The Sea of Sighs is an inland sea on the eastern continent. It lies south of the Painted Mountains and north of the Lands of the Long Summer. At its northern tip sits the city of Mantarys.
Mantarys is a city that lies to the north of The Lands of the Long Summer on the very northern tip of the Sea of Sighs. It is connected by Valyrian roads to the ruined cities of Bhorash and Oros. The demon road passes through Mantarys. It has a sinister repute and is allegedly a city of monsters.
Elyria is a city on an island just off the coast of Essos, in the western part of Slaver's Bay. It is west of Tolos and southeast of Mantarys.
Tolos is a city in Essos. The city is located on the north-western coast of Slaver's Bay. It is south-east of Mantarys and southwest of Bhorash. The island city of Elyria is west of Tolos.
Tolos is connected by a Valyrian road to Mantarys and Bhorash. Tolos is the last inhabited city before Meereen several hundred miles to the east (Bhorash being a ruin). Travel overland between Tolos and Meeereen is dangerous, due to the proximity of the Dothraki Sea to the north-east and also the harsh nature of the landscape. The Black Cliffs lie between Tolos and Bhorash.
The Tolosi are noted as being the finest slingers in the world. They use soft lead balls instead of stones, which do significantly more damage.
Tolos, Elyria, and Mantarys are the only three surviving cities on the Valyrian Peninsula, each in the northern sections not too close to Valyria itself when the Doom struck. They were colonies ruled directly by governors from the Valyrian Freehold, not Free Cities that had purchased contracts for some limited rule over local affairs. After the Doom, because they were located on the east coast, Tolos and Elyria developed developed closer ties with the Ghiscari cities of Slaver's Bay to the east, and fell into their cultural orbit. Mantarys, however, is located far from the coast, up in the foothills of the Painted Mountains, and as a result it became increasingly isolated.
The Lands of the Long Summer is an area of southern Essos bordered by the Sea of Sighs to the north and west and the Smoking Sea to the south. A Valyrian road, beginning at the ruined city of Oros and ending at Mantarys, runs through it.
Oros is a ruined city that sits on the northern coast of the Smoking Sea, that was said to be second only in majesty to the city of Valyria before the doom. It lies to the south of the Lands of the Long Summer and is connected by Valyrian road to Mantarys, while across the Smoking Sea lies Tyria. The ruins of Oros are still inhabited to some extent, although it is not clear whether by descendants of its original inhabitants. The few stories told of these latter day dwellers tend towards the malign.
The Smoking Sea is the place where the sea flooded into the shattered remnant of the Valyrian peninsula after the Doom of Valyria. Filled with volcanoes and smoking stacks of rock, it is said to boil in places and to be haunted by demons.
Tyria is a ruined city on the eastern continent. It lies across the Smoking Sea from Oros and is connected by Valyrian road to the city of Valyria, which lies to the south of the island.
West of the Lands of the the Long Summer is a ruined city, west of Valyria on one of the larger islands is a ruined city, east of Valyria on the island is a ruined city and south of Valyria is a ruined city. And the summer sea surrounds the islands of Valyria.
Volantis is one of the Free Cities located east of Westeros. It is the southern-most and oldest of the Free Cities, located on the southern coast of Essos along the Summer Sea, at the mouth of the Rhoyne River. It was founded as a colony of Valyria many centuries ago. It is a great port.
People from Volantis are known as Volantene. They are ruled by the Triarchs. Only those who can trace their lineage back to the times of Valyria may become candidates to the post of Triarch. The city welcomes a mixture of religions but holds a large temple devoted to the worship of the Lord of Light.
The harbor metropolis lies on both sides of one of the many mouths of the Rhoyne. The river is spanned by a great structure known as the Long Bridge.
Volantis is ruled by a noble class, but also possesses large number of slaves. Slaves are tattooed on the face so they are easily identified. A fish tattoo indicates that the slave works on a fishing vessel. In Volantis, it is death for a slave to touch a noble.
The Long Bridge joins the two halves of Volantis across the mouth of the Rhoyne. It is a great span with a road supported by massive piers that the Valyrians built at the height of their glory. Its gateway is an arch of black stone carved with sphinxes, manticores, dragons, and other strange beasts. The road is just wide enough for two carts to pass abreast. Buildings rise on either side of the roadway. One can buy almost anything in the shops on the Long Bridge. In the center of the bridge the hands of thieves and the heads of executed criminals are displayed.
The Fourteen Flames is an immense chain of volcanoes extending across the neck of the Valyrian peninsula. There were deep mines beneath the Fourteen Flames. The Fourteen Flames lit the Freehold's nights of old.
Lys is one of the Free Cities to the east of Westeros. It is located far to the south of Pentos, southwest of Volantis and north of the Summer Islands. The city is actually located on an island separated from the mainland of Essos by narrow straits, though it has territorial possessions in the nearby regions of the mainland, east of Tyrosh and south of Myr. The city spans several islands.
The famous pleasure houses of Lys are known to train the best courtesans and prostitutes in the world, and it has a thriving export industry in bed-slaves. Lys is also known for producing a rare and difficult to detect poison known as the Tears of Lys. People from Lys are known as Lysene.
Lys is one of the more powerful of the Free Cities, located on a series of islands in the Summer Sea near the Stepstones and the Disputed Lands. Lys frequently wars with the city of Myr and more distant Tyrosh and Volantis over control of both regions. The people of Lys are known as Lyseni and are noted for their love of the sensual arts, though they are also formidable sailors.
Lys's navy is one of the most powerful on the Summer and Narrow seas, aside from that of Braavos, and Lyseni freesails can be found in many of the ports of the world. Slavery is legal in Lys and it has a fairly large slave population. Besides its bed-slaves and prostitutes, Lys is otherwise known for its tapestries, perfumes, and sweet wines. Lys is home to a native love goddess, but temples to many deities can be found within its walls, including a temple to the red god R'hllor, the Lord of Light.
As with most of the Free Cities, Lys was originally a colony of the Valyrian Freehold. When Valyria was destroyed in the Doom, Lys became an independent state. It was then conquered by Volantis, which was trying to reforge the Freehold. Lys and Myr remained subservient to Volantis until Volantis launched an attack on Tyrosh. Myr rose in rebellion and an exiled Lyseni lord liberated the city with the help of 100 warships loaned to him by Braavos. Additional forces from Pentos and the Westerosi Storm King helped defeat Volantis and destroyed its armies in what are now the Disputed Lands.
Lys regained its independence following the war, but the alliances soon fell apart, so that Myr and Lys have been perpetually warring with each other for the better part of the past three hundred years. The great rivalry of Myr and Lys is usually played out in the Disputed Lands between them, so-called because they are constantly changing hands between the two. Volantis and Tyrosh sometimes get dragged into these wars on one side or the other, as the alliances shift around.
