Lorath

Lorath is one of the eight Free Cities of the Valyrian Freehold, found on an island in the Shivering Sea off the northern coast of Essos.

Lorath is ruled by three princes: the Harvest Prince, the Fisher Prince, and the Prince of the Streets.

History
Ancient Lorath is said to have been founded by a race of giants, called the Mazemakers, who died out thousands of years ago. The Mazemakers were followed by a hairy race of people, said to either be Ibbenese or their cousins. After the hairy men came the Andals, who founded four kingdoms on the main island, and more on the outlying islands around Lorath.

A thousand years later, Qarlon the Great united the island kingdoms of Lorath and built a great keep on the isle of Lorassyon, attempting to conquer the rest of the Andal kingdoms in Essos. In response, the Valyrian colony of Norvos closed the river off against Qarlon, causing the Andal king to march on the city. Norvos called upon the capital, and Valyria burned Qarlon and his army and razed Lorath to the ground.

For another millenium, Lorath remained uninhabited, only frequented by Ibbenese whalers. But in 3564 FF, Lorath was resettled by a group of Valyrians: those faithful to Boash, the Blind God, who wished to found a city where they could practice their religion in peace. Their efforts were a success, and attracted many settlers not devoted to the Blind God, many of whom were escaped slaves and freedmen, as Boash's followers believed all men were equal.

The newcomers rose in rebellion, vastly outnumbering the priests of Boash that had become corrupt. The priests were exiled to Lorassyon, dying out around 4000 FF, and Lorath pledged allegiance to the Freehold.

Government
Lorath's autonomy is ensured by its status as a Free City of the Valyrian Freehold. It is ruled by three princes, who rule for life:


 * The Harvest Prince, elected by landowners.
 * The Fisher Prince, elected by ship captains.
 * The Prince of the Streets, elected by the free men of Lorath.

Each prince is expected to deal with problems relating to his specific area, and the three must unanimously agree on decisions that affect all of Lorath.

There is also a council of influential magisters who guide and influence the three princes.

Culture
Lorathi culture is diverse, with its people descending from many peoples in Essos. The large majority descend from settlers who arrived from other towns and cities in northern Essos, though there is some High Valyrian populace, as well as some Rhoynish, Ibbenese, and even Jogos Nhai populace.

A cultural quirk is that Lorathi will often refer to everyone in the third person, including themselves and those they are directly speaking to.

Religion
The followers of Boash have been dead for three centuries, and Lorath follows the Free Cities tradition of worshipping sundry gods. One can encounter temples to the Lord of Light, Yndros of the Twilight, even the Church of Starry Wisdom. The Merling King and Moon-Pale Maiden are also worshipped too, and some hold the Valyrian faith in their hearts. No religion is dominant in the city, and Lorathi are very tolerant of other faiths.

Economy
Located in the Shivering Sea, Lorath's main exports are fish, salt, walrus tusks, sealskin, and whale oil. There is also a textiles industry, which specializes in producing rich velvet.

Lorath's main trading partner is Norvos to the south. It is the link between the Freehold and the further northeast, and so its main foreign trading partners are the Kingdom of Sarnor and the Kingdom of Ibben.

It seems to also be trading with a strange, secretive guild that seems to be operating around northwestern Essos.

Houses
(Open)

Characters
(Open)