Chapter 24
Castle Warg, Early Seventh Moon, 286 A.C., Three weeks later…
The Northern highborn of the western shore trickled in over the last five days by ship, with the exception of the Wolfswood clans, who came by dog sled. The Director's Meeting and the return of the Yi-Ti expedition used as an excuse for a rare winter gathering. During this time, I took the opportunity to meet with the various Northern lords awaiting the trade fleet.
Lord Jorah Mormont gave me a surprise bear hug in the castle courtyard yesterday, thanking me for inventing the forceps that saved his wife, my mother's cousin Gillane, and newly born son, Joseth. I was jubilant at the unexpected news, both for Jorah and his wife finally birthing a child and for the chances of him marrying Lynesse Hightower falling drastically.
Lord Bartogen Wells came with his three-and-ten namedays old daughter and Edric's betrothed, Lady Lorra Wells to meet and get to know one another. The wedding is still three years away but I agreed with Lord Wells that it would be good for them to start socializing while we discussed the fate of Edric's bastard. Said bastard will be accepted by Lady Lorra and receive the typical Northern treatment for their kind, being accepted as part of the family as long as they remember their place.
Ser Helman Tallhart, Master of Torrhen's Square, came with his wife Lady Berena nee Hornwood and brought my cousin Yara and her husband Leobald Tallhart. It's been a year since their wedding and the couple have settled in nicely though no children yet.
Lord Willem Dustin and Lord Rodrik Ryswell met with Lord Robar Glover, Lord Osric Fisher, and myself on future road construction. We agreed to extending the yet-to-be constructed Stony Road from Fisher Hall to Grailheart, connecting it to Lord Dustin's proposed Barrow Road that would continue eastwards to the White Knife. While this was happening, Myrra was meeting with a newly pregnant Lady Barbrey Dustin to discuss a betrothal between my daughter Myranda and Lord Dustin's son Walton. Lord Dustin and I had sworn an oath that our families would marry years ago then proceeded to do as all Northern lords did, decide who's getting betrothed and then let our wives handle the details.
Asher was ecstatic to see his family again, eagerly introducing them to his friends, Patrek, Tyrion, Humfrey, Quentyn, and Jonnel. His older brother Rodrik gravitated toward my younger brother Edric, both being the same age and seeming to be sparking a friendship.
The Western Hill clans like the Hulls, Norreys, and Harclays came wearing noticeably nicer clothing and more jewelry. Their increased wealth the result of the ice trade and selling a large portion of the iron ore I import to keep the metalworks running. The Northern Mountains are a treasure trove of untapped resources waiting to be discovered and holds one of the only silver mines in the North, the other being held by the Manderlys. I came to an agreement with the clans to sponsor mineral surveys in return for a portion of any finds. The Norreys, the clan who owes the Northern Mountains' sole silver mine, have invested as much silver as they could to the trade fleet, heeding my advice on the Yi-Ti preferring silver to gold.
The Glovers and the Wolfswood clans, ironically the closest, arrived last with an air of melancholy to Castle Warg. No doubt having heard the terrible news of two clippers, one Redwyne and one Northern, sunk in a storm in the Jade Sea, all hands lost. My lord uncle Robar Glover grieves for the loss of his second son, Lord Captain Robett, and each of the Wolfswood clans lost a nephew or cousin. Thankfully no lords or heirs were on the Northern Swallow but like them I awaited Wyman and the trade fleet's return for more information.
Then this morning the eight clippers arrived at full speed, the pod of orcas continuing their tradition of swimming alongside clippers and racing them. Soon enough, we met them in the harbor and I briefly talked with each of the remaining Lord Captains, with Lord Captain Desmond Redwyne being the other Lord Captain lost at sea.
My family and I welcomed Wyman back and noticed he brought Malcom Branfield, brother of Elissa Forrester to the relief and joy of House Forrester. With him are eight Yi-Tish people, an old merchant, his wife, their daughter, son, their gooddaughter, and three grandchildren. Wyman introduced the old man as Liu Wei, a member of the small Liu merchant clan and their hired translator throughout the Jade Sea. What made them even more curious is his daughter Liu Shuyi, now Shuyi Branfield having married Malcom and her father's request to establish formal relations between the Liu Merchant Clan and the Sunset Trading Company.
I spoke briefly with Gerion Lannister, Lord Director of the trade company, who boasted of filling the clippers with exotic goods from Yi-Ti. His nephew Ser Jaime, there to represent his father, happily chatted with Tyrion. The Westerlords with silver mines like the Lyddens, Marbrands, Westerlings, Baneforts, and especially Serretts were particularly jubliant about the expedition's success. Myrra's best friend Jeyne Clifton, her husband Ser Gareth Clifton, and brother Ser Sebaston Farman greeted us and the two women eagerly begun catching up. Then her brother Burton and his she-bear wife Lady Dacey showed up and announced she's with child to our collective joy.
Ser Jason Mallister, father of one of my wards, Patrek Mallister, greeted his son and was happy to hear his progress in learning how to construct a sewer system. He also showed interest in the quickstone quay I am building. I briefly spoke with Tytos Blackwood and his new wife, my cousin Lady Mariah Blackwood nee Fisher along with Ser Stevron Frey and his son Ryman.
