Nenrie

A place whispered of in legends both wondrous and fearful. A nigh-mythical vision of beauty and horror. South of the Seolach, west of the Autumn Woods, in the heart of the forest lies Nenrie, the Enchanted Refuge.
It is said that Nenrie is easier to find than the other Alfar refuges. But it's harder, much harder, to leave...

Suggested Parentages

Category	Parentages
Dominant	Elven (Alfar)
Minority	Halfling, Human
Enclaves	Centaur, Elven (Eladrin, Huldra), Fairy
Groups	Elven (Aurai), Firbolg, Pixie, Sprite
Individuals	Dryad, Harengon, Owlin, Satyr
Singular	Elemental

Suggested Upbringings

Category	Upbringings
Dominant	Abjurer, Laborer
Minority	Dexterous Soldier, Enchanter, Enthralling, Mage, Skilled Labor
Enclaves	Commander, Consular, Defender, Incognito, Scribe, Sylvan
Groups	Arboreal, Artificer, Forest, Scout, Specialist, Tracker, Water Mage
Individuals	Acrobatic, Singer, Tinker
Singular	Dextrous

Suggested Backgrounds

Category	Backgrounds
Dominant	Farmer, Servant
Minority	Entertainer, Guild Artisan, Guild merchant
Enclaves	City Watch, Diplomat, Sage, Sentry, Spy
Groups	Court Servant, Courtier, Magic Item Scholar, Soldier, Student of Magic
Individuals	Alchemist's Apprentice, Inheritor, Noble
Singular

Suggested Classes/Subclasses

Class	Subclasses
Alchemist	Amorist, Apothecary
Bard	College of Creation, College of Dance, College of Eloquence, College of Glamour, College of Lore, College of Spies, College of the Secret Keeper, College of Whispers
Cleric	Arcana Domain, Glypth Domain, High Domain, Knowledge Domain
Craftsman	Luminaries Guild, Maesters' Guild
Druid	Circle of Civilization
Fighter	Arcane Archer, Battle Master, Blade Dancer, Bodyguard, Champion, Eldritch Knight
Investigator	Spy
Noble	Path of the Mystic Royal
Paladin	Oath of Deception, Oath of Elegance, Oath of Safeguarding, Oath of the Aegis, Oath of the Glyphscribes, Oath of the Lorekeepers
Ranger	Archer, Horizon Walker, Justicar
Rogue	Arcane Trickster, Fixer, Inquisitive, Mastermind
Scholar	Diplomat, Ritualist, Theologian
Sorcerer	High Magic Bloodline
Warden	Fey Trailblazer, Lawbringer, Loreseeker
Warlock	Archfey, The Cryptic Oracle
Wizard	Academic Lore, Bladesinging, High Magic Specialist, School of Elven High Magic, School of Enchantment, School of illusion

Demographics

Professions

Magic is key to success in Nenrie. The needs of the city's true citizens are largely met through magical means, and from the territories & settlements under Nenrie's "protection." The many gardens and places of beauty in the city require tending, and there is a fair amount of hauling and other labor to perform, but overall the city exists to delight and tend to the needs of the powerful enchanters who rule over it.

Government

Unlike Andarud or Lasair, Nenrie is a monarchy. The original founder passes down the crown to their eldest child, but only if that child has mastered the arts of enchantment. If the eldest is found to lack magical knack, they may be passed over.
Beyond that, positions in the ruling council are granted through a complex system of favors, allegiances and debts. Behind a façade of polite deference, these positions are bitterly contested, as they bring with them wealth, status, and access to power. The Court Magister is a particularly influential position that's often given to the most skillful enchanter to mollify them and prevent them from plotting against the crown.

Defences

Unlike other refuges, Nenrie is visible from the Mortal World. It is not concealed within a pocket of The Otherworld. The waters from which it rises are infused with the power of Dawn Magic, sustaining the city and its people.
Therefore, the first line of Nenrie's defenses are the waters themselves. Anyone seeking to launch an attack on the refuge must cross the open water, over a mile of exposed sailing or rowing. It's said the city's magister can directly wield the magic of the lake to unleash storms, waves, concealing fog and other powers against any would-be invaders.
Once inside the city, there are few obvious defenses. Nenrie's soldiers are subtle, their armor ornate and seemingly decorative. The real threat lurks in the shadows of the bright city. Spies and scrying spells are everywhere. Hidden eyes watch outsiders at all times. Anyone who commits crime, seeks to do harm, or act against the interests of the city is met by a beautiful city official, enchanted, and vanished away to an unknown fate.
There are more mundane defenses as well--towers staffed by elite arcane archers, and the Water Spires--columns of enchanted water bound by golden frames, from which Nenrie's mages can call lightning and other defensive spells. These are primarily found around the perimeter of the city, but occasionally one of Nenrie's nobles will keep a Water Spire in their private courtyards.

Industry & Trade

Nenrie's primary export is magic. Their artists create wonders, mostly for the sake of art itself, and they offer their protection to the mortal villages and towns in their vicinity. Such protection carries a price, however--many nobles, townsfolk and powerful officials in the surrounding lands are under Nenrie's spells, ensuring their loyalty and tribute. What needs of the city cannot be met within are imported from its protectorates.

Infrastructure

Built on platforms over an enchanted lake, Nenrie is a sight to behold. It is essentially one massive network of bridges, most of which are beautifully intricate and decorated with vines and flowers. Towers rise from the platforms, some of which descend into the waters below into airtight glass chambers, from which the alfar can gaze upon the beauties of the deep. 
Rumor speaks of even deeper submerged chambers where the enchanted "wards" of Nenrie are kept, floating in watery stasis, their minds lost in endless webs of illusion.

Magical drawbridges make assailing the refuge by land impossible. Magically driven wind and water mills provide mechanical power, though large mills or foundries are nowhere to be seen--they'd harm the aesthetic of the place.
The docks of Nenrie are the primary means of access for outsiders. No less beautiful than the rest of the city, they are illuminated by floating lanterns filled with flickering motes of light, like a thousand fireflies.

Districts

Nenrie is organized in two fashions--outwards in, and north to south. The northern docks are the first port of call for (willing) visitors, so they are built to a grand scale to impress upon newcomers the magic, beauty, and prowess of Nenrie. Alfar and merchants who wish to trade or carouse with outsiders make their homes here. Public houses, lounges, shops and restaurants all catering to the whims and desires of outsiders crowd around the northern docks, where the rivers flow from the vale to the north into Nenrie's enchanted waters.
Around the west, south, and east edges of the city, one can find more humble and utilitarian facilities. This is where folk arrive from the woods, bringing grain and other goods as tribute to the enchanters who "protect" them from dangers. Nenrie's power is more subtle but menacing from this direction--whereas the watch posts and magical defenses to the north are beautified and blend into the architecture, here the guard towers stand out, and the water-spires humming with destructive magic are not concealed.
The further inward you go, the closer you get to the heart of Nenrie's power. Noble Alfar and powerful mages have apartments, manors and towers, heaped upon each other with their own small water courtyards and tower gardens. The Palace at the center of it all is a marvel, rising far above the rest of Nenrie's spires.
Below the waters, one can find hidden dens of luxury for the city's elite, clandestine alchemical laboratories, and--supposedly--the smiling cells, where the vanished forget the outside world, floating in a sea of illusions.

Founding Date

5389

Location under

Northern Kingdoms