Difference between revisions of "A Game of Thrones-Chapter 27"

From A Wiki of Ice and Fire
Jump to: navigation, search
m (Synopsis)
(External links)
(19 intermediate revisions by 13 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{Infobox Chapter AGoT
 
{{Infobox Chapter AGoT
| pov = [[Eddard Stark|Eddard]]
+
| pov = [[Eddard Stark]]
 +
| place        = [[King's Landing]]
 
| title = Eddard VI
 
| title = Eddard VI
 
| page = 227 (US bantam HC)
 
| page = 227 (US bantam HC)
Line 9: Line 10:
 
| arc next = [[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 30|Eddard VII]]
 
| arc next = [[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 30|Eddard VII]]
 
}} __NOTOC__
 
}} __NOTOC__
 +
 +
[[Eddard Stark|Ned]] and the [[small council]] deal with policing problems caused by the upcoming [[the Hand's tourney|tourney]]. After the meeting, [[Jory Cassel]] reports to Ned on interviews with [[Jon Arryn]]’s remaining household. The report includes mention of visits by Lord Arryn and [[Stannis Baratheon]] to a [[Chataya's brothel|brothel]] and an [[Tobho Mott|armorer]]. Ned orders Jory to identify the brothel and goes to visit the armorer himself. There he discovers an apprentice named [[Gendry]] who looks astonishingly like King [[Robert Baratheon|Robert]].
  
 
==Synopsis==
 
==Synopsis==
[[Eddard Stark|Ned]] and the [[Small Council]] hear Commander [[Janos Slynt|Slynt]]’s report about the city filling with people from all over the realm for the upcoming [[Tourney of the Hand|tourney]], which is causing a significant increase in crime; Slynt requesting more men. Eddard agrees to hire fifty new watchmen for the [[City Watch of King's Landing|City Watch]], and [[Petyr Baelish|Lord Balish]] will see that he gets the coin. When Littlefinger objects, Eddard tells him that he found 40,000 for champion’s purse, so should be able to scrape together a few coppers to keep the King’s peace. Eddard also loans the watch twenty of his own household guard.
 
Eddard complains again about the tourney; the tourney is an irritant since the tourney is called the ‘Hand’s’ tourney which he wants nothing to do with, and King Roberts seems to think it is an honor. Grand [[Maester]] [[Pycelle]] states that a tourney is good for the realm since it bring the great an opportunity for glory, and the lowly a respite from their woes. Littlefinger adds that it brings in lots of money, and particularly points out that the whores are walking bowlegged. Lord [[Renly Baratheon|Renly]] laughs, telling how his [[Stannis Baratheon|brother]] had proposed to outlaw brothels. In response, Robert asked if Stanis wanted to outlaw eating, shitting and breathing. Then Renly states that he wonders how Sannis every got that daughter of his; he goes to his marriage bed like he is marching to a battlefield to do his duty. Everyone laughs except Eddard. Eddard states he wonders about Stanis, wondering if he will return and assume his duties on the council. Eddard adjourns the council.
 
