Human KingdomHuman Cities, there are 36 in all, 24 of them in the 'great human kingdom' in the north east. Those cities that are not part of the 'great' kingdom are often part of their own lesser empires.
The great kingdom is not a single kingdom, or rather it has no king. It is split in to nine lesser fiefdoms by the great houses. Each house ruling over as many as four cities, as few as two and all the lands around them. In most of the cities orc and their half breed children are viewed as enemies or slaves, while elves and goblins are viewed as savages best to be ignored. Most of the families see Halfling and catfolk as allies in trade at least. While dwarves are seen by some as true brothers and by others as monstrous fiends.
The island to the East is ruled by House Sangrav, they are a people set on the idea of being free of the others. Sangrav feel that the island of Freeshore is home to the best of mankind and that if nothing else their mighty navy proves it. While no force can match their navy, nor the fishing stock they bring in, most folks will point out that asides from ship making, and a skill at Bow-craft they have nothing else going for them. The Cities (from north to south) of the island are Red Tide, Freemark, and Easthold.
Red Tide: Named for the war on House Vernveil that the Sangrav launched nearly 200 years ago. A tide of blood, war and death struck the shores and burned every port down the eastern coast. The war itself only ended due to the weather. A great storm rose up and remained for 100 days slaying any fool enough to sail. It is said that all the sea ran red from the silt kicked up from this storm, after it ended, peace was made but the name stuck. Red Tide remains a naval stronghold and well defended city.
Freemark: Capital of Freeshore and home to the Sangrav house this city is large and sprawling. There are few places in the world with docks as large or as well tended as Freemark. The city depends on it's export of fish, and yew but has a great deal of both at the worst of times. The law is strong here, and pirates are drown.
Easthold: Said to be mankind's first city, few believe it is true, but that does not stop the locals from claiming as much. It is twinned to Westhold the farthest west city of mankind, but unlike it's twin this city is home to the rich and civil.
West of Freeshore, south of the Lone Peak Mountain sits four cities under the rule of House Vernveil. These cities are often though to be nearly as much home to halfling as they are to men, and the catfolk often travel to them as well. Here man sits in an idle farm belt, free of war like orcs of the north, and content to trade with the dwarves, halfling and catfolk around them. These meadow lords are mocked as weak by many other families, but due to their wealth and well placed cities it is rare that any thinks of moving on them. From west to east the cities are Makal, Brighthills, Blackwood, and Haverst.
Makal: This city is named for the Dwarven word for free trade. It is a hub of trade for all the eastern most lands. It is within reach of the dwarf of
, the catfolk of
, and the Halfling swamp tribes of the east. Makal is host to a small pride of Qasali, and one of four dwarf communities found outside of their mountain homes. Past that it is split near 50/50 human and halfling, though Vernveil are it's unquestioned lords.
Brighthills: The hills around the end of
River are known across the land for Highever Blooms, a flower that casts the moons light back in to the sky so brightly that from miles away a field of such flowers looks like day light, or sunrise. The men of Brighthills mine the mountain of Tin and Echo.
BlackwoodThe woods south of the city are home to Black Stag, and other rare game. Blackwood Is home to hunters and loggers alike, but the Green Wardens watch them all with care. The city was founded by the wardens and is ruled in trust by them. The Wardens are a group of half elves devoted to natures order. Their knowledge of weather, farming and beasts is enough to keep Vernveil in their 'pocket'.
Haverst: This city was once a halfling city, but when times were tough and war was afoot they came under the protection of House Vernveil. The people of Haverst simply never saw a reason to leave that protection. It is in fact the House's seat of power in this age.
North of the Lone Peak are three cities ruled by House 3. These lands are not so good as those below them, and the press of the tundra orcs is unending. House 3 is strong though, and devoted allies to the folks of the Lone Peak. With steel, stone and innovation they have held Fort Highguard and the river Frostmourn for over 300 years, against the orcs of
. The great iron mines Blade-Forge at the base of the Lone Peak have kept them strong, and farms of Minitha along with trade from the swamp halflings have kept them fed.
Fort Highguard: Built long ago this mighty battlement turn city was created to hold back the orcs when they first gathered in to a war host. It is at this stone and steel fortress that mankind has ever tested their best against the ravages of the orcs, and the hard slow death of northern winters. The city itself is built atop a stony hill, protected by the great walls that reach for three miles around it.
Blade-Forge: This 'city' is said to be a gift from the dwarves in old times. It was given to the empire of man so that mankind could gather iron in the amounts it needed to do battle with the orcs of the north, with out needing to make war on the dwarves to get it. To this day the city is more a mine and smelter than anything else.
Minitha: Home to House 3, Minitha is the towering city that governs the fields and farms of the north. It is also keeper to the river delta of Frostmourn and so the main supply route for all northern cities and Fort Highguard. It is a place of beauty and never stops working to provide for the other cities.
