Varud

Varud is a city-state and regional capital in the western highlands of the fictional continent of Valoria. It serves as the political and economic hub of the Varud Confederacy, a network of urban districts and surrounding rural communities.

Geography and demography: Varud sits on the banks of the Varud River, at an elevation around 520 meters. The climate is hot and dry in summer and temperate in winter. The population of Varud proper is about 120,000; the metropolitan area reaches roughly 210,000. Varudian is the de facto language, with Common widely used in administration and commerce.

History and government: Varud traces its origins to a fortified trading post established in the late Middle Period. It grew as a commercial hub and was selected as the confederacy’s capital. The Varud Confederacy operates as a constitutional city-state; governance rests with a bicameral council and an independently elected governor serving five-year terms. The Varud Code provides civil and commercial law.

Economy and infrastructure: The economy is diversified, with textiles, ceramics, metalwork, and food processing forming core exports. The city is a transport hub, with river ports, a central market district, road corridors to highland towns, and a growing rail link. Renewable energy projects, including solar and small hydro installations, supplement municipal power.

Culture: Varud is known for the River Festival, market arts, and a tradition of caravan-era crafts. Architecture favors limestone masonry and timber framing. Education and arts institutions sustain a vibrant literary and musical scene.

In popular culture: Varud appears in several fantasy novels and tabletop games as a political and economic center of Valoria, sometimes with variations in canon between works.