Stannis' recruitment plans

[oprahnoodlemantra]

Is it possible that Justin Massey goes to find sellswords and becomes hopeless only to hire a Faceless Man to kill Ramsey? There's gotta me some irony to Ramsey being killed by the real Arya Stark.

[AtomixIGN]

Bravoos has as much Trade and Contact with Lorath, Norvos, Qohor, and Ibben as they do with Westeroes and Old Valarya. The Iron Bank can call on them more easily than the southern "Free Cities."

Ibenese - those are men ripe for the Wall. Short Squat Hairy men who chew blubber, carry furry shields, and weild axes. Who come with their own fleet of Fat bellied Whaling ships which can be filled to the brim with salted meat.

Norvos is full of Aero Hotahs and Priests and a certain Estranged Princess of Dorne.

And if Danerys commands the unified Dothraki, all the Free Cities will need a lot less guarding.

EDIT: Arya killing Ramsay would be boss. But I'm afraid the House of Black & White may send her elsewhere. Like Kings Landing. Or better yet, The Twins.

[Nyrhex]

As poor plump Tommen may be about to learn. No doubt the Lannisters had good reason for

refusing to honor King Robert’s debts, but it was folly all the same. If Stannis was not too stiff-necked to

accept their terms, the Braavosi would give him all the gold and silver he required, coin enough to buy a

dozen sellsword companies, to bribe a hundred lords, to keep his men paid, fed, clothed, and armed.

Unless Stannis is lying dead beneath the walls of Winterfell, he may just have won the Iron Throne. He

wondered if Melisandre had seen that in her fires.

Jon reflects that the IB can easily hire a dozen sellsword companies for Stannis. We only know of a dozen names, so saying "a dozen", instead of "the dozen", leads us to believe that there are more.

Known and contracted companies (7):

The Brave Companions - No longer exist.

- Some Tyroshi sellsord cavalry captain and his freeriders went over to Robb after the Battle of the Camps.

Second Sons - 514 men strong. Currently under contract with Tyrion.

Stormcrows - Number 500 men. Under contract with Dany.

Long Lances - Number 800 riders. Under contract with Yunkai.

Company of the Cat - Number 3,000 infantry. Under contract with Yunkai.

Windblown - Number 2,000 horse and infantry. Present at the siege of Mereen.

Golden Company - 10,000 men strong, includes horse, infantry, and elephants. Invading Westeros under Aegon VI's banner.

Total Manpower of 6 companies: ~16,800.

Other known Sellsword companies (5):

Ragged Standard

Maiden's Men

Iron Shields

Gallant Men

Bright Banners

Stannis can afford to be picky. Get 20,000 men, you can get a bit more, but don't overdo it, they still cost money that will need to be repayed. Try and get ones with good reputation, such as the Golden Company, but if not, no worries, there are plenty more to choose from.

[TheDarkOne]

I wonder if it's not as simple as the Golden Company being bought out and turning on Aegon. There has been plenty of foreshadowing and outright examples of betrayal from sell swords. There could be another red wedding type situation coming around this with Stannis and the IB as the architects.

[Whitering]

Well, there is a whole poopload of mercenaries attacking/defending Mereen, but there is no way some Braavosi guy that has been traipsing all over the North knows that they are already engaged or that the Golden Company has landed on the shores of Westeros claiming to support their own King.

Unless our dear banker has a can with a really long string attached to a can back in the IB in Braavos, or his own glass candle trick, then he only knows what was current when he left, which was probably just as Feast started or something like that.

[Nyrhex]

Well, there is a whole poopload of mercenaries attacking/defending Mereen, but there is no way some Braavosi guy that has been traipsing all over the North knows that they are already engaged or that the Golden Company has landed on the shores of Westeros claiming to support their own King.

Unless our dear banker has a can with a really long string attached to a can back in the IB in Braavos, or his own glass candle trick, then he only knows what was current when he left, which was probably just as Feast started or something like that.

Travel across the Narrow sea from Braavos takes about a month. Tycho arrives at Castle Black a few days after he lands in Westeros. He arrives after Stannis takes Deepwood Motte, and goes there. He then u-turns and arrives in Stannis' camp, who has been marching on Winterfell for over a month. So, two months-ish, before Theon's Gift chapter, is the last that he knows. Other then the fact that there are more then 5 sellsword companies in the world, there are always swords for hire, for he who has the gold. And the IB has lots of it.

