Etthen

Etthen is a fictional city-state commonly referenced in speculative fiction and tabletop role-playing games. Portrayed as a maritime entrepôt on a sheltered bay, Etthen functions as a political and commercial crossroads where merchants, craftspeople, and scholars intersect. The city sits on a crescent coastline with a natural harbor, quays that ring the waterfront, and a hill crowned by a stone citadel overlooking the harbor. The climate is tempered by sea winds, with mild winters and warm summers.

Etthen is typically depicted as a maritime republic governed by a Council of Merchants and Guild Masters, elected annually from the leading guilds, with a magistrate who administers the law and executes council decisions. The population is described as diverse, including traders, artisans, navigators, and scholars who speak a common trade-lexicon alongside local varieties.

The economy centers on shipbuilding, glassmaking, textiles, and a vibrant spice and grain trade that flows through its harbor. Civic life revolves around the Old Market, the Guild Hall, and the Sapphire Gate, an ornamental arch that marks the harbor entrance. The Tide Observatory and the Citadel on the bluff symbolize Etthen's blend of science and defense.

Etthen's fictional history often traces its rise from a humble trading outpost to a prosperous urban republic, with periods of conflict, renewal, and reform reflected in various narratives. It serves as a flexible setting for stories of diplomacy, commerce, and maritime exploration.