Nicodranas
Nicodranas, the easternmost city of the Menagerie Coast, sits near the southern border of the Dwendalian Empire.
The city's name, meaning "gathering of colors" in Draconic, reflects the diverse cultures that clash and mingle within its boundaries. As an embassy state, Nicodranas hosts most diplomatic relations between the Clovis Concord and the Dwendalian Empire. While the second-largest city on the coast, it lacks the bustling pace of its larger sister city, Port Damali, making it preferred by travelers who seek a more relaxed atmosphere.
Overlooking the Restless Wharf docks stands a lighthouse of the Wild Mother, where traders and sailors maneuver their goods in and out of the harbor. Local businesses are connected with either the ruling Uludan family or the entrepreneurial mage Yussa Errenis in the Tidepeak Tower, creating an additional level of competition. For those with coin to spend, the Opal Archways offer plenty of indulgent dens, though they are always under the watchful eye of the local Zhelezo guard.
This vivid and lively port city is situated below the mouth of the Wuyun Valley, where the Cyrios Mountains form the southeastern border of the Dwendalian Empire. The city is divided into four loose regions, each of which is further divided by the lifestyles of the denizens based on which side of the valley they hail from. The districts within the city vary in architecture and atmosphere, meshing colorful Menagerie pavilions with the gothic, brooding Dwendalian aesthetics.
At the eastern end of the city's shoreline lies the Restless Wharf, boasting a number of docks, warehouses, and a massive shipping bay operated by the Glisteners Guild, a privately owned subsidiary of the Uludan family. Guiding ships into port is the Mother's Lighthouse, a colossal structure carved in the image of Melora. The wharf is in constant competition with the Open Quay docks and is rife with cheap entertainment, pamphlets for services, and false promises of competitive prices.
On the western side of the city, the Open Quay is owned by Yussa Errenis, a wealthy merchant mage who purchased the land two centuries ago after most of it burned down. Despite offers from the Uludan Family, Yussa built an affordable bastion of rentable business space in spite of the monopolizing family. The Open Quay is considered seedier than the Restless Wharf, with a diverse range of work found throughout the area.
Centuries ago, the Opal Archways, a loop of eleven stone arches, marked the edges of Nicodranas before it expanded beyond its original boundaries. Today, the Archways are markers of the lively social center of the city, illuminated by multicolored torches and incense at dusk. The area is expensive, making it exclusive to nobles, wealthy merchants, and political figures. Foreign diplomats and moneylenders often own a part-time leisure home within the district.
The Skew comprises the city's residential sprawl, a colorful collection of mismatched homesteads with a jagged skyline. While the streets closer to the Archways are safer, the lack of well-lit walkways makes the area dangerous to walk through at night.