[KingHodorTargaryen]

Justin Massey has been shown as a loyal man, an ambitious man, and a dragon man. If word of Dany reaches him, or she visits Braavos/ somewhere near, he could well be waiting for her with a Braavosi envoy from the Iron Bank and 10,000 sellswords.

[Stallion That Mounts Texas]

Justin Massey has been shown as a loyal man, an ambitious man, and a dragon man. If word of Dany reaches him, or she visits Braavos/ somewhere near, he could well be waiting for her with a Braavosi envoy from the Iron Bank and 10,000 sellswords.

I've contemplated and suggested this very thing. He has shown loyalty and ambition, but he has not shown to be a dragon man just yet. The Masseys are a noble house from the Crownlands, and have directly served House Targaryen for 300 years compared to the 17 or so of service to House Baratheon.

From AFFC, we know that the men of Cracklaw Point are still very much dragon men. I would wager that most of the Crownlands is still very much loyal to the Targaryens. Aside from KL, there has not been very much warfare in the region and no one from the region came to support Joffery during the siege. I think all of this will play into the mind of Justin Massey. Once he hears about Dany his plans may change dramatically. Loyalty to House Targaryen trumps loyalty to Stannis.

[KingHodorTargaryen]

I've contemplated and suggested this very thing. He has shown loyalty and ambition, but he has not shown to be a dragon man just yet. The Masseys are a noble house from the Crownlands, and have directly served House Targaryen for 300 years compared to the 17 or so of service to House Baratheon.

From AFFC, we know that the men of Cracklaw Point are still very much dragon men. I would wager that most of the Crownlands is still very much loyal to the Targaryens. Aside from KL, there has not been very much warfare in the region and no one from the region came to support Joffery during the siege. I think all of this will play into the mind of Justin Massey. Once he hears about Dany his plans may change dramatically. Loyalty to House Targaryen trumps loyalty to Stannis.

The only thing I can't think of is where would he meet her? She isn't likely to go to Braavos due to hostilities for the dragons, and it would be tough to get the sellswords gathered, paid for partially, and march to another city. Ideas?

[The Mountain That Posts]

If Justin betrays Stannis I will cry. He needs at least ONE character who is 100% loyal to him that isn't Davos. :(

[Boi]

Assumptions based on a chapter excerpt. From an unfinished book?

There aren't 20k's worth of mercenaries to be purchased currently as Valayria is at war against Meeren and most companies remaining in Southyros are for the most part drawn into the conflict. The largest most notable company is already iin Westeros under Prince Aegon banner. Seas, storms, winter, assuming Justin gets to where he needs to, but in what time? The Braavosi bankers ships where mostly chartered with wildlings or wights from Hardholme, meaning eastwatch is? Getting to White Harbour is through Winterfell and the Deadfort. Maybe the hurt Lord Suet won't topple of his mount after clashing with the other enemy army on approach? Any ninja's in Winterfell can cause more mayhen. His own army was in mild panic and confusion upon the bankers approach. Then after killing a few Karstarks for their treachery, demanded of his justice he will hold his remaining northerners in line. Which are needed as his home army is thin now, from northerner justice Theon. Well atleast Stannis got his bingo bouns buy from the banker, trouble is what is it currently worth?

Where can I read that chapter if not the GRRM website?

[Nyrhex]

I doubt Justin could give Dany Stannis' sellswords even if he could. Braavos hates the Dragons, Dany is known to have broken her contract with Astapor. She is the poster gril of customers they do not serve. As they are currently backing Stannis, not only is thier contract already signed, and they are not going to break it first, they are the ones paying the sellswords. Massey is only the one gathering them.

Considering the number of sellswords: There are always sellswords. Only 5 companies of the 12 known are in Mereen. We know that there are more then 12, and from the known ones 5 are not mentioned as under contract anywhere. So 5+ Are still an option. Add freeriders and sellswords by private contract and not in a company, and there are certinaly more then 20,000 sellswords available.

There were only the Company of the Cat, which was already under contract with Yunkai IIRC, and the rest are small ones and the Windblown, which boasts of rapid deployment. If Yunkai was gathering men fast, it stands to reason that larger companies were not contacted due to the time to deploy them.

