Alendrea

A city made for profit

"Whenever an Alendrean does business, profits appear over night." " Gold falls into the lap of every Alendrean that specks" all of theses sayings would have no meaning to them if it were not for the very city that made its denizens rich in the first place. - Adro Fero, Merchant lord of Spices

Demographics

Merchants and their hired help with very few outsider allowed in the city, since it is considered forbidden to live in the city if you are not a merchant or have connections to them.

Government

The city is ruled by a council of Merchant Lords that run the city, they control the trade that keeps the city alive and each member controls a certain type of trade and the merchants under them that sell them.

Defences

The city has large walls that protect it from attack along with portcullis that blocks the entryways that allow ships into the city. The area outside of the city was made of marshes as well with only a few places to walk on without sinking into it and becoming stuck.

Industry & Trade

Trade is the power of the city and is the only thing that has kept it afloat for many centuries. Everything can be found in the city from the rarest of wild beasts to the brightest gems from the darkest reaches of the continent. Along with foreign goods used to trade for them only to find their way into the hands of natives with greater profits achieved. Making thousands of people come far and wide to see the wares that are in store on every stall and store. It's also where the most profitable business in the world is stationed as well, dyes from the famous Alendrite Snail and are used to make the best-dyed material around and is often worth a fortune. Some farmland is also on the Mother river as well with minerals rejuvenating the soil for endless farming.

Infrastructure

The city was built with a large sewer system to ensure that it never became filthy and watermills to create fine spices and foods to sell. Roads as smooth and straight as a board for proper foot traffic. Courtyards to fill with stalls and stores to sell ware, boats travel through waterways between the buildings for faster travel by boat, and a massive dock to fill hundreds of ships a day.

Assets

Assassins Creed artwork - 10 by vietcong25666

The city has thousands of stores full of many goods both exotic and common on every street, with many of them targeting foreigners.

Guilds and Factions

The merchants rule the city, but they are often divided up into special groups that sell certain products to customers, this is to ensure that merchants can't have control over all aspects of the trade. These groups are beasts, spices, treasures, cloths, delicacies, and crafts. Then there are the Black Merchants, those who delve into more illegal items for wealth.

History

Founding

The city was originally a colony of the Paranth Sultanate and was one of the first colonies ever created on the Dark Continent since its discovery. It was nothing more than a few thousand people who were desperate and wanted to find a better life for themselves. They made their settlement on the mouth of the Mother river and start farming the land. The settlement would struggle for many years as they were constantly suffering from attacks from both tribes and wild animals. But one day a discovery would change all of that, a colorful snail that could be used to create special colored dyes for clothing. It would put the settlement right on the map from that day forth. Many of the nobility took interest in this and more resources were brought in to support the colony. In many years, the settlement would be a thriving settlement in less than a decade. Then more and more people soon came to turn it into a thriving city.

The Colonial Age

As the colonies began to spread throughout the coast, the city became the center of it all as a place of trade prosperity. From here new colonists would come and seek their fortune inside the very walls. Often full of adventures and mercenaries seeking their fortune out on the frontiers full of many dangers. The city became far safe since its founding since they often made friends with everyone from criminal minds to hostile tribes with gifts that make the richest of men stare in awe. Making the expansion of the city all the better as it sent more and more expansions into the wilds and brought back many fine items to sell. After a few decades, the authority of the city would be under the control of the merchants they bought out the city with all of the products they brought from the heart of the continent. They even mercenaries that made the city heavily guarded and more well protect than any other place on the continent. After the rebellion happen and the colonies turned on one another, the city was left on its own and managed to keep itself intact and continue with its business. With very few people ever trying to take the city for their own since it was too valuable to damage. Many sought hope from the city as it always manage to keep its wealth even as everything else began to fall apart and gave away need supplies as long as a profit came out of it that is.

In Search of Profit

Alendrea conquered the continent not with weapons or armies, but with goods and goods alone. As the continent tore itself apart, merchants began to send expeditions deeper and deeper into the continent to bring back more and more things of value to sell on the market. Those who went on these expeditions would often become very rich in only a few years and never have to work again if they brought in good hauls all the time. That is if they survived that is, as a merchant expedition into the continent often was full of many dangers, such as hostile tribes, savage beastmen, dangerous animals, and far darker things in store for them. The farther you go the less likely you manage to come back alive in the long run. They often go in search of just about anything from catching exotic animals to looting ruins and tombs for lost treasures. All of which are returned to the city and sold to the highest bidder and making everyone left very rich.

