Alleras/Sarella the Sphinx

[sponce]

I think Jaqen's at the Citadel to get a dragon book for Euron, maybe The Fires of the Freehold, of which Tyrion mentions as a good source of information regarding dragons.

It has been suggested that Jaqen is the Assassin that kills Balon so it is also quite likely that he is still under Euron's instruction at the Citadel.

I think Jaqen's at the Citadel to get a dragon book for Euron, maybe The Fires of the Freehold, of which Tyrion mentions as a good source of information regarding dragons.

It has been suggested that Jaqen is the Assassin that kills Balon so it is also quite likely that he is still under Euron's instruction at the Citadel.

I believe that book IS what he is after, now whether he wants it to fight for, or against the Dragons is unknown, but one thing is for sure we will see another Dance of the Dragons, and soon.

[Mithras]

I think Jaqen's at the Citadel to get a dragon book for Euron, maybe The Fires of the Freehold, of which Tyrion mentions as a good source of information regarding dragons.

It has been suggested that Jaqen is the Assassin that kills Balon so it is also quite likely that he is still under Euron's instruction at the Citadel.

Jaqen cannot be the FM that killed Balon. After breaking up with Arya and appearing in Oldtown, there is not enough time for him to go to Pyke, kill Balon and return. Balon was killed by another FM.

http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/96236-the-fm-that-killed-balon-greyjoy/#entry4918030

[dotheknifefight]

drowned crow with seaweed from his wings could be damphair ... or pyke from eastwatch (not too far from braavos).

though the bridge i took to mean the one that connects the towers of pyke -- the one balon fell from. was there another such bridge?

[Jonah Spark]

About Dragons-->Others and chronology. We still don't KNOW where Dany's story timeline fits into the rise of the Others' timeline. There are very few events that link events beyond the Wall to Essos in GoT. Just because the Prologue in GoT comes before the Epilogue in the book does not necessarily mean that they happen in literal order.

[dotheknifefight]

About Dragons-->Others and chronology. We still don't KNOW where Dany's story timeline fits into the rise of the Others' timeline. There are very few events that link events beyond the Wall to Essos in GoT. Just because the Prologue in GoT comes before the Epilogue in the book does not necessarily mean that they happen in literal order.

you can assume the prologue of GoT comes one-two months before the starks find the direwolves.

(though why it would take benjen so long to go after them i've NO CLUE. this is a plot hole to me, tbh. it would have taken gared more than a month to get from where he is in the prologue to the area of winterfell, which means the rangers had left about three months before benjen got back to the wall and went to look for them)

anyway, plot hole aside, we will continue to assume the prologue to GoT comes about one month before the direwolves are found, just for the sake of argument. now lets assume robert stayed in winterfell a month before he left to return to kings landing. he talks to ned stark as they begin their journey about dany's wedding to drogo, as informed by jorah mormont, having just recently happened.

this is the first of many ways we can figure a rough timeline of her events paralleling what happens in westeros.

[The Crow's Third Eye]

you can assume the prologue of GoT comes one-two months before the starks find the direwolves.

(though why it would take benjen so long to go after them i've NO CLUE. this is a plot hole to me, tbh. it would have taken gared more than a month to get from where he is in the prologue to the area of winterfell, which means the rangers had left about three months before benjen got back to the wall and went to look for them)

anyway, plot hole aside, we will continue to assume the prologue to GoT comes about one month before the direwolves are found, just for the sake of argument. now lets assume robert stayed in winterfell a month before he left to return to kings landing. he talks to ned stark as they begin their journey about dany's wedding to drogo, as informed by jorah mormont, having just recently happened.

this is the first of many ways we can figure a rough timeline of her events paralleling what happens in westeros.

Well considering the length of time it took Mormont to lead the ranging for Benjen (et. al.) I think it seems to be common practice to allow a fair amount of time to pass, especially with the possibility of desertion. Benjen might not have gone to look at all if Ned hadn't told him about Gared. Just my opinion of course :)

[Ser Underline]

You've mentioned the "payment" for Balon's kill contract.

