Esmeria

A port city on the continent of Desvela, Esmeria is known for its bustling harbours and beautiful white-stone architecture. The way the ocean's colour reflects off the buildings and white-sand beaches has earned the city the moniker "The Mirror of the Sea".

## Geography

Esmeria is located at the southeastern tip of Desvela, nestled into a wide natural bay. A shallow, winding, crystal-clear river cuts through the city, providing the bulk of the citizens' fresh water - polluting this river is a grievous offence punishable with jailtime. The city is cut into a gently sloping cliff leading down to the sea, and all of the houses are situated with their front doors directed towards the ocean.

The city is surrounded by rather fertile farmland, and is known for producing some of the finest oranges in the world. The outer rings of Esmeria tend to be perfumed with the scent of citrus as a result of the proximity to the orange groves just outside the wall.

## Inhabitants

Being a major trade and voyage hub, Esmeria is home to a highly diverse population. The most common races of the world are all represented in high numbers: humans, dwarves, elves, and halflings - but less common races are found here as well, and the city for the most part has an open and welcoming view of folk of unusual backgrounds.

Drow are, however, an exception to this rule: the continent of Desvela hosts the largest population of the Underdark-dwelling elves, and as such just about everyone has a story of a distant relative or an acquaintance who was captured, taken, and ostensibly either killed or enslaved by Drow.

## Fashion

Clothing styles in Esmeria have a solid and distinct class-based split - there is a big difference between the muted, function-first styles of the middle and lower classes, and the brightly coloured, impractical clothes seen within the noble quarter. This dichotomy of styles has led to Esmerians being nicknamed 'pirates and parrots' in other parts of the world.

Fashion changes fast in the noble quarter; one week it might be silks from Syris, or airy chiffon from Ducas; the next week it might be solid, structured fabrics from Chulsaeng, reimagined in open silhouettes more suited to the Desvelan warmth. Being rich in one of the world's largest port cities means not only are you spoiled for choice, you have the means to acquire much of the world's luxurious offerings. Still, there is a single running theme amongst the Esmerian bourgeoisie: go big, or go home. Inhabitants of the noble quarter favour clothing in bright jewel colours, cut in ways that make use of the coastal breeze to allow the fabric to flow and ruffle dramatically.

Past the whitestone walls that separate the noble quarter from the rest of the city at large, fashion takes a much more practical slant. The city's nautical origins are clear in its inhabitants' favoured styles, with light linen shirts being the go-to for much of the city, and either leather trousers or functional knee length skirts in clean, soft lines; the clothes reflect the need to remain mobile, to climb upon shipdecks at a moment's notice and not get caught up amongst the riggings due to dangling pieces here and there.

## Military

Esmeria is not a military stronghold, but the city guard (overseen by guard captain Miguel Cortez) is well-trained and capable of defending the city and keeping the peace. The city guard maintains a strong presence at the docks and at the wall separating the noble quarter from the rest of the city.

## Notable locations

* The Port
* The Markets
* The Noble Quarter
* The Church of the Calendaris
* The Underbelly Network