Difference between revisions of "Sphinx"

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[[File:Andrew BosleySphinx At the Gates.png|400px|thumb|right|Sphinx At the Gates. © Fantasy Flight Games]]
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[[File:Andrew BosleySphinx At the Gates.png|thumb|350px|Sphinx at the Gates, by Andrew Bosley © Fantasy Flight Games]]
 
{{about|the mythical creature|the acolyte|Alleras}}
 
{{about|the mythical creature|the acolyte|Alleras}}
A '''sphinx''' is a mythical creature, with a human face, the body of a [[lion]], the wings of a hawk and the tail of a serpent.{{ref|aFfC|0}}{{ref|aFfC|45}}
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A '''sphinx''' is a mythical creature with the body parts of existing [[Bestiary|animals]], such as having a human face, the body of a [[lion]], and the wings of a [[hawk]].{{ref|AFFC|Prologue}}
  
In tales, they speak in riddles, including far-fetched stories of [[dragons]] riddling with them.{{ref|aFfC|0}}{{ref|aDwD|57}} They are also found as statues, often in female-male pairs flanking doors, entrances or gateways, such as the vast green marble sphinxes by the gates to the [[Citadel]] at [[Oldtown]], with eyes of onyx.{{ref|aFfC|0}}{{ref|aFfC|45}}
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==Culture==
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[[File:Marc Fishman sphinx.jpg|thumb|[[Valyrian Freehold|Valyrian]] sphinx beside a road, by Marc Fishman ©]]
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In tales, sphinxes speak in riddles,{{ref|AFFC|Prologue}} including far-fetched stories of [[dragons]] riddling with them.{{ref|AFFC|Prologue}}{{ref|ADWD|57}}  
  
Though the [[Valyrian]]s carved sphinxes into the gateway to the [[Long Bridge]] of [[Volantis]], they also had their own sphinxes, referred to as [[Valyrian sphinx]]es, with the bodies of [[dragon]]s, and human faces.{{ref|aDwD|27}}{{ref|aDwD|5}}
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The gates of the [[Citadel]] are flanked by a pair of towering green sphinxes{{ref|AFFC|45}} with eyes of [[onyx]].{{ref|AFFC|Prologue}} They have the bodies of [[lion]]s, the wings of [[eagle]]s, and the tails of [[serpent]]s. One has a man's face, and the other a woman's.{{ref|AFFC|45}}
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The gateway to the [[Long Bridge]] in [[Volantis]] is a black stone arch carved with sphinxes, [[manticore]]s, dragons, and other creatures.{{ref|ADWD|27}}
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Statues of [[Valyrian Freehold|Valyrian]] sphinxes in the [[Velvet Hills]] have human faces and the bodies of dragons.{{ref|ADWD|5}}
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The [[small council]] chamber door in the [[Red Keep]] is flanked by a pair of Valyrian sphinxes with eyes of polished [[garnet]]s smoldering in black [[marble]] faces.{{ref|AGOT|20}}{{ref|AGOT|52}}
  
 
==Recent Events==
 
==Recent Events==
===''A Game of Thrones''===
 
The council chamber door of the [[Red Keep]] is flanked by [[Valyrian sphinx]]es with eyes of polished garnets smoldering in black marble faces.{{ref|aGoT|20}}{{ref|aGoT|51}}
 
 
 
===''A Clash of Kings''===
 
===''A Clash of Kings''===
As [[Tyrion Lannister]] enters the [[Red Keep]]’s council chamber, he pauses to admire the [[Valyrian sphinx]]es at its entrance, and rests his hand on the head of one of them just before he goes.{{ref|aCoK|3}}
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As [[Tyrion Lannister]] enters the chambers of the [[small council]] in the [[Red Keep]], he pauses to admire the [[Valyrian Freehold|Valyrian]] sphinxes at its entrance, and he rests his hand on the head of one of them.{{ref|aCoK|3}}
  
 
===''A Feast for Crows''===
 
===''A Feast for Crows''===
While observing [[Alleras]], [[Pate (novice)|Pate]] notes that he has eyes of onyx, like the green marble sphinxes that flank the [[Citadel]]’s main gate.{{ref|aFfC|0}}
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[[File:At the gates game of thrones lcg by jcbarquet-d87qsb4.jpg|thumb|The [[Citadel]] gates, by Juan Carlos Barquet © Fantasy Flight Games]]
 
