The Heart of the Empire in 800 TE
The region where the first human tribes settled in Thedas has remained verdant and reliable, receiving cool ocean breezes along the coast and good rainfall further inland. This has helped to support a burgeoning population, even in leaner years. The hills scattered throughout protect the valleys from winds and other destructive weather, and mountains provide clean water sources from the edges of the territory. The Minanter River has become a steady thoroughfare for boats and new towns are likely to spring up along its path in the future.
Many of the worst beasts have been eradicated or driven away in the last five centuries, but swift attacks on land and from the sea continue to keep Tevinter's soldiers busy (in addition to their duties tending the slave trade). Not a few nasty surprises have come from within the Silent Plains. This is where it is said the city of Barindur once existed more than a thousand years ago, before being wiped from the face of Thedas by the wrath of Dumat. No new settlements have been planned in the stretching dunes and caravans do not dawdle there. Luckily, the road is well maintained so they don't have to linger. Rumors that the desert is cursed persist.
The Reach of the Imperium
The Imperial Highway starts in the capital of Mintrathous and snakes along the interior of the continent, reaching most places a civilized Tevinter citizen cares to go. It is regularly patrolled by soldiers, since the highway draws everything from beggars to bandits to inhuman predators seeking sustenance. There are not always enough patrols to cover stretches that are furthest away from civilized areas, however. The road currently ends at the fortress of Ostagar in Ferelden, which Tevinter forces are holding with all of their might. Rumors say it is nearly ready to stage the full-fledged invasion of Ferelden that it was constructed for.
Tevinter influence in 800 TE is felt far and wide, but to varying degrees. The Donarks are distant and wild enough to have settlements that are mostly independent. The Hunterhorn Mountains and Tirashan forest have a few outposts, but many places to hide. The Frostback Mountains remain dangerous, which is why the highway has been built around it. The expansion of the road across the midsection of Ferelden cost the empire dearly, but the Krayvan family of Emerius poured their gold and influence into it. Since it is now serviceable (though not complete), upper crust Tevinter families are getting ready to bring their culture to the Almarri tribes, along with a change in leadership.
The first, most esteemed, and most developed cities of the Imperium are north of the Silent Plains, where the Tevinter tribe took hold and became prosperous enough to overtake their neighboring tribes eight hundred years ago. Bounded on the west by the Blasted Hills and on the east by the mountains where the Hundred Pillars stand, the heart of the empire begins at the Minanter River in the south and ends north at the Nocen Sea. (The jungle island of Seheron is Tevinter territory but sparsely settled.) No matter how far it extends its reach, this cradle is the home of Tevinter's mightiest noble houses. The towers of Minrathous remain the goal of citizens at the furthest reaches of the empire.
Peoples and History
By this point, the initial tribes that came together under the Tevinter banner in the cradle of the empire are largely intermarried and indistinguishable, though the more martial traditions of the Neromenian tribe are felt stronger in their old bastions.
Major Settlements
Asariel - The City of the Dead is known for several things, chief among them its catacombs and echoes (commonly called ghosts). These natural and expanded caverns have served as the resting places for the Imperium's most hallowed dead for over four centuries, and the city has enjoyed respect for its dedication to Dumat as god of the dead. Prices and tithes are high everywhere, since the inhabitants are greedy and so close to flush Minrathous. The local bureaucracy is ruthless and crushing, but deals more with squeezing the living than supporting the city. Many of the older edifices are untended and falling into ruin. Otherwise, the inhabitants are friendly and patient. As a bustling center, the city suffers from awful smells due to the overrun sewage system, the trade in bodies, and tanning. The whole area seems desperate for distractions, whether they're stories, strong drink, or something else entirely.
Carastes - This quaint town could be a city, and in some ways it is. Warm villas sprawl along the hillsides, giving way to buildings on stilts, beautiful bridges, and docks extending out over the water. The environs have been sculpted, painted, and carefully arranged to take advantage of the romantic views. Those who manage to live there are quite comfortable, though they must often repair major damage to their homes due to the elements or attacks from sea creatures. Most can only afford to visit or spend a season, however, before they are priced out. This doesn't mean that the town is empty, but that most faces don't linger for long. Some citizens earn their keep by dealing in rarities and feeding the endless appetite for luxuries. Those who can show true skills in the arts have a chance to become members of the artists' colony there, so many make the journey to be judged. But in the sleepy sameness of a pampered life, the people jump at any new source of competition and acclaim.