  
When Eddard returns to the [[Tower of the Hand]], he orders that [[Jory Cassel|Jory]] attend him and his horse be saddled. . As he waits, he peruses the book that [[Maester]] [[Pycelle]] had provided him, the one that [[Jon Arryn]] had been reading prior to his death: ''[[The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms, With Descriptions of Many High Lords and Noble Ladies and Their Children|Lineages of the Great Houses]]'' by Grand Maester [[Malleon]. Its reading had proven to be extremely boring, but Eddard was sure that there was a reason that [[Jon Arryn]] had been reading it. Jory is soon there, and informs Eddard of his progress on interviews with the household still in [[King's Landing]]. When Jory arrives, Eddard tells him he relies on him to choose the men he promised for the city watch and then wants to know the results of Jo’sry questioning of Jon Arryn's servants. The only information of significant was from serving girl that stated Lord John had been reading more than he should have, and was concerned about his son’s frailty and gruff with his wife. The pot boy was able to provide lots of kitchen gossip, including that the lord was arguing with the king, and Lord Stanis had accompany the lord to help choose the design for new armor. The also stated that the lord was strong as a man half his age and often went riding with Lord [[Stannis Baratheon]]. Eddard finds it curious that Stannis name keeps coming up, and that now Stanis is in Dragonstone with no word about when he will return. This Eddard finds strange, since, as far as he knew, Jon and Stannis were never friendly. Then it is detailed that Stannis and the lord visited a brothel, but does not know which brothel. That Stannis would visit a brothel is very strange since he is so stern, humorless, unforgiving, and grim in his sense of duty. Eddard wonders why Stannis would leave, and believes something frightened him, but what could frightened Stannis (Stannis had withstood a year-long sieged of [[Storm's End]] surviving on rats and boot leather).  
+
[[Eddard Stark|Ned]] and the [[small council]] hear [[City Watch of King's Landing|City Watch]] Commander [[Janos Slynt]]’s report about the significant increase in crime caused by the influx of people arriving for the upcoming tourney. Slynt requests more men. Ned agrees to hire fifty new watchmen, setting [[Petyr Baelish|Littlefinger]] to arrange the monetary details. When Littlefinger objects, Ned insists that since he found 40,000 [[currency|gold dragons]] for the champion’s purse, he should be able to scrape together a few coppers to keep the King’s Peace. Ned also loans Slynt twenty of his own household guard.
 +
 
 +
Ned complains again about the tourney, still irritated that it is to be called "[[the Hand's tourney]]" despite his distaste. Moreover, King [[Robert Baratheon|Robert]] still insists that Ned should feel honored. Grand [[Maester]] [[Pycelle]] points out that a tourney is good for the realm because it brings the great an opportunity for glory and the lowly a respite from their woes. Littlefinger adds that it brings in lots of money, emphasizing full inns and whores walking bowlegged. Lord [[Renly Baratheon|Renly]] laughs, telling how his brother [[Stannis Baratheon|Stannis]] once proposed outlawing brothels, prompting Robert to ask if he wanted to outlaw eating, shitting, and breathing as well. Renly goes on to wonder how Stannis ever fathered his [[Shireen Baratheon|daughter]] when he goes to his marriage bed like he is marching to a battlefield to do his duty. Everyone laughs except Ned, who is preoccupied by thoughts of when Stannis will return and assume his [[Master of Ships|duties]] on the council.
 +
 
 +
After the council adjourns, Ned returns to the [[Tower of the Hand]] and summons [[Jory Cassel]]. As he waits for his horse to be saddled, Ned peruses the book that [[Jon Arryn]] had been reading prior to his death: ''[[The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms, With Descriptions of Many High Lords and Noble Ladies and Their Children|Lineages of the Great Houses]]'' by Grand Maester [[Malleon]]. Its reading has proven extremely tedious, just as Pycelle warned, and scarcely a man now alive had been born when it was written, but Ned is sure [[Jon Arryn]] had a reason for reading it. As he browses the section on [[House Lannister]], Ned muses on their long history and the myths of their ancestor [[Lann the Clever]], who stole gold from the sun to brighten his curly hair.
 +
 
 +
Jory arrives and briefs Ned on his interview with one of Jon Arryn’s stableboys, the last of the four leads provided by Littlefinger. Ser [[Hugh]] proved brusque, arrogant, and uninformative. The serving girl could only say that Jon Arryn had been reading too much, concerned about his [[Robert Arryn|son]]’s frailty, and gruff with his [[Lysa Arryn|wife]]. Meanwhile, the pot boy was only able to provide lots of kitchen gossip, including that Lord Stannis had accompanied Lord Arryn to meet an [[Tobho Mott|armorer]] about elaborate new armor. The stableboy proves just as informative. He swears that Lord Arryn was as strong as a man half his age and often went riding with Lord Stannis. This Ned finds strange; as far as he knew, Jon and Stannis were never friendly. Jory says that the stableboy also claims that Stannis and Jon Arryn visited a brothel together. Unfortunately, the boy did not know which brothel; only the guards that escorted them would know, and they were taken back to the [[Eyrie]] with Lady [[Lysa Arryn|Lysa]].  
 +
 
