The Maester is the traitor
I believe it is the Maester who is the traitor.
1 - He says that it will take weeks for Rodrik to recover, yet judging from how he's been moving to the fact he has been pushed to the ground and kicked in his ribs, he seems to be doing well and I don't think it's just Rodrik's toughness that has made him recover so quickly. I believe the maester wanted Royland and Duncan to argue more, so that the leadership of the house would be conflicted.
2 - It would make sense for the maester to betray House Forrester. He has come from King's Landing only to find himself unluckily in a weak house. He doesn't want to die for a house, he is not involved with and has little to no attachment towards. Therefore he's feeding information to the Whitehills in order to ensure his own safety when Ironrath is eventually sieged and the Forresters fall.
3 - I doubt it is Lady Forrester, since there would be no reason as to why she would tell the Whitehills about your plans if it concerns saving Ryon. She advocated for that plan and I would sense that she would see it best to ensure Ryon's safety through action rather than negotiation. Furthermore she said that she saw her own father's house fall, and will go to the extremes to preserve this house. Clearly betraying that house for one son, who can't fight, can only carve and is the youngest out of her children and possibly the weakest will not preserve this house.
What do you think? Is it the maester? Or is it the mother? Possibly even Royland or Duncan? Or is there another suspect in the mix?
Comments
He might not want House Forrester to fall completely, but just enough to stay under the Whitehills' thumb. I notice that during the 'Stand Up' sequence with Griff in episode 3, Griff steps on Rodrick's damaged arm, and the Maester tells him to stop and Griff actually does stop.
It sort of has to be. Unless it's the mother, which seems far too lazy as it'd basically replicate Catelyn's-arc. Royland seems too honest of a man to go behind your back and deal in intrigue, and Duncan being a traitor would be so damn heartbreaking. I can just imagine Gared at Castle Black; 'HE TRUSTED YOU!!'
How can he? In the bio it said he was from The Vale, and the Citadel is in Oldtown.
No way
I think it's Duncan, but not for malicious reasons. He would probably do this to ensure the House's survival
1- He travels outside Ironrath more than anyone else. Delivering Ironwood would be a good excuse to meet with a member of the Whitehills. He also speaks with Gywn Whitehill, even if she didn't attend the funeral.
2 - He's very vocal about submitting to the Whitehills. If you defend him against Gryff if he's your sentinel, Rodrik will call him a loyal member of House Forrester, and a "he will remember that" notification will appear, which seems suspicious to me.
3 - He's very averse to fighting given Ironrath's current state, so that may be why he sold out our immediate plans to avoid war. He knows about the North Grove, so he may be trying to delay the fight so that Gared can find it in time.
Part of me, however, wonders if he said the whole thing about Rodrik losing his arm to try and convince Rodrik to submit, rather than convince Griff to stop.