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  === The Sand Snakes ===
  The Sand Snakes are Prince Oberyn Martell's eight illegitimate daughters: Obara, Nymeria, Tyene, Sarella, Elia, Obella, Dorea and Loreza, the latter youngest four were born to Oberyn's paramour Ellaria Sand.  The older four however were born to different women: Obara from an Oldtown prostitute; Nymeria (also known as Lady Nym) from a noblewoman in Volantis; Tyene from a septa serving the Faith of the Seven; and Sarella from the female captain of the Summer Isles trading ship ''Feathered Kiss''.  They are collectively called "Sand Snakes" in reference to their father's nickname "Red Viper" and the regional norm of giving Dornish highborn illegitimate children the bastard surname "Sand".
  In ''A Feast for Crows'', Obara, Nymeria and Tyene Sand wish revenge for their father's death and pressure their uncle Prince Doran Martell to declare war.  When they are implicated in various plots to agitate the Dornish populace, Prince Doran catches hold of their plans and orders Areo Hotah to imprison the Sand Snakes to prevent them from drawing Dorne into war.
  In ''A Dance with Dragons'', Doran releases the Sand Snakes and sends them on individual missions in his covert plot to bring down House Lannister in revenge for the murder of Elia Martell and her children during the Sack of King's Landing.  Obara is sent to accompany the visiting Kingsguard knight Ser Balon Swann to High Hermitage so he can hunt down and kill the rogue knight Gerold Dayne for the mutilating attack on Princess Myrcella.  Nymeria is sent to King's Landing to take the vacant Dornish seat on the small council in her late father's place (and serve as an agent from the inside).  Tyene is sent to accompany her sister Nymeria to King's Landing disguised as a septa and gain the confidence of the High Sparrow.
  The status of the fourth Sand Snake, Sarella Sand, is unknown, though according to Prince Doran she is said to be playing some sort of "game" in Oldtown.  Sarella is famous for her insatiable academic curiosities, and there are fan speculations that she is actually disguised as a male Citadel acolyte named Alleras ("Sarella" spelt backwards) with the nickname "the Sphinx", who debuts in the prologue of ''A Feast for Crows'' and helps Samwell Tarly when he arrives at the Citadel.  In the ending chapter of ''A Feast for Crows'', Alleras is tasked by the departing Archmaester Marvyn to take good care of Samwell as the latter starts his maester training.
  In two of pre-released chapters from the yet unfinished ''The Winds of Winter'', the fifth Sand Snake, Elia Sand, nicknamed "Lady Lance", accompanies her cousin, Princess Arianne Martell, on the diplomatic journey to meet with Jon Connington and the allegedly survived Aegon VI Targaryen.
  In the HBO television adaptation, only the oldest three Sand Snakes exist.  Obara Sand is portrayed by New Zealand actress Keisha Castle-Hughes, Nymeria Sand by English actress Jessica Henwick, and Tyene Sand by Italian-American actress Rosabell Laurenti Sellers; the other Sand Snakes do not appear in the series.