Vara

> **Nickname:** East Gate
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> **Demonym:** Varan
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    Vara is a mostly human city-state in the heart of Tyrael found along the Sund River. The city is large and stands on the shoulders of the trade routes via the rivers and out to the seas that carry Vara's goods such as rye and hops, as well as the highly-valued Tyraeli beef cattle.

#### Culture

The city is a melting pot of peoples and cultures comprised of nearly all races. Vara is run by a Mansa, or Lord, that is chosen from the "Land Council", a group of individuals that represent the land owners and merchants of the city.

#### Port City

As the economy of Vara grew over time, the city seized and controlled the northern bank of the Sund River leading to Bruit Sound, where this is the sea port, called Vara-port, as opposed to Vara-main, the city within the Hinterlands. Due to the geography of Tyrael, and the currents of the Teal Ocean, Vara has a near-monopolistic hold on trade to and from Merethyl.

#### History

Humans arrived to Tyrael in the beginnings of the 2nd Century from Merethyl and landed in an along the Hinterlands and Ithail Forest. Over the course of the century, many of the various ethnic groups were consolidated into the port town of Vara. Vara had existed as a way-point for Dawi and Yazaka merchants for years. Though it is far up the Sund River, the large river is deep, wide, and steady, making it ideal for rowing up river to Vara-main. The humans began to drive the economy of the city to greater heights, creating a larger port and more favorable taverns. After several years the city began to grew exponentially and, despite threats from the Yazaka Vadok and bribes from the Dawi and Sylenorians, maintained it's status of autonomy. As the economy of Vara grew over time, the city seized and controlled the northern bank of the Sund River leading to Bruit Sound, where this is the sea port, called Vara-port, as opposed to Vara-main, the city within the Hinterlands. Due to the geography of Tyrael, and the currents of the Teal Ocean, Vara has a near-monopolistic hold on trade to and from Merethyl. Today it is one of the largest and richest economies of Sefyll and serves as a main port for ships from all over Sefyll and as a transfer station for goods to and from the nations of Tyrael.

As the city grew and the inhabitants stretched out across the Hinterlands, various cultures progressed and self-differentiated. This often lead to unrest and animosity between supposed ethnic groups. Vara was able to overcome this divide, however, thanks to an epidemic and the Mansa's response to it, but also to the actions of a healer, Moriel Yára. The city became the melting pot of culture it is today, celebrated for it's unity and diversity.

Referred to as the Maiden of Vara and Luminary of the East, Moriel Yára lived during the 5th Century and in the year 33 of the 5th Century, an disease of fatigue, fever, and muscle aches befell the city, seemingly affecting mostly women. The children born from those affected by the illness would rarely live and where often born with obvious physical malformations. As she and other healers scrambled to treat and care for the ill, Moriel began to gather information about the illness. It was the young and able Maiden of Vara that traced the illness to the manure of Tyraeli cattle, a staple of livestock in the area. Moriel was praised by the Lord of Vara and the Land Council for her role in preserving the future of the city. In honor of the Maiden of Vara and her family, the rooster—the translation of Yára to common—-was adopted as the symbol of the city, standing for honesty, and physical and moral fortitude.

Varan Heavy CavalryVaran SpearmanVaran Heavy InfantrymanCity GuardVaran Light Cavalry