Volantis

Volantis is the southernmost of the Free Cities located on the mainland of Essos, sitting astride the River Rhoyne and overlooking the Summer Sea. As the nearest former colony to Valyria, it is among the grandest and most powerful of the Free Cities, once ruling much of south-western Essos.

Overview
Volantenes are a unique people when compared to the rest of Essos. They exist between the Free Cities and Slaver's Bay, and as such there is a great mix of people there. Positioned where it is on the Rhoyne, Volantis also makes much money from Norvosi and Qohorik trading vessels seeking to make it out into the sea-- thus a high proportion of traders in Volantis are quite rich, and the toll-collectors as well. It is a wealthy city, particularly on the east bank of the river where the nobility resides within the Black Walls. The west bank of the Rhoyne is home to the vast majority of the city's residents.

The Old Blood
The Old Blood refer to the nobility of Volantis, a selection of houses that has demonstrated unbroken linkage to Old Valyria. They live within the Black Walls on the east bank of the Rhoyne and are the majority of Volantis' voting public. Notable families of the Old Blood include Aerteris, Maegyr, Paenymion, Staegone, Vaelaros, Vhassar, Naraelor, and Tagaros.

Slavery
The saying goes that for every freeman in Volantis there are five slaves. Slavery is the foundation of the Volantene economy, as slaves are used for everything from rowing ships to prostitution. The slave trade is a strong tether between Volantis and the cities of Slaver's Bay, bringing economic prosperity to both parties. Slaves in Volantis are tattooed to denote their position in Volantene society. A few examples of the tattoos and their meanings are:


 * Head and neck tattooed with motley squares: Jester/Entertainer.
 * Wheel on one cheek: Driver of a hathay.
 * Flies on both cheeks: Cleaner of the streets.
 * Flames on both cheeks: Members of the Fiery Hand.
 * Flames on the cheeks, chin, and forehead: Priests of R'hllor.
 * Horse's head on one cheek: Stable worker.
 * Green Tiger Stripes on both cheeks: Slave soldiers.
 * Tear beneath one eye: Prostitute.
 * Trading Cog's figurehead on one cheek: slaves bound to a particular ship.

Government
Volantis is ruled by elected Triarchs. Triarchs are elected yearly, though there is no limit on how often a Triarch may be returned to his office. All free men with sufficient property may vote in Volantene elections, which often last several days. There are two political parties in Volantis-- Elephants and Tigers. Historically the Elephants have ruled, though the recent election in 309 AC has broken precedent and delivered a trio of Tigers to power (what is being called the Tiger Triarchy) for the first time in centuries.

Elephants
The party of Elephants is predicated upon peaceful economic growth. The most powerful traders and diplomats are Elephants, and under their leadership Volantis' economy has grown at the expense of its military. The previous three Triarchs were Elephants, each returned more than a dozen times to their roles.

Tigers
The party of Tigers is a militarist faction, historically pushing for military expansion and the recreation of a Volantene Empire in southern Essos, stretching from Valyria to the Disputed Lands and along the Rhoyne to the north. This has been an unpopular idea, and Volantis grew accustomed to its wealth and safety being far removed from squabbles to the east and west. Consequently, it tends to take a crisis to see Tigers elected.

Faith of the Seven
The Faith of the Seven that rules much of Westeros and parts of the Free Cities has little sway in Volantis. A small sept exists, hardly larger than a storefront, frequented by the city's relatively few adherents.

The Church of Starry Wisdom
As in many port cities the infamous Church of Starry Wisdom does exist within the walls of Volantis. Those in the dockyard districts at evenfall will likely hear them singing their dark prayers to the stars, to the discomfort of many of the residents. They are not well-liked but have greater presence than the Faith of the Seven.

R'hllor
By far the largest religion present in Volantis, followers of the Lord of Light dominate the city's religious scene. The massive Temple of the Lord of Light is located in the western half of Volantis, easily three times the size of the Great Sept of Baelor in King's Landing. It is a step pyramid, built of red, orange, and yellow stones. As the sun crosses the sky, particularly as it sets, the stones themselves look like flames licking up the walls of the Temple.

Red Priests of R'hllor are commonplace in Volantis, preaching in plazas and marketplaces or tending nightfires dotting the city and its walls. While a large portion of the ruling families of Volantis keep to the gods of Old Valyria, a growing number has taken to worship of R'hllor-- notably the family Aerteris.

Ascension of the Tiger Triarchy
In 309 AC, as Braavos expanded across the north and western coasts of Essos in an undefeated and unprecedented war of expansion, the Volantene election was being conducted. A boon to the Tigers was the twin announcements that Pentos was hopelessly besieged and, perhaps more importantly, that Lorath's magisters had been slaughtered by the Braavosi. The latter point was instrumental in swinging many Elephant voters to the Tigers, yielding a historic defeat to their own party. Triarchs Naraelor, Tagaros, and Vaelaros were each defeated after a collective forty years of dominance. In their place arose Triarchs Staegon, Maegyr, and Aerteris.

The first act of the Tiger Triarchy was to seize Elephant properties across the city to pay for the rapid expansion of the military and their defense capabilities. Tiger Cloaks spent many days putting down small revolts, but the less-militarily inclined Elephants stood little chance against their foes all the same. They were left their manses and incomes to survive off of, as well as promises for the return of their properties at the end of the war-- a better deal, the Triarchs noted, than the Elephants were like to get from the abolitionist Braavosi.

With tenuous peace at home in the Black Walls, the Tigers set about drastically expanding the military with their vastly expanded coffers. To the east they sent word to Astapor, home of the famed Unsullied, and purchased an army of such soldiers-- 5,000 Unsullied set sail for Volantis not long thereafter. Men were conscripted off the streets and sent to train, night and day, for the war that was coming. In two weeks' time the military expanded threefold and the city's coffers did not run dry. There was a wartime atmosphere in Volantis, and their commanders began plotting out their campaign.