Aldereed takes its name from the nearby White Wood, filled with alder, birch, poplar, aspen, and pines. The dark leaves against the white bark can be quite striking, especially in the early morning light before the mists clear. The wood is home to all manner of fey creatures, making the city's lumber industry somewhat hazardous.
The city is spread out along the Singing River. A small canal has been dug so that the city is completely surrounded, and the city is packed with small streams, waterfalls, pools, and fountains. The water is drawn from the river into tanks atop the buildings, mostly using pumps powered by countless small windmills. These are often carved into fanciful shapes, such as birds or shooting stars. In part this is for hygiene, in part for beauty and convenience, but mostly it is rooted in the belief that the fey will not cross running water.
The foundations of the city's buildings and countless small footbridges are made of honey colored stone, with the bulk of the structures built of beautifully stained wood. Figures and designs are painstakingly carved, stained, and painted into the structures.
A huge number of logs get floated down river to Whitebridge. Mills in Aldereed also turn much of the wood into lumber, and artisans turn wood into products ranging from machine parts to sculpture. The various scraps and waste are used for a huge paper industry, which supplies most of the known world. The alder trees for which the city was named are found everywhere.
Aldereed is overseen by a Viceroy, who was appointed at the pleasure of the High Prince. The position typically goes to a political ally as a reward for their support. His residence is called the Hall of Light. It is a palace of honey colored stone, with an enormous, three-story hall that runs the building's entire length. The ceiling is a peak fitted with panels of thin soapstone, which allows in a flood of golden sunlight. At night light is instead provided by magical globes around the roof's inside perimeter, which shines out and can be seen for miles.
The building is shaped like an H with the hall running across, residential and private rooms at one end, and government offices in the opposite wing. The current Viceroy, Henry the Elder, is a laissez-faire ruler content to do very little unless his intervention is absolutely required.
Everyone in Aldereed, noble and commoner alike, is obsessed with falconry. High prices are paid for prized birds that have been caught or bred. Various competitions and exhibitions are held on an almost weekly basis. Generations of breeding have produced unusual variations, including stripes, spots, crests, plumes, and ruffs of varied colors.
Clothing in Aldereed tends to be simple but sturdy. Simple geometric patterns such as squares and triangles are favored. Men wear a sash around their waist, with one end left trailing down to ankle-length. Short pants are paired with wraps below the knee and tough boots. Women wear a tabard, tied with short cords on either side of the waist. These are embroidered with abstract depictions of animals, trees, or tools, and are descended from the aprons worn in their homes.
Both beer and bread in Aldereed are made without the addition of yeast, being allowed to ferment on their own through exposure to the air. Both are often flavored with fruit peels and spices. The result is a sour and complex flavor that is an acquired taste. They are often served with fruit preserves and soft cheeses throughout the meal.
Burrowmen are treated very well in Aldereed. Rather than living apart, they typically board among the humans that hold their contracts in rambling houses. The halflings prefer the basements and gardens, and are considered a part of the family. These Burrowmen are responsible for regularly renewing various charms and wards designed to protect the household, as well as providing household members with protective amulets.
Most of these supposed abjurations have no real magical power, but the Aldereedans take them very seriously. One unique form of amulet is the fey hex. These consist of a hollow wooden frame in the shape of a circle, square, or hexagon. Inside, Burrowmen weave intricate patterns using fine thread and tiny beads made of stone, shell, or glass. The result is a colorful and complex image that can be hung from home or belt as a ward against harm. Though collectors happily pay high prices for fey hexes, selling them is taboo in the city.
Some Primach in Aldereed own land in and around the city itself, as in the rest of Kragland, and focus on farming or commerce. Most, however, own logging or foraging rights to a portion of the White Wood.
Type: City
Parent: Kragland