 +
That Stannis would visit a brothel is very strange because he is so stern and humorless. That Stannis’ name keeps coming up and that he has left the city with no word about when he will return also vexes Ned. He wonders why Stannis would leave and decides that something must have frightened him, yet Ned cannot imagine what could have frightened Stannis, who withstood the year-long [[Siege of Storm's End]] by surviving on rats and boot leather. Both Ned and Jory find it frustrating that everyone that might know the truth is a thousand leagues away. When Jory asks if he will call Stannis back from [[Dragonstone]], Ned says not yet.
 +
 
 +
Ned plans to visit the armorer himself and decides to wear his doublet with the direwolf sigil so the armorer will know who he is. As Jory dresses him, Ned wonders why Renly was not invited on the rides. Ned does not know what to make of Renly with his friendly ways and easy smiles. A few days back, Renly showed him a locket with a picture of [[Margaery Tyrell]]. He asked Ned if she resembled [[Lyanna Stark|Lyanna]] and seemed disappointed when Ned shrugged. Ned finds it queer that Renly, who looks so much like [[Robert Baratheon|Robert]], would be obsessed with a lady that he thought looked like Lyanna.
 +
 
 +
Ned tells Jory that it would be good if Stannis returned for the tourney, but Jory’s response makes Ned more certain that Stannis will not. He also wonders why Lord Arryn would be interested in showy armor when he had always considered armor something for protection, not ornament. Ned then tells Jory that he better start visiting brothels, which Jory jokingly calls a “hard duty.”
 +
 
 +
The streets of [[King’s Landing]] are crowded, but Ned and his guardsmen [[Varly]] and [[Jacks]] make it through the crowd to the [[Mud Gate]] where Lord [[Beric Dondarrion]] is arriving with his retinue to participate in the Tourney of the Hand. At the [[Visenya's Hill|top]] of the [[Street of Steel]] they find the huge house of the armorer [[Tobho Mott]]. After shouldering his way in, a serving girl notices Ned’s sigil and badge of office and Tobho Mott quickly appears, offering wine. Mott immediately tells Ned that his prices are not cheap but his craftsmanship in unequaled in the [[Seven Kingdoms]]. He adds proudly that [[Loras Tyrell|the Knight of Flowers]] buys all his armor from him and that he can work [[Valyrian steel]].
 +
 
 +
[[File:Ryan Barger City of Secrets.JPG|thumb|350px|left|Gendry, the apprentice armorer - Ryan Barger. © Fantasy Flight Games.]]
 +
 
 +
Ned lets the armorer go on for a while before he asks if Jon Arryn bought a falcon helm from him. Mott says that Lord Arryn bought nothing, only wanting to see the apprentice boy named [[Gendry]]. Any hint of friendliness leaves Mott when Ned asks to see the boy as well. In the hot stone barn that contains the forges, the armorer introduces Gendry and shows Ned a helmet that the boy has crafted. Ned notes that the unfinished helm is expertly shaped and offers to buy it. Gendry immediately grabs the helmet back, insisting it is not for sale. Mott rushes to offer apologies for Gendry’s behavior, but Ned states there is nothing to forgive.  
  