As Lys was a direct colony of the Valyrian Freehold, founded from scratch by the Valyrians rather than being a conquered territory, the Lyseni still have notably Valyrian features, including light-colored hair and eyes, and light skin. The Valyrians themselves looked like the Targaryens, with platinum-blonde to white hair and purple eyes, though in the present day (possibly watered down from generations of intermarriage) the classic physical features associated with the Lysenes are blonde hair and blue eyes. In contrast, the inhabitants of Lys's great rival Myr tend to have dark hair and eyes, and olive-brown skin.
Myr is one of the Free Cities located to the east of Westeros, on the coast of Essos. Myr is major seaport located on a large body of water known as the Sea of Myrth, an inlet of the Narrow Sea. It is located south of Pentos and north of the Disputed Lands.
People of Myr are known as Myrish. Myrish craftsmen are renowned throughout the known world. Myrish lace is a particularly highly sought after commodity.
Myr has a reputation for great craftsmanship: it is famed for its expertise in creating mirrors and lenses, and intricate Myrish lace is a much sought-after textile product. It has a strong military, with its crossbowmen being particularly famed. Myr has been locked in a bitter rivalry with the Free City of Lys for centuries.
Myr is ruled by Magisters and has its own language derived from High Valyrian. Its people are noted for being dark-haired and dark-eyed, with olive-colored skin, and are considered exotic-looking by Westerosi standards.
Like most of the other Free Cities, Myr was once a colony of Valyria. After the Doom, it became independent but was conquered a few years later by Volantis, which was trying to rebuild the fallen empire. When Volantis overreached and attacked Tyrosh as well, it was beaten back and defeated by a coalition including the Westerosi Storm King, troops from Pentos and Braavos and massive uprisings in Myr and Lys. Volantis's military power was broken and Myr again became an independent city-state.
The alliances soon fell apart, however, so that Myr and Lys have been perpetually warring with each other for the better part of the past three hundred years. The "Disputed Lands", between Myr to the north and Lys to the south, are so-called because they are constantly changing hands back and forth between the two cities according to the changing fortunes of their conflicts. Tyrosh and Volantis have been drawn into this feud from time to time, allying with either Myr or Lys as the alliances shift.
Tyrosh is one of the Free Cities located to the east of Westeros. It is situated on an island off the southwestern coast of Essos, in the Narrow Sea. It is located at the eastern end of the Stepstones, an island chain that extends from Essos to Westeros, which according to legend used to be a land-bridge linking the two continents. Therefore, Tyrosh is the closest of the Free Cities to Westeros, located not far from Dorne and the Stormlands (fairly close to the island of Tarth).
Due to its central location - between Westeros and the other Free Cities, at the middle latitude of the Free Cities between Braavos in the north and Volantis to the south, and its proximity to constant wars between Lys and Myr in the Disputed Lands - Tyrosh is often seen as a major world hub for hiring the services of various professional mercenary companies, to serve in the various conflicts of these different regions.
Tyrosh is also well-known for its pear-brandy. People from Tyrosh are known as Tyroshi. Tyroshi are known for wearing bright colors and have a reputation of being insatiably greedy. They speak a bastardized version of High Valyrian. Tyrosh is one of the most powerful of the Free Cities. It is said to dwarf Sunspear in size. It is reported to be boisterous and loud, with a large harbor guarded by the Bleeding Tower.
The people of Tyrosh are called Tyroshi. They love loud and garish colors. They are known for their creation of ornate armor and elaborate torture devices. Pear brandy is an export of the city. Slaves and mercenaries are commonly hired there.
Tyrosh has a volatile history. Like most of the Free Cities, it was once a colony of Valyria. Following the Doom, it became an independent city-state. However, a century later it was attacked by Volantis, which was trying to reforge the Valyrian Freehold. Having already taken Myr and Lys, Volantis overreached by attacking Tyrosh. Pentos and the Storm King in Westeros allied with Tyrosh to defeat Volantis, which also lost Myr and Lys due to rebellions and uprisings.
Two and a half centuries later, Tyrosh was attacked and captured by the Band of Nine, nine powerful warlords who were supporting one another in doing together what could not be achieved alone. Alequo Adarys was installed as Archon of Tyrosh. The Band's military strength was broken in the War of the Ninepenny Kings, when the King on the Iron Throne launched a pre-emptive strike before they could attack King's Landing. Adarys managed to retain control of Tyrosh for six years before being deposed. Hoster Tully, Barristan Selmy, Petyr Baelish's father, and the young Tywin Lannister all fought in the War of the Ninepenny Kings, Selmy winning fame for his slaying of Maelys the Monstrous, the last of the Blackfyre Pretenders, in combat.
Qohor is one of the nine Free Cities in western Essos, located between the Narrow Sea and the grass plains held by the Dothraki. It is located several weeks' ride east of Pentos on the western edge of the vast Forest of Qohor. People from Qohor are known as Qohorik. The city itself is renowned for its immensely skilled blacksmiths, who possess the rare knowledge of how to reforge Valyrian steel.
Soon after the Doom of Valyria, four hundred years before the War of the Five Kings, Valyria's outlying colonies in Essos were thrown into chaos. As the colonies formed into the modern Free Cities, without the Valyrians and their dragons to hold them in check anymore, the Dothraki mounted hordes burst forth from the central plains of Essos, rampaging across the continent. Khal Temmo led his khalasar numbering in the tens of thousands towards Qohor, intending to raze the city completely. However, the horde was decisively defeated in the resulting Battle of Qohor, by 3,000 Unsullied warrior-eunuchs purchased from Astapor. Temmo himself as well as his sons were killed, and Qohor was saved.
Qohor is still the closest of the Free Cities to the Dothraki Sea, but ever since Temmo's defeat it has been guarded by a standing garrison of Unsullied purchased from Slaver's Bay.
Pentos is one of the Free Cities, located on the western coastline of Essos, across the Narrow Sea to the east of Westeros. It is a large, rich city.
Pentos is located at roughly the mid-latitude of the Free Cities, between Braavos in the north and Lys in the south. It is due east of King's Landing, across the Narrow Sea. It is surrounded by fertile coastal plains known as the Flatlands.
People of Pentos are known as Pentoshi. The city's economy is based mostly on trade and commerce of products such as cheese. As a result, Pentoshi traders like Illyrio Mopatis are often referred to derogatively as "cheese-mongers". They have a brisk trade with the Seven Kingdoms across the Narrow Sea. They use their wealth to pay tribute to the Dothraki to avoid being sacked by the nomadic people.
Pentos is nominally ruled by a Prince chosen by the city's Magisters from among the Pentoshi noble families. The Prince supposedly holds the powers of trade, justice, and war, and on every new year he must deflower the Maid of the Field and the Maid of the Sea to bring good fortune to the city. However, should a crop fail or a war be lost, the Magisters slit the Prince's throat and choose another.
