Winning the Game of Thrones: The Host of Characters and their Agendas (31 page)

played by Roger Allam

Illyrio is a Magister (merchant-lord) of the Free City of Pentos. The terribly rich and corpulent man arranges Daenerys’s wedding to Drogo and conspires with Varys in the cells beneath King’s Landing (where Arya overhears them). He is the one to give Daenerys the dragon eggs. In book four and five, more of his long-term schemes are revealed. He and Varys are both political planners manipulating the realm.

Ros 

played by Esme Bianco

This prostitute begins near Winterfell and travels to King’s Landing to work in Littlefinger’s brothel. She appears in many key scenes. (In the books, the brothel belongs to Chataya, who has some of Ros’ role. Ros is a combination of several book characters.) When she transfers her loyalty from Littlefinger to Varys, Littlefinger gives her to Joffrey, fatally.

Syrio Forel

“There’s only one thing we say to Death...Not today!”

played by Miltos Yerolemou

Syrio Forel, Arya’s “dancing instructor” sacrifices himself to save her when the Lannisters try to arrest her. His death isn’t seen, and after Arya escapes, a second man from Braavos, the assassin Jaqen H’ghar, takes an interest and even kills three men for her. Since Jaqen H’ghar is a Faceless Man who can change his appearance, many wonder if they’re the same person.

Jaqen H’ghar

“The Red God takes what is his, lovely girl, and only death may pay for life....speak three names and a man will do the rest.”

played by Tom Wlaschiha

Jaqen H’ghar was languishing in the dungeons of King’s Landing, before being dragged in a cage up to the Wall alongside Arya. He and Arya are both captured by the Lannisters and taken to Harrenhal, where he helps her escape after promising to kill three people for her. Jaqen leaves Arya with a Braavosi coin and the phrase “
valar morghulis
,” all men must die. He is actually one of the Faceless Men of Braavos, a feared order of mysterious assassins with the ability to change their appearance at will. Intriguingly, in the book, he changes his face before leaving Arya, and his new face is soon seen interfering at Oldtown where the Maesters are trained. Since the Citadel has texts no one else possesses, Jaqen is likely trying to learn something… or prevent someone else from learning something.

Xaro Xhoan Daxos

played by Nonso Anozie

Xaro is a powerful merchant in the city-state of Qarth and one of the Thirteen who rule there. Daenerys travels there with her dragons and Xaro invites her to enter the city under his protection. She stays with him and he proposes marriage repeatedly. She needs wealth and ships to sail for Westeros, and Xaro offers her half the gold in his enormous vault in return for her hand in marriage…or for a dragon.

On the show, Xaro kills the Thirteen in his home and declares himself King of Qarth. With Pyat Pree, he steals Daenerys’s dragons and hides them in the mysterious House of the Undying. After Daenerys retrieves them, she discovers her handmaid Doreah in bed with Xaro – she has betrayed Daenerys. Daenerys breaks into Xaro’s vault, only to discover his great wealth is a lie. Daenerys imprisons Xaro and Doreah in the vault, and raids Xaro’s house for enough treasure to buy a ship.

Pyat Pree 

“When your dragons were born, our magic was born again.”

played by Ian Hanmore

A warlock from Qarth and member of the Thirteen, Pyat Pree dwells in the mysterious House of the Undying in Qarth. The possessor of strange magics, he steals Daenerys’s dragons and takes them to the warlocks’ stronghold, the House of the Undying. He tries to imprison her, and Daenerys’s dragons kill him.

Salladhor Saan

played by guest star Lucian Msamati

Salladhor Saan, a pirate lord from Lys, commands a fleet of mercenary warships. He sails for King Stannis and provides him with thirty ships for the Battle of Blackwater, though he demands Queen Cersei as a prize along with vast riches. After the battle, Salladhor rescues the stranded Davos, but abandons Stannis’s cause.

