Tyrosh

Tyrosh is a fortified harbor city and one of the Free Cities. It sits on an island to the north of the Stepstones, just off the coast of the Disputed Lands of Essos. The ruler of Tyrosh is an Archon, chosen from among the members of an enclave of the wealthiest and noblest of the city.

Location and Layout
Tyrosh is a fortress city, built on the edge of the Stepstones by the Valyrians as a ward against threats to their borders; mainly the pirate fleets of the Stepstones. Large, imposing, walls of fused black dragonstone loom around the inner city, akin to the Black Walls of Volantis. Encompassed within the old walls is the great harbour, shipyards and docks that see a steady influx of merchants bringing trade, and privateers bringing slaves, the lifeblood of a once militant city turned to trade.

The inner walls hold the beating heart of the government, the palace of the Archon, estates of the Magisters and the city’s old and prominent families, as well as the headquarters of the Guilds of the city. A true hub of elitism and wealth, impurity and ugliness is not allowed within the dragonstone walls. Sprawling estates and buildings take up enough space that there is little wonder that so few dwell within; unlike Volantis, it is not a matter of blood, but rather one of wealth and elitism. When Tyrosh’s economy boomed, the city rapidly grew past its military walls, and now the outer city sprawls below the ancient walls of the outpost. Near four times the size of the inner city, the outer city is a mixture of newer wealth, slums, the workshops that power the three great Guilds, and the slave camps that keep the privateers in business and prepare their captures for the closer Free Cities.

Notable Places

 * The Bleeding Tower - Towering over the city, the Bleeding Tower is a harsh, square, tower of the same dragonstone that the inner walls are fused from. Set into the mouth of the harbor, the Bleeding Tower is a serious threat for any who wish to attack the city by sea. So named for executions that were carried out atop the tower, the Tyroshi executioners allowing the blood to stain the top of the tower black. In more recent years, the famed artificers of the city have installed a mechanism that cascades streams of water down the bottom half of the tower - both the typical Tyroshi extravagance in taking the name to its extremes, and a quaint defence.
 * The Palace of the Archon - When the Archon was the military governor sent from Valyria, the Palace served as his headquarters. While the original building was intimidating, simple, dragonstone, Tyrosh has made its mark. Additions of soaring architecture, overly ornate decorations have turned it into an extravagant palace, the home of a mercantile lord now, not a military governor.
 * The Field of Memories - The only apparent remnant from the time of Valyria is the great courtyard behind the palace, where the Archon’s dragon once dwelled. When the garrison rioted after news of the Doom came, the Archon was murdered and his dragon slain, but not before the beast killed scores, charring the courtyard into a mass of melted stone that remains as a reminder to the power of Valyria. It’s name is a mournful thing - perhaps the one place within the city that does not contain a single splash of colour.
 * The Enclave - What had once served as the strategy room of the Archon is now the seat of government. An amphitheatre of tiered seats faces the throne of the Archon, set at equal height - demonstrative that although the Archon rules, he answers to the Magisterial Enclave
 * Opulence - A drinking establishment, bathhouse, garden, more. A place for the rich families to congregate to relax, enjoy themselves, and experience the height of decadent pleasure that Tyrosh has to offer. Tyroshi extravagance in its purest form.
 * The Sibylline Promenade - The temple row within the inner walls that contains the major temples: notably the temple of R’hllor, the Weeping lady of Lys, the Sept of the Seven, the Moon-Pale Maiden, and Bakkalon. Great above the rest is the Triple Basilica - the temple dedicated to the Tyroshi god Trios.
 * The Harbor - Enclosed by the towering dragonstone walls sits the bustling harbour of Tyrosh. Under the watchful eye of the Bleeding Tower, here the ships of trade and war come in, unloading their supplies, wares, and soldiers. The Unseen Way takes traffic from the harbour to skirt the edge under the wall, behind the grand estates, so the noble families do not have to have the lower orders in their district.
 * The Makers Mark - It is not only a street dedicated to the guild workshops - but a whole district. The three Great Guilds control most of the area, but the district is ever fluctuating, with no set area for faction or guild. Competing workshops will be shoved together, or surrounded by another Guild their own is currently in a rivalry with. The district is as chaotic as expected of cutthroat Tyroshi economy.
 * The Square of Gold - When the goods flow into Tyrosh, it is the Square of Gold where it goes to, and where the goods from The Maker’s Mark are sold.
 * The Square of Blood - While Tyrosh has a smaller number of slaves compared to its neighbouring Lys, there is a constant stream in and out. The Tyroshi privateers are famous in the west for their aggressiveness in taking slaves for the markets. While Tyrosh cannot rival the markets of Slaver’s Bay, the industry still brings much gold for the city, and is infamous for putting the harsh, eccentrically depraved ideas of the city’s artificers to work.
 * The Pit of Colours - Built into a natural depression within the island, the slums of the city would be a depressing pit of poverty and filth; if it wasn’t for the expected Tyroshi extravagance. Cheap coloured cloth flies everywhere, turning the Pit into a constant riot of colour and lifted spirits.