Eddard tell Jory that his will wear his doublet with the direwolf sigil so the armorer will know who he is. As Jory dresses him, Eddard wonders why [[Renly Baratheon|Renly]] was not invited on the rides. Eddard does not know what make of Renly with his easy ways and friendly smiles. A few days back Renly had shown a locket to Eddard with a picture of [[Margaery Tyrell]]. He asked Eddard if she resembles [[Lyanna Stark|Lyanna]]. To Renly's disappointment Ned tells him she doesn't. Eddard finds it queer that Renly, who looked so much like [[Robert Baratheon|Robert]], would be obsessed with a lady that he thought looked like Lyanna. Then Eddard tells Jory that it would be good is Stanis returned for the tourney, but Jory’s response makes Eddard more certain the Stanis would not return. He also wonders that Lord Arryn would be interested in showy armor when he had always considered armor something for protection, not ornament. Eddard then tells Jory that he better start visiting brothels, which Jory jokingly calls hard duty.
+
Ned asks Gendry what he and Jon Arryn talked about. Gendry explains that Lord Arryn asked about his age, if he was well treated, and about his mother. Ned asks about the boy’s mother as well, and is told that she is dead, but that she was an alehouse wench with blonde hair. Ned examines Gendry and notices a remarkable resemblance to a younger King Robert, especially his black hair and blue eyes.
  
Eddard leaves to visit the armorer that Jon and Stannis visited. Finally Eddard and his escort of his guardsmen [[Varly]] and [[Jacks]] make it through the crowd to the Mud Gate where Lord [[Beric Dondarrion]] is arriving with his retinue to participate in the [[Tourney of the Hand]]. Further on they finally reach the huge house of the Armorer with stone knights guarding the entrance. After shouldering his way in, a serving girl notices his sigil, and [[Tobho Mott]] quickly appears, offering wine for the [[Hand of the King|King’s Hand]]. Mott immediately tells Eddard that if he is in need of new arms, that his prices are not cheap, but he will not find craftsmanship equal to his anywhere in the [[Seven Kingdoms]]. He continues by telling Eddard that [[Loras Tyrell|the Lord of Flowers]] buys all his armor from him and that he can work [[Valyrian steel]]. Eddard lets the armorer go on until he finally asks if Lord Arryn had bought a falcon helm for him. The armorer says that he bought nothing, wanted to see the boy, [[Gendry]]. Eddard tells him that he wanted to see the boy also. Any hint of friendliness leaves the armorer as he leads Eddard back to hot stone barn that contains the forges. The armorer calls the boy forward, and Eddard is shown a helmet that the boy had worked on. Eddard notes that, although still unfinished, it was expertly shaped, and Eddard offers to buy the helmet. Gendry immediately grabs the helmet back telling Eddard it is not for sale. Mott immediately offer his apologies Gendry’s behavior, and Eddard states there is nothing to forgive. Eddard then asks Gendry what he and Lord Arryn had talked about. Gendry tells him that he asked about his age, if he was well treated and about is mother. Eddard asks about his mother, and is told that she is dead, but had blonde hair. Eddard now examines Gendry and sees his resemblance to [[Robert Baratheon|the King]] when he was younger. Eddard now asks Mott who paid his apprentice fee. Mott tells Eddard that he took him on for free since he was such a strong boy. Eddard does not believe this, Mott reveals that an unknown lord had visited and paid twice the normal apprentice fee for Gendry, and told Mott that the extra money was for him to remain silent. Eddard decides he likes Tobho Mott. Before he leaves, Eddard tells Mott that if the day comes that Gendry wants to wield a sword instead of forge one, send Gendry to him. He also tells the armorer that if he ever wants a helm to frighten children, this will be the first place he comes.  
+
Ned asks Mott who paid the boy’s apprentice fee. Mott claims he took the boy on for free since he was so strong. Ned does not believe this for a moment. Mott admits that an unknown lord had paid twice the normal apprentice fee for Gendry and said the extra money was for his silence. Ned decides he likes Tobho Mott. Before he leaves, Ned tells Mott to send Gendry to him if the day comes that he wants to wield a sword instead of forge one. Ned also quips that if he ever wants a helm to frighten children, this will be the first place he visits.  
  
Ned still doesn’t understand what Jon wanted with a king’s bastard and why it led to his death.
+
As he rejoins his guards outside, Ned still doesn’t understand what Jon Arryn wanted with a king’s bastard, nor why it led to his death.
  
