Pylos

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Maester.svg Maester
Pylos
Maester.svg
Maesterpylos by 1oshuart.jpg
Art by Joshua Cairós © Fantasy Flight Games

Title Maester at Dragonstone
Allegiances
Born In 273 AC or 274 AC[1]Westeros[2]
Books

Pylos is a maester of the Citadel, newly sent to serve Stannis Baratheon at Dragonstone. He came to Dragonstone to be the eventual replacement for Maester Cressen.[3]

Appearance and Character

No more than twenty-five years old, Pylos is solemn and polite.[3] He is always correct and precise in his speech.[3] The young maester is clever and diligent and well-meaning,[4] as well as kind[4] and courageous.[5] He can see a man's worth is more than his birth.[4]

Maester Pylos, by Lupotterdraws ©

History

When Maester Cressen became ill in 298 AC, Pylos was sent by the Citadel to Dragonstone. It was said that he was to be Cressen's assistant, but Cressen was aware that truly meant that Pylos was to be his replacement after he died. Pylos's rooms are only half a turn down the stairs from Cressen's, in earshot of the elderly maester.[3]

Recent Events

A Clash of Kings

Pylos serves at Dragonstone as an assistant maester, helping Maester Cressen, who is too old and frail to perform all his duties. Among other duties, Pylos does all the work with the ravens, since Cressen is unable to climb the stairs to the rookery. When the Citadel sends a white raven to announce the end of summer, Pylos shows the bird to Princess Shireen Baratheon.[3]

That night, Cressen rests before dinner, and when he wakes, Pylos does not answer his summons. Cressen is distraught when he arrives late to Stannis Baratheon's feast in the Great Hall, and discovers that Pylos is in his place at the table. On Cressen's query, Pylos blushes, and tells him Stannis had ordered him not to awaken Cressen. Stannis then dismisses Cressen, announcing that Pylos will now fulfill all of the duties of the Dragonstone maester. Cressen tries to kill Melisandre with the strangler, but the elderly maester instead dies from the poison.[3]

Pylos helps prepare Stannis's letter to all the lords of Westeros which proclaims him the true king. In the letter, Stannis asserts that Ser Jaime Lannister, not King Robert I Baratheon, is the father of Queen Cersei Lannister's children, and thus that Joffrey Baratheon is a bastard born of incest and is illegitimately sitting the Iron Throne. When Pylos includes a "harmless courtesy" in the letter, calling Robert Stannis's "beloved brother", Stannis considers it a falsehood, and orders the words removed.[6]

A Storm of Swords

Davos Seaworth and Maester Pylos, by theslytod ©

When Ser Davos Seaworth is imprisoned in Dragonstone's dungeons, he takes ill, and Maester Pylos treats him with hot garlic broth, milk of the poppy, and leechings.[7] Pylos also leeches the sick Edric Storm, bastard son of the late King Robert; these blood-filled leeches are used by Melisandre in her ritual to curse the false kings, Joffrey Baratheon, Balon Greyjoy, and Robb Stark.[8]

Maester Pylos educates the noble children on Dragonstone, Princess Shireen, Edric, and Devan Seaworth. Because Shireen's companion, the fool Patchface, does not sit still and his bells are always making noise, Pylos forbids him from attending Shireen's lessons.[4]

After the lowborn Davos Seaworth is raised to the position of Stannis's Hand of the King, he seeks out Maester Pylos for guidance. Pylos reassures Davos that he is well suited for the position, and he offers to teach the former smuggler how to read and write.[4] During this process, Pylos shows Davos a letter from Maester Aemon of the Night's Watch, begging for assistance from the five kings against the wildling forces of Mance Rayder and the oncoming threat of the Others. Pylos tells Davos that Stannis had not yet seen the letter, as his previous Hand, Lord Alester Florent, had deemed it not worth Stannis's attention or resources.[4]

Pylos is made aware of Davos's plan to remove Edric from Dragonstone to keep him safe from Melisandre's scheme to sacrifice him, and chooses to cooperate with it. While Pylos is teaching sums to the boy, Davos arrives at Sea Dragon Tower with several king's men. Pylos encourages the boy to follow Davos's orders; the Onion Lord thinks Pylos could be executed if Stannis judges the plan as treason, and appreciates the maester's courage. Edric is taken on Mad Prendos to the Free Cities.[5]

A Feast for Crows

Though Stannis and his army have left for the Wall, Pylos remains at Dragonstone as part of its garrison, with Ser Rolland Storm serving as castellan.[9]

Lord Paxter Redwyne leads the siege of Dragonstone, with the Redwyne fleet ferrying House Lannister's soldiers to the island.[10] In response to the taking of the Shields, Ser Loras Tyrell is given command of the siege by Queen Regent Cersei. According to Aurane Waters, Loras successfully assaults Dragonstone, though the young knight is gravely wounded while taking the castle. Aurane reports that maesters refuse to leech Loras because he has lost too much blood already.[11]

A Dance with Dragons

Davos recalls that Maester Pylos had taught him how to read.[12][13]

Quotes by Pylos

Words are wind, you know, and you've blown mine away with your good sense.[4]

—Pylos to Davos Seaworth

Davos: The King's Hand should be a highborn lord, someone wise and learned, a battle commander or a great knight...
Pylos: Ser Ryam Redwyne was the greatest knight of his day, and one of the worst Hands ever to serve a king. Septon Murmison's prayers worked miracles, but as Hand he soon had the whole realm praying for his death. Lord Butterwell was renowned for wit, Myles Smallwood for courage, Ser Otto Hightower for learning, yet they failed as Hands, every one. As for birth, the dragonkings oft chose Hands from amongst their own blood, with results as various as Baelor Breakspear and Maegor the Cruel. Against this, you have Septon Barth, the blacksmith's son the Old King plucked from the Red Keep's library, who gave the realm forty years of peace and plenty. Read your history, Lord Davos, and you will see that your doubts are groundless.[4]

Davos Seaworth and Pylos

Any man can read, my lord. There is no magic needed, nor high birth. I am teaching the art to your son, at the king's command. Let me teach you as well.[4]

—Pylos to Davos Seaworth

Edric: Are you coming with us, Maester?
Pylos: No. My place is here on Dragonstone.[5]

Edric Storm and Pylos

Quotes about Pylos

Pylos was a polite youth, no more than five-and-twenty, yet solemn as a man of sixty. If only he had more humor, more life in him; that was what was needed here.[3]

—thoughts of Cressen

My liege, Pylos is pleasant enough, but I cannot see the chain about his neck without mourning for Maester Cressen.[6]

Davos had been uncertain of Pylos. Perhaps he resented him for taking old Cressen's place. But now he could only admire the man's courage. This could mean his life as well.[4]

—thoughts of Davos Seaworth

References

Preceded by Maester at Dragonstone
299 AC–present
Served under: Stannis Baratheon
Incumbent