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[[Alleras]], also called the Sphinx, is a novice studying at the [[Citadel]].{{ref|AFFC|Prologue}} His dark eyes remind [[Pate (novice)|Pate]] of the [[onyx]]-eyed sphinxes at the [[Citadel]] gates,{{ref|AFFC|Prologue}} and Archmaester [[Marwyn]] refers to him as a [[Dorne|Dornish]] sphinx.{{ref|AFFC|45}}
[[Euron Greyjoy]] uses plunder from half a hundred distant lands to bind the [[ironmen]] to him.  Among the plunder are ancient [[Valyrian sphinx]]es.{{ref|aFfC|29}}
 
 
 
[[Samwell Tarly]] recalls some of Maester [[Aemon Targaryen (son of Maekar I)|Aemon]]’s words during the sea voyage from [[Braavos]], remembering that he said to Sam that "''The sphinx was the riddle, not the riddler''".{{ref|aFfC|35}}
 
Once in [[Oldtown]] Sam enters the gates of the [[Citadel]], which are flanked by a pair of towering green sphinxes.  They have the bodies of [[lion]]s, the wings of eagles, and the tails of serpents.  One has a man’s face and the other a woman’s.{{ref|aFfC|45}}
 
  
[[Alleras]], also called ''The Sphinx'', is a novice studying at the [[Citadel]].{{ref|aFfC|0}} He seeks Samwell out as soon as he enters the Citadel and instructs him to go to [[Marwyn]].{{ref|aFfC|45}}
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[[Euron Greyjoy]] uses plunder from half a hundred distant lands to bind the [[ironmen]] to him. Among the plunder are ancient Valyrian sphinxes.{{ref|aFfC|29}}
  
 
===''A Dance with Dragons''===
 
===''A Dance with Dragons''===
While traveling, [[Tyrion Lannister]] and [[Illyrio Mopatis]] come across a huge Valyrian sphinx crouched beside the road.  It has a [[dragon]]’s body and a woman’s face. However her king is missing, dragged off by the [[Dothraki]] back to [[Vaes Dothrak]] on wooden wheels. There is a smooth stone plinth where he once stood, grown over with moss and flowering vines.
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While traveling in the [[Velvet Hills]], Tyrion sees a huge Valyrian sphinx with a [[dragon]]'s body and a woman's face crouched beside the road. [[Illyrio Mopatis]] explains that the accompanying male sphinx was dragged off its nearby plinth and taken by the [[Dothraki]] on wooden wheels to [[Vaes Dothrak]].{{ref|ADWD|5}}
Tyrion considers this "dragon queen" sphinx a pleasant omen and her missing king an omen too, but not as hopeful.{{ref|aDwD|5}}
 
 
 
The [[Long Bridge]], which joins the two halves of [[Volantis]] across the mouth of the [[Rhoyne]], has a gateway that is an arch of black stone carved with sphinxes, [[manticore]]s, dragons and other strange beasts.{{ref|aDwD|27}}
 
 
 
Tyrion mentions to [[Brown Ben Plumm]] most of the stories heard about [[dragon]]s are fodder for fools - one of which is dragons riddling with sphinxes.{{ref|aDwD|57}}
 
  
 
===''The Winds of Winter''===
 
===''The Winds of Winter''===
 
{{Warning/twow}}
 
{{Warning/twow}}
In visions seen by [[Aeron Damphair]], after being forced by [[Euron Greyjoy]] to drink [[shade of the evening]], Aeron sees Euron blow a [[Dragonbinder|great horn]], causing [[dragon]]s, [[kraken]]s and sphinxes to come at his command and bow before him.<ref name="Forsaken">''[[The Winds of Winter]]'', [[The Forsaken (The Winds of Winter)|The Forsaken]]</ref>
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In visions seen by [[Aeron Damphair]], after being forced by [[Euron Greyjoy]] to drink [[shade of the evening]], Aeron sees Euron blow a [[Dragonbinder|great horn]], causing [[dragon]]s, [[kraken]]s, and sphinxes to come at his command and bow before him.<ref name="Forsaken">''[[The Winds of Winter]]'', [[The Forsaken (The Winds of Winter)|The Forsaken]]</ref>
  
