Meereen

**Yunkai** is the greatest of the Slaver Cities of the Valyrian Freehold, being the northernmost city on **Slaver's Bay**. It specializes in the training of crafters and miscellaneous slaves.

## History

Once a colony of Old Ghis, Meereen survived the Ghiscari wars to become a colony of the Valyrian Freehold. It has continued its ancient practice of slavery, and along with Astapor, Yunkai, and Hazdahn, forms the backbone of the slave trade in the Freehold.

## Government

Meereen is led by noble families that are known as the Great Masters. However, it does not have full autonomy thanks to the longstanding animosity between Valyria and Old Ghis. Above the Great Masters, a Valyrian-born governor is appointed to oversee the rule of Meereen.

Meereen has a basic defense of some few thousand slaves, under the command of Valyrian garrisons.

## Culture

Noble masters of Ghiscari descent wear the *tokar*. It is intentionally hard to wear, signifying the wealth and good etiquette of the wearer. Men oil their hair to twist it into strange shapes, such as wings, horns, and spikes. Women paint their nails often.

Meereenese do not often ride within the city, and instead travel by palanquin.

Dog is a delicacy in Meereen, and there are many ways to prepare it. Other dishes include honeyed locusts.

Women may only lead a house if all the men of the house die out. Female warriors are rare among the nobility, but not especially uncommon among slaves, where promising girls may be bred to fight in the pits, or as cheap soldiers.

During noble weddings, the female relatives of the groom examine the bride's womb and female parts, to ensure her fertility. Three Graces witness this ancient ritual, reciting prayers. The bride is to be stripped completely naked for this purpose. After the examinations are done, the women eat a cake baked specially for betrothals, which men are forbidden to taste. Usually, the bride is to wash the groom's feet, signifying that she will be her husband's handmaid. Under special circumstances, such as a female head of house marrying a man of lower status, the groom may wash the bride's feet. Castrati eunuchs may sing during this ritual. The bride traditionally wears a tokar of white silk, with dark red veils. The *tokar* is fringed with baby pearls, which symbolize fertility. Weddings of the highest nobility in Meereen takes place at the Temple of the Graces. The ceremony might last up to four hours, and when husband and wife emerge from the temple, they are bound together wrist and ankle with chains of yellow gold.

## Religion

Meereen follows the religion of Old Ghis, led by an all-female priesthood known as the Graces. The Green Grace is the head of the faith in Meereen, although not of the entire religion, as there are separate Green Graces in Astapor and Yunkai. Other graces involve the Blue Graces: healer-priestesses, Red Graces: temple prostitutes, White Graces: young, noble initiates, and the pink, gold, and purple graces.

## Economy

Having few natural resources since the Ghiscari Wars, Meereen is wealthy thanks to training slaves. It does not specialize like Yunkai or Astapor, and all sorts of slaves can be bought or sold: there are bed-slaves in the brothels, cheap warrior-slaves, crafters, personal servants, and those that work in the farmlands or in mines.

The fighting pits of Meereen are well-known across the world, and bring thousands of spectators, including rich traders, increasing the city's wealth. The city has a tax on the profits made in the fighting pits, allowing for some revenue for the Great Masters.

## Houses

House zo Dhazak
House zo Galare
House zo Ghazeen
House zo Hazkar
House mo Kandaq
House zo Loraq
House zo Merreq
House zo Naqqan
House zo Pahl
House zo Quazzar
House mo Reznak
House zo Rhazdar
House zo Uhlez
House zo Yherizan
House zo Zhak