012 - 01:32 PM, said:

they are just kids (orphans probably) who Illyrio and Varys have trained to act as their spies.

with their tongues cut out to prevent information leaks.

[Apple Martini]

No. Just mute orphans from the Free Cities, who are (it's implied) killed when their usefulness runs out.

[butterbumps!]

^^   really?   I had the impression that they were "made" to be mute.   I defer to you, though.

[oba]

butterbumps!, on 01 May 2012 - 03:18 PM, said:

^^   really?   I had the impression that they were "made" to be mute.   I defer to you, though.

So did I.  When Arya overhears Varys and Illyrio talking one of them poses "if they kept their tongues" which I took to mean they weren't procuring already mute children but were, as you say, making them mute.

Quote

"The ones you need are hard to find . . . so young, to know their letters . . .perhaps older . . .not die so easy . . ."
"No.  The younger ones are safer . . . treat them gently . . ."
". . .if they kept their tongues . . ."
". . .the risk . . ."

[Howling Mad]

Whats the difference if they keep their tongue or know their letters?  Either way they could still pass along secrets albeit to people who can read.

[theguyfromtheVale]

Howling4Reed, on 01 May 2012 - 04:17 PM, said:

Whats the difference if they keep their tongue or know their letters?  Either way they could still pass along secrets albeit to people who can read.

They cannot unintentionally spill the beans while running around; they can only give info to people who can read; and they can't as easily confess under torture or something like that, as it's harder to write when in pain.

[Howlin' Howland Reed]

I agree with Oba. The dialogue between Varys and Illyrio in AGOT seems to suggest that they're "fixing" the children in regards to their muteness.

[Buried Treasure]

What I find interesting is that Illyrio is able to find literate young children from Essos that know the common tongue of Westeros. It would be very hard to get the numbers he needs just from sweeping the streets of the free cities. I suspect he must have been buying some of the children from Slavers Bay where they have the time and resources to educate large numbers of children inexpensively - Missendei shows that there are youngsters that have been taught the common tongue in Astapor.

[Pommes]

Maybe Varys can warg birds

[Lan the Clever]

Apple Martini, on 01 May 2012 - 01:43 PM, said:

No. Just mute orphans from the Free Cities, who are (it's implied) killed when their usefulness runs out.

Wow! There are a lot of mute children in the Free Cities.

[jarl the climber]

Apple Martini, on 01 May 2012 - 01:43 PM, said:

No. Just mute orphans from the Free Cities, who are (it's implied) killed when their usefulness runs out.

Maybe he gives them to Euron to crew his ship, the Silence.

[Howlin' Howland Reed]

jarl the climber, on 01 May 2012 - 05:12 PM, said:

Maybe he gives them to Euron to crew his ship, the Silence.

That would be the worst retirement ever.

[oba]

Howlin, on 01 May 2012 - 05:17 PM, said:

That would be the worst retirement ever.

Yes, the little birds definitely don't have a strong union.

ETA:  Or their benefits package must be absolutely incredible.

Edited by oba, 01 May 2012 - 05:41 PM.

[gougef]

I had a wild thought today. Varys has a standing, secret assasination squad that could wipe out most important people in KL in one night if he decided to use them that way.

Edited by gougef, 01 May 2012 - 05:21 PM.

[Lan the Clever]

gougef, on 01 May 2012 - 05:21 PM, said:

I had a wild thought today. Varys has a standing, secret assasination squad that could wipe out most important people in KL in one night if he decided to use them that way.

That would be interesting. Here's my wild thought: maybe he is the valonqar. Unlikely? Sure. But who the hell knows (aside from the obvious one)?

[Apple Martini]

butterbumps!, on 01 May 2012 - 03:18 PM, said:

^^   really?   I had the impression that they were "made" to be mute.   I defer to you, though.

Oh yeah, you're right. I didn't specify.

[Tewks44]

Maybe I'm missing something... but what good is a spy that has no tongue?  

It seems kind of pointless to have a spy if you have to go everywhere they go if you want to know what they saw/heard.

[oba]

Tewks44, on 01 May 2012 - 05:29 PM, said:

Maybe I'm missing something... but what good is a spy that has no tongue?  

It seems kind of pointless to have a spy if you have to go everywhere they go if you want to know what they saw/heard.

I think we're assuming that the little birds can read and write.  Hence the reference to their "knowing their letters" in the conversation between Varys and Illyrio.