Loshra
The greatest city in all the valleys of the Mighty River, Loshra's name has come to be synonymous with the very ideal of a city in the Shecha language. Loshra is small by the measures of the multiverse, but to the sparsely inhabited woodlands of the valley it is an enormous confluence of people.
Demographics
The vast majority - 89% - of the population speaks Shecha, though often as a second language. Peoples from all over Shecha-eni and the wider valleys congregate in this city, which has started to form a unique meld of cultures. A diverse mixture of species and races also call Loshra their home - the majority of the population are humans, at 54%, but there are also many Beastfolk and giant Urshindine.
Government
The city is run by a council of clan elders, from the major clans that first settled the region. Newly arrived clans can petition for inclusion on the council, but are rarely accepted unless they have established a major presence in the city. Loshra is one of the few cities with a taxation system, used to maintain the roads, the bridges, and the fledgling schools.
Defences
The city has maintained defenses both magical and mundane since the Void War two centuries ago. Walls formed of wooden logs combine with sacred rituals to drive away the supernatural.
Industry & Trade
Loshra has become a major center for weaving, with immigrants bringing in vibrant patterns from their home valleys. Cloth is sold in the City Market and by merchants traveling abroad. The city's position on the Mighty River itself also makes it a center for trade, with hunter-gathers, herders, ranchers, and farmers from the surrounding area all congregating on market day to exchange goods and gossip. Coal comes down tracks from the mountains, and lumber floats down the river.
Infrastructure
Massive bridges span the river on either side of the ford, allowing foot and vehicle traffic, though herd animals are still frequently crossed over the ford itself.
Recently, formal schools to teach writing, foreign languages, history, social studies, and basic science have been formed as part of a pioneer test project to measure efficacy versus traditional schooling. Twelve small schools have been established so far, four taught in Shecha, the remaining eight in various common regional languages.
Guilds and Factions
The newly formed Weaver's Guild, a mere seven years old, negotiates on behalf of small-time weavers with outside buyers, and has quickly risen to challenge even the coal barons.
History
Shecha formed as a small village five centuries ago, and only started to increase in size three centuries ago as trade flourished in the region. It was threatened in the Void War two centuries ago, leading to its modern fortifications. By the time the Confederacy joined the Council of Worlds seventy years ago, Shecha had blossomed into the largest city on the plane.
Architecture
The majority of modern buildings are made of stacked stone and rise one or two stories high. Most buildings are long, with only temporary divisions within (often fluctuating around load-bearing support structures like columns). Housing often contains several families, related as kith or kin, who share common facilities like a firepit and outhouse.
Geography
Loshra is cradled within a broad valley, spilling around the shores of a shallow ford across the Mighty River, called Oheanri by the locals. Fresh water is easily accessed from the sweet waters of the river. The valley itself is largely developed, with farms and ranches blanketing the lower part of the valley, dispersing slowly into scattered homesteads and temporary villages as the mountains rise.
Natural Resources
Nearby coal mines provide a steady stream of "black gold" that passes through the hands of Loshra's wealthiest, the coal barons. Lumber comes from the forests, though never in great quantities. Farmers cover the unusually fertile land of the valley, with ranchers on the outskirts as the ground rises and turns rocky. Domesticated animals produce meat, milk, and fibers like wool, while carefully managed hunting brings in furs, antlers, and meat.
Water mills are increasingly common, powering the early start of industry with the natural strength of the river.
Type
Capital
Population
32,000
Location under
Owning Organization
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