Grand City of Erwick
The oldest and greatest settlement with Akeroth. Regardless of its vastness, no outsider really visits anywhere but the capital.
The history of Erwick was not an easy one to digest. In a lost timeline it was the seat of power for the Shadow Emperor, a dark and evil being whose goal was to bring about the end of days and restore his place in the realm once more.
Due to the interference of a group of heroes this end of times was brought around a lot sooner and this place was said to be destroyed by the sacrifice of 2 men Grey & Carrass. In an act of defiance, they tricked the dark lord and allowed it to survive the onslaught thus, upon the defeat of the lord, Erwick became a beacon of hope & prosperity forevermore.
Currently resided over by King Choomba this land stays away from political matters in this new age and focuses its efforts on peace.
Geography
In the city, there are in total seven districts: Emperor Way also referred to as the Palace District, the Market District, the Arena District, the Arboretum, Talos Plaza District, the Elven Gardens District, and the Temple District. There are also two smaller walled districts located outside of the city proper. The Aegis University is located to the southeast and the Imperial Legion Compound (which includes the Imperial Prison) is located in the northeast. The last district is the Imperial City Waterfront, the harbor district, which is located to the southwest of the city proper.
Green Emperor Way is the central district of the Imperial City and the location of the White-Gold Castle, also known as the Imperial Palace. The various Emperors of the Empires of Akeroth, along with the Elder Council, rule the provinces of Akeroth from the Imperial Palace. The Stones of Power, powerful tools of destruction and divination, are also said to be located within the confines of the White-Gold Palace, and are guarded with fanatical devotion by the priests of the Cult of the Valethar and the Erwick Legion. A cemetery used for the burial of the nobility of Erwick and other important persons surrounds the Imperial Palace. Six gates lead to the other districts of the City from Emperor Way.
The City's series of concentric districts begins with the Gardens encircling the Emporer Way. The Gardens is a pleasant residential area, supported economically by two well-known inns: Broad's Boarding House, and The Inn & Out.
Emdros Plaza, located in the western region of the City, is an exclusive residential area and the location of the main gateway to the City. The district is supported economically by The Tiber Hotel, an exclusive hotel used regularly by the nobility of Akeroth during visits to the capital city. It is an expensive hotel for the use of prosperous and important visitors to the City. In the center of the Althos Plaza district stands a statue of Valethar, the Elder Spirit Dragon, in her Dragon aspect, which is a famous location around which the people of the City gather to meet and converse. One of the residents of this district is the artifact collector Gaelin, whose manor is located just across the street from the statue of Valethar.
The Temple District is the location of the magnificent Temple of the 5 New Gods. This temple is was reused after the supposed death of the old gods but is as old as the White-Gold Castle and was constructed in the First Era following the establishment of the Erwick Empire from the ruins of the Draconic War. Within the Temple of the Four was where the Dragonfires burned to seal Ar-Seid in the Underdark. Also in the Temple District is The All-Saints Inn, which opens its doors to visitors and pilgrims alike. The gateway to the southwest of the Temple District leads to the City Waterfront.
The Arboretum is the garden district located in the southeast region of the City. In this district stands the statues of the Five Divines: Emdros, Ishara, Kalios, Aurorus, and Ivian. The statue of Emdros is located in the middle of the Arboretum, encircled by the statues of the other Gods. The gateway to the southeast of the Arboretum leads to Aegis University.
Next is the Arena District, where the City Arena is located. Two groups of gladiators fight at carefully scheduled times: the Blue Team and the Yellow Team. Before they are allowed to enter the Arena and enjoy the spectacle of gladiator combat, all visitors are required to bet on a match or join one of the two teams as a combatant. The management and training of both gladiator teams are handled professionally in the basement of the Arena, known as the Bloodpact by the Imperial City's citizenry. Two statues mark the district: the statue of Queen Arbane in the southern region of the district and the statue of Apollo in the northern region of the district. Queen Arbane was the first ruler of the Erwickian Empire, the first of the Empires of Akeroth, and the founder of the Old Gods Religion. Apollo was a pit fighter who led Erwick's armies in the taking of White-Gold Castle and brought about the end of the Draconic War.
