Why didn't Dany send agents to Westeros?

[Wmarshal]

because she's stupid. that was harsh, but even if she wanted to, who would she send?

The legions of cult followers she has, at least one of them had to be a traveler before he was captured.

[Jaak]

Did Daenerys have any Westerosi hedge knights?

Plumm was Plumm, but not born in Westeros. Jorah was a past Second Son, but he was a wanted criminal in Westeros, and needed by Daenerys.

But how about the people who don´t have serious reasons not to go back to Westeros? Like the Kettleblacks, who were simply unemployed in the small Sheepshit Castle - so when Westeros was in Robert´s Peace, went and found employment Here and There in Disputed Lands, and earned knighthood from ser Robert Stone.

Now that Robert´s Peace is over, the War of Five Kings has created new employment opportunities at home. So a Westerosi sellsword in Essosi mercenary company could easily return home with some gold, fresh arms, military experience, claim of knighthood - and wander the realm inquiring for employment opportunities and the possibilities for a future war. It would be a plausible cover story.

[Mad Monkey]

Sometimes I think that the only people who send agents anywhere are Varys and Littlefinger. Anyone else who wants to conduct espionage has to contract through them for some reason.

In all seriousness it is a pretty big oversight but not an uncommon one. Doran doesn't seem to be keeping tabs on the Targs, and Robert's only source of intelligence on them was through Varys who had his own agenda. The Starks seemed oblivious to the goings-on in King's Landing or the Vale. It seems like the only way you can get information about what's happening in another kingdom is if Varys tells you.

[Zebra of KotOR]

Westeros is to far away. She can't send anyone now and if she could it'd take a year to get back. Why should she care for year old news from a kingdom she my never invade?

[Wmarshal]

Westeros is to far away. She can't send anyone now and if she could it'd take a year to get back. Why should she care for year old news from a kingdom she my never invade?

It is called send a guy to the free cties to get information. Because she does plan to invade, and knowing jack shit of the place is stupid.

[Pod The Rod]

This thread basically looks like this right now:

"Dany should have sent agents to Westeros"

"But that is the equivalent of sending agents to China. By the time they reported back, assuming they made it there, the information would've been so out of date as to have been useless and she'd have wasted money"

"Still should have done it"

"She has no one who would be suited for long term espionage of the kind expected from a paid agent."

"Still should have done it"

"It's impossible for her to do it as her harbor has been under blockade since she took Meereen"

"Still should have done it"

"Are you even trying to be serious here"

"Lolz Dany iz stoopid"

In other words, a typical session with Dany haters.

[RoamingRonin]

This thread basically looks like this right now:

"Dany should have sent agents to Westeros"

"But that is the equivalent of sending agents to China. By the time they reported back, assuming they made it there, the information would've been so out of date as to have been useless and she'd have wasted money"

"Still should have done it"

"She has no one who would be suited for long term espionage of the kind expected from a paid agent."

"Still should have done it"

"It's impossible for her to do it as her harbor has been under blockade since she took Meereen"

"Still should have done it"

"Are you even trying to be serious here"

"Lolz Dany iz stoopid"

In other words, a typical session with Dany haters.

This.

It makes no sense for her to send spies anyway unless she was prepared to invade and within relative proximity Westeros.

[Universal Sword Donor]

This thread basically looks like this right now:

"Dany should have sent agents to Westeros"

"But that is the equivalent of sending agents to China. By the time they reported back, assuming they made it there, the information would've been so out of date as to have been useless and she'd have wasted money"

"Still should have done it"

"She has no one who would be suited for long term espionage of the kind expected from a paid agent."

"Still should have done it"

"It's impossible for her to do it as her harbor has been under blockade since she took Meereen"

"Still should have done it"

"Are you even trying to be serious here"

"Lolz Dany iz stoopid"

In other words, a typical session with Dany haters.

If only there were some kind of quicker way to send amounts of information between cities or castles.

[Wmarshal]

This thread basically looks like this right now:

"Dany should have sent agents to Westeros"

"But that is the equivalent of sending agents to China. By the time they reported back, assuming they made it there, the information would've been so out of date as to have been useless and she'd have wasted money"

"Still should have done it"

"She has no one who would be suited for long term espionage of the kind expected from a paid agent."

"Still should have done it"

"It's impossible for her to do it as her harbor has been under blockade since she took Meereen"

"Still should have done it"

"Are you even trying to be serious here"

"Lolz Dany iz stoopid"

In other words, a typical session with Dany haters.

You right, why send people out? I mean it wasn't like Dany could have sent a guy or two to the huge trade city near by to get information, that was impossible.

[Pod The Rod]

You right, why send people out? I mean it wasn't like Dany could have sent a guy or two to the huge trade city near by to get information, that was impossible.