Pentos was the northernmost of the large Valyrian colony-cities when the Doom destroyed the empire four centuries ago. Pentos and the other Free Cities became independent over the course of the many-sided war known as the Century of Blood. Pentos is a large seaport consisting of squat brick buildings and a number of large palaces and holdings, both within the walls and outside on the plains known as the Flatlands. Pentos has fallen under the influence of Braavos, the largest and most powerful of the Free Cities, and to maintain good relations with Braavos Pentos has outlawed slavery. Pentos's location makes it especially vulnerable to raids from the Dothraki. As such the Pentoshi merchants are prone to feasting and gifting the passing Dothraki warlords with lavish parties and gifts to appease them into not destroying their holdings.
Norvos is one of the Free Cities, located to the east of Westeros. It lies in the interior of Essos, between Pentos and Qohor, on the Noyne, a tributary of the massive River Rhoyne. It is on the route leading from the Narrow Sea to the Dothraki sea, and as such pays tribute to passing Dothraki khalasars. People of Norvos are known as Norvoshi.
Norvos is described as a city in two parts. The low city sprawls along the river with numerous docks and wharves, while the high city extends along the hilltops. Both are walled and fortified. The city as a whole is a theocracy ruled by the Bearded Priests. However, the nature of their religion is unknown. Norvos was founded as a colony of religious dissidents from Valyria.
The city is mercantile, and its wealth is based upon lying the trade route from Pentos to Qohor and the Dothraki sea, as well as minerals mined from the Hills of Norvos, which stretch from the city to the Shivering Sea. The city is famous for the axes it produces, as well as for its high-quality textiles. Myr is also famous for its textiles and produces fine lace and carpets, but Norvos is world-renowned for its fine tapestries.
Bears are used as entertainment in the city, and are known to dance up and down the Sinner's Steps. The city has three bells which ring out at different times of the day and have their own names, Noom, Narrah and Nyel. Soldiers and warriors are trained in the city, recruited by the Bearded Priests when they are just boys. Some Norvosi prefer the use of axes in battle to the more traditional swords.
Lorath is one of the Free Cities located to the east of Westeros. It is located on an island just off the northern coast of Essos, east of Braavos. The Shivering Sea lies to its north and an inlet of water known as Lorath Bay is located to the south. Lorath is the least-well-known of the Free Cities, due to its isolated location and the lack of any notable ports to the east. The people of Lorath are known as Lorathi.
Lorath is the least-mentioned of the Free Cities. It is likely influenced by Braavos, as it lies quite close to that city's location. It probably isn't very powerful because there are no major cities further east along the northern shore of Essos. The whale-hunting Inuit-like inhabitants of the island of Ibben probably trade with Lorath, given that it is the closest of the Free Cities to Ibben, yet Ibbenese traders can also be found in Braavos, Pentos, or even as far away as King's Landing in Westeros.
Morosh is a city in northern Essos along the shore of the Shivering Sea. A colony of Lorath, Morosh is situated at the northern end of the Sarne river delta. It is northeast of its trading partner Saath and northwest of the ruined Vaes Graddakh.
The Kingdom of Sarnor is a region of northern Essos along the shores of the Shivering Sea. The Forest of Qohor and Vaes Khadokh are to the west, while the Dothraki sea extends along the south. Omber is a peninsula to the northeast of Sarnor, while the Kingdom of the Ifequevron is farther to the east.
Sarnor was an ancient kingdom centered around the great river Sarne and its tributaries. A confederation of city-states each with its own king, the Sarnori were ruled from Sarnath by a High King. Most of the grassland kingdom was destroyed by the Dothraki in the Century of Blood after the Doom of Valyria, with the cities Gornath, Kasath, Sallosh, Sarnath, Sarys, and Sathar left in ruins. The only surviving Sarnori settlement is Saath.
Saath is a city in northern Essos at the western end of the Sarne delta along the Shivering Sea. It is west of Vaes Graddakh and southwest of Morosh. Saath is connected by a Valyrian road to Vaes Khadokh farther to the south.
The small port of Saath is the last surviving remnant of the Kingdom of Sarnor, as the other Sarnori cities were destroyed by the Dothraki. The people of Saath often trade with the Lorathi colony of Morosh.
The Kingdom of the Ifequevron or Kingdoms of the Ifeqevron is a forested region of northern Essos along the Shivering Sea. Omber and the Bay of Tusks are to the west, while the Kingdom of Sarnor is to the southwest. East of the forest are the Realm of Jhogwin and the Krazaaj Zasqa. The Dothraki sea and Vaes Dothrak are to the south; a river from the Womb of the World by Vaes Dothrak runs through the kingdom to the Shivering Sea. East of the forest are the Ibbenese city New Ibbish and the ruins of Vaes Aresak (Ibbish).
Omber is a peninsular region of northern Essos jutting into the Shivering Sea, with the Bay of Tusks along its eastern coast. Omber is northeast of the Kingdom of Sarnor and west of the Kingdoms of the Ifeqevron.
The kings and princes of this small pastoral kingdom pay the Dothraki horselords a yearly tribute of grain, gems and girls in order to be left unmolested.
The Bay of Tusks is a bay of the Shivering Sea north of Essos. The bay is bounded by Omber to the west and a peninsula near the Kingdom of the Ifequevron to the east. A river with tributaries near Vaes Athjhikhari and Vaes Leqse flows into the Bay of Tusks.
The Realm of the Jhogwin or Realm of Jhogwin is a mountainous region of northern Essos, situated within the northernmost part of the Krazaaj Zasqa. It is roughly northeast of Vaes Dothrak and east of the Kingdom of the Ifequevron, with the island of Far Ib to the north. To the southeast are the Howling Hills.
The Howling Hills are east of the Krazaaj Zasqa mountains and north of the Great Sand Sea. The Plains of the Jogos Nhai are found to its east. To the north is a forested peninsula next to Leviathan Sound. The Howling Hills are inhabited by bandits and worse.
Leviathan Sound is a large bay of the eastern Shivering Sea off the coast of northern Essos. It contains a few islands. The Howling Hills are to the southwest and the Plains of the Jogos Nhai are to the south.
The plains of the Jogos Nhai are situated in Essos, east of the Great Sand Sea and the Howling Hills, north of Yi Ti and the Shrinking Sea, and west of N'Ghai and the Bleeding Sea. To the north is Leviathan Sound and the Shivering Sea. The plains are vast and may be flat or gently rolling. The Jogos Nhai people likely dwell there.
The Jogos Nhai are renowned for their zorses. The religion of the moonsingers is prominent among them. The nomadic Jogos Nhai are kin to the more settled people of N'Ghai to their east.
N'Ghai is a small kingdom in eastern Essos, located between the Plains of the Jogos Nhai and the forests of Mossovy. The city of Nefer is located at the mouth of a river and the Shivering Sea. North of N'Ghai are the Thousand Islands, while to the southeast are the Bleeding Sea and the Cannibal Sands. N'Ghai is inhabited by a people kin to the more nomadic Jogos Nhai.
