Alchemist

From A Wiki of Ice and Fire
Revision as of 20:32, 5 May 2016 by Mindset (talk | contribs)
Jump to: navigation, search
The Alchemist
Alias Pate
Allegiance Faceless Men
Book A Feast for Crows (appears)

The Alchemist is a man encountered by the Citadel novice Pate in Oldtown.

Appearance

The Alchemist has a hooked nose, and thick, black, curly hair, with a slight scar on his right cheek.[1] This is an identical description to the appearance assumed by the Faceless Man assassin known to Arya Stark as Jaqen H'ghar.[2]

Recent Events

A Feast for Crows

The serving wench Rosey of the Quill and Tankard inn introduces Pate to a hooded stranger. Pate asks who he is, and he replies "An alchemist. I can change iron into gold." The stranger dances a gold dragon coin over his knuckles, and says he will exchange the gold for the the iron key of Archmaester Walgrave, who Pate serves. Pate says he is no thief, but a novice of the Citadel -- however, he is highly tempted by the offer because he needs a gold dragon to buy Rosey's maidenhead, as he loves her and cannot afford the cost. The Alchemist says he will give Pate time to reconsider, and will return in three days.[1]

Three days later, Pate is at the Quill and Tankard, spending the evening with some of his friends. He is still debating whether he is a thief, but he has already stolen the key from Walgrave's strongbox. When the Alchemist does not appear, Pate leaves the inn, but encounters the man outside. The Alchemist has Pate follow him into a narrow alley so that they can complete their transaction. The Alchemist gives Pate the coin, and Pate bites down on it as he has seen others do with gold coins. Pate is still hesitant, because an archmaester's key is supposed to be capable of opening any door in the Citadel, and some of Valyrian scrolls in the locked vaults are the only copies in the world. Pate asks the Alchemist to show his face, which is revealed to be that of a young man, but no one that Pate recognizes. He asks who he is, and the Alchemist replies, "A stranger. No one. Truly." Pate gives the Alchemist the key, and leaves, but soon falls to the ground, his legs weak and his heart hammering, and dies.[1]

When Sam Tarly meets Archmaester Marwyn at the Citadel, a novice with the same features as the late Pate is present in his chambers. He identifies Marwyn's glass candle as obsidian, and listens as Sam tells his story, of wildlings and Others and Stannis Baratheon and Melisandre, of dragonglass and dragons and Maester Aemon's belief that Daenerys Targaryen was the prince that was promised. Marwyn immediately leaves for Slaver's Bay, but commands Sam to stay and forge a maester's chain, and tells the novice to help Sam find a room, and that Sam will help him with the ravens. The novice tells Sam that there's an empty sleeping cell under his own in the west tower of the Ravenry, with steps that lead right up to Archmaester Walgrave's chambers, and Sam agrees to sleep there. Sam thinks to himself that there is something about the pale, soft youth that he mislikes, but gives him his name nevertheless, and the novice introduces himself as Pate, "like the pig boy".[3]

References and Notes