cascaden

Cascaden is a fictional city created for use in contemporary fantasy fiction and tabletop role-playing. It is described as the capital of the river valley of Lyrien, situated where a series of picturesque waterfalls cascade down a broad gorge. The city’s core is a steep, tiered urban plan that climbs along the hillside, connected by stairways, arched bridges and public plazas.

The Cascaden Gorge provides a cool, misty microclimate. The city sits at the junction of the upper river and tributaries, with terraces that step down toward the water. Narrow lanes, stone walls and wooden balconies characterize the historic core, while newer districts form a grid around the waterfront.

Cascaden was founded as a trading post at a riverside fort and grew around mills and hydro-powered workshops. It endured sieges during regional conflicts before the present era, and later expanded through careful terracing and flood-control walls that preserve the steep urban fabric.

The economy centers on hydroelectric generation, timber products, glassware and textiles, supported by a river port and a light-rail corridor. Tourism focuses on the waterfalls, scenic vistas, and craft guilds. The city maintains a utility network designed to tolerate seasonal flood events.

Cascaden hosts the Festival of the Cascades each late summer, featuring lantern parades, water-lit performances and markets. Guilds for smiths, carpenters, glass blowers and masons organize apprenticeships and protect traditional techniques.

Cascaden is governed by a mayor and a seventeen-member city council, with a ceremonial river steward who oversees water rights. The fictional population is around 75,000, with a diverse mix of families, merchants and workers.