Vanard, a short description

The city of Vanard has stood on this spot as long as anyone can remember, even the most ancient of Elves.
Built by an ancient race it incorporates design features, such as the Whirlpool, that are far beyond even today's engineers and mages.
 The city is split down the middle by the river Darr-Garth which flows out of the hills near the Kureshtin border. Thus East and West sides of Vanard exist, with the west being predominantly the more prosperous side. There are however exceptions.
  The Elven quarter, thought by many to be the oldest part of Vanard, is a collection of tall towers and minarets set in  vibrant park land. The quarter has had a strange history even up to recent times. When the Empire invaded the Empire's mages started playing around with the city to see what made it tick, when they got to the Elven quarter all inside were engulfed in a dense mist. The offending mages soon staggered out but had completely lost their minds, babbling incoherently about tentacles reaching for them out of the ground and grotesque animals stalking them. A year later the mist cleared and the elves who had remained were found carrying on as normal though having been unable to leave.
 The Public Baths, a meeting place for the whole of Vanard, is surrounded by some of the most beautiful gardens in the known world. There is no social structure in the baths, one price for one service. For one copper piece one is provided with a locker, allowed to use all the facilities and may stay until midnight when the baths close. Vanardians from across all social levels use the baths, nobility mixing freely with the lowest of beggars, even slaves are permitted to spend their time relaxing here. The facilities include baths, cold and hot, saunas, ice room, and massages, all inclusive in the one copper piece.
 The Government House. This is the building with perhaps the most chequered history in Vanard. It rose to its height during the reign of the Dictator when it became the seat of  the High Council, a group of  powerful citizens chosen to rule in the Dictators name. At the present time with the King back in power its influence is very limited, acting more as a court house for the high and mighty. Nevertheless it is always a den of intrigue with most of the powerful in Vanard using it as a large club.
 The Scribes Quarter. Vanard once had a reputation as one of the most learned cities on the continent, and most of that knowledge was found in the scribes quarter. This is the area surrounded by four canals in which the temple of  Shere Narm resides. Alas many of the buildings in this quarter now stand empty; however it is still possible to find everything required for scholarly activities, map makers, bookbinders, paper makers, pen makers, and many others.
 The rest of the eastern side is a collection of residential and commercial properties that  become progressively more cramped, small and run down the further east one walks. Places of note include:
 The Barbarians Sandal
  An inn owned by the infamous Gothar, a Great Man who had the courage to stay at the time of the invasion by Kromarn. By buying a lot of property at rock bottom prices he soon became a powerful landowner in the city. At his height he owned most of the poor quarter and several properties in the West Side. Although now in possession of less property he nevertheless has a finger in many pies and is rumoured to be the most powerful man east of the river.
The Barbarians Sandal seems to be the centre of his operations and has become a meeting place of many groups in the poor quarter. Gothar himself often tends the bar, enforcing his rule of no violence, making the Barbarians Sandal one of the safe places in the poor quarter.
 The Old Temple of Laeg
  Once part of the Vanardian pantheon of Gods, Laeg joined the opposition, shortly after his temple and all his priests vanished leaving just a charred patch where the temple had been. It is now a place of very bad luck, avoided at night and the source of many nightmare tales.
 The Fighters Guild.
  Source of nearly all the trained freelance fighters in Vanard. This building houses masters of all of the common weapons and a lot of the more exotic ones. If one can't find a master of a desired weapon then this is the place where one may discover the location of such a person. Also housed in the guild are several armourers who produce plain but functional weapons of all kinds. Of note is a dwarf by the name of Bralgar, though his weapons tend to be more expensive.
 The Blade.
  A tavern run by Garkrahnar an ex Praetorian guard. This building is almost always full of adventurers and fighters, by far the best place to look for mercenaries it is also the most dangerous.
 The Whirlpool
  No one knows how this works, although the mages have several theories all involving very powerful magics. At present it acts as a large waste disposal for the poor quarter, everyone dumping their rubbish into the canal and letting it get dumped out at sea by the whirlpool.
 The West Side
 The first thing one would notice about the West side is the prosperity, Vanard is the capital city of the largest empire on the continent and as such has amassed a huge amount of wealth. Most of this wealth has ended up on the West Side. In the main business area to the south by the wharves a shopper could buy wines from Kureshtin, twisted ornaments of the Drow, silk from Napaj, spices from the southern continent, and horn tableware from the Northmen, all within a few streets.
 The Palace. Not the tallest of Vanard's buildings, the Mages' tower holds that honour, but by far the largest. This building houses the present King and his extended family. It is also the barracks for the Hawks. These are the elite of Vanard's fighting men and women; trained to a high level they act as the King's bodyguard as well as his personal envoys. Possessing a high level of fighting ability they are also trained in the magical arts as well as being able to fulfil their diplomatic roles.
