Ethenus

The city of Ethenus lies along the Wynding River, and is the last Valdeze-borne port on the Wynding River’s trade route. However, unlike Dalrin and Valernus, Ethenus is neither clean nor hospitable. Named after one of Valernus’ sons, Ethenus was originally a haven for elves and half-elves who helped Valernus and remembered the early days of Bainland. As elves became increasingly persecuted and reviled in Valdeze (in no small part due to the Ministry), Ethenus, always under-built and fairly open to nature, suffered from the lack of the Fair Folk. Now, Ethanus, although striving and wealthier than most cities beyond Valdeze, is the poorest and most dangerous city in Valdeze. Fortunately, since the bulk of the city lies on the west bank of the Wynding River, its conflicts with the denizens of Worm’s Wood are limited, but not unheard of. To ensure the safety of the merchants passing through, Ethenus has a walled garrison and keep, Worm’s Bane Keep, on the east bank. Heavily fortified and forty feet high, the garrison has never fallen, not even during the Claimed Land Wars. The rest of the city is a huge river port, although Ethanus does provide Valdeze with the second largest tobacco and crop production; timber is also a lucrative business. Unlike the rest of Valdeze, Ethenus has few powerful mercantile activities within its walls. It is likely that this will change within the next few years as the Gilded Chalice and other powerful trading guilds continue to buy up land and independent merchants. Ethenus is known for the Walking Wall Road, one of the domed aqueducts of Valdeze that also doubles as a defensive wall as it rises some forty feet high.