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Overall Shape
Essos is a much larger continent than Westeros, GRRM comparing it to Eurasia as opposed to Westeros' (much bigger version of) Britain, stretching for many thousands of miles in a somewhat sloping direction from the north-west to the south-east. Unlike Westeros, it is not connected to the northern polar icecap and is separated from it by the Shivering Sea. The island of Ibben, or Ib, lies very roughly 1,000 miles or more east of roughly Skagos, off the north coast of Essos (based on GRRM saying that Ibben lies as far from Westeros as Finland does from Britain).
Essos seems to have several distinctive regions, with the Europe-like Free Cities in the west, the Mediterranean-like Slaver's Bay and Qarth in the central-southern coastal region, the remote, unknown (Asian?) lands of Yi Ti in the far east, and the ultra-mysterious lands of Asshai in the far south-east. The Dothraki sea seems to occupy most of the heartland interior of the continent, an area comparable to size and possibly geography to the central Asian, Siberian and Russian steppes.
The Narrow Sea borders the continent to the west and the Summer Sea to the south, which may form a Mediterranean-like body of water with Sothoryos (Africa) making up its southern shores. A key difference is that there is no Straits of Gibraltar analogue, and the Summer Sea also forms the south coast of Westeros as well as Essos.
The Jade Sea appears to be a Black Sea-like semi-landlocked body of water accessed via Qarth (possibly a Constantinople analogue). Asshai, which is located on the far side of the sea to Qarth, is reachable by both caravan and by the Dothraki raiders (Drogo, who refuses to travel across the oceans, muses on raiding Asshai in GoT, indicating sea travel is not required to get there), although ships are faster. It is unclear if the Jade Sea is off to one side of the Summer Sea (which continues to the south) or if the one empties into the other.
Ibben
A significant island in the Shivering Sea, east of Skagos and north of Essos. The Ibbenese are whalers and traders and have some colony-states on the north coast of Essos. GRRM mentioned at one point that Ibben is about the same size as Iceland (roughly 300 miles wide).
Braavos
Braavos sprawls across several dozen, maybe a hundred or more, islands in a lagoon (similar to Venice) located at the north-western end of Essos, roughly east of the Vale of Arryn (the Free Cities are all 'east of the lower half of Westeros', according to the GoO RPG). The lagoon is encirled by hilly arms of land, possibly islets attached to the mainland by shoulders of land, with only a single solitary channel permitting egress by large ships, guarded by the Titan of Braavos. The mainland east of Braavos consists of tidal flats and is fed by a lazy, muddy river entering the lagoon from the south. A huge aqueduct is needed to supply the city with safe water. The location of the city is difficult to stumble across by accident, as the area is enshrouded by frequent mists and was kept hidden from the Targaryen dragons for 400 years before the Doom.
Braavos is the youngest of the Free Cities but the most powerful in economic and military terms, through the Iron Bank, its vast fleet and its impregnable location.
Pentos
Pentos is located on the coast south of Braavos, sprawling along a long bay, and appears to be east or even due east of the Crownlands, as ships doing the most efficient trading circuit of the Narrow Sea seem to travel either to Pentos or Duskendale as easily and in the same timescale as one another.
Pentos, whilst independent, is heavily influenced by Braavos to the point of abolishing slavery at the Braavosi's urging 100 years ago. Pentos is famed for its cheeses. The city's ruler, the Prince, pursues a policy of neutrality and does not embroil itself in the wars over the Disputed Lands to the south.
Pentos is defended by stout and formidable Valyrian-built walls. The area immediately outside the city is called the Flatlands, where various magisters keep their estates. This area is easily accessible by the Dothraki from the east, so the magisters gift the passing khals lavishly to prevent them destroying their lands. Pentos has subservient vassal farms but no smaller towns, as these have all been levelled by the Dothraki in past years.
The Hills of Andalos
An upland area south or south-east of Pentos, inland from the coastal Valyrian road leading to the southern Free Cities. The Hills are the ancestral, ancient homeland of the Andals. Over 6,000 years earlier the Seven are supposed to have manifested in the Hills and directed the Andals to leave Essos and conquer Westeros instead. The area appears to be mostly uninhabited today.
Norvos
An inland city on the banks of a significant (but so far unnamed) river, consisting of a high town on a hill and a low town next to the river. The city is east of Pentos. Norvos is surrounded by smaller villages and towns which pay it tribute. Norvos is also easily accessible by Dothraki khals, but unlike Pentos the surrounding region seems free of devastation, suggesting the Norvosi pay more in tribute.
Qohor
Another inland city in the immense Forest of Qohor (a Black Forest of Germany analogue?) which supplies wood to the other cities. The city is also famed for its blacksmiths and employs an Unsullied garrison. The city is located close to the Dothraki Sea.
Lorath
A city on an island or cluster of islands in the Narrow Sea. The Free City that is mentioned the least, indicating it may be the most insular and least powerful. Its lack of involvement in the wars of the southern cities suggests it might be geographically removed from them.
Tyrosh
A coastal port city south of Pentos, close to the Disputed Lands, so possibly east of the Stormlands or the Sea of Dorne. Ruled by an Archon. Temporarily captured by the Band of Nine (Maelys Blackfyre's allies) during the War of the Ninepenny Kings.
Myr
A coastal port city south of Tyrosh, close to or directly bordering the Disputed Lands. It is located on the mainland, and according to the RPG is also within range of Dothraki raids. Myr is noted for its crossbows, glass lenses, telescopes.
