Raeha

Raeha is a fictional coastal city-state that appears in contemporary fantasy literature and tabletop role-playing campaigns. Positioned in the northern archipelago of the Avaric Sea, Raeha is depicted as a bustling maritime trading hub with a diverse population and a stratified urban core.

Name and language: In the in-world lore, Raeha derives from the Raehan language, with scholars interpreting the name as meaning "harbor of winds" or "wind-sheltered haven."

The city is built on a peninsula and several natural harbors, linking quays to markets via narrow alleys, elevated promenades, and stone stairways. Districts include the Old Harbor, the Glass Quarter, and the High Gate, each with distinct architectural styles.

Raeha's founding stories place its origins with seafaring clans who settled the isthmus in the early medieval era. Over centuries it grew as a trading entrepôt, maintained autonomy through a merchant council and customary law, and weathered storms that reshaped its coastline.

In most narratives Raeha is governed by the Merchant Council, a body elected by guilds and major households, functioning alongside a ceremonial prince or figurehead. The economy centers on fishing, shipbuilding, textiles, and port trade with regional partners.

Cultural life centers on harbor markets and seasonal festivals, such as the Lantern Festival and the Tide Market. Notable landmarks include the Meridian Gate, the Tidal Library, and wind-tower plazas that regulate air flow along the waterfront.