Home to Namafshe University, Arcadia is well known for its exceptionally large harbor. Very few elven ships are welcome north of Arcadia, which makes it a popular place for both elven and human vessels to offload cargo destined for the other's land.
Named after Omata Kane, the founder of the Confederation, this tiny city serves primarily as the place where intercity matters are debated and Confederate agreements are signed.
Port Oread is a stopover point for passing freighters of many governments and corporations. Its proximity to Port Kane has attracted visitors, and the tourism industry is in full swing.
Originally a small cooperative, Risa has become a major tourist destination for people all over the Confederation.
A relatively young city, Freeport was incorporated as a joint effort between Newport and Portsmouth in order to maintain their monopoly on Great Harbor and the peace between each other. The small council that adjudicates the coalition also oversees the day-to-day affairs of Freeport.
Freeport's distance from the central governments (and therefore law enforcement) of the two primary cities has also had the effect of moving certain other business away from them and into Freeport.
Newport was settled in order to benefit from (and compete with Portsmouth's) access to Great Harbor. Their use of the harbor resulted in a long period of naval hostilities with Portsmouth, ending only after the Riverton guilds' funding of both sides was uncovered.
The first city on Great Harbor, Portsmouth has only recently come to an understanding with its upstart neighbor over harbor rights.
The Adharans are a mystery even to other humans. Any approach by sea is met with a gruff demand to find a different port. Access by land is unadvised, as the temperate rainforest on their peninsula is inhabited by vicious predators. Rumors that the Holdfast has diplomatic contact with the Grey Elves have not been substantiated.
Located in a fertile river delta surrounded by forested mountains, Alphara's principal exports are dairy products. The King is currently in discussion with the government of Port Kane on the possibility of joining the Confederation.
One of the few human cities to trade openly with non-humans, Bridgeport has encouraged the elves to build a sister city across the river. All races are allowed to pass freely between the two, and there is a thriving population of half-elves resident to Bridgeport itself.
The only good fording location on the long (and aptly named) Falls River, Dunroamin was originally discovered and claimed by an itinerant prospector, but she lost it in a court case against the Confederate Scouting Corps (who claimed that it had been discovered months earlier by one of their long-range inland expeditions). The out-of-court settlement enabled the prospector, Felicia Kane (granddaughter of Omata Kane), to set up home here in the style to which she would become accustomed.
Through traffic (following the river or crossing it) must pay a toll, a large percentage of which is then paid as tribute from the baron to the Confederation. The Confederation expects that more settlements will eventually spring up to the west, turning Dunroamin into a real source of income.
Most of the wood and paper products used in human cities are produced here in Emerald. Its old growth forests and tree farms provide the green surroundings from which the city takes its name.
Founded by a group of Serenites who thought the world too violent and Serenity too accepting of that violence, Enlightenment has made an art form out of socialism. Citizens work hard for the community during the day and meditate at night (assisted in both by special herbs provided by the church of Geshtai-Bralm), claiming that they are "rising above" the individual. Those who leave temporarily often experience a strong desire to return as soon as possible. Those who visit (and aren't planning to stay) tend to have the opposite reaction.
Somewhat cut off from the rest of the human lands by several small mountain ranges, Havenites are a bit of an unknown. Those who have ventured into their lands tell of incredibly rich farmland, fat cows, and friendly people. No city has attempted to conquer them, though, as said explorers also tend to return having purchased shiny new weapons forged from steel as hard as adamantine yet as light as mithril.
Aptly named, this small city is the end of the journey both for people who change their minds about exploring the waste, and for those desperately seeking civilization after trying to explore the waste. The plains surrounding the city are filled with small farms and migrant camps, while the original fort is occupied by the reigning count.
Levo is an independent city that has resisted joining the Confederation. Anyone is welcome in the tiny, but neutral, Levo seaport.
Originally a fort built during the Great Expulsion of the non-humans, a small community has grown up around Lone River. With its hot, dry summers and foggy winters, most travelers stop only for a few days on their way north to Journey's End or south to Riverton.
