<P> The Night's Watch's camp at the Fist of the First Men comes under attack and is overwhelmed by an army of wights sent by the Others, with Sam one of the survivors who manage to break out . The survivors then flee to Craster's Keep, but Sam and two other brothers, Small Paul and Grenn, become separated from the group . They are attacked by an Other that kills Paul before Sam stabs it with a dragonglass dagger in desperation, killing it instantly . Sam and Grenn then regroup with the other survivors at Craster's Keep, where Gilly gives birth to a son . Soon after, a mutiny breaks out, and Mormont and Craster are among those killed in the fight . Sam flees with Gilly and her son, and are accosted by wights before being rescued by a mysterious man, Coldhands, who looks like a wight but is friendly and supposedly a fellow black brother . Coldhands takes them to the Nightfort and asks them to escort Bran Stark and his party through the Wall . </P> <P> Sam and Gilly then encounter a group of black brothers led by Denys Mallister and Bowen Marsh and join them on the march to Castle Black . They arrive to find that Stannis Baratheon has defeated the Wildlings besieging Castle Black . Due to Lord Commander Mormont's death, the Night's Watch undergoes an election for a new leader . Mallister and Cotter Pyke are the leading candidates, but Janos Slynt, who Sam thinks will be a disastrous leader, is gaining popularity . When Stannis threatens to appoint a leader himself if the Watch cannot decide on a leader within a few days, Sam approaches Mallister and Pyke (who despise each other) independently, claiming that Stannis plans to name the other as Lord Commander, and suggesting that they both support Jon as middle - ground candidate instead . Thanks to Sam's machinations, Jon is elected Lord Commander with overwhelming majority vote . </P> <P> Jon sends Sam to Oldtown to become a Maester, accompanied by another brother, Dareon (who is appointed as a recruiter), Maester Aemon (who Jon fears will be sacrificed by Melisandre for his royal blood) and Gilly and her baby . During the voyage to Braavos, Gilly grows despondent, and Sam realises that Jon had swapped Gilly's baby with Mance Rayder's newborn son lest he be sacrificed as well . Aemon falls ill during the voyage and they are forced to spend their money on a healer and lodging in Braavos . In Braavos, Sam also encounters Arya Stark, though he does not realise her identity . Aemon hears of his great - grandniece Daenerys Targaryen and her dragons, and comes to believe that she fulfills the prophecy of a "prince that was promised", asking them to inform the Citadel . Dareon decides to desert and Sam fights him, before being thrown into a canal . He is rescued by a Summer Islander, Xhondo, who offers Sam and Gilly passage to Oldtown . Aemon ultimately passes away early in the journey, and Sam and Gilly briefly become lovers in their grief . </P> <P> Sam plans to have Gilly sent to Horn Hill, with the baby passed off as Sam's bastard . Meanwhile, Sam arrives at Oldtown to meet with Archmaester Marwyn, telling him of Aemon's request . Marwyn resolves to travel to Slaver's Bay to meet with Daenerys, ordering Sam to keep his story secret from the other maesters . </P>

Where did sam go to become a maester