Essos Fashion Studies: Ghiscari Empire
The Green Grace of Astapor - a noblewoman from Yunkai - Dany in Meereenese attire - One of the Great Masters of Meereen - a City Guard of Yunkai - a Slave Master
"Although little Ghiscari culture survived the Old Empire's collapse, the modern people of Slaver's Bay take great pride in their Ghiscari heritage, referring to themselves as "the sons of the harpy" or the "harpy's sons". The cities each use a harpy as their emblem, similar to Old Ghis. Where the harpy of Old Ghis grasps a thunderbolt in its talons, the harpy of Astapor has a chain with open manacles at either end hanging in its talons,and the harpy of Yunkai grasp a whip and an iron collar in its talons. Although Meereen also uses a harpy as their emblem, it is currently unknown what their harpy has in its talons. The Old Ghiscari tongue has been largely forgotten. Most modern Ghiscari speak in the language of their conquerors, High Valyrian. The dialects of Astapor and Yunkai contain a growl of the old Ghiscari tongue, whereas in Meereen they speak a bastard form of High Valyrian blended with Old Ghiscari tongue. The modern Ghiscari do continue to write with Ghiscari glyphs. Descending from the Ghiscari of old, most Astapori have amber skins, broad noses, dark eyes, and black or dark red hair, or a mixture of red and black hair which is distinctive to the ancient Ghiscari. Astapori warriors of noble birth oil and twist their hair into fantastic shapes like horns, wings, blades, and grasping hands, giving them a demonic look, while other Astapori men might only oil their hair and beard. In Yunkai and Meereen, other nobility oils and twists their hair into multiple shapes as well, using combs, wax, and irons. The Yunkai'i wear tall helms in order to preserve the stylings. In all three of the slaver cities, freeborn men and women wear tokars, which is a sign of power, as the wearer is required to hold onto the fabric with one hand whilst wearing it. The fringe on the tokar signifies a person's status."