People
The Tyroshi are famed for two things; their greed, and their colourful nature. No native of Tyrosh would ever be seen without some piece of vibrant colour on them, to the point where they are seen as extravagant and preening in anywhere else in the Free Cities, from dour Lorath to decadent Lys. Dyed hair is more common than not. The richer families will have vibrant, rich, colours, garishly combining imperial purples, deep blues, vivid reds. Those less fortunate can only afford duller shades, and more often than not, roots, if not half their hair, will show their natural colour. A militaristic origin combined with a mercantile nature now have led to an infamous reputation for avarice, and the Tyroshi seek what they wish for without pause or concern for others; whether that is aggressive ‘privateering’, or contentious bartering. Their language cuts a surprising contrast - a soft language that flows easily, lacking the bite of other bastard offshoots of Valyrian. As expected in Essos, there is no religion that is paramount over the rest; yet Trios, the triple headed god of luck, time, and all things that are and will be, is a native to the island. Some more cynical citizens hold a belief the god was simply three philosophers, whose memory stumbled into divinity.

The city is one of colour and excess - even the normally black fused dragonstone has long been festooned with enormous banners, vivid murals that leave the defences far more colourful than their usually dour counterparts. Coloured stone is common for the more prosperous estates, and paint for those less so, colour themes that would be considered garish elsewhere. The city is one truly devoted to pleasure, and whereas Lys has mastered the pleasures of the body, Tyrosh has mastered the pleasure in luxuries. Expert blacksmiths who craft ornate armours, the artificers who produce all manner of devices, tailors and dyers who make use of the famed snails, the privateers who gather their slaves and sort the wheat from the chaff. The city expects nothing but the best, and refuses to deliver anything else.

Even its poorer people still revel in the carefree nature that represents the city’s culture. The people of the Pit have a reputation for garish sashes edged with clacking beads, slung around their hips - used for great effect in their sashaying dances. The Outer City revels and celebrates as much as the Inner City does, and the merchant families do not exactly have any more decorum about it; just more wealth to be added to the occasion. Something would be rare indeed to see the drinking houses of the Outer City not bustling each night. Understandably, late mornings are a gladly accepted consequence of that.

Economy
Tyrosh’s wealth comes from trade; in this, its economy is heavily factionalised, divided into Guilds which represent their interests. The Magisterial Enclave is mostly drawn from these powerful guilds, as the influential families of Tyrosh need a constant supply of gold to keep up with the demands of the Tyroshi social scene. The ruling families lead the Guilds, using them to play off against each other, reinforcing the cutthroat business games between them. It is rare to find families completely devoted to one single Guild, instead various branches and members taking different interests - Guild ties often take precedent over those of blood.

The Great Guilds
Of Tyrosh’s various industries, three are prominent enough to overshadow the rest. Consisting of Tyrosh’s oldest industries, the ones that have shaped its economy and culture over the centuries, and consist of some of the most prominent families of the city. It is the Great Guilds who carry the most influence in the city, hold most of the seats in the Magisterial Enclave, and whose ranks the Archon is often drawn from. It is rare, bordering non-existent, for a Guild Head to be raised to the Archonship - their power is something different, and most consider the tradeoff not worth it, especially if they can instead see someone who owes them there instead

The Ēnka - The Guild of Dyers and Tailors
Lead by the Master/Mistress of Colours, the Ēnka descends from the merchants who flocked to Tyrosh when it was a military outpost, when the famed sea snails were found. Realising they could be vary the snail’s diets to create a wide range of dye colours, the Guild now oversees the mass breeding of those snails, the refinement of a wide range of dyes, and in more recent centuries, the development of skilled tailors, putting the vibrant dies to use in garish and ornate clothes.

