Riavod

Riavod was originally founded by the Great Khan in -286, as he was ordering his Empire in the wake of his conquests, to be the capital of his new province of Sankhar. Situated ten miles south of the old Kenzin capital of Shrel Kain although it grew to overshadow its competitor it never attained the size of southern cities like Tammarik. Situated strategically at the mouth of the Fola Salenin as it enters the great inland sea of Tamngara Naji, however, it proved ideally situated for trade and communications with the rest of the country.

Although the Great Khan had turned down the chance to make Shrel Kain his capital he imported the Kenzin administrators from there wholesale into his new city to run the province. Many of the new and imposing buildings he erected were in the pagoda-like style of Kadia and designed by Kadian architects that were captured by his troops in raids on that country. In particular although some of his buildings were conventionally four-sided some of the grandest were six or even twelve-sided. The tallest and grandest building of all the Palace of the Khan is now the centre of the Sankhar goverment's administration. The first King of Sankhar had a more modest palace built in traditional Sankhat style when the country achieved independence in 57.

Another of the most imposing buildings in Riavod is the Temple of the Four Winds which the Great Khan had built to house all of the competing schools of monks that then existed in Sankhar. This temple is now run by the Order of the Golden Light.

The population of the city although predominantly Kenzin is the most diverse with strong representation from all the human tribes of Sankhat. Many foreign states have an embassy in Riavod such as Cambria, and Reetland as well as southern states like Aratola. Non-human embassies include the Dwarves of Mountain Hall and the Elves of the Elven Forest and Agasha Dag. The wide streets, well functioning sanitation and tolerant educated population make it a pleasant place to live and this had attracted many non-human craftsman to move to the city.

Riavod is also the site of one of the Sankhar's two universities and has a thriving community of artists and performers. The rate of poverty in the city is very low which has also helped to keep the crime rate low. The courts are mainly kept busy with adjudications on commercial contracts and land disputes. Bases for both the army and navy (including marines) are to be found just outside the city.