Population: 190,000
Ruler: The Sirine Curia (under Principe Marco Vestini)
Guards: The Curial Regiment, the Vestini Family Arms
The city of Sirine is divided into several major quarters. These are the Canal Quarter, the Ussuran Quarter, the Palace Quarter, the Curial Quarter, the Numan Quarter, the Banking Quarter, the Forge Quarter, and the University Quarter. It occupies a prime position along the coast of Vaticine Bay, protected by storms and possessing a huge deepwater harbor that is warded by arms of headland. Its anchorage was expanded by the digging of the Canal Quarter near the shore, allowing ships to reach deep into Sirine's heart. It is the seat of Vestini power, and boasts some of the finest craftsmen and tradesmen of Theah.
The Canal Quarter.
Networks of canals, all surrounding the Grand Canal artery, make their way inland, shadowing the banks of the River Arnot. The Sirine Bridge, a massive unadorned brick structure, overlooks the Grand Canal. Merchants gather there to bid on trade goods sailing into the city each day. On the south bank of the Grand Canal, the houses are stone and marble. On the north bank, they are brick and clay. Beyond the canal and the river Arnot, stands the Forge District. Touching it on all sides is the great Banking Quarter.
The Ussuran Quarter.
Surrounded by a brick wall with several gates (which must be shut at sundown), the Ussuran Quarter is the largest congregation of Ussuran Orthodox outside of the mother country. Originally founded by Ussurans coming to trade with the wider world, they have remained a germ of banking and merchanting since the early middle ages. The quarter is frequented by footpads because of its narrow and confusing streets.
The Palace Quarter.
The finest quarter of the city, this is that which surrounds the Palazzo Principe. Only nobility may hold townhouses here, and there is an opera house and theater which are both frequented by the Vestini well-to-do.
The Curial Quarter.
Surrounding the curial palace, which is singled out by its massive brick tower and astrological clock which faces four sides of that tower, the curial quarter is the heart of Sirine government. Most merchantile families have their holdings here.
The Numan Quarter.
Between the Palazzo Principe and the wall, there stands a stretch of abandoned Numan ruins that was once a bath house and fortress. These swarm with members of the Black Market, thieves guilds, and brigands.
The Banking Quarter.
The great Vestini banks, while they do not rival those of the other Vodacce princes, are all gathered here. The Banking Quarter is centered on a high hill that stands apart from the rest of the city. The Vodacce banks are all built with marble, stained glass, and vaulting.
The Forge Quarter.
Brick houses and craftsmen's shops make up the entire Forge Quarter, where there are cheap taverns and lodgings. The finest crafts in Theah come from this place, made of material from the Crescent Empire or Cathay.
The University Quarter.
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