[ADWD, TWOW Spoilers] 10 days to prepare

[FattyPeon]

No, Stannis totally hires sellswords.

[aryagonnakill]

Ya he is literally trying to hire the golden company at the end of Dance.

[Valyrian Spoon]

I think this is the best answer. Although for a moment I thought that it would be funny if they took the ten days to prepare one of the GC-ships to resemble Davos onion boot. The defenders bring the ship in, but the food turns out to be poisened or the ship might be filled with armed men, the GC takes Stormsend, give a sign and the other GC members attack the Tyrell force. If it were to play out this way than the GC is sure to take the castle, since even if they defeat the Tyrells, the defenders might refuse to open the gates.

I like this idea, I can imagine the Tyrell forces looking towards Stormsend as Stannis burning heart is replaced by A Targ dragon then boom the GC attacks.

[Stallion That Mounts Texas]

Serious response though, the ten days is to rally the GC forces. They probably took Stormend by wiping out any Tyrell token siege force, and claiming to be relief sent by Stannis.

I agree with this idea. Remember, Connington and GC have taken most of the castles in the Stormlands prior to the assault on SE. It makes sense that they will have disguises from these houses.

[Valyrian Spoon]

I agree with this idea. Remember, Connington and GC have taken most of the castles in the Stormlands prior to the assault on KL. It makes sense that they will have disguises from these houses.

True if they have taken banners and livery they could just claim to be newly raised levies.

[Stallion That Mounts Texas]

True if they have taken banners and livery they could just claim to be newly raised levies.

There is already much confusion in the realm and SE was already invested by a force of Tyrells who have likely been shooting down all of the ravens from the maester. So it makes sense that the SE garrison has had no clue as to what has been happening in the Stormlands.

[Toccs]

You mean a wooden rabbit.

Or perhaps some sort of large wooden badger . . .

[The Bastard of Walton]

So I was on a standard boredom reread and I came across a small oddity I was wondering about. Now we all know JonCon intends to take Storm's End, and as of TWOW has succeeded in doing so if what Arianne has heard is true. What I'm wondering about is how he managed it; he suggested he would do it "by guile" which of course lead everyone to think false flag. However I think I found a counter argument to this suggestion.

[in response to Homeless Harry suggesting patience]

"We shall [wait]. Ten days. No longer. It will take that long to prepare"

Prepare what? To me this suggests they needed to construct something to take Storm's End by guile... any ideas?

Maybe he will use the old "shadow baby" play to take storms end.

[TheEvilKing]

Someone will probably get in via Davos' secret smuggler route, and either attack them from there or go in disguised and open the main gate to let in the GC.

[aryagonnakill]

Maybe he will use the old "shadow baby" play to take storms end.

... I don't get it, we've only been introduced to two shadowbinders Melissandre and Quaithe. It doesn't seem common.

[Stallion That Mounts Texas]

... I don't get it, we've only been introduced to two shadowbinders Melissandre and Quaithe. It doesn't seem common.

Agreed. This theory does not hold.

[FattyPeon]

You would have to be disguised to use Davos's method. Otherwise they'll shut the gate thingies and fill you with a hundred arrows from the murder holes.

Even disguised, they're bound to be highly suspicious of you, and they're not starving. You'll present them with poisoned supplies, they'll be like "we aren't that hungry, who sent you?"

[Stallion That Mounts Texas]

You would have to be disguised to use Davos's method. Otherwise they'll shut the gate thingies and fill you with a hundred arrows from the murder holes.

Even disguised, they're bound to be highly suspicious of you, and they're not starving. You'll present them with poisoned supplies, they'll be like "we aren't that hungry, who sent you?"

Agreed, Davos' method will not serve under the current situation. Connington and his men have to come dressed as relief troops from other Stormland houses.

[jarl the climber]

... I don't get it, we've only been introduced to two shadowbinders Melissandre and Quaithe. It doesn't seem common.

I thought that Quaithe was a shadow person not a shadowbinder.

[Stannis the Menace]

Agreed. Something like this is the only way claiming they were relief from Stannis would work - they would need to be disguised as his men to pull it off, and they would also need to be relatively few in number (Storm's End men would know that Stannis doesn't have many (any) men to spare). I'm sure Stannis's forces at Storm's End are aware that he has basically no money, so there is no way he could afford the Golden Company. Not to mention that Stannis is way too proud to hire sellswords, which the Storm's End force would also be aware of.

Not if Stannis sends a raven telling them of his plans to hire sellswords,, he clearly is not too proud to hire sellswords, he hired sellSAILS, basically the same thing,,, and if he sent a raven then they would know that he is getting involved with the Iron Bank so he would have money to hire whoever,,, the only thing is the time frame,, there would be no way Massey could get to Braavos, hire swords, and get all the way to SE in that short of time.

[Chrodarcniss]

Not if Stannis sends a raven telling them of his plans to hire sellswords,, he clearly is not too proud to hire sellswords, he hired sellSAILS, basically the same thing,,, and if he sent a raven then they would know that he is getting involved with the Iron Bank so he would have money to hire whoever,,, the only thing is the time frame,, there would be no way Massey could get to Braavos, hire swords, and get all the way to SE in that short of time.

:agree: Well that and JonCon would actually have to know that. I don't think that anyone knows that Stannis is now backed by the Iron Bank yet. Stannis would also be quite foolish if he let the word out. I suppose it could work if they shot down a raven heading to SE, but then the people inside don't know.

Also about impersonating Stormland relief forces, I don't think he has any. All the lords and landed knights either bend the knee or went with him as far as I know.

I'd try a black boat with Davos' sigil on the sails and claim I was bringing men instead of food.

[Stallion That Mounts Texas]

:agree: Well that and JonCon would actually have to know that. I don't think that anyone knows that Stannis is now backed by the Iron Bank yet. Stannis would also be quite foolish if he let the word out. I suppose it could work if they shot down a raven heading to SE, but then the people inside don't know.

Also about impersonating Stormland relief forces, I don't think he has any. All the lords and landed knights either bend the knee or went with him as far as I know.

I'd try a black boat with Davos' sigil on the sails and claim I was bringing men instead of food.

Connington and the GC have captured more than enough castles and keeps in the Stormlands. If they take all of the armor, banners and other livery, then they should have enough to disguise a nice sized force to deal with the token Tyrell siege.

Also remember the Tyrell troops have likely been shooting down any ravens to and from SE. The garrison is likely blind as to the goings on in the realm.

[Brother Seamus]

in the theon teaser chapter to wow, Stannis explicitly directed Justin Massey to hire sellswords, and specifies the GC as his preference if available. if the defenders of SE are aware of this that would do the trick.