Difference between revisions of "Kindly man"

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{{Character
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{{Infobox character
| Character_name          = Kindly Man
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| arms = Braavos
| image         = [[File:Kindly Man TheMico.jpg|250px]]
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| arms2 = Faceless Men
| image_caption = Kindly Man. Fan art by the Mico©
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| epithet = Kindly man
| Alias = The Kindly Man
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| image = [[File:Kindly Man1.jpg‎‎|250px]]
 +
| image_caption = The kindly man, by Paul Phillips ©
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| Alias =  
 
| Title =  
 
| Title =  
 
| Allegiance = [[Faceless Men]]
 
| Allegiance = [[Faceless Men]]
 
| Race =
 
| Race =
| Culture = [[Braavos|Braavosi]]
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| Culture = [[Braavos]]i
 
| Spouse =
 
| Spouse =
| Place_of_Birth =
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| Place_of_Birth = [[Essos]]{{ref|AWOIAF|Kindly Man}}
 
| Date_of_Birth =
 
| Date_of_Birth =
 
| Place_of_Death =
 
| Place_of_Death =
 
| Date_of_Death =
 
| Date_of_Death =
 
| Books = ''[[A Feast for Crows]]'' (appears)<br>''[[A Dance with Dragons]]'' (appears)
 
| Books = ''[[A Feast for Crows]]'' (appears)<br>''[[A Dance with Dragons]]'' (appears)
| coat-of-arms =
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| Coat-of-arms =
 
}}
 
}}
  
The '''kindly man''' is a priest of the [[Many-Faced God]] in the [[House of Black and White]] in [[Braavos]] and a [[Faceless Men|Faceless Man]]. He does not give his name. He is the only one in the House of Black and White who speaks the [[Common Tongue]] of [[Westeros]] and appears to be in charge of the temple.
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The '''kindly man''' is a servant of the [[Many-Faced God]] and the priest in charge of the [[House of Black and White]] in [[Braavos]].{{ref|AFFC|6}}{{ref|AFFC|Appendix}} One of the [[Faceless Men]],{{ref|AFFC|6}} he does not give his name.{{ref|AFFC|22}}
  
==Appearance==
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==Appearance and Character==
 
:''See also: [[:Category:Images of the Kindly Man|Images of the Kindly Man]]''
 
:''See also: [[:Category:Images of the Kindly Man|Images of the Kindly Man]]''
When he first shows his face to Arya it is a yellow skull with scraps of skin hanging from it and a white worm coming out of an eye hole. After Arya kisses him and bites the worm, his face changes to that of the kindliest old man she ever saw.{{Ref|aFfC|6}} He wears a robe with cowl of black on the right side and white on the left side.{{fact}}
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The tall man has a kindly old face and wears a cowled robe with black on the right side and white on the left.{{ref|AFFC|6}} He has a gentle voice{{ref|AFFC|6}} and is wise.{{ref|AFFC|22}}
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 +
The kindly man is the only servant in the House of Black and White who speaks the [[Common Tongue]] of [[Westeros]].{{ref|AFFC|22}} He is fond of chewing orange rinds to sweeten his breath, and he adds salt to his eggs.{{ref|ADWD|45}}
  
 
== Recent Events ==
 
== Recent Events ==
 
===''A Feast for Crows''===
 
===''A Feast for Crows''===
[[File:Kindly Man1.jpg‎‎|Kindly Man by Paul Phillips©|thumb|250px]]
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[[File:Wibben TheKindlyMan.JPG|thumb|The kindly man's initial face, by Wibben © Fantasy Flight Games]]
He takes charge of [[Arya Stark]]'s training as an acolyte of the [[Many-Faced God]]. He first assigns her to learn the tongue of [[Braavos]] from the [[Waif]] and to teach the Waif the [[Common Tongue]] of [[Westeros]]. He confirms to Arya that the Waif is 36 years old. When she can speak some Braavosi, he sends her out into the streets of Braavos as ''Cat of the Canals''. He arranges for her to stay with [[Brusco]], a fish merchant, and to sell cockles, clams and mussels which she transports in a wheelbarrow.{{Ref|aFfC|22}}
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The priest and the [[waif]] greet [[Arya Stark]] when she arrives at the [[House of Black and White]] in [[Braavos]] in search of [[Jaqen H'ghar]]. Arya shows him the iron coin which Jaqen had given her, but the priest says he does not recognize Jaqen's name. He sees past Arya's attempts to hide her identity and asks if she fears death. When he lowers his cowl, Arya sees a yellow skull with scraps of skin hanging from it and a white worm coming out of an eye hole. After Arya kisses him and bites the worm, his face changes to that of the kindliest old man she has ever seen.{{ref|AFFC|6}}
  
