Mian

Mian began as a military outpost built to guard the pass through the mountains that mark the northern border of Haesan. When it was first built, the elves had not yet made contact with their neighbors on the continent, but still thought it pertinent to have some sort of fortification. As such, Mian's original fort was not large nor heavily fortified. The elves believed the most dangerous things they might face on this new continent were wild animals, mountain trolls, and other such uncivilized dangers. It wasn't until the Rift that they made first contact with other races.
In the aftermath of the Rift, humans from newly ruined Garamor migrated in all directions across the continent. Some of them came south, and they met scouting parties of elves who were seeking the source of the earthquakes they'd felt even thousands of miles away.
It was not a happy first contact. The humans, frightened and seeking anything to blame for their misfortune, saw strangers of an unknown race in their lands and attacked. The elves, likewise, believed these strangers might bring harm to their fledgeling colony.
So Mian was strengthened. With a proper heavy fort and outposts that guarded the land from the mountains to the sea. But the humans were not seeking war, and no attack was ever attempted against the city's new walls. The Garamoran's gave up easily on any attempt to move south, instead focusing their search for a new home to the east.
Eventually, peaceful relations were established between the elves of Haesan and the native peoples of Egera. Mian remains a city built for a war it has never seen.

Defences

When approached from the north, travelers must enter Mian through gates that were built to keep out invading armies yet remain as unscathed as the day they were built. These gates are rarely closed, but they stand as a reminder of what could have been, had either peoples been more belligerent when they first met.
Beyond the walls, the original fort still stands. Today it serves as home to the city's government and the bulk of Haesan's standing army. Though the elven empire and its colony are peaceful today, the army stands as a reminder of the empire's might, and a reminder that peaceful relations can be ended by the whim of an empress a continent away.

Tourism

Mian is a waypoint, a necessary stop for those traveling to or from Haesan on foot, but it does not see tourism otherwise. It's likely that most outsiders find the fort and the military presence intimidating, and there is little to recommend the surrounding country for vacations.

Geography

Mian is nestled in the foothills of mountains. It's original fort sits atop a rocky hill with a commanding view of the countryside to the north, east, and south, and is backed by difficult terrain and mountains to the east.
Eastward, the foothills taper down toward the sea and a small bay where a small naval presence makes its home.
A river runs down from the nearby mountains. It passes in front of the fortress, but slips under the city walls further east and passes through a portion of the city before emptying into the bay.

Type

City

Population

35000

Location under

Haesan

Owning Organization

Empire of Laintera