==External links==
+
==Character List==
*[http://www.tor.com/blogs/2011/07/a-read-of-ice-and-fire-a-game-of-thrones-part-14 Summary and analyses of the chapter] by Leigh Butler.
+
{| class="wikitable" width="100%"
*[http://towerofthehand.com/books/101/028/index.html Summary of the chapter] on Tower of the Hand.
+
|- valign="top"
 +
| style="width:25;" |
 +
'''Appearing:'''
 +
*[[Eddard Stark]]
 +
*[[Varys]]
 +
*[[Renly Baratheon]]
 +
*[[Petyr Baelish]]
 +
*[[Robert Baratheon]]
 +
*[[Janos Slynt]]
 +
*Maester [[Pycelle]]
 +
| style="width:25;" |
 +
'''Appearing:'''
 +
*[[Harwin]]
 +
*[[Jory Cassel]]
 +
*[[Varly]]
 +
*[[Jacks]]
 +
*[[Beric Dondarrion]]
 +
*[[Tobho Mott]]
 +
*[[Gendry]]
  
==References and Notes==
+
| style="width:25;" |
* The synopsis was copied from AoL member vbkorik27 previously at [http://web.archive.org/web/20080228051425/members.aol.com/vbkorik27/summary/legend.html].
+
'''Mentioned:'''
 +
*[[Aegon I Targaryen]]
 +
*[[Stannis Baratheon]]
 +
*[[Hullen]]
 +
*[[Catelyn Stark]]
 +
*[[Robb Stark]]
 +
*[[Bran Stark]]
 +
*[[Jon Snow]]
 +
| style="width:25;" |
 +
'''Mentioned:'''
 +
*Maester [[Malleon]]
 +
*[[Jon Arryn]]
 +
*[[House Lannister]]
 +
*[[Lann the Clever]]
 +
*[[Bran the Builder]]
 +
*[[House Casterly]]
 +
*[[Alyn]]
 +
| style="width:25;" |
 +
'''Mentioned:'''
 +
*Ser [[Hugh]]
 +
*[[Lysa Arryn]]
 +
*[[Robert Arryn]]
 +
*Maester [[Colemon]]
 +
*[[Mace Tyrell]]
 +
*[[Loras Tyrell]]
 +
*[[Margaery Tyrell]]
 +
*[[Lyanna Stark]]
 +
*[[Porther]]
 +
*[[Tomard]]
 +
*[[Desmond]]
 +
|}
 +
==Terms and places mentioned==
 +
{| class="wikitable" width="100%"
 +
|- valign="top"
 +
| style="width:25;" |
 +
'''Places:'''
 +
*[[King's Landing]]
 +
*[[Great Sept]]
 +
*[[Tower of the Hand]]
 +
*[[Red Keep]]
 +
*[[River Gate]]
 +
| style="width:25;" |
 +
'''Places mentioned:'''
 +
*[[Dragonstone]]
 +
*[[Casterly Rock]]
 +
*[[Winterfell]]
 +
*[[Eyrie]]
 +
*[[Storm's End]]
 +
*[[Qohor]]
 +
| style="width:25;" |
 +
'''Terms:'''
 +
*[[City Watch]]
 +
*[[Age of Heroes]]
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" width="100%"
 +
|- valign="top"
 +
| style="width:25;" |
 +
'''Items and events:'''
 +
*[[The Hand's tourney]]
 +
*[[The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms]]
 +
*[[Valyrian steel]]
 +
|}
  
 
[[Category: A Song of Ice And Fire chapters|A Game of Thrones: Chapter 27]]
 
[[Category: A Song of Ice And Fire chapters|A Game of Thrones: Chapter 27]]
 
[[Category: A Song of Ice And Fire chapters--POV Eddard Stark]]
 
