Milas

General Overview
Milas, known colloquially as "The Amber Veil of the East" or "Saffronport", is a jewel of economic dynamism nestled between the southern sea and the singular northern mountain peak known as Mt. Kurogane. Situated within an inland bay known as Tsubame-no-Ura ("Bay of the Swallow"), Milas is a thriving hub of exotic trade, diplomacy, and intrigue. Though slightly smaller in size than the famed Al-Hajjad, Milas rivals and sometimes surpasses it in economic influence and mercantile sophistication, thanks largely to the strategic genius of its ruler, Marquis Milim Tsunemori, and the formidable reach of the Saffron Winds Trade Union (SWTU).
Milas is more than just a port. It is a symbol—of resilience, of cunning, and of the wind-carved paths carved by the shrewd and bold. Under Milim Tsunemori, it is a city that bends but never breaks, where gold and influence flow like the sea, and where every alley whispers the name of a fox who outsmarted kings.

Demographics

Milas is a cosmopolitan city, with vibrant multicultural roots stemming from its position as a global trade capital. Sultanate Citizens: ~58% Includes native-born Granians, primarily of Sultanate descent, who form the cultural and administrative backbone of Milas. Their influence is strongest in civic institutions and traditional architecture.
Kozukan Immigrants: ~27% A robust population of Kozukan-born settlers and their descendants, including Venara, Vulpin, Kenku, and Oni. They bring with them art, commerce, and spiritual practices that have reshaped much of Milas’ aesthetic and social fabric.
Travelers, Tradesmen, and Tourists: ~15% A diverse mix of peoples from across Veth’Arden. Many are temporary residents, merchants, or diplomats contributing to the city’s ever-shifting international atmosphere.
Kozukan culture deeply influences local fashion, architecture, cuisine, and business etiquette. Tea houses, bathhouses, paper-lantern festivals, and even Kozukan-style dueling academies have taken root. The native population has adopted elements of Kozukan pragmatism and elegance, blending seamlessly with Sultanate customs.

Government

Milas is a merchant-led city-state, officially governed by Marquis Milim Tsunemori under the Sultanate's blessing. Though technically under the Sultan’s domain, Milas is granted exceptional autonomy due to its critical trade role. Milim's authority is far-reaching but tempered by a structured and layered governance model designed to balance SWTU interests with local civic needs.
Governing Bodies:

• The Ryūsankai: This elite council forms the executive heart of the SWTU and exercises considerable influence over Milas. It governs trade policies, oversees military operations via the Grey Fleet, approves foreign partnerships, and manages strategic affairs. While Milim chairs the council, its members hold powerful sway, ensuring the SWTU remains nimble and adaptable.

• The Civic Concord: Formed during Milim’s first year of rule, this advisory assembly ensures the voices of Milas’ diverse citizenry are heard. It includes local guild leaders, Kozukan immigrant representatives, academic scholars from the Kurogane academies, clergy of both Kozukan and Sultanate faiths, and publicly elected spokespeople. The Concord does not have legislative power but plays a crucial role in policy advisement and social cohesion, with open forums held in the Lantern Hall every second full moon.

• The Mediation Tribunal: A rotating triad of legal experts and trade arbiters who act as neutral mediators in civil disputes, trade contract conflicts, and inter-factional tensions. This tribunal helps maintain peace in a city teeming with foreign agents, independent merchants, and powerful guilds.

This collaborative model has turned Milas into a unique fusion of oligarchic trade dominion and civic-minded engagement, where power flows like commerce—guided but never entirely controlled.

Industry & Trade

Silks, Spices, and Saffron
Rare Kozukan Teas and Alchemical Reagents
Salt, Silver, and Fireglass from Mt. Kurogane
High-speed shipping and courier services
Legal arbitration and neutral negotiation grounds for merchant factions

Infrastructure

Milas is defined by its layered design, adapted to its unique geographical layout:

• Harbor Ring: The bustling southern docks and trade ports surrounding Tsubame-no-Ura.

• Middle Terrace: Where merchant manors, trade halls, and civic centers reside.

• High Crest: Built along the lower ridges of Mt. Kurogane, hosting embassies, mansions, temples, and military installations.

The city boasts extensive canal systems powered by mountain runoff, clean aqueduct-fed public bathhouses, and sky bridges connecting taller buildings.

Districts

1. Lantern Wharf – Primary harbor district; features the iconic Lantern Bazaar, a massive floating market.
2. Silkspine Row – Residential and commercial district known for Kozukan architecture and spice shops.
3. The Grey Quarter – Headquarters for SWTU operations, home to the Grey Fleet dockyards and union offices.
4. The Gilded Stair – Noble and diplomatic sector climbing toward Mt. Kurogane’s base.
5. Kurogane Reach – Temple heights and the observatory tier; home to Kozukan embassies and elite academies.
6. Emberstone Ward – Home to miners, crafters, and alchemists tied to the mineral veins of Mt. Kurogane.
7. The Petal Court – A lavish entertainment district modeled after Kozukan garden cities.

