Mezain

Mezain is the capital city of the Vetthi Republic, one of the key merchant ports in international trade. It is the home port of the wealthy Vetthi Merchant Fleet, as well as centre of the Vetthi government.

Mezain means “mouth of the river Zuin”.

The city is situated on a slightly elevated plateau on the banks of the River Zuin, high enough to be protected from flooding. It lies approximately 6 km from the open sea. The Zuin estuary is unusually deep and navigable even during the lowest storm tidesplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigStorm tides

Storm tides are particularly high tides, often accompanied by storm surges and dangerous flooding, which occur on Helevos every 1.3 solar years when Helevos comes into conjunction with the giant planet Kwato'or. Storm tides are at their peak within a two week period, and at their most severe when accompanied by natural storms., the valley carved deep by glaciers in ancient times. Both sides of the lower river bristle with piers and docks, and the river mouth is well guarded by towers and artillery.

The heart of the old city lies on the west bank, and retains the characteristic rectangular architecture of the Issid Block culture, with three-storey towers and streets laid out in a grid pattern. At the heart of the city is the Teller's Quad, the city's ceremonial forum in which important proclamations are made, and where public debates and electoral hustings are held.

Though the Vetthi are generally a peaceable nation, the city has been threatened numerous times by enemy fleets from Ororrplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigOrorr

Ororr [o-ROARR, ɒ̝rɔ'ɾ], also called the Holy Motherland of Ororr, is a theocratic nation in Anásthias, one of the world's great powers. It the largest nation in the world, perhaps the largest empire in history, occupying the entire northwest of the continent between the mountains and the sea. Ororrlanguagelanguagelanguage and Hartheraplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigHarthera

The Hartheran Union, commonly named Harthera, is an imperialist maritime nation state dominating the northeast of Anásthias. It is one of the two great powers of the modern epoch, arguably the most technologically and militarily powerful nation in the world, only matched by the vast size and wealth of its neighbour, viridOrorrMEOrorrOrorrOrorrOrorr, as well as piratesplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigPiracy

Piracy has always been a danger for shipping around the world. Throughout history merchants have been preyed upon by desperate or greedy fishermen, by rogue naval ships acting as privateers, as well as organised fleets dedicated to larceny.

Hartheran, though foreign troops have never made it to the shore. The city bristles with watchtowers and artillery emplacements line the riverbank and shore, but there are no city walls. Historicaly the only serious threat to the city has been from internal unrest, civil strife and two great fires. Consequently the towerhouses of the wealthy are well fortified, and the city has an active force of Vigilants who keep watch for fire and threat.