Mossovy is a broad, forested region of northeastern Essos along the shore of the Shivering Sea. It is at the edge of the known world, east of N'Ghai and north of the Cannibal Sands and the Grey Waste. The Thousand Islands are found north of the grim, grey forest.
The Cannibal Sands are a pair of small deserts bordering the Grey Waste in far eastern Essos. One desert of the Cannibal Sands is located northwest of the Grey Waste and northeast of the Bleeding Sea. N'Ghai is to the north and Mossovy is found to the northeast. The second desert is situated southeast of the Grey Waste and northeast of the Dry Deep. The city of K'Dath is west of this second desert. The inhabitants of the Cannibal Sands allegedly consume human flesh.
The Grey Waste is a desert region in far eastern Essos. The Grey Waste appears to be an expansive, cold desert in far eastern Essos. It is located south of Mossovy, between the Cannibal Sands. Southwest of the area is the city of K'Dath.
K'Dath is a city in a plain located in far eastern Essos. K'Dath is east of the Bleeding Sea and north of the Land of the Shrykes. Farther to the southwest are the Five Forts. To the southeast of K'Dath are Bonetown and the Dry Deep, while to the northeast is the Grey Waste.
The Land of the Shrykes is a small plain in far eastern Essos. It is bordered by the Bleeding Sea to the west, the Five Forts and the Mountains of the Morn to the south, Bonetown and the Dry Deep to the east, and K'Dath to the north. The Land of the Shrykes is said to be a dangerous place populated by shrieking monsters.
The Mountains of the Morn are a mountain range in far eastern Essos. The Mountains of the Morn run roughly in a north-to-southeast curve. Northwest of the mountains are the Five Forts and the Bleeding Sea, while to the northeast are the Dry Deep and the Cities of the Bloodless Men. The Hidden Sea and its two cities, the City of the Winged Men and Carcosa, are located in the southeastern stretch of the mountains. West of the Mountains of the Morn is Yi Ti, while to the south are the Shadow Lands.
Slaver's Bay is the name given to an area on the southern coast of Essos, located to the south-east of Westeros and the Free Cities and to the west of Qarth. The name can refer to the bay itself or the entire region. As the name implies, the cities of Slaver's Bay are the hub of the international slave trade.
Slaver's Bay has a hot, semi-arid climate. Agriculture is maintained through extensive irrigation systems.
The area borders the Red Waste, which then leads on further to enter into the Dothraki sea, which is located to its north. It is noted as the location of the three great slave-cities of Meereen, Astapor, and Yunkai.
The country of Lhazar, noted for its unwarlike shepherd-folk, is located up the Skahazadhan River from Meereen, to the northeast of Slaver's Bay. The Dothraki enjoy pillaging areas close to Slaver's Bay and driving captives to the slave cities in return for riches. They particularly enjoy pillaging Lhazar, since it is located conveniently close to Meereen.
The bay also used to be the heartland of the fallen Valyrian Freehold, with the shattered peninsula of Valyria located to the west of the bay.
The region later known as Slaver's Bay was once the heartland of the great Ghiscari Empire, which flourished well over five thousand years ago, and was one of the earliest civilizations in the known world. About five thousand years ago, the new power of the Valyrian Freehold began to rise to the west, across the Gulf of Grief. Valyrian expansion was driven by their discovery of Dragons in the volcanic mountains of the Valyrian peninsula, which they mastered and rode as weapons of war. The two great empires developed an intense rivalry, and clashed in a series of five massive wars, but the vast slave-legions of the ancient Ghiscari could not withstand Valyrian dragonfire. Five thousand years ago, the Valyrians finally succeeded in destroying the Ghiscari Empire, burning its capital city Old Ghis to the ground, conquering its surrounding lands and colonies, and enslaving the survivors. Five thousand years of Valyrian mastery obliterated much of the original Ghiscari culture.
Four hundred years before the War of the Five Kings, the Doom of Valyria destroyed the great civilization within a single cataclysmic day - after which Valyria's outlying colonies and conquests reasserted their independence. While their colonies to the west of Valyria developed into the Free Cities, in a parallel development, their colonies to the east overthrew their Valyrian overlords and became the independent city-states of Slaver's Bay. The three most powerful of these cities became Astapor, Yunkai, and Meereen.
The ruling elites of Slaver's Bay continue to practice large-scale slavery; indeed, their entire economy centers around it. In times of peace they breed them, and in times of war they capture them. Many slaves are taken from distance lands, even places far across the sea such as the continent of Sothoryos. Due to this ethnic melting pot, combined with thousands of years of Valyrian domination, little of the original culture of the old Ghiscari Empire has survived. Even the language spoken in present-day Slaver's Bay is a derivative of High Valyrian, not the Old Ghiscari language - which is functionally dead. The Low Valyrian language spoken in Slaver's Bay is, however, very distinct from the other Low Valyrian languages spoken in the Free Cities, as it was geographically separated and subjected to unique local influences. A few constructions and loanwords from Old Ghiscari such as "mhysa" ("mother") survive into Slaver's Bay Low Valyrian, but it fundamentally remains a derivative of their old Valyrian conquerors.
Despite the vast chronological and cultural gap between them, the local ruling slavemasters of Slaver's Bay pride themselves on surviving scraps of Ghiscari culture, and like to think of themselves as a continuation of the Ghiscari Empire's old glories - extending to the point that each of the slaver-cities uses a Harpy as its sigil, as the old Ghiscari Empire did.
Bhorash: a ruined city on the north coast of Slaver's Bay. Bhorash is connected by Valyrian roads to Mantarys and Tolos. It is in ruins, presumably destroyed in the Doom of Valyria.
Lhazar is a peaceful country of sheep and goat-herders, located south of Vaes Dothrak on the continent of Essos.
In Essos, Slaver's Bay is shielded from the Dothraki Sea by a series of coastal mountains to their northeast. As the southeastern Dothraki Sea reaches near the mountains, it gives way to the hill country of Lhazar, which is unsuitable for horse-herds but quite suitable for sheep pastures. This hill country is linked to Slaver's Bay by the Khyzai Pass through the coastal mountains, formed by the Shahadazhan River. The upper Shahadazhan river, on the interior side of the mountains facing the Dothraki Sea, provides Lhazar with enough water to carry out basic agriculture, despite bordering the agriculturally inactive Dothraki Sea to the north and deserts of the Red Waste to the east.
The inhabitants of Lhazar, known as the Lhazareen, are peaceful shepherds and farmers. They worship a deity known as the Great Shepherd.
