Carinor

Carinor is a fictional city-state that appears in fantasy settings and role-playing games. It lies on the northern coast of the continent of Aeloria, occupying two crescent-shaped islands connected by the Iron Causeway. The harbor district forms a busy commercial hub protected by sea walls and a central breakwater; the inner harbor abuts the old town, while the eastern shore hosts shipyards and markets.

Carinor is governed by a bicameral City Council, composed of the Heads of the major merchant houses and elected district delegates. The executive is the Chancellor, chosen by the Council for a five-year term, who presides over civil administration, diplomacy, and defense. A separate Admiral commands the coastal fleet. The legal framework is the Carinor Code, supplemented by customary law and guild regulations.

The city’s history centers on trade. It was founded by the Varin mercantile alliance about six centuries ago and grew into a regional hub through port protections, caravan networks, and shipbuilding. It endured periodic piracy and rival-city conflicts, with a notable surge of development after harbor improvements in the late medieval period and again after the Great Charter of Infrastructure.

The economy is dominated by shipping, shipbuilding, and metalwork, with textiles, timber, and glassware as exports; imports include grain, spices, and wines. The Guilds of Shipwrights, Merchants, and Glassmakers wield substantial influence. Culturally, Carinor hosts the Tideweek Market and a tradition of maritime poetry; temples are dedicated to the Three Anchors, patron deities of sailors and traders.

Notable features include the Iron Pier, the City Library of Numen, and the Guild Hall complex. Carinor is often used as a setting to illustrate a prosperous, trade-focused maritime city in fantasy worlds.