Whiteriver

In the center of the Kingdom of Mandia lies Whiteriver. This is the largest city in all the Twin Worlds, and a center of civilization. It is said that you can find anything here, all it takes is the will to search, and the price that needs to be paid.

Demographics

The majority of Whiteriver's population is human, however members of just about all other races are present. Halflings make up most of these, followed by elves, dwarves, and gnomes. Planetouched individuals such as tieflings are still rare, but are not unheard of. There's also a rather large population of kobolds that live in the sewers in complete disregard from the people above.

Government

Rulership of Whiteriver is spread among several noble families. They choose one of them (usually the most wealthy) to be named the High Lord (or Lady). This person is generally recognized as the true ruler of Mandia.
There also exists the Citizens' Council, made up of representatives of commoners. This is an informal gathering that has no true political power. Still, many High Lords are more than happy to pass the the responsibility of ruling the city to them.

Defences

The primary physical defense of the city is the high stone wall built around the inner districts. The river that serves as Whiteriver's namesake would be an obvious weakness, save for the the massive dwarf-made portcullises that seal the river off from all enemies.
The city guard is also by far the largest of any such organizations in all the Twin Worlds. The largest portions of both the Mandian army and the Order of the Arcane Eye are stationed here as well.
Since the defeat of Ansarien Ill'conter, the Blackcloaks have added their own magical defenses. The exact nature of these defenses are unknown, but rumors run wild. Among these are reasonable guesses such as a dome that prevents teleportation while others are more outlandish, such as gates to Mount Celestia or weaponising the fearsome tarrasque.

Industry & Trade

Trade is the lifeblood of Whiteriver. The river that gives the city its name flows all the way from the mountains to the Dawn Sea. This allows it to receive goods from practically anywhere on the continent. The river is deep and wide, making passage simple and opening the markets up to goods from much further afield.
Trade by boat is not the only source of goods flowing into Whiteriver. The city is centrally located on the continent of Vald, making it a popular stopping point for overland caravans. Its proximity is a vital means of support for many nearby villages and towns.
Its sheer population means that practically any service imaginable can be found here, from simple tailors to the greatest of enchanters. This makes Whiteriver an important source of finished products far and wide. It is said that you can find anything in the city's markets, and this is not too far from the truth.

History

When the elves first came to the Material Plane, they created many cities and spread far. The grandest of these was Vil'serenn, a city built on the banks of a great river. Because of this, when the Ancient Elven Empire needed a capital, the choice was clear.
The city prospered for so long, it was believed that such prosperity would never end. The city was attacked especially hard during the First Imperial War after the arrival of humanity, but it stood without much trouble. The First Rising of the mind flayers was much harder on the elven capital, nearly destroying it before the threat was ended.
The city was rebuilt, although the process was slow. The elves developed very carefully, as they always do. For this reason, they weren't fully recovered when the Second Imperial War came so unexpectedly. The attack of the humans was so determined and so merciless that it couldn't be fought off. The city was razed so thoroughly that only ruins remained.
Eventually, these ruins ended up buried, and the world had mostly forgotten beautiful Vil'serenn. The site was too ideal to remain empty, however. A human community was founded over the buried ruins, and this little fishing village was called Whiteriver.
The site was such an ideal place for trade that the community grew at a meteoric rate. It quickly outgrew all other cities in the fledgling kingdom of Mandia. It became a center of civilization, and was vulnerable to attack. The lords of Whiteriver contracted dwarven masons to build the wall, and the portcullises for protection.
The city stayed safe for the most part until the invasion of Ansarien Ill'conter. When he saw the state of Vil'serenn of old, as little more than rubble buried beneath a city of humans, he swore to see the glory of the elves restored. Between his powerful magic, the aid of the Sentinels of Iv'arill, and the fell power of his glaive, Dominion, he prevailed against the city's defenders.
The rest of Mandia fell soon after, and all non-elves became little more than slaves. The mad wizard was creating the elven empire resurgent, and he declared that again Vil'serenn would serve as its capital, restored to its former glory by the work of "lesser creatures".
Such evil isn't satisfied for long. Ansarien led his army of thralls up north to Eroch, where he was defeated by the Erochans, as well as Mandian rebels. His nemesis, the adventurer Eldain Mal'atre led a counterattack, all the way back to Whiteriver.
Ansarien was defeated, even in his madness he could see that. Together with his dedicated followers, he determined that if a new elven empire couldn't have Whiteriver, no one would. With his remaining thralls for protection, he attempted to throw open the doors to all the Planes, and allow the conflict of opposing forces to tear the city asunder. He was stopped by Eldain and fled with his remaining sentinels to the south. Eldain and his wizards followed and defeated him.
Unlike the desolation of Vil'serenn of old, the people of Whiteriver recovered quickly. They wanted little more than to put their lives back together and forget about their enslavement. The mages who supported Eldain, now known as the Order of the Arcane Eye helped in this greatly, adding their own magical protection to the dwarven walls. Trade flowed again, and business was conducted, as it always was. Eventually, life returned to normal in the great metropolis of Whiteriver.

Architecture

The design of Whiteriver's buildings vary based on the district and age. Most structures are of simple timber construction, although stone walls and clay shingles aren't uncommon, especially in the wealthier districts.
The size and layout vary even more than the building techniques. A structure is built to the specifications of the lot's owner, and any new owner is more likely to convert the building to suit his own needs than tear it down and rebuild. This leads to some bizarre layouts, such as a tavern turned general store.

Geography

Whiteriver is dominated by the river that flows directly through the center of the city. This serves to separate the city into the north and south sides. Generally speaking, the north includes the more upper-class districts, while the south is lower-class. This is just a general guideline, however and not a hard-and-fast rule.
These sides of the city are connected by two bridges. The more grand of these is the Market Bridge, a wide bridge that, true to its name, has shops built on the edges. The other bridge is called the Lower Bridge. This name is something of a misnomer, as it is neither physically lower nor used exclusively by the lower class, it is simply used more often by people who need nothing more than to go from one side of the city to the other.
The surrounding area is primarily gently rolling hills. In the past it was lightly wooded, but it had long since been converted to farmland. The city is overlooked by a rather large hill upon which rests the manor of the High Lord.

Type

Metropolis

Population

approx. 180,000

Inhabitant Demonym

Riverite

Location under

Mandia

Owning Organization

Kingdom of Mandia