Helsingfors

Originally formed as a mercenary post, Helsingfors has grown into a trading post frequently visited, especially during winter times when ships stay near the shores. For the last two hundred years it has been controlled and organized by the Kurki Family.
Unlike most cities, Helsingfors doesn't have a standing army to deal with troubles beyond a guard detail. Instead the city owners redistribute wealth of the city among adventurers and monster slayers, which in turn keep the city safe.
The city's main focus is the port area and the taverns surrounding it. All kinds of adventurers can be found in those, for only a fool goes on a monster hunt without spending a good dime in a tavern.

Demographics

Being a trading town, it is richly populated by all kinds of races, but the main bulk is composed of Humans, dwarves, halflings, gnomes and a half elf here and there.

Government

Helsingfors is run by the Kurki family. Bad tongues say that they bathe in the taxes imposed. Smart tongues know that the city would fall apart without them. Taxes are imposed on all goods being transferred through the port, every ship that's stopping and all the cargo that is being bought and sold in the port.
A large portion of the money obtained this way is then distributed among tavern owners who use it to maintain accommodations, provide food and post bounties on monsters beyond the walls of the settlement.

Defences

Helsingfors is lined from end to end with a high wall, featuring a tower every 250 meters. All the towers are equipped with ballistae specifically designed to be able to take down large monsters, but also to deploy webs to ground and capture flying monsters.

Industry & Trade

Part of the city's export is lumber and ship construction and repair. Except for that, the main income comes from being a trade hub for all seasons in between the dwarven and human realm. Most of the city's inhabitants that don't directly influence trade or cut lumber are tavern workers or mercenaries.

Infrastructure

The city has full working underground system of sewers which is emptied into the sea. The city features a big shipyard, dry-dock, various shipping docks and stores of goods all along the shore.

Geography

The city is located on a plain and surrounded by forests. Parts of it are sitting directly on shore, others on individual islands nearby.

Alternative Name(s)

Helsinki

Type

Town

Location under

Land of Finn

Owning Organization

Kurki