Yunkai, dubbed the Yellow City, is one of the cities on the eastern coast of the Bay of Dragons in central Essos. To the west lies the island of Yaros. Yunkai is one hundred leagues north of Astapor and fifty leagues south of Meereen.
Their traditional emblem is a harpy: a woman's torso, wings of a bat instead of arms, legs of an eagle and a scorpion's tail. Its talons grasp a whip and an iron collar.
Yunkai is made of yellow bricks, with crumbling walls and tall, stepped pyramids, defended by crossbowmen and slingers, similar to Astapor.
Principal among the Masters of the Yellow City is the Westerosi House of Martell, descended from Arianne Martell. With the other Masters of the city, the Martells sit upon a council that governs the city in the name of the Targaryen Monarchy.
City Layout[]
The city of Yunkai is split into four distinct districts, separated from each other by the great roads that pass through the city.
The Sand District[]
Found in the northwestern aspect of the city, the Sand District is home to both the harbour of the city and the primary slave markets, positioned conveniently so that new arrivals upon the slaver galleys may be auctioned quickly and efficiently, before being transported elsewhere as appropriate. Also found within the Sand District is the Yunkai'i equivalent of Astapor's Plaza of Punishment, although it is not as extensive as its sister city, by the inherent nature of the slaves traded. Whereas the Astapori specialise in training slave warriors, most famously the Unsullied, the Yunkai'i prefer the meeker kind, in the form of bed slaves, and as such rebellion is less common.
The Citrine District[]
Famed for the five fighting pits found within it, the Citrine District is the most populous of all the districts, made busier still by a myriad of markets, residential areas and brothels. At any one time, a minimum of two of the pits will be in use, whether it be gladiatorial battles with men or beast, chariot races, or executions. The largest of these are the Harpy's Pit, which is large enough to contain Sroknehl's Pit, Lallha's Pit and the Sandstone Pit inside it. The other pit, and the second largest is Ozlir's Pit, named for a legendary Ghiscari general in the days of of Old Ghis.
The Amber District[]
The Amber District is known for two things, the Harpy's Bazaar and the Halls of Silk.
- The Harpy's Bazaar - Beneath a sprawling field of brightly coloured fabrics, shielding its visitors from the intense light of the midday sun, the Harpy's Bazaar sells goods from both the Free Cities and the Seven Kingdoms to the west, and the lands of Qarth, Yi-Ti and Asshai-by-the-Shadow to the far east. Nearly everything in the Known World can be found to those with the patience to seek their quarry, and the coin to satisfy that who sells it, but no slave may exchange hands beneath the motley of cloth and silk. Such purchases must be made in the markets of the Sand District.
- The Halls of Silk - Home of the numerous brothels and pillowhouses in which the bedslaves for which Yunkai is famed, the Halls of Silk are where those decided attractive enough to serve within them are taught the the way of the seven sighs and the sixteen seats of pleasure.
The Golden District[]
Home of the Royal Pyramid, the name given the largest pyramid in the city, the Golden District is off-limits to most of the occupants of the city. Nestled in the northern aspect of the centre of Yunkai, the streets of the District are guarded by patrolling Unsullied Warriors, and only those with business with residents of the Royal Pyramid are permitted to pass through the sandstone walls that surround the District.
Timeline of Events[]
- 300AC - Yunkai continues to siege the city of Meereen, until their commander is invited into the city for peace talks at Daznak's pit. After Yunzak is slain, a number of Wise Masters assume command of the city's armies, but many of them are slain by the Brazen Beasts and the Shavepate. The Yunkai'i army is eventually forced into retreat by the efforts of Barristan the Bold.
- 301AC - After rallying a sellsword army, Yunkai, along with Astapor, is defeated by Daenerys Targaryen atop Drogon. The city falls shortly afterwards and in acknowledgement of her efforts, Arianne is given the status of a Wise Master of Yunkai, which serves to create outcry in the city but is quickly overshadowed by the Dragon Queen's next announcement.
- 302AC - Daenerys outlaws slavery of all kinds in the Bay of Dragons, provoking a new order known as the Talons of the Harpy, who prove to be even more violent than the Sons before them. Calling a council, it is revealed that the Harpy is in fact the collective efforts of the Order of the Graces, headed by the three Green Graces Galazza Galare, Sishala Qaqqaz and Zamozna Raaq. They reveal they have butchered Viserion and attempt to end Dany's rule once and for all in a coup. Rhaegal flies to assist his mother, incinerating the Green Graces, their soldiers, but Missandei, Grey Worm, Larraq the Lash and Red Lamb are also slain. Jorah Mormont suffers burns to his body.
- 310AC - Marshalling her full strength, Daenerys Targaryen invades Westeros, bringing with her an army of Unsullied Warriors, slave soldiers from across the Bay of Dragons, dozens of sellsword companies and fleets from Qarth, Pentos and Volantis.
- 312AC - Broken and defeated, Daenerys Targaryen returns to Westeros. Her army is gone, Jorah Mormont and Barristan the Bold were gone, and even Drogon was among the slain. She finds the Bay of Dragons is not as she left it, for in Meereen and Astapor, the Masters have once again claimed back their city, and Yunkai is in open rebellion. So would start four years of reclaiming what had once been hers.
- 313AC - Yunkai bends first when Dany arrives with Rhaegal in her presence, and from the Great Pyramid within the city, she begins to plan her reconquest of Meereen and Astapor. She finds herself torn - Astapor is militant by nature, and thus a serious threat to her reign. Leaving it without attention may allow them to march upon Yunkai once more, and turn the Yunkai'i against her. However, she muses that atop the Royal Pyramid of Meereen, many will see that her dynasty has returned, and this might bring the Bay to heel. Striking an uneasy alliance with the Valyrian successor-state of Elyria, she marches upon Meereen.
- 325AC - Following the actions of Astapor, the Halls of Silk of Yunkai once again open, but as a location where pillowhouse owners can source tutors for their own courtesans. Beyond perhaps the Ormellons of Lys, the unparalleled history and heritage of the Halls of Silk proves a draw for peoples across the Known World, despite the lack of slaves to be had.
- 364AC - Yunkai is involved in the conflicts with Elyria and Tolos during the Ivory War.
- 369AC - Thieves steal into the Royal Pyramid of Meereen and make off with four of the five remaining dragon eggs belonging to the Targaryen Monarchy. Master Martell is quick to blame the Arryns of Westeros, believing it be retaliation for the capture of their heir. Proposing to send the Valeman back to the Eyrie quartered into four pieces for the four eggs stolen, the idea is quickly dismissed - after all, there was no proof that any Westerosi were involved, let along the folk of the Vale. Nonetheless, scouts are sent to scour the Known World for the precious items lost.
- 374AC - The Targaryens have ruled in the Bay of Dragons since Daenerys Targaryen first claimed the city of Meereen for herself at the turn of the century. Since then, they have consolidated their Kingdom in the Slaver's Cities, although not without losses. Viserion was slain by the Talons of the Harpy, revealed to be commanded by the Order of the Graces. Missandei and Grey Worm also fall victim to the flames that put an end to the treachery of the Green Graces. A decade later, Drogon was killed during the War of the Exiles, a conflict that also took the lives of Jorah Mormont and Barristan the Bold. Tensions regarding slavery, religion and conquest remain between the cities of the Bay of Dragons, creating a potential rift between the Targaryen Monarchy and the Masters Lannister and Martell of Astapor and Yunkai respectively. First of all is what to do with the hostage in their possession following the War for the Vale - the last heir of House Arryn.