Then there were the Reachmen. I offered condolences to Lord Paxter Redwyne, who was still grieving for the loss of his cousin Ser Desmond Redwyne. The Lord Captain was married to Humfrey's older sister, Lady Denyse, and is survived by her and their son Denys. Ser Normund Flowers spoke jovially with his father Lord Mullendore of Uplands, one of the bannermen of House Hightower along with the Cuys, Bulwers, Beesburys, and Costaynes. Humfrey happily reunited with his parents Lord Leyton and Lady Rhea, and I was introduced to four unexpected people accompanying them. The first was his daughter Lady Malora Hightower, known as the "Mad Maid" by some, a few years my senior with Valyrian looks and most curiously, a crow perched on her shoulder. The second and third guests were Archmaester Marwyn the Mage and an acolyte named Barneby, the acolyte joined the trade expedition on behalf of the Citadel while Marwyn was picked up in Asshai. The fourth was, to my surprise, a Lhazareen woman who introduced herself as Mirri Maz Duur, a name I vaguely recognized but unsure from where. When I asked the Archmaester why they were here and not the Citadel, he simply replied he wanted to study my "unique gift with the spotted whales", with a knowing look. I was caught off guard by the causal mention of my skinchanging when Lord Hightower intervened and ask if we could meet in my solar tomorrow morning and I agreed.
Which brings me to now.
I currently sit at the head table with Gerion, Wyman, and the other Lord Captains watching the lords gather for the Director's Meeting, the atmosphere in the Great Hall a bittersweet mix of triumph and silent morning. The large room illuminated by a mixture of torches and whale oil lamps with a twenty-foot-long humpback whale skull mounted on the wall behind me, a trophy of the first successful whale hunt with the orcas. Coincidently, on the wall to my right is a painting by Lucos commemorating the event in vivid detail from the blood spouting out of the mother's blowhole to its look of anguish watching the orcas hold her calf upside down to drown it.
"My Lords and Directors, I thank you all for being here at the fifth Director's Meeting and welcome you to Castle Warg!" I announce to polite applause, maids and servers walk out to the tables and place tankards of Wolfsport black beer to the guests.
I flash a grateful smile and briefly nod to the maid serving me, recognizing her as Katiya, one of the new maids working in the castle. Her tanned skin, dark brown eyes and hair give her away as a former pillow slave, who rather than work in the brothels, sought either work or marriage as a means to escape the sex trade. She is among a dozen new maids who call this castle home and has already proven popular with the guards.
"Lord Director, will you start us off with the after-action report?" I turn to Gerion, who smiles and begins.
"In total, despite the loss of two ships, the expedition made roughly sixty thousand dragons in trade goods such as saffron, porcelain, silks, jade, glass…" Gerion starts his report but I'm distracted by movement above us.
My eyes flicker over to a crow landing in the rafters from across the room and I'm about to dismiss it when it turns its head. Milky white eyes gaze down on the occupants in the room, but keeps subtly moving its head, as if searching for someone specific, before feeling it's eyes settle on me. I lock myself in a staring contest with the bird only to admit defeat two minutes later. I have a sneaking suspicion on whose skinchanging and my eyes flicker to Lord Hightower sitting next to Marwyn the Mage, both giving me knowing grins despite facing away from the crow. A silent exchange between us promises to discuss this tomorrow.
"…And now the price of stocks has risen to eight-and-thirty dragons a share, an increase of six dragons from before the expedition!" Gerion finishes to polite applause.
"It's good to hear the expedition was a success but what how'd the whole voyage go? Wyman has been sparse on the details." I take a sip of black beer when Ser Jason Mallister responds.
"The first leg of the voyage was for the most part uneventful. First, we sailed to Volantis but were still unable to meet with any of the triarchs so we traded in the western half of the city. During our time there, we spoke with various merchants and confirmed the existence of the Silver Law in Yi-Ti."
"Indeed, I was able to meet with Volantene merchants who've traded in the far east and they confirmed your claims. Once this was known, we traded our goods for silver in the ports leading to Yi-Ti." Lord Serrett of Silverhill chimes in.
The Silver Law seems to be Yi-Ti's version of the Single Whip Law of Ming dynasty China, both laws consolidating most taxes, such as labor, land, or poll taxes into a single tax paid in silver. This has the side-effect of creating a huge demand for silver in Yi-Ti, something I have no doubt Lord Serrett took advantage of, owning the largest silver mine in the Seven Kingdoms.
"Once we left Volantis, we sailed around the Doom of Valyria and sailed to the Isle of Cedars to resupply and investigate it's suitability for hosting a trading post. We landed around two miles south of the ruins of Velos, a slave city said to have been washed away by a tidal wave created by the Doom." Ser Sebaston Farman takes over. "The isle is deserted; we found no settlements other than ruins and the animals have lost all fear of man. We used the cedars to make repairs on the fleet and hunted large black boars to fill our larders. The monkeys were a nuisance, and despite our efforts, infested our ships."
