Debts Owed That Could Have Future Meaning

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"A dutiful son pays his father's debts. Even blood debts."

In this post I wanted to explore the different debts owed by characters/groups to another and how it could affect the story going forward.

Note: Debts can obviously have a variety of meanings, which may differ for a character/group and the reader, so feel free to discuss whatever its all pretty ambiguous

Note II: GRRM has also stated before how there are going to be more deaths/weddings/betrayals and I think that some of these betrayals could be due to a previous debt/allegiance owed to another character.

Brienne & Randyll Tarly

While some readers may disagree with her, Brienne feels she owes Randyll Tarly a debt for ruining the "wager" that her suitors had placed upon her maidenhead:

Brienne knew Lord Randyll Tarly from her time with King Renly's host. Though she could not find it in herself to like the man, she could not forget the debt she owed him either. -AFFC, Brienne III

If interested: Fate of Brienne's "Suitors"

The Greyjoys/Ironborn & the Golden Company/Bittersteel

I doubt this involves Euron, but it is worth noting:

A full account of their reigns can be found in Archmaester Haereg's History of the Ironborn. Therein you may read of Dagon Greyjoy, the Last Reaver, whose longships harried the western coasts when Aerys I Targaryen sat the Iron Throne. Of Alton Greyjoy, the Holy Fool, who sought new lands to conquer beyond the Lonely Light. Of Torwyn Greyjoy, who swore a blood oath with Bittersteel, then betrayed him to his enemies. Of Loron Greyjoy, the Bard, and his great and tragic friendship with young Desmond Mallister, a knight of the green lands. -TWOIAF, The Iron Islands: The Old Way and the New

If interested: Blood Oaths & Betrayals: The Kraken & Bittersteel

House Martell & House Yronwood

Due to Oberyn's "accidental" killing of Lord Yronwood, Quentyn was fostered with the Yronwoods:

Quentyn had been very young when he was sent to Yronwood; too young, according to their mother. Norvoshi did not foster out their children, and Lady Mellario had never forgiven Prince Doran for taking her son away from her. "I like it no more than you do," Arianne had overheard her father say, "but there is a blood debt, and Quentyn is the only coin Lord Ormond will accept."

"Coin?" her mother had screamed. "He is your son. What sort of father uses his own flesh and blood to pay his debts?"

Now that Quentyn is dead (who I am assuming Lord Yronwood thought would marry one of his daughters before the mission to Slaver's Bay), what do the Yronwood's want?

The Iron Throne

While Cersei made the idiotic choice of removing the crown's debt to the Faith by allowing them to rearm themselves, the crown is still very in debt to not only the Lannisters, but also to the Iron Bank, the Tyrells and some Tyroshi merchants.

This large debt/nonpayment has worried the Braavosi so much that they have turned to Stannis (Tycho Nestoris) and could potentially turn to Young Griff as well:

Each of the Nine Free Cities had its bank, and some had more than one, fighting over every coin like dogs over a bone, but the Iron Bank was richer and more powerful than all the rest combined. When princes defaulted on their debts to lesser banks, ruined bankers sold their wives and children into slavery and opened their own veins. When princes failed to repay the Iron Bank, new princes sprang up from nowhere and took their thrones. -ADWD, Jon IX

and:

the Iron Bank of Braavos, whose renown (or infamy, to hear some tell it) now extends to every corner of the known world. Kings, princes, archons, triarchs, and merchants beyond count travel from the ends of the earth to seek loans from the heavily guarded vaults of the Iron Bank.

The Iron Bank will have its due, it is said. Those who borrow from the Braavosi and fail to repay their debts oft have cause to rue such folly, for the Bank has been known to topple lords and princes and has also been rumored to send assassins against those it cannot remove

but we know that they have gone back to Braavos again:

"The magisters of Pentos have been known to lend money as well," said Ser Kevan. "Try them."

The Pentoshi were even less like to be of help than the Myrish money changers, but the effort must be made. Unless a new source of coin could be found, or the Iron Bank persuaded to relent, he would have no choice but to pay the crown's debts with Lannister gold. He dare not resort to new taxes, not with the Seven Kingdoms crawling with rebellion. Half the lords in the realm could not tell taxation from tyranny, and would bolt to the nearest usurper in a heartbeat if it would save them a clipped copper. "If that fails, you may well need to go to Braavos, to treat with the Iron Bank yourself."

Stannis and Sallador Saan

Sallador supported Stannis throughout the War of the Five Kings without payment, before returning to Stepstones for a bit of "piracy". Saan's allegiance seems up for grabs depending on what happens in the Stepstones.