Huge trade city? What, Volantis? By close by, you mean about five hundred leagues or so, right? And it wasnt' like they were about to declare war on her or anything, and about to send their massive fleet to join the blockade already in place on her cities harbor.

[Howling Mad]

In part its a lack of qualified recruits to send to Westeros as only Jorah and Barristan know Westeros and whose who. For another Dany has her hands full ruling in Mereen and getting her ever increasing baggage train organized. Her intelligence oversight is not her lack of Westerosi agents but her failure to learn as much as she can about Westeros from those who have been there such as Barristan and Quentyn.

[Wmarshal]

Huge trade city? What, Volantis? By close by, you mean about five hundred leagues or so, right? And it wasnt' like they were about to declare war on her or anything, and about to send their massive fleet to join the blockade already in place on her cities harbor.

It is called smuggling, and yeah, ship travel would have made the trip quick.

[RoamingRonin]

In part its a lack of qualified recruits to send to Westeros as only Jorah and Barristan know Westeros and whose who. For another Dany has her hands full ruling in Mereen and getting her ever increasing baggage train organized. Her intelligence oversight is not her lack of Westerosi agents but her failure to learn as much as she can about Westeros from those who have been there such as Barristan and Quentyn.

I agree with all of this especially the bolded part.

[Pod The Rod]

It is called smuggling, and yeah, ship travel would have made the trip quick.

Smuggling? With what ships? There literally aren't any in Meereen's harbor.

[Malcolm of House Tucker]

1. Dany is dumb.

2. It would take a very long time for reports to make it from Westeros to Slaver's Bay.

3. Despite claiming the Westerosi Throne, and possessing men and books that contain much knowledge of Westeros, she has yet to display any real interest in learning about the land and peoples she wants to rule over.

4. Dany is dumb.

[El Guapo]

This thread basically looks like this right now:

"Dany should have sent agents to Westeros"

"But that is the equivalent of sending agents to China. By the time they reported back, assuming they made it there, the information would've been so out of date as to have been useless and she'd have wasted money"

"Still should have done it"

"She has no one who would be suited for long term espionage of the kind expected from a paid agent."

"Still should have done it"

"It's impossible for her to do it as her harbor has been under blockade since she took Meereen"

"Still should have done it"

"Are you even trying to be serious here"

"Lolz Dany iz stoopid"

In other words, a typical session with Dany haters.

:bowdown:

[ChaosImprisonateMe]

I think part of it is trust. Having spies opens someone more. As Dexter's father would say, there are only two things you can see from a person. What a person looks like and what they show you. Not sure she is in a good position. If any of them want to ally with her all they have to do is come to her. Thats probably best for her anyway.

[Cas Stark]

In part its a lack of qualified recruits to send to Westeros as only Jorah and Barristan know Westeros and whose who. For another Dany has her hands full ruling in Mereen and getting her ever increasing baggage train organized. Her intelligence oversight is not her lack of Westerosi agents but her failure to learn as much as she can about Westeros from those who have been there such as Barristan and Quentyn.

I agree. But it would have been nice though perhaps if while she was in Quarth she might have spent some time trying to gain an advisor or two who she could have brought along with her...mother of dragons and all, you would think there would have been a couple of opportunistic takers who could have been schooling her in Essos economics or Essos dragonlore or Slaver's Bay politics or something that would be useful.

[Ser Creighton]

I agree. But it would have been nice though perhaps if while she was in Quarth she might have spent some time trying to gain an advisor or two who she could have brought along with her...mother of dragons and all, you would think there would have been a couple of opportunistic takers who could have been schooling her in Essos economics or Essos dragonlore or Slaver's Bay politics or something that would be useful.

She does have an advisor from Quarth, she even spies for Dany, she just forgot to give Dany the key to the encrypted data. Her name is Quaithe, outside of that, no you do not want to take on total strangers in this kind of role. You really got to have some trust in your spies, plus you want them to think you have spies watching them in case they decide to just take the money and turn on you. It's a slippery slope and would be a bitch for the author to write a believable sudden spy organization devoted to Dany. I know it may seem easy, but Varys and LF had their organizations getting started decades ago off page and basically handed to them for the need of the plot, he would have to build one for Dany and have it make sense, which may seem easy, but try writing it yourself and making it believable. Plus he already has enough to write.

Besides if Martin had given her a spy organization that actually worked, intelligence operatives that managed to be getting around LF and Varys's guys then we would be sitting here discussing how unfair it is that Dany has Dragons and spies and how Jon is going to warg the Dragons and the spies.

How come nobody is asking about all of Stannis's spies? Just wondering, is he a moron too? Jon had a spy, that totally worked out well for him. Mel gave it to him and everything and he knew Winterfell and he had a magic spell on him and Jon had a way to control him and ummm Theon is free. And his sister is with the FM so that plan went well, nothing like reliable information, and it's so easy to come by.