Background

With a) the scope a bit smaller, b) Daenerys only having Dothraki and Jorah Mormont alive and anywhere near her plotline and c) GRRM needing a cool/exotic place to introduce new major characters for Dany's plotline we get her visit to Qarth. In this post I thought it be fun to look at these characters.

It should be noted that GRRM forshadows some of the events of Dany's visit here with things like:

One time," Sam confided, his voice dropping from a whisper, "two men came to the castle, warlocks from Qarth with white skin and blue lips. They slaughtered a bull aurochs and made me bathe in the hot blood, but it didn't make me brave as they'd promised. I got sick and retched. Father had them scourged." -AGOT, Jon IV

and:

My … queen," Ser Jorah said, going to one knee. "My sword that was his is yours, Daenerys. And my heart as well, that never belonged to your brother. I am only a knight, and I have nothing to offer you but exile, but I beg you, hear me. Let Khal Drogo go. You shall not be alone. I promise you, no man shall take you to Vaes Dothrak unless you wish to go. You need not join the dosh khaleen. Come east with me. Yi Ti, Qarth, the Jade Sea, Asshai by the Shadow. We will see all the wonders yet unseen, and drink what wines the gods see fit to serve us. Please, Khaleesi. I know what you intend. Do not. Do not." -AGOT, Daenerys X

If interested: Lies of the Ancients: Summary of the Oldest Civilizations

The Characters

Jhogo arrives at Vaes Tolorro with three characters from Qarth (in search of Dragons), all of them seemingly drive her plotline in some way:

Pyat Pree and the Warlocks

Pyat Pree convinces Dany to visit the House of the Undying, sends a sorrowful man after her, and is seemingly one of the three warlocks captured by Euron.

Quaithe

Unlike most of Dany's other suitors, Quaithe only provides vague/cryptic advice and seemingly wants her to visit Asshai to find "truth". Unfortunately it looks like while GRRM could have planned for Dany to visit Asshai, that will likely no longer happen:

[Will we see Asshai?]

GRRM: Only in flasback and memory, if at all. -SSM

If interested: Asshai: To Reach the Light, You Must Pass Beneath the Shadow

Xaro Xhoan Daxos

Full of promises, Xaro (who secretly just wants a dragon) desires to marry Dany. He later turns up in Meereen as an "envoy" for Qarth (Pureborn, The Thirteen, The Ancient Guild of Spicers and the Tourmaline Brotherhood). After Dany refuses their request, they declare war on her.

but even before she leaves the city we get introduced to numerous other important characters:

Arstan and Ser Belwas

Foreshadowed throughout ACOK, Barristan's disappearance and turning up for Dany in (on behalf of Illyrio) Qarth with Belwas as he saves Dany from the Sorrowful Man:

"You owe me nothing, Your Grace. I am called Arstan, though Belwas named me Whitebeard on the voyage here." Though Jhogo had released him, the old man remained on one knee. Aggo picked up his staff, turned it over, cursed softly in Dothraki, scraped the remains of the manticore off on a stone, and handed it back. -ACOK, Daenerys V

Euron Greyjoy + Glass Candles (likely)

With the information that Euron was going to visit Slaver's Bay, it is even more likely now that GRRM would start building up Euron this early:

Dany had laughed when he told her. "Was it not you who told me warlocks were no more than old soldiers, vainly boasting of forgotten deeds and lost prowess?"

Xaro looked troubled. "And so it was, then. But now? I am less certain. It is said that the glass candles are burning in the house of Urrathon Night-Walker, that have not burned in a hundred years. Ghost grass grows in the Garden of Gehane, phantom tortoises have been seen carrying messages between the windowless houses on Warlock's Way, and all the rats in the city are chewing off their tails. The wife of Mathos Mallarawan, who once mocked a warlock's drab moth-eaten robe, has gone mad and will wear no clothes at all. Even fresh-washed silks make her feel as though a thousand insects were crawling on her skin. And Blind Sybassion the Eater of Eyes can see again, or so his slaves do swear. -ACOK, Daenerys V

The Cinnamon Wind and Quhuru Mo (Previously: Daario)

Quhuro brings Dany news from Westeros. This previously was from Daario.

"A gift of news. Dragonmother, Stormborn, I tell you true, Robert Baratheon is dead."

Outside her walls, dusk was settling over Qarth, but a sun had risen in Dany's heart. "Dead?" she repeated. In her lap, black Drogon hissed, and pale smoke rose before her face like a veil. "You are certain? The Usurper is dead?" -ACOK, Daenerys II

If interested: All Aboard!: The Journey of the Cinnamon Wind

TLDR: With Dany only having Dothraki and Jorah anywhere near her at the end of AGoT**, GRRM used Qarth as a way to introduce not only magic/prophecy (Quaithe/the warlocks) but also hidden characters (Arstan/Barristan and likely Urrathon/Euron) before taking her to her Slaver's Bay plotline.**