Sarpentis

Population: 25,000 (20,000 Humans, 4,000 Gnomes, 500 Elves, 500 Cambion)
Ruler: Lord Mayor Aelyndros Therasia

Nestled along the banks of the Karanis River, Sarpentis is a city steeped in history and tradition. Once the administrative capital of one province of the mighty Empire of Aranor, Sarpentis has weathered the storms of time and emerged as a vibrant and resilient metropolis.

The city's layout reflects its past. A citadel, now transformed into a royal palace, dominates the northwest corner, overlooking a network of bustling docks. The Karanis River winds through the city, dividing it into distinct districts. The affluent Fenway District perches on a hill, offering sweeping views of the cityscape. The more humble Fish District, home to fishermen and their families, lies outside the east wall.

Sarpentis' economy is primarily driven by fishing, trade, and agriculture. The city's strategic location on the river provides access to vital trade routes, while its fertile lands support a thriving agricultural sector. Despite its modest wealth compared to its imperial past, Sarpentis remains a significant cultural and economic center in the Realms.

Sarpentis might not be the largest city in its Kingdom, but it is by far and away the most cosmopolitan. Diplomatic missions from many other kingdoms have their embassies in Sarpentis, and as such, very few of its residents bat an eye at people with even the most alien of ancestries. Because of this, many of the Cambion found within the Kingdom flock to the city, as their treatment therein is far better than it is anywhere else in the Kingdom.

While the city has faced numerous challenges over the centuries, it has managed to maintain its identity and its role as a beacon of stability in a region plagued by conflict. Sarpentis' future is uncertain, but its rich history and resilient spirit suggest that it will continue to thrive for generations to come.

Archaeologists believe that Sarpentis may well be the first place that humans lived on the Calyxian Sea. The remains of ancient triremes have been found embedded in the silt of the river delta, suggesting that this is the place that the earliest settlers arrived. Though the Imperial Temple will insist that humans have always lived on the Calyxian Sea, some Elven scholars and Wyrmkind documents state that humans are relative latecomers to the region, arriving only around three thousand years ago.

Sarpentis' location on the Karanis River made it a natural place to build a settlement, and it is well known that many of the buildings in the city are built atop the ruins of older buildings, that have been buried in flood silt after centuries. The cobblestones that make up the paving of every street in the city are known to be shored up by ancient walls beneath, and on at least two occasions, sinkholes have opened up in the city, swallowing entire blocks of buildings.

Before the rise of Aranor, Sarpentis was an independant city-state, involved with trade, diplomacy and warfare with its neighbours—Drakoria, Eldoria, Cyrathos and Solentia. Among these city-states, it was known as a hub for arts and science. However, as the Empire of Aranor's appetite for territory grew, it absorbed those city-states one after another. Sarpentis was the last to fall, but fall it did, during the reign of Empress Vestara. The old kings of Sarpentis were imprisoned, and an Imperial Governor was established.

When Aranor fell, the Imperial Governor of the time, Thuron Kestris, established himself as King of Sarpentis. The Lords Mayor of Drakoria, Eldoria, Cyrathos and Solentia joined with Thuron, forging their province into the Kingdom of Sarpentis.