Cumboros - This town sprang up out of sheer efficiency - it was at the end of the Imperial Highway and on the water. The effort was well funded and enough citizens were sent to serve the empire, but it hasn't taken off the way many believed it would. For one thing, it's colder, taking on chilly breezes from the Waking Sea. The area tends to give visitors an unsettlingly calm impression, but the natives are known for having volatile tempers. And the priests of the Old Gods are particularly devout and dedicated to controlling everyone's lives. Thus, Cumboros has excellent natural defenses and sanitation, but struggles to maintain enough hands. Nearby is a pit whose depths have not been explored due to prohibition from the priesthood. Instead, offerings are made to the various gods throughout the year by being thrown inside. Lately, offerings have been desperate due to an alarming uptick in infant deaths.
Dolus - The decadent town of Dolus is a world away from its neighbors in temperament and goals. It is hand-waved as a serious destination because of its overzealous dedication to Urthemiel, Dragon of Beauty. The whole area is a haven of intoxication, aphrodisiacs, festivals, and food. Its people can afford such luxuries because of the tariffs charged on any trade through its territory, the exporting of drugs and other fare, as well as deals important families set up to keep the locals supplied. Bribery, nepotism, and other forms of corruption are expected at every level, as is participation in the fun. Needless to say, one needs to be hale and hearty to survive a long stay here, and the population suffers at times from fatal overindulgence and accidents. It is revitalizing currently, clean and bright and open to attract a new crop of those looking for a good time. The townsfolk are quite open to suggestions and hospitable - quite open, indeed...
Emerius - The City of Chains is a main supplier of jet and other stones, with extensive mining operations and a great deal of slave labor. Carved out of the rock walls along coast, it is the heart of the slave trade and the latest of the great imperial cities. Since it is a valuable port, it is defended by the Fourteenth Cadre, also known as The Black Cadre, a particularly vicious squadron of the army. Most Imperial soldiers find it a punishment to serve there, with the sheer crush of people, the threat of slave revolt, and the Cadre's notorious hazing rituals. The Gallows fortress in the habor is filled with statues of tortured slaves and the bodies of those executed to maintain order. It is largely regarded as a dirty, troublesome cousin by the magisters (even if its upper wards are clean, with excellent flagstone streets). Occupants make their lives bearable through bribes, extortion, and blackmail. A few make their reputations through stunning (and often suspicious) acts of charity.
Iscara - This town has been famously rebuilt after a long and irregular series of disasters (from a flood, to a massacre, to a landslide, to wars between leading families, to a high dragon attack). Its growth has been curtailed by these hardships but its leaders continue to hope that it will gain the support needed to become one of the great cities. The perfect soil, pleasant temperatures, and proximity of the Imperial Highway make it a prime location. The Iscara family continues to offer land and other rewards for those who will keep and defend it (though any who wish to leave must pay a hefty toll, or else). The township has a sparse population right now but swells in numbers during major army movements and trade in the area. It is a common stop and has a stalwart reputation. Visitors are warned to avoid Iscaran grudges and vendettas and the area does a steady business in poisons and contract killings.
Marnas Pell - The Defiant City (or as locals call it, the Thrice-Ruined) is a badge of honor and a resentful wound in the side of the empire. First, pollution from being close to the City of the Dead continues unabated. Bodies carried through its territory leave vermin, disease, and disgust in their wake. Then, a magic experiment gone awry several centuries ago led to a major ongoing problem with local features, and a wide swath of the city will realign itself at sporadic intervals. It is a problem that none of the mage circles have been able to solve. Finally, experiments allowed within the city have led to boons and banes, as well as ghostly echoes and other problems. Praised for its breakthroughs and buoyed by support from all of its temples, Marnas Pell is regularly overrun by visitors seeking miracles. Natives hold on to hopes that a new spell or item will stabilize their chaos, and try to keep their heads down in the meantime.
No comments:
Post a Comment