Kirburg

Kirburg is the only true city in the Vloria Desert, located alongside the Rusakra River and north of the farmlands within the canyon. Trade flows through the city like the river beside it, bringing food from the north, and sending metals back in return. Those who are not tempted by the promise of wealth come out of piety, to visit any of the temples to all the deities of the Northern Pantheon.
Kirburg is likely the oldest settlement anywhere in the North. It is believed to have first been founded over two thousand years ago, although its origins seem to go back even further. The city has been designed around the springtime flooding of the Rusakra River, which fills the Rusakra River with raging water from wall to wall. Freestanding buildings are set on sturdy stilts, with thin walkways connecting them. Small rooms and tunnels hollowed out from the canyon walls are also common, and extend up to a hundred feet above the canyon floor. This unique construction has given Kirburg the nickname of the Triple City, as well as giving rise to its “districts”: the Lower City on the canyon floor, home to merchant caravans and other travelers during the summer and fall; the Middle City of the stilt houses, home to most of Kirburg’s unskilled population; and the Upper City dug out of the canyon walls, home to craftsmen and the wealthy. The great Elegance Bridge connects the two sides of the Middle City across the Rusakra River, although it no longer lives up to its name after decades of flooding.

Government

Kirburg’s local government consists of several noble houses, who elect a single Mayor from among them every three years. Inter-family politics are thus the greatest influence on the government, and bitter feuds can continue for decades between the houses. The second most powerful person in the city is the Captain of the Guard, almost a law unto themselves, and tasked with dealing with the crime that pervades Kirburg.

Industry & Trade

Trade is the lifeblood of Kirburg. Where those merely seeking southern goods travel by sea or by the High Road, those seeking workable metals for tools, weapons, or armor come to Kirburg. Rokara merchants are renowned for the metals they sell; copper, tin, and bronze all largely come through Kirburg, no matter their final destination. In addition, Kirburg is the largest market for scavengers’ goods.

Type

Large city

Location under

Vloria Desert