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| Origin= Tropical islands in the [[Jade Sea]], [[Essos]]
 
| Origin= Tropical islands in the [[Jade Sea]], [[Essos]]
 
}}
 
}}
{{Quote|The cause appears to be manticore venom...terrible poison...|Grand Maester [[Pycelle]]|The Children}}
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{{Quote|The cause appears to be manticore venom...horrible poison...|Grand Maester [[Pycelle]]|The Children}}
 
'''Manticores''' are highly aggressive and extremely poisonous scorpion-like insects from the continent of [[Essos]].
 
'''Manticores''' are highly aggressive and extremely poisonous scorpion-like insects from the continent of [[Essos]].
   
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==History==
 
==History==
 
=== [[Season 3]] ===
 
=== [[Season 3]] ===
An [[Unidentified Warlock|envoy]] of the [[Warlocks]] of [[Qarth]] attempts to assassinate [[Daenerys Targaryen]] using a manticore hidden inside a hollow wooden sphere. Before the creature can harm Daenerys with its lethal sting, Ser [[Barristan Selmy]] impales it with a dagger, killing it.<ref>"[[Valar Dohaeris]]"</ref>
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An [[Unidentified Warlock|agent]] of the [[Warlocks]] of [[Qarth]] attempts to assassinate [[Daenerys Targaryen]] using a manticore hidden inside a hollow wooden sphere. Before the creature can harm Daenerys with its lethal sting, Ser [[Barristan Selmy]] impales it with a dagger, killing it.<ref>"[[Valar Dohaeris]]"</ref>
  +
 
=== [[Season 4]] ===
 
=== [[Season 4]] ===
   
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<gallery spacing="small" widths="170">
 
<gallery spacing="small" widths="170">
 
Barristan Manticore S3 Ep1.jpg|[[Barristan Selmy]] kills a manticore.
 
Barristan Manticore S3 Ep1.jpg|[[Barristan Selmy]] kills a manticore.
Daemon spear.png|Oberyn Martell's squire, [[Daemon Sand]], wiping the blades of his spears with manticore venom.
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Oberyn selects manticores for his spears.png|Oberyn selects a manticore from his collection, to coat the blade of his spears with its venom (from "[[Poisons (Histories & Lore)]]"
Manticore venom.png|[[Gregor Clegane]]'s festering wound, the result of being poisoned with manticore venom.
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Daemon spear.png|Oberyn Martell's squire, [[Daemon Sand]], smearing the blades of his spears with manticore venom
  +
Manticore venom.png|[[Gregor Clegane]]'s putrefying wounds, the result of being poisoned with manticore venom
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Manticore Concept Art.jpg|Manticore concept art.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
   
 
==In the books==
 
==In the books==
In the ''[[A Song of Ice and Fire]]'' novels, manticores are venomous insects from Essos, said to live on the jungle-filled islands of the [[Jade Sea]], between [[Qarth]] and distant [[Asshai]]. They have a poisonous sting that is fatal to humans and kills the instant it reaches the heart unless a clotting agent is used to thicken it and delay its fatal effects. Manticore venom is a highly sought after poison by alchemists, [[Maesters]], and assassins. Thus the insects have been imported into private collections across Essos and Westeros. [[Syrio Forel]] mentions that he saw one in a menagerie of exotic animals in [[Braavos]], and [[Daenerys Targaryen]] sees a caged manticore in the market stalls of [[Vaes Dothrak]].
+
In the ''[[A Song of Ice and Fire]]'' novels, manticores are venomous insects from Essos, said to live on the jungle-filled islands of the [[Jade Sea]], between [[Qarth]] and distant [[Asshai]]. They have a poisonous sting that is fatal to humans and kills the instant it reaches the heart unless a clotting agent is used to thicken it and delay its fatal effects. Manticore venom is one of the deadliest poisons in the known world, and is highly sought after by alchemists, [[Maesters]], and (most of all) assassins. Thus the insects have been imported into private collections across Essos and Westeros: [[Syrio Forel]] mentions that he saw one in a menagerie of exotic animals in [[Braavos]], and [[Daenerys Targaryen]] sees a caged manticore in the market stalls of [[Vaes Dothrak]].
   
