Alliria began originally as two separate settlements consisting mostly of Humans. Flat plains stretched to the horizon on either side of the strait, ripe for agriculture and cattle. These two towns eventually grew in size as more and more people were drawn to the quiet and safety of the harbor.

Of course, the more people came, the more different species began to involve themselves.

This only increased when Alliria began to gain fame as a merchant city, with traders and other outsiders frequenting the two settlements. Eventually its location and the volume of trade meant that more people settled there and made their own homes. It was around this time that the two cities formed into one, and the population truly began to boom.

Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Orcs, and all sorts of others species quickly found their way to the growing city of Alliria. The citizens were welcoming to the newcomers, seeing them not as foreign invaders but as workers and new sources of income.

Over the centuries all peoples from across the world have been integrated into Alliria in one form or another. There are many smaller sections of the city that cater to different cultures and populations, and unlike many other places in the world Alliria seems to harmonize with all of its cultures.

This city is a true melting pot of society, though that isn't to say that there haven't been conflicts in the past.

Alliria is above all and everything else a trade city.

The city straddles the strait that bisects Epressa and Liadain at the tip of the Allir reach. This allows for a constant influx of ships directly into the heart of the harbor. Trade goods from all over the world easily flow into Alliria, and over the centuries the city has boomed.

Through its massive trade enterprises Alliria has been able to fund dozens of other industries. Silk weavers, blacksmiths, jewelers, and countless other craftsmen are extremely prevalent throughout its many quarters. It is a city of production, but mostly when it comes to secondary goods.

Unlike many other settlements in the world Alliria is not self-sufficient and imports almost all of its food and other agricultural goods. Though Alliria is a valuable resource for merchants and traders, the city also relies on them in order to survive.

Many consider Alliria to be one of the greatest trade cities, its markets filled to the brim with all manner of unique trinkets that could ordinarily only be found in the furthest corners of the world.

[1]
Alliria is a city marked by its imposing perch on both sides of the Allir strait. Located at the tip of the Allir reach, the strait is a section of two opposing continents that miss each other by a single mile. This is where Alliria was built.

Originally composed to two separate settlements on each continent, the two were eventually joined into one single city by massive stone bridge. Many others have sprouted to connect the two banks since. These days, the sea is practically invisible between the flocks of ships and bridges.

The layout of the city is confusing to some, though quite simple when viewed from the air.

On the western bank of the strait is the Allir keep, a massive stone fortress that was built by the original lords of the western settlement. This keep has been expanded and built upon over the years, now serving as the center of government for the Merchant Council and the bureaucracy. Around the keep and on the opposite side of the straight is the Inner City.

The Inner City is the richest portion of Alliria. It contains the docks, most merchant houses, guilds, and dozens of manors, upper-class inns, and entertainment houses. Around the Inner City is a huge stone wall, and built up right against it is the Outer City.

The Outer City is where most of the working class live. Surrounding the Outer City is another stone wall, this one taller and thicker than that of the Inner City. This wall was only recently constructed at the behest of the Merchant Council, and its construction was a rather contentious event.

Outside this final wall sit the Areck slums. Originally built on reclaimed marshlands that had once been the outskirts of Alliria, the slums are where the less fortunate dwell.

Though Alliria is a city of 'layers' there is an almost constant similarity in architecture that seems to hold true through every section of the city save for the Areck slums. Every building, every street is built with the same kind of stone, brought from a quarry situated on the western bank. This stone gleams a beautiful white in the sunlight, giving the city an almost joyous appearance at times.

Allir keep - Located on the western side of the strait on the northern edge of the city, The Allir keep is a great walled fortress that serves as the governmental offices of the Merchant Council. The keep is without question the most defensible position in the entire city, its wall standing as the tallest and most well constructed of the three in Alliria. It was designed as a bastion, the place to take a last stand.

Of course nowadays the keep serves an entirely different purpose. Ever since the joining of the two settlements Allir keep has served as a primary government building of Alliria. The Merchant Council meets daily within the Great Hall and most of Alliria's bureaucracy can be found in one corner of the keep or another. The towers are used to house the City Watch and the courtyard is used regularly for open forum discussions by various traders, merchants, and craftsmen.

Ostensibly by law the keep is open to any citizen of Alliria, though in practice this is not at all true. Usually it is only the wealthy and noble who can gain entry into the keep itself, and gaining an audience with the Merchant Council is incredibly difficult for anyone who hasn't paid the proper bribes.

The Inner City - The most important part of Alliria itself is the Inner City. It is here that one can find the true lifeblood of Alliria, its docks, craftsmen, and markets. Every day hundreds of ships enter the harbor, each offloading their cargo and selling to the various guilds and merchant houses. The docks are a mass of activity and allow even the lowliest worker a glance into the opulence of the wealthy.

The Inner City is the wealthiest part of Alliria, and it is here that many of the rich live and work. One can find and buy almost anything here, and its markets are famous all around the world for their extravagance.

Throughout all of the Inner City one can also find dozens of manors and grand stonework houses. Beautiful homes built by wealthy merchants and landed nobles are spread all throughout the Inner City, some even walled off with small courtyards. The Inner City is a sight of true capitalist wealth.

The Outer City - Beyond the second wall of Alliria one can find the Outer City. It is here that most of the working class can be found.