Unusually, not only do the clergies of Pholtus and St. Cuthbert get along in Providence, they actively work together and support one another. Disgusted by the excess and corruption in Riverton, clerics of Pholtus maintain a strict legal system while paladins of St. Cuthbert enforce it.
Run by a series of trading guilds, Riverton controls access between the cities of Great Harbor and all non-coastal cities. The guilds have only recently consolidated their power, and have been eying Great Harbor as a potential expansion.
Looking out from the city's edge, vineyards stretch as far as the eye can see. Ruby's wine is said to rival even that of the elves, and their brews those of the dwarves.
From an outsider's perspective, Serenity appears to be a normal human city with one exception—the jail is almost always empty. Residents here avoid violence whenever they can, preferring instead to discuss problems and disagreements at length until they have been resolved. Minor slights are ignored, and law enforcement for more heinous crimes is generally contracted out to adventurers or (rarely) paladins from Providence.
Some residents have taken pacifism to heart more than others. They call themselves Serenites, and may often be found wandering the human lands doing good.
Towering volcanoes surrounded by lush forests typify the eastern sector of Elvandar. As one moves west, the forests give way to vast plains filled with fertile soil and dotted with small farms. Eventually, the plains themselves give way to more forests, which stretch all the way to the orcish border.
Elves, as a whole, are hospitable and welcoming. They form small communities throughout their realm; often in the trees, and rarely larger than a few hundred individuals.
Ensconced in their twin cities, the grey elves are the source of most elven technology. More secretive than most elves, they focus their efforts on the pursuit of knowledge.
The origins of these coal-skinned elves are a mystery. They are most commonly found in the two great elven cities, where they are easily accepted as part of the community. Rumor has it they have powerful mental abilities.
Several centuries of exploration and construction has resulted in great cities hewn from and carved into the mountains. Each small kingdom plays its part in the Empire, whether it be stone or metal working, exploration and mining, or even diplomacy with the other races in the Grand Alliance.
Dwarves are the only non-human race to build major cities habitually. They take to politics with the same fervor that a dragon takes to a gold mine. It was they who suggested the Grand Alliance to the elves and orcs, as they always prefer a formal agreement to basic friendly relations.
While technically part of the Empire, most goliaths don't pay much attention to politics. They live in the moment, moving on when it suits them. Many take temporary jobs with dwarven construction crews if the opportunity presents itself. Their carefree attitude leads to high mobility between different bands, as a comrade left behind (generally due to illness, injury, or employment) when a band moves on will simply take up with the next band that stops by.
Divided between two vast territories, the orcs number in the tens of thousands. Strong-willed and fiercely loyal, they are the glue that holds together the Grand Alliance.
The vast swath of basin and range topography west of the human settlements is home to many different orcish clans. Living semi-nomadic lives, they drive cattle, breed horses, and make life very difficult for travelers who disrespect their ways. Those who make an effort to understand them, however, are afforded the same respect.
Many orcs feel an urge to settle down as they grow older. Some leave their clans to find work as farmhands in Elvandar, while others push west to build their own farms and homesteads. Wherever they go, they take to the land with the same drive and enthusiasm as their younger brethren take to war.
The only city-sized human settlement within orc territory, Maxwell's Purchase is a peaceful, independent city which provides a route for goods to flow between human cities and orcs. Recently, a small community of elves built an outpost to the south, adding their contributions to the market.
Salt Flats was built primarily to trade with dwarves. As it stands, it has attracted a number of orcs looking for a place to settle, but not interested in leaving their clan roots behind.
Gnomes began appearing approximately a century ago from halfling parents in the south. Since then, they have spread to where they can be found in any non-human settlement. They make excellent engineers, and many find employment in the great elven shipyards at Palshife.
Because they are so difficult to distinguish from a very small human, halflings can be found pretty much everywhere. While they still face prejudice in human lands, it is generally similar to that which a person with dwarfism would face in the United States today.
Kobolds appear to have migrated east from the badlands. At this point, they can be found all over the known world, both in and out of cities. Kobolds living in the more xenophobic human cities, however, tend to remain underground (literally). They aren't especially welcomed by humans, but they're almost impossible to get rid of entirely.