Haven

Lord City of Abanasinia

Haven, Abanasinia's largest city and de facto capital, was founded after the cataclysm by refugees displaced by the formation of Newsea. Built on the bones of an elven city destroyed in the post-Cataclysm turmoil, haven quickly grew as people flooded in from the sunken lands. Its first half-century was a time of strife, sickness, famine, and death, but the city eventually stabilized as the population worked together to build new homes, businesses, and lives. Now, four centuries later, Haven is home to tens of thousands of humans, elves, dwarves, kender, and assorted other races who have made their homes in the new "Lord City" of Abanasinia.
Located in the broad, fertile plains south of the Sentinel Peaks, Haven lies on the shore of the wild Whiterage River. It's bordered in the west by shadowy, insular Qualinesti, and nearly endless fields and farmland stretch east to the southern foothills of the Sentinel Peaks. The Haven Road runs north and then east through the mountains to Solace, then south and west toward New Ports and Pax Tharkas. With a population of nearly 30,000, it is the most heavily populated region of Abanasinia and the most diverse. A traveler can hear a dozen languages spoken in any street, can eat meals from far-flung cultures in eastern and northern Ansalon, and can experience all manner of exotic entertainments from across the continent in Haven. For as provincial a place as Abanasinia, Haven is remarkably cosmopolitan.
Haven's primary industry is agriculture, and its farms and ranches produce a dizzying array of crops, produce, livestock, and assorted agricultural products. The city is also famous for its high-quality breweries, distilleries, and bakeries as grains are plentiful and varied in Haven. Haven ships its goods all across Ansalon, as it has direct access to Newsea via the Whiterage River. Indeed, Haven's grain ships are a common sight in nearly every port on the continent. As such, shipping is the second largest industry in the city, and Haven-built ships are some of the fastest, sturdiest, and most well-founded vessels afloat. The rest of the city's commerce is made up of businesses that serve the agriculture and shipping sectors—shipyards, warehouses, ship chandlers, grain exchanges, slaughterhouses, import/export businesses, freight brokers, etc.—and support the city's general population.
Along with its bustling industrial sector, Haven has long been known as a deeply religious city. The Seekers religion was founded in Haven, and as it gained power throughout the Age of Despair, it became the religion's holy city and the seat of the High Theocrat, the church's leader. During its nearly four centuries in power, the seekers built Haven into a city of glass and marble, with a stout defensive wall, paved streets, a relatively efficient bureaucracy, and all the trappings of the powerful Solamnic Lord Cities. So wealthy and powerful did the seekers become, that they declared Haven a Lord City, although that title was a bit aspirational for a place as remote and provincial as Haven was at the time. Nevertheless, the seekers continued to build the city and the power of the church throughout the years.
When Takhisis escaped the Abyss and the Dragonarmies began rolling across the continent, the High Theocrat of Haven—a thoroughly corrupt and cowardly schemer named Hedrick of Garlund—allied the seekers with the Dragonarmies after being shown proof that the true gods had returned. Hedrick allowed Lord Verminaard, commander of the Red Dragonarmy, to garrison Hobgoblin and Draconian units in Haven, and used them to consolidate power within the city. He also used Verminaard's forces to scour the region for various artifacts of the True Gods for the Dragon Highlord as well as prosecute a brutal inquisition across Abanasinia. Eventually, Hedrick's usefulness and luck ran out and he, along with the entire Council of High Seekers and the rest of the church leadership, was enslaved in the mines at Pax Tharkas where he died an ignominious death.
After the fall of Pax Tharkas, Verminaard moved the Red Dragonarmy's headquarters to Haven and allowed his troops to run riot through the streets as a show of force. Draconians, ogres, and goblinoids of all stripe sacked the city, enslaved the populace, and tore down the Seekers' temples and monuments. Haven was nearly burnt to the ground in an orgy of looting and violence. After a week of chaos, Verminaard reigned in his troops and brought the traumatized people of Haven fully under his heel, where they stayed until the end of the War and the destruction of the dragonarmies.
Today, two decades later, Haven has largely rebuilt from its near destruction and occupation. Its citizens were freed of their bondage, and most returned to their beloved city. Captured dragonarmy forces were pressed into rebuilding projects under the watchful eye of Haven's artisans, then hanged in public to a man. Along with the return of its agricultural and commercial power, Haven has rediscovered its faith and is now a holy city of Mishakal, goddess of healing. While the occupation's scars are still visible here and there, the resilient people of Haven have turned their city, once again, into a place worthy of being called a Lord City.

You may want to make Haven your first stop once you leave Pax Tharkas. There is a small dwarven population there, and the city’s inhabitants are used to seeing our people about in their streets. The humans have done a good job rebuilding and Haven’s libraries and guild houses should provide a wealth of information for your mission. Seek out Em Brighteye, a merchant and money changer on Market Street near the Trade Guild. She is well respected among the human and dwarven population and holds a high rank in the city’s trade guild. —BT

Districts of Haven

Dockside

Haven's beating industrial heart and home to some of Abanasinia's finest shipwrights.

Eastgate

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Fairgate

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Gilean's Reach

Built in the shadow of Piety Hill, this district is home to many scholars, artisans, and master craftspeople.

High Ivy

This wealthy district is second only to Piety Hill in its wealth and splendor. Home to Haven's new money—merchants and sea captains, mainly—High Ivy boasts countless beautiful homes and upscale commercial establishments.

Market Square

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Miller's Green

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The Old Keep

A reminder of Haven's ancient past as an elven enclave, this towering stronghold still defends the city from enemies without and within.

Piety Hill

Once the retreat of Haven's Seeker elite, Piety Hill is now home to the lord mayor and the city's wealthiest, most influential families.

Riverview

Riverview is home to Haven's various governmental buildings as well as most of the city's guildhalls.

Shard's End

This small district is home to most of Haven's non-human populace and is a mix of disparate cultures, languages, architecture, and traditions.

Southgate

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Three Forks

The poorest section of town, and one of the largest, Three Forks is home to a mix of laborers, transients, immigrants, and criminals.

Type

City