Stygai

Stygai, also known as the City of the Night, is a ruined city in the mountainous Shadow Lands of eastern Essos.

Geography

The city lies on the Ash^[1] in the Vale of Shadows, a river valley northeast of Asshai.^[2]

History

Stygai is said to be a haunted corpse city. Twisted creatures, such as demons and dragons, are said to live in its vicinity, and even shadowbinders fear the city.^[1] Little is known of Stygai, bar that its byname comes from the fact it only sees the light of the sun for a brief period of time each day, around noon.^[3]

Behind the scenes

The name "Stygai" may be a nod to "Stygia" from the story “Shadows in the Moonlight” by Robert E. Howard. In an essay in his Dreamsongs anthology Martin cites reading Howard's story as a formative experience in his (Martin's) development as a reader of fantasy. Martin quotes to a passage referring to Stygia "with its shadow-guarded tombs."

References

1 2 The World of Ice & Fire, The Bones and Beyond: Asshai-by-the-Shadow.
↑ The Lands of Ice and Fire, The East.
↑ George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Stygai.

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[Rtwoiaf_the_bones_and_beyond:_asshai-by-the-shadow.7B.7B.7B3.7D.7D.7D-1] 1 2 The World of Ice & Fire, The Bones and Beyond: Asshai-by-the-Shadow.

[Rtloiaf_the_east.7B.7B.7B3.7D.7D.7D-2] The Lands of Ice and Fire, The East.

[Rawoiaf_stygai.7B.7B.7B3.7D.7D.7D-3] George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Stygai.