The bell atop the tower in town square tolled. It informed the citizens of Clarenburgh that the time for prayer was upon them. The devout temple-goers found their peace and dropped to their knees. Pagans, heathens, and people who simply didn't care were forced to wait as their fellow citizens made amends with the Gods regarding their sinful desires of the flesh. But this was normal. In fact, this was a thrice daily occurrence.
Many things about Clarenburgh were mildly offensive. The first being the smell. Horses were common, and left their dung for others creatures, of slightly higher intelligence, to take care of. Pigs and chickens of all shapes, sizes, colors, and stenches wandered the street. Sounds of all pitches and volumes drowned out the tone of one's own voice. Deafening merchants attempted to sell their wares. Street urchins and vagrants screeched for pocket change in a devilish chorus.
The biggest offense, however, were the people.
Humans, of course, came in all shapes, sizes, and colors. They filled the streets like schools of fish in a small pond. But more so common than humans, were those of seemingly inhuman nature. Elves of green or gold garb strolled in and out of cafés. Red-faced Dwarves carried barrels of barley or mead on their shoulders. Drab Halflings bumped into unsuspecting tourists and darted too and from shadows. People bearing fur, scales, and feathers conversed among themselves and others. One could even spot an occasional spirit, perhaps a beautiful nymph or a tiny sprite.
Clarenburgh wasn't a large capital with bustling government houses and a large, dusty market. Nor was it a bustling port town with crowded wharves and busy streets. Despite this, it was the busiest town in the continent. It was a political meeting point for the three largest countries on the continent, yet it belonged to not a single one. It was an independent state owned and managed by the Adventurers Guild, with economical and political backing from the three aforementioned countries.
The burg was built into a gash in a mountain range, a rich, green, valley. The land to the north, south, and west belonged to the three countries. Their names are unimportant for now. But, what is important, is what lied to the fourth cardinal direction.
To the east was a land bridge leading to a continent vastly unexplored and untamed. Tales of beasts residing in this eastern continent shook the imaginations of children, adventurers, and kings alike.
Clarenburgh was a base camp for explorers, a wall for nobles, and, if need be, a final bastion for common folk against the eastern continent.