I'd say it was a dragon egg. Read it somewhere on the forums aswell - the FM could learn a lot from a dormant dragon egg, and Euron said that he threw an egg into the sea in one of his "bad moments". Bad moments, seriously? For a character so cunning, i doubt it.

http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/62445-euron-paid-the-faceless-men-with-his-dragon-egg/page__hl__%2Beuron+%2Bdragon

Edit: added the source for the Euron dragon egg thingy

[Lord Martin]

There seem to be a lot of possible scenario's here. I think the following assumptions are safe:

1. Marwyn is pro-magic, pro-dragon, pro-targ or some combination or all three.

2. Alleras, Lazy Leo and "Pate" are allied with or working with Marwyn.

3. "Pate" is a faceless man who could be working for one of several factions.

4. Marwyn has been using the glass candles.

5. The Tyrells and the Martells supported House Targaryen in Robert's Rebellion.

6. "Pate" is looking for the book: The Death of Dragons or some other secret locked in the Citadel.

Based on this, I have to assume that the power structure of the Citadel and Magic/Dragons/House Targaryen are at odds. So it seems that sides are developing: Marwyn and Co. vs. the Citadel. "Pate" is a wildcard depending on who he is working for.

Realistically, "Pate" is working for one of the following: The Faceless Men, The Citadel, Euron or he's gone rogue.

The Faceless Men are a known antagonist of the Valyrians. They have every reason to oppose dragons and any of Valyrian descent. This really brings into question how much meddling in global affairs the Faceless Men actually do.

The Citadel also appears opposed to Dragons and Magic, but I'm not sure why they would need a FM to steal their own book. Still, "Pate" could be the Citadel's mole to get information on Marwyn and his efforts against the Citadel's hierarchy.

Euron. I like this option because it has so many potential levels of intrigue. We know Euron was in the West before returning to the Iron Islands just in time for Balon's death. We also know that glass candles in Quarth were burning after Dany's episode in the HOTU. We also know that Euron encountered warlock's from Quarth, including Pryat Pree, on his way back to the Iron Islands. We also know that Euron claimed to possess a dragon egg which he claims he "threw into the sea" in one of his dark moods. Some think he used it to pay the FM that may have killed Balon.

If Euron paid a FM to kill Balon with a Dragon's Egg, would that also be enough to pay a FM to steal from the Citadel? But what would Euron want with a book that kills dragons? Perhaps he wants power over all dragons? So not only will he steal Dany's, he'll have the means to kill any dragons that oppose him?

I have to wonder if Marwyn used the glass candles to communicate with Euron. Could Euron's attack on Old Town have been urged by Marwyn? Could "Pate" be Euron's agent spying on Marwyn, making sure that Old Town really is primed for attack?

Then we have to wonder if Aegon VI will get mixed up in the Old Town attack or if he heads straight for King's Landing. We know Connington, "still has friends in the reach" but who? Tyrell, Hightower, Tarley? Florent? Who could it be and will it lead to move overlap in Old Town?

I think there are still way too many unknowns to come up with anything concrete. But its clear that the intersection of several storylines is ahead in Old Town.

[mushroomshirt]

Does anyone else think that Maester Aemon's dying "the sphinx is the riddle not the riddler" is more than just a clue that Alleras is Sarella? Sam thinks that Aemon couldn't possibly be referring to Alleras, but it seems to me that he must be referring to him/her and that means that she has an important role to play.

[dotheknifefight]

Well considering the length of time it took Mormont to lead the ranging for Benjen (et. al.) I think it seems to be common practice to allow a fair amount of time to pass, especially with the possibility of desertion. Benjen might not have gone to look at all if Ned hadn't told him about Gared. Just my opinion of course :)

i thought he left because ser waymar royce is a lord's son.

