Free Cities (Jedi Renaissance)

The Free Cities were nine independent city-states located in the western part of Essos, or Thyr, the great continent that lies to the east of Westeros. Seven of the cities are coastal or island ports, lying on the Narrow Sea, whilst two others are located inland. Each of the Free Cities controls a certain amount of territory surrounding it, including smaller towns and villages. East of the Free Cities lies the Dothraki Sea. The Free Cities often feast and give tribute to the Dothraki to prevent them from sacking the area. When the Jedi Order returned to Tython, the people of the Free Cities elected a representative government to interact with the Order and give voice to their needs and desires. Allowed to govern themselves under the condition that slavery be completely abolished and each society work towards equality for all its citizens, Jedi were frequently seen among the Free Cities exploring the city-states and learning their customs.

Geography
The coastal Free Cities were Braavos, Pentos, Tyrosh, Myr, Lys, Lorath and Volantis. The inland cities were Norvos and QohorQohor. Braavos was the northern-most of the Free Cities and considered to be the richest and most militarily powerful due to it being the home of the Iron Bank. A archipelago, Bravos consisted of several small islands dotted with homes, taverns and temples. The cities of Myr and Lys were located even further south on the coast, and often feuded over the Disputed Lands and the Stepstones. They frequently tried to embroil Tyrosh and Volantis in their wars. Volantis was located on the south-western coast of the region, on the Summer Sea rather than the Narrow, at the mouth of the River Rhoyne which borders the Disputed Lands to the east, beyond which lay the less-populous lands and the still-extant Valyrian roads leading towards Slaver's Bay.

Whilst the Free Cities were independent, they were not equally powerful. Braavos was the most influential and powerful of the Free Cities, and has some significant influence over Pentos. Pentos also acted as the effective port for Norvos and Qohor, and had some authority over those cities. Lorath, located on an island in the Narrow Sea, was the most isolated and least influential of the Free Cities.

History
Eight of the Free Cities existed during the latter part of the existence of the Valyrian Freehold, either founded by them as colony-states or conquered during their westward expansion (which had earlier seen the destruction of the Rhoynar city-states). Two centuries after the Rhoynar had been displaced by the Valyrians to Dorne in Westeros, a religious sect known as the Moonsingers led numerous refugees northward to a mist-shrouded lagoon where where they founded the Secret City of Braavos. The existence of the city was unknown to the Valyrians for a century, and even after its existence was revealed their dragons were unable to find it. Three centuries later Valyria was destroyed in the Doom. After the Doom, the western cities became independent through a series of civil wars and conflicts collectively known as the Bleeding Years. During this time Volantis attempted to reforge the Valyrian Freehold and asked for help from House Targaryen, the only remaining Valyrian noble family who still possessed dragons, who held the island of Dragonstone in the Narrow Sea. The Targaryens instead abandoned Volantis and the other Valyrian loyalists to invade and conquer Westeros. Volantis' attempts to reforge the Freehold collapsed, and the cities became free and independent.

In the three centuries which followed, the Free Cities became rich and powerful, although often plagued by wars and conflicts. A major disturbance known as the War of the Ninepenny Kings erupted when the Band of Nine led by Alequo Adarys the Goldentongued conquered the Free City of Tyrosh and several of the Stepstone islands. Adarys' ally, Maelys Blackfyre and his Golden Company, comprising embittered and exiled knights and warriors from Westeros, planned to attack King's Landing in an effort to supplant the Targaryen family, but King Aegon V sent a strong army against him instead, and Ser Barristan Selmy slew Blackfyre in battle. Although Adarys retained power for six more years, he was eventually deposed and killed, and the Archons resumed control of the city.

When the Jedi Order returned to their ancestral homeworld of Tython, they discovered the Free Cities and other non-Forceful civilizations thriving in relative peace. Sending emissaries to each of the city-states, the Jedi presented terms which would allow the cities to maintain their own sovereignty while the Jedi would maintain planetary governance. Under these conditions, the Jedi banned slavery and wished to enforce a moral standard for all governing bodies, without imposing Jedi doctrine onto the average citizen. When all but Tyrosh assented to the terms, the Order sacked the city and drove out the slavers and mercenaries who had holed up within before rebuilding Tyrosh and giving it back its independence. Following the transition to Jedi oversight, the Free Cities continued on in traditional style, maintaining a low-level of technology compared to the rest of the galaxy and cherishing their histories and culture. With a heavy Jedi presence, the Cities welcomed Jedi Journeyers and Knights who sought to understand the traditions and cultures of the nine city states.

Free Cities

 * Braavos: the most powerful and northerly of the Free Cities, located on islands in a lagoon, led by the Sealord. The city was home to the influential Iron Bank and the secretive assassins' guild known as the Faceless Men. The city was noted for its religious tolerance and hatred of slavery.
 * Lorath: arguably the least-known and possibly the least-powerful Free City, located on an island south-east of Braavos, in the Shivering Sea.
 * Lys: an island city in the Summer Sea, located close to the Stepstones and protected by a formidable navy and informal Lyseni "freesails", who often rented their services to the highest bidder. Lys was noted for its pleasure houses. Its people were fair skinned, blonde haired and blue eyed.
 * Myr: a seaport located close to the Disputed Lands and on an arm of the Narrow Sea known as the Sea of Myrth. Noted for its skilled craftsmen and their products, particularly optical lenses and fine lace. Lys and Myr had been bitter rivals for centuries. Its people were dusky and considered exotic by Westerosi.
 * Norvos: a major inland city, located on the River Noyne northeast of Pentos. Norvos was renowned for its axes. It was situated in the hill country in the north of Essos, known as the Hills of Norvos.
 * Norvos: a major seaport, land-based and vulnerable to Dothraki incursions from the continental interior. Among other items, it was frequently noted for its trade in cheeses. Ruled by the Prince of Pentos, supported by a council of merchant Magisters. Allied to Braavos.
 * Qohor: a major inland city, located in the immense Forest of Qohor near the edge of the Dothraki sea, east of Norvos on the River Qhoyne. Noted for its immensely skilled blacksmiths.
 * Tyrosh: a major seaport and mercantile city, ruled by the Archon. Tyroshi were known for extravagant clothes, flashy armor and rich tastes. Tyrosh was located on an island close to the Stepstones, and was thus the Free City closest to Westeros. Due to its location between the Stepstones, Disputed Lands, and Westeros, it was often seen as a major hub for hiring the services of various professional mercenary companies, to serve in the various conflicts of these different regions.
 * Volantis: the southeastern-most of the Free Cities and the largest, most populous and most corrupt, ruled by the Triarchs of Volantis. Volantis was originally the most powerful of the Free Cities but its strength was sapped in the Bleeding Years, leading to it being narrowly edged out by Braavos. Volantis was built on the main mouth of the immense River Rhoyne, with numerous tributaries of the Rhoyne forming a defensive barrier to the east that protects the city from the Dothraki. The major trade routes from Westeros to distant Slaver's Bay and points beyond such as the Jade Sea, Qarth and Asshai, pass through Volantis.