The Free Cities, once under the sway of the Freehold of Valyria, are diverse, wealthy, cosmopolitan group of cities who share something of a common language (various dialects of a bastard Valyrian) but little else. The Free Cities often war with one another over the Stepstones, the Disputed Lands, and other territories where their interests come into conflict. The Nine Free Cities are: Braavos, Lorath, Lys, Myr, Norvos, Pentos, Qohor, Tyrosh, and Volantis. Of them, only Norvos and Qohor are landlocked, leading to the other Free Cities being well-known for their ships which carry trade across many of the seas of the world. The Free Cities are also known as the home of many sellsword companies, of varying size and quality.
Braavos, ruled by its Sea Lord, is the most powerful of the Free Cities both because of its great naval fleet and its influential Iron Bank. Darker rumors suggest that the Faceless Men, the most expensive guild of assassins, also have something to do with Braavos’s dominance. Braavos is in fact a group of islands (as many as a hundred) close together within a lagoon whose only entrance is guarded by the Titan of Braavos, a massive fortress in the form of a man whose legs straddle the inlet.
Lorath is another group of small islands.
Lys is another group of islands, and is known for its fine tapestries, perfumes, poisons, and pleasure slaves. Blonde hair and blue eyes are common Lysene traits.
Myr is well known for its craftsmen and artists, who make unsurpassed lenses, beautiful lace, costly carpets, and ornately carved screens. The people of Myr tend to be dark of hair and eye, and are ruled by the wealthy magistrates of the Free City.
Norvos is known for its rolling hills and terraced farms. The government is theocratic, and includes magisters.
Pentos is a proper city, on the coast of a bay. Ruled by its wealthy magisters, Pentos may be the largest of the Free Cities.
Qohor is the furthest inland of the Free Cities, and is well known for the vast Forest of Qohor. The Qohoriks produce fine tapestries and are very skilled at metalworking, even claiming to still know some of the magics of the sorcerer-smiths of Valyria. Qohor is unique in having a city guard made up entirely of Unsullied, disciplined eunuch slave-soldiers who feel no pain.
Tyrosh is ruled by its Archon and has a strong naval presence. Tyroshi armorers are known for their intricate, fanciful armors. Tyroshi are infamous for their avarice.
Volantis is known for its sweet red wines, its glass, and its slaves, who have their faces tattooed to denote their function. Volantis is likely the furthest south or east of the Free Cities with a naval presence.
