North Grove & Maester/Mama Forrester's loyalties
You know, now that we know there's a traitor in our midst, I have a feeling the very first task we're given of keeping it a secret, may come back to bite us in the very long run.
Also,revealing the secret might be a way to root out the traitor quicker at the cost of, well, it not being a secret anymore. I'll also point out ahead of time that I trust Duncan completely, so he's off the suspect list for me.
You have two choices in EP1: One to tell the Maester alone, and another to tell the Maester and Lady Forrester at the same time [there's no choice to tell her privately].
In the first scenario,telling the Maester only, if somehow word of the North Grove gets around Ironrath or Highpoint, we'll know for sure that the traitor is the Maester.
In the second scenario, it'd cause our suspect list to be made up by two people : Mama Forrester and Maester. But if we told the Maester alone in the previous scenario and nothing happened, if something happens in this one, we'll be sure Mama Forrester was responsible.
A bonus bit: If Gared tells Duncan that he told the maester, he says that "he's the last person I would confide with such information".
Comments
I think the Bonus bit is the most important. why would he say that?
Well it could be a cover up for himself. But I can't see how he'd wish to finnd te North Grove if not for the sake of the house.
He the person who can be trusted most, I think.
But why would the maester do it? Just for gold?
I don't think Duncan distrusts Ortengryn I think he doesn't trust him with the information as in what he would do with it.
An advantage of telling Elissa about the traitor in my mind if Gwyn says that Ludd knows that we know about the traitor we'll know it's her... unless she told someone else.
Maesters are the ones who care for and use the ravens. As such he's the one I trust least. The Whitehills are not only getting information, but they are getting it quick. The plan to either rescue Ryon or drive off Griff leaks to Highpoint almost immediately. He could be sending information to Highpoint by raven. Also unlike the other members of your Council he isn't from the North, and it is mentioned in Episode 1 that he didn't want to be a maester in the North either, and preferred to be sent to the Eyrie. Maybe that's his motivation...and betrayal buys him a ticket out of Ironrath.The maester also advises focusing on Gryff, which according to Gwyn is what Lord Whitehill wanted. Gryff is there to provoke a fight.
Lady Forrester lost her husband and one of her sons, so I can't imagine her being the traitor. Even with her desperation for Ryon, leaking information could put Mira or Asher's lives at risk. And Duncan's own brother was murdered by Whitehill (and Bolton) soldiers, along with his niece. One would think that provide a fairly strong motivation to hate the Whitehills, no matter how he feels about the Forresters. Plus if he is the traitor, why bring Gared the map? Wouldn't that have gone to the Whitehills instead, or been tossed into some fire?
Ser Royland might be an interesting twist, but you can potentially have him attack the Whitehill soldiers. He also comes across as by far the least clever of all the council members, which on the surface would seem to rule him out.. But who knows..maybe he is a Westerosi Keyser Soze.
I conpletely agree with you. The Maester is the only logical person. Unless Telltale does something crazy. As far as being true to the lore of westeros, the Maestor is the traitor. He is sending ravens to Highpoint. Done deal. Unless Gwyn was just lying. Which is possible.
Also possibly pointing to the maester is that he consistently gives advice that plays into what the Whitehills want. In episode 1 he advises giving away your Ironwood. In episode 3 he advises attacking Gryff at Ironrath, but according to Gwynn Gryff was sent to Ironrath because Ludd *wants * him to provoke a fight there. And in episode 2 the maester gives hilariously bad romance advice. Maybe there was more to him just being clueless about women, and perhaps he was actively trying to steer Rodrik into scuttling the marriage alliance.
When having the meeting in the forrest, isnt the mother the only character who has the "She will remember that" when you decide what to do?
And then Gwyn tells you your decision?
I read the codexs to see if I could get any information that may incriminate any of the characters. This is what I've got:
Everyone has known origins except Degore. It could be that he blames the Forresters for not protecting his family when the Ironborn wiped them out. We don't know. Hell, he could be a Whitehill himself. We have NO info on his origins. He's also a typical 'angry' character, and one most people would immediately suspect as being traitor. He also drew his sword and started fighting for you during the confrontation with Gryff.
The Maester is the second choice. Coming from the Vale, there's no immediate reason why he would be a Whitehill sympathiser. But he does have access to the rookery - which means he'd be able to easily send letters out. Anyone else trying to send letters would have to go THROUGH him. I'd say he's also had the least 'screen time' compared to the other characters.
Duncan and Elissa I think we can rule out as being traitors. I'd be very surprised if either of them were.
I don't think the Maester decided to betray the Forresters because of a chance to be assigned to serve the other house. I think he's too afraid of the Whitehills and the Boltons, that's why he became a traitor - he thinks the Forresters are doomed and just wants to be sure that he won't die with them by helping their enemies.
I think Duncan & Ellisa wouldn't make sense as traitors, if it goes that route. While Lady Forrester might not be thinking clearly due to Ryon's captivity, I can't see her deliberately putting her other children (Mira & Asher) in danger by revealing to the Whitehills what they are up to. And Duncan not only loses family to Whitehill soldiers, but brings the map to the North Grove to Gared at the wall. If he is the traitor, wouldn't he have burned the map or sent it to the Whitehills?
So we got the Maester, Sir Royland, Sir Duncan, and Lady Forrester as a potential traitor or Gwyn could be lying to stir things up. lol this is an interesting plot development. Now I'm happy Telltale did this, as it covers the whole "how did the Whitehill soldiers get past the gates issue?" in ep. 1 if it's true there is a traitor. I can't really say who it could possibly be for sure. I'm inclined to think it's the Maester due to his lack of involvement between the family feud. But telltale can just throw everyone for a loop and have it be the guy you didn't choose as sentinel. Some have reasons to do it and others have subtle hints that they could have done it.
I replayed the episode yesterday, there's one point where the Maester is staring off into the distance and you can ask him what he's doing, he'll say:
"Admiring the Ironwood, my lord. The wood may be black, but all I see is gold. An entire forest of gold."