[Grand-Haven Casino&Hotel] I

Irene pulled me through the transformed city of Nethra.

"Huh..? What happened to the city?" I muttered.

"What do you mean? It's always been like this," Irene replied.

When I first arrived in the city it fit the time period a pre-Victorian-ish world. The streets were narrow and uneven, paved with cobblestones that made every carriage ride a bone-rattling experience. Modest townhouses lined the streets, their facades a blend of aging brick and Georgian elegance. The blood-stone lamps flickered weakly against the thick fog rolling in from the river, casting eerie shadows that danced across the buildings.

The air was filled with the sounds of a bustling, industrious life. Merchants hawked their wares in crowded markets, the clatter of horse-drawn carriages echoed off the walls, and the distant sound of symphonies and opera houses added a constant hum to the background.