Ellgyr

The Ellgyrish city wharves.

**Ellgyr** is the largest city in the Brythonia. Often dubbed the home of culture and merchandise, it comprises a population of mixed nationalities: Crevidian, Brythonian, Cyng, and Sassyari. The city, strategically positioned on the mouth of the River Leven, serves as one of three bridges from Cyngvar to Brythonia along with Levenstad and Lowell Hall. It was initially founded by Arros Carai, a Crevidian explorer and colonist, who saw great fortune in the land of Valkanren and wished to settle.

## History

Since its inception, Ellgyr has always been a fishing village reliant on the local source of salmon, hence its name (*Ell* meaning *salmon* and *gyr* meaning *city* in Crevidian). The tradition of fishing is still kept in the famous city wharves, where a number of "fishing families" hold positive repute. The city wharves are intensely decorated with Crevidian architecture, such as

   domed roofs, palatial facades and elaborate pillars, which has been integrated over time into Brythonian and Cyng architecture too. Overall, Ellgyr is a rival trade city with Lyzentos in Sassyar.

Ellgyr is also the home of the Varanei Bank, Valkanren's largest financial institution.

## Boroughs

### Varne

The outside of the city wharves is less pleasant; the streets are consumed by the shadow of domineering houses, and the smell of human excrement littered along the roads is overpowering. This area is known as the borough of Varne. In its centre runs the serpentine High Street, where much of the produce from the city wharves is sold to the commoners (as opposed to the bourgeoisie, who reside within the city centre). Additional streets in Varne include the Iron Road, where many armourers work, and the Silken Street, which is numerous in brothels.

### Carai Hill

Carai Hill is an affluent borough dominated by the High Temple, the Brythonian seat of the Supreme Pontiff (although he normally resides in Lyzentos). The temple was built grander and more elaborate than the one in Lyzentos by Harrell Lere, the fifteenth Lord Mayor of Ellgyr, to curry favour with the Supreme Pontiff.

Carai Hill boasts Alexander's Place: a town square made of yellow brick. In the centre of the square stands a statue of Alexander.

### Southend

Southend is the southernmost borough of Ellgyr built around the White Keep, the Ellgyrish residence of the King of Valkanren. The keep was built by Somnar the Great, costing a total of ∀1,500,000. Nearer to the river, Southend is very affluent; however, those closest to the walls often live modest lives, though not ones in poverty.

### Ismaire

Ismaire is perhaps one of the most impoverished boroughs. Through its centre runs an obsolete road with no given name; its citizens often starve in the streets and crime is aplenty.

## Bridges

Ellgyr has three main bridges:

* The Alexandrine Bridge,
* The Rich Man's Bridge, *and*
* The Stone Bridge.

Of all three bridges, the Stone Bridge is the oldest; it was built by Arros Carai initially from stone quarried in Brythonia. The Rich Man's Bridge was a more elegant bridge made of marble, so named because only rich men were allowed to travel across it before it was opened to the general public in 295 BU. The Alexandrine Bridge was built by Harrell Lere as well, to curry favour with the Supreme Pontiff.