Nareen

Modern day crest of Nareen.

**Nareen** is a city in western Ahremia, in the region of Sectinia. The city lies on an island in the Mara River and is one of the four major cities of Sectinia. It is located in western Sectinia, and is the smallest of the four cities of Sectinia. It was founded on a island within the Mara River, making it defensible but also limited in growth. As of 1527 SY, Nareen and its surrounding communities had a population of about 35,000 - while County Nareen totaled in at about 42,000 people. The majority of its inhabitants are a mixture of Ahremians and Lohnians, influencing the culture of the city greatly.

The city is ruled by House Moire, who have resided in Nareen since the 10th century SY. Two other noble houses, House Silvane and House DuBosc also have footholds in Nareen, and have held the throne of Nareen in the past. Nareen is ruled by a baron, who is given a set of advisors made up of personal colleagues and elders from areas of the county. County Nareen is sometimes reffered to as the "Barony of Nareen", a name which has been an official title in the past.

The citizens of Nareen primarily work in artisanry, producing jewelry, clothing, furniture, and art. Nareen also serves as the main trading center for the surrounding grasslands which are populated with grain farms, primarily. Due to the city's Lohnian and generally cosmopolitan nature, the city holds many festivals, and retains many unique dishes, games, and clothing styles unique to the county.

## History

Nareen Islet was most likely founded in about 300 NSY, and by the year 300 SY was a walled city with a notable population. The name Nareen is Ahremian in origin, although the meaning is unknown.

### Ancient Nareen (-300 SY)

Nareen Islet, the inter-river island in which the city is built on, has most likely existed for thousands of years. The island's steep, rocky shores but forgiving grassland environment made it a choice spot for settlement by ancient nomads, if those nomads could bridge the Mara River. Ancient horsemen nomads who herded sheep on the Sectinian plains most likely used the island as a landmark, and old Ahremian folklore tells of the "dwelling of Varen" - a holy site which when described in ancient texts sounds remarkably similair to Nareen Islet.

It is thought that Nareen and Antelonne were victims of campaigns by the ancient kingdom of Herth in ancient times, but were never fully subdued into vassalage, and remained city-states of Sectinia. The city had most likely found a permanent population by 100 NSY, and 200 years later the islet possessed a palisade wall around it, along with a stone bridge that crossed the Mara River.

#### Sectinian Estates

By 300 SY Ahremia was a collection of kingdoms, divided culturally into south and north Ahremia. In the north lay the kingdoms of Estergaald, Norbrampton, and Mercia. The south was dominated by Aesterbyen, Salutemia, Lint, and Dailbura. During this time Nareen found itself in a loose coalition known as the Sectinian Estates - a coalition which included Nareen, Antilogne, Hamhall, and Cornoa.

### Years of Independence

#### Duchy of Antilogne

Under the lordship of the Archdukes of Antilogne, the city was updated with a new set of walls along with a number of paved roads now running through the city. The west point of the city, initially home to a graveyard, became the site of Nareen Castle in around 700 SY, and expedited the urban growth in the western portion of the city. The western edge of Nareen Islet, previously home to shack-like residential areas, developed into the district of *Castletown*, and attracted local artisans who previously served on elder councils in their villages.

The presence of tradesmen and the developing urban environment on the islet gave rise to a growing identity shared among the dwellers of Nareen. Certain festivals and other cultural motifs from surrounding villages (most of which were the cultural ancestors of their equivalent ancient nomadic tribe) were brought into the city. The Antilogne-controlled rulers of Nareen were forcefully removed from their positions in the early 710s SY and replaced with the members of the Silvane family, who quickly became the ruling house of Nareen. A royal edict was issued in 717 SY, declaring its separation from the already chaotic Antilogne government. The succession was met with little resistance, and the Barony of Nareen was founded.

#### Barony of Nareen

Under a centralized government, Nareen attracted even more people from the surrounding farmlands, growing the city out to the edges of the islet. Due to this size limitation, the *Old Town* and *Nareen Commons* areas of the city became packed with settlers. This factor caused most houses in Nareen built during this time and in the future to feature a large floor space on the upper floors (i.e. supporting an overhang over the street) and tall roofs. By the end of the 8th century SY, almost none of the roundhouse-like houses that previously populated Nareen remained.

The wealthier populations of Nareen began to confine themselves to the far eastern edge of the islet, a trend which would continue into the present day. The most skilled artisans began to migrate into an area of the city which later became known as the *Artisan Quarter*. The city was also divided into 6 districts - or *quarters*, which serviced the internal governing of the city.

