The Planky Town is a trading town that lies at the mouth of the Greenblood in Dorne, near Lemonwood. The largest and most populous settlement in Dorne,[1] the Planky Town has a harbor that sees trading vessels.[2]
Layout
[edit]The Planky Town is larger and more populated than the shadow city by Sunspear.[1]. Some consider the Planky Town, the chief harbor of Dorne, to be the closest the Dornish have to a true city.[1]
The town sits at the mouth of the Greenblood, with planks instead of streets lending to its name.[1] The Planky Town is a settlement that floats upon the river. The houses, halls, and shops are made of poleboats, barges, and merchant ships, lashed together with hempen rope and floating on the tide.[1][3] A nearby citadel built by House Martell helps protect the Planky Town.[4]
The trading galleys of the Free Cities are known to call upon the Planky Town.[4][5] The orphans of the Greenblood trade with merchants from across the narrow sea at the Planky Town.[6]
History
[edit]The Red Princes lashed together poleboats and ferries built by the orphans of the Greenblood, to create the Planky Town as a gathering place. As the Planky Town grew popular with traders from the Free Cities, the subsequent Princes of Dorne built a citadel nearby to guard it.[4] The Planky Town flourished under the rule of House Martell.[7]
Towards the end of Aegon's Conquest, Queen Rhaenys Targaryen came upon the Planky Town from her dragon, Meraxes. However, she found the town inhabited only by a handful of old women and small children.[3][8] Rhaenys later initiated the First Dornish War in 4 AC when she burned the town from Meraxes until the whole mouth of the Greenblood was choked with burning ships. The smoke of the Planky Town was said to be visible from Sunspear. The town's residents took to the river for refuge from the flames, so fewer than a hundred died in the attack, and most of those from drowning.[3]
During the conquest of Dorne, Lord Alyn Velaryon broke the Planky Town and sailed up the Greenblood while most of the Dornish strength was in the Prince's Pass.[9][10] When the Dornishmen rebelled against the Iron Throne, Lord Velaryon later returned and descended upon the Planky Town once again.[9]
A poleboat took Ser Duncan the Tall and Prince Aegon Targaryen down the Greenblood to the Planky Town, from where they sailed on White Lady to Oldtown.[2]
The game cyvasse was introduced to Westeros by a Volantene trading ship at the Planky Town. It was spread by the orphans of the Greenblood, and soon became popular among the Dornish court.[11]
Recent Events
[edit]A Feast for Crows
[edit]Garin tells Arianne Martell and her companions tales he has heard in the Planky Town.[6] Garin's mother spotted Arianne's younger brother, Prince Quentyn Martell, disguised in the Planky Town.[6]
A Dance with Dragons
[edit]Posing as merchants, Prince Quentyn Martell and his companions sail from the Planky Town to the Free Cities.[12]
Quotes
[edit]They created the Planky Town as a gathering place, lashing together the poleboats and ferries. It grew from there, and in time the princes raised a citadel nearby to guard it as more and more ships from the Free Cities found it a convenient harbor.[4]
—writings of Yandel
Garin was in a lively mood and entertained them with the latest tales from the Planky Town at the mouth of the Greenblood, where the orphans of the river came to trade with the carracks, cogs, and galleys from across the narrow sea.[6]
—thoughts of Arianne Martell
Jon: When the Young Dragon conquered Dorne, he used a goat track to bypass the Dornish watchtowers on the Boneway.
Stannis: I know that tale as well, but Daeron made too much of it in that vainglorious book of his. Ships won that war, not goat tracks. Oakenfist broke the Planky Town and swept halfway up the Greenblood whilst the main Dornish strength was engaged in the Prince's Pass.[10]
References
[edit]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The World of Ice & Fire, Dorne.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Sworn Sword.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Fire & Blood, Reign of the Dragon - The Wars of King Aegon I.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 The World of Ice & Fire, Dorne: Queer Customs of the South.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Free Cities.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 21, The Queenmaker.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Dorne: The Coming of the Rhoynar.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Reign of the Dragons: The Conquest.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Daeron I.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 17, Jon IV.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 13, The Soiled Knight.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 6, The Merchant's Man.