Riovia

Riovia is the wealthiest trading city on the Free Coast and a major financial center of the region. Known for its order and efficiency, it serves as a central hub for international trade.

Geography

The city is built around vast docks and commercial districts along a long coastline. Large stone quays and warehouses line the waterfront, while orderly streets connect the harbor to the inland markets.
The harbor is capable of accommodating hundreds of ships at once.

Government

Riovia is governed by Lord Castellari, though much of the city’s power rests with the Economic Powerhouses, like powerful merchant princes, banking families, and shipping magnates who oversee trade policy and economic regulation.

Economy

Trade dominates every aspect of Riovia’s economy.
Major commodities include:

• Spices and rare herbs
• Precious metals
• Exotic textiles
• Magical reagents
  The city is also known for its powerful banking houses, which lend money to nobles, guilds, and foreign governments.

Culture

Pragmatism defines Riovia’s culture. Wealth, efficiency, and reliability are valued above tradition.
Merchants and financiers hold high social status, and the city attracts traders from across the world.

Notable Locations

• Golden Exchange - The main financial center where large trade contracts and investments are negotiated
• San Trivaro Market Halls - An enormous commercial complex housing hundreds of traders.
• Crescent Basin - Riovia's inner harbour, a perfectly curved artificial port carved and expanded over centuries of engineering.

History

Riovia grew from a modest harbor settlement into the Free Coast’s most prosperous city through banking, trade, and maritime commerce. Merchant families and financiers gradually consolidated power, transforming the city into a center of wealth and influence.

Over the past century, House Castellari has risen to dominate the city’s politics, ruling with the support of the merchant aristocracy and the powerful banking houses that define Riovia’s economy.