The Free City of Braavos
The Free City of Braavos, sometimes called Braavos of the Hundred Isles, is the wealthiest and most powerful of the nine free cities. The city is built in a large lagoon where the shivering and narrow seas meet, the city's architecture built on well over a hundred islands, connected by canals, bridges and narrow alleyways. Braavos is most known for the Titan of Braavos, a giant statue at the lagoons entrance, the Iron Bank, the richest bank in the world as well as its famed bravos and ''water dancers'' who fight with thin but deadly blades. The city's location means it is constantly in need of timber which it imports in huge quantities, and its main trade goods include fish and its famous dyes. Braavos also boasts temples to half a hundred gods, numerous ports and is famed for its courtesans. The Free City of Braavos is one of the most vehement opponents of the practice of slavery, and have routinely gone to war with their neighbors, most notably Pentos to oppose the practice. The ruler of the city is known as the Sealord of Braavos. Unlike the other Free Cities, Braavos was never apart of the Valyrian Freehold and was founded by escaped slaves, hence its hatred of the baosts one of the largest fleets in the known world and their dockyards are said to be able to produce a warship in a day, though this fleet comes at the cost of constantly importing timber. At the time of our story, Braavos has just established a trading post in the fledgling capital city of King's Landing.
Free City of Norvos
The Free City of Norvos is one of the stranger of the free cities, given that it is an inland city and is ruled by a Theocracy. The free city has a Magister though in truth they are little more than a puppet to the Bearded Priests, the true power in the city. These priests are highly secretive and are the only individuals in the city that can wear beards, while most Norvoshi women shave their heads. The Bearded Priests are famed for their prowess with long axes, with many of them marrying their blades in a ceremony to show their dedication to the city. The most well known aspect of Norvoshi culture are the 3 bells, Noom, Narrah, and Nyel, which each instruct the citizens of Norvos when the correct time to undergo certain activities and actions. The Free City of Norvos are rivals of nearby Qohor, who they consider to be demon worshipers.
The Stepstones
The island chain of the Stepstones is a lawless region, with 9 major islands each with their own pirate lord, using the rocky islands as hideouts and bases from which to attack trading ships passing through the region. From time to time the Free Cities send sellswords to attempt to clear out the pirate layers, but these men are often more likely to join the pirates then destroy them, and on the rare occasions an island is cleared of pirates….they always seem to return. Rocky and poor, these islands offer little wealth on their own, but their position at the crossroads of Essos and Westeros give them strategic value to any that would control them.