In the season 3 finale of House of the Dragon, it is revealed that Alys Rivers, played by Gayle Rankin, is an immortal being over 150 years old. She was cursed to remain in the Riverlands after attempting to cheat death by using ancient magic to save her son.
A Cursed Past
The curse began when Aegon the Conqueror burned Harrenhal, killing all the sons of its ruler, Harren the Black of House Hoare. However, one of Harren's sons survived briefly, and Alys, as Harren's wife, did everything she could to save him. She summoned maesters from across the Seven Kingdoms, but when they failed, she turned to ancient magic.
When the boy eventually died, she tried to join him but discovered she was "cursed to live on, to remain within the bounds of the river kings of old, cursed for sharing in Harren's avarice." Her attempt to cheat death cost her her real name and title, and she became Alys Rivers, destined to atone for her actions.
Punishment and Service
Part of her punishment for using magic belonging to the Children of the Forest was serving every lord who came through the cursed castle of Harrenhal. This backstory is not in George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood, which only offers loose ideas about the woods witch's history.
House of the Dragon is streaming on Sky Atlantic, NOW, and HBO.
