South east of the Patrimony, the Golden Empire of Yi Ti was the oldest and arguably greatest
of the eastern civilizations.
Wealthier then Valyria and more ancient then Old Ghis, described as a land of a thousand
gods and a hundred princes, ruled by one god-emperor.
A successor state to the Empire of the Dawn that once ruled nearly all of far eastern
essos, tragedy struck when the Long Night fell upon the world roughly 8000 years BC,
as Eastern Tradition states it allowed for an invasion of demon monsters who were only
defeated when a hero some named Azor Ahai restored light to the world.
In order to defend against these monsters it was believed the Pearl Emperor built Five
Forts from fused black stone in the north-east, each capable of housing ten thousand men.
Collapsing from the years of hardship, the Golden Empire of Yi Ti rose from the ashes
of what remained, ruled by various dynasties over the years which sometimes came into conflict
over leadership.
Yet they faced a far worse threat along their northern border, suffering many raids by the
brutal Jogos Nhai, forcing Yi Ti to dedicate significant resources towards their defences,
even invading the plains on three occasions, though these campaigns garnered little success.
An ancient, proud, polytheistic people, their most notable gods were the Lion of Night who
mated with the Maiden made of Light to produce the God-on-Earth that originally ruled the
Empire of the Golden Dawn.
Just south of Yi Ti was Leng, a heavily forested and jungled island, home to valuable resources
like spices gemstones, and exotic animals, describes as a home to ten thousand tigers
and ten million monkeys.
Originally populated by the tall, golden eyed Lengii, the natives were strict isolationists
ruled by a god-empress who worshipped the Old Ones living in the islands subterranean
ruins.
Even after Leng started accepting merchants from Yi Ti, the Old Ones ordered them to slaughter
the foreigners on at least four occasions.
Eventually, Yi Ti conquered Leng, sealed the underground ruins, and confined all natives
to the southern third of the island.
Yet around the year 100 BC, the people of Leng rose up in rebellion and won their independence
from Yi Ti, once again falling under the rule of a god-empress, who this time took 2 husbands,
one of Yi Ti descent, the other Lengii, so that one may be in charge of the army and
the other their fleet.
While Leng did not wish to be part of the Golden Empire, both realms were able to prosper
from the Jade Sea trade route in the waters to the south.
Moving through the Jade Gates along the coast of Qarth and Great Moraq, merchants and adventurers
risked the long journey between East to West to trade for silk, gemstones, spices and other
exotic goods that might be sold for high prices in far away lands.
Passing by the Isle of Whips towards the Yi Ti settlement of Yin, the route then visits
Leng and Jinqi before moving south the Mountainous Shadow lands and mysterious city of Asshai.
Travellers may then return west past the Manticore Isles, the island of Marahai and port city
of Zabhad on the coast of the Isle of Elephants, a land ruled by the Shan from a palace of
Ivory.
Moving towards Port Moraq, the Jade sea trade route continues past the Cinnamon Straits
towards Lesser Moraq, Vahar, and Faros, where inhabitants worshipped a Stone Cow.
Although travel to the far east could provide great riches, long sea voyages presented many
dangers, as ships from Pentos, even under even the best circumstances, could take two
years to reach the Jade Sea and return.
The distance and infrequency of interactions between their peoples also meant travellers
were susceptible to foreign diseases, sometimes transporting those illnesses to spread terrible
plagues like the Grey Death which struck Pentos killing over 2000 people.*
Yet beyond even the Jade Sea Trade Route, towards the furthest eastern reaches of the
known world, more realms and civilizations existed, but were so distant and rarely contacted
that stories of these lands more often resembled myth or legend rather than reality.
Far to the North, were the Thousand islands, which may have once been a civilization that
submerged beneath the rising sea.
Despite the name, Ibbenese sailors have only counted about 300 islands, populated by a
mysterious xenophobic race of hairless, green skinned, fish-god worshipping woman that filed
their teeth into points and men that performed ritualistic circumcision.
A hostile people known to sacrifice sailors to their gods, they were also terrified of
the sea, preferring death to touching its waters.
South of the Islands were the lands of Mossovy, a great grey forest haunted by shapechanger
and demon hunters.
Then there was the Kingdom of Nghai and their sole remaining city Nefer, home to a people
kin to the Jogos Nhai who destroyed their other settlements.
Nefer, also called the secret city, was reportedly home to necromancers and torturers.
To the south east there was the Bleeding Sea, whose waters turned red from a blooming plant,
the cannibal sands where inhabitants ate the flesh of men, and the Grey waste, a cold desert
populated by raiders known to attack Yi Ti forces at the Five Forts.
Further south there was the city state of K’dath, where inhabitants performed horrific
rituals to feed their mad gods, the Land of Shrykes home to Shrieking monsters, and Bonetown,
built entirely out of Bone where traveller could trade for rare and ancient bones recovered
from the Dry Deep region nearby.
To the South bordering the very edges of the known world, were the Cities of the Bloodless
men, home to a people as pale as corpses, where some claim they were undead brought
back to life through dark rituals.
North of the Hidden Sea, there was the city of Winged Men, where men with leather wings
flew through the air, and to the south was the city Carcosa, which in later years was
taken over by an exiled Sorceror claiming to be the 69th Yellow Emperor of Yi Ti.
Moving south past the mountains of Morn there was the ancient city of Asshai, a dark, dangerous
places where no children or animals were found, all religions were accepted and all manner
of magic was practised.
Although food and fresh water were scarce, they were rich in precious metals and gems,
trading for what was needed.
The legend of Azor Ahai, who vanquished demon armies during the long night, may have originated
in Asshai with the followers of the Red God R’hllor believing he would one day be reborn
to fight against a second darkness.
Despite being a massive settlement built from oily black stone said to drink the light,
only 1 in ten buildings were occupied.
Considered grim on the best of days, the dark and sullen Ashaii spoke a shrill, ululating
language and largely kept to themselves, walking alone while wearing face coverings, or else
travelling in Palanquins with dark curtains, carried on the backs of slaves.
The contaminated Ash river that flowed through the city was black during the day while shinning
pale green at night, producing fish so blind and deformed, only Shadowbinder’s dared
consume them.
Despite the sinister reputation surrounding Asshai, the Corpse city of Stygai to the east
was a yet more daunting location, populated by demons and monsters where even Shadowbinders
feared to tread.
Then there were shadow land mountains out which may have been the original homeland
of dragons but in more modern times was populated by a mysterious people wearing red wooden
masks while covered in tattoos.
Once considered a significant threat to nearby powers, the Maroon Emperors of Yi Ti moved
their court to Jinqi so they might better defend against Shadow Men reavers.
Finally there was Ulthos located across the saffron straits from Assahi, a land of which
almost nothing was known, though maps suggested it was heavily jungled with a river on its
western coast and a ruined city on the nearby island of Ulos.
Given it’s distance to Westeros, and proximity to other, near mythical locations, Maesters
could not even be certain whether Ulthos was an independent continent or just a large island,
with some even suggesting it might be connected to Sothoryos or Essos.