 
==Quotes==
 
==Quotes==
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{{Quote|Sphinxes always speak in riddles in the tales.{{ref|AFFC|Prologue}}|[[Roone]] to [[Alleras]]}}
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{{Quote|A sphinx is a bit of this, a bit of that: a human face, the body of a [[lion]], the wings of a [[hawk]].{{ref|AFFC|Prologue}}|thoughts of [[Pate (novice)|Pate]]}}
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{{Quote|The sphinx is the riddle, not the riddler. Do you know what that means?{{ref|aFfC|45}}| [[Samwell Tarly]] to [[Alleras]]}}
 
{{Quote|The sphinx is the riddle, not the riddler. Do you know what that means?{{ref|aFfC|45}}| [[Samwell Tarly]] to [[Alleras]]}}
  
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==References==
 
==References==
{{References}}
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{{References|2}}
{{Template:Creatures}}
 
  
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{{Creatures}}
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[[Category:Mythical creatures]]
 
[[Category:Objects]]
 
[[Category:Objects]]
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[[Category:Sentient species]]
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[[es:Esfinge]]
 
[[es:Esfinge]]
 
[[fa:ابوالهول]]
 
[[fa:ابوالهول]]
 
[[fr:Sphinx]]
 
[[fr:Sphinx]]

Latest revision as of 21:04, 12 May 2022

Sphinx at the Gates, by Andrew Bosley © Fantasy Flight Games

A sphinx is a mythical creature with the body parts of existing animals, such as having a human face, the body of a lion, and the wings of a hawk.[1]

Culture

Valyrian sphinx beside a road, by Marc Fishman ©

In tales, sphinxes speak in riddles,[1] including far-fetched stories of dragons riddling with them.[1][2]

The gates of the Citadel are flanked by a pair of towering green sphinxes[3] with eyes of onyx.[1] They have the bodies of lions, the wings of eagles, and the tails of serpents. One has a man's face, and the other a woman's.[3]

The gateway to the Long Bridge in Volantis is a black stone arch carved with sphinxes, manticores, dragons, and other creatures.[4]

Statues of Valyrian sphinxes in the Velvet Hills have human faces and the bodies of dragons.[5]

The small council chamber door in the Red Keep is flanked by a pair of Valyrian sphinxes with eyes of polished garnets smoldering in black marble faces.[6][7]

Recent Events

A Clash of Kings

As Tyrion Lannister enters the chambers of the small council in the Red Keep, he pauses to admire the Valyrian sphinxes at its entrance, and he rests his hand on the head of one of them.[8]

A Feast for Crows

The Citadel gates, by Juan Carlos Barquet © Fantasy Flight Games

Alleras, also called the Sphinx, is a novice studying at the Citadel.[1] His dark eyes remind Pate of the onyx-eyed sphinxes at the Citadel gates,[1] and Archmaester Marwyn refers to him as a Dornish sphinx.[3]

Euron Greyjoy uses plunder from half a hundred distant lands to bind the ironmen to him. Among the plunder are ancient Valyrian sphinxes.[9]

A Dance with Dragons

While traveling in the Velvet Hills, Tyrion sees a huge Valyrian sphinx with a dragon's body and a woman's face crouched beside the road. Illyrio Mopatis explains that the accompanying male sphinx was dragged off its nearby plinth and taken by the Dothraki on wooden wheels to Vaes Dothrak.[5]

The Winds of Winter

Content.png
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.

In visions seen by Aeron Damphair, after being forced by Euron Greyjoy to drink shade of the evening, Aeron sees Euron blow a great horn, causing dragons, krakens, and sphinxes to come at his command and bow before him.[10]

Quotes

Sphinxes always speak in riddles in the tales.[1]

A sphinx is a bit of this, a bit of that: a human face, the body of a lion, the wings of a hawk.[1]

—thoughts of Pate

The sphinx is the riddle, not the riddler. Do you know what that means?[3]

See also

References