A Trading Empire

As new nations began to rise from the ashes of the old world, they began to travel the great oceans of the world and many of them found their way to the city and brought many things back home with them. Attracting people from all over to buy what goods they had to offer. They even brought their goods to trade as well and the merchants would send them to the natives of the continent making them very rich in the process. But their dye was still the main reason that they came in the first place and wished to keep it that way as the merchant counted their profits in secret. Hundreds of thousands of ships dock in the city every year and the merchants always made a sale at the end of the day. It is said that Alendrites merchants are born with silver tongues and speak honied words that could make even a miser give up their last coin for something exotic. Making them some of the wealthiest merchants in the world, with some even being richer than kings. Making the city the most profitable in the entire world with very few places that can rival it.

A Dark D\Side of w\Wealth

Concept : Arabic Market by Gycinn

Hiding under all the fine cloth and coin, their lies a darker side of merchant very few ever see. A side of greed that many of them live by as a creed, with some diving deeper into a bottomless pit. While most merchant dealing in normal goods by legitimate means other prefer to choose darker grey areas to gain wealth. These are the Black Merchant, merchants that defy the will of the merchant lords and trade-in items forbidden by most merchants. These items are weapons, slaves, creatures too dangerous to sell, hazardous materials, magic items, and occult artifacts. They make up the black market of the city and are often considered the worst merchants imaginable due to this, making them swore enemies to merchants of the city and are often hunted down and put to death because of it.

A Place No One Can Touch

The city has been considering neutral ground to factions on the continent due to the trade that it brings in, not to mention the bribes of coins and gifts that are given to them by the merchants. This is why it is the perfect place for many groups to meet without bloodshed occur, for the city forbids weapons in the city unless you work for the merchants that are. Making it a peaceful place to have talks while enjoying the hospitality the city has to offer. For merchants conflict is bad for business and peace makes all sides proper. Not to mention if violence ever does occur those responsible will be banished from the city and will take it a step further by blocking ships from entering the city from certain groups and place for a certain amount of time. This is why no one would dare try to do so or meet a slow painful death at all the people who lost profit for their bad behavior.

Tourism

Many People from across the continent and the world come to the city in search of many rare goods that they cannot find anywhere else. With thousands arriving in the city every day as they seek out merchants that can give them what they desire.

Architecture

Much of the city’s designs date back to the colonial era of the Sultanate with bricks used for the buildings along with domes, columnar arches, and mosaics built into the buildings and many temples throughout the city. Most of them have to know been converted into markets and barracks since that time. But the newer parts of the city are completely different from the more native designs such as buildings made of rocks and clay.

Geography

The is found on the western coast of the Colwaza and built right on the Mother river, allowing for freshwater into the city. Which is covered in grassy fields and farmland.

Natural Resources

The city has been known for its location on the Mother River, the largest river on the continent, bringing in large amounts of fresh water daily, along with the famous Alendrean Snail.

Alternative Name(s)

The First City, City of Merchants

Type

Large city

Population

800,000

Related Ethnicities

• Alendrites

Inhabitant Demonym

Alendrean

Related Professions

• Black Merchant

Merchants

Bazaar by thegryph

They are the lifeline that is the city with many seen on every street and bazaar that you come across, often covered in extravagant clothing and jewels, they will do anything to get into your coin purse, often using words, parlor tricks, and other means to get what they want. A good merchant always uses their charisma to be the best seller in the city.

Merchant Lords

the Guildmaster by Tsabo6

The most powerful of all merchants in the city with each one holding a certain aspect of trade with hundreds, let alone thousands of merchants under their command. Their word is law in the city and they always get a share of the profits that the merchants under them make for most of their funds come from them and to cross them will often leave you misery.

Merchants of Death

Black Merchants are the scum that rule the black markets of the city are often found in a dark and shady place that very few people go to sell their illegal wares. They are not the kind of people that you want to be around, especially if the wares that they carry around can kill them. Making them hated and despised as they go against the principles of the Alendrites

Seperated Merchandise

Assassins Creed artwork - 10 by vietcong25666

Markets are divided throughout the city to ensure that merchants with different goods don't interfere in each other's business, which is bad for business. Not to mention some goods have to be placed in a certain environment of being ruined before being sold. Making it simple for people to find what they want and anyone happy if they want to shop quickly.

Prized Savior

Alendrite Snails are what made an empire, born different colors that are crushed and are used to make dyes on silks and cloths to sell high prices as many people desire them. Often being kept locked away in secure places around the city so no one can steal them and create competition.