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The Blackfyre Spy Network


OberynBlackfyre

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So just as a premise, I have to say that I actually came to this theory because I was thinking of the size and power of the network that Illyrio and Varys have. Now I figured that while Varys and Illyrio have a good amount of resources (aka money/gold) and people (aka little birds), it doesn’t seem like it really includes any “leaders” other than Varys and Illyrio themselves.   That while they have a lot of mid level spies, they can’t necessarily have anyone at any high levels. 
But then I realized two things: 1.) was that they had been in touch with the Golden Company, and had made some type of agreement with them.  The Golden Company has mentioned their spy network numerous times, which is mostly built up of those sympathetic to the Blackfyre Rebellion. 
2.) It is heavily believed that Young Griff aka Aegon is very probable to be a Blackfyre, and in relation to Illyrio or Varys, or Illyrio AND Varys. This would insinuate that since they were Blackfyre supporters (or family), they also must have been tapped into the Blackfyre Conspirator Network.  
 

the Blackfyre Network could absolutely be a complex and Planetos wide organization. Keep in mind that Maelys the Monstrous, the last Blackfyre male, was also being supported and allied by a group called The Ninepenny Kings.  People from Tyrosh, and numerous pirate and sell sword fleets were part of this. Not to mention the fact that the Golden Company had frequented the Disputed Lands and had without a doubt tapped some agents there as well.  
 

 

So are Varys and Illyrio actually tapped into what could be the most complex spy network in Planetos? Maybe only rivaled with the Faceless Men, although they deal in death as to the Blackfyre Conspirators had to develop relationships and information so that they could mutually help themselves and the cause. How in depth is it in Westeros? 

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  • 2 months later...

I think you might be inflating what your calling the Blackfyre spy network, and I think we have to realize that not all aligned actors have identical interests or are aligned for the same reasons. And sometimes alliances are only temporary or built out of necessity. But there are a lot of interesting connections to explore. A good place to start is the betrothal feast at Drogo's manse in Pentos. 

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I wouldn't think of it as a single network or most of the nodes (i.e. people) being exclusive to one network. An easy example would be the captain of the ship that took Cat to King's Landing. He wasn't a Varys spy. He just knew that Varys was someone who would pay for information like that. In another city the captain would have happily sold the information to someone else. Varys, Illyrio, and the Blackfyres aren't the only people in the world collecting and paying for information. Just think of what the Iron Bank likely does to keep track of investments and to decide whom to lend money to. Our perspective is skewed because we spend so much time with the Starks who don't do any of that.

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The Blackfyres were almost gone .  What was left of them were powerless at the beginning of the first book.  They had people who still supported them out of personal interest.  Fighting men who are tired of soldiering and want to come home to lands and titles.  The network consisted of Varys, Illyrio, the children, and messengers.  It's very limited.  And dependent on news and rumors from travelers and merchants. 

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