Populated by inns, leatherworkers, common blacksmiths, and less 'desirable' positions the Outer City is what many consider to be Alliria's true face. Most people who come to the city live and stay in the Outer City. Despite this more common atmosphere there is still a certain beauty to this section of Alliria. If you're after a good Smithy why not check out the Horse and Hammer?

The buildings are more roughly hewn, the streets a bit more bumpy, but it is all still born of stone. Everything holds the same tone as the rest of Alliria, and even the most common house seems to catch the eye.

Areck Slums - Not everyone sees the money that flows through Alliria. Large numbers of humans from arable land moved towards the city to find work. Many end up in the slums. Outside the protection of the walls many live in wooden buildings. Most make enough coin to get by in the city. The expanse of tents near the western gate is where most of the beggars live. The Shallows are something of an exception. This area of reclaimed marshland has its own economy run by criminal enterprises. If you can't find what you need within the walls, you'll find it here.

Alliria is a city of much history and culture, a melting pot of dozens of species, cultures, guilds, and whatever else is imaginable.

Originally born of two separate settlements on each side of the Allir reach, the city came into being for one simple reason; money. Early on the two settlements constantly competed against one another. They lowered docking fees, offered free room and boarding, and generally did everything to ply traders to come to them. Eventually profits began to fall and both settlements fell into near destitution. In a state of panic, the leaders of both towns came together and formed a proposal, joining the two settlements together in a single union.

Though initially rather unpopular, the decision was ultimately made and construction was started on a bridge in order to link the two towns together. At the same time an agreement was reached between the various merchant houses, dock worker guilds, and inns. Prices went up at a steady rate and slowly ship captains began to realize there would no longer be competition between the two towns. Of course, with there now being no competition prices soared and the city was met with a new problem. Quickly Alliria's most powerful merchants came together and formed a council, taking authority and passing new laws to ensure their survival.

Price controls, tariffs, and taxes were all imposed to rein in inflation. With these checks now in place Alliria quickly began to grow and prosper. Traders and merchants flocked to the new city and wealth began to flow.

It wasn't long before the first grand bridge was completed, permanently linking the two towns. As the years went on more bridges were built, the two settlements became completely indiscernible from one another, both in architecture and culture. These ties only became stronger with time and Alliria truly came into being.

The Merchant Council formed as the primary government of the new city, passing laws and ensuring an order that would see trade and wealth continue to flow onto Alliria.

Over the years this system has allowed the city to remain relatively stable. Alliria is a stopping and trading point for many merchants, raw goods flow into the city and created products flow out. The markets are always full and the Inns packed. It is not uncommon for poor farmers or way workers to make their way to Alliria seeking a fortune in another trade. The city has a life of its own, and during the evening hours it is not uncommon for dock workers to still be unloading ships and craftsmen to still toil at their forges.

Of course more than once raiders have attempted to attack Alliria, and though a few of these have been successful the city has over the years developed a great many countermeasures. The Merchant Council pays for a small standing army to defend the city, and of course the great walls ring the keep, Outer, and Inner city. The harbor itself is protected on both sides of the strait by two gigantic chains, each of which can be raised to block any entrance into the harbor itself. Along with this two massive watch towers sit on either side of the harbors two entrances, watching for any sign of attack.

Alliria is a city of prosperity and wealth, to many it is a symbol of just what all species are capable of if they simply work together.

“They say that money makes the world go ‘round, and I can't help but agree.

Merchants, Blacksmiths, don’t matter who it is or what they do, we all want the same thing. Theres a lot of wealth in the world, but the best place to take it from someone else? Alliria.

My city stands above the rest of em. Don't matter what you've got to say, dont matter your reasoning, you wanna make a quick buck you come to the Outer City and head to the Fiddled Fool. There you'll find yourself a table or two, each one with half a dozen men ready to lose their hard earned money. Merchants and sailors throwing away their hard earned coin just for a chance at a little more. It's a beautiful sight really, something I ain't seen anywhere else.

Sure you can find card games elsewhere. The Areck, Slavers Gully, but win there and you're as likely to get stabbed as you are to walk away with your coin.

Alliria is a magic sort of place. The kind of place where money just finds its it's way into your pocket. My Da told me once that it was because the merchants don't know their own luck, don't know how good they have it in that city. I'm not so sure he was wrong. This city sees more ships than half the east coast. People from the Islands, far away continents, they all come here. Everyone knows the worth of Alliria and everyone wants a piece of their own.

I cant blame em.

I want my own piece too.”

Alliria is known the world over as a city of fortune. Everyone knows that within the walls there are fortunes to be made and lost. It is one of the few places in the world that could be considered a tourist destination, with dozens of inns, show rooms, brothels, and every other entertainment that one could think to find. The city itself seems alive at all hours of the day, its markets thriving and its it's people ready to tackle whatever comes at them.

It is without question one of the economic centers of the world, a place where cultures meet and blend into one another. Unique goods flow into Alliria like water, and one can find almost anything within the markets.

Along with this draw comes the relative safety that Alliria offers. Unlike other places one is unlikely to encounter severe violence within the city walls. The City Watch keeps a close eye on crime, and things are carefully maintained to ensure a safe, and more importantly profitable, atmosphere. War and large scale battles around Alliria are almost unheard of, and unlike other parts of the world even raids are rare.

To many people, Alliria is a safe haven, though this may not always be true.

1. ^Dmitry Zaviyalov