"So, who owns the island? Astapor? New Ghis?" I ask, wondering if we could set up a trading post there.
"No one controls or has settled on the isle but Elyria, Tolos, Meeren, Yunkai, Astapor, New Ghis all laid claim to it in the past. Since then, only Elyria and Tolos have dropped their claims to the island…" Ser Sebaston begins to answer.
"…Meaning we'd have to negotiate with four cities to get a trading post approved." I finish with a frown before asking the heir to Fair Isle. "When you visited the cities of Slaver's Bay, did you manage to acquire such permission?"
"Out of all the cities in Slaver's Bay, only the island of Elyria allowed for the construction of a trading post, all other cities rejected trading posts being built in their cities. As for the Isle of Cedars, Meeren and Yunkai, despite their claims, told us they have no issues with us building a small trading post on the southern tip of the island near Velos. Astapor and New Ghis, on the other hand, both rejected our reasonable request, seeing it as an intrusion on their claimed land." Ser Sebaston responds.
"Alright, a trading post in Elyria isn't too bad considering we doubted any city in Slaver's Bay would welcome us. I propose we negotiate with Astapor and New Ghis to build a trading post on the Isle of Cedars, both to increase trade and have a future stopover point for voyages to Yi-Ti." I calmly state to the directors, who begin to debate the merits of establishing a foothold on the Isle of Cedars. The Northerners were against it, viewing it as a waste of time and resources while the Riverland and Westerland lords were in favor, arguing it not only could be a moneymaker, but opened the way to future expansion. I glance upwards towards the support beams and see the milk-eyed crow still observing us, head tilting towards whomever is speaking, only for both of us to drawn by the voice of Lord Leyton Hightower.
"I agree with the proposal to establish a trading post on the Isle of Cedars!" The Lord of Oldtown states to the agreement of his bannermen and Lord Redwyne, decisively swinging the debate towards at least attempting to build the trading post.
"The ayes have it! The company will negotiate with Astapor and New Ghis to establish a trading post on the Isle of Cedars if possible. This will be used in support of our new trading post in Elyria and as a supply stop to future endeavors in the far east." I proclaim to the mutters of the various lords. "Right, so then you sailed for Qarth…"
"Aye, we sailed into Qarth and were able to meet with the Pureborn that rule the city, due to the trade ties between Qarth and House Hightower and Redwyne. With Ser Desmond Redwyne leading negotiations, we were able to secure a small trading post in Qarth!" Ser Stevron took over and my eyes widen.
"That's fantastic! Having even a single, tiny foothold in the Jade Gates will be invaluable!" I exclaim.
"Aye, after we met with the Pureborn, we met with the three main trading guilds of Qarth, The Thirteen, the Tourmaline Brotherhood, and the Ancient Guild of Spicers. All three were interested in trade and it was through the Tourmaline Brotherhood that we hired a family of Yi-Tish silk merchants to serve as translators. Then we flew through the Jade Gates with the easterly winds at our backs at full speed before reaching our first city in Yi-Ti, the largest port in the western provinces, Asabhad…" Ser Stevron started but other lords began chiming in their own descriptions of Yi-Ti and, to the Westerosi, the mythical east.
They describe tall buildings with slanted tile rooftops that curled upwards at the ends, holy men with walking sticks in bright orange and yellow robes that patrolled the streets at dawn asking the people for rice in return for blessings, streets filled with horses, camels, and elephants. The city, despite being the smallest of "Three Great Ports" of Yi-Ti, was estimated to be roughly the size of King's Landing but unlike our capital, didn't smell like shit. Through their translators being merchants in the weakest of the three main merchant clans, they gained an audience with the local governor Zhang Wu, who threw them a lavish feast.
The lords describe exotic foods of all flavors of sweet, sour, savory, or spicy served with various kinds of rice, a crop the Westerosi were developing a growing familiarity with. It's still not cultivated outside of my attempts in Sea Dragon Point but some lords are importing dried rice and a few rice dishes such as Summer Islander jollof rice are making their way to the dinner tables of the rich and influential. I've even heard it's become a favorite of the king and queen.
Then they describe trying "mifen" and I scrunch my face in confusion at the foreign word. When I ask them about it, they describe it as a long, thin, starchy substance made from rice, and I realize they're describing rice noodles. Some of the dishes sound vaguely like Chinese dishes like chow mein and orange chicken, the latter being a particular favorite amongst the lords, and some that I've never heard of.
"I'll have to try this 'orange chicken' at some point but how did your negotiations with the governor go?" I ask.
"We were fortunate to hire the merchants from the Liu Clan, as Asabhad is their homeport and they have great sway over the governor. Through Liu Wei, we agreed to a deal with the Liu Clan and the governor, they will allow us to establish a trading post in Asabhad and in exchange for their help in getting a trading post in their capital, the company will trade exclusively with the Liu Clan and not with their rivals, the Jin and Huai clans." My goodcousin Tytos Blackwood says and my eyes widen.
