San'Arad
San'Arad is the oldest and largest of the city-states in the The Sunhold Compact Confederacy and the DeFacto capital. The city serves as the base of operations of the Legion of the Eagle. Cities have been ruined and rebuilt in this location several times throughout history. The current city sits atop two ancient ruins, those of @Old San'Arad and @Anukogar.
Demographics
San 'Arad is principally inhabited by @Humans, but there are concentration of merchant, and traders, and other immigrants from The Vale of Elendil or Kordaldrum. Aside from the three primary races, San'Arad is a city that welcomes all.
Defences
San'Arad is protected by a large stone wall with guard towers every 100-150 feet. Additionally, they have Diverted a portion of the @White River to fill a wide moat outside the wall. The proximity of the river allows San'Arad to maintain ample stores of fish and water. Thus, San'Arad is well designed to discourage direct assault and is able to withstand a siege very effectively. The walled city has 3 gates, and a garrison of the Legion of the Eagle is stationed at each. Additionally, the @Sluice Garrison can flood the river and moat at will to provide an extra emergency defensive measure.
Industry & Trade
San'Arad Sits at a trade nexus. Without any trade with the elves going by sea, and the dangers of the southern coast, virtually all trade between elves and humans goes through Calimshan. Thus all Elven and Dwarven goods must make their journey down the Spineroad through San'Arad. Likewise, Any goods from The Kingdom of Thane must pass through they city to reach the north. Lumber from @Taris and Precious metals from @Cragmaw Pass also have San'Arad as their only path to the wider world. Being the Oldest of the The Sunhold Compact Confederacy cities, San'Arad is usually considered to be the most cultured. It is the home of a great many talented artists and skilled craftsmen , and the city enjoys a vibrant theater and music scene.
Infrastructure
With the Steady flow of the White River, San'Arad has powered a great deal of machinery using waterwheels. This includes everything from Mills for grain to Transport cables for goods and water hammers for high-end metal working.
Being Built atop the ruins of two previous cities, San'Arad has a copious system of tunnels below street-level. Many of these have been converted into a highly effective sewer system.
The White Gate on the Northern side of the City opens out to the White River. The Golden Gate Opens similarly to the Gold Fork while the Carpenters Gate opens to the Cities Moat (a canal dug between the two converging rivers). The moat-front Carpenter's gate and the Golden Gate on the tributary Gold Fork have drawbridges to cross the waterways, but this is not possible across the mighty White River. Here San'Arad has a wide (40-feet) but very low stone bridge with no railings known as @The Spineroad Viaduct crossing the 400-foot span between the banks. The river is damned about 6 miles upstream at a small Military outpost called @The Sluice-Garrison. This outpost controls the outflow of water through the dam in order to maintain the proper water level in both the moat and river. In peacetime, this serves to keep the waterworks of the city operating smoothy with constant water flow. In the event of an assault on the city, the drawbridges are raised and the sluice gates are opened causing the water levels to rise and dramatically cover @The Spineroad Viaduct disallowing passage to a hostile force and sweeping away any thing on the viaduct.
Assets
Being built atop the ruins of two previous incarnations of itself, there lies layer upon layer of ancient discoveries to be made. Many pre-collapse artifacts can be found in the ruins below San'Arad. Everything from magical weapons to powerful spellbooks and scrolls. San'Arad perhaps the only Human city in Areldia to have schools of magic due to its access to a trove of magical items to be found below the city by any daring enough the delve into the often dangerous sub-cities.
Guilds and Factions
As the seat of political power for The Sunhold Compact Confederacy, San'Arad is the home to the council chambers of The Sunhold Council. The council chambers sit within the administrative district of the city where most government buildings are located including the palace of the City's ruler, the Byzan. This is also where foreign delegations, ambassadors and dignitaries are housed.
San'Arad is the home of the first chapter of The Adventurer's Guild. Due to this, the city holds a special place of reverence for Guild members. These are said to be the most capable members of all the guildhalls across Sunhold. After the betrayal of @Richard the Steelshod by @Garrick Arglye San'Arad has seen fit to disallow the establishment of a guild hall for the brotherhood of slayers.
In addition to the Adventurers Guild, San'Arad is home to The @Kuliya Min'Arad, the largest academy of arcane magic in all of Areldia.
Architecture
Split roughly into 23 districts, San'Arad has a diverse collection of slums and markets.
Northbank -
Representing the outer "suburbs" of San'Arad, Northbank is almost a village of its own, containing its own set of amenities and craftsmen, but close enough to take shelter in San'Arad's walls if needed.