Due to their non-martial culture they are a favored target of Dothraki raids when the mounted hordes are looking to acquire new slaves. The Lhazareen can put up little significant resistance against the Dothraki, who derisively call them the "Lamb Men". Lhazar may not have much in the way of wealth for direct plunder, but the Lhazareen themselves are regarded as excellent, docile slaves. The Dothraki will either keep them as direct slaves, or trade captured Lhazareen to the nearby slaver-cities in Slaver's Bay to the southwest in return for finished goods.
Meereen is the northernmost and greatest of the three great city-states of Slaver's Bay, north of Yunkai and Astapor. It is located at the mouth of the Skahazadhan River, which flows from its origins in Lhazar through the mountains separating Meereen and the rest of Slaver's Bay from the Red Waste. The Dothraki Sea lies to the north, beyond the river. The wealthiest residents live in pyramids.
Like the other major cities of Slaver's Bay, Meereen was founded as a colony of the old Ghiscari Empire, which was later conquered by the Valyrian Freehold when it destroyed the Ghiscari Empire 5,000 years ago. Similar to the Free Cities to the west, after the Doom of Valyria (four hundred years before the War of the Five Kings) the local slaver-cities reasserted their independence.
Meereen is by far the largest of the now-independent city states, bigger than Astapor or Yunkai. At the time that Daenerys Targaryen arrives at the city, there are about three slaves in the city for each free man.
Yunkai, known also as the Yellow City, is one of the three great Ghiscari city-states of Slaver's Bay, located south-west of Meereen and north of Astapor. Pleasure-slaves are Yunkai's chief export.
Yunkai is ruled by an oligarchy of slave merchants calling themselves the Wise Masters. Its people are known both as Yunkish and Yunkai'i.
Astapor is the southernnmost of the three great city-states of Slaver's Bay and a noted stopping point for ships bound from Qarth to the Free Cities and Westeros. Astapor is home of the infamous Unsullied, eunuch slave-soldiers. Astapor's sigil, like that of the other cities of Slaver's Bay, is that of the harpy, the ancient symbol of the Ghiscari Empire, of which Astapor was once part. Though culturally still identifying itself as Ghiscari, Astapor is an independent city-state and is not officially aligned with the resurgent nation of Ghiscar to the south.
The flag of Astapor bears the Ghiscari harpy holding between its talon a chain with open manacles on both ends.
New Ghis is a city in the Gulf of Grief, in Essos. It is located on a small island south of Ghiscar and separated from the continent by the Ghiscari Strait. It is named after the ruined capital of the fallen Ghiscari Empire. New Ghis is located near the larger island of Ghaen. Much like Volantis once tried to do with the Valyrian Freehold, New Ghis seeks to rebuild the Ghiscari Empire under its leadership.
New Ghis has a powerful army and fleet, and uses elephants in battle. Its legions draw inspiration from the Unsullied warrior-eunuchs, but while the Unsullied are slaves the troops of New Ghis are free men who serve for three-year terms.
Ghiscar: the region that housed the now fallen Ghiscari Empire and its ruined capital of Old Ghis.
The Gulf of Grief is a body of water located south of Slaver's Bay. It is an inlet of the Summer Sea and separates the shattered lands of Valyria from the region of Ghiscar. Slaver's Bay itself is a large bay on the northern side of the Gulf of Grief.
The Isle of Cedars: an island separating Slaver's Bay from the Gulf of Grief. Devastated by tidal waves during the Doom of Valyria.
The red waste is a region on the continent of Essos. It is a barren and unforgiving landscape of stunted trees, devil grass, and ancient ruins. The red waste is located south of the Dothraki Sea and Lhazar, the land of the Lhazareen. It is east of Slaver's Bay and its hinterlands, north of the fabled city of Qarth, and west of the Bone Mountains. It is a land of low hills, barren windswept plains, dry rivers and red parched soil, where the necessities of living are hard to come by. There are few things in the Red Waste that will support life. There is little forage and shallow, bitter, stagnant pools of water. Wood is hard to find, with the best being gnarled and tough.
Within the red waste are four abandoned cities, Vaes Tolorro, Vaes Orvik, Vaes Shirosi, and Vaes Qosar. South of the red waste along the Summer Sea are, from west to east, the cities of Port Yhos, Qarkash, and Qarth.
The Dothraki sea is a vast inland region on the continent of Essos, located east of the Free Cities, north of Slaver's Bay, and west of the Bone Mountains. Its landscape of steppes and plains is home to the nomadic Dothraki equestrian people, who constantly battle each other and raid surrounding lands.
Save for Vaes Dothrak and some Valyrian roads in the west near the Forest of Qohor, there are no surviving roads, hills, or cities, leaving an ocean of unbroken rippling grass, for which the Dothraki sea is named.
Over a hundred types of grass grow on the plains, often growing thick and taller than a man's head and from afar look like a sea, as it rolls like waves in the breeze. Some rivers run through the lands, though they are often shallow and shift with the seasons; overall sand is more prevalent than water.
Its only inhabited city, an ancient ruin called Vaes Dothrak, lies at the heart of the sea and is home and heart to the Dothraki people and culture. Other than that it is largely empty with packs of wild dogs, herds of free-ranging horses and rare hrakkar.
Located in the inland of Essos, east of the Free Cities, the Dothraki sea begins in the west at the Forest of Qohor. To the north it overlaps the ruined Kingdom of Sarnor and the forested Kingdoms of the Ifeqevron. The Dothraki sea extends eastward to the Bone Mountains and the Krazaaj Zasqa and as far southeast as the desert wasteland called the red waste.
To the south the Dothraki sea is bounded by the Painted Mountains, Slaver's Bay, and the Skahazadhan River. South of the river is Lhazar, which is often raided by the Dothraki. The Dothraki sea is so immense it can support more than two dozen khalasars, each riding its own circuit and taking what is needed from the land as they go.
A single massive mountain is located in the region, the Mother of Mountains, which rises at the heart of the Dothraki sea, at the city of Vaes Dothrak. Nearby is the lake called the Womb of the World.
Ruins
Ruined settlements in or near the Dothraki sea include several in the Kingdom of Sarnor :
Vaes Khadokh
Vaes Khewo
Vojjor Samvi
Yalli Qamayi
Vaes Leqse
Vaes Athjhikhari
Vaes Graddakh
To the north-east in the vicinity of the Kingdoms of the Ifeqevron are Vaes Leisi and Vaes Aresak.
Vaes Diaf is an isolated ruined city in the central Dothraki lands.
By the Skahazadhan along the southern Dothraki sea are:
Vaes Efe
Vaes Mejhah
Krazaaj Has
At the eastern extremity of the Dothraki sea where it meets the Bone Mountains are:
Vaes Jini
Adakhakileki
South-east of the Dothraki sea in the red waste are four cities given Dothraki names:
Vaes Tolorro
Vaes Orvik
Vaes Qosar
Vaes Shirosi.
Vaes Dothrak is the only inhabited settlement of the Dothraki sea.