"We got a trading post in Yi-Ti!? Even if it's in the smallest of the Three Great Ports that's still a great boon to the company! Did the Liu Clan pull through and get us a trading post in Yin?" I ask with palpable excitement.
"Unfortunately, no. While they were able to secure us an audience with the emperor's heir Prince Bu Gai, the Jin Clan hold great sway over the capital and imperial family. They used their influence to convince the prince to block any trading post from being built. The Liu Clan, surprisingly, compensated us for their failure to get us a trading post in Yin by doubling the size of the previously agreed one in Asabhad." Tytos says to my surprise.
"Why did they do that?" I ask.
"It's a part of Yi-Tish culture to take one's oaths and agreements with grave seriousness. If one cannot fulfill an oath or agreement, they must offer something in compensation. They will expect this of us as well." Tytos answers and the lords begin to describe Yin, the capital of Yi-Ti.
Great treasure ships over five hundred feet long docked in the massive harbor of the "City of Two Million Souls". I see the awe in their eyes when they speak of the great, far-off capital and it's immense size. Just the imperial palace alone is larger than all of King's Landing and only makes up about a fifth of the city's area. They describe a marketplace larger than Wolfsport and claim that to walk from one wall to another would take someone from dawn to dusk. The closest city they could compare it to is Braavos, due to the many canals that weave through the city. But unlike Braavos, the canals weave through perfectly straight streets arranged in a grid pattern similar to many American cities.
The way they talk about the Yi-Tish cities, I get the impression that Asabhad is the Lannisport to Yin's King's Landing and the furthest east of the Three Great Ports, Jinqi, is the Oldtown. They describe the political situation as Emperor Bu Dai, the six-and-tenth Azure Emperor, with a general named Pol Qo are in the northern provinces fighting against an invasion by the Jogos Nhai. His son and heir, Prince Bu Gai rules Yin in his father's place from the gargantuan imperial palace. He has over a dozen siblings from his mother and the emperor's concubines, with one half brother in particular rumored to have ties to the Cult of Starry Wisdom. Some even claim he makes secret trips to Asshai to learn forbidden sorcery.
"Prince Bu Gai took a great interest in our clipper ships after the Liu Clan boasted of their speed. We demonstrated by having the Swiftwind take part in a large ship race involving many Yi-Tish highborn. The Yi-Tish used fast paddle ships they called 'Quanlis' that could sail up to three-and-ten knots, fast but no fast enough. Our victory took the imperial court by storm and the prince responded by 'demonstrating the power of Yi-Ti arms' to us. He had warriors parade with strange spears with tubes tied under the spearhead. They lit a piece of rope at the end of the tube and pointed at the targets. We were confused at first, wondering why they were wielding spears almost like crossbows when thunderous sounds came from the tubes and a stream of flames burst forth and hit their targets some ten feet away. When we asked them what these fearsome weapons were, they told us they're called fire lances and use something called dragonpowder." Wyman explains and I'm left stunned at the revelation that gunpowder exists in this world.
"What are your thoughts on these fire lances? Did you acquire any?" I ask as casually as I can, nervous that I might have a Westerosi arms race on my hands.
"They're certainly fearsome and quite powerful but have many drawbacks…" Gerion begins a debate between the lords on the merits of the fire lances both praising their power but criticizing the short range and the lengthy time it takes to set up another shot. I feel relief that most seem to have a similar view to Gerion, a curious novelty that could find a place on the Westerosi battlefield but weren't any magical Wunderwaffen.
"…We weren't able to acquire any fire lances in Yi-Ti as the Prince expressly forbid their sale to us. But we were able to buy a dozen made from a sturdy plant called bamboo in the city of Leng Yi on the northern coast of Leng, on our way to Jinqi. One has been gifted to the Citadel for study while a few lords like my brother have kept one for themselves. Have no fear Lord Seastark, we saved one for you!" Gerion says. Wyman receives a something long and clothed from a servant and places it on the table in front of me and unwraps it to reveal an eight foot long three-pronged iron spear with the shaft made of bamboo. An empty tube also made of bamboo is detached and placed next to it.
"It's… cruder than I expected." I say as I analyze every detail before noticing the lords leaning in closer to see my reaction.
"Aye, the Yi-Tish fire lances are made of better materials and are superior to these Lengi ones. But I have no doubt either you or the Citadel will make a fire lance as good if not better than the ones they have in Yi-Ti!" Wyman exclaims and the lords chuckle.
"I'm sure I can make a functional fire lance… any other curious weapons?" I ask.
"The only other one was in Leng Yi, where we saw a strange two-wheel cart being dragged by a horse. It had what looked like one hundred arrows sticking out of it with similar tubes of dragonpowder to the fire lances. When we asked, the locals called it a hwacha. We unfortunately, didn't see it being fired." Ser Sebaston chimes in. I recognize the name from studying the Imjin War back on Earth and I look to see the other lords reactions. I notice Lord Hightower and Gerion being the most intrigued by the potential of hwachas and fire lances whereas most lords, while not dismissive of them, didn't think much of the weapons.
