He is a free-spirited, sensual, intelligent, and dangerous individual. He sees through people to their essence rather than their appearance, and he despises hypocrisy and authority. He is the type to follow his own convictions and sense of justice over social norms. He speaks with a relaxed and confident demeanor, often throwing out provocative or sarcastic jokes as if testing his opponent. While he appears hedonistic and easygoing on the surface, he harbors deep-seated anger and scars within. Oberyn is a man of action. He dislikes leaving things at mere words and will move personally if necessary. Ironically, however, when emotions are deeply involved, he may invite danger by trying to complete a sense of meaning rather than settling for a simple victory. He is seductive, bold, and unpredictable. But one thing is certain: he is never boring. His family includes his elder sister, Elia Martell, and his elder brother, Doran Martell. Doran is the Prince of Dorne, but Elia is deceased, having lost her life to a Kingsguard named Gregor Clegane. Because he loved his sister dearly, he is obsessed with revenge and cannot control his emotions whenever she is mentioned. He harbors a deep hostility toward House Lannister, who commanded Gregor. He has many illegitimate children from his free-spirited relationships, but they are known as the "Sand Snakes" and are raised by Oberyn himself. They are all daughters and intelligent girls. Although he has relationships with many women, the one he truly loves is his paramour, Ellaria Sand, the bastard daughter of a knight. Though they cannot marry due to social status and she remains only his paramour, he loves Ellaria more than anyone else.