The Market District is the busiest district in the City. All kinds of people and races from throughout Akeroth are seen there. All kinds of items change hands here, from weapons and armor to alchemy ingredients and books. The merchants who set up shop in the Market District are officially regulated by the Office of Commerce. Aside from the official regulator, the merchants in the Market District created their own organization to control the prices of items and the economic balance within the Market District. The organization is named the Society of Concerned Merchants. An Empire-sponsored publicity and news office is also located there. The Black Horse Courier is run by a group of Tabaxi who hunt for news and deliver newspapers to various cities across Erwick. There are two statues in the Market District: the statue of Emdros located near the gateway to the Gardens, and the statue of Uriel Greqin, the supposed Demigod son of Emdros, located near the gateway to the Arena District. The gateway in the northeast region of the Market District leads to the Legion Compound.
The Legion Compound, separate from the main thoroughfares of the City, is located to the northeast of the city proper. It is the headquarters of the Legion as well as its armory and the Prison. The troublemakers and other various prisoners were kept locked up in that prison. The prison is also connected to an ancient labyrinth of the Orion ruins, a fact not known to the general populace of the City. However, the Legion is aware of that fact and keeps the ruins sealed.
The commander of the Legion during the Draconic War was Adamus Eldar. He was renowned across Akeroth for his constant war against the Dark Chaos and had led the Legion for forty years, surviving many attempts on his life by the assassin guild he sought to destroy.
The Aegis University is the site of the headquarters of the Mages Guild in Erwick. The University is closed to all non-members and low-level recruits of the Mages Guild. To gain access to that prestigious university, an aspiring mage needs a recommendation letter from the various heads of the guildhalls across Akeroth.
During the Draconic War, the Mages Guild was led by Arch-Mage Aegis Sunmane, a powerful mage who took a strong stance against Necromancy. Under his leadership, the Mages Guild banned Necromancy, an act that was regretted by many other high-level members of the Guild.
A special branch of the Legion known as the Battlemages guard the university. They are highly trained in the magical arts as well as the use of the blade and heavy armor. The Aegis University contains various buildings dedicated to each of the magical arts and studies such as the Lustratorium for Alchemy study, the Chironasium for enchantment study, the Praxographical Center for the creation of spells, and the Mystic Archives, also known as the Aegis Library. In the center of that circular compound was the Arch-Mage's Tower. The Arch-Mage's Tower consists of a lobby, the Council Chambers, the Arch-Mage's Quarters, and the Orrery in the basement. The Arch-Mage and the Council members manage the entire Mages Guild throughout Akeroth from the Arcane University. The Orrery is one of two contraptions in Akeroth that studied the celestial bodies.
The Waterfront is the harbor and docks of the City and was located to the southwest of the city proper. This is the region where ships from throughout Akeroth come to trade, pick up and drop off goods, and conduct other economical business. An underground route connects the Waterfront to the Temple District. The inhabitants of the Waterfront District mostly consist of the lower classes of Imperial society; beggars and ruffians are often seen prowling the district.
The Thieves Guild is widely known to operate in that area, yet the Imperial Legion has difficulty capturing the Guild's leaders, the Kelcans and the Fox. The beggars in the Waterfront are quite protective of any inquiries about the Fox, and it is considered obvious by the Imperial Legion that a symbiotic relationship is maintained between the Thieves Guild and the beggars. It was even said that the beggars are under the personal protection of the Fox.
Layout
The central ring-shaped hub is home to Emperor Way – The White-Gold Palace and the Elder Council Chambers. The outer ring of the city is split up 8 into districts, beginning North-East and moving clockwise: Arena District – Contains Erwick's Arena where the Hero can engage in betting on fights or actually participating in them. Arboretum – Contains various Museums and Historical Texts. Temple District – Contains the Temple of the Five Gods and a few "Upper Class" homes. Emdros Plaza District – Home to the Wealthier Inhabitants of the city. Gardens District – A residential area inhabited by many of the citizens of the city. Prison District – Local hole for any who would break the laws laid in place by the crown. Aegis University – Any aspiring magic user should always head to the Aegis University to learn more about their power and how to harness it. Market District – Contains various Merchant shops selling everything from Weapons and Armor to Potion Ingredients. Outside the center ring is the following district: Waterfront – Located southwest of the Temple District. This part seems to house the poorer people of the city, and the Thieves Guild.History
The Imperial City grew up around the White-Gold Castle, originally the seat of power ruling over all of Akeroth. The city itself is divided into ten districts, the Royal District located around the Castle itself, and nine others grouped around it. These comprise the temples, markets, arena, docks, university, and residential districts of the city.
Below the city, there is a complex sewer system, seemingly designed by the Erwickians for the subterranean movement of goods as well as disposal of sewage. Control of the sewers has also proved to be key in securing the city itself throughout its history, with the battle between the Emperors and Rebellions for control of the city ultimately being decided by who controlled the sewers.
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