Ruhnefort

The Mountain Pass

Located between the mountains, this city sits as the final hearth, in a long and dangerous road across the black mountains. It is one of the few roads that is viable for trade, and it is by far the busiest land trade route between Isich and Yeno. This has made it grow into a major city over time.

City-State

While the city itself is too far from any governing body to be administered by any other than themselves, it is also fortified well enough that it is nearly impossible to conquer. However, on the western side of the mountains, there have been clashes over who controls that side of the trade deal, and by extension, who gets to tax it.
The city is governed by a parliament, headed by a prime minister. The citizens come together once in five years to elect a new parliament, who then appoint ministers, as well as a prime minister, who because the head of government There are also ministers of economy, who is in charge of the economic policy, the minister of internal affairs, in charge of local administration, the minister of foreign affairs, in charge of relations with foreign nations, the minister of war, in charge of the nations armies, the minister of justice, in charge of the criminal justice system, as well as the city police force. These are the main ministers, and each of them has ministers who are in charge of specific fields, to maximize efficiency.

The Fortress

At the core of the city lies a great fortress, it is a grand building with thick walls and tall towers, decorated with great runes, formed by white marble, built into the buildings structure. This is currently the seat of the government and they use its halls as meeting rooms for debates. They now use what used to be the rooms for the nobility, as offices for its scribes, who record laws and the parliaments actions.
This fortress used to be the only thing here, simply an outpost on the way to Yeno, an undesirable station for any ambitious lord, and it was often used as a way to banish any lord, who hadn't done anything bad enough to warrant true banishment, this was when it was still part of a distant province of some human kingdom.
One day, a young duke was banished to this place, to act as its count, having committed the crime of disagreeing with their king. This count was called Yfnan Tirochvnechi, a house that has since been lost to history, this count entered the fortress, and decided to make a change, over his many years as ruler, he managed to build a reputation as a great trader, he spread stories of how lucrative the trade route was that ran past his fortress, and it wasn't long before those rumors attracted trade caravans. The rumors weren't true exactly, but people believed them, and as more and more traders came through, more and more inns started popping up, people looking to profit from the trade coming through here. The count made sure the orcs stayed off the main roads, by taking his soldiers along and rooting them out. It took a while, but eventually, the orcs left.
As more and more trade started flowing, and the route became safer, people started to really profit from taking this route, and the fortress grew wealthier. The Count died a rich man, and by the end of his reign, there was a bustling town around the fortress, which would eventually grow into a thriving city. As counts grew lax, the people revolted, installing a republic, which was much more friendly to the city's trade needs.
Now it is one of the world's only city-states, and while not among the biggest or most populated settlements, it is one of the wealthiest.

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Neighbouring Nations:

The Green Strip

The nations of Isich and Khellador often clash over control of the green strip, a region vital for the control of trade with Ruhnefort. Currently, it belongs to the trade nation of Isich.