Yhorna

"Welcome to the safest town and harbour in this world!"

Walls made out of stone and big enough to tower over even the most ambitious of siege towers is what Yhorna is most known for. This ancient city predates Mihr and rivals the capital in influence. Yhorna's founding has become a mystery of the past. It all begins with the walls themself for they are not built out of blocks of stone but are rather one single enormous piece that looks like it was raised up out of the ground in an enormous circle by the coast and some of it even standing in the sea. All gates and entrances through the walls have been carved out by hand and documents lie in the city's great library, Mimers Brunn, that state how and when they carved these sections of the walls. The same goes for the pathways inside of the walls and those that lead up to the top of them. The northern and oldest gate is however undocumented in how it came to be, and the stone carvings are far finer than all of the rest. No one alive knows how the walls came to but the general myth is that it was a bypassing giantess by the name Yhorna from the far north on pilgrimage southwards that raised the walls with the power of primordial magic for settlers as a gift. Details on it are different depending on which version of the story one hears, and only Yhornans tend to take the story seriously. People outside of Yhorna tend to think of the myth as just a myth. How could a brutish giant ever use magic that the whole raven order combined barely can mimic? It must be a fable! But that is enough of the city's ancient past. Today it is a bustling metropolis that has finally started to outgrow the enormous walls. The inner city is filled with stone buildings that range from homes to workplaces, there are many market squares, and there are a few parks along the river that splits the city in half. Taking a walk through the city will impress you with the sheer number of statues decorating the buildings and streets. Some are of famous statesmen and heroes while others depict creatures from myth like valkyries, gargoyles and väsen. Yhorna is the city of craftsmen. The presence of guilds like Valhalla Express and the need to properly carve the walls when need comes has made it very profitable for craftsmen to live here. Resources are easily imported thanks to the safe port. A large series of docks make up the port where the bigger vessels lie at the large stone docks and local fishers keep to the smaller usually wooden ones. The only difficult part about sailing into Yhorna is getting through the grand harbour gates since the shallows by the walls are surrounded by large boulders to protect them from the wear and tear of the ocean. More than a few ships have run aground while trying to enter through the arched gate. The decision by Alviss Heart to put the boulders there is still frequently questioned by captains.

Population

Yhorna has been through many different governments and rulers, and most have brought new people that moved into the great city as they seek comfort and shelter within its walls. Few can say to be the original inhabitants as that knowledge has been lost and to many would be meaningless. For as long as collective memory can tell there has always been a vast collection of dwarves, elves, gnomes and humans that inhabit Yhorna together with a few of the less common races such as halflings and the ever reclusive goliaths. There used to be an even more diverse collection that included the dragonborn and goblinoids but ever since the rise of Mihr has their populations within all cities dwindled as hostility toward their kind has risen. Some also believe that there are creatures living under the city deep down past the old sewers. These beliefs are spurred by tales of creatures that have adapted to the dark and feast on anything that comes down to their abode, or shunned races, such as the dragonborn, that have commited dark rituals to prolong their lives as they plan their revenge. Few dare try to disprove these stories as much of the cities sewers are unknown due to having lost parts of the plans to them with the many changes of rulers, particularly during what is known as the mournful years when a lot of the city was ruined in war to determine who would own the isthmus.
Many of those that settle in Yhorna come to grow fond of it and are eager to protect the ancient stone that make up the city. Dwarves are particularly appreciated in the city due to their affinity for masonry but gnomes and goblins have had their time in the spotlight as well with their clever thinking bringing on new ways to restore the city and manipulate the stone. Humans and elves come to live here as they do with most metropolises, either be it through their ability to adapt to the city's welcoming culture or through their long lifespans making it easy to blend in through time. The goblinoids and dragonborn used to come in a steady stream from the southern realms as they searched for a safer home to settle in. Little is known of why and where the goliaths or halflings come from as neither tend to speak much of their homes and the former tends to leave the city after a decade or so. Despite all of their differences the inhabitants of Yhorna all know that the city belongs to all of them and will do until their breath leaves. It is a safe home for all who can share, although tensions with Mihr have been on the rise as Yhornans are forced to shun people seeking refuge in the city due to demands from Mihr. There is also one final thorn in the city's side that it has come to struggle with in recent years. The walls cannot grow unlike the population that has already filled them and those lesser means are forced to settle outside of them. Some fear that the city might become divided thanks to it, but others are optimistic as long as the gates remain open for all to come and go as they wish. There are few cities like Yhorna when it comes to travel as there always seems to be a conveniently placed cab driver at every corner who drives you over the whole city for just a coin!

Mimers Brunn

Mimers Brunn is the greatest library in all of Mihr. It is a massive stone building with a great square in front of it that has a proud fountain. It is said that the books in this library cover everything in existence if one could find the book they need. The librarians are all disciples in the cult of Odin as it is only with his sacrifice that such knowledge can be handled. Gargoyles, valkyries, and other statues stand on guard along the building's great facade. These protectors were carved out of stone by local masons in the city as the Yhornans pride themselves in their masonry. The inside of the library is decorated with statues and grand curtains. The furniture is a mix of stone and wood. Here and there you can find small raven statues symbolising Hugin or Munin. Some rooms in the library are covered in a thick layer of dust as the knowledge within there is so seldom sought after, or out of the fear for the mystic beings said to roam these rooms. These väsen are said to be the real guards of the library. They come in all manner of shapes and sizes from small enough to hide in a book, or big enough to pretend to be the room. The greatest mystery of this library is said to lie under it. People say that there lies a great pond beneath the oldest wing of the library, and some believe it to be the well of knowledge. Few believe much in this claim, and most are uncomfortable when they venture that deep into the library as the childhood tales of the bookrå come fresh to mind.

Alviss Heart

Yhorna’s organisation that controls the production of magical and or runic items as well as all of the city’s masonry. They keep track of the walls, streets and buildings by making sure that everything is up to date and safe. They give out fines to shop owners and landlords who don’t keep their establishments renovated and safe. The organisation is decently powerful thanks to their status within the city and they have some rich and influential members. People like them for the most part since they are the reason the city is so clean and fresh, but some complain that the fines and punishments they give out to landlords and property owners are far too severe.