Yarma (pronounced YAR-mah) is a bustling city just past the western edge of the Khurazar Mountains, on the coast of the Gulf of Aserdus. Yarma is the southern terminus for caravans along the trans-Sangora trade routes, and the city's markets are full of goods from far away. The city is a major center of learning as well, with the House of Treasure possibly the largest library in the world.
Geography, flora, and fauna
The city of Yarma is located at the mouth of the Yarma River at the point where the river flows into the Gulf of Aserdus. The river runs through a region of mostly arid grasslands, a transitional zone between the desert of the Sangora Desolation and the expansive tropical grasslands and forests of Brightmarch. The city-state controls some territory on both sides of the river, much of which has been converted into farmland and pastureland.
From the city, the peaks of the Khurazar Mountains are visible in the distance. The Yarma River flows between the farthest west of the foothills of the mountain range, but Yarma itself is located on mostly flat terrain.
The climate of the region is warm year-round but not excessively hot. Thunderstorms are the most severe weather the city has to contend with, though these sometimes bring only lightning without rain.
Most of the native flora to the region are grasses, shrubs, and trees that are well-accustomed to long dry periods. Animals like elephants, ostriches, jackals, and antelopes are common, as are smaller animals like armadillos, foxes, and a large array of birds. Invasive ankhegs and ankhravs are a nuisance in the region, and basilisks can be a threat away from the city.
History
Yarma has grown slowly over the millennia, from a small village in an opportune location to a bustling metropolis.
Demographics
Over its history, peoples of varying backgrounds and ancestries have congregated in Yarma. Today the city is highly cosmopolitan, a thriving community of individuals who hail from around the Gulf of Asderus and across Brightmarch. Humans, dwarves, elves, gnolls, catfolk, and half-elves account for most of the city-state's population, alongside smaller minorities of grippli, gnomes, halflings, and others. Yarma is one of the few cities to have a sizable anadi population, who often find themselves far more welcome in their natural form than they might be elsewhere.
While most inhabitants of the region live in the city of Yarma, small outlying towns and villages can be found on both sides of the river as well as slightly up the coast.