Espionage

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Varys spying in the Red Keep. © FFG

A man spies on Jaime and Cersei Lannister as they converse. © FFG

Red Keep spy. © FFG

Olenna Tyrell's informant. © FFG

Dornish spy. © FFG

Espionage or spying involves a spy ring made up of individuals obtaining information considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information in order to benefit from that information, especially when playing the game of thrones. The chief spy is called a spymaster. In Westeros the master of whisperers is the king's spymaster. Spymasters and their spies are sometimes called "spiders".

Known spies

• Varys - the master of whisperers, or spymaster, for the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms.

• Ser Jorah Mormont - spied on Daenerys Targaryen for Varys, informing on her since she wed Khal Drogo, until she left Qarth

• Jon Snow – ordered by Qhorin Halfhand to yield if they were caught by wildlings in order to act as a spy.

• Lancel Lannister - blackmailed by Tyrion Lannister into spying on Cersei for him.

• People spying on Black Walder Frey – planted by Edwyn Frey

• People spying on Edwyn Frey – planted by Black Walder Frey

• House Blackwood spies in House Bracken

• House Bracken spies in House Blackwood

• Senelle - Taena of Myr reveals that Cersei Lannister’s maid is spying on her for Margaery Tyrell.

• Little birds – part of Varys's vast spy ring

• Little mice – part of young Varys's vast spy ring in Pentos

• Theon Greyjoy – ordered to spy on Roose Bolton by his son Ramsay Snow, however Roose is aware of this

• The Bastard's Boys - tasked by Roose Bolton with spying on Ramsay Snow on behalf of the Lord of the Dreadfort.

• Osmund, Osney, and Osfryd Kettleblack - provided Bronn with information about Cersei Lannister's moves. In turn their loyalties actually lie with Petyr Baelish.

• Several of Wyman Manderly's servants and two knights bribed by Symond Frey to spy on the Lord of White Harbor

• Moon Boy - a spy for Varys according to Ser Dontos Hollard

• Lysono Maar - spymaster for the Golden Company.

• Symond Frey – House Frey spymaster

• Mysaria - Prince Daemon Targaryen's spymaster

Quotes

Quentyn had begun to think that they might have done better to buy their own ship in the Planky Town. That would have drawn unwanted attention, however. The Spider had informers everywhere, even in the halls of Sunspear.

—Thoughts of Prince Quentyn Martell

Wait, I say. Gather our power, win some small lords to our cause, let Lysono Maar dispatch his spies to learn what we can learn of our foes.

—Harry Strickland during the Golden Company's war council at the Griffin's Roost

Did you truly expect me to believe you were about the queen's business in that whorehouse? Defending her from half a world away? Or could it be that you were running, that your dragon queen sent you from her side? But why would she … oh, wait, you were spying on her.

—Tyrion Lannister to Ser Jorah Mormont

Sour Alyn, Luton, Skinner, and the rest, where does he think they came from? Can he truly believe they are his men?

—Roose Bolton, to "Reek"

Lower your voice, fool. You should not even jape about such things. You never know who could be listening. The Spider has ears everywhere.

—Armen, to Mollander after his noisy toast to Daenerys Targaryen at the Quill and Tankard

If Hizdahr has his own Spider, I am as good as dead.

—Ser Barristan Selmy's thoughts before the coup d'état