The rest of the vast palace is filled with the King's personal servants and the bureaucracy required to govern the Empire.

 The Mage's Tower.
  The most mysterious building in Vanard, and not because of its occupants. This building is rumoured to be alive. At the time of the invasion by Kromarn it vanished completely, not just invisible, it was no longer there.
Little is known about the inside of the building save the mages themselves, its base is always surrounded by a thick fog, and it is impossible to walk to the walls; any attempting to, always find themselves walking back out of  the fog, to be joined immediately by a mage enquiring as to one's business.
 The Barracks.
  Positioned at the southern end, the barracks are linked through the mountain to the Naval docks. This whole area is under strict control of the military and as such civilians are rarely allowed in. The barracks are kept separate from the rest of the city by a three hundred foot wall which is patrolled night and day by members of the city garrison. The Naval docks have berths for forty full warships and numerous smaller craft. The Vanardian fleet is known to consist of about one hundred warships.
 The Stadium
  The main entertainment building in Vanard it is used for many functions, theatre, gladiatorial combat, racing and many others. Seating a maximum of about fifty thousand, it is split into different cost seating. As with most stadium it has a vast underground complex of pens, training areas, saunas, and a swimming pool. The centre of the stadium may be flooded to provide a large lake for water events. These facilities are widely available to the general public. Surrounding the Stadium are the four gladiatorial schools each training fighters for many patrons, some are slaves forced to fight but most are free men who have chosen to spend their lives this way. These schools also supply fighters for the Haydn circuit.
 The Plazas
  To the east of the barracks and the stadium are the two great plazas of  Vanard. Here situated at the southernmost point of the southern plaza can be found The Crystal. Famed throughout the civilised  world The Crystal is a study in opulence and luxury, no hotel can provide better service or charge such lavish prices. As much as fifty gold can be paid for a nights rest in a single room. The Crystal is an easy building to find, the whole of the front is one piece of crystal cut by the best gem smiths in Vanard. The doors and windows are made of a white crystal while the rest is purple. During the day the building is spectacular but at night unbelievable, shimmering with the many lights of the Plaza.
 The rest of the southern plaza is home a huge number of merchants crafters.
The northern plaza is normally full of animals as it is the centre for all livestock trade in the area. Most animals can be purchased here, from the black panthers of the southern continent to the Yaks of  the Northern plains. The mages have recently finished setting up spells to prevent the smell escaping to the rest of the city. Heading east from the plaza is the Great Avenue, this is filled with eating places from all known areas of the world. Raw fish from Napaj, Duma from Haydn, Roast Yak from the Northern Plains, Shark from the coast, and many more. At night seats and tables are placed out at the sides of the Avenue, lanterns in the trees are lit, and street performers display their skills to those eating at the tables.
 Residential Quarter.
  Between the Great Avenue and the Palace is located the residential quarter. This is actually a mix of high class residential properties and exclusive shops. This is where the rich and famous of Vanard live and play.
Close to the palace this becomes government buildings, where high ranking officials have their homes. Also situated here are the buildings that house the police and Praetorian guard.
 The Temples  In the city are four major temples.
 Strar Khan Temple to rulers and Leaders.  This building rivals the palace in its opulence, it is also the largest temple in Vanard. Leaders of all types worship here, and in many ways it is another club for the influential of Vanard.  Its size is by no means proportional to the number of worshippers, though perhaps to their importance.
 Shere Narm Temples to Scholars and Sages.  This temple is as simple as the other is opulent. Here can be found all the major works of the continent. Dragons and their Ilk by  Skerrit of Morinde, Demons by Mercraiades of  Imikien to name a couple of the more famous.  It is always open and lights can be seen flickering at windows throughout the night. The scholars here spend their time primarily studying things other than magic, though they have close relations with the Tower. Various services are provided here. Access to the library is available at one silver piece per day. Scholars may perform freelance study for members of the public at a variety of prices, and in the Scriptorium in the grounds of the temple the scribes provide a writing service.
 Saira.  Goddess of love wisdom and skill at arms this temple houses the priestess of  the religion, The Sha Rabir. Skilled in martial arts weapons and some say magic these women spend most of their time in training. They consider themselves to be apart from the world and take little interest in its affairs.  However the temple of Saira is also the home to the priests of Marag the Healer. A complete pacifist Marag forbids his priests to harm any sentient being, and to provide healing to all who require it. This is usually provided at a price commensurate with the recipient's ability to pay.
 Surra   God of War . Surra  has long been the god with the most numerous of worshippers. As such there are two temples dedicated to him in Vanard. One is situated in the barracks and the other by the fighters' guild in the east quarter. The temples provide training to their members at a considerably reduced rate. Small magical items for use in battle are also available.