Ilyn Payne

**Ser Ilyn Payne** is an anointed knight of House Payne. He serves as the King's Justice to Robert I Baratheon, as well as his sons, Joffrey I and Tommen I Baratheon.

## Appearance and Character

Ilyn is a grim man. He is thin, with a beardless, pockmarked face. He has deep, colourless eyes and hollow cheeks. He is almost completely bald, but with a thin line of hair around the outside of his head that he has grown long.

He is illiterate and mute.

## History

Ser Ilyn was the captain of the guard for Lord Tywin Lannister when he served as Hand of the King for King Aerys II Targaryen. Ilyn was once heard commenting that it was Tywin that ruled and not Aerys. Serys had his tongue torn out with hot pincers as punishment for the comment.

He was named as King's Justice by Robert as a wedding present to Tywin after his own marriage to Tywin's daughter, Cersei Lannister. Ilyn is a skilled executioner. He has never botched any of his executions, often only requiring one stroke.

## Books

### A Game of Thrones

Ilyn rides out of King's Landing with Ser Barristan Selmy and Lord Renly Baratheon to act as an escort for King Robert and Queen Cersei during their journey along the Kingsroad. Sansa Stark thinks Ilyn to be more terrifying than Sandor Clegane. Eddard Stark refuses to let Ilyn executed Lady, as he sees the King's Justice as being a butcher.

When Lord Stark gets taken prisoner by the Lannisters after the death of King Robert, Ilyn takes the Stark ancestral sword Ice as his own. He later uses the sword to execute Eddard on the orders of King Joffrey I Baratheon.

### A Clash of Kings

Ilyn is one of the names that Arya Stark places on her kill list.

Cersei keeps Ilyn by her side during the Battle of the Blackwater. When Ser Osfryd Kettleblack informs the queen that a groom and two maidservants attempted to escape the Red Keep, she has Ilyn execute them and place their heads on pikes. The real purpose for Ilyn's presence is for him to execute her and Sansa Stark, should Stannis Baratheon win, to spare them the brutalities that he and his men would show them.

Ilyn is present for the presentation of hostages and turncloaks taken during the Battle of the Blackwater. Joffrey beckons him to execute a Florent bastard that continues to hail Stannis as king, and denounces Joffrey as an abomination of incest.

### A Storm of Swords

Lord Tywin Lannister takes Ice from Ilyn, and rewards him with a new sword in its place. He is present for the wedding of Joffrey Baratheon to Margaery Tyrell. During the feast, Joffrey asks for Ilyn's sword so that he can cut the dove pie.

### A Feast for Crows

Ser Jaime Lannister takes Ilyn with him on his expedition to end the Second Siege of Riverrun. The two of them begin sword training at Hayford. Jaime chooses Ilyn as a sparring partner because he cannot speak, read, or write, meaning that he can never reveal the dark secrets that Jaime shares with him.

Upon arrivat Riverrun, Jaime has Ilyn cut down Edmure Tully from the gallows where Ryman Frey has been threatening to take his life.

## Quotes about Ilyn

> "*Ser Ilyn has not been feeling talkative these past fourteen years.*"
> ― Lord Renly Baratheon to Sansa Stark
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> "*Ser Ilyn made the perfect drinking companion. He never interrupted, never disagreed, never complained or asked for favors or told long pointless stories. All he did was drink and listen.*"
> ― Thoughts of Ser Jaime Lannister
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