In 55 AC Rhaena Targaryen was left alone. Her friend possible lover Elissa Farman betrayed her and stole three dragon eggs to build a ship to go west. Her companions were murdered by her husband Androw Farman before he committed suicide by throwing himself out a window. The final breaking point for the once Queen was the tragic death of her daughter.
But instead of deciding to take her brother, King Jaehaerys' offer of making Harrenhal her seat. She choose to take her dragon Dreamfyre and flew west in 56 AC when she received word of Elissa leaving for the west of the Sunset Sea from Oldtown. She caught up with Eustace Hightower and his Lady Meredith as they attempted to sail back. He and Elissa found three small islands before he decided to back. Eustace tried to convince the Queen to come with but to no avail. Rhaena continued falling west, finding the Targaryen isles. She nearly gave up Her search before spotting Elissa's Sunchaser Far out in the sea.
As Her dragon landed on the ship panicking its crew. Rhaena finally confronted her old friend. Its unknown what was said between them. Only that Rhaena decided to join them in their voyage. Elissa and Rhaena would spend the voyage finding new lands while healing and rebuilding the trust between them.
They First discovered the continent of Gondros leaving soon due to its dangers. Then they found a second continent they named Aeros after Rhaena' daughter Aerea Targaryen.
They sailed through the great and stormy sea that would one day be known as the Elissan Sea. They came across a circlet of large islands west of the New lands they named the Dreamfrye isles. They eventually wound up the barren eastern most side of Essos. Between Essos and Ulthosi they sailed through Jade gates resting at Asshai after their long journey.
But at Asshai they were ambushed. Shadowmen killed the crew of the Sunchaser to try and keep their knowledge a secret. Elissa sacrificed herself so Rhaena could flee back to Westeros redeeming herself for her betrayal.
In 72 AC Rhaena Targaryen returned to Westeros for the first Time in 16 years. The discoveries she brought back would change the realm forever. But it was only another year in 73 AC that Rhaena died peacefully in her sleep.As the years grow by attempts Were made to reach the New lands. The Hightowers claimed the Targaryen isles and built a small port city. The Ironborn made their attempts to sail across the Sunset sea, particularly the Farwynds of Lonely point. Who reached the Frost lands and built the settlement of Frost point. Fortune seekers would try their luck and became wealthy merchant and would be powerful in the New Realm. But it was not until the voyages of Corlys Velaryon that the settlements Truly took off.
Lord Corlys would discover And chart the Northern half of Aeros. He would find the Northern continent of the Frostros. Which included finding the descendants of the lost voyage of the ancient Stark King Brandon the Shipwright Who are known as the Frost men. In another voyage Corlys explored the coasts of Gondros. Here he brought many a strange animal from the mysterious continent. One small bird like predator would be domesticated in the reach years latter as hunting animals. These "raptors" replacing hunting dogs in some places such as Hornhill as they have a better sense of smell and eyesight than most hounds.
Corlys grew rich from His voyages in the New lands And inspired many other houses such as house Lannister to follow suit. The Lannisters would claim the large imposing island west of Aeros. The island is surrounded by steep sandstone cliffs and in between them were that make life in Sunspear feel like Winterfell. But Goldwest isle is teaming with gold and other resources. There's even legends that the it's ancient was turned to gold due its greed. To overcome difficulties, the Lannisters built a hidden city in subterranean ruins. The entrance is through a opening from the sea Between the cliff faces. From there are cavernous water passages that go from one place to the other across the whole of the island. The Lannisters would charge a fee to use the passage and They take a cut of what gold, silver or whatever else was found on their land.
The Ironborn set up settlements on small islands and peninsulas. The lands there is full of silver and iron. The biggest of their cities is Silvers deep, a peninsula with a large silver mine. They also have a few settlements in Frostros to the north.
The Reach claimed land in the southeastern half of the continent of Aeros. Mainly for its rich Farming land. They would named it the garden lands. The largest city is Green Square.
The Riverlords set up along the western side of the three lakes. They are Know as the Lake men.
