Qarth
From A Wiki of Ice and Fire
Qarth is a vastly rich city on the eastern continent, home to warlocks and merchant princes. Situated in a central location, Qarth is a gateway of commerce and culture between the east and west, and the north and south. Brimming with wealth, the city's architecture makes a grand display. It is surrounded by three walls of thirty, forty, and fifty feet in height, respectively engraved with portraits of animals, war, and lovemaking. The city's buildings, are of many different colors, including rose, violet, and umber. Slender towers rise throughout the city and fountains adorn every square.
The Qartheen are a tall and pale people, called the Milk Men by the Dothraki for their complexion. They pride themselves on their sophistication and consider weeping in times of strong emotion to be a mark of civilization. Husbands and wives retain their possessions after marriage, though newlyweds are allowed by law to take one possession from their spouse as their own. Qarth is governed by the Pureborn, descendants of the city's ancient kings and queens, who rule the city from the Hall of a Thousand Thrones. The Pureborn also command the city's defenses: the Civic Guard, which includes camelry, and a great military fleet. There are three principal merchant groups that battle amongst themselves and against the Pureborn for dominance of the city. They are known as the Thirteen, the Ancient Guild of Spicers, and the Tourmaline Brotherhood.
Qarth is most famous for its warlocks, who are feared and respected throughout the East. Like the Alchemists' Guild of the Seven Kingdoms, however, the warlocks' power and prestige have waned over the years. Qarth is also home to a guild of assassins known as the Sorrowful Men, who whisper, "I am so sorry," just before they kill their victims.
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This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original content was at Across the narrow sea. |