"So, how did trade go with the Yi-Tish? Did they only trade in silver?" I nod and change the subject.
"More or less. They didn't have much interest in our trade goods other than silver. They seem to possess at least as much gold as the Westerlands, so they have little interest in it and our wares didn't fetch a high price. Only silver gave us a good rate in trading for saffron, silks, paper and other goods and we could only carry so much silver on the clippers." Ser Jason explains and I nod.
"So, you stopped in Leng Yi and Jinqi after the capital, any luck there?" I ask and Lord Redwyne responds.
"No, the descendants of Yi-Tish colonists that rule Leng Yi refused a trading post, only allowing foreign merchants to stay up to five days under penalty of death and the great port of Jinqi is in under the sway of the Huai Clan, rivals to the Jin and Liu clans and used their influence to block any trading post in the city."
I could only shrug at Lord Redwyne's words as a trading post in one of the Three Great Ports, even in the smallest one, is still great for long-term trade with Yi-Ti. "What happened when you sailed out of Jinqi?"
Ser Stevron is the one who answers my question. "We let the trade winds carry us down to Asshai, a cursed city that's size dwarfs even Yin yet feels so empty! Every brick made of oily black stone and the city is cut in half by a river that glows an eerily green at night. The most unnerving part was that there were no children or animals to be seen and the few animals that are brought die within days! At least it helped us with our monkey infestation that plagued us since the Isle of Cedars!" A few lords chuckle but most looked unnerved when recalling details of Asshai.
"We stayed for only a single day and night. Archmaester Marwyn happened to be in the city studying… Er what were you studying?" Ser Stevron asks Marwyn, who gives a smile revealing teeth stained red from chewing sourleaf.
"The cultures of the far east and it's history, particularly the Great Empire of the Dawn. I have a theory that they were the first to create dragons in the what is now known as the Shadowlands and spread them across Essos. When the empire fell, someone with dragon knowledge eventually travelled west and taught the ancient Valyrian shepherds how to train dragons! I have another theory that the Great Empire was not centered in what is today Yi-Ti but rather in…" Marwyn enthusiastically starts before being cut off by Ser Jason, who's oblivious to my frustration at being interrupted from hearing Marwyn's lore drops.
"As interesting as that is, we still need to finish this meeting…" The heir to Seaguard cuts in. I reluctantly allow the meeting to get back on track but exchange a look with Marwyn to let him know I am interested in his theories.
He clears his throat. "Er, right. Where was I? Oh, yes! I was staying in a large abandoned building with a few Lhazareen godswives when the trade voyage arrived. Met them at the docks and helped them navigate the city's dark streets to the main marketplace." Marwyn continues.
"We didn't trade much in Asshai as they were most interested in importing food, which we didn't have in large quantities. But we were able to able to trade some of the goods from Yi-Ti for rarer gemstones like blood diamonds, jadeite, and Taafeite…" Ser Jason explains as Wyman leans in close.
"Don't worry cousin, I acquired some dragonglass, half a crate load. But a strange thing happened…" Wyman whispers as I tilt my head and lean a bit closer.
"After I made the trade, a masked Yi-Tish shadowbinder in elaborate, yellow silk robes bumped into me. Introduced himself as Chai Zedong, and asked me in broken Common Tongue if I was the 'black wolf who fell from the stars' or something like that. When I told him I wasn't, he warned me to 'watch for the bleeding star'. Any ideas on what he meant?" Wyman's words cause my blood to freeze, tankard hovering inches from my lips. I glance down at the tankard; thankful I wasn't taking a sip for if I was I would've surely done a spit take. I take a sip before looking at Wyman, trying to pretend I haven't been caught off guard by the passing mention of me being from Earth. I steady my nerves at the thought of some crazy shadowbinder knowing my deepest secret, one I've told no one. I could tell my family I'm a skinchanger, but I could never tell them about my previous life. Then on top of that, he knows about the upcoming apocalypse, meaning I can't dismiss his words, no matter how insane they might sound.
"No idea about the first, but I'll tell you about the second one later." I lie with a shrug before turning my attention back to the meeting.
"…meeting with the Council of Nine that govern the city to establish a trading post in the city." Ser Jason finishes.
"You got a trading post in Asshai!" I exclaim.
"Yes, it was surprisingly easy to convince them. For all their dark and sinister sorceries, they're a people eager for trade. They were also curious of our lands, having heard of the Hightower and the gold of Casterly Rock. After the meeting we stayed the night with Marwyn and the godwives. When we set off in the morning with Marwyn, one of the godwives who Marwyn taught Common Tongue wished to travel with us and see our lands. And then we set off." Gerion takes over.
"For the Manticore Islands?" I guess.
"No, we sailed south across the Saffron Straits to Ulthos. The trade winds blew heavily to the west out of the straits, making it impossible to sail eastwards without going against the winds. We landed on the northwest corner of Ulthos, on a point we named "Seastark Point" since I was among the first to touch foot on the continent!" Wyman takes over from Gerion.
"Oh, did you find anything? What was Ulthos like?" I ask with intense curiosity since Ulthos is the far-off continent that's barely known to the maesters and Westeros.
