Mesch

Mesch's population is a mix of ethnicities. The proximity to trade routes and a prominent port has made Mesch more diverse than its population size suggests. Mesch has a slightly older population compared to other nearby settlements—many of its residents have roots that go back generations, especially in North Ward and the Castle district. However, younger traders and explorers often pass through or stay for a season in Trade Town or The Docks.

Mesch is ruled by the Duke or Duchess of Buzatia. The Duke or Duchess maintains broad executive authority, but they are advised by a Privy Council composed of district stewards, military advisors, clergy, and trade liaisons. The castle acts as both a noble residence and a bureaucratic center. Laws are enforced by the Buzatian Guard, a local militia sworn to the Duke’s service. In recent decades, governance has shifted toward greater engagement with the merchant class, which holds increasing economic sway through the Guild of Scales.

Mesch thrives on maritime trade, craftsmanship, and luxury goods.

Exports include:

• Fine textiles and dyed fabrics (using Ghost Gate’s unique fungal dyes)
• Spiced fish preserves
• Carved stone icons and architectural components
• Alchemy ingredients and rare scrolls found or forged in Ghost Gate

Imports include:

• Grain and meat from inland duchies
• Foreign spices and ores

Mesch boasts a layered and well-developed infrastructure for a city of its size. Stone-paved roads connect each district, with canals running through parts of Trade Town and The Docks. Water is pumped in from nearby springs via underground channels.

There is a dedicated port authority, a postal hall, granaries, and a recently constructed beacon tower at Ghost Gate that serves both as a lookout and warning post. Public lighting—mostly oil lanterns—is present in all major districts, maintained by a guild of lamplighters.

Trade Town:

The city’s economic heart. Trade Town is a buzzing district of shops, smithies, dye-makers, and open-air stalls. Guildhalls, courier services, and moneylenders fill its upper levels. Merchants operate beneath colorful awnings, and city criers keep the crowds informed of deals, decrees, and drama.

The Docks

Mesch's southern coast connects it to distant ports and smaller fishing villages. The Docks are noisy, wet, and always active—day or night. Crates of spices, textiles, tools, and ore are unloaded by the hour. A popular spot for taverns, inns, and cheap boarding houses. Sailors and smugglers rub shoulders here, and rumors travel faster than ships.

Southgate

Mesch's southern coast connects it to distant ports and smaller fishing villages. The Docks are noisy, wet, and always active—day or night. Crates of spices, textiles, tools, and ore are unloaded by the hour. A popular spot for taverns, inns, and cheap boarding houses. Sailors and smugglers rub shoulders here, and rumors travel faster than ships.

Ghost Gate

Steeped in unease and legend, Ghost Gate was once a thriving district before a fire and plague hollowed it out decades ago. Since then, the area has been partially reclaimed by the superstitious and the desperate. Some ancient crypts and vaults still sit untouched, and odd occurrences are whispered about after sundown. A haven for outcasts, alchemists, and those who prefer to be left alone.

Castle

Built atop a rise that overlooks the city and sea, the Castle is a symbol of Buzatian power. Its walls are thick and gray, banners high, and its towers fitted with magickal wards. Here, the ruling family conducts affairs of state, meets with the council, and oversees ceremonial functions. The inner courtyard hosts feasts, courts, and sometimes public performances.

North Ward

A picturesque residential district. Homes are tidy, with hanging gardens and decorative fences. Communal spaces are common—playgrounds, washing squares, and storytelling plazas. The people here are generally well-off but not extravagant. It’s a quiet part of the city where neighbors know each other’s names and gossip flows gently.

The Port of Mesch: Essential to the Duchy's foreign trade

Beacon Tower: A coastal lighthouse and warning system

Crypt of Whispers: Deep beneath Ghost Gate, a sealed ancient vault said to house forbidden knowledge

The Gilded Stair: A spiral street of upscale shops and eateries in Trade Town

Castle Observatory: Used by nobles and mages alike to track the stars and predict weather for sea voyages

Founded in 22 AE during the early consolidation of North Chrysalis, Mesch began as a strategic military fortification before growing into a port and commercial center. It rose in prominence thanks to its natural harbor and became the capital of the Duchy of Buzatia by merit of both location and legacy.

The most infamous period in its history came in 71 AE, when a blight spread from Ghost Gate, killing hundreds. Some say the Duke at the time tampered with necromantic relics. The event left a permanent mark on the city’s identity, giving Ghost Gate its name and lingering reputation.

The Cracked Lantern: A haunted tavern in Ghost Gate where people swear the spirits serve better drinks than the bartenders.

Gilded Stair Market: A luxury shopping area carved into a gentle slope. Best place to spend coin fast.

Duke’s Garden: Within the castle grounds, open to the public on solstice holidays.

The Gray Wash: A public bathhouse and gossip center in North Ward.

Sunfell Square: The cultural heart of Trade Town, with daily performers and public speakers.

Mesch’s buildings are a blend of stonework and timber. Structures often have flat stone roofs, ideal for rainwater collection. Arched doorways, ironwork balconies, and sea-facing windows are common. In Ghost Gate, the architecture is more gothic—taller, with narrow windows and leaning structures.

Set on the southern coast of North Chrysalis, Mesch hugs a natural bay that shelters it from sea storms. Inland, it opens to the rolling lowlands of the duchy. A narrow river called the Murne flows through the city and out to the sea, aiding in inland trade and water distribution.

Temperate maritime. Winters are cold and damp, but rarely snowy. Summers are warm with occasional mist. Storms blow in off the sea, sometimes violent, but short-lived. The climate supports hardy crops, especially root vegetables, and fosters fungal growth in damp areas like Ghost Gate.

Salt from the coastal flats

Rare dyes from fungal blooms in Ghost Gate

Fish and shellfish from the bay

Stone from inland quarries (transported to Mesch for shaping and export)

Herbs grown in hidden rooftop gardens across the city