Vaeen

Vaeen is a city-state located on the southern coast of the continent of Myrith. Known for its port, trade schools, and spired architecture, Vaeen has long served as a regional center for scholars, merchants, and artisans. The city-state maintains a distinct legal and economic identity within the surrounding realm.

Vaeen traces its origins to a guild of scholars who settled there after a series of river floods forced relocation during the early period of Myrith's urbanization. Over centuries, it developed a two-chamber government that balanced merchant interests with scholarly institutions. External powers occasionally vied for influence, but Vaeen retained autonomy through diplomacy and selective alliances.

Government is carried out by a two-chamber council composed of appointed guild representatives and heads of major academies. The economy centers on maritime trade, metalwork, and manuscript production. Incense, ceramics, and glassware from Vaeen are highly valued in neighboring regions. The city operates a network of inland routes linking farms to the port.

Vaeen residents speak a language called Vaern, with a formal register used in courts and universities. The city's cultural life emphasizes public lectures, manuscript illumination, and music. The religion of Vaeen blends ancestor veneration with a scholastic tradition that regards knowledge as a sacred pursuit.

Notable sites include the Glass Library, whose windows are embedded with prism-like panes that refract daylight into reading corridors, and the Gate of Winds, a ceremonial arch used in seasonal processions. The population is diverse, with a tradition of welcoming travelers and accepting refugees.