Maribeuge
The streets were filled with merchants and stall, carts and people carrying baskets, music came drifting out of a building further along and a horn was being blown from the castle courtyard. Fabia weaved her way through the crowd, smiling as she surveyed the lively atmosphere. Geneviève excitedly chattered with a stallholder in her native Occitan, even as she stumbled her way through the east-coast pronunciation. Artur hovered reassuringly behind her, inspecting a bolt of colourful wool, while Faruq gestured impatiently in the direction of the music.By the 19th century Maribeuge is a quiet town in the southeast of Saliens. There is a small amount of trade coming along the river, especially as the river steamboats become a more frequent sight, but the mills are still driven by the rushing water. The old bridge which provides the crossing from the centre of the town to the old castle on the other side of the river continues to stand the test of time. Part of the town's importance initially came from its advantages as a river crossing. It has served as both a defence against attacks from the southeast and from the west, depending on who was currently holding the settlement. Even in the 19th century there is a beautiful forest, bountiful in game animals, close to Maribeuge which used to run all the way up to the mountains.
They saw a hunting party returning from the forest - a few hours ride from the edge of the city. Men and women on horseback, dogs and falcons, beasts of burden with the prizes of the hunt on their backs made their way through the streets towards the castle. There would be much work there tonight and the following day as a feast would be prepared to celebrate the successful hunt. Faruq had seen many people already bringing their wares, grains and vegetables and fruits, up that way to sell in preparation for the feast. Tailors and upholsterers eyed the slaughtered beasts and stuck their heads together to speculate on any possible bargains that might be made.
On the northern edge of town, the ruins of an Old Rhemian amphitheatre can be seen. It's a somewhat popular location for travellers who are touring Old Rhemian sites, especially as Maribeuge is on one of the easier overland routes to the southeast. Nor are these the only ancient attractions since it used to be the seat of a small kingdom and even afterwards was a popular summer retreat for local nobility. The town still enjoys some small amount of visitors every year for its amphitheatre, castle and cathedral which are all fine examples of their architectural school of thought. Almost all of its bustle has been lost however, as the port towns gained in importance and the centre of political power moved further inland.
(Drag the map to the northwest to find Maribeuge!)
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