Braavos

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Braavos (布拉佛斯)
Alias(es)	The Secret City
Type	Free Trade City / city-state
First Appearance	1

Background / History

Braavos was founded as a hidden refuge for escaped slaves. Its founding tradition credits the Moonsingers with prophesying a mist-shrouded lagoon beyond pine-covered hills and sea rocks, allowing fugitives to escape Valyrian dragonlords; the Moonsinger Temple consequently became the city’s largest temple. 24

The city remained secret for a century, while its exact location was concealed for another three hundred years. Its history includes Uthero’s Unmasking, the growth of the Purple Fleet, and participation in the alliance that defeated Volantis during the Century of Blood. 10 39

Braavos has repeatedly fought Pentos over slavery and control of the lands and waters between the two cities. It won four of at least six wars, and its last victory forced Pentos to abolish slavery, outlaw the slave trade, and accept severe limits on its fleet and armed forces. 28

Geography and Cityscape

Braavos is a cold, misty city built across more than a hundred islands, canals, reefs, and waterways. It is described as a stone labyrinth with little vegetation or wood; brick, granite, bronze, and marble dominate its construction. 1 15 33

• Its usual weather is fog, rain, and freezing sleet; clear days are rare. 1 47
• The city’s latitude is roughly comparable to the Five Fingers, making it colder than King’s Landing. 1
• The elevated Sweetwater Canal carries clean water through brick channels supported by bridge arches; wealthy residents pipe it into their homes, while poorer residents collect water at public fountains. 15
• The Moon Pool, northeast of the city and near the Sealord’s Palace and Iron Bank, serves as a gathering place for Water Dancer duels. 16
• Purple Harbor, running from Drowned Town to the Sealord’s Palace, is restricted to Braavosi vessels; foreign ships use Ragman’s Harbor. 16
• The city has no conventional walls, relying instead on the Purple Fleet as its principal defense. 33

Landmarks

• Sealord’s Palace — A major palace decorated with murals of Braavos’s founding, the Moonsingers, Uthero’s Unmasking, and the Purple Fleet. 19 39
• Titan of Braavos — The city’s symbol: a colossal black-granite figure spanning the harbor gap, clad in bronze and holding a broken sword. 49
• Palace of Truth — A landmark with a green-bronze dome along the canals. 33 47
• Isle of the Gods — Site of the Moonsinger Temple and other religious activity. 8 24
• Prestay(n) Palace and Antaryon Palace — Towering residences of Braavos’s great families. 33 47

Society and Government

Braavos is governed through commerce, wealth, old families, religious institutions, and the Sealord’s authority rather than Westerosi-style feudal lordship. Merchants, sailors, bankers, courtesans, officials, and guild leaders can hold considerable social standing. 4 8 41

Sealord and City Officials

The Sealord is Braavos’s central political authority, presiding over major disputes and hosting elite gatherings at the Sealord’s Palace. Sealord Ferrego intervenes in the conflict between Viserys Targaryen and House Prestayn, scheduling their formal duel at the Moon Pool. 39 48

The First Sword serves as the Sealord’s foremost swordsman and confidant. Kui Luo, the current First Sword during Viserys’s residence, advises Xisa during the investigation into the Red Door House poisoning and chooses to close the case for lack of evidence. 6

The City Watch maintains order under local peace officers such as Xisa Zarodin. Even so, the city is not portrayed as tightly policed, with much of its disorder concentrated around docks and poorer districts. 6

Great Families and Power Blocs

Braavosi political and economic power is distributed among the Sealord’s family, the Iron Bank, keyholder families, officials, military officers, merchant and fishing guilds, and religious organizations. 8 33

• House Antaryon, House Frega, and House Zanien — Old families that have produced several Sealords. 6 10
• House Prestayn — An influential noble family involved in insurance and in conflict with the crab-catching Rum Association. 10 45
• House Otherys, House Toloni, and House Plannis — Other notable Braavosi families. 10
• Rum Association / Crabbers’ Guild — A powerful association of crab-catching sailors, feared for its dangerous work, ruthless members, and internal unity. 30 45
• Moonsingers — A major religious force whose temple holds exceptional historical and social importance. 24 25