[[Category: A Song of Ice And Fire chapters--POV Eddard Stark]]
[[fr:A Game of Thrones, Chapitre 28, Eddard]][[ru:Игра престолов, Эддард VI]]
+
[[Category:Chapters which take place in King's Landing]]
 +
[[Category:Chapters which take place at the Red Keep]]
 +
 
 +
[[es:Juego de Tronos-Capítulo 27]]
 +
[[fr:A Game of Thrones, Chapitre 28, Eddard]]
 +
[[ru:Игра престолов, Эддард VI]]
 +
[[pt:A Guerra dos Tronos - Capítulo 27]]

Revision as of 14:36, 4 August 2019

Eddard VI
A Game of Thrones chapter
AGameOfThrones.jpg
POV Eddard Stark
Place King's Landing
Page 227 (US bantam HC) US HC (Other versions)
Chapter chronology (All)
Eddard V
Jon IV  ← Eddard VI →  Catelyn V

Eddard VII

Ned and the small council deal with policing problems caused by the upcoming tourney. After the meeting, Jory Cassel reports to Ned on interviews with Jon Arryn’s remaining household. The report includes mention of visits by Lord Arryn and Stannis Baratheon to a brothel and an armorer. Ned orders Jory to identify the brothel and goes to visit the armorer himself. There he discovers an apprentice named Gendry who looks astonishingly like King Robert.

Synopsis

Ned and the small council hear City Watch Commander Janos Slynt’s report about the significant increase in crime caused by the influx of people arriving for the upcoming tourney. Slynt requests more men. Ned agrees to hire fifty new watchmen, setting Littlefinger to arrange the monetary details. When Littlefinger objects, Ned insists that since he found 40,000 gold dragons for the champion’s purse, he should be able to scrape together a few coppers to keep the King’s Peace. Ned also loans Slynt twenty of his own household guard.

Ned complains again about the tourney, still irritated that it is to be called "the Hand's tourney" despite his distaste. Moreover, King Robert still insists that Ned should feel honored. Grand Maester Pycelle points out that a tourney is good for the realm because it brings the great an opportunity for glory and the lowly a respite from their woes. Littlefinger adds that it brings in lots of money, emphasizing full inns and whores walking bowlegged. Lord Renly laughs, telling how his brother Stannis once proposed outlawing brothels, prompting Robert to ask if he wanted to outlaw eating, shitting, and breathing as well. Renly goes on to wonder how Stannis ever fathered his daughter when he goes to his marriage bed like he is marching to a battlefield to do his duty. Everyone laughs except Ned, who is preoccupied by thoughts of when Stannis will return and assume his duties on the council.

After the council adjourns, Ned returns to the Tower of the Hand and summons Jory Cassel. As he waits for his horse to be saddled, Ned peruses the book that Jon Arryn had been reading prior to his death: Lineages of the Great Houses by Grand Maester Malleon. Its reading has proven extremely tedious, just as Pycelle warned, and scarcely a man now alive had been born when it was written, but Ned is sure Jon Arryn had a reason for reading it. As he browses the section on House Lannister, Ned muses on their long history and the myths of their ancestor Lann the Clever, who stole gold from the sun to brighten his curly hair.

Jory arrives and briefs Ned on his interview with one of Jon Arryn’s stableboys, the last of the four leads provided by Littlefinger. Ser Hugh proved brusque, arrogant, and uninformative. The serving girl could only say that Jon Arryn had been reading too much, concerned about his son’s frailty, and gruff with his wife. Meanwhile, the pot boy was only able to provide lots of kitchen gossip, including that Lord Stannis had accompanied Lord Arryn to meet an armorer about elaborate new armor. The stableboy proves just as informative. He swears that Lord Arryn was as strong as a man half his age and often went riding with Lord Stannis. This Ned finds strange; as far as he knew, Jon and Stannis were never friendly. Jory says that the stableboy also claims that Stannis and Jon Arryn visited a brothel together. Unfortunately, the boy did not know which brothel; only the guards that escorted them would know, and they were taken back to the Eyrie with Lady Lysa.

