Anslev

"Anslev's a beautiful city, no doubt about that. I just hope you like stairs."
-Jace Cartwright, retired adventurer

Most consider Pranish to be too harsh to support any serious life. Some believe the stubborn locals don't have the capacity to build a proper city like Tarke or Puertana. This mistaken belief would shatter in the blink of an eye if they should ever see the city of Anslev.

Demographics

The majority of the population is human, much like many of the other places in Covenant. There is one main difference, however. Peristeri, celestial herald of the Pranishan Church of the Light has made this place a sanctuary for the non-humans of Acitern. As such, it has one of the largest populations of non-humans on the continent.
Most of this growing population is made up of the continent's native halflings and gnomes. The city also treats non-human foreigners much the same, being one of the few places in Acitern that doesn't show them any wariness. Even goblinoids occasionally find shelter here, a rare thing on Acitern.

Government

Anslev is primarily the domain of the Pranishan monarchy, and is effectively the personal fief of the king. In recent times, the Pranishan church has almost as much influence, due in large part to the crusade called by the original Church of the Light.
The law enforcement is done by an unofficial city watch that theoretically answers to the monarchy. In practice, this enforcement has grown increasingly difficult due to the rapid population growth leaving the city more volatile than before.

Defences

With its place in the mountains, Anslev is naturally very difficult to attack. Any would-be invaders would have to travel a significant distance through narrow trails, leaving them open to ambush. There are also three gated walls on the path to the city, stopping invading armies in their tracks.
As with most capital cities, Anslev has a significant portion of the Pranishan army stationed here. While their magical prowess is relatively limited when compared to their neighbors, but the martial skill of these men and women is often greater.

Industry & Trade

While Anslev was originally built around very prosperous mines, those mines have long since dried up. Still, Anslev had already been long established in the region as a trading hub. It remained prosperous, effectively serving as Pranish's gateway to the rest of Acitern.
Even though ore is no longer mined here, iron, copper, silver, and gold still flow through here. From here they are shipped to the southeast, to places such as Tarke or Santania. From these places, they receive things like food, lumber, cloth and other necessities that keep Pranishan civilization running.

Infrastructure

Anslev is built in the tall mountains around a picturesque lake. Much of the city's food comes from fishing boats, and many of its less wealthy citizens live and work near the lake. Few visitors come here, as it is furthest away from the trails leading inward.
More prosperous parts of the city are generally built higher, winding their way up nearby mountains. This can make these parts of town difficult to navigate, as they can be quite far from one another if vertical distances are taken into account.
There are two buildings that stand higher than any other, looking down on the rest of the city from seperate peaks. The first is the royal palace, home to the monarch and their court. The second is the Church of Highest Light, which is the primary home of the Pranishan Church of the Light.

History

Much like many of the smaller communities of Pranish, Anslev was founded around the discovery of minerals, in this case iron. The incredible prosperity of the mine, combined with the idyllic setting allowed what was once a small village to grow into the largest city in Pranish.
According to legend, it was in those mines that a simple miner found a clear, round orb. Not only was this a powerful item, but it became a symbol of the land's blessing. This man was crowned king and was known as Ivan the Father. He ruled long and well with the Heart of Pranish in hand.
In addition to its symbolic importance, Anslev was the largest and most prosperous city of Pranish. It was the natural choice for the capital. For their entire history, this has been their capital and the Heart of Pranish has passed peacefully from one monarch to another.
The closest thing to a threat that had come for Anslev was a hero named Karad Blackheart, a lich that attempted to convert the population of Acitern to an army of the undead to attack the lands of the gods. Another hero, Vidar Elf-Child came to rally Pranish in an attempt to lift the siege of Tarke. The king agreed-- the last step in unifying Acitern against the villain.

Architecture

On the surface, the architecture of Anslev closely resembles that of the rest of Acitern. The main difference is in their construction materials. These buildings are often made of stone around timber frames. The shingles that decorate their slanted roofs are usually made of a brown clay.
Another difference from the rest of the continent is the prevalence of castles. Due to the naturally defensive position of the city as well as the lack of building sites, fortified castles are not found here. Instead, the home of the monarch is a very luxurious palace, lacking the defenses found in other such places.

Type

City

Population

Approx. 28,000

Inhabitant Demonym

Anslevan

Location under

Acitern

Owning Organization

Pranish