[TWOIAF SPOILERS] Valyria, Free Cities, and further East Discussion thread

[Wmarshal]

That is what I assumed after reading the section, considering people all over the world comes here to study magic. But there are native Asshai'i, they don't know who built their city. But Oldtown/The Citadel is suppose to be the greatest learning place (it says so in the book). Asshai is far bigger than Oldtown, if it was the case then Asshai should be the world's greatest learning place.

Btw, who rules this city for the gods' sake!

It could be those welcomed to live in Asshai are considered citizens.

[Spring Bass]

If it's the maesters saying that Oldtown is the greatest place in the world to learn and study, they might be a little biased.

[Queen‍‍‍‍‍‍ Alysanne‍‍™]

I really liked the Lorath section too. It was nice to learn the origin of "a man has said" etc. :) I mentioned it elsewhere, but the Priests also devoted their lives to opening their third eye, which is described in a similar way to Bran's "third eye".

Was surprised at Qohor, it sounds like a nasty place to live.

More of the World's wonders revealed, happy! :)

Yea when I read that part I was immediately reminded me of the old gods. :p

Their eunuch priests wore eyeless hoods in honor of their god; only in darkness, they believed, would their third eye open, allowing them to see the “higher truths” of creation that lay concealed behind the world’s illusions .

The darkness part is also similar to BR telling Bran how important darkness is for him to awaken his powers

[David C. Hunter]

Yea when I read that part I was immediately reminded me of the old gods. :P

Their eunuch priests wore eyeless hoods in honor of their god; only in darkness, they believed, would their third eye open, allowing them to see the “higher truths” of creation that lay concealed behind the world’s illusions .

The darkness part is also similar to BR telling Bran how important darkness is for him to awaken his powers

Hahahaha, seems like more and more people have had dealings with the Dark Ones in the past. i.e. COTF

[KQI88]

The regions from the far east are the most interesting to me. A lot of questions about theses places. It really makes me wish for the whole Lomas Longstrider book or the Sea Snake accounts.

Hope we get more on this places in the future.

[History of Westeros]

Did anyone realize how many Free Companies there are in the East, by the way? There you go 'Stannis can't hire any men because they are all already Slaver's Bay' theory.

Most intriguing was this Company of the Rose founded by Northmen who didn't like the Targaryen Conquest all that much...

Other thing: The bad defenses Pentos has against any attack on land and sea is clearly very important in light of future events in the series. I thought a campaign to take Pentos may take months/years, but it seems that you could just go and take over the city, really...

Yes, I'm glad that was clarified. I found the assumption that "Slaver's Bay hired most/all the sellsword companies" theory to be a silly unsupported assumption and I'm glad to see the final nail in that coffin.

I wonder if Brandon Snow joined this Company of the Rose! I have been wondering about that since I read it. I hope we learn more at some point.

Completely agree re: Pentos. The Tattered Prince may get his wish, though there is still the matter of Illyrio. Illyrio could... perhaps likely *will* become an enemy to Dany anyway, if Dany is opposed to Aegon VI, which seems likely.

[Winterfell is Burning]

Food can't grow there, so perhaps life cannot grow in general, making people effectively or actually sterile.

Or everyone just has shadowbabies!

How does the population continue? Though we don't know that Melisandre was born there, but if she was, her extreme age becomes a lot more interesting.

Mel wasn't actually born there, I think.

It's possible everyone living there was actually born somewhere else.

[SeanF]

Mel wasn't actually born there, I think.

It's possible everyone living there was actually born somewhere else.

That's what I think. Asshai is similar to Minas Morghul. Everything gets blighted and twisted there. That prevents the growing of food and the conception of children. That must be due to the practice of very dark magic in the city.

[SeanF]

That is what I assumed after reading the section, considering people all over the world comes here to study magic. But there are native Asshai'i, they don't know who built their city. But Oldtown/The Citadel is suppose to be the greatest learning place (it says so in the book). Asshai is far bigger than Oldtown, if it was the case then Asshai should be the world's greatest learning place.

Btw, who rules this city for the gods' sake!

Oldtown is a place of learning generally. Asshai seems to specialise in studying the occult.

[SeanF]

Food can't grow there, so perhaps life cannot grow in general, making people effectively or actually sterile.

Or everyone just has shadowbabies!

How does the population continue? Though we don't know that Melisandre was born there, but if she was, her extreme age becomes a lot more interesting.

I imagine the population is entirely made up of immigrants, who practice or study magic. Probably, many of them have prolonged their lives by magical means. Some are likely permanent residents; others like Marwyn are more transient.

Melisandre was sold to the Great Temple in Volantis, long before she travelled to Asshai. The reference to Red Priests in Asshai suggests that some go there to study magic. Somehow, I doubt if Septons and Septas would be welcome in that city.

[Jaak]

I imagine the population is entirely made up of immigrants, who practice or study magic.

How many immigrants to Asshai are just there for the gold and jewels?

[SeanF]

How many immigrants to Asshai are just there for the gold and jewels?

Traders come for them. My impression is they don't like to stay very long.