That Stannis would visit a brothel is very strange because he is so stern and humorless. That Stannis’ name keeps coming up and that he has left the city with no word about when he will return also vexes Ned. He wonders why Stannis would leave and decides that something must have frightened him, yet Ned cannot imagine what could have frightened Stannis, who withstood the year-long Siege of Storm's End by surviving on rats and boot leather. Both Ned and Jory find it frustrating that everyone that might know the truth is a thousand leagues away. When Jory asks if he will call Stannis back from Dragonstone, Ned says not yet.

Ned plans to visit the armorer himself and decides to wear his doublet with the direwolf sigil so the armorer will know who he is. As Jory dresses him, Ned wonders why Renly was not invited on the rides. Ned does not know what to make of Renly with his friendly ways and easy smiles. A few days back, Renly showed him a locket with a picture of Margaery Tyrell. He asked Ned if she resembled Lyanna and seemed disappointed when Ned shrugged. Ned finds it queer that Renly, who looks so much like Robert, would be obsessed with a lady that he thought looked like Lyanna.

Ned tells Jory that it would be good if Stannis returned for the tourney, but Jory’s response makes Ned more certain that Stannis will not. He also wonders why Lord Arryn would be interested in showy armor when he had always considered armor something for protection, not ornament. Ned then tells Jory that he better start visiting brothels, which Jory jokingly calls a “hard duty.”

The streets of King’s Landing are crowded, but Ned and his guardsmen Varly and Jacks make it through the crowd to the Mud Gate where Lord Beric Dondarrion is arriving with his retinue to participate in the Tourney of the Hand. At the top of the Street of Steel they find the huge house of the armorer Tobho Mott. After shouldering his way in, a serving girl notices Ned’s sigil and badge of office and Tobho Mott quickly appears, offering wine. Mott immediately tells Ned that his prices are not cheap but his craftsmanship in unequaled in the Seven Kingdoms. He adds proudly that the Knight of Flowers buys all his armor from him and that he can work Valyrian steel.

Gendry, the apprentice armorer - Ryan Barger. © Fantasy Flight Games.

Ned lets the armorer go on for a while before he asks if Jon Arryn bought a falcon helm from him. Mott says that Lord Arryn bought nothing, only wanting to see the apprentice boy named Gendry. Any hint of friendliness leaves Mott when Ned asks to see the boy as well. In the hot stone barn that contains the forges, the armorer introduces Gendry and shows Ned a helmet that the boy has crafted. Ned notes that the unfinished helm is expertly shaped and offers to buy it. Gendry immediately grabs the helmet back, insisting it is not for sale. Mott rushes to offer apologies for Gendry’s behavior, but Ned states there is nothing to forgive.

Ned asks Gendry what he and Jon Arryn talked about. Gendry explains that Lord Arryn asked about his age, if he was well treated, and about his mother. Ned asks about the boy’s mother as well, and is told that she is dead, but that she was an alehouse wench with blonde hair. Ned examines Gendry and notices a remarkable resemblance to a younger King Robert, especially his black hair and blue eyes.

Ned asks Mott who paid the boy’s apprentice fee. Mott claims he took the boy on for free since he was so strong. Ned does not believe this for a moment. Mott admits that an unknown lord had paid twice the normal apprentice fee for Gendry and said the extra money was for his silence. Ned decides he likes Tobho Mott. Before he leaves, Ned tells Mott to send Gendry to him if the day comes that he wants to wield a sword instead of forge one. Ned also quips that if he ever wants a helm to frighten children, this will be the first place he visits.

As he rejoins his guards outside, Ned still doesn’t understand what Jon Arryn wanted with a king’s bastard, nor why it led to his death.

Character List

Appearing:

Appearing:

Mentioned:

Mentioned:

Mentioned:

Terms and places mentioned

Places:

Places mentioned:

Terms:

Items and events: