Doran Martell

## Doran Nymeros Martell

Prince **Doran Nymeros Martell** is the head of House Martell, Lord of Sunspear and the Water Gardens, as well as being Prince of Dorne. His children are Arianne Martell, Quentyn Martell and Trystane Martell. He is the older brother of Oberyn Martell and Elia Martell.

## Appearance and Character

Doran is unable to walk due to a bad case of gout that has left his knees, toes and hands reddened. Due to this he travels mostly by palanquin, or by use of a wheeled chair designed by Maester Caleotte. He is considered shapeless and soft, and looking older than he truly is. He is very difficult to read, and many people underestimate him for passive and meek, whereaas they admire his fiery brother Oberyn.

Doran is an incredibly secretive and guarded man, to the extent that not even his closest family members (with the notable exception of his brother Oberyn) are incapable of reading him. Arianne Martell in particular is frustrated deeply by her father's stoicism and his lack of reaction to the atrocities that befell his own family. However, few people recognise him for the man he truly is: Doran is not only secretive, but excruciatingly careful, weighing the risks and consequences of all the actions he takes, unlike Oberyn, who always goes in with bare steel.

He is haunted by the deaths of his sister Elia, his nephews and his uncle Lewyn during Robert's Rebellion, and has been orchestrating his revenge from the moment he heard about it. Doran is highly intelligent, having formed a plan of revenge on the Lannisters for a long time and understanding the weaknesses of those around him rather impressively. He is a consummate player of the game of thrones and, despite being unable to walk, he has proven to be almost as dangerous as Tywin Lannister himself. He is not well loved by the people of Dorne, which he is aware of, because of the multiple insults that have, to their mind, gone unavenged by the other kingdoms, especially the Lannisters. He acknowledges also that Oberyn resented him for this reason, but that they were both equally dangerous - Oberyn because nobody dared cross him, and Doran because all underestimated him for being different to Oberyn.

Doran loves his family, mourning Elia, Lewyn, her children and Oberyn, but has also proven kind to the bastard children of his brother, and cares completely for all three of his own children, even though Arianne believes that she has disappointed him.

In a way, Doran epitomises the words of his house - for all his tragedies, he has not bowed to anyone, not bent to anyone and not been broken by anyone.

## Books

### A Feast for Crows

Doran learns of his brother's death after a letter arrives at the Water Gardens from King's Landing, although he does not read it straight away. He decides that he has to return to Sunspear to rule during a tumultuous time for Dorne. He is confronted by his nieces in turn, first Obara Sand, who wants all out war, then by Nymeria Sand, who would assassinate Tywin Lannister, Cersei Lannister, Jaime Lannister and Tommen I Baratheon, and lastly Tyene Sand, who would have him crown Myrcella Baratheon, and name Trystane as her king. Doran has Areo Hotah put all the Sand Snakes under arrest. He allows Arianne to see him after a brief imprisonment. Arianne speaks coldly to her father and cites her belief that he is weak and overcautious, and Doran hints repeatedly that Arianne has risked destroying carefully-woven plans he has made. After a fiery confrontation with his daughter, Doran finally reveals his true plans and motives to ally with the resurgent Targaryen dynasty and destroy those who have injured House Martell for so long. He makes a staunch ally of Arianne.