Varys' invested interest in Robert's bastards.

[BaseBornBastard]

It is mentioned in the books that every year, on Edric Storm's nameday, Varys would send him a present from from Robert (though Robert had nothing to do with the gift.

Also it's mentioned that Gendry was apprenticed by a blacksmith who was paid quite handsomely to take him on by a man who concealed his identity. I'm can't remember if the book explicitely states it was Varys but I think it's pretty obvious it was him.

With all of this in mind, why the hell is Varys so interested in the welfare Robert's bastards? Are they relevant pieces in his big plan somehow?

[Janicia]

I wonder if Varys knows where they are now.

Varys' interest in the bastards might have had more to do with Cersei and Robert than with the bastards themselves. By making sure that discreet "child support" was paid to the lowborn bastards and by making Robert seem like a decent father to Edric, Varys avoided scenes of mothers showing up to court to demand things of Robert. Such scenes would have provoked Cersei.

Varys might also have wanted to have a few bastards in his pocket to line up against Cersei's children's haircolors. Or to provoke Cersei on cue.

Now that Cersei's scandal has broken and Robert is dead, I doubt that Robert's bastards are of continuing use to Varys. On the other hand, he did get Gendry out of the city after Robert's death, so maybe he did have a plan.

[SleepingGiant]

I think maybe Genry was his backup-plan in case the young Targaryen should die by accident or something. But Varys is hard to figure out, I think. The only one who baffles me more is Littlefinger.

[Kosh Naranek]

Do you think Varys orchestrated Gendry's departure with Yoren?

I always assumed that Tobo got scared. Jon Arryn visited Gendry and ended up dead. Stannis was with JA. The Stannis left the city. Joff becomes king and calls upon his "uncle" to come and swear fealty or go outlaw. Ned came to see Gendry and then got thrown in jail.

[Lummel]

It is mentioned in the books that every year, on Edric Storm's nameday, Varys would send him a present from from Robert (though Robert had nothing to do with the gift.

Also it's mentioned that Gendry was apprenticed by a blacksmith who was paid quite handsomely to take him on by a man who concealed his identity. I'm can't remember if the book explicitely states it was Varys but I think it's pretty obvious it was him.

With all of this in mind, why the hell is Varys so interested in the welfare Robert's bastards? Are they relevant pieces in his big plan somehow?

Yes! Robert's bastards were very important to Varys plan because using those bastards he could throw the paternity of Joff, Tommen and Myrcella into doubt at the least and if he was lucky bring down the Lannisters into the bargain thus clearing the way for Aegon to become King of Westeros, or at least making it easier for him to ascend the throne.

[Ser Sourleaf]

I think the plan of Varys and Illyrio was for things to remain stable under King Robert until Aegon was ready. Once that happened, he could have used the bastards to begin to sow dissent and perhaps he even intended to reveal Cercei's incest. Jon Arryn screwed that all up, and Eddard completely destroyed it. Once Joffrey had the throne and the Lannisters grip on power was becoming apparent, he probably decided Gendry could still be valuable in the future, thus sending him to safety.

[franko99]

Do you think Varys orchestrated Gendry's departure with Yoren?

I always see it that way, but I don't have my book here to corroborate. I think Varys have a plan Robert bastard, just in case, like he did with Aegon, they could be useful, whether to claim the Iron Throne or Storm's End if they got legitimated. We know Varys always had a back up plan if needed (Aegon was Plan A, Dany/Vis Plan B. One of Robert Bastards Plan C...)

[Chalais]

Well if we go with 'Varys is a secret Blackfyre' Theory then his interest in Robert's bastards may have been purely personal on his part, i.e. since he was an unacknowledged Royal Bastard himself he would feel empathy for others in the same situation.

[Winter's Knight]

I think that Cersei was framed for the murder of Robert's bastards by person(s) unknown, although I suspect Varys.

Behold my arguments:

1. Janos Slynt refuses to name Cersei to Tyrion when asked who gave him the order. But the soldiers chasing Gendry freely demand him in the name of the Queen. So the order was so secret that Tyrion did not hear of it at all but the common men-at-arms chasing Gendry know.
   
2. Cersei doesn't like killing children-she freaks out when Jaime pushes Bran and does not attempt to silence him later.
   
3. Venturing into murky territory here. Varys suspected that Gendry would be at risk but not Barra-why? If Cersei wanted the children dead in order to prevent others from concluding as Ned did, she'd want them all dead-high born or low, no matter how young and Varys would surely know that. He is supposed to be an expert player and all.
   
4. Now, look at how the death of Barra and her mother are meant to appeal specifically to Tyrion-it's not just the child but the mother as well. The mother is a young whore and Tyrion's reaction is interesting: Tyrion had never seen the dead girl’s face, but in his mind she was Shae and Tysha both.
   