[Mithras]

Travelers tell us that the city is built entirely of black stone: halls, hovels, temples, palaces, streets, walls, bazaars, all. Some say as well that the stone of Asshai has a greasy, unpleasant feel to it, that it seems to drink the light, dimming tapers and torches and hearth fires alike. The nights are very black in Asshai, all agree , and even the brightest days of summer are somehow grey and gloomy.

“Once there were two moons in the sky, but one wandered too close to the sun and cracked from the heat. A thousand thousand dragons poured forth, and drank the fire of the sun. That is why dragons breathe flame. One day the other moon will kiss the sun too, and then it will crack and the dragons will return.”

"Shadows are the servants of light, the children of fire. The brightest flame casts the darkest shadows.”

The woman stepped closer and lay two fingers on Dany’s wrist. “You are the Mother of Dragons, are you not?”
“She is, and no spawn of shadows may touch her.” Jhogo brushed Quaithe’s fingers away with the handle of his whip.

“Warlocks are bitter creatures who eat dust and drink of shadows. They will give you naught. They have naught to give.”

Long and low, without towers or windows, it coiled like a stone serpent through a grove of black-barked trees whose inky blue leaves made the stuff of the sorcerous drink the Qartheen called shade of the evening. No other buildings stood near. Black tiles covered the palace roof, many fallen or broken; the mortar between the stones was dry and crumbling. She understood now why Xaro Xhoan Daxos called it the Palace of Dust. Even Drogon seemed disquieted by the sight of it. The black dragon hissed, smoke seeping out between his sharp teeth.
“Blood of my blood,” Jhogo said in Dothraki, “this is an evil place, a haunt of ghosts and maegi. See how it drinks the morning sun? Let us go before it drinks us as well.”

Rakharo snorted contempt through his drooping black mustachios. “Khaleesi, better a man should swallow scorpions than trust in the spawn of shadows, who dare not show their face beneath the sun. It is known.”
“It is known,” Aggo agreed.
Xaro Xhoan Daxos had watched the whole exchange from his cushions. When Dany climbed back into the palanquin beside him, he said, “Your savages are wiser than they know."

[SeanF]

Mandel accepts that magic is real, contradicting the dominant point of view of the Citadel. Presumably, he's relying on Marwyn for his information about Asshai.

[Jaak]

Traders come for them. My impression is they don't like to stay very long.

Asshai needs people to actually mine them. Is mining done as a part-time activity by wizards?

[SeanF]

Asshai needs people to actually mine them. Is mining done as a part-time activity by wizards?

They probably use slaves. Or perhaps the gems and gold are created by magical means.

[History of Westeros]

They probably use slaves. Or perhaps the gems and gold are created by magical means.

Agree, it's mentioned that they have slaves there so this is almost certainly the answer.

[Queen‍‍‍‍‍‍ Alysanne‍‍™]

Travelers tell us that the city is built entirely of black stone: halls, hovels, temples, palaces, streets, walls, bazaars, all. Some say as well that the stone of Asshai has a greasy, unpleasant feel to it, that it seems to drink the light, dimming tapers and torches and hearth fires alike. The nights are very black in Asshai, all agree , and even the brightest days of summer are somehow grey and gloomy.

“Once there were two moons in the sky, but one wandered too close to the sun and cracked from the heat. A thousand thousand dragons poured forth, and drank the fire of the sun. That is why dragons breathe flame. One day the other moon will kiss the sun too, and then it will crack and the dragons will return.”

"Shadows are the servants of light, the children of fire. The brightest flame casts the darkest shadows.”

The woman stepped closer and lay two fingers on Dany’s wrist. “You are the Mother of Dragons, are you not?”

“She is, and no spawn of shadows may touch her.” Jhogo brushed Quaithe’s fingers away with the handle of his whip.

“Warlocks are bitter creatures who eat dust and drink of shadows. They will give you naught. They have naught to give.”

Long and low, without towers or windows, it coiled like a stone serpent through a grove of black-barked trees whose inky blue leaves made the stuff of the sorcerous drink the Qartheen called shade of the evening. No other buildings stood near. Black tiles covered the palace roof, many fallen or broken; the mortar between the stones was dry and crumbling. She understood now why Xaro Xhoan Daxos called it the Palace of Dust. Even Drogon seemed disquieted by the sight of it. The black dragon hissed, smoke seeping out between his sharp teeth.

“Blood of my blood,” Jhogo said in Dothraki, “this is an evil place, a haunt of ghosts and maegi. See how it drinks the morning sun? Let us go before it drinks us as well.”

Rakharo snorted contempt through his drooping black mustachios. “Khaleesi, better a man should swallow scorpions than trust in the spawn of shadows, who dare not show their face beneath the sun. It is known.”

“It is known,” Aggo agreed.

Xaro Xhoan Daxos had watched the whole exchange from his cushions. When Dany climbed back into the palanquin beside him, he said, “Your savages are wiser than they know."

Nice catches there especially the ones on dragons drinking the sun.

This is one of the reasons why I think Asshai (where dragons may have originated) may have had a role to play in the Long Night since there was no sun, perhaps it was the backlash of creating dragons.

[SeanF]

The story will never end if Dany travels to Asshai. But, I think she'd find a great deal to interest her, if she did.