Pleasure house
Pleasure houses[1], pleasure gardens[2] or pillow houses[3] are different terms used throughout the known world to refer to brothels that are typically of high quality.
Contents
Culture
Lys is full of pleasure houses catering to every taste, no matter how peculiar.[4] One in particular is famed for its Naathi girls, who are clad in diaphanous silken gowns and adorned with gaily painted butterfly wings.[5] Like Lys, Tyrosh has pleasure houses.[6]
Summer Islanders held the belief that no shame can be found in pillow houses.[7]
In Ghiscari culture, Red Graces wait for patrons at snuggeries in pleasure gardens at the Temple of the Graces.[8] Girls of noble birth too young to serve their year in the pleasure gardens serve instead as White Graces.[9]
History
Sometime after fleeing Westeros, Princess Saera Targaryen became the owner of a famous pleasure house in Old Volantis.[10][2]
During the time of the Triarchy, Lysene captains took off women, girls, and comely young boys to serve in their pleasure gardens and pillow houses. One of these unfortunate women was the fifteen-year-old Johanna Swann, niece of the Lord of Stonehelm.[11] At first, the Seven Kingdoms were appreciative of the Triarchy ending the threat of pirates, but they soon came to resent the Lysene practice of claiming slaves for their pleasure gardens.[11]
In 134 AC, Roggerio Rogare opened a pleasure house in King's Landing called Mermaid, which charged ten times more for his exotic prostitutes, who originated from all across the known world, than common brothels charged for their prostitutes. Despite this, the establishment never lacked for customers, mainly high lords, knights, and rich merchants.[12] The wealthy Rogare family also owned a famous pleasure house in Lys called the Perfumed Garden, but they lost both of them after their downfall in 135 AC: The Perfumed Garden was seized, while the Mermaid was sold by Roggerio to purchase a great cog which he named Mermaid's Daughter.[12]
The second wife of Magister Illyrio Mopatis, Serra, was a Lysene pillow house worker, who died in Pentos from grey death.[3] Doreah and Serra were both bought by Mopatis in Lysene pleasure houses.[13][3]
Recent Events
A Feast for Crows
Obara Sand claims the whores in the pillow houses of Dorne mourn the death of Prince Oberyn Martell so much that they are working for free.[14]
A Dance with Dragons
The Yunkaii galley Willing Maiden contains twenty perfumed boy and eighty girl slaves to be trained in the pleasure houses of Lys when the Iron Fleet captures it.[15]
References
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 1, Tyrion I.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Fire & Blood, The Long Reign - Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Policy, Progeny, and Pain.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 5, Tyrion II.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Free Cities: The Quarrelsome Daughters: Myr, Lys, and Tyrosh.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Beyond the Free Cities: Naath.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 42, Daenerys IV.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 15, Tyrion III.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 68, The Dragontamer.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 23, Daenerys IV.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Fire & Blood, Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Fire & Blood, The Lysene Spring and the End of Regency.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 23, Daenerys III.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 2, The Captain Of Guards.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 63, Victarion I.