Merhood

Merhood is a river side neighborhood, just behind the docks. It is one of the city's original neighborhoods, so all the buildings have a patina of age and signs of rebuilding.

It seems like every street is slightly uphill. The streets are cobblestone and morter, with a mix of heavy moss that has only been partially scrubbed off by dilligent homeowners. The streets are not overly narrow, just a bit dark. All the buildings are heavily plastered multistory affairs. Some of the lower levels have cobblestones and morter waist height. Almost all the doorways are several feet up from ground with broad stairs introducing them. Ground level windows do not open. The neighborhood has many balconies, some of which lead into elaborate foyers. Neighboring houses often have arched walkways between then on the second or third level. Many of the large homes have large patios on their roofs.

The oddness of the neighborhood is the result of the river's water level raising and lowering over the years. The ebb and flow takes about seven years, from slight puddles at the floating docks to the submersion of the first floors in the neighborhood. During wet times, sleek and small canoes ply the 'streets', with the occasional water carriage or full sized boat being found. During the dry times, carters pull carriages along the narrow streets for the dainty or rich.

If it was not for the city's stance on tradition (and prohibitively heavy taxes on the buying or selling of property outside one's family) these homes would of been abandoned or been a slum. However the founding trading families built homes here decades ago and have adapted in a fine fashion since then.