Ninigis

Ninigis is a fictional ancient city-state in the fantasy world of Valara. It is commonly depicted in in-universe histories and game sourcebooks as a coastal polity that controlled riverine trade between inland farming regions and maritime routes. The name is derived from the local language and is believed to reflect a tradition of seaborne commerce and ceremonial authority.

Geography and government. The city occupied a delta on the Serin River, with a compact urban core around a ceremonial hill and a protected harbor. Ninigis was governed by a council of elder merchants and priest-wardens, with a figure known as the Nini-dux serving as nominal ruler during major ceremonies.

History. Archaeological and literary sources place initial settlement around 1500 BCE. The polity grew through bronze-work production and long-distance trade, especially tin and timber. It maintained cordial relations with inland kingdoms and rival coastal towns before a period of drought and raiding led to political fragmentation around 700–600 BCE.

Culture and economy. Ninigis developed distinctive clay tablets, textile patterns, and ship-building techniques. Religion combined a solar deity with sea-faring spirits; ritual processions and harbor feasts were common. The economy rested on metalwork, pottery, farming, and controlled trade in salt and timber, with a tariff network that funded public works.

Archaeology and legacy. Modern scholars rely on excavations at the River Gate district and the Temple Quarter. In the surviving corpus, inscriptions describe laws, tribute, and seasonal festivals. The city’s legacy persists in later regional cultures through stylistic motifs and trade practices.