The Korzion - The Guild of Metalwork and Artifice
Led by the Lord/Lady Fabricator, the Korzion consists of the famed inventors and metalworkers of Tyrosh. While mostly known for twisted, yet ingenious torture devices, and masterwork ornate armour commonly wrought like animals, the Guild produces much more than just that. Their blacksmiths craft weapons, jewellry, all manner of metalwork known more for its beauty than quality, while their eccentric inventors are some of the only people truly dedicated to the ever expanding world of artifice.

The Mentyr - The Guild of Slavery and Privateering
Led by the Admiralissimo, the Mentyr have their headquarters in Bleeding Tower, and are the military arm of Tyrosh; and as expected in Essos, are are involved in the economy as any other Guild. Slaves are the lifeblood of Essos, and Tyroshi is no different - however, unlike its neighbours, more pass through the city than stay. There are still thousands within the city of course, and slaves outnumber the freedmen three to one, but even more are broken in the camps before being dragged to the Square of Blood to be sold onwards to other cities. Tyroshi privateers go as far as Beyond the Wall to raid and take slaves, and it’s pirate fleets are the remnants of a Volantene military garrison that quickly evolved into a new purpose.

Other Guilds
While these Guilds make up majority of influence and guildsmen within Tyrosh, there are dozens of other minor Guilds - from ones that are small, specialised, and inconsequential, to Guilds that begin to compete with the Great Guilds and represent other industries that Tyrosh is famed for. The Mōzugon is the best example of this, the Guild of Drink, that produce liquors, and the city’s famous pear brandy.

The Archon and the Magisterial Enclave
Akin to Braavos, the Archon is a position that serves for life. Once the title of a dragonrider from Valyria, to serve as military governor and command the garrison, keeping the seas as far as the pleasure island of Lys safe. The last Valyrian Archon was ripped apart after the Doom, and from then on the Archon was elected by the prominent families of the city, who formed the Magisterial Enclave.

Thirty three of the most influential citizens of Tyrosh are elected to the Enclave, and serve for life once brought on: a lifespan made dramatically shorter by the vicious politics of the city. Whenever a position on the Enclave is open, it is a convoluted process of nominations, seconding, and a majority vote - a process that should be simple, but is made as difficult as possible by the Magisters. Magisters can be removed by a two thirds majority of the Enclave - the same number needed to elect the Archon. They cannot, however, remove him once voted in - yet poison is an effective tool of the democratic will.

The Archon does not in theory need to answer to the Magisterial Enclave, and the extent to which he does in practice depends on his own personal power. Yet an Archon would be a fool to completely ignore the Enclave, and those who have, have done so to their own peril.

History
After Daenerys Targaryen finally moved on to conquer Westeros, Tyrosh found itself in an advantageous position. Slaver’s Bay was broken - with cities tearing themselves apart, even those that were back under the Master’s control had seen their institutions destroyed by the Breaker of Chains. For once, Tyrosh was now the largest supplier of slaves in Essos. The city entered into a golden age of prosperity, and while they could not keep up with the demand, that enabled them to heighten prices, and make themselves even more invaluable.

This golden age was brought to a swift end in 331 AC, by Baelon Targaryen. The threat had been dismissed, at first. The Lyseni, and one lone dragon rider, were nothing to fear in their eyes - a mistake the city would pay dearly for. The siege and assault took them by surprise, and dragonfire saw much of the city in smouldering ruins. The swift assault saw half the Magisters dead, and any who refused to bow fed to the Leviathan - including the defiant Archon, spitting all the while that he would not bow to some halfbreed claiming the power of Valyria. The city had little choice in serving Baelon, who refused to let another Archon be made; instead cutting the Enclave down to three who readily served the dragonrider over Tyrosh. The Triarchy was a hard time for Tyrosh. They had no option in joining, their treasuries were raided for the war effort, and the great families were culled by knives, poison, and raids in the dark for treason - perceived or legitimate, it mattered not.

