Phanax

Category	Cities
Continent	Brucrumus
Region	Lands of Purity
Owner	Malacost
Population	145,000+
Founded	8 Warper 1087
Map	Adellum

Phanax was founded by the Farinteen Dynasty. In the early days, its economy blossomed from the rich iron and copper mines situated in the Raganbiraks. A town gradually emerged around the mines and then slowly expanded a mile southward along streams, rivers, and a series of waterfalls. At the time, the coastal area did not serve well as a functional port, as the waters were too shallow. To remedy this, a group of wizards from the Arch-Mages of Merioss were hired to dredge the proposed port area. This monumental endeavor was accomplished with the assistance of water elementals and earth elementals. However, as the conjured elementals could only perform a portion of the work, the remainder had to be carried out by those native to Bal-Kriav. The earth elementals were essential due to the bedrock shelf that extended outward from the mainland. Once this obstacle was broken up, the rivers Nithiach and Sinuran, along with dozens of water elementals, added depth to the southern end of the now port-city Phanax.

When Farinteen fell in the Black Tide War (1465 - 1486), Phanax became a city of the Black Tide. During their occupation, the Black Tide encountered considerable difficulty securing the city. Sea elves posed a significant threat, launching daily sorties against the Black Tide occupiers, often attacking from the deep waterways flowing through the city. The undead also had to contend with guerrilla attacks from the city's platinum mines and land and air raids from the Raganbiraks.

In the Athenian Crusade (1539 - 1551), the Black Tide forces were compelled to retreat from the city in order to safeguard other regions. Unwilling to surrender the city intact, they attempted to raze it, but the peculiar climatic conditions of the area rendered this objective unattainable. Consequently, the city emerged from the two wars relatively unscathed. Following the conflict, Phanax was incorporated into the Malacost domain.

The bustling city of Phanax serves as a vital river port for the region of Malacost. Situated on the eastern banks of the Nithiach, the metropolis lies three miles upstream from the expansive Pearl Sea. Additionally, a smaller river and numerous streams originating in the Raganbiraks flow southwestward through the heart of the city, their waters coursing through an intricate network of canals, aqueducts, and cascading waterfalls. As a result, many of Phanax's neighborhoods and districts are readily accessible both by water and by land thoroughfares.

By land, the city lies northeast of Vraga Moltus and south of Tara-Har. During the tumultuous Black Tide War, the Phanax shipyards relentlessly produced warships, even as the empire's crown city burned under the onslaught of Thasmudyan's malevolent hordes. The Phanax Dragons, a naval division of the Holy Armada of Malacost, are headquartered in this city. The citizens take great pride in their navy, and the sailors of the Phanax Dragons are highly respected and generously compensated.