The Shadow Lands is a mysterious, mountainous area in far eastern Essos. The city of Asshai is located at the southwestern tip of the Shadow Lands. To the north and northeast the Shadow Lands meets the Mountains of the Morn. Leng and the Manticore Isles in the Jade Sea are to the west and the Saffron Straits are to the south.
Ghost grass grows throughout the Shadow Lands. It is said that demons and dragons are among the creatures dwelling in cliff caves. The ruined corpse city of Stygai, which even shadowbinders fear, lies at the heart of the Shadow.
Asshai is a port city located in the far south-east of Essos, where the Ash meets the Jade Sea at its eastern exit, the Saffron Straits. Asshai is on the southernmost edge of a mountainous peninsula known as the Shadow Lands, thus the city is often called Asshai-by-the-Shadow and to go to Asshai can be described as to "pass beneath the shadow". The area of the Shadow Lands and Asshai are sometimes referred to simply as "the Shadow".
The origins of Asshai are lost in time, even the Asshai'i do not claim to know who built it, stating only a city stood there since the world began and will stand there until it ends.
The buildings of Asshai are made out of a black stone which can feel greasy to the touch. The stone seems to drink in light, dimming toches and hearth fires alike, making the city have a dark and gloomy appearance. Asshai sprawls for leagues across both sides of the Ash, and its great walls allegedly could contain Volantis, Qarth, King's Landing, and Oldtown combined. The population of Asshai, however, is no more than that of a good-sized market town. By night only one building in ten shows a light.
Asshai is a popular trading destination for ships traders' circle in the Jade Sea, and it exports such goods as amber and dragonglass. The city is usually travelled to by ship, but it can also be reached overland by caravans. Westerosi trading ships bound for Asshai go east through the Summer Sea and the Jade Sea, which are connected by the straits at Qarth, the Jade Gates. Gold and gems are also a common export, though some say the gold of the Shadow Lands is as unhealthy as the fruits that grow there.
Aside from merchant traders, few from Westeros visit Asshai and little is known about it. Lomas Longstrider may have visited Asshai.
All foodstuff and freshwater is brought in by ship, as animals brought into the city soon die and the waters of the Ash river glisten black beneath the noonday sun and glimmer with green phosphoresence by night. The only fish that dwell in its water are blind and deformed, with only fools and shadowbinders daring to eat of their flesh.
Asshai and its few people have an ominous reputation in other lands. Asshai'i are described as having a dark and solemn appearance. The Dothraki believe that Asshai'i are "spawn of shadows". There are no children or animals in Asshai, and all who dwell there wear masks or veils, oft as not, they walk alone or ride in palanquins of ebony an iron, hidden behind dark curtains and carried upon the backs of slaves. Only the shadowbinders of Asshai dare to travel upriver and even they fear to tread before the doors of the Stygai, the corpse city.
The Asshai'i are well versed in witchcraft and wizardry and have a language of their own, used in their spells (as done by the Valyrians).
Asshai holds a significant amount of arcane knowledge. Of any current location, it is the most likely to have dragonlore. Ancient books of Asshai also record the Azor Ahai prophecy followed by members of the R'hllor faith. It is rumoured the spellsingers, aeromancers and warlocks practice their arts openly in Asshai.
The Ash is a river which flows from the Mountains of the Morn through the Shadow Lands to the Jade Sea and the Saffron Straits. Asshai sprawls for leagues on both sides at the river's mouth. Much of the Ash's course in the Shadow Lands is through a valley so narrow that the water is perpetually in shadow. The corpse city of Stygai is located along the Ash in the heart of the Shadow, where two tributaries join. During daytime the Ash is black in color, but at night it glimmers with a pale green phosphorescence. Fish in the Ash are blind and deformed, and traders thus bring food and freshwater to Asshai.
Stygai, also known as the City of the Night, is a ruined city in the mountainous Shadow Lands of eastern Essos. The city lies on the Ash in the Vale of Shadows, a river valley northeast of Asshai. Stygai is said to be a haunted corpse city. Twisted creatures, such as demons and dragons, are said to live in its vicinity, and even shadowbinders fear the city. Little is known of Stygai, bar that its byname comes from the fact it only sees the light of the sun for a brief period of time each day, around noon.
Yi Ti is a nation in Essos located east of Qarth and the Bone Mountains and bordered by the Jade Sea to the south. Nearby islands in the Jade Sea are Leng and the Isle of Whips. North of Yi Ti are the Great Sand Sea, the Shrinking Sea, and the Bleeding Sea; a great river runs south from the Bleeding Sea through Yi Ti to the Jade Sea. Located east of Yi Ti are the Mountains of the Morn, the Shadow Lands, and Asshai.
The realm of the YiTish civilization is known as the Golden Empire of Yi Ti, which was (according to legend) preceded by the Great Empire of the Dawn. In the Common Tongue things relating to Yi Ti are known as "YiTish".
Yin is the great port city of Yi Ti on the Jade Sea. It is connected by a trade route to Asabhad to the northwest. A river from the forests of Yi Ti leads south to Yin.
Jinqi is a city in Yi Ti in southern Essos. It is located near a delta along the Jade Sea, north of Leng. The nearby river flows from the Bleeding Sea to the north.
Asabhad is a city in Essos along the shores of the Jade Sea. It is east of the Bone Mountains and west of Yi Ti, along a trade route connecting Qarth and Yin.
Tiqui is a city in Yi Ti, located in eastern Essos. The city is southeast of the Great Sand Sea and is connected by a trade route, possibly the Sand Road, to Bayasabhad to the west and Trader Town to the north. Tiqui is one of the ancient capitals of Yi Ti, and was the origin of some of the nation's past god-emperors.
Leng is a large island in the Jade Sea, off the southern coast of Essos. To the north is the city of Jinqi in Yi Ti. East of Leng are the Shadow Lands, while to the south are the Manticore Isles. The island of Marahai is to the southwest.
Leng is an island of forests and jungles, with the cities of Leng Yi along the northern coast, Leng Ma along the central western coast, and Turrani along the southern shore. It is ruled by god-empresses who have grown rich from the island's spices and gemstones. The people of northern Leng are descended from Yi Ti, while the people of southern Leng, the Lengii, are a culture native to the island.
Leng was an isolated island for most of its history, as the Lengii did not welcome outsiders. Those who attempted to harvest the island's resources met a foul end, and it thus was avoided by mariners. Merchants from the Golden Empire of Yi Ti periodically managed to open Leng to trade. According to the Jade Compendium, however, the Old Ones who lived below the island's subterranean ruins instructed the Empress of Leng to kill the foreign merchants on at least four occasions. Leng was eventually conquered by Jar Har, the sixth sea-green emperor of Yi Ti. He sealed the entrances to the underground cities sealed under penalty of death, after which there were no longer massacres. The YiTish colonized most of the island, with the Lengii confined to the southern third.