When the Triarchy collapsed, those who had bowed to the Leviathan were slaughtered along with their families, and a new Archon was finally named. From a golden age to a time of crisis, it would take the city near two decades to recover back their fortunes, all the while bitterly demanding that the Targaryens of King’s Landing pay reparations, to answer the crimes of their family. Tyrosh would never again meet the height they had at the beginning of the century.

When the Summer Sickness struck Lys, Tyrosh crowed in triumph, seeing those they blamed for their crisis struck by justice. In 340 AC, the disease spread to Tyrosh - slowing down their recovery further, and creating a new wave of bitterness against Lys.

By 350 AC, the city had at least partially recovered, yet the city was still gripped by bitterness. Taking advantage of the feelings of discontent, a mercenary captain who went by the name of Octavio Naharis staying in the city arose. Claiming to be the bastard son of Daenerys Targaryen and Daario Naharis, the captain claimed that he his mother would protect the city from any who dared defy them, if only he was named Archon. Whipping a mob into action, composed mainly of angry slaves, and the poor of the city, he marched on the black walls of the inner city. The mob was no match for professional soldiers, and Octavio's men were massacred, with Octavio himself enslaved, broken, and made to work in the Archon's stables, as a symbol of what happened when the Archon's power was challenged.

It wasn’t until 392 AC that Tyrosh truly saw a reversal of fortunes; the Great Famine of Westeros, the War in the Narrows, and the proceeding Scarlet Winter were all great opportunities for the city. Refusing to get involved in the war in the Stepstones, with Westeros bringing their whole power done, Tyrosh simply took advantage - ensuring that many refugees from all three tragedies found themselves in the Tyroshi slave markets.

Recent History (407 - 417 AC)
Tyrosh initially did little in the previous decade - they watched with glee as Lys once again tore itself apart, removing the hated Targaryens from their ranks. Many a glass was raised in celebration when that news came to the city.

Unfortunately, a new threat swiftly appeared. When a dragonrider appeared in the Stepstones, and began to rally the pirate lords around him, Tyrosh watched with unease. The Archon at the time was of the Ēnka, and far from keen in crushing the issue before it became one, as the Mentyr were loudly demanding.

There was a drastic change when the dragonrider crowned himself, and it was finally revealed he was Aeryn Targaryen, a Lyseni; news the Archon had been suppressing. The Archon was swiftly and quietly murdered, his death hushed up with a heart attack, and the Admiralissimo of the Mentyr was elected Archon near unanimously. Sellsails were swiftly hired, and the bolstered fleet set sail immediately for the Stepstones. It had been a century ago, but their humiliation handed to them by Baelon Targaryen was still raw, and they would not see it given again.

The Battle of Bloodstone was a humiliating defeat.

While the fleet was not crippled, thanks to how it had outnumbered their foe, the dragon had alighted the flagship of the Archon almost immediately, and broken their lines. The Tyroshi limped back into port with their tails between their legs, their fleet and pride heavily damaged. A new election was held, and this one took much longer. For months, the Guilds squabbled over what to do, and how to face this new threat.

No one expected the eventual answer. One of the Magisters slowly gathered support from his fellows not part of the Great Guilds, picking off some of the less certain ones who were, building momentum for a plan that by all rights should have been laughed out. Their best bet, they argued, was to see an alliance with their neighbours. The Triarchy, but on their terms.

It was a testament to the desperation of the Magisterial Enclave that, after much shouting and arguing, they eventually, grudgingly, acknowledged that it was the least worst of the options that faced them. The Archon approached the Conclave of Magister’s personally; understanding the answer they were going to get, the identity of the King of the Stepstones was not revealed until the initial no was given. As they expected, the answer changed swiftly. Myr followed soon.

Tyrosh has withdrawn on itself to plan for the war they know is coming. There is a grimness in the city, for once. Many feel disgust on having to go to bed with the Lyseni, but most recognise the necessity. The city’s dockyards work constantly, to repair their fleet, and bring its numbers back up to what will be needed for the wars ahead.