The Free City of Lys has long been famed as a beautiful and impressive city, and many of the population, noble and smallfolk alike, the blood of Old Valyria still runs strong.
The city is ruled by a Conclave of Magisters, chosen from the wealthiest and most powerful families.
Main Families[]
Haen[]
The Family of Haen traces their roots back to the city of Elyria. In Lys, House Haen is most well known for participating in the slave trade from the Bay of Dragons, often bringing captured men to Bay of Dragons to sell and bring back purchased female slaves destined for the Lysene pleasure houses.
Dagaeron[]
The sigil of the Dagaeron family is ever present in Lys, for the household is too. Traditionally fulfilling the role of the guardians of the Lyseni harbour in a manner not dissimilar to the Prestayn family in Braavos, it is the gold wyvern of the family that many sailors will see when they first arrive at the city's ports.
Moraqos[]
The Moraqos family is the newest of the noble families of Lys, tracing their descent from mere peasants who were able to pull themselves up into the upper class by hard work and good luck. House Moraqos is well known for their artisans, and they have in their service, both freemen and slaves who practice woodworking, jewellery making, tailoring, and many other services that may not be huge money makers, have kept this family firmly rooted among the nobility when others would see them cast back down. Because of this, House Moraqos often holds the goodwill of the smallfolk of Lys, who see them as an example of how one can ascend to wealth and power.
Despite these humble beginnings, House Moraqos owns a large manse within the city, boasting what is said to be the most expansive collection of vintages in all of the Free Cities. The cellar contains variants as well-known as fine Arbor Golds to more exotic beverages from the Far East.
Nahohr[]
House Nahohr are the city’s preeminent shipbuilders. Whether military vessels or pleasure yachts, most ships in Lys were built in Nahohr shipyards. House Nahohr maintains friendly relationships with the natives on the northern coast of Sothoryos, where they harvest most of the timber for their ships. They are also known to pay off the corsairs that stalk ships near the Basilisk Isles in exchange for safe passage.
Most of the ships owned by the other Lyseni families are purchased from the Nahohrs, and all with be marked with the sigil of the family at the base of the mast.
Ormollen[]
House Ormollen is well regarded as the creators of Lys’ first pillowhouse, and even today leads the city in the training and offering of the finest bedslaves the world has ever known. While several other families have established pillowhouses in Lys, it is well known that the most beautiful and skilled girls are found at Ormollen establishments.
Orthys []
One of the oldest noble family of Lys has experienced an upturn in their fortunes as of late. Once the owners of the Orthys Mint that bears their name, a slew of bad financial investments and unfortunate disasters had cost the family most of their money, eventually forcing them to sell the Mint to House Rogare. The Orthys Mint has since returned to them, but they do not enjoy the same economic control that they once did.
Pendaerys[]
By appearance, one would not be far mistaken to assume that those of the Pendaerys family were of the Old Blood of Volantis for so pure are their Valyrian features. They have, however, resided within the city of Lys since its creation as an outpost of the Valyrian Freehold. Its rule in those days however fell to members of the Dagaeron family, and thus a rivalry exists between the two households, even as millennia have passed since Aeron Pendaerys was first scourned.
Rogare[]
Once the most wealthy of all the noble families of Lys and the historical owners of both the Rogare Bank and the Orthys Mint, the Rogares, while still very wealthy by Westeros standards remain a shadow of what they were in the days of Lysandro the Magnificent. They are heavily involved in the upkeep of the port-town of Liy.
Vhassyl[]
The most militaristic of the noble families, House Vhassyl has a Valyrian steel longsword called Bloodmoon that they have carried since before the Fall of Valyria. House Vhassyl maintains a large standing militia force and often call themselves “the Protectors of Lys”. They own the fishing village of Canahs to the west of the Free City, and have been heavily involved in the trade of both spice and silk for many generations.