[aryagonnakill]

^ I believe Mormont said as much that he had to send searches before telling Bronze Yhon his son was dead since Bronze has always been a friend to the watch. But I'm sure they would have looked for anyone to at least some degree.

[lmgross25]

Okay I know this might sound really weird but just follow my train of thought. I had a nasty thought about Pate/Jaguen/Allenas and Oberyn. So I was reading the list of characters because I have this brilliant theroy about a trident conspiracy. So i was looking at the Frey family tree and noticed that either a son or grandson is in Lys right now to be alchemist. Now lets start with Oberyn, we know that after he returned to Dorne from castely rock, without a bride that he was found in bed with Lord Yronwood's mistress and that he died of the wounds. I think that the wound just festered, in a world where there is no penicilian, that's bound to happen. To protect her son the mother sends Oberyn over to the free cities. We know that he fathered at least two bastards while overseas. We know that he studied poison, the dark arts and even went on to complete six links in a maester chain. We know that the Faceless men farm out some of the training of their recruits. What if Oberyn took it into his head after he is no longer needed as heir, to try his hand at assasination. Arya right now is going to travel with a group of mummer's as a part of her training. That the waif started teaching her about poison, and that they use of coin of iron that looks gold to kill. Alchemy is the study of turning baser metals into gold. We know that the faceless men use sorcery. So what if part of his training was to study under men and women that were the masters of these listed trades or magics. Which means that Oberyn has contacts and connections with these said people. All his daughters know about poison, and they train with a weapon. A man that is trained to heal is also trained to kill. Knowledge in the right hand can be just a dangerous as a sword in the wrong hands. So what if he sent his daughters to train with these men and women. The kindly man said that no all men are made to wake their road. Obeyn by his own admission is a blood thirsty man. That is not what the Faceless men are about.

Which brings me to our friend of Frey that is currently studing with an alchemist. Jaquen used a gold/iron coin to kill the real pate. I know that the boy is only 15, but the face that Pate saw as that of a young man and fit Jaquen's discription. What if part of FM training is to study under an alchemist. To learn the skill of making their own poisioned coins. When Frey returns to Braavois he is given the assingment to go the the citadel and learn how to kill dragons. The only known copy of Fire/Blood is locked away in the Citadel. It's anccount of how the dragon's died out in Westeros. What if that's the key to quickly and efficently killing Dany's dragon's. The Braavois are the decendents of Valyian slaves. They ran from Valyia because of the slavery and the dragons. When Iron Banker was talking to jon he said that they don't joke about dragons in Braavois. Maybe somebody or someones' paid the Faceless Men to get rid of the dragons but going to the citadel is also part of his training. Im saying the Jaquen and Frey are the same person and that they are there for training and a mission. Then there is the fact that he asked Pate to steal a key that unlocks every door and vault in the Citadel. Slip in grab the maniscript, and slip right back out with no one being any of the wiser. Then there are the men that "Pate" falls in company. A maestar that spent 8 yrs training with wizards, witches and went to Asshia. Shpinx is a mysterious man himself and he is in the same company. Learning of events all over the world by being with the dragon candle.

The citadel is responsible for killing the dragons the first time around and if I'm right they also killed the direwolves. 50 yrs before the dragon's died the wolves died on westeros' side of the wall. Maybe the Targs dragons were sickly and being born deformed by this time. Maybe the same magic that links the Targs to the dragon's is the same magic that links the starks to the wolves. With the wolves dying out on this side of the wall, it weakens the bounds of Targs and their dragons, A song of fire and ice anyone. Even before Shaggydog goes postal, Maester Ludwin was uncomfortable around those wolves. He studied the higher mysterious at the Citadel, he knows those wolves showing up doesn't bode well even if he doesn't believe. When sam goes back to the wall, Jon wanted more maesters Leo, Pate and Sanella are headed with him.