Undying

The Undying are the collective name for the warlocks of Qarth, a secretive and powerful order of sorcerers who dwell in the House of the Undying, a strange, labyrinthine palace at the heart of the city. They are known for their blue lips, a permanent stain from their consumption of shade-of-the-evening, a narcotic, visionary drink that grants them prophetic insights but also marks them as practitioners of a dark and alien magic. The Undying are not a single individual but a council of mystics who together form a kind of collective consciousness, their power rooted in the ancient, pre-Valyrian sorceries of the east. They are feared and respected throughout Qarth, and their influence extends into the city's politics, though they remain aloof from the mundane squabbles of the merchant princes and the Pureborn.

Role in the Narrative and Encounter with Daenerys

The Undying play a pivotal role in Daenerys Targaryen's journey through Qarth. When she arrives as a beggar queen, the Undying, led by the warlock Pyat Pree, initially offer her their protection and hospitality, inviting her to their palace. However, this is a ruse. Their true intention is to trap her within the House of the Undying, where they attempt to drain her life force and claim her dragons for themselves. Inside the palace, Daenerys is subjected to a series of prophetic visions and illusions, including glimpses of the Red Wedding, her brother Rhaegar, and a vision of a snow-covered throne room, all of which are designed to confuse and weaken her. The Undying seek to bind her to their will, using her as a vessel for their power.

Destruction and Aftermath

Daenerys escapes the Undying's trap through the intervention of her dragon Drogon, who, sensing her peril, bursts into the House of the Undying and unleashes a torrent of dragonfire. The palace is consumed in flames, and the Undying are seemingly destroyed, their ancient sorceries no match for the raw, elemental power of a dragon. The warlock Pyat Pree is among those presumed dead. However, the threat of the Undying does not entirely vanish. Xaro Xhoan Daxos later warns Daenerys that Pyat Pree and three other warlocks survived the destruction of their palace and have set out to find her, traveling to Pentos in search of the dragon queen. This lingering threat serves as a reminder that the Undying's power, though diminished, has not been entirely extinguished, and their desire for vengeance against Daenerys endures.

Prophecies and Legacy

The Undying are also the source of a crucial prophecy that haunts Daenerys throughout her time in Meereen. During her ordeal in the House of the Undying, they speak to her of "three treasons" she will know: "one for blood and one for gold and one for love." This prophecy, along with other cryptic pronouncements, becomes a recurring source of anxiety and suspicion for Daenerys, as she constantly wonders which of her trusted advisors or allies will betray her and for which motive. The Undying's words thus continue to shape her decisions and her perception of those around her, long after their physical destruction. Their legacy is one of cryptic knowledge and lingering menace, a reminder of the dark, sorcerous forces that operate in the world beyond the political struggles of the Seven Kingdoms.