Dashy

Dashy (dɑ:.ʃi:) is the second largest city in Agenom, and more than anything, a major trade hub. A relatively young city, Dashy was founded around two hundred years ago when Agenom staked a claim to the southern forks of the Eora river and trenched them deeper to create a canal that connected the Kalesten Gulf with the Riath Sea, allowing for direct sea trade and travel without having to ship overland. It is directly south of Coom, across the gulf. With a population of around twenty-five thousand, Dashy is much smaller a city than Coom, but more diverse. People from all over the world end up in Dashy from trading ventures—but it is still not quite as diverse as Gites in Serdenaugh.

Societal tier distinctions are less noticeable in Dashy, and there is little noble presence in the city. The city is reigned over by a duke, officially, but unofficially it is the mercantile that run the city. A council of businessmen elected by their peers advise the duke. Dashy has its own culture—though it appears to be derivative from traditional Agenomian culture.

Layout

The city itself is located inland, along the river. The Central Kalesten Isthmus is mostly plainsland, smoothing down from the craggy landscape of Agenom at the foot of the Perdrasers. The river and canal cut deep into the land, creating a canyon and cliffs along the coast. Much like Coom, Dashy starts from a high point on a cliff, and has been dug out down to the river ports. At the top of the cliff sits the duke’s manor and government buildings, surrounded by residences for the rich merchant elite. A large Temple to the Seasonal Goddesses is to the north, almost set aside from the rest of the city. This is because the focus of the temple is in the farmland to the north, rather than the city itself. Shrines to Casril are scattered across the more affluent parts of Dashy, with no centralized temple.

Residences, a marketplace, and warehouses fill the lower parts of the city. Architecture isn’t as grand as in Coom, but the duke’s manor and homes of the wealthy are still familiar as Agenomian. Inns are a booming business in Dashy, typically catering to merchants and passengers on ships that are stopping overnight to resupply. Much of the market actually caters to bulk trading—aside from some smaller local markets. Large shipments of produce, livestock, and other commodities are sold wholesale to merchants on their way to one destination or another.

Dashy’s docks are limited for space along the river. There are naval outposts on the east and west mouths of the river to guard against piracy, but there is room for no more than one small ship in Dashy’s docks. There is a single dry dock managed by a single company that solely handles repairs, while Agenomian mercantile ships are built in Coom. The rest of the docks allow for ships to remain in dock no longer than two weeks without a hefty fine. Dashy’s shipping lanes are designed for nothing more than quick stops to resupply and load up cargo, then sending ships on their way.