Assets

The Grey Fleet Docks
SWTU Trade Offices and Archives
Kurogane Mines and Fireglass Quarries
Tsubame's Wall – A seawall with watchtowers and storm barriers
Marquis' Fortress – Shiro no Kaze (Castle of the Wind)

Guilds and Factions

Saffron Winds Trade Union (SWTU) – Ruling power.
Brotherhood of the Bay – Shipwright and sailor's guild.
Ember Vein Mining Association – Exclusive guild tied to mountain resources.
Lantern Pact – Informal alliance of Kozukan artisans and craftspeople.
United Velgares Caravanserai – Nomadic traders from Granheim who maintain semi-permanent market ties.

History

Long before the rise of the Saffron Winds Trade Union, Milas was little more than a modest fishing village nestled within the protective crescent of Tsubame-no-Ura. Surrounded by rich mineral deposits from Mt. Kurogane and blessed with natural harbor access, it served as a sleepy waystation for smugglers and coastal traders seeking shelter from the storms of the Greycroft Sea.

• 405 AEL: Sultanate surveyors recognize the natural value of Tsubame-no-Ura. A small military outpost and customs tower is constructed, giving Milas its first taste of structured governance.

• 437 AEL: The Saffron Winds Trade Union, under the visionary leadership of Hiro Mashima, secures an exclusive lease on the Milas harbor. SWTU invests heavily in port development, expanding the docks, dredging the bay, and importing Kozukan engineers to begin shaping the city into a commercial powerhouse.

• 442 AEL: The Lantern Wharf is completed, marking Milas’ transformation from backwater to booming trade stop. Kozukan architectural flourishes begin to take root as immigrant workers settle permanently.

• 449 AEL: Hiro Mashima dies. Milim Tsunemori inherits leadership of the SWTU. Her decision to remain in Milas marks a pivotal turning point in the city's history.

• 452 AEL: The Merchant Power Balance Treaty is signed under Milim's direction. Milas is officially designated the SWTU's capital, drawing foreign diplomats, merchants, and fortune seekers in droves. Rapid construction leads to the rise of the Middle Terrace and the Petal Court.

• 458 AEL: In recognition of her economic influence and political acumen, Milim is granted the noble title of Marquis by the Sultan. Construction of Castle Shiro no Kaze begins atop Mt. Kurogane’s southern shelf, cementing SWTU’s permanence.

• 460–472 AEL: A golden era of expansion. The Grey Fleet is housed and outfitted in newly built drydocks. Kozukan and Sultanate cultures blend into a new Milasian identity. The Civic Concord is formed to manage rapid civic growth.

Today, Milas stands not merely as a monument to trade but as a living city reborn under the winds of ambition. The SWTU’s influence has turned it from a backwater post into one of the most economically vital and culturally diverse cities in all of Veth’Arden.

Points of interest

Castle Shiro no Kaze – Milim’s home and strategic command, perched along the southern ridge of Mt. Kurogane. The castle combines Kozukan elegance with strategic military design: white stone walls, sloped slate rooftops, wind-catching vanes, and high balconies that overlook the entire harbor. It houses the Ryūsankai’s chambers, private archives, and a sky-garden terrace reserved for diplomatic receptions.
Lantern Bazaar – A sprawling floating market tethered to the Lantern Wharf, where merchant barges, pleasure skiffs, and cargo boats form temporary avenues on the water. Known for its night trading under thousands of colored lanterns, it’s a place of exotic wares, fortune tellers, alchemical trinkets, and culinary delights from all over Veth’Arden.
The Mirror Path – A serene, elevated garden made of fireglass and obsidian tiles arranged in flowing patterns. It serves as a neutral diplomatic space and meditation walk. Foreign envoys, SWTU delegates, and civic leaders stroll here to converse or negotiate, surrounded by whispering chimes and still ponds.
House of Falling Petals – A Kozukan-style theater and pleasure hall nestled in the Petal Court. Famous for its live poetry duels, masked performances, and hauntingly beautiful string ensembles. Private rooms offer drink, companionship, or whispered plots beneath cherry-blossom mosaics.
Windsong Archives – The intellectual and strategic heart of SWTU. Deep within its multi-tiered stone halls lie ancient trade ledgers, encrypted contracts, maps of uncharted routes, and a sealed vault said to contain Hiro Mashima’s original journals. Scholars, spies, and scribes walk its ink-scented halls.
The Smoldering Steps – Known among locals as “The Emberwalk,” this is the slums district of Milas, built into the rocky lower edge of Mt. Kurogane. Once a quarry encampment, it has grown into a warren of cramped tenements, carved passages, and makeshift homes. Despite its poverty, the Emberwalk pulses with underground trade, music, and a rebellious spirit. Some say the best guides, informants, and saboteurs in Milas are born here.
Garden of Aetherglass – A mystical terraced garden near Kurogane Reach, where rare plants thrive in enchanted soil and fireglass sculptures catch ambient magical light. Used by alchemists and SWTU dignitaries alike for study, meditation, or secret meetings.
The Drowned Compass – A weather-beaten tavern and unofficial neutral zone in the Grey Quarter. Privateers, guilders, and SWTU sailors gather here under unspoken truce. Every major trade scandal, pirate raid, or fleet rumor begins or ends here.
Hall of Stormbanners – Located near the Grey Fleet’s drydocks, this vast hall holds the heraldic banners, ship manifests, and naval honors of SWTU’s most celebrated voyages. It doubles as a war council chamber and ceremonial launching place for new captains.
Shrine of the First Wind – A sacred Kozukan shrine dedicated to Asuna Ryugamine, the SWTU’s founder. Incense burns continually, and sailors leave tokens here before departing on high-risk ventures.
The Obsidian Anvil – A legendary forge hidden beneath the Emberstone Ward where Embersteel is refined and weaponry crafted for the elite. Only the most skilled smiths may apprentice here, and it is said that every SWTU admiral carries a blade born from this heat.
Hall of Petitions – Located near the Civic Concord chambers, this public forum is where grievances, proposals, and ideas are voiced by citizens. Rich murals depict past agreements that shaped the city, reminding all of Milas’s legacy of dialogue and adaptability.
Together, these sites define the soul of Milas—a city where every brick and lantern holds a legacy of ambition, sacrifice, and the windborne pursuit of fortune.

