Village of Cænden

Cænden is a small impoverished village that lies within the Inùnda Nàrdural (i.e., north boroughs wetland). Originally a small woodland valley with a feeding tributary for the winding Run Mèrdus, the community gets its name for the family of millers that once operated there. In the early 10th century HK, all high-ground around the valley was developed and walled. Storm and waste water was channeled into the lowland creating the Inùnda Nàrdural. Within a generation, the old Cænden community was reduced to a series of small buildings stranded upon small islands. When the plight of the Cændènyr was brought to the attention of King Orvud I, he recognized that the valley could not be restored. Instead, the King designed a series of flood intakes and culverts to channel excess drainage into the subterranean Run Mèrdus. The engineering and construction costs were borne by the Iron Crown. Afterward, the villagers built a series of bridges to connect Cænden’s many islands.

Today, the Village of Cænden has the unfortunate distinction as a depository of undesirable elements. The extensive number of converging drains and cisterns have created a network of tunnels centered on the village. Those tunnels connect the loathsome Lower Streets of Oð to the Nàrdural and beyond. For this reason the walled-in lowland is often visited by abominable visitors not seen in most other areas of the city.