===''A Dance with Dragons''===
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Arya begins serving at the House of Black and White, and the kindly man is able to see past all of her lies.{{ref|AFFC|22}} After Arya disposes of her old possessions, the kindly man tells her the origin of the [[Faceless Men]] and allows her to become a novice. He tells her and the waif to teach each other their respective languages, the [[Common Tongue]] of [[Westeros]] and the [[High Valyrian|tongue of Braavos]].{{ref|AFFC|22}}
He gives [[Arya Stark]] her first assignment. She is instructed to kill the target and no one else, not even the mark's bodyguards. She completes this task by poisoning a coin and mixing it in the targets other coins (the man always bite his coins to ensure they were real gold).{{fact}}
 
  
==Quotes by the kindly man==
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When Arya can speak some Braavosi, he sends her out into the streets of Braavos as "Cat of the Canals". He arranges for her to stay with [[Brusco]], a fish merchant, and to sell cockles, clams and mussels which she transports in a wheelbarrow.{{Ref|AFFC|22}} On nights when the [[moon]] is black, Arya returns to the temple, tells the kindly man new secrets she has learned, and helps the servants, and the girl then returns to Brusco's when the moon returns. After Arya kills [[Dareon]], the kindly man has the waif give Arya warm milk which blinds her.{{ref|AFFC|34}}
{{Quote|Death is not the worst thing. It is [[Many-Faced God|His]] gift to us, an end to want and pain.{{Ref|aFfC|22}}}}
 
  
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===''A Dance with Dragons''===
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Now calling herself "Beth", the blinded Arya continues to reveal secrets she has learned to the kindly man. An unidentified man strikes her with a stick, and she later surprises the kindly man by saying she knows he was the culprit; unbeknownst to him, Arya has been [[skinchanger|skinchanging]] a nearby cat. Arya has her sight restored at dinner that night.{{ref|ADWD|45}}
  
{{Quote|The gift of the [[Many-Faced God]] takes myriad forms, but [[House of Black and White|here]] it is always gentle.{{Ref|aFfC|22}}}}
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The kindly man attends the meeting of servants of the [[Many-Faced God]] in the temple,{{ref|ADWD|64}} and he provides guidance to Arya after [[plague face]] tasks her with assassinating an [[old man]].{{ref|ADWD|64}} The priest leads the girl into the holy sanctum and, with the assistance of the waif, gives her the face of an ugly girl. After Arya assassinates her target, her true face is restored and the kindly man gives her the robes of an acolyte. The priest gives her a new face and sends her to [[Izembaro]].{{ref|ADWD|64}}
  
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==Quotes by the kindly man==
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{{Quote|You lie. Worse, you lie poorly.{{Ref|AFFC|22}}|Kindly man to [[Arya Stark]]}}
  
{{Quote|We kill men, but we do not presume to judge them.{{Ref|aDwD|45}}}}
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{{Quote|Death is not the worst thing. It is [[Many-Faced God|His]] gift to us, an end to want and pain.{{Ref|AFFC|22}}|Kindly man to [[Arya Stark]]}}
  
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{{Quote|Men take many paths through this vale of tears and pain. [[Faceless Men|Ours]] is the hardest. Few are made to walk it. It takes uncommon strength of body and spirit, and a heart both hard and strong.{{Ref|AFFC|22}}|Kindly man to [[Arya Stark]]}}
  
{{Quote|Death holds no sweetness in this house. We are not warriors, nor soldiers, nor swaggering bravos puffed up with pride. We do not kill to serve some lord, to fatten our purses, to stroke our vanity. We never give the gift to please ourselves. Nor do we choose the ones we kill. We are but servants of the God of Many Faces.{{Ref|aDwD|64}}}}
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{{Quote|And are you a god, to decide who should live and who should die? We give the gift to those marked by [[Many-Faced God|Him of Many Faces]], after prayers and sacrifice.{{Ref|ADWD|45}}|Kindly man to [[Arya Stark]]}}
  
 +
{{Quote|We kill men, but we do not presume to judge them.{{Ref|ADWD|45}}|Kindly man to [[Arya Stark]]}}
  
{{Quote|You lie. Worse, you lie '''poorly'''.{{Ref|aFfC|22}}}} – the kindly man, to [[Arya Stark]]
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==Quotes==
 +
{{Quote|Does he think to scare me?{{ref|AFFC|6}}|thoughts of [[Arya Stark]]}}
  
 +
{{Quote|If he could have secrets, so could she.{{ref|ADWD|45}}|thoughts of [[Arya Stark]]}}
  
