The Free Cities

The Free Cities are a group of city-states, each descended, on some level, from the Valyrian Freehold. They are located on the western edge of Essos, leading to them trading frequently with the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. Presently, there are nine Free Cities, though this number has varied over the centuries, with the destruction of the cities of Essaria and Gogossos, both of whom were considered Free Cities, at one point. All Free Cities, save for Braavos, were founded as colonies of Valyria, though they frequently intermixed and intermarried with local cultures and adopted other religions.

The Free Cities have varying types of governance and a complicated relationship with each of their fellow Free Cities.

Braavos
Braavos, called the Secret City or Braavos of the Thousand Isles, was founded by slaves fleeing from the Valyrian Freehold, which makes it the most devout supporter of liberation of any of the Free Cities, having gone to war, more than once, to liberate other Free Cities. Braavos is considered, by many, to be the wealthiest and most powerful of all the Free Cities. While this is likely true, its power has waned in recent years with their defeat in the War of the Green Waves. Since then, Braavos has traded in its Sealord for another, rebuilt its fleet, and seems poised to re-assert itself on the Essosi stage.

Pentos
Pentos, once bound under Braavosi subjugation, has grown very powerful in recent years, with their victory in the War of the Green Waves. Though traditionally ruled by a group of magisters, the mostly ceremonial Prince has taken control of the city, expelling his political rivals and seizing their assets. Now, Pentos is preparing for another war with its Free City to the north, hiring sellswords and sellsails to defend its position. However, the Prince's rivals in court have fled to other cities, such as Tyrosh and Braavos, hoping to secure support for his removal. The recently enslaved populace has also not taken his rule well, with slave rebellions rising in the area under its rule.

Lorath
Lorath is stagnant. While Braavos's strength in the region has certainly waned, there was no great war to divide the two nations. Lorath has carved itself a good niche as the port where other nations dock before moving on to somewhere greater. Norvoshi brass finds its way from Lorath to Braavos and Braavosi dye stalls in Lorath before making for the Port of Ibben. While Pentos tore itself from Braavos violently, hoping to return to the bondage of men, slavery has never had much of a home in the far north. Its weaknesses are its strengths. Though it has no military power or influence, it has found itself bracing against the waves of whatever may come to them.

Norvos
The east has been shielded from the zealotry which has arisen in the west, as the Free Cities praise tolerance. All save for Norvos. Ruled by the Bearded Priests, Norvos has violently reacted to red priests and Moonsingers, causing tension with its neighbors. Norvos has grown more and more isolated, these days, as a new doctrine of isolation has taken hold amongst the bearded priests. The holy guard have barred the gates of the city, as a new trader's town, made up of caravans of merchants, has been built outside Norvos. Only the followers of the secret god are now allowed within the walls and rumors rise that dark rituals have begun, preparing for some dark thing.

Qohor
The City of Sorcerers has always been isolated from the other Free Cities, but never as much as the Time of the Horselord. The Dothraki grew bolder over the years and demanded larger and larger tribute every year, but the Qohorik refused to stomach it. They readied their Unsullied and Qohorik archers, fighting against a Dothraki khalasar in the Second Battle of Qohor, in 275. The battle was close and, though the Dothraki were eventually pushed back, they could not kill the enemy khal. This victory would be its greatest regret. Qohor had made an enemy for life. Vazzo, then a young Khal, swore his life to the destruction of Qohor. He has rebuilt his forces dozens of times, bringing chaos and bloodshed to the city as often as he could. Since then, Vazzo has fought against the forces of Qohor half a dozen times. Now weathered and with bells in his hair, Vazzo remains beloved by his bloodriders, who have served the Great Khal for their entire lives, and readies for a final assault against the city which has scorned him for so long.

Volantis
The ancient city, once the pride of Old Valyria, has not been treated kindly by the years. Braavos, though weakened, is well-regarded as the most powerful of the Free Cities. The martial might of Volantis, though unmatched, has found little use as of late, as elephants dominate the elections of triarchs. The Temple of the Lord of Light, however, has grown quite well over the years, claiming a convert in the King on the Iron Throne, but finding little support amongst the Old Blood. It seems Volantis will stay as proud and isolated, if as strong, as it always has.

Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh
Though they would despise the notion, it is perhaps to best characterize the Free Cities of the Disputed Lands together, rather than apart. They have fought three wars in the past seventy years: The War of the Fourteen Villages in the mid-240s, the Battles of Canahs in 271, and, most recently, the War of the Three Daughters, which has been ongoing since 288. The War, one of the bloodiest to ever grace the Disputed Lands, has done little to change its side. Sellsword companies rose and fall in its endless, slowly-moving conflict, as the magisters refuse to broker a peace, even as the cost grows by the year.