The Barony's sovereignty remained virtually uncontested for its entire history, even as the central Sectinian kingdoms found themselves gathering voluntarily into the Sectinian Estates in 755 SY, and again under the involuntary rule of Hamhall in 857 SY. Despite this luck, the Barony, like nearly every territory in Ivlon, was sieged by Exelonian forces in 980 SY, and was soon after organized into the Exelonian province of Sectinia, governed from Cornoa. House Silvane, seen by the Exelonian king Spoacos Corpos II as rowdy and untrustworthy, were dethroned and replaced with a different local house, House DuBosc. The first DuBosc ruler, named Vienni DuBosc, faced much backlash during his nearly 20-year term, but by the reign of his successor, the people of Nareen had become used to House DuBosc. Despite this, House Silvane remained active in Nareen, and still retains their large manor in the the Castletown.

### Exelon and Later Years

The liberation of the province of Sectinia in the year 1090 brought Nareen out of Exelonian rule and therefore the hand of House DuBosc. The governing of Nareen was given to a man named Cedulous Moire, son-in-law to the last DuBosc ruler, Lywncion DuBosc. From this point on, House Moire became the rulers of Nareen. Nareen was made the center of County Nareen in 1104 SY, and would gain informal membership of the four cities of Sectinia - the others being Antilogne, Hamhall, and Cornoa.

The new Ahremian government's policies caused certain festivals of Nareen to be outlawed, due to their honoring of the old gods. Pretorism became the religion followed by the people of Nareen. A large cathedral was also built in the Artisan Quarter.

House Moire firmly ruled up until 1526 SY, and still technically does - although the most recent Moire ruler, Gannean Moire, died heirless thus Adrianne DuBosc was began a stint as a interim ruler.

## Land and Economy

County Nareen is one of the more capital-centric counties, with only a few other market towns and a single city charter being granted to a city other than Nareen. The surrounding farmlands are mostly packed with wheat fields and some livestock grazing ground. The Mara River is the main lifeblood of the surrounding area, supporting most of the county's villages on its shores.

Meanwhile, the geography of the city of Nareen is far more interesting. Nareen is divided by a wide road which runs through the city, entering at the Deboire Bridge (south gate) and exiting at the North Bridge (north gate). The center of this road is known as Matthius Square, and hosts a rotunda in the center. In the past, markets were held here, but as the road became frequented by caravans and travelers just passing through, the market district began to find a home northeast of Matthius Square, in the Market District.

Just west of Matthius Square is Old Town, which holds some of the oldest buildings in the city, and is primarily a residential district today. South of that is Nareen Commons, a packed district which holds up to a tenth of city's population. On the west tip of the islet lies Castle Nareen, which is divided from the rest of the city by a wall. Directly outside this wall lies the district of Castletown. Castletown is generally a wealthier district, and holds most of the city's art halls, theaters, and inns. Moving northeast, the Upper District is a large area of the city that is a mix of market spaces, houses, and shops. Two churches, both Pretorian, lie in the Upper District.

Southeast of that is the Artisan Quarter, the most famous area of the city. The district is visited by many travelers from Ahremia and beyond. Artisans that work in the area include carpenters, artists, masons, clothiers, blacksmiths, jewelers, rope-makers, cooks, brewers, alchemists, and herbalists. The "Red Quarter", a particularly dangerous and old area of the city is south of the artisan quarter, and nowadays has become the city's red lights district.

Further east is East Point, a very wealthy district. The wealth of this area of the city has been maintained for hundreds of years, and today remains the only open area of the city in an otherwise packed community.

The economy of Nareen is founded on the agricultural goods produced in the region, along with a small fishing economy on the Mara River. This economy is supplemented by the artisans in Nareen who make and produce special goods sold across Sectinia and Ahremia - and sometimes internationally.

## Culture

The culture of Nareen is unique, but also reminiscent of both Lohn and Sectinia. The most noticeable cultural cue is the dialect of Nareen, which although understandable to the average Ahremian, borrows heavily the accent some words from Lohnian.

Disregarding the language, Nareenians also possess their own games, festivals, cuisine and clothing. Some of the festivals are listed below.

Dance of Seven Flowers - Held in early spring, the Dance of Seven Flowers has women and men dress proactively and dance and party through the streets of Nareen. Eventually the parade reaches the Riverside Green Park in Nareen Commons, in which a special market is opened and continues to sell specialty goods until the next week.

Harvest Festival - Similar to other harvest festivals, Nareen's harvest festival invites residents from rural areas to enter the city and enjoy the services of the town at a lower cost than usual, and also are given the opportunity to sell their goods to the markets within Nareen. The actual festival is held in Matthius Square and includes food stands, dancing, tapestry-making, and outdoor baking.

Nareen's dress is unique as the traditional kilts mostly abandoned by modern day Sectinian are still a common sight in Nareen, along with knitted linen vests and scarves which are characteristic of the region.

## Civic Status

- Nareen is the center of County Nareen, subject to the governors at Cornoa.

- Nareen parish, a parish of the Ahremian church, is headquartered at the cathedral in Nareen.