Qyburn 

“Gods be good, Cersei, he rode with Vargo Hoat. The Citadel stripped him of his chain!”

played by Anton Lesser

At the beginning of season three, Qyburn is the only prisoner of Harrenhal to survive, and is discovered by King Robb and his company. Qyburn was a maester stripped of his rank for experimenting…in the book, his experiments were on living bodies, not just dead ones. He’s rumored to have knowledge of black magic and necromancy. He also aids Jaime and manages to save his maimed arm. Qyburn accompanies Jaime to King’s Landing, where he finds a new patron.

Places of the World

Asshai

Asshai is in the far south-east of the eastern continent, Essos, on the edge of the mysterious Shadow Lands, thus the city is called Asshai-by-the-Shadow. It is the origin of the Maegi, the Azor Ahai prophecy, and much dragonglass and dragon lore.

The Citadel

The Citadel of Oldtown, in Highgarden to the South, is where maesters are trained. Oldtown is the oldest city in Westeros. The oldest of lore books are stored there, and their leaders announce the changing seasons by sending a white raven.

The Crownlands

The Crownlands, King’s Landing and nearby areas, are ruled directly by the Iron Throne. This includes Dragonstone and other islands in the Narrow Sea. The Crownlands are in the middle of the South: south of the Vale, southeast of the Riverlands, east of the Westlands, and north of the Reach and Stormlands. Bastards here bear the surname Waters.

Dorne

Dorne, the southernmost region of Westeros, contains the continent’s desert, but also decadent water gardens, oranges, lemons, and fine wines. The land has a warm, exotic feel. Many of their citizens are descended from the Rhoynish people rather than the Andals, giving them darker skin and hair. Dorne only joined the Seven Kingdoms a century after the Targaryen invasion, and they maintain a degree of independence, still calling themselves “prince” and “princess.” Bastards in Dorne are called Sand.

Dragonstone

The Targaryen family seat, an island settled by them before their scion Aegon the Conqueror arrived on Westeros. It’s filled with dragon eggs, dragonglass, volcanic activity, and lost secrets yet to be discovered. Daenerys, like Aegon the Conqueror, was born there. It was the last Targaryen holdout during Robert’s Rebellion, and Stannis had a long battle to capture and hold it. It’s now Stannis’s family seat.

Essos

The continent to the east, containing the Free Cities and the area around Slaver’s Bay. Much of the inland area is taken up by the grasslands known as the Dothraki Sea.

Free Cities

The Free Cities, nine independent city-states, are located on the west coast of Essos: Braavos, Myr, Pentos, Volantis, Lorath, Lys, Tyrosh, Norvos, and Qohor. Braavos was founded by refugee slaves, while all the others are former colonies of the Valyrian Empire. Daenerys’s wedding is held in Pentos, where Illyrio lives. Varys was born a slave in Lys, origin of some particularly nasty poisons. Robb’s wife Talisa comes from Volantis, while the Blackfyres fled to Tyrosh upon their defeat. The Faceless Men train in Braavos.

The Gift

Brandon the Builder built the Wall, and Brandon’s Gift is a stretch of land up to twenty-five leagues south of the Wall that pays its fealty and taxes directly to the Wall. Queen Alysanne the Good doubled this to fifty leagues, called the New Gift. Wildling raids have driven off many, and much of the land is abandoned today.

The Iron Islands

The Iron Islands off the western coast of Westeros include the islands of Pyke, Great Wyk, Old Wyk, and Harlaw. The soil is filled with stones and salt, but there are lead and iron mines here. The men of this land, called Ironmen or the Ironborn, are ruled by House Greyjoy of Pyke. They once ruled the Riverlands and much of the coast of Westeros before the Targaryen invasion. They pray mainly to the Drowned God. 

The Lands of Always Winter 

These lie far beyond the Wall, at the north of the known world. They’re largely unexplored.

The Neck

This marsh-filled border between north and south in Westeros is ruled by the Crannogmen. While many call them poisoners, sneaks, and frog eaters, their House Reed has always proved loyal to the Starks.