"It was dense jungle with all manor of exotic creatures from massive narrow-snouted lizard-lions that were at least thirty feet long, long-jawed striped wolflike creatures that hold their young in pouches on their stomachs, large spiders the size of dinnerplates, but the worse was in the trees. When we were foraging for food, Ser Jasper Cuy was attacked by a strange bear the size of a large dog! The beast dropped down on him from the trees and bit him in the shoulder with large fangs! We managed to slay the beast and save Ser Jasper but the men were shaken from their encounter with what we're calling the 'drop bear'. We only stayed three days but we hunted and collected as many plants and animals for ourselves and the citadel, we have some pelts to show you!" Ser Stevron says as a servant brings over two pelts, one that appears suspiciously like a thylacine or "Tasmanian tiger" while the other looked like a large koala tweaked out on meth, with gnarly two-inch-long canines and brown fur instead of gray.
"The first pelt is from what we're calling a 'tigerwolf'…" Ser Sebaston gestures to the thylacine pelt. "… the second is from the drop bear." He gestures to the mutated koala pelt with a shiver.
"Fascinating…" I mumble, still stunned at seeing the pelts of two Australian animals, one extinct and one fictional. So, if Ulthos is this world's Australia with even more dangerous wildlife, did that mean there were aboriginals living there?
"Did you encounter any natives?" I inquire.
"No, but our translators claim that Yi-Tish traders have sailed around Ulthos to reach the lands of far eastern Essos. They estimate the continent is roughly the size of Essos from the Narrow Sea to the Bone Mountains. The northern coast, where we briefly landed, is dense jungle. The western and southern coasts are hot, dry deserts in contrast to the eastern coast with a mild climate similar to the Crownlands. The Yi-Tish say that most of the natives live in the east in small petty kingdoms with scattered tribes throughout the rest. They describe the petty kingdoms as poor and backwards, with the coastal settlements under constant raids from the Ma-Ori raiders of Aotearoa and adventurous pirates. Come to think of it, didn't Marwyn acquire a map of Ulthos?" Ser Jason looks at the Archmaester quizzically.
"Aye, I acquired a map of the continent from a Yi-Tish merchant in Asshai for a hefty price. The original is in the Citadel, but I have brought a redrawing of the map I sketched myself." Marwyn confirms and rolls out the newer map onto the table, with many lords leaning over to get a look at it, myself being one of them.
The northwest corner matches what little of Ulthos is on the official maps but diverges from there. The general shape of the continent can be described as "Australia flipped upside down". I notice only the coastline is mapped out, with the interior empty save for a small written note reading "Inland Sea?". The only marked settlements are in the southeastern coast, with strange names like Dieri, Wiradjuri, Jajaurung, Kurnai, andYuin. Hundreds of miles off to the east are three large islands with dozens of smaller islands surrounding them. They looked like someone switched the locations of the North and South Islands of New Zealand and added a doubled sized Tasmania, rotated ninety degrees clockwise so it's southern point is facing west. The shape of the islands are noticeably less detailed and there are fewer settlements marked like Taranaki, Waikato, and Otago. If I had to guess, it's because the Yi-Tish merchants had less contact with the Ma-Ori than the native Ulthosi.
"My lords, hold your heads up high. Not only did you succeed in acquiring wealth in spite of great hardship, but you have expanded our knowledge of the world. Ulthos was once a continent unknown to us like Sothoryos, but no longer!" I exclaim, gesturing to the map. The lords who went on the expedition begin holding straightening their backs and holding their heads a bit higher. They grin and exchange knowing looks with those who travelled with them, regardless of house or kingdom. "You have set foot on Ulthos and with this map, you opened the door for further exploration, trade, and more!" I finish, witnessing the sense of accomplishment fill their faces.
"Ha! And we're haven't even told you of the way back! We still saw and did much!" Wyman exclaims.
"Aye, once we set sail from Seastark Point for the Manticore Islands…" Gerion starts and I grin at hearing the name. "…The natives were unfriendly and didn't wish to trade. So, we headed for Marahai but we were hit by a storm. That is when we lost the Northern Swallow and the Grapevine…" When the names of the ships are spoken, a hush falls on the room. Lords silently morning friends and family aboard the lost ships.
"Eight battered clippers survived, but were blown off course. With the damage to our ships, we had no choice but to make for the closest port for repairs. We were in no shape to make it to Great Moraq, let alone back home. We sailed until we saw land and after some time, we figured out we were on the southern shore of Leng and made for Turrani, capital of the island, where the god empress rules. We saw a city the size of Oldtown with a hundred-foot-tall pink sandstone walls surrounding buildings similar to those in Yi-Ti and a palace the size of the Red Keep. We were met with a mix of curiosity and weariness from the tall Lengii, who seemed unsure what to do with us until someone from the palace came and inspected our ships from the dock. When he was done, he told us through a translator that we were being summoned by the god-empress. Gerion, Ser Jason, Ser Garth, Marwyn, Liu Wei, and myself went to meet with her. Liu Wei was our translator but Marwyn knows Yi-Tish, so he listened to make sure they were translating honestly." Wyman explains.