Leng overthrew YiTish rule four hundred years ago and power returned to the god-empresses. Khiara the Great established a tradition whereby the empress takes two husbands, one each of Lengii and YiTish descent, with one commanding the island's armies and the other its fleet.
Leng Yi is a city on the island Leng in the eastern Jade Sea. It is located on the northern shore of the forested island, southwest of Jinqi in Yi Ti.
Leng Ma is a city on the island Leng in the eastern Jade Sea. It is located on the western shore of the forested island, near the mouth of a river.
Turrani is a city on the island Leng in the eastern Jade Sea. It is located on the southern shore of the forested island, near the mouth of a river and north of the Manticore Isles. Unlike Leng Yi and Leng Ma in the north, which were founded by men of Yi Ti, Turrani was founded by the original inhabitants of the island. It is a wealthy city rich in spices and gems.
The Isle of Whips is a small, isolated island in the Jade Sea, largely barren and named for its role as a way station for slavers. It is situated off the southern coast of Essos, east of Great Moraq and northwest of Marahai. Northeast of the Isle of Whips is Yi Ti in Essos.
Great Moraq is a large island across the Jade Gates from Qarth. It appears to be the largest island in the known world. It separates the Summer Sea to the west from the Jade Sea to the east. West of Great Moraq are Vahar and Lesser Moraq, while to the south is the Isle of Elephants. East of the great island is the Isle of Whips and, in the Jade Gates to the north, is Qal.
The northern half of Great Moraq is a mixture of plains, hills, and small forests, while the southern half of the island is densely forested. The city of Faros is situated at the mouth of a river on the northern stretch of its western coast. At the southern point of Great Moraq is the city of Port Moraq on the Cinnamon Straits.
Because of the prevailing winds, the eastern shore of Great Moraq is lightly settled and rarely visited. The western shore is more populous and is connected with the Jade Sea trade routes.
Lesser Moraq is a forested island in the eastern Summer Sea, west of Great Moraq and Vahar and northeast of the Cinnamon Straits. Lesser Moraq is located northeast of Wyvern Point in Sothoryos.
Vahar is a city on an island of the same name in the eastern Summer Sea. Vahar, located between Great Moraq to the east and Lesser Moraq to the west, has become wealthy from the spice trade.
The Cinnamon Straits separate Great Moraq from several islands to the south and west. Along with the Jade Gates north of Great Moraq, the Cinnamon Straits divide the Summer Sea and the Jade Sea. Vahar and Lesser Moraq are to the northwest of the Straits, while the Isle of Elephants is to the southeast. It is named after the cinnamon harvested from its isles.
The Isle of Elephants is an island in the Jade Sea south of Great Moraq and Port Moraq and southeast of the Cinnamon Straits. The island contains the city of Zabhad on its northern shore. Northeast of the Isle of Elephants is Marahai. The island is presumably named after the elephant creature.
Zabhad is a city on the northern shore of the Isle of Elephants in the Jade Sea.
Marahai is a crescent-shaped island in the central Jade Sea, off the southern coast of Essos. There are two small volcanic islands within the curvature of of Marahai are Great Moraq, the Isle of Whips, and the Isle of Elephants. Additionally, Leng and the Manticore Isles are east of Marahai. The city of Yin in Yi Ti is to the north across the Jade Sea.
The Manticore Isles are a group of seven small islands in the eastern Jade Sea, off the southern coast of Essos. The islands of Leng and Marahai are to the north and west, respectively. East of the Manticore Isles are Asshai and the Shadow Lands. The islands are named after the manticores that are said to be populous there.
Port Moraq is a port city on the southern coast of Great Moraq, near the Cinnamon Straits. The land north of the city is a dense rain forest. South of Port Moraq is the Isle of Elephants. Traders often stop at the port when returning from the Jade Sea.
Faros is a city at the mouth of a river on the northern stretch of Great Moraq's western coast. The inhabitants of the city worship the Stone Cow.
Qal is an island in the east of the Jade Gates, south of the Bone Mountains of Essos. Qal is fortified on its northwestern and southeastern coasts with Qartheen harbor cities.
The Jade Gates is a narrow strait which connects the Summer Sea and the Jade Sea, separating the great city of Qarth on the southern coast of Essos from the island of Great Moraq. The Cinnamon Straits is a similar passageway south of Great Moraq. Located in the east of the strait is the small island of Qal, which is fortified at each end with Qartheen harbor Jade Gates is a major trade hub between the east and west from which Qarth derives its considerable wealth and power by taxing passing ships. The strait is patrolled by the ornate galleys of the Pureborn of Qarth.
The Bone Mountains, commonly called the Bones, are a colossal Essosi mountain range. They stretch longitudinally across part of the continent of Essos, beginning at the southern coast east of Qarth. The Bones north of the Steel Road are known by the Dothraki as the Krazaaj Zasqa. The Dothraki sea and the red waste lie to the west of the Bone Mountains while the Great Sand Sea, the plains of the Jogos Nhai, and Yi Ti lie to the east. The Patrimony of Hyrkoon once flourished east of the mountain range.
The mountains are a natural land barrier between the western part of Essos known to the Westerosi and the exotic, mysterious eastern side of the continent.
Routes
Three routes go through the Bone Mountains:
The Steel Road - the most northerly route, cuts between the the Krazaaj Zasqa and the rest of the Bones to lead to Kayakayanaya, then skirts around the top of the Great Sand Sea and south to Trader town.
Stone Road - the mid-route from Vaes Jini to Samyriana.
Sand Road - the southerly route, begins at Qarth, heads far north and cuts through the Bone Mountains from the red waste.
Kayakayanaya is a city in Essos. The Steel Road penetrates the Bone Mountains and leads to Kayakayanaya, which lies on the eastern side of the Krazaaj Zasqa. The Great Sand Sea is to the east of the city. The city is known for its warrior maids who wear iron rings in their nipples and rubies in their cheeks, similar to those of Bayasabhad and Shamyriana.
Shamyriana or Samyriana is a fortified city in Essos, located on the Stone Road between the Bone Mountains and the Great Sand Sea. It was once part of the Patrimony of Hyrkoon.
Bayasabhad is a fortified city in Essos, located on the Sand Road between the Bone Mountains and the Great Sand Sea. It was once part of the Patrimony of Hyrkoon, which flourished to the east of the Bones but has since fallen.
The Patrimony of Hyrkoon was an ancient nation that flourished to the east of the Bone Mountains in Essos. It was centred around a fertile inland sea, since desiccated to become the Great Sand Sea. The fortified cities of Samyriana and Bayasabhad were once part of this great nation, both guarding the Steel Road, a major trade route in the area. The custom of having warrior women, who fight bare-breasted and pierce their nipples with iron rings and cheeks with rubies, shared by the above cities (along with Kayakayanaya), possibly originates in the Patrimony. West of the Bone Mountains, the city of Yinishar, now the ruins of Vaes Jini, may have been connected with Hyrkoon, as the people of Yinishar were akin to the people of Samyriana.
