Novaras

Novaras is a fictional city that appears in various works of fantasy fiction and role-playing games. It is commonly depicted as a coastal urban center with a fortified old town, a busy harbor, and a contrasting modern quarter that sprawls along the quay. The name is often treated as a composite of a Latin root meaning new and a local toponym, though authors vary its etymology.

In most renderings, Novaras sits on a sheltered bay inside a hilly landscape, with narrow lanes in the upper town and broad promenades along the waterfront. The climate is typically temperate, with mild winters and warm summers, suitable for a lively street market culture.

Novaras is described as an ancient trading port that grew into a self-governing city-state or republic. Its political life centers on a council or magistrate supported by powerful guilds and merchant families; external pressures from rival states and piratical threats shape its institutions.

The economy emphasizes maritime trade, shipbuilding, glassmaking, and textiles. Markets, port dues, and guild regulation structure daily life, while a diverse resident population includes locals, expatriates, and itinerant workers.

Notable features in fiction include the Old Fortress, the Grand Market, a university quarter, and a seafront promenade. Festivals, guild processions, and culinary traditions—especially seafood and wine—figure prominently in social life.

As a setting, Novaras serves as a stage for diplomacy, espionage, and commerce. Its modular design allows authors to adapt its geography and institutions to differing narratives while retaining a recognizable maritime atmosphere.