Kandvaitha

Kandvaitha is a fictional city and cultural center that appears in multiple fantasy novels and role-playing game campaigns set in the world of Valara. Within these works, Kandvaitha functions as a major urban hub on the eastern highlands and as the seat of several scholarly and artisanal traditions. The name is described as deriving from an ancient language of the eastern plains, though etymology varies by author.

Geography and urban form: Kandvaitha is situated along the Niyari River, at the junction of caravan routes linking plains, foothills, and coastal trades. It is described as a terraced city built to five levels with stonework and wooden galleries. The climate is temperate with seasonal rains that support markets and gardens.

History: According to the lore, Kandvaitha was founded by the Vaith clans in the early second millennium AG. It rose as a center of learning and crafts, endured sieges, and shifted hands among regional powers. In the core histories, it becomes the political capital of the Kandvaithan Confederacy after the Pact of the Shifting Sands.

Culture and economy: The city is renowned for metalwork, clockwork devices, and textile weaving. Public squares host lectures and performances, and the annual Vai Karva festival draws merchants and scholars. The economy centers on crafts, publishing, and cross-border trade.

Landmarks and governance: Notable features include the Great Library and the Spire of Veil. Governance is depicted as a council-advised oligarchy in some accounts, or a merchant-led confederation in others.