Varna

The land Varna sits on was the location of the first permanent human settlement in Noyatu. After the Crisis of the Gods and the Divine Exile, merchants from Calimshan headed south and used Cape Etana as a pit stop to go into Noyatu. They established a settlement called Aradikhad. They would travel east from Aradikhad through the Eldeen Reaches to go to Droa Mir (the ancient name for Droaam) or south towards the Kasokai Ocean. A couple of thousand years later, in the midst of the Rifaagud Dynasty, humans began migrating west into the Reaches to escape rising tensions with the monstrous government. A large group settled in the ruins of Aradikhad and established a new settlement. These humans were the ancestors of House Vadalis and named the site Varna.
Varna now acts as a significant trade hub for the Eldeen Reaches and the center for arcano-biology. The Vinerun District has a variety of unique mounts for rent and sale that are only native to Varna. What sets the city apart from most in Noyatu is its focus on barter. The vast majority of businesses deal exclusively in material trade rather than the movement of coin. Some more lenient traders may take gold or silver but do so begrudgingly.

Greener Times

Varna is led by a druidic spiritual leader like all permanent settlements in the Eldeen Reaches. After the unfortunate disappearance of the previous leader, Ceropia Willowstand was called back from the Feywild and asked to lead. As the new Greener, Ceropia has control over the city and is guided by a circle of advisors.
The general populace of Varna dislikes Greener Willowstand. They think she is inexperienced in the complexities of the Material Plane and is too much of a Feyophile. They refer to her advising team as the "Empty Circle" because its members have reputations of shallowness and deception. Most of the city preferred her predecessor and mentor, Vitex Pinescar, and suspect Ceropia and her advisors are involved in his disappearance.

Wild's Wrath

Lycanthropy is not illegal in the Eldeen Reaches, unlike the other nations of Noyatu. Varna takes advantage of this and employs many lycanthropes and shifters in its police force, Wild's Wrath. Wildlings (the local name for the officers) also utilize modified beasts created by Vadalis agents in the Addofort Research Center. Officers are identified by their emerald-dyed leathers with the Eldeen insignia displayed on the right arm. Most patrols consist of four to five wildlings and at least one bestial companion.

Dirt, Domestication, and Deals

Varna commerce presents itself in three pillars: crops, livestock, and trade. Most crop production takes place outside the city proper and farms plenty of sub-tropic plants. Varna is a large producer of coffee and citrus fruits as well as nuts like macadamias and pecans. Some farms specialize in ginger or medicinal plants, herbs, and essential oils.
Thanks to House Vadalis and their agents who work in the Addofort Research Center, the domestication of local animals has changed livestock production in the Eldeen Reaches. Deer and alligators are the most commonly farmed animals and a special breed of cattle had been created to thrive in the subtropic climate of the western coast.
Varna acts as the door to the outside world for southwestern Noyatu. Seeing as goods cannot travel through Chult easily, traders travel down from Port Nyanzaru to Varna so they can bring goods to the rest of the continent. Most caravans take goods from Varna and go east into the Towering Wood, through Droaam, and into western Breland. Others sail south towards the Shadow Marches or even further to Sharn. Most international trade is with Calimshan and occasionally with sea dwellers who live in the Thunder or Kasokai Oceans. Trade in Varna is barter, so it draws a large community that supports the denial of modern economics.

Organizations of Varna

The noble houses of Noyatu all have outposts in Varna, but a few have a more significant impact on the city. House Vadalis's headquarters, the Addofort Research Center, is the place to be for the newest in arcano-botany, mystical mycology, and cryptozoology. The research center regularly holds field trips for Witherbloom students of Strixhaven University who want a peek at what they may do after graduation. House Vadalis also controls all the stables in the Vinerun District, the most popular of which is Little Critters Pastures which caters to people of all sizes, races, and planes of origin.
House Lyrander and House Medani also have a play in the politics of the city. Lyrander agents have their tendrils in all the warehouses, ship repair businesses, and docking organizations in Clearwater Wharf. Members of House Medani rent their private bodyguard services to high-profile trade moguls coming to town to participate in the excitement of the Listening Market.
Trade in Varna is watched over by a union of successful entrepreneurs, the Silver Tongues. They look over all trade in the city and hire a sect of House Medani, the Noctural Wardens, to patrol the Listening Market. It is rumored that the Listening Market gained that name because there is no privacy in the entirety of the ward.

Religion in the West

Most residents of Varna are spiritual in nature. They believe in the natural ways of things which tends to stray away from belief in the gods. Despite this, Melora still has a large presence here. Her connection to nature makes her stand out among the other gods in the eyes of Varnans. Ioun is also very popular among Vadalis agents working in the Addofort Research Center. Saevel Mordove, the Advisor of the Divine, is very disliked by the populace. It is rumored he was a templar in his youth, but broke his oath in times of trouble and walked away from his paladin responsibilities.

Population: 82,110 (80% humans, 10% elves, 5% shifters, 5% other races)
Government: Greener Ceropia Willowstand (Female Human)
Defense: Wild's Wrath, Medani Agents
Hallmarks: Arcano-biology, modified agriculture, barter economy, intercontinental trade.

Important Figures

Greener Ceropia Willowstand (Female Human)
Advisor of Economics Kodak Zakai (Male Owlin)
Advisor of Defense Shala Tirutar (Female Human)
Advisor of the Divine Saevel Mardove (Male Elf)
Advisor of the Arcane Nabua Ettu (Male Human)
Advisor of Entertainment Ayluin d'Phiarlan (Male Elf)
Dr. Zion d'Vadalis, Head of Addofort Research Center (Male Human)
Dalin d'Vadalis, Head of House Vadalis (Male Human)

Founding Date

2833 PDE

Type

City

Included Locations

• The Maroon Owl

Owning Organization

Eldeen Reaches

Places of Interest

• Addofort Research Center. Biological research and experimentation
• Little Critter Pastures. Stables and Wheelshop
• The Listening Market. Open market
• The Maroon Owl. Inn and Tavern in Mellowpine Heights
• The Clean Crab. Inn and Tavern in West Alderpad
• Olde Lime. Tavern in Moss Plaza

Attitudes Towards Adventurers

The citizens of Varna are distrustful by nature. They don't believe in their government and constantly have to fight for fair deals in the Listening Market. This distrustful attitude gets directed at adventuring parties as well. Varnans believe that adventurers disrupt the natural order of the Towering Wood and bring more trouble than they're worth. 

Costal Strife

• Strange eggs have started appearing in the city. The Addofort Research Center would love to get its hands on them for further research into what they are.
• Despite the tight security in the Listening Market, there have been a string of high-profile burglaries in the past few weeks. The Silver Tongues would pay handsomely if the culprit(s) were caught and brought to justice.