The Stormlords found themselves in the delta that lies between Three lakes. They are know as the Delta men and Stormbreak is their biggest city.
The Vale has settled along the great plateaus that nearly divides the continent in half. They are below three lakes. They call their lands the High Cliffs.
The North and Dorne are a bit of a tricker one to define. As the Dornish settled the lowest peninsula due to its climate and location for trade. The North set up a settle further north as a place to send its excess population that would otherwise when winter came. Between over the two began moving into red sandy desert between them. There they merged into a new people. The Northmen named the area the Red Rills due to its orangish red color and its native wild horses reminding them of the Rills. The Red Rillers was never a officially sanctioned settlements so they relied on living autonomously. The North's official settlement is Know as New Fell and Dornes' is Known as New Rhoynar.
Essos upon learning of the new continents had built colonies on the continent along the coasts of Gondros and Ulthos. The Free cities complete for new sources of slaves on the new continents. Yet they hunger to enslave the people of Aeros but lucky were defeated along with Their blackfyres Allies at the battle of Sunbreak in New Rhoynar.Over the centuries the wars and conflicts of Westeros have resulted in new arrival for the New lands, which are now referred to as the New Realms. The first was the Dance of the dragons. As many people from low to high born were devastated by the war left from both sides of the war they wished for a new beginning. Likewise the many Blackfyre rebellions resulted in an exodus along with those exiled from Westeros. The latest being Exiled Ser those from the failed rebellion of Robert Baratheon who fled West. Exiles have also been given the choice to be exiled to the west which resulted in the nights watch not having the men to defend against a wildlings in 283 AC taking the Starks out of the rebellion.
These exiles also included groups of people seen as pests in Westeros. The Clansmen of the Vale, the first men houses in the south such as the Blackwoods, even wildlings were exiled to the northwest of Aeros. These people also brought a more free viewpoint to the New Realms.
In order to manage their lands and keep the Settlers in line the king will nominate someone of the blood as the prince in the west. The prince represents the crown in the New Realms. Though usually the king will nominate a lesser prince to keep them from power. Daemon the rouge held this title along Aerion Brightflame who went missing in Gondros. It is rumored that Aerys considered making Rhaegar the Prince of the West after Robert Rebellion before was he was forced To abdicate down the throne. Currently Prince Viserys Targaryen is the Prince with Ser Oswell Whent as his Kingsguard. Though after the rebellion the New Realm have been slowly breaking away from Westeros and Viserys hasn't done much to keep them loyal.
The two main factions in the seven settlements, the main settlements, is the Nobles and Reformers. The nobles want to made Themselves lords and wardens of the New Realms.But The Reformers are mainly merchants and other lower stations who wishto the keep the meritocracy of the New Realms the way it is as they the most to lose. With the amount of descendants of exiles other losing sides of the Targaryens wars though from the Blackfyre or Baratheon rebellions, the New Realms appears to be ripe for civil war. House Targaryen response to this war will determine whether or not they Able to holdon to the New Realms, or if a throne will rise in the West.Without Queen Rhaena's decisions to chase down and be reunited with Elissa in her grief and pain likely history would be Very different. Though the New Realms would likely been found eventually its unknown how long that would've Been and its effects on history. Would the adventurist Colrys have discovered them a generation later. Would the Farmwynds of lonely who were known to try and find new lands west even before Elissa and Rhaena were born. No matter its clear that the history of the realm would be different had Rhaena decided to remain in Harrenhal and had Elissa died in Asshai with no one to remember her journeys.
Names such as Lorgan Lannister who discovered the water passages of Fall Rock. Rewan Royce who climbed the Plateau and established the high cliffs. Branton Roxton who found the Red Rills. If not for Elissa and Rhaena' discovery their names are would never have been in the annuals of history as they hailed from a cadet branch, a minor lord, or even low or baseborn merchants and explorers. All of whom would've been forgotten and insignificant.
- Maester Crodwell of the New Landing In the New Realms 298 AC.