[Breaking Stannis]

Braavos hates the Dragons

No they hate slavery.

[Nyrhex]

No they hate slavery.

“The Lysene pirate? Some say he has returned to his old haunts, this is so. And Lord Redwyne’s

war fleet creeps through the Broken Arm as well.

On its way home, no doubt. But these men and their ships are well-known to us. No, these other

sails … from farther east, perhaps … one hears queer talk of dragons.”

“Would that we had one here. A dragon might warm things up a bit.”

“My lord jests. You will forgive me if I do not laugh. We Braavosi are descended from those who

fled Valyria and the wroth of its dragonlords. We do not jape of dragons.”

[KingHodorTargaryen]

“The Lysene pirate? Some say he has returned to his old haunts, this is so. And Lord Redwyne’s

war fleet creeps through the Broken Arm as well.

On its way home, no doubt. But these men and their ships are well-known to us. No, these other

sails … from farther east, perhaps … one hears queer talk of dragons.”

“Would that we had one here. A dragon might warm things up a bit.”

“My lord jests. You will forgive me if I do not laugh. We Braavosi are descended from those who

fled Valyria and the wroth of its dragonlords. We do not jape of dragons.”

They hate both. The Braavosi are descended from the slaves of the dragonlords. That means that while they might not like Dany, they do realize she is smashing the slave trade immensely. So with that, the Iron Bank might give her some help, but also send a Faceless Man to get close to her to kill her or her dragons if they feel threatened.

[Boi]

The there aren't those merc's about, unless they are conjured as quickly as that contract. Every city in Southyros is for the most part involved in conflict against Dany. Valyria is marching on Mereen and so is Quarth whatever companies of mercenary available are likely to be already hired. Unless Braavos has a company that is bigger then the most notable. Syr justiin wlll get lost in winter some storms or take years upon any actual venture. The banker was sent home.

[~No One~]

I'm sorry if this has been suggested already, but when Massey gets to Braavos and finds out that 20,000 sellswords aren't available, wouldn't Tycho recommend he get some FM? Like, many of them? I understand the price is high, but Stannis has the Iron Bank behind him...

I've seen Arya mentioned, but I don't think Massey will just return to Westeros with one acolyte... what if a bunch of them go? Is this crackpot?

[Stallion That Mounts Texas]

The only thing I can't think of is where would he meet her? She isn't likely to go to Braavos due to hostilities for the dragons, and it would be tough to get the sellswords gathered, paid for partially, and march to another city. Ideas?

I think Justin will get word after the battle of Meereen is done. Once the dust settles, he can make his way to Dany and pledge fealty. Ser Barristan (if he is still living, which is highly doubtful) would vouch for his family name. He can still be loyal to Stannis by securing a future for Shireen as Lady of Storm's End.

With Dany abolishing slavery and a good bet to pay back the realm's debts, she may get support from Braavos. Much like the Volantene did with the Golden Company, they may support her just to see her gone from the continent. Additionally, I don't foresee getting 20,000 men to be a problem. The problem will be he quality of the troops. All of the quality and reputable companies are either at Meereen or Westeros.

[NewJeffCT]

I'm sorry if this has been suggested already, but when Massey gets to Braavos and finds out that 20,000 sellswords aren't available, wouldn't Tycho recommend he get some FM? Like, many of them? I understand the price is high, but Stannis has the Iron Bank behind him...

I've seen Arya mentioned, but I don't think Massey will just return to Westeros with one acolyte... what if a bunch of them go? Is this crackpot?

Stannis says to Massey to accompany the banker to Braavos and hire as many sellswords as you can there, then to seek the Golden Company in "the Disputed Lands" - a quick look in the wiki says that the Disputed Lands are Lys, Tyrosh and Myr. So, Stannis knows that Massey will be gone for a while and will likely be making several stops on the trip. He even asks Massey to first look for companies "of good repute" - but, only if he can find them.

[JungWheats]

Hiring 50 Faceless Men would probably be much more efficient than hiring a full host and making a giant war. Why go to war and kill many thousands and destroy the very continent that you want to save and hurt the people that you want to earn the fealty of? I'd much rather just wipe out 100 or so individuals without any collaterol damage.

In response to No on Braavos, up there. FM = Golden Company.

We all know sellswords aren't worth shit.