Emerash

The downhill trek to the sea filled our lungs with open air and fresh hope. Now eager for the first time since we had come upon him, Bellmont marched us to the gate. 
Once we were let into the mysterious happenings and scents of the place, he proudly exclaimed: "Humans, magi, fey, all living happily side by side. What a time to be alive!"
Loke, swatting at his sweltering face with a thick wolf pelt, muttered grimly: 
"I'd rather be dead."

The city of Emerash is the prime coastal trading city, even compared to others in Poraile. Known as a paradise, it is a barrier between the known and unknown, offering spices and luxuries beyond the scope of a typical trader's routes. It is the one stop for merchants and adventurers alike, looking to travel the sea in both safety and decadent style. 
Founded when Sir Morien became a member of the Knights of the Round Table, it soon led to the formation of Altijara itself. Altijara gained independence after the Fall of Camelot, when the nation was still undecided on how it would continue or reform. In this chaos, it grew in its own image.

Demographics

First settled by human mages, the area is no stranger to magic. When Sir Morien's entourage and other like-minded people from his country arrived in this region, they aspired to become part of the Kingdom of Camelot and be represented by their knight. As the kingdom waned, they broke from Camelan altogether. Vestiges of this former unity mean that Camelan humans also happily inhabit Emerash. 
In the modern era, Altijara is one of the few human settlements to openly welcome magic and all that comes with it. This has attracted many friends, including the nearby fey and Durmok. Though Shal and Sinari are unlikely to leave their domain for long, Orcs are the most common of Durmok to live in the city. That said, the Krod still has top priority for them, which employers often have to consider for their leave and wages. 
Though magic is welcomed in Altijara, the Institute of Wizards lacks influence here. Perhaps this is why Wiccan and disenfranchised Wizards often call Emerash home. The local law enforcement trusts covens to keep their wiccan from the wrong side of magical matters, but they can and will punish them for more concrete offenses. 

Industry & Trade

Altijara is one of the few areas where materials for magic can be sold alongside books and stationery. Here, most scribes and scholars have some mage background, if not a native form of magic only those from Morien's people could explain. Items such as Inkana can be sold with little complaint from the Institute of Wizards, so long as all parties involved are wizards. Surprising no one, these rules are quite easy to ignore if the Institute has no real presence in Altijara, let alone its capital. 
Wiccan benefit from these conditions, able to sell their remedies and other wonders for far less than their colleagues in Camelan or Noravägen, where supplies are low or require hunters to find. These cheap prices reel in customers and return bountiful profits, even if some of these "wonder cures" prove to be too good to be true. 
Most who travel to and from Emerash are traders, first and foremost. Those who live within its walls are sailors, craftsmen or scholars. With ample opportunities for trade and the demand for luxury goods, someone handy with thread or tools has their work in good supply and their lives are busy with work. As they say, wealth begets more wealth, so more trades and jobs emerge every year.

Tourism

A tourist might find the sights and smells of Emerash overwhelming, especially with its food stalls stocked with a healthy amount of spices and exotic foods. Some of these are made into tonics, potions and other soothing concoctions for the body and mind, which make it a culinary and medical paradise. These market stalls are busy, especially during lunch hours - when those of the city have time off work - filling the wide streets with heat, laughter and haggling. 
The textile trade is alive and well also, bringing fabrics mostly from other countries beyond the waves. These delicate silks fetch high prices by the metre, so most tourists will buy a sample piece to bring back home. Cotton pieces have their own desirability as well, woven and decorated with vibrant patterns. 
Most make Emerash into a holiday destination and for good reason. Its coastal setting gives beautiful views from the comfort of an inn or hotel, as well as fresh air. Though not recommended for those of weak constitution because of the smell of the markets, the coast is thought to have a healing property. It is said a fish from those waters will give you the vigour to stomach even the largest of waves on the sea.

Founding Date

532

Alternative Name(s)

The Golden Sands, (archaic) Imerash

Type

City

Population

21,781

Inhabitant Demonym

Emerasi

Owning Organization

Altijara