5. Varys has a vested interest in keeping Cersei and Tyrion separated -doesn't trust him and has already warned Tyrion against him. Tywin had specifically instructed Tyrion to prune the Council.
   
6. No effort is made by Cersei to locate the other fourteen-and remember, she knows that there are sixteen in total, thanks to Maggi the contrived plot point Frog.
   
7. She doesn't mention ordering the killings in her PoVs.
   

In conclusion, I propose that the murder of Barra and her mother was a malicious attempt on Varys' part to drive a wedge between Cersei and Tyrion-a plan that would (and did) further destabilise the Lannisters' hold on KL.

[House Mauldania]

Varys is planning a "Blackfyre" Baratheon army.

[Naathi Prince]

Varys is keeping track of the bastards because he anticipates an heirless Baratheon family and planting Robert's most suitable bastard (both Gendry and Edric are very Baratheon) in the seat could help Aegon Blackfyre

[Baramos]

I too would just take it as a possible back-up--both for undermining Joffrey as heir, or if Aegon were killed, a suitable replacement for his "perfect king" who has also lived a life of labor as opposed to one who has lived a life of leisure. He wants a ruler who knows the real world and hasn't been handed everything his entire life. Obviously Aegon is superior to Gendry because Aegon has been meticulously educated but Gendry would be better than the Lannisters or many others in the character department.

[House Mauldania]

I too would just take it as a possible back-up--both for undermining Joffrey as heir, or if Aegon were killed, a suitable replacement for his "perfect king" who has also lived a life of labor as opposed to one who has lived a life of leisure. He wants a ruler who knows the real world and hasn't been handed everything his entire life. Obviously Aegon is superior to Gendry because Aegon has been meticulously educated but Gendry would be better than the Lannisters or many others in the character department.

Edric Storm doesn't totally fit that profile, why send him gifts?

[Baramos]

Hmm, good point. It might be in combination with some of the other things people have said, a mainline heir for the Baratheons (Stannis has just a daughter, Renly is gay), proof that Joffrey is a bastard, etc. I guess there are too many explanations and none of them fit perfectly.

[House Mauldania]

Hmm, good point. It might be in combination with some of the other things people have said, a mainline heir for the Baratheons (Stannis has just a daughter, Renly is gay), proof that Joffrey is a bastard, etc. I guess there are too many explanations and none of them fit perfectly.

Maybe they do if you think he was creating a "Blackfyre" Baratheon army! He'd have allied them with his FAgeon, promising them Storms End.

[Dma2282]

Wasn't it revealed to be Joffrey that had the bastards murdered, and it was only assumed to be Cersei? I seem to remember a Cersei monologue where she talks about how it was dutiful of Joff to have done so.

My big question is how did she know the location of all the bastards? Was it public knowledge sufficient for her spy network? Or was Varys complicit?

[sertravisredbeard]

It's stated that sometimes Robert would joke with Varys about what "he" gave Edric that year, so Robert knew Varys was sending gifts. Varys might have been sending the gifts because Robert told him to at some point. Robert might not have known exactly what the kid was getting but he could have instructed Varys to send him things for his birthdays.

I see this as kind of like modern wives buying presents that are from the "couple". The husband might not know what's being given, but he's one of the official gifters. If that makes any sense.

[mrunderhill]

Wasn't it revealed to be Joffrey that had the bastards murdered, and it was only assumed to be Cersei? I seem to remember a Cersei monologue where she talks about how it was dutiful of Joff to have done so.

My big question is how did she know the location of all the bastards? Was it public knowledge sufficient for her spy network? Or was Varys complicit?

No it was Cersei, you are thinking of the show. I guess word got around and some people liked to brag about having the child of the king.

I wonder how many of them Varys managed to save. I presume at some point Varys wanted to parade them as proof that Cersei's children were illegitimate.

[RumHam]

I think the sending of gifts to Edric was just to ingratiate himself to Robert. Yes he wanted Gendry alive as evidence that Cersei's children were not Roberts, but I also think there's more to it than that. I think he legitimately has a soft spot for children, growing up the way he did. I feel like he makes a big speech about it at some point, but could only find this from the epilogue of the last book:

The eunuch set the crossbow down. “Ser Kevan. Forgive me if you can. I bear you no ill will. This was not done from malice. It was for the realm. For the children.”

[Lost Melnibonean]

I think the plan of Varys and Illyrio was for things to remain stable under King Robert until Aegon was ready. Once that happened, he could have used the bastards to begin to sow dissent and perhaps he even intended to reveal Cercei's incest. Jon Arryn screwed that all up, and Eddard completely destroyed it. Once Joffrey had the throne and the Lannisters grip on power was becoming apparent, he probably decided Gendry could still be valuable in the future, thus sending him to safety.

This. I would just add that I suspect Ned was responsible for Gendry being compelled to leave with Yoren.