Northern Lords declaring for Stannis then refusing to march south

[Blackfish Tully]

1 hour ago, Maia said:

I doubt that the Iron Bank cares about "best" claims - Stannis was just the only other pretender to the Iron Throne still available at the time. It wouldn't surprise me, if after they get news about Aegon's first successes, they'd offer him financing too. 

I have a hard time seeing the Iron Bank supporting a Targaryen especially with reports of Dragons back in the world . 

 

1 hour ago, Maia said:

 

But then, Tycho apparently gave Jon Snow an unlimited loan either, so what do I know about their practices - and how they able to eke profit at all if they are so profligate with clients where the chance of repayment is pretty much nil...

 

the Night's Watch has existed for thousands of years so there is little chance that they will be going out of business anytime soon  and they control a lot of land in the North that can be sold so the Iron Bank's loan is in good shape and i doubt it's an unlimited loan . 

 

1 hour ago, Maia said:

 

Frankly, I think that this whole thing with financing Stannis is mainly a means for IB to exert pressure on the Crown in KL. Because even if Stannis had been in better position when Tycho met him, there is still the fact that between an almost certainly very severe and lengthy Winter and further devastation of Westeros by yet another round of the civil war, Stannis wouldn't be able to pay back IB this massive loan that he needs to take the Iron Throne even if he won. There just wouldn't be enough tax base left. 

 

there are other ways to exert economic pressure on the Iron Throne that will get them paid eventually as long as they continue them and if this was only about the money that's what they would do . By supporting Stannis they are saying it's no longer about the money but instead about reputation and pride so they will make an example of the Lannister's and Tyrells that everyone will remember for centuries . As for Stannis repaying the Iron Bank , considering that once he's done (if he wins ) he will have control of the Reach and Westerlands  lands and gold mines paying the Iron Bank will not be a problem . 

[Lord Varys]

1 hour ago, Maia said:

If so, why would they need to finance the war at all? Just get rid of Cersei, demand abject apologies and impose punitive fine on whoever succeeds her. Or kill Tommen too, even.

That wouldn't necessarily give them their money back, would it? If you kill somebody by a Faceless Man, the person just dies of an accident or natural cases. They are not seen as murdered, nor as murdered by the Iron Bank.

The idea is that they find a pretender who pays them their due (and then some, as Stannis has agreed) and then they help that pretender to get what he needs to pay them back. 

They don't have to be best friends with the House of Black and White - although I do think that the House of Black and White is a/the major shareholder in the Iron Bank - they just have to be able to call on Faceless Men when the need arises.

In the end, it is clear what the Faceless Men do is illegal even in Braavos. They could not pull off what they do if they weren't well-connected and under the protection of the official powers. I don't think they could do what they do if they don't keep the official powers sweet.