If interested: Sallador Saan in the TWOW

Lady Waynwood and Littlefinger

With winter approaching, LF seems to have control of the market in the Vale (he's going to put other lords in debt by not selling food until last minute and make bank), but he also is getting Sansa betrothed to Harry the Heir due to debt:

". . . bastard? For a start, you are the Lord Protector's bastard, never forget. The Waynwoods are very old and very proud, but not as rich as one might think, as I discovered when I began buying up their debt. Not that Lady Anya would ever sell a son for gold. A ward, however . . . young Harry's only a cousin, and the dower that I offered her ladyship was even larger than the one that Lyonel Corbray just collected. It had to be, for her to risk Bronze Yohn's wroth. This will put all his plans awry. You are promised to Harrold Hardyng, sweetling, provided you can win his boyish heart . . . which should not be hard, for you." -AFFC, Alayne II

If interested: The Lords Declarant

Lyn Corbray and ???

Lyn Corbray is basically a triple agent currently:

Littlefinger laughed aloud. "With gold and boys and promises, of course. Ser Lyn is a man of simple tastes, my sweetling. All he likes is gold and boys and killing." -AFFC, Alayne I

and:

"Do you think if I asked nicely Ser Lyn would kill my suitors for me?"

"He might, for a plump bag of gold." Ser Lyn Corbray was forever desperately short of coin, all the Vale knew that.

"Alas, all I have is a plump pair of teats. Though with Ser Lyn, a plump sausage under my skirts would serve me better." -TWOW, Alayne I

and:

The venom in his voice was so thick that for a moment she almost forgot that Lyn Corbray was actually her father's catspaw, bought and paid for. Or was he? Perhaps, instead of being Petyr's man pretending to be Petyr's foe, he was actually his foe pretending to be his man pretending to be his foe.

Just thinking about it was enough to make her head spin. -TWOW, Alayne I

Tyrion and the Second Sons

In order to sign on with the Second Sons, Tyrion gives away the following (assuming the first 50 are just lesser sums of gold):

The dwarf laughed and signed the parchment, Tyrion of House Lannister. As he passed it left to Inkpots, he riffled through the pile underneath. "There are … what, fifty? Sixty? I'd thought there were five hundred Second Sons."

and:

Two were written on fine vellum and made out by name. For Kasporio the Cunning, ten thousand dragons. The same for Inkpots, whose true name appeared to be Tybero Istarion.

and:

Brown Ben's note was the last. That one had been inscribed upon a sheepskin scroll. One hundred thousand golden dragons, fifty hides of fertile land, a castle, and a lordship.

If interested: The Second Sons in the Battle of Fire & Tyrion & the Drains of Casterly Rock

The Manderlys & The Starks

Wylla Manderly reminds us of the debt the Manderlys owe the Starks of Winterfell:

I know about the promise," insisted the girl. "Maester Theomore, tell them! A thousand years before the Conquest, a promise was made, and oaths were sworn in the Wolf's Den before the old gods and the new. When we were sore beset and friendless, hounded from our homes and in peril of our lives, the wolves took us in and nourished us and protected us against our enemies. The city is built upon the land they gave us. In return we swore that we should always be their men. Stark men!"

and:

Even when I threatened to have her tongue out, she reminded me of the debt White Harbor owes to the Starks of Winterfell, a debt that can never be repaid. -ADWD, Davos IV

Which should be very interesting to see how it plays out if/when Davos shows up with Rickon/Shaggy.

House Martell/Dorne & Gregor Clegane

Prince Doran frowned. "That is so, Ser Balon, but the Lady Nym is right. If ever a man deserved to die screaming, it was Gregor Clegane. He butchered my good sister, smashed her babe's head against a wall. I only pray that now he is burning in some hell, and that Elia and her children are at peace. This is the justice that Dorne has hungered for. I am glad that I lived long enough to taste it. At long last the Lannisters have proved the truth of their boast and paid this old blood debt." -ADWD, The Watcher

At some point the Martells/Dorne are going to find out that the Lannister have paid them with false coin.

Daenerys & The Tattered Prince

Daenerys originally refuses the Tattered Prince's request for Pentos:

"He would be willing to wait, the woman Meris suggested. Until we march for Westeros."

And if I never march for Westeros? "Pentos belongs to the Pentoshi. And Magister Illyrio is in Pentos. He who arranged my marriage to Khal Drogo and gave me my dragon eggs. Who sent me you, and Belwas, and Groleo. I owe him much and more. I will not repay that debt by giving his city to some sellsword. No." -ADWD, Daenerys IX

But now that Dany is off "going back in order to go forward", Barristan promises the city to the Tattered Prince:

"I remember," said Yronwood. "Hungerford, Straw, that lot. Some of them weren't so bad for sellswords. Others, well, might be they could stand a bit of dying. What of them?"

"I mean to send them back to the Tattered Prince. And you with them. You will be two amongst thousands. Your presence in the Yunkish camps should pass unnoticed. I want you to deliver a message to the Tattered Prince. Tell him that I sent you, that I speak with the queen's voice. Tell him that we'll pay his price if he delivers us our hostages, unharmed and whole." -ADWD, The Queen's Hand

If interested: The Path Back to Westeros: Pentos

As I mentioned, a debt being owed is not only subjective but also may differ between reader and character/group, so feel free to agree/disagree or share your own.

TLDR: A list of some "debts" that may alter/affect the plot going forward.