Arden

Geography: The city of Arden was once just a small crossroads town in the then unnamed region to the east. Once the Cobalt mines were discovered to the east trade and travel through the crossroads became commonplace and the town grew and expanded until Arden became its a significant player in trade. The once unnamed region was named after the city, given the name Ardenia.

Resources: The land around Arden is anything but fertile and only tenacious vegetation will grow. The rocky soil leads to potatoes and peas being two of the main staples of the otherwise fairly plain diet of the Ardenians. The lack in interesting food that grows in the region is made up for by incredible trading foot traffic and demand for the cobalt to the East.

Culture: Despite having very bland food the region is known for having elaborate religious feasts in spring and fall to celebrate the half-moons. The elaborate street market is another big part of the city, containing local and far traveled merchants, artists, musicians, and street performers.

Government: The city is, of course, run by a council of wealthy merchants that prioritize trade and defense.

Major Historical Events: At one point in history, early in the discovery of the cobalt mines, the city was sieged and taken over by the now gone kingdom of Sundrom. After this, the powers in charge of the city opened a large portion of their coin purses to hire a very large portion of The Unchained , a mercenary band that despises slavery and prisoners. Many of the village joined the group to help defend against future occupation and also help protect larger cargo and trade routes.

Major Threat: The movement of goods in and out of the city leads to a great risk of having spoiled or contaminated goods entering the city, which could risk disease and famine. Due to this, anyone entering the city is first screened and their possessions are inspected thoroughly to ensure the safety of every permanent resident of Arden.

Law: Due to the nature of the city guard and city watch being primarily mercenary work, bribery is a very common solution for those with coin that wish to conduct shady business. The only exception to this is the guard monitoring the entering of the city, who are not known to accept any bribes.

Powerful Players: A Priest of Goldbeard, named Benweahilda "Ben Ice" Iceaxe, garners a large following as they oversee a large portion of the crafted good trade in and out of the city, promising great deals and hookups in exchange for a cut of the sale or a portion of the traded goods.

Population Breakdown: Dwarves 45%, Halflings, 25%, Gnomes 15%, Humans 10%, Elves 5%