Chapter 85: World Map Update: City of Mantarys, The Lands of the Long Summer, Old Valyria/ The White Book Entry #4

City of Mantarys

Mantarys, known to many as a dark city of monsters, lies between the Free City of Volantis to the west and the cities of Slaver's Bay to the east, and the ruins of old Valyria and the Lands of the Long Summer to the south. Mantarys survived the devastating event known as the doom, which laid waste to the Sands of the Long Summer and Valyria to the south. Though the city was spared the physical destruction of the doom, some say that an ill air hangs over the city, leaving many of the citizens of the city to be born twisted and monstrous. The Mantaryans are fond of pickling and brining their food, and in times of war have been known to send back the heads of their enemies pickled in the same process. Mantaryans have the purest Valyrian blood in the known world, with the only exception perhaps being the Targaryens, and share many similarities with the once great civilization of Valyria.

 

 

Lands of the Long Summer

The Lands of the Long Summer were once the most fertile lands in the known world and the bread basket of old Valyria. It was a land of palaces and plantations, producing the best fruit in the world, until the doom came and destroyed the landscape, turning the land into  marshy swamps and smoldering ruins. The inland sea of sighs lays in the middle of these lands, though the cataclysmic event of the doom has turned it a pale crimson, and nothing lives in the sea. Unlike the ruins of Valyria to the south, these lands can, albeit with great difficulty be traversed, and the effects of the doom are slowly dissipating, though dangerous and thick airs remain. The Slaver Cities of Mereen and Yunkai have established colonies to work the once fertile fields, and while they are highly profitable, most of the slaves working these fields perish in under a year from exposure.

 

 

Old Valyria

Before the Doom, Valyria was the greatest civilization the earth had ever seen.  Valyria was once ruled by powerful families of well over forty dragonlords, vying for dominance, as hundreds of dragons flew the skies. The wealth of Valyria came from its mines which were often constructed into the very heart of the mountains and many volcanoes, worked by slaves to extract their vast wealth. The Valyrian Freehold expanded beyond their homeland to conquer much of western Essos, forcing every one of the Free Cities save Braavos under the authority of their dragon banners The architecture of Valyria was said to be beyond parallel, with huge towers cutting into the sky and walls of shining minerals protected their vast cities, while their blades, known today as Valyrian Steel were the finest in the world, and while many exist to this day, the art of creating them remains a mystery. The cause of the doom and the fall destruction of old Valyria are unknown to this day. Some say the Dragonlords ‘’flew too close to the sun’’ and were struck down for their hubris, while others say they were punished for their sins and use of dark magic. Others still claim that their mines tunneled too far into the heart of the volcanoes and discovered something men were not meant to see.

The cause of the event notwithstanding, Valyria was destroyed, the fourteen flames, a huge chain of volcanoes erupted, with the air growing so hot that dragons fell from the sky  while the people of Valyria perished to a man. The Targaryens, while never the most powerful of the Dragonlords, were the only family with dragons to survive the doom as years before,, a prophetic dream by one of his daughters caused the Targaryen patriarch to relocate his family to Dragonstone from Valyria. Today Valyria is but ruins, covered by a red sky and surrounded by the smoking sea, which many claim submerge the fourteen flames, it is said that any sailor that looks upon the red sky and fires of Valyria will die a horrible death, and thousands of ambitious men have disappeared trying to reclaim the ruins of Valyria, entire armies disappearing to a man.

While the civilization of Valyria is gone, the blood of the Valyrians remain. The cities of Mantarys, Tolos and Elyria to the north of the ruins are inhabited by those with much Valyrian blood, while many of the denizens of the Free Cities have some Valyrian blood dating back to their conquest by the Valyrian Freehold. In Westeros as well there are still noble houses with Valyrian blood, most prominent are the Targaryens, however the Velaryons of Driftmark and the Celtigars of Claw Isle also are descended from the Valyrian Freehold

 

 

Deeds and Accomplishments of the Sworn Brothers of the Kingsguard

 

 

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Duncan Lake, the “Wheeled Knight’’

Duncan Lake was a northman of minor nobility from the shores of Long Lake who served as a member of King Vaemonds Kingsguard. Shortly after his appointment however, he was struck with a debilitating cancer which left him without the use of his legs and he was confined to a wheeled chair built by the Maesters, though King Vaemond allowed him to retain his white cloak. Despite being known to this day as the ‘’Wheeled Knight’’ Duncan Lake was the first member of the Kingsguard to not be a knight, having never been anointed with the holy oils or taking a knight's vows. Despite this, he was known throughout the castle for his kind and charitable nature and had been a brave warrior in his youth. Despite his limitations, Duncan Lake did his duty to the best of his ability, often watching over the children of the castle to keep them from mischief.

-Named to King Vaemonds Kingsguard at the age of twenty two in recognition for his temperament, becoming the first Northman since Ser Warrick Manderly, ‘’the Rogue Merman’’ to gain a White Cloak.

-Following the loss of the use of his legs, Duncan Lake was assigned as a protector and companion of sorts to Princess Laena and Prince Jaekar, to escort them to their studies and keep them out of trouble, a task it must be said was more difficult with Laena.

-Succumbed to his illness in 43 AC at the age of 34.

 

 

Ser Roderick Mooton ‘’The Trout of the Stepstones’’

Ser Roderick Mooton was a member of King Vaemonds Kingsguard, and a grandson of Jon Mooton, Lord of Maidenpool and the man who led the Targaryen ground forces at the Field of Fire before serving as Marshal of the Realm for some years. A skilled swordsman, and hardworking in his duties, Ser Roderick Mooton served the Kingsguard well for nearly two decades until he met his end fighting pirates in the Stepstones while protecting his charge Prince Vaekar. Ser Roderick Mooton was the first sworn brother of the Kingsgaurd to meet his end in direct combat in the orders history.

-Was granted his white cloak at just 18 years of age

-Assigned as one of Prince Vaekars two sworn shields during the scouring of the Stepstones, where he fought in many battles and engagements on land and sea against raiders from the Skulls and Wreckstone.

-Knighted Prince Vaekar, son of King Vaemond the Strong and Heir to Dragonstone after the battle of Bloodstone.

-Was slain at sea fighting the surviving pirates of Malak Bloodax of the coast of Nerrisa, hereafter known as the ‘’Trout of the Stepstones’’

 

 

Ser Ryon Wells ‘’The Wandering Dornishman’’

Ser Ryon Wells was the first Dornishman to serve as a sworn brother of the Kingsguard, an appointment made largely to reward Dorne for its service during the Lion's Rebellion. While only a competent swordsman in practice, Ser Ryon Wells was known for his kindheart and often instructed the squires and knights of the castle in the theory of swordplay. Ser Ryon Wells was named as Prince Vaekars sworn shield during the Princes tour of Essos where he perished of exposure in the Lands of Always Summer south of Mantarys where he was buried.

-Was granted his white cloak at the age of twenty five, prior to this served with the Dornish army besieging Casterly Rock during the Lion's Rebellion.

-Assigned as Prince Vaekars sworn shield during the Prince's tour of Essos, accompanying him to Tyrosh, the Dothraki Sea east of Volantis and finally to Mantarys.

-While traveling south from Mantarys, Ser Ryon Wells succumbed to the foul humors in the air of the Lands of Always Summer, was buried in a small grave thousands of miles from his home, traveling further than any Kingsguard before him and coming to be known as the Wandering Dornishman.

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