House of the Undying

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The House of the Undying Ones is the center of power for the warlocks of Qarth. It is also known colloquially as the 'Palace of Dust.'[1] Many enter, but few come back out.[2]

Look from the Outside

The House of the Undying is a grey and ancient ruin. It is long and low, without towers or windows and is coiled through a grove of black-barked trees with inky blue leaves which are used to make the drink that the Qartheen call, shade of the evening. Black tiles are on the roof, many of them fallen or broken. The mortar between the stones is dry and crumbling.[2]

Entering the House

He who seeks audience with the Undying Ones must follow the rules. Before entering, a person seeking audience with the Undying must drink shade of the evening, so that they may "hear and see the truths" that will be laid before them. It does not turn lips blue with just one dose; many must be taken.[2]

He who enters must enter alone or not at all. The front way leads in, but not out again. When one enters, there will be four doors; the door one just came through and three others. To reach the Undying, one must always take the first door on the right and always takes stairs up. The rooms of the House of the Undying are sometimes open to sight, and are filled with strange visions of many sorts; days that were, days that will be, days that never shall be, and visions of surpassing beauty or horror. One must not enter any room until reaching the audience chamber. To leave the audience chamber, a person must follow the "same" path as before; always the first door to the right and always up the stairs.[2]

The chamber of the Undying is gloomy. A long stone table fills the room, above which floats a heart swollen and blue with corruption. It beats with a deep throbbing sound and each pulse sends out indigo light. Small dwarves no more than knee high with snoutish faces, garbed in purple and blue livery, act as servants.[2]

Visions in the House of the Undying

The warlock Pyat Pree persuades Daenerys Targaryen to seek answers in the House of the Undying. Inside, she passes through many rooms containing visions before she reaches the chamber of the Undying.[2]

  1. A beautiful, naked woman being ravished by four of the dwarves who serve the house.
  2. A feast of slaughtered corpses holding cups, spoons, and food, with a dead man with a wolf's head sitting on a throne wearing an iron crown, apparently foreshadowing the Red Wedding.
  3. Daenerys' childhood home in Braavos.
  4. A throne room with dragon skulls on the walls where a king resembling Aerys II Targaryen sits on a barbed throne.
  5. A room where a silver-haired man (presumably Rhaegar Targaryen) names his son Aegon, says the child is the "prince that was promised", then plays a harp.
  6. A "splendor of wizards" who falsely claim to be the Undying of Quarth and offer to teach Daenerys the secret speech of dragonkind.

Upon reaching the chamber of the Undying, Daenerys is spoken to in a barely perceptible whisper. The Undying call her "mother of dragons" and "child of three" and tell her some prophesies, saying "three fires must you light... one for life and one for death and one to love... three mounts must you ride... one to bed and one to dread and one to love... three treasons will you know... once for blood and once for gold and once for love..." The Undying show Daenerys many more visions before attacking her. [2]

References and Notes