The North

The North is the largest region, said to be ungovernable by any but a Northman. To the North, it’s bordered by the Gift, the lands of the Night’s Watch. To the South, its border is the Neck, the marshy choke point separating North from South. White Harbor is the major port city. The North is ruled by the Starks of Winterfell, formerly the Kings in the North. Bastards here are called “Snow.”

Old Valyria

This mighty empire fell long ago, in a mysterious volcanic explosion known as the Doom. Today, only the Smoking Sea remains on its ruins, and travelers there rarely return. Much of their culture still remains, in the east where the Free Cities became independent after the fall and in the West, where the last great house of Old Valyria, the Targaryens, brought their culture, lore, and dragons.

Qarth

Beyond the Red Waste, the city of Qarth sits beside the straits that lead to the Jade Sea. Its prime position makes it the gateway between the lands of Westeros, Free Cities and Slaver’s Bay, and more eastern lands. As such, it’s fabulously wealthy and has been described as the center of the world.                                                                                              

The Reach

The second largest region, it is fertile and well-populated. This is the domain of House Tyrell of Highgarden. The Tyrells were stewards to House Gardener, the Kings of the Reach before Aegon’s conquest, and inherited the lands at the end of the war. They often fight Dorne, which is their neighboring kingdom, separated only by the Dornish Marches. Oldtown, where Maesters are trained, is the largest city. Bastards are given the surname Flowers.

The Riverlands

The Riverlands near the river of the Trident are ruled by the Tullys of Riverrun. This is a fertile area, but overrun by fighting in the War of the Five Kings. Harrenhal is the largest castle in the area, though in terrible disrepair. Bastards are named Rivers.

The Shadow Lands

At the eastern edge of the known world, the Shadow Lands beside Asshai are the source of dragon eggs. The Shadow Men, like Quaithe, cover their bodies in tattoos and wear red lacquered wooden masks. Some of them practice blood magic.

Slaver’s Bay

On the site of the former Ghiscari Empire (rivals to Old Valyria), Slaver’s Bay collects its wealth from the slave trade. Astapor, Yunkai and Meereen are the major cities. Their language is based in High Valyrian, and they continue to display the harpy symbol of Old Ghis. Daenerys reaches this area in season three.

The Seven Kingdoms

The Seven Kingdoms include Dorne, the North, the Reach, the Riverlands, the Stormlands, the Vale, and the Westerlands. The Crownlands and the Iron Islands are often included on this list.

Sothoryos

The Southern continent is a mysterious place of jungles and exotic creatures.

The Stormlands 

House Baratheon rules the Stormlands from Storm’s End, the castle King Robert bestowed on his brother Renly. It passes to Stannis, the last surviving brother. The Stormlands are south of King’s Landing, bordered by the Sea of Dorne, Shipbreaker Bay in the east and the Reach in the west. Bastards here are called Storm.

The Summer Islands

The Summer Islanders in the Summer Sea, south of Westeros, are dark-skinned and skilled at archery.

The Vale of Arryn

The Vale, east of the Riverlands, is surrounded by the Mountains of the Moon. These are the domain of House Arryn, once called the Kings of Mountain and Vale. Their seat, the Eyrie, is so high in the mountains that it’s considered unconquerable. Bastards are named Stone.

The Westerlands

The Westerlands are small, but filled with silver and gold mines. They are ruled by House Lannister of Casterly Rock, formerly the Kings of the Rock. The Westerlands are west of the Riverlands and north of the Reach. Lannisport, near Casterly Rock, is the chief town and port. Bastards here are called Hill.

Westeros

The continent of the Seven Kingdoms. The Narrow Sea separates it from Essos. Westeros is estimated to be about 3,000 miles from north to south and 900 miles wide at its widest point.

Yi Ti

Yi Ti on the Jade Sea sells spices and exotic goods that can make traders from Westeros rich forever.

CHAPTER 7: A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE BIBLIOGRAPHY

A Song of Ice and Fire Novels