"We met God-Empress Leng Chiara and her two prince consorts, one Lengii and one Yi-Tish in her lavish throne room, full of toad and salamander statues with gemstone eyes. The law of the land is outsiders can only stay up to five days but our ships were going to take longer than that to repair. We told her our story and plead our case. When the administrator who escorted us confirmed our words, the God-Empress permitted us to stay until our ships were repaired. Once that was sorted, we were invited to dine with the imperial family…" Gerion speaks of an opulent dining room with large crystal chandeliers and gem-encrusted silverware.
Of delicious foods like a mifen soup filled with spices, a chicken drumstick, pickled mustard greens, shallots, crispy fried mifen, scallions, peppers, and a squeeze of lime called khao soi. I vaguely recognize the name of a Thai food but have no idea if it's the same thing. The desert, however, I do recognize: mango sticky rice. It's difficult to pretend I've never heard of or tried mango while watching them rant and rave about how delicious mangoes are, going as far as to buy dried mango for the return trip.
They describe how tall the imperial family, the god-empress, her two husbands, and two daughters were. God Empress Chiara and her Lengii husband were both eight feet tall and towered over them and her Yi-Tish husband, who stood a little over five-and-a-half-feet tall. The eldest princess and heir is from her Yi-Tish husband is two-and-ten and was near six feet tall while her ten namedays old Lengii sister matched her height.
The imperial family were intrigued by them and the clippers, having caught wind of a certain Northern ship winning a race in Yin. They answer their questions while not divulging the secrets to the clippers inquired if setting up a trading post was allowed. They received a polite, but firm rejection. The god-empress explaining that there is cultural distrust of outsiders that stems from their history with Yi-Ti. A tumultuous and bloody relationship that culminated in Yi-Ti conquering the island and ruling for thousands of years, settling its people. To this day, the northern two thirds of the island is majority Yi-Tish while only the southern one third where Turrani is located are the Lengii the majority. Four hundred years ago, the Lengii and the descendants of the Yi-Tish settles revolted against Yin rule and after years of bloody war, won their independence. Since then, the two peoples have intermarried and melded their cultures and faiths together but maintained a dim and paranoid view of outsiders. Ultimately they could not gain a trading post, only that the company was welcome to trade in any port in Leng and that the god-empress will raise the number of days outsiders are allowed to stay from five to twenty. They still parted on good terms with the imperial family and spent the next ten days fixing their ships and trading with the Lengii for dried mangoes and curry powder.
Then they sailed for Marahai, a crescent shaped island with two volcanic islands similar to Dragonstone and Skagos.
"A true paradise!" Ser Stevron says and I see many lords nod. "We sailed into Chattaluru, great port city of the shan, or king in their tongue. We traded in a massive bazaar or marketplace and saw colorful temples with hundreds of statues carved on the outside, each to a god or goddess! We learned of their strict caste system between the highborn, priests, warriors, merchants, farmers, and what they call untouchables! Of how they hold cows so sacred they refuse they eat them…" As Ser Stevron continues to describe Marahai, I find myself intrigued by the obvious similarities to Indian Hindu culture from Earth. "…Then we dined with the Rajah and negotiated a small trading post in Chattaluru as we enjoyed a variety of delicious curries, clay oven cooked chicken and their naan flatbread." I find myself growing jealous of their culinary adventure as they describe their joy at tasting Indian cuisine for the first time.
"Then we sailed for the Zabhad, on the Isle of Elephants. We found them to be similar to the people of Marahai in looks and culture with the largest difference being they hold elephants as sacred instead of cows. We eventually received an audience with the local shan, in his palace of pure ivory and discussed a trade of ivory for gold. The shan explained that gold is prized in their lands but scarce, usually importing it from Yi-Ti. But this has caused them to be nothing more than a tributary of Yin and, having heard of the Westerland's vast quantities of gold, wanted to trade with us to lessen his dependence on Yi-Ti. We of course, agreed to establish a trading post Zabhad." Gerion boasts of using his family's wealth to gain a trading post.
They talk of sailing to Port Moraq, on the southern tip of the large island of Great Moraq, only to find the city under siege from a peasant uprising over taxes. They quickly sold what food they had for a steep markup and then left as the gates were being assaulted for Faros on the northwestern end of the island. There they found a strange people who worshipped a giant stone cow carved from an oily black stone. They met with the local shan but couldn't get a trading post and sailed for Vahar.
Vahar is described by the lords as similar to Marahai and the Isle of Elephants, with the shan living in a palace that sounds suspiciously like the Taj Mahal and more Indian cuisine. The shan happened to be looking to trade more with the west, though originally with Slaver's Bay and Volantis, and was more than happy to establish a trading post in Vahar.
From there, they sailed to Dalhad on the northern tip of Lesser Moraq only to find it at war with another city called Kolkatagar. Unlike Port Moraq, the city wasn't under siege or blockade but the war meant the shan wasn't interested in trade. Then they made the treacherous journey along the corsair's road, the name given to the sea route that goes north of Wyvern Point through the Basilisk Isles. They skirted the northern edges of the pirate haven, having to sail full speed away from pirates when they passed Skull Island before reaching the relative safety of the Summer Islands.
