Carlissa

Carlissa is overwhelmingly human, and Hraldan by ethnicity. Other ethnicity exist in smaller numbers, mostly Kumari and Itorri. The city is not extremely cosmopolitan, but most of the other kinfolk races can be found here in small numbers.

Liegedom over Carlissa is traditionally held by the Crown Prince of Bervund, whose official residence is the Palace of Broken Idols. The current Prince, Holmun, has taken a key role in the city's development. The civic council is mostly appointed directly by the prince, however the local Guildmasters have strong sway in recommendations to the Prince.

The Priest-Stained Walls, so they are called, gain their name for the "Priest-Kings" that were slaughtered on them during the Arumnian Empire's expansion into the Hraldan valley, the City of Carlissa then was a great fortress of the Priest-Kings that held back multiple attacks from the Empire. 
Eventually though the Empire overwhelmed the city's defences and threw down their tyrants. But the walls remained. Rebuilt and refurbished to reinforce the Empire's Conquests in the region. The walls would endure over the centuries of Imperial rule, although through the long peace they became less important as the city grew out beyond them. However, during the Arumsfall, and the Great Scourges, they once again became a central focus of the city's defence. As the city shrank in the preceding years back within the extents of the wall and further. Today the outer walls of the Carlissan Citadel remain neglected if functional, bolstered by palisade and packed-earth fortifications where time and war have ravaged them.    However the inner walls, remain an impressive sight. Two concentric rings of layered defences around the rise of the hill, granted a commanding view over the city proper. Walls 5m (16ft) thick and 10m (35ft) tall.

Carlissa is primarily an agricultural and trade hub for the North-East of Bervund; it possesses some secondary industries of note, in particular pottery and dye-making. However, the city is hampered by it's position on the shallow and heavily silted river Mars, heavily prone to winter-freeze and unable to cannot accommodate deep-hauled ships. Limiting river trade to smaller and shallower vessels that must sail first to Redwyn or Luthen in order to transfer to deep hauled ships to reach their markets.

The majority of the city's streets are paved, and many are lit. The city possess a rudimentary sewer and cistern system, that lingers from Imperial days, however it is considered to be far below the city's present needs and in dire need of repair.