(population: 78,000) Located on the Bloody Coast, Ordana is the capital of the Kingdom of Orel.
This massive seaport sits upon a broad horseshoe-shaped inlet, which provides an ideal, naturally protected anchorage from the turbulent waters of the Sea of Orel. The city is built upon three sides of its main harbor, and is divided into twelve different districts. Overlooking the city from a hill on its northern tip, is the imposing fortress of Castle Arianna; home of the Orellian Royal family.
For protection, the three quarters of the city that borders land have high stone walls, and the harborside is protected by enormous iron sea-gates which block any invader’s entry via the sea.
Inside those walls, Ordana is bustling city of nearly 80,000 souls, however, when one takes into account the average number of visitors, its actual population nearly twice that number. This vast mercantile trade is overseen by the Consiglia; an elite assembly of Orellian nobles and merchant lords.
The famous grand bazaar of Ordana, located just off the harbor front, is the largest in the known world. It is teeming marketplace, where every conceivable commodity is bought and sold. The bazaar operates 24 hours day
Ordana is uniquely cosmopolitan. Its largely Thannish population rub shoulders with Eloysian sailors the Seven Cities of Bronze, Hakeen traders from the Sultanates of Ilsenene, Rhaygos, and Styr, and even Daroon merchants from the exotic, far-distant lands of Kurand and Yamada
The city has amassed enormous wealth from the trade in all manner of exotic, imported goods. These imports come in via the harbor, and leave via the Orem Road, which connects Ordana to the smaller cities of Olthad and Ormath.
On a darker note, although slavery is outlawed in Orel, the city fathers allow slave trading is offshore, so slaver vessels are known to anchor offshore and transact their grim business within sight of the city. Of course, the Oramar take a percentage of this nefarious trade in human flesh.
At any given time, as many as thousand vessels can be found either moored in the city's huge harbor or tied alongside one of hundreds of stone quays and wooden piers spread across its waterfront. These ships hail from such distant ports as: Al’Than E’Thai, Azhara, Chondar, Dhal Viera, Imshar, Jharë, Jhovar, Khalifar, Ko-Dan, Mori, Nakata, Ona Miertay, Sionjhäe, Thiele Graavos, Var Salaam, Vachukuo, Vhal Quaaros, Xhaarata, Zakresh, and Zhin.
The City of Ordana is currently governed by Grand Duke Eldard Avenhar, who commands the City Guard; which numbers 750 soldiers, and the elite Iron Claw Regiment, which numbers 1,200 of the famous Kreskan Archers,
Local History
The city of Ordana is ancient, with a long history stretching back nearly 4,000 years. At the time of its founding in the Third Age, the city was little more than a fishing village, populated by a Thannish tribe called the "Ordani."
The village soon grew into a major city, and later an independent City-State which joined the Orem Confederacy. At the end of Third Age, Ordana was threatened by Valden the Conqueror, and wisely bent the knee to save the city from total destruction.
At that point, Ordana became part of the fledgling Kingdom of Valdor. Within a century, however, Valdor had dissolved into civil war. From that conflict, Ordana became part of the new Kingdom of Eldara, one of two kingdoms which arose out of that conflict.
But, after centuries of loyalty, the people of Ordana began to chafe under Eldaran ruler-ship. It was felt that the royal court in Eldarand no longer had their best interests at heart. So when Lord Rygar Alesard began his rebellion, the peoples of Ordana joined him enthusiastically.
Rygar's rebellion was successful, and resulted in Eldara breaking into two nations. The northern half of Eldara became a new kingdom called "Orel." The city of Ordana then became Orel's capital and has remained so to this very day.