Architecture

As one sails into the crescent-shaped embrace of Tsubame-no-Ura, the first thing to catch the eye is the shimmer of gold and saffron banners flapping in the salt-kissed wind. The scent of sea brine mingles with wafts of exotic spices carried from the floating Lantern Bazaar, whose colorful canopies stretch like a canvas over bobbing merchant boats.
The city of Milas rises in tiers from the harbor—an elegant cascade of color, motion, and culture. The Harbor Ring bursts with life: Kozukan ships with lacquered hulls and dragon-prow figureheads unload crates of silk and ceramic, while Granian galleons groan with crates of fireglass, saffron, and rare minerals. Lanterns in every hue hang from rigging and poles, casting flickering light upon the water even in daylight.
As one steps ashore, the sounds of Milas envelop the senses: the musical chime of wind bells swaying from eaves, merchants shouting over the crowd in a dozen languages, and the laughter of children darting through paper banner-strewn alleyways.
In the Silkspine Row, Kozukan architecture dominates—graceful pagodas, paper screen doors, bonsai courtyards, and wooden balconies bursting with hanging gardens. The aroma of green tea and incense wafts from open-air teahouses, while artisan stalls showcase ink calligraphy, lacquerware, and enchanted talismans.
Farther up the Middle Terrace, the city adopts the sun-warmed earthiness of the Sultanate. Grand stone archways carved with ancestral motifs line wide avenues paved in polished sandstone. Mosaic tiles form intricate patterns beneath your feet, and steam rises from aqueduct-fed bathhouses nestled between libraries and trade halls.
Overhead, skybridges and vine-covered walkways span from one building to another, connecting public gardens with colorful koi ponds and shaded observation decks. The Petal Court gleams under parasol shade, alive with dancers, musicians, and foreign entertainers whose arrival is as constant as the tide.
And always, towering in the distance, looms Mt. Kurogane, its windswept peak wreathed in crimson and gold-hued stone above the city. From it flows the pure water that feeds the canals, fountains, and hanging gardens of the city. High on its southern slope gleams Castle Shiro no Kaze, its silver wind-vanes catching the breeze as if guiding all the sails in the harbor.
Milas is not simply a city to behold—it is a city to be felt. Its rhythm pulses through every footstep on obsidian tile and every deal struck in a whisper. It is where east meets west, where gold whispers louder than steel, and where the wind smells of salt, saffron, and ambition.

Natural Resources

Fireglass (A rare, bright red-hued obsidian-like volcanic glass found deep within Mt. Kurogane’s calderas. Highly prized for its magical conductivity and aesthetic value in weaponry and jewelry.)
Embersteel (A forged alloy derived from pressurized mineral deposits colloquially known as Emberstone, unique to Mt. Kurogane’s subterranean veins. Renowned for its resilience and used in the creation of high-grade weaponry, tools, and armor.)
Salt & Silver Veins
High-altitude Medicinal Herbs
Pure Spring Waters from the Kurogane mountain

Alternative Name(s)

The Amber Veil

Type

Large city

Population

~140,000 - ~170,000

Location under

Granheim: The Endless Sands

Owner/Ruler

Marquis Milim Tsunemori

Additional Rulers/Owners

• Sultan Grada Vorr'Khal

Ruling/Owning Rank

Marquis

Characters in Location

• Marquis Milim Tsunemori