{{Quote|And are you a god, to decide who should live and who should die? We give the gift to those marked by [[Many-Faced God|Him of Many Faces]], after prayers and sacrifice.{{Ref|aDwD|45}}}} – the kindly man, to [[Arya Stark]]
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==References==
 +
{{References}}
  
== References and Notes ==
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[[Category:Characters from Braavos]]
{{references|2}}
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[[Category:Members of the Faceless Men]]
 +
[[Category:Unnamed characters]]
  
 
[[Category:Characters_from_Braavos]]
 
[[Category:Members of the Faceless Men]]
 
 
[[es:Hombre Bondadoso]]
 
[[es:Hombre Bondadoso]]
 
[[fr:Homme plein de gentillesse]]
 
[[fr:Homme plein de gentillesse]]
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[[ru:Добрый человек]]
 
[[zh:&#24904;&#31077;&#30340;&#20154;]]
 
[[zh:&#24904;&#31077;&#30340;&#20154;]]
[[ru:Добрый человек]]
 

Revision as of 17:31, 16 January 2023

Braavos.svgKindly manFaceless Men.svg
Kindly Man1.jpg
The kindly man, by Paul Phillips ©

Allegiance Faceless Men
Culture Braavosi
Born Essos[1]
Books

The kindly man is a servant of the Many-Faced God and the priest in charge of the House of Black and White in Braavos.[2][3] One of the Faceless Men,[2] he does not give his name.[4]

Appearance and Character

See also: Images of the Kindly Man

The tall man has a kindly old face and wears a cowled robe with black on the right side and white on the left.[2] He has a gentle voice[2] and is wise.[4]

The kindly man is the only servant in the House of Black and White who speaks the Common Tongue of Westeros.[4] He is fond of chewing orange rinds to sweeten his breath, and he adds salt to his eggs.[5]

Recent Events

A Feast for Crows

The kindly man's initial face, by Wibben © Fantasy Flight Games

The priest and the waif greet Arya Stark when she arrives at the House of Black and White in Braavos in search of Jaqen H'ghar. Arya shows him the iron coin which Jaqen had given her, but the priest says he does not recognize Jaqen's name. He sees past Arya's attempts to hide her identity and asks if she fears death. When he lowers his cowl, Arya sees a yellow skull with scraps of skin hanging from it and a white worm coming out of an eye hole. After Arya kisses him and bites the worm, his face changes to that of the kindliest old man she has ever seen.[2]

Arya begins serving at the House of Black and White, and the kindly man is able to see past all of her lies.[4] After Arya disposes of her old possessions, the kindly man tells her the origin of the Faceless Men and allows her to become a novice. He tells her and the waif to teach each other their respective languages, the Common Tongue of Westeros and the tongue of Braavos.[4]

When Arya can speak some Braavosi, he sends her out into the streets of Braavos as "Cat of the Canals". He arranges for her to stay with Brusco, a fish merchant, and to sell cockles, clams and mussels which she transports in a wheelbarrow.[4] On nights when the moon is black, Arya returns to the temple, tells the kindly man new secrets she has learned, and helps the servants, and the girl then returns to Brusco's when the moon returns. After Arya kills Dareon, the kindly man has the waif give Arya warm milk which blinds her.[6]

A Dance with Dragons

Now calling herself "Beth", the blinded Arya continues to reveal secrets she has learned to the kindly man. An unidentified man strikes her with a stick, and she later surprises the kindly man by saying she knows he was the culprit; unbeknownst to him, Arya has been skinchanging a nearby cat. Arya has her sight restored at dinner that night.[5]

The kindly man attends the meeting of servants of the Many-Faced God in the temple,[7] and he provides guidance to Arya after plague face tasks her with assassinating an old man.[7] The priest leads the girl into the holy sanctum and, with the assistance of the waif, gives her the face of an ugly girl. After Arya assassinates her target, her true face is restored and the kindly man gives her the robes of an acolyte. The priest gives her a new face and sends her to Izembaro.[7]

Quotes by the kindly man

You lie. Worse, you lie poorly.[4]

—Kindly man to Arya Stark

Death is not the worst thing. It is His gift to us, an end to want and pain.[4]

—Kindly man to Arya Stark

Men take many paths through this vale of tears and pain. Ours is the hardest. Few are made to walk it. It takes uncommon strength of body and spirit, and a heart both hard and strong.[4]

—Kindly man to Arya Stark

And are you a god, to decide who should live and who should die? We give the gift to those marked by Him of Many Faces, after prayers and sacrifice.[5]

—Kindly man to Arya Stark

We kill men, but we do not presume to judge them.[5]

—Kindly man to Arya Stark

Quotes

Does he think to scare me?[2]

—thoughts of Arya Stark

If he could have secrets, so could she.[5]

—thoughts of Arya Stark

References