Maris

A large thriving port metropolis, and the capital of the Arveia Alliance.

Demographics

Races

With Maris being the port city it is it's only natural that the racial diversity is in direct correlation with the amount of ships arriving from every part of Emmel. As such nearly every known race can be found here with an accurate reflection of their world level population.

Wealth

Maris like most places in the world has a wide range of wealth within it's walls. There is however a very strong working class here, and the local guilds keep things fair for the workers.

Government

The central government of Arveia is located here. The states all have their own autonomy in many ways, except in judicial, military, and trade laws. As just a fact of life in the city everything is taxed. Imports or any goods bought, sold or brought into the city and there's a tax for it. The tax is very small however and most citizens find it a small price for a few coppers to have access to all the opportunities of the city. Many personal transactions have a tax of rarely more than a few coppers, the bulk of the taxes are collected through the ports. Docking fees, import taxes, and paperwork fees, the port is by far the most profitable part of the city.

Defences

The cliffs of The Chalk Coast make roundabout attacks near impossible, from the water there's the Arveian Navy one of the most powerful in the world, and from the north the heavily policed Terstone Canyon, meaning there is no easy way into the city.

Industry & Trade

The largest trade city in Emmel, goods flow in and out of Maris from every part of the world. The port, which employs many of the city's lower class, is among the largest known port and receives shipments every hour of the day. From the north down the Terstone River comes goods from Tashalar, and even a route all the way to Abia and Iceforge.
The local trade in Maris however is fishing. Maris catches, supplies and prepares seafood as it's chief export. Some of the most well known sea food found there is:

the Monstrous Crayfish, a 15 foot long crayfish
Giant Electric Catfish, between 8 to 12 feet long with amazing flavor
Hetfish, an ugly piranha like fish that can heat the water around itself to almost 300 degrees, has a spicy flavor, even after dried if you rub the meat it will heat up
Hunting Knight Snails, also known as Rock Snails, Salty and sour taste, shells are used for a unique purple dye the glows in sunlight called Oldblood
Dancing Mahi, a large mahi mahi known for jumping out of the water flailing, meaty and delicious, when acidic foods contact the meat it will dance
Rock Crab, about 6" across their shells look like big rocks that they use for camouflage, prepared for eating by rolling their flesh into balls and baking them

Guilds and Factions

Adventurer's Guild

The guilds presence in the city cannot be understated, in fact they even have a castle there. Known as The Citadel, it is both the guild hall and the headquarters of the organization. The guild allows the use of it's infamous Ebonwood Prison to house dangerous criminals that the local garrison can't handle.

Mage's Guild

The only other city in the world to have an Arcanum outside of the consortium the Mage's Guild holds much sway over local issues in the city. With the amount of goods passing in and out of the city it's a smuggler's paradise, which is exactly why the Mage's Guild takes such an active approach in the city. To ensure that all magic items are being accounted for and strictly controlled.

In many cases the Arveian government let's the guilds handle their own business, or any business that reduces their work load. Some see this attitude as irresponsible, but when you have one of the largest concentrations of powerful magic users and warriors in the world within your city it seemed to them like it would be beneficial to work with them rather than against.

Points of interest

Places

The Citadel - Adventurer's Guild Hall and HQ
Mage's Guild Secondary Arcanum and Library
Messenger's Guild Hall

Tourism

Culinary Experience

If you're visiting for the first time you'd be mistaken to not try some of the local cuisine of smoked or dried fish from the street vendors. If you seek a little more class in your meals Maris boasts restaurants and chef's from all over Emmel bringing their own culinary skills, cuisine, and spices to the rich culture of seafood here. You won't find a bigger variety of seafood dishes anywhere else on the continent.

The Young and Dumb

The The Chalk Coast cliffs around Maris, which are on average 1000ft above sea level, offer a different sort of thrill if you're up to it. Those who are particularly daring have taken to cliff diving as a form of recreation waiting until the last second to feather fall the rest of the way down. Some aviary inclined races have taken to this activity as well.

Technological Marvel

The Terstone locks are a feat of modern technology that continues to marvel both tourist and scholar alike. Long ago the Terstone River deposited into the sea by a rather large water fall making travel up and down the river an impossible task. However General Golden Dawn commissioned the work of several esteemed engineers what they came up with was something the world had never seen. Each chamber filling or emptying water to transport the boats up and down the steep edge. Each of the engineers were given specific instruction that the device could not rely on magic it would be a mechanism based solely on science. Many theorize that this was done as a way to keep the locks from being under the control of the Mage's Guild but remain solely beholden to the Arveian government. Suddenly the Terstone River became one of the most important trade routes in the world, with Maris at it's heart.

Avenball

Perhaps one of the biggest attractions to the city if business isn't your thing is the sport of Avenball. Originally a game played by the Aarakocra as a team sport, it caught ton very quickly in Maris and eventually became the number 1 attraction and thing to do. It has become so popular in fact that the game has been adapted into a flight league, and a water league since the game translates rather well to an underwater environment. Of course though there are players that can neither swim supernaturally fast and breath water or those that can't fly, but with the help of certain regulated magic items these players are able to play on an even ground with those who are naturally inclined to those environs.
Each of the 5 counties of Arveia have their own air and water teams, and games are held as often as they can. The sport has even begun to spread to other parts of the continent and teams will travel to Maris to play in the arena. The Lamina Kingdom being the other country that plays the sport has created a sense of friendly rivalry between the two countries.
The rules are as follows. Teams of 5 play in a 300ft diameter sphere whether that's air or water. Each player on a team can only touch the ball once until a shot is made except the captain who may handle the ball as many times as they want. They're also the only one who cannot move while the ball is in hand. Two goals rotate opposite each other constantly circling the arena. Rounds are 30 minutes , matches are best 2 out of 3. The volley resets if a member of the other team touches the ball. If the ball goes out of bounds it reappears in the center within a few seconds. If a goal is scored play is reset with the opposing team gaining possession of the ball. The positions are

Striker: only player allowed to shoot for a goal, but they can only hold the ball once as a pass and once as a shot. Can make a shot using any part of their body.
Captain: may pass the ball as many times as they like but cannot move while holding the ball, shot caller for the team.
Defender: may only touch the ball once as a pass or when they steal it. They can tackle other players but only when the ball will be in their possession, but when they have possession of the ball the must pass within 5 seconds.

Architecture

The white stone of The Chalk Coast constitutes most of the material used in building. The vibrant emerald green stone slat roofs mimic the green waters and grasslands that make up the scenery around Maris. If the city wasn't so ostentatious it might have blended in with the cliffs.

Geography

The two ways into Maris are from the north through Terstone Canyon down the Terstone River. This is an exceptionally well traveled trade route that leads directly into the locks of the city. To the south is Sister's Bay that opens to the Southern Seas and the Straight of Cetus.

Sister's Bay

The bay in which Maris is located. It is named for the sisters that fought at General Golden Dawn’s side in the efforts to unify the country. The Cliffs on either side are named for two of the sisters, Cas and Lux, with their likenesses carved into the chalk white cliffs as you enter the bay. The residents believe that they protect the city much like they did almost 700 years ago.

Natural Resources

Their are two main natural resources in Maris, it's fishing community, both from the Terstone River and the Southern Seas, and Chalk and Limestone Mines in the surrounding hills.