The loss of the Braavosi fleet turned disastrous for the Secret City. Utterly unprepared for a war against the united Pentos and Tyrosh, they suffered defeat after defeat. The Pentoshi had learned a great deal from their loss a century early. Their Prince had remained hidden, nobody knowing his face, name, or voice, and commanded from the shadows. The Braavosi no longer had the option to send faceless man after faceless man to butcher the enemy leadership until one favourable to them came into power. Tyrosh had taken precautions much the same; the new Archon had always worn a golden mask, and nobody knew the face beneath. He was supposedly assassinated seven times but always kept re-appearing alive and well the next day. People were in awe of the sorcery, but it's far more likely that he also ruled from the shadows while employing body doubles with the same mask to act in his name in public-