Haven

Haven
Imagine a place where, no matter who you were, where you came from, or what your life may have been like, you can be accepted for who you choose to become. For many people, the city of Haven is synonymous with hope. Founded by Tandril Xerces Talmora, Haven is a community where ones' physical appearance has no bearing on ones' station in life, only through deeds may you increase your status.
The city itself was built as a fortress, the castle set against a cliffside. Just outside the castle stand the guildhalls, the barracks for the crown guard, as well as a temple serving as an access point to the tombs of the catacombs. Beyond the first wall stands a number of artisans and shops, as well as the open market. Beyond that is the final wall, where a single gate opens to the only road out of the valley. Entry into the city requires passing through a class wherein newcomers are taught the rules they will be expected to follow within the city. Foreigners are welcome, but only so long as they obey the rules. Those who do not, are cast out.
The Trade stations allow merchants to trade their wares directly with the city officials. This is because trade is strictly regulated inside of Talmora, to prevent illegal products from being distributed. Many foreign bodies find this distasteful, but King Talmora is adamant on this point, refusing to budge even an inch. Trade inside the city walls is done freely, and many merchants will purchase products brought to the city directly from the crown, and then resell them to the denizens of the city. Most merchants inside the city have no issue with this, as all of these items purchased from the crown are exempt from taxes.
There are a number of items the city trades in that are not sold within the city, but instead freely distributed. Bread and other basic food items are one such commodity, as residents are able to trade sustenance tokens, Earned by working fields owned by the crown, for bread baskets. In this way, King Tandril seeks to aid those who would otherwise go hungry, and at the same time address labor issues with the fields. In short, One will only go hungry in Talmora if one is lazy and unwilling to work.
In most towns or cities, you have a town guard, which usually consists of locals who volunteered to protect their homes.
In Haven, things are a little different. There is a town guard, but it consists of elite warriors trained to serve as the King's Personal retinue. The Crown guard serves in shifts as town security, rotating on a regular basis. The basis for this comes from the King's own philosophy, that he cannot be the leader of a people if he is not willing to put himself in danger to protect them. His belief is that the King is nothing more than a servant to the people and that the privileges he enjoys as King are the payment for the service he provides, but his personal protection is NOT one of those privileges. As such, the Crowns Guard serves as both his personal security and as the security to the entire population of Haven.
As an aside, the king has also established a recent decree which commands all able-bodied individuals between the ages of sixteen and twenty summers to join the military, where they receive training in self-defense, as well as discipline and order. As part of this decree, all citizens that abide by it shall receive one gold piece for every year spent in service, a pitiful amount for most merchants' children, but a veritable fortune for the poorer farming families.