Essos is an immense landmass located to the east of Westeros, extending into the far east of the known world. The Free Cities are located on its north-western shores, with the Dothraki sea located deep in the continental interior and the cities of Slaver's Bay on the south coast. The continent extends far to the east, around the Jade Sea, to the distant and fabled lands of Asshai and the Shadow. Essos climate is temperate in the northern and western portions, and subtropical in the southern & eastern portions. Rainfall generally decreases as one moves eastward in Essos. The extreme eastern end of the continent has not been fully mapped. Westeros has a very long longitude and thin latitude, extending from the deserts of Dorne to the polar regions north of the Wall, but east-to-west travel is much shorter. In contrast, the greater bulk of Essos runs along the east-west latitude, while its northern and southern extremes are a shorter distance. On the western shore of Essos, the furthest point north at Braavos is at the same latitude as the Vale of Arryn, and the furthest point south near Tyrosh is at the same latitude as Dorne, separated only by the island chain known as the Stepstones. Pentos, located roughly between these two extremes, is at the same latitude as King's Landing.
The Free Cities: The Free Cities are nine independent city-states located on the western coast of Essos. Seven of the cities are coastal (Braavos, Myr, Pentos and Volantis) or island ports (Lorath, Lys and Tyrosh), lying on the Narrow Sea, whilst two others (Norvos and Qohor) are located inland. Except for Braavos, which was founded by refugee slaves, these cities are former colonies of the extinct empire of Valyria; as such they retain elements of its culture. They are more developed and mercantile than the cities of Westeros, even King's Landing. Each of the Free Cities controls a certain amount of territory surrounding it, including smaller towns and villages. The region of the Free Cities extends from the western coastline to the Forest of Qohor and River Rhoyne in the east, which separate them from the Dothraki Sea. In the northwestern corner of this region, between Braavos and Pentos, are the Hills of Andalos, the ancient homeland of the Andals and, according to legends the source of the Faith of the Seven.
The Dothraki Sea East of the Free Cities, the vast grassland plain known as the Dothraki Sea covers much of the Essosi inland. It is inhabited by the Dothraki people, a copper-skinned race of warlike nomads with their own language and unique equestrian culture. While the Dothraki do not trade, their slave raids are a driving force of the Essosi economy. Save for Vaes Dothrak there are no roads, hills, or cities, leaving an ocean of unbroken rippling grass, for which the Dothraki Sea is named. Over a hundred types of grass grows on the plains, that often grow thick and taller than a man's head and from afar look like a sea, as it rolls like waves in the breeze. Some rivers run through the lands, though they are often shallow and shift with the seasons; overall sand is more prevalent than water. Its only city, an ancient ruin called Vaes Dothrak, lies at the heart of the Sea and is home and heart of the Dothraki people and culture. Other than that it is largely empty with packs of wild dogs, herds of free-ranging horses and rare hrakkar.
Valyrian Peninsula The Valyrian Peninsula is a large land extending south from Essos into the Summer Sea. It was the heartland of the Valyrian Freehold and the location of the city of Valyria. The Fourteen Flames (a chain of volcano's) extend across the neck of the peninsula. The peninsula was partially destroyed in the Doom four hundred years ago. Many islands were formed and low-lying areas were flooded, creating the Smoking Sea.
Slavers Bay South of the Dothraki Sea, east of Valyria, and west of Lhazar is Slaver's Bay. The region holds many small city-states and the three great slaver port cities of Yunkai, Meereen, and Astapor. The cities were built from the rubble of Old Ghis, an ancient rival of the Valyrian Freehold which crushed and superseded it thousands of years ago. The slaver cities are still connected to the Free Cities by the Valyrian road network. The city of New Ghis sits on an island in the Bay, but the novels reveal little about it.
Lhazar Lhazar is located south-east of the Dothraki Sea and north-east of Slaver's Bay. It is a semi-arid land of pastures and hills. The horselords consider its shepherding people as easy targets and good slaves, calling them haesh rakhi ("Lamb Men").
Qarth Qarth is an ancient port city located on the south coast of the Essos continent. 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 home to warlocks and merchant princes, and nominally ruled by the Pureborn. However, the powerful guilds Thirteen, Tourmaline Brotherhood and the Ancient Guild of Spicers all attempt to play a role in the governance of the city. It has been referred to as the Queen of Cities. 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. The Qartheen fashion for women leaves one breast exposed, while men favor beaded silk skirts. Warriors of Qarth wear scaled, copper armor and snouted-helms with copper tusks and long, black silk plumes and some of its guards ride camels. They seat themselves on cushions on the floor. Wealthy merchant of Qarth sometimes place jewels in their nose. Qarth is most famous for its warlocks, known as the Undying of Qarth, 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. Most warlocks have blue lips. They drink shade-of-the-evening, which makes their lips turn blue. The warlocks stronghold and seat of power is the House of the Undying, which house the Undying Ones, the most mysterious and likely the most ancient and powerful of all warlocks. 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. The Qartheen are nothing if not polite.
