Serenissima Centwerp

The Serene City of Centwerp is an independent free city, treated as a principality of the Ingrish Alliance.

The city is one of the most important centers of trade in the World of Mana, along with Taznikaport and Korsyra. The Rhene river, largest on the Euser continent river, flowing south from the highlands of Mandala, splits into three major tributaries at Centwerp: one flows west, to the Habar Magistracy (proper-era Olivawk), one flows south to Taznikaport, and one flows east into Pan Dore. This unique position made it the heart of the continental trade, which naturally made it fantastically wealthy. Although it competed with Taznikaport for wealth and influence, the two great cities were inextricably linked, as Taznikaport needed Centwerp's ties to the interior and Centwerp needed Taznikaport's ties to the ocean and other continents.

An elegant city, showing a unique high gothic architecture that was copied throughout the Ingrish world. The city was built on water, and used canals as roads. The abundant freshwater provided ample sanitation, and Centwerp was one of the largest cities on the continent. Not surprisingly, there was a massive temple to Undine, which the city considered its patron. (Undine was quite possibly the most popular Elemental in the ancient world.) There were, however, shrines to all the Elements, as Elementalism was the city's dominant religion.

Most of the wealth of the city was in the hands of a handful of extremely powerful Ingrish merchant families. Although there were numerous Taznikanze merchants in the city, most of them tended to be small or medium sized operators, or frontmen for larger operations based out of Taznikaport. The heads of the wealthiest, most powerful families would chose one of their number to lead the city as Doge. Even though the other Ingrish nobles regarded the merchant prince as 'not a proper noble', being one of the richest men in the known world counts for quite a lot. The Doge often didn't participate in the politics of the Alliance, preferring to maintain good relations with their Pan Dore and Taznikanze neighbors.

The military of the city was handled by the Volturnian Guard, an elite group of Taznikanze mercenaries contracted for life. The guard's reputation was so fierce that few even dared attack the city. On the rare occasions someone does threaten Centwerp, the city usually just buys them off.

Most of the population is Ingrish, which is the most common language. However, trade can always be conducted in Taznikanze, and any learned person would know Kracian.

In Proper, this period is somewhat romanticized, and part of the reason Centwerp views itself as a little bit separate from, and a little better then, the rest of the Republic.