Naathi

Missandei, by Drazenka Kimpel © Fantasy Flight Games

The Naathi, also known as the Peaceful People, are the native people of the island of Naath, an island to the northwest of Sothoryos in the Summer Sea.

Appearance

Considered a beautiful people, Naathi have round flat faces, dusky skin, and amber eyes which can resemble molten gold.

The Naathi appear to be immune to butterfly fever, a local disease which makes its victims violently spasm and die.

Culture

The Naathi are called the Peaceful People due to their belief in extreme pacifism. They make music rather than war and kill nothing, not even animals, eating only fruit and never flesh. They are widely sought after by slavers who consider them to make the best slaves.

The Naath believe in one god, the Lord of Harmony, who has existed and will exist for all time. He is the source of creation.

Naathi revere butterflies as messengers of the Lord of Harmony, charged with protection of the island and its people. These legends come from the butterfly fever that has laid waste to conquerors throughout history.

Economy

The Naathi were once involved in long-distance trade networks stretching from Essos to Westeros. Given that Naath's environment is well-suited for insect life, the island used to be a major exporter of silk from silkworm caterpillars. The Naathi's shimmering silks could be found in markets throughout the Seven Kingdoms and the Free Cities. The Naathi also exported fine handicrafts and delicate spiced wine.

Slaver raids intensified significantly after the Doom of Valyria, however, and the Naathi have largely abandoned their coasts to take refuge in the hills and forests of the interior. As a result the export trade has largely collapsed in the past four hundred years, and Naathi silks are less and less frequently seen in the known world's major cities.

History

Missandei and Mossador on Naath, by novembermorgon ©

During the height of the Old Empire of Ghis, one of their ships briefly landed in the Summer Isles, alerting their inhabitants that lands and peoples existed beyond their own waters. Summer Islander explorers then visited Naath to the east.

Ghiscari, Valyrians, Volantenes, and corsairs from the Basilisk Isles have raided or tried to settle the island. The Naathi claim that none of these invaders maintained a permanent presence on the island for more than a single year, however, as they all fell victim to butterfly fever.

Naathi were among the founders of Braavos.

The Naathi welcomed Princess Nymeria and her Rhoynar when they fled the Valyrians on ten thousand ships, but the refugees abandoned Naath when scores died from an unknown illness, presumably the butterfly fever.

Slavers and corsairs learned to limit their time on the island to avoid catching butterfly fever, instead capturing the Peaceful People in brief nighttime raids. The captives were then sold in Valyria and Slaver's Bay. The slaver attacks worsened during the Century of Blood, since Valyria no longer controlled the seas. Unwilling to break their vows of total pacifism, even to defend their homes and persons, the Naathi fled from their coasts to the hills and forests. As a result the silk exports which once flowed from Naath have dwindled away.

In recent years, the young Naathi Missandei and her three brothers were captured by raiders from the Basilisk Isles and sold into slavery in Astapor. Missandei was trained as a scribe and translator, while her brothers were gelded and became Unsullied. One brother died during his training, leaving only Marselen and Mossador.

Recent Events

A Storm of Swords

In Astapor, Daenerys Targaryen encounters the ten-year-old Missandei, who is serving as a scribe and translator for Kraznys mo Nakloz. After Daenerys arranges to purchase all the Unsullied of Astapor from the Good Masters, Kraznys gifts her Missandei, and Daenerys frees her. Missandei becomes Daenerys's scribe and handmaid, and tells her that three of the Unsullied were her brothers once. After purchasing the Unsullied, Daenerys frees them all and commands them to slay the masters, leading to the fall of Astapor. Missandei, Mossador, and Marselen continue to accompany Daenerys through her conquest of Yunkai and the siege and fall of Meereen.

A Dance with Dragons

In Meereen, Missandei becomes Queen Daenerys's herald. Mossador is killed by the Sons of the Harpy, and Missandei mourns him. Daenerys again offers Missandei a chance to return home, but she replies that at Naath she would be afraid, easy prey for slavers. When three free companies are formed of freedmen, Marselen helps train the Mother's Men and is named their captain. He represents the Mother's Men in council. When Daenerys disappears from Daznak's Pit on Drogon's back, her consort Hizdahr zo Loraq takes full control of Meereen and has Missandei replaced as herald, as he does not wish to be represented by a child nor a Naathi former slave.

The Winds of Winter

Warning This information has thus far been released in a sample chapter for The Winds of Winter, and might therefore not be in finalized form. Keep in mind that the content as described below is still subject to change.

During the Second Siege of Meereen, Marselen masses the Mother's Men by the Yellow Gate. In the battle, the Mother's Men break the Long Lances, and destroy the trebuchet called the Ghost of Astapor, dragging it over with chains.

Quotes

The girl spoke the Common Tongue well, for one who had never been to Westeros. No older than ten, she had the round flat face, dusky skin, and golden eyes of Naath. The Peaceful People, her folk were called. All agreed that they made the best slaves.

—thoughts of Daenerys Targaryen

The people native to the island are a beautiful and gentle race, with round flat faces, dusky skin, and large, soft amber eyes, oft flecked with gold. The Peaceful People, the Naathi are called by seafarers, for they will not fight even in defense of their homes and persons. The Naathi do not kill, not even beasts of the field and wood; they eat fruit, not flesh, and make music, not war.

—writings of Yandel