Economy

Braavos’s three pillar industries are banking, fishing, and commerce. Its social order favors those who control money and trade rather than landed warriors. 30 41

• Fishing is essential to the city’s food supply; seafood such as sturgeon, crab, oysters, clams, and sea snails is common. 3 16
• The rocky reefs limit local livestock production, making meat, vegetables, cattle, and sheep imports from the mainland comparatively expensive. 3
• Mining trade depends on mainland supplies of iron, tin, lead, and other metals. 3
• The city’s crab catchers risk the Shivering Sea and Winter Wastes for valuable crabs and lobsters, resulting in high mortality and a fiercely united workforce. 30
• Braavosi wine is considered poor compared with wine from Dorne and the Arbor. 41

Culture

Courtesans

Courtesans are major social intermediaries in Braavos, linking bankers, officials, merchants, assassins, religious groups, artists, and visiting dignitaries. Their influence can create reputations, facilitate introductions, and shape fashion. 9 10 34

The Seven Courtesans are Black Pearl, Mermaid Queen, Masked Lady, Lady of Darkness, Poetess, Nightingale, and Moonshadow. 10

Water Dancing and Duels

Braavos is home to Water Dancers and swordsmen who openly duel for honor, reputation, wagers, courtesans, or trivial insults. Carrying a weapon near the Moon Pool can invite a challenge, while victorious duelists may loot the dead by local custom. 12 15 16

Water Dancing emphasizes slender swords, speed, balance, elegant movement, stealth, and precision rather than heavily armored Westerosi knightly combat. 6 35

Festivals and Masks

The annual Ten-Day Revelry commemorates Uthero’s Unmasking. At midnight on its tenth day, the Titan roars and masked celebrants remove their veils together. 39 41

Braavos also observes religious freedom, and its civic imagery emphasizes the struggles of its escaped-slave founders rather than divine intervention alone. 39

Relations and Foreign Policy

• Pentos — A longstanding rival repeatedly defeated by Braavos; Pentos remains constrained by a treaty that limits its warships, mercenaries, and armed forces. 28
• Volantis — Braavos opposed Volantis during the Century of Blood and joined the alliance that ultimately crushed it. 39
• Slavery — Braavos is described as one of the strongest opponents of slavery, though its influence has not overturned the wider slave trade across Essos. 14
• Westerosi exiles — The city shelters Viserys Targaryen, Rhaenys, and Daenerys in the Red Door House under the protection of Ser Willem Darry. Braavosi upper and middle ranks are aware of the secret arrangement concerning the Targaryen exiles. 1 6

Story Role / Major Arcs

Targaryen Exile and the Red Door House

Viserys, Rhaenys, and Daenerys live in a rented courtyard with a red door south of the Sealord’s Palace. After Ser Willem Darry falls gravely ill, the household servants plan to steal the exiles’ remaining funds. 1

Following the servants’ poisoning, the City Watch investigates the mass deaths. Xisa and Kui Luo suspect the circumstances may benefit Viserys but officially rule the event an accident due to insufficient evidence; the Watch later arranges replacement servants who can also report on the exiles. 6 7

Viserys’s Rise in Braavosi Society

Viserys uses culinary skill, songs published under the name Silver Traveler, and Water Dancing to enter Braavosi social circles. Xisa introduces him to courtesans, while the Female Swordswoman provides Moro as his guard and instructor. 9 11 12

His growing fame earns him connections with Nightingale, Black Pearl, the Moonsingers, Syrio Forel, and eventually the Sealord’s court. 23 25 31 39

Conflict with House Prestayn

Viserys’s association with several prominent courtesans provokes House Prestayn, which seeks to place him under an agency contract. His refusal escalates into threats, the murder of Moro, and an alliance between Viserys and Lingo Komas’s Rum Association. 42 43 45

Sealord Ferrego formalizes the dispute as a Moon Pool duel between Viserys and Mero, the Titan’s Bastard. Viserys kills Mero before a massive crowd of nobles, bankers, guild leaders, courtesans, Water Dancers, and ordinary citizens. 48 50

After witnessing Viserys’s increasingly bloodthirsty reputation, Ferrego decides to send him to Andas to keep further trouble from destabilizing Braavos. 50