Lys
A city sprawling across several islands, either directly in or close to the Stepstones. Lys is defended from, or encourages, the pirates of the Stepstones by its significant fleet and the many 'sellsails' it can call on. Lys is dominated by a temple to the Lord of Light, although it has several other temples as well, such as one to a love goddess. Lys is noted for its perfumes and wine (and also poisons).
One of the more powerful Free Cities and one of the most populous.
The Stepstones
Islands in the Narrow Sea, consisting of several large and many smaller ones, bordering the Summer Sea, the Narrow Sea and the Sea of Dorne, the remnants of a land bridge linking Dorne and the Disputed Lands. Lyseni warships, corsairs and sellsails dominate the islands but many independent pirates also operate between the islands. Several of the Stepstones were conquered by the Band of Nine during the War of the Ninepenny Kings before Barristan Selmy killed Maelys the Monstrous. Several Westerosi attempts have been made to conquer some of the Stepstones, but to no avail. The islands are often fought over by Lys, Myr, Tyrosh and Volantis.
The Disputed Lands
A region of Essos between Lys, Myr, Tyrosh and Volantis, bordered by the great River Rhoyne to the east. Located east of Dorne. Likely part of the former Rhoynish dominions before they were displaced to Dorne a thousand years ago, and have hence been 'disputed' by the surrounding powers ever since. If, as is possible, the Disputed Lands form the eastern end of the 'Arm of Dorne', it may also be a peninsular with Lys off the coast, Myr and Tyrosh to the north and Volantis to the south-east.
The Rhoyne
A significant river of the eastern continent. It empties into the Narrow (or Summer) Sea at Volantis. There were once several city-states clinging to its shores, including Arnar. The people of these cities were called the Rhoynar, and fled to Westeros 1,000 years ago to escape the advance of the Valyrians, who destroyed the cities as they went and established (or conquered) Volantis at the mouth of the river.
The river flows from the north-west to the south-east, with the Disputed Lands lying to its west and the Dothraki Sea to the east.
Speculation: Presumably named as a nod to the Rhine, the greatest river of north-western Europe, noted in Medieval times as a major waterway with many important towns along its banks and earlier considered by the Romans as the furthest edge of civilisation.
Volantis
The south-easternmost of the Free Cities, located south of the Disputed Lands and presumably on the Summer Sea rather than the Narrow. Slavery is still endemic in the city, which trades heavily with the cities of Slaver's Bay to the east. Volantis sprawls along a vast bay, so large it could contain the entirety of Braavos within it (or so it is said). This suggests that Volantis may be the largest and most populous of all the Free Cities, as well as being the oldest. Volantis maintains many of the traditions of Valyria, and during the Bleeding Years following the Doom attempted (and failed) to convince the Targaryens to aid the Volantenes in reconquering the Freehold.
Volantis has an air of decadence and corruption to it, likely the result of its long slave-trading history. It also does not appear to be in immediate danger of Dothraki attack. If the city is west or south of the River Rhoyne, the river may form an impregnable barrier the Dothraki cannot cross to threaten the city without riding many hundreds of miles all the way round it (possibly having to go all the way north to the Pentos-Norvos-Qohor corridor), east to the coast, and then all the way south again through the other Free Cities and the Disputed Lands.
The Lands to the East
East of the Free Cities Region lies the Dothraki Sea. East of Volantis and the Rhoyne lies the coastal lands abutting the Summer Sea. The distance between Volantis and Valyria is unknown but likely to be significant in size (a common feature in speculative maps seems to be to put Volantis right next to the Valyrian Peninsula, just off the map show in A Storm of Swords, which does not seem to fit the evidence), at least several hundred if not a thousand or more miles (Daeneys' claim of thousands and thousands of leages from Meereen to Volantis seems to be hyperbole, but still suggests a significant distance). Valyrian roads link Volantis and the Free Cities Region to the Lands of the Long Summer and the Valyrian Peninsular, but one of these roads is apparently called 'the Demon Road'. It is possible this is the road that leads to Valyria itself across the Smoking Sea, and may be shunned for bad luck. The other roads are the ones that cut across the Lands of the Long Summer directly to the Slaver's Bay city-states.
It'll be interesting to see if this linking area is also depicted on the ADWD map or the ones in the maps in the world book.
RAISED QUESTIONS (probably unanswerable until we get those maps but WTH?)
Was Volantis a Rhoynar city conquered by the Valyrians? Or did the Valyrians found the city there themselves as a colony-state?
Why did the Andals flee to Westeros ahead of the Valyrian invasion given that it was another 5,000 years before the Valyrians invaded the Rhoyne area, followed by the rest of the Free Cities Region? In fact, at the time the Andals fled to Westeros, the Valyrians were still engaged in acts of copulation with animals (according to Ghiscari sources, anyway) and hadn't defeated the Ghiscari, let alone launched an invasion of a region thousands of miles away.
How far is it from Volantis to Valyria? A vast distance as per Dany's suggestion in ASoS or something much more modest as per some of the spec maps? If it's not as far, why is Slaver's Bay hinted at being so remote from Westeros in AFFC?
More info about Lorath would be nice. Why is it so low-key compared to the other cities, which are mentioned much more often and have more distinguishing features?
Given the Free Cities Region is huge - the north-south length of coast alone is half the east-west length of Europe - why does it appear to be relatively lowly-populated? The population seems compressed into the nine cities and the presumed farmlands needed to feet them, and no major countries or nations seem to have risen despite having a vast area to sprawl over. Is it the case that the Free Cities region is long but very narrow, with the Dothraki Sea only located a few hundred miles inland, not giving the Cities much room to sprawl or expand?
Edited by Werthead, 25 February 2010 - 06:05 PM.
), but it never appears to have gotten the chance as the Valyrians never found the place.