Wyman finishes telling how they sailed back to Oldtown from the Summer Islands, selling exotic spices, gemstones, silks, paper, rice wines, and saffron in Oldtown, Lannisport, Seaguard, and now Wolfsport.
"The dried mango you brought back was delicious! If that's how it tastes dried, I want to taste one fresh!" Lord Hightower comments to several lords agreement before polishing off his black beer.
"Well, I'll certainly have to try some if there's any left. But I'm impressed with the success of the expedition! Seven trading posts, among them being Qarth, Yi-Ti, and Asshai is worthy of celebration! I think we can safely declare the trade expedition a success." I get some chuckles from the lords. We discuss setting up another expedition to the east and whether or not to include Ulthos. Ultimately, we decide to wait for the next Director's meeting to decide on including the new continent or not.
"My Lords, I declare this meeting adjourned! We can bring in the ladies and the food! While I can't throw a feast in winter, that doesn't mean I didn't prepare a good hearty meal for your return." I announce and the lords sound interested in food to go with their black beer. I turn to Wyman. "It's your favorite, pulled pork barbecue and coleslaw!" I watch my cousin's eyes light up with joy at eating whole hog cooked in a pit for hours before being pulled and marinated in a vinegar-based sauce reminiscent of eastern North Carolina barbecue.
As Wyman starts to explain the dish to the guests, I glance up to the rafters to see the crow gone, unsure when it left as the last time I saw it we were talking about the Isle of Elephants. Standing up to stretch my legs like many of the other lords were currently doing when Marwyn makes his way towards me.
"I see our feathery eavesdropper has left." The mage whispers as he strolls up besides me, tankard in hand. I polish off my tankard as servants begin setting the tables with plates and silverware, ignored by the lords standing around discussing the meeting.
"How long has she had her gift?" I whisper back, watching Lord Hightower engage in conversation with Lord Dustin and Ser Jason but unable to hear their words.
"From her first moonblood, she bonded with the same crow you see here today. Her family is aware of her gift and are fully aware of how her kind are seen by Andals and the Faith. It's the reason she's never been married off, her father hid it by claiming she's barren and kept her in the Hightower most of her life." Marwyn finishes his tankard and we walk to a large barrel with the Wolfsport brew.
"So, why is her father bringing her here?" I ask quietly as I fill up my tankard.
"Heard from his son that you have the same gift and he wanted to get her out of the Hightower and making friends." Marwyn replies in a low voice. I swear under my breath as I finish filling my tankard and let the mage fill his.
"I've been trying to keep it a secret to not deal with the Faith. But it makes sense that he'd know what to look for. No doubt my other fosterlings know…" I mutter and take a sip. "…What does her father expect of me, to teach her? Skinchanging into a whale is very different from a crow or a wolf."
"Oh, I know. Ancient skinchangers considered whales and dragons the two beasts closest to the human mind. This makes it impossible for all but the strongest skinchangers to control them, usually requiring a magical artifact to bolster their power enough to overwhelm their mind. I'm curious as to how you manage to accomplish this with spotted whales." Marwyn finishes filling his tankard and we head back to the floor.
Suddenly, the main doors open, with the ladies and guests not present at the meeting streaming in. I see Elsa make her way to my cousin, the godswife Mirri Maz Duur returning from meeting her Lhazareen brethren in the city, Tyrion and Ser Jaime happily chatting, and my wife walking with Malora Hightower, Jeyne Clifton, and Sybell Westerling. My eyes meet Myrra's and we exchange a brief smile before they flicker to the Malora, crow nowhere to be found, but she flashes a knowing grin.
"Come sit with my family tonight…" I say as the servants begin to bring in the food, the familiar scent of barbecue pulled pork wafting through the Great Hall as the lords and ladies begin to head for the tables. "…You can tell me about your theories on the Great Empire of the Dawn and I can tell you a bit about the spotted whales."
Marwyn smiles. "I'd be honored, Lord Seastark."
A/N: Sorry, this took forever. Work was hectic and I rewrote the Asshai part three times. So now the expedition to Yi-Ti is back and they've been very successful in both getting rich and finding maps! Worldbuilding this area is both challenging and fun because there's almost nothing on this area of the world. Leng I'm imagining having a Thai/Vietnamese like culture and Khao Soi is a real dish and it's delicious. The islands south of them and Yi-Ti I'm making culturally Indian, since there isn't any India-expy that we know of. For Ulthos, it's Australia on crack with drop-bears and all, but it's still more hospitable than Sorthoryos. The Ulthosi are based on Australian Aboriginals but will be somewhat more advanced than their Earth counterparts due to limited trade with Yi-Ti (and others). The Ma-Ori are obviously based on the Maori of New Zealand, because I think they don't get enough representation. Aotearoa is divided between many tribes who raid each other and the nearby Ulthosi while sometimes trading with outsiders. Enjoy