Westward sits the two cities held by House 4, Fort Despair
(north) and Tetracara
(south) once the Throne City. House 4 is a fallen house, once the mightiest of all the war that split man ruined them. Now with history, a weak claim to the Throne of Man and the great slave markets they hold out as a relic of the past. While most Houses allow the 'ownership' of indebted servants of orc blood, or southern peoples, the Throne City is the one place were trade of all races and peoples is still allowed. It is with this slave army that they have held their place, and many of the lands west of them.
Tetracara: Once the Throne City of all mankind the massive towers and grand mansions of Tetracara now suit it ill. The city is bloated with nobles with no claim, little land and dozens of old grudges. Most of the city is a sprawling slum growing like a cancer off the old wall city that looks like a capital that was repaired poorly and with the wrong colour of stone.
Fort Despair: Home to the Slave Markets, no single place on Gaia is home to greater misery. The city is built like a prison with walls as much meant to keep in as out. It is divided in to sections, subsections and districts, each connected by well guarded and watched gates. The city's true name is Canat but it is only called that in formal address.
South of the White Rage River is Rivermet and Old Hall the home of House 5. Much of their lands have been taken by the catfolk of the south, and what little they have left is almost fully river side farm, or woodlands. They are a double natured people. Half are hunters, wood cutters or herbalists, while the others are parcelled farmers. House 5 has held some power by acting as the main trade rout to the catfolk lands for all lands east.
Rivermet: The eastern most of House 5 's cities Rivermet supplies the 'Throne City' with much of it's trade by road and river. It's people pile the soft lands along the White Rage's shores and gather the hard woods of the White Woods forest.
Old Hall: Once New Hall, this city is now home to House 5. They are the link between southern trade and the White Rage River, and for this reason alone have been strong enough to remain a human city instead of falling to the Qasali. The catfolk have not made war, but simply slowly bought the lands south of the city and settled them, or rent them to humans for a cut of their crops.
North of House 5's lands is the city of Rohn, and west of that north of Mount Kelin is Hart's Hold, home to House 6. House 6 are lords of the open plains and are themselves mighty Horse Lords. They have command of a land east of Mount Kelin, north of the White Rage River. They are deadly enemy of the orcs, and are not known for bending knee to anyone else.
Rohn: The great plains of man are ruled from Rohn's Halls. The Horse Lords of House 6 make an unending war on the orcs north of them. Every summer they ride north and scour they lands, then as winter draws near they return home to simply wait it out. No city commands more land than Rohn, and few have less respect for outsiders involved in their affairs.
Hart's Hold: The throne of the Horse Lords of House 6 Hart's Hold is a marvel. The city is built on the ruins of a fortress, built on the ruins of a city built on the bones of the halfling tribes that once lived in the swamps just south of the city. The old stone is mismatched at times, but few other fortress can claim that every door, hall and room has space to fit a man on horse back. The wooded hills near Hart's Hold are said to be home to Dire Stag, it's mountains to Dire Hawk and Dead Marsh home to spiders large enough to eat a horse.
South of Mount Kelin and the Dead Marsh sits Castle Kasrt home of House 7. House 7 also has rule of Renwood and Unity Bridge the nearest cities to the west. These lands are teeming with villains, and is home to the Guild of Assassins. The family is said to be but puppets on the strings of the competing rogues and the Catfolk of
the city of trade.
Castle Krast: Krast is not so much a castle as a fat short tower perched in the one section of dry land between the Goldgrave's forks. The city is not walled, it is a mess of buildings each trying to snatch up as much dry land as it can. The city is slowly being devoured from the east and west by the river, slowly becoming a part of the marsh.
Renwood: This city is home to Duke
known to many as the king of thieves and father of crime. His manor sits in the city's heart like a black spire of stone casting it's shadow over all others. Around it is a city built around logging, now a den of bandits from all corners of Gaia. The only law here is the Duke's law, and in name if nothing else he bends knee to House 7.It's control reaches south and north in to catfolk and dwarf lands.
Unity Bridge: Dwarfed by the marble bridge across the Goldgrave River the city itself is built along the delta as a sort of way point on the road south. At first the city was built by the simple need for an inn at the bridges build sit. It grew from that, and so has always been a working mans town. It is light on law, and heavy on the not so legal trade. The buildings of the city itself are connected by hodgepodge roads and has no sense to it's layout.
West of that is Cashali
(southern most), Sky-Rock
(western most) and Lord's Haven the under siege home to House 8. House 8 are no friends to the dwarves of the
Mountains, and because of this feud they have found themselves under open assault and long siege by the northern orcs. With only House 7 to aid them House 8 has found themselves cut off and unable to free themselves from this tangle. Some would say their lands are the finest, but worst treated. House 8 is often seen as feuding with itself, and all neighbors. While all three of their cities are cradled by the branches of the Goldgrave River House 8 are poor sailors and lack naval power.
