The Great Baavosi Hostile Takeover

[devilish]

At the beginning of GOT we see Varys and Illyio conspiring to bring the Targeryan back. In KL there's 2 other prominent Essosi. The former sword of braavos whose busy training Arya Stark and a faceless man. Syrio Forell was a first sword of Braavos, the main protector of one of the most powerful Lords in all Planetos. Surely he could find a better job then tutoring a girl. If you think that that job was degrading then Jaqen arrest is humiliating. One of the best assassin in Planetos was arrested and thrown in the dark cells. Considering KL lousy security then we must presume that he was probably arrested by the Gold cloaks who are some of the worst and most corrupt guards in all Westeros. So lets cut the chase and say that having Varys, a magister of Pentos, a faceless man and a first sword of Braavos all at the red keep at the same time is.....suspicious. I can add a 5 player with links to Essos but I will keep that name for later

But what links all of them together? Varys is close friend and partner to Ilyio. Ilyio is the magister of Pentos, Pentos can be said to be a client state Braavos. Braavos had in fact abolished slavery from Pentos. It doesnt allow it to have a standing army + it had limited the city to a fleet of 20 ships. Among the extended family there's Khal Drogo whom, unlike other Horse Lords, enjoy the luxury of having a mansion in Pentos which is also guarded by unsullied. The Golden company joins relatively late specifically after breaking their contract with Myr leaving the city to hang to dry (a looming battle with Lys seem imminent). Myr has an interesting story in itself. The Triarchy which Myr made part off accepted to help Aegon II Targeryan during the dance of dragons. That was shortlived as Braavos, Pentos and Lorath made sure to put the triarchy to an end.

So whose Braavos? The city of Braavos whose also known as the secret city had been founded by former slaves who escaped the Valyrian empire. Its a powerful and rich city which is lead by a powerful Lord (the Sealord), the faceless men and the Iron Bank (IB). Such powerful institutions can never live together in one city unless they co-operate. The Sealord role is not hereditary. He's  appointed by the people although to be fair he does serves for life. That's an understatement though. Its common for Sealords to meet an early death in a bid to change policies. Maybe that might explain the Sealord's death which kind of diminished the marriage between his son and Laena Valeryon. That suggest that Braavos isn't too much keen about the Westerosi nobility caste especially one being lead by a Valeyran. Of course, Braavos cant go toe to toe in terms of military with a unified Westeros. But could this problem be tackled in a different way?

So lets refocus on Braavos relationship with Pentos.. In the past few centuries Pentos fought 7 wars with Braavos losing 4 of them which pretty much left it as a client state.  That is not all though. There's rumours that Braavos bribed its way to victory which is no surprise. After all if Braavos lacks everything that isn't money. So can we assume that Braavos is 'Penterosing' Westeros?

Varys finds himself at Aerys II court. At the time Westeros is under solid Targeryan rule. Tywin is doing great, money is flowing in Targeryan coffers etc. Varys would lately say to Ned that all he does he do it for the realm. "Why, the realm, my good lord, how ever could you doubt that? I swear it by my lost manhood. I serve the realm, and the realm needs peace". However does his actions truly justify that claim?

-   At one point Aerys 'learns' that Ilyn Payne has said that Tywin is the king and not Aerys. I wonder who has brought that sort of information to the king
-  Rhaegar (or his supporters) organizes Harrenhal tournament. Varys spill the beans to the king who gatecrash Rhaegar's plan to oust the mad king from 'within
-  Brandon, Rickard and later on Ned are arrested. Varys does absolute nothing to make them escape. He did make Tyrion escape
-  Cersei is able to have 3 children from Jamie without Varys ever noticing/reporting it.
-  Ned confronts Joffrey thinking that he's got the GC at his side. Strangely enough his mate Varys never tells him that its not the case. That kickstarts the war of 5 kings
 

So Varys 'reporting' quality had hardly been for the good of the realm let alone for peace. That sort of hostile behavior keeps going on throughout the GOT. Varys takes an angry Tyrion to the hand of the king's chambers knowing fully well that Tywin is pollinating Shea, he never warns Tommen (whose a good king) what mummy Cersei is cooking with the high sparrow, he never warns Cersei about what the high sparrow is cooking for her and he even goes and kill Kevan whose the only reasonable voice in the small council.  That's hardly the actions of a man who wants peace.Such strategy is in line to Ilyio (who first cooks a powerful alliance between Viserys and Drogo and then he arrange a deal between Aegon with the GC) and the IB who give a lifeline to a nearly defeated Stannis.

So what is Braavos strategy? Simples. Its creating chaos in Westeros. More chaos will further weaken the Lord, the more they get weakened the deeper they go into the IB's pockets. Meanwhile that paves the way to an invasion and whose better to rule then exiled orphans who has no familiar links left in Westeros and must therefore depend solely on their Essosi 'friends'?

I promised a 5th name. Its time to reveal it. Similarly to purely Braavosi way this man worked up his way to the top. He starts as a Lord of a small stretch of land in the Vale yet went on to become one of the richest men in Westeros. Tyrion says that "gold is made from thin air, with a snap from his fingers" (how that is even possible?). Meanwhile his main competitor to Braavos affection says "he is the second most devious man in the Seven Kingdoms" and "the gods only know what game he is playing". But what is Littlefinger's connection to Braavos? LF great grandfather originated from Braavos. His sigil happens to be the titan of Braavos

 

How is that even possible?

 

 

 

[Armand Gargalen]

Interesting points, you may be onto something. I would be really surprised if LF and Varys were actually working together, it would be unexpected and it is not completely implausible. 

[bilplat]

4 hours ago, devilish said:

Its creating chaos in Westeros

Isn't that kind of the gist of what Varys tells Kevan before killing him? Creating chaos to make it easy for Aegon to drop in? Aegon, smuggled by Varys to Illyrio, and raised by JonCon, an agent of their choosing?

You're 5th name having lineage back to Braavos is a great catch.

[devilish]

8 hours ago, Armand Gargalen said:

Interesting points, you may be onto something. I would be really surprised if LF and Varys were actually working together, it would be unexpected and it is not completely implausible. 

They are serving the same master but they aren't working together. Lets consider Braavos as a multinational whose opening a big company in a new country. Varys and LF are top class directors who work independently but both have the same goal. They create chaos, they make Westeros weaker + they are forcing Westeros into more debt which means that the next king will be more dependent to Braavos then ever. However, they are 2 people and the company can only choose 1 CEO. That creates rivalry.

Aegon and the Targeryan siblings are/were more like franchise owners. They are not part of the system but they will have to abide to it. If things went according to plan Viserys would probably end up in a similar ceremonial function to the Prince of Pentos. He will sit on the iron throne but ultimately its the magisters who will be ruling everyone. That might also include being sacrificed and replaced if things doesn't go according to plans.

That explains why Jorah Mormont who was Varys creature up until he fell in love with Danny pushes the Targeryan queen to only go to Pentos with her own army. It also explains how LF a humble lord from the fingers is able to find gold out of thin air.

 

 

 

[gcarlsson]

I think in one of the Crackpot Theory threads someone proposed that the members of House Baelish were actually agents of the Iron Bank. It's possible this is their endgame.