New Theory on Varys

[Raven]

Lady Blackfyre: you're correct.

The Citadel: So Spake Martin - Eastern Cities and Peoples

Fourth: Illyrio is noted as having ships that trade with Westeros - in fact, we are obligingly given the detail that he even travels on these. (Salladhor Saan captures a ship that belongs to Illyrio in ASOS.) So he could easily have popped over to KL.

As for your questions about Illyrio's motivation, some of these will be addressed in ADWD.

 

[Young stormlord]

Well the question you have to ask yourself is what does he stand to lose? Hes a powerful citizen of the Free Cities so I dont see Baratheons wrath intimidating him. Really he risks nothing, even gained an alliance with the Dothraki to protect his buisness interests in that bleak vastness. What? You think he brokered a marriage with nothing for himself? But thats probably just icing on the cake for him, no he gained a potential alliance with the ruler of westeros or if things fell apart he could always cough V and D up to Robert as a bargaining chip of his own and gain an alliance with the ruler of westeros.

So wheres the downside?

When Danny see dragon egg's as a present from Illiryo she says something like this :It was very generous from him but he could spare it. He got real fortune in horses and gold from Dothraki. So realy what can he lose? If Danny sits on throne she will reward her friend magister if not the winner will reward his friend magister.

 

[TK-421]

Is there here a potential link with the Gold Company from Lys (I think) to whom King's Landing is heavily endebted and who Cersei dismissed when they came asking for payment? Illyrio may well be linked with them and they can finance a change in leadership to someone who would reward them for their backing.

 

[Raven]

Is there here a potential link with the Gold Company from Lys (I think) to whom King's Landing is heavily endebted and who Cersei dismissed when they came asking for payment? Illyrio may well be linked with them and they can finance a change in leadership to someone who would reward them for their backing.

Think you're confusing two things here. The Iron Bank in Braavos is the organisation to whom the crown is in debt, and who Cersei blew off (not personally ).

The Golden Company are a mercenary company formed by descendants of the Targaryen Great ******* Bittersteel and featuring several Westerosi exiles, who're mentioned in AFFC as having broken their contract with Myr to fight against Lys. This is considered unusual, and there are hints they may be heading towards Dany.

Neither has any link to Illyrio that we know of.

 

[TK-421]

OK. Thanks for clearing that up. But I still think that the Iron Bank may eventually ally itself with Dany.

 

[Fourth Hunter]

I agree with TK because while the Iron Bank is probably going to be paid eventually, for some odd reason, banks tend to follow the somewhat odd philosophy that it is better to get some of the money owed to them now, than all of it later.

 

[Raven]

OK. Thanks for clearing that up. But I still think that the Iron Bank may eventually ally itself with Dany.

Very possibly. It's the best explanation for the mention in AFFC.

 

[Koopa]

I agree with TK because while the Iron Bank is probably going to be paid eventually, for some odd reason, banks tend to follow the somewhat odd philosophy that it is better to get some of the money owed to them now, than all of it later.

They need enough cash to be able to cope with daily transitions, in accounting you have to write off a portion of the debt every so often, if this does not happen the debt becomes dubious, and they have to make an estimate of how much they are going to recover. (like 30%)

Also as the debt becomes dubious there is a chance you wont get any money at all, therfore the bank will try to get his hands on as much as it can possible get at the time. I think they are also almost always the first claimants when at a failure/closure the property gets sold thet are the first claimants, have the first right to a proportion if not all of the money till they have the fulldebt payed.

How the Braavosi Bnk works i do not know though.