Mudbottom -
A slum on the northern bank, Mudbottom is known and named for its muddy streets and tendency to flood in high rains, making it a squalid place to live. Despite this, the Mud Door and close proximity to the River Market make it more patrolled than an outsider would expect. Because of this, and its location next to Gateside makes it a home for many outcast women, there is a high population of single-mothers and shacks to house illegitimate bastards. This has given rise to the slur "Mudbaby" for children of nobles or wealthy merchants raised there.
Gateside -
This district is between Mudbottom and the White Gate. It's location near the merchant's and bazaar make it ideal for seedy interests who don't want to actually get their hands dirty. Relatively wealthy for its outside interests, Gateside is where the slums are made playthings for the wealthy through gambling dens and brothels.
Islandview -
Despite its cheery name, Islandview is the crime center of San'Arad. Its winding alleyways and far distance from guard outposts or gates make it poorly patrolled. It's an open secret that two gangs all but run the district, and a private secret that much more dangerous organizations use them as a distraction for smuggling operations. Similar to Northbank, its size and isolation from the rest of San'Arad have given it a sense of its own identity.
Goldshore -
With a history of both ruin and success, Goldshore has changed the most as a slum. Originally just an extension of Mudbottom with a tendency to flood, recently Goldshore has grown as an outer craftsmen, traveler's, and sailor's district. Wooden floodgates have been built and the area dried and raised to make Goldshore an up-and-coming residential district. However, it has a history as a staging point for importing drugs and outlawed goods from the river. It's named after the marsh marigolds common to the area.
Gilded Docks -
Unlike other outwall distracts, Gilded docks is quite nice, being a place many merchants spend time negotiating with captains and traders. Due to the proximity to Mudbottom and Goldshore, the district is still seen as low-class. Those who want access to river trade but are too good for Gilded Docks go to Dockside instead. The island is notable for being somewhat insulated from San'Arad without being a crime hotspot, so multiple nobles have riverfront properties there for their own out-of-sight uses.
White Bend -
Due to being between a garrison and gate, white bend is hardly even a slum. Favored by nobles and temples as a place for the scrupulous but poor to stay, this location is housed primarily by servants, clerks and priests. Its border with Islandview is known for a lot of conflict between the gangs and the law, as the nobles put pressure on the guards to keep firm watch on the comings and goings of their servants, doubling a typical guard presence.
Dockside -
This district primarily houses those who deal with shipping commodities and people up and down the gold river, but wish for security and prestige within the walls for themselves and their business. Contains a small garrison for San'Arad's navy.
Shireton -
The halfling district in San'Arad, it is remarkably self-policed and controlled. Remarkably little crime and high security despite high population density.
River Market -
A district containing warehouses and bulk goods, primarily food, spices, cloth, and other sundries.
Merchant's Row -
Primarily housing with some shopfronts for trading and banking services. Called as such as many traders have homes here.
Bazaar -
Where produced goods and exotic items are solid to the public. Less regulation than more stable shopfronts leads to more interesting items for selection. In the bazaar is the Arcanum, a subsection where magical items and ingredients can often be found, and pieces of arcane lore exchanged.
Western Flats -
A hospitality district containing many inns, bars and taverns, as well as more refined gambling dens and brothels.
NotSoba -
Somewhat of an industrial district, it has an above average concentration of smiths and glassblowers. Relatively new.
Temple District -
Contains entirely temples of numerous gods. Various temples offer services to the public, primarily in the form of expensive healing prayers.
The Annex -
A district set aside to host diplomatic envoys and guests
Guild's Corridor -
Contains buildings for multiple guild's throughout the Sunhold Compact
The Bulwark -
primary garrison for San'Aradian army, with housing for its soldier's wives and children in the case of officers.
Fork's Trading -
Specialty and antique shops, as well as masterclass smiths and artists reside and work here. A refuge for the sponsored artists of San'Arad.
Bluffshadow Arenas -
A district containing three different arenas for wildly different purposes. The blood-pit is a circular arena hosting low-brow fighting for dubious gambling. The track, an ovular area contains a large-scale venue for public entertainment such as chariots and circuses. Occasionally used for announcements and spreading news. Finally, honorgrasp, a square arena used only for professional gladiator duels, as well as training for elite fighters. Honorgrasp is rarely attended by any but nobles and the wealthy.
East Slope -
Housing for the wealthy or beloved of the city, where generals and craftsmen of note retire to live out their days. Few people who aren't notable walk these roads, let alone reside in them.
South Slope Estates -
In-city manors for those who are exceptionally influential, wealthy, or founders of San'Arad. These estates contain only houses that have remained prominent for decades to be able to keep the influence necessary to reside there.
The High Seat -
The ultimate center of governance in San'Arad, this comprises a link to essentially all duties of San'Aradian officials. It is a building of many secrets.
Geography
San'Arad Sits in the @White River valley at the easter edge of the Erador Plains .
Type
City
Population
28,500
Inhabitant Demonym
San'Aradian
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
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