Elaris

Elaris lies to the west of Duralai, nestled at the western edge of the Duralai Oasis. As the final stronghold before venturing into the harsh expanse of Caspia's central dunes, Elaris holds a vital strategic position. Its location grants it privileged access to the first goods and treasures carried by caravans emerging from the unforgiving desert. Additionally, it serves as a critical junction, connecting trade routes that flow from the southern coast, ensuring the city's prosperity and influence in the region.

Elaris, a large but modestly sized city in Caspia, is renowned as a haven of indulgence and opportunity. Dubbed the "City of Gilded Shadows," it offers a unique blend of legitimate commerce and shadowy underworld dealings. By day, it is a bustling trade hub where merchants and travelers gather to exchange exotic goods from across Pelora. By night, it transforms into a vibrant, unrestrained playground for those seeking thrills, forbidden pleasures, or goods that evade the scrutiny of stricter cities.

Unlike the larger cities of Caspia, Elaris operates with fewer restrictions and thrives on its reputation as a city of sin. Its streets are alive with music, gambling, and whispered deals in shadowy alleys. The city draws a diverse crowd—from ambitious merchants and skilled artisans to gamblers, adventurers, and rogues seeking to escape rigid societal norms. Elaris is a place where fortunes are made and lost, and secrets are traded as freely as coin.

At its heart lies the Gilded Bazaar, a sprawling marketplace that serves as the city’s crown jewel. The upper levels of the Bazaar hum with legitimate trade, showcasing dazzling wares and luxury goods from distant lands. Beneath this veneer, hidden passageways and covert dealings form the Consortium of Tenebris’s largest black market hub, where forbidden artifacts and illicit goods change hands under the careful watch of the Consortium’s Shades.

Governance in Elaris is managed by a loose coalition of merchant princes and guild leaders, many of whom are complicit in—or benefit from—the city’s darker dealings. While some factions, such as the Verdant Accord or the Fist and Iron Brotherhood, view Elaris with disdain, it remains a critical hub for trade and intrigue in Pelora, embodying the phrase, "All that glitters is not gold."