Sky-Rock: Built atop a small mountain the city is nearly unassailable and so it's lords have been known to try and cede control from their masters, but are often starved out, or betrayed from within. Despite this rocky past the city is still a place of height and awe. It is the boarder and host to the ongoing wars with the western dwarves.
Cashali: This city is warm and well fed. It's white silk draped people trade with the catfolk of the plains and become rich for it. They build tall towers and profit from the ownership and use of rhino's as pack beasts and mounts. Few among even the horse lords of House 6 dare to match the cavalry charge of the Knights Cashali.
Lord's Haven: Built right on the river near the cliffs edge there are few cities better suited to defense than Lord's Haven, and it was built with this in mind. It's tall towers and strong walls have kept it's masters safe from hundreds of years of orc raids, and over 30 years of hard siege.
In the great kingdoms far west sits House 9. House 9 rules from Dun-Var-Sol deep in the valley of the
Mountains, with Last Hold and Jungle's Edge farther west at the boarder to the elf lands. No land is richer in timber, or exotic jungle goods than House 9, likewise few houses have such stout friendship with the dwarves. Sadly they are not dear friends to the elven tribes but are in fact on uneasy ground to to logging, and 'mistreatment' of the jungles waterways. Due to the dwarven ties they are enemies to House 8.
Last Hold: Once the far boarder of mankind, Last Hold is now more of a marker to show where civilized men go no farther, and a hold out against both the orcs above and House 8 to the East.
Jungle's Edge: Built in the wild jungles of the elves this city is the logging capital of the world, and home to more half elves than any other city. However many of the elven tribes have call war on this city due to it's over logging.
Dun-Var-Sol: This city is deep in the valley
of the
mountains. The lands around it are well worked, and well protected by the mountains and the dwarven people within them. The cities name means Land of the Sun in dwarf, and is a stout friend of the local thanes who trade steel for food and wood.
Smaller KingdomsIn the south east there is a cluster of three human dominated cites in otherwise ruled halfling lands. These are the free cities of Kan-Doa-Sak, a haven for dark skinned men of the sea who have no desire to serve 'noble' northern lords.
In the free cities men are all equal and there are no nobles or slaves. There are rich and poor, but such is made true only by a mans own merits. Here halfling and men live side by side, and all peoples are allies in trade. The cities themselves are Kanler, Doasal, and Sakati.
Farther west, still at the farthest points south sits another cluster of three human cities. There is Hulg the sea port, Gasha the lake port, and the crown city of Amonarino. Long ago a mighty and false king ruled the northern tribes of man with an iron fist and black heart. When he rose to power many softhearted and well read humans gathered what they could and fled under the leadership of the 'true king'. The kings line has long ago ended, leaving in his place a republic.
It was to Amonarino that this group came, and with aid from the local halfling, dwarf and elves they formed a grand city of stone and knowledge. From this great city centre sprung Hulg and Gasha, cities born of trade and tied closely to the halfling of the swamps north of the lake, and the humans of Kan-Doa-Sak.
To the very edge of west sits an island ruled by man. It has but a single great city, Hikoto, that is the name of the island, city and the nation that lives upon it. So long ago was it that man came to this place that none can recall the genesis of this place. The locals can only tell of the Holy Emperor born of the Sun and Moon leading his people to this land, taming the Field, Forest and Tide to feed and care for his people.
North of Hikoto sit five cities of men. These cities form a strange savage empire that is at war with the orcs of the north, and with itself. along the coast of the Bay of Thunder, sit the cities of Cliffport and Iron-Shore, north of them along the coast is Farpeak. Inland are Wildforge and the Black City.
Both Cliffport and Iron-Shore are ruled by pirates, thugs, warlords and worse. They are 'free cities' in name alone, as most citizens are as much slaves to the strong armed tactics of the ruling class as is any bound slave of the east.
Farpeak was built to prove mans power, to rule form shore to shore. Though the empire has long ago broken in to small parts and the true king is long dead, Farpeak still answers to the 'throne' in Amonarino, but has a hard time keeping from falling under it's neighbours control.
Wildforge is the heart of the jungle tribes power. An old stone city built with aid from the dwarves it has the strength for even wildmen to have a stable empire. It is ruled by what ever tribal leader can hold power and while they are at peace with the goblin tribes, and elves, they view all others as enemies.
Lastly the Black City is a large stone city built in to the hills around it, but has been burned and sacked so badly in the past that it is to this day stained. It is home to a vast population of half orc, and is one of the few city in the world to be home to both orc and men in a state of peace. The warlord ruler of the city is a half orc who has claimed to be of royal blood on both sides, few believe this claim but fewer speak of it out loud. Warlord Joragath of Two-Bloods holds a fragile peace in his hands and leaves trade open between the two peoples for now.
The Great Throne City of AmonarinoFreemarkCliffportSky-RockLord's HavenCashaliBlade-ForgeFort Highguard image to big for the pageth06.deviantart.net/fs42/PRE/f/2009/061/1/5/Chinese_Monastery_Concept_by_I_NetGraFX.jpg