The towers of the king’s tier stand tall and majestic with the crystal dome of Sun Crown Castle glimmering brightly, casting a certain spell over those who approach its great triple gates. The castle is surrounded by open-air bazaars where nearly anything can be found if you have the coin. This is the most civilized of the human cities found in Ehbon, a marvel of construction and in its ruler-ship. The whole of the city is a tiered construction with many homes, shops, and storage carved from the living rock or formed by magic, all with running water and working sewage removal systems in place. At the top is what is known as the king’s tier, with the docks being the lowest tier, the further you go up from the dock the better the tiers get, and the more money one has. Though there is poverty in the city not a single beggar will be found, for there is no hunger nor homelessness within the confines of Stonewurth. This unique quality is due to a few things king Antares had implemented upon his acquisition of the throne.
The first was the taxation of the affluent of his city allowing the provision of homes to those who had no means to get one. The money is divided among these subjects to get food and other necessities, and in exchange, these same people provide services such as keeping the streets clean, helping on the docks, or helping with other duties like in the stables and such. In addition, he made an arrangement with an old friend who happened to be in charge of the thieves guild. They would regulate themselves and he would overlook certain activities such as smuggling, pickpocketing, and minor offenses, but at no time would murder or slave taking be tolerated as he would execute any violators on the spot. This arrangement has kept violent crimes to a bare minimum and other crimes nonprolific. The guild also acts as spies for the king telling of any slavers who slip into port or of other things that would be of interest to the security of the region and city. Many would not approve of this but the king is wise enough to understand that one cannot eliminate crime but one could control it.
The port of Stonewurth is one of the busiest in Ehbon, and one of the largest as it sees traffic from not only Ehbon but from Indifrica and even the eastern lands coming through Freeport. The region itself exports many things from other regions like animal hides and grains, wood, and certain stones, but from their own lands, they export fish in large quantities and rough gemstones from underwater mines that the local merfolk are hired to mine. All in all the city of Stonewurth is a bustling metropolis and a model that other human cities seek to emulate, one where adventure, mystery and sometimes deadly danger can be found, if one knows where to look…