Port Vald

At the edge of the endless blue waters of the Dawn Sea, lies a city. This place is a haven for traders and fishermen alike, a place for those who make their lives on the sea. This is Port Vald, one of the proud cities of Mandia.

Demographics

The permanent residents of Port Vald are largely human or halfling. The minority of the population are made up of elves, and half-elves. There is also a population of kobolds living in the city's refuse. Almost no dwarves live in Port Vald due the the incredible distance from the mountains.
There are always traders and sailors on the the waterfront. Again, humans make up the majority, but other races are represented as well. Some of these are elves from the island of Iv'arill, while there are a surprising number of goblinoids from a strange, distant land.

Government

As is the custom in Mandia, Port Vald is ruled by a noble family. The lord or lady of Port Vald makes sure that the laws are obeyed and the crown's taxes are paid. Also in Mandian tradition, this noble is mostly independent.
The ruling noble generally stays out of the affairs on the waterfront. The coming and goings of the many ships are organized instead by a harbormaster appointed by the Lord of Port Vald. This role is more bureaucratic than political.

Defences

Port Vald is protected by the entire might of the Mandian navy. That said, the Mandian navy isn't very impressive. For the most part, they're defended by independent vessels, mostly traders who value the stability of Port Vald.
The city also lacks walls, or any sort of overland defense except for watchtowers. This makes the city rather vulnerable to conquest. There is, however a rather significant garrison of soldiers stationed here.

Industry & Trade

The waterfront is the heart and soul of Port Vald. Traders come from all over the world of Amaun and bring exotic goods from places like Jinto and Qandaq, or even further. It is also possible to book passage anywhere in the world from here.
While trade brings the city its wealth, many who live here survive from the bounty taken by the sea, itself. Some few earn their living by pearl diving, a potentially dangerous profession in waters infested with sharks and magical creatures. Many more live as fishermen, selling their catch in local markets, or shipping them to communities across Mandia.

History

Much like Whiteriver, Port Vald was originally settled by the elves. Unlike Whiteriver, the city lacks the long and storied history of that great metropolis.
In the last days of the Second Imperial War, the forces of humanity took the greatest of the the elven ports. The city's new rulers had difficulty pronouncing its name, so they changed it to Port Vald, after the continent on which it rests.
The passage of time changed the face of the the face of the city dramatically. The original buildings were of fine elven construction. One by one, these graceful structures fell into disrepair, and one by one they were replaced. Eventually, none of the old elven works remained, marking Port Vald as a truly human city.
This offended Ansarien Ill'conter, one of the mages of the Ancient Elven Empire, returned from a long imprisonment deep beneath the earth. Port Vald was the first city he took on a campaign to enslave all non-elves.
The enslaved city didn't benefit from liberation by Eldain Mal'atre, but also didn't suffer from protracted conflict, as Whiteriver had. When Ansarien was defeated, the thralls stationed there were freed from his domination. They helped put the city back in order, a task that only took a few short years.

Architecture

The area around the city generally lacks building materials. Of course, the ocean makes this limitation pointless due to the availability of imported construction materials. The primary style is red brick walls, with dark clay shingles on the rooftops. These structures, while well-made, typically lack ornamentation.

Geography

Port Vald is built on a vast shoreline bordering the Dawn Sea. Narrow beaches border the waves, and an extensive network of docks jut into the ocean, with vessels of all kinds are tied here day and night.
Just as this waterfront dominates the city metaphorically, it does so physically, as well. This makes the city long and thin, as markets are set up no more than steps from the waterfront. The only ones who live inland are the wealthy, building their homes away from the sweaty labor of the sailors and dockworkers.
The surrounding area is an open grassland, devoid of trees. Such an area would make for ideal farmland if not for the salt from the nearby ocean. This has left it completely undeveloped, save for the road leading further inland.

Type

Large city

Population

approx. 50,000

Inhabitant Demonym

Valder

Location under

Mandia

Owning Organization

Kingdom of Mandia