The Great Empire of the Dawn was a mythic realm established on all the land between the Bones and the Grey Waste, from the Shivering Sea to the Jade Sea and including the isle of Leng, and the predecessor to the Golden Empire of Yi Ti.
The Golden Empire's first ruler was the God-on-Earth, the only son of the Lion of Night and the Maiden-Made-of-Light, who traveled in a palanquin carved from a single pearl and carried by a hundred queens, his wives. He ruled for ten thousand years until he ascended to the stars to join his forebears. Dominion then passed to his eldest son, the Pearl Emperor, who ruled for a thousand years. Power then passed to the Jade Emperor, the Tourmaline Emperor, the Onyx Emperor, the Topaz Emperor, and the Opal Emperor. Each reigning for a shorter and more troubled time than the previous emperor, for wild men and beasts pressed the borders of the Empire, lesser kings grew proud and rebellious, and the common people gave themselves to sin.
When the daughter of the Opal Emperor ascended to power as the Amethyst Empress, her envious brother cast her down and proclaimed himself the Bloodstone Emperor and began a reign of terror and slavery, in which he practiced dark arts and necromancy, took a tiger-woman for his bride, feasted on human flesh and cast down the gods of Yi Ti to worship a black stone fallen from the sky. This Blood Betrayal, as it is known in the annals of the Further East, ushered in the Long Night, with the Maiden-Made-of-Light turning her back on the world, while the Lion of Night came forth to punish the wickedness of man. The darkness ended when a great warrior, known in Yi Ti most likely a Yin Tar, rose to lead the virtuous into battle with the sword Lightbringer in his hand. Light was restored, but the Great Empire was not reborn.
The Five Forts are massive fortress along the northeastern boundaries of the Golden Empire of Yi Ti, situated between the Bleeding Sea and the Mountains of the Morn. Northeast of the Five Forts are the Land of the Shrykes, K'Dath, Bonetown, the Grey Waste, and the Cannibal Sands. The forts' walls are slabs of fused black stone almost a thousand feet high. Some think the walls are Valyrian in origin, although there is no record of Valyrians having visited the area. Each fort can house ten thousand men.
The Bleeding Sea is a large inland sea in eastern Essos. The Bleeding Sea lies along the southeastern border of the plains of the Jogos Nhai and south of N'Ghai. There is a small island in the northern part of the sea. Roughly five rivers connect to the Bleeding Sea; one runs south through to Jinqi and the Jade Sea. Just south of the Bleeding Sea is a marshy region. To the east of the Bleeding Sea is the Shrinking Sea, and beyond that the Land of the Shrykes and the city of K'Dath. The Five Forts stretch along the southeastern tip of the sea, while the the Cannibal Sands lie at the northwestern edge of the sea. The Bleeding Sea is known and named for its blood-red waters, caused by algal blooms.
The Shrinking Sea is situated in eastern Essos. It lies east of the Great Sand Sea, north of Yi Ti, and south of the plains of the Jogos Nhai. Trader Town is to the west of the Shrinking Sea. Having drained over time, the landlocked Shrinking Sea now consists of a few lakes.
Trader Town is a city situated in Essos. It lies east of the Great Sand Sea and west of the Shrinking Sea. South of Trader Town is Yi Ti, while to its north lie the vast plains of the Jogos Nhai. As its name suggests the city may be a major trading point similar to Vaes Dothrak on the western side of the Bone Mountains. From Kayakayanaya the Steel Road skirts the topmost northern edge of the Great Sand Sea and turns south to Trader Town. It is possibly connected to Tiqui and Bayasabhad by the Sand Road.
The Great Sand Sea is a massive desert valley and canyon in Essos, just east of the Bone Mountains and southeast of the Krazaaj Zasqa. The Steel Road skirts around the north of the Great Sand Sea, while farther to the north are the Howling Hills. Some maesters believe it to be an ancient inland sea, since dried, and become baking hot in the south and progressively colder to the north.
Cities between the Great Sand Sea and the Bone Mountains include Kayakayanaya just to the northwest, Samyriana in the central region, and Bayasabhad to the southwest. On the other side of the Great Sand Sea are Tiqui to the southeast and Trader Town between its center and the Shrinking Sea, on the opposite side as Samyriana. A number of these settlements were within the Patrimony of Hyrkoon, an ancient nation that flourished east of the Bone Mountains and had its heartland in the once fertile Great Sand Sea.
Ar Noy is a ruined city in Essos on the banks of the Qhoyne. To the northeast lies Qohor and to the southwest, Dagger Noy was once a great city of the Rhoynar. It was likely destroyed following the Rhoynish Wars. Above the ruins of the city the Qohorik rule the river. River pirates are most common on the stretch of river between Ar Noy and the Sorrows.
The Sorrows is a stretch of the Rhoyne from south of Dagger Lake to beyond the ruins of Chroyane. It is full of fog and inhabited by stone men afflicted with greyscale. The fog of the Sorrows is attributed to the fall of Chroyane and Garin's Curse upon the Valyrians. There has not been law above the Sorrows for a thousand years, so pirates are common in the Rhoyne north of Chroyane, although they do not enter the ruined city. Volantene galleys patrol the river south of the Sorrows. The Shrouded Lord is said to rule the Sorrows.
Stone men are people in the late stages of greyscale who congregate on the Bridge of Dream in the Sorrows. The disease has caused them to become witless and lumbering, generally passive if left undisturbed, though further onset of the disease leads to madness and increased risk of provocation. Physical contact with stone men bears a high risk of contracting greyscale, so they are treated with great caution. They are rumoured to have a leader, the Shrouded Lord. Thrice each year the triarchs of Volantis send a galley upriver with provisions, but they often deliver more afflicted than they do food.
Greyscale is a disease that can leave flesh stiff and dead and the skin cracked and flaking, mottled black and grey and stone-like to the touch. The tongue and lips turn to stone. It generally affects children, especially in cold damp climates. The victims are disfigured but also rendered immune to the rarer fatal form and to the grey plague. The free folk consider people who survive greyscale unclean.
Andalos is an area of northwestern Essos which was the homeland of the Andals. Due to migration and invasion little is left of the original Andal culture, however. Andalos is located south of Braavos and the Braavosian Coastland, west of the narrow sea, and east of the Hills of Andalos near the narrow sea appears to be plains, while further east it becomes hilly and includes the Velvet Hills. The heart of the ancient kingdom of Hugor of the Hill lay in the hills of Andalos. South of the hills were the southern marches of the kingdom, which the Pentoshi now call the Flatlands. A Valyrian road in the Flatlands runs east from Pentos to Ghoyan Drohe and then northeast to headwaters of the Upper Rhoyne and the Little Rhoyne lie in Andalos.