 
When treating Gregor Clegane, Qyburn theorizes that Oberyn used his extensive knowledge of poisons to add a clotting agent to the manticore venom he coated his spear with, thickening it in order to slow its progress through the veins towards the heart, dragging out Gregor's agony. This also explains why Oberyn didn't finish off Gregor when he had the chance: he never intended to give him the mercy of a quick death.
 
When treating Gregor Clegane, Qyburn theorizes that Oberyn used his extensive knowledge of poisons to add a clotting agent to the manticore venom he coated his spear with, thickening it in order to slow its progress through the veins towards the heart, dragging out Gregor's agony. This also explains why Oberyn didn't finish off Gregor when he had the chance: he never intended to give him the mercy of a quick death.

Revision as of 03:26, 26 February 2015

"The cause appears to be manticore venom...horrible poison..."
―Grand Maester Pycelle[src]

Manticores are highly aggressive and extremely poisonous scorpion-like insects from the continent of Essos.

Biology

Manticores have an overall body-plan similar to scorpions, but can grow almost as large as a lobster. They possess six legs and larger stinger-tail, which curves up over the body to hang over the head. They have a series of threatening-looking spines on each body segment, running up the sides of the body and tail. They are mostly green in color.[1]

Their most recognizable features are the designs on the plates of their bodies, particularly the marking on the final plate of their tails which resembles a human face. Because of this design they are also sometimes referred to as the "Death's Head Manticore".[2]

Manticore venom is extremely lethal, and even a single sting is usually more than enough to kill a person. Extracted manticore venom is one of the most potent poisons which are used by the world's assassins, sometimes by coating bladed weapons with it, so that even a single scratch will kill. Extracted manticore venom is known to be produced in the city of Mantarys (east of the Free Cities and west of Slaver's Bay).[3]

History

Season 3

An agent of the Warlocks of Qarth attempts to assassinate Daenerys Targaryen using a manticore hidden inside a hollow wooden sphere. Before the creature can harm Daenerys with its lethal sting, Ser Barristan Selmy impales it with a dagger, killing it.[4]

Season 4

Grand Maester Pycelle and Qyburn assess that Oberyn Martell coated his spear with manticore venom prior to his duel with Ser Gregor Clegane. While Gregor won the duel by crushing Oberyn's head in, the poisoned wounds he took left him in agony, and he is now comatose. The effects of the poison are horrific, making the flesh around Gregor's wounds putrefy, which produces an overpowering stench. Pycelle regretfully tells Queen Cersei Lannister that Ser Gregor is beyond any hope of healing, but Qyburn insists that he can use the knowledge he has gained from unethical human experimentation to save Gregor's life. Cersei gives him permission to proceed, though he warns that the process will "change" Gregor.[5]

Image Gallery

In the books

In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, manticores are venomous insects from Essos, said to live on the jungle-filled islands of the Jade Sea, between Qarth and distant Asshai. They have a poisonous sting that is fatal to humans and kills the instant it reaches the heart unless a clotting agent is used to thicken it and delay its fatal effects. Manticore venom is one of the deadliest poisons in the known world, and is highly sought after by alchemists, Maesters, and (most of all) assassins. Thus the insects have been imported into private collections across Essos and Westeros: Syrio Forel mentions that he saw one in a menagerie of exotic animals in Braavos, and Daenerys Targaryen sees a caged manticore in the market stalls of Vaes Dothrak.

When treating Gregor Clegane, Qyburn theorizes that Oberyn used his extensive knowledge of poisons to add a clotting agent to the manticore venom he coated his spear with, thickening it in order to slow its progress through the veins towards the heart, dragging out Gregor's agony. This also explains why Oberyn didn't finish off Gregor when he had the chance: he never intended to give him the mercy of a quick death.

Within the cultures of Westeros and Essos, the legendary manticore (after which the insect takes its name) is a chimeric creature with a human head, a lion's body, and a scorpion's tail. Dragonstone is adorned with gargoyles in the shape of manticores. A manticore is also the sigil of House Lorch.

See also

References

Template:Creatures