Old Empire of Ghis

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The Harpy a Ghiscari symbol

The Ghiscari Empire was one of the oldest known nations and cultures in the world, that reigned supreme of much of Essos. Its founding and golden age predate that of its successor, Valyrian Freehold, by thousands of years. The Empire took the emblem of Ghis, a harpy; a woman's torso, wings of a bat instead of arms, legs of an eagle and a scorpion's tail. In its claws rested a thunderbolt.[1]

History

The Ghiscari Empire had reigned supreme of much of Essos, while Valyrian Freehold, was still young and savage. It rose from the ancient city of Ghis which grew into a military, economic and cultural powerhouse called the Ghiscari Empire. At its height, Ghis fielded highly disciplined legions of lockstep soldiers that were reputed to be nearly unbeatable on the battlefield. The architecture of Ghis was dominated by massive brick towers and pyramids built on the back of slave labor. Its symbol was the harpy, a fanged woman with leathery wings for arms, the legs of an eagle, and the tail of scorpion, clutching a thunderbolt in her talons.[1]

The Ghiscari Empire fell over 5,000 years ago, after the Valyrian discovery of Dragons and quickly rise to power, the Ghiscari lusted for the power of dragons for their own and went to war with the Valyrians. Five great wars were fought between Ghiscar and the Freehold, wars which Valyria won with its dragons.[2] At the last war valrians lashed back smashing the Ghiscari legions and burned Ghis and its Great Pyramids to ashes using its dragons. After Ghis was burned, the Valyrians sewed the fields with salt and sulfur to prevent any return by the surviving inhabitants.

The destruction of Ghis and Ghiscari Empire collapsed, extinguished most of the original Ghiscari bloodline, the surviving populations of the Empire rebuilt the area from the wreckage. Outlying colonies of Slaver's Bay rose into prominence: Astapor, Yunkai and Meereen. These cities established themselves as a hub of the global slave trade and became extremely wealthy and the island city of New Ghis, was re-established. [1]

People

The Ghiscari people are in fact mongrels of a dozen races and peoples driven together by the empire and its fall. They are spread over a large area around Slaver's Bay, the west of the Gulf of Grief and the Summer Sea shore. The Ghiscari culture, gods and tongue were largely forgotten over time and Ghiscari, adopted the language of their valyrian conquerors, and today speak a dialect of High Valyrian, Speaking a bastardised version of it[1] and the crumbling walls, pyramids, and harpy statues are all that is left of its past glory days.

The Unsullied tactics are considered a remnant of Old Ghis, they are trained to fight in the same disciplined lock-step manner and are considered the legions of Old Ghis come again. The harpy was adopted as symbol by all the slaver cities and their silver coins stamped with a harpy. The Good Masters of Astapor, the Wise Masters of Yunkai and the Good Masters of Meereen have been training slaves for generations, much as their predecessors did, and are experts at it.[1]


Ghiscari have dense, dark amber skin and wiry hair with red highlights. Men of the Slaver Cities are known to wear their hairs teased, oiled, and twisted into fantastic shapes, and they have copper disks sewn to their cloaks of yellow silk. Their tunics are embroidered linen and below the waist they wear sandals and pleated linen skirts. The richest classes who are primarily made up of merchants wear the Tokar and are fond of rich foods such as dogs, octopus stew and duck eggs.[1]

Rituals and Beliefs

The Ghis inter their dead in crypts below their manses.[3]

Terms

  • Mhysa - Mother[4]

References and Notes