The extreme eastern end of the continent has not been fully mapped. Westeros has a very long longitude and thin latitude, extending from the deserts of Dorne to the polar regions north of the Wall, but east-to-west travel is much shorter. In contrast, the greater bulk of Essos runs along the east-west latitude, while its northern and southern extremes are a shorter distance. On the western shore of Essos, the furthest point north at Braavos is at the same latitude as the Vale of Arryn, and the furthest point south near Tyrosh is at the same latitude as Dorne, separated only by the island chain known as the Stepstones. Pentos, located roughly between these two extremes, is at the same latitude as King's Landing.
The Free Cities:
The Free Cities are nine independent city-states located on the western coast of Essos. Seven of the cities are coastal (Braavos, Myr, Pentos and Volantis) or island ports (Lorath, Lys and Tyrosh), lying on the Narrow Sea, whilst two others (Norvos and Qohor) are located inland. Except for Braavos, which was founded by refugee slaves, these cities are former colonies of the extinct empire of Valyria; as such they retain elements of its culture. They are more developed and mercantile than the cities of Westeros, even King's Landing. Each of the Free Cities controls a certain amount of territory surrounding it, including smaller towns and villages. The region of the Free Cities extends from the western coastline to the Forest of Qohor and River Rhoyne in the east, which separate them from the Dothraki Sea.
In the northwestern corner of this region, between Braavos and Pentos, are the Hills of Andalos, the ancient homeland of the Andals and, according to legends the source of the Faith of the Seven.
The Dothraki Sea
East of the Free Cities, the vast grassland plain known as the Dothraki Sea covers much of the Essosi inland. It is inhabited by the Dothraki people, a copper-skinned race of warlike nomads with their own language and unique equestrian culture. While the Dothraki do not trade, their slave raids are a driving force of the Essosi economy.
Save for Vaes Dothrak there are no roads, hills, or cities, leaving an ocean of unbroken rippling grass, for which the Dothraki Sea is named. Over a hundred types of grass grows on the plains, that often grow thick and taller than a man's head and from afar look like a sea, as it rolls like waves in the breeze. Some rivers run through the lands, though they are often shallow and shift with the seasons; overall sand is more prevalent than water.
Its only city, an ancient ruin called Vaes Dothrak, lies at the heart of the Sea and is home and heart of the Dothraki people and culture. Other than that it is largely empty with packs of wild dogs, herds of free-ranging horses and rare hrakkar.
Valyrian Peninsula
The Valyrian Peninsula is a large land extending south from Essos into the Summer Sea. It was the heartland of the Valyrian Freehold and the location of the city of Valyria. The Fourteen Flames (a chain of volcano's) extend across the neck of the peninsula.
The peninsula was partially destroyed in the Doom four hundred years ago. Many islands were formed and low-lying areas were flooded, creating the Smoking Sea.
Slavers Bay
South of the Dothraki Sea, east of Valyria, and west of Lhazar is Slaver's Bay. The region holds many small city-states and the three great slaver port cities of Yunkai, Meereen, and Astapor. The cities were built from the rubble of Old Ghis, an ancient rival of the Valyrian Freehold which crushed and superseded it thousands of years ago. The slaver cities are still connected to the Free Cities by the Valyrian road network. The city of New Ghis sits on an island in the Bay, but the novels reveal little about it.
Lhazar
Lhazar is located south-east of the Dothraki Sea and north-east of Slaver's Bay. It is a semi-arid land of pastures and hills. The horselords consider its shepherding people as easy targets and good slaves, calling them haesh rakhi ("Lamb Men").
Qarth
Qarth is an ancient port city located on the south coast of the Essos continent. 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 home to warlocks and merchant princes, and nominally ruled by the Pureborn. However, the powerful guilds Thirteen, Tourmaline Brotherhood and the Ancient Guild of Spicers all attempt to play a role in the governance of the city. It has been referred to as the Queen of Cities.
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.
The Qartheen fashion for women leaves one breast exposed, while men favor beaded silk skirts. Warriors of Qarth wear scaled, copper armor and snouted-helms with copper tusks and long, black silk plumes and some of its guards ride camels.
They seat themselves on cushions on the floor. Wealthy merchant of Qarth sometimes place jewels in their nose.
Qarth is most famous for its warlocks, known as the Undying of Qarth, 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. Most warlocks have blue lips. They drink shade-of-the-evening, which makes their lips turn blue. The warlocks stronghold and seat of power is the House of the Undying, which house the Undying Ones, the most mysterious and likely the most ancient and powerful of all warlocks.
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. The Qartheen are nothing if not polite.