Maester Cressen
From A Wiki of Ice and Fire
Maester Cressen +/- 219 AL - 298 AL is the Maester of Dragonstone. As maester he is the adviser of Stannis Baratheon. The prologue of A Clash of Kings is told from Maester Cressen POV, he is then almost eighty years old.
[edit] Life before A Clash of Kings
Maester Cressen used to be maester of Storm's End. When Lord Steffon Baratheon and his wife died in shipwreck, he more or less raised the Baratheon children. Stannis was his favourite as he needed Cressen more because he lacked the charm of his brothers. During the Siege of Storm's End some men of the garrison tried to open the gate. Stannis had wanted to bind them on catapults and send them to the enemy but Cressen advised against it. He pointed out that they did not have much food and that hunger might force them to eat the prisoners.
When Robert gave Dragonstone to Stannis, Maester Cressen followed him to Dragonstone. As a Maester is sworn to advice and serve a specific castle, regardless of changes in control of that holding, this is very uncommon.
Some time before the War of the Five Kings Stannis had asked for the Citadel to send him a replacement for Cressen as he began to age. The Citadel sends him Pylos.
[edit] Death
After Stannis declares himself king he sends out messengers to get support for his claim. His is not very succesfull. Only the vasals of Dragonstone support him. The lords of the Stormlands support Stannis' younger brother Renly Baratheon who has claimed the throne as well.
Maester Cressen advices Stannis to ally with the Starks and the Arryns. Stannis says that Robb Stark crowning means he is another treater. Stannis queen, lady Selyse, urges Stannis to rely solely on R'hllor and says that according to Melisandre, Renly will die soon. Maester Cressen thinks that Selyse suggest that Stannis have Renly assassinated and is shocked also because Stannis seems listens to this advice. He blaims Melisandre for this and plans to kill her.
At dinner he poisons her wine. Melisandre seems to sense this and suggest Maester Cressen to throw the wine away but Cressen insists that they share the cup